Clear and Brilliant pt. ii

September 17, 2020 No Comments

Here’s Part 1 if you haven’t read already 🙂

What to Expect at your Clear and Brilliant Treatment

You will discuss with your provider on which handpiece to use depending on your skin goals and priorities. Permea and Original are both amazing, so there’s really no bad decision!

After your consult with your provider, along with a set of photos and signed consents expect:

+ 30 mins topical numbing time
+ 30 mins for treatment

Immediately afterwards, your face feels like a sunburn, tight & red. I apply a soothing vitamin C serum for hydration and healing, as well as sunscreen. The heat quickly subsides in about 30 mins-1hr and is very manageable.

These are my go-to's immediately after treatment

Obagi C-clarifying serum: Contains 4% hydroquinone to reduce hyperpigmentation (sun spots, melasma). Also contains 10% Vit C (antioxidant) to help defend against free radicals that cause aging skin. You can only get this in office, but I will link a similar one here

I love this oil-free EltaMD UV Clear Tinted spf. It helps calm and protect sensitive skins, especially those that are prone to acne and rosacea. This also contains niacinamide (Vit B3), hyaluronic acid, + lactic acid which all promote appearance of healthy looking skin. I also love how it is absolutely lightweight and silky, and oftentimes can substitute as light tinted coverup/foundation.

PRE-CARE instructions

Make sure to be diligent with being sun-avoidant and wear sunscreen daily.
Avoid retinols, salicylic acid, and any other active ingredients for at least 3 days prior to treatment.
You cannot put on numbing cream if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, however you can do the Clear and Brilliant treatment itself … (I’ve only done 2 patients out of many many 100s who didn’t want to have the topical numbing)
Try to arrive for treatment with a clean slate of a face 🙂

POST-CARE instructions

In time you may notice little “scab” like texture on your darker spots. We call it microcrusting. Absolutely do not pick nor exfoliate it off! Just moisturize and it will flake off in its due time.
For the next 3-5 days or so, your face will feel like rough sandpaper and appear dry. Keep moisturizing your face with gentle moisturizer
*Common sense note: if your moisturizer is feeling extra fiery and burning, please wipe and use something more gentle and simple. Aquaphor, vaseline, cetaphil, cerave suffice.
You can wear your makeup 12 hrs later, but personally I recommend to let your skin breathe.
DO wear sunscreen diligently and cover your vulnerable baby skin from the sun

After about a week you will see your beautiful glowy new skin.

It may still feel slightly rough but you can come into the office and get a gentle exfoliating + moisturizing dermalinfusion called DiamondGlow (I wholly love this so much too!) – your skin will be even more soft and supple and glowy!!

How many C&B treatments do you need?

Well depends on your overall goals for your skin. Most start out with a series of 3. However, C&B is easily a staple in the optimal skin care regimen. It eventually becomes part of a maintenance routine, similar to facials and massages. For instance, are you ever going to be done with 3 massages? No I don’t believe so, you’ll be doing it as a maintenance because we want massages for life right lol.

How long do results last and how to best maintain your results?: So the results are immediate and progressive. I say the results build upon the previous. Of course keep on top of your moisturizing and applying sunscreen to prolong your skin health and glow. For best maintenance and regimen, have a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, adequate water intake, exercise, as well as sleep and skincare applications. Protect the investment you make on your face so that your skin is more even, bright, and younger-looking.

How far apart do you do the treatments?: Typically we space out the treatments every 4 wks or so, to allow the regenerative process of your skin to complete itself. However, if patients want to target their acne scars ASAP, then the soonest you can do the treatment is at 2 wks. I also tell patients to do C&B at about 1-1.5 weeks before their big event to have the best glowy, dewy skin!!

Let me know if you have any questions :)!

Uncategorized

Clear and Brilliant pt i.

August 29, 2020 No Comments

Clear & Brilliant

This one is definitely one of my absolute favorite treatment to provide as well as receive, especially if you are seeking smoother, tighter, and radiant glowy skin. An added plus is that there is very little social downtime and the treatment is noninvasive

Why consider Clear and Brilliant?

Diminish the look of fine line
Reduce appearance of pores
Improve skin tone and texture

This means improving our skin’s overall appearance by Clearing the fine lines and pores, Getting brilliant tone and texture!

