Why suffering through a retinoid reaction just isn't worth it.

If you've tried your fair share of skin care products over the years you've probably tried out some sort of vitamin A during that time. Most people are familiar with vitamin A as retinol, even though retinol is only one of the many different forms of vitamin A.

If you've tried a high dose vitamin A from your doctor, you likely would've been given a 1% Tretonoin cream which is retinoic acid.
If you've gone the medical grade route and have used vitamin A products from clinics you've likely tried 1% retinol creams, and if you've gone to stores like Shoppers or Sephora it's likely been a lower dose such as .25-.5% retinol product.

No matter where you've got your vitamin A product in the past, you've likely been given the same instructions...start using it at night a couple times a week and slowly increase the frequency of use while pushing through any irritation it may cause such as peeling, flaking, dryness, burning and inflammation. Why? Because if you can tolerate this uncomfortable reaction for several weeks...perfect skin is waiting at the end!! Or so they say.

Once again I'm here to burst that bubble!!! What can I say? It's sort of like a hobby of mine.

So here's the problem with that concept....
Skin cell walls are not easily penetrated. Only certain chemicals with distinct shapes can enter through different receptors on the wall. Retinoid receptors are responsible for allowing vitamin A to enter into a cell. Since there are many forms of vitamin A, not all the receptors are meant for retinol.
Some receptors will only allow retinoic acid, or retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate...you get the idea.

Another problem here is that as we age we naturally lose vitamin A from our skin and things like smoking or UV exposure quicken this process. As our skin becomes depleted in vitamin A, it also becomes depleted in retinoid receptors.

Suddenly the skin is flooded with an incredibly high dose of retinol and it simply can't use it all. The skin cells absorb what it can but seeing as how retinol only makes up 3% of the vitamin A in the skin, the majority of it sits around the cells and causes massive irritation. The skin reacts by purging and results in the peeling, burning and dryness....a retinoid reaction!

The most unnecessary, pointless, painful and embarrassing thing to go through that I've ever come across in this industry. Yet everyone believes this is the way to perfect skin, but usually because they're only regurgitating information that was given to them by the sales rep of companies who make products like these. Not because they know how the skin actually functions and how it is affected by different chemical substances.

The end result if someone can actually tolerate an on going retinoid reaction for that long until the skin acclimatizes is usually sensitive skin that is thinner than before, and likely more dehydrated too.
The constant inflammation and peeling caused from a retinoid reaction opens the skin up to more environmental damage such as dehydration, pollution, bacteria and can leave the skin hyper sensitive and prone to redness.
More often than not however, the ongoing reaction is not tolerated long enough for the skin to acclimatize and the use of the product is discontinued with the final impression being that vitamin A is awful and doesn't work.

There are so many vitamin A products on the market and sadly few of them are sophisticated enough    to work with the skin instead of against it. This is why vitamin A has acquired such a bad name over the years and is now thought of as a very harsh product to use.

The truth is vitamin A is vital for the skin and has many positive benefits such as anti-aging, normalizing the function of the skin and even repairing DNA damage caused from UV exposure.
So why is something as important as vitamin A not being formulated in a smarter way?
Well it is, but like I said it can be hard to find amongst the sea of 1% rip your face off strength retinol creams.

Environ makes all their vitamin A products in a step-up system and use a complex of several different forms of vitamin A to utilize all the different receptors on the skin cells. This means more of the vitamin A is actually used by the skin, is tolerated much better and makes the skin stronger.
By starting on a low dose and moving on to the higher doses, the skin can acclimatize to levels normally by making more retinoid receptors over time and therefor use the vitamin A properly and in a way that does not cause severe reactions.

Who would've thought that formulating a product according to how the skin functions would be a good idea?!

This is the main reason I swear by Environ products. They're smart, high quality, high concentrated products that are made from a company that actually has respect for the skin.


To book a consultation with me...
Call LAB11 Advanced Medical Aesthetics ‭(403) 283-0764‬

Microlaser Peel vs. Chemical Peel...What's The Difference?

It's no secret that one of my favourite treatments is a Microlaser Peel.
They're fast, tolerable, aggressive enough that they yield some fantastic results with as little as one treatment, but not so aggressive that it puts you down and out for days and days recovering.

Also known as a Skin Polishing Peel, or Micron Peel. I prefer to perform the treatment with  Fotona Erbium YAG which is a 2940 nm wavelength laser. The huge benefit of this system is that it's a medical grade laser, it's even used for surgery.

