Beauty Tips For A Radiant & Youthful Face

It is every girls dream to have flawless skin with a healthy radiant complexion, but most girls find themselves in a pickle when it comes to maintaining a healthy skin and complexion on daily basis. Acne, open pores, black/white heads, pigmentation, and dry flaky rough skin are some of the signals that your skin sends your way screaming non verbally, “I need better care!!”. Barring those born with perfect normal skin most skin-types give people a tough time until they special make effort, seek help, and become an expert in their own skincare.

Being a dermatologist I understand that it’s not easy to master the art of daily skincare. Skin is a very complex organ and its needs vary day to day and from person to person. Our environment, lifestyle, hormones, intrinsic aging and skincare habits affect our skin constantly. Here is my expert advice to help you keep your face flawless and youthful as long as you follow it.

Learn Thy Skin Type: General skincare wisdom passed from grandma to you - You’re young and all you need is a good face wash and nothing more - is so outdated (first thing chuck it out of your head!). Spend some quality time to learn your exact skin-type. Then start taking care of your skin accordingly.

Good Skincare Always Starts With Clean Skin: Find a face wash according to your skin type. Make a habit to read product labels when you go skincare shopping. Buy products only, if they’re labeled fit for your specific skin-type.

Exfoliation: Your morning routine can take a turn for the worst if just seconds after applying your moisturizer; you notice dry, flaky skin. When you touch your skin it doesn’t feel silky soft, on the contrary it feels rough and uneven. Or looking in the mirror open pores, black heads and acne stares back at you. All these dodgy skin symptoms are a sign that you’ve skipped a critical cleansing step: exfoliation. Exfoliation removes built up of dead skin, sebum, and cleans up deep pores that get clogged over time. Exfoliation also stimulates and promotes healthy skin. There are so many ways to exfoliate: scrubs, exfoliating brushes, chemical peels, laser peels etc.

Cleansing & Exfoliation In One-Step With Braun: I believe power tools make life so much easier, and this wisdom holds true when it comes to your skin care routine too. As we all know cleansing is one of the most crucial steps in daily skin care routine and a device that can make cleansing and exfoliation one-step and more effective is an ideal tool to maintain healthy skin.

Braun’s brushes are designed especially to cater to specific skin-types. Since these brushes deliver constant pressure on the skin while cleansing, they are a more standardized way to clean than just using your hands. They use a battery-operated motor that moves the brush head in a repetitive motion. The repetitive motion of the bristles combined with an appropriate cleanser makes Face Brushes work more successfully by reaching every pore and crease of the skin. The motor and bristles enable these tools to clean dirt and makeup from skin as well as exfoliate more effectively compared to washing by hand.

The Benefit Doesn’t Stop Here: The brushes exfoliate so well that any skincare/anti-aging products you apply after washing are absorbed more easily. Making the effects of your anti-aging products double folded. There are studies that prove that mechanical stimulation of skin leads to natural collagen production in your skin. So you get a double benefit clear silky smooth skin that looks tighter and youthful every day.

Braun Face Brush Hour: Ideal time to use the face brush system is at night, as there is no UV exposure plus you can apply your anti-aging skincare and you can let your skin rejuvenate and recover while you sleep. Starting for the first time it’s always best to ease the Face brush system into your daily routine. Try using it once or twice a week at first and slowly build up your use.

Normal Skin Types: Can potentially use it every day.

Oily Skin Types: The brush assisted amped-up cleansing is especially effective for oily and acne prone skin, as this type of skin builds up oil, dead skin and dirt into the pores and can become prone to acne. Word of caution though, if you’re using the Braun face brush for the first time at the beginning your skin might flare, probably within the first two weeks. The dead skin cells that are being sloughed off sometimes plug up your pores. But as your skin gets used to it, your pores become cleaner, and there will be fewer dead skin cells to exfoliate, so you'll be less likely to have breakouts.

