Glycolic Acid

Glycolic acid is one of the mostly widely used acids within skincare, as a derivative of sugar cane it has been around for many years. Glycolic Acid is the smallest AHA molecule, because of its small molecular size it has the ability to penetrate the skin.

Essentially Glycolic Acid is an exfoliator, however they way it works is much more advanced than your average scrub. Old dead skin cells that sit on the surface of the skin are held together by binding lipids, Glycolic Acid breaks the bond holding the skin cells and the lipids together in turn desquamating the old dead cells. Glycolic Acid is often described as a PAC man eating its way through the skin cells.

The removal of the epidermal cells forces the stimulation of new cells to be produced within the dermal layer, Glycolic Acid can be used in a variety of ways; from small percentages in products to high percentages in skin peels.

Daily use of Glycolic Acid products will help to keep the skin smooth and radiant by reducing the build up of old dead skin cells. In order for a product to be beneficial it is advised that they contain between 15 & 30 percent, it is normal to experience a tingling sensation once applied.

Glycolic Acid treatments are successful at treating fine lines and wrinkles, thickened skin, superficial scarring and dull sallow skin. It is also a suitable treatment for those people who want a ‘freshen up’ to their skin. Glycolic treatments come in many forms the most successful are peels containing between 30 and 70 percent Glycolic acid.

TCA Peel step by step

What is a chelated TCA ?

Traditional Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) is applied to the skin in a liquid form, incorrect use of this liquid can provoke unwanted damage to the epidermal and dermal layers of the skin. Chelated TCA is combined with a product called silica; found within clay this makes it much safer to work with. Chelating the TCA prevents rapid penetration of the acid molecules into the dermal layer of the skin, instead it attracts ions with the skin cells.

What does a chelated TCA treat ?

• increases collagen production by stimulating the healing process 
• improves tone & texture of the skin 
• reduce small open pores
• reduce fine lines & wrinkles
• reduce thickening of the skin

Step 1 

The skin is thoroughly cleansed with a glycolic acid cleanser.

This ensures any dirt, debris or make-up is removed from the skin. 

Step 2

An Alpha Beta Complex gel, containing glycolic and salicylic acid is applied to the skin.

This is left on the skin for only a few minutes, until there is visible erythema (redness).

The gel is then removed with damp gauze swabs.

Step 3

The chelated TCA is applied to the skin using a fan brush, even coverage is important.

The TCA is left on the skin for 2 minutes.

The client will begin to feel heat on the surface of their skin, this can become intense heat and a fan will be used if necessary.

The product is gently removed from the skin using damp gauze swabs.

Ice cold compress are the applied to the skin and left for several minutes to reduce the heat.

Step 4

After the skin has cooled and no longer feels warm finishing products are applied to the skin. These products are  to protect the skin form UV damage and to stop any transdermal water loss occurring.

Over the next few days the skin will begin to feel tight and will darken in colour.

Around 5 days later the skin wil begin to peel this can occur for up to 7-10 days.

It is essential that a specific home care is followed.



https://www.elements.org.uk/category/anti-ageing-treatments/chemical-skin-peels/tca-salicylic-acid-peel/285/dermaquest-tca-7-sal

Salicylic Acid.......... beat the breakouts !

Salicylic acid is used very successfully to treat acne and acne induced inflammation. It is the only acid that has the ability to break through the excess oil that sits on the surface of the skin.

Salicylic acid works like a whirlwind cleaning out the pores, forcing any dirt, debris or bacteria to the surface of the skin.

This is the part to remember it gets worse before it gets better, anything that is under the surface of the skin, whether that be a build up of oil, bacteria, dirt or skin cells has to come out in order for the break out to go.

As well as cleaning out our pores Salicylic Acid suppresses the activity of enzymes that cause inflammation, in turn reducing the redness and irritation of the skin.

Salicylic products should not be used everyday as they can be quite drying on the skin and cause a ‘flaking’ effect. When treating spots and breakouts apply the product directly to the area, when used to reduce oil a small amount can be applied to the whole face (max of twice a week).

Salicylic Acid is also used by professionals to treat acne in the form of skin resurfacers or skin peels, these treatments are more intense than at home products: they can feel warm/hot on the skin and may cause you to peel or flake afterwards. However a course of treatments can successfully banish unwanted acne!