Patients notice quite quickly that their pores appear smoother & smaller, as the oil and dirt buildup has been essentially cleaned up by the treatment. This in turn also leads to aiding in acne and blackhead prevention, thus truly helping you get your optimal glowy, glass skin!

After the healing process, you will notice that the skin feels more supple, smooth, and definitely rejuvenated. You feel so fresh & young. *Warning: it’s addicting 😛

Noninvasive, gentle with little downtime:

C&B is known as a non-ablative laser resurfacing treatment aka baby fractional laser. But don’t let that fool you, as it is still a very effective treatment to prevent early signs of aging skin.

How does C&B work:

The procedure creates millions of microscopic treatment zones in the upper layers of skin. This triggers a “wound healing” response from our skin to replace damaged skin with healthy tissue = Younger looking skin, soft baby skin.
It also helps shed off the dead, dull skin and instead replace with new refreshed, healthier looking skin.
Furthermore, our skin is stimulated to produce more collagen

There are 2 different handpieces that target different levels of the superficial dermis:

1. PERMEA

1927 nm, depth of 170 um (level at which melanin resides)
Creates broad, more superficial microthermal zones to increase skin permeability and enhance efficacy of your topical brightening serums and skincare
Perfect for treating sun spots, sun damage, and melasma (targeting tone and hyperpigmentation)

2. ORIGINAL

1440 nm, depth of 200-300 um
Causes deeper injury and targets fine lines and texture, as well as reducing pore size
Perfect for mild acne scarring
Helps kill off that pesky little pimple that just won’t go away

Next post I’ll talk about What to expect for your treatment, The Pre & Post care instructions, and How to best maintain your results 🙂

Uncategorized

Profound pt. iii

August 27, 2020 No Comments

How to Prepare for Profound

Pre-Procedure

Hydrate sufficiently for the week prior to procedure
Consider prepping your skin beforehand, as in moisturizing it
Eat a substantial meal before coming in
Avoid alcohol and NSAIDS to decrease risk of bruising
Discontinue retinoids and similar active ingredients for at least 3-5 days prior
Avoid sun exposure and use spf 30+

What to expect after treatment

Immediately after the treatment, we cleanse the face with sterile normal saline. Then we typically apply Alastin Nectar + Balm.

Wash face gently with a gentle cleanser 2x/day. Pat face dry (no rubbing or exfoliation, absolutely no picking as this can cause PIH!). Let the skin heal on its own
Apply Alastin Nectar & Balm at least twice a day to have a consistently glazed appearance. Liberally do this for 1-2 weeks
Sleep with head elevated for the first 2-3 nights can help with swelling. Also try not to sleep on side of the face while making sure pillowcases are clean each time
Redness can be reduced with our recommended post-care skincare
Bruising can be mitigated quickly with a laser in office
There is also the post-injection serum by Alastin that can help with bruise reduction and swelling as well

*Remember, the first 1-3 days may be the worst of the swelling

Areas that can be treated

Face, neck, chin, jawline, abdomen, inner & outer thighs, arms, skin above knees!

Please Profound me everywhere right? hahah

Uncategorized

Profound pt. ii

August 20, 2020 No Comments

How does Profound work

Radiofrequency + Microneedling

There are microneedle electrodes that deploy into the dermis or subcutaneous tissue to precisely deliver fractionated zones of thermal injury without thermal impact to the epidermis. The thermal injury is the radiofrequency aspect – it stimulates a strong wound healing which naturally creates new elastin, collagen, and hyaluronic acid formation: *cue in dermal remodeling!

With the real-time temperature feedback, the system allows the microneedles to reach optimal temperature, of a specific time duration, in the depth of treatment.

Temperature (RF), Time, Depth – What do all these factors do? With the right combination, we are controlling the thermal injury to partially denature collagen, which is effective in triggering a strong wound healing response that addresses the full dermal structure, generating all three vital components of youthful skin: COLLAGEN, ELASTIN, HYALURONIC ACID.

* Partially denatured collagen can heal 38% faster than fully denatured collagen. It is crucial to reach optimal temperature and time, which the Profound system is precisely designed for.

There are 2 different tips (Dermal & Subcutaneous)

1) For DERMAL tip, the deep dermis is targeted, as this is where concentration of collagen is the highest. This treatment addresses facial wrinkles and skin tightening. Here we see one of the needles penetrating the deep dermis at depth of 1.0-2.0mm. The tip is where the bipolar RF energy is delivered into our deep reticular dermis. Meanwhile the green part of the needle is insulated as to protect the epidermis from thermal damage. The blue part is also the cooling plate at the surface of the skin for protection.

