BB Glow

Who Are Good Candidates For BB Glow?

Good candidates include people with: Dull, uneven skin texture

• • • Freckles
  • • Hyperpigmentation
  • • Post acne scars
  • • Age spots and sun spots
  • • Early aging and lax skin
    • Wrinkles and fine lines

What Are Some Contraindications?

BB Glow is not recommended for those with the following conditions:

• • Pregnant or nursing

• • Skin cancer

• • Skin disease

• • Active infections or open wounds

• • Accutane or any medication for the same purpose within the past 6 months

• • Individual intolerance or allergies to the ingredients

• • Patients with melanoma or other skin lesions

• • injectable fillers within the last 2 weeks

• • Patients on blood thinners

• Patients who are immunosuppressed due to potential for increased post needling infection

Proceed with caution if any of these apply to you:

• • History of cold sores or fever blisters. Taking an anti-viral medication may help to avoid a possible breakout. The medication should be used 2 days before and 2 days after treatment.

• • Smoker (due to lipid peroxidation)

• • Uncontrolled diabetes, as potential delayed wound healing may increase risk of secondary infection post needling

• • Keloid or raised scars

• Active acne breakouts

Is BB Glow Safe?

BB Glow is very safe as it uses a nano needling technology and does not go deep in the skin. Also, all the BB serums are free of parabens, fragrances, alcohol and allergens.

What Are The Potential Side Effects Of BB Glow?

Side effects are very rare when done by a certified professional. Potential side effects are minor and can include pain, redness, pinpoint bleeding, temporary hyperpigmentation and infection.

How Is BB Glow Performed At Brows by Liah?

BB GLOW STEPS

1.  Cleansing – A cleanser is chosen based on skin type and applied to the face, neck and decollete to remove any surface oils or debris.
2. Exfoliation – Stayve Derma White Exfoliating Gel is used to gently clean your pores and remove dead skin cells, which signifcantly improves your skin texture and color and aids in the absorption of active ingredients.
3. Neutralization – Stayve Derma White Neutralizing Foam is applied, left on for few minutes and removed to restore the skin’s pH balance, reduce redness, moisturize and improve skin tone.
4. Meso Serum (transparent) – This is another extra step added on to enhance your results. Using nano needling, we infuse a transparent meso serum to create more collagen, brighten and hydrate the skin.
5. BB Glow Serum (serum with foundation) – The BB Serum shade that best matches your skin tone is infused into the skin with the nano needles and left on for 15 minutes.
6. Mask – A fabric mask is placed over the BB Serum to keep it from drying out and to provide extra hydration and soothe the skin.
7. LED Light Therapy – LED light therapy is also performed for 15 minutes with the mask on the skin to enhance the results. (This will also be discussed more later.
8.  Product removal – The mask and the product is removed after 15min.
9. Stayve Repair Cream – Stayve Repair Cream is applied as the final step. The cream helps to soothe and restore the treated skin.

What kinds of BB Serums are used?

Two types of serums are used for BB Glow treatments:

1. Meso Serums – These serums are transparent and do not have color.
2. BB Serums – These serums have color and are used for camouflage.

There are several well-known brands that are used for BB Glow treatments. These serums vary in color, consistency and active ingredients. The most popular and most well-known brand is Stayve. Stayve serums work well as they have very potent active ingredients and botanical extracts as well as medical-grade peptides and growth factors. Stayve serums are suitable for all skin types and work well for anti-aging and rejuvenation.

Derma White Ampoule (Stayve) – This serum is highly effective at camouflaging hyperpigmentation, brightening skin tone and improving skin texture due to its high concentration of active ingredients like Niacinamide, 13 botanical extracts, and epidermal growth factors. This serum also leaves skin hydrated and dewy.

Benefits of Stayve Derma White BB Cream:

• • • Reduces the appearance of acne scarring, freckles and hyperpigmentation
  • • Increases collagen synthesis
  • • Helps skin to retain moisture
  • • Improves brightness and elasticity
  • • Reduces appearance of wrinkles
  • • Reduces skin discoloration
  • • Reduces appearance of pores
  • • Minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
  • • Balances color and tone, while reducing the appearance of age spots
  • Protects skin’s surface from free radical damage with antioxidants.

