What is permanent makeup?

Medical Pigmentation, or permanent makeup, is the revolutionary method of depositing hypo-allergenic mineral pigment color into the dermal layer of the skin. In other words, permanent makeup is cosmetic tattooing.

Who benefits from permanent makeup?

EVERYONE, from the young to the elderly, who desires a soft, natural enhancement to their appearance. It is especially beneficial to people who can’t wear other cosmetics due to allergies and skin sensitivities; Active people who want to look their best for activities such as swimming, hiking, biking, tennis, aerobics, and those who don’t want to worry about “sweating off” or reapplying cosmetics. Also, the vision impaired who have difficulty applying their cosmetics, and others with motor impairments such as arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke survivors, and those with unsteady hands who cannot apply their own makeup, and busy people who don’t have time to spend on their makeup.

Are permanent cosmetics really permanent?

Technically, permanent cosmetics procedures are considered permanent because the color is implanted into the upper reticular part of the dermal layer of the skin and cannot be washed off. However, as with any tattoo, fading can and often does occur, requiring periodic maintenance, color re-enhancement or color re-freshing. Just like hair color, furniture that may be located near a window, or even house paint, pigment implanted in the skin may fade with time. It is important to consider this and all aspects of the procedure when selecting a potential permanent cosmetic makeup technician

Is it painful?

A topical numbing agent is applied prior to, and if needed, during each procedure to numb the skin and help ease any discomfort. Every client is different, some will feel vibrating or scratching and some will feel nothing at all. Some clients may experience slight swelling immediately after but it is usually not noticeable. Most can return to normal daily activities right away.

How’s it done?

Deseret uses Nouveau Contour, the first digitally driven Medical Pigmentation device that offers the only fully sealed one-time use needle cartridge system. This patented* cartridge system allows your technician to eliminate cross-contamination risks while providing optimal results in less time. The Intelligent is the best of German engineering, known among Medical Professionals for its high precision and consistent frequency due to its on-board microprocessor, provide less trauma and excellent results.

 

Beautiful Skin for the Holidays

We all want to look our best during the holidays, what with all of the parties and family photos.  In order to do this, our skin needs to look radiant and glowing, but the hustle and bustle of the season can make this difficult to achieve.  We often eat and drink more than we usually would, we are up half the night and most of us forget about exercising altogether; of all these spell a recipe for disaster when it comes to our skin.

Your skin is your body’s biggest organ, covering almost 18 square feet and weighing about seven pounds. Treat it right with some of these healthy foods, some of which might surprise you. Besides recommending the usual restful night’s sleep and daily exercise, here are a few tips for preventing and eliminating skin irritation which can often lead to other skincare concerns.

For Breakouts

What to eat

Bright red and orange fruits and vegetables have beta carotene which your body converts to oil reducing Vitamin A. Green leafy vegetables contain Vitamin B6 which minimizes swelling, so pimples are reduced.

What to avoid

Iodine rich salt, shrimp and seaweed stimulate oil glands, inducing irritation of pores.

 

For Stress-Induced Wrinkles

What to eat

Fruits rich in color (such as berries) have Vitamin C which help to promote anti-aging, skin firming collagen and antioxidants. Orange seafood like salmon and lobster contain Astaxanthin, another potent antioxidant stronger than Vitamin C and E.

What to avoid

Excess sugar!  We must balance sugar intake because too much sugar can affect the skin, binding to collagen and elastin fibers, breaking down elasticity, resulting in sagging skin.

 

Dry Skin

What to eat

Drink lots of water and eats foods with good fats (which will help to keep cell walls strong and prevent water loss) like avocado and olive oil as well as citrus and kiwi (the potassium they contain regulates the body’s water levels). Cabbage has sulfur which can help to prevent dry, irritated skin.

What to avoid

Drinks like coffee and black tea dehydrate your internal tissues and skin. Most fried foods contain trans fats and hydrogenated oils which can often deplete levels of good fats and can lead to dry skin.

 

Rosacea

What to eat

A symptom of inflammation in the body, chronic rosacea often controlled by topical medication can also be managed by eating calming foods such as fish, cucumbers and licoriceTurmeric seasoning, which gives curried dishes their marigold hue, is high in Curcumin, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

What to avoid

Hot foods (in temperature and spiciness) and alcohol and caffeine make blood vessels swell so skin appears redder. Niacin rich peanuts can also increase flushing.

