Why is My Face Red?

There are several reasons as to why your face is red, lets cover them:

Rosacea

1) Post inflammation from a facial treatment you have had
2) Rosacea
3) Sunburn
4) Birthmark/Port Wine Stain
5) Overuse of inappropriate skin care
6) Internal Medical Reasons

Lets look at these in some more depth:

1) Post Inflammation from a Facial Treatment

So you have had a facial and now 1-2 days later your skin is red.
Why is my skin so red? you may ask ....
Your face may be red in places or all over. If it was a facial and you were not warned of these side effects, you may of had a reaction to the products the aesthetician used, or the incorrect products for your skin type were used on your skin. If you have not used the range before, maybe it was your first time to the clinic, then perhaps you need to advise the aesthetician next time you go so she/he can use a different range or a more sensitive line within that range. No need to stress about this, this usually only lasts for a few days at most. Don't put hot water or do scrubs for these few days and hydrate to the max and it will calm down quickly.
On  the other hand, you may of had a peel or microdermabrasion or a medical treatment where some pink/flushing would be expected and hopefully was mentioned to you at the time of treatment so you were aware of what to expect post treatment. If you weren't, call your aesthetician and she/he would best advise you, what to put on your skin to calm it down. Either way, expect on a few days max of pink/redness before your skin settles.

2) Rosacea

Rosacea is a skin condition that unfortunately to date there is no exact cure for which is not what rosacea sufferers want to hear. I have many clients in my clinic and throughout Australia who I maintain regular contact with as I put them on a Rosacea routine. There is debate out at what the cause is .....so to remains no cure. BUT we can manage rosacea and by managing it we can make life as positive as possible, with hope for rosacea sufferers. Some clients will get faster results than others, it all depends on the internal aspect of the client as well. Internal health is key to treating rosacea as well as external treatment. What we see on the outside is a window, a glimpse, as to what is happening on the inside. We do know that there is a level of increased inflammation in the skin with Rosacea sufferers so we need to reduce this inflammation both internally and externally, whilst we also strengthen and rebuild the dermis of the skin to support the vascular and capillary network. So what do I cover with my clients on treating Rosacea?

• sun exposure - this will further dilate capillaries and decrease the integrity of the capillary walls,

  

  Osmosis Rosacea/Sensitive Starter Kit

  weakening them further
• internal health - prescription and non prescription medication
• skin care - the need for an antioxidant serum to reduce inflammation, very low dose of vitamin A (NOT retin -A), preferably retinaldehyde. Gentle and VERY effective. 
• external factors - hot showers, spicy foods, alcohol, exercising environments - bikram yoga etc
• laser/IPL therapies to lessen the visible appearance of  the condition
• dermal therapies - eg Osmosis Infusion - to strengthen, rebuild, reduce inflammation 
• alternate medicines - naturopaths, acupuncture
• lifestyle - sleep, food, stress levels etc. 

My recommendation for starting on a program is the Osmosis Rosacea/Sensitive Kit
Along with StemFactor Serum and Catalyst Plus Serum

3) Sunburn

In Australia, this is especially prevalent. The sun is so vicious here as our ozone layer is pretty much non existent. My best advise for post sunburn is to get your self a tub of aloe vera gel and smear it over and over the sunburn, cooling and healing the skin with each application. Prevention is always better than cure ... slip, slop, slap and you will be safe from the rays. If your skin peels, do not expose that fresh beautiful skin to the sun as you can cause some long term pigmentation issues which is best prevented.

4) Birthmark/Port Wine Stain

A Vascular network of capillaries that can be treated with medical grade laser technology. How deep the vascular lesion goes will depend on how many sessions will be required and the degree of permanency.  I would see a Doctor who had experience and knowledge on treating birthmarks/port wine stains so you require fewest amount of sessions possible, saving you time and $$ in the end.