So not only is the system extremely high tech, but it's also extremely versatile and allows the user to dial in whatever settings they see fit. It's extremely customizable, unlike some other run of the mill systems out there that have pre-determined programs for the user to choose from...program A, B, C. Level 1, 2 or 3...you get the idea.

My preferred depth for the treatment is 20 microns on the face, and 15 microns on the eyes.
To give you an idea, I'd have to go 1,000 microns to go 1mm deep in the skin.
So, 20 microns is really not that aggressive. It's really only working on the surface to vaporize the dead surface cell layer on top of the skin.

I often compare one Microlaser Peel to have a full series (5 or 6) mild to moderate Chemical Peels, but in one treatment, and with a laser instead. No acids, no chemicals.

The obvious benefit of choosing a Microlaser Peel over a full series of chemical peels is you save a ton of time. Usually chemical peels are done anywhere from 2-4 weeks apart. So it's going to take some significant time to get through all the treatments and finally see the end result.

While I'm also a big fan of chemical peels, they just don't measure up to what a laser can do.
Chemical peels come in different forms, different percentages and pH levels which determine the strength. They work by eating away at dead surface cells, dissolving excess oil, killing bacteria, and stimulating a higher cell renewal rate.

However, a single Microlaser peel does all of that and more. The biggest difference is that by using a laser, you have the added benefit of putting energy into the skin, laser energy, which converts to heat in the tissue.
I can also dial in exactly how much heat I want to put into the skin, which is a huge benefit as that allows me to treat any skin colour and nearly any skin concern.

Heat stimulates collagen production and a natural healing response but much deeper than your typical chemical peel would, so therefor it's much better for anti-ageing.

A Microlaser Peel is also ablative, meaning it removes tissue.
While chemical peels dissolve dead surface cells, a Microlaser Peel done with an Erbium YAG is vaporizing cells.
So if you're someone who's concerned with something like sun damage (brown spots), a Microlaser Peel will physically remove those cells. A chemical peel will only fade the pigment.

There's also the nice bonus of treating right over the eyelids, from the brow down to the lash line and from the cheek bone up to the lash line. You definitely can't take acids and chemicals around the eyes.

After inserting surgical grade ocular shields to protect the eyes from the laser light, the treatment takes about 5 minutes and the result is smoothing, firming and tightening of the area.

After one Microlaser Peel, everyone will see a noticeable difference. The skin is smoother, brighter, softer and more even. After 2-3 peels done one month apart, the results can be remarkable.

There is no real downtime after the treatment, only social downtime meaning makeup cannot be applied for three days afterwards. A post healing balm must be worn instead for those three days to keep the skin protected and hydrated. Sun exposure is a big no-no until a proper SPF can applied on day four.

I do have many patients that choose to go into work regardless of not wearing any makeup and being red and a little blotchy, and that's perfectly fine too. As long as the guidelines are followed afterwards and the proper products are being used, there's no need to hide away for those three days.

Other people however, do schedule the time to stay at home and wait until all shedding and healing of the skin is complete. On day four mineral powders and SPF can be applied and you can go back to your normal routine.

To this day I've never performed a Microlaser Peel for anyone who didn't love the results!

Tanning...What Your Skin Is Desperately Trying To Tell You.

We've all heard the saying that a tan gives a "healthy glow". This day and age everyone is after that sun kissed look whether it's by indoor tanning, laying outside or sunless spray tans.

I find this funny since if you think about how back in the 18th century, it was actually more desirable to be extremely fair as this meant you had the means to protect yourself from the elements and did not have to work outside.
Royalty even went to the lengths of applying white powder on their faces to appear even more fair,  almost resembling porcelain dolls along with the white wigs they also sported.

Somewhere along the line the idea of a tan completely changed and it's now viewed as something desirable that makes you appear as if you've just been on vacation in a beautiful sunny destination.

No matter how you view a tan or what kind of impression it gives you, the fact remains the same that tan skin, is damaged skin. Turns out those in the 18th century had it right all along!

I'm specifically talking about tans from UV rays...at least for now. Trust me, I'll get to those spray tans in just a minute.

Have you ever wondered why our skin turns darker from sunlight? Probably not right? Our bodies are so amazing and they do so many different things, who has time to ponder every little purpose am I right?

You might be surprised to learn that this is your skins natural defence mechanism.

UVA rays are the rays that cause tanning and are the more damaging, and therefor ageing rays. They penetrate into the skin much deeper than UVB rays do. They can even reach the subcutaneous tissue (fat tissue) beneath the dermis.