There are a total of 5 pairs of these 32 gauge microneedles (thinner than a hair), to allow for precise fractionated treatment within the dermal tissue = Induce neoelastogenesis and neocollagenesis, renewing skin to look younger, smoother, and tighter!

2) For SUBCUTANEOUS tip, the subcutaneous tissue is targeted to address cellulite. The fractionated injuries increase dermal thickness, remodel septae, and decrease adipose volume. There are a total of 7 pairs of the 32 gauge microneedles, which are oriented at a more perpendicular insertion angle to ensure deeper penetration into the adipose tissue.

The RF energy targets the adipose tissue to coagulate and remodel cellulite. This tip can even be used to debulk pockets of fat (such as in the renowned “double chin”).

As you can imagine, there is a lot of purposeful injury to the areas of treatment

Expect a social downtime of at least 1 week.

At least 3-7 days of swelling & redness, as well as bruising (I honestly tell patients they will look like a chipmunk – remember when you got your wisdom teeth taken out?)
Appearance of tiny dotted insertions on treatment area

As the body replaces the skin with new collagen and elastic tissue, you will see an improvement over several months. Dermal remodeling can continue for 6-12 months, with improvements seen at 3-6 months post treatment. But, may start noticing a difference even around week 2!

Next I’ll talk about how to prepare for your treatment (Pre and Post care) 🙂

Uncategorized

Profound pt. i

August 20, 2020 No Comments

Snap back to Younger & Tighter skin again

As we age along with the effects of gravity, we notice our skin being more lax and sagging slowly. Hmph, a normal progression of physics & physicality that we try to embrace with grace. BUT, there’s a treatment that can really improve our baselines if we are not ready nor considering surgery (such as facelift and necklift) and want something minimally invasive.

It’s PROFOUND, which is a “single treatment radiofrequency microneedling for facial wrinkles and cellulite.”

How does AGING show in our skin?

Skin loses elasticity and becomes more fragile. As a result facial wrinkles and appearance of cellulite increases

COLLAGEN levels decrease every year
ELASTIN production stops (starting in our 20s)
HYALURONIC ACID diminishes

WHY choose Profound?

Clinically proven to stimulate 2x Collagen, 5x Elastin, and increase Hyaluronic acid – turning back the clock and forcing our skin to be efficiently young again.
First and only Radiofrequency (RF) microneedling device FDA cleared for both face and body
1 standalone nonsurgical treatment that can last 2 years (depending on skin maintenance)
100% response rate for facial wrinkles
Real-time temperature controlled device that delivers long pulses of RF energy. This is critical in controlling collagen denaturation

WHO is the ideal candidate for Profound, and WHAT can it do for you?

If the desired result is a more lifted appearance. As well as achieving revitalized new, healthy skin to look more youthful

Firmer, smoother skin
Wrinkle reduction (works best in conjunction with botox/neuromodulators)
Improvement of the jowls
Improvement of sagging skin on upper neck

Remember to have realistic expectations and realize this treatment will not 100% replace the results of a facelift, necklift, or tummy-tuck. Profound is a great alternative, if you are not ready for surgery or would like to avoid one (be it you are not old enough or looking for more preventative measures or want a shorter commitment to recovery) 🙂

On the next post, I’ll talk about how Profound works!

Uncategorized

Moisturizing Skincare ASMR

May 27, 2020 No Comments

I’ve been obsessed with skincare routines for a long while. It’s silly right, watching other people put on products on their face. It made me wonder why, why does this innately just spark joy for me.

Essentially, I think self care and pampering is delightful. I would absolutely love if someone else massaged my face, but who else can cherish you (and your skin) the most other than yourself?

I then delved further, and came to a realization that listening to the clinks of skincare & makeup takes me back to when my mom would get ready in the mornings. Especially on Sunday mornings when you wake up and sleepwalk towards your parents’ bed and just cat nap there again. Waking up to the relaxing sounds of nostalgia is so much better than from the uproar of a vacuum lol.

All in all, these skincare rituals are a form of meditation I suppose. It is a commitment to yourself, even if for 5 minutes. If only workouts were shorter, maybe I can commit to that too heh..

