We have compiled a list of popular ingredients and their uses in professional skincare products. You can refer to this list when making your next purchase at your favourite retail store!
Glycolic Acid
Glycolic acid treats flaky or dull skin and hyperpigmentation by stimulating exfoliation. The smaller a molecule, the more easily it gets into the skin and penetrates deeply. Because glycolic acid is the smallest of all the acids, it yields the most dramatic results.
Lactic Acid
Lactic acid is derived from sour or fermented milk. It has skin softening abilities.
Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid treats conditions that involve scaling or overgrowth of skin cells, for example, psoriasis. In addition, it treats acne by reducing swelling and redness. It unplugs blocked skin pores to allow pimples to shrink, thereby softening and loosening dry, scaly, or thickened skin so that it sloughs off.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid attracts water molecules to the skin. It secures moisture and creates fullness. It is a “smart nutrient” because it can adjust its moisture absorption rate based on the humidity—relative to the season and the climate.
Kojic Acid
Kojic acid is a skin-lightening agent. It is produced by several species of fungi. Fun fact: Kojic acid is a by-product of the fermentation process used to produce the alcoholic beverage ‘sake’.
Turmeric
Turmeric has multiple uses! Not only is it used for clearing acne, but it is also used for brightening the complexion. Did you know that turmeric is also used to inhibit facial hair growth? Finally, it has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties to help reduce acne and scarring.
Retinol
We have coined retinol the ‘Defibrillator’. It plumps wrinkles and kick-starts the release of collagen. As a result, youthful volume is added to your face. Retinoids repair skin by kick-starting inflammation. Retinol is one of the raw forms of vitamin A.
Our spa offers medical esthetics treatments and traditional esthetics services in Edmonton, Alberta.
Advanced skin treatments
Chemical peels
Chemical peels are medical esthetics skin treatments. They accelerate the cell turnover rate by chemically penetrating beneath the surface of the skin to dissolve away dead skin cells.
They are customized depending on the current condition of the skin and desired results. As a result, they treat a variety of conditions, for example, pigmentation, acne, fine lines, dry skin, and more.
The first thing to remember when booking your peel is the recommended downtime of 2-7 days depending on the depth of the peel. Please review the criteria before booking your peel.
Photofacials
Photofacials use Intense Pulse Light (IPL) technology to diminish brown spots, redness, broken capillaries, fine lines and other textural damage.
Over time, skin accumulates damage resulting in age spots and other pigmented lesions. Our skin loses elasticity which creates fine lines. IPL treatments are ideal for treating pigmented and textural damage that come from aging.
We recommend 4-6 treatments when treating the above skin concerns.
Types of Photofacial IPL treatments
While all photofacials emit light energy into the skin, the difference between them lies in their specific targets.
ALISA blasts collagen cells to boost collagen production. It target fine lines, skin smoothing, textured scarring, and large pores. Promotes skin rejuvenation.
ACLARA dissolves blemishes by destroying excess melanin cells. Recommended for removal of dark spots, pigmented scarring, and sun damage.
ALIVIA cauterizes superficial vessels and dissolves them back into the skin while flushing out the excess. It is used to treat vascular lesions.
Vascular lesions are due to conditions such as Rosacea, couperose skin, sensitized skin, or simply genetics. Subsequently, if left untreated these conditions can worsen, or mutate the skin’s texture.
Our advanced pedicure or “pedícare” menu includes specific treatments for ingrown nails, nail fungus, and diabetic feet.
Ingrown Nails
Ingrown toenails can cause discomfort and lead to infection when left untreated. Pressure is relieved by clearing debris and carefully trimming the ingrown portion of your nail.
This process can take anywhere from one hour to an hour and a half depending on how severe it is or if the use of topical anaesthetic is necessary.
Anti-Fungal Treatment
Fungal growth on your nails can lead to discomfort, deformities, and discolouration. Infected nails are treated to help prevent transmission and further complications.
Your nail care treatment plan will require follow-up service and use of the anti-fungal solution and home care instructions provided with your service.
Diabetic Pedicure
Our Diabetic Pedicure is a specialized foot care service tailored to meet the unique needs of individuals with diabetes.
Booking this treatment begins with a telephone consultation to determine your eligibility for the treatment. Your consultation is free and can be booked online.
Advanced hair removal treatments
Our medical esthetics menu includes IPL Hair removal as a way to permanently remove or reduce facial and body hair. This treatment will deliver permanent results on any area of face and body, including male facial hair! Razor burn, ingrown hairs, and embarrassing stubble will be a thing of the past after your IPL Hair Removal treatment.
As rooted in our name, our focus is on improving the overall health of your skin. Located in Edmonton, we offer the following treatment options to reduce acne.
Facial with BHA boost
Known as the PORE facial, this treatment includes all the essentials of a classic facial with an emphasis on clearing congested skin by extracting blackheads, milia, and other skin blemishes.
Extractions are best on freshly cleansed and exfoliated skin. We begin the facial by cleansing to ensure that no harmful bacteria is present when exposing the open pore.
After cleansing and exfoliating, a specialized solution is applied to help dislodge the oily debris. The skin is then placed under a warm steamer. The warmth and humidity of the steam opens up the pores, allowing us to safely extract.
Extractions can take 15-30 minutes depending on the skin condition. They can also leave the skin looking irritated for 1-2 hours. Once the pores are cleared, they can remain clear for up to 8 weeks.
While the Pore facial is a go-to for many clients looking for a “general clean’up”, clients with active acne are recommended they add a BHA boost to their facial. These boosts are classified as mild versions of the stronger chemical peels. They can be used to pre-treat the skin before transitioning into stronger skin peels. Because they are a more advanced treatment, adding a boost requires 24 – 48 hours of down time.
