Hair Removal Laser
Requests for removal of unwanted body hair are common in dermatologic and surgical practices. Technology continues to improve the achievement of a more permanent reduction through the use of lasers. Despite the increased use of lasers, to date, few guidelines exist in terms of how to approach laser hair removal. Specifically, one must understand the mechanism of hair growth and how lasers work to target the hair follicle. There is significant variation among practitioners in pre-and post-laser recommendations to patients as well as intervals between treatment sessions. We performed a thorough review of the literature in order to determine evidence for the ideal interval between treatment sessions and the ideal number of sessions. We also sought to establish, based on published reports, the recommendations for shaving, plucking, waxing or other hair removal methods prior to laser hair removal and the guidelines for sun exposure before and after laser treatments. Finally, we searched the literature to find out whether there are areas that should not be treated with laser hair removal. The evidence and recommendations in this article aim to help guide practitioners in their approach to laser hair removal
Current anti-aging strategies and issues
Diets and supplements
Much of life extension has been concerned with the use of nutrition, in the form of diets or supplements, to extend lifespan. The many diets promoted by anti-aging advocates are often contradictory. One of the few areas of consensus among nutritionists is the importance of keeping stable blood sugar levels, achieved in part by managing the glycemic indices of food choices.[citation needed] Two diets with different approaches and some support from scientific research are the Paleolithic diet and Caloric restriction.
The restriction of energy intake, or calories, in an otherwise healthy diet (a practice generally called Calorie restriction or simply CR) has been shown to extend the maximum life span of laboratory organisms from several species, including rats, yeast, fruit flies, and nematodes. In rodents, a roughly 50% maximum lifespan extension is seen with a roughly 50% restriction of calories from what would be consumed by freely-feeding animals.[citation needed] The results of calorie restriction experiments on laboratory rats may not be generalizable because years of inbreeding have made these animals different from those found in the wild, and because these results are applicable specifically to short-lived species that have evolved to respond to feast and famine with alterations in longevity.[citation needed] Proving that calorie restriction could extend human life is difficult because experiments with long-lived species necessarily take a long time to perform. Scientists propose that the results of calorie restriction experiments on animals also depend on the habitat, genetics, other aspects of nutrition and frequencies of feeding.
The idea that antioxidant supplements, such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, lipoic acid and N-acetylcysteine, might extend human life stems from the free radical theory of aging. Other substances proposed to extend lifespan include oxytocin, insulin, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and erythropoietin (EPO). Resveratrol is a sirtuin stimulant that appears to extend lifespan in simple model organisms such as nematodes and short-lived fish.
Some supplements, including the minerals selenium or zinc have been reported to extend the lifespan of rats and mice, though none has been proven to do so in humans, and significant toxic effects were observed. Metformin may also extend life span in mice.
Cosmetics
Cosmetic interventions such as skin treatments (e.g., skin resurfacing, Botox treatments, Argireline products) and plastic surgery are widely used to mask the effects of aging, although they do not actually affect lifespan.
Hormone treatments
The anti-aging industry offers several hormone therapies. Some of these products have been criticized, for example by the American Medical Association, for possible dangers to the patient and a lack of proven effect.
The evidence for use of growth hormone is mixed and based on animal studies. An early study suggested that supplementation of mice with growth hormone increased average life expectancy.Additional animal experiments have suggested that growth hormone may generally act to shorten maximum lifespan; knockout mice lacking the receptor for growth hormone live especially long. Furthermore, mouse models lacking the insulin-like growth factor also live especially long and have low levels of growth hormone.
The synthetic estrogen Premarin (made from mare’s urine), has been proposed to reduce the impact of menopause. In 1991, the Women’s Health Initiative studied 161,808 postmenopausal women with randomized trials of hormone supplements or placebo. It discontinued the study in 2002 because it concluded that, on the whole, the supplements were doing more harm than good (primarily due to an increased risk of breast cancer). Testosterone supplements in the form of creams or patches have been proposed for men. Regular Human Growth Hormone (HGH) injections cost about $10–12,000 a year. On the internet, many websites promote less expensive secretagogues that claim to prompt the body to produce HGH. There is little independent research on HGH secretagogues
copy right by fawad (all right reserved)
How to Care for Pimple Prone Skin
If you eat pizza, your face will look like a pizza. Popping those pimples will make them dry up and go away faster. Wash your face and keep your hair off your forehead to keep from getting pimples. Eating chocolate will make your acne worse.
When you consider the number of acne myths circulating, it's sometimes hard to know what the best acne skin care regimen is. Knowledge of which factors actually cause acne can help you separate acne myths from practices that really help to keep your skin acne free. When it comes to what can really clear your complexion, here are some tips.
First, eating pizza in itself is not enough to give your acne. Although eating a high fat, greasy diet is not good for your health or your skin, your eating habits are not the sole cause of your acne.
