Everyday Skin Care Routine

Every woman wants picture-perfect, good skin complexion. Flawless skin is one of the main elements of a person’s beauty. Healthy skin helps you feel beautiful as well.

Your daily skin routine and lifestyle habits are the primary predictors of your skin’s health. Stress, lack of sleep, poor nutrition, damage from the UV rays, pollution, excessive smoking and drinking alcohol are leading factors that affect the quality and texture of your skin.

Daily Skin Care Routine

Photo from: (http://www.pakprogram.com/)

Cleansing

• A proper cleansing clears the dirt and helps to get rid of pollution which get settled on the skin during the day.
• Always use a cleanser that is suitable for your skin.
• Get a facial wash that would not strip off the moisture in your skin.

Photo from: (http://www.natural-homeremedies.com/) 

Exfoliation

• Exfoliation is an essential way to keep clear complexion.
• A good scrub can remove the dead skin cells on your top layer of skin, encouraging the production of good and healthy skin.
• It also improves blood circulation, lighten the skin making it soft, smooth and youthful.

Photo from: (http://www.hellomagazine.com/)

Sun Protection

• Use a good UV protector whenever you step outdoor.
• Get a UV protector that can filter the harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Photo from: (http://www.awaredesk.com/)

Pay special attention to fragile areas

• You should pay special attention to certain special areas like neck, eyes and hands which show early sign of aging.
• The skin around neck and hands become loose gradually, dark circles and puffiness under eyes are the initial sign of skin aging.

Photo from: (http://health.howstuffworks.com/)

Moisturizing

In order to keep the skin well moisturized, it is important to choose daily moisturizing skin care products that balance the level of water within the skin. Otherwise, you may use a moisturizing mask regularly once a week.

Photo from: (http://www.awaredesk.com/)

Don’t neglect the lips

As soon as you feel the need, use a hydrating lip cream to keep your lips moisture. 

Visit official website for more information: www.meridianclinic.com.my

Address: 22-2, Jalan Solaris 4, Solaris Mont Kiara, 50480 Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Contact Number: 03 6203 6006

Whatsapp: 019 210 6006

WeChat: MeridianClinic

Email: customerservice@meridianclinic.com.my

Excessive Sweating: How to Stay Dry

What is Hyperhidrosis?

Hyperhidrosis is a common disorder in which the person sweats excessively.

Sweating may occur on the whole body or it may occur on certain areas. It usually sweats on:

• Armpit
• Palms
• Sole of the feet
• Face
• Chest

Excessive sweating on armpits (Pic from: http://yive.co/)

Although people who generally sweat excessively, day and night, it does not pose a serious threat to a person’s health. But it can be embarrassing and distressing in the daily life.

Some people with hyperhidrosis are shy to seek medical help and some believe no proper way can be done to improve this symptom.

However, help is available to improve the excessive sweating problem.

Start with daily life activities such as:

• Wear black or white clothes to minimize the sign of sweating
• Wear loose and light clothes
• Avoid spicy foods
• Avoid alcohol
• Use antiperspirant instead of deodorant

Excessive sweating is a long term condition. If lifestyle changes do not work, you may go for dermatologist for further treatments.

Pic from (http://www.everydayhealth.com/)

Treatment 1

Botolinum Toxin Injection also known as Botox.

Pic from (http://www.botoxhyperhidrosis.co.uk/)

Botox can be injected into the skin areas of the body which affected by hyperhidrosis. It helps to reduce sweating in these areas by blocking the signals from the brain to the sweat glands. The effect normally lasts for few months; the treatment can be repeated if necessary. Botox injection to treat hyperhidrosis takes around 30 to 45 minutes. The treatment can be done in just a lunch break.

Treatment 2

Iontophoresis may help if you have excessive sweating problem on your palms and feet. It can be used to treat armpits but it is less effective.

Iontophoresis treatment (Pic from: http://www.iontocentre.com/)

Iontophoresis involves treating affected areas of skin with a weak electric current passed through water or a wet pad. This helps to block the sweat glands.

