Dermaplaning….”Oh How I Love Thee”

PHILADELPHIA MEDSPA

BLOG

Not to be overly dramatic… but we at The Philadelphia Medspa simply ADORE this treatment…

For those that have never heard of a Dermaplaning skin care treatment, allow me to elaborate. Dermaplaning is not so much a new skin care treatment per se, in fact it's been around for YEARS technically. But as with many skin care protocols, products, and techniques, there always seems to be a "resurgence" so to speak of some of these wonderfully effective practices. With the addition of new aesthetic tools, additional techniques, and pre and post care products, Dermaplaning is still one of the most effective topical exfoliation treatments performed in offices around the world!

I know, I still haven't gotten down to the details of WHAT DERMAPLANING ACTUALLY IS , RIGHT ?

Well, simply put, Dermaplaning is basically a procedure where a trained professional uses a surgically sterile blade resembling a scalpel to gently but methodically remove the uppermost top layer of the skin on the face using feather-like strokes. Using a non-invasive angle to the blade and not even breaking the skin, the blade is gently moved across the face in slow, gentle, contouring directions. This allows the practitioner to physically remove all of the dead, clogged skin cells that contribute to that dull, sallow, ruddy complexion many of us are plagued with.

And one of the best parts????? Dermaplaning removes all of the "Face Fuzz" many of us experience as well. That fine, baby-like peach fuzz that we see on our cheeks, chins, upper lips, jawlines, even our necks, is simply whisked off with the gentle flick of the Dermablade.

Whats left behind? THE smoothest, hair-free skin you have EVER felt on your own face, THAT'S WHAT!

This fantastic treatment deeply exfoliates, removes excess vellus hair from face, chin and neck, but that's not everything…

Dermaplaning also helps to aid in product absorption and efficacy during treatment, and home-care product absorption and effectiveness as well. 

So, that expensive brightening cream, anti-wrinkle serum, or silky night-time moisturizer you've been using or want to try, will have an easier time penetrating the top layers of your skin, thus giving you much better results! Not to mention how such more smoothly your makeup will go on. So if you've been wanting to try that new primer, foundation, or illuminating powder, DO IT! Right after a Dermaplane treatment is the perfect time to revisit some of your favorite makeup products…you'll be amazed at how smooth your face and skin will look and feel.

This is also a PERFECT facial treatment for pregnant women who cannot partake in chemical peels or laser treatments. Many clients try Dermaplaning while pregnant, fall in love with its instant after-effects, and continue loyally well after child birth because they love the result so much.

Before     After     

Several other common additions many skin care professionals will add to the treatment to further enhance the exfoliation process and create unbelievably refreshed skin, is a light chemical peel or microdermabrasion. These treatment combinations simply further perpetuate that deep exfoliation and penetration process.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking, "WHAT ????? A CHEMICAL PEEL RIGHT AFTER THE REMOVAL OF THE TOP LAYER OF MY SKIN"???

It's OK, don't panic, it's actually a VERY comfortable treatment and the strength of the chemical peel is ideally suited for your skin type.

So, let's answer some common questions associated with this FABULOUS Treatment…

Q: Is there pain involved in this treatment?

A: No, and in fact, most people find it extremely relaxing!

Q: What will I look like after? Will there be any downtime?

A: If just receiving the Dermaplaning treatment by itself with no chemical peel immediately following, you will have little or NO after effects at all! Some more sensitive skin types may occasionally experience just a little pink or redness for several hours following the treatment, but clients generally comment on how they can apply makeup right away and go about their day!

Hows THAT for no downtime?

Q: Am I a candidate for Dermaplaning?

A: For the majority of clients looking to renew and refresh their skin, most commonly over the age of 35, of any skin color…..YES! The only skin type not recommended for this type of treatment would be actively acneic skin. If a client only has a few active spots, the professional would just avoid those spots. But a larger, inflamed, actively broken-out area would need to be healed before a Dermaplaning treatment.

Q: How often are these treatments done?

A: The usual time frame between treatments is usually one month, as approximately every 21 days or so is usually when the skin and vellous hair starts to naturally turn over or grow.

Q: Will my hair grow back thicker and darker after the treatment?

A: Nope. The fine vellus hair most of us have on our faces grows back slowly and softly, at the same thickness and color we had before.

In hoping we have enlightened some of you on the benefits of this simple, pain-free, skin-smoothing facial treatment which provides instant gratification and results, please feel free to call us for your FREE consultation!

Right now, The Philadelphia Medspa is offering a Spring Special on Dermaplaning Treatments…Call us to find out what we can do for YOU!

Peace, love, and Healthy Skin

The Philadelphia Medspa

834 South Street ● Philadelphia, PA● 19147

215.278.7806

contact@thelasertechs.com

Images; karousing.com,becomegorgeous.com,dscmd.com,dermaplanepro.com

Retinoids!

PHILADELPHIA MEDSPA

BLOG

What is the Philadelphia Medspa's Beauty "Buzzword" of the month?? Retinoid!

