Acne-a skin condition, not a life sentence

What is acne?

Acne is a skin condition located in the hair follicles on the skin.  It can be seen on the face, back, chest and arms of both male and female.  The first signs usually appears during puberty, around 14-17 years of age in girls, and 16 –19 years of age in boys.  It comes in spurts and can be triggered by sunlight, hormones, menstrual cycles and pollution. Approximately 15% of teenage girls will require treatment for their acne.  Most cases clear up in the late teens and early twenties.  Approximately 5% of women over the age of 25 will still need treatment.

There are four main reasons for the development of acne:

• Over production of sebum, a natural oil that keeps the skin soft and supple, due to an increase in androgens (male hormones) at puberty.
• Abnormal build up of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, and in the hair follicles, which results in blocked pores.
• Inflammation in the blocked pores
• Bacterial infection
  

What acne is not..

• Despite the inflammation and bacterial infection that occur, acne is not an infectious ailment.
• What you eat or drink does not cause acne.

Treating acne

There are a number of means of treating acne:

• Medical treatments: antibiotics, Vitamin A derivatives, both oral and topical, benzoyl peroxide and in some specific cases, hormone therapy.
• Dermo-cosmetic treatments: most of the beauty houses offer an acne specific treatment.
• The earlier you start to treat your acne, the better change you have of getting it under control.

Treating plan using a professional salon product.

1.       Washing

This will rid the skin of excess oil, imbedded impurities and environmental dirt, without stripping the skin of all oil and causing irritation and dryness. Use a facial brush and softly move it in small circles over the effected area.

2.       Toning

This step will restore the Ph level of the skin.

                                                                                           

3.       Moisturise

Although the skin is oily, it still needs to be moisturised.  This cream helps to lessen the shine of the skin and to restore the moisture/oil balance of the skin.

4.       Specialised acne creams

Using specialised acne creams will help to reduce inflammation, redness and scarring and will control excess oil production.

5.       Sun protection

A sunscreen is essential for acne skin.  When tanning, the outer layer of the skin thickens, and although the tan makes acne seem to disappear, this only causes them to develop.

General comments

Treating acne can be a long and difficult process.  However, with time, patience and a personalised treatment programme, it can be treated and controlled.  You do not have to “live with it”!

• Please do not buy products that are not properly formulated for this skin condition: which are often irritating, drying and damaging to the skin.

• Avoid squeezing and pressing the acne, as this will increase the risk of infection and possible scarring.  Please leave this for us in the salon.

• Please stay of the sun, whenever possible.  If you have to be outside, always wear a sunscreen formulated for acne skin.

For more information, please contact us at 082 398 9817 or visit our website at www.agbeautysalon.co.za

Be good to your skin......it may have to last until you are 100!

Be good to your skin-stay safe in the sun!

Do you only use one bottle of sunscreen every summer? Well, please read further and hopefully I can convince you to be more liberal with that SPF!

What is the difference between UVA and UVB rays?

Both are ultraviolet rays that are able to penetrate your skin, but causes damage in different ways.  

UVB rays causes sunburn and can penetrate the deeper levels of the skin, damaging DNA and can trigger the growth of cancerous skin cells.

UVA rays damage the elastic fibres in the skin, causing pre-mature aging. However, according to Dr Mark Birch-Machin, senior lecturer in dermatology at the University of Newcastle- upon- Tyne, UVA light is now recognised as having the ability to radically alter the health of our skin-cell DNA, due to the free radical damage it causes, thus causing cancer.

Should one wear a sunscreen?

One should always wear a sunscreen when being outdoors, not only when tanning! However, be careful not to stay longer in the sun and so increasing the risk of burning.

“Studies are now confirming that sunscreens can protect against non-melanoma skin cancer, but keeping out of the sun completely is the best way to reduce risk”, says Dr Catherine Harwood, honorary consultant in dermatology at Barts and The London NHS Trust Centre for Cutaneous Research.  As this is not quite possible to always stay out of the sun, one should always protect oneself adequately.

Which sunscreen to use?

Sun protection creams/oils are rated according to their sun protection factor (SPF).  It refers to the amount of time a product increases your skin’s natural level of protection.  For example, SPF15 allows you to stay in the sun, without burning, 15 times longer than if you were not wearing any cream/oil, providing that you re-apply it often.

Apply a thick layer 15 to 30 minutes before going into the sun to give the skin time to absorb it.  Reapply every 2 to 4 hours and after swimming or exercise.

One should always wear a sun protection on the face, neck and décolletage, as the glare of the sun that reflects from the dashboard of your car, water, sand and other surfaces, can burn your face without you even being aware thereof.

Look at the ingredient in the sun cream.  Any word which end with –cinnamate or –salicytate protects against UVB only.  Avobenzone or Parsol 1789 protects against UVA only.  Oxybenzone, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide protect against both.

