Dr Levy
January 7, 2013 | 
Author: Aesthetic Skin Clinic
BOOSTING STEM CELLS’ ACTIVITY IS THE SECRET TO YOUNGER-LOOKING SKIN
In today’s world nobody wants to look their age anymore and many people seek to restore their skin’s natural beauty.
What is unique about Dr LEVI Switzerland’s® New Intense Stem Cell Line is that his Booster Cream and Serum are the World’s first cosmetics to have scientifically been proven in vitro to activate and vitalize both epidermal and dermal skin cells.
Skin stem cells have unique anti ageing properties, since they renew themselves as well as repair, replace and regenerate damaged skin. Cells are like a time machine; they not only remember their youth, but can actually go back in time. The potential is in your cells; all they need is a gentle wake-up call.
This is what French scientists successfully proved in 2011, when they turned age-worn skin cells in people over 90 – including a centenarian – into rejuvenated stem cells indistinguishable from those in embryos. Not only did they prove that ageing is reversible, but they demonstrated that the key to turn back time was already present within our own cells.
For decades, skin specialists have considered dermal stem cells to be the Holy Grail to stop – and reverse – skin aging. This is because dermal stem cells are the mother cells of fibroblasts, the skin’s natural factory of those essential anti-wrinkle fighters; collagen & elastin.
Yet, treating dermal stem cells remained a dream until 2009 when their “reservoirs” were finally discovered by a team of Canadian scientists.
With this discovery, Dr. Phillip Levy knew he now had at his reach the tools necessary to revolutionize anti-aging skin treatments, the same way Botox® and pain-free hyaluronic acid transformed aesthetic medicine.
Posted in 
DONATION TO TUMAINI FUND
December 18, 2012 | Author: Aesthetic Skin Clinic
Donation of £10,000 to be used to save lives in Tanzania
Healthxchange and the ASC pledges to help Tumaini Fund
Tumaini Fund founder Dr Susan Wilson and Healthxchange Pharmacy’s chairman Dr John Curran, accompanied by the other directors shake on the deal which will see the charity receive £10,000 this year and next. It will be used to train Tanzanian orphans to become primary school teachers and dispensers.
ORPHANS in Tanzania will be trained to become primary schoolteachers and medical professionals after a donation of £10,000 to the Tumaini Fund from The Aesthetic Skin Clinic and the Healthxchange Pharmacy.
Dr John Curran, chairman of the Healthxchange and lead physician at the ASC has been working with Dr Susan Wilson, the founder of the Tumaini Fund, on how the money would be spent.
It will award a further £10,000 to the charity next year.
Dr Wilson said she was grateful to the company because essentially it would prevent children from dying.
‘This year we have been able to send 8,000 orphans to secondary school and that is in a region where only 7% of young people can access it.
‘We have set up sustainable funds for those who have finished their secondary education to now train to become either primary school teachers or dispensers,’ she said.
‘Dispensers are partly GPs and partly pharmacists and can treat things such as malaria, but they are not qualified doctors.
‘Both of these jobs are very much needed in the area and it was only recently that one of my friends over there died of an epileptic fit because there was no medical care at all.’
The sustainable funds will act as student loans because the cost of sending each person to be trained will be repaid over four years.
Dr Wilson said that meant the money could then go towards sending someone else for training and it would be a continual cycle.
Forgot The Coffee!
November 29, 2012 | Author: Aesthetic Skin Clinic
The ELASTIderm Eye formulation you love, now with the added benefits of caffeine!
Feeling a little tired? Give yourself a boost of caffeine! We’re not talking about your morning coffee, but actually a new eye serum by Obagi that will wake up your eyes! Introducing the new ELASTIderm Eye Complete Complex Serum—the next-generation ELASTIderm Eye formulation, now with the benefits of caffeine delivered via an innovative rollerball technology! Caffeine is an antioxidant that helps reduce puffiness under the eyes, and the ELASTIderm Eye Complete Complex Serum combines this key ingredient with bi-mineral complex and malonic acid to help replenish elasticity and support collagen for tighter, smoother-looking skin. So get your dose of caffeine and look refreshed and awake with the new ELASTIderm Eye Complete Complex Serum.
See the Resilience Right Before Your Eyes
Finally! An eye treatment that really works to bring back the lift around your eyes! The ELASTIderm Eye Products are one-of-a-kind eye treatments that include a revolutionary bi-mineral complex, copper zinc malonate, to help restore the elasticity around your eyes and reduce the appearance of visible fine lines and wrinkles.
