NO NEEDLES NECESSARY!

Is there a fountain of youth?  YES!  Vanities Spa has one and it's poured into a bottle that you take home and drink from every day!  [No, you don't actually DRINK it!]  It's called:

Vantastic Skin | YOUTH SERUM

FOR ::  Aging, Mature and Menopausal Skin | 
Skin lacking firmness | Sun-Damaged Skin |
Dull, tired, devitalized skin | Dehydrated and flaking skin | Red, Sensitive, Rosacea-prone Skin


Re-energize your cells at their foundation and see visible results in days!

As you age, skin cells die, youthful proteins decline and moisture-holding lipids decrease. 

Waiting to receive the molecular message to take the place of dying cells are reservoirs of adult stem cells hidden in microscopic niches within your skin.

Recently, scientists discovered messengers in a North Atlantic alga that reactivates dormant stem cells found in mature skin. Within days, skin is energized. Within weeks, skin appears regenerated. Contours become more defined, firmness returns, lines smooth and wrinkles are less noticeable!

Boost hydration
Vital for life-giving hydration, aquaporins are newly discovered cell membrane proteins known to channel water into cells. Unfortunately, these water channels decline with age. Skin may be hydrated, but little water is actually delivered inside the cells. Skin looks flat, dull, lackluster. Remarkably, molecules from the Brazilian tree Piptadenia colubrina increases the presence of aquaporins up to 11 times. Within hours, a radiant plumpness is restored to cells - while signs of unwanted puffiness are minimized!

Repair the cellular blueprint
Damage to DNA increases dramatically after the age of 30. Purified enzymes from the Mediterranean Arabidopsis plant repair the most common form of DNA damage within 2 hours of exposure to these corrective enzymes. Skin begins to act younger almost instantly!

Turn on cellular enzymes 
Known as the “Guardian of the Cell”, cellular enzymes called sirtuins are thought to protect against DNA damage and cell death, boost cellular antioxidant defenses and increase the lifespan of cells. Resveratrol, the powerful antioxidant and sirtuin-booster famously found in red wine, is even more potent in Japanese Knotweed. Within two weeks, skin sensitivity is reduced, elasticity improves and deeper signs of aging begin to disappear!

Re-energize cells
With age, cellular energy – the moving force of life – declines.  After the age of 60 your cells have 50%  less fuel to operate than at 30. Ergothioneine, the cell’s principal energizing antioxidant, restores power to cells, quenching age-producing radicals and supporting cellular activities from detoxification to the production of youthful proteins. Within days, visible redness is calmed, signs of repair are enhanced, and an even tone and clarity begin to return to skin!

YOUTH Serum contains 5-powerhouses to correct all signs of aging!

• Lines & Wrinkles Minimized
  
• Firmness Increased
  
• Puffiness Eliminated
  
• Redness Calmed  
  
• Sun Damage Diminished
  
• Fragile Skin Strengthened
  
• More Clarity, Hydration & Smoothness
  

YOUTH Serum MUST be used twice a day to get the results you expect.  And, trust me, you are going to LOVE the results!  

~Nancy.

Hyperpigmentation is one of the most frustrating skin conditions not only for the client, but for me to treat as well.

Currently, there is only one FDA approved "solution" and it's called "hydroquinone".  The following article will explain why this "solution" isn't the greatest and that we need to look for others.  (And why it's in "quotes".)  PS - I am "anti" hydroquinone, and you will read why.

This was written by Dr. Diana Howard.  I know her personally and can vouch for her expertise and trustworthiness in this area. 

This is a LONG one, so settle back and enjoy the ride!  You will feel SO SMART afterward!

Hydroquinone: Is the Cure Worse Than the Problem?

By: Diana Howard, PhD
March 27, 2009

 With any aging population comes the manifestation of skin that includes not only wrinkles, but also hyperpigmentation. Along with this, consider an increased incidence of adult acne often leading to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and the newest baby-boom, which accounts for more melasma among women, and the result is an increased demand for skin-lightening products in the United States.

