Sun safety myths – true or false?

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Reversing skin damage from the sun isn’t easy and we would always say that prevention is the best way to avoid issues later in life. It’s important that you know how to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Today we wanted to bust five common myths about skin care in summer to steer you in the right direction:

  1. You can’t get sunburnt when it’s cool and cloudy

FALSE: UV, which causes sunburn is present every day even in winter, there is no correlation between the temperature and the UV level. Cloud cover is commonly thought to act as a shade but UV rays can penetrate clouds and catch you out. You can check UV levels at reputable websites such as: http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/

  1. Sun cream is the best way to protect skin from the sun

FALSE: Sun cream is just one of several measures needed in combination to protect yourself against sun damage. This includes staying out of the sun during the hottest hours of the day, covering skin that isn’t used to being exposed as this is more susceptible to damage, and wearing UVA and UVB combined sun cream with a minimum of factor 30SPF.

  1. After sun products repair the damage caused by sunburn

FALSE: They are designed to soothe and moisturise, but the real damage is done on a cellular level. If you notice your skin becoming pink in the sun seek shade immediately and do not return sunburnt skin into the sun until it is fully healed otherwise the issue will be exacerbated.

  1. You can’t get sun burnt indoors through windows

FALSE: Glass does not block UV rays so you can get burnt through windows. This most commonly occurs in cars, where people are exposed to UV whilst driving.

  1. Men and women are equally informed when it comes to sun safety

FALSE: A recent survey from the American Academy of Dermatology put women on top when it comes to understanding sun safety. “The results indicated only 56% of men know that skin cancer can occur on areas of the skin not typically exposed to the sun, compared to 65% of women.”* Click here for full article.

If you’d like to talk to one of the team about our skin care products or treatment options please give us a call on 01225 700072.

Special Feature: Thread Veins

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This week on the blog we’re talking about removing and reducing the appearance of thread veins. Thread veins are simply broken down blood vessels or capillaries, which can appear as red, blue or purple threads beneath the surface of the skin. They are very common and can appear anywhere on the body most often on the legs, arms, back of the hands and around the upper cheek area.

How can we help?

At Snowberry Lane Clinic we offer two treatment options to help deal with the issue of thread veins.

Laser treatment:

In some cases we use medical lasers to help break down thread veins to reduce their appearance. The Laser works by penetrating the skin with light energy to work on the veins without affecting the surface of the skin. During treatment the laser energy will be focussed on the target area and will cause the unwanted capillaries to collapse and break down, over time they will dissolve away, reducing the appearance and in some cases removing it completely.

Microscleratherapy:

Microscleratherapy utilises a medical solution that is injected into the target area to cause the veins to deteriorate, restricting blood flow to the vein and causing it to fade and in some cases disappear. This treatment is designed to encourage the body to naturally repair and that’s why some patients can have light bruises near the treated area. Within a few days this dies down and after a few weeks patients are left with uniform colouring around the skin.

If you’d like to learn more you can request a call back from Snowberry Lane by clicking here.

What can I do to fix an overstretched or split earlobe?

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Ear lobe expanders have become an increasingly popular form of a body modification over the years, and while they can definitely be a great form of self-expression, sometimes people want to reverse the process. It’s also possible for earlobes to become damaged and torn accidentally and this is something that we can help with too.

On the blog today we’re going to show you what exactly happens in an earlobe repair procedure and how we at Snowberry Lane Clinic can help. Our earlobe repair surgery for both split and stretched earlobes is a minor Radio Surgery procedure, where the excess tissue is removed, and the two splits are carefully stitched back together using very fine dissolvable stitches. The procedure is performed under local anaesthetic and takes between 20 – 30 minutes per ear, meaning that you will be able to walk out of the clinic and resume normal activities on the same day. Please note that stretched ear lobes can take a little longer depending on the size and complexity of the hole to be repaired.

On average ear lobe repairs will need 6 months to heal, and there may be some small scarring on your ear, that will fade in appearance over time. For more information click here or give us a call on 01225 700072.

What makes Alevere a good option for me?

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As one of our most popular treatments, Alevere weight loss therapy is proving to be a treatment our patients want to know more about. Today we want to talk to you about how Alevere can help Improve Your Lifestyle:

It’s fast acting

When you see the before and after pictures of Alevere clients, you might find it hard to believe they lost their weight in such a short period of time. This is because the treatment is designed to optimise weight loss through both diet and treatments. This means that your body is actively engaging in change and isn’t in a passive state like it can be in other dieting options.

It’s healthy

Alevere isn’t about dropping a few sizes as quickly as possible. It’s focussed on getting the body to the a healthier state so that you really feel the benefit. At the start of your journey we go over all of your body’s key statistics as well as running a blood test to check your health. Throughout the process our bloods are monitored on a monthly basis and you will have reviews with a Doctor to ensure that everything is moving in the right direction and all of the changes that are occurring are positive.