ELASTIderm Eye Products are only available through your skin care professional because they contain powerful, yet gentle ingredients:
- Bi-mineral complex: Includes zinc and copper to help restore elasticity and build collagen
- Malonic acid: Patent-pending Obagi formulation that helps stimulate the production of skin cells
- Blueberry extract: Provides antioxidants that help eliminate free radicals
- Penetrating Therapeutics™: An Obagi technology that helps drive the ingredients deep into the skin
ELASTIderm® Eye Complete Complex™Serum helps tighten delicate skin around the eyes
The proven ELASTIderm Eye formulation you love, now with the benefits of caffeine
- Bi-mineral complex: Helps replenish elasticity and support collagen for tighter, smoother-looking skin
- Malonic acid: Helps stimulate the production of healthy skin cells for overall skin improvement
- Caffeine: Improves appearance of under-eye puffiness
- Helps reduce under-eye puffiness
- Optimizes delivery of serum for firmer, youthful-looking eyes
Soothing, innovative rollerball technology
- Helps reduce under-eye puffiness
- Optimizes delivery
- Helps achieve firmer, youthful-looking eyes
The Obagi ELASTIderm Eye Complete Complex Serum is the ideal complement with other Obagi skin care products for rejuvenated eyes.
The Ultimate Winter Skin Survival Guide
November 29, 2012 | Author: Aesthetic Skin Clinic
The Ultimate Winter Skin Survival Guide
For all of the reasons to love chillier weather (comfy sweaters, outdoor fun, frizz-free hair), there is one major downside: Dry skin.
Cold temperatures, harsh winds, and time spent indoors with dry heat can wreak havoc on your skin. The chilly weather dries the outer layers of your skin, making your complexion feel tight, scaly, and uncomfortable. Cold winter air is far less humid than warm air, which means skin will be drier in the winter months. Harsh winds make conditions worse by causing moisture to evaporate more quickly from the skin. According to dermatologists, indoor conditions in the winter can be just as bad for complexion. Indoor heating is abusive for the skin. It pulls the moisture out of the air, which is dehydrating.
10 tips for healthy glowing skin!
1. Gentle Cleanser
Switch your cleanser for winter. Use only gentle cleansers that don’t strip your skins natural oils, breaking-down your skin’s fragile outer barrier. For your face use the Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser, the mildest cleanser that does the job. Don’t shoot for that tight ‘squeaky clean’ feeling after washing because it means that you removed too much of your natural oils and actually irritated your skin. Your skin is protected from chapping by this outer dead skin cell layer called the stratum corneum. The foaming agent in many soaps remove your natural oils that hold this layer together, causing the layer to weaken. When you take that weakened layer into harsh weather and temperature extremes it can’t hold up.
2. Winter Glow
A good idea is to start using a serum (we recommend the Obagi Professional C Serum) to complement your daily moisturizer. A serum penetrates and hydrates cells in the lower layer of the skin so that when they rise to the surface, they’re plump and healthy
3. Exfoliate
Depending on how oily or dry your face is, we recommend exfoliating one to three times a week, at the end of your shower when your pores have been steamed open. The Obagi Nu-Derm Exfoderm Forte contains Lactic acid and Glycolic acid which works deeper within the surface layers of the skin to remove dead and damaged skin cells and impurities. But never exfoliate more than three times a week or else you might wind up breaking down your skin’s natural barrier function and make your dry, flaky skin worse.
4. Drink Water
You’ve heard it repeatedly, but drinking water is more important than ever during the winter. It keeps you hydrated internally and helps the rest of the body in many of its functions. Clearly, water is essential. Though experts recently questioned the benefits of drinking copious amounts of water to keep the skin soft (some state this water cannot have any effect on the epidermis itself, since the skin’s condition is determined specifically by external factors), it’s still a good idea in general to drink water. However, while it won’t hurt the skin to drink it to maintain your skin’s optimum health, don’t rely on it as a dry skin cure-all.
5. Love Your Lips
Lips need skin care love, too. Use an exfoliating treatment once a week to remove dead skin from your lips because soft, supple lips help you achieve a dewy look. You can make you own at home treatments for lips, mix a little olive oil and sugar and apply with a toothbrush, work slowly and gently to remove dead skin. Avoid scented lip products or lip stains that are heavy on drying ingredients. These products keep your color in place, but they dry you out, too. Instead, tuck a lip balm in your pocket for quick lip relief.
