"The Esthetics Room - What exactly am I doing to you?" Part 2 – The Machine

Tuesday, I answered many common questions that arise on a weekly basis.  Today, I am going to discuss what the “scary” equipment in my room is used for.

Not one person has walked into my room without commenting:

“What is that machine?”

“What is it used for?” 

“It looks like dental equipment.”

And, my favorite,

“Is that a device to torture someone?”

"That Machine" is generally referred to as a Multi-Functional Facial Machine (the title seems pretty obvious, I know).  Some estheticians have more parts on their machine, while others have less, but it’s generally used to aid in caring for your skin, during the facial process.  

My machine has 7 main functions.  I will cover what I use, most often.    

1.     The Vaporizer or Steamer

This is probably the most used item on a facial machine.  Many people are familiar with its calming sound and relaxing warm mist, but do you really know what it is doing? 

The steam serves 3 main purposes:

·         Softening the dead surface cells so they can be more easily removed.

·         Dilating the pores for better absorption of product or easier removal of debris.

·         Either activating a particular type of facial product or lessening the intensity of a facial product. 

To be honest, a client either loves the feel of the steam or despises it. No, all facials do not have to utilize the steam, but if you are in need of extractions, it will make my job allot easier and effective if I use it. Also, never be afraid to speak up if the steam is too strong for you, I can always reposition the steamer

2.    The Massage/Facial Brush

The brush is a wonderful alternative, for exfoliation, to a rough facial scrub or as great deep cleansing tool.  The brush is also produces a pleasant feeling on the skin.

The larger brush head is great for deep cleansing large areas, such as the decollate (aka your chest) or back.  The smaller brush head is perfect for the delicate eye area.  

  When in use, the facial brush should never feel excessively rough or unpleasant.  If you have delicate (thin) skin or many distended capillaries (broken blood vessels), the face brush should not be used.   

3.    High Frequency

I’m sure many of you have asked to get “zapped” before, if you have a blemish, or have heard other people discuss it.  Getting “zapped” is having the high frequency used on you. 

High frequency helps to stimulate blood circulation, to help products penetrate deeper and aid in anti-aging and helps to oxygenate the skin and produce a germicidal effect, important after extractions. You may feel a prick or a tingling sensation while the implement is in use, but it should never hurt.  

*A little science lesson for your day.* 

The high frequency electrodes are made of glass, contain either argon (violet/blue) or neon (orange/red) gases and come in 3 basic shapes.

·         Pointed – the shape most people think of when getting “zapped”.  The electrode contains neon gas.  The neon gas is used for its germicidal properties.  The pointed shape is perfect for spot treating acne or reaching smaller areas, like the sides of the nose. 

·         Spoon – contains argon gas and is used to stimulate the facial area.  It’s great as an anti-aging tool and to help masks absorb more quickly into the skin. 

·         Mushroom – can contain either argon or neon gases.  Its flat surface makes it ideal to treat a large acneic are or penetrate a mask.

4.    Galvanic Current

This treatment is fabulous to aide in disincrustation ( loosening of debris in the pores for extractsions), “closing” pores after a treatment and helping serums/water soluble products penetrate deeper into the skin. 

           

Galvanic current is an actual electrical current that flows through the body.  There is a positive and negative setting. 

No, I am not going to electrocute you, but you will have to hold a grounding electrode while I am performing the service.   If you \have any metal in your body or a pace maker, if you are pregnant or are on a high dose of anti-depressants, I will not perform this service on you.  If you have any metallic fillings in your mouth, you might have a slight taste of metal during this procedure. 

There are two main types of electrodes used in galvanic:

      ·         Facial Electrode 

Generally used on the negative setting of the galvanic machine.  The negative setting causes the pores to open and allows an alkaline solution (the Scaling Fluid from Dermalogica) to penetrate deeper and loosen the hardened sebum in your pores, making extractions easier. (Sebum is the oil your body naturally produces to coat your skin and hair.  It tends to mix with your sweat, lipids and dirt and, at times, gets trapped in your pores.)

Example of a Roller Electrode.