Is There Any Downtime After BB Glow?

You may resume your routine as soon as you finish. However, if you have sensitive skin, you may experience temporary irritation, tightness and redness for 1-2 days. Some people may experience mild peeling around the nose and mouth, particularly if they have dehydrated skin.

What Is The Aftercare?

• • During the first 24 hours, do not wash your face or use any moisturizers or makeup.

• • Mineral make up and sunscreen (SPF 50) may be applied the following day.

• • Avoid prolonged sun exposure for 2 weeks. If you are outdoors, sunscreen with SPF 30 should be worn every 2 hours.

• • No sauna, baths or swimming for 1 week

• • No scrubs or exfoliators for 1 week

• • No strenuous exercise for 1-2 days.

• Do not use harsh soaps or scrubs or heavy skin care products on the face for 1 week.

How Long Does BB Glow Last? How Many Treatments Are Recommended?

The great thing about BB Glow is that you will see immediate results. If you are a first-timer, the results can last 3-7 days. All first-timers should come back for a for a 2nd session in about two weeks to get further coverage.

To maximize the effectiveness of BB Glow, it’s recommended that you start with a series of 3-4 treatments, once every 2-4 weeks. After the initial series, the results of your BB Glow treatment can last up to 4 months or longer. With proper maintenance, the effect can last even longer.

How Long Does The BB Glow Treatment Take?

At Serenity MedSpa, to enhance your results, we pretreat the skin with Caroboxy Gel Therapy. After your BB Glow treatment, we finish off the treatment with the LED light therapy. The entire treatment takes around 1.5 hours.

What Is The Skin Science Behind BB Glow? 

There are two types of aging: intrinsic and extrinsic.

Intrinsic aging is determined by genetics. Extrinsic aging is determined by external factors, such as sun exposure and lifestyle. The majority of aging is extrinsic. Factors that contribute to extrinsic aging include poor nutrition, drinking, smoking, medications and poor skin care regimen.

Skin needling is an effective way to treat extrinsic skin aging by providing skin rejuvenation. Micro injuries caused by needling stimulate wound healing with release of various growth factors, proliferation of fibroblasts and laying down of intercellular matrix.

It has been documented that skin treated with four microneedling sessions, one month apart, can increase collagen and elastin deposition by 400% with a thickened stratum spinosum. Skin fibroblasts are responsible for the production of collagen, elastin and glycosaminiglycans. GAGs are a natural moisture factor, most commonly known as hyaluronic acid, which creates a fluid filled space between the collagen and elastin fibers in the dermis.

It’s important to be knowledgeable about the anatomy of skin to understand how the BB Glow treatment works.

What Is The Physiology Of Skin?

The skin consists of three main layers: epidermis, dermis and hypodermis.

The epidermis is the thin, outer layer of the skin, visible to the eye. It works to provide protection to the body. The thickness of the epidermis is about 0.05-2.3 mm. It’s the approximate thickness of paper or plastic wrap. The thickness of the epidermis depends on the level of protection required by a particular area of the body. For example, the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet have a significantly thicker layer of keratin (up to 2.3 mm). This protects the body from the high impact to which these areas are subject to. In contrast, the thickness of the epidermis on the eyelids is approximately 0.05 mm.

There are five layers of the epidermis: stratum corneum, stratum lucidum, stratum granulosum, stratum spinosum, stratum basale.

Stratum corneum – is the most superficial layer of the epidermis and is the layer exposed to the outside environment. The increased keratinization (also called cornification) of the cells in the layer gives it its name. There are usually 15-30 layers of cells in the stratum corneum. This dry, dead layer helps prevent the penetration of microbes and the dehydration of underlying tissues. It also provides a mechanical protection against abrasion for the more delicate, underlying layers. Cells in this layer are shed periodically and are replaced by cells pushed up from the stratum granulosum (or stratum lucidum in the case of the palms and soles of feet). The entire layer is replaced during a period of about four weeks.

Stratum lucidum – is a smooth, seemingly translucent layer found only in the thick skin of the palms, soles and digits, as it provides extra protection against abrasion.

