Medical science and technology have come a long way to be able to offer laser treatments with either minimal or no downtime, even with measureable results over time.  It seems the more clinics that offer alternative laser procedures the more rapidly they are turning into the ‘lunchtime facial’ appointment choice for many medical spa goers; instead of the former and still viable treatment choice, if you don’t mind hiding indoors for weeks, of  ‘fractionated resurfacing ablative laser’.

How and why have lunchtime laser treatments stolen the spotlight? In one word, technology.  Newer ‘laser’ technology among skincare machines leads to newer, better treatment offerings for those desiring a youthful, fresh, wrinkle-free, pigment-free appearance.  And that is why laser skincare technology is something read up on.  As is ‘everything skin care’ it’s quite fascinating.  What is the latest and greatest fascinating laser treatment out there for Facial Rejuvenation?  Thanks to persistent, clever marketing, one stands out among the many in the crowded laser pool.

Laser Genesis is being touted as the no-downtime laser facial. I think it is sad, actually.  A facial is about physical relaxation and mental and spiritual rejuvenation while the skin is pampered with appropriate cleansing, exfoliating, masking and hydrating steps.  Ooh, and massage.  How could I forget my incredibly relaxing, deeply touching massage techniques?  Tell me of any one person who books a laser appointment because she’s in desparate need of an emotional retreat.  A laser, unless it develops warm, incredibly soft hands and a caring for its patient, will never be a facial.  A laser is a laser.  Please do not fall for seductive marketing of non-seductive laser machinery. 

Now that I have said that, Laser Genesis is the cross between ablative and non-ablative laser.  Meaning it requires little to no downtime and doesn’t actually rupture the skin causing inflammation.  And in some patients, results may be seen immediately -although for the average client it takes until the third or so treatment.  Why does it take soo long?  The fractionated infrared laser penetrates the deeper, lively, and active layers of the skin, the dermis- where collagen and elastin forms; where skin damage occurs and similar to a pulled strand on a woven sweater, the function of collagen formation, continues to deteriorate and come undone.  This infrared light is known to stimulate collagen which will help to ‘firm and tighten’ the skin and in some cases will minimize appearance of rosacea conditions.  If you are working with the lowest, innermost level of the skin, the dermis, it takes several treatments before it is visible on the epidermis, or the outermost layer of the skin; because all of the ‘work’ being done is working beneath the surface.

The plus side to laser:  over time, it will, rather, it may offer more youthful looking skin (firmer, smaller pores, less wrinkles) with increased collagen production and minimized rosacea tendancies.
The minus? I’ll numerically list these.  You can simply type facial laser treatment reviews and read for yourself real testimonials.

1. Severe burns or adverse reactions mainly due to insufficient exferience from the laser technician.  Scary and ugly and may not be reversible. 

2. Hyperpigmentation from an adverse reaction or severe burn from an inexperienced laser technician.

3. Overall lack of results – due to an inexperienced technician.

4. DO A TEST AREA. The one time you do not, will be the one time you and the laser technician will learn a very important unpleasant lesson. You do not need to find out your skin does not like the laser treatment after you have undergone the treatment on your entire face, neck, and decollete.

If you are not 110% confident in the technician’s ability to perform LASER on your skin; which could severely burn you or leave you with scarring or hyperpigmentation should something go awry, find another technician who is experienced in lasers AND your skin type.  If the setting is set even one notch too high, that could be the difference between, beautiful results, no results, or first to third degree burning.

5. A LOT of money, well to the majority of middle-class workers.  Be prepared to shell out about 1500-2000 dollars. For the first series. A second series may be recommended of the same or different laser combination procedure, and there is always the ‘upkeep’ treatment recommended a few times a year to prevent the skin from reverting back.

Overall thoughts: Does laser work 60-70% of the time? Yes. Although it will cost you.  You’ll need to say goodbye to more than just Starbucks to fit this one into the budget. It does no good to go in for one promotional treatment and then not continue to reap the benefits of the procedure consistently while the skin reverts back to normal from only undergoing the process once.  In the grand scheme of things, that will truly be a waste.  Pointless.  If you’ve convinced yourself you want or need laser, be serious about it.  And jump in with both feet.  Don’t waste 300-500 on one treatment, unless that is your pocket change and you won’t miss it.  Be smart and incredibly selective with who you ‘hire’ for the job.  Don’t be the looking-for-the-deal client, because I’ve heard it time and time again from brand new clients.. “I got what I paid for”.  Which was not what was advertised in the ‘deal’.  Either bad results, or no results.   