Now before you rush out to buy some there a few things to remember:

·      Although some products advertise that they contain Salicylic Acid, you need to consider the percentage of Salicylic within them. In order to for there to be enough active acid, there should be between 2% and 5% salicylic within the product.

·      Salicylic Acid is a derivative of aspirin, therefore anyone with an allergy to aspirin should avoid  use.

·      Salicylic acid should not be used when pregnant.

·      Always use a sunscreen in combination with any acid, this will prevent any sun damage/pigmentation occurring.

For advice on what products to use with this ingredient …. Just ask   

The Vampire Facelift

Ok so we all saw the beautiful Kim Kardashion looking like an extra from a hollywood horror movie, but the treatment that she had is far from as drastic as it looks.

The vampire facelift or Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP) is not just some Hollywood gimmick, but a successful treatment not only used in aesthetics, but also used to treat sport injuries, the infamous tiger woods is a fan.

Why??

I understand the worries that people have when it comes to having traditional injectable treatments like Botox and fillers, after all we are putting a 'product' into our bodies. The beauty of PRP is that the product is YOURS, it's your blood! Think about what your blood does, without it you wouldn't be alive. Amongst many other duties your blood carries platelets, platelets once activated release growth factors, it is these growth factors that make this treatment so successful.

Growth factors are typically released when areas of tissue are damaged, they stimulate the healing process. This process consists of stimulating fibroblast cells along with collagen and elastin fibres which are responsible for giving the skin strength and elastic properties.

By introducing these platelets into the skin the healing process is stimulated with minimal trauma being caused. In short we are forcing the stimulation of collagen and elastin.

What happens??

A sample of your blood is taken which is then placed in a centrifuge, this process is to separate the different components of your blood, isolating the platelets into the plasma.

The platelets are then introduced to the skin through several modalities, superficial injections, deep transdermal injections, mesotherapy and micro needling.

The results begin to appear within a few weeks, which include:

Reducing fine lines & wrinkles
Strengthening thinning skin
Stimulating collagen production
Revitalising dull lifeless skin
Smoothing skin tone and texture

Recipe for the PERFECT self tan

Ingredients

• 1 bottle of ST Tropez  Bronzing Mousse 
• 1 bottle of ST Tropez Tan Optimiser Body Polish
• 1 tanning applicator mitt
• 1 Bottle of ST Tropez Body Moisturiser 

( these ingredients will make more than one perfect tan)

Cooking time 4-6 hours

Serves 1 perfect Bronzed Goddess

Step 1

Apply the Body polish over the entire body and massage vigorously, the exfoliating beads will buff away any dry, dead skin cells. Remove the body polish in the bath or shower.

Step 2

Dry off, tie your hair up so that it is off of both your face and body. Apply the Body Moisturiser to any dry areas of skin, including hands, feet, knees and elbows. This will stop excess tan developing in these areas.

Step 3 

Applying the tan. Standing in as little clothing as possible apply one pump of your tanning mousse onto the mitt. Starting at your foot apply the tan in a vertical upwards movement towards the thigh. The tan has a guide colour so you can see exactly where you are applying. Apply more product if needed and without leaving a gap apply another vertical stripe stripe next to the previous. Using this Stripe method cover the whole body. Apply tan to your back is the trickiest part however not impossible, don't worry too much about the 'stripes' in this area just make sure it has all been covered with the guide colour, all will be fine when washed off.

I always apply a second coat in the same way to ensure even coverage. Patchy or streaky tans only occur when areas of skin have been completely missed.

Step 4

Development. As the tan develops it will begin to look patchy, don't panic! This is just the excess on the surface. The tan takes between 4-6 hours to develop, although if you don't mind a little tan on your bed sheets sleeping in it works a treat. The longer the tan develops the darker it will be.

Step 5
 Its now time to reveal your handy work. Rinse the excess tan off in the shower or a quick bath. Do not rub dry but pat yourself dry. Once your dry apply a thin layer of the Body Moisturiser and Bronzed Goddess has been achieved!

Chemical Skin Resurfacers ... The future of facials?

The word chemical always makes treatments seem worse than what they are, when were talking about resurfacers the 'chemical' does not refer to the ingredient itself but to how it works. A chemical resurfacer is the opposite to mechanical resurfacers such as microdermabrasion, mechanical resurfacers consist of an abrasive tool or product to remove dead skin cells from the surface of our skin this can include facial exfoliating products that contain rough beads. They buff away dead skin cells and work in a similar way to sand paper.

