I am often asked ‘What is the best moisteuriser?’  – the answer for me every time is ‘ Sunscreen ’.

Sunscreen will help protect against Melanoma and other skin cancer development as well as slow down the progression of wrinkles. At the same time, it is a very good moisteuriser

Whatever Sunscreen you prefer make sure it has a SPF of 50 or greater. Gone are the days when sunscreens were thick and unfriendly to your skin. Most of the sunscreens on the market now are ‘skin friendly’.

It is really a ‘horses for courses’ type thing with sunscreens. By that I mean that although a particular sunscreen is liked by yourself, that same product may not suit someone else. We have found over the years that the Neutrogena and Sunsense brands are suitable for most people. They are well developed and researched products and seem to suit almost everyone’s skin.

How often should I apply my sunscreen?

It may seem crazy but the standard to which most sunscreens around the world are tested involves a 2mm thick layer of sunscreen!! Hence, if you read on the product that it lasts 4 hours that really means it will last 4 hours if you put it on 2mm thick – who does that?

Because most of us will use less than a 2-mm layer it is generally accepted that most of the sunscreens will only last a couple of hours – so you need to reapply your sunscreen every couple of hours whilst outside.

When should I apply it?

We now know that there is really no need to apply your sunscreen 20 minutes before you go outside so don’t worry about needing to put your sunscreen on until you are about to begin your outdoor time.

Should it be used all year around?

What has come to light recently though is that in NZ there are only a few days a year where there is insufficient UV light to cause damage to our skin. I think it is a fairly widely held view that ‘you can only get sun damage to your skin if the sun is out’. However, the reality is that the Ultra Violet damaging sunlight is present in large amounts wherever you can see blue sky.

That means that ideally, you should use a sunscreen even in winter (especially those clear winter days).

What have sunscreens and the coral reef got in common?

It now seems clear that some components of some sunscreen’s can kill coral. Oxygenizing is a common component of many sunscreens and has been shown to cause a variety of reactions in coral from bleaching to killing the coral.

Think of all those people who have put on sunscreen before going snorkeling around some coral reef. Unknowingly they have probably been contributing to the death of some parts of the worlds coral reefs. I’ve been one of those people –hmmm.

If you are planning on swimming around some coral, try and use a sunscreen without oxybenzone in it (the labelling should make it pretty clear). Alternatives such as sunscreens with zinc oxide or titanium oxide could be used.

For more information on sunscreens see our blog on Physical V Chemical sunscreens in Jan 2018.

GB

The post Respect the coral reefs but get your sunscreen on and slow down your wrinkle progression! appeared first on Encorė Health..

Tricks to mimimise bruising following dermal fillers…

Bruising can be one of the biggest concerns patients have about receiving dermal filler treatments. An experienced injector knows where the big vessels are located, however the face is very vascular and it is sometimes impossible to avoid every single branch of a blood vessel when treating. A bruise is a bruise – it will go away, usually after 7-10 days. And the good news is, there are a number of things you can do before and after your treatment to help to lessen or prevent the severity of bruising:

1) Avoid blood thinning vitamin supplements for a week prior to your appointment: Omega3 oils, Ginseng, Vitamin E, Saint John’s Wart –these supplements act as blood thinners. Blood that is less likely to clot is more likely to spill out of a capillary (your tiniest blood vessels) and cause a bruise.

2) Avoid drinking alcohol for 2-3 days before and after your appointment. Alcohol has a negative effect on blood clotting and inhibits vitamin C absorption. So drinking is a double negative as vitamin C has a vital role in promoting capillary strength and collagen growth, which assists the skin to heal at the injection site.

3) Use Arnica Montana: A number of studies have indicated that Arnica reduces swelling and pain, which in turn helps reduce bruising. Arnica can be applied topically or taken orally for a few days before your treatment. Arnica is a homeopathic remedy that can be found in health food stores.

4) Skip the workout: Keep exercise low-key for two days after your treatment. Boosting your heart rate over 100 beats per minute in the few days following your treatment can increase swelling and bruising.

5) Ice, ice, ice! I advise patients (if it is possible) to ice the treated area for 10 minutes on, and 10 minutes off, for 30-60 minutes’ post treatment and then as required in the days following treatment. You must take pauses in the icing process so as not to over-freeze the blood vessels in the treated area.