Dry & Sensitive Skin: Sensitive or aging skin needs a more gentle approach.  Most skincare experts believe that if your skin is red or irritated, a brush may not work for you. But keeping especially this very sensitive skin in mind, Braun has developed a special technology, which comes in the form of a “Pink Brush Head” that cleanses and exfoliates the most sensitive of skins with gentle love and care.

Tips For Using Braun Face Brush

Remove makeup first. If you wear a heavy layer of foundation, the brush can’t clean as well. In some cases, washing with makeup on can cause irritation and breakouts. Use makeup remover or a cleansing towelette first.

Use a gentle cleanser. Look for something that's right for your skin type for the best clean. Avoid scrubs with abrasive particles.

Moisturize: After cleansing and exfoliation it is vital that you hydrate and protect your skin. If you are using any skin lightening or antioxidant/anti-aging skincare apply it before the moisturizer.

Do Maintenance. Change the brush heads according to the brush’s instructions. A buildup of dirt and bacteria could cause breakouts.

·      Cleanse daily: Rinse your brush head thoroughly after every use. If you see any residual makeup tinting the bristles, wash them with a mild liquid soap or baby shampoo.

·      Use Anti-Microbial Products: If you're extra paranoid about bacteria buildup, wash your brush head with a specialized anti-microbial skin cleanser every few days. Dermatologists recommend Hibiclens.

·      Soak Your Brush Head in Alcohol: Once a week, soak your brush head in a bowl of rubbing alcohol for a minute. Don't rinse the alcohol off and let the brush head air-dry on a towel. This weekly "treatment" helps to kill any remaining bacteria that are left over from daily use.

Limit Yourself. Since the brush exfoliates, using it more than once daily might be too harsh for your skin. Save it for evening cleansing so you can rinse the day’s dirt, sweat, oil, and makeup down the drain. People with very sensitive skin can use it once or twice a week instead of daily use.

Know When To Stop. At the first sign of redness or irritation, turn the device off. Give your skin a few days to recover before testing to see if you can tolerate the brush once or twice a week.

With this meticulous daily skin cleansing, exfoliation, antioxidant and hydration routine with your skin specific products, you can maintain flawless skin 24/7 twelve months a year.

The Natural Face Lift

Recently a beauty news channel interviewed me, here’s my detailed talk for your review.

Hi I am Dr. Shazia Ali. I am an aesthetic dermatologist practicing for the last 12 years at Al Tababah Specialized Clinic in Jeddah. I have been lucky enough to be trained at the prestigious University of Wales & College of Medicine in UK for the core as well as aesthetic dermatological sciences. I am extremely pleased to be here with you all today we will be talking about — aging, youth and beauty plus how to preserve it all. I’d love to share with you my personal concept of Natural Facelift — a proverbial sip from the fountain of eternal youth if you may, with focus on keeping things real and naturally youthful, as I am not a big fan of artificial.

When I moved to Jeddah from UK back in 2004, I was pleasantly surprised to see how up-to-date the ladies here were when it came to keeping up with the international trends in beauty as well as aesthetics. And over the span of last decade or so I have noticed that now even men are becoming very conscious about appearance and they like taking care of themselves — which is great. Multiple psychological studies done across the globe have shown us that, looking good & feeling good about yourself gives you a confidence boost to live a fuller, happier & more productive life. This proves aesthetic medicine should be an integral part of our lives.

Talking about local beauty standards and ideals — Every Culture & Region Has Its Own Unique Beauty Standards

Initially when I moved to Saudi I had to struggle a lot to convince my clientele to buy the natural and just refreshed concept of beauty compared to what was popular — exaggerated and over the top. I have been doing my best educating and communicating with the local populace not just in my clinic but also through social media and blogging gently reminding people to accept natural as the norm and convince them go for treatments that enhance their individual natural beauty instead of trying to copy paste famous celebrity features and end up looking like aliens trend.

Seems my hard work along with global aesthetic natural trend shift has paid off and — Now a lot of people are asking the RIGHT QUESTIONS — How should we approach aesthetics? What can we do to preserve our youth and look good for decades to come without looking artificial and stretched & stuffed? — Answer is simple, start early to preserve and maintain your youth.

