Knowing which skin care products are safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding can be daunting. During pregnancy and breastfeeding your skin goes through many changes as your body draws its attention to creating a new life. As a precaution during this time we advise against some treatments which are not proven to be safe for your baby. Whilst you need to steer away from treatments such as skin laser, cosmetic injectables and some skin therapy treatments VCI’s Director of Skin therapy has developed a treatment and skin care menu to support your skin during pregnancy.

Listed below are some of the most common procedures that we perform on women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Below you will also find a link to pregnancy safe skin care products.

To arrange your personalised skin assessment and care program during your pregnancy and breastfeeding call 1300 863 824. Skin consultations are available in our Berwick and Templestowe Lower clinics by appointment.

LED phototherapy

LED phototherapy works by using the properties of a certain wavelength of light to induce changes in the skin to treat a particular condition. There is no heat energy or tissue damage induced by LED phototherapy.

At Victorian Cosmetic Institute, we utilise two LED wavelengths, namely 415 nanometers and 620 nanometers. Each wavelength has a particular property and depth of penetration.

Blue light, treats one of the causes of acne, the bacteria propionibacterium acnes. It targets the metabolic product of this bacteria, porphyrins, and produces an oxygen free radical from these porphyrins that destroys the bacteria.

Red light (620nm) LED phototherapy induces a mild inflammation of the target cells and sets up an immune response that helps to regenerate these cells. This helps to rejuvenate skin and to help with skin healing. It can be used for skin rejuvenation, or post laser/chemical peel treatments to speed the healing process. Red and blue light LED phototherapy can be used synergistically to treat active acne, the blue light helping to reduce bacteria counts and the red lights helping to heal the skin.

Again, both blue and red light treatment have no side effects on the skin and require no recovery period.

Deluxe Signature Facial

The Deluxe Signature Facial is 1 hour of relaxation and revitalising pampering for your skin. This pampering facial is tailored to you using a combination of active vitamins and serums to target specifically to your concerns.

A warm cleanse is applied to your face, neck and décolletage. Once your skin is freshly cleansed you will have a deep exfoliation using Synergie’s Mediscrub. This luxurious product is a powerful scrub containing the same natural mineral, Corundum, that is used in clinical microdermabrasion. Mediscrub contains this ingredient in a non toxic crystal form, to exfoliate dead skin cells and unclog pores, without harshness. After it has been massaged into the skin releasing any congestion or impurities a second cleanse removes the scrub and the skin is prepared to receive active ingredients.

Now the sensory journey begins. Revitaleyes restores hydration and nourish the skin around the eye area. The therapist will awaken your senses with the application of the aromatic Synergie Destress where you will experience the calming effects of lavender essential oil. This is applied lightly over face, neck and decolletage with gentle massage to your temples for further stress relief. A tailored mask is applied to the skin using either Masquarase or Detox-antiox combined with either Destress, Decongest or Medicalm to deliver your skin its essential requirements.

While the mask is left to deliver the desired benefits selected you will enjoy an invigorating scalp massage. Following removal of the mask you will receive a therapeutic dose of LED light therapy. LED light therapy works with the body’s own natural processes to counteract the effects of ageing and clears acne-prone skin. During this 20 minutes light therapy treatment you will have your hands massaged with a personally selected moisturiser to continued your tailored experience.

You will leave our clinics feeling refreshed and hydrated while being protected by the Synergie Uberzinc moisturiser and sun protection applied before you leave the treatment bed.

As the Deluxe Signature Facial involves a revitalising combination of active ingredients, deep exfoliation and intense hydration this treatment is perfect for:

  • Ageing skin
  • Dehydrated skin
  • Sun damaged skin
  • Pre-event for the ultimate glowing skin

Microdermabrasion: Triple exfoliation microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion is a process that deeply exfoliates the skin using a gentle vacuum that brings skin into contact with a diamond coated head.

It can be used for various skin conditions, including acne, or just to help improve dull or rough skin.

