Beauty Haven Belfast Online

thebeautyhaven@yahoo.co.uk

0

Visit Online Store

Author Archives: Hilary Lowry

1. Nail Disorders

   July 3, 2011 9:08 pm 2 Comments

   Summer is here and its time to treat those fingers and toes .Our highly effective manicures and pedicures combat the telltale signs of ageing and restore and rejuvenate tired hands and feet

   Some common problems that professionals are often faced with:

   * Leuknonychia ( white spots) can occur on the nail plate and will stay there until the nail grows out past the free edge.Often caused by trauma to the matrix when the nail cells are forming.

   *Stains/Discolouration. Caused by cigarettes, food and nail enamel.

   *Onycholysis. This is when the nail plate and nail bed seperate ( loosening of the nail) Often caused by abuse or trauma and can be extremely painful.

   *Splits in the nail plate. The majority of splits are temporary and grow out leaving no damage. Some splits never grow out normally caused by injury to the matrix leaving an area of weakness.

   *Fungal infection.The nail may look thickened and discoloured ( often yellow/greenish in colour)The nail may become soft and crumble and often bits of the nail may come away. This can be very painful and mediaction is required.

   *Psoriasis. The nail becomes pitted, discloured and loose. ( our tip – keep the nails short and tidy)

   We would recommend OPI nail envy for weak or damaged nails ( around £10)

   Dermalogica Multivitamin Hand and nail treatment. An intense non greasy treatment to repair and protect chapped hands whilst protecting nails against splitting and peeling ( £20)

   Bio Sculpture Gel overlays, n’applique nail wraps and nail extensions are available. Please ask one of our qualified therapists for advice if you suffer from one of the above nail conditions.

2. Adult Acne

   June 9, 2011 6:17 pm 15 Comments

   Just when you think you have grown out of your bad skin day’s – adult acne strikes!!

   Whilst being a physical condition Acne Vulgaris can have a huge psychological impact also.

   The skin has thousands of tiny hair follicles each containing a sebaceous gland, producing sebum. A reaction of the gland to the hormone testosterone causes an overproduction of sebum and together with dead skin cells block the follicle, causing a blackhead.  If the grease and bacteria can’t escape whiteheads and cysts with sebum and pus form.

   Usual causes of adult acne are chronic stress, hormonal imbalance and the faulty closing of the hair ducts. The fact that acne is caused by eating too much greasy food or chocolate is not necessarily true. These foods will not trigger breakouts but do aid in the production of oily skin.

   It is vital to keep the skin clean,removing excess grease with a good cleansing regime. Skin peeling has proven successful as the peeling action reduces inflammation and unblocks pores.

   To peel – application of substances of an acid nature to evoke a reaction to stimulate the natural healing process. This will replace and renovate deteriorated skin for a newer, younger and more vitalised one.

   At Beauty Haven we use the Mesoestetic Peel. This exfoliates and eliminates old damaged cells with the results being, improved texture, collagen and elastin stimulation,and a reduction in oil and acneic activity.

   After much research Dermalogica have introduced their Medibac range to help combat adult acne. Several ingredients have been researched that are extremely effective in controlling the problems,  these will;

   • Inhibit the activity of overactive sebaceous glands.
   • Control cell accumulation.
   • Help control bacteria on the skin’s surface and in the follicle.
   • Help keep inflammation caused by adult acne under control.

   Medibac Clearing controls acne without compromising skin’s integrity, which means skin is clearer and healthier.

3. Ingrown Hairs

   May 11, 2011 12:02 pm 94 Comments

   An ingrown hair is most common in areas with coarse hair such as the bikini area in woman and the beard area in men. Generally an ingrown hair is harmless but can be painful and lead to skin infection and scarring.

   An ingrown hair is primarily caused by improper removal of the hair such as poor shaving or waxing techniques. Some individuals can however be more prone to ingrown hairs than others and often too much skin debris blocks the hair follicle opening and causes the hair to grow sideways.