6) Cover it up: A good concealer will camouflage the appearance of a bruise during the time it takes to heal. You can also try applying a corrective green tint before your concealer – the green will counteract the redness in the bruise and make it easier to cover with concealer or foundation. Apply gently to avoid hindering the healing process.

Because some bruising is possible even with the very best care, please always schedule your appointments one to two weeks before a special event. And always remember that bruising always resolves – a bruise is a bruise – it will go away and you will be left to enjoy the beautiful effects of your dermal filler treatment!

Janelle Holton-Lowe
Aesthetic Nurse Specialist

The post Dermal Fillers – how to minimise bruising. appeared first on Encorė Health..

– which really works?

I thought I’d keep this blog  simple by blogging about keeping it simple!

I am frequently asked something along the lines of ‘What is the best facial regime for me?’ Usually these are patients that have tried either lots of different products or spent a lot of money on expensive products and are wondering if they are having much effect.

It’s pretty simple really – the best proven ingredients to use are a sunscreen, Retinoic acid or Resveratrol. A lot of products have these ingredients in them BUT in order for it to be most effective they need to be at a certain concentration and you will find that a lot of products out there have either no easily found documented amount of these ingredients or the ingredients are at insufficient levels to be effective.

There are a lot of other ingredients that claim to have been ‘proven to work’ out there but what does that mean?

Proven to work by well-planned proper trials that would stand up to scientific scrutiny and have been published in medical journals? – usually not.
What about ‘Dermatologically proven’- well that’s a very ‘loose’ term and often when I see this I know it is not the general consensus of dermatologists but rather the opinion of one or a few ….

It has been estimated  that the average women in the USA will spend around $300,000 (yes 300 thousand dollars!) on beauty products in her life time. The average spend/day is between $4-$11.

I am not sure what the average spend is in NZ but I would suggest the best ‘bang for your buck’ by far is to minimize your spend on beauty products (that at best will give you some mild and if you are lucky moderate improvement) and instead spend your money on something that really does give significant results – like IPL or Botox or Fillers.

We have all these options at Encorė Cosmetic Cinic. Call and  book a free consultation with one of our cosmetic nurses.

GB

The post Beauty creams or Botox™? appeared first on Encorė Health..

Liposculpture by Cryolipolysis…

The latest piece of Technology at Encorė is our Cooltech fat freezing machine. Large numbers of fat cells can be removed from your body with a Cooltech treatment. Cooltech works by freezing areas of fat -a process  known as cryolipolysis.

Amazing technology, it has been taking Europe by storm and has been used to treat well over 1 million patients worldwide.

Removal of fat for cosmetic procedures is called Liposculpture. There are several known ways to remove fat – liposuction, heating or freezing. Our clinic is now able to offer all 3 options to our patients. We have offered Tumescent Liposuction at our clinic since 2004 and now have both Cooltech and TriLipo (heating of the fat by radiofrequency treatment) as non-invasive forms of liposculpture.

As heating and cooling of fat do not involve surgery, they are known as ‘non- invasive’ treatments. They can not remove as much fat as liposuction but do remove up to  30% of fat from the treated areas. In my opinion I think these non- invasive treatments are best suited to patients who have small to medium sized areas of excess fat they want reduced.

Even though the tumescent liposuction we perform at Encorė Cosmetic Clinic is a very straightforward and easily tolerated procedure, there are a number of patients who just do not want to consider this option. In patients who only have small to medium amounts of fat Cooltech is a great option.

Of the non- invasive treatments we have available, Cooltech is our preferred treatment option as overall it has a higher patient satisfaction rate then TriLipo and in most patients only one treatment is needed. However, in some patients we may use a combination of both heating and freezing the fat – known as Liposculpture by’Fire and Ice’!

Cooltech has many advantages over other commonly used forms of fat freezing – most of which require multiple treatment sessions. Cooltech usually requires just one treatment, has multiple handpieces allowing very tailored treatments to all body sites and up to two areas can be treated at any one time.   Both non- invasive treatments are safe and have minimal side effects. With Cooltech some temporary side effects such as numbness or discomfort over the treated area can occur.

So – if you are someone who has  a bit of your shape you would like reduced then Cooltech may be the perfect solution for you.For more information on see our website here

GB

The post COOLTECH – Fat Freezing at Encorė Cosmetic Clinic appeared first on Encorė Health..

