Obagi Skincare System - Nu-Derm®, Obagi-C™ Rx System, Professional C Serum, Obagi Blue Peel®, Clenizderm and Rosaclear

About Obagi Skincare System - Nu-Derm®, Obagi-C™ Rx System, Professional C Serum and Obagi Blue Peel®

No matter what aesthetic intervention or procedure you might want or be planning, if your skin does not look its best then the result will not be as good as it could be.

Indeed, people who have less than perfect bone structure, shape or looks for any reason often still look very attractive if their skin appears healthy and flawless.

Skin Treatment or Peel?

The Obagi Blue Peel® and the Obagi® skincare system have revolutionised skincare. Although normal cosmetic creams and moisturisers that can be bought over the counter make the skin feel better in the short term, to make skin really look better we need a combination of medical treatments that actually penetrate the outer layers of the skin itself.

Although many over-the-counter preparations claim to penetrate the skin, the skin is a natural barrier that keeps infection and other harmful substances out. As such very few things can actually penetrate the skin, and virtually none of the over the counter creams can. What they generally do is leave an oily residue on the surface after application which makes the skin feel a little softer to the touch.

It has been known for years that if the skin is damaged in a very superficial way, when it heals the skin appears tighter and younger - as well as looking much fresher. This can be done medically using a physical approach such as Medical Microdermabrasion (see the Medical Microdermabrasion leaflet) or laser resurfacing, or the same effect can be achieved using a chemical approach by using a skin peel.

The Obgai Blue Peel® is a very safe but highly effective method for damaging the superficial layers of the skin in a controlled fashion, causing tightening of the skin and a new layer of skin cells to grow, making the skin look younger and healthier.

However, when the Obagi® system was being developed, it became clear that better results were obtained if the skin was prepared first. Two of the keys to successful skin preparation are Vitamin A - or Retin-A (commercially called Tretinoin) and Vitamin C.

Retin-A is a prescription only drug and so must be prescribed by doctors. Many popular creams and skincare products claim to have Vitamin C in them - but the Vitamin C in many products is in a form that is not able to penetrate the skin. It is essential that the correct medications are used if any effect on the skin is to be obtained.

The Nu-Derm® system started off as a preparation for the Obagi® skin peel. However the results from the preparation alone, particularly the Nu-Derm® system, has shown to be so effective that many clients do not need to proceed to the full skin peel. Of course to be effective, the skin has to be damaged a little to stimulate the healing processes that leads to the lovely result, and so the skin does become red and scaly during Nu-Derm® treatment. During this time the client will have access to a clinician to guide them through if any concerns arise.

The next couple of sections will go through the three preparations that are available through the Obagi® system and then we will discuss the Obagi Blue Peel®.

Nu-Derm®

The Nu-Derm® system is a system of six products that need to be used regularly. It is recommended as a eight week course, but as the skin goes very red during treatment, some people use it less regularly but for longer. It is possible to use Nu-Derm® periodically, stopping in time for social engagements and then to re-start when convenient. Of course this will mean the treatment regime becomes longer to get the same effect but it does reduce the active redness and flaking of the skin. Often clients increase the treatment episodes to 12 or 18 weeks so there is less redness associated with the treatment.

The Nu-Derm® system can be used on all skin types. It can be used on the face and also skin elsewhere - although caution must be used in using Tretinoin cream around the eyes. The six products when used in order prepare the skin, correct the skin problems, stimulate and then finally protect the skin.

Obagi-C™ Rx.

The Obagi-C™ Rx system is milder than Nu-Derm® and is used for skin that is less severely damaged. Usually Vitamin C in creams doesn't penetrate to skin. However, in the Obagi® system, the D-isomer of Vitamin C is used which has shown to be effective in getting through the skin and effecting the deeper layers. As with the Nu-Derm®, Obagi-C Rx can slightly lighten the skin colour. Therefore there is also a Professional C Serum that can be used for people who do not want any skin lightening. The Obagi-C™ Rx system gives a good improvement in skin texture and appearance but without so much of the side-effects that are seen with the Nu-Derm®.

Professional C Serum

The Professional C Serum is another preparation that is less aggressive and so is used on people with very mild skin problems. It is based on effective treatment of the skin with Vitamin C and can be used as a stand-alone treatment. Not only will it improve the skin but will prevent further damage if used regularly.

Many people do not use it as a single treatment episode but continue to use it throughout their lives with very good effect.

Obagi Blue Peel®

The Obagi Blue Peel® is based on a weak acid that is spread on the face to burn the outer layers of the skin, causing damage and letting the skin regenerate with the younger, tighter, healthier feel.

The acid itself is colourless and so a blue dye is added to the mixture. The reason a blue dye is added is so that the doctor, nurse or therapist can tell exactly how the deep the peel is going. Although a simple idea, it is this colour indication system that is really what is revolutionary about the technique.

Previously skin peels were put on the face and clinicans either used time or "experience"as a guide as to how deep they had gone. Using the blue dye, one can see colour changes as different layers of the skin are reached, allowing clinicians to tell exactly what level the peel has got to. In this way it is harder to either under- or over-treat patients.

Different acid strengths can be used depending on how aggressive the client wants to be treated and what speed of recovery they need. Some people want to have a one-day peel where they are having a peel on Friday, but by Monday are able to go back to work and face the world. It is possible to do this - but it's not quite so effective.

Stronger peels cause a little bit more stinging or burning when applied. This can be made to feel better by using a fan. Immediately after the peel the skin has a blue tinge and 24 hours the skin feels very tight. By 72 hours (three days after the peel has been applied) the skin starts to peel off. It is essential that the skin is allowed to peel off by itself and is not pulled.

Over the next week the skin will start regenerating and by one to two weeks after the peel, the skin should start to look healthy and the full effects of the peel will be seen. By six weeks after the peel, the skin is noticeably fresher, clearer, tighter and more attractive.

Clenziderm

Clenizderm M.D. Acne Therapeutic Systems are the only doctor dispensed acne treatments with a liquefied form of benzoyl peroxide that’s clinically proven to provide clearer, healthier skin in as little as two weeks. Clenziderm M.D. is available in formulas for normal to oily and normal to dry skin types.
The systems are formulated with proven acne-fighting ingredients, including a patent-pending penetrating formula of 5% liquefied benzoyl peroxide. The system penetrates all the way down to the follicles where acne starts, to clear your skin more quickly than other acne treatments.
The system involves a simple 3 step programme to be followed morning and evening at home.

Rosaclear

Currently, there is no cure for rosacea. Although most existing therapies only provide temporary relief from the symptoms, Obagi offers a more complete therapeutic treatment with the Rosaclear System. In just a few simple steps, it protects and moisturises your skin, calms and soothes your symptoms, treats acne-like pimples and reduces the appearance of redness and blotchiness, leaving your complexion clearer, calmer and more balanced looking.

The Rosaclear System is the only complete system that incorporates a therapeutic prescription component, as well as products that effectively reduce and minimise the visible redness and blotchiness associated with rosacea. Calming agents, such as licorice, aloe, lavender and sea whip, are also used to soothe your skin, while light-reflecting minerals balance your complexion.

This systems incorporates a simple 3 or 4 step programme to be followed morning and evening at home.

If you would like to know more about Obgai Skincare at Absolute Aesthetics, contact us on info@absoluteaesthetics.co.uk or Tel: 01483 477 189.