by Dr Millicent Okor | Jun 17, 2022 | Uncategorized
Skincare is more than just using products and drinking water, so if you’re not caught on to what’s in vogue right now, you should keep reading.
Don’t get me wrong, products are great. They shouldn’t be underrated as they work great when used right. The only thing of note here is that, there’s only so much topical products can do. Their effects are limited due to the nature of how it’s applied and factoring in the various barriers the layers of the skin presents when it comes to permeability.
There is also the time factor. For instance, treating hyperpigmentation with topical products alone will take up tp 3 to 6 months, but it becomes faster when professional treatment comes in. There are also certain skin concerns that topical products do little to nothing to alleviate because they require a more intense care, or higher concentrations of/certain active ingredients that has to be handled by professionals. They are less invasive than surgery and would greatly improve the look and feel of your skin.
Overall, in the pyramid of skincare, it is required that these treatments be included in your regimen at least once a month to 6 months, and then yearly visits to the dermatologist.
What to know about the treatments:
1. Classic facial treatment – this is the most basic of treatments, and is the most common too. It usually involves cleaning up the face using steam, extractions and exfoliation. There’s facial massaging, cooling, as well as soothing moisturizers and even customized treatment serums, depending on the desired result or offers available. This treatment unclogs the pores, cleanses the face, and gives the skin a very radiant and glowing complexion immediately after. It is a great way to pamper and de-stress the skin to keep it healthy. It also helps tackle skincare concerns such as acne/pimples, dull skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, etc. Do this once a month to take your skincare regime up a notch.
2 Chemical peels – this treatment involves the use of exfoliating chemical solutions to dissolve and remove the damaged or dead top layer of the skin, revealing the newer and brighter skin underneath. Chemical peels ranges from mild to deep, and the perfect one for you depends on how severe the skin problem is. Even though both types of peels reduce fine lines and treat acne, mild or medium peels use AHAs and trichloroacetic acid with results lasting for few months, deep peels use stronger solutions like phenol acid and results last up to years. This treatment needs recovery time of days to weeks and is very important to use a sunscreen to protect the new skin.
3. Dermaplanning – This is an exfoliating treatment where a tool or a scalpel is used to to remove dirt and hair by scraping off the top layer of dead skin. This treatment makes the skin smoother and brighter as it helps soften fine lines, ease hyperpigmentation or uneven skin tone, and can help with scars too. Recovery time takes a few days and manual exfoliating and direct sunlight should be avoided days before and after the treatment.
4. Microneedling – this procedure is non-invasive procedure that involves pricking a numbed skin with tiny sterilized needles. The small pricks cause wounds on the skin which stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, for a younger looking skin once healed. It is an anti-aging treatment that also helps in treating scars, acne, enlarged pores, dark spots, stretch marks, and skin texture. it can take up to a week or 2 to heal and a number of treatments may be required to see changes.
5. Microdermabrasion – This is known as the sandpaper treatment. For this treatment, a device is used to apply tiny crystals on the skin and it mimics sanding the skin as if a sandpaper is being used. It is a simple procedure that helps remove skin imperfections on the top layer of the skin such as acne/pimples, age spots, enlarged pores, as well as reducing the appearance of fine lines and even stretch marks. It doesn’t require any recovery time as it is non invasive, but it may require a number of treatments to get desired results, depending on how severe the skin problem is.
6. Dermabrasion – This is an invasive treatment and should only be done by specially trained dermatologist or plastic surgeon. It is a surgical procedure that involves numbing the skin with local anesthesia and using a device to scrape away the top layer of the skin. The depth of the treatment depends on the severity of the skin problems. This procedure is used to treat scars and wrinkles, and it can be done in stages with more than one treatment in order to get desired results. There are side effects like pain and swelling, so recovery time is needed for healing and to see results.
7. Led light therapy and IPL photofacial – For this treatment, light therapy is used to improve the skin by promoting healing and helping skin cells to grow. The different colors of lights used have varying effects on the skin. They soothe inflammation, treat acne and sun damage, and stimulate the production of collagen. IPL rejuvenation is considered more effective because it delivers a very high energy to the skin, whereas, the led light uses lower energy and is a less intense therapy. This treatment requires regular application and there is no healing time.
8. Laser skin resurfacing – Laser therapy involves the use of pulsating beams of light to treat wrinkles, uneven skin tone, age spots, scars, and even stretch marks sometimes. This beam of light works by removing the outer layer of skin and heating up the deeper layer to promote collagen production, which strengthens the skin. The result is a smoother, firmer youthful skin. There are different types and forms but the results can last up to years, and recovery time depends on the type of laser therapy performed.
9. Dermal fillers – This type of treatment involves the use of skin friendly substances such as hyaluronic acid, being injected int the skin to fill up the areas in between skin tissue. Even you own fat can be used (liposuction would be required). The injection produce immediate results, with very minimal healing time, resulting in softened creases, fine lines, wrinkles, and deep folds. Most fillers dissolve in 6 to 18 moths and has to be redone to maintain results.
10. Botox injection – Botox involves paralyzing the muscles of the face by blocking certain nerves. This leads to minimal to no movement of the specific muscle underneath the skin that has been injected, and results to smoothening out of deep wrinkles, folds, and fine lines. This is a relatively fast procedure and requires little to no recovery time, the results lasts for several months.
In summary, please talk to an expert/professional and licensed personnel if you’re considering any of these treatments or procedures. Find out what works best for your skin type, skin condition and of course, your budget.
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