369 Pine Street, SF
901 Campus Drive, Daly City
415.371.0333
Schedule your appointment online by visiting our new site www.lavitalitee.com
About your skin
Your skin is made up of three layers: The Epidermis, the Dermis, and the Subcutaneous Layer.
The Epidermis is the thin outer protective layer, and consists of epithelial tissue in where rows of cells resemble bricks in a wall, with new cells produced at the base.
The Dermis is just beneath and contains connective tissue, small blood vessels, sweat and oil glands, nerves, and cells that produce collagen, called fibroblasts. Scientists formerly thought that fibroblasts were little more than scaffolding on which more important cells would climb. But University of Rochester Medical Center scientists have discovered that certain fibroblasts have highly specialized duties and play a major role in how scars form, fat accumulates, and harmful inflammation arises in humans. They also appear to be metabolically active. Two fibers, collagen and elastin, weave through the dermis, giving skin flexibility and firmness.
The Subcutaneous Layer is beneath the dermis and consists mainly of a type of connective tissue called adipose tissue. Adipose tissue is more commonly known as fat and it helps cushion the skin and provide protection from cold temperatures.
Why does our skin show aging?
With aging, all skin cells begin to produce excess amounts of free radicals--unstable oxygen molecules that, under ideal circumstances, are removed by naturally occurring antioxidants within the skin's cells. In aging skin cells, antioxidants are in short supply. The free radicals generated are left unchecked and cause damage to cell membranes, proteins, and DNA. These free radicals eventually break down collagen, and release chemicals that cause inflammation in the skin. It is a combination of these cellular and molecular events that leads to skin aging and the formation of wrinkles.
In simple terms, as we get older, two components of our skin--collagen and elastin--degenerate, setting the stage for the appearance of lines, wrinkles, and folds. The breakdown of these components, accelerated by such things as exposure to UV rays, gravity, pollution, smoking, lack of exercise, and a poor diet, results in the visible signs of aging on our skin.
Years of facial expressions trigger small temporary folds in the skin to form where our muscles move; with age, depleting levels of collagen and weakening elastin fibers develop a memory of each crease. The Epidermis also becomes thinner and the connective tissue weaker. Combined with the lack of tone in aging facial muscles, the Epidermis begins to sag and droop, while natural folds become unnaturally pronounced by fatty cheeks, neck, and chin. Reduction of blood circulation and restriction of blood vessels also play a part by reducing youthful skin color resulting in a dull grayish color to the face.
What is Microcurrent?
Not to be confused with Microwaves, Microcurrent is a form of electricity measured in one-millionth of an ampere (micro-amperes or µA ); normal household current is measured in amperes (amps). It is the closest known electrical current that can be delivered on a near identical magnitude as the electrical current the human body naturally produces on its own; it is therefore physiologic and safe. No harmful side effects have ever been recorded.
Traditionally used for healing purposes for over 60 years, its cosmetic effects were discovered by accident when a physician treating the face of Bell's palsy patients with Microcurrent noticed them looking younger over time as facial wrinkles and creases reduced significantly. I am familiar with a TENS device, is this a similar modality? TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) uses a form of a form of electricity measured in one-thousandth of an ampere (milli-amperes or mA). Therapeutic Microcurrent, often called MENS, has been traditionally used for the healing of injury, while TENS is used to block the pain from injury; therefore TENS has no curative value, only suppressive.
Microcurrent is up to 1000 times less powerful than TENS, and should not cause muscle contraction when used properly, especially for cosmetic purposes. True Microcurrent is subsensory and its energy strength is so moderate, that it would take about 1-million Microcurrent machines to light up a 40-watt light bulb. How is Microcurrent used for cosmetic treatment and why is it so effective? (The short answer)Microcurrent, because of its close proximity to our own body's current, works on a more cellular level to aid in the healing process. It is upon this initial cellular healing platform that we began our research and development into the use of Microcurrent for "aesthetic cellular regeneration".
As we age, our body loses much of its natural electrical energy, similar to a battery gradually losing its charge. On a cellular level, this leads to a breakdown of collagen and elastin in our skin, which leads to sagging and unevenness of texture; lines, wrinkles, and folds become the inevitable result. Beneath the skin, the facial muscles become increasingly contracted over years of facial expression and constant gravity, resulting in the overall lift of our face to drop.
Microcurrent emits subtle electrical frequencies that mimic the body's own electrical signals, thereby increasing the amount of ATP (adenosine triphosphate, the chemical fuel of human cells) by as much as 500%. Such increased levels of ATP speed cellular metabolism; the result is a detoxification that increases the rate of waste and impurity elimination. Protein synthesis and cellular membrane transport are also increased, as well as the reconstitution of collagen and elastin. The results of these processes can be seen in improved skin tone and coloration, the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, and the firming of sagging areas of the face and body. Besides the increase in ATP, protein synthesis, and cellular membrane transport, clinical studies have consistently shown that Microcurrent causes the following:
- 500% increase in ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate, the chemical fuel of energy)
- 35% increase in blood circulation
- 40% increase in Gluconeogenesis (production of new glucose)
- 45% increase in the number of elastin fibers in the dermis
- 50% increase in the length of the elastin fibers
- 10% increase in collagen thickness in the connective tissue
- 35% increase in the number of blood vessels
- 28% increase lymphatic drainage
All of these combinations are key factors in the effectiveness of Microcurrent Facial Sculpting. The body is literally being recharged back to its more youthful electrical state, as though a draining battery were plugged into a charger. With each treatment, ATP levels are stockpiled or stored, which is why Microcurrent Facial Treatment results are cumulative and become better as a series of treatments progresses. Beautiful Image Facial Sculpting will show good results with only one treatment; however such results may last only 48-72 hours in the initial treatment, then 3-4 days as you reach your 4 th or 5 th treatment. By the 6 th or 8 th treatment, muscle memory takes over and progress becomes more rapid and longer lasting, until only a booster treatment is needed every 4-6 weeks to maintain the results. This is called "muscle re-education."
The dramatic increase of ATP levels allows muscles to stay in the re-educated positions for longer periods of time. The other attributing factor is an increase in blood circulation. Blood circulation has everything to do with the function, condition, color, and overall health of the skin, as well as underlying tissue.
Compare that to any "skin resurfacing" procedure which only stimulates collagen by wounding the dermis. Microcurrent does not rely upon wounding, nor does it require a healing process to show results.