Dear Readers and Fans,   As we all know, the profession of aesthetics is all about embracing progress both internally and in the world of technology. And, as we encourage positive change in our clients so must DERMASCOPE work to update and improve what it bring to its many loyal subscribers. For 2007 the editors have planned a new and refreshing format for educational content and feature stories, a decision I heartily applaud! Ah, but new additions often require sacrificing certain traditions and this upcoming revamp of DERMASCOPE is no exception. So, with regret and relief I announce that this is the final installment of the monthly Business Solutions column. When I say regret it is over the joy and honor that I've had in bringing the best of spa and skin care business insights to an appreciative audience. The relief comes from removing one of the copious deadlines I face each month! How I will grieve the loss of Saundra's routine e-mail reminder: Douglas, not to be a pest but WHERE IS MY BUSINESS ARTICLE??? I just don't know how I'll get on without the pressure! Read More

by Preethi Burkholder   Ayurveda is the traditional holistic medical system that originated in India some 3000 to 5000 years ago. Derived from Sanskrit roots, ‘ayus’ (life) and ‘ved’ (knowledge) means “Knowledge of Life.” Ayurveda is based on the belief that the natural state of the body is one of balance between the mind, body, and soul. The fundamental belief of Ayurveda is that the power to heal lies within the individual. Based on the principle that disease is the natural end result of living out of harmony with our environment, Ayurveda views symptoms of disease as the body’s normal way of communicating disharmony. Ayurveda does not approach the cure of a disease as much as it approaches the cure of the person who has the disease. The aim of Ayurveda is to achieve and maintain health by reaching a state of balance or equilibrium among the three doshas, called Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. The doshas govern all bodily functions. In Ayurveda, when the body doshic balance of Vata-Pitta-Kapha is agitated the individual may become unwell. All physical manifestations of disease are a result from imbalances in the doshas. Read More

by Jennifer McDaniel   The cell is the basic unit of life. Healthy cells make up healthy tissue and healthy tissue contributes to healthy skin. At one time, it was believed that aging was an infallible process of life, but recent studies indicate that aging and cellular function are closely related. Aging manifests on a myriad of levels from single cell to whole animal. Human cells are eukaryotic cells, which mean that they contain a nucleus and membrane bound organelles. The nucleus is the epicenter of the cell because it maintains the DNA, the genetic code for the organism. Each organelle within the cell has a specific function to ensure that the cell functions optimally. The ribosome's synthesize proteins, lyposome's help to digest waste material, the golgi apparatus alters molecules and packs them into sacs for membrane transport, the endoplasmic reticulum acts as a transport system and the mitochondria are the sites of aerobic respiration. In studying the function and purpose of the cell itself we can understand that aging begins on a cellular level. If we can create an optimal environment for the cell to thrive and replicate without disease and gene altering conditions, then we can slow the Read More

by Ben Johnson Have you ever considered the possibility that we all have been aging our client’s skin over the last decade with the many traumatizing treatments we provide? Would you believe me if I told you that the current mainstream approach to anti-aging skin care is not working? I’m sure you have wondered why it is so hard to get lasting results for most of our clients. Get ready for a paradigm shift in the way we approach these skin conditions. Skin care professionals spend most of the time putting the skin in a compromised position in order to achieve “results” which are often marginal, temporary improvements in the epidermis. As a result, we are often choosing the more aggressive treatments to get “better results,” only to find more side effects with the same marginal result two months later. Due to the increase in traumatic treatments, there is a battle brewing in the administrative offices of states throughout the country to minimize what aestheticians should be allowed to do. This includes a reasonable likelihood that chemical peels will be removed from the hands of aestheticians. It is critical that we all have a better understanding of the effects of Read More

by Mary Van   Sooner or later it happens. We look into the mirror and see our mothers looking back at us. We start to see the subtle, or not so subtle, changes that are happening to our faces and our bodies; and we are not quite ready for what we see. The crow’s feet have crept in, and there are fine lines and wrinkles that were not there before. Our once soft and smooth skin is no longer. It isn’t because we haven’t taken care of our skin and our bodies, because we have. It’s the age thing starting to take hold. And for most of us, our skin is the most visible sign of aging. Facing Change Aging is a natural occurrence and part of growing older gracefully lies in our willingness to accept and adapt to change. Still, many of us will take steps to alter our appearances. Whether it’s plastic surgery or a chemical peel, there are thousands of procedures and products, and many of them play on our desire to hold on to our youth. While we must rely on professionals for some of these options, altering our lifestyle is entirely up to the individual. Read More

by Christine Heathman The skin is the largest, most complex, immune organ that challenges the practicing aesthetician today. Due to its interface function between the body and the environment, the skin is chronically exposed to both endogenous and environmental pro-oxidant agents, leading to premature aging and impaired cellular function. Compelling evidence of premature aging suggests that oxidative stress is the major cause involved in the damage of the skin’s cellular constituents i.e.; keratinocytes, melanocytes, Langerhans, Merkle, mast, fibroblasts, etc. and their DNA, cell membrane lipids, and proteins. The skin’s natural antioxidant network protects these cells against oxidative injury and prevents the production of oxidation products such as 4-hydroxy to 2-nonenal or malonadehyde, which are able to induce protein damage, apoptosis or release of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines. Inflammatory cytokines exist within the interstitial space in normal and inflamed skin, and are protein mediators. Cytokines govern the inflammatory phase that clears cellular and extra cellular matrix debris. However, the repair process is not always 100 percent, and when oxidative stress overwhelms the skin’s natural antioxidant capacity and the subsequent modifications of cellular redox apparatus lead to an alteration of cell homeostasis and a generation of degenerative processes. Read More