Skin Deep - Reaching Your Full Potential with LED Therapy

Similar to plants, the skin can absorb light and use it as energy. Light therapy, or LED (Light Emitting Diode) treatment has been around since the 1960s. NASA originally developed it for growing plants on shuttle missions. Later it was discovered to be beneficial in tissue regeneration and healing.

May 14, 2020 1:45:05 PM / by The Institute of Skin Science

Similar to plants, the skin can absorb light and use it as energy. Light therapy, or LED (Light Emitting Diode) treatment has been around since the 1960s. NASA originally developed it for growing plants on shuttle missions. Later it was discovered to be beneficial in tissue regeneration and healing for astronauts. There are many benefits of this therapy including reducing the appearance of acne, decreasing oil production, minimizing the appearance of hyperpigmentation, temporary increase in blood circulation, and synthesis of collagen and elastin.

The sun emits a vast amount of energy known as electromagnetic radiation or the electromagnetic spectrum. This energy travels to earth in waves or wavelengths and are measured in meters. Most of the energy that is harmful is blocked by the atmosphere. The portion of energy that reaches Earth is known as “light”. LED therapy uses the visible light spectrum and light that is beyond the visible spectrum. This visible light wavelength ranges from 400 – 700 billionths of a meter, or nanometer, (NM).

When it comes to light therapy, you may hear terms like 380nm or 710nm. Different frequencies of light, or light wavelengths, correspond to different colours of LED light and penetrate the skin at varying depths up to 1 inch deep. Several colours of light stimulate different responses in the skin. These colours include violet, blue, green, yellow, amber, red and near infra-red each acting in specific ways. For instance, red and near-infrared have beneficial effects on cells by sparking them into creating ATP, or cellular energy thus increasing DNA activity. Because the spectrum of light used does not include UV, it does not harm the skin.

• Purple (380-450nm): Purple light increases cell regeneration.

• Blue (450-495nm): Blue light is used to kill bacteria making it excellent for treating acne-prone skin. It also helps to regulate the oil glands.

• Green (495-570nm): Green light is absorbed into the skin and has a calming effect. It helps to lighten hyper-pigmentation. The calming effect also has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe the skin.

• Yellow (570-600nm): Yellow light reduces redness, swelling, and inflammation. It is beneficial for Rosacea. It also stimulates circulation.

• Red (650-950nm): Red light is primarily used for anti-aging. It penetrates deep into the dermis and works to soothe inflammation and redness. Deeper shades of red penetrate even further to stimulate the repair of skin cells and stimulating fibroblasts which produce collagen and elastin. The skin is left plump and more luminous.

• Amber (over 950nm): Amber light works to revitalize the skin, reducing any swelling, and increasing radiance.

• Near Infra-red: This spectrum penetrates deeper than any other colours. It reaches into the dermis, stimulating the synthesis of collagen and elastin. It is known for helping reduce the signs of visible aging.

LED light therapy is safe for all skin types, even your deeper Fitzpatrick types. There are a few contraindications to LED light therapy, such as pregnancy, epilepsy, photo sensitivities, and photo sensitive medications such as Accutane and Tetracycline. If you are taking steroids or cortisone injections, you should not receive light therapy.

LED therapy is desirable for many reasons; it is low cost, safe for all skin types and conditions, easy and effective. The benefits are increased when used in conjunction with clear, non-active products like Skin Restoring Fulvic Elixir or Amino Acid Treatment Serum with PC10. When consistently used over time, LED lights are beneficial for a variety of skin concerns from acne to aging. Consistency is key to reaching the full potential this treatment can offer.

Written by The Institute of Skin Science

Skin Deep - Reaching Your Full Potential

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The Benefits of Cocktailing

Cocktailing products is an exciting and fun way to spice up your menu and services. At GlyMed Plus, we believe in customizing your clients’ services to truly fit their skin’s needs. This can be achieved by mixing and matching products to address several concerns during a treatment.