 

Do I need to be optimized? One patient’s journey through hormone therapy.

When I first heard about bio-identical hormones I immediately thought of some science fiction process, that didn’t appeal to me at all. Then I began hearing more and more about hormone optimization and how it could help you have more energy, feel better, sleep better, increase your libido, and the list goes on.  I decided I could use all of those things, but is 38 too young? I remembered my grandmother taking her hormones, that’s not what I needed, right? I did some research, and the first thing I realized is that everyone seemed to be able to give me a description, but no one was explaining the process. Was this something I could benefit from? Was I too young? Was it going to require injections or cleanses? I decided I would schedule a consultation with Dr. Allen at Deseret to get a few of my questions answered. After the consultation, I couldn’t wait to get started.

First things first!

The first step was to have blood work done and get a bone density scan, which measures bone strength and can be used to detect osteoporosis. The blood work would tell them exactly if and where I was lacking in nutrients, and if I had any other issues that should be addressed; standard in examining one’s health. A bone density scan might sound strange, but it was easy and completely noninvasive. Not to mention I was able to get it done right next to Dr. Allen’s office so I didn’t have to drive all over Arizona. Same with the blood work. So far this process was a breeze, but I couldn’t wait to get my results back and find out what’s next.

Find Hidden Food Allergies

About 60% of all undiagnosed symptoms are due to food allergies according to James Breneman, MD, former Chairman of the Food Allergy Committee of the American College of Allergy (now the American College of Allergy and Immunology).

When foods become targets of a person’s immune system;
*Delayed symptoms can occur that are nearly impossible
to link with a source and may affect any part of the body.
*They may exacerbate existing conditions.
*They can become repeatedly problematic

The common ailments associated with Food Allergies are:

AD(H)D/Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Alcoholism or other Addictions
Anxiety
Arthritis/Rheumatoid Arthritis

Asthma
Candidacies
Chronic Fatigue & Fibromyalgia
Chronic Infections
Colitis or Irritable Bowel/
Constipation/Diarrhea
Cravings/Eating disorders
Depression/Irritability

Mood swings, Tension
Fatigue
Fluid Retention
Foggy brain, Poor Concentration
Gas, Bloating
Gout
Headache or Migraines
Hives
Hyperactivity
Hypoglycemia
Irritable Bowel, Leaky
Gut Syndrome
Leaky Bladder
Multiple Sclerosis
Obsessive Compulsive
Disorders
PMS
Poor Absorption, vitamin/mineral deficiency
Seizures
Skin problems (acne,eczema, rashes)
Tourette’s Syndrome
Weight Gain

You can get tested today for delayed hypersensitivity reactions. Delayed (lgG) responses may cause delayed symptoms, such as joint or muscle pain, chronic headaches, fatigue, eczema, and psoriasis. Since lgG reactions often occur hours of days after particular foods are consumed, correlating symptoms can be difficult. The reactions can be subtle or severe, and may lead to chronic (long –term) symptoms and chronic degenerative conditions. This lab test requires only a small amount of blood taken form a finger-prick and is very easy to do. Something to consider.

The Facts About Progesterone!

The basics for optimal health and longevity are proper diet, exercise, nutritional supplementation and hormone replacement therapy. This stops cellular degeneration and allows regeneration of tissue, healing and a slowing down of the aging process. Progesterone is secreted by the ovaries and reduces symptoms of premature menstrual syndrome. It protects against uterine and breast cancers, osteoporosis, fibrocystic disease and ovarian cysts. It dramatically decreases menopausal symptoms. Most U. S. physicians prescribe synthetic progestins which cause such side effects as bloating, headaches, fatigue and weight gain. The natural progesterone must be prescribed in place of the  synthetic progestin to avoid the side effects and protect against cancer. We emphasize the use of natural hormones and not synthetic hormones, which have been proven time and time again to cause significant side effects.