Think of it this way.  You are not just paying for laser. You are paying for ‘Professionalism, Knowlege, Passion for the job, Before and After Regimen, Expected Outcome, Realistic Outcome, Confidence, Appropriate Safety Practices, Cleanliness, Tons of Experience, and the ability to immediately and calmly handle an adverse situation should something go wrong”. 

Be smart when it comes to lasers and your face.  It is your skin, your face.  You are stuck with the results for the rest of your life.  I don’t say this to deter you, I say this so you go into your appointment grounded.  No rainbows and butterflies.  Because if you have someone who does not know what they are doing, you’ll know afterward. Either, from the lack of positive results, or the excess of negative results; meaning your skin is worse off now than before you went in.  And, you signed a consent form, so there will be no money back, and that will make you unhappy and stressed.   You will invest time, money, energy once the laser treatments begin to then ‘maintain the results’.  Lastly, plan to alter or begin a new skincare regimen to support your new laser treatment series regimen.

According to Dr. Daniel Amen, author of ‘Change Your Brain, Change Your Body’, by taking care of your brain, you will be able to improve the appearance of your skin.  Each day my position on inner health stands a little closer to Dr. Amen’s position:  take a moment to think about what is going on inside your body and your brain and how your lifestyle and environment are affecting both your skin and your brain.

People, especially women, spend so much time and money working on their skin, when the first organ to take care of to have great-looking skin is your brain.  The cosmetics counter, the dermatologist, the plastic surgeon-this is where you run to reverse the aging process.  But, skin care products, laser treatments, and the scalpel are often only temporary fixes.  The real fix lies in your brain.

Once reading the above excerpt, I decided, okay, Dr. Amen, you have my attention, I’ll bite.  I’m still biting.  That was several books ago on internal health for external health, beautifying foods, the falsity of the cosmetics industry… all pointing with very large, brightly colored arrows toward one pertinent message:  It is not what you put on the outside, but what you put on the inside that matters most.

The prevailing concept behind the message has resonated with me for years but the universe is throwing it in my face everywhere I turn and now it’s time to share the enlightenment on the subject, or the opinions of my findings.

Dr. Amen, similar to many naturalist MD’s states that your lifestyle and environment are affecting both your skin and your brain, and usually not to the healthiest degree, but rather the opposite.

He explains over 18 lifestyle and environmental factors that play a negative role in the skin’s functionality and appearance.  I am going to highlight the most common.

1.  Too much Caffeine from coffee, tea, chocolate, or some herbal preparations dehydrates your skin, which makes it look dry and wrinkled.

2. Alcohol has a dehydrating effect on the body, sapping moisture from your skin and increasing wrinkles.  It also dilates the blood vessels and capillaries.  With excessive drinking, the blood vessels lose their tone and become permanently dilated, giving your face a ‘flush’ that will not go away.  Alcohol also depletes Vitamin A, an important antioxidant involved in skin-cell regeneration.  Alcohol abuse damages the liver and reduces its ability to remove toxins from the body, resulting in increased toxins in the body and skin that make you look older than you actually are.

3. Nicotine reduces blood flow to the skin, robbing it of that healthy glow.  It also destroys elasticity, which promotes wrinkles.  The act of puffing on cigarettes also adds fine lines to your upper lip.  If you smoke for ten years or longer you can end up with ‘smoker’s face’.  This makes people look older than their true age and includes the following facial characteristics:  lines at the corners of the eyes, on the cheeks, or the jaw, and above and below the lips; a graying tone and a reddish complexion.  And smokers are three times more likely to develop a very serious type of skin cancer, Squamous Cell Carcinoma than non-smokers according to a study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

4. Your daily food intake fuels your skin cell’s regeneration, which make themselves new approximately every thirty days.  Your skin reflects the nutritional quality of your diet.  If you eat a deficient diet, your skin will not have the proper nutrients to look well-aged.