Stratum granulosum is where keratin is formed. Keratin is a protein that is the main component of skin. The cells in this layer also produce intercellular cement that prevent evaporation, which helps with hydration of the skin.

Stratum spinosum is the thickest layer of the epidermis. It got its name because its cells are spiny-shaped. Keratinization begins in the stratum spinosum. It contains newly formed keratinocytes, which are strengthening proteins. It also contains Langerhans cells that help prevent infection. The stratum spinosum is partly responsible for the skin’s strength and flexibility.

Stratum basale, the bottom layer (also known as the basal cell layer) has column-shaped basal cells that divide and push older cells toward the surface of the skin. As the cells move up through the skin, they flatten and eventually die and shed. This layer also contains melanocytes, cells that produce the pigment melanin. Melanin gives hair and skin its color, and also protects the living cells of the epidermis from ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage.

What Are The Differences Between Traditional Medical Microneedling And Cosmetic Microneedling?

Traditional medical microneedling uses a dermapen. Disposable needle cartridges attached to the dermapen makes the needles go up and down at very high speeds to create microinjuries to the skin.

The main benefit of traditional microneedling is to stimulate new collagen production to improve the texture of the skin. Traditional microneedling treatments are used to make the skin smoother and firmer, treat various scars and minimize pore size. Traditional microneedling is mainly used to treat the face, but can be used elsewhere to improve the texture of the skin.

The second benefit of microneedling is that during the treatment, since it creates microchannels in the skin, we can apply various meso serums to increase the penetration of active ingredients in the serums.

Studies suggest that using a skin needling system can increase the effectiveness of topical treatments by several hundred percent. The skin produces fibroblast and new collagen, trying to repair itself. New collagen will plump the skin, tighten pores and smooth the texture, assisting in the reduction of wrinkles and giving a more radiant and vital appearance.

Medical microneedling typically penetrates the dermis between 0.5mm -2.5mm. This treatment can ONLY be performed in medical offices, overseen by a licensed practitioner, and should only be used with medical-grade products. This procedure uses an actual needle cartridge with fine pins that can be adjusted to different depths. This allows the practitioner to use superficial setting (0.25mm) for delicate areas around the eyes and deeper depths for the rest of the face. Micro-injuries caused by the procedure stimulate the body’s natural healing process, increasing collagen and elastin production to promote skin rejuvenation and serum penetration. These are done monthly, usually in a series of 3-6 treatments.

Microneedling – Medical Procedure

• • • Create micro-injuries for wound healing response
  • • Treats through the epidermis down to deep dermis
  • • Needle depth usually from 0.5mm-2.5mm
  • • Needle size is 33 gauge
  • • Numbing cream is required
  • 1-2 days downtime

Because Medical microneedling reaches the deep dermis, it makes it possible to treat acne and other scars by breaking up scar tissue and inducing skin remodeling. This treatment also requires strong topical anesthetic prior to the treatment to minimize discomfort.

Cosmetic microneedling is performed only on the epidermis and does not penetrate the skin deeper than 0.3mm. Cosmetic microneedling can also reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, but is not an optimal treatment for acne scars or other deep scars.

BB Glow is performed using cosmetic microneedling and works ONLY on the epidermis.

The epidermis is influenced by cosmetic needling in the following ways:

• • • Micro-injury to keratinocytes leads to release of several growth factors, which causes epidermal thickening.
  • • Cellular cross-talk between the healthy keratinocytes and melanocytes leads to better distribution of melanin pigment.
  • • It increases the delivery of the right ingredients to the depth of the keratinocytes and melanocytes.
  • • Cosmetic needling achieves results through increased quantities and access of cell nutrients to the skin to optimize cell function. In addition, injury to the keratinocytes promotes epidermal growth factors (EGF) and increases cell turnover.
  • Cosmetic rollers or pens allow up to 80% more product into the skin, providing essential cell nutrients for stimulating collagen naturally.

Benefits of microneedling vs other treatments

• • • Shorter recovery with minimal downtime
  • • Noninvasive, nonsurgical treatment
  • • Minimal pain (suitable for all types of skin)
  • • Possible to combine with other treatments
  • • Able to treat large areas in a small amount of time
  • • Due to the needle length adjustment, microneedling can treat different concerns and different areas at the same time
  • Long lasting results

How Is BB Glow Nano Needling Different From The Traditional Medical Microneedling?

