Hyper-Pigmentation

Rosacea

Melasma

Rosacea

Rosacea is an inflammatory skin disease that causes facial redness. You may mistake some of its characteristics — small, red, pus-filled bumps or pustules — for acne. In fact, rosacea has been called adult acne or acne rosacea, but the disease has little to do with the pimples and blackheads that commonly afflict teenagers. It's also a misconception that this red-faced condition is caused by drinking alcoholic beverages.

Rosacea affects mostly adults, usually people with fair skin, between the ages of 30 and 60. Although it's more common in women, men may develop more apparent signs of the disorder. It's not life-threatening, but it can affect your appearance and lower your self-esteem.

Left untreated, rosacea tends to be progressive, which means it gets worse over time. However, in most people rosacea is cyclic, which means it may flare up for a period of weeks to months and then signs and symptoms lessen for a while before rosacea flares up again. Besides acne, rosacea can also be mistaken for other skin problems, such as skin allergy or eczema. Once diagnosed, it's quite treatable.

The cause of rosacea is unknown, but researchers believe it's likely due to some combination of hereditary and environmental factors. Although the exact cause of rosacea remains a mystery, a number of factors can aggravate it or make it worse by increasing blood flow to the surface of your skin. Avoid any activity or ingredients that might provoke an inflammatory reaction.

Some of these include:

• Hot foods or beverages
• Spicy foods
• Alcohol
• Temperature extremes
• Avoid sitting in front of fires
• Sunlight
• Stress, anger or embarrassment
• Strenuous exercise
• Hot baths, saunas, steam rooms
• you may be sensitive to chlorine in swimming pools, ,
• Corticosteroids
• Drugs that dilate blood vessels, including some blood pressure medications

The following is a list of skin care ingredients to AVOID if you have redness and rosacea,

alpha lipoic acid , acetic acid, allantoin, balsam of peru, benzoic acid, camphor, cinnamic acid, cinnamon oil, cocoa butter, coconut oil, dmae, isopropyl isostearate, isopropyl myristate, lactic acid, menthol, parabens, peppermint oil and quarternium –15.

Don’t use toners except witch hazel

Sunscreens which cause sensitivity.

Avoid avobenzone , paba, benzophenone, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, octyl methoxycinnamate, methylbenzylidene camphor, phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid.

Sunscreens to use for sensitive skins .

Micronised zinc oxide is recommended for oily skins especially if you have sunscreen sensitivity.

At Sanctuary MedSpa we offer traditional therapy such as topical therapies well as in office combinations light and laser therapies to improve the outcome of redness and rosacea.  As each patient's case is different; we will tailor a treatment program specifically for you and your circumstances. A highly professional team led by a medical doctor assesses every patient and an appropriate combination treatment together with long term maintenance program is recommended. It must be emphasized that Rosacea is a chronic condition and cannot be cured, however its appearance can be improved.

 

Melasma

Melasma is a skin condition that occurs on the face in the form of brown patches and is a dynamic condition that needs lifelong management. There appear to be three clinical patterns: Centro Facial (forehead), Malar (cheekbones) and Mandibular (jawline). Melasma tends to affect darker-complexioned individuals and is seen most frequently in young women. Men make up 10% of reported cases.]

There are 4 different types of Melasma, Epidermal, Dermal, mixed Epidermal-Dermal and Inapparent. The different types of melasma describe how deep the pigment is in the skin. Typically, the deeper the pigment the harder it is to treat Melasma.

What are the causes of Hormonal Pigmentation/Melasma?

• UVA rays are a stimulant for melanin (brown pigmentation) to develop on the skin, and unfortunately can even penetrate through car window glass.
• A change in hormonal status (higher levels of estrogen) is thought to trigger and be the cause of the condition (i.e. birth control pills, pregnancy), although many women without these risk factors also develop melasma. Discontinuing the use of contraceptives rarely clears the pigmentation and it may last for many years after discontinuing them. After pregnancy chloasma or pigmentation usually clears within a few months of delivery)
• Ovarian disorders and Endocrinology disorders are rare causes of pigmentation.

 How is Melasma treated ?

•  As sunlight is a stimulant for melasma, the most important product to use every day to help prevent melasma is a broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF 30+ to block the UVA rays. In addition an anti oxidant should also be worn under the sunscreen as this stops free radicals which cause pigmentation. At least 5 mls of sunscreen should be applied daily to prevent melasma.
• Avoid sun exposure and wear a protective hat when outdoors for extended periods to further block these rays. 
• At Skin Renewal we emphasise that home lightening products should be used routinely for 2 weeks on the entire before any exfoliation treatment such as peels. The lightening cream contains active ingredients that stabilise the enzyme tyrosinase that produces the melanin that causes pigmentation. Retinol increases the cell turnover so that the deposition of melanin is impeded.
• Epidermal Melasma is the most common form of Melasma and can be treated with pulsed light treatments such as Limelight and Photo Genesis.
• However, Melasma recalcitrant to therapy is most likely dermal melasma which can be better treated with home lightening products and a series of peels. A series of 6 to 8 peels are needed every 3 to 4 weeks.

If the above recommendations and treatments are followed, after a period of time, the pigmentation does fade but one day of unintentional sun burn can set you back.

The following is a list of skin care ingredients to USE if you have Melasma

arbutin, bearberry, cucumber extract, hydroquinone, kojic acid, licorice extract, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, mulberry extract, niacinamide, retinol, resorcinol, beta hydroxyl acid, vitamin c.

The following is a list of skin care ingredients to AVOID due to worsening melasma pigmentation and dark spots.

oestradiol, oestrogen and genistein black cohosh, chasteberry, hops, red clever, soy, wild yams,. 

At Sanctuary MedSpa we offer traditional therapy such as home prescriptives such as Kojic acid, hydroquinone and retinol well as in office exfoliation and light treatments to treat melasma. As each patient's case is different; we will tailor a treatment program specifically for you and your circumstances. A highly professional team led by a medical doctor assesses every patient and an appropriate combination treatment together with long term maintenance program is recommended.