Thursday, August 27, 2015

Wrinkles Why Me?

Why do I have deep wrinkles?

Age

As we get older our skin loses it's natural, bounce and tightness. This is due to a loss of connective tissues call Collagen and Elastin. This causes the skin to begin to loosen and/or sag. 

Exposure to the Sun

Ultra Violet rays cause skin damage, such as spotting such as freckles. This is caused by a chemical in the body called Melasma which is usually the cause of pregnancy mask (a mask of freckles across the face during pregnancy).

Smoking

The chemicals in your cigarettes causes the slowing of collagen production in the skin. Collagen is very important for keeping your skin firm, without it your skin will sag and crease. Making fine lines and wrinkles.

Excessive Facial Expressions

Many deep lines are caused by the repeated motion of your habitual facial movements, such as smiling, frowning, laughing and/or squinting.

Various environmental factors

Wind, water and heat and dirt can cause irritation, dryness, chapping and minor scratches. All of which is can cause dehydration, fine lines etc... 

What do I do about it?

We can't do anything about the ageing process, but all the other factors that cause wrinkles we can work to prevent. 

Sun exposure:

It's a huge factor in ageing and you can protect yourself simply by adding a sunscreen to your regular moisturizing routine! This doesn't just mean that you are going to put sun protection only on your face. Your entire body wrinkles and can get skin damage, this means that always protecting yourself is important. Using SPF 30 is more than adequate for light skin types and SPF 15-20 are good for darker skin types.

Smoking:

If you are still smoking you will have heard this a thousand times, it's important to kick the habit as it's not only deteriorating your lungs and other organs slowly but it's causing you to age fast! So #1 quit smoking.

Next you can book a series of microdermabrasion treatments to help increase collagen and elastin production. Soon Renu U will be offering facial peels as well, which do the same job as microdermabrasion. If you aren't in our area you could certainly find a spa that does Alpha Hydroxy Acid peels.

Regular moisturizing facials will also help to revitalize the overall look of the skin. And a very good facial care routine, will put a dent in the aging process.

Environment:

Protecting your skin from the wind, cold, rain and dirt etc... is as simple as making sure you pick the right clothing to protect you during your activities out doors. Moisturizing before you go out as well helps you by putting a protective barrier between you and the elements. The oils in the moisturizer put a layer that catches the dirt, protects the skin from wind rash etc...

Age:

Keeping up your at home regiment of cleansing, toning moisturizing and bi-weekly exfoliation (exfoliation varies from 1-3 times a week based on thickness of the skin and coarseness of exfoliant). You could also add eye creams and face masks to your regime. Make sure that you work out your face care regime with your aesthetician for best results.


We hope that your face feels and looks it's best, and that you learned ways to stop aging in it's tracks.

Live Well and Be Healthy,

Renu U Aesthetics.

Friday, August 7, 2015

Photo Facials: Keeping your face beautiful

Intense Pulse Light Photo Facials and their Benefits

I have noticed that Photofacials are a service many people may have heard of but are unaware exactly what is it and how it can benefit them. So here are a few things you need to know about what they are and how they work.


What is skin rejuvenation used for?
Skin rejuvenation (IPL- Intense Pulsed Light) laser treatments are most commonly used for:
  • Lightening and removing "sun spots", "age spots",  and brown blotches on the face, neck, chest, hands and other areas of the body
  • Lightening and reducing redness, rosacea, dilated blood vessels and "broken" blood vessels on the face, neck and chest
  • Helping to control flushing
  • It also has a lesser effect of improving skin texture through collagen stimulation and improves pore size minimally by temporarily reducing oiliness
Skin rejuvenation, when done properly, almost always consists of a series of 3-5 treatments, usually one every three to six weeks. The benefits of photorejuvenation treatments are achieved with little discomfort and minimal risk. 
Some will refer to IPL skin rejuvenation as a Photofacial or Fotofacial. 

How does the laser treatment improve the appearance of blood vessels, rosacea, and age spots/freckles? 
The laser/IPL device emits a range of lightwaves that are then tuned and targeted at hemoglobin (the red blood cells in the blood vessels) or melanin (the brown pigment in freckles and age spots). The light beam passes through the skin and is absorbed by either hemoglobin or melanin resulting in damage to the vessel wall or fragmenting of melanin pigment. These tiny vessels and the melanin pigment are then absorbed by the body, rendering them less visible. 

How long does it take for laser skin rejuvenation treatments to work?
Most people need 3-5 months, which consists of a full series of 3-5 treatments about 1 month apart.  You can see some improvement with each treatment, but it's common for your response to be slightly different to each treatment. The more sun damage or redness you have, the more likely you are to need a full five treatments.  Some cases of severe redness or brown spots require more than 5 treatments. Expect to see gradual clearing over time.

