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.

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

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

Benefits of Differing Dermal Fillers

There are a lot of dermal fillers on the market at the moment and we have decided we would compare some of the market leaders; or rather the differences in what they are composed of, rather than specifically choose products themselves (as many are fairly similar).

So what are the 2 differing types we are going to compare? Hyaluronic Acid and Polylactic Acid, the former being used in products such as Restylane and Juvederm the latter in Sculptra.

Hyaluronic Acid Gel is the main component in many dermal fillers and, just like Polylactic Acid, offers excellent results. It is an injectable gel that offers immediate results to the treated area. The gel lifts folds and wrinkles and is perfect for nasolabial (nose to mouth) folds, frown lines, fine lines and wrinkles, tear troughs, hands and the neck and cleavage areas. Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are perfect for lips and lip lines as well.

As stated the results show immediately, and it offers a very natural looking results. It has very little if any side-effects associated with it but does have some minor after-effects such as minor redness, swelling and possible bruising. It normally requires one or two treatments to get the desired results, and they will normally last around 4 – 12 months depending which brand of filler is used. Fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm are proceeding in around to £200 to £1000 mark.

Sculptra uses the suspension of polylactic acid to achieve its results, this involves the acid being released in the desired are over time and in turn this causes the stimulation of new collagen. This means the effects are not immediate but instead they improve over several weeks. However as it stimulates new collagen formation in the skin it means it looks completely natural.

Like hyaluronic acid, polylactic acid suspension is perfect for all facial areas, hands, neck and cleavage areas, but it is not suited to lips or lip lines. However Dr Tanqueray of Mulberry House believes that Sculptra offers a more comprehensive approach as it allows him to look at the face as a whole and restore volume in a more general and balanced way, so it may not be as good for lips, but is arguably the better option otherwise.

Again there are little to no side-effect associated with this treatment and the side effects really only include possible bruising as a common factor. It normally requires 2-4 treatments for the best results and costs start at £400 and go up to around the £2000 mark. However this treatment tends to last 18 months to around 2 years, making it a much longer term solution.

Both of these dermal fillers can actually be used together to give outstanding results were needed and both are available from Mulberry House Clinic.

Radiage - Tighter Skin Without Surgery

Selston Cosmetic Clinic introduced the Radiage skin tightening procedure to their comprehensive list of treatments a little over 12 months ago. Since then it has proved very popular and successful with outstanding results.

Radiage is one of the newest non-ablative cosmetic procedures for the rejuvenation of the skin. Radiage is the name of the treatments and the device used for the procedure as well.

So how does it work?

The Radiage heats and modifies the collagen in the skin and causes it to tighten and contract. The result is loose skin on the neck is lifted and wrinkles are almost entirely removed; the skin feels tighter and smoother than before.

Most patients see results immediately on the skin’s outer surface while the Radio Frequency (RF) energy slightly heats and modifies the soft tissues under the skin. The final results come from the collagen contracting and tightening thus smoothing the skin.

Radiage is a walk in/walk out procedure with virtually no down-time. Many people have this treatment in lunch breaks and head back to work after.

For the desired effects and looks a course of 6-8 treatments every 2 weeks is recommended.

It is important to not that Radiage does not work for everyone, and you will be advised on this by your cosmetic specialist. However Selston Cosmetic Clinic offer a free trial session of Radiage so you can see for yourself if there are benefits or not from this amazing procedure.

Roberta James is a lead Cosmetic Nurse at Selston Cosmetic Clinic in North Nottinghamshire. Roberts runs the department for Microdermabrasion, Skin Peels, Radiage, Laser Hair Removal and Laser Skin Rejuvenation.

Thread Lifts and How They Work

Botox and dermal fillers are great, but they tend to lack that certain something when it comes to recreating youthful facial contours. These traditional “injectables” are great for dynamic or static facial lines but as cosmetic practitioners we are aware that they have little, if any, true lifting effect.

