Every few weeks, I share with you a brief of one of my client profiles. I do this to shed light on all sorts of information that you may or may not know, and to help you in making the best choices for your skin care needs.
Client Information:
Client: Natalie G.
Age: 37
Location: San Diego, CA
Occupation: Administrative Assistant
Client Concerns:
Natalie’s primary complaint is the Melasma she developed during her third pregnancy (the tan areas on her forehead, above the lips, and on her chin). She also has a significant amount of congestion (small bumps, milia, and blackheads) along the left side of her face–the jaw line, cheekbone, and side of her forehead. Around the side of her nose, and on the cheekbone, she has a few broken capillaries. Finally, she is worried that the fine lines around her eyes, and upper lip will continue to get deeper and more noticeable.
Key for the Client Image above
A=Melasma
B=Congestion
C=Broken Capillaries
D=Fine Lines
Recommendations:
1. Schedule a professional facial treatment–clearing up the congestion, milia and blackheads
For Natalie I am recommending that she go to a Medical Esthetician for treatment, instead of a day spa. Milia are small whitehead-looking bumps that never really come to the surface of the skin by themselves. They are formed when dead skin cells get trapped below the surface of the skin with no way to get out naturally. Very few states allow estheticians to remove milia because the skin must be pierced to remove it, and that is beyond the scope of most licenses. However, medical practices that offer aesthetic services frequently provide this service in addition to a professional facial treatment.
2. Consider meeting with your dermatologist or plastic surgeon–treating the Melasma and the broken capillaries
Depending on how dark Natalie’s melasma is, and given that it is her primary concern, she may want to speak to her doctor about laser options like Fraxel, or IPL (Intense Pulsed Light). She may also want to consider a chemical peel protocol which her doctor can determine the viability. Should she not want to go to the doctor, products that gently but consistently exfoliate might be helpful. Look for ingredients like Vitamin A, retinyl palmitate, Kojic acid, AHA’s, lactic acid and Acerola. As for the broken capillaries, IPL treatments are a fast, painless, and pretty effective treatment option.
VERY IMPORTANT: There is no sense in treating melasma if you are not going to wear a strong SPF every single day. Although hormones trigger melasma, sun exposure brings it to life by darkening the over-pigmented cells. SPF 30+ is the bare minimum, and an SPF of 50+ is preferred.
3. Gentle home exfoliation 2-3 times a week, and an eye cream with vitamins A, C & E
The key to staying on top of fine lines is gentle but consistent exfoliation. I would like to see Natalie using an enzyme-based exfoliating masque two times a week, followed by twice-daily application of an eye cream that has a topical retinol. If her skin tolerates the products well, and she wishes to add one more exfoliation during the week (no more than 3 times a week), I would recommend using a gentle mechanical scrub (with beads, not fruit pits). Fine lines on the lip-tip: Use the same product on your lip lines as you do on your eye area.
4. Product recommendations:
These recommendations are for Natalie, based on the information included in this brief (no affiliate links, here)
Cleanser: Bioelements Decongestant Cleanser Use twice daily
Exfoliant 1: Eminence Organics Yam & Pumpkin Enzyme Peel use up to 2 times a week at night
Exfoliant 2: SkinCeuticals Micro-Exfoliating Scrub use 1-3 times a week (once if using other exfoliant)
Eye/Lip: DDF Nourishing Eye Cream use both morning and night