May 7, 2020 4:30:41 PM / by The Institute of Skin Science

Cocktailing products is an exciting and fun way to spice up your menu and services. At GlyMed Plus, we believe in customizing your clients’ services to truly fit their skin’s needs. This can be achieved by mixing and matching products to address several concerns during a treatment. But how do you get started with cocktailing? First and foremost, you need to identify what you are trying to achieve, and does it make sense? It can be intimidating to start cocktailing products, but of course we only recommend cocktailing GlyMed Plus products with GlyMed Plus products. Most of our products were made to pair with each other. We cannot guarantee or assure any other cocktails that are mixed with other brands. When starting out, we recommend keeping it simple and pair common products together. Example: Mixing a Cleanser with a Cleanser or mixing a Masque with a Masque. This is a great way to start mixing and matching to address certain concerns in the skin. Here are some other benefits to cocktailing your treatments. Maximize your Backbar & Services Grow your backbar by cocktailing a handful of products, rather than investing in many different products. This is especially great when first starting out as an esthetician.  Example: Make a Vitamin C masque by adding Vitamin C Serum to a current masque. Customize treatments depending on your client’s skin’s needs. If you have a client with concerns of: Dryness, Acne, and Rosacea/Sensitive, you could create a cocktail to address each concern and pair them together to create a powerhouse cocktail. Example: Fulvic Elixir + CBD Booster + Rosacea Relief. Top with a Masque. Adjust product activity—allows you as the esthetician to be in control. Get the best of both worlds by adjusting the activity. You can either boost or buffer a product when cocktailing. Example: Anti-Aging Masque + Ultra Hydro Gel = Benefits but Tolerable Cocktailing can be fun and lets you as the esthetician to be creative, but it should also make sense. To learn more about cocktailing, please check out our webinars and education pages for more training on cocktailing!  

Written by The Institute of Skin Science

The Benifits of Cocktailing

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The Power of Protease and the Youth Firm Age Defying Peel

Youth Firm Age Defying Peel has been my go-to product for some time now, but especially in the summer because of the amazing professional results you see, without the downtime or photo-sensitivity of a professional peel. The secret behind the efficacy of the Youth Firm is the 30% Protease enzyme.

Jul 13, 2020 2:35:28 PM / by The Institute of Skin Science

I think we have all had the experience where we look in the mirror and think, “that can’t be accurate.” That is exactly where I was 3 days after returning home from my lake vacation. I saw my reflection and could not help but notice how awful my skin looked. I had spent a week straight in the sun, sand, and water and now I was paying for it. It wasn’t that I was sun burned (I was diligent about SPF application) or that my skin was covered in freckles; but I could see the damage that spending too much time in the elements had caused to my skin. It looked rough, uneven, and my complexion was dull. I was in desperate need of some serious skin refreshing!

It was at this point I turned to my GlyMed Plus professional skin care products, and in particular, to my Youth Firm Age Defying Peel. This has been my go-to product for some time now, but especially in the summer because of the amazing professional results you see, without the downtime or photosensitivity of a professional peel. The secret behind the efficacy of the Youth Firm is the 30% Protease enzyme.

This enzyme works with the skin to release all of the dead cells that have built up, giving you that rough, dull, and lifeless complexion. Not only that, but after using the Youth Firm, it continues to help by creating an environment with the ability to drive other products deeper into your skin! Your other skincare products are going to be so much more effective because the Youth Firm has made it possible for these other products to penetrate into the deepest layers of your skin. The fact that Protease is a fluid that mimics a protein which is naturally found in our skin is even more helpful because our skin will be that much more accepting of this treatment.

Protease is an enzyme that comes from the Mucor Miehei which is a Japanese mushroom. It is a newly discovered cosmetic breakthrough that has been proven in clinical studies to improve the appearance of fine lines and increase hydration in the skin. This patented mushroom extract is an efficient enzyme that mimics the skin’s own natural ability to exfoliate. In research laboratories, it was discovered that this enzyme produces peptides to stimulate collagen production and bring balance to the skin. Remember, collagen is a naturally occurring chain of amino acids that makes our skin look firm and supple. These chains of amino acids are linked together by peptide bonds. When these bonds break apart, the peptides send a signal to our body to produce more collagen.

This is consistently one of my very favorite products because it is safe to use year-round on all skin colours and all skin types, including sensitive skin. It is an amazing anti-aging solution as it sloughs away aged layers of dead skin cells to expose skin that looks tight, supple, smooth, and brand new! Oily and/or acne skin types will also benefit greatly from the Youth Firm because of the gentle yet effective exfoliation and removal of built up skin cells, oil, and debris. You will be able to achieve results like you would from a professional peel but without the downtime or sun sensitivities. You won’t notice any flaking or peeling, but you will immediately see a lighter, brighter, tighter, more youthful looking skin!

It is also incredibly easy to use. It’s recommended that you cleanse your skin first with a professional product such as a glycolic cleanser. This will help to lower the pH of your skin and that will result in a more effective peel. Once you’ve cleansed, just apply the Youth Firm to warm, damp skin and allow to remain on the skin for 5-7 minutes. Remove the peel with tepid water and follow up with your leave-on balancing products and SPF. The peel is a professional skin care product but still safe to use once a week, and like we talked about before, it’s going to lighten, brighten, and tighten your skin.

After just one application of the Youth Firm Age Defying Peel, my rough, dull, lake-damaged skin looked brand new and beautiful again. The immediate changes you’ll see in your skin will blow you away the minute you use it. I’m a Protease believer and you will be too!

Written by The Institute of Skin Science

The Power of Protease and the Youth Firm

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