The demand for a procedure akin to something as minimally invasive as an Botox or dermal fillers, but at the same time providing a lift as good as full cosmetic surgery has led to the development of the “thread lift”. The thread lift procedure involves various cosmetic techniques that are aimed at lifting parts of the face and body using specially designed surgical threads (though normal surgical threads are perfectly acceptable). The thread lift procedure is slightly more invasive than an injectable, yet is much less dramatic compared to conventional surgical lifting; making it a good compromise between the extremes of these two techniques.

How does the thread lift work?

The threads are inserted into the superficial fat layer below the skin and above the facia. Once inserted, the threads are positioned and directed by the operator in order to achieve their maximum potential and this process differs in the two main techniques of free-floating and suspension type thread lifting.

Once under the skin the thread achieves two types of lift, mechanical and histological. The mechanical lift is noticeable immediately after insertion of the thread due to the barbs pulling the soft tissue to achieve lifting. The histological lift is due to the deposition of fibroblasts and new collagen being formed around the barbs. The visible effects appear over time, usually from two weeks after the insertion.

As with every cosmetic procedure, correct patient selection is one of the most important factors of its success, as despite the many advantages of the thread lift not every one is suitable for it.

Careful assessment of the patient is important as there are other factors that determine the success of the procedure. These factors are the amount of subcutaneous fat and the quality of the skin. For example a very thin patient will not be a suitable candidate as there is simply not enough subcutaneous fat for the threads to be inserted into. Skin quality is important because in thread lift there is no excision of skin, but we rely on the elastic properties of the skin to achieve retraction, which usually takes place from two weeks after the procedure. Therefore a patient with too much redundant skin and/or a high level of sun damage cannot receive thread lift treatment.

Compared to conventional surgery the possible complications involved in thread lifts are much fewer. This, along with the fact that thread lift procedures are reversible (more so in the early stages), makes it overall a much safer procedure. Possible complications have been noted as including haematoma, thread extrusion, visible threads, asymmetry, neuropraxia, paraesthesia and less satisfactory results and these all have to be mentioned to the patient before treatments begins. One of the most common reasons for unsatisfactory results is the excessive movement of the face in the early stages after the procedure has been performed. In order to avoid this, the administration of Botox treatments two weeks prior to a thread lift is advisable in the required areas.

To summarise, the thread lift procedures have a definite place in aesthetic surgery. For the right patient they can deliver results as good as conventional surgery but with minimal scarring and down time.

Thread Lifts are availble through Glancey Medical Associates based in London and Essex and headed by Dr Lucy Glancey.

Vibro Lipo - Another Amazing Liposuction Alternative

Recently Dr Bassi of Selston Cosmetic Clinic, part of the Cosmetic Clinics Group, travelled to Belgium to witness and assess one of the latest Liposuction procedures – Vibro Liposculpture.

The Vibro Liposculpture system was demonstrated to Dr Bassi, and Selton Clinic’s lead Vaser Lipo technician Mags Whyler, by Dr Safar, an eminent liposuction surgeon in Brussels. Dr Safar has performed more than 5000 liposuction procedures and has been using the Vibro Lipo system for over 10 years.

Currently Vaser Lipo is one the optimal forms of non-invasive liposuction and provides fantastic results, proof in point is that Selston and many of the other Clinics in the Cosmetic Clinics Group utilise Vaser Lipo. However Vaser Lipo is best suited for small to medium volumes of fat removal. This means that those patients who need much larger amounts of fat removing cannot be realistically treated except by traditional liposuction, which is a much longer and more expensive treatment that required hospital time.

Vibro Lipo solves this problem is a big way. Whilst Dr Bassi and Mags were in Brussels they observed Dr Safar perform the Vibro Lipo procedure on a lady from Russia. The procedure was performed under local anaesthetic and the lady was aware and quite chatty (if you understand Russian that is). The end results were very impressive, with a staggering 3.5 litres of pure fat removed from the upper and lower abdomen and anterior flanks of the client.

Since then the Vibro Lipo system has been integrated and installed at Selston Cosmetic Clinic and Dr Bassi and the team hope to use this new technology to provide a much wider selection of treatments for their clients regardless of shape or size.

Dr S.R. Bassi is the leading cosmetic physician and Mags Whyler is the lead Vaser Lipo technician at a top cosmetic clinic in North Nottingham - Selston Cosmetic Clinic.