To move forward in the right direction vis-a-vis the anti-aging treatment plan I always ask my patients/clients — What is the image of beauty and youth in your mind?

And one concept that everyone agrees upon is: -Tight luminous, flawless skin with a uniform complexion (almost Child-like), Features wise - high cheek-bones, defined jaw line, well proportioned facial contours, arched brows and a toned silhouette. 

Second important concept is complete head-to-toe beauty — your body should match your face in beauty as well as age.     

Now that we have established what we want to achieve — we can make a logical treatment plan — target the right areas that need work and voila you can deliver youth and beauty.

To get tight luminous, flawless skin with a uniform complexion treatments with energy based devices and peels have come a long way.

To get flattering contours and replenish the lost volume fat or HA based injectable implants deliver miraculous results.

Upper face hyper dynamic muscles causing frown lines, forehead wrinkles and crows feet can be treated beautifully with neurotoxins.

Fact of life is nothing stays the same — over time things deteriorate and people who are interested in looking good need to understand and know —why do we age? And that maintenance is important

Looking at the aging process Aging skin with sagging and wrinkles basically result from a combination of many factors including cellular changes, collagen depletion, bone and fat loss. All this happens over time as a result of hormone changes, damage caused by free radicals, or consistent muscle activity. Modern life style & stress accelerates this process even more making us look much older than what we chronological should. You might be a vision of beauty in your teens & twenties but eventually your Lifestyle, eating habits and genetics along with how well you take care of your skin determines how you look in your thirties & onwards.

A holistic approach from inside out along with your aesthetic doctor’s help can preserve youth in a much more efficient manner rather than relying on fixing just one cause of aging.

Talking about the concept of — The Natural Facelift

As far as aesthetics are concerned we are living in real exciting times, now modern medicine can give everyone a chance to look as good as they feel. The traditional surgical facelift has been replaced with something better and natural — I call it , The Natural Facelift! A combination of non-surgical minimally invasive facial contouring and tightening techniques that can transform any aging face into a more refreshed, youthful version of themselves — it’s almost like time travel. Gone are the days when you would walk out of an aesthetic practice looking surprised, over stretched, unnatural and ridiculous. The celebrity faces we saw few years back on TV that looked like over stuffed pillows are no longer a desired or acceptable option. Over the top artificial work has been replaced with results that restore youthful but natural fullness of a well-contoured face and smooth textured skin, wrinkles should not be replaced by surprised over arched brows on the contrary they should be ironed out gently while respecting the facial harmony.

Aging, slows down the skin’s production of collagen and elastin. Facial volume is lost because of fat and bone loss with aging process and together these changes result in hollowing of mid-face, sagging features and skin creasing. Pigment changes lead to age spots and the surface texture becomes rough. 

The term Liquid Facelift was coined few years back to improve multiple areas of the face, including the eye, nose, chin, cheeks, temples, brows, mouth, forehead and the neck with the use of advanced dermal fillers, usually in combination with BOTOX®. In right artistic hands results look natural, youthful & beautiful.

I believe to further improve upon this concept of restoring golden proportions and facial contours, we also need to engineer skin surface and structural changes so we can recreate a complete and holistic youthful appearance. A well-contoured face with older looking thin lack luster skin can never look youthful. Adding skin tightening and hydration techniques along with facial contour restoration with injectable implants makes results even more superior and attractive.

My multi-prong approach to impart youth and beauty includes:

·      Treating skin with RF, Ultrasound, laser technologies to boost collagen and tighten and lift.

·      To create uniform complexion laser & chemical peels come in handy

·      To work on volume loss and improve facial contours fillers or fat give great results. Breakthroughs in aesthetic products such as Boletero, and Radiesse®, are providing longer lasting and more natural-looking results.

·      Finally treat hyper dynamic muscles with neurotoxin to further smooth out the lines etched by time.

Working synergistically each treatment compliments the other giving natural and qualitative results rather than one treatment delivering artificial results.