Do IPL Photofacial treatments hurt and how long will they take? 
There may be mild discomfort during the treatment, but most clients tolerate removal of dilated blood vessels or age spots/freckles and fine lines very easily. The first treatment is usually the "zingiest." As your skin begins to clear, the treatments usually become even more comfortable. Treatments usually take 30-60 minutes, depending on the size of the treatment area.

What are the IPL Photofacial treatments like? 
When you come for your treatment, your technician will put special glasses or eyepads over your eyes to protect them. A cool gel is then placed on the skin being treated. The smooth glass surface of the handpiece is gently applied to your skin and pulses of light flash. You may feel a very slight sting, like the snapping of a small rubber band. 
At the end of the treatment, the gel is wiped off, the area is cleaned with a warm cloth, and a moisturizer with sunscreen is applied. If there is any mild swelling, you might be given a cold pack to apply for five or ten minutes. 

What will I look like right after the IPL treatment, and what is the healing time? 
For veins, generally, the skin looks slightly redder after the treatment for two to five days. Makeup can be used starting right after the treatment, as long as it is applied and removed very gently. Rarely, there is bruising, which can take 1-2 weeks to resolve. 
For freckles and age spots, the spots generally look darker for 3-7 days. Crusting can occur, which may last up to ten days. The lesions will then begin to clear and will generally be resolving at one month. Remember, it takes an average of 3-5 treatments to clear age spots.


How much do skin rejuvenation treatments cost? 
A single full face treatment costs $200 and can be upwards to $500 depending on where you live and who does the treatment. So a series of 3-5 treatments will usually be $600 to $2,500. A face, neck, and chest treatment runs from $400 to over $1000, for a series total of $1,200 to $5,000. Treating the hands is usually around $99 per treatment.

Be suspicious of low cost "specials." They are usually low cost for a reason.  The treatment timeframes may not be correct and therefore not as effective, or the technician doing the treatment may not be properly trained. 


What results can I expect from skin rejuvenation treatments? 
After your first treatment, you can expect to see some redness, darkening of brown spots, and light swelling. These symptoms will resolve in several hours to one week. Makeup can be immediately applied, if desired. After the treatment, your skin will feel smoother and have a more even tone. A gradual decrease in overall redness, flushing, age spots, and fine lines will be more visible after each treatment. 


How long will the results from a photofacial last?
Tht depends on how much sun exposure your skin gets after your treatments.  If you are in the sun a lot and do not use sunscreen, the underlying issues, whether they are redness or brown spots, will return.  But if you take good care of your skin and keep it protected from the sun, your skin will continue to look good with annual maintenance treatments. 
If you want to maintain collagen growth, we currently recommend a treatment every 6-12 months. Other conditions are more variable. If you are very red, once or twice a year may be needed.



How does an IPL treatment increase collagen? 
The light bypasses the outer layer of skin (the epidermis) and gently heats the cells in the deeper layer of skin (dermis). These cells, called fibroblasts, start to produce more collagen, which improves texture and fine wrinkles. 


Will the IPL Photofacial treatment make me more sensitive to the sun? 
No, it does not. You can have the treatments done any time of the year but summer is more difficult if you pick up color easily in the sun. The good effects of the treatments won’t last very long if you are getting much sun exposure. You can wear a sunscreen every morning and wear hats to protect your skin and decrease redness, brown spots, wrinkles, and skin cancers.

What should I do prior to my photorejuvenation treatment?
Your technician will give you their instructions prior to your first treatment but here are some of the basics.
  1. For 2-4 weeks before your treatment, avoid self-tanners and excessive sun. 
  2. You may be asked to discontinue minocycline, tetracycline, doxycycline or Retin-A/Renova several days prior to each treatment. 
  3. You may be asked to avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen, or Aleve one week prior to treatment unless medically indicated to help prevent bruising. 
  4. Protect your improved skin with sunscreen every morning. Hats and sunglasses are also good protection from the sun.
Who should not get these treatments? 
  • Pregnant Women or Breastfeeding 
  • People with Darker Skin Complexions
  • People with recent sunburn or suntan
  • People with Cancer and/or undergoing Cancer Treatment
  • People with Lupus
  • People with surgical pins or plates under the area being treated

Are there any side effects? 
The main side effects are mild, temporary swelling, redness, an accentuation of the brown spots, crusting, and an occasional bruise or small superficial blister (like a sunburn blister).  There are rare other side effects which your laser center will review with you in your consent form.


I hope that this was helpful and will encourage you to care for your skin in various ways. You can have beautiful skin without going under the knife, and we want to help you know how.

Live well and Be healthy,

Renu U Aesthetics.