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!

The Rise Of "Brotox" — Breaking Free From The Old Taboos

Every guy needs to admit the fact that “feeling old” sucks no matter what your age. We all look in the mirror every morning and judge ourselves by how we look, and then our day starts — ours friends, colleagues, acquaintances, loved ones, and strangers in short the whole world looks at us and responds to our quintessence in direct or indirect ways; compliments (verbal or nonverbal) always boost our morale and criticism at some level ends up denting our self confidence. Women have been indulging in anti-aging rituals from time immemorial; the pertinent new-age question challenging the beau of today is — Is it “OK” for men to take a dip in the aesthetic fountain of youth?

Women have always been held to a far higher standard when it comes to aging, therefore it’s a modern and socially acceptable norm that most females will willingly go under the needle or knife to reset nature’s clock. Men, by contrast, have long worn their wrinkles and sun damage as a public badge of endurance, hard work, experience, and sacrifice. The ultimate symbol of masculinity; Clint Eastwood roping bad guys in and delivering justice in the “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly” didn’t have a smooth, flat forehead. Similarly high-profile male role-models & celebrities like Robert Redford and Sean Connery who have rocked their creases for decades on the red carpet have also perpetuated the psychological baseline that it’s better for men to remain au natural.

But things can’t always stay status quo, the Marlboro hunk might have portrayed the picture of the ultimate “Manly Man” looking all rugged and creased with a cigarette pursed in his lips in 1959, but smoking is not as fashionable in 2016 as it was back then and the same holds true for the wrinkles. The new face of masculinity and People Magazine’s sexiest man of the year 2015; David Beckham has allegedly been bitten by the aesthetic surgery bug. Brotox (Bros using Neurotoxin to erase wrinkles), high-def abs and other aesthetic procedures have begun to shape the brand new “Menaissance” — a golden Era of Unapologetic Male Beauty.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, over 6,757,198 U.S. men received “Brotox” (a.k.a. Botox for men) injections in 2015, highlighting a 355 percent increase, since 2000. The goal for most men doing aesthetic treatments is not to look younger; they just simply aim to look better, more attractive, more rested, and fit. Though the staggering rise in numbers is impressive and a testament to the fact that men and women both want to look good no matter what the age, there still is some stigma attached to men receiving aesthetic treatments. Most men believe in going to the gym and taking care of their health, and physical fitness. So why not take other measures to look and feel their best too?

Reality of life is: “Men age” and lucky for them the cosmetic tools to hide it are no longer reserved for ladies and plastic-faced newscasters. The increase in male patients undergoing cosmetic procedures is driven by:

·      A desire to be more competitive and youthful in the workforce, the growing social acceptability of cosmetic procedures and increased awareness of the safety and efficacy are all contributing factors to the increase in male patients.

·      In addition, age-related concerns have men seeking cosmetic procedures. With younger urban male professionals, gender conventions are blurring, and these men also understand the importance of maintaining their youthful look.

·      The constant sharing of photos on social media is also driving pressure on younger men to look fashionable, well groomed and fit.

The trends of self-grooming for men are constantly shifting and more men than ever are fixing their faces with lasers, needles, and chemicals. Men have begun to accept and realize that tiny injections of neurotoxins can really make them look well rested, sharp and fresh. Looking young, feeling young — feels good and restores confidence. It also just might give you an edge at your next job interview and improve your love life. Furrowed brows and “Elevens” don’t represent industry experience the way they used to so being able to come across seasoned as well as youthful is often the ticket to nailing your next big promotion against the Millennial who’s leveraging age against you. The aesthetic industry stats back the acceptance of aesthetic treatment among male patients, one last thing you need to know before you embrace the Bro-tox trend is choose your doctor very carefully. The injector has to understand the characteristics of a male face and ensure during injections he/she does not feminize the face even minutely.

Early Eidiya — Your Personal Invite To Red Carpet Flawless Skin

You have been a Good girl, fasting, praying and practicing our “Ramadan Healthy Body, Healthy Soul” philosophy, hence you deserve a special Eid gift — A fail proof prescription for perfect and unmarred skin customized especially for your individual skin type  — this means; not a generic one size fits all prescription, but a tailor made prescription designed especially for your skin.

First Things First, We Need To Find Out What Is Your Precise Skin Type — Mentally prepare your self to embark on a fact-finding journey with me to unveil your particular skin type & lets get cracking.

Forget about the old way you used to look at your skin — Normal, Dry or Oily. According to the new research while classifying skin we not only look at the sebaceous gland activity (normal, dry and combination/oily skin) but also the melanocyte activity (pigmented skin) and immune reactions (sensitive skin).