Another thing I’d like to highlight here is — ALL fillers and Energy based Technologies are not created equal

Boletero, Juvederm and Teoaxne RH Ranges are the latest fourth generation of fillers, which are far superior to other dermal fillers available in the market. They give beautiful natural results without causing any long-term side effects associated with older generation of fillers. Studies have shown that some of the newer generation hyaluronic acid and calcium hydroxy apetite (Radiesse) based dermal Fillers not only replace lost volume in the face, but they also help your body to regenerate on its own making new collagen.  They can be used to contour and/or lift any number of facial features without feeling lumpy or inelastic.

When looking at energy based devices for skin tightening & lifting as well as skin smoothing, we have had a great success with Scarlet which is a radioFrequency based device, as well as focused ultrasound and Fraxel as well as fractional CO2 lasers.

When it comes to treating muscle movement related wrinkles — In the right hands BOTOX® has proven to be a magical injectable. Since its discovery it has been consistently delivering beautiful results. Most patients experience noticeable improvement within 3-14 days of their treatment, the leading. It is the most popular non-surgical cosmetic medical procedure with no down time required. With botox you can achieve great things like

·      Reduces Crow's Feet

·      Reduces Frown Lines

·      Reduces Wrinkles

·      Lifts Facial Features

·      Contours the Face

Catch 22 is it requires —Maintenance: Every 3 to 5 months.

Together the judicious and artistic use of injectable dermal fillers, neurotoxins and energy based devices can lift, plump, contour and rejuvenate skin and face, taking any visage from looking tired, drawn and ordinary to radiant, refreshed and beautiful.

To sum it up — The Natural Liquid Face Lift can accomplish any of the following:

·      Improved smile, fuller sexier lips

·      More rested and energetic Look

·      Natural curved and youthful facial contour restoration

·      Reduced facial lines

·      Reduced facial folds

·      Reduced wrinkles

·      Reduced creases

·      Gentle facial lift (individual facial features or facial overall lift)

·      Profiloplasty (improving your side look by balancing forehead, nose and chin contours)

·      Skin hydration, radiance and shine

Six Steps To A Bootylicious Behind

A round perky derrière can make any ordinary dress look couture and transcend a regular pair of skinny jeans to object of envy. “Brazillian Butt” a beauty benchmark celebrating the country’s gravity-defying bundas showcased in teeny bikinis is on every girls must-have beauty wish-list. If you think this supernatural phenomenon is all coz of lucky genes you’re very wrong. These curves are the direct byproduct of the country’s sun-and-sport culture, which emphasizes on regular workouts and diligent skincare.

Here’s a foolproof blueprint for a bootylicious behind even if you don’t carry the Brazilian genes.

1) First & Foremost - Exercise

If your bottom is too flabby then its time to officially shake that booty. Start exercise on regular basis to tone up the muscles and optimize the shape of your bum. Walking gets great results, providing it is done on a daily basis.

Here is a simple tried and tested exercise protocol that can enhance your butt shape if practiced regularly. 

2) Let’s Get You All Smooth Bummed - Off With The Orange-peel

Cellulite makes skin look uneven. Effects of aging, hormones and unhealthy lifestyle make the collagen bundles that connect your skin to the underlying fat become weak. Fat starts to protrude in some areas leading to a dimpled orange peel appearance. Unfortunately exercise can’t solve this problem entirely. To smoothen and strengthen the skin and get rid of orange-peel effect without affecting the buttocks’ shape doctors usually combine Carboxy Therapy treatments with Multipolar Radiofrequency treatements. By increasing oxygen flow to the cells, carboxy therapy galvanizes cell exchange and encourages the elimination of fat pads peeping through the damage collagen fibers. Radiofrequency enhances the skin’s surface by making the collagen bundles stronger and plumping the dermis. It usually requires 5 to 6 sessions performed once a week to see good results.

