Archive for November, 2021

If you have never experienced a chemical peel before, the idea of one may conjure up images of bright red skin, huge sheets of skin peeling away, grim I know. An unpleasant and even painful treatment with days of wanting to hide out.

What if I told you, it can be a very relaxing treatment that can gently exfoliate the skin and infuse it with antioxidants.

A chemical peel is a solution applied to the face to remove dead skin cells and stimulate the growth of new cells.

There are three types of chemical peels, superficial, medium, and deep.

Superficial and medium can be a very safe treatment provided they are administered correctly and by an appropriately trained practitioner.

Deep peels are used less frequently. These can require extensive downtime and do present a higher level or risk and side effects.

Why get a chemical peel?

As we get older our cell cycles within our skin start to slow down and as a result our skin can start to age, develop discolouration, and lose laxity.

The skin health can be improved and stimulated by causing minor trauma by application of a chemical peel. Repeating the process over time can create a brighter, tighter, and more youthful complexion.

The skin barrier can also be strengthened by specific targeted active ingredients and in turn reduce skin sensitivity.

Peels can lift and reduce discoloration, making them a popular choice of those who have pigmentation on their skin.

Chemical peels can play an important in helping acne prone skin by reducing sebum and eliminating pore build up resulting in a skin clarifying effect.

My personal brand of choice for chemical peels is PCA skin. The company was founded 31 years ago, and they believe in a “progressive, not aggressive approach when treating skin”.

Using carefully tailored formulas to increase cell turnover by stimulating the cell cycles in the skin to create new skin cells and in turn reducing fine lines and wrinkles, tackling pigmentation, and improving skin clarity by reducing breakouts.

This echoes what I stated earlier in relation to having extremely tolerable treatments that can provide impressive skin improvements. That is why chemical peels are one of the most popular skin treatments I offer and form an essential part of a patient protocol to achieve skin confidence.

If you would like to learn more about chemical peels, you are welcome to book a consultation and see what they can do for you. You can tell me your skin concerns and we can discuss a treatment protocol to suit your schedule.

Nurse Carly x

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The treatment commonly referred to as Botox or anti-wrinkle injections.

Botox is a manufacturer name. A few manufacturers you may hear of include Bocouture, Azzalure, and Zeomin. The products are all comprised of the Botulinum toxin molecule but have slightly different manufacturer processes. They all work in the same way.

Botulinum neurotoxin type A is a muscle relaxant, it works by stopping the release of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator. It works by sending signals between nerves. This action would normally result in the contraction of muscles.

The injection of the Botulinum Toxin A results in a 4-step process which results in the light chain of the toxin molecule specifically cleaving the target protein (Snap 25) that is essential for the release of acetylcholine and muscle contraction.

The recovery of this process to again release Acetylcholine normally takes between 3-4 months and that’s usually how long you can expect the treatment duration to be. In time this duration may increase with regular treatment intervals as the muscle’s injected may reduce in size and strength.

We now live in a world where you can buy my DIY Botox kits off the internet, but should anyone be attempting to source this drug from unreputable sources?

This alarming trend has resulted in people buying unknown product from the internet and injecting into their own faces. According to sources a diagram with the product instructs where to inject. This presents a multitude of risks.
When injecting anti-wrinkle injections, there are very small amounts injected hence the need for very precise injection techniques. The injector needs to have a good awareness of anatomy and physiology to inject and deliver the product where is necessary. The dose required varies from person to person and a very bespoke prescriptive treatment is required. In the hands of an unexperienced injector, it is possible to cause the drooping of the eyelid, known as an eyelid ptosis, it is possible to cause a Brow to drop, known as an eyebrow ptosis.

By contrast in an experienced hand, it may be possible to balance out asymmetries on the face for example if a patient has one Brow higher than the other, it may be possible to balance this out. Patients with heavy eyelids may notice an elevation in their eyelids and brows which can give their face and eyes a more alert & refreshed look to them. This may result in the patient being able to see better as their eyes are more open.

It is possible to cause puffy eyes by affecting the lymphatic drainage of the eye by inaccurate injection technique and/or dosing. The desired effect of the treatment is to look less tired and refreshed. In the event of the causing fluid retention (oedema) around the eyes the patient can look extremely tired and worse off than before their injections. A trained practitioner can assess correctly whether treatment is appropriate and if so, administer a suitable dose in the correct location.

What’s in the vial?

So you’ve ordered off the internet and a vial of something has come through. How do you know if it’s going to contain the botulinum toxin molecule? How do you know it’s going to be in date? How do you know if it’s sterile and has been stored correctly? Most of the toxin vials are temperature sensitive and need to be delivered in a cold chain delivery to protect the potency of the product, incorrect storage will affect the drug efficacy and treatment results. What would happen if injecting the unknown substance resulted in an allergic reaction, this could be life threatening.
Hopefully with a consideration of what dangers this can present, people will think before purchasing and instead visit a reputable and experienced Medical Practitioner for treatment.

Nurse Carly x

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It is advisable to seek treatment from a medical professional, a nurse, doctor, or dentist. You can be assured the medical practitioner will have access to a pharmacy and authenticate stock of the Botulinum toxin for your treatment.

It is a legal requirement for you to be assessed by Medical Prescriber such as a nurse Prescriber, doctor, or dentist prior to treatment. If you have NOT seen a medical Prescriber before your session, then your suitability for treatment has not been assessed and the drug has not been prescribed for you. It is a prescription only drug.

You can ask to see before and after photos to give an idea of what may be achievable with treatment. Results may vary from person to person as the treatment is not an exact science.

Do you know how long the practitioner has been providing injectable treatments and the number of treatments they have undertaken?

Has there been a detailed discussion of risks and benefits of the treatment, and have you had the time to discuss any concerns?

It is a good idea to have your consultation and take the time to think over the information given.

Once you have decided to book your treatment it is encouraged to book a review appointment. This is an opportunity for you to give your practitioner feedback on your results and evaluate together if a further dose is necessary to improve your treatment outcomes.

Have you been given contact details in case you have any questions for your practitioner post procedure?

The results of anti-wrinkle injections can be so positive and completely change how a person feels about themselves. Do your research and feel confident in making an informed decision if the treatment is right for you.

Nurse Carly x

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