5. Eating high glycemic foods and too many sweets causes wrinkles? Yes.  According to the British Journal of Dermatology, consuming sugar promotes a natural process called glycation, in which sugars attach themselves to proteins that form harmful molecules called AGE’s, or advanced glycation end-products.   These little molecules damage your brain and also damage collagen and elastin, the protein fibers that help keep your skin firm and supple.  The more sugar you consume, the more damage to these proteins, and the more wrinkles appear on the face.

6. When you don’t drink enough water, similar to consuming too much alcohol or caffeine, the body and your skin becomes dehydrated.

7. Without adequate rest your skin misses out on the crucial rejuvenation process that occurs during ‘sleep time’.  The result of this leads to bags under the eyes, increase in wrinkling, and overall premature aging of the skin.

8. Lack of exercise, or couch potato syndrome deprives you of the antiaging benefits of physical activity.  when the blood flow is increased, it allows the body to send vital nutrients to the skin through increased circulation.

9. Researchers have pinpointed a strong brain-stress-skin-connection.  Your brain sends signals to your skin that can result in pimples and breakouts in response to stress.  Scientific evidence has also found that psychological stress worsens symptoms of common skin conditions, i.e. eczema and psoriasis.

These are of the most common aggravators to aging skin, although there are many more that play a role in robbing our youthful appearance.   Be sure to take a vitamin supplementation-fish oil and vitamin D, drink enough water, limit the skin dehydrators to a minimal amount, exercise, and eat a brain healthy diet, for starters.

You cannot irritate your skin into submission (think overuse of scrubbing, exfoliating, retinoids or benzoyl peroxide-your condition will likely worsen); nor can you ignore the condition you wish to treat; rarely does a skin condition clear up on its own. The skin is like the mind. It needs to be calmed and soothed in order to achieve its maximum potential. Irritation and stressors only lead to worsening, not correcting the condition.

Oily, acne prone skin types need to be using a Beta Hydroxy Acid, or BHA daily. Salicylic acid is most common among acne care brands and for good reason. It breaks through oil and unglues dead skin cells that are clogging the follicle. Aging skin conditions respond well to varying levels of an AHA, Alpha Hydroxy Acid. Most commonly used is 5-8% glycolic acid. Are you experiencing breakouts AND aging skin conditions? Your skin may require an AHA and BHA in addition to the appropriate hydrator.

Overuse of either ingredient can be irritating to the skin so be sure you are properly applying them based on a skincare professional’s recommendation for your skin type. Need a recommendation? Ready for a product made for your exact skin type? Ask me about a 100% customized line, Onlyyourx.
Learn more on my website:

http://​allaboutyouskintherapy.com/​products.php

The Happy Holidays are here!  And that brings wintery weather, giving some of us dry skin.  These symptoms most always include one or more of the following:  tightness, itching, flaking, burning, stinging, redness; an overall discomfort with the way our skin feels.

1.  Avoid scrubs as these will thin the skin and cause irritation below the skin’s surface and perhaps on the surface with sensitive or overly irritated skin types.

2  Use creamy, non or gently foaming cleansers with lukewarm water.

3. Lastly, you may need to apply moisturizer 4-6 times a day depending on the level of dryness you are experiencing with your skin.  Extremely dry skin, apply a hydrating (non alcohol infused toner) or wet the face with water before applying moisturizer. 

4.  Extra water (drinking) water never hurts.

If after a week there is no improvement, you may need an exfoliation and hydration treatment

Please respond to these posts with comments or questions.

Wishing you Healthy Skin,

Melissa

Are you under the presumption that bottled water can cure dehydrated skin? More and more research studies are proving the complete opposite. Our skin can become dehydrated from not drinking enough water, but once it has crossed the threshold from the normal category to dehydrated, water is no longer the cure all. While, it will help to carry important nutrients to the skin it is unable to correct the imbalance of moisture in the skin.

I constantly have clients telling me “I have dry skin”. After a thorough skin analysis I frequently reply, “your skin is dehydrated.” These words are so often intermingled but there is a significant difference. Dry skin is an actual skin type that usually stems from genetics, maturing skin (menopause) undergoing hormonal changes (i.e. pregnancy); while dehydration is a skin condition that can be reversed overtime with the appropriate steps based on an individual’s skin type, not condition. Dry skin can significantly improve, over time, if you were to take several actions. It is a skin type in which few oil glands produce enough oil or moisture to properly hydrate the skin’s surface in which case the skin needs some help in correcting itself.

