Amy asks…I was wondering about photofacials. Are they either effective, worth it, or a good idea?

The Right Brain responds:
Effective?
Yes, at least to some extent.

Worth it?
Maybe, if you can afford several thousand dollars and can wait a few months for results.

Good idea?
Read on and decide for yourself.

Lasers have been used for decades to “burn” away upper layers of the skin to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. They also have had some application in the treatment of acne and spider veins. Click here for a detailed description of the benefits and risks of laser skin resurfacing.

In recent years, the FDA has approved “N-Lite” laser therapy for treatment of crow’s feat. This type of laser uses a specific frequency of light that stimlates collagen production in the deeper layers of skin. Therefore, this method causes much less surface damage than traditional laser therapy. The downside is that this technique is still fairly new and dermatologists and surgeons are still learning how to optimize its application. Smartskincare.com has a great article on this topic if you want more details.

The Beauty Brains bottom line:

Laser therapy appears to be a scientifically valid antiaging treatment. It’s expensive ($1,000 to 2,000 per treatment), and it may take several months for the benefits to become apparent. But if you’re interested you should consult your doctor to find out if it’s a good option for you. Thanks for the question, Amy, we hope this helps.

Angie asks…Why does H20 Plus Face Oasis look so different from other moisturizers?

The Right Brain replies:

Face Oasis looks different because it is different from regular moisturizers.

H2O Plus Face Oasis Ingredients

If you look at the ingredients for traditional moisturizing lotions you’ll see chemicals like cetyl alcohol or stearic acid that give the product its creamy consistency. But Face Oasis doesn’t have any of those, no sir! Instead it contains the following:

Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth 7, Glycosaminoglycans, Dimethicone, PEG 12 Dimethicone, Carbomer, and Triethanolamine

Face Oasis is based on water soluble moisturizing agents (called humectants) rather than fatty, waxy materials and oils. That means it has more of a gel-like appearance instead of looking white and creamy.

Is H2O Plus better?

If you don’t like the greasy feel of oil and wax based emulsions this product may be just right for you. However, since it is lacking in key ingredients that lock moisture in skin, like petrolatum and other oils, it may not provide enough moisture for certain skin types.

What do YOU think? Do you need heavier moisturizers or would you try something different like H20 Plus Face Oasis? Leave a comment and share your thoughts with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.

The Left Brain updates:

I created quite a stir in the world of silk pillow cases last year when I tried to answer the question “Are Silk Pillow Cases Good For Your Skin? (Follow the link for the original post and all the entertaining comments.)

Silk from a sow’s ear?

According to the ASA (the UK organization that enforces British advertising laws) it looks like I was right.  Cosmeticsdesign reports that they have ruled that Direct Beauty Products have not adequately supported their advertising claims that their silk pillow cases have anti-aging properties.  A key issue was the lack of support for minimizing wrinkles. In this particular ad, the company even went so far as to imply that cotton and polyester pillow cases are a major cause of aging, second only to sun damage!

Despite the fact that the company presented a study from the American Academy of Dermatology suggesting that silk pillowcases might reduce sleep lines and wrinkles, the ASA upheld the complaint and said the advertisement must be removed from circulation.  It’s nice to see a governmental body looking out for truth, honesty, and the scientific way! Now if the ASA could just go after Kinoki Detox Foot Pads.

It’s bad enough that men make more money than women for doing the same job, but this is just ridiculous. According to skin researchers in Germany, women’s skin ages faster than men’s! Life is so unfair.

In their study, the researchers used pulses of laser light to measure the amount of collagen and elastin in the skin. Collagen is responsible for giving skin its strength and elasticity. As you get older your body produces less collagen so skin looks droopy and wrinkled. These researchers found that women lose collagen at faster rates than men. So if it seems like you have to work harder to keep your skin looking good than the men in your life, you’re right.

Mid Brain reports:

This story about Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan’s endorsement of a skin lightening product demonstrates just how controversial a cosmetic product can be.  Khan, who’s been described as the Tom Cruise of Bollywood, is being criticized for reinforcing prejudices and stereotypes.  The product he’s pitching is called Fair and Handsome and it’s supposed to make users lighter-skinned and confident.  You can see the video here.

Their website lists the 4 key ingredients as Peptide, Licorice, Vetiver and Aloe Vera.  These aren’t likely to give any skin lightening effect.  It is more likely they are using technology similar to Meladerm since hydroquinone is banned in some EU countries.  They don’t have the same labeling requirements as the US so the actual active ingredients couldn’t be found.

Cosmetic Irony

It’s always seemed ironic that we all seem to want what we don’t have. People who are dark skinned want lighter skin. People who are pale want tanned skin. Women with straight hair get perms, those with curly hair get it relaxed.  For cosmetic companies, this is good.  There will always be a need for products to fix some perceived problem.  Unfortunately, I’m just not sure if reinforcing stereotypes and making people feel bad about their natural beauty is good for humanity.