5) Overuse of inappropriate Skin Care

It is a minefield out there in the beauty world. How do you know what skin care products are best suited for your skin? There are marketing campaigns going on out there bigger than Ben Hur that claim to hold the elixir of youth. Companies claiming they have found the ingredient that will "close" your pores etc etc etc We have all heard it and all it does is add to the confusion of the beauty world as marketers weave their web of enticement to use their products. So, what is the answer? What do you do when you are confronted with such a selection of products? How do you know you are not going to react?

I strongly advise that you see an Aesthetician to find out what skin type and skin condition you currently have. Even if you only go once, it is well worth it. How would you know what to buy otherwise? Do you play it safe and buy the sensitive range, or do you go for the oily skin care line when actually you are dehydrated or sensitive. Your Aesthetician will tell you:
1) Your Skin Type: This is something that will not change regularly. What ever skin type you have, you must realise that more likely then not, over the years, your skin will continue to become drier. The older we get the less oil we produce. So if you were oily in your teens and you are now 30, good chance is that you have considerably less oil than before. BUT you may still have the appearance (larger pores, thickened epidermis etc) of a skin that USED to be an oily skin. You do not treat your skin as oily, as it is not. Probably combination. There are other ways that you can treat the open pores and skin texture through treatments that will refine your skin.
2) Your Skin Condition: this changes all the time dependant on: weather, lifestyle, sleep, stress, food, medicatation etc. For eg your skin condition may be dehydrated - we can correct that. Or you may be essential fatty acid deficient presenting Milia - the little white dots that lay under the skins surface.
Time and time again, new clients come to me where they are using what they think is best for their skin when in actual fact it is the cause of them having a negative skin condition.

So if you want to make the decision yourself on what range you use (as aestheticians will promote what they sell), then book in for a consult, so at least you can get educated on what suits your skin best. Otherwise, take the advise completely of your trained professional and go with what they recommend. It takes the guesswork out of it and lets you get on with more important things in your life.

6) Internal Medical Reasons:

Osmosis Skin Nutrition Blend

If you are taking medication, there is a good chance that there will be some sort of flow on effect to your skin. I recommend at the very least an antioxidant serum like Replenish to provide a surge of antioxidants to your skin to fight the increase of free radicals in the skin. Free radicals are like rouge cells that have been for some reason impaired. They are not healthy cells and they like to latch onto healthy cells to get what they are missing, but in turn, they take positive components of the healthy cells. This is what Anti-Oxidants are for, they prevent our skin and body from oxidising! Then you can introduce something like the Skin Nutrition Blend from Osmosis to further penetrate and activate these antioxidants. You will mix this powder with your Replenish and apply to the skin daily.
That is the basic routine that you would do, to further enhance that, individual cases would need to be known and assessed to provide the best results. So I recommend finding an Aesthetician who is well educated to help you build a great skin care routine.

Any questions: email me at sarah@skinmatrix.co.au

As always..... Happy Skin Days,
Sarah Wilkinson
www.skinmatrix.com.au

Osmosis MD Arrives at Skin Matrix

I am the biggest fan of Osmosis, so naturally you can understand how excited I was when I heard Osmosis is bringing out Osmosis MD!
Osmosis MD provides a comprehensive skincare solution combining the Osmosis best selling products from the core brand and the highest-level of active A serums to deliver proven results.
If you love Osmosis, you will love Osmosis MD. There is a higher percentage of vitamin A in the Osmosis MD products, therefor delivering a higher dose of vitamin A to your dermis to achieve desirable positive skin change/improvements.
I will continue to sell the Osmosis Core range on my website www.skinmatrix.com.au , but I will also offer Osmosis MD.

Try the Osmosis MD Starter Kit - a fantastic way to sample the range whilst saving money!
Choose the kit for your skin type.
If you are unsure, email me for advice.

Click here to check out their Osmosis Kits










Stay tuned for more info on Osmosis MD coming soon.

