Category: Skin & Nails

How to Get Rid of Clogged Pores

No matter how many times per day you wash your face, you can still have clogged pores. While dirt is certainly bad for your skin, pores often become clogged because the body’s natural oils bind with dead skin cells to block the follicles on your face. This naturally occurring process affects everyone to some degree, but using certain beauty products can make acne problems even worse. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to keep your pores clear and healthy. Keep reading to find out how to get rid of clogged pores in three easy steps.

How to Get Rid of Clogged Pores

Do a Deep Cleanse

If you’re wondering how to get rid of clogged pores, you need to start with a thorough daily cleansing. Begin by opening up your pores with a little steam power. Simply boil a pot of water, pour it into a bowl, and hold your face over it for up to 15 minutes. Then, rub a gentle cleanser onto your face with circular strokes (Clarisonic recommended). Rinse with water, and dab your face with a soft cloth to dry it. In addition, if you wear a lot of makeup, be sure to thoroughly remove it before cleansing.

Avoid Products That Clog Your Pores

Cleansing doesn’t do your face any good if you keep putting products on it that obstruct your pores. Look for makeup and skin care products that are non-comedogenic, which means they were specifically formulated to not clog pores. In addition, talk to your skincare specialist about the products you currently use on your face. They may recommend that you swap out certain products to keep your pores clean. Evaluate the products you use on your hair as well, like shampoos, conditioners, hair sprays, and mousses. These items can be filled with pore-clogging ingredients.

Embrace Exfoliating Treatments

Chemical Exfoliation

Chemical exfoliation generally works better than manual exfoliation, but you can’t go wrong with a combination of the two. Products containing salicylic acid are especially effective at removing the dead skin cells surrounding follicles, which can obstruct oil glands and cause acne. You can find salicylic acid in various lotions and creams, but be careful to follow package instructions; the chemical can be toxic when applied too often or when used in conjunction with certain products. You might also try a chemical peel. By removing the face’s outermost layer of dead skin cells, chemical peels can leave your skin looking smoother and less wrinkled.

Manual Exfoliation

Manual options for exfoliation include microdermabrasion treatments and Clarisonic brushes. During microdermabrasion, a small instrument very gently “sands” the skin to even its outer layer. In addition to helping with clogged pores, this technique can be used to treat scars, sun damage, and even stretch marks. Clarisonic brushes are electronic devices with automated bristles designed for deep cleansing. They come in different sizes and are safe to use twice daily, though many people find that using the brush just once or twice a week makes their skin smoother and softer.

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Clogged pores are ultimately unavoidable, but a combination of cleansing, exfoliating, and avoiding comedogenic facial products can help you keep them under control.

If you live in southwest Missouri and are looking for faster, more effective methods to clear pores than what you can achieve at home, contact DermaHealth. We offer microdermabrasion and DermaSweep exfoliation methods, as well as chemical peels and laser therapy. Plus, we can help you address any other skin concerns you have. Give us a call at 417-447-7777 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation!

Light Therapy for Acne Treatment

YOU are beautiful! Self-confidence is something that resides within. Having self-confidence is one of the single most important qualities one can possess. When you feel good on the inside, it will shine on the outside. Having confidence in yourself can boost morale and productivity as well as open doors and maximize opportunities for you to achieve greatness. Don’t let acne stop you from achieving your full potential!

DermaHealth is here to help you resolve and treat stubborn acne. Have you tried various creams, oral medications, or cleansers that may or may not keep your acne at bay, but doesn’t seem get rid of it all together? Well then you must keep reading, because Dermahealth may offer a treatment option that is just right for you!

Light Therapy for Acne Treatment

Stubborn Acne

Acne shows no prejudice and can affect people of all ages, from teens to older adults. From puberty to maturity, acne can be a result of fluctuating hormones in men and women. Acne can also be a result of stress. As the body increases the production of hormones in response to stress, it can stimulate your skin to produce increased levels of sebum, an oily substance that can cause acne. There are varying types of acne that are bothersome for sufferers and may decrease their self-confidence, as they may be self-conscious of their outward appearance.

How Can We Help You?

DermaHealth may have just the right treatment for you! Light therapy treatment may help to relieve you of your stubborn acne once and for all. RED light therapy treats the dermal layer of the skin to reduce inflammation that can occur with acne. BLUE light therapy targets the epidermis of the skin to kill and destroy the bacteria that resides on the skin and within the pores to cause acne. Having one or both of these treatments may help to resolve your acne struggles! These treatments are gentle enough for all skin types and tones. It may take multiple treatments depending on the degree and severity of your acne, but with a little patience and persistence, your acne suffering days may come to an end!

It does not cost a thing to come meet our staff and see if we can help you! All of our FREE consultations are performed by our knowledgeable, professional staff. Stop by or call to schedule to meet with us whenever you are ready to see what DermaHealth has to offer you! Call anytime at 417-447-7777. We can’t wait to meet you and have you become part of the DermaHealth family!

How to Remove a Mole

The vast majority of skin blemishes are harmless. In some cases, however, moles (also known as nevi) may indicate the presence of diseases like cancer. Fortunately, there are numerous medical solutions that can help you deal with these conditions before they become too serious. If you have a concerning or unwanted mole, scroll down to learn why moles appear, the five types of moles, and how to remove a mole.

What Is a Mole?