6. Slap On The Suncream
No, sunscreen isn’t just for summertime. Winter sun — combined with snow glare — can still damage your skin. Try applying the Obagi Nu-Derm Sun Shield SPF 50 to your face and your hands (if they’re exposed) about 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply frequently if you stay outside a long time.
7. No Hot Baths
Sure, soaking in a burning-hot bath feels great after frolicking out in the cold. But the intense heat of a hot shower or bath actually breaks down the lipid barriers in the skin, which can lead to a loss of moisture.
8. Don’t forgot your body
Skin is the largest organ in your body, so you must moisturize all of it, not just from the shoulders up. Whatever you do for your face, you should also be doing for your body, especially in frosty weather. To keep your Decolletage looking radiant and with a youthful glow the Obagi Elastiderm Decolletage will help to achieve this.
9. Bright Eyes
Dull mornings don’t have to mean dull looking eyes. Keep your eyes looking fresh and awake with an eye cream. The ELASTIderm Eye Treatment Cream is perfect for keeping the skin around your eyes taught therefor making you look more radiant. If you prefer an eye serum then try the ELASTIderm Eye Complete Complex Serum which contains caffeine which is an antioxidant that helps reduce puffiness under the eyes, all delivered by roller ball technology!
10. Pamper your hands
The skin on your hands is thinner than on most parts of the body and has fewer oil glands. That means it’s harder to keep your hands moist, especially in cold, dry weather. This can lead to itchiness and cracking. Wear gloves when you go outside; if you need to wear wool to keep your hands warm, slip on a thin cotton glove first, to avoid any irritation the wool might cause. Try the Restylane Hand Cream which builds up your own protective skin barrier, thereby restoring your hands inherent softness.
Obagi Nu Derm
July 10, 2012 | Author: Aesthetic Skin Clinic
Obagi Nu Derm is a highly popular product which has received worldwide acclaim for a number of years now. Renowned as probably the most effective skin care brand available on the market today, Obagi has a huge number of fans all over the globe, and their popularity seems to increase with every coming year.
The Nu Derm system, which is available through prescription, has been formulated to transform the skin’s appearance at cellular level, leading to healthier, radiant looking skin. Although the ageing of the skin is an entirely natural process, sustained exposure to the sun can contribute to skin ageing prematurely by slowing down cell regeneration. This can be problematic for women, and can lead to many issues in terms of self-esteem, but can also lead to wider health problems later on in life.
People who use sun beds frequently are particularly at risk of photo damage, as this shocking picture of Atomic Kitten’s Liz McClarnon taken with a Visia camera shows:
Liz was a frequent user of sunbeds during her teenage years, something which she now regrets, stating in an interview with The Sun:
“It’s been eight years since I used a tanning bed –I stopped when I got panicky about skin cancer. Now I’ll only get a tan out of a bottle…I’m worried much of the damage has already been done – the picture looks like an old woman”
The Obagi Nu Derm system can assist in making skin more resilient to damage and reverse some of the effects of photo damage on the skin’s appearance through promoting collagen and elastin production naturally. This leads to skin becoming more hydrated and even in colour.
The system has a number of processes which aim to remove old skin cells whilst promoting the development of new ones, resulting in a clearer, brighter complexion and even skin tone. Obagi Nu Derm is also effective in removing acne scars and has recently won the 2011Gold Award at the Aesthetic Medicine Awards in the UK. It is also the number one prescribed skin care product by doctors in the USA.
Latisse
July 10, 2012 | Author: Aesthetic Skin Clinic
Over the last few years, Latisse has been gaining more and more attention in the world of beauty and skin care. Brought to us by Allergan – the same people who brought us Botox – this FDA approved solution to thinning eyelashes has taken the world by storm and gained high profile proponents from all over the globe. The treatment, which widely argued to be the most effective way of thickening and lengthening eyelashes on the market has been scientifically proven to double lash fullness in just 16 weeks.
Claire Danes has been active in endorsing Latisse
Thinning lashes are a less commonly identified symptom of ageing, and until the advent of Latisse there was very little that could be done to reverse it. Data from clinical trials revealed that older women had shorter, thinner and lighter lashes than younger women and that there was a “downward trend of eyelash fullness, length and darkness as women with inadequate lashes age”
The prescription treatment can change this however. Latisse uses an active ingredient known as Bimatoprost – something which has been well known to stimulate eyelash growth and was previously used for the treatment of eye conditions such as glaucoma and manage ocular pressure.
