Skin Care

Facts about Sunscreen

Not all sunscreens block UVA

Many sunscreens provide some UVA protection, but to be a broad-spectrum sunscreen, protection must be across the UVA range. Ingredients found in these sunscreens include Avobenzone (Parsol® 1789), Ecamusle (Mexoryl®), Zinc Oxide, and Titanium Dioxide. There is a 1.6 percent or less difference between SPF 30, 45, and 60 in terms of effectiveness in filtering UVB rays. SPF 60 is NOT twice as effective as SPF 30.

Research has shown that high SPF products can actually lead to changes in behavior that will result in a higher incidence of sunburn. The myth that a high SPF will protect you all day long with one application is FALSE.

Sun block is a term that the FDA no longer allows as it creates the false implication that a sunscreen can actually “block” UV radiation. In fact, all sun protection products allow some level of UVA and UVB radiation to penetrate the skin regardless of the claimed SPF level of protection.

Facts about Acne

There are several causes of Acne

Hormonal: Causes are onset of puberty, usage of birth control pills, pregnancy / lactation, and menstrual cycles.

Cosmetica: Symptoms are brought on by external factors such as pillowcases, makeup, brushes, and detergents.

The main types of Acne are

Inflammatory: Presents with surface breakouts, pustular lesions, inflamed/red skin, and some discomfort.

Asphyxiated: Caused by having dry, dehydrated skin, oil, dirt, and bacteria get trapped in the pores and lesions. This type of acne usually gets worse before it gets better.

Bacterial: Systemic, usually is caused by an internal bacteria which requires medical attention and topical and or oral antibiotic therapy to control.

Cystic: Generally requires deeper treatment protocols such as PDT and steroidal injections. Common treatments for acne include (listed in order of least invasive) an adequate home care regimen with professional skincare products, Chemical Peels, Micropeels, IPL, and PDT.

Facts about Pigment

Not all pigment is created equal. Pigment can be caused be several factors including sun-damage, hormones, post-inflammatory reactions, and even scarring. Pigment is produced from tiny little cells within the deep layers of the skin, called Melanocytes.

These Melanocytes get “excited” with sun exposure, inflammation, and heat. The Melanocytes produce pigment or melanin (brown spots) as a way to protect the skin. Once Melanocytes become excited and produce pigment, any sun exposure, heat, or inflammation can exacerbate it and make it worse. In order to stop the production of pigment, the Melanocytes need to be suppressed or forced into stopping the pigment production.

These products are known as Tyrosinase Inhibitors. Tyrosinase Inhibitors suppress the production or excitability or the Melanocytes, which in turn control the pigment production.

These Tyrosinase inhibitors are often referred to as “pigment gels”, “pigment lighteners”, “skin lighteners”, or bleaching products. When using these products, it is imperative to use an adequate sunscreen in order to protect the skin and to inhibit as many UV rays as possible from getting into the skin so the Melanocytes do not get excited.

Sunscreens should be worn every day even if you will not be leaving the house. Avoidance of sun exposure is highly recommended to decrease the risk of hyper pigmentation during the treatment process.

The most common forms of Tyrosinase Inhibitors are: Hydroquinone 2% & 4%, Kojic Acid, Lactid Acid, Azelaic Acid, Arbutin, and Rumex Crispus Root.

The most stubborn of all pigment is called Melasma. Melasma is a form of pigment that is sometimes hormone induced, but for the most part is of an unknown origin. Melasma cannot be cured and is similar to Rosacea that Melasma can only be controlled. Melasma usually presents in specific blocks of pigment on the cheeks, forehead, chin, and upper lip. It is most prevalent in females of Hispanic decent. Although there are many treatments for pigment, Melasma needs to be treated very differently than sun-damage. Treatments for Melasma usually consist of an aggressive skincare regimen and a combination of in-office treatments. Once the Melasma is under control, or has been lightened or even removed, patients must maintain their results by continuing a Professional
homecare regimen and use of Tyrosinase Inhibitors.

Tyrosinase inhibitors must be used at least 3 times per week to maintain results. As soon as they are no longer being used, the pigment will eventually resurface when exposed to the sun, heat, or if irritated by inflammation.

