the benefits of oxygen

Oxygen has many benefits to the skin, one is its ability to help in the fight against acne.  Acne is one of the most common skin conditions in America. More serious grades of acne can cause permanent scarring and skin damage, but even mild to moderate acne can cause a person severe emotional damage. Using targeted methods to clear acne quickly can help truly change a person’s life.  One important piece of the acne-clearing puzzle is oxygen.

The bacteria that proliferate and fuel acne are called proionibacterium acnes (P. acnes).  These bacteria are anaerobic, meaning they cannot survive in the presence of oxygen. Many of the time tested acne-controlling ingredients work by delivering oxygen into the follicle where the bacteria thrive, therefore killing them off.  One of these ingredients is benzoyl peroxide.  Another oxygen-delivering ingredient is hydrogen peroxide.

If you remember skinning your knee as a child and having hydrogen peroxide put on your cut it would foam.  This was the hydrogen peroxide working to kill bacteria so your cut wouldn’t get infected.  A product that provides this same type of action for the skin(without the foaming) is PCA SKIN Detox Gel deep pore treatment.  This professional treatment provides the skin with low level AHA as well as stabilized hydrogen peroxide to kill bacteria and detox the skin.  It is gentle and effective and can be used on acne, breakouts, dull or sluggish complexions, as well as on smokers who’s skin is chronically deprived of oxygen.

So give your patients healthy skin with a breath of fresh air.

smoking and the skin

While the month of November brings to mind fall leaves, pumpkins and giving thanks, it also marks the American Cancer Society’s annual Great American Smokeout.  November 17 is the date for this year’s 36^th Great American Smokeout, reminding smokers to either mark this day as a time to quit smoking permanently or to refrain from smoking for just this one day. 

Interestingly enough, most people begin to smoke as teenagers, thinking that it will make them appear older.  This thought couldn’t be farther from the truth!  In fact, smoking does exactly that!

Smoking is one of the most controllable causes of disease and death today.  It is known for directly contributing to heart and lung disease, but the damaging effects to the skin are less known and often ignored.  Smoking can cause poor wound-healing, collagen degradation, abnormal skin growths, oral cancers, deep wrinkling and premature skin aging, as well as a dull, sallow appearance.

Healthy skin function requires oxygen, and smoking causes a restriction of oxygen flow to the skin cells.  One cigarette causes vasoconstriction for up to 90 minutes.  Additionally, the carbon monoxide in cigarettes binds with oxygen and prevents it from reaching the skin cells.  Smoking also causes an increase in the enzyme responsible for breaking down collagen.  This accelerated degradation of collagen in conjunction with the repeated lip-pursing and eye-squinting during inhalation also contributes to increased severity of wrinkling and skin aging ……. especially in female smokers.

Professional treatments that encourage oxygenation and detoxification to the skin will improve the appearance and health of all skin types, especially those who smoke.  PCA SKIN’s Oxygenating Trio Treatment is an excellent choice, as it may be performed weekly and will increase oxygenation and the cells’ ability to detoxify, resulting in a radiant, healthy glow.

what is autophagy and why is it important?

A critical biological process that has not gotten much attention in the skin health industry is autophagy. This, along with exocytosis is responsible for the cells’ ability to rid itself from spent materials within themselves, allowing important cellular functions to continue properly.  Just as we need to take out the trash on a regular basis to keep our homes running efficiently, the cells also need to expel waste material to maintain proper function.

Step two of the newly reformulated PCA SKIN Oxygenating Trio, Detoxifier, contains hydrolyzed candida saitoana extract that helps to promote healthy autophagy within the cells.  This step performs repairing and detoxifying functions that allow the skin to maintain homeostasis and rid itself of damaged proteins that can lead to disease, skin dysfunction and premature aging. One theory of aging is that over time, defective components accumulate in cells that ultimately disrupt the proper functioning of living processes. This extract is a byproduct of the metabolic process of a specific type of yeast. It has the unique ability to promote the formation of lysosomes that capture spent materials within the cells.  It also enables the fusion of these multi-membrane structures allowing the waste materials to be degraded by lysosomal enzymes.  Once the materials are degraded, they are move slowly toward the cell membrane and released into the extracellular matrix through the process of exocytosis.

This critical process in the healthy function of cells is complex, but can be simplified into one elementary concept – taking out the trash. Although the Oxy trio has always been an effective treatment for detoxifying skin, with the new addition of hydrolyzed candida saitoana extract, it can assist in the purification and healthy function of cell at a whole new level.

another long-standing PCA SKIN® favorite takes a leap into the future

The Oxygenating Trio has been part of PCA SKIN’s professional treatment offerings for over a decade. It has long been a favorite amongst PCA SKIN customers and their patients. Although it has always been a highly effective treatment, the science of product formulation has advanced by leaps and bounds over the decades since Oxy Trio was first formulated. The new Oxygenating Trio is still a three-step system, although the names of the steps have been changed to Activator, Detoxifier and Oxygenator to better reveal the part each plays in achieving healthy, beautiful skin.

Environmental and oxidative stress wreaks havoc on the skin and speeds up the aging process, leading to dull, sluggish complexions. The newly reformulated Oxygenating Trio is the skin’s best defense against these external factors. A combination of superoxide dismutase, fumaric acid, niacinamide, hydrolyzed candida saitoana extract and stabilized hydrogen peroxide provides antioxidant therapy to stimulate oxygenation and circulation, revitalizing damaged skin by bringing oxygen to the surface. AHA and BHA reduce inflammation and promote exfoliation, while also providing essential hydration. Even more dramatic and immediate results can be achieved with these revolutionary treatment improvements. Use the Oxy Trio to help clear acne, on smoker’s skin, or simply to reveal the radiant, healthy skin beneath the surface.

healthy skin for the holidays

During the holiday season we look forward to good food and fun times with family and friends.  With all the wonderful things about the holidays, often stress, lack of sleep and over-indulgence plague us.  In order to keep your best face forward during this hectic time of year, treat your skin to a weekly purifying mask treatment.  The algae helps to draw impurities from the skin and maintain important moisture balance in the skin.  Clay detoxifoes the skin and absorbs sebum and impurities.  Micro-fine pumice gently removes surface cell debris, resulting in a smooth, clear and bright complexion.

For an extra treat, after removing the mask completely with warm water, apply hydrating serum, rejuvenating serum, eyeXcellence and collagen hydrator before bed.  You will wake up refreshed, hydrated and glowing. 

PCA SKIN wishes you a happy, healthy holiday season and a prosperous 2011!