Isis Laser and Wellness Centre in Saskatoon

IPL - NON-INVASIVE HAIR REMOVAL! Written by: Joanne Fruman
Hair removal buzz Looking for a safe and effective solution for removal of unwanted hair? New and emerging therapies and exciting developments are happening all the time. One of the most gentle and non-invasive approaches is with Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) systems. These systems release precisely controlled strong pulses of filtered light that are absorbed by melanin, the pigment in hair. This heats up the hair and destroys the cells responsible for hair growth, to achieve long-term hair reduction. How is the treatment carried out?You will be asked to put on goggles to protect your eyes. A layer of chilled gel is applied to the treatment area to guide the light into the skin. The area will also be cooled to increase comfort during treatment. The light guide is placed on the skin and a short pulse of light is released, targeting many follicles simultaneously. The applicator is then moved to the adjacent patch of skin and the process is repeated until the entire area is treated. The chilled gel is removed and the area moisturized. The darker the hair, the more easily it is treated. Since darker hair contains more melanin, it will heat up more easily. Fairer hair contains less melanin and has to be treated in a different manner, but is just as easily treated with no pain or down time. The hair follicles are damaged by heat but the hairs remain in the follicles initially. The hairs fall out after 1-3 weeks as the epidermis renews. During this period, the hairs will seem to 'grow' as they are pushed out by the new epidermis. After treatment, the hairs are loose in the follicle and can sometimes be easily pulled out with tweezers or will come out when slightly rubbed with a loofah.	The skin may become red immediately after treatment, however, most patients experience no side effects and any skin reaction usually disappears within a few hours. How many treatments are necessary? Only hair in the active growth stage of the growth cycle is affected, therefore multiple treatments are needed. Treatment is conducted every two to eight weeks, depending on the site treated, until a satisfactory result is seen. The number of treatments required varies, but typically five or more treatments are required for optimum results. Treatments can take from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on which area is being treated. Prior to any treatment you should receive a full consultation which identifies your expectations and provides a complete explanation of the treatment. A medical history is taken to confirm suitability for treatment and, if you wish to proceed, a written, informed consent is obtained and a test patch is performed to confirm there are no adverse skin reactions to the light.	I like to remind my clients that it can take four to six weeks after hair removal to see any results. Initially, the hair that has been cut off in the shaft will have to work its way out. So, the hair will continue to grow, which may seem as though nothing has happened, post treatment, for this duration of time. The length of time can vary from person to person and between areas treated. I usually tell all my clients that they need to give hair removal a minimum of two treatments before deciding whether or not it is working. Another advantage of the IPL laser hair removal is its wide treatment area. In fact, approximately 100-200 hairs can be treated with each flash of the light allowing large areas of the body to be treated at each session (i.e. the legs, back and chest can be treated quickly in a single session). At the same time, IPL systems can be very precisely focused, so that hair can be eliminated from delicate places. These systems are among the most innovative devices now available. They can help you say goodbye to your constant battle (shaving, tweezing and waxing) with unwanted hair growth. Author: J. Fruman Contact us anytime if you have any questions or to book a consultation.
