Tuesday 28 July 2009

Cosmetic Clinics Provide A Vaser Lipo Master-Class

In late July, there was something of a Vaser Lipo master class held at Selston Cosmetic Clinic in Nottinghamshire.

Hosted by Selston's resident cosmetic doctor, Dr Sashi Bassi, the master class was attended by several other members of the Cosmetic Clinics Group, all experts in Vaser Lipo techniques and national trainers for Vaser Lipo in the UK.

Along with Dr Bassi the attendees included Dr Kam Singh of Beau Aesthetica Spa & Clinic (Leicester), Dr Joshua Berkowitz of The Wimpole Aesthetics Centre (London) and Dr Bhavesh Bodalia of The Gables Medicentre (Coventry). Each doctor has many years of experience in cosmetic and aesthetic procedures and treatments and were the first to use Vaser as a new method of liposuction.

Having such a gathering of expertise was quite a boon and this combined knowledge was to be utilised on 3 different patients’ inner thigh and knee areas. Obviously each patient was unique and the doctors debated their preferred approaches and techniques to the areas undergoing the Vaser Lipo procedure. It is interesting to see the little differences each doctor has to the same fundamental procedure, and the combination of these led to achieve very satisfying and impressive results for each of the patients involved.

Of course the patients were not the only beneficiaries to the mater class, as each doctor gleaned a few differing styles, techniques and insights into each others years of training and expertise, which in turn added to their own repertoire and skill set.

Vaser Lipo, one of the most advanced and beneficial forms of liposuction, is available from several of the clinics in the Cosmetic Clinics Group. For a full list, visit www.cosmeticclinics.co.uk and use the handed treatment & clinic locator to find your nearest clinic offering Vaser Lipo.

Tuesday 14 July 2009

Sun Damage Skin - Laser Skin Pigmentation Treatment

Having enjoyed the sunshine during the summer months, many people will now be seeing the after effects it has on their complexion, especially in regards to uneven skin pigmentation. Yes the sun has its benefits, it can be great for getting rid of acne spot for example, but it has a lot of downsides especially the aggravation of brown pigmentation in the face and body.

The reason for this is that the pigment producing cells (Melanocytes) are stimulated very easily by UV light, something the sun has an awful lot of. Once this stimulation occurs, melanin is over-produced and forms in an uneven pattern of patchy pigmentation on the skin. The best prevention for this is a simple one, sun block! Of course this is prevention and won’t help if you’ve already made that mistake of going out unprotected.

Now not all skin pigmentation is caused by sun damage, such as Melasma, which is hormonal, Chloasma, which occurs during pregnancy and Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH), which is caused after some kind of damage or trauma to the skin followed by exposure to the sun. However for now we will talk about sun damage pigmentation and how it can be treated.

This is a very common occurrence in lighter skin types. It appears as freckles or brown spots of pigment, often known as sun spots or liver spots, on the back of hands, face, neck and decollete.

This type of pigmentation has no pattern or symmetry to it; in fact, it follows a pattern dictated by the side most exposed to the sun which in the UK is the right-hand side. A study conducted on American truck drivers found their most sun damaged side was the left side, in particular the face and arm, as a result of driving with their arm resting on the open window of the truck door.

This form of skin pigmentation responds well to chemical peels but it also responds well to laser therapy.

This laser skin pigmentation treatment utilises Intense Pulse Light (IPL). IPL is a well known method of hair removal and very popular in many beauty salons and cosmetic clinics. When the hair is removed, the IPL is attracted by the dark colour of the hair bulb; following the same logic, the light is attracted by all red and browns on the face or body provided there is a good enough contrast between these colour and the background skin tone.

The problem with people who want this treatment to remove the irregular pigmentation is that they are often sun worshippers, those who spend all their time in the sun getting a tan without the right protection. Now these people can be treated, but treatment cannot occur until their tan has completely faded, or else the laser cannot pick up the contrasting colours of the skin and the pigmentation.

With the right assessment of the particular type of pigmentation and the right treatment applied, very rewarding results can be achieved. There are many reputable clinics that offer laser skin pigmentation treatment such as Laser Doc clinic located in Nottingham, who can advise you on your skin pigmentation condition and how to best treat it.

Wednesday 8 July 2009

Laser Hair Removal - How Good Is It?

This month's focus is on Permanent Hair Reduction, or as it is more commonly know; laser hair removal.

The use of lasers has proven over many years to be without a doubt the best form of long lasting hair removal; we will go in to detail as to why later. Laser hair removal is most commonly used on the upper lip and chin area, the underarm and the bikini zone. However it is just as effective on the arms, legs and back areas. Obviously laser hair removal isn’t just for ladies either, and many guys have the procedure to be rid of excessive hair or unsightly body hair.

