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Will lighteners really bleach my skin?

March 1, 2021 by Wendei Leave a Comment

The short answer is “No!”  But I know you’re all wondering about the real answer so pay attention as it’s going to get a bit geeky which personally l love being a science geek.

So here goes! Pop quiz. What’s the name of the cell that produces that yucky brown pigment that you see on your skin that appears most of the time in splotches.  If you guess the melanocyte, you get a gold star! So here’s where it gets interested. During this current cultural climate of #BLM I think it’s important to note that we all bleed red, we all have the same organs unless we’ve had to have one surgically removed and we’re all at risk for the same illnesses. Here’s the ONE thing outside of cultural or religious traditions that makes use different.

They’re called dendrites. If I were sitting in my office next to you, I’d draw you a picture of a melanocyte. Picture a circle which is the cell. Now picture octopus arms coming out of that cell. Those are called dendrites. They are the vehicles that melanin travels through to make its way up to our epidermis which is the outer layers of our skin. The ONLY think that makes a caucasian person different from someone who is Indian, Native American, Hispanic, Black, etc. is the number of dendrites. Because I’m a white Jewish girl, I have fewer dendrites than someone who is one of the above ethnicities. It makes me sick to my stomach how racist too many people in the world are when the only thing that makes us different is the number of dendrites we have – that’s it!

So here’s where it’s going to get geeky so stick with me. Let’s say (gasp!), you go for a walk or hike and you forget to put on your sunscreen. I know if you’re one of my clients you’d never do that because I’ve already put the fear of G-d as well as the fear of skin cancer and ugly brown spots in you. Anyways, you go for a last minute hike and forget to reapply your sunscreen. OR, you get in the hot tub and don’t bring a cold towel with you to put over your face (yes, write that down for future reference because heat also causes hyperpigmentation), the first thing that happens is your melanocyte begins producing an enzyme called tyrosinase. This enzyme is the precursor to melanin which is the pigment that travels through those dendrites. If the cell doesn’t produce tyrosinase, then no melanin is produced, hence the term tyrosinase inhibitors. The way it works, is you apply whatever lightening product that you’re using and as long as you’re wearing sunscreen, your melanocyte won’t produce tyrosinase which means you won’t hyperpigment.

There are many different ingredients that are tyrosinase inhibitors and no, bleach isn’t one of them. Some of them off the top of my head are hydroquinone (fine to use for a few months at a time for moderate to severe pigmentation but toxic to the liver if used for too long), Kojic acid from a type of mushroom, and peptides that work by telling the cells what to do. If you have mild hyperpigmentation you can use your lightening product (all over not just treating the spots) once a day. If you’re moderate to severe, then I recommend using it morning and night, over toner and under your other serums and moisturizer or face oil. You’ll want to make sure that you’re also using either a good lactic acid serum or a retinol based product along with your lightening product so that you’re getting some sort of exfoliation on a daily basis and this will speed up the timing in which you see results. Coming in for peels once a week will also speed up the process.

Now if you have true melasma then you’re going to have to have a lot more patience and use your products twice a day religiously and avoid saunas, hot tubs and steam rooms as heat can make it worse. I had one client that had lightened beautifully and then she got a sinus infection and purchased one of those heat up masks. The poor thing turned brown all over :(.  Melasma is caused by hormones and the sun whether it be from birth control, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy or being pregnant. Hormones and the sun do not go together and if you’re on hormone therapy or are pregnant and go in the sun without protection, you’re going to be incredibly unhappy because melasma is the hardest type of pigmentation to treat. But don’t fret, it can fade but it’s going to take a lot long than a few months. We’re talking one to two years. I have a client who has been coming to me forever and she had true melasma. She came to me once a month religiously for two years and voila, her melasma went away and to this day is still gone as you’d never even believe she ever had it. In a perfect world, you’d come in once a week for a half hour lactic acid peel as you’ll get faster results or invest in our POM Signature one week peel or really invest in a TCA peel where you actually peel and you’ll get results much sooner.

If you’d like to book a consultation and get started on a lightening product and book an appointment for your first peel or a package of peels, either book online or call us at (818) 769-0302.

Happy lightening!