Dehydration in the skin means that the skin is lacking sufficient water for its lipid, or moisture barrier to remain intact and full usually from a poor diet and skincare regimen. The skin looks tight from up close with faint fine lines anywhere on the face or body. As mentioned earlier, it sounds like a no-brainer to drink and drink, and drink excessive amounts of water and the problem will go away. This may help for some, but for the rest of us we must set sail on a journey leading to flake-free skin by means of a clinical vessel: some skincare do’s and don’ts to rebuild the skin’s moisture levels, and keep them there.

1. Moisturize with a cream. Most lotions have unnecessary, stripping alcohol that will take you farther from your goal of soft, smooth, flake-free skin. Try Cetaphil or Cerave ‘Cream’ for the body. If you constantly have a taut, tight feeling, you may need to apply moisturizer up to 6 times a day to rebuild your skin’s moisture.

2. Exfoliate with a gentle scrub (you may use sugar or salt with honey or olive oil. You may purchase a sensitive scrub from the grocery store as well. Try this once or twice a week at night if no irritation occurs. If you have inflamed acne, broken capillaries or telangiectasia’s, red, irritated, itchy skin you must avoid any scrubbing beads, grains or textured cloths to the face as these will likely worsen your irritated symptoms.

3. Avoid HOT water at all costs. Hot water depletes the skin of its natural oils, or its natural moisture. Yes, hot feels so good, but for dry skin it’s so bad. Say it with me, ‘lukewarm water is my friend”. It very much is. Additionally, avoid elongated showers and baths if you are using hot water (I can only throw out the recommendation, it’s up to you to follow through).

4. Nearly all average-bought bar soaps contain extra chemicals to keep those bars in ‘bar-form’. These added chemicals strip the skin and take away its moisture. While I love Dove more than most over the counter skincare brands, their Nutrium Moisture Body Bar (Nutrium moisture is completely made up by the way, just like all the other cute non-existent words created for our easily-swayed purchasing pleasure) is counteracted by the unnecessarily added chemicals. Since we are a society easily tricked into believing just about anything on a label because we want to so desperately believe in instant gratification alongside the false promises, we believe the companies who tell us we want that “clean feeling”. That clean feeling should be advertised as that ‘stripped feeling’. We have more than enough environmental factors to battle this time of year. Let us not be the cause of our dry skin because the body bar was so much cheaper to buy. Similarly, a heavily foaming cleanser or body wash is not ideal either. The same applies. Surfactants and detergents cause a product to foam and we think the more foam the better. Try thinking; the creamier the better, this way you are putting moisture into the skin, not taking it away. There’s a reason you can get a pack of any body bars for a few bucks – they’re cheap, in more ways than one.
5. Omega-3 Fish Oil supplements. This is one that may be here to stay for all skin types. The essential oils and fatty acids in Fish Oil are known to help strengthen capillary walls which in turn strengthens skin from the inside out- in as little as 3 weeks. Try it.

Reminder, with the exception of #5, these tips are for dry skin types ONLY. If you do not suffer from any skin conditions associated with dry skin, please avoid these tips. More tips and suggestions to come on how to deal with dehydrated skin with all skin types

Always wishing you healthy, flake-free skin,

Melissa

Dehydrated?  Apply moisturizer, it fixes everything!

At least that’s what all the skincare companies want you to think.  If these brand new skincare products are so miraculous, why are we still all walking around to find the latest and greatest to reverse these aging skin conditions?!  Products are not what they tout themselves to be.  Okay, some are actually, but they are few and far between. 

As to not further confuse you as you trail through the skincare jungle, better known as the skincare aisles, the article title is completely false, much like the majority of department store and over the counter product labels (another time, another article). Let’s jump into skin function and learn why the title is completely false by learning about dehydration, which affects men and women the same, and what will and will not work.   