Grab a good mirror and take an analytic look at your skin under good lightening.

Oily/Combination & Acne Prone Skin

• If you see pores and black heads, especially around the center T-zone of your face — your skin type is combination/oily.
• If you get back heads and pimples on and off — your skin type is acne prone combination/oily.
• If your pores are enlarged all over the face and after washing your face within few hours you feel all over greasy sensation — you have oily skin.
• To be very sure you can do a quick test yourself with a skin blotting paper — if within and hour or two of washing face the blotting paper shows grease your skin is oily.

Normal Skin

• Pores are medium sized. 
• On most days skin doesn’t feel dry or oily.

Congrats you won the genetic lottery at your conception, as your skin type is normal.

Dry Skin

• Pores are almost invisible. 
• Skin is constantly in need of moisture. 
• After washing if moisturizer is not applied it feels tight and uncomfortable — you have dry skin

Sensitive Skin

• All the above skin types can fall under the sensitive category too. 
• Sensitive skin hallmark is redness, itching and skin irritation, which might be triggered by weather changes, skincare products or food.

Pigmented Skin

• If you expose to sun you don’t tan evenly you get blotchy pigmentation; some areas produce too much color and some less. 
• You have patches of uneven pigmentation on your skin triggered by sun, hormones or inflammation your skin type is pigmented.

Fitting In All The Pieces Of Puzzle Together: Now that you have read about all the skin traits mentioned above — tick mark as “Yes” the ones that apply to your skin. The ones you have check-marked as “Yes” define your exact skin type.

Congrats after this exercise you are one step closer to your ideal skin. Now that you know your exact skin type lets get you a skin prescription tailor made just for you.

Normal Skin in early 20’s: Needs gentle cleansing, moisturization and sun protection on regular basis.

I recommend Aminogenesis Really Really Clean moisturizing facial cleanser, Cetaphil daily moisturizer with SPF 15 and if you are spending a lot of time outdoors in the sun Neutrogenia Light Touch SPF 55.

Normal Skin in late 20's, 30’s & 40's: Stay honest to your daily skincare regimen and add antioxidants and collagen boosters to prevent aging and keep skin as youthful as possible. Sunscreen as a must-have UV protective shield should be always used when out and about.

I recommend Dermaceutic C25 antioxidant concentrate during daytime and Activ Retinol 1.0 at night. 

Pigmented & Normal Skin: 

In addition to daily skincare regimen add skin lightening agents to your daily routine in order to prevent pigmentation patches and keep your complexion uniform and radiant.

I recommend Skin Tech Blending Bleaching cream twice daily in addition to proper cleansing, moisturization & sun protection.

Oily Skin Teens & 20’s: 

Combination and oily skin needs special care otherwise open pores and acne can cause permanent damage in the form of pigmentation and scarring.

I recommend a face wash that cleanses thoroughly but does not make the skin overtly dry. Regular moisturization as oily skin does need hydration too, in fact adding hydration to skin relaxes the oil glands and sebum production. Using an oil-free sunblock when outdoors is imperative to prevent post inflammatory pigmentation associated with acne.

If you break out and get pimples on and off add acne treatment to your daily skincare. For mild to moderate acne I recommend Exfoliac Acnomega 100 cream and Epiduo cream on alternate nights. For severe acne see a dermatologist and ask about the prescription of Isotretinon Tablets. 

Oily Skin 30’s & 40’s: You suffer from pen pores and breakouts and adult acne still lingers on as your main skin concern. All these symptoms can be tackled with proper skincare regimen. To prevent aging add oil-free antioxidants and collagen boosters.

I recommend AminoGenesis Perfect Reflection 2-3 times daily, Pharmagel Beta C in the afternoon, Amninogenesis Perfect Reflection after every wash and at night Dermaceutic retinol 0.1 alternating with Exfoliac Acnomega 100 if you still get acne on and off. 

Pigmented & Oily Skin: Add oil-free skin lightening agents along with your daily skincare

I recommend BDF Fade gel plus  twice daily.  

Sensitive & Oily Skin: Special oil-free skincare for sensitive skin is required to maintain optimal skin. Avene has great skin products for oily and sensitive skin.

I recommend AminoGenesis Really Really Clean Cleansing gel 2-3 times per day. After washing spray Avene Eau Thermale spray to soothe the skin and then apply Avene Cleanance Hydra as moisturizer. If acne is leaving pigmentation marks on face use Avene Sensitive White Serum to keep skin color uniform. When outdoors use Avene Sunscreen Emulsion  SPF 50 for sensitive skin. If you get acne on and off used Avene Cleanance Gel Crème Exfoliant to prevent breakouts.