For many years, hydroquinone has been considered one of the most effective skin-lightening agents for treatment of sun-induced pigmentation, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, melasma and other forms of hyperpigmentation often associated with aging skin. In the United States, hydroquinone is classified as an over-the-counter (OTC) drug that may be used in concentrations of up to 2%. Most prescription-strength hydroquinone formulations contain 3–4%, but concentrations as high as 10% may be available through compounding pharmacies. When prescribed by a physician, it is often combined with other actives, such as tretinoin, retinol, vitamin C or glycolic acid.

How does hydroquinone work?

There are various theories about how hydroquinone works to affect hyperpigmentation. Some researchers claim that it denatures the melanin-protein complex, causing a decoloration of the skin. Others claim it inhibits the tyrosinase enzyme, as well as the synthesis of the protein associated with melanin. Because of its cytotoxic impact on the melanocyte, it is said to disrupt basic cellular processes, including DNA and RNA synthesis.  Regardless of the mechanism used to lighten skin, the focus these days should really be on the more important concerns regarding the safety of hydroquinone.

Is it safe?

There is no doubt about it, hydroquinone is an effective pigment-lightener; however, much attention is now focused on its safety. Not only is safety an issue, but concerns also stem from its designation as “an extreme sensitizer;”.  Many individuals are allergic to hydroquinone, and others experience serious contact dermatitis with repeated use, leading, unfortunately, to a prescription for a steroid cream to counter the associated irritation. In extreme cases, a condition known as onchronosis can occur, resulting in blue-black macules or hyperpigmentation accompanied by acne-like lesions. Onchronosis generally requires higher concentrations of hydroquinone and is more prevalent in darker skin. However, lower concentrations may also illicit a poor response, too, which has led many dermatologists to a prescriptive cycling of hydroquinone involving using hydroquinone-containing products for four months, stopping for four months and resuming again for four months, and so on. During the off months, a hydroquinone-free brightener is recommended. At the other end of the spectrum are concerns that hydroquinone causes hypopigmentation, or white spots. 

Being a metabolite of benzene, hydroquinone has potential mutagenic properties. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the United States claims “hydroquinone is mutagenic and has cancer-causing potential.” In 1994, the Journal of the American College of Toxicology (now known as the International Journal of Toxicology) published “The Addendum to the Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Hydroquinone.” Its conclusion stated that “hydroquinone is a potent cytotoxic agent that causes mutations and alterations to DNA, and that it should not be used in any leave-on type of product; it is safe for rinse-off products when used in concentrations less than 1%.”When this was published, many cosmetic manufacturers opted to discontinue their hydroquinone lighteners and some countries went so far as to ban hydroquinone from skin-whiteners. For example, hydroquinone is strictly regulated in many African and Asian countries, and its use is prohibited in the European Union (EU) and Japan. Unfortunately, many hydroquinone-containing whiteners remain on the market to this day. As a matter of fact, most skin-whitening serums and creams currently available contain 2% hydroquinone.

For whatever reason, hydroquinone still remains the only ingredient recognized as a “lightening agent” by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and its use falls under the regulations as stated in the monograph on skin lightening, which designates hydroquinone as the sole acceptable lightening agent. This means that the use of other ingredients for treating hyperpigmentation cannot be called skin-lighteners or whiteners, so the industry has coined the term “brightener” for these nonhydroquinone alternatives. As recently as 2007, the FDA reported its intent toward banning the use of hydroquinone in nonprescription products due to safety issues, but as of yet has not implemented any new regulations. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Board has agreed to revisit the safety of hydroquinone and report back by March 2009. Perhaps the FDA is awaiting the new report before passing any new regulations or amending the monograph on lightening.

Alternatives to hydroquinone

Most of the safe alternatives to hydroquinone impact the key enzyme, tyrosinase, that mediates two key steps in melanogenesis.

Tyrosinase inhibitors. Tyrosinase inhibitors, such as hydroxycinnamic acid, gluconic acid, zinc glycinate, kojic acid, aspergillus ferment, rumex extract and ergothioneine, that chelate or bind copper.  Binding the copper inhibits this reaction from occurring and controls melanin formation.

Hydroxy acids. Although the use of hydroxy acids—lactic acid, glycolic acid and salicylic acid—in skin-brightening products has generally been utilized to accelerate desquamation and removal of melanin-containing corneocytes, it has recently been shown that a 5% concentration of lactic acid will inhibit the formation of the tyrosinase enzyme, thereby slowing the process of melanin synthesis. Other exfoliating agents used in brightening products include pumpkin enzyme, sutilains (a protease enzyme), lactobacillus ferment and galactoarabian, a molecule that stimulates natural desquamation in the skin.

