OXYGEN
FACIAL
Red Carpet Service or Serious Skin Care Skin Inc. 2011
Craig Wenborg, D.C.
We hear about the
Oxygen Facial being provided as a red carpet service, but is there more to it
than that? The benefits of topical
oxygen extend well beyond just the plump-me-up, blush-me-out, short term look
good effect. Topical oxygen has its
roots in serious skin care.
Chances are you are
reading this article because you are in the skin care industry. As a skin care service provider, you offer
service modalities as well as take home products. A
healthy balance of service and retail, define an active balanced skin care
practice.
Certain words evoke
positive responses from our clients.
Words such as rejuvenation, lift and youthful appearance, promote
positive states of mind. The word
“oxygen” has a high favorability rating.
This high favorability rating is understood by businesses which
incorporate the word oxygen into their name or promotion. Examples of using oxygen as a positive
promotional word include television networks, health club names and magazine
titles.
In skin care, oxygen
not only has a high favorability rating, but also permeates the industry as a
buzz word for healthy radiant skin. We
can put this positive feel to work for us in our business, in several ways. For the remainder of this article, I will
concentrate on the modality of Oxygen Facial.
OXYGEN
SKIN PENETRATION
Studies reveal that dermal cells receive oxygen
from both the inside and the outside. There
is a dynamic balance between both systems of oxygen availability. That dynamic balance can be shifted to either
side of the availability equation.
Oxygen facial shifts the equation towards oxygen from the outside.
So we purchase the nice happy birthday balloon. It floats but the next morning it is on the
floor. What happened? Within the balloon, pressurized helium
molecules were retained by the balloon wall.
Pressure gradients allowed the helium atoms to escape by diffusing
across the balloon wall barrier.
Providing dermal cells
with oxygen involves breaking the barrier created by the epidermis. Just like with the balloon, pressure
gradients allow for diffusion. Topical
oxygen increases the number of oxygen molecules and increases oxygen pressure
against the skin. The net result is
increased partial pressure and diffusion across the epidermis.
So how can we tell
that this is actually happening? Blanch
means to whiten. The dynamics of the
blood vessel are such that when oxygen is applied from the outside there is vascular
bed constriction. Oxygen penetration of
the epidermis results in blanching of the skin.
Conditions such as rosacea respond favorably to topical oxygen for this
very reason.
OXYGEN
FACIAL EQUIPMENT
Providing higher numbers of oxygen molecules
with greater then one atmosphere of pressure will require either an oxygen
concentrator or tanked oxygen. Tanked
oxygen is nice due to the ability to provide high concentration oxygen with
pressure. Tanked oxygen has the drawback
of being an explosion hazard as well as requiring filling and generally not
being available to the esthetician.
Oxygen concentrators separate
oxygen out of room air. To do this, room
air is pressurized within a chamber filled with a natural porous rock called
zeolite. Zeolite has pours which are the size of the
nitrogen molecule. Room air is
approximately 21% oxygen, 4% inert gas and the rest being nitrogen. When the chamber containing zeolite is
pressurized, nitrogen is bound within the zeolite allowing oxygen to pass by. When the pressure is released from the
chamber, nitrogen comes out of the zeolite and is discharged from the
machine.
The oxygen facial
concentrator is a hybrid from standard oxygen concentrators. Not any oxygen concentrator will do. Attached to the concentrator will be the
application tool. This application tool
requires pressure to do its job. The
primary important element is to match the pressure needs of the application
tool with the oxygen concentrator.
There are two types of
application tools used on oxygen facial.
The tools are the air brush and nebulizer. Fundamentally different methods of operation
exist between these two devices. Air
brushes apply a liquid solution through the use of pressurized oxygen to propel
the liquid out of the air brush. Contact
between the oxygen and the liquid only occurs in the form of back pressure.
I open that can of
soda. Bubbles can be seen on the inside
of the can. These bubbles represent
carbon dioxide coming out of liquid suspension when pressure is released by
opening the can. Water based liquids
have the capacity of holding suspended gasses.
Nebulizers were
developed for medical purposes with the goal in mind of spinning a liquid
within the nebulizer in what is called a venture effect. When liquid is spun at a high rate of speed,
oxygen is mixed with the liquid. The
liquid becomes an oxygen carrying medium. When oxygen rich liquid is applied to the
skin, suspended oxygen is released at the dermal level. Nebulizers create
consistent micronized particles which are highly effective at penetrating the
epidermis.
OXYGEN
FACIAL SERUM
The history of topical
oxygen began with oxygen rich mist utilizing sterile saline solution. Saline solution is biocompatible and provides
a water base for the carrying of oxygen into the epidermis. With that in mind, Oxygen Facial formulations
combine saline solution with ingredients to reduce free radicals, settle
inflammation, reduce lines, reduce bacteria and hold moisture.
Hydrosol means water
solution. Plant hydrosols are the clear
essence of plants, released during steam
distillation. Plant hydrosols contain all
the natural molecules of the plant. Plant
hydrosols are not a mixture of essential oil nor are they extracts created in
the laboratory. Natural plant hydrosol molecules are very gentle
to the skin. Hydrosol serums reduce
inflammation, promote healing while providing antioxidants.
Plant hydrosols
formulate well with hyaluronic acid and peptides. Low molecular weight hyaluronic acid binds
and holds moisture in the skin. Moisture
retention is important following chemical and mechanical exfoliation
procedures. For aging skin, peptides are
highly effective in reducing fine lines and wrinkles, as well as relaxing
facial muscles.