For good skin health it is advisable to eat a healthy balanced diet and drink lots of water. When you do eat greasy foods, especially those eaten with the fingers - such as pizza or French fries - but careful not to touch your face with your greasy fingers. In fact, greasy fingers on your face may be more responsible for breakouts than eating the greasy food. Acne skin care tip number one - try to eat a healthy diet and keep greasy fingers off your face.
Popping your pimples does not necessarily make them go away faster. In fact, the squeezing and pinching that goes along with popping pimples can actually damage the skin. These actions can push the bacteria in the pimple further into the pore causing infection and possibly even scarring. Acne skin care tip number two - popping pimples can damage the skin and make acne worse. The best advice is not to pop your pimples.
Washing your face at least twice daily is one thing you can do that will help to improve your acne. Your doctor or dermatologist can suggest an over-the-counter cleaning product or prescribe a prescription cleanser if necessary. Cleaning your face helps to wash away excess oil, dirt, old skin cells and bacteria. Some experts even suggest exfoliating acne prone skin regularly. This is because dead skin cells left on the face can block the pores, causing pimples. Acne skin care tip number three - wash your face at least twice daily to keep dead skin cells, oil, dirt and bacteria from building up.
When planning out your acne skin care regimen, there are things you can do to help prevent breakouts. While what you eat does not entirely decide whether or not you will get acne, it is always best to eat a healthy diet. Don't make popping your pimples a practice. Popping can actually damage the skin and make acne worse. Washing your face at least twice daily, however, is something you can do that will truly help your skin stay clearer. So, when weighing the myths about acne skin care, remember, keep it clean.
Treatment of Dry Skin
Dry skin is a common problem, especially in older age groups. Some people have a lifelong tendency towards dry skin which may be familial. More commonly, it tends to be a seasonal problem with worsening in the winter.
Dry skin results from excessive water loss through the top layer of skin. The skin has an outer lipid barrier which normally holds in moisture. This barrier may be damaged by repeated exposure to solvents, harsh soaps, and excessive bathing or hand washing. Environmental factors, such as cold air, low humidity, and central heat also tend to pull moisture from the skin, which is why dry skin is so much more common in the winter.
Dry skin, when severe, can become itchy and inflamed, leading to rashes. It can also exacerbate skin conditions such as eczema, as the damaged lipid barrier allows irritants and infectious agents to penetrate the skin more easily.
Treatment of dry skin is aimed at restoring the lipid barrier and preventing further moisture loss. There are thousands of moisturizing products on the market, but there are basically two kinds of formulations: oil-in-water preparations and water-in-oil preparations. Oil-in-water formulations are lotions, and are useful for mildly dry skin or for daytime facial moisturizing. Water-in-oil formulations are thicker and creamier and will generally be more helpful for severely dry or chapped skin, and for patients with eczema. Urea and lactic acid can enhance water uptake by the skin and can be found in some therapeutic moisturizers.
General Tips for Moisturizing Skin
Bathing with hot water can be very drying, even though it may feel good. We recommend bathing with warm but not overly hot water. Mild synthetic cleansers such as Dove Unscented, Oil of Olay Unscented, or Cetaphil Non-Soap Cleanser are preferable to soaps, which tend to be more drying. After leaving the bath or shower, gently pat the skin dry with a soft towel, then apply moisturizing cream while the skin is still damp. This helps to lock the moisture in the skin. If you have been prescribed a cream for eczema, it is helpful to apply it first, followed by your moisturizer.
The following is a list of some of our favorite moisturizers:
Note: Some of these items are not on the shelf, and may be “behind the counter”. Ask your pharmacist.
Facial
Neutrogena Healthy Defense
DML Facial Moisturizer
MD Forte Replenish Hydrating Cream (sold in this office)
Oil of Olay Complete UV Protective Moisture Lotion
Kinerase cream, lotion
Hand
SBR Lipocream
Theraseal
Gloves-in-a-Bottle
Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream
Body
Cetaphil Cream
Aveeno Cream
Eucerin Cream
Vanicream
DML Forte
Aveeno Lotion
U-lactin lotion (contains lactic acid)
Lac-hydrin 5 lotion (contains lactic acid)
Carmol 10, Carmol 20 cream (contains urea)
Betamide Lotion (contains urea and lactic acid)
BIO SKIN CARE
How do topical medicines reach their intended site? This article will explore the basic pharmaceutical aspect of skin absorption. Why should we as estheticians be concerned about topical medications our clients are using? Medications can alter the skins sensitivity, cause slight irritation as well as increase the likelihood of sunburns. This is particularly important when our clients come in for monthly facials or other skin care procedures. We must have some understanding of topical preparations our clients are using. Not having some knowledge can enhance or hinder skin care procedures.