Well… for us skin care professionals and laser techs here at The Philadelphia Medspa, right now, it's all about the right products coupled with the right regimen and maintenance routine. We have been honing our product and topical knowledge, and researching what really seems to work best for many of our clients with different concerns and skin types. Let's have a discussion about one such product I lovingly refer to as, "a little help in a tube". So, let's talk retinoids!

Retinoids have been around for quite a while already (the 70's to be more accurate), but we feel that their "renewal" or resurgence into not only acne-prone or aging clients' daily or weekly regimens, as they are most commonly prescribed for but also as a preventative for younger, non-problematic skin as well. Retinoids are a derivative of Vitamin A, and can be found in skin care products under several names, and in several forms such as Retinyl Palmitate, Retinol, Retinaldehyde, Tretinoin , Isotretinoin (Accutaneâ), or Renovaâ, Retin-Aâ (which is just really a Retinol brand name). Most come in either cream or gel form, some both.

What's the difference? What do they do you ask??

Retinoids are available in different strengths, forms (cream or gels), and many different brand names. Retinol in milder forms, and in most over the counter product ingredient lists, is usually listed as Retinyl Palmitate, Retinol, even Retinaldehyde. These are much more mild forms of a Retinoid and don't require a doctor's prescription. It's when the Retinoid becomes stronger in formulation that you would need to purchase the product from a dermatologist, medspa or another facility that is licensed to sell these "medical-grade" strengths and formulations. Many of these stronger products are called, or fall under the names, Adapalene, Tretinioin, Isotretinoin, Tazarotene, and Accutaneâ to name a few.

We carry one of my favorite Tretinoin retinol products by OBAGI Medical in all three strengths, 0.025%. 0.05%, and 0.1%. Its frankly one of our top two skincare products, along with a medical-grade skin lightener (also fabulous, but will discuss another time…).

Okay, now that you are more familiar with some of their more common names, what do they do exactly, you ask?

For starters, a retinoid is usually used to target acne or anti-aging. It works by exfoliating the skin with constant cell turnover. It slows down the breakdown of collagen, thickens the skin, and decreases dark spots. The strength usually depends on the type of retinoid used. The skin is only able to process a retinoid more directly when it is in retinoic acid form, so by using a weaker type of retinoid such as the palmitate, retinol, or retinaldehyde, the skin doesn't readily accept the retinoid and it becomes less effective. When the retinoid is in a weaker state, (retinyl palmitate, retinol, or retinaldehyde) it takes several steps, or breakdowns for the retinoid to become retinoic acid, therefore, with each breakdown or step, the retinoid becomes weaker, oxidizes more, and becomes slightly less effective. Those stronger, strictly retinoic acid forms, would be your Tretinoin, isotretinoin, Adapalene, Tazarotene. Most of these formulations of retinoic acid are natural retinoids, while others are synthetic.

Are there side effects to Retinoids? There can be, yes…but what is beauty without a tiny bit of sacrifice I always say…

But seriously, the most common side effects from retinoids are irritation, peeling, dry skin, flaking, redness, flushing and an itchy feeling. Will everyone experience these effects? Should this stop you from exploring the benefits of retinoids? NO.

The formulations or different products available may just take a bit of trial and error on your part to see what works for you or what doesn't.

How long does it take to see results? Normally it takes anywhere from 10-12 weeks to six months in some cases.

So my advice to retinol beginners: Start slowly, work your way up to the strongest formula your skin to handle, and BE PATIENT. There may be a small bit of irritation, redness, or flaking in the beginning phase, but give your skin some time. You may just need to scale down the amount of product you are using for every application, (a pea-size is best), don't use too often (start with 2 nights a week and work up to 7), or you can try a buffer, by adding a bit of moisturizer to your application.

Side note: Since Retinoids make skin more sensitive to the sun and its rays, ALWAYS use a good broad-spectrum sun BLOCK in your daily routine. EVERY DAY, no matter what!

Here is a great before/after pic..

This lovely lady was one of our clients who came to us wanting to change the overall look, feel and brightness of her skin. Now although she really didn't have many wrinkles to speak of, her regimen of adding better skin care products along with a mid-strength Tretinoin cream and a few corrective facials, really turned her skin around!

Final thoughts:

Retinoids are a GREAT product and can really be useful in the anti-aging, preventative, and acne-fighting categories.

But are they right for everyone?

No… but nothing is just right for everyone… Some skin types may just be too sensitive to tolerate even the mildest strength, but armed with the knowledge of what a retinoid is, how they work, and the best way to use them…this magical little product could become your #1 beauty must-have!

Give us a call with any questions, if you would like to order any of our OBAGI Medical products, or set up an appointment for a FREE consultation…

Peace, Love, and Healthy Skin,

The Philadelphia Medspa

834 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147

contact@thelasertechs.com

Does Laser Hair Removal Really Work??