Pigment is a lifelong issue for most people; there is never a quick fix and never just one treatment to get rid of it. It takes patience and commitment from the patient and the staff.

Facts about Rosacea

Rosacea is a chronic skin condition of unknown origin. Most symptoms appear within the cheeks, nose, and central forehead region characterized by flushing, papules or pustules and broken capillaries. Often occurs in patients with acne-prone skin and affects more women than men. True Rosacea can be exacerbated with triggers such as; heat, alcohol, spicy foods, hot bathing, exercise, stress, smoking, and cosmetics.

The key to treating Rosacea is realizing that there is NO cure for it. Rosacea can only be controlled NOT cured. Patients with true Rosacea should NEVER have any types of microdermabrasion treatments due to the fact that microderm stimulated blood circulation, which can worsen the symptoms as well as create more broken capillaries with the force of suction.

Vitamin C is a great treatment for Rosacea because it strengthens the capillaries and evens out skin tone. Chemical Peels and IPL treatments are recommended to control the symptoms.

Facts about Chemical Peels and Micropeels

Chemical Peels are treatments that involve an application of different types of therapeutic chemicals onto the skin to induce a sloughing of the skin. The most popular Chemical Peels are PCA chemical peels. These treatments are formulated by PCA, a professional skincare line, and work synergistically with the skincare products to enhance the skin’s appearance. PCA’s treatment philosophy is to use a Low Dose Approach, which allows them to treat all skin types and conditions.

As we age, our skin’s ability to shed its top layer of dry skin diminishes. In order to breathe and exfoliate, the pores increase in size creating an aged dull appearance. In just thirty minutes or so, our La Source Esthetician covers the surface of the face with a hand piece that combines gentle abrasion and suction, otherwise referred to as microdermabrasion. Once complete and the dead skin is removed, your skin will instantly feel like breathing again. Not only will it improve the pore size, but the area treated will also retain its natural glow. Other side benefits include, smoother, tighter skin, reduction of the effects of acne scarring, lightening of pigmented areas, and elimination of fine lines. The most common area treated is the face, but other areas treated include; the
neck, chest, arms, hands, back, elbows, and heels.

Facts about Aging and Skincare

Did you know that at age 30, our bodies stop producing collagen and at age 40 it starts to lose collagen? As our skin ages and loses collagen, the elasticity of the skin decreases as well, this causes many signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles, sagging, and discolorations and pigment. While there is no way to actually stop the aging process, technology has certainly come a long way and is able to slow it down by using Professional skincare products in conjunction with in-office treatments.

The best line of defense to fight against aging is to use a Professional Skincare system. These types of products are like a prescription for your skin and are much stronger and more active than the over-the-counter products and department store lines. Professional skincare products can only be sold by Physician offices because of their intense nature and strength of the ingredients. These products contain “active” ingredients, which will force the skin to change and generate more youthful in skin cells and will result in younger looking skin. There are three basic steps in a skincare regimen, which consist of Cleansing and Exfoliating, Moisturize and Protect, and Repair.

An appropriate cleanse should consist of some sort of non-abrasive exfoliation. Most cleansers have enzymes or Alpha Hydroxy’s in them, which exfoliate the skin by loosening dead skin cells so they are easily removed during the cleansing process. This step is performed in the morning and evening. It is important to cleanse the skin in the evening to remove dirt and bacterial build up as well as dead skin cells, and also in the morning to help stimulate the skin cells and remove once again any excess or build up of unwanted cells.

The next step is to Moisturize and Protect. Most skincare systems have a moisturizer with an SPF built in for added protection. The skin requires hydration in order to function properly. As well, the skin requires protection from harmful UV rays, which can be very damaging to its surface, as well as to the deeper areas like the dermis. This step is performed in the morning and is the last skincare product applied to the skin. If you are using any specialty serums those will be applied prior to the protecting moisturizer.

The final step in this basic program is to Repair the skin. This step is performed in the evening when the skin cells are at rest. Just as our bodies require time to regenerate and renew, so does the skin.

