GOT SPOTS?: Lightening Up
Jan 26, 2012 Posted by Corrie Shenigo
Got spots?
It’s January, and while it’s never to early for us to start jostling your internal fear of the sun and it’s damaging effects on our skin out of its winter-slumber—today we bring you a different approach… a kinder approach with options… an approach straight from the mouth of the Iron Dragon herself.
Okay… well, not exactly. But surely Vogue magazine’s recent article on freckles, sunspots and downright uneven skin is Anna Wintour approved, right? So let’s look at the fashion tomes tackling of this sun-inspired pre-mature aging dead-giveaway. And then we’ll dive into a little giveaway of our own! Yay! Presents!
Vogue magazine takes on this “worse than wrinkles” problem with a hard-hitting flare, aimed not at shaming you for your years spent worshipping the sun unprotected (I’ll handle the shaming, my friends.), but instead at finding solutions. New and fancy sci-fi solutions aimed at eradicating the damage that you’ve already brought on yourself. (Shame on you.)
Most of us have seen the evidence: a fresh sprout of freckles, an extra splotch where there was once none, the need to apply make-up as spackle on a daily basis. Even those of us blessed with darker skin than my own pasty appeal aren’t immune to the sun dappling our skin with spots that would surely inspire a bout of insanity in the good Ms. Macbeth.
“The hardest thing we treat in dermatology is pigmentation,” says Dr. Anne Chapas, M.D. Not exactly thrilling news... which is where Vogue editor Sarah Brown began her quest for solutions to her ever-burgeoning legion of spots.
The good Chapas explained to Brown “how we turn on and off melanocytes.” Melano-who? You know, the mechanisms in our cells that produce melanin—pigment—and can produce too much (hello, spots) when stimulated by UV exposure and free radicals. Thankfully Chapas wasn’t all bad news. “Lasers dissolve the melanin right away,” she said, “but creams can certainly lighten the skin [if] you keep at it.”
Umm… keep at it? Let’s start with the path of least resistance and talk lasers. (Mmm… delicious immediate gratification.) Two of the biggies (with a legion of doctor and patient fans to back it up) are the Fraxel Dual Laser and the Clear + Brilliant, a gentler laser for those with less severe damage. In the name of research and delivering a staunch blow to her spots, Brown chose to try both creams and lasers—thank you, Ms. Brown.
Most of us have experienced a surprise sunburn on our delicate décolleté—probably on more occasions than is just and right (bring on the shame.) It seems we just conveniently forget to apply sunscreen to this canvas conveniently displayed by our skimpy summer clothing where UV rays are welcome to do their worst. Brown is no different, and this is where the Fraxel Dual Laser comes into play.
“I wish I had invented the thing.” Another NYC Doc approved. “It erases sun damage so evenly, so elegantly. There’s so little downtime. It’s perfect for New Yorkers.” And on that rousing review Brown chose to undergo a series of Fraxel treatments on her damaged chest area.
The Fraxel laser rolls across the skin providing a one-two-punch with dual wavelengths: one used for pigmentation and one used for fine lines and wrinkles. The immediate result is something resembling a mild sunburn which does as sunburns do: peels, scales and miraculously starts to flake off the damaged skin and reveal a magically smoother and brighter you. Yay!
But if the whole laser thing isn’t quite for you, not to worry. There is also a whole new breed of lightening creams that… gasp… seem to actually work. And in the spirit of taking one for team ♀, Brown agrees to play guinea pig with the vast new (and allegedly super powered) lightening creams. And here’s where it gets exciting folks. Despite the “having to keep at it”… it seems these new breed of cosmetics just might be worth it!
So just what spawned these new-fangled miracle creams? We have our good friend hydroquinone to thank. Yep, the same one that was banned in the EU, Japan and Australia in 2001 due to questions of it’s safety. It’s still considered safe in the United States—with the ever-diligent FDA conducting it’s own studies. (Um… since 2001? Time’s a tickin’ people.) Regardless, the results of these “safety concerns” have spawned a whole heaping helping of new innovation and technology… and magic. (Ta-da!)
It seems cosmetics companies are tapping all sorts of natural wonders for their powers of production—melanin production that is. There are magic mushrooms (not those kinds… shame.), daisy power and glacial water.
One of the most exciting new products being used to “stamp out” dark spots is a little magic something called Elure. This cosmetics line contains a pigment dissolving mushroom enzyme whose super powers include turning dark tree bark several shades lighter in clinical studies. And hey… if it’s good enough for tree bark, then it’s good enough for me. And good enough for Brown, who was excited about the results after applying Elure night and day, “After three weeks or so, my freckles had not vanished, but they certainly seemed lighter.” Yay! Results!
(*insert drum roll.)
Which is why we here at Project Beauty are pleased as punch to be giving away 2 (That’s right TWO!) of the Elure’s Advanced Skin Lightening Lotion to two lucky commenter’s on this blog post. To register, simply leave a comment and we’ll choose a winner!