Healthy moles initially appear as brown or black dots on the surface of the skin. Over time, they can grow hairs, spread, become upraised, or even disappear completely. Moles occur when pigment-producing skin cells grow in irregular clusters. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) defines five main types of moles (source):

1. Common nevi that are usually harmless
2. Congenital nevi that are present at birth and may indicate a higher risk of melanoma
3. Spitz nevi that generally appear before the age of 20 and are pink or raised
4. Acquired nevi that appear after birth and may indicate melanoma risk when they occur in large numbers
5. Atypical, or dysplastic, nevi that are large, irregularly shaped, and found in various colors

Skin Cancer and Moles

With all moles, rapid changes in color or size may precede or indicate cancer. An individual’s likelihood of developing melanoma depends on different factors, like their family health history, their skin pigmentation and the amount of UV sun exposure they receive. In 2015, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reported that about 9,000 Americans die from melanoma annually (source). This was the highest death rate of any form of skin cancer.

How to Remove a Mole

If you suspect that you have a mole that needs to be removed, never do it yourself. DIY mole removal remedies are known to cause scarring, and they may lead to complications such as infections. Most importantly, your moles must be properly examined to ensure that they do not contain cancerous cells. After extracting your skin tissue, your skin care professional may perform a biopsy to examine it. You will typically receive the results of the test within a few days.

If you’re wondering how to remove a mole, we recommend the three following procedures:

Surgical Shaving

In this procedure, a skin care professional will use a small surgical blade to eliminate the mole directly. They will apply a local numbing agent and gently remove the affected tissue. Surgical shaving is minimally invasive. Patients don’t need sutures, and the procedure is quick. Unfortunately, it does not prove effective with deeply rooted nevi.

Surgical Excision

Surgical excisions also involve numbing, but the skin care professional removes a deeper section of skin. Instead of a scalpel, they will typically employ a surgical punch to extract a clean circle of multiple skin layers. Afterward, they will suture the wound closed. Excision may be more effective than shaving. It can, however, result in increased scarring. Both of these methods have the potential for the mole to grow back, in which case you should immediately contact your skin care professional.

Radiofrequency Surgery

By applying radiofrequency energy to the affected area, skin care professionals can cause problematic cells to detach for easier removal. Anesthetics are usually administered locally. Radiofrequency surgery may minimize the amount of scar tissue that grows at the surgical site, and the procedure is generally quick. It’s commonly used for precision removals near sensitive, inconvenient, or high-risk locations, but it may require a couple of weeks to heal.

Wondering how to remove a mole? Contact DermaHealth Laser & Skin Care Clinic if you live in or near Springfield, Missouri. We can safely and cleanly remove skin lesions and if necessary, we will send them in for pathology. To remove the mole, we will shave it, excise it, or use the Ellman radio frequency machine. To learn more, please give us a call at 417-447-7777 or click here to schedule your free consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!

Vampire Facials: A Bloody Good Idea

If you’ve read the title and you’re feeling skeptical, we can’t say that we blame you. A facial for vampires? A facial involving blood? Is this just a joke for Halloween? In fact, no. Despite their ominous name, vampire facials rejuvenate the skin and can remove fine lines and acne scars. They’ve become a great source of curiosity ever since Kim Kardashian received one on TV in March and posted about it on Instagram. Although you might assume that they’re novelty beauty treatments only used by reality stars, vampire facials have hit the mainstream. To learn more about how these facials work and why they involve the term “vampire,” read on.

Vampire Facials

A Bloody Good Idea

Although commonly referenced by the dark and intriguing name “vampire facial,” this unique beauty treatment is actually a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) facial. The procedure takes advantage of the benefits of PRP, which can stimulate growth in the body and accelerate healing. Since PRP is found in the body, in effect, vampire facials allow the body to heal itself. They can replicate the effects of a facelift, but they don’t require surgery or a lengthy recovery period.

What happens during a vampire facial?

Don’t worry – vampire facials don’t require a bite to the neck. To begin, the technician will remove a sample of your blood. They will spin the blood briefly (about 15 minutes) in a centrifuge to separate the plasma from the red blood cells. Then, they can extract the PRP and inject it into the area you wish to target. Common treatment areas include the cheeks, eyes, and neck. To prevent pain and discomfort, the technician may numb the treatment area beforehand. All in all, the facial should only take about 45-60 minutes.

How does it work?

As we mentioned above, PRP promotes growth and healing. When injected into the skin, it stimulates the production of collagen and promotes tissue recovery. It can also stimulate the skin’s elastin fibers. Since the plasma comes from the patient’s own body, negative side effects are very unlikely. However, for best results, be sure to choose a knowledgeable practitioner who has extensive experience with cosmetic injectables.

What are the results like?

Following a vampire facial, your skin should look and feel smoother and clearer. In addition, you should notice a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Many people claim that vampire facials produce results similar to a facelift and that they make the skin glow. You can have multiple vampire facials if you like. Although you should notice a difference within about two days, the plasma will continue to improve your skin for approximately two months. The results will last about a year, at which time you may consider having another vampire facial to refresh your face, once again making your skin brighter and your face fuller and smoother.

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Who wouldn’t like to have fuller, brighter, and smoother skin? To improve the volume of your face and the color and texture of your skin, schedule a vampire facial with DermaHealth Laser & Skin Care Clinic today. In addition to facials, we offer a wealth of other vampire procedures, including male and female rejuvenation, hair restoration, and breast lifts. To learn more, please give us a call at 417-447-7777 or contact us online to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Why Do People Get Wrinkles?

It’s a fact of life: as people age, they develop wrinkles. However, not everybody starts seeing wrinkles at the same age. Additionally, the severity and types of wrinkles that one person develops may be very different from what another person develops even if the individuals are the same age. To account for this discrepancy, we need to answer the question, “Why do people get wrinkles?” [Read more…]