As always, Happy Skin Days,

Sarah Wilkinson
www.skinmatrix.com.au

How To Get Rid Of Jowls

Jowls is an area that I am commonly questioned on ... how to get rid of jowls?! "How do I stop my face sagging?"
As we age we find that our cheeks start heading south thus causing the dreaded jowl. There are really 2 options to consider in the treatment of jowls and how to stop the face sagging.

1. Cosmetic - dermal filler to create volume in the cheek/cosmetic surgery of different kinds
2. Work out your facial muscles so they are tighter and more toned, thus tightening and lifting the skin

I go with option 2 at my clinic, Skin Matrix, as this is a natural and non invasive method to achieving a toned and taught skin and lifted cheek area. It is the perfect solution to tightening skin.
I use the CACI non surgical facelift machine in my clinic with fantastic results. You will see a difference after your first session, but after a recommended course of 12 treatments either 1-2 a week you will see vast improvements. Once you have completed a course, you will not need to undertake a course again. You will simply need to maintain the results you have achieved by seeing your CACI trained Aesthetician once a month.

Liken it to taking your face to the gym. The more you exercise the better the results. Commonly the facial muscles originate on the bone and insert on the skin of the face. Unfortunately our facial expressions do not exercise our muscles, they need to "be exercised", this can be achieved through a CACI non surgical facelift or by doing facial exercises at home.

The CACI will prevent your face from sagging and is the best way to get rid of jowls. 

Read more on the CACI Non Surgical Facelift here
 
Email me here to ask me any questions you like about CACI

Happy Skin Days,

Sarah Wilkinson
sarah@skinmatrix.com.au
www.skinmatrix.com.au

5 Tips How to Get Hydrated Skin

Autumn is upon us and so to is the dry skin that accompanies these cooler months. As soon as Autumn kicks in I encourage all my clients to follow these 5 steps to achieve a hydrated skin. I am already on the bandwagon as of the first day of Autumn and I sort of wish I had of started sooner.
Since starting my skin feels a lot softer, it has a more dewy healthy glow to it. It feels more plump and my Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup sits 100% better. I will reassess come Summer, as I may suggest my clients and myself continue these 5 steps all year round.

Follow these 5 steps for a luminous, healthy, hydrated skin.

1. Use Immerse Serum morning and night. This is a fabulous omega 3 serum that you either use on its own or with another serum/cream. Magic in a pump! Instantly the following day my skin felt smoother, more hydrated and firm. Read more and purchase Osmosis here http://www.skinmatrix.com.au/Product/Immerse.html
2. Book in for a CACI Hydratone Mask. This is a hyalauronic mask with soothing properties that is penetrated deep into the dermis of the skin with the CACI microcurrent rollers. Takes around 15 minutes and is soooo relaxing, you probably will fall asleep. I suggest you do this in combination with step 3 if you want a more effective result. More on CACI hydratone here
3. Either book yourself in for a microdermabrasion with your favourite aesthetician or exfoliate at home. This will remove dead skin cells allowing hydrating masks and hydrating serums like the immerse to penetrate deep within the skin. It also gives the skin a pick me up as flattened, old cells are removed to reveal a fresher and more youthful appearance. Exfoliate with my popular scrub or use a enzyme firming mask like the Osmosis Polish. 
4. Take fish oil/omega 3 capsules. This is the most effective way to hydrate the body from the inside out. It also has so many other benefits to our body in prevention of many degenerative diseases you can't go wrong in adding this to your permanent daily supplement intake.
5. Drink 8 glasses of water a day. More if you drink caffeinated drinks and/or alcohol. Your fish oil is the most powerful hydrator. Followed by water. Water will also help to flush toxins from the body which is essential for a glowing skin.

Happy Skin Days,

Sarah Wilkinson
sarah@skinmatrix.com.au
www.skinmatrix.com.au

Did you know Talc is toxic?

Talc is the most common ingredient used in NON-mineral makeup and is usually found right at the very beginning of the ingredient list on your make up. Which means ........ out of all the ingredients in your pot of make up, talc is present in the highest quantity. 