Chemical resurfacers work by using acids, many of which are plant derivatives. When applied to the skin they break the chemical bonds between old cells working like a PAC man breaking down the surface layers, at the same time stimulating cell renewal.

Chemical resurfacers can feel quite irritating on the skin but this generally only lasts for around 5-10 minutes, the irritation is definitely worth it for the results. Not only do the acids used in these treatments exfoliate the skin they also treat skin concerns for example, salicylic acid cuts through oil cleaning out pores and reducing acne breakouts, lactic acid hydrates whilst lighting and brightening the skin, kojic acid reduces pigmentation.

There are many different acids used within resurfacers, this means that treatment courses can be tailored to suit your specific skin needs and more importantly get the results that you want!

Gone are days of fluffy facials chemical resurfacers will be at the top of everyone's list for a skin pick me up .

Give your skin a drink !

In weather like this don't forget your skin needs a drink too!

The quickest way to hydrate your skin is by using a product containing Hyaluronic Acid.

Hyaluronic Acid has the ability to hold a thousand times its own weight in water, the water that it holds is then used to hydrate our skin. Because water is used so rapidly within the body it depletes from the skin very quickly, Hyaluronic Acid ensures that the water stays within the skin and is not lost, turning your skin from a shrivelled up raisin to a juicy grape.

Dehydration within the skin not only gives it a dull & sallow appearance but also contributes to fine lines, especially around the eye area. Moisturisers typically work on the surface dead skin cells and do not deposit ingredients where we want them in the dermal layer of the skin (where all the living cells are),

To give your skin a boost try Dermaquest's Advance B5 serum, it contains 40% Hyaluronic Acid and will give your skin the pick me up it needs. Every skin types needs hydration so this product is suitable for all from ageing skin to acne breakouts!

Follow The Light

Over the past year we have introduced LED light therapy intoour clinic, and we now use it after almost every treatment. After testingseveral different machines we decided to purchase a machine from Dermalux, adecision that we are very pleased with.

So what is LED light therapy? All my clients ask me this ontheir first treatment and then the results speak for themselves....

 

 

 

LED light therapy is a non-thermal, non-invasive lightsystem that increases cell renewal, rejuvenates the skin, reducesinflammation, kills bacteria and prevents acne breakouts. And all you haveto do is lay under it!!

The narrow band light has the ability to penetrate the skinwhere it is then converted and used as energy, this energy is then used toaccelerate the cell renewal process increasing mitosis and resulting in morehealthy skin cells. This process is very similar to the photosynthesis thatoccurs in plants.

Although this is a light treatment it is not inthe damaging form of UV, therefor it will not cause any type of damage to theskin (or eyes) it will only have beneficial effects.

The LED light that we use comes in 2 colours red and blue,they can be used individually to target specific skin concerns or can be usedin combination to achieve the desired results.

Red LED light

· eczema& psoriasis

· healing

· soothing

· antiaging

· rejuvenation

· rednes

· reduceinflammation

Blue LED light

· antibacterial

· preventacne breakouts

· reducesactive acn

I would encourage everyone no matter what age, skin type orconcern to try LED light therapy. It may be a treatment that works for you onits own or you might combine it with others such as facials, microdermabrasion,peels, resurfacers, dermaroller or laser treatments. For information on clinicsnear you or more information on how it will help your skin just ask and I willbe hapy to help x

Glyco Creamy Cleanser... Love !

This is a product that I think I'll be using for the rest of my life. Don'tthink of this product as just a cleanser but as a daily treatment.

This cleanser contains 15% glycolic acid and works like a PAC man on theskin eating away at old dead skin cells, dirt and debris leaving behind radiantglowing skin.

Glycolic acid is a chemical exfoliatior , meaning that it has no beads toscratch the surface of the skin like mechanical exfoliatiors.

If you want glowing skin use this product every evening, apply a 5 pencepiece amount and work into the skin, leave for 3mins (to do its magic) thenrinse with damp cotton pads.

Environ Hydrating Oil Capsules

Ok so I'm going to be honest and say I was a little sceptical at first asusually 'capsules' are a little gimmicky and contain very little product,however environ proved me wrong. I was initially drawn to these capsules fortheir ingredients, anything with vitamin A excites me.