Its rewarding

The last thing we want Alevere to be is a negative therapy treatment. We’ve all been on diets that make us feel drained and miserable. You will meet with a therapist on a weekly basis who will help you to maintain your focus and momentum so you don’t feel like you’re going it alone.

Interested in finding out some more information regarding Alevere weight reduction? We’d love for you to get in touch with the clinic by emailing us enquiries@snowberrylane.co.uk

If you’d like to read some more about Alevere, you can do just that at http://www.snowberrylane.co.uk/treatments/alevere-wiltshire.html, where you’ll get more detailed information what you can expect when going through treatment.

Obagi in the spotlight!

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It’s not just us who are big fans of Obagi products – we’re very excited to share 6 recent press features where Obagi products have been selected as top performers in their category.

Obagi Radiance Peel

In Vanity Fair’s Best New Facials of 2017, the Obagi Radiance Peel is called out as a great way to get your skin ‘glowing’ ahead of a big event.

Click here for Vanity Fair article

Obagi Professional-C Serum

Look! Magazine selected Obagi Professional-C Serum as a good treatment for acne scarring as it can help to ‘fight discolouration, increase skin cell turnover and improve texture.’

Click here for Look! article

The Telegraph revealed that Vitamin C was the most searched for beauty product of 2017 and selected Obagi Professional-C Serum as one of it’s top 3 products containing Vitamin C.

‘Vitamin C is a key anti-ageing skincare ingredient that helps to gently brighten and smooth your skin. It’s one of the most power antioxidants and helps protect your skin against free radical damage caused by the environment, which can breakdown your collagen and encourage wrinkles and sagging.’

Click here for Telegraph article

The Sun put Obagi Professional-C Serum to the test and chose it as their top ‘Luxury’ product to ‘make your skin glow this spring’. Here’s the full review:

  • ‘Promises to protect and perfect the skin, leaving it healthier and brighter.
  • It has a lower vitamin C concentration than the mid-range product so I used it twice a day on cleansed skin and achieved great results.
  • It has a lovely smell and the serum penetrates skin really well.
  • My skin tone was much improved and looked clearer and more even.
  • Yes, it is pricey – but it really does work.’

Click here for The Sun article

Obagi Hydrate moisturiser

Obagi Hydrate moisturiser has been featured in Reveal Magazine. It was selected by Dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting as an excellent moisturiser to use when going through acne treatment, which can have a drying effect on your skin.

Click here for Reveal article

Obagi Exfoliating Day Lotion

Dr Sarah Tonks an Aesthetic Doctor, selected Obagi Exfoliating Day Lotion as the best spot treatment:

‘I like the Obagi Exfoliating Day Lotion, it contains glycolic acid and camomile. Glycolic acid to unblock the pores, hyaluronic acid to prevent your skin from getting too dry and camomile is great for inflamed skin such as acne.’

Click here for Cosmopolitan article

If you’re interested in discussing what Obagi can do for you give us a call on 01225 700072 or e-mail us: enquiries@snowberrylane.co.uk

Weight Loss at Snowberry Lane

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Weight loss is so much more than just an easy fix treatment, this week on the blog we’re looking at some options that aim to give lasting results.

Thousands of people in the UK use the internet to search for practical solutions for weight loss and healthy lifestyle changes every week. The reality is that what works well for one person might have little to no affect on another. Each individual requires a different solution, tailored to their particular needs and aims to enable successful and sustained weight loss. . We offer a three tier approach to weight loss at Snowberry Lane Clinic. This includes Body Contouring Treatments, Weight Reduction Therapy and Weight Loss Surgery and within each category are further options that enable us to give the most effective treatment for you.

Body Contouring Treatments:

Body contouring treatments stimulate the break down of fat in a natural manner, making it easier for the body to absorb and remove any excess fluid. This type of treatment also helps to activate the collagen beneath the surface of the skin, which when coupled with an increase of blood flow around the concerned areas, helps to give the skin a tighter and smoother appearance.

Weight Reduction Therapy:

Commonly referred to as Alevere Weight Reduction Therapy, this is a medically designed diet and treatment plan that aims to help you safely lose a large amount of weight over a short period of time. The programme also includes weekly body contouring treatments that aim to help reduce sagging skin, which is a common side effect of dramatic weight loss.

Weight Loss Surgery:

Our surgical weight loss options are minimally invasive alternatives to traditional forms of fat reduction, such as liposuction. We have two principle methods of removing fat from stubborn areas, the first Bodytite, uses heat to help breakdown fat cells so that they can then be removed from the body more easily.

The other method of removing unwanted pockets of fat uses a medically designed water based solution. Body Jet (sometimes referred to as Aqua liposuction) removes fat in a much less abrasive fashion than traditional liposuction. It helps to loosen the fat cells from the surrounding areas, which makes it easier to remove.

