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Is it time to change up your regular routine? Even if you have been using great home care like I have, sometimes it is a great idea to stir the pot a little. Throw in a change up to awaken the skin and kick start it, whether weekly, monthly or quarterly. Your skin needs balance, but it also needs a poke in the side once in a while to get it working at its maximum potential.
Take me for instance. I use the best medical grade products and have for years. I have a routine that works for me and my skin type but maybe due to the weather or the change in seasons, I have been noticing that it has been looking lackluster as of late. I haven’t been able to work it into my schedule to get a chemical peel or a silkpeel (medical microdermabrasion with infusions) and I was feeling that I needed to do something.
I booked myself in for a silkpeel, but it isn’t until the end of November, and honestly I am the most impatient person I know. So, I knew there was no way I could wait until then. So what could I do at home until then? Enter Glypro, SkinMedica’s answer to the best home version of an exfoliation a person could ask for. Although the products can be sold separately, I had the kit, which includes a micro exfoliating cleanser, an antioxidant serum with AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) and BHAs (beta hydroxy acids), and of course the most awesome moisturizer also containing a high percent of AHAs and BHAs.
I used my Clarisonic to wash my face with the Glypro cleanser, and immediately my skin felt smoother. I applied the serum and then the moisturizer and went to bed. When I woke up the next morning there was an immediate improvement. My skin was actually glowing! I know that this can be done up to twice a week, so I did it again the following night. By the next morning, I honestly felt years younger. I had that glow back, my skin was smooth and I knew I was finally back on track with my skin.
I am now back on my normal routine and will continue with it most nights. I will do my Glypro routine 1-2 nights a week now, knowing that my other products will penetrate even better when all my dead skin cells have been removed.
I use great products. I use medical grade home care that includes Growth Factors, Retinol, Ceramides, and a ton of Antioxidants. It is everything that a face could want. But, by adding a change of active ingredients every now and then, I have managed to find a way to keep my skin it’s most youthful when I can’t get in to get a treatment at the clinic. I have found a way to make my products work even better, penetrate deeper and produce a skin that I can be proud of.
It doesn’t matter whether you are using just the basic products from a drugstore or the very best professional products that money can buy. The bottom line is, skin cells will build up, and they will make you look dull and they will prevent your products from doing their job. Of course not all home care is created equal, and some products will never give you the look you want. But, if you can take the time a few minutes a week to treat your skin at home with products such as the Skin Medica Glypro system, you will be amazed at how quickly you can bring your skin back from dull to stunning!
~ Sheri Roselle, Medical Esthetician at Toronto Dermatology Centre
Many people struggle with acne, people of all skin tone and ages. Don’t let it ruin you, there are solutions. Take Kendal Jenner for example she took matters into her own hands and went to a skin professional and she was introduced to Laser Genesis, which helped clear her skin and regain her self-esteem.
Speak with one of our Medical Estheticians and see if Laser Genesis is good for you.
“I wouldn’t even look at people when I talked to them.”
Click here to read the full article.
SEVENTEEN.COM|BY KELSEY STIEGMAN
Skin cancer is the most prevalent of all types of human cancers. Fair-skinned people who sunburn easily are at a particularly high risk for developing skin cancer.
Actinic Keratoses (AK): The Earliest Skin Cancer
Actinic keratoses are considered the earliest stage in the development of skin cancer. They are small red rough spots most commonly found on the face, ears, neck, lower arms, and back of the hands in fair-skinned individuals who have had significant sun exposure; they can sometimes be sensitive or sore. Actinic keratoses can be treated by liquid nitrogen cryotherapy (freezing), topical creams, surgery, and photodynamic laser therapy. Home therapy with creams including 5-FU (Efudex®), imiquimod (Zyclara® or Aldara®), or ingenol mebutate (Picato®) are commonly used for people with multiple or recurring lesions. Imiquimod 3.75% (Zyclara®) is a commonly used prescription cream for actinic keratoses that works by helping the immune system to fight the abnormal and rapidly dividing precancerous cells. It is applied once a day during a 6 weeks period (2 weeks used, 2 weeks break, then used again for 2 weeks) and can effectively and safely clear up actinic keratoses sun damage. Creams like Zyclara® may need to be reapplied periodically (e.g. once per year) to manage sun damage and actinic keratoses.