Controlling inflammation. Controlling inflammation is another strategy for treating hyperpigmentation. The use of anti-inflammatory agents, such as white tea, licorice and green tea, helps address the connection between inflammation and pigment formation. These extracts also may act as antioxidants, slowing many of the oxidation steps involved in melanin formation.

Melanin formation. Of particular interest are ingredients that impact melanin formation in multiple ways. An example is zinc glycinate, which stimulates synthesis of an antioxidant protein called metallothionein that binds the copper and reduces tyrosinase synthesis and activity; in addition, it suppresses melanocyte growth factors that stimulate melanin synthesis. Niacinamide has been shown to stop the transfer of melanosomes to neighboring keratinocytes. Glucosamine and dithiooctanediol stop the activation of the tyrosinase enzyme, a step that involves glycosylation, or the addition of a sugar molecule to the inactive proenzyme structure, converting it to the activated enzyme. Obviously, if the enzyme remains inactive, melanin formation ceases.

New studies indicate that melanin formation can also be controlled by affecting the signaling process involved in melanin biosynthesis. Sunscreens and anti-inflammatory agents work by turning off the messengers that signal melanin synthesis to commence. A brown seaweed called Ascophyllum nodosum has been shown to inhibit endothelin-1 (ET-1), a molecule synthesized and released from the keratinocytes after UV exposure. ET-1 stimulates the melanocyte and triggers tyrosinase activity. When the signal molecule ET-1 is inhibited, melanin formation is likewise inhibited. In a similar role, the use of Palmaria palmata, a red algae, has been shown to inhibit the release of stem cell factor (SCF), another signaling molecule released by keratinocytes upon exposure to UVB radiation; SCF activates the melanocyte to make melanin. Palmaria palmata inhibits the release of SCF and therefore inhibits melanocyte activation.

In the past decade, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) has been used to control melanin synthesis. Newer stabilized derivatives of vitamin C include magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP), ascorbyl glucoside andtetrahexyldecyl ascorbate. These derivatives scavenge free radicals that cause erratic melanocyte activity, as well as act as antioxidants inhibiting oxidation steps along the biosynthetic pathway of melanin. They have also been shown to inhibit tyrosinase synthesis and activity.

Finally, the newest and perhaps most exciting agents to fight melanin formation are the peptides. Oligopeptide-34 is a state-of-the-art synthesized peptide that has been shown to decrease alpha-MSH activity and inhibit tyrosinase activity. Although the mechanism is not clearly understood, results indicate that it brightens skin, especially sun-induced hyperpigmentation, in half the time when compared to other brightening complexes. The use of peptides, such as oligopeptide-34 to control pigmentation, may very well be the newest and most effective approach to treating hyperpigmentation. And if safety studies are a good indicator, they are a lot safer for the end user.

The future

Dealing with issues of pigmentation will undoubtedly continue to be a focus in the skin care arena, and there is certainly no shortage of products designed to address these issues. But the most important question is: Which are effective and safe to use? Although hydroquinone continues to be the only authorized OTC whitening agent in the United States, there are numerous studies that question its safety, which accounts for its being banned in most countries throughout the world. Fortunately, the pressure remains on pharmaceutical houses, cosmetic companies and even raw material suppliers to find safe and legal alternatives to hydroquinone. This past decade has seen a myriad of new brightening agents, all promising to reduce hyperpigmentation while enhancing skin luminosity and, although most have fallen short of hydroquinone’s ability to whiten skin, new cocktails of brighteners are now available that are close in performance and a lot safer to use.

~Told you, you'd be smarter by the end of this!  (Yes, this is what I do for FUN!)


Now, what does Vanities Spa do to help her clients with hyperpigmentation?  

I recommend a weekly series of LED facials, along with a specific home care regimen - AND DAILY SPF 30 USE - which will not only lighten your spots, but clarify your skin leaving it clearer, firmer, and healthier!  And we ALL want that! 

See you in the spa!

Nancy.