by Katherine Bredice | Jul 1, 2022 | Uncategorized
Collagen has now become the single most googled word, replacing “Botox”!
Collagen is everywhere: powders, pills, drinks, shakes, bars, you name it. And people are counting on some pretty miraculous results from these ingestable products. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good collagen peptide powder every morning in my coffee ( See post from 8/11/2020 ) but ingesting it can only do so much and may simply be a clean source of protein.
For those of us who are ready to really crank the collagen production into high gear and see changes in our skin, there’s Ultherapy treatment.
What is Ultherapy?
Ultherapy has been around since 2004 and continues to show impressive results. People often compare it to treatments such as Radio Frequency, Thermage and a multitude of different lasers.
While most of these treatments work by creating heat in the skin to stimulate collagen production, Ultherapy is the only device that allows us to see EXACTLY where we are placing the heat. It is also the only technology to get to the deepest depths of the dermis, a depth which can only be replicated in a surgical face lift.
Radio Frequency gets results by creating bulk heating, which we love but often times only stimulates certain types of collagen and some elastin and in a more superficial layer in the skin.
What makes Ultherapy so powerful is that it places very high heat at an extremly deep layer in the skin, a medium depth and a more superficial depth, depending on where the protein is needed most. Ultrasound technology allows us to see all of this and create a very specific, customized treatment for the individual.
Results do take 3-4 months to see but with little to no downtime, this treatment is worth the wait!
by Katherine Bredice | Jun 7, 2022 | Uncategorized
I’m certain we here at Accent Dermatology and Accent Aesthetics will always have our favorite, can’t live without skin-care products. So when something new comes along that we LOVE, it’s news worthy!
PCA Skin just came out with their Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum and we can’t keep it on the shelves!
This heavy hitter uses a 6% Niacinimide (A type of B Vitamin). Typically this ingredient has been used to reduce reds in the skin and help with acne. At a higher concentration of 6%, we are seeing not only a reduction in the reds caused by rosacea, acne, etc but also an excellent reduction in brown spots, photodamage and especially melasma!
This is an exciting new tool to add to anyone’s toolbox, especially those looking to reduce BOTH reds and browns and definitly breakout. It leaves the skin very hydrated and calm by strengthening it’s barrier function.
by Katherine Bredice | May 6, 2022 | Uncategorized
It’s been a little over a year since we launched our skincare membership program and we couldn’t be happier with it! I know our members feel the same way!
Not only does it save our clients $ but the consistancy that they have with the monthly membership is showing pretty remarkable results!
These are some of the benefits of montly, consistant skincare treatments:
- greatly reduced breakouts
- significantly less blackhead congestion
- noticable reduction in pore size
- less scarring and marking from picking blemishes
- reduction in hyperpigmentation/sundamage
- smoother, tighter texture
- better overall skin health
Along with monthly skincare treatments, our members receive discounts on all of our medical grade skincare products, discounts on injectables such as neurotoxin, fillers and PRF, discounts on other skincare treatments outside of their membership tier, and sneak preview into new treatments!
A great example of how the membership works is monthly microdermabrasion or chemical peel or hydrafacial treatments for someone with moderate breakout around the mouth, chin and jawline (classic). When these clients come in monthly we can decide which treatment is best for their skin at that time and extract all of the congestion in a sterile, healthy, non-damaging way. This has made a huge difference in those clients who were not only frustrated with the breakouts but the scarring it was leaving behind. When that client comes in with little to no breakout, we can switch their appointment to a microneedling for example to help reduce the texture and discoloration from the previous breakout, which they then get a discount on!
These consistant treatments along with home care not only create the skin you want but maintain it down the road. It’s a win/win!
by Katherine Bredice | Jul 29, 2021 | Uncategorized
We carefully select each skincare line we carry. Each one has it’s own unique ingredients and mechanism of action. In this post we will breakdown each of one of our medical grade skincare lines, why we carry them and what skin conditions they are best for.
Restorse Pro
We love the story behind this skincare line. The founder was in Norway at a salmon fish hatchery (long story), and discovered that the salmon egg has a unique enzyme in it that dissolves cells to allow the baby salmon to squirm its way out of the egg when ready. She put this ingredient into all of her products. It’s called Aquabeautine XL, and it gives similar results as retinol but without any drying or irritating side effects. It’s also extremely anti-inflammatory so we carry it for those clients that are highly sensitive or have skin conditions such as rosacea, peri oral dermatitis, etc. and cannot tolerate a retinol. Aquabeautine XL dissolves only the DEAD skin cells at the surface of the skin so the client still gets the cellular turnover that is needed for beatiful, healthy skin.