Dry Skin in early 20’s: Special hydrating skincare should be adopted early on in life to prevent skin damage with age.

I recommend Avene Gentle milk Cleanser 1-2 times daily, QV moisturizing cream to replenish & hydrate dry skin and Sebamed SPR 50 Multi protect Sun lotion.

Dry Skin in 30’s & 40’s: In a addition to daily skincare regimen add antioxidants and collagen boosters with heavy moisture factor to daily routine to combat wrinkles and skin sagging.

I recommend Avene Gentle milk Cleanser 1-2 times daily and Sebamed SPR 50 Multi protect Sun lotion with addition of SkinCeuticals C + E Frulic acid serum (its packed with potent antioxidants), Dermaceutic Hyal Ceutic Intense moisturizer (with hyaluronic acid, Aloe vera, jajoba oil and vitamin E) and Dermaceutic’s Activ Retinol at night.

For additional hydration you can also use QV moisturizing cream on and off.

Pigmented & Dry Skin: Add moisture infusing skin lightening agents along with your daily skincare.

I recommend Avene Gentle milk Cleanser, Skin Tech Blending Bleaching cream twice daily. Aminogenesis Therapeutic Facial Repair anti-aging moisturizing cream and Heliocare advanced gel with SPR 50 for sun protection (it covers UVA and B).

Sensitive & Dry Skin: Stay clear of irritant chemicals and use gentle products to take of skin on daily basis.

I recommend Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser for sensitive and dry skin, Avene TriXera emollient balm or Avene Cicalfate cream for dry irritated skin. As a Sunblock stick to Avene Very High Protection Emulsion with SPF 50. 

There you go, now you’re all set to radiate and shine, enjoy these skincare prescriptions and face life by putting your best skin forward.

 

Fast Your Way To Healthy Skin

The reverential month of Ramadan edifies us to discipline our lives, give up bad habits and practice restraint in all spheres of life — goal being to cleanse our soul and make ourselves stronger. We can wield the same willpower towards our physical countenance, merging the philosophies of healthy mind, healthy body, and healthy soul and at the end of the month come out as true winners — body and soul. Lets venture for the big victory and start making changes from today.

During Ramadan our daily routine, and food consumption habits change drastically and in most cases not for the better if I may add. Most people fete iftar and sahoor with extravagant food — high cal fried hors d'oeuvre and sugar-loaded desserts become the star attractions at most table d'hôtes. Sambosas, Kunafa and Atayef are indeed yummy and tempting but in order to save your skin and avoid extra pounds of flab you need to exercise restraint (CHANGE NO. 1) — Don't eat large portions. Take a bite, savor the taste — don’t go gobble-gobble, commit to healthy food choices and eliminate bad foods from your diet.

As Nutritionists Say, “You Are What You Eat” — To Look Good Eat Healthy!

Instead of indulging in the traditional fried, fatty, and heavy cookery make salads, vegetables and lean proteins (grilled fish, chicken, meat) the main source of your sustenance. (CHANGE NO. 2) Start a new Ramadan ritual — focus on eating simple and healthy food.

Menus To Avoid:

• Fried, starchy and sugar loaded food causes skin problems like excessively oily skin/hair and acne. Sugar also promotes wrinkles and skin sagging by damaging collagen by a process called glycation. Unsurprisingly, too much sweet stuff is also bad for your smile. Sugar sticks to your teeth, encouraging bacteria, decay, and discoloration — bye bye bright smile.

•  Dairy products have been linked to acne and oily skin breakouts in many research studies. People with oily and combination skin should avoid drinking lots of milk because it can trigger zits.

•  Red meat generates free radicals, which constantly snag electrons from your healthy cells, damaging them in the process. This damage ultimately affects your skin’s ability to protect itself and generate collagen making you look older than your age. White meats are the best way to get you daily dose of proteins.

•  Charred BBQ, the black on that burnt meat contains pro-inflammatory hydrocarbons which might cause slow inflammation in your skin leading to break down of your collagen and elastin bundles. You don’t need to banish BBQ from your list of good foods, just scrape off the black stuff before you eat.

•  Trans fats also promote inflammation, which is bad news for your skin. These unhealthy fats also make you more vulnerable to UV damage, which is the number one cause of aging. Make sure to avoid all products that list partially hydrogenated oil on their ingredient label.

•  Canned Food is preserved with sodium, which can make you retain water and over time you’d look puffy and washed-out. Go for fresh food instead for preserved food cans.