I have been advising my clients to switch to a 100% mineral makeup since I first discovered the amazing benefits and natural look of Minerals 10 years ago. I will not go in to all the benefits of Mineral Makeup today, as I want to pass on this very important information that you can find on the website: 

Prevent Cancer.Com - www.preventcancer.com/consumers/cosmetics/talc 

Please also be aware that currently here in Australia, there are no regulations for cosmetic companies in labelling of mineral makeup. Your mineral make up may contain only 1% minerals, yet be labelled as a Mineral Makeup. Ask your brand, if they are 100% minerals.

TALC - The Toxic Mineral!

Q. What is talc?

A. Talc is a mineral, produced by the mining of talc rocks and then processed by crushing, drying and milling. Processing eliminates a number of trace minerals from the talc, but does not separate minute fibers which are very similar to asbestos.

Q. What kinds of consumer products contain talc?

A. Talc is found in a wide variety of consumer products ranging from home and garden pesticides to antacids. However, the products most widely used and that pose the most serious health risks are body powders Talc is the main ingredient in baby powder, medicated powders, perfumed powders and designer perfumed body powders. Because talc is resistant to moisture, it is also used by the pharmaceutical industry to manufacture medications and is a listed ingredient of some antacids. Talc is the principal ingredient home and garden pesticides and flea and tick powders. Talc is used in smaller quantities in deodorants, chalk, crayons, textiles, soap, insulating materials, paints, asphalt filler, paper, and in food processing.

Q. Why is talc harmful?

A. Talc is closely related to the potent carcinogen asbestos. Talc particles have been shown to cause tumors in the ovaries and lungs of cancer victims. For the last 30 years, scientists have closely scrutinized talc particles and found dangerous similarities to asbestos. Responding to this evidence in 1973, the FDA drafted a resolution that would limit the amount of asbestos-like fibers in cosmetic grade talc. However, no ruling has ever been made and today, cosmetic grade talc remains non-regulated by the federal government. This inaction ignores a 1993 National Toxicology Program report which found that cosmetic grade talc, without any asbestos-like fibers, caused tumors in animal subjects.1 Clearly with or without asbestos-like fibers, cosmetic grade talcum powder is a carcinogen.

Q. What kind of exposure is dangerous?

A. Talc is toxic. Talc particles cause tumors in human ovaries and lungs. Numerous studies have shown a strong link between frequent use of talc in the female genital area and ovarian cancer. Talc particles are able to move through the reproductive system and become imbedded in the lining of the ovary. Researchers have found talc particles in ovarian tumors and have found that women with ovarian cancer have used talcum powder in their genital area more frequently than healthy women.2

Talc poses a health risk when exposed to the lungs. Talc miners have shown higher rates of lung cancer and other respiratory illnesses from exposure to industrial grade talc, which contains dangerous silica and asbestos. The common household hazard posed by talc is inhalation of baby powder by infants. Since the early 1980s, records show that several thousand infants each year have died or become seriously ill following accidental inhalation of baby powder.3

Q. What about infants?

A. Talc is used on babies because it absorbs unpleasant moisture. Clearly, dusting with talcum powder endangers an infant's lungs at the prospect of inhalation. Exposing children to this carcinogen is unnecessary and dangerous.

ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE:

1. Do not buy or use products containing talc. It is especially important that women not apply talc to underwear or sanitary pads.

2. Contact your pediatrician and/or local hospital and find out if they have a policy regarding talc use and infants.

3. Write to the FDA and express your concern that a proven carcinogen has remained unregulated while millions of people are unknowingly exposed.

References:

1.National Toxicology Program. "Toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of talc (GAS No 14807-96-6) in F344/N rats and B6C3F, mice (Inhalation studies)." Technical Report Series No. 421. September 1993.

2. Harlow BL, Cramer DW, Bell DA, Welch WR. "Perineal exposure to talc and ovarian cancer risk." Obstetrics & Gynecology, 80: 19-26, 1992.