   If you suffer from ingrown hair it is recommend that you exfoliate the skin every 4 – 7 days.  It may also be worth trying Skin Doctors ingrown go lotion which is suitable for both men and woman and designed to treat ingrown hairs. This tried and tested lotion will take care of discomfort immediately when applied to the affected area.

   For further advice please contact the salon and one of our therapists will be happy to help.

    

4. Living with Rosacea

   April 26, 2011 11:58 pm 85 Comments

   Rosacea is a potentially life disruptive disorder most common in fair skinned woman.Rosacea mainly affects the skin on the face, its appearance can vary from one individual to another. Symptoms can include:

   Flushing.

   A persistant redness resembling a mild sunburn.

   Dilated capillaries may become visible.

   Bumps and pustules.

   A feeling of tightness.

   Slight swelling

   Although the cause of Rosacea is not known there are certain things that can aggravate this condition such as alcohol consumption and spicy foods.Extremes of climate, sun/wind, and hot bathes should also be avaoided.

   Oil Based facial creams should be avoided. Consider using Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser – a soothing ph balanced gel used to cleanse the face and eyes without stripping the skins protective barrier while helping to calm and cool sensitised or highly reactive skin. Also worth trying is Dermalogica Barrier Repair-a unique moisturiser that will soothe sensitised skin and help repair damage from environmental aggression whilst creating a sheild against environmental assault.

   One of the best salon treatments for Rosacea is Intense Pulse Light (broad spectrum). Further details on photorejuvenation/thread vein treatments treatments on our previous blog.

5. Thread Veins. Part 2.

   April 8, 2011 11:57 am 246 Comments

   CAUSES.

   • Drinking too much. Alcohol is known to cause the blood vessels to dilate,drinking a lot can weaken the collagen, this means the veins remain open increasing blood flow to the face causing the thread veins.
   • Too much exposre to the sun without protection can also weaken the skin.
   • They can be inherited.
   • Obesity.
   • Pregnancy will put extra pressure on your circulation causing thread veins on legs.
   • Female hormones encourage blood vessel growth malking women susceptibe

   PREVENTATIVE MEASURES.

   • Avoid sun exposure.
   • Avoid extremes of temperature, don’t have water too hot or too cold.
   • Diet tips.

   1. Eat grapes, they contain anthocyanins which help build connective tissue and strenghten capillaries in the skin.
   2. VitaminC also helps build collagen.
   3. Vitamin E a natural antioxidant, will protect the skin and fight the harmful free radicals in your body.
   4. Vitamin K promotes blood clotting and could prevent the capillaries dilating causing the thread veins.
   5. Support stockings are great if you are on your feet all day, reducing blood pressure in the legs will cut the risk of veins in the legs.

6. Facial Thread Veins

   April 2, 2011 4:59 pm 332 Comments

   If you suffer from facial thread veinsits likely you are fed up feeling that you can’t leave the house without putting on your make up. A large number of the population suffers from disorders of the blood vessels ranging from spider naevi, port wine stains and smaller thread veins so you are not alone. This can significantly impact your self esteem. The Thread Vein Removal offers a clinically proven therapy to remove these lesions.

   So how does it work?

   A thread vein is a small blood vessel near the surface of the skin. The Ellipse I2PL applicator contains a glass prism which guides the light to the skin, several vessels can be targeted in one flash of light. Blood contains haemoglobin that absorbs light and converts it into heat. The heat destroys the protein in the wall of the thread vein. As a result the veins gradually and safely disappear after treatment.

   The light is completely safe. Potentially harmful wavelengths are removed by the unique Ellipse Dual Mode Filtering system. It is important to avoid tanning before and during treatment otherwise your tanned skin will absorb more light which will make the treatment less effective. 1-4 treatments are recommended timed at one month apart.

   For further information please visit our website www.beautyhavenbelfast.com