Hello! …and welcome to The Philadelphia Med Spa Blog! I’d like to start off this Month’s Blog topic regarding Laser Hair Removal; with an answer to that “burning” question… (No pun intended)

Does Laser Hair Removal work?
Well yes; and sometimes no. By understanding how cosmetic lasers work and actually affect the skin, hair, and follicle, one must first get slightly scientific. There are many different types of cosmetic lasers used for hair removal, from IPL or Intense Pulsed Light devices, (which are not technically a laser), to actual laser light- based devices which utilize different wavelengths, in turn providing safer but more effective laser hair removal treatments on a myriad of different skin types, skin color, etc.

The general idea behind laser hair removal is selective photothermolysis, or rather what the laser light targets: water, hemoglobin, or mostly, melanin, which is what gives our skin its color and pigment. Most of the cosmetic lasers in the U.S. are designed to target our melanin.

The light or laser basically targets anything dark, if we are speaking laser hair removal. So right about now you are asking, “But what if I have dark skin? Can it damage my actual skin?”
Good question! That is when a laser’s specific wavelength comes in. A wavelength is described as being light waves or infrared heat waves which make characteristic patterns as they travel through space, or the distance between repeating waves of light.

Pretty far out there so far, right?? It gets a bit simpler after this: There are a variety of lasers out there with different wavelengths which are used for, and target different things in or on the skin. For the purpose of explaining mainly hair removal lasers, the normal wavelengths are generally between 755 nm and 1064nm. These lasers are named after their wavelengths: a 755nm wavelength is called an Alexandrite laser, an 800-810 wavelength laser is a Diode laser, and a 1064nm laser is normally an ND Yag laser. I won’t bore you with why and what these laser wavelength names stand for right now…..

In simpler terms, the shorter the wavelength, say a 400, 532, 755, and 810 is generally more effective and safe for lighter skin tones, as the light source doesn’t have much melanin to target, except for the actual dark hair and its follicle.

Remember how I said it targets darker things?
The longer wavelengths, such as a 1064nm Yag laser is much safer for darker skin types, such as Hispanic,Middle Eastern, Indian, and African American skin tones, as it is much gentler on the surrounding skin and tissue, yet still targets the dark hairs and their follicles.

Whew! A lot of information overload, I’m sure. But in conclusion, the answer to our ever- important question, does laser hair removal work?
ANSWER: YES!, if the right light-based device or laser is used; with the appropriate wavelengths for a specific skin type and color, the appropriate power settings are used; laser hair removal or reduction is VERY effective. Now the NO part of this answer comes into play when you take into account the actual color of the hair one wishes to eliminate…..white, blonde, red and grey hair is NOT affected by many laser devices as the melanin or pigment in that hair is non-existent.

The darker the hair, the better job the laser or device will do at reducing and eliminating that hair from the follicle.

I sincerely hope that this information enlightens you a bit more on the treatment of laser and light-induced hair reduction! Until we speak again…
Peace, Love, and Healthy Skin

The Laser Techs @ The Philadelphia Med Spa
834 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 278-7806
contact@thelasertechs.com
http://thelasertechs.com

Tattoo Removal

Tattoo Removal 215-278-7806

Laser tattoo removal is becoming easier and a lot more common these days. The days of a lifetime of “permanent” tattoo regret are for the most part, behind us.
The laser removal process itself is well, just that really… a process. Multiple sessions are needed to break down the ink particles underneath the surface of the skin and that takes a bit of time. Time between sessions that is… the actual laser session itself is actually pretty quick. For a small tattoo measuring say, 2”x2” the actual laser time could be under one minute!
Technology hasn’t quite gotten to the point where it’s a “one-and-done” session for the removal process, but the tattoo removal lasers themselves have improved tremendously over the last several years. Some tattoos, with the right laser, could quite possibly be removed in as little as 3-4 sessions! We’ve done it!
Other, more complicated tattoos, i.e. multiple colors, newer, large, densely inked pieces, and even the location of said tattoo on your body itself lends largely to the amount of sessions needed, and especially the final outcome.

Most tattoos that are located on the “trunk” of the body are generally the easiest to remove, and that’s mostly because the tattoo is located closer to the heart where blood circulation is strongest. It takes a bit longer on extremities such as hands, fingers, wrists, feet, ankles, etc.
You see, each time you have a laser removal session, only a portion of that ink is broken up by the laser, that’s why multiple sessions are needed. I like to explain it like this: “Think of your tattoo’s ink like a big boulder. Every time the laser hits that boulder, more and more of it is blasted into small pebbles. Those pebbles are then transported out of your system via the circulatory and lymph systems.”

So, in short, laser tattoo removal has really become somewhat convenient, “relatively” quick, and quite effective! So think about it, and don’t despair…that rad “Tasmanian Devil” tattoo from 1985 doesn’t have to be a constant reminder of your bad high school namesake…. (No offense if you really have that…lol)
Until next time…..

Peace, Love, and Healthy Skin,
The Philadelphia Medspa
The Laser Techs
215.278.7806