Skincare, Aesthetics and Optometry Oh My!
Why does your local optometrist have a spa inside??
Good question!
It turns out the same technology we use to help people with dry eye also boosts collagen and elastin in the skin, gets rid of hyperpigmentation and can resurface skin texture. Some of the solutions for dry eye actually started out in the aesthetics world: once people began using it to help improve their skin texture and fine lines/wrinkles they also noticed marked improvement in their dry eye symptoms. Thus began the study on the CynoSure TempSure Envi Radio Frequency technology for use in dry eye patients experiencing MGD (meibomian gland dysfunction). This is the same RF (radio frequency) machine we use in our Seattle office.
Along with RF we incorporate IPL (intense pulse light) into our dry eye treatment regime. IPL is effective at treating dry eye disease because of it’s unequivocal ability to reduce inflammation. We kick dry eye symptoms down by:
1. Using RF to stimulate meibomiam glands to work more effectively again to produce oils in the eye (these hold the tear film on the eye, locking moisture in).
2. Decreasing inflammation using IPL. This treatment is effective at calming the body’s response which decreases redness, swelling and irritation.
So what’s the aesthetic benefit?
RF sends radio frequency waves deep into the cellular structure of the skin matrix and stimulates the body to produce increased collagen and elastin. This generation process happens over the period of a few weeks so although patients report almost immediate dry eye relief with this tool, it’s in the long term that you will see the aesthetic benefit. This is compounded when following the recommended schedule of getting treatments done every 3-4 weeks for every decade of age the patient is. (For example a 40 year old would have a 4 treatment series.)
IPL follows the same schedule as above for the dry eye relief series and in regards to aesthetics decreases redness and improves skin elasticity and texture. IPL also encourages collagen synthesis in the skin helping to plump and firm. This technology can be used over the entire face and neck to encourage plumping and firming and has the added benefit of removing hyperpigmentation on the skin (think age spots, sun damage and the like).
The other treatment we have in the office that has cross-over from the skincare to optical world is our use of PRP (platelet rich plasma) treatments. You may have heard of their use when it comes to knee or hip injections…but the range of uses for this healing plasma is far reaching. Taken from the blood sample of the person using it we are able to extract the plasma in our office and turn it into eye-drops that help and encourage the eye to heal itself. In the same way that it has healing properties for the eye we are able to use it in microneedling treatments for both the face and scalp. The healing properties encourage collagen, elastic and texture-refining properties to re-emerge in the skin. On the scalp it helps to stimulate hair follicles into growing again, helping them to generate the best (thickest, strongest) hair that your body is able to produce.
We have seen dramatic patient results with both of these skin and scalp aesthetic treatments. In regards to eye health the eye-drops we can generate with PRP have helped many patients heal themselves whilst avoiding medication they would otherwise have needed (without the unwanted side effects medication sometimes has.)
On top of the technology we have in the office our optometrist is constantly asked which products/skincare can safely be used near the eyes or on the face. With so many products over the counter that cause dry eye and irritation we brought in a whole line up that are doctor-vetted and aesthetician-approved. From sunscreen to skincare moisturizers and cleansers we have the very best that you come to expect. And it’s all eye-safe. We have a long list of ingredients that we won’t allow in our products because of their long term ill-effects on eye and skin health.
Have questions? We can help. Feel free to call or text us to speak to a specialist that can help you with your eye health or skincare goals. 206-467-1006
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