Im going to write a post on the most potent ingredients and how they workwhich will give you a better idea of what vitamin A does, but for the moment itstimulates cell renewal which in turn, sloughs off old dead skin cells, improvesthe tone and texture of skin, helps to regulate acne and can even reducepigment. All of these results leave your skin radiant and glowing.

There are many products on the high street which claim to contain vitamin A(also called retinol), although they have such a little amount that there isnot enough to penetrate the layers of the skin. Environ has a higher amount ofactive ingredient which means you really do get what you pay for.

Anyway back to the capsules, as well as the stimulation from the vitamin Athe capsules also hydrate the skin and help to fight free radicals that attackthe surface of the skin. When I opened my first capsule I was pleasantlysurprised at the amount of product inside, much more than inside some otherbrands. I had already cleansed my skin with a glycolic cleanser and applied thecapsule all over even having enough product to use on my neck.

The product was silky, light and easily absorbed into my skin iteven smelt lovely which is always a bonus. Then I went to bed.

The morning saw me wake to a lovely silky smooth skin and one happycustomer.  Environ provided a product that did what it said on the pot, ithydrated my skin giving it with a healthy glow, banishing dull dry patches.

I was so impressed we have actually started to use it in clinic after ourclients have had treatments such as Dermaroller or LED light therapy.

Cleansing : Why Bother??

You could be using the worlds most expensive, amazing products but if youhaven't cleansed first it's wasted on old dead skin cells, dirt and bacteria.Our skin has layers and layers of old dead skin that are constantly beingreplaced and forced to shed, this is what gives your skin that dull sallowappearance, cleansing will help to reduce this. Skin also has lots of bacteriaon its surface; these are also known as porphrins and contribute to oily acneprone skin.

As I said in my previous post face wipes and soap and not beneficial toclean your face with, in most cases they dry out the skin and cause more layersof old dried out skin cells and often leave behind the bacteria.

There are many different types of cleansers, some better than others, themost common forms are milk cleansers or washes (some washes are soap) a basicjudgement can be made on how the cleanser leaves yours skin feeling immediatelyafter use. If after use your skin feels tight and 'squeaky clean' then thiscleanser is more than likely to stringent for your skin, this can also happenwith alcohol toners. A cleanser should leave a silky film on the surface ofyour skin; it should not feel like your skin is screaming for a moisturiser.

When cleansing always remove the cleanser with a clean face cloth or dampcotton pads, this will ensure the skin is thoroughly cleaned. To get maximumresults 'double cleanse' the first cleanse is to remove surface dirt andmake-up and the second is a deep cleanse.

Now your ready to apply the next product in your routine.

Want more advise on what type of cleanser to use .... just ask, leave me acomment and ill get back to you

SPFs Tried and Tested

The UV rays around us are not to be underestimated, in order to keep ourskin looking and working great it is essential that we protect it from UV on adaily basis. I know that when you look out the window and see the dull rainysky that suncream is usually that last thing on your mind, but incorporate oneof these 3 sunscreens into your routine and protect your skin the way itdeserves.

Invisible Zinc - Face & Body sunscreen SPF 30, £18.50

As described in the previous post Zinc oxide is a physical sun protection,it is the ideal form of protection. This product is typical of zinc sunscreensin the sense that it is slightly thick in consistency and the trade mark'white' colour, however i have tried many worse sunscreens and once it has beenused sparingly onto the skin it absorbs well and does not leave a white film onthe surface of my skin. The slightly thick consistency would not put me ofpurchasing and at £18.50 (on cult beauty.com) its is mid band and overall iwould give it 4 out 5. remember sunscreens are there for one purpose to protectfrom UV and this is what this product does.

Heliocare SPF 50, £20

In the aesthetics we use this product a lot after treatments such aschemical peels and laser peels/resurfacers, you can also get it in prescriptionfrom a dermatologist if you require it. It has a light texture and is easy toapply, what I would say is don't expect anything else other than a sunprotection (a very good one at that), this product is solely here to protectyour skin from UV. This is the reason it is used in advanced skin care, thereare very little ingredients that could cause the skin to become irritated orcause breakouts, it is also fine to use on active breakouts.  It does notleave the white film that other products do and you only a small amount. Theprotection that this product gives is the reason that i'm going to give it a 4out of 5.

