Professional Modalities For Acne

As we know, treating acne requires a proper at-home skincare regimen, an understanding of our allergies and intolerances, and regular visits to an esthetician. A knowledgeable skin care professional will use a variety of professional products and modalities to deeply cleanse, exfoliate, de-congest, and disinfect the skin, as well as soothe and heal the inflammation associated with acne. There is a myriad of different devices and modalities available to perform a service for acneic skin, but I will focus on a few of the most commonly used among skincare professionals. You may check with your state’s Board of Cosmetology to see if a device is allowed to be used in your state by licensed estheticians, or just by medical personnel.

One of the first modalities we use in school is galvanic. Galvanic current is a constant and direct current (DC) that uses a positive and negative pole to produce the chemical reactions when it passes through tissues and fluids in the body. For acne clients, we use desincrustation. Desincrustation is a deep cleansing treatment that softens and emulsifies sebum, and is the ideal treatment for oily or congested skins preparing the skin for extractions. It should be done after cleansing the skin, using desincrustation fluid - a type of alkaline solution made from sodium chloride (table salt). Although this is a very commonly used machine in our scope of practice, don’t forget to make sure the client fills out the consultation form, and is not contraindicated to receive a galvanic treatment. Contraindications for using a galvanic device are: pregnancy, metal implants/pins in the face or body, epilepsy, pacemaker, and high blood pressure. 

Another great way to cleanse the skin is by mode of ultrasonic exfoliation. An ultrasonic skin spatula or ultrasonic skin scrubber is a small hand-held device that features a thin plate that vibrates 28,000-30,000 Hz per second, and removes dead skin cells, dirt, and debris. The spatula works by creating high speed oscillations that extract pores without pain. For those clients with sensitive skin, ultrasonic exfoliation is a wonderful alternative to skin-cleansing brushes and microdermabrasion (both of which spread bacteria and aggravate redness and discomfort). The esthetician controls the pressure, angle and direction of the spatula to delicately work debris from the clients’ pores, focusing on problem areas and exfoliating the skin gently without aggressively brushing or peeling it. Since you are using water or a hydrating toner with the spatula, and not a gritty scrub, your clients’ skin will feel very clean and smooth after the treatment.

In addition to these devices, another basic tool we are all familiar with is the high frequency machine. The high frequency machine is used after extractions on clean skin, or over gauze to close the pores and kill germs and bacteria. High-frequency treatment uses low-current high-frequency alternating currents, delivered via a glass electrode. 

Because the high frequency current converts some of the oxygen in the air into ozone, the treatment has a germicidal action, and is also drying and warming. Consequently, the treatment is used to aid healing and also to help desquamation and stimulate sweat and sebaceous glands. At up to 250,000 Hz frequency, the hollow glass electrode behaves like a glow discharge tube. When applied to the surface of the skin or scalp, a mild high frequency current passes through the neon or argon gas filled glass electrode causing it to light up with a neon orange or argon purple glow. 

Cleanse the skin first, exfoliate, and perform extractions. Then, after the extractions have been performed, treat blemished area by lightly whisking the glass bulb tip of your high frequency wand across the surface of the client’s skin using circular motions. Concentrate on larger blemishes and the areas most affected for at least 30-40 seconds. The total treatment time with a high frequency machine is 3-5 minutes, and treatments can be repeated every other day. Similarly to the galvanic machine, the contraindications for this device are: pregnancy, metal implants/pins in the face or body, epilepsy, pacemaker, high blood pressure.

To kill acne-causing bacteria, and reduce inflammation, one of the best modalities is LED – light emitting diode - a tiny computer chip encased in glass. Blue LED therapy for acne is non-invasive, painless and requires no recovery time. It is safe for all skin types and tones, and requires only 5 -15 minutes. The best combination of lights for acne is blue and red together – the blue kills germs and bacteria that cause acne, and the red renews the skin, and encourages new collagen production. Such lights are available for home use in a handheld, as well as panels for faster and more convenient treatment room services.

Fact or Fiction: Exfoliating Every Day is Bad for your Skin

Many women tend to over-exfoliate the skin, in hopes of sloughing off dead skin, and thus achieving a fresh and renewed complexion. This is a misconception, since our skin is a very efficient organ, and doesn’t require exfoliation more than 2-3 times per week. In fact, exfoliating as often as daily, can strip the skin of its natural oils, which may cause break-outs.