New legislation states that sunscreen can no longer be rated higher than 50+ and should protect agains both UVA and UVB. One should use at least a SPF25 on your face everyday if you do "normal' things, eg going shopping or just commuting to work.  If you are going to be outdoors for longer times, use a higher SPF and apply lots and lots and again and again and again......

Ageing and the sun/ sun beds.

Exposure to sun, damage and age the skin prematurely.  This has been proven via scientific studies numerous times.  Not only does it cause wrinkles, loss of elasticity and damage the skin ability to produce collagen and elastin, it also gives the skin a leather-like look and feel. Do you really want to look like tanned cowhide?

What about sun beds?

People who use sun beds are three times more likely to develop melanoma of the eye than those who never use one.  The British Medical Association is now advising people not to use sun beds. It reports that the risk of developing cancer increases by up to 20% per decade of sun bed use before the age of 65.  Makers of sun beds may tell you they are safe, but there is definite evidence to the contrary.  Both fair and dark skins can get cancer. 

In one session of 15 to 30 minutes on a sun bed, you are exposed to the same amount of damaging UVA & B rays that you would have been exposed to, if you were in the sun for one whole day, according to the American Academy for Dermatology.

A few people inherit a high-risk faulty gene, and some families tend to have large number of moles, which may increase the risk that these can become malignant. 

Other little devils

• The sun bleach facial hair, and as your tan deepens, your facial hair becomes more obvious.

• Sun tanning also darkens the colour of any scarring, even acne scars, making them more obvious.

• The sun dries the skin out, resulting in dry, scaly patches appearing all over you body.

• Extended exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays is one of the risk factors associated with eye disorders such as cataracts. Sunlight reflected from the surface of water or other reflective medium can cause conjunctivitis and keratitis.

• Even a slight sunburn, can inflame your eyes, leaving it red and irritable.

• Only one day of improper tanning will leave your freckles darker, more and more obvious.

• All sun exposure accumulates over time and will sneak up on you later in life.

Afterwards

Caring for sun-tanned or –burned skin is a must.  It not only calms and soothes, but it also nourishes, repairs and regenerates any skin damage. Vitamin C creams are a sure way to help with the after care on sundamaged skin.

Just fake it!

There is no such thing as a healthy tan. Your "tan" is nothing but a warning sign from your skin that you are abusing it, and one should take it to heart.

Fake tanning is so easy these days, with self-tanning lotions being one of the most used products in beauty salons world wide. 

Be safe and enjoy our beautiful summer weather!

We support Breast Cancer Awareness

Vitaderm is donating R50 from the purchase of every Vitaderm Firming Treatment Cream from the 15th -30th October. 

The dontation will go the Look Good Feel Better Foundation, in support of womer who are undergoing cancer treatment.

 In appreciation of your support,we are offering thi shighly effective treatment cream at a special, reduced price for this limited time only. 

Normal Price R325

Special Price R260   

Please support this worthy cause with us and BUY NOW 

Lipolysis: "The Fat Buster" Your BFF!

Ozone Lipolysis Therapy is an injection-based treatment to remove stubborn, fatty deposits on various areas of the body as well as an effective treatment for cellulite. It can be used in areas such as the stomach, “love handles”, thighs upper arms, double chin etc. It is not a miracle drug, but can assist in breaking down fat deposits in smaller areas.

The formula consists of a soy-derived substance called phosphatidylcholine, the main chemical component in soya oil. Phosphatidylcholine is a very safe substance, which has been used by doctors in higher doses as a treatment for high cholesterol. The treatment is safe to use as the product is limited to work in small (10cm) areas, it will not roam your body.

Ozone Lipolysis in designed to breakdown fat deposits that remain unaffected by diet and exercise. It destroys the fat cells by breaking down the bonds that maintain the solid form of body fat. Once the solid fat is converted into liquid form, the body removes it via the lymph drainage system. This removal can take between a few days to a few months, depending on each body’s response to the treatment.

The medical consultant will give you an estimate of how many injections and how many session you will need, depending on your needs. For example, you may need one injection to remove a double chin. For stomach fat you may need four injections, repeated five times at monthly intervals to get results.

 Ozone Lipolysis treatments are much gentler on your body than more invasive treatments like liposuctions and therefor the results are gradual and each person responds differently to the injections. Some will lose the fat very quickly, while others will do so slowly and gradually. Most people see a difference in the areas treated within three to four weeks.

It is safe to use, however if you are allergic to soya or shellfish this is not recommended.

Minors, pregnant ladies, breast feeding ladies and people with epilepsy will not be treated.

To date, lipolysis treatments have a good safety record, but any procedure carries risks. The most problematic risk is possible interactions with other medical conditions and /or medications. In very rare instances, allergic reactions to the solution itself can be experienced.  Side effects such as redness, swelling and lumps may appear at the site of the injections, but are temporary and will disappear within a few days.

If you are interest in this treatment, please contact us at 082 398 9817 or visit our website www.agbeautysalon.co.za for more information on this and other slimming treatments and products