Nano needling works a little differently than the medical microneedling. It uses the same type of oscillating motion to treat the skin, but the cartridge encompasses 81 silicone tips. These microscopic hair-like cones separate the cells within the epidermis to allow active products to be pushed into the skin. Nano needling only affects the epidermis treating the upper 0.15mm of the skin.

The benefits of this serum infusion treatment include pigmentation reduction, increased cell turnover, skin rejuvenation and an immediate glow with no downtime.

BB Glow – cosmetic procedure

• • • Treats upper layers of epidermis
  • • Transdermal delivery system
  • • Nano channels for increased effectiveness of serums
  • • Microscopic silicone needles 1/3 thickness of hair
  • • Needle depth 0.25mm
  • • No downtime
  • No pain, no numbing required before treatment

What Types Of Needles Are Available For Microneedling And Nano Microneedling?

Microneedling needles come in different needle cartridges, ranging from 9,12,36 nano and more.

Nine needle cartidges will treat fine lines. They are less invasive and give a more minimal result.

Twelve needle cartridges are more effective and are suitable to treat all skin concerns, including fine lines and deep wrinkles, lax skin, stretchmarks, cellulite, pigmentation, burn scars, post acne scars.

36 needle cartridges are more invasive and suitable to treat scars, large pores and deep wrinkles. Working with these needles can be very painful. Needles 9,12,24,36 all may be used for microneedling, but with transparent serums based on hyaluronic acid.

Nano needles are very small (0.15mm in length and the thickness of hair). They create nano channels for transdermal delivery of active ingredients and are used to treat the upper layers of epidermis. We only use nano needles for BB Glow. We don’t deliver the pigment into deeper layers of the skin as BB serum contains titanium dioxide. Titanium dioxides are meant to provide sun protection and should not be delivered into the dermis to avoid skin discoloration and irritation.

During the BB Glow treatment, the slowest mode on the pen is used to minimize discomfort.

What Is LED Light Therapy?

LED light therapy is a new noninvasive treatment most notably perfected by NASA to improve wound healing in space. LED Light Therapy uses a number of LED bulbs (light emitting diode) to deliver optimized light at a specific wavelength to stimulate collagen and elastin production, reduce inflammation and accelerate the healing process. It is excellent at supporting non-ablative and non-invasive methods by encouraging the skin’s natural healing process.

Until its discovery by NASA, the only real way of stimulating collagen production was either through the use of ingredients, such as retinoids, or through controlled wounding to stimulate the body’s own would healing response. LED light therapy is safe, painless and effective for stimulating collagen and elastin production, without any side effects.

Recent research has found that LED’s stimulate the basic energy flow and perspiration of cells. Tests have shown increasing specific wavelengths of light can affect the skin in positive ways.

What Are The Benefits Of LED Light Therapy?

LED light therapy helps serums penetrate the skin after microneedling or a BB Glow treatment. (20 minutes at the end of the treatment is recommended.)

LED Light therapy has a positive effect on cell growth, collagen and elastin production, microcirculation and overall skin condition. It also improves sagging, fine lines, wrinkles, enlarged pores, freckles and pigmentation caused by sun exposure. The LED consists of 287 kinds of special medical lamps. There are several different color led lights that serve different purposes.

Red LED light is the most popular LED treatment. It treats fine lines and wrinkles, improves collagen production, reduces overall redness and inflammation and reverses sun damage. Red LED also speeds up blood circulation, improves skin elasticity and tone, removes dullness, and heals wounds.

Green LED light has a calming effect and has been proven to assist in reducing melasma and other skin discolorations. Research suggests that it targets melanocytes, which are melanin-producing cells in the bottom layer of the epidermis, to prevent excess melanin from traveling to the surface of the skin and break up clusters of pigment.

Yellow LED is a healing light that penetrates deep into the layers of skin causing rejuvenation, cell repair and increased circulation. It also stimulates lymph activity, making it a perfect treatment following an intensive treatment.