UV rays are from the spectrum of light which is ionizing, the same spectrum that x-rays and gamma rays are categorized in. This means that these rays are capable of altering atoms and molecules by removing one or more electrons from them.
This then creates an unstable molecule or atom (also known as a free radical) and these carry on to cause havoc to others around them, repeating the process.

This chain reaction can eventually lead to DNA damage, which can then lead to mutations of cells...
as in skin cancer! Not to mention the rays will also breakdown collagen and elastin in the process which is the protien fibers in the skin that keep us looking youthful, healthy, firm and plump.

So what does your skin do to help protect you? It senses the damage being done and sends out signals to the pigment producing cells called melanocytes.
These cells create melanin (the chemical that gives our eyes, hair and skin colour) and it rises to the surface.

Aaaaah, there you have it. A tan!

But how is this pigment going to protect you, you might ask. Take a natural red head, with blue eyes and fair skin and a brown skinned person with dark eyes and hair. Make them stand outside on a hot summer day with not a cloud in the sky. Who do you think is going to burn first?

The more pigment (melanin) you have in your skin, the more natural protection you have from the sun since melanin is designed to absorb light. Hence the natural defence of producing more melanin in a state of crisis.

So, that all being said (and I know it was a lot) tan skin is skin that has already been damaged. Period. This is also why there is no such thing as a "base tan". The damage has already been done, you're simply intensifying it and making it happen even faster in a tanning bed where the concentrations of UV light are much stronger than natural sunlight outside.

Now to touch on spray tans quickly...

As a general rule if an at home tanning product, or professional spray tan goes on as one colour and darkens over a few hours afterwards...this is stimulating melanocyte activity in the skin. Not a good thing! This can be a disaster for those who struggle with hormonal pigment problems such as Melasma, or who already have sun damage in their skin. It will darken Melasma and sun spots, making them more noticeable and harder to remove/lighten.

For those products that go on and one colour and remain the same colour...these are ok since they're simply "dying" the top layer of dead cells on the skin to look darker.

In my opinion though...save your money and sport your natural and beautiful skin tone, whatever tone that may be.
Rock the pale, rock the fair skin or naturally sun kissed colour you were born with. Take that money and invest in your skins health by using high quality nourishing skin care, by using sunscreen and get that healthy glow by being...well, healthy!! Rather than frying your poor skin to death!

Melasma

Melasma is a common skin concern which is often mistaken as sun damage. Unlike sun damage, Melasma is a pigment which is caused by hormone imbalances.

 

It will typically present itself on the upper lip, across the forehead and in the cheeks. It’s nicknamed the “Butterfly Mask” due to how it will mirror itself on either side of the face. It’s also nicknamed the “Pregnancy Mask” as it’s often first seen during pregnancy.

  

However other things such as the birth control pill, or PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) can also cause the pigment to appear.

 

If diagnosed and treated incorrectly the pigment is easily stimulated and will darken as a result. So proper identification and treatment is crucial.

 

Many people will turn to products that contain the skin bleaching agent, hydroquinone. Banned in a few countries, this ingredient works by essentially poisoning the pigment producing cells called Melanocytes.

 

At first, it seems to work very well in spite of any skin irritation it may cause and will quickly lighten pigment in the skin. However, prolonged and improper use can cause Melanocyte death, killing off the cells completely.

 

Once killed off, a Melanocyte does not regenerate and this can leave permanent hypopigmentation (white patches) in the area where the pigment once was.

There is also debate around the topic of general health and safety of the ingredient since it is considered a carcinogen (cancer causing) in certain concentrations.

 

A better way to lighten pigment in the skin, whether it’s from Melasma, sun damage or trauma is with healthy ingredients such as vitamin C, kojic acid and licorice root for example.

These ingredients work by simply blocking the communication between the chemical signal and the Melanocyte, with no harm to any cells at all in fact they are actually beneficial for the skin. These ingredients can be used long term with no negative side effects and promote overall skin health.

 

As for treatment, it’s important that whoever is dealing with Melasma is experienced and knowledgeable. Melasma can easily be worsened when treated incorrectly.

 

Melasma is sensitive to heat, sun light and over stimulation caused by frequent treatments. One treatment every six months should be more than enough to keep it under control. As for the kind of treatment, an Erbium cold laser resurfacing is the best option as a very specific depth can be targeted to break up the pigment. The heat is controlled and over a 50% improvement is usually seen after just one session.

 

Post treatment maintenance involves daily use of sunscreen and keeping up with the lighteners and brighteners until 6 months time when treatment can be repeated, if needed.