And it is not only women who have a problem with thinning eyelashes as they get older who have benefited from the solution. Many women who are recovering after the loss of hair during chemotherapy, are reportedly using Latisse in order to regain their lashes. Many women who have undergone intensive treatment report that losing their lashes is the thing that makes them the most self-conscious and “un-feminine” but are finding that this confidence is regained through the usage of Latisse.
With celebrity endorsements coming from the likes of Romeo and Juliet star Claire Danes and Twilight sensation Kristen Stewart, the popularity of this product seems likely to endure for years to come.
If you think that you would benefit from the treatment, please consult your doctor or registered professional who will be able to further advise you of your suitability and of where you can receive your treatment.
PIP IMPLANTS. The Blame Game
January 16, 2012 | Author: Aesthetic Skin Clinic
I woke up this morning feeling uneasy. I had been dreaming about those poor souls who were unfortunate enough to have PIP implants in the private sector and now feel abandoned and confused. Conflicting messages from the media about the relative risk, help offered in one country and not another and the shuffling of responsibility has heightened the distress possibly more than necessary.
My uneasiness is borne out of being a doctor and the collective guilt we feel as a profession when patients are disappointed with the level of care or, more importantly, the level of caring they perceive. Whose fault is it? Well let’s get one thing straight. It is not the patient’s fault, no matter what glib and often disparaging comments about vanity and ‘serves them right attitude’ you may hear from those with a poor understanding of the reasons why people undergo this type of surgery.
I can understand the anger some of my colleagues feel towards the authorities for allowing CE mark approval for the device. As medics we will ask what due diligence did our colleagues undertake to satisfy themselves independently that these implants were fit for purpose and had the device fulfilled legitimate criteria elsewhere such as in the US. I can understand the anger the authorities feel towards the manufacturer and in turn ask what due diligence did they undertake to ensure safety criteria were meet. No doubt litigation will follow along these channels.
But what about the patients. As a doctor there is one overriding contract with the patient and that is the ‘duty of care’. That care should be without prejudice to finance, which is merely a tool we employ to allow us to live and practice medicine. We carry insurance demanded by the regulator so that, when we err, patients can be compensated and helped to cope with life after the event. In the case of PIP, even though there may be a legitimate onward claim against the regulator, in the absence of insurance we still have a duty of care to restore and protect the health of the patient to the best of our ability. No matter how hard it is to swallow, money should have nothing to do with it.
Most patients love their doctors and often with good cause. They praise us when all is going well and we enjoy their goodwill whether truly deserved or not. It is when things go wrong that’s when you really get to know the person. I am proud of my colleagues who have stepped up to the mark but regrettably it is not universal.
The next time you consider treatment perhaps you should include in your checklist; ‘’ how do you manage your mistakes?’’
And believe me we all make them!
Dr John Curran
Lead physician
Aesthetic Skin Clinics
INTRAcel has arrived!
October 13, 2011 | Author: Aesthetic Skin Clinic
Move over laser, here comes the space age!
Every so often a new technology pops up that changes the way we treat patients. I was at an international conference in Paris earlier this year with the great and good of Cosmetic Medicine and Surgery when I came across a new device, which changed my whole approach to skin tightening and rejuvenation.
From a dermatologist’s point of view, it was so intuitive in that it combined three cutting edge technologies, radio frequency dermal needling and fractional treatment. Downtime was only a couple of days and the results were stunning.
Instead of burning the superficial skin, it bypasses the epidermis using radio waves and delivers high energy deep to the dermis using an insulated micro needling technique. Spacing between the tiny needles allows the effects to be delivered in a fractional manner sparing healthy tissue to facilitate a rapid healing and regrowth of new tissue.
It was love at first sight. I bought three devices, one for each of my clinics and have treated hundreds of patients so far. My favourite is tightening neck skin, jowls and eradicating those nasty smokers lines on the upper lip. Our big breakthrough is the ‘Radio-frequency Facelift’, a combination of Thermage and INTRAcel, which is hard to beat.
This really is the ‘Holy Grail’ of Cosmetic Medicine.
Dr John Curran.
Saving Face – Talking Skin Sense
October 5, 2011 | Author: Aesthetic Skin Clinic
As summer draws to a close, a season of skin sins — skimping on your SPF’s, baking your skin in the midday sun, too many Mojitos by the pool bar and too many late nights — are written all over your face.