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer and appears frequently on the head (especially the nose) and neck, as a small, fleshy bump or even a flat patch; the lesion can be fragile and bleed easily, or be sensitive and sore. Other parts of the body may be affected as well. Basal cell carcinomas are most frequently found in fair-skinned people and rarely occur in dark skin. It is fairly slow growing. Untreated, the cancer often will begin to bleed, crust over, heal, and repeat the cycle. This type of cancer very rarely metastasizes (spreads to other parts of the body) or kills, but it can extend below the skin to the bone and nerves, causing local damage.
There are various surgical treatment methods for basal cell carcinoma. Vismodegib (Erivedge®) is a new and novel pill medicine for patients with advanced basal cell carcinoma.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)
Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common skin cancer; it is primarily found in fair-skinned people and uncommonly in dark-skinned individuals. Typically located on the rim of the ear, the face, lips, and mouth, this cancer may appear as a bump, or as a red, scaly patch; lesions can be sensitive or sore. SCC can develop into large masses and become invasive. Unlike basal cell carcinoma, this form of cancer can metastasize (spread to other parts of the body); therefore, it is important to get early treatment. When found early and treated properly, the cure rate for both basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas is over 95 percent.
Malignant Melanoma (MM)
Malignant melanoma is the most deadly of all skin cancers. The death rate is declining because melanoma is usually curable when detected in its early stages and patients are seeking help sooner.
Melanoma begins in melanocytes, the skin cells that produce the dark protective pigment called melanin that makes the skin tan. Since melanoma cells usually continue to produce melanin, the cancer appears in mixed shades of tan, brown, and black although it can also be red or white. Melanoma can metastasize (spread), making treatment essential. Melanoma may appear suddenly or begin in or near a mole, or another dark spot in the skin.
It is important to know the location and appearance of the moles on the body to detect changes early. Any changing mole must be examined by a dermatologist. Early melanoma can be removed while still in the curable stage.
Excessive sun exposure, especially sunburn, is the most important preventable cause of melanoma. Light-skinned individuals are at particular risk. Heredity also plays a part. A person has an increased chance of developing melanoma if a relative or close family member has had melanoma. Atypical moles (dysplastic nevi), which may run in families, and a large number of moles, can serve as markers for people at increased risk for developing melanoma. Dark skin is not a guarantee against melanoma. People with skin of color can develop melanoma, especially on the palms, soles, under the nails, in the mouth, or on the genitalia.
Warning signs of melanoma include:
The ABCDEs of Melanoma: when to worry about moles
Asymmetry – One half doesn’t match the other half in size, shape, color, or thickness.
Border irregularity – The edges are ragged, scalloped, or poorly defined.
Color – The pigmentation is not uniform. Shades of tan, brown, and black are present. Dashes of red, white, and blue add to the mottled appearance.
Diameter – While melanomas are usually greater than 6mm in diameter (the size of a pencil eraser) when diagnosed, they can be smaller. If you notice a mole different from others, or which changes, itches, or bleeds (even if it is small), you should see a dermatologist.
Evolution – The most important alerting sign is evolution or change in moles
Treatment of Skin Cancer
If a skin biopsy reveals cancer or the lesion is a clinically (visually) obvious skin cancer, the dermatologist has an array of medical and surgical procedures as treatment, depending upon the type of cancer, its location, and the needs of the individual.
Dermatologic surgical treatments include electrodessication and curettage (ED&C) that involves alternately scraping or burning the tumor in combination with low levels of electricity, surgical excision, cryosurgery (freezing using liquid nitrogen), and Mohs micrographic surgery. Other dermatologic treatments include radiation therapy, topical chemotherapy, and most recently a new oral therapy for aggressive or large basal cell cancers.