(*insert screaming lady fans.)
You’re very welcome.
It’s January, and while it’s never to early for us to start jostling your internal fear of the sun and it’s damaging effects on our skin out of its winter-slumber—today we bring you a different approach… a kinder approach with options… an approach straight from the mouth of the Iron Dragon herself.
Okay… well, not exactly. But surely Vogue magazine’s recent article on freckles, sunspots and downright uneven skin is Anna Wintour approved, right? So let’s look at the fashion tomes tackling of this sun-inspired pre-mature aging dead-giveaway. And then we’ll dive into a little giveaway of our own! Yay! Presents!
Vogue magazine takes on this “worse than wrinkles” problem with a hard-hitting flare, aimed not at shaming you for your years spent worshipping the sun unprotected (I’ll handle the shaming, my friends.), but instead at finding solutions. New and fancy sci-fi solutions aimed at eradicating the damage that you’ve already brought on yourself. (Shame on you.)
Most of us have seen the evidence: a fresh sprout of freckles, an extra splotch where there was once none, the need to apply make-up as spackle on a daily basis. Even those of us blessed with darker skin than my own pasty appeal aren’t immune to the sun dappling our skin with spots that would surely inspire a bout of insanity in the good Ms. Macbeth.
“The hardest thing we treat in dermatology is pigmentation,” says Dr. Anne Chapas, M.D. Not exactly thrilling news... which is where Vogue editor Sarah Brown began her quest for solutions to her ever-burgeoning legion of spots.
The good Chapas explained to Brown “how we turn on and off melanocytes.” Melano-who? You know, the mechanisms in our cells that produce melanin—pigment—and can produce too much (hello, spots) when stimulated by UV exposure and free radicals. Thankfully Chapas wasn’t all bad news. “Lasers dissolve the melanin right away,” she said, “but creams can certainly lighten the skin [if] you keep at it.”
Umm… keep at it? Let’s start with the path of least resistance and talk lasers. (Mmm… delicious immediate gratification.) Two of the biggies (with a legion of doctor and patient fans to back it up) are the Fraxel Dual Laser and the Clear + Brilliant, a gentler laser for those with less severe damage. In the name of research and delivering a staunch blow to her spots, Brown chose to try both creams and lasers—thank you, Ms. Brown.
Most of us have experienced a surprise sunburn on our delicate décolleté—probably on more occasions than is just and right (bring on the shame.) It seems we just conveniently forget to apply sunscreen to this canvas conveniently displayed by our skimpy summer clothing where UV rays are welcome to do their worst. Brown is no different, and this is where the Fraxel Dual Laser comes into play.
“I wish I had invented the thing.” Another NYC Doc approved. “It erases sun damage so evenly, so elegantly. There’s so little downtime. It’s perfect for New Yorkers.” And on that rousing review Brown chose to undergo a series of Fraxel treatments on her damaged chest area.
The Fraxel laser rolls across the skin providing a one-two-punch with dual wavelengths: one used for pigmentation and one used for fine lines and wrinkles. The immediate result is something resembling a mild sunburn which does as sunburns do: peels, scales and miraculously starts to flake off the damaged skin and reveal a magically smoother and brighter you. Yay!
But if the whole laser thing isn’t quite for you, not to worry. There is also a whole new breed of lightening creams that… gasp… seem to actually work. And in the spirit of taking one for team ♀, Brown agrees to play guinea pig with the vast new (and allegedly super powered) lightening creams. And here’s where it gets exciting folks. Despite the “having to keep at it”… it seems these new breed of cosmetics just might be worth it!
So just what spawned these new-fangled miracle creams? We have our good friend hydroquinone to thank. Yep, the same one that was banned in the EU, Japan and Australia in 2001 due to questions of it’s safety. It’s still considered safe in the United States—with the ever-diligent FDA conducting it’s own studies. (Um… since 2001? Time’s a tickin’ people.) Regardless, the results of these “safety concerns” have spawned a whole heaping helping of new innovation and technology… and magic. (Ta-da!)
It seems cosmetics companies are tapping all sorts of natural wonders for their powers of production—melanin production that is. There are magic mushrooms (not those kinds… shame.), daisy power and glacial water.
One of the most exciting new products being used to “stamp out” dark spots is a little magic something called Elure. This cosmetics line contains a pigment dissolving mushroom enzyme whose super powers include turning dark tree bark several shades lighter in clinical studies. And hey… if it’s good enough for tree bark, then it’s good enough for me. And good enough for Brown, who was excited about the results after applying Elure night and day, “After three weeks or so, my freckles had not vanished, but they certainly seemed lighter.” Yay! Results!
(*insert drum roll.)
Which is why we here at Project Beauty are pleased as punch to be giving away 2 (That’s right TWO!) of the Elure’s Advanced Skin Lightening Lotion to two lucky commenter’s on this blog post. To register, simply leave a comment and we’ll choose a winner!
(*insert screaming lady fans.)
You’re very welcome.