Now for the more technical part!

The principle of treatment is that light energy (Laser) is directed at the hair follicle. The wavelength of light energy is absorbed by the melanin pigment in the hair as it sits in the hair follicle, and this absorption results in a short heating effect that damages the cells lining the follicle and which are responsible for hair growth.

As it is the melanin pigment that is affected by the heat energy then melanin needs to be present and unfortunately this is only the case in dark hair (brown or black) thus it will not be effective on blond, grey, red or light hair. Many people believe that skin colour is a factor however this is not true; laser hair removal is safe to use for any skin type.

Now that covers the “why?” but what else makes it the best treatment? Well the other bonus is that unlike electrolysis for example, there is no scarring or sigh that the treatment has occurred, apart from some redness for a few hours.

“Wait a minute! Redness? So it hurts?”

Well to say it is painless would be untrue, but it is not painful per se either. It falls somewhere between, but an anaesthetic cream is used to ease the feeling on more sensitive areas along with the laser tip being cooled to make the experience more comfortable. The sensation is described as a slight stinging sensation by many people, and it’s probably about right; compared to electrolysis it is much more pleasant.

For best effects normally about 6 treatments are required, though good results can come after only 4. It is worth noting that on the face up to 8 treatments are sometimes necessary (due to hormonal reasons).

The benefits are normally visible after 2 or 3 treatments, and they continue up to the last. It also means that shaving, waxing and hair removal creams are no longer required and can give a huge confidence boost to people who have suffered with unnatural or excessive hair growth.

There are many clinics that can offer laser hair removal, but make sure you use a reputable clinic with an experienced cosmetic doctor.

All of the clinics in the Cosmetic Clinics Group provide laser hair removal and are all ran by experienced and fully trained professionals, plus you can use the website to find you nearest clinic and many of the clinics offer special deals such as Mulberry House in Northampton who offer a sixth treatment for free! If you pay for five laser hair removal treatments in advance, now that’s a bargain!.

For more information on laser hair removal or to book an appointment consultation or treatment for visit the Cosmetic Clinics Groups’ website at www.cosmeticclinics.co.uk

Thursday 2 July 2009

Skin Tightening with Radiage - Common Questions

Answers to common questions regarding the Radiage skin tightening treatment.

What is Radiage?

Radiage works by using radio frequency (RF) to generate heat, which is passed through the epidermis (outer layer of the skin) and into the dermis (deeper layer of the skin) to cause localised and controlled degrees of thermal or heat injury. The purpose is that the body follows its natural course after this and repairs itself thus forming new collagen. It is this new collagen that increases the appearance of the skin, making it appear tighter and smoother.

How long does the treatment take?
An average treatment time is 20-30 minutes, though this can depend on the area treated.

What results can I expect with Radiage?
Normally you can expect a 20-30% improvement in the skins’ tightness in the treated areas. These may seem small numbers but even this much difference provides impressive results.

On which body areas can Radiage be used?
Radiage can be used to improve the skin under the eyes, along with the cheeks, jowls and chin areas.

Is Radiage safe?
Radiage is safe; it complies with regulated standards.

Is there pain associated with Radiage treatment?
As Radiage heats the skin to achieve the desired results, it is best to apply a local anaesthetic cream to the treatable area about 1 hour before the procedure to prevent the burning sensation. However anaesthetic is optional and many people are not bothered by the heat sensation.

How long do the results last?
Radiage skin tightening treatment results typically last around 10 to 12 months. The reason is your skin will still age, however many patients go for a top up treatment at around the 12 month stage.

How long is the recovery time?
Radiage has no real recovery time to speak of; it is a walk-in and walk-out procedure. There is often some redness after for around an hour or so (no more than 24hours) but that is really all there is in terms of recovery.

How popular is Radiage?
Radiage is becoming one of the preferred treatments for skin tightening due to its simplicity, speed and results. Areas such as the beneath the eyes and the jowls seem to be the most popular.

In summary:
Radiage offers the benefit of tighter smoother skin, is a very quick and fairly pain free procedure, can be carried out in a lunch hour and has no down time. Other benefits of Radiage include that it can be combined with chemical face peels and/or microdermabrasion for even more improved results.

Roberta James - Lead Cosmetic Nurse at Selston Cosmetic Clinic

For more information on Radiage and it benefits visit Selston Cosmetic Clinic or check out which other clinic offer Radiage at www.cosmeticclinics.co.uk