I have been seeing a lot of dry skin in clinic over the past few weeks. A combination of increased heating, cold dry climate and perhaps even the recent chlorination of Christchurch water is to blame. So following on from some questions from my clients I have been inspired to write something! I now give you my top 5 tips for healthy winter skin

1) Lower the Thermostat
When it’s chilly outside, what’s the first thing you want to do? Crank up the heat! But heat dries your skin out big time! Whatever you do, don’t let any heaters blow on your face – going from a hot environment and into the cold air dries the skin out and shows off the delicate blood vessels, leaving you dry and red.

2) Modify Your Facial Skin-Care Regimen
Gently remove dead skin cells using a Glycolic acid. Glycolic acids remove the sticky bonds between the dead skin cells to refine the skins texture. We are now stockists of Cain and Austin Glycolic Acid Miracle pads! It is also time to upgrade your moisturiser – and sorry people, your supermarket moisturiser is not going to cut it. I absolutely adore Aspect Doctor Resveratrol moisturiser because it is hydrating and is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, win!

3) Add a serum
Placed on clean skin under your moisturiser, serums are highly active and interchangeable depending on your specific skin requirements. I recommend adding Aspect doctor Hylauronic Hydrating Serum to your winter skin care regime. This contains Hylauronic acid, a sugar found naturally in our skin which is water binding to lock in moisture.

4) Apply Sunscreen
Don’t be fooled by darker, dreary days in winter, either. The sun’s harmful UVB rays can permeate clouds and UVA rays are just as damaging in winter as in summer! So before you go outside, apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to all exposed skin.

5) Treat yourself!
Try a NanoLaser peel! Superior to microdermabrasion, this treatment gently removes dry, dead skin cells using a laser light. By removing the dead skin cells, skin care products will soak up into your skin, ensuring you get the best out of your skin care regime – and these are currently on special.

Winter is also a very popular time of year to have your Sciton BBL treatments. So it is time to sort out that red nose and treat the pigmentation spots which have developed over summer. This client favourite is a medical grade IPL with anti-ageing research to back it.

Thank you to all of my clients who have been asking me questions on how to best look after their skin between treatments. If you have any skin related questions drop us a line via private message or come and see one of our Registered Nurses for a free consultation. Stay warm everyone!

Janelle Holton-Lowe
Aesthetic Nurse Specialist for Encore Cosmetic Clinic

The post 5 Tips for Healthy Winter Skin appeared first on Encorė Health..

Here we discuss what changes occur in the skin with ageing and how facial rejuvenation can help

The first step in your journey to younger looking skin is to understand how human skin actually ages. There are many natural processes that age our appearance and these are outlined below. Fortunately Facial Rejuvenation using our Tuneable Erbium Laser is a powerful and effective treatment to reverse many of these changes.

Loss of collagen and elastin

Two primary structural components of the skin are collagen and elastin ( elastic fibres ). They have been the subjects of the majority of anti-aging research.These components are located in the dermis which is the second layer of our skin.  A loss of elastic fibres as well as a reduction in collagen, contributes to wrinkles by weakening the bond between  the epidermis ( top layer of the skin ) and the  dermis. The overall collagen content per unit area of the skin surface is known to decline approximately 1% per year.

Loss of water

As we age, the skin becomes drier due to loss of water within the skin. Glycosaminoglycans such as hylauronic acid are located in the dermis and assist in binding water within the skin. The total hyaluronic level in the skin diminishes markedly as we age.

Loss of oil

The sebaceous glands also produce less oil as the skin ages. Men experience a minimal decrease, most often after the age of 80 but women gradually produce less oil beginning after menopause. In women, a deficiency in estrogens and androgens results in collagen degradation, dryness, loss of elasticity, epidermal atrophy and wrinkling of the skin.

Loss of resilience

With aging, the outer skin layer (epidermis) thins, even though the number of cell layers remains unchanged. The skin becomes more fragile and prone to lines from repetitively folding the skin. Dynamic lines are the wrinkles created by muscle movement under the skin. The skin also becomes more susceptible to lines from repetitive  habits or movements such as sleeping on your face every night or drinking from a drink bottle!

Broken blood vessels

As the skin ages the blood vessels of the dermis become more fragile leading to redness. Spider veins, broken capillaries or telangiectasia are small red, blue or purple blood vessels under the skin and primarily located on the cheeks or sides of the nose. Genetic factors will make you more prone to broken blood vessels but damage to the skin via injury, sun exposure, extremes in temperature or smoking will cause them to become worse.

Loss of fat

The subcutaneous fat layer thins so it has less insulation and padding. Gradual loss of skin elasticity also leads to sagging of the skin. Ageing of the entire face is associated with the gravity impact, muscles action, loss of volume, diminishing and redistribution of superficial and deep fat and loss of bony skeleton support. Collectively, these factors lead to the face sagging, changes in shape and contour.

Slowing of skin shedding

We are constantly shedding our skin but as we age, this process slows. This slowing of epidermal turnover rate makes the skin less effective at removing dead skin. This gives the skin a dull look, a rough texture and more prominent lines and wrinkles.

Loss of collagen and elastin, water, oil, cell turnover, loss of fat and slow epidermal turnover rate contribute to skin ageing. Follow our blogs for anti-aging tips and tricks plus other information on the ways you can combat the signs of aging. One fantastic way is with our Tunable Erbium laser facial rejuvenation which we have at Encorė Cosmetic Clinic.

To read more about this click here

Janelle Holton-Lowe

Appearance Nurse Specialist

BN RN Dip Beauty Therapy

The post Facial rejuvenation with our Tuneable Erbium Laser appeared first on Encorė Health..

An increasingly popular treatment…

Brotox is an urban dictionary approved word to describe the use of Botox for men. It is a growing trend that is on the rise by about 10% every year globally.

Men often tend to want to have more subtle treatments to soften the frown line, or ‘grumpy lines’, the horizontal ‘worry’ lines on the forehead, and the ‘crows feet’ around the eyes. Men have begun to have a more open attitude towards cosmetic procedures and are a lot more aware of what treatments are available to them. We are seeing younger men who are keen to start early and manage the ageing process, through to older men wanting to soften their existing wrinkles and lines, and all ages in between.

Men and women have very different features, so it is crucial that your injector understands the difference of the male anatomy and is able to identify the bigger muscles and stronger bone structure. It is also very important that men still retain some of their ‘manliness’ to the face, which reducing the impact of features which make them look tired, angry and stressed,

Botox for men is a very simple and effective treatment. Botox treatments relax the muscles in the face that create lines and wrinkles and prevents further deepening of lines. It is a simple and short procedure with a few tiny infections directly into the muscles which we are treating. There is an art to Botox for men treatments. To achieve the best and most natural looking results it much be placed in the right muscle, in the correct place, at the correct dose, by an experienced clinician.Generally men will have larger muscles of facial expression than women and so a different dose is often used in men compared to women.
For more information on Botox click here
Come see us for your Brotox at Encorė Cosmetic Clinic today!

The post Botox for Men -‘Brotox’ appeared first on Encorė Health..

 Is IPL Hair Removal with our Sciton BBL hair removal worth it?

After 13 years in the beauty industry I have to say that unwanted hair has to be one of the most annoying things that clients have to deal with – people spend so much time and money on hair removal treatments only for it to just keep coming back! So if you’re a fan of that silky smooth, fresh hair free skin, then no doubt you’re curious about IPL hair removal – the hair removal treatment that will get rid of unwanted hair for good!

Is it worth it for me?  The IPL hair removal  device we use is the Sciton BBL. It is a medical grade IPL machine and is only available in medical rooms. It works by targeting melanin in the hair. The  light energy follows the hair down to its root and damages the cells which create hair. Once treatment is complete, some of the hair will never grow back, but some hair may still need intermittent treatment every now and again. Any hair that regrows will likely be finer and grow more slowly than the original hair. Seriously my under arms as as smooth as fresh baby skin after Sciton BBL hair removal treatment!

Is it worth the pain? As an ex-Beauty Therapist, let me assure you – it does not hurt anywhere as much as waxing or electrolysis!! Just thinking of that ripping feeling from waxing sends shivers up my spine! And electrolysis – a hot probe into each and every individual hair – no thanks! My IPL hair removal clients are far more comfortable than my old waxing and electrolysis clients. Sciton BBL hair removal feels like a quick hot pulse – heaven after years of torturous wax treatments! For those of you on the sensitive side (like me!) we also offer an effective numbing cream for you to apply 30 minutes before your treatment.

Is it worth the price? Although Sciton BBL laser hair removal is more expensive than a pair of tweezers, razors, at home wax strips, salon wax sessions and electrolysis, you’ll save yourself money in the long-run as it is a permanent reduction in hair growth! And lets spend our time on better things – I get clients who have been spend hours tweezing facial hair EVERY DAY! In my experience, you get what you pay for – I have worked with other lasers in my time and Sciton BBL is medical grade technology which yeilds superior results compared to low end IPL machines – so skip those Grab One deals and come and see us at Encorė Cosmetic Clinic – trust me, it will be worth it!

For more information on hair removal at Encorė Cosmetic Clinic click here

Janelle Holton-Lowe

Aesthetic Nurse Specialist for Encorė Cosmetic Clinic

The post IPL Hair Removal appeared first on Encorė Health..

I have just returned from the AAFPRS conference in Chicago. AAFPS stands for the American Academy of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

It is an interactive conference with dermatological surgeons, occular plastic surgeons, ear nose and throat surgeons and general plastic surgeons with world experts in all these areas present. It was a fantastic conference that was purely about cosmetic procedures. It was entitled ‘ Facial Rejuvenation:Mastering the techniques’.

There were many topics of interest to me and having never been to Chicago it afforded the opportunity to look around this great city and subsequently explore further south as far down as Mississippi where the blues genre of music arose from.

Arguably Chicago has the most impressive skyline in the USA  and I can see why.

Botox and  dermal fillers  were widely discussed as were the latest techniques in face, eyelid and neck lift procedures. Silhouette suture face lifting is becoming very popular and produces nice results that seem to last atleast a couple of years. It is something we are going to be looking at introducing to our practice.

As part of our ongoing ability to continue practicing medicine we have to attend these international conferences on a regular basis. It always reassuring to see that the standard of care we can offer our patients in New Zealand is of a very high level. That said, there were a few ‘snippets’ I picked up that we will incorporate our practice at the Encorė Cosmetic Clinic.

GB

The post Chicago and the AAFPRS conference appeared first on Encorė Health..

A popular time to get some little ‘pick me up’ treatment!

The end of Summer Blues is a very common issue for many people. We see it at work, hear about it from our friends…. our clients. People everywhere are yearning for summer… in particular the holidays… to begin again. Transitions are hard and the end of summer can be a particularly difficult time of the year for a number of reasons.

From a symbolic level, the end of summer for many people often signifies the end of fun. Carefree summer days are over, early finishes on a Friday, no bonfires or barbecues to look forward to for at least another 6 months. It can all sound rather depressing really.  The temperature starts to change, we start losing light earlier, both of which can contribute to the end of summer blues.

The good news is that there is a remedy!

1. Reframe it: The idea is to think of life differently and try and put a positive twist on it. “Reframe” those negative or untrue thoughts into more positive ones. In other words, try and think about what you enjoy about autumn and winter rather then fixating on what you dislike about the end of the summer.

2. Look forward: Hot chocolate, wearing cozy jerseys, chilling out by the fire, catching up on that series you’ve been too busy to watch, going for long walks amongst the autumn leaves and not dying from heat exhaustion are just some of many things to look forward to!

3. Must-See TV: Your favourite television shows will be starting up again soon! And you’ll be able to snuggle down and watch a movie without feeling guilty of all else that you should be doing.

4. Plan your next trip: Research suggests that anticipation is often the most enjoyable part of an adventure. According to new studies, just thinking about a trip you plan to go on boosts happiness!

5. Embrace the opportunity:  Plan ahead! Work out what you don’t like about autumn and plan. Rather then falling back into old habits, create new ones that reduce stress.

6. Take the best of summer into autumn:  Give permission to yourself to take your summer mindset into autumn. Continue to have fun, eat fresh produce from the farmers market, read trashy novels, spend time outdoors, go for long walks and bike rides.

7. Reset your priorities:  Take the opportunity of returning from your summer break to build focus. Instead of catching up on emails and voicemails, this has been proven to be the ideal time to realign your priorities.

8. Come and see us at Encorė Cosmetic Clinic and treat yourself to some Botox®, IPL facial, Hair Removal or some Dermal Fillers!

And of course as always, smile.

Holly Carter, Appearance Nurse Specialist

The post End of summer blues…. appeared first on Encorė Health..