•  Limit your intake of caffeine in terms of soda, coffee and tea as they all promote mineral and fluids excretion from your body, which ultimately leaves your skin dry, dehydrated and lacking in luster.

Provisions To Indulge In:

• Dates are the staple food of Ramadan. In health circles there is a popular saying: three dates a day can keep a lot of ailments away! Dates have some great nutritional benefits — they contain copper, potassium, fiber, manganese, iron, vitamins A, B complex, C and magnesium; all this good stuff not only boosts our overall health, but also makes our skin beautiful and supple. Respect the rule of 3 though and don’t over indulge, as dates are also high in sugar content.

• Fruits such as strawberries and blueberries are high in antioxidants; they are literally God’s gift to promote healthy skin. Apricots in addition to having vitamin A, C, E and minerals like phosphorus, silicon, calcium, and iron aid in the digestion process and protect you against dehydration. With their rich sodium and potassium content they also help to maintain electrolyte balance of your body — which physically translates to healthy skin and healthy body.

•  Stock up on foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) such as flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, avocados, salmon, and olive oil. These foods will help your skin maintain it’s soft and supple look.

•  Fasting dehydrates the skin so it’s very important to make sure that you rehydrate between iftar and sahoor. Drink at least eight glasses of water in addition to any other fluids (green juice or green tea).

•  There are many foods that can repair dehydrated skin, such as cashews or almonds; which are packed with healthy fibers, fatty acids and proteins that augments and maintains your skin's inner glow.

Daily Skincare Routine

Maintain the daily Cleanse, Tone, and Moisturize routine for your particular skin type. Learn what is your skin type? (CHANGE NO. 3) — and use products accordingly. Using wrong products can cause skin damage instead of improvement.

Exfoliation: If you have oily skin exfoliate twice a week, if you have normal skin exfoliate once a week and if you have dry and sensitive skin exfoliate every 10-15 days. The idea is to remove dead skin caused by the lack of water intake, restore the skin’s natural mineral levels and balance the skin’s oil production.

Sun Protection: (CHANGE NO. 4) Commit to sunscreen. While being out & about wear your sunscreen (with UVA and B protection SPF 30) regularly. Also invest in some good oversized shades with UV 400 protection to take extra care of the delicate skin around the eyes.

Sticking with the healthy vittles and skincare routine will help you get a clearer skin with a vigorous glow and a big bonus — acne free face.

Ramadan Kareem!!

Bye-Bye Wrinkles — Hello Second Skin

Face-On - Face-Off — wearing a second skin mimicking ideals of youth and beauty to mask reality sounds like a plot of a sci-fi movie, or does it? Thanks to the experts at the MIT lab, who put in a steady ten years of research to create second skin, it is now a very real phenomenon. This bottled miracle in a jar will be soon available to the public to wipe off wrinkles as easy as 123 — 1.The material (currently being called XPL) is applied to the face like any cream 2. It is activated with a catalyst gel and 3. Voila you have an immediate tightening effect, which mimics the mechanical and elastic properties of healthy, youthful skin while banishing imperfections and smoothing out wrinkles. The petitioners searching for the fountain-of-youth see this as a major breakthrough in our fight against wrinkles and more. 

What is XPL?

Second skin (XPL) is a silicone-based polymer that when applied on the skin as a thin coating, mimics the mechanical and elastic properties of healthy, youthful skin. It works in two stages. Firstly a polymer gel containing alternating silicon and oxygen atoms is applied across the skin to create a perfectly fitting mask. Second a liquid platinum catalyst is applied on top, which encourages new bridges to form between the atoms, in the same was a vulcanized rubber is created. The chemical reaction immediately causes the material to harden yet staying very flexible at the same time, this reaction tightens and compresses the skin underneath erasing eye-bags and wrinkles.

The material (XPL) has been tested rigorously at MIT labs for safety and effectiveness in several studies where it has shown to hide eye-bags and ameliorate skin wrinkles with the added bonus of improving skin hydration. These results automatically qualify the second skin as a super-hero product, which not only covers up the skin defects giving up the illusion of perfect skin but also improves skin hydration working as a top-of-the-range moisturizer. At night it can be peeled off as the effect last only 24 hours.

Acting as an invisible layer covering skin vulnerabilities the prospects of using “second skin” in dermatology could be limitless it could be employed to help treat skin conditions with barrier defects such as eczema and other types of dermatitis, even used as under occlusion drug delivery system and of course it can also be adapted to provide long-lasting ultraviolet protection or camouflage system for pigmentation disorders.