3) Stretch Marks

These white stripes represent scars in your skin. While undergoing growth spurt during puberty or with weight gain your skin gets stretched to accommodate for size change. If your skin doesn’t have enough elasticity, collagen and elastin bundles break and the crack is filled with white scar tissue. A combination of Carboxy Therapy along with Micro-needling and Fractional CO2 Laser treatments can work wonders in erasing the stretch marks. The idea is to replace old damaged skin with new healthy skin which is plump with collagen and elastin. By boosting oxygen flow to the cells, carboxy therapy encourages cell regeneration. Micro-needling, which involves injecting the skin using different sized micro-needles, stimulates fibroblast induction. Fractional CO2 laser physically removes the scar tissue with micro beams and replaces it with fresh healthy skin.

4) Plump Up For A Shape Change

To improve the shape of buttocks, we can use injections of Fat taken from your own body or synthetic injections like Macrolane ® which are composed of highly cross-linked hyaluronic acid. These two are the most effective methods to add volume and create a rounder shape for the buttocks. Fat is natural filler and can be harvested from patients own body especially from lower back and thigh areas to create a tiny waist and slim thighs that contrast with a rounder bum in a more flattering way. One session plus a touch up 4-6 weeks after the first session gives long-term results that last 3-5 years. When opting for Macrolane ® injections you have to keep in mind that usually a large quantity of product is required to create an attractive shape (the cost can be quite high). After the injection session patients must avoid sitting or sleeping on their back for 7-14 days, so as not to displace the injected product. Top-up sessions are required every 18 to 24 months. Procedure is considered uncomfortable even painful in some cases depending on your pain threshold.

5) Lift That Butt Up

Radiofrequency devices can help to lift and tighten the skin around the buttock area. They also help to slim down and create better contour for your behind. To achieve good results 5-10 sessions are needed which should be scheduled 7-15 days apart.

Tensor threads and tissue inducers can also be used to lift the buttocks (that are not very bulky), but the success rate is questionable in most cases. Using special vectors specialized Prolene 2.0 threads can be injected by a specialist under local anesthetic. You get 10-15% results immediately but the final results become apparent in 3 to 6 months. These threads are 100% biodegradable and within year or two they are fully reabsorbed hence they need top up every 1-2 year.

6) Tone Up And Slim Down

If your buttock area is too large, there is nothing better than HIFU or focused ultrasounds to reshape it. Focused ultrasound beams destroy excess fat while improving the skin tone. Usually three sessions are required, with a month in between. Cryolipolysis, meanwhile, is great for the fat that lurks in the fold under your buttock. It works by freezing and thus destroying the fat cells. Cryolipo cannot be used on the whole bum, as it works best on small, well-defined areas.

This six-step approach to fix the skin, subcutaneous tissue, fat and muscles delivers best looking and shapely bums that anyone can ever wish for. First step towards a perfect behind is awaiting you – Get Moving!

Sweat Or Not To Sweat: Antiperspirant Ingredients Linked With Breast Cancer

October is breast cancer awareness month. In addition to joining the parade for hot fuchsia or pinky pink for show of support, it’s an ideal time to learn about the precautionary steps we can take to prevent it. One common but controversial risk factor that has been a subject of debate between scientific circles, environmental protection groups and cosmeceutical industry for the last decade or so happens to be a very common ingredient in our personal hygiene products: aluminum chloride.

Aluminum salts are used as an active ingredient in most antiperspirants and deodorants that control sweating and associated body odor. When applied to the skin they dissolve into the sweat and block the sweat gland ducts. This blockage reduces the amount of moisture on the skin’s surface.

Scientific Research Linking Aluminum Salts To Breast Cancer

A study conducted in 2005 brought the hairy fact into limelight, that constant application of antiperspirants containing aluminum chloride or aluminum chlorhydrate could be related to an increase in breast cancer cells because of the compounds' ability to mimic estrogen in the body.

After this research was published the scientific community agreed on the conclusion that more follow through studies were needed to fully understand the long-term effects of aluminum exposure near breast tissue.

The investigative work that followed since has provided conflicting results and has been inconclusive at its best.

The lack of strong data backed by conclusive results lead most cancer societies across the world to agree on the conclusion that there is no good evidence that aluminum salts in deodorants could increase the risk of cancer in animals or humans.

