Today I had a client in for a consultation. Her skin was severely impaired and I asked her what skin care she currently used and if she had any advanced treatments. She continued to reel off all ‘best’ skincare in her cabinet and all the ‘latest’ treatments she had had. She explained that she did not feel a treatment worked unless her skin tingled or burned. Sadly this has not been the first time I have heard this but it is so interesting to me that clients or people in general feel that  the skin needs an inflammatory response for them to accept ‘it works’.

A consultation is THE MOST important part of a treatment not only to gain information why individuals are suffering with specific concerns but to EDUCATE; I stress that word because it is imperative they understand that the above reactions are not normal and should not be acceptable. These reactions to products are a skin reaction that lead to further chain reactions causing an impaired lipid barrier, pigmentation and sensitivity.

The Rheins Barrier is a sticky thick fluid that sits between the stratum granulosum and the stratum corneum of the epidermis. Think of this as boarder control where the polarity of the skin changes from a negative charge and an alkaline pH of 7.3 – 7.4 (internal body) to a positive charge and an acid pH of 4.5 – 5.5 (external body). The acid mantle is made up of a chemical barrier of acid and alkaline, which protects from invading bacteria and prevents dehydration.

Using soaps and strong alkaline topical products can destroy the skins acid mantle leaving the skin defenseless allowing bacteria to invade the cells of the stratum corneum, inflammation and moisture will be effected resulting in dehydration.  As we age, the acid mantle shifts towards the neutral spectrum on the scale which could make it even more vulnerable to bacterial invasion and lack of moisture.

I am known for my ‘less is more’ approach in all of my therapies, Noetic as well as aesthetic, and I get just as good, if not better results as those that use the ‘big guns’ approach of deep chemical peels, 1.5 (to even deeper) dermal needling and harsh skincare stripping and peeling layers off of the skin like a snake, in my opinion and experience, it is not needed! I don’t and never will find the need for aggressive applications with aggressive ingredients I am all for progressive application with scientifically proven encapsulated, chiral and resilient ingredients that give outstanding results without inflammation, discomfort or pain.