·         Roller Electrode

Generally used on the positive setting of the galvanic machine.  The positive setting causes the pores to constrict, firming the skin.  It also aides in the penetration of water soluble products and soothes the skin after extractions.

After a treatment, you will notice a cleaner, brighter complexion!

5.    Magnifying Lamp and Woods Lamp

Everyone knows what the magnifying lamp is…..it’s the round, bright light with the magnifying glass in the middle, that allows me to see what is going on with your skin, up close and personal. 

But, many of you have probably never heard of a Woods Lamp, before.  The Woods Lamp uses a violet florescent light that, when shined on the skin, illuminates certain substances on the skin and in the pores for better skin evaluation.  

As you can see, the sun damage or "age spots" are easier to see under the light.

For example:

oil = yellow color

dehydrated skin = violet color

sun damage = brown

I will be using the Woods Lamp in most of my facial treatments, this month, so everyone will become familiar with this fabulous tool! 

So, in conclusion, never be afraid of the 

“Scary Machine” in my room….

it’s only there to help, not harm!

A stretchy situation.......

Today I have been working on my second segment for work,  "The Esthetics Room - What exactly am I doing to you?" Part 2 – The Machine.....but it's still a work in progress.  Should be up tomorrow afternoon, but now, I'm starting a new experiment....Bio-Oil.

I had my bouncing baby girl, 5 years ago.  Not only did I start to have stretch marks at 10 weeks, but they continued to get worse over the next 30 weeks....it was not pretty.  I've tried allot of things such as StriVectin SD (http://www.strivectin.com), Eminence Yam and Pumpkin Professional Peel (http://www.eminenceorganics.com/products/index.php?paid=121), Glyton's KP kit (http://www.glytone-usa.com/search/beauty.html), time, working out, the stupid cocoa butter....nothing has worked so far.

So, I've decided to try the natural alternate, which seems to be more and more popular, Bio-Oil.  The active ingrediants are as follows:

• Vitamin A (improves elasticity)
• Vitamin E (increases moisture content) 
• Calendula, Lavender, Chomomile and Rosemary Oils (calming and clarifying)
• PurCellin Oil (delivery system to aid in the abortion of the other active products) 

The directions state to apply to clean dry skin two times a day for at least 3 months.....sounds involved, but I am  willing to try.

Today, Day 1 (My stomach is bloated....don't judge!)
Let us see how it really works!  

A Month of Healthy Skin

So, I am starting a series at work for the next four weeks, entitled, "A Month of Healthy Skin"....the following it today's post for work on Facebook.

“A Month of Healthy Skin,” is a concept, I came up with, to introduce skincare novices to my services and to help my current clients get to know more about what I do and about the skincare line we carry and love, Dermalogica.  Every week, for the next 4 weeks, I will be covering a different topic and hopefully answering some questions, you may have, along the way. 

This Week's Topic:  

"The Esthetics Room - What exactly am I doing to you?" 

Part 1

This week, I am going to cover some key elements concerning what an esthetican does, what happens during a facial and what the “scary” equipment in my room is for. 

Today…the basics…questions I am asked, at least once a week. 

Q: What are you?

A:  I am an esthetician or skin therapist.  I was trained at an esthetics school, 10 years ago.  I perform services such as facials, body treatments, full body waxing and make-up.  I cannot diagnose a medical condition or perform microdermabrasion or medical grade peels (in the state of Maryland, without a doctor on staff), but I can spot issues that should be referred to a medical doctor. 

Q:  What is a facial?

A:  A facial cleanses, exfoliates and nourishes the skin to promote facial skin health. 

There are 5 basic steps to a facial:

1.    Skin Analysis – the face is examined in order to determine the course of treatment for each client.  I customize every facial to suit your particular needs.

2.    Cleansing/Exfoliation – after cleansing, I will perform an exfoliation, in order to remove the dead skin cells and impurities from your face.  Some exfoliations are more intense than others and again, they are chosen based on your skin’s specific needs.

3.    Extractions – not everyone needs them and not everyone will get them, but extractions remove the debris from the pores of your face, be it a comedone (aka a blackhead), a papule (aka a white head), or a pustule (aka a pimple), it will be removed in a safe and sanitary way. 