New Light On The Subject

Recently scientists from University of Geneva have again confirmed the fact that a link between breast cancer and aluminum chloride salts used in the deodorants does exist indeed. 

This new research has been published in the September 2016 issue of International Journal of Cancer. During this study scientists looked at isolated human mammary cells and later in test mice. They observed that long-term exposure to the chemical not only spurred on cancer tumors but also their proliferation throughout the body.

Conclusion: Long-term exposure of aluminum salts leads to very aggressive growth of breast tumors with ability to metastasize or spread.

The Controversial Debate

This recent study has again heated up the debate that aluminum salts can be triggers to breast cancer.

Dr. Andre-Pascal Sappino one of the co-authors of the study strongly advises, "I think we should avoid all deodorants containing aluminum salts." admitting that his recommendations will likely trigger major industry backlash. "Now the fight will begin. They will act like the tobacco industry and say that proof in human beings is lacking."

Representing the critics of the study, Baroness Delyth Morgan, Chief Executive at Breast Cancer Now, has advised the media to view and interpret this study with caution. Her chief argument being, this particular research is bringing charges against aluminum salts solely by studying their effect on mice tissue. Previous research done on human breast tissue has rendered inconclusive results.

Bottom Line

Study authors and environmental safety groups are appealing to masses to stop using deodorants and antiperspirants that contain these chemicals. Critics are advising to ignore the study and continue life as usual with dry armpits and antiperspirants in your toiletry bags, claiming that the evidence is weak and should not be taken seriously.

Common sense dictates - Where there is smoke there’s fire. The study might have been done on mice but a carcinogen is a carcinogen. Sweating and body odor can be managed by other means, which are not implicated as cancer triggers. Why should you take the risk of exposing yourself to a detrimental chemical, if you could avoid it?

Life can go on normally without use antiperspirants hence lets make it so.

Risk Free Options

Practicing good hygiene is the best alternative. Sweat is odorless bad smell is generated when bacteria growing in the armpits break down the acids in the sweat. Wash the area with soap and water 2-3 per day to avoid growth of bacteria and odor. Shave armpits regularly and keep the area as clean and dry as possible.

Avoid foods that tend to make you sweat more, such as hot peppers or other spicy foods, might also contribute to body odor. The aroma of foods such as onions or garlic can be carried in the sweat, making you smell bad. Drinks with caffeine or alcohol may also cause you to sweat more.

Look for natural and aluminum salt free products. As a general rule, deodorants tend to be less problematic than antiperspirants, as they work by neutralizing the smell of your sweat and by antiseptic action against bacteria, rather than by preventing sweating. There are many brands of aluminum-free deodorants on the market, which could be used as safe alternatives.

"Crystal" deodorant stones are a popular natural deodorant alternative often used by health-conscious shoppers looking to avoid aluminum. They contain potassium or ammonium alums. These are natural mineral salts made up of molecules that are too large to be absorbed by your skin. They form a protective layer on your skin that inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria. These deodorants are recommended by many cancer treatment centers, but while these may be a better alternative to most antiperspirants and deodorants on the market, they are not completely aluminum-free.

Botox to the rescue– If excessive sweating is a major problem small and controlled doses of Botox can be injected in the armpits to prevent sweating.

Take Home Message

The most important step to prevent breast cancer is to understand what you can do to reduce your risk. Breast cancer prevention starts with healthy habits — such as limiting alcohol, avoiding smoking, eating healthy, staying physically active, avoiding exposure to estrogens, radiation and environmental pollution.

If possible avoid all chemicals linked with cancer with or without big medical proof. You loose nothing by playing it safe and removing harmful chemicals from your life - Better safe than sorry!

Right Off The Shelf - Fat In A Syringe

Aesthetic medicine is basking in its golden era. Fusion of innovative materials and highly evolved perspectives on what truly constitutes a youthful look has set altogether new standards to deliver naturally beautiful results. Doctors are now injecting a host of compounds to lift, mold, and contour. Most aesthetic treatments last no more than an hour, and recovery times are equally swift. All this aesthetic razzle-dazzle is enough to make scalpels seem downright crude and “right off the shelf” has become the new norm to go.

