What is Acne and what can I do to help?

Acne is a skin condition that causes whiteheads, blackheads, and inflamed red growths (papules, pustules, and cysts) to form. These growths are commonly called pimples or “zits.” Follicles or pores can become blocked with excess skin cells, oil, or bacteria causing a blackhead or whitehead. After a blackhead or whitehead is formed, it can release its contents and begin to heal. If the follicle does not release its contents, however, inflammatory acne occurs. This can be exacerbated by picking or touching the skin. The severity of acne depends on the depth of inflammation and the surface area affected.

Acne tends to be hereditary and can be triggered by:

Hormonal changes related to puberty, menstrual periods, pregnancy, birth control pills, menopause, or stress.
Greasy or oily cosmetic and hair products.
Certain drugs (such as steroids, testosterone, estrogen, and phenytoin)
High levels of humidity and sweating.
New acne research has begun to show the association between diets high in refined sugars and dairy to acne.

Treatments:
Mild to moderate acne
Chemical peels
Microdermabrasion
At-home Skin Care Regime
IPL Treatment

Why do we get wrinkles?

Extrinsic factors

The wrinkles developed from such extrinsic factors such as sun damage and smoking are deep, coarse, and with a leathery texture.

Exposure to UV light

This is the primary cause of early wrinkling. Your skin’s connective tissue, which contains collagen and elastin fibers, lies deep in the dermis. UV light breaks down this connective tissue. The skin begins to sag and prematurely wrinkles because the strength and flexibility of the collagen and elastin fibers are weakened.

Smoking

Smoking limits the blood supply to your skin. Among many other harmful effects to your body, it will speed up the natural aging process, contributing to wrinkles.

Intrinsic factors

The wrinkles resulting from intrinsic factors such as aging and gender are usually finer and less severe.

Age

Your skin naturally loses elasticity as you age. This is due to different factors such as hormonal changes, loss of fat, and decreased production of natural oils. Without prevention, the natural aging process will cause skin to appear loose and saggy, with more pronounced fine lines and wrinkles. This happens to all skin types. Darker skin types will generally see fine lines and wrinkles about 5-10 years after Caucasian skin.

Gender

Women have fewer sweat glands and blood vessels around their mouths than men. The sebum in the sweat glands is necessary to lubricate the skin and prevent wrinkles from occurring. Women, therefore, often see more wrinkles around their mouths than men. Shifts in hormones such as progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone can contribute to the skin’s natural aging process.

Other factors

Dehydration

Water is essential to all functions of the human body, especially your most visible organ—your skin. Without enough water, your skin will begin to dry out and appear more wrinkled. Be sure to drink enough water to keep youthful, glowing, plump, healthy skin.
Repeated facial expressions. Each time you smile, squint, frown, or make an expression, the facial muscles are creating grooves beneath your skin surface. Since the skin looses elasticity as it ages, those muscles do not spring back into place as easily. These grooves in turn will become permanent fine lines, or wrinkles on your face.

Poor nutrition

Nutritional deficiencies are believed to also accelerate the skin’s aging process. Wrinkles developed from lifestyle choices can often be prevented.  Taking care of our skin from within is just as important as taking care of the outside.

Treatments:
Skin rejuvenation treatment
Microdermabrasion
Natural Nutritional supplements
Peels

What is Rosacea?

Rosacea – (Genetic) disorder.

When the blood vessels near the skin dilate.  Common in fair skin, light eyes.  UV exposure activates it, need to wear sunscreen and stay out of sun.  stay out of anything that over heats.

Swimming is a great sport for rosacea.

Treatment
MicroNeedling, RMD Remodelling device, IPL and Peels that will calm it down and will help rosacea stay away longer. Staying out of sun using an SPF.  Rosacea will always come back but can be put under control.

What is Telangiectasia?

Telangiectasia

Superficial veins that are close to the surface of the skin, as we age we grow more and more of these fine vessels at the same time we loose fat in our face which our skin is thinner making the veins show up more.