This treatment is not painful. Patient will only feel slight discomfort or skin irritation as the mild electric current pass through the palms or feet. The treatment duration is around 20 to 30 minutes. To get ideal result, 2 to 4 session of treatments are needed in a week. The symptoms will improve after a week or two.

Treatment 3

Surgery

     A dermatologist may use one or more of the following surgical techniques to remove sweat glands from the underarms:

• Excision (cut out sweat glands)
• Liposuction (remove with suction)
• Curettage (scrape out)
• Laser surgery (vaporize)                                                                                  

Visit official website for more information: www.meridianclinic.com.my

Address: 22-2, Jalan Solaris 4, Solaris Mont Kiara, 50480 Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Contact Number: 03 6203 6006

Email: customerservice@meridianclinic.com.my

What is your acne telling you?

Why do we need facial treatment? How often should we get a facial treatment is depends on few factors which is the skin type, skin care goals, skin condition, age, and even habit of life. The estimated time to get a professional facial is once a month and this is an ideal way to keep good skin. Our skin is a living organ and it will take around 30 days to renew the cells.

How to get rid of acne problems:

• Always, always and always remove make up before you wash your face.
• Wash your face twice a day, but do not over doing it. Cleansers wash away dirt, grime, makeup, and pollution.  
• A good cleanser will also let other skin products reach your skin and work better.
• Choose gentle cleaners that won’t strip your skin.
• Get more sleep because stress hormones can lead to abnormalities in skin structure and function.
• Avoid some make-up and oily face products, it may increase acne by clogging up the pores and increase the chance of infections. 

Photo credit (http://www.doctoroz.com/)

Solutions for facial region acnes:

Forehead

• Go to bed early and wake up early. The best time is from 11pm to 7am.
• Drink loads of water so that the toxins can be flush out.
• Avoid soda and carbonated drinks.
• Light exercise about 20 minutes daily (eg: jogging, yoga)
• Practice better hygiene (eg: wash hands, wash hat, wash fringe)
• Reduce refined sugar in your diet.

Between the Brows

• Avoid smoking and alcohol
• Get enough of sleep
• Exercise but not overly strenuous exercises

Nose

• Eat less salt
• Eat less meat
• Eat less pungent  foods (eg: garlic, chilis)
• Get more fresh air
• Get enough Vitamin B
• Eat warm temperature foods

Cheeks

• Avoid fast food and junk food
• Get more sleep
• Get more fresh air
• The lungs are strongest at 7am to 9am, get aerobic exercises
• Always clean the hands and cell phones with alcohol
• Change pillow case frequently
• Try to keep positive mood
• Relax is always a key

Lip Area

• Include more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet
• Take more fiber
• Avoid spicy and fried foods

Chin and Jaw

• Avoid eating supper
• Get enough rest
• Eat more fruits and vegetables
• Go for spa and try to reduce stress
• Exercise 20 minutes each day
• Go to bed early and get 7 to 8 hours sleep everyday

Meridian Clinic Testimonial

Before Treatment

After Treatment

Meridian Signature Acne Treatment

Visit official website for more information: www.meridianclinic.com.my

Address: 22-2, Jalan Solaris 4, Solaris Mont Kiara, 50480 Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Contact Number: 03 6203 6006

Email: customerservice@meridianclinic.com.my

Are You Using the Right Cleanser?

What are the advantages of olive oil cleanser?

Anshaw by Dr. Anshaw Olive Oil Cleanser

Anti-Aging: The active ingredients are similar to lipids of the cutaneous barrier that can prevent the signs of ageing and give tonicity and elasticity to the skin.

Anti-Redness: The active ingredients are able to protect the skin from irritant stimulus. It is used to soothe and to calm sensitive skin.

Enhancer of skin delivery: It generates liquid crystals with skin-like fatty acid composition. Therefore, it improves skin complexion and moistures the skin.  

Environmental Shield: Able to maintain optimal physiological function of the skin barrier ensuring maximal protection from harsh environmental damages.

