Winter 2017 – Take a closer look at Skin Analysis Devices

Many professions use diagnostic equipment as part of the client or patient assessment. Your GP does, your physiotherapist, your naturopath – all complete a thorough analysis to determine wellness. They use blood types, take blood pressure and assess the patients weight which is then measured and recorded. A thorough consultation is completed. As a beauty expert about to perform a skin treatment, we must also embrace this step. Before embarking on a skin care programme, or when skin is analysed, skin diagnostic equipment must be utilised, readings recorded and a point of reference or your starting point established.

Skin diagnostic equipment never replaces you! You need your skin analysis skills and those eyes of yours and the skin brain as YOU are the skin diagnostic technician that explains what the clinicial visuals means. A skin analysis device does confirm your diagnosis. It will give you a pathway to follow and assist in establishing the cause of the skin concern. The diagnostic device will provide both you and your client with an understanding of the severity of the problem. It will provide a professional point of reference to start from and to return to when doing future skin evaluations 6 to 12 months into your in-salon treatment programme.

Let us take a closer look at a type of Skin Diagnostic Equipment that would be easy to use and affordable to purchase. One that provides a professional point of reference, gives credibility to
the treatment clinician and accuracy of skin analysis. A type of diagnostic equipment that is interactive, where the client can see what YOU the diagnostic technician can see, thus opening a
dialog about the skin, and the skin analysis

WHAT TYPE OF DEVICE OFFERS ALL OF THESE BENEFITS TO THE BEAUTY THERAPIST SKIN DIAGNOSTICIAN?
OBSERV. This 21st Century technology is the brainchild of Dutch inventor Walter Arkesteijn. Walter made it his personal “mission” to develop a technology that could release the full potential of fluorescence-based skin analysis. With a devoted team of engineers he realised that goal eight years later. Not only did Walter’s team succeed in developing a technology which brings out hidden skin conditions with a distinction and contrast as never seen before they also made sure that the technology is utilised in conjunction with one of the most popular mobile computer technologies available: the iPad. The Observ communicates with the iPad via wireless Bluetooth, allowing all of the manual controls to be adjusted via the App that you download to your iPad.

The rays travel through all layers of the skin, deep into the dermis, and because the cells in the human skin tissue have the natural capacity to turn these invisible rays into visible light,
different cells and skin tissues in various conditions create different fluorescent illumination patterns. Consequently, skin impairments and conditions which previously could hardly be seen by the naked eye, now clearly stand out from normal healthy skin tissue. In the 25 second period that the client is under the hood of the Observ, the skin is photographed under five different light sources for later analysis.

THESE DIVERSE LIGHT SOURCES INCLUDE:
• DAYLIGHT (FOR YOUR EVALUATION).
The skin as seen in a controlled natural daylight environment.

• CROSS-POLARISED (LOOKS
PAST THE EPIDERMIS UNDER THE SKIN).
With the skin’s surface shine suppressed, you can obtain an unobstructed view of dermal structures such as the vascular system, making the analysis of vascular conditions, capillary network matting, erythema and inflammation highly visible and more accurate.

• PARALLEL POLARISED (SHOWS THE SURFACE TEXTURE).
An enhanced view of the skin’s surface shows incomplete corneocyte compaction and desquamation. Fine lines that are an indication of collagen loss become more defined. It becomes easier to evaluate the depth of the deeper lines of elastin loss, and surface anomalies such as seborrheic keratosis, pore size & blockages are more evident.

• SIMULATED WOODS LAMP (UPGRADED WOODS LIGHT TO HIGHLIGHT THE OIL FILM).
A familiar light that dermatologists and beauty therapists use. By adjusting the spectrum, the distribution of skin secretions is revealed in colours of melon to yellow. As a result, the cataloguing of sebaceous secretions into degrees of severity and location becomes easier and one can check the nutritional behaviour of our client!

• TRUE UV (FLUORESCENCE SKIN ANALYSIS THAT HIGHLIGHTS ALL PIGMENTATION).
The new LED light source that is three times more efficient than conventional tubes and has enabled the more accurate analysis of skin abnormalities such as pigmentation within the epidermis. True UV also shows the loss of structural integrity where collagen and elastin has sagged and inflammation of the dermal layers, plus vascular damage and redness.

• COMPLEXION ANALYSIS (IRREGULARITIES REVEALED).
The complexion analysis is a computer generated assessment of how skin deteriorates when neglected. Revealing future inhomogeneities in skin tone, skin conditions such as pigmentation irregularities and irritations, this is particularly effective in showing the client a prediction of what they will look like in 10-15 years time.

These images are very useful for communication with the client when selling the findings of the skin analysis. Are you keen to “upskill” into advanced skin analysis technology and
education for your salon in 2017?

This consultative analysis begins on your Apple iPad with your client sitting alongside you.

The client will be staring in disbelief at the evidence of their skin health, their genetics flying in full visual force in front of them and all the “actual” things that they are doing to their skin, and nutrition, will be visible. Your clients will be nodding and requesting a home care regime.

Clear diagnostic visuals? Yes.
Interactive? Yes.
Results driven? Without a doubt!
Add an OBSERV to your salon this year? Yes.

For more information, visit www.observ.co.nz and visit us at stand #354
at NZ Beauty EXPO.