From saline base
solution, plant hydrosol, peptide and moisture retaining molecules boost the
benefits of oxygen and assist with epidermis penetration. Using these natural formulation concepts,
applications are available for blemished skin, aging skin, antimicrobial effect
and recovery following traumatic skin procedures.
BUSINESS
OF OXYGEN FACIAL
The modality of Oxygen Facial represents a
service to be offered in a medical and spa setting. In the spa setting, oxygen mist driven by
oxygen concentrator is considered as a class one medical device. This service can be provided by an
esthetician. In the medical setting,
the use of tank oxygen is a class two medical procedure requiring physician
supervision.
Oxygen Facial fits
into your practice as a fee for service modality, often in conjunction with
other services. I am often asked about
protocols. These questions involve the
ideas of when what and how much. This
article is not sufficient to provide protocols for all the areas you will use
Oxygen Facial but I will hit some of the primary applications.
MEDICAL
OXYGEN FACIAL PROTOCALS
Oxygen following
microdermabrasion
Following a
microdermabrasion, skin is inflamed and irritated. Hyaluronic complex with carrot seed hydrosol helps
the skin retain moisture while tightening blood vessels and reducing
redness. Oxygen accelerates dermal
collagen production through stimulation of metabolic processes. The combined antimicrobial effect of carrot
seed hydrosol with oxygen, is highly desired when the outer protective layers
of skin have been compromised.
Oxygen following
surgery
Surgical procedures
involve the cutting of tissue and interruption of vascular structure. Blood containing essential oxygen for tissue
repair, is interrupted to healing tissue.
Immediate post-surgery oxygen mist, provides essential oxygen to promote
tissue repair. Patients heal faster with
less chance of infection, when oxygen mist is used daily following surgical
intervention. Nebulized oxygen is
recommended for greater penetration.
Oxygen for acne
The stand alone oxygen
facial is a service to be used by the esthetician for treatment of acne. Propionibacterium
acnes are an anaerobic bacteria residing deep in the pore. This bacterium does not tolerate oxygen. Outbreaks drive your client to you for
care. These clients present when they
have episodes, treating several times until resolved. Penetrating to the depths of the pore, will
require nebulized oxygen procedures.
Advise clients that they may develop a comedone as bacteria are expelled
from the pore.
Oxygen for rosacea
The rosacea client
will develop flairs when under dietary or emotional stress. These clients will present for three to six
sessions to gain control of their condition.
It is highly recommended that the
nebulizer technique be used.
Nebulization carries oxygen deeper into the dermis to get to the deep
blood vessels of this condition.
Oxygen for skin
healing
Topical oxygen mist is
used medically to promote healing of burns. The foundation of topical oxygen mist is
sterile saline solution. Burn care
begins with application of sterile saline oxygen mist directly to the injured
tissue. Oxygen mist inhibits microbial
action while promoting accelerated metabolic activity and healing. The gentile nature of nebulized oxygen makes
this application the preferred method.
Oxygen and MRSA
Yet to be clinically explored is the
treatment of methacillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. I have personally administered to the
treatment of two patients with this condition.
Both were very positive outcomes.
Further research into oxygen mist as a method of controlling this
dangerous condition should be considered.
SPA
DOLLARS
Oxygen Facial fits
into the Spa business as a stand alone treatment or as a component of your Signature
Service. Let’s take a look at two spas
to see how they integrate the Oxygen Facial into their services.
Lapis, The Spa at
Fontainebleau, offers oxygen as stand alone called Oxygen Restore. This service is promoted as a fifty minute
oxygen treatment with facial massage to increase circulation and improve skin
hydration. Oxygen Restore is a fee for
service modality, billed at $140.00.
Lapis Spa offers the
high end client, Tracie Martyn® Salon Services.
Tracie Martyn is the authority to whom actors and actresses, music
industry icons, members of royal families, media moguls and supermodels entrust
their faces. The Tracie Martin
Resculpting Facial®, is a collection of exclusive anti-aging services. Oxygen Facial is one component of this 75
minute $325.00 Signature Service.
Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong offers Oxygen Facial as a component of two of
their spa treatments. Double Decadence
includes massage, exfoliation, Oxygen Facial and lunch for two, at a price of
$733.00. Also offered is the Essential
Groom package which includes mineral pool, massage, manicure, pedicure and
Oxygen Facial for a price of $426.00.
Red carpet service or
serious skin care is the question asked by this article. In this article I have described the medical
side of Oxygen Facial. I have outlined
two Spas who are taking this service to new financial heights. Oxygen Facial represents a service modality
which goes far beyond the red carpet and will place you at the
forefront of Spa
dollars.
Dr. Craig Wenborg is the system
developer of the Oxyvital Oxygen Facial
Infusion™ System. As an active practitioner, he created and
refined Oxygen Facial for medical and Spa application. Dr.
Wenborg has written extensively on the subject of Oxygen Facial. His writings are used by many esthetics
schools for the teaching of Oxygen Facial.
He teaches the art and science of oxygen skin care at trade shows across
the USA.
Certification programs are
available. Spa’s and Salon’s throughout the world, utilize Oxyvital
equipment and Hydrosol Serums by Dr. Craig Wenborg for Oxygen Facial. He can be reached at
1-970-412-4514