What's the big deal with "PH"?

I know that all of you have heard of "PH" in regards to the alkalinity or acidity of products, or in technical terms, Potential of Hydrogen Ions. So, how does this pertain to us and our skin? Have a seat, hold on to your chair and get prepared to be shocked!

I'm attending the International Dermal Institute for post graduate Aesthetics, and this was the subject in class today. After hours of extensive study the whole class came to the conclusion that this balance could very likely be the root of a lot of major skin issues. On a scale from 1-10, our skin falls in the 4.5-5.5 range. Below 4.5 it becomes more acidic, and above 5.5 it becomes more alkalinic. Too far either way starts to affect your skin in a negative way. Take for instance, if you decide to have a chemical peel, it would only take your skin down to a 3.0-3.5. And we consider this fairly extreme. Anytime the alkaline level rises too high you compromise your acid mantle(balance), which in turns leaves your skin wide open to irritation and infection.

Now, get prepared for these extreme comparisons. First, and most shocking was the test we conducted on Comet household abrasive cleaner and dermatologist's #1 recomended skin cleansing bar Neutrogena. The instructor first put a small amount of comet on her hand, sprinkled it with water and rubbed the PH pen over that. The dark green color appeared, which was probably around 9.5. Next she rubbed the neutrogena bar on the top of her hand, applied water, then rubbed on the PH pen......The dark green color appeared again, surprisingly also at a 9.5!!! Yes, comet and neutrogena rank the same ph. Would you bathe in comet? I don't think so. And the shocking thing is that our country's top dermatologist recomend the neutrogena bar to their patients that have dermatitis, highly sensitive and alipoid skin. A little scary isn't it? As soon as I get back home I will be ordering ph pens and charts for my clients. I can't tell you the number of women who can't understand why they looked so dry and cracked around their eyes. I immediately examine the skin under the woods lamp, and the obvious diagnosis is severe dehydration, and no amount of fabulous eye creme will replenish it. Strange rashes, breakouts and uneven skin tones have remained a mystery till today.

In conclusion, a room full of very knowledgable and gifted estheticians discovered that our mystery culprit is the lack of proper ph balance in the products we use on our skin, and in particular on our faces. And, a red light came on in my head, if this all important balance is compromised our skin automatically becomes more vulnerable to dangerous UV rays. And the results of this exposure is hyperpigmentation and skin cancer. So, as intelligent and savy consumers, it is our responsibility to be aware of the things and be pro-active.

Talk to you again soon, Patti

Goodbye winter skin

The time has now changed(spring forward) and so it is time to change the appearance and texture of our skin. The cold dry winter reaks havoc on ones face and body for that fact. I keep hearing clients say that they don't believe that exfoliation is good for their skin. This is such an old wives tale. Actually if you don't exfoliate all you are doing is moisturizing dead skin, which gets you absolutely nowhere. A mild exfoliant can be used daily. My favorite is dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant. It was voted one of the top ten skin care products of all time in Austrailia. and top twenty five in Great Britain. European people are really into to preventative skin care, where we Americans, unfortunately are into waiting until it's damaged and then trying to fix it! But that is finally beginning to change. If you happen to love all the fashion magazines you'll notice that it seems like half of Hollywood adores this product. It's for all skin types and can be used every single day with shining results. If you're not aware of a dermalogica skin therapist in your area, St. Ives apricot scrub is a good substitute. Another thing that most people overlook are skin "peels". Pain and a raw face are associated with this word. This is not true, I'm not talking about resurfacing done by a dermatologist. There are a variety of glycolic, lactic & salicylic peels available by your esthtician. Your particular skin type and need determines which one suits you best. This procedure leaves your skin glowing and able to reproduce collagen at a higher rate. It's a win-win situation. But when all the dead skin is gone it is more important than ever to use sun screen(fresh new baby skin and mean UVA rays don't mix well, or play well for that fact). This is something I feel that everyone needs twice a year, early spring and late fall. So do your skin a big favor, clean it off so it can breath and shine, and you'll love the way it looks and feels. Talk to y'all soon, Patti