Early Detection is the Surest Way to a Cure
Develop a regular routine to inspect your body for any skin changes. If a growth, mole, sore, or skin discoloration appears suddenly, or begins to change, see a dermatologist. It is wise to have an annual skin examination by a dermatologist, especially for adults with lots of moles, significant past sun exposure or a family or personal history of skin cancer.
The Best Defense – Sun Avoidance
Overexposure to ultraviolet light (sunlight or tanning lamps), especially if it results in sunburn and blistering, is the main cause of skin cancer. Seek shade if possible between 10am-4pm when the sun’s rays are most intense. Wear light-colored, tightly-woven, protective clothing like long sleeves and pants, a wide- brimmed hat, and sunglasses. Wear a sunscreen with both UVA & UVB protection, ideally with an SPF of 30 or more. Reapply sunscreen every 2-3 hours when in the sun and always after sweating or water exposure.
Last Friday, October 23, 2015 it was the “Dress For The Cause” day at Toronto Dermatology Centre, this is our 2nd year in participating along with other organizations across Canada in dressing up to raise money for the breast cancer research in Canada.
Our staff was happy to helped raise $305 and TDC will match for a total contribution of $610 for donation.
“Dress the office, dress yourself, DRESS for the CAUSE!”
I asked one of my peers the other day what question she frequently gets from patients. She said that two questions she gets are: what is the difference between medical grade home care and store bought home care, and what is the difference between an esthetician and a medical esthetician? I have written on a few occasions about the importance of using medical grade home care for optimal results, but I don’t think I have ever talked about the difference between what I used to be and what I now am.
Although the services of an esthetician have changed over the years, some things remain constant. An esthetician should be able to determine skin types, should know the best products for the patient and should be able to detect some basic skin disorders or disease. She should be good at doing a basic or even an advanced facial, including knowing proper massage techniques for their skin type. She should know during a facial what is best used on that person’s skin.
The esthetician should know how to do a manicure, pedicure, waxing and some estheticians are very good with body treatments, such as scrubs or wraps. Most estheticians work within the epidermis of the skin. Although an esthetician can often detect a nail fungus, rosacea, broken vessels or acne, she is limited to what she can do to help alleviate these problems. I remember doing the most amazing facials at a clinic I worked in. I had also been trained in aromatherapy and several massage techniques. When my patient came in for a facial with good skin, my facial was fantastic. However, when they would come in with a skin condition, I felt my hands were tied. Not only was I not equipped to help, I really didn’t possess the knowledge as to what to suggest to the patient to alleviate her problems.
As a medical esthetician, it is back to school to learn in depth so much more about the skin, what lasers and other treatments can do to treat skin conditions that regular estheticians are unable to help with. Each medical esthetic program is slightly different, but they will all primarily focus on lasers, IPL or BBL, chemical peels and microdermabrasion. With a basic understanding of each of these treatments, how they work and what they do, the esthetician is thrown out into the medical field to get experience and a better understanding of what she is now capable of doing for her patient.
There is constant training with the services and the products offered at each clinic. It is important that the medical esthetician is always current and aware of the ever-changing landscape in her field. She must keep up to date on the latest trends as well as be aware of new procedures, new lasers and be up to date on new options with the machines she is already working with.
At Toronto Dermatology Centre, the medical esthetician is an extension of our dermatologists. The patient may be seen by the dermatologist, diagnosed and then sent to us to finish the consult. It is our job to direct the patient in the right direction when medication isn’t enough, or isn’t right in the first place. We are responsible for helping guide the patient towards a proper treatment or topical product that will either enhance what the doctor has prescribed, or offer proper treatment for the occasion when medication isn’t an option at all. We are informed at regular intervals of new medications on the market, what they do and how they interact with the patient’s skin. We are taught how to increase the probability of positive results for the patient.
All in all, there is a time and place for both estheticians and medical estheticians. And while I loved being an esthetician, for me there is no comparison to how I can now help more patients with more extreme skin concerns. I may not do nails anymore, but I can get rid of sun spots, acne, rosacea and more. How awesome is that?
~ Sheri Roselle, Medical Esthetician at Toronto Dermatology Centre
