Saving Face - Do you have a Celtic genetic link?

“Saving Face “ – Do you have a Celtic genetic link?

Face changing technology, showing sun damage, is most effective at promoting sun safe behaviour.

“Face changing technology showing sun damage is most effective at promoting sun safe behaviour” is a new study published from the University of Surrey; United Kingdom ; August 2016.

In a study published recently in the journal “Cogent Psychology”, researchers from the University of Surrey examined the way “sun safe” messages are conveyed to young women, and found that visual communication using technology to age the participant’s faces to emphasize sun damage and premature ageing is most effective.

The findings from the research concluded that young women are most concerned about the immediate damage to their skin, and that a visual, personalised message that illustrated more immediate skin damage had more impact than either text-based messages or damage in the longer term.

Fair skinned young women are the most at risk group for malignant melanoma, a type of cancer most attributable to Ultra Violet Rays. However, they often don’t realise the extent of the risk. The new research studied the differences between text-based and visual messages and examined whether warning about future appearance has an impact on changing behaviour.

The results showed that, after seeing their own face prematurely sun aged using the technology, young women took twice the number of free sun screen samples and three times the number of skin cancer leaflets compared to those women who had read text information about the damaging nature of the sun. They also showed a 30% lower belief in the skin’s ability to heal.

“Malignant melanoma is on the increase yet young women often don’t protect themselves by using sun screen,” said Professor Jane Ogden of the University of Surrey, one of the authors of the study.

“Our study explored the best way of framing messages to change their attitudes and promote healthier behaviour. The results showed that appearance based messages that used imagery to emphasise sun ageing were the most effective. This sun ageing technology could be used more widely to increase sun screen uptake by young women.”

It is also of interest to show the importance of having our clients “face checked “under a diagnostic device. We use the OBSERV in our NZ Salon and here are our three visuals with a result that we could prove to another age group and gender in salon! Yes it is melanoma; confirmed ,and operated on, by our dermatologist the very next day.

In New Zealand; Beauty Therapists and Hairdressers can play a vital role in the battle against skin cancer by alerting clients to spots or nodules on their scalps. Men with thinning hair are the key risk group for potentially life threatening scalp melanomas.

But people with a full head of tresses can get them from sun exposure around the part line, while those with fine hair lack sun protection in larger areas of the scalp.

A recent study showed that a small number of Australian patients with scalp melanomas had been alerted by their hairdressers. If your hairdresser does notice something unusual on your scalp, make sure you get it checked by your doctor. The study found that five per cent of 237 patients were initially alerted to their melanoma by their hairdressers.

Enjoy this story from ; Jenny Noble of the Hunter Melanoma Foundation. She wrote ;

“A grant enabled The Hunter Melanoma Foundation to purchase the new state of the art digital OBSERV DEVICE.

Year 9 Pit Stop – Observ’s first outing

The camera debuted at Year 9 Pit Stop at Singleton High in early August and I was unsure what to expect when I decided to take the diagnostic device. But everyone from pupils, teachers and me was taken by surprise to see the extent of early signs of sun damage on a number of the students. The camera was very popular and unfortunately, I couldn’t take every student’s photo but including one of the male teachers in the photos provided a very good comparison to the 14 year olds. Due to a history of skin cancer in his family, when he was growing up his mum always made sure he was well covered in sunscreen – and you could tell!

It was surprising to see the amount of freckling and early sun damage that some of the young people had, particularly taking into account that they would have started school with the Australian Sun Smart program and the “no hat no play” primary school policy. It was certainly an effective way to impress upon them the need to wear sunscreen on a daily basis in our climate and it seems we are on the right track according to a recent research study undertaken by the University of Surrey .

Old Boys Uni v Wanderers game – Observ’s second outing

It wasn’t surprising to see a fair bit of sun damage in this older group of males – many who would have spent their youth on Australian beaches – but what did surprise me was the number of men who were doing something about it. Many were seeing their dermatologist or skin specialist on a regular basis for skin checks, a few had undergone Efudex treatments on sun damaged faces and it was really pleasing to hear that most of them were now vigilant about wearing sunscreen and hats. There was a lot of interest in the Observ and one of the medical lecturers was so impressed he asked for his photos to be emailed for use in his lectures.”

To “Save Face” we must be focusing every day of the year on our skin analysis in salon.

WHY? You may ask so let us pause and research the MC 1 R gene ;

The MC1R gene provides instructions for making a protein called the melanocortin 1 receptor. This receptor plays an important role in normal pigmentation. The receptor is primarily located on the surface of melanocytes, which are specialised cells that produce a pigment called melanin. Melanin is the substance that gives skin, hair, and eyes their colour.

Melanocytes make two forms of melanin, eumelanin and pheomelanin. The amounts of these two pigments help determine the colour of a person’s hair and skin. People who produce mostly eumelanin tend to have brown or black hair and dark skin that tans easily. Eumelanin also protects skin from damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight. People who produce mostly pheomelanin tend to have red or strawberry blonde hair, freckles, and light-coloured skin that does not tan. Because pheomelanin does not protect skin from UV radiation, people with more pheomelanin have an increased risk of skin damage caused by sun exposure.

The melanocortin 1 receptor controls which type of melanin is produced by melanocytes. When the receptor is activated, it triggers a series of chemical reactions inside melanocytes that stimulate these cells to make eumelanin. If the receptor is not activated or is blocked, melanocytes make pheomelanin instead of eumelanin.

Certain genetic variations are most common in people with red hair, fair skin, freckles, and an increased sensitivity to sun exposure. These MC1R variations or polymorphisms reduce the ability of the melanocortin 1 receptor to stimulate eumelanin production, causing melanocytes to make mostly pheomelanin.

Beauty therapists have a duty, an obligation to their clients to explain the incidence and relevance of the MC1R gene in the clients genetic history .Please ask every client –Do you have a Celtic background ?you are asking ; Do you have an English ,Irish ,Scottish or Welsh connections in your family history?

The client that says “Yes” is your “Red Flag” client. This client will not respond favourably to any Heat For Example ; Laser , IPL , Lip waxing , any waxing , bleaching ,electrolysis, full head scalp bleaches with their hairdresser , rigourous exfoliation , microdermabrasion , setting masks, hot facial towels from the Hot Cabinet, steam treatment , hot body wraps , nor the sun !

Do ensure you are asking this of your entire waxing, laser, IPL clients, electrolysis ,facial clients and those that attend your hairdressing colour section of your salon. Any process or in-salon treatment that creates or requires heat is a target. Have protocols in place to explain skin reactions and healing processes as well as a comprehensive take home skin care regime. Our ‘Red Flag ‘clients need take home notes and advice on their post treatment care. Professionally you are bound to provide these notes and to record that you have given them to your client with the accompanying explanation. If you are a large organisation you could have an intranet service for your clients or place them on you website for ease of review.

You will then place a follow up call or text to your client two days later.

You can see how very important it is to complete your skin consultation and identify these fair skinned young people in your salons and inform them that they are genetically the “most at risk group for malignant melanoma”, a type of cancer most attributable to UV. However, they often don’t realise the extent of the risk so please explain the eumelanin and pheomelanin physiology to them.

Thereafter discuss the “Red Flag” concept that explains their very poor relationship with UV in the Sun. Your major question is then; what sunblock are you using every day of the year?

Advise your client to focus particularly on those zones that are constantly exposed to sunlight UV rays.

By insisting on the use of a physical sunblock every day of their lives thereafter, and checking their face regularly under your OBSERV Skin Analysis device you will become part of their team assisting them in ; “Saving Face”.

Article from Margaret Walsh

www.observ.co.nz