After the basic skincare system is implemented, specialty serums can be added into the regimen to help with specific skincare issues. When applying any skincare products, they need to be applied in the order of consistency, for example, serum, gel, lotion, and cream. When using a professional skincare line, changes in the skin can be noticed within 3 to 6 weeks. In order to maintain the results of any skincare regimen, the products need to be used consistently and continually and within the compliance set forth by the prescribing office.

Facts about Intense Pulse Light (IPL/FotoFacial)

Foto Facial targets pigmentation and improves your skins clarity and texture. It offers for the first time an effective treatment to reduce redness and flushing, age spots, sun damage, spider veins and rosacea, large pores, and dilated capillaries with no down time, little discomfort and minimal risk.

The best candidates for FotoFacial are people with early sun damage and aging of the skin who desire a healthier and more youthful appearing skin. They want to improve their skin but do not want any downtime to interfere with social or outdoor activities. It is also ideal for people who suffer from redness and flushing.

Each treatment takes approximately 45-60 minutes during which time a series of light pulses, similar to the flash of a camera, will be applied to the skin. For those with more sensitive skin a mild topical anesthetic can be applied. A full face can be done at one sitting using varying settings to maximize skin improvement. A series of five or more treatments are performed at three-week intervals.

You can expect to see a gradual decrease in overall redness, flushing and dilated capillaries. Patients with sun damage can expect to see their skin become smoother with a decrease in fine wrinkles, reduced pore size and fading of sunspots or pigment. Many patients with Rosacea see an improvement in breakouts and are able to decrease or discontinue their medications. After your first and subsequent treatments the pigmented areas will appear darker temporarily and will lighten as the skin exfoliates. This effect is normal as the pigment is lifted to the surface of the skin by the light. These improvements are gradual and will become more visible after each treatment. FotoFacial treatments can also be used in conjunction with chemical peeling or microdermabrasion to enhance the results of these procedures.

Facts about Intense Pulse Light

Permanent Hair Reduction

Intense Pulse Light hair reduction treatments target the darkness of the melanin pigment in the hair follicle. Since melanin is only produced in the growth phase of the hair, the Light treatment must target the hair follicle during this cycle. At any given time, 20-40% of the hair in a particular area may be in a growth phase. Therefore, more than one treatment needs to be scheduled preferably at a 4-8 week interval depending on where the hair is located. With multiple treatments we can ensure that all or most of the hair follicles are being disabled.

Prior to treatment, the hair needs to be freshly shaved so that the light is absorbed fully by the hair follicle and not wasted on the hair shaft itself. Precautions must be taken after treatment to prevent any damage to the treated area, such as, staying out of the sun for up to 48 hours and limiting any vigorous exercise or steam treatments. For patients with darker skin, we suggest the use of a pigment lighter or hydroquinone product to protect the skin from any thermal damage. This helps to protect the skin from hyper-pigmentation as well.

Treatments need to be performed in a strict series so that each growth phase of the hair follicle can be treated and the amount of total treatments can be kept to a minimum.

Facts about Fractional Laser

Skin Tightening is a new technology that has been in the process of being perfected for many years. Skin Tightening occurs when a certain laser wavelengths are introduced into the dermis (the deeper layers of the skin).

This allows the laser to penetrate the top layer of the skin thru to the dermis, where it then creates tiny little microscopic openings in the collagen structures. This action forces the skin to go into a “healing phase” which forces the production of brand new collagen. The heat that is generated from the laser causes a contraction of the skin, which forces it to become tighter, and thicker in nature, therefore, creating a more youthful appearance. This procedure is an excellent treatment for pitted acne scars, uneven skin tone and texture, fine lines and wrinkles, and melasma. This type of laser is considered “non-ablative”, which means that it does not break the skin.

Most people will have redness to the skin immediately after the treatment that may last for a couple of days. Using a medical makeup that will also heal the skin can cover up this pinkness or redness. Patients will also notice a slight puffiness to the skin, which will dissipate within 2 to 24 hours. It is important to follow all post procedure instructions to decrease the chance of side effects.

A series of 4 treatments is recommended for most patients but further treatment may be necessary for individual desired results. Because the body is producing its own collagen, results may last for up to 2 years. Touch-up treatments are required to maintain results. Final results may not be seen until 6 months after the last treatment due to the fact that our skin will continue to produce collagen up to that time.