Skin Types in Virginia, Washington D.C. and Maryland.
Determine Your Skin Type and Reap the Rewards
Understanding your skin type is not just a trivial detail; it’s the key to unlocking a world of targeted skin care that can dramatically enhance your appearance and health. Explore the profound benefits of identifying your skin type and customizing your regimen to suit your unique needs.
Hyperpigmentation and Melasma
Hyperpigmentation is a common skin condition in which the body over-produces melanin (the pigment of the skin), resulting in uneven skin tone and brown blotchy areas, freckles or sun spots. Causes of hyperpigmentation include UV (sun) exposure, hormonal imbalance (including pregnancy and birth control pills), and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (including that from acne scarring).
Regardless of the cause or type, treatment and correction of hyperpigmentation can be achieved through gentle exfoliation, increased cell turnover, melanocyte activity suppression and adequate sun protection.
Sun exposure stimulates the production of pigment in the skin by melanocytes (the cells that produce the skin’s brown pigment). Therefore, adequate sun protection is a vital first defense in preventing and controlling hyperpigmentation. It is important to wear a broad spectrum, zinc oxide based, sunblock everyday. Our aestheticians can help you find a sun protection product that is appropriate for your skin type and lifestyle.
Prescription topicals such as retin-a and hydroquinone can be used on a daily basis to help suppress and control the over-production of melanin. Obagi Nu-Derm is a pharmaceutical line that uses both of these topicals to effectively correct hyperpigmentation, reduce sun spots and even out the skin tone. Our aestheticians will help guide you in the use of this and other medical skin systems to achieve and maintain the best results possible.
In-office treatments such as the Illuminize-micro facial and the Enhanced Jessner’s Facial w/ Hydroquinone help lift away accumulating dead skin cells which hold excess melanin pigment within them. Photorejuvenation, or IPL, is another quick and effective way of reducing or eliminating uneven skin tone, freckles and age spots using “LASER-like” intense light therapy. A full list of services is listed under the SKIN CARE TREATMENTS and PRICES section of our website. Also check out the PIGMENT CORRECTION PACKAGE on the Packages and Specials page.
Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Skin aging refers to visible changes in the skin that are due to a combination of physiological, genetic, and environmental factors. Sagging and laxity, loss of elasticity, fine lines, dehydration, wrinkling, enlarged pores and a coarse skin texture are all visible signs of skin aging.
With age, there is a loss of adipose (fat) tissue beneath the skin as well as a shrinking of bone, and muscle causing the skin to loosen and sag. Desquamation and cell renewal slow down, which means that old skin cells stick around longer and accumulate while it takes longer for new cells to be produced.
Collagen and elastin production slows, as well as glycosaminoglycan (GAG) production. GAGs provide natural hydration to the skin and thus their reduction leads to drier, more brittle skin.
Wrinkles develop as collagen fibers become disorganized and cross-linked.
There are two primary factors, or types, of skin aging. Intrinsic aging is that which occurs naturally due to genetics and the passage of time. Extrinsic aging, on the contrary, refers to the effects of environmental stresses and lifestyle choices on our skin over time. Extrinsic skin aging is generally agreed to be responsible for up to 85% of the visible signs of skin aging. The good news is, in comparison to intrinsic skin aging, extrinsic skin aging is thought to be the more preventable part of skin
Aging. Unhealthy lifestyle choices like smoking, alcohol consumption, and poor diet contribute heavily to extrinsic skin aging and should be addressed . In most individuals, however, it is over-exposure to sunlight that accounts for the majority of premature skin aging – up to 90%! Therefore, adequate UVA/UVB sun protection is vital and can be enhanced with other antioxidant-rich products.
Prescription topicals , such as retin-a, and other pharmaceutical-grade products found at The Naderi Center, including the renowned Obagi Nu-Derm System, can be used to improve surface texture, pore size and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and should be used in combination with our effective in-office medical skin care treatments. At The Naderi Center you will find that we have a variety of intense chemical peels, light chemical peels, and microdermabrasion facials to help you achieve and maintain smoother, firmer, more youthful-looking skin. Our Vi Peels and Vitalize peels are two of our most popular treatments for fine lines and wrinkles, as well as any other texture concerns. A complete list of exfoliating treatments offered at The Naderi Center can be found under the SKIN CARE TREATMENTS and PRICES tab. Also, be sure to check out the POWER PACKAGE on the Packages and Specials page.
Rosacea and Sensitive Skin
Rosacea is a medical condition with no true “cure” but symptoms can be managed successfully.
Rosacea involves a constant state of inflammation, primarily in the areas of the cheeks, nose, chin and forehead, often combined with broken capillaries and breakouts.
Although the cause of Rosacea is unknown, vascular dysfunction may be linked to increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which stimulates the growth and development of new blood vessels, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a group of hormone-like substances that participate in the vasodilatation-dilation of the capillary walls, and pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Links to the parasitic dermodex mite have also been found. Human sebaceous follicles are inhabited by the dermodex mite. Studies have found increased levels of the mite in Rosacea patients. The proliferation of the mite causes increased irritation.
Although the cause of rosacea is still unclear, there are many known common triggers. Avoiding these triggers is an important part of controlling your rosacea. To name a few, rosacea sufferers should keep alcohol consumption to a minimum, avoid spicy and acidic foods as well as hot beverages, avoid very hot showers, steam rooms and hot tubs. In addition to triggering rosacea flare-ups, sun exposure may potentially cause blood vessel damage that is associated with the disorder.
Exposure to ultraviolet light may lead to an increase in receptors for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the skin. Above all, rosacea patients should consult their aesthetician as to the best sun protection product for them and use it diligently.
People with rosacea should treat their skin gently, avoid aggressive exfoliation and alchohol-based skin products. The Naderi Center offers prescription topicals as well as the high quality Image Ormedics Antioxidant Skin Care Line, which can be used to help control rosacea at home.
The Naderi Center also offers several in-office treatments aimed specifically at treating rosacea and sensitive skin types. The Sensi-micro Facial is our most popular skin care treatment for rosacea and sensitive skin and can be performed monthly to control symptoms.
Photorejuvenation, or IPL, can be used to effectively reduce diffuse redness at the same time improving skin texture and pore size. IPL also aids in the reduction of papules and pustules (or break outs) often associated with rosacea. More recent studies have shown that IPL, helps reduce heightened levels of VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor, thus hindering new vascular growth on the face.
A full list of services appropriate for rosacea and sensitive skin is listed under the SKIN CARE TREATMENTS and PRICES page. Also be sure to check out the ROSACEA RECOVERY PACKAGE on the Packages and Services page.
Acne-Prone Skin
Adult acne is a fact of life for many women. The truth is that acne can persist well into ones 30’s, 40’s, or even 50’s. Doctors refer to this as persistent Acne. Even those who have never had acne before can develop it later in life. This is referred to as late-onset acne.
Regardless of age, acne develops when excessive oil, or sebum, is produced by the skin and mixes with a proliferation of dead skin cells in the follicles (commonly referred to as “pores”). As these two components combine, they create a “plug” in the follicle, like a cork in a wine bottle. Anaerobic bacteria named P. Acnes begin to proliferate and feed off of the excess sebum and skin cells. A combination of subsequent digestive bi-products stimulates intense local inflammation and a pimple is formed.
