RhEAL Talks Blog

All About Photosensitizing Medications

6/9/2023

What are photosensitizing medications?

Numerous medications and supplements contain components that can induce photosensitivity, a condition characterized by heightened sensitivity to light due to chemical changes in the skin.

When an individual becomes photosensitized, even moderate or brief exposure to sunlight/laser treatments can lead to the development of skin reactions such as rashes, sunburn, or other undesirable effects.

Besides an increased risk of sunburn, exposure to natural ultraviolet light (sunlight) or artificial UV light (laser/IPL and tanning booths) while taking specific medications may cause the following issues:

Skin cancer
Premature aging of the skin
Burns on the skin and eyes
Allergic reactions
Cataracts (clouding in the eyes)
Weakened immune system
Damage to blood vessels

The list below includes medications that may make your skin more sensitive to the sun and laser/IPL treatments:

Acne Meds

Isotretinoin (Accutane)
Tretinoin (Retin-A)

Antidepressants

Amitriptyline
Doxepin
Trazadone
Fluoxetine
Sertraline

Antipsychotics

Chlorpromazine
Haloperidol
Prochlorperazine
Promethazine
Quetiapine

Hypoglycemics

Chlorpropamide
Glipizide
Tolazamide
Tolbutamide

NSAIDS

Diclofenac
Indomethacin
Naproxen
Ibuprofen

Antiepileptics, Sedatives, Muscle Relaxants

Cyclobenzaprine
Diazepam
Phenobarbitol
Phenytoin

Antihistamines

Diphenhydramine
Loratadine
Cetirizine

Cardiovascular

Amiodarone
Atenolol
Captopril
Diltiazem
Nifedipine
Propranolol
Verapamil

Miscellaneous

Benzocaine
Oral contraceptive
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Lovastatin
St John's Wort

Antihypertensives

Captopril
Dilitiazem
Methyldopa
Minoxidil
Nifedipine

Antimicrobials

Ciprofloxacin
Dapsone
Doxycycline
Ketoconazole
Ofloxacin
Oxytetracycline
Sulfa drugs (Bactrim, Septra, Tetracycline)

Diuretics

Furosemide
Hydrochlorothiazide

Essential Oils

Bergmaot
Lime
Lemon
Orange
Lavender
Rosemary
Sandalwood

It's important to note that this is not an exhaustive list, and there may be other medications with photosensitizing potential.

Additionally, individual reactions can vary. Please refer to your primary care physician or clinician for specific questions/concerns regarding topical and oral medication.

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Post-Facial Care

10/24/2020

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Post-Facial Care Instructions + Pro-Tips

Author

Rhea Brown, RN-BSN CEO
Medical Esthetician, License Electrologist/Laser Technician

We strongly recommend adhering to the following instructions and tips in your after-care phase to maximize results, minimize scarring and prevent new acne from forming.

AVOID:

Sun exposure for 7 days
Touching your skin period, but if you must touch please use clean hands
Disturbing scabs that may form, picking may worsen scarring
Wearing make-up for a MINIMUM of 72 hours
Skipping your morning and evening facial routine
Exfoliating until AFTER 4 more days; wait 5+ days for sensitive skin
Wearing soiled face masks. Do not exceed 12 hours in the same face mask.

Morning Routine for first 7 Days

Rinse your face generously with the coldest water you can tolerate. This acts as a gentle, neutral pre-cleanse to remove product, dirt and debris from the skin surface.
Brush your teeth BEFORE starting your skin routine. Toothpaste is caustic to the skin and can induce stripping, dryness and sensitivity in conjunction with active ingredients found in skincare.
Cleanse with a quarter-sized amount of recommended face cleanser with your silicone face scrubber. Add a few drops of warm water to help move product around and open pores while cleansing face in circular motions for a minimum of 60 seconds
Mask: Apply quarter-sized amount of face mask to bare skin with clean hands or applicator. Allow to absorb completely (5-10 mins)
Cleanse: with a quarter-sized amount of recommended face cleanser with your silicone face scrubber. Add a few drops of warm water to help move product around and open pores while cleansing face in circular motions for a minimum of 60 seconds
Do not exfoliate at all
Tone: Apply toner with a clean cotton swab/round. Four sprays should suffice, but for toners with additives like glycolic acid, lactic acid or salicylic acid, 2 sprays may be better tolerated. Use ball/round to wipe product across the forehead, hairline, bridge of the nose, cheeks, jaw, chin and neck. Allow toner to air dry completely before applying next product
Serum: Apply 1 drop of our Immortal Blossom Stem Cell Serum to face, massaging well for 60-90 seconds or until fully absorbed
Moisturizer: Apply 1-2 pumps of moisturizer to face and neck in circular motions. Massage well for a full 25-30 seconds
Apply desired sunscreen (SPF minimum we recommend is 30)

Night Routine for first 7 Nights

Mask: Apply a generous amount of cold cream to entire face (including neck) with mask applicator to remove dirt and makeup. We recommend applying this product cold to further reduce swelling/redness and scars
Cleanse: with a quarter-sized amount of recommended face cleanser with your silicone face scrubber. Add a few drops of warm water to help move product around and open pores while cleansing face in circular motions for a minimum of 60 seconds
Do not exfoliate at all
Tone: Apply toner with a clean cotton swab/round. Four sprays should suffice, but for toners with additives like glycolic acid, lactic acid or salicylic acid, 2 sprays may be better tolerated. Use ball/round to wipe product across the forehead, hairline, bridge of the nose, cheeks, jaw, chin and neck. Allow toner to air dry completely before applying next product
Serum: Apply 1 drop of our Immortal Blossom Stem Cell Serum to face, massaging well for 60-90 seconds or until fully absorbed
Moisturizer: Apply 1-2 pumps of moisturizer to face and neck in circular motions. Massage well for a full 25-30 seconds
Apply Rose Mask heavily to face and allow to absorb completely. For best results, leave mask on overnight.

Pro-Tip: For sensitive skin types, apply the rose mask and/or cold cream while cold (products are safe to move in and out of the fridge). Apply heavily after cleansing to further minimize pores and decrease swelling/redness.

Day/Night Routine 1 week after facial:
Same as aforementioned steps except now you CAN exfoliate at Step 3

Step 3: Exfoliate with a Scrub by scooping a quarter and a half-sized amount of face scrub onto your face scrubber or fingers and exfoliate gently in circular motions, take care to avoid the eyes. Rinse your face thoroughly with cold water to reduce irritation and close pores. Gently pat face dry with a clean washcloth/face towel before using toner, serum, moisturizer and sun screen.

Step 3: Exfoliate with Blackhead Poison (recommended for sensitive/dry skin): Wet the top of your Blackhead Poison applicator with warm water for several seconds before scrubbing in wide, circular motions, focusing on the chin, forehead, mid-brow and cheeks. Rinse your face thoroughly with cold water to reduce irritation and close pores. Gently pat face dry with a clean washcloth/face towel before using toner, serum, moisturizer and sun screen.

Pