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Benefits
of skin analysis The skin is the outer covering of the body, responsible
for protecting muscles, bones and internal organs and is also the
largest organ in the body. However, the skins functional layer isn’t
the only important factor; the appearance of skin conveys a person’s
health and age and overall appearance.
Some
people may have problematic skin that requires treatment, while others
may have very few problems however people with both types of skin
may want to improve the quality of their skin. This can be done in
a number of different ways after professional skin analysis is conducted
to establish if skin is dry, oily or sensitive.
Improving
skin quality
An analysis
of the skin is essential to assist in coming up with a correct care
and treatment plan to help improve skin quality. Skin analysis involves
three steps.
The first
step in analysing the skin involves determining if there is a medical
condition. Certain types of medical conditions can cause problems
with the skin, for example redness of the cheeks may be caused by
Lupus or Rosacea.
Determining
skin history is the second step in improving skin quality. Current
skin care regimes should be assessed as well as sun exposure history
and if sunscreen is used regularly. A person’s current regime
may be causing skin problems; which is why skin history is an important
factor in assessing an individuals skin quality.
Assessing
a person’s basic skin type is the third step. All skins types
will require a different treatment plan. Taking into consideration
current skin care routines and any medical conditions will also help
in determining the best skin treatment.
Skin
Types: Dry or oily?
The easiest
way to establish if skin is oily or dry is to assess the skin after
washing. Dry skin tends to feel tight or flaky after washing and oily
skin types feel shiny and oily after washing. Oily skin signs include
enlarged pores, acne, blackheads and shine. Signs of dry skin include
flaky and tight skin as well as cracks in the skin.
People
who have oily skin in the T-Zone area (nose, chin, and in between
brow) may experience dry skin around their cheeks, this is called
‘combination skin’. In this case, it is only necessary
to moisturise the cheek area.
Sometimes
it is hard to determine skin types just by the feel of the skin, for
example oily skin sometimes can feel dry which is why a Wood’s
lamp is used. A Wood’s lamp works by emitting a UV light frequency
where different skin conditions show up as different colours under
the UV light. After using a Wood’s lamp, a proper skin treatment
plan can be used.
The use
of moisturiser may be required to treat dry skin. Moisturisers, however,
do not change or improve the skin quality, they temporarily affect
how the skin feels by compensating for the lack of moisture or oil
emission by the skin.
Oily
skin is likely to form acne and the more oilier the skin is the more
likely it is to form acne, therefore people with oily skin do not
require the use of moisturisers. Oily skin can be treated by using
toners, such as Purity Balance from Cosmedix, which helps reduce shine
and removes excess oil. Topical retinoids (Retin-A, Stieva-A, Cosmedix
Refine) will also help reduce oil, as well as to increase cell turnover
and reduce acne formation.
Oily
skin might feel dry due to excessive dead skin on the surface layer.
If this is the case moisturisers will not work as it will only be
moisturising the top dead layer of skin. Exfoliation of the skin will
help, using products such as alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) or topical
retinoids to remove the dead skin and make the skin feel moist.
Sensitive
skin: Treatments
Sensitive
skin is generally a skin type that is easily irritated and tends to
form lumps and is prone to redness. Sensitive skin may be due to other
skin conditions such as rosacea, atopic dermatitis, eczema or contact
dermatitis.
Those
with sensitive skin often find it difficult to find skin care products
that aren’t irritating on their skin. People with sensitive
skin may even find sunscreen irritating to the skin. The active ingredients
in sunscreens containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, such as those
found in Reflect and Serious Protection from Cosmedix have a lower
rate of irritation.
People
with sensitive skin may also experience oily skin, in cases like this
it is often difficult to reduce oil and acne without causing irritation.
Gradually introducing active ingredients such as alpha hydroxy acids
e.g. glycolic acids, beta hydroxy acids e.g. salicylic acid, vitamin
C, or retinoids may minimise skin irritation.
Agents
that can help reduce irritation and redness include non-prescription
actives such as aloe vera, calendula and lichocalone and prescription
variants such as metronidazole (Rozex). Other Products such as the
new Cosmedix products and Results Rx contain active ingredients such
as azelaic acid and salicylic acid that help fight oil and acne. These
are combined with anti redness and anti inflammatory agents such as
willow herb to minimise irritation.
Part
two coming soon ...
Dr. Gavin
Chan (MBBS)
The Victorian Cosmetic Institute
Level 6, 200 High St
Lower Templestowe 3107
(03)88500655
www.thevictoriancosmeticinstitute.com.au
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