Taking a closer look at skin problems

A VARIETY of customers, from teenagers with acne problems to older people seeking anti-aging treatments, can make use of new imaging technology at an Ennis beauty salon. The new technology at Aveda C Spa, in Summer Hill is able to tell the client how old their skin is and can show whether the skin is the picture of health or in need of treatment.

All consultations at the salon begin and end with a comprehensive skin analysis with a skin imaging system, which can rate the skin’s age score by simply taking a picture of the client’s face.
The technology enables the skin therapists to see up to 2mm beneath the skin, which illustrates the components responsible for the way one looks and ages. It can also show blood flow, melanin and sun damage.
The sophisticated, skin analysing system points out wrinkles, redness, aging, sun damage and provides a blueprint for the therapists to design a custom treatment plan targeting specific skin problems. It then allows the therapist and individual to monitor the results of any treatment each step of the way.
Speaking about the imaging system and what the take-up has been like in Clare, Keri Flynn, skin and laser therapist with Aveda c Spa, says the system is beneficial to all those who come into them, from a 13-year-old teenager looking to start a skin care regime to older people who may be seeking an anti-aging treatment or treatment for thread veins.
“We have teenagers who come in with acne issues or who just want to start a skin regime, those who want to target anti-aging, people with sun damage or pigmentation and people with thread veins.
“So they approach us with these items, we suggest a skin analysis with the imaging system, and we can suggest to them the best and cheapest route to go down. The added bonuses with it is when you come back after the treatment you can see the results,” she says.
She adds, “It is great to give people faith in the treatment they are having and shows they are getting the most from it and that they are not wasting their money, which is so important in these times.
“Sometimes we have teenagers who come to us with acne and they are spending money trying to solve the problem and it may just come down to changing their cleanser and toner.”
However, when it comes to having a treatment to deal with a particular issue, be it acne, anti-ageing or tackling sun damage, Keri says the key to ensuring continued results is down to maintaining a good home care regime.
“There is no magic solution, you have to do your home care and that is down to the individual themselves. The home care side of things accompanies the treatments in the salon, so we give suggestions and the clients do their homework and then we use the imaging system to see the results.
“The system links in with all our treatments but homecare is the biggest key with people and because they can see the results, that’s the amazing side of it,” Keri adds.
Keri explained she has a client in her 60s who “hasn’t added to her wrinkles, she’s actually reduced her wrinkles. People are convinced she is doing botox and it’s just she comes in for a facial every three or four months and has a good skincare regime at home and that’s what counts. So you don’t have to be on the most expensive products, it could be down to using the right cleanser,” she explains.
Indeed, choosing the right cleanser can be extremely important, as Keri outlines.
“When people go into a pharmacy to pick up a cleanser or toner, they typically go for the one that is advertised most. However, if you have dry skin what you need is a cream-based cleanser with oil, for oily skin you need a facial wash, for acne a foaming gel and then for sensitive to dry skin, a cleansing oil,” she says.
Another thing is toner and Keri explains people are inclined to buy alcohol-based toners, which can often come at a steep cost.
She recommends that rather than buying one of these, people should go to their local health food shop and pick up rose water, which has better toning properties.
One of the other issues that the imaging system can help with is those who have thread veins or who may not know they have them.
“Someone might come in with aging problems and say they would like microderm abrasion. We will use the imaging system and we may find that they have thread veins and we can explain that microderm abrasion can make thread veins worse, so we are able to establish what is needed,” she said.
The imaging service is offered free to all customers at the Aveda c Spa and is used in conjunction with all their treatments, including laser hair removal, skin rejuvenation using safe light technology (IPL), facial thread veins and in the treatment of acne with pulsed laser technology.