Products used:

These tend to constantly be in my usual rotations!

⭐ Obagi Nu-derm foaming gel: love this nice foamy lather for my skin. This cleanser removes impurities and pollutants from your pores with a gentle complex of oats amino acids. It also contains alfalfa extract which detoxes the skin to prevent breakouts, as well as aloe vera gel to sooth inflammation and cools redness. It is perfect for normal to oily skin; to note I have combination oily/dry skin. I feel like it is very gentle and does not leave my skin feeling stripped at all. My skin feels smooth and pure afterwards – perfect canvas for applying products on right afterwards

⭐ Mario Badescu facial spray with aloe, herbs, and rosewater: This spray is definitely refreshing and hydrating. I absolutely love the smell of rosewater which is not pungent at all. It really is a pick me up boost when I feel like my skin is dry and wants some dewy radiance. It’s a great way to wake up when you spritz it on in the morning to signal your brain to wake up beautifully, let’s refresh for a new day

⭐ Origins ginzing eye cream: This energizing eye cream has ginseng and caffeine that helps diminish dark circles and depuff undereyes, as well as brighten and restore glow to tired looking eyes. This has a subtle shimmer-tint that adds sort of like a very very light concealer that easily blends into skin. I think this shine helps reflect light so that we look more energized & bright

⭐ Ole henriksen truth serum: Contains vit C serum that helps brighten and firm the skin with its antioxidant properties as well as promoting collagen. It does have a silky as well as sticky texture, along with a citrus aroma.

⭐ Caudalie polyphenol antiwrinkle defense serum: Ok I did not realize that this product is discontinued. This is a testament to when I had a phase of buying too many skin products at once and I am still working on depleting them loll. Don’t be like me and don’t go gung-ho on skincare products like a junkie. Anyways, I love that this claims to protect your skin from harmful environmental factors, and the antioxidants help correct wrinkles.

Another tip: You can use your products pretty liberally by also addressing your neck & chest and even back of hands, areas that are often neglected and forgotten. However, these areas DO show our age with time.

⭐ Herbivore orchid facial oil: This is one of my favorite oils. The jasmine scent itself is so divine and I feel exquisite while using this golden hued oil in such beautiful packaging. Definitely needed in skincare toolkit for the dewy glow

Project Inner & Outer Beauty, Diana

Uncategorized

To Dew & Go, or Not to Dew

May 20, 2020 No Comments

What kind of question is that? Of course I will say To DEW & GO.

It only took being quarantined for me to finally bring out the Dew & Go, don’t ask me why I took so long!

What is it. It’s a microdroplet microneedling-stamper that infuses the skin with serum. The do it at home Ritual Kit comes with a set of 4 skin hydration ampoules (Skin Brew – snail mucin + moringa leaf). Snail mucin has HA + glycolic acid and the moringa leaf is a superantioxidant common in Filipino beauty treatments as well as remedies, a nod to the founder’s heritage. You can find it at TheThingsWeDo.

The Founder, world-renowned medical aesthetic provider is Vanessa Lee, RN who I am a HUGE fan of not only for her medical aesthetic talents, but for her genuine dedication and contribution to the specialty as well as her super funny and cool sense of humor on her Instagram. Before I started in my career trajectory, I read her blogs and followed her to be constantly inspired, motivated, and enlightened. It’s truly been insightful to see someone that leads with so much vitality and genuineness.

Directions to help you get started:

⭐ Make sure to thoroughly cleanse your face and hands prior

⭐ Twist open the chamber, fill it up with 1 ampoule of Skin Brew. Leave upside down for 2 minutes

⭐ March along and stamp across your face with a 50% overlap

⭐ After the 1st pass, I dispersed the skin brew on my face and went off to do 2-3 passes total on each area. You can focus more on areas you want to plump and have collagen production such as under eyes, perioral region, nasolabial folds, and even neck & chest!

⭐ Let the skin brew absorb into skin and do not rinse off until the next morning

The treatment was a bit spicy, but definitely manageable. I had slight “sunburn glow” afterwards which cooled down quickly. Very minimal downtime, but of course you absolutely do NOT want to be outdoors with your skin unprotected.

After-glow: I love it! I looked glowy, hydrated, and DEWY right away. My skin was feeling tighter as well.

Definitely, Project Inner & Outer Beauty obsessed