How to Wash Face Properly

Wash Your Hands

The hands accumulate a lot of dirt during the day. First thing to do before you wash your face is to wash hands. Use antibacterial soap to wash hands, avoid direct contact your dirty hands to the face because it will transfer oil, dirt and bacteria onto your face.

Remove Makeup

Select makeup remover that is suitable for your skin type, recommend mild remover. Remove the eye makeup and follow by face, lips and neck. Do not ignore the neck part, remove makeup with cotton pads.

Splash Face with Lukewarm Water

Lukewarm water produces smallest reaction in your face. Hot water can strip your skin of its natural oils and cold water can cause your skin to tighten up.

Apply Cleanser

Take a small amount of the cleanser on your hand and gently rub the cleanser throughout the wet face. Make sure the cleanser wash all your facial areas, chin and neck. Gently massage with a circular motion on your face for one minute.

Rinse the Face

Rinse your face with slightly cooler water than the lukewarm water. Splash the face until the cleanser is removed. Pat the face with dry and clean towel. Do not rub or wipe your face, it may tear and irritate the skin.

Skin Care Products

Apply moisturizer or hydrating product each time when you are done cleansing your face. Again, skin care products must be suitable for your skin type. Consult a skin expert if you are not sure the product is suitable for you.

Face Washing Tips

1. Wash your face twice a day to keep your skin clear.
2. Avoid over-cleansing.
3. Do not use hot or cold water to wash your face. Lukewarm water is the best temperature to cleanse your face effectively.
4. Exfoliate your face once or twice a week to remove dead skin.
5. Avoid using bar soaps to cleanse your face as they will dry it out.
6. Take your time to rinse cleanser away; do not forget to rinse the commonly neglected area: hairline, jawline and nose.

Photo credit: http://www.everydayhealth.com/

Descriptions

A sulfate-free, non-drying cleanser that gently cleanses away impurities and excess oil without stripping its moisture.

Contain olive and rose hip seed oil which are naturally rich in antioxidants and essential nutrients to protect and nourish the skin.

Directions

Gently massage over wet skin in circular motion and rinse off thoroughly with water. For optimal results, follow with our recommended toner, moisturizer and other skin care steps. 

Visit official website for more information: www.meridianclinic.com.my

Address: 22-2, Jalan Solaris 4, Solaris Mont Kiara, 50480 Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Contact Number: 03 6203 6006

Email: customerservice@meridianclinic.com.my

Does Laser Hurt?

Does laser hurt the skin?

Many people think that lasers make skin become thinner and weak. Well, lasers do not cause skin to become weak and thin. In fact, the controlled heating and wound action of a laser treatment actually induces the natural skin reaction of collagen and elastin formation to replace the damaged skin. Laser provider should have well understanding of the limitations of the laser equipment which applying to your skin. By that, even you do repeatedly of laser treatment will not harm your skin.

Second thing you have to really careful about is where you choose to get your laser treatment done. Medi-spas and salons often offer laser treatment such as hair removal treatment which is much cheaper than at doctor’s clinics, but the staff is often not well-trained or experienced. Remember, safety is a key concern. Therefore, your best bet is always a board certified doctor’s clinic.

Medley can treat your following skin problems:

·        Active long standing acne

·        Pigmentation on skin

·        Sensitive skin

·        Dull skin

·        Hairy skin

Before and after the active acne treatment. 

Pic shown before & after the laser treatment.

Q-Switched Laser can treat your following skin problems:

·        Pigmentation

·        Facial hair

·        Dark eye ring

·        Unwanted tattoo

Cutera laser can treat your following skin problems:

·        Hair removal

·        Broken capillaries

·        Vein

Fraxel laser can treat your following skin problems:

·        Acne scars

·        Surgery scars

·        Freckles

·        Age/Sun spots

Fraxel is a non-invasive laser therapy that cure acne scars effectively. Significant improvement can be seen within 1 treatment which is done by Dr Anshaw.

Pictures shown are original non edit photo.

