Frequently Asked Questions

Listed below are the most frequently asked questions we hear from patients. Please browse through the questions below to discover more information on Beauty treatments, skin conditions and skincare. Feel free to email me with a question and I can add it to the list.

MORE ANSWERS COMING SOON

Skin Conditions

Rosacea - what is it?

Rosacea (pronounced roh-ZAY-sha) is a common but poorly understood disorder of the facial skin that is estimated to affect well over 16 million Americans -- and most of them don't know it. In fact, while rosacea is becoming increasingly widespread as the populous baby boom generation enters the most susceptible ages, a Gallup survey found that 78 percent of Americans have no knowledge of this condition, including how to recognize it and what to do about it.

Because of its red-faced, acne-like effects on personal appearance, however, it can cause significant psychological, social and occupational problems if left untreated.

While the cause of rosacea is unknown and there is no cure, today medical help is available that can control the signs and symptoms of this potentially life-disruptive disorder. Any one of the following warning signs is a signal to see a dermatologist or other knowledgeable physician for diagnosis and appropriate treatment before the signs and symptoms become increasingly severe:

Redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead.

Small visible blood vessels on the face.

Bumps or pimples on the face.

Watery or irritated eyes.

click here learn more about Rosacea

How do I remove Age spots/Sun spots & Broken Vessels?

Very simply the most effective way to reduce the appearance of any pigmentation and broken vessels is by IPL - Intense Pulsed Light. More information can be found on IPL by going to the tab Appearance Medicine, Womens Treatments then onto IPL

What are the white lumps on my face?

Milia are tiny white bumps or small cysts on the skin.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
Milia occur when dead skin becomes trapped in small pockets at the surface of the skin or mouth. They are common in newborn infants. Similar cysts are seen in the mouths of newborn infants. In this case, they are called Epstein's pearls. These cysts also go away on their own.
Adults may develop milia on the face. The bumps and cysts also occur on parts of the body that are inflammed or injured. Irritation of the skin by rough sheets or clothing may cause mild reddening around the bump, but the central portion remains white.
Irritated milia are sometimes incorrectly referred to as "baby acne" (although it is not actually a form of acne).

Symptoms
Whitish, pearly bump in the skin of newborns, typically across cheeks, nose, and chin. Whitish, pearly bump on gums or roof of mouth

Treatment & Prevention
In children, no treatment is needed. A doctor or therapist may remove milia in adults who wish to improve their appearance. This is done by making a very small incision under the milia and releasing the lump. There is no known prevention.

Adult Acne - WHY?

Hair Removal

How does Laser Hair Removal work?

During the procedure the laser pulses for a fraction of a second, laser light is absorbed by melanin in the hair shaft, damaging the follicular epithelium thus destroying or significantly reducing the hair’s ability to grow.

The lightsheer laser can be used on most skin types but work most effectively on lighter skin which is untanned. Only hairs with colour (Melanin) can be treated, medium blonde, grey and red hair can not be treated.
The lightsheer laser is significantly quicker than most lasers and all IPL treatments, meaning quicker treatment times and less cost.
Approx 8 treatments are required at 6 week intervals. Consistency is very important to achieve hair reduction within the 8 treatments.
Tweezing hairs between treatments is not allowed but clients can shave or trim the hairs.

What causes ingrown hairs?

Ingrown hair is a condition where the hair curls back or grows sideways into the skin. The ingrown hair condition is seen primarily among people who have curly hairs. It may or may not be accompanied by an infection of the hair follicle (folliculitis) or "razor bumps" (pseudofolliculitis barbae), which vary in size. While ingrown hair most commonly appears in areas where the skin is shaved or waxed (beard, legs, pubic region), it can appear anywhere.

Anything which causes the hair to be broken off short with a sharp tip can cause ingrown hair. Shaving is the leading cause, followed by waxing and tight clothing. Sometimes an ingrown hair occurs without external intervention, when the pore is blocked for various reasons, as is the case in keratosis pilaris, and the hair is forced to grow sideways.

Treatments for ingrown hairs include putting a warm washcloth over the ingrown hair, shaving in a different direction, tweezing, exfoliating with facial scrubs, sponges, towels, or creams containing acids Glycolic and Salicylic Acid.

Skin Care

Is supermarket skincare just as good as the expensive stuff?

Mineral Makeup - what makes it so good?

Mineral makeup consists of very basic ingredients such as Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Bismuth Oxychloride, Mica & Iron Oxides. Now these all sounds rather industrial and you are right. But they have been refined down for the use in cosmetics. The one that is missing is TALC. This is used as a filler in most products and is responsisble for congestion and irritation.

Bare Minerals have a wide range of makeup from foundations to mascara.Their foundation gives incredibly flawless, even application and picture-perfect skin – with no irritating chemicals or preservatives. It's makeup so pure you can sleep in it.

Minerals wont suit everyone but they do give great coverage without the look of foundation. They will not cause irritation and congestion (blackheads). Best of all they are SPF 15.

Can I get rid of my wrinkles?

What is the difference with SPF/Sunscreens?