Sun damage makes them worse by breaking down the collagen that are around the vessels to camouflage them.

Treatment
Can be maintained with IPL, Vasculyse 2G.

Why do I have Dark Circles under my eyes?

Hyperpigmentation of the skin under eye’s can be caused by genetic, thin skin – due to heredity or aging. Deeper bone structure- show shadow effect. Blood vessels under the eyes.

Treatment
Lightening creams

What is Eczema and Psoriasis?

Genetic type, an over production of skin cells that are not shedding fast enough this makes the skin dry, sensitive & rough.

Keep skin moisturized.  Avoid hot bath, saunas, alcohol- based products, strong detergents and perfume products.

Treatment
There is no cure but can be calmed and maintained

What are those white bumps on my face that just won’t go away?

Milia

Caused by aging and slower cell turnover.  They are trapped keratin compacted in the pore.   Skin not shedding properly. Tends to show up in our 30’s or can also be a genetic factor.

People with dry skin tend to make more milia.

Treatment
Needs to be extracted and when exfoliating be sure to moisturize well and using Retinoid products will help cell turnover.  Facials, Peels and micro are great for this condition.  Also can use our Vasculyse 2G.

What are these brown spots on my face?

Hyperpigmentation – overproduction of melanin.

Cause – Picking and scaring or the main cause, sun damage.

What is Melasma?

Melasma is a common skin disorder that can affect anyone. Young women with brownish skin tone, however, are at the greatest risk. Melasma is often associated with the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Women who are pregnant, taking birth control, or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during menopause are also at high risk of being affected by melasma.

Melasma often fades over several months after stopping birth control, HRT, or delivering a child.

Symptoms of melasma are dark, irregular, well demarcated hyperpigmented spots or patches.

Recommended Melasma Treatment:
Skin care regimen
Medical Peels
Microdermabrasion

What does UVB and UVA mean?

UVB rays are emitted only from the sun. They access the surface of the skin and are the key source for sunburns. These rays cannot penetrate through glass, thus cannot be harmful to us once we are indoors.

UVA rays, on the other hand, can penetrate through glass, causing harm to exposed skin that is near a window or while driving. UVA rays come from the sun and other sources such as florescent lights found in most offices and shopping centers. UVA rays penetrate deep into the skin and are the major source of early aging and skin cancer.

Sun spots are caused by the excess production of melanin, a class of pigment responsible for producing colour in the body. UV light from the sun stimulates melanocyte activity. When concentrations of the cells are denser than surrounding areas, sun spots, or hyperpigmentation is affected.

Daily sunblock use is essential in preventing sun damage indoor and outdoor. It is necessary to use a broadband spectrum sunblock that has both SPF and a physical barrier such as zinc and titanium to decrease the penetration of both UVA and UVB rays. Sunblock needs to be applied often.

What are these white bumbs on my upper arms, looks like small white pimples?

Keratosis pilaris

bumps on upper arms and upper thighs or children’s cheeks. Clients should moisturize with rich cream or ointment use a loofa to shed of dead skin.  Use lotions that contain latic acid a gentle exfoliate. Retinoid lotion is also good to help with cell turnover and help slough off dead skin.

Treatment
Microdermabrasion and chemical peels to shed the dead skin. Must be maintained, as they will always come back as it’s a genetic condition.

Located inside
OAK RIDGES FAMILY & COSMETIC DENTISTRY

12840 Yonge Street, Suite 101
Richmond Hill, ON L4E 4H1

Medical Spa Treatment Clinic Serving Clients from

Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Aurora, Vaughan, King City, Markham, Toronto, Ontario

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Cynosure Medical Technologies are leaders, innovators, developers, and best-in-class creators of energy-based aesthetic and medical treatment systems. Cynosure develops and manufactures a diverse range of leading treatment applications for hair removal, skin revitalisation, scar reduction, gynaecological health, body contouring, and more.

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