Psychotherapist

If you do feel that you would like Snowberry Lane Clinic to assist you on your weight loss journey, something to consider is an appointment with our Psychotherapist. Weight loss is a lot more complicated than just the physical reduction in fat, especially when it is involves a lifestyle change that needs to be maintained long term. Our Psychotherapist is available to help at any point along your journey and is a valuable resource to utilise to help your treatment to be as effective as possible.

If you’d like to know more about the weight loss options we provide here at Snowberry Lane, please get in touch with us by calling 01225 700072. You can also e-mail us at enquiries@snowberrylane.co.uk

Springing into Spring

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This week on the blog we’re looking at 5 treatments to give your face a little boost before the warm weather arrives.

Treatment 1: Microdermabrasion

Average treatment time: 30mins

Microdermabrasion is a non-invasive treatment that uses tiny crystals to gently exfoliate the skin to help remove the superficial layer of dead cells that can leave your complexion looking dull and tired. When this layer is removed, the body is stimulated to replace the skin cells with new, healthy ones, which can help to refresh and rejuvenate your complexion.

Treatment 2: Botox

Average treatment time: 30mins

‘Botox®’ is the brand name for a naturally occurring protein – Botulinim Toxin, it is used in incredibly small concentrations in injectible form to treat fine lines and wrinkles. Botox® works by preventing communication between nerve cells and muscles, which relaxes the muscles reducing the movement that creases the skin causing visible wrinkles. It is the most popular product of it’s kind for the reduction of the appearance of wrinkles on the face.

Treatment 3 Obagi

The Obagi Nu-Derm System, is a special skin care treatment which will be prescribed to you by a medical physician. Its function is to penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin to accelerate its cellular turnover to push new skin cells to the surface faster, for smoother skin. Obagi is a product treatment programme that can help to reduce pigmentation, promote even skin tone, increase collagen and elastin for firmer, more resilient looking skin and increase nutrients natural hydration for supple, healthy-looking skin.

Treatment 4: Fillers

Average treatment time: 60mins

Dermal fillers consist of an injectable gel substance that is medically designed to imitate hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance that helps to keep skin stable, it locks in moisture and also helps to renew the healing skin. Dermal fillers such as Sculptra, Belotero, Juvederm and Restylane are designed to work with your existing hyaluronic acid to add volume and smooth wrinkles on the face.

Treatment 5: Tixel

Average treatment time: 45mins

Tixel uses controlled heat energy delivered through a specially designed handpiece to encourage the skin the to renew itself. It does this by the controlled removal of tiny pin sized portions of the superficial surface layer of the skin, which activates healing and the formation of new skin cells. This freshens the appearance, stimulating collagen which helps to combat signs of ageing such as fine lines and wrinkles as well as being a good treatment option for acne scarring.

For more information about any of the above treatments please give us a call on 01225 700072 or e-mail us at: enquiries@snowberrylane.co.uk

The latest in skin rejuvenation

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What is Tixel treatment?

Tixel uses controlled heat energy delivered through a specially designed handpiece to encourage the skin the to renew itself. It does this by the controlled removal of tiny pin sized portions of the surface of the skin, which activates healing and the formation of new skin cells. This freshens the appearance of the skin, stimulating collagen which helps to combat signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles as well as being a good treatment option for acne scarring.

Tixel is a fully customisable treatment with three applications, allowing us to tailor the treatment to each individuals needs:

  1. “Open-Channel” treatment: This treatment opens the pores on the skin allowing penetration of topical treatments. This can be used in treatment of skin pigmentation problems such as age spots or pigmentation.
  2. Non-Ablative treatment: This is the least aggressive treatment, so is the best option for clients who want minimal downtime.
  3. Ablative treatment: This is the most intensive treatment, which can give effective results on skin rejuvenation and scar treatment. Results are comparable with CO2 laser resurfacing treatment with a minimum of 2 to 3 days downtime.

What is Tixel used to treat?

Tixel treatment is designed to rejuvenate and tighten the skin, which can help make improvements to the following:

  • Fine lines and wrinkles
  • Skin discoloration
  • Sun damaged skin
  • Texture and skin tone
  • Age spots
  • Pigmentation
  • Eye bags
  • Drooping eyelids
  • Acne scars
  • Active acne

What’s the downtime for Tixel?

The downtime for a Tixel treatment depends on the application. The more gentle treatments requiring minimal downtime of 1-2 days, and the more aggressive treatments requiring longer downtime of around 1 week. Normal activities can be resumed after treatment, and it’s encouraged that clients use high factor sunscreen (50 SPF) following treatment.

How many treatments in a course?

The number of treatments depends on the individual needs, on average we’d recommend 3-6 treatments 6 to 8 weeks apart for the most effective results.

How long do the results last for?

After a full course of Tixel treatment, results can be long-lasting as long as all aftercare instructions are followed.

For more information on Tixel skin rejuvenating treatment please give us a call on 01225 700072 or e-mail us at: enquiries@snowberrylane.co.uk