Skin Care Mind Food Questions
1. Is biological stimulation an emerging trend?
I imagine they are referring to treatments which aim to stimulate a person’s own collagen production and stimulate, regulate and cell function.
Often there are new terms for treatments or products which may not necessarily be new.
We know for example that with hyaluronic acid fillers, that even while our initial goal may be to fill out lines or add volume, there is without a doubt secondary benefits. By attracting water to the site we see an improvement in skin hydration, and also the fillers stimulate an individual’s own collagen production which is why we see continued improvements post filler e.g. when treating crepey neck skin and lines with Restylane vital, the result is improving up to 4-6 weeks post-treatment.
Another more recent development is medical dermal needling (also known as collagen induction therapy) for stimulating an individual’s own collagen production and release of growth factors. This treatment is about regulating and even manipulating cell function and offers great results in treating wrinkles, thin skin, hyperpigmentation, premature ageing, scars and of course sun damage!
Nothing is injected into the skin, however the medical roller with minuscule stainless steel needles, safely puncture the skin to create new collagen production
2. Are fillers more specific to certain parts of the face?
Within the dermal filler families for example Restylane and Juvederm, we are now fortunate to have a wider range of products to select from. Although they are all non-animal hyaluronic acid fillers there are differences, which include particle size and gel firmness for example. Some are designed for restoring skin hydration ,elasticity, tone and smoothness (think crepey skin and popply chins), some are softer and ideal for lips while others have superior volumizing effects for areas such as cheeks or replacing the lost volume that comes with ageing.
An experienced injector will recommend what will get the best possible improvement based on your concerns. A smaller particle fine line filler will offer great results for crows feet and fine lip lines, but very little difference if placed in the cheeks for volume restoration. Juvederm voluma offers outstanding results as a volume replacer and for lift, however if placed in the lips would be sure to give you a trout pout!
I have always said that cosmetic medicine is both an art and a science, and this really can be likened to an artist having more colours and mediums in their palette.
3. Uneven skin tone and texture making you look older. What treatments to combat and new in 2016?
Without a doubt uneven skin tone makes an individual look older!If someone is serious about managing skin ageing and removing the signs of premature skin ageing, then treating skin tone and texture needs to be compulsory.
Obtaining brighter, smoother skin is easier than what most people think, and it is a shame that so many people overlook this essential part of an anti ageing programme.
TREATMENTS:
- No treatment or product will effectively lighten pigmentation without the use of a zinc based sunscreen on a daily basis
- Medical based skin care serums: Ingredients/products designed to both prevent brown blotchy skin and treat existing. NEW: Lytera skin brightening complex with clinical studies showing improvements as early as 4 weeks and significant reductions at 12 weeks. A 6-month study showed 100% patient satisfaction in a long-term efficacy and tolerability study
- Peels – pigment specific peel treatments with no – minimal recovery time
- Laser and light treatments – to break up and remove the pigmentation. There are pigment-specific lasers and IPL treatments to destroy the pigment, however not all machines are alike. It is important to be treated by a laser expert, with a safe and effective medical grade machine. It is equally important that they have the knowledge to diagnose your skin accurately before recommending which laser or light treatment is best suited for you.
NEW: in 2016 we introduced the limelight treatment which offers treatment cycles for a wider range of pigment and treats both brown and red irregularities
- Medical dermarollering – a treatment people are just starting to hear more about and although people are tending to think of this as a treatment for lines and wrinkles and reducing pore size (which of course it does) it is also a great tool in our anti ageing toolbox for correcting hyperpigmentation .
Winter is an excellent time to maximise the benefits of medical skin care and pigmentation treatments
With all the different modalities available to us today, it is not about a one size fits all treatment plan, but rather an expert practicioner creating a customised treatment plan that is based on your specific concerns, lifestyle and of course budget.