The skin is a large organ, weighing approximately 4 kg and covering an area of 2 square meters. The skin acts as a barrier to absorption of chemicals and invasion by microorganisms. It prevents water loss as well as ----keeping us within and the world without. In order for dermatologists to treat skin disease effectively, medications must be able to penetrate the barrier properties of skin. Caution must be exercised whereby, if too much medication is absorbed, toxicity may result.
Percutaneous Absorption (performed through the skin)
Per-cutaneous absorption is the process by which a substance moves from the skin surface to its intended site of action or to the circulation system. For a topical agent to be effective, it must first be absorbed. The drug must enter in adequate concentration to its proposed site of action to produce the desired response of the skin. Another consideration a physician must acknowledge is the skin acts as a barrier in that it prevents chemicals and other materials from entering the body. This barrier is effective and useful, but it may hinder the treatment because the barrier also prevents absorption of medicines.
Skin Absorption Factors
There are many that affect skin absorption.
Absorption occurs by distribution around and through the cells that make up the skin. Some absorption takes place along hair follicles or through sweat ducts. Placing a drug on the skin does not mean that the drug will reach the intended site.
Organic solvents (containing carbon, which dissolve) can damage the stratum corneum and allow easier penetration by these chemicals.
Skin thickness and barrier accessibility are different in various areas. For example, hydro cortisone (a synthetic preparation used in the treatment of inflammations, allergies and itching) is absorbed through the skin 6 times better on the forehead than on the arm, and 44 times better on the scrotum.
Applying more of a substance increases the amount absorbed. Penetration will stop when the skin is saturated. Absorption into the bloodstream is also increased if the concentration of a substance is higher and if more body is is covered.
The skin of infants is more prone to absorption than those of adults.
Diseased skin is not necessarily easier to penetrate than normal skin.
Occluded (skin that has been covered) or well-hydrated skin is easier to penetrate than nonoccluded or dry skin.
The vehicle may affect penetration of a drug.
How Absorption Occurs
The drug is applied to the skin’s surface and then diffuses out of its vehicle into the stratum corneum. In the stratum corneum it builds a reservoir and defuses through the stratum spinosum. At this point, it can metabolize and drug binds to receptors and exerts its effect. The drug than passes into the basement membrane zone and dermis, drug metabolizes and binds to receptors. Drug is delivered into subcutaneous fat, the circulatory system and achieved systemic absorption.
Determining The Dose and Regimen
The dose is the quantity of medicine to be administered at one time and the regimen is a strictly regulated program. The concentration of the applied dose, the surface area of the body, and the elapsed time the chemical is on the skin are the main considerations affecting absorption. As the concentration of a drug is increased, the total amount absorbed into the skin and body also increases. Increasing the surface area of the applied dose also increases penetration. Penetration occurs over time. The longer the substance is on the skin, the greater the chance for continued penetration. Chances for toxicity may occur when high concentrations of a drug are spread over a large area of skin.
The total amount of a drug absorbed during a 24-hour period may be different for a single application as opposed to the same amount applied in divided doses. In other words,
applying a medicine once a day in the morning delivers a different concentration as opposed to applying a medicine 3 times a day 8 hours apart. What this implies is that the skin becomes saturated with the first topical application, so that absorption from repeated applications may need to be altered.
Not Everyone’s The Same
Individuals vary in the amount of medication they absorb through the skin. Physicians take this into account when they evaluate the results of topical therapy. The location of the body where the drug or chemical is applied varies in absorption as well.
High absorption is found on the: Head Neck Scrotum Arm pits These are areas with greater exposure to cosmetics and the environment.
For an example, hydro-cortisone is absorbed: 4 times better on the scalp 6 times better on the forehead 13 times better on the jaw 1 times better on the forearm 4 times better on the armpits 2 times better on the abdomen 42 times better on the scrotum 0.4 times better on the leg 0.1 times better on the soles of the feet. Compromised and Diseased Skin Most drug testing to determine the efficacy of a drugs absorption ability are studied on normal skin, but drugs are usually applied to diseased skin. The assumption is that skin’s ability to act as a barrier is compromised when the skin is diseased thereby allowing greater penetration. Skin that has abnormal redness over widespread areas of the body and which is shedding in scales or layers is easier to penetrate with topical. In Conclusion
Having a basic comprehension of topical absorption will aid you in understanding what your clients are experiencing when a skin disorder requiring a doctor’s visit is required. We all have at some point in our lives applied topical medications for a variety of conditions. Whether it was contact dermatitis while hiking from a poisonous plant, sunburn from a vacation or more severe and perhaps disfiguring conditions. The skin is a fascinating organ, which keeps us within, and the world without.
copy right by fawad (all right reserved)
What are Wrinkles? Wrinkle are ridges or crease in the skin.