3. Hollinger MA. "Pulmonary toxicity of inhaled and intravenous talc." Toxicology Letters, 52:121-127, 1990.

I hope you have found this information and the website PreventCancer.Com an invaluable tool. 

Sarah Wilkinson

Skin Matrix

sarah@skinmatrix.com.au

www.skinmatrix.com.au

How to get rid of Blackheads

The question I would get asked by my clients both online and in my clinic MANY times a week is:

How do I get rid of blackheads??

I want to break this down into 2 categories to explain this best:
1) blackheads on the nose
2) blackheads on other facial areas

But first, let me tell you in very simple terms what the common blackhead is. 

• Our pores contain a few things: oil (sebum) , hair follicle, dead skin cells
• makeup and dirt also find there way into our pores
• see the sebaceous gland in the picture, well that is what produces the oil that nourishes and protects our skin
• when the oil comes into contact with oxygen, it oxidizes it - giving it a black appearance. 
• you will notice this oxidation wherever your pores are larger - typically the nose/chin area
• when we exfolliate our skin, we are removing dead skin cells and part of that oxidized cap which makes our skin look brighter and fresher. 
• removing the oil plug or black cap with pores strips is a temporary solution, it simply removes the oil cap taking away that oxidized black cap

Blackheads on the Nose:
Unfortunately we can never get rid of blackheads completely. Due to our pores typically being larger on the nose and sometimes chin area, it is only natural that oxidized oil will be seen as "blackheads". We can however minimize them. This is how:

BUY ONLINE

• First we must clean out the oil, dead skin, dirt, makeup residue BEFORE we can minimize. 
• First things first. Change to a mineral makeup such as Jane Iredale Mineral Make up which is designed to sit on the surface of the skin. Also if you suffer breakouts .... this is a must. Breakouts find it hard to stop when your pore keeps getting filled with unwanted gunk!
• To assist in cleaning out your pores, use a product such as Defy from Cosmedix - a fruit acid cream to be used of a night will help break down hardened oil, makeup and dirt built up over the years. 
• Now that we are on the right path to cleaning out our pores, we now need to minimize them. 
• Use a vitamin A product that contains either Retinol or Retinaldehyde. For minimizing pores, anything except the above stated forms of Vitamin A will not minimize pores, they will give the skin an antioxidant benefit only. Retin A which is the strongest form of Vitamin A, I am not a big fan of. It is very irritating, causing flaking, dryness and the skin burns very quickly in the sun which can lead to pigmentation problems down the track. Typically you can only use Retin A for a period of 3 months, before you need to give the skin a break. Products that you should be looking for are: Renew from Osmosis or Refine or Define from Cosmedix.
• Treatments that will assist are: microdermabrasion, Vitamin A infusions or peels such as the Osmosis Peel or the Cosmedix Benefit or Timeless Peel. Read more on these peels here.
• Microdermabrasion gives you quick satisfaction as the oxidized caps are removed. For long term satisfaction, the peels and infusions will help to restructure your pores and refine them. 

Blackheads on the Rest of the Face:

Blackhead on the other parts of the face are not as common as on the nose. Everyone has blackheads to some degree on their nose, but not everyone has them on the cheeks for example.
Unless my client has a acne and/or problematic skin where the pores are enlarged and their natural oil flow is very high, blackheads on the rest of the face is commonly a topical problem.
Usually a skin product is smothering their pores and not allowing their natural oil to flow naturally on the skin. Products that contain Parrafin or liquid parrafin, mineral oil and lanolin and there are many others can, on some skins, cause blackheads. We need to allow the skin to breathe to function as it was designed to. Smothering it with barrier creams will only benefit very sensitive skins, people who suffer from eczema and dermatitis. Once I find the culprit that is responsible for the blackheads and remove it from the skin routine. I will then need to put them on some sort of fruit acid cream light Defy from Cosmedix and manually extract the blackheads.
If however the pore has been stretched over a period of years, it makes minimizing a little more time consuming as there is a lot more to minimize than the standard enlarged pore. It would be nice if our pores snapped back into position once all the debris was removed from the pore, but no such luck.
I have found that the Dermaroller Treatment, Skin Needling is FANTASTIC for minimizing pores.