Dermaquest On the Go Finishing Powder SPF 30, £51

Genius product!! my absolute favourite, a light translucent powder which ismatifying, holds make-up and protects the skin from UV. A physical sunscreen itcontains both zinc and titanium oxide, simple dust over the face and your goodto go. The powder is see through so even if you have a full face of make-up youcan just dust over the top, not even needing a mirror. It comes in a handybrush applicator and has 3 settings depending on the level of cover. I was alittle sceptical at first as to whether this powder would actually protect myfair skin but even the mexican sun was no match for it. Unfortunately thisproduct is £51 which is pretty expensive and although it lasts a long time itis the initial out lay for the product which may put people off i also foundthat you over compensate for that fact that it is invisible and probably usetoo much of the product, (but we cant win we want a product that is invisibleon the skin and moan when we get one). Overall given the ingredients,protection and application i'm giving this product a 5 out of 5. Oh and itswater proof for up to an hour and a half!

Are all SPFs the same ??

The answer ........ NO

Forget about factors for a minute and let's look at the ingredients.

On the market there are hundreds of different sun creams, invisible ones,non-sticky ones and ones that last all day, but which ones really protect you.Remember that time when you lathered yourself in sun cream and then woke uplike a burnt crisp? I bet if you read the small print on the bottle it saysapply 40 minutes to an hour before sun exposure, each time you applied thisproduct it was at least another 40 minutes before it protected you. Thereason... The Ingredients of course.

There are two main types of sun protection, physical and chemical lets lookat them in more detail.

Physical sun protection, the best.

Physical sun protections contain ingredients such as zinc and titanium, fromthe moment they are applied to your skin they protect you from harmful rays.They act like a mirror reflecting the rays off of the skin and preventing theskin from absorbing them resulting in no bright red skin from burning.

Chemical sun creams, avoid if possible.

These types of sun creams are unfortunately usually the most appealing, theyare mixed with moisturisers, invisible and easy to apply. They work withingredients such as organic chemical compounds and work by absorbing theharmful rays and give them back out as heat energy, they do not give youimmediate protection and must be applied much more regularly.

When it comes to wearing sun protection they should be part of your dailyroutine not just when your on holiday. Our skin is constantly under attack formharmful UV rays, driving in the car, sitting in the office window, staring atcomputer screens and even from bright lights.

UV is one of the skins biggest enemies, it is responsible for many of thefactors that age your skin, lines, wrinkles, brown spots ( pigment ), uneventone and texture. It's also preventable by wearing sun protection daily take alook at a few of my favourites .....

Step away from the face wipes !

When it comes to choosing your skincare it's really quite simple..... Read the ingredients. Forget the fancy advert with the hot model it's what's in the jar that counts.

It might be easier to start with what to avoid 💗

1. Face wipes, they might be quick but that's about it. Even the all singing all dancing cleanser, toner and moisturiser wipes are doing more bad than good. Step away from the wipes!

2 . Soap, the devil in the eyes of a skin therapist. Soap is alkaline and the skin is acidic so these two are never going to work together , we want to stabilise the ph of our skin not change it.

That tight feeling we get when we use these products is a little misleading, although you might feel clean your skin is feeling stripped and dehydrated.

Using a cleanser that does not leave you feeling tight and dry should always be the start of your skin care routine, toners are not always necessary. I'll go into cleansers in more detail in a specific post .

Skin : The Basics

If we know how skin works then we have a better idea as to whether the products and treatments been sold to us will actually be of any benefit.

This is a basic explanation of the layers of the skin.

The skin has three primary layers:

 Epidermis:

5 layers that make up the surface of the skin, all of these skin cells are dead.

diagram of the skins 3 layers



http://sketchymedicine.com/2012/11/layers-of-the-epidermis/

 Dermis:

The dermal layer of the skin contains:

Collagen, elastin & reticular fibres

diagram of the skins 3 layers

Sebacious glands (oil)

Hair follicles

Blood vessels

Sweat glands

Lets think of the dermal layer as the scaffolding of the skin. It is responsible for strengthening and rebuilding, without it the other layers would collapse.

  Subcutaneous layer: 

This layer contains deeper blood vessels as well as many fat cells