Fractional CO2 laser can treat your following skin problems:

·        Mole removal

·        Oil cyst removal

·        Surgery/ Acne scar

Visit official website for more information: www.meridianclinic.com.my

Address: 22-2, Jalan Solaris 4, Solaris Mont Kiara, 50480 Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Contact Number: 03 6203 6006

Email: customerservice@meridianclinic.com.my

Does your sunblock protect against UV rays?

Titanium Dioxide

An excellent mineral for UV protection. The active ingredient prevents sun’s ultraviolet from reaching the deeper layers of the skin, or by reflecting the radiation. Protect against both harmful UVA & UVB rays.

What is Titanium Dioxide?

Titanium dioxide is the family of nanoparticles. It made from two minerals: the effectiveness of sun protection and the potential for health concerns varies. In addition, titanium dioxide is a mineral used as a whitening, thickening, lubricating and sunscreen ingredient in cosmetics. It can protect the skin from UVA & UVB radiation and it is considered as no risk of skin irritation.

 (Pic from http://www.skincancer.org/)

Why Dr Anshaw used titanium dioxide for sunscreen?

• An excellent broad-spectrum UV radiation blocker
• Its whitening formula that provides bright reflection
• Decrease the risk of skin cancer and sunburn
• Defence against harmful UVA & UVB

What is SPF?

SPF stands for sun protection factor. It refers to the theoretical amount of time you can stay under the sun without getting sunburned. Let’s say your skin start to become red without sunblock in 15 minutes, applying a sunblock with SPF 30 increases the time by a factor of 30. Therefore, you could stay in the sun of 450 minutes with SPF 30 sunscreen. In addition, a higher SPF blocks out more rays–a product with an SPF of 15 will filter out approximately 93% of UVB rays; SPF 30 filters out about 97%.

Minutes to burn without sunscreen x SPF number = maximum sun exposure time

(Pic from http://www.badgerbalm.com/)

Types of UV Rays

UVA Rays - Stand for Ultraviolet A or more easily remembered as "UV Aging rays"- they are the cause of long term skin damage & photo-aging. In other words, they cause premature ageing, wrinkles and sun spots.

UVB Rays - Stand for Ultraviolet B and are often referred to as "UV Burning rays"- they are the chief cause of skin reddening and sunburn, tends to damage the skin's more superficial epidermal layers. It plays a key role in the development of skin cancer and a contributory role in tanning and photoaging. .

UVC Rays - Stand for Ultraviolet C. UVC rays are the most dangerous wavelength of UV light. UVC rays cause extreme damage to your skin, and are the main reason why scientists are worried about the ozone layer's depletion. As the ozone layer becomes thinner and thinner, its ability to filter out UVC light is decreasing.

UV rays and their effect on skin

(Pic from http://www.liveultrahealthy.com/)

UV rays on the earth's surface

(Pic from http://eschooltoday.com/)

Differences of PA + & PA++ & PA +++

PA stands for protection grade against UVA, UVA causes aging problems. Most Asians use PA to measure sun protection level which based on the Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD) reaction reading at 2-4 hours of sun exposure. PA is only a rough indicator to measure the amount of UVA protection in the sunscreen. Moreover, there are three grades of PA which is PA +, PA++ and PA+++.

• PA+: Provides some UVA protection with a factor of PPD 2-4. It protects sensitive skin from low to medium UV radiation.

• PA++: Provides moderate UVA protection with a factor of PPD 4-8. It has better protection against UVA rays and suitable for people with normal skin who exposed to normal UV radiation.

• PA+++: Provides good UVA protection with a factor of PPD 8-16. It is a strong grade of UVA protection; used for normal skin with direct exposure to sunlight.

• PA++++: Provides great UVA protection with a factor of PPD >16. It is ideal for long hours of outdoor and water activities. The texture of sunblock PA ++++ is usually more oily compared to sunblock with lower protection grade.  

• PA+ is enough for normal daily activity, but if you stay long hour in the sun, Dr Anshaw suggest you go for PA++ or higher.

Visit official website for more information: www.meridianclinic.com.my

Address: 22-2, Jalan Solaris 4, Solaris Mont Kiara, 50480 Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Contact Number: 03 6203 6006

Email: customerservice@meridianclinic.com.my