Wendei

Filed Under: Life Enhancing Tips Tagged With: hyperpigmentation, melasma, peptides, skin care regimen, wellness

All About Acne: Facts and Myths

June 18, 2014 by Wendei Leave a Comment

I’ve been wanting to start a dialogue about acne for a long time now so let’s get started.

First, there are a lot of myths about acne. We’ve all heard that eating greasy fried foods or chocolate causes acne. We’ve heard that we have to “dry out” acne to cure it or that we shouldn’t use moisturizers. Some of us avoid using all moisturizers and sunscreens because we’re afraid it’s going to cause a break out. All the above are false, but do have some merit and I’ll address them soon.

Fact number one:  Acne is a hereditary condition. That’s right. Even if your mom or dad didn’t have acne, someone in your family had it and you can send them a special thank you for passing it down to you.

Fact number two:  Acne is classified as a disease. Not only is it a disease, but it can’t be cured, only controlled, until your body finally clears it and in most cases it will.

Fact number three:  Acne is caused by many different types of bacteria that irritate the pore (aka follicle). Once this follicle is irritated, dead skin cells build up, sticky oil mixes in with those cells and even more bacteria grows. The result can be blackheads, whiteheads (milia) pimples, cysts or nodules.

Fact number four:  Whether you’re a teen, or an adult struggling with breakouts, I can help you get your acne under control. But it takes commitment. You didn’t get your acne overnight and no matter what anyone tells you, it’s not going to go away overnight. You’ll have to use certain products, eat a certain way, come in more often at the beginning for treatments and acne-specific facials, but you WILL clear up.

Let’s talk about a couple of those myths. Greasy foods don’t cause acne, but salt can aggravate acne and make it worse.  To get technical, it’s actually the iodide in salt. Try using small amounts of sea salt instead if you salt your food.  Avoid most fast foods because they contain a ton of iodized salt. The good news is that you don’t have to give up chocolate.  A little bit of dark chocolate is actually good for you. Dark chocolate is much lower in sugar and actually has antioxidants which take down inflammation. Wait a sec, did she actually say chocolate is GOOD for us? Yep! Just don’t abuse it and the higher percentage of cacao the better. It’s the sugar in chocolate that’s bad for us. I’ve found lots of yummy ways to satisfy my chocolate cravings without the sugar. Maybe I’ll even share some of my recipes down the road.

Today I’ll give you one tip if you are one of the people struggling with acne or even the occasional breakout. Don’t pick! I know you want to, but it actually creates more problems. Instead, grab an ice cube and ice your breakouts. In fact, give your entire face a little ice massage. It can not only help lessen current breakouts but also prevent future episodes by taking down inflammation in the skin. You can use a plain ol’ ice cube, a bag of frozen veggies or fill a Dixie cup with water and keep it in the freezer and peel it down a little each time you use it. Icing at least a couple times a day will make a huge difference – I promise.

Please share this with any of your friends and family that may benefit and post any comments or questions below. As always, thanks for reading!!!

Wendei

 

Filed Under: Life Enhancing Tips Tagged With: acne, advanced clinical care, blackheads, comedome extraction, extractions, peace of mind is a quality of life, replenish & renew your skin, salicylic acid, sebaceous glands, skin care regimen

Do You Really Need to Wash Your Face?

February 18, 2014 by Wendei Leave a Comment

I get this question a lot. Or, more often this: “I just wash my face with water… do I really need a cleanser?”

My new analogy is this: If you were at a fabulous restaurant and ate a delicious meal and then discovered that the dishes were never washed with soap, they were only rinsed off with water, what would you think? Would ever go back to that restaurant again? Would you even be able to hold down the terrific meal you just ate off that gross plate?

We live in a city filled with smog. Even on a clear day we’re exposed to car exhausts, dust from construction, people that may still have a cold or virus kissing us, etc. We touch our face more than we’d like to admit… more than we think we do. After touching food, papers, countertops, other people’s bodies, the dog that just rolled around in dirt, etc. You get the point.

Sorry to gross you out, but the truth is that most people aren’t washing their face properly, so here are some simple tips:

1)   Use a cleanser designed for your face. Not Ivory soap, not Dove body wash or face oil–which seems to be the new hot thing. Oil doesn’t break down oil. Use a facial cleanser that’s pH balanced for your skin, meaning it’s a little more acidic than your skin so that it can break up oils and slough off dead skin cells.

2)   Work the cleanser in for at least a minute or two. I know it sounds frivolous, but we don’t brush our teeth in 20 seconds. Just like most of us have learned the two minute rule for our teeth, the same applies to our face.

3)   Use a wash cloth to remove the cleanser. Just splashing water on your face isn’t going to remove all the cleanser and you’ll be left with residue from your soap along with dead skin cells and dirt that didn’t come off with the water.

4)   Use a toner. I used to think this wasn’t an important step, but I’ve changed my mind. Especially after realizing that most people just don’t know how to wash their face properly. There are toners for all different skin types. The best way to use a toner is to apply it with a folded up four by four square of gauze and don’t be afraid to use a little pressure. Keep applying until the gauze is clean.

5)   Make sure you repeat the above steps morning AND night.

Come by the studio and we’ll be happy to help you choose the perfect cleanser and toner for your skin issues.

 

Happy cleansing!!!

Filed Under: Healthful Tips, Life Enhancing Tips, Professional Techniques, Your Skincare Regimen Tagged With: beauty regimen, natural beauty, replenish & renew your skin, skin care, skin care regimen

How to Wash Your Face

February 9, 2012 by Wendei Leave a Comment

PeaceofMindSkincare.com-TipsandTechniques

How To Wash Your Face

 Sounds pretty basic, huh?
But most people about to embark on serious skin care really don’t have a clue how to cleanse their skin properly or why it’s so important.  It’s important to cleanse our skin twice a day, in the morning and at night.  And no slapping on some cleanser and rinsing it off.
Just like our dentists teach us to spend a good two minutes brushing our teeth to get rid of food particles and prevent plaque and tartar, we need to do the same for our face.
  • Use a cleanser that’s right for your skin type (creamy for dry skin, gel or something more acidic for oily or problem skin) and really work it in.
  • Use your fingers or a Clarisonic brush and massage for a good minute and a half.  If you’re using an acid based cleanser like glycolic or salicylic, you’ll feel the tingle as you work the cleanser into your skin.
  • Use a white washcloth to rinse with water and you’ll be able to see if you’ve missed anything.
Our skin secretes oil while we’re sleeping so make sure and wash off the stickiness that contains excess oil and dirt in the morning and your makeup will go on much better and you’ll glow all day.
  • Don’t wait until you’re exhausted at 11:00 at night before washing off that makeup and the grime that comes with living in the city.
  • If you’re home at 7 and know you’re not going anywhere, wash your face then and apply your nighttime skin care products.
You’ll still have plenty of energy to play with the kids, read a book or watch your favorite show and your skin will thank you for it!
Tip:  Keep one cleanser next to your sink and another in the shower so whether you wash at the sink or in the shower you’ll always have your cleanser within reach.

. . .

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Filed Under: Life Enhancing Tips, Your Skincare Regimen Tagged With: glycolic cleanser, makeup removal, peace of mind skincare, salicylic acid, skin care, skin care regimen, skin types, wash your face, wendei spale

Energize & Enliven

October 25, 2011 by Wendei Leave a Comment

We nurture our clients with treatments that reawaken their youthful spirits to  smile at life.

Filed Under: Life Enhancing Tips, Peace of Mind Skin and Body Featured Post Tagged With: natural beauty, peace of mind skincare, skin care regimen, Studio City professional skincare spa, wendei spale

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Peace of Mind Skin & Body Care in Studio City specializes in corrective facials and body care, but don’t be fooled by our amazing results-oriented treatments – we provide an incredibly pampering spa experience with customized aromatherapy blends and yummy massage in a relaxing and welcoming environment.

We offer everything from very basic but pampering deep cleansing facials and hydrating facials to micro phototherapy, LED, micro current, & oxygen infusion facials. We also offer the best waxing and spray tanning in Studio City.We are Los Angeles’ most experienced estheticians trained in Collagen Induction Therapy aka micro or dermal needling.

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