To enhance facial contours and impart youth, fat injections have always been popular among people who are looking for natural volume replacement. A good number of people don’t want any artificial materials injected into their bodies. Reality Check - Among the lot who like the idea of natural augmentation there are always a niche of hypochondriacs who are not ready to commit to liposuction and re-injection routine. And then there are those walk-in patients with a desire to be treated with fat injections right now right here. They show a bucket full of disappointed when they are asked to run a battery of blood tests with a follow-up appointment set at a later date to perform liposuction and re-injection session. Not anymore!

The Dawn Of A New Era

On 23^rd September 2016 at the annual gathering for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Biologica Technologies® launched Allofill™ the first ever injectable fat-like filler.

Scalpel Free Sculpting

Allofill is the first product of its kind - a ready to use, ‘off the shelf’, adipose-derived injectable filler that works with the body to provide an all-natural tissue scaffold with native growth factors.  Allofill retains the native extracellular matrix (ECM) components of allograft-derived fat tissue and over time is remodeled into a patient’s own soft tissue.

What is Allofill?

Allograft is made from donated human fat tissue that has been cleaned and sterilized very carefully. It can be used to fill soft-tissue defects as a noninvasive alternative to surgical fat grafting with your own tissue. In a typical fat grafting procedure fat is harvested from one part of your body and is injected into another part of your body or face. With Allofill harvesting your own fat isn’t necessary since Allofill is ready to use off the shelf and can be injected in one simple and easy treatment session.

How Allofill Works?

Fat loss usually happens through the natural aging process or from the surgical removal of tissue, and can affect the volume and shape of face and body. Facial fat loss can contribute to the appearance of sagging face, a typical hallmark of an aging. Allofill can be injected under the skin to immediately fill soft tissue defects caused by fat loss.

After injection Allofill works with your body over time and provides all-natural tissue scaffolding, which repopulates your own cells and blood vessels to cushion and support your skin. As your body goes through its natural healing process, Allofill is gradually remodeled into normal soft tissue by your body.

Comments From The Specialist

Allofill is going to be a unique addition in any aesthetic injectors’ bag of tools aimed at enhancing and contouring face as well as body. This off-the-shelf fat-derived filler promises the best of both worlds – 1) long-lasting results associated with fat grafting plus 2) the convenience of other ready-to-use injectables. All eyes are going to be focused on how its fairs in practical clinical use.

Indulge In Permanent Hair Reduction With IPL At Home Like A Boss

I want to look hairy – said no one ……. Ever!  Who wants to run and grab the razor every time a short dress is on the social menu? Obviously no one! This tells us how important hair-free smooth skin is to all of us in today’s fast paced society that holds us pristine under the high standards of self-grooming.

Looking At Our Hair Removal Choices

Waxing and shaving have been the norms of hair removal since forever and more. With introduction of epilation devices the younger generation of dames were introduced to an elegant & hassle-free way to enjoy relatively long-term (3-4 weeks) hair-free smooth skin. Then dawned upon us the golden era of laser and IPL (Intense Pulse Light) assisted permanent hair reduction. A chance to permanently get rid of unwanted hairy bits of our body excited everyone. Ladies lined up in throws at aesthetic laser clinics signing up for the ultimate yet uber expensive new technological break through that promised permanent results.

The secret desire in every female heart since the inception of laser/IPL hair devices was, “When can I get a home device and save some money?” which struck a major cord with the innovators catering to hair removal industry - let them have their cake and eat it too.

The Dawn Of The Home IPL Devices:

Today we live in a world where life can be carefree and spontaneous with no worries attached to hair removal as affordable permanent hair reduction devices are at our fingertips. You can permanently get rid of your visible hair safely and privately in the comfort of your own home without breaking your bank. On this note let me introduce you to a home-based permanent hair reduction device from a brand that we all have absolute faith in.