Microdermabrasion is a process that deeply exfoliates, polishes, and increases the lymphatic drainage of skin. It uses a gentle vacuum to bring your skin in contact with a diamond coated head that gently abrades the top layer of dead skin. It can be used to help treat various skin conditions such as acne, comedones (blackheads), and dull or rough skin. It is most commonly used on the face, but can be used on the neck, back, and hands.

The Triple Exfoliation Microdermabrasion is the ultimate treatment in exfoliation, buffing, stimulation and hydration. Your skin will be exfoliated chemically, physically and mechanically to ensure the the removal of the dead skin cells and treating deep into your pores.

Exfoliating the tired, dead cells also speeds up the skin renewal process, allowing new healthy cells to take their place. This process turns the complexion from dull and dry to bright, vibrant, and smooth. In addition, regular exfoliation reduces fine lines and wrinkles and keeps skin much softer.

After the triple exfoliation a final skin booster will be applied. The booster is a customised mask to enhance your results.

This treatment is individually tailored perfectly to your skin and it’s needs making it suitable for all skin type, it can even be customised for patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Dermafrac

By combining precisely calibrated needle penetration and unprecedented infusion capability, DermaFrac creates micro channels to the dermal junction while simultaneously infusing topical serums to this all-important tissue layer. The DermaFrac system uses a unique combination of technologies to enable an improved micro-needling procedure along with immediate infusion of a powerful active serum.

The precision-controlled DermaFrac hand piece pulls the skin under vacuum into contact with hundreds of micro-needles that painlessly penetrate through the epidermis and into the upper dermis (the papillary layer). The vacuum permits an all-important even penetration to the full depth of the needle and can be adjusted to make the treatment deeper.

DermaFrac micro-needles create pathways for introducing the infusion serum into the skin.

Dermafrac skin exfoliation process reveals the new, living skin cells that are soft, smooth & receptive to nutrients. This procedure will also stimulate new collagen and elastin production thus improving fine lines and texture.

The depth of needles on the DermaFrac hand piece has been carefully selected so that the channels are created just below the dermal-epidermal junction and just above capillaries and nerve endings. This ensures no bleeding or pain.

There are four different serums available for DermaFrac treatments:

  • Hydrate – This serum uses Hyaluronic acid with a patented technology called Hylasponge to form a fully hydrated layer that helps guarantee that hydration is delivered into deeper layers of skin. It also delivers intense hydration to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
  • Rejuvenate – This serum has five active ingredients that stimulate fibroblast and collagen production in the skin. They also help relax muscles to prevent wrinkling from repeated muscle movement.
  • Lighten – This serum utilises Kojic acid to lighten skin by suppressing melanocyte activity and pigmentation. It also has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.
  • Growth Factors Rejuvenating Complex– Rejuvenation at it’s finest! This is a rich blend of growth factors, moisturisers, peptides and vitamins for younger looking skin.
  • Vitamin C – Vitamin C 2% Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is an antioxidant that slows the rate of free-radical damage. Free radicals are unstable molecules that damage collagen and cause skin dryness, fine lines and wrinkles.

Vitamin C peels

L-ascorbic acid peel is a no downtime hydrating peel. Vitamin C is excellent for it’s brightening and lightening effect on the skin. A gentle way to help with Chloasma (mask of pregnancy) during a time when lasers cannot be used.

The Vitamin C Peel is an all-round brightening treatment designed to make skin feel plumper, more hydrated. It actively reduces pigmentation, but is gentle enough for all skin types and an ideal introductory treatment for skin peel those new to skin peels.. The peel reveals new cells and delivers a healthy, refreshed glow, and unclogs pores to improve penetration of skincare products.

Used with a vitamin C serum at home, can help to create fresh, bright glowing skin.

Pregnancy safe skin care

It can sometimes be a minefield finding products that will be safe for your skin during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

We know your skin conditions don’t go away during this time but the products you are using may contain ingredients that are not safe, we may need to adjust their skin care routine to adapt.

You can find a list of skin care products that are safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding to combat your skin concerns on our online skin care store. Click here to see the range of pregnancy safe skin care.

If you would like professional advice tailored to you please book and skin consultation with one of our highly qualified Skin Therapists by phoning 1300 863 824.