Tips to Avoid Wrinkles
1. Establish a skin care routine A good skin care routine will help your skin to retain moisture and elasticity.
2. Wear sunscreen
Ultraviolet (UV) rays are harmful to the skin. Too much sun will increase the wrinkle process. Also, wear a hat.
3. Avoid tanning salons
Don’t assume the tanning salon is safer than exposure to direct sunlight. You are still being exposed to UV rays, and at a higher concentration than direct sunlight.
4. Stop smoking
Toxins in smoking agents cause skin damage. Research shows that smokers wrinkle at a younger age.
5. Avoid weight fluctuations
Weight fluctuations causes your skin to stretch and contract. Skin loses its elasticity as you age and can’t bounce back after each fluctuation.
6. Drink water
Keep your body hydrated. Drinking plenty of water will help flush out toxins.
7. Eat right
Good nutrition affects the skin and can have a positive effect on preventing wrinkles.
8. Wear sunglasses
Wearing sunglasses will help you squint less. Squinting creates folds around the eyes that can become permanent.
9. Relax your face muscles
Grimacing, furrowing their brows, jaw clenching all contribute to facial wrinkles.
10. Get a facial massage
A facial massage will help to keep elasticity in the skin and keep wrinkles and fine lines at bay. A facial massage will stimulate blood flow and circulation in the facial area. Increased blood flow stimulates the skin and helps to keep it renewed and rejuvenated.
Tips to Reduce the Appearance of Wrinkles
1. Use an Anti-Wrinkle Cream or Lotion Wrinkle creams increase the volume of tissue cells and smoothes out the wrinkle or line. But, wrinkle creams cannot eliminate deep wrinkles.
2. Get a Chemical Peel
A chemical peel is a technique designed to remove the dead skin cells from the skin's surface layer and re-stimulate the regenerative process.
Easy and natural ways to get rid of acne
Acne refers to a skin condition where pores on the skin contain blackheads, whiteheads and/or pimples. In severe cases, plugged pores can result in lumps, cysts or nodules.
Acne can range in severity from a relatively small number of whiteheads,to a proliferation of cysts and nodules, which can be as physically painful as they are psychologically upsetting. Severe cystic acne needing cystic acne treatment can be resistant to mosttreatments, and in fact cystic acne treatment can produce side effects that are upsetting as the condition itself.
Acne, which affects the majority of teenagers, and a very large number of adults as well, can be treated using various different methods, with prices ranging from relatively inexpensive to incredibly expensive. However, the best acne treatments are those that treat acne from inside the body, as well as on the surface of the skin - since acne starts inside the skin structure.Apart from physician's medications, Acne can also be treated very effectively by using natural methods. Conventional treatments for acne have been proved usually quite successful.
Natural Acne Treatment
Follow these steps
1. Don’t ever pinch, squeeze or pick at a pimple.
This only causes it to become more red and inflamed, and will spread the bacteria and oils that caused it in the first place, to other parts of your face! It can also lead to scars.
2. Every 30 minutes, apply an ice pack to the pimple and hold it there for about 2 minutes.
This will decrease the swelling and redness and help shrink the inflammation and pain that sometimes comes along with it.
3. They don’t call it concealer for nothing
Covering the pimple with a light dose of flesh-tinted concealer can help mask it when you’re in a hurry. It also helps cover up that oily shine. With true natural acne treatment you can get rid of acne in 3 days
4. Cleanse your skin 2-3 times a day
Use mild, unscented soap or a specialized acne cleanser that has no harsh chemicals (such as lye). Scrub skin gently with an exfoliating pad or washcloth, but don’t rub too hard, otherwise you’ll sap your skin of its own natural oils, which help to repel buildup naturally.
5. Apply a cream or ointment
This cream contains benzyl peroxide or salicylic acid (many over-the-counter acne medicines contain these ingredients) to the blemish or around the entire facial area. Note that these ingredients both have a tendency to dry out skin if used too much and are not recommended if you have sensitive skin.
6. Wear oil-free makeup whenever possible
These types have less of a tendency to cause the pore buildup that results in blemishes. Remove your makeup nightly and cleanse with an acne-fighting medicine to remove dirt, oil and makeup from deep within the skin.
7. If you’re in need of a quick fix
Apply a dab of toothpaste on the affected area right before bed can help soothe irritation and reduce redness. Pressing and holding a wet tea bag or a cotton ball with a dab of lemon juice against the blemish for five minutes can also reduce swelling and redness.
If you follow these natural acne treatment tips, chances are you’ll notice a significant difference rather quickly – often within a day or two. If pimples become a recurring problem or worsen, your doctor or dermatologist can suggest a daily skin cleansing routine that will suit your skin type. Other long-term remedies, such as facial masks, diet adjustments and increasing the amount of water you drink can also help combat outbreaks.