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Transformation Wellness Injectable Skin Fillers
Laser Skin Peeling "Laserology" Laser Hair Removal Spider Vein Eradication Advanced Skin Care Laser Blepharoplasty
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| SKIN CARE
COSMECEUTICALS
VS. That beautiful ad that lured you into buying that cream that would make your skin young…..was it telling the truth? It probably felt and smelled good – but made no real change. Skin care products from the retail store can do very little because their ingredients are regulated by law, hence the term “hope in a jar”. The vast majority of over-the-counter skin preparations are “feel good” products, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, sunscreens, or derivatives of effective agents but in very weak concentrations. Medications which truly have the power to correct cosmetic skin problems are called ‘cosmeceuticals’ and are only available through the medical profession. Aged, sundamaged skin has characteristics which can be seen under the laboratory microscope, and cosmecuticals reverse the harmful changes. The most frequently used cosmeceuticals, for the most
part, are:
Tretinoin (Retin-A®): The best single thing you can do for your skin over your lifetime—reverses almost all of the above listed changes from photoaging, and perhaps the only thing for ‘shrinking’ large pores. Fruit based (hydroxy) acids: Stimulate skin renewal by injuring the surface which calls forth the natural healing response from below (exfoliation). Hydroquinone: Inhibits enzyme activity in melanin formation. Blends and slows skin hyperpigmentation. Vitamin C: Anti-oxidant promotes dermal collagen formation.
Sunblocks: For protection.
Our favorite line of products for skin correction and health is OBAGI. Dr. Zein E. Obagi, a Beverly Hills dermatologist, has ‘systematized’ these effective agents (except Vitamin C) into the NU-DERM® PROGRAM of products for home use. A study at Johns Hopkins University has validated Dr. Obagi’s many years of work on NU-DERM®. He has also developed the BLUE PEEL® to work synergistically with NU-DERM®. I know of no better long term treatment of any kind for skin. OBAGI® restores skin quality by restoring its health—as I have explained above. OBAGI NU-DERM® SYSTEM: contains cleanser, toner, hydroquinone, acid exfoliant, Retin-A®, and SPF 24 sunblock. The program takes some time to arrive at maximum effect. There is the necessary initial redness and flaking ( “I hate it” ) phase as stimulation begins, then comes the tolerance ( “I like it” ) phase when the skin starts looking good. Finally, 10-12 weeks from the start, the skin is fully corrected and tolerant (“I love it” phase) exhibiting the desired radiance—thereafter, only maintenance is needed. Success with NU-DERM® requires some knowledge, patience and perseverence until full skin tolerance is reached.
OBAGI BLUE PEEL®: Dr. Obagi developed this ingenious treatment method to work with NU-DERM® as an enhancer or accelerator. Chemical peels of all kinds are used with good results; however, vary widely in features such as controllability, evenness, predictability, etc. The BLUE PEEL® employs trichloracetic acid (TCA) with a unique blue mixing base, which acts as a color indicator to precisely control depth. It has built-in safeguards and end-points which assure consistent results for every patient every time. KIM LEGER, PARAMEDICAL ESTHETIIAN, is our in-house skin expert. She has almost 3 decades of experience in all aspects of skin care, both office procedure or self-care programs. She loves to be involved with all new advances in the field. |