4.    Mask – masks either calm, hydrate or treat your skin. 

5.    Massage – the facial massage is essential in toning and tightening the skin, but it also helps to increase the absorption of the product. 

These steps can be rearranged, taken out or repeated to suit a particular clients needs and goals. 

Q:  Why do I have to tell you what medication I am on?

A:  Some medications cause the very skin condition that is bothing you and many medications are contraindications (condition which makes a particular treatment or procedure inadvisable) to certain skincare procedures.

There are many medications which make the skin more sensitive to exfoliation, heat, light and touch.  A few popular examples :

·         Retin-A, a popular medication used to treat acne and promote anti-aging, promotes peeling of the skin.  Not informing me of this medication could cause excessive dermabrasion (removing of skin) or even chemical burns. 

·         Antibiotics – a great way to treat many infections, but it also causes your skin to be more sensitive to heat, light and exfoliation.

·         Blood Pressure Medication – used to lower blood pressure, yes, but the ruddiness in your skin, which you have come in to take care of, may be related to your high blood pressure. 

·         Thyroid Medication – can not only cause your hair loss and temperature sensitivity, but it can also be the cause of your dry/dehydrated skin.   

Even if you do not want to be specific, please always tell me the general class of medication you are on, so I can give you the best experience possible. 

Q:  Will a facial make me break out?

A:  Yes and no……

Facials stimulate the skin, causing toxins, sebum/oil, and lymphatic fluid to move around.  This can cause a break-out, but generally only if you are prone to breaking out.  This is why I do not advice a person to have a facial within a week or two of an important event, especially if you have never had one before or if you are around your menstrual cycle. 

And finally,

Q:  How often should I have a facial?

A:  Rule of thumb, every 4-6 weeks.    

But, this can change according to your skincare goal. 

            Ace relief?                 2-3 weeks

            Anti-aging or drastic change?        2-3 weeks

            Do light skin care at home and rarely exfoliate on your own? 4-6 weeks

            Excellent about your at home skin routine and just need someone to check in        with?  8-12 weeks or once a season.

We will discuss what is best for you once we do your facial and evaluation!  

The meaning behind the title - Desquamation (from Latin desquamare, meaning "to scrape the scales off a fish") is the shedding of the outermost membrane or layer of a tissue, such as the skin.

"Our skin mediates the most important transactions of our lives.  Skin is key to our biology, our sensory experiences, our information gathering, and our relationships with others.  Although the many roles it plays are rarely appreciated, it is one of the most remarkable and highly versatile parts of the human body."  

 - "Skin A Natural History" by Nina G. Jablonski

A Small Lesson in the Composition of Your Skin
Though our skin is composed of three main layers, we are generally concerned with the two top sections, the epidermis and the dermis.  
The dermis is the center layer of our skin.  It contains everything we generally worry about, our hair follicles, sweat glands and oil glands and is composed of collagen and elastin....our friends when we are young and our foes as we age.  
The epidermis is our "armor", per say.  The epidermis, itself, protects us from the elements, bacteria, ultra-violet light.  But, the epidermis has no blood vessels, connective tissue, cartilage or fat....it's simply made up of the dying skin cells waiting to be evacuated from the body...aka, desquamation.


Like your heart beating and your lungs inhaling and exhaling, your skin sheds itself automatically.  Approximately every 35 to 40 days, an entirely new epidermis (the outer most layer of skin) is created.
Yes, the desquamation of our skin, in literal terms, is the main focus of my profession.  But, I thought of the title of this blog to mean something more.  


I am about to turn 30 and everything I know, to this point, will change.  The way I care for myself, my skin, and my life will have to change.  I need to shed my old theories of what is best for me, what is best for my clients, what is best for my family and try to build some new foundations.  Now, like our own epidermis, I am fed by my past, by my history, my education, my family....my dermis, my live layer of life.  I need to take everything I have learned, thus far, and transfer it into actions for my future.  


I feel I help my clients, family and friends desquamate their lives (and skin) on a daily basis....and now, I hope to continue to help them and help you!