Acne Scar Treatment

Acne scars are permanent marks caused by cystic or deep acne  that has healed from the past.  This can be a psychologically upsetting skin condition for many.  Women can try and camouflage this by make-up, but men cannot.

At Clarite we have had good results with acne scar treatments using specialized equipment and procedures.  At the time of this Blog, we are the only Ottawa clinic using the eDermastamp on the face  with great success.  After ensuring the acne is under control, treatments may start.   We condition the skin prior to treatment, then ONLY a physician performs the treatment and selects the appropriate compounds to be used for enhancing the results.   After the treatment, the skin can remain red for a couple of days.  For more information, call us at 613-822-7956

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Medical Pedicures Ottawa

What is a medical pedicure?  It is confusing because one hears of medi-pedi or regular pedicures.  There is no regulation stating what a medi-pedi is, so anyone can be performing this treatment.   Recently  the Public Health Department was interviewed by CBC news regarding the inspection  of pedicures salons.  Very few have been inspected because they are concentrating on higher risk establishments such as tatoo and piercings.  .www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2013/01/20/ottawa-s…  It is up to the consumer to be cautious as to the quality of place they are going

The difference at Clarite is that you are ensured the safety and hygiene expected in a medical esthetics  clinic.   You are invited to have a visit with the medical director if you have any particular problems or questions regarding the condition of your skin. Our instruments are medically autoclaved to the highest standards.

 

Who is interested in a medical pedicure? Basically anyone- men or women –  who care about receiving a safe pedicure using high performance foot care products.  Over the years and having treated many skin infections received during pedicures at other locations, the time has come for Clarite to offer this treatment.  Pregnant ladies, patients on immunosuppressant medications, or in fact, just anyone who cares about  receiving safe foot care..

We do not start off by the usual soak.   The feet are treated while dry and then  nourishing products from the Margaret Dabbs collection are applied to provide great results.

 

 

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Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy for Women and Menopause

Many women are embarrassed  and are not addressing health concerns of menopause or perimenopause with their doctors.   Dr. Wolfman, a menopause specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital stated that “it is estimated that 4.5 million Canadian women, between ages 48 and 67 , are or will soon be going through menopause” (Ottawa Citizen Sat Oct 26, 2013)

After seeing their family doctor, or gynaecologist, many ladies feel better and have their symptoms controlled.  As everyone knows, keeping an optimal weight, not smoking,  doing exercise and ensuring blood pressure and cholesterol are under control are a few of the steps one can take to ensure good health.

But, for some ladies, the traditional approach isn’t quite enough.  Although the thyroid and other hormones appear to be normal by our usual lab values, they still don’t feel right.  This is where Bio-identical hormones can play a role.  There are a few pharmaceutical products with a DIN number that are “bio-identical”.  But failing this, a different approach may be taken by practitioners who are trained in bio-identical hormones.  At Clarite, we do have such a clinic.

Dr Erika Schwartz is a leading expert on Bioidentical Hormones and has written several books including “The Hormone Solution”.  Our medical director has received physician  training by Dr Schwartz and is informed as to which alternatives are available.  For more information visit Dr Erika’s website.  She has a series of youtube videos explaining bio-identical hormones . Click here for an example video.

 

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Compression Therapy and swollen legs

What exactly is support hose and why should one wear it?

Whether you are  in your 20’s standing all day, an athlete or someone  with venous disease, leg swelling can be painful and bothersome.  The role of compression therapy is to slow the progression of varicose veins, help with symptoms of aching, heaviness and edema (swelling).  They are also important to decrease the chance of getting blood clots and can help heal varicose ulcers.

We know that support hose – or graduated compression stockings – actually help the blood travel from the foot upwards.  The pressure is greatest at the ankle, then reduces at the midcalf.

Standard recommendations are as follows:

less than 15 mm Hg – over the counter – is  of minimal benefit , 15-20 mm Hg can be helpful in minor disease.  Prescription grade stockings are from 20-30 and up.  Usually this strength will suffice, but strengths up to 50 mm Hg are used for deep vein insufficiency and lymphedema.

The stockings should be comfortable, and now come in many attractive colors and some even have patterns.

 

Links: www.bauerfend.ca

 

 

 

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Cleansing Tips for Acne or Sensitive Skin

Over and over we hear clients saying how they love to scrub daily to “clean” their skin.    Broken capillaries and acne can become worse with this approach.

Gentle cleansers and appropriate techniques should be used instead. At Clarite, we analyze your skin and develop an individual program whether you are a teen, or have mature skin concerns such as dullness or fine lines. Recently, a new cleansing device was released in Canada – Clarite is pleased to be the first clinic in Ottawa to carry it!

This new, professional grade cleansing brush will be only available at a limited number of clinics.  The device has a 3 year guarantee and several speeds.  The great difference between this and other brushes is that the bristles do not rotate, but rather oscillate at 300 movements per second, so there is no scrubbing or skin irritation.  It massages away impurities, making the skin feel smoother and softer.  Reports are claiming 6 times more makeup is removed and twice the amount of impurities are cleansed.  As a bonus, it has been shown to enhance the penetration of Vitamin C by up to 61%.  No need to scrub to get a refreshed, clean look and feel.

Check out this Youtube video

 

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Brown Spot Treatments in Ottawa and Manotick

Hyperpigmentation ( dark spots) can be a difficult skin condition to treat.  Most people who have this are so pleased to have a clearer, more radiant complexion after treatments.

One of the most important things to do for this condition is to use high quality sunscreens that block the sun’s UVA and UVB rays.  With the correct skincare and custom regimes developed at Clarite, we can help you achieve your goals.

Antioxidants combined with sunscreens offer greater protection against increased pigmentation.  Recently, a new product was released by SkinMedica called Lytera, which contains hydroquinone free effective ingredients to lighten age spots, photoaging, and a condition that may arise with pregnancy, known commonly as the pregnancy mask.  Here is a video explaining how to use this product.

Clarite is Ottawa’s first clinic to carry this new product.  We also offer a melanin system from Europe, which has a 3 month treatment regime, as well as some other regimes.

 

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Nail Health

Often we are asked questions about nail problems.    The three main  conditions are  fungal infections, cracked, or split nails.    Poor nutrition, dryness, overwashing, aging, trauma and  using harsh nail products  all play a roll in nail health.

Nail hydration helps maintain healthy nails – don’t forget nails tissue is dead.  Spending lots of money on products that claim to make nails healthy is generally a waste of money.  It is important to use products to help hydrate such as glycerin along with a bit of lactic acid and urea.

During the Generational Dermatology Summit in New York City, this topic was addressed by well known US dermatologists. For Brittle Nail Syndrome, the importance of hydration, urea, lactic acid and the avoidance of hand sanitizers containing triclosan was discussed.  There are some studies suggesting that oral calcium, zinc, selenium, b12 and Vitamin A may be important.

French manicures and good quality nail polish help to  protect the nails from damage.  Nail shellacs are polymers cured and bonded through UV radiation to the natural nail.  They are  quite long wearing ,  resistant to chips and are attractive. There may be a concern regarding the UV radiation used to cure the shellac.  The wavelength used may possibly damage the retina.

For those who  have underlying health issues or are concerned about catching a nail fungus or bacterial infection it is important to go to the appropriate clinic for pedicures. A  high level of sanitation and sterilization is important, such as that obtained through a  medical facility.  The term “medi pedi” is unregulated – it is not the same as a medical pedicure, where high standards need to be met and a medical doctor with  dermatology training   is present to address your concerns.

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