Acne Peel
We use Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) to treat acne, more specifically, salicylic acid. This acid is made up of a larger molecular size which means it works on the outer layers of skin. It is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory making it the top choice when dealing with not only acne, but redness and oily skin as well. We like to think of this acid like Pac-Man running along the surface of the skin gobbling up dead skin cells and breaking through oil.
*NOTE: BHA is not suitable for people that are allergic to aspirin or other similar medications. People that are taking medications that cause photosensitivity or adverse reactions to the skin should avoid BHA treatments.
We offer vascular lesion removal treatments in Edmonton, Alberta.
What are vascular lesions?
Vascular lesions are due to conditions such as Rosacea, couperose skin, sensitized skin, or simply genetics. Frequent, consistent redness and broken capillaries are typical characteristics present of these types of conditions.
How do I know if I have Rosacea?
Talk to your doctor if you think you may have Rosacea. Common symptoms of Rosacea include:
Flushing
Persistent Redness
Bumps and Pimples
Visible Blood Vessels
Broken Capillaries
Burning or Stinging
Swelling
Eye Irritation
Dry Appearance
Skin Thickening
Plaques (overgrowths of skin)
Phototherapy reduces redness and broken capillaries
We do vascular lesion removal with phototherapy, more specifically, with our ALIVIA photofacial.
To understand how phototherapy reduces Rosacea symptoms, let’s begin with the fact that oxyhemoglobin is formed by the combination of hemoglobin with oxygen, present in oxygenated blood. When we apply light energy, oxyhemoglobin in the blood within the targeted vessel absorbs the energy. In turn, this causes the blood to coagulate and the vessel to break up into particles. Finally, these particles are naturally filtered away through the body’s lymphatic system.
Is the ALIVIA photofacial painful?
Most clients would agree that phototherapy is not painful at all. During the procedure, you may feel a slight, momentary stinging sensation. This sensation is comparable to the snapping of a small elastic band, but not pain.
We provide post care instructions for your treatment. While there are some minor recommendations we as you to follow, the ALIVIA photofacial does NOT require any downtime whatsoever!
Our Skin Experts are knowledgeable on our technology, AND on the biology of the skin. This increases the comfort and safety of all of our treatments. Our treatments are non-invasive and safe, with minimum side effects if any at all.
Located in Edmonton, Alberta, Dérmica offers treatment for aging skin. Phototherapy is included in our treatment menu as a powerful treatment to fight the common signs of aging.
Common Signs of Aging Skin
While we all age at different rates depending on several factors, for example, genetics and diet, there are four common signs of aging.
1. Loss of Elasticity
As we age we stop producing collagen at the same rate. This in turn affects the elasticity leaving us with saggy skin as we age.
2. Loss of Hydration
The sebaceous glands in the skin are not as active as we age. This loss of hydration manifests itself through a dull, sallow appearance, crepey skin, and fine lines.
3. Hyperpigmentation
Environmental factors as well as other pollutants and oxidants in the air cause aging in general. These environmental factors can also contribute to hyperpigmentation which can cause an aged appearance to the skin.
4. Thin Skin
The thickness of the skin changes as well with aging. The skin thins out as a result of the deficiencies in collagen and hydration.
How can I improve my aging skin?
When it comes to the best treatment for aging skin, phototherapy is amazing because these treatments do not cause superficial damage to the skin. The light energy penetrates directly to the collagen cells.
More specifically, IPL phototherapy consists of irradiating the target with pulsed visible radiation. As a result, the targeted area is heated above body temperature which causes the proteins to coagulate. Because the target absorbs the radiation much more strongly than the surrounding tissue, this surrounding tissue is almost not heated at all.
Show off a younger, brighter, tighter, and supple face!
Acne can be caused by many different factors and can be treated using different methods.
Genetics
One of the causes of acne is genetics. Some skin types are more prone to developing acne such as oilier skin types this is due to the fact that they have overactive sebaceous glands which can clog the pores trapping bacteria, germs, and other environmental pollutants thereby creating a backlog.
It can be harder to cleanse oily skin because most products are not fat soluble. In other words, they cannot break down that oily barrier at the surface. As a result, the skin is left congested.
Hormones
Another factor that causes acne is hormonal disruptions or fluctuations. This can start as soon as puberty. The skin starts to produce more oils as it goes through changes. Some women will develop acne during pregnancy due to the hormonal changes. This typically resolves after delivery but can carry on during breastfeeding. Additionally, some women may develop acne after having the baby due to hormonal fluctuations.
Hygiene
Another cause of acne can be improper hygiene and skincare. This can range from not cleansing the skin enough which can leave bacteria and other environmental pollutants on the skin. These can then enter the pores or breaks in the skin potentially causing infections.
Skincare products
Acne can also be due to using improper skincare products. If the skin is not cleansed properly with a fat-soluble cleanser, then you are leaving a film on the skin that creates a backlog with every wash. If the improper cleanser is used it can also disrupt the skin’s health by causing it become too oily and congested. Examples include oil-based moisturizers, rich creams, or body lotion when used on the face.
Overusing certain products that dry the skin can cause skin types that may not be acne-prone to develop minor acne due to over drying of the skin. When this happens, the skin ends up overcompensating by producing more oil. As a result the skins’s balance is thrown off.
Diet
Another factor could be diet. It is said that some acne may be caused by certain dietary intolerances or allergies, such as high fructose, meat products, or other food products that disrupt the hormonal balance in the body. This is a matter that should be discussed with your doctor.