What is cell turnover, and what are the average rates at which our body replaces skin cells? Cell turnover is the process by which our skin makes new skin cells, traveling from the lowest layer of the epidermis to the top layer and then shedding off. This process is what keeps dead cells from building up on the skin’s surface. Skin cells live about 2-3 weeks. Unfortunately, skin cell turnover slows with age, so exfoliation is useful, but daily exfoliation is excessive. 

According to Milady’s Standard, Fundamentals For Estheticians below are the average rates of cell turnover by age group:

Babies: 14 Days

Teenagers: 21-28 Days

Middle Age Persons: 28-42 Days

Those 50 and Older: 42-84 Days

Sometimes clients are surprised that they still get acne, even though they exfoliate daily, what they don’t realize, is that the skin is compensating for the loss of oils, and is overproducing sebum. 

Clients with dry, sensitive, thin skin will benefit greatly if they reduce their exfoliation to 1-2 times per week, since the oils on our ski keep it moist and supple. Over-exfoliating will dry out their complexion, and make wrinkles more prominent. In addition to this, they may experience couperose, exacerbated rosacea and increased sun-sensitivity. 

For clients with dry skin, it’s recommended to exfoliate 1-2 times per week, and 2-3 times per week for those with oily skin. No one way of exfoliation is perfect for all skin types, so I would like to mention many possible alternatives in this article, in hopes to inspire you to select from all the possible options.

To make things as simple as possible - there are 2 types of exfoliators - physical and chemical. Everything that is used to mechanically slough off the dead skin is referred to as “physical exfoliation”. This includes methods such as a scrub, microdermabrasion, and a rotating sonic brush to scrape off the dead skin cells with friction. This is a very easy way to refresh the skin, and it appeals to both men and women. 

“Chemical exfoliation” refers to acids, peels and enzymes. Enzymes are a wonderful way to safely exfoliate the skin without breaking capillaries, and causing irritation. An enzymatic exfoliation is a good natural way to clean out the pores, get rid of excess oils, slough off the dry and dead skin for a healthy cell turnover. Fruit enzymes, such as Bromelain (from pineapple) and Papain (from papaya) eat away at the oils and dry skin, to expose a refreshed, clear complexion. Enzyme masks are generally more gentle and more safe than acids, and don’t thin the skin like Retin-A. Using these masks 2-3 times a week is plenty, and steaming them helps pull out impurities furthermore. 

Clients with these conditions should avoid peels and over-exfoliation: 

• Acne/ Cystic Acne 
• Couperose 
• Rosacea 
• Elderly Clientele 
• Tan or Sunburned / Using Tanning Bed 
• Hypopigmentation Sufferers 
• Type V and VI on the Fitzpatrick Scale

SAIAN Acne Facial Procedure

Become a superstar at treating acne by following this easy step-by-step treatment protocol:

1.Before starting the treatment, prepare a pair of gloves, and 2 bowls of water - one warm, and one cool. Cleanse the face with SAIAN Active Cleanser. This foamy cleansing gel contains 10% Alpha Hydroxy Acid to kill germs and bacteria, seaweed extracts to nourish and strengthen capillary walls, and rosehip seed extract. Remove the cleanser with warm water thoroughly.

2. Saturate glycolic applicator swabs with SAIAN Salicylic Acid 2%, and gently buff the face upward from both sides until the client feels a light tingling. For your first time client, keep the Salicylic acid on the face for a maximum of 2 minutes. You may later increase the time as your client's tolerance increases. Remove SAIAN Salicylic acid with cool water after 1-2 minutes.

3. Mix a ½ teaspoon of SAIAN Enzyme Mask with warm water to make a soft paste. Apply SAIAN Enzyme Mask to the whole face for 10 minutes. Turn on the steam and the ozone, and point to the client's face, so the mask stays moist, and the enzymes are active. If you don't have a steamer, use a moist hot towel over the Enzyme mask to keep it from drying up. This mask is based on bentonite clay, oats, and pineapple enzymes, which exfoliate and cleanse out the pores. SAIAN Enzyme Mask is perfect before extractions. Remove SAIAN Enzyme Mask with warm water.

4. Perform Manual extraction. Change tissues often to prevent the spread of bacteria.

5. Use your SAIAN portable high-frequency machine over the blemished areas for 3-5 minutes. Before use don't forget to ask your client if she is pregnant or has a pacemaker. Our portable machine has 4 attachments and is great for a mobile spa business.