I would highly recommend Skin Needling to anyone that was concerned with enlarged pores, blackheads etc. Make sure you go to a clinic that uses a Skin Needling device that is approved by the TGA (therapeutic goods administration) of Australia. These devices are designed to penetrate to your Dermis (second layer) of the skin, so you want to insist the procedure is sterilized and the technician is highly trained in skin needling.

Also as a tip, I highly advise you ask your technician is they reuse their rollers. Some clinics do, and some don't. You are paying decent money for this treatment, so you want sharp, new needles every time, a new roller that has been taken out of a sterilized packet every time.
Read more on Skin Needling with the original Dermaroller here

Some other helpful tips for a clean pored complexion:

1. cleanse with a cleanser morning and night
2. double cleanse or use clear on a cotton round to remove any excess make up
3. use a moisturiser that sinks in deeply and nourishes the skin. Unless you have dermatitis, eczema, super sensitive skin,  or a thin skin you do not need products with heavy waxes, oils and paraffin that only sit on the surface of your skin and clog up your pores. Use a moisturiser like Quench that deeply hydrates and sinks in super quick.
4. Thoroughly cleanse your skin after using chemical sunscreens, they are notorious for hanging out in your pores long after your lovely day at the beach!
5. Exfoliate with my facial scrub at least once a week
6. Do not squeeze blackheads, over time you develop scar tissue around the pore - even harder to minimize!
7. Visit your Aesthetician for a deep cleansing facial/peel/infusion or microdermabrasion at least once a month. You WILL see a difference. 
8. Change to a 100% mineral makeup like Jane Iredale
9. Throw away that mirror in your bathroom that magnifies your face 1000 times! No one is going to look that close, it is impossible to have magnified vision.
10. Be loving and kind to your skin

Hope this helps answers many of your questions!

Happy Skin Days,


Sarah Wilkinson
Skin Matrix
0417 404 700
sarah@skinmatrix.com.au

Cosmedix Medical Skin Range NEW LOWER PRICES!!

 
   
 ON COSMEDIX SKINCARE





To all the Cosmedix lovers out there! 
You will be jumping up and down for joy with the news that Cosmedix have drastically reduced their RRP on their medical skin care range here in Australia.
Over the past few years, I have to admit the prices of the Cosmedix products have been steadily increasing whilst my clients were steadily decreasing purchasing the Cosmedix Range.

Cosmedix was one of the very first premier Medical Skin Care Ranges that hit Australia and it did so like a tsunami! The percentage of active ingredients where something we had not come across before and WOW what an effect they had on the skin!

10 years ago I think was around the time I was introduced to Cosmedix, and I remember it being the FIRST skin care range out of all my experience that I could actually see a change in the skin within a short period of time.

The basis of Vitamin A and the delivery system was next to none and my clients were addicted along with myself. A few years later there have been other Medical Skin Care Ranges that have hit the market and cosmetic and plastic surgery clinics alike.

Now, Cosmedix are back and in a MAJOR way. You won't be able to find a better price than here for your Cosmedix purchases. In some cases you are looking at around 50% off!!

Unfortunately I am restricted to publishing the new prices on the net and cannot sell online as per instructed by the Australian Distrubutors. BUT if you email me here what you are interested in at sarah@skinmatrix.com.au, I will gladly respond with the prices and you can purchase over the phone with free postage over $90.

Don't spend more than you need to!

Email or call me on 0417 404 700 to order your Cosmedix Products today.

If you are new to the range, email me and I can advise you through discussions the best products for you.

Happy Skin Days,


Sarah Wilkinson
Skin Matrix
0417 404 700
sarah@skinmatrix.com.au
www.skinmatrix.com.au