Braun Silk-expert Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)

While designing Silk-expert IPL for home users world’s #1 hair removal brand, Braun has incorporated years of laser hair removal research along with the most cutting edge technology to place a true marvel of innovation in your hands. Each pulse in this device is optimized to target the melanin in the hair follicle safely and effectively. The procedure is virtually painless and delivers long-lasting hair-free smooth skin.

The Silk-expert device comes fitted with all the latest and most advanced bells and whistles required to give safe and effective hair removal experience. To give you an insider view here are some of the key features that really set Silk-expert IPL apart from the herd of other devices in the market.

Skin Tone Sensor P&G research has revealed that 80% of women have two or more different skin tones on their face. To give safe and effective results Silk-expert IPL features an integrated skin tone sensor that continuously adapts the light intensity to the user’s skin tone to give reliable hair reduction. It has been clinically tested for safe and effective use at home.          

Advanced Technology: Braun Silk-expert IPL is ergonomically designed and easy to hold and use. Keeping in mind the fact that hair in different parts of the body is not the same Silk-expert IPL has been designed to deliver treatment in two different light modes – ‘Normal’ or ‘Gentle’.

Normal mode is recommended for skin surfaces such as legs, arms, chest and back.

Gentle mode is the ideal setting for first-time users or for treating sensitive areas, such as face and the bikini-line. In this mode the technology adapts to different skin tones as fast and accurately as in normal mode, just in a lower energy level.

Ease Of Use: Silk-expert IPL delivers treatment in two different treatment modes to select from – ‘Glide’ or ‘Press & Release’

Glide mode: Enables fast and efficient treatments and is recommended for large surface areas (e.g. legs, arms, chest and back). Press, hold and glide is all that is required to deliver fast effective treatment.

Press & Release mode: This is recommended for treating sensitive or small, hard-to reach areas such as knees, shins, ankles, bikini line or underarm and face for women. Press and release delivers a single shot making it easy for you to treat hard to reach areas. This prevents risk of multiple shots being accidentally delivered in the same treatment area.

How Does Flashing Light On The Skin & Hair Leads To Permanent Hair Reduction?

Not ordinary light, but specialized wavelengths of light absorbed only by brown and black pigment are used to target the hair follicles. When the melanin in the hair shaft and root absorbs the light, it’s transformed into heat that breaks the hair growth cycle and damages the hair root (follicle) attached to the base of the hair leading to permanent hair reduction.

Understand The Hair Cycle

Before you learn in depth how IPL hair removal works and how many sessions you require, you need to understand the hair growth cycles. Our hair grows in three phases anagen, catagen, and telogen phase. 

Anagen phase: During this phase the hair grows actively from the follicle (root).

Catagen phase: This is a short transitional period in which the hair stops growing and the hair follicle shrinks in size. Eventually the follicle breaks away from the dermal papilla, which supplies nutrients to the hair follicle. The dermal papilla then regresses.

Telogen Phase:  It’s also called the resting phase. During this phase, the hair follicle re-attaches to the dermal papilla, at which point the follicle re-enters the anagen phase. As a new hair begins to grow, the old hair is pushed out of the follicle.

Million Dollar Question - Why Do You Need More Than One Session?

If you pull a hair out you’d see that the hair follicle is transparent in color. For permanent hair reduction we use wavelengths of light that are absorbed by the brown or black pigment in the hair. If the hair is attached to the root like in Anagen or early Telogen phase the hair will burn and the root will burn with it. If the root follicles has regressed and not attached with the hair only hair will burn with no permanent damage to the root.

To sum it up the results from an IPL hair removal procedure depend on skin tone, hair type, and the growth phase of the hair being treated. On average most people need from 5-10 session to get qualitative results.

Key Take Home Message

It is important to realize that IPL hair removal will likely not prevent hair from growing completely. However, IPL hair removal can reduce hair growth significantly over time giving your skin the smooth appearance that you desire. With continued and periodic use the hair eventually will become weaker, finer, lighter and slower to grow.

Shortly after this article I will be publishing answers to your most asked questions concerning home IPL permanent hair reduction – Stay tuned!