Benefits or Progesterone:

Improves mood/decreases depression

Reduces perimenopause symptoms

Decreases miscarriages

Decreases bloating

Decreases headaches

Decreases PMS symptoms

Decreases ovarian cysts

Decreases osteoporosis

Decreases fibrocystic disease

Protects against breast cancer

Decreases heart disease

Decreases vaginal bleeding

 

 

Testosterone, important for men AND women

Testosterone, a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, testes and ovaries, is an essential hormone that neither men nor women should be without as they age. At optimal levels, testosterone

  • Increases energy
  • Increases lean muscle mass
  • Contributes to endurance
  • Improves skin tone
  • Improves healing capacity
  • Increases bone density
  • Lowers body and belly fat
  • Reduces anxiety
  • Improves Diabetes
  • Improves libido
  • Decreases risk of cancer
  • Lowers stress
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Lowers cholesterol
  • Decreases heart disease
  • Improves erectile dysfunction
  • Decreases wrinkles
  • Enhances memory
  • Decreases arthritis
Levels of testosterone decline with age in both men and women. Think you aren’t running on optimal levels? Consider scheduling an appointment with Dr. Allen to find out if you can benefit from hormone optimization.

What is a thyroid hormone?

In general, hormones are molecules that signal the cells of the body to perform certain actions. A variety of hormones are produced in the various glands around the body; some of them affect many types of cells and others are more specialized.

The thyroid is a metabolic hormone, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), secreted by the thyroid gland which regulates temperature, metabo­lism and cerebral function. Insufficient thyroid levels result in fatigue, increased cholesterol levels and in­creased risk of coronary artery disease. Low thyroid causes low energy, loss of motivation and thinning hair, skin and nails.

How it works!

After T4 and T3 are released by the thyroid, they hitch a ride in the bloodstream and get to work. They tell each cell if it needs to be consuming more oxygen and nutrients, thereby stepping up its rate of metabolism or vice versa. The hormones also have a hand in stimulating heart muscle contraction and nerve function, increasing the utilization of cholesterol and nutrients, ensuring normal growth and brain development.

When your thyroid’s not around to rev up your metabolism, a lot of things can go wrong. What’s scary is you usually don’t wake up one morning with every symptom on the list in full-fledged severity. You’ll just have a little more trouble making it through the day, or you may look in the mirror and see your face appears a bit puffy and more aged than it used to or you could get an ache in your muscles even after just walking a short distance. After a while, you’ll start to feel miserable all the time without even knowing why.

To Summarize…

The thyroid hormone controls the speed of your metabolism. The pituitary gland (located in your brain) controls how much thyroid hormone to make. It does this by making thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH tells the thyroid gland to make more or less thyroid hormone. The thyroid hormone that is sent into your bloodstream is made from iodine absorbed from the foods we eat.

What is VeinGogh?

The VeinGogh Ohmic Thermolysis System provides a superior solution for the treatment of fine telangiectasia, spider veins and small angiomas, especially recalcitrant vessels that have shown a resistance to sclerotherapy, laser or IPL treatment.

VeinGogh is the fast, easy way to reliably treat these and other cosmetically unacceptable conditions, often with less discomfort compared to older therapies.While lasers and other light-based solutions are expensive, skin-type dependent and have an inherent risk of injury, VeinGogh uses a hair-thin, insulated probe to thermocoagulate and instantly eliminate vessels dependably, repeatably, on any skin-type and on any part of the body.

What exactly is CO2 Skin Resurfacing?

Using advanced laser technology, a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser for skin resurfacing precisely removes outer layers of damaged skin to reveal the underlying skin which is softer, smoother, and younger looking.

How Does CO2 Laser Resurfacing Work?

A CO2 laser skin resurfacing procedure reduces or eliminate more pronounced lines and wrinkles. This is done by removing deeper layers of damaged skin and stimulating the regeneration of healthy skin underneath. The latest technological advancement in the field of laser resurfacing is the use of light beams that are either pulsed or scattered at a very high rate. This minimizes heat damage that the skin might otherwise be exposed to. It also allows a more powerful CO2 laser to be utilized for deeper tissue removal and for more effective removal of pronounced wrinkles and creases. This technology allows the laser skin resurfacing treatment to provide some of the most dramatic, age-defying results possible. As we age, our skin succumbs to the effects of sun, gravity, and even our unique facial movements, to create lines and wrinkles that make us look older than we feel. A good candidate for carbon dioxide (CO2) laser skin resurfacing is typically an individual who has developed significant facial lines and wrinkling. A candidate may also have facial scars or uneven pigmentation they wish to correct. The best way to find out if you are a candidate for a CO2 laser skin resurfacing treatment is to schedule a free consultation with Dr Allen.