This skincare line is fascinating and unique along with being highly effective. Go to their website to learn more or chat with us at your next visit.
https://www.restorseapro.com/what-is-restorsea
Meg 21
During intensive medical research at a world-renowned medical center in Philadelphia, a treatment to reduce the signs of aging was discovered when the scientists uncovered an enzyme called F3K, which furthers the production of toxic sugars in the skin. That process causes serious inflammation and glycation, two distinct events that contribute to skin aging. But glycation and inflammationare not limited to disease — they happen in everyone’s body and skin and are exacerbated by toxic sugars from our diets and normal metabolism. Meg 21’s scientists discovered a compound called Supplemine that intervenes in the production and availability of toxic sugars – a leading cause of inflammation, skin aging and wrinkling – in skin. Supplamine prevents skin damage in two distinct ways: by preventing the development of toxic sugars and neutralizing the toxic sugars in our systems.
All of the products in this line are ultra hydrating, soothing, brightening and contain the anti-glycation ingredient Supplemine. We carry this line not only for it’s amazing anti-aging abilities but it is the most deeply hydrating product line we could find for our dry, severely harsh environment in Colorado.
https://meg21.com/the-science/
Revision
If you are a client here or at Accent Dermatology, you are most likely using 1 or 10 of these products. To say we are a little obsessed with this line and their Chief Scientific Officer, Tatiana Kononov, would be an understatement. They are truly leaders in this industry and the first to develope so many groundbreaking technologies and innovations.
They were the first to widely incorporate peptides. The first to utilize THD ascorbate, the most superior form of Vitamin C, in a 30% concentration. The first to create an at home neck cream. The first to use Bakuchiol to increase retinol’s efficacy. The list goes on and on.
Anywhoo…don’t get me started! The proof is in the RESULTS with this one and if you’ve used it, you know how good it is!
https://revisionskincare.com/pages/before-and-after
As always, if you have any questions or would like to get started on a medical-grade at-home skincare regimen, please book a consultation, we LOVE to talk about this stuff!
720-420-4090 or book online!
by Katherine Bredice | Aug 11, 2020 | Uncategorized
What are the benefits of collagen peptides?
We get this question ALL the time. We as advanced, medical aestheticians deal with the production of collagen on a daily basis. So it only makes sense that clients ask us about ingesting the popular supplement for more youthful skin.
I always tell my clients the truth, and sometimes that means I have to tell them “I don’t know” or in this case “here’s the research that is out there and here’s my opinion.”
So let’s start with the research. If you look at most of the studies out there on ingesting collagen peptides you will find that, simply put, they break down to amino acids in the stomach. The collagen that we want to build up our dermis is type I and III. While most of these supplements ARE hydrolyzed collagen (meaning I and III) this doesn’t mean that the supplement turns into the correct collagen for skin repair OR that it gets exactly where it needs to go for more youthful, plump skin via ingestion.
A few newer studies out there are showing some promise for that happening but if you rely on the studies specifically then they just aren’t concrete enough at this time. Below is a newer study showing some promise.
[Studies have shown that age-dependent reduction in collagen synthesis can be reversed by oral administration of specific bioactive collagen peptides [4,7,8,9,10,11]. These oligopeptides are obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of natural collagen. After ingestion, they are further metabolized to bioactive di- and tri-peptides in the gastrointestinal tract, which are then released into the blood stream and accumulated in the skin to form the collagen biomatrix [4,7,9].
[Typical collagen hydrolysates are composed of peptides of different lengths and, depending on the collagen source, are characterized by a special amino acid composition. The unique (high coverage—[HC]) collagen complex (ELASTEN®) tested here contains short chain oligopeptides composed of 5 to 8, 9 to 15, and 16 to 26 amino acids and have a high coverage with amino acids sequences found in human skin collagen proteins.]
Published online 2019 Oct 17 by the US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health
A Medical Aestheticians Opinion
Now for my opinion- We as Medical Aestheticians working along side Dermatologists rely greatly on scientific studies and research. It’s impossible not to. But even though I know the studies are not concrete and that several doctors and providers may disagree with or ignore studies that collagen supplements help to keep the skin plumper and more youthful, I take it every day anyway. My reasoning is: why not? It could be helping stave off aging even a small amount, helping ease the demise of my over used joints and muscles. It’s definitely not hurting anything and if nothing else, it’s a clean, low calorie protein source in my coffee everyday!