Dry patches, freckles, dullness and under-eye circles are all your skin’s way of saying ‘Save me!”
Months of mistreatment has left your skin feeling unloved and in need of some TLC.
Start with a clean slate. After months of sun exposure, dead skin cells have accumulated on the surface of your skin. . Not to worry, your former glow is just below the surface waiting to be revealed.
First, undo the summer damage, and exfoliate—from head to toe. Look for an exfoliant packed with tiny micro beads to slough off the top layer of dull skin without irritation. You’ll be left with smoother, more even-looking skin — a flashback to your healthy complexion.
For your face, try Health’s ZO’s Skin Exfoliating Polish. It does a great job of scrubbing away the dull, dry skin so that fresh, healthy cells can emerge. It’s more aggressive than most, so if you have weak skin, be gentle at first. You will love the difference in your skin. For your body, use a lotion high in lactic acid—such as ZO’s Body Emulsion. It’s not your typical smell-good body lotion—it will really work hard to exfoliate and rejuvenate your skin.
Lighten up! Too much sun exposure can cause blotchiness, brown to grey discoloration and freckles galore. To treat all of that hyper pigmentation, it’s best to wear a sunscreen and use a topical lotion or gel with ingredients that inhibit melanin (like Retin A, or other types of retinoids). We all know that Hydroquinone is the best topical skin lightening ingredient-but make sure that you have a concentration of 4%. It is prescription only medication and it takes about 6-18 weeks to successfully treat hyper pigmentation. But why not try the sensational non -prescription skin lightener form Obagi, Clear FX. It contains the natural plant extract Arbutan and it works! Couple this with ZO Skin Health Radical Night Repair Plus — a high concentration of skin-lightening retinol to work through the night….magic!
Managing your assets
October 5, 2011 | Author: Aesthetic Skin Clinic
You’ve dieted and hit the Zumba circuit so that your body doesn’t wobble, you’ve cleansed toned and moisturized, manicured and pedicured, primped and preened to within an inch of your life and just as you are thinking” God is good” you peer down.
There they are—those pesky little vertical lines creeping up between your
Breasts. When did that happen? Your chest used to be as smooth as a baby’s bottom and now there are more ravines down there than the Grand Canyon.
It’s actually quite thin skin like the skin around the eyes. Think how much time, money and luxury creams have been patted onto those peeps and then think of the years of neglect rained down on your chest. The sunbathing, and lack of tender loving care your poor décolletage has had to endure. No wonder it’s frowning!
A wrinkled old décolletage begins to be a problem for most women as they pass 40. Too much sun, hardly any SPF cream on the chest – even when we were on holiday all we ever thought about was our face and neck.
One of the biggest chest crinklers, apart from the sun and the passing years is the way we sleep. The favoured anti-wrinkle position is flat on your back, thereby avoiding the boob squish that causes that early morning parchment paper look.
The problem is that a damaged décolletage is such a distraction from an attractive face.
But, don’t despair. A wide range of treatments is available to reverse the damage and a multilayered approach is required to restore you lackluster cleavage to its former glory
The combination of Fraxel resurfacing and IPL photo rejuvenation therapies work to eradicate pigmentation [sun spots, age spots] eliminate broken capillaries caused by sun damage and ageing and stimulate the production of collagen to tighten, plump up the skin and reduce crepiness and lines.
The Obagi Elastiderm Décolletage System contains a skin lightening cream as well as a wrinkle reducing lotion; that enhances and maintains these results It’s a one of a kind therapy that really works to restore to healthy looking skin on your delicate chest and neck. The system consists of two patent pending technologies that use penetrating therapeutics. A skin-lightening complex, which reduces hyper- pigmentation and sunspots and a wrinkle reducing lotion, which contains a unique bimineral complex. Used twice a day you will see real results within four weeks fabulous new décolleté may just be the boost a woman needs and we are definitely worth it!
So –action stations: start treasuring your chest. Lavish it with love, and some serious dedicated skincare and sun creams. Try the new Sun Shield SPF 50. It is the latest addition to the transformational Nu- Derm skincare range by Obagi combining high UVB absorption and dynamic UVA blockage in an elegant matt non-whitening finish. It will keep your puppies protected, and those pesky little lines at bay. Crêpey cleavage, begone.
In times of financial uncertainty, these treatments may seem a little indulgent, but frankly, a fabulous new décolletage may just be the boost a woman needs and we are definitely worth it!