Healthy skin naturally moisturizes itself by having fluid transported between and through cells as water and other vital nutrients are carried to the lower (lively) levels of the skin.  When those newly formed cells migrate toward the surface of our skin they bring with them moisture because they are water and nutrient infused cells.  Since our surface skin cells are unable to draw up that moisture from below when in need (as we learned from previous articles they are turning into dead skin cells).  Skin must be hydrated from above. When skin cells are not getting enough moisture they begin to improperly layer themselves near the upper levels of the skin because they are misshapen and unable to lay flat.  Instead of a brick and mortar effect which is the ideal situation for skin cells, (we want our skin cells to be tightly packed and lying flat because this prevents outside irritation and infection and improves the chance of proper natural exfoliation) they remain upward like scales of a fish.  This fish scale packing of skin cells is not a healthy one. 

Occasionally, with oilier skin types it looks like ‘white stuff’ sticking out of or visibly seen in larger pores.   These white strands are usually a buildup of dead skin cells and oil that were not able to exfoliate off of the surface of the skin, or rather out of the pores.  Since the cells are not shedding off at the appropriate rate, this white stuff is plugging up the pore and continuing the cycle of dead skin cell build up and lack of proper hydration in the cells.  This in turn causes gapping areas among skin cells and skin layers and now the entire skin cell-production-to-skin-cell-shedding factory slows in all departments.  The skin is unable to correct itself and it needs help in order to get back that speed and hydration.

Dehydration occurs from not drinking enough water, applying harsh, stripping, drying products to the face, especially those containing alcohol, using bar soaps with drying, harsh chemicals, and using the wrong skincare products for your skin type – these are the most common.  It does not only present itself in the form of visible dead skin cells coming out of the pores, mostly seen in an oilier skin type.  Dehydration may also be a leading cause for acne conditions in acne prone skin types.  The surface appears dry but is still oily.  All the same abnormal function properties apply except that the skin creates an excess of oil and bacteria that lead to inflamed and non-inflamed comedones and pustules. It is also a serious contender in causing superficial fine lines and wrinkles and a dry looking appearance.  In most cases, a standard moisturizer is unable to correct the condition.  If a moisturizer contains a combination of peptides, humectants, glycolic acid or vitamin A, it has a chance in aiding in correction temporarily.  Sorbitol and glycerin are two common humectants found in many products which help cells retain water (moisture).  Here’s why a standard moisturizer just won’t cut it:  A moisturizer is just that, a moisturizer.  For good reason, It is not called a repair the abnormal function of improper skin cell formation and increase proper cell shedding; because most of them do not do that.  The majority of the ingredients contribute to the way the product feels on your skin, how thin or thick the product is, and how it smells; these all do nothing for increasing skin cell function, in other words it does not improve the condition of the skin.

While you may see softer skin on the surface, the underlying issue of improper skin cell layering has not been corrected and is likely to reappear. 

Your skin needs proper chemical exfoliation at this stage and it must be paired with appropriate moisturizing steps in a sequential order to begin the repairing process.  Scrubs do not count as proper exfoliation-some make the condition worse and even cause acne flare-ups.  Chemical exfoliation alone is not enough either.  The dehydration will continue if the skin is not properly hydrated once chemically exfoliated because there are multiple functions in the skin that need correcting.  Chemical exfoliation stimulates new skin cell production at the deepest level to begin the formation of better hydrated, shaped, and tighter packed skin cells.  If your moisturizer is not enough to reverse a dehydrated skin condition you may want to seek the guidance of an esthetician or skincare expert.

And while all photo-damaged (sun-damaged) skin needs a proper moisturizer for their skin type I am trying to stress that it will not fix dehydration because the issue with dehydration is actually an issue that begins in the deeper layers of the skin where a moisturizer cannot penetrate.  So do not be surprised if the latest product that suckered you in with its pretty packaging, overstated promises, and multiple eye-catching commercials failure to deliver on those over-stated promises.

Wishing you youthful skin,

Melissa

Sources

Pugliese, Peter.  2001.  Physiology of the Skin II.  Carol Stream, IL: Allured.                                                                                                  Lees, Mark; Hinds, Catherine. 2003.  Standard Comprehensive Training for Estheticians                                                                  Pugliese, Peter.  1991.

Skin-inc.com, 2009