We DO know that consistent use of high quality, medical grade products such as Vitamin C and Retinol (Vitamin A) are proven to stimulate collagen and prevent loss of collagen, so those are no brainers! Everyone should be doing those as basic anti-aging skincare.
We also know without a doubt that several treatments stimulate the right type of collagen for lifting, firming and smoothing the skin. Microneedling, Radio Frequency, RF Microneedling, Ultherapy, different wavelenghth laser treatments, chemical peels, etc. Most of these treatments stimulate elastin as well which gives the skin its elasticity or “snap-back”, but that’s for another post…
So in conclusion: rely on tried and true products and treatments for collagen stimulation and prevention. Drink lots of water, stay out of the sun and WEAR SPF DAILY, limit processed foods and sugar specifically and get plenty of sleep! A healthy lifestyle and an excellent skin care regime will be just what the doctor ordered and you can sprinkle some collagen peptide powder on top for good measure!
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by Katherine Bredice | May 22, 2020 | Uncategorized
Mascne is basically acne caused from wearing face masks and face coverings. Something I never thought I’d be wrinting a post on. BUT these are the times we are living in and Mascne is real and probably here to stay, at least for awhile.
SO….Mascne is a type of acne called acne mechanica. Acne mechanica is a form of acne that anyone can get, but it’s especially common in athletes, teenagers and soldiers. Typically these are the people wearing helmets, chin straps, headbands and face masks, but nowadays, this applies to everyone! This type of acne is triggered by excess heat, pressure, friction or rubbing of the skin. Basically effecting skin areas that are under occlusion. Acne mechanica can develop anywhere on the face or body (like the back, shoulders, or buttocks). But right now it’s showing up on my face from constantly wearing a face mask and face shield. And I know this is true for so many of my clients and others.
The combination of sweat and oil under occlusion can lead to the pores becoming clogged and then inflammed. This is a recipe for acne in all different forms. Whiteheads, blackheads, cysts, pustules and papules.
Since this type of acne has clear causes you can try to prevent some of these aggrevators as much as possible:
- Make sure the skin is clean before applying anything onto it
- Do not wear makeup under your mask or face shield
- Try to remove the mask and/or face shield as often as possible to give the skin a break, allowing for air and proper circulation
- Shower or cleanse the skin as soon as possible when you get home
So let’s talk about some great products to help you treat and prevent mascne. PCA BPO (benzoyl peroxide) wash is AMAZING at quickly reducing inflammatory acne and reducing blackheads and whiteheads. This is a better option for oily skin as it can be drying. Revision Papaya Enzyme Cleanser is a great option for dryer skin types or sensitive skin. PCA Acne Gel can be a great addition to your regimen when your having a flare up OR to prevent one. This is a salicylic acid gel that can be used full-face ( I like to add a pump to my serum or moisturizer ) or as a spot treatment for just the areas breaking out. Salicylic acid is derived from aspirin so you can imagine how effective it is at reducing inflammatory acne. It also kills bacteria and breaks down oily plugs that block the pores. If you are on the dry side, you can add 1 pump of acne gel with 1 pump of Revision Hydrating Serum.
If your not using a retinol nightly, first of all, START! Retinol is our do-it all product! We always recommend it for anti-aging because it helps prevent collagen loss and stimulate collagen production. It does this by increasing cellular turnover. By increasing the cellular turnover, the pores remain less clogged and blocked, reducing acne. So as you can see its a win/win product. If your acne is more advanced and aggressive, extremely inflammed, etc., retinol will also help minimize the appearance of scarring and prevent new scarring. If you are new to using a retinol I recomm Revision DEJ Night. A combination of the infamous DEJ moisturizer and a gentle .25% retinol. Very little to no acclimation with the skin. It is actually quit soothing and anti-inflammatory while providing the cellular turnover result you need. If you are already using a .25% or .5% retinol you can easily bump up to a 1%.
Adding a clay mask 2-4 times a week can make a HUGE difference. Revision Black Mask draws out and absorbs oil while reducing inflammation. This mask also contains some salicylic acid to reduce inflammation and bacteria while providing a lot of antioxidant benefit.
As you can see, inflammation is mentioned over and over again in this post. Inflammation is 1 of 3 major components of acne, the others being oil and bacteria. The reason why i talk about inflammation so much and products that help reduce it is because if we can shut down the inflammation you run less risk of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) and scarring.
If you continue to see breakouts after adding these acne fighting products, we recommend you see a dermatologist or PA at Accent Dermatology. You don’t want to let acne get out of your control!
Please contact us for a consultation if you are struggling with this new and unusual skin concern in this new and uncertain time. 720-420-4090