Benefits of CO2 Laser Skin Treatment

By precisely removing damaged skin layer by layer, a CO2 laser skin resurfacing treatment is able to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, “turning back the clock” on your complexion and revealing the more youthful looking skin that lies underneath. The CO2 laser – when used for the skin resurfacing procedure – can also lessen the appearance of scars and many other skin imperfections. Benefits include not only the effective correction of moderate to deep lines and wrinkles, but also treatment for uneven pigmentation, photodamage, precancerous spots, and a host of other skin imperfections and benign lesions. If you believe you may be a candidate for CO2 laser skin resurfacing treatment, Dr. Allen can carefully analyze your skin and determine if the procedure is right for you.

Is CO2 Laser Treatment Safe?

Yes, with the guidance of a skilled doctor, a CO2 laser skin resurfacing treatment is perfectly safe. With the predictability of the CO2 laser, skin can be precisely ablated layer by layer to provide incredibly safe results with minimal side-effects. Dr Allen will discuss possible CO2 laser skin resurfacing complications and how they can be avoided during your recovery.

I want laser hair removal for my bikini area! Is it painful? Does it work or is it hype?

The big question on everyone’s mind “Is it painful, and if so, how painful?”, followed by “Does it work or is it hype?” Well…let’s start from the beginning.

I’m an actual client at Deseret Aesthetic and Lifestyle Institute and was aske

d to write a guest blog on my experience with laser hair removal, specifically the bikini area.

I’ve had laser hair removal on my legs and underarms, but for some reason, the thought of laser hair ‘ south of the border’ was freaking me out a bit. My first thought was, what about the pain? I can honestly say that the laser hair removal on my legs and underarms was basically pain free, I barely felt anything. For some reason I didn’t think the same would apply to ‘other’ areas. I distinctly remember being a sophomore in college and my girlfriends talking me into getting a Brazilian wax. To say the experience was embarrassing and painful is an extreme understatement. The woman had me in various compromising positions ripping hair from here and there. As if the experience weren’t bad enough, I couldn’t walk properly for about a week. It was approaching summer in Arizona and I had giant bumps and was missing small pieces of skin from my pubic area, so not fun! That day I vowed I would shave for the rest of my life. Until recently I thought I would keep that vow, but the leg/underarm experience had me curious.

I tried searching the internet for random pieces of information that would give me some sort of insight into the experience, but all I could find was clinical descriptions and generic blogs. I decided that it couldn’t be that bad and booked an appointment.

When I arrived at Deseret the day of my appointment I felt extremely giddy, nervous I suppose. Brittany was the bubbly Laser Technician that had the not so distinct privilege of having me as her third appointment of the day. As soon as I was in the room I began to ask her question after question, trying to phrase them as nonchalant as possible, but not succeeding. She could sense my anxiety and eased my mind by explaining everything, detail by detail. My first thought was that I would have everything exposed for her to see; referencing my previous experience, but this was not at all the case. Everything was completely covered exposing only the small portion that was being lasered at that time, moving the covering to the next area as each portion was lasered.

I decided to go for the Brazilian, meaning you can leave a neat strip/triangle or you can opt for no hair whatsoever. I started by lying on my back and folding one leg up in a ‘4’ position, again, everything was covered except for an extremely small area.  She tested an area at the top of my pelvic bone to make sure I was comfortable with the intensity, I was. Just like that, it began!

The first few ‘rows’ – as I like to call it, were a piece of cake. Brittany made sure to count down and keep me breathing, for example, 3 more, 2 more, 1 more. The time elapsed so quickly that before I knew it we were to the ‘sensitive area’. Brittany didn’t hide anything, she let me know that this would be the most tender – she was not at all kidding. Brittany made sure to keep me breathing, talking and kept up with the countdown, which believe it or not, helps tremendously. It put me in the mind set of “I can endure anything, 3 more times, 2 more times” you get the drift. Now comes the part that you may or may not want to hear, what about the pain. Yes, there was pain. Now that’s out of the way, it was completely bearable pain that lasted seconds. The entire process was less than 20 minutes, that’s including prep time, and as soon as the pain was over, it was quickly forgotten. Brittany gave me an ice pack to put on the area in case I experienced any swelling, which I didn’t.

I’m sure you’ve heard, as I have, that the intensity increases with each treatment and I was told I would need approximately 6 treatments.  For now, I couldn’t be happier. I’ve posted pictures for everyone to see how well it’s working after ONE treatment. You can see the hair that is growing back and the hair that is gone, yes GONE!

I will make sure I check in after my second treatment to let you know how I handled the intensity, until then, good luck with your hair removal journey and remember a five o’clock shadow belongs on a man’s face and not your bikini line!