ARGIRELINE - THE INNOVATION THAT REMOVES WRINKLES

As it passes, time leaves traces...
Aging is a gradual process, affecting slowly our entire body. One of the areas revealing the biological age is the face. First, fine lines appear on the forehead, around the eyes and around the mouth, deepening as years go by. In early stages, wrinkles form only when the face moves - smiling, loughing, yawning, grimaces. In this stage, they are called dynamic wrinkles or expression lines. Slowly, the dynamic wrinkles convert to static wrinkles, becoming visible also when the face does not move.
In order to treat dynamic wrinkles and to stop their convertion into static wrinkles, we need a substance that is able to relax mimics muscles. The most known product, used all over the world , is Botox - Botullinum Toxin.
 
Nowadays, we have an alternative - Argireline, an anti-wrinkle solution that combines two active ingredients (Acetyl Hexapeptide-3 and Leuphasyl) to achieve a mild, safe, non-toxic botox-like effect, reducing and preventing 'emotional' wrinkles by inhibiting muscle contraction. It is the perfect option for those persons who do not want to lose their full range facial expression.

How does Argireline work?
Argireline has been proven to be effective both in reducing existing facial wrinkles and in preventing formation of new ones; it is effective in treating expression lines on the forehead, glabela (between the eyebrows), crow's feet (the outer corner of the eyes) and the 'bar code' lines on the upper lip.
As mentioned above, Argireline is a combination of 2 substances. Acetyl Hexapeptide-3 is a succession of amino acids that form a chain. The peptides have the ability to influence the function of skin cells, inducing collagen synthesis. The result of this action is maintenance of skin elasticity and prevention of  new wrinkle formation. Leuphasyl, a pentapeptide , mimics the natural path of the enkephalins, it acts on formation of expression lines in a new way. It actually is a modified enkephalin linking to the enkephalin receptors, outside the nervous cells.

 

In addition, Argireline intervenes in the biochemical course of the muscular contraction, interfering with the action of the neurotransmitters. The result is the relaxation of the facial muscles involved in the mimics of the face and again, the prevention of dynamic wrinkles formation.

Argireline can be utilized by topical application - there are numerous cremes and facial serums containing Argireline worldwide. A study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science demonstrated that expression lines decreased with 30 % after topical application of Argireline during a period of 30 days.
I prefer using the active ingredient per se - my methods of choice are conventional or no needle mesotherapy. Of course, Dermaroller and Derma Pen can also be used.

Benefits of Argireline
It is a safe, non toxic ingredient. It does not affect facial expression. And also to be considered, it is a relatively cheap solution for removing expression lines.
The duration of the effects depends on the treatment we choose. If injected, the effects of Argireline can last 4-6 months, depending on the patient's age, on the skin elasticity, on the depth of the lines.

Argireline defies the time!

PERMANENT HAIR REMOVAL

December already...Unbelievable how fast time goes by!
There are many things we can do 'in service of beauty' during the cold season; for certain procedures it is even highly recommended to start in this period. Permanent hair removal, skin rejuvenation and other treatments using LASER or IPL technology are some of these procedures. Chemical peelings and depigmentation treatments also enroll in this category. Snow and low temperatures  should not stop us to embellish.
I decided to write this post is about permanent hair removal - a controversial subject, but a subject I know very well - I will share below my knowledge and experience.

The number of women choosing this method to get rid of unwanted hair is gradually increasing. But not only women opt for permanent hair removal. In the last decade, men are more and more aware of their physical appearance, that is why they also turn to permanent hair removal.
Why?
First, the technical details:
There are multiple technologies that can be utilized for permanent hair removal - LASER, IPL (intense pulsed light) or SPL (square pulsed light), which is the the advanced alternative of intense pulsed light. The principle is the same, regardless of the technology. During my 15 years long experience in aesthetic medicine, I had the chance to use all these technologies and numerous devices.
IPL (intense pulsed light) is absorbed by melanin (chromophore) in brown or black hair causing a thermal injury - selective photothermolysis- to the follicles of actively growing hairs. It’s very important to understand the hair growth cycle in order to understand many of the process. The hair growth cycle consists of three distinct stages – anagen, catagen and telogen. Only follicles in the anagen stage can be thermally blasted. That is why multiple sessions are needed; the sessions must be repeated at well determined periods.

This method addresses women and men equally, hair can be removed from any area of the body except the scalp.

The required number of sessions varies from one person to another, mainly depending on skin type, on color and thickness of the hair. Usually,  a full treatment consists of 6-8 sessions, performed every 4-8 weeks depending on the area treated.

The pace of hair growth gradually slows down during the hair removal procedure, that is why the number and frequency of the sessions should be adjusted individually, according to the evolution of every case.

If you decide to follow this kind of treatment, it is very important to know that it cannot be done on tanned skin. Why? Tanned skin contains a large amount of melanin, the same pigment found also in the hair follicles. In this case, IPL or Laser can cause unwanted reactions. Therefore, sun exposure and use of tanning creams should be avoided during hair removal treatment. Of course, there are numerous devices  especially designed for dark and tanned skin, but I always prefer to stay on the safe side!

Intense pulsed light - IPL -  not only removes unwanted hair for good, it also has a beneficial effect on the skin - the light energy used to blast the hair follicle simultaneously induces collagen synthesis, the skin becomes smooth and toned.
'The secrets' for a successful treatment are adjusting the energy level to the skin type, to the color and thickness of the hair and the compliance of the intervals between the sessions, depending on the area treated - the pace of hair growth is different in each area of our body.
This way, the hair is permanently removed.