6. Apply a thin layer of SAIAN Active Rx Mask to overly oily and blemished areas for 15 minutes. SAIAN Active Rx Mask is based on bentonite clay, sulfur, camphor, magnesium, hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid, and oxygen plasma. Wash off the Active Rx Mask with warm water.

7. Spray with SAIAN Herbal toner. It doesn't contain any alcohol or oil, and is a beautiful bouquet of herb extracts based on witch hazel and aloe.

8. Apply SAIAN Acne Spot Treatment. Don't shake the bottle, so that the sediment stays on the bottom and the liquid is on the top. Dip a q-tip to the bottom of Acne Spot Treatment, and apply only to blemishes. It contains minerals such as magnesium and iron which kill germs and bacteria without leaving discoloration. When finished, close the container tightly and throw away the q-tip. Do not double dip with the same q-tip into the container.

9. Take out your SAIAN cryo Globes from the freezer and wipe them dry to remove excess moisture. Use the Cryo-Globes to massage the face upward to close the pores and minimize redness.

10. The final step is to spray the client's face with SAIAN sunscreen mist SPF 29. This water-based sunscreen is perfect for all skin types, and contains no oil, no alcohol and no chemicals.

Suggested retail recommendations here: http://saian.net/product-category/categories/acneoily-skin/

Perfect Product to Remove Halloween Makeup

Halloween is over, and it's time to get squeaky clean with our amazing cleansers! SAIAN foaming gel cleanser contains 10% Alpha-Hydroxy Acid that is designed to kill blemish-causing germs and bacteria, help dissolve any dead skin cells, make-up residue and debris on the surface of the skin and deeply cleanse the pores. Contains Seaweed Extract and Rose-Hip seed Oil. Completely vegan, natural, hypoallergenic, cruelty-free, paraben-free, and contains no artificial color or fragrance. Best for oily, acne and blemished skin. Size: 4oz http://saian.net/product/emeraude-cleanser/

Adding Pumpkin to Your Skin Care Routine

We may often take the humble pumpkin for granted, but did you know that autumn's generous gift is a real miracle for our skin? It is an excellent source of antioxidants, vitamins and essential elements the skin needs. Pumpkin is not just for carving and eating - it makes for a wonderful facial or body mask! All parts of the pumpkin, including seeds, can be used in creating amazing skin care products. Pumpkin Masks and Peels are always a popular choice for many estheticians, because of their amazing exfoliating properties and creamy pleasant texture. It’s no wonder that November’s holiday treatments always include this deliciously fragrant gourd. Enzymes and Alpha-Hydroxy Acids in pumpkin exfoliate dead skin cells while promoting skin repair and cell-turnover. A pumpkin mask or peel cleanses, conditions and moisturizes while helping to firm the skin.

From a nutritional standpoint, just an ounce of pumpkin seeds contain 4.2 mg of iron, which helps fight lead-poisoning, and only a half a cup of canned pumpkin is rich in potassium, vitamins С, В1, В2, В5, Е, and has 953mg of Vitamin A! That vitamin A comes in the form of immune-boosting beta carotene. The name beta-carotene is derived from the Latin name for carrot, and it gives yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as pumpkin their rich hues. Like all other carotenoids, beta-carotene in pumpkin is an antioxidant which protects the body from damaging molecules called free radicals.

Dermatologists use beta-carotene for its ability to increase cell turn-over and regeneration in the outer layers of the skin, making it effective for diseases and skin conditions related to epithelium damage. Research suggests that taking high doses of beta-carotene internally may decrease sun-sensitivity. People with erythropoietic protoporphyria, a rare genetic condition that causes painful sun sensitivity as well as liver problems, are often treated with beta-carotene to reduce sun sensitivity. A combination of antioxidants may help protect the skin against the sun's ultra-violet radiation. Long-term supplementation with beta-carotene
may reduce UV-induced skin redness, and appears to slightly reduce the risk of sunburn in individuals who are sensitive to sun exposure.

As you see, pumpkin is an excellent choice for all skin types! It nourishes the skin, provides a non-abrasive exfoliation, and makes skin baby-smooth! So why not add a pumpkin mask to your treatment menu today? Your clients will love you for it!

5 Simple Hacks to Prevent and Stop Acne Breakouts from Dasha Saian

New video up on Dasha's youtube channel on how to prevent breakouts! She teaches you 5 simple hacks that will stop the spread of acne. Enjoy!