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HEALTHY LIFESTYLES Written by: Joanne Fruman
IPL vs. Laser Laser technology operates on an extremely condensed narrow beam that must deliver a lot of energy within a short time. When activated, the laser technology heats the surface of the skin up to 700ºC and can cause unwanted burns and pigmentation, requiring the laser to be cooled at the source. Several tests for pigmentation must be preformed before laser treatment. The laser application feels like snaps of a rubber band (or much worse) and some clients will not come back for more treatments. IPL is a light that turns into energy when applied by pulse to the skin. The pulse is like a camera flash. The IPL’s GEM Technology is a unique way to deliver energy to a predetermined target. The GEM Technology manages to concentrate the bulk of the energy in a geometrical plane positioned under the skin. Due to the concentration of energy there is no need to overload the skin with excessive energy. The active IPL energy is distributed equally to a large area and the temperature on the skin will be 70ºC at most. This allows deep penetration of the light into the skin with no damage to its surface. The IPL application feels like a puff of warmth on the skin, thus most clients prefer this technology to laser treatment.	IPL & Rosacea Rosacea is associated with dilated blood vessels and inflammation in the skin. The skin is often also infected by bacteria. In some cases the eyes or other body parts are also affected. Rosacea may begin early, but distinct and serious symptoms usually develop as an individual ages. The primary symptoms of rosacea are: Permanent redness in the skin. This redness can get better or worse periodically. Flushing or redness that comes and disappears periodically. Telangiectasia (a distinct widening of small blood vessels in an area). Papules (small dome-shape spots filled with fluid, often in groups). Skin areas with rosacea symptoms often get infected and the infection worsens the symptoms.	Sometimes infection makes the papules develop into real pimples or pustules. Pimples from acne and rosacea may exist together. Rosacea also implies secondary symptoms that are caused by the primary symptoms, or appear later than the primary ones such as: Burning or stinging. Scaling, often associated with burning or stinging. Dry skin, often occurring before scaling. Thickening of the skin or lumps in the skin. Distended hair follicles. Rosacea in places other than the face. The exact causes are not known, but some people seem to inherit the tendency of developing rosacea. It is important to understand that there is essentially no cure for rosacea, but there are many treatment options that can bring the condition under control. Your doctor will recommend the best treatment for you and that may include medication, topical creams, or IPL photo rejuvenation. The IPL machine meets all Safety Standards: Canadian & US Safety Standards, International Medical Standards, and CF Government Health Approval. It has recently been approved by Health Canada. Our staff have been extensively trained on this machine and the technology. Contact us anytime if you have any questions or to book a consultation.
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Something to Smile About, Cosmetic Teeth Whitening Written by: Leondra King, owner of Isis Laser & Wellness Centre
Nearly everyone believes that having a beautiful smile is important. Having a brighter smile can affect your self esteem and confidence in your job and relationships. For many of us, lifestyle and the aging process have left us with discolouration on our teeth. Some factors contributing to discoloured teeth include, smoking, drinking coffee, red wine, tea or even dark coloured fruit juices. The good news is, for the past three years, cosmetic teeth whitening, has been taking the esthetics industry by storm. Affordable, safe, and quicker than over the counter products, in salon teeth whitening will whiten your teeth from 3 to 10 shades in less than an hour with little or no sensitivity. This is what you can expect from a teeth whitening service at the salon or spa: Before the service is your consultation. During the consultation the whitening process is described and any questions you have will be answered by the esthetician/technician. You will be guided through the self administered service. First, your teeth will be matched to a tooth shade guide. Then an impression of your teeth is made by biting into a silicon filled mold.	After the mold is removed from your mouth it is filled with the whitening gel from a syringe. The whitening gel is usually made from carbamide peroxide at about 30% and contains hydrators and accelerators. Eye protection in place, the gel filled mold goes into your mouth and an ultraviolet light directed at your mouth reacts with the gel. 15 minutes later the mold is removed from your mouth and again your teeth are matched to the tooth shade guide. The mold can be refilled with gel and applied for another 15 minute session and again after that, for a maximum of 45 minutes.	*A few things to keep in mind* when making your decision on whether or not to try in salon teeth whitening... the whitening only works on natural teeth results vary depending on genetics, age and cause of the discolouration woman who are pregnant or nursing should not have this done to optimize results have a cleaning done by your hygienist if you have any doubts or concerns, ask your dentist first the number of sessions or length of treatment determines the cost of the service and can vary from salon to salon results will last 6 months to a year depending on your use of tobacco, coffee, tea, red wine etc. In order to maintain your bright, beautiful smile it is recommended that you avoid eating within 3 hours after your teeth whitening service, avoid drinking dark liquids or smoking for 24 hours after, visit your dentist regularly and make use of take home products designed to keep your teeth white so you can keep on smiling.
	Isis Laser and Wellness Centre uses the Whiter Image teeth whitening system chosen for its "no sensitivity" and superior results. This system chosen by industry leaders is in use at the Trump Towers Las Vegas, Wynn Las Vegas, Starwood VO, Treasure Island and Planet Beach Franchising Corp.