LED LIGHT AND MICRODERMABRASION FOR HOME USE

The advances in technology for the beauty industry are mind boggling. Many of the developments started in either space research by NASA or medical research. Years later the ordinary person at home can enjoy many of the tools that have evolved based on solid scientific evidence.

A variety of hand held devices are available for at home skin rejuvenating and treating acne. In most cases what we are trying to achieve is an increased production of collagen and elastin in the skin. For acne skin types elimination of bacteria, accelerated healing and reduction of inflammation are the goals.

We feature 2 devices in this article LED lights and Microdermabrasion.

LED lights (light- emitting diodes) are a very safe and easy method for increasing the production of collagen and elastin in the skin. While professional machines are much stronger and treat the whole face at one time, home devices are handy and price effective.

When acne or pimples are the issue you can often nip it in the bud at an early stage and prevent a full on pimple developing.

The colour of the LED light determines the purpose of the treatment.

• Red is used for skin rejuvenation
• Blue is for acne or pimples to kill bacteria
• Yellow is to firm the skin
• Green reduces redness in cuperose skin

Before buying, it is important to check the powder of these LED devices to give an indication of effectiveness. Home units usually only come in red or blue , sometimes a combination of the two. Yellow and green are more for larger salon units.

Red lights 620 – 670 nm

Blue Lights 420 -460 nm

Bear in mind home devices will not be as strong as salon or medical machines and you will need to use them regularly to see benefits. However, there are some very good small appliances available.

How Red LED light will help your skin:

• Increase in elasticity.
• Fine lines eliminated and deeper lines reduced.
• Skin tone improvement.
• Less sagging
• Reduces redness from Rosacea

How Blue LED light will help your skin:

• Kills bacteria present in pimples
• Reduces inflammation
• Blemishes clear much faster
• Helps Control future outbreaks

Features to watch for:

1. Battery operated or plug in - ease of use
2. Size of head and number of LED lights - Bigger heads cover more of the face but harder to get between the eyes
3. Guarantee
4. Power capability in nm's covered above
5. One or more colours in light if you need blue for acne or pimples. Some have seperate coloured heads.

Prices vary from around $70 on e-bay to $300 -$500 in department or specialty stores. I bought a $69 tool on ebay and am very happy with it.

Whatever you buy have realistic expectations. Transformation is not going to happen overnight or ever, if the tool is left in a drawer.

Microdermabrasion: Hand held battery operated microdermabrasion kits for home users are freely available. Results vary as with any appliance. DermaNew is a reliable brand which gives a result which is visible and feels good.

The treatment takes only 2 minutes and can be done at the bathroom sink or in the shower. Dead skin cells are removed using a tool which has a sponge head that vibrates lightly. An exfoliating or resurfacing cream with medical grade corundum crystals is moved over the face with sponge head.

Microdermabrasion works well in a few ways.

• Skin rejuvenating (anti aging)
• skins prone to blackheads and whiteheads
• acne skin types.

For pimples and acne problems a different type of exfoliating cream is used. There is only half the amount of crystals and the formulation of the base cream contains special acne active ingredients. This cream is a more drying formulation than the Rejuvenation cream used for clear skin or those who suffer from blackheads.

You will need to use this microdermabrasion kit regularly to see results but if you do your skin will show the results.

Price range around $100.

EXFOLIATION – Why We Need To Do It

Skin Exfoliation or the removal of dead skin cells is a vital step in Anti Aging and improving skin health and appearance. Shedding of dead cells is a normal part of the skin renewal process.

There are many methods used to exfoliate the skin and these include micro dermabrasion, Ultrasound, Alpha Hydroxy Acids, peels and products to which beads or granules have been added. All work in different ways.

Dead skin cells should be removed regularly to expose the new, fresh skin on your face. Failure to exfoliate skin will have many consequences.

• Skin will lose its natural glow and look dull.
• Wrinkles are more likely to form.
• Skin care products will not be able to penetrate the dead cells and work as effectively.
•  Pimples, blackheads, acne and Rosacea will find a breeding ground.

People who suffer from the condition Rosacea, tend to have thicker layers of dead cells which need to be removed regularly, gently.

One of the main reasons for pimples, blackheads, whiteheads and cyst type eruptions is clogging of the pores by a combination of dead skin cells and excess natural oil called sebum. Skin types prone to these problems will improve  by exfoliating every second day, preferably at night.

Normal skin types will benefit from exfoliation 2-3 times a week while sensitive skins will be happiest with once a week gentle treatments.

As we age, natural exfoliation takes longer and therefore  skin needs some help to accelerate the shedding process.

For home use there are choices.

 One is a home microdermabrasion kit called DermaNew which contains a battery operated tool. A specialised exfoliating cream is applied to the skin on a sponge applicator. Medical grade corundum crystals gently remove dead skin cells as it passes over the skin. A 2 minute timer ensures skin is not irritated.

The simplest choice of Exfoliating cream is a Natural creamy Exfoliator with a cleanser base and round beads that will gently remove dead skin cells without irritation to the skin. Be wary of ground shells that can potentially scratch the delicate skin surface.

To use exfoliating cream, wet the face and apply a pea sized (or as directed) amount of product to the hands. Wipe the wet hands together to distribute the exfoliant evenly and use the whole hand to make gentle circles on the face. This way you will not be applying a large amount of cream to one area of the face and will avoid any possible irritation.

Use your middle fingers to work exfoliant into nose creases. An often neglected area of the face is behind and below the ears and the neck. Please remember to use moisturiser on this area too.

Work the Natural Exfoliator cream gently for about 30 seconds to loosen the "glue" that holds dead cells in place and rinse well with cool or lukewarm water.

Backs of hands, arms, shoulders and legs all benefit from a regular exfoliation followed by a pampering lotion.

Any Serum, Moisturizer or acne treatment applied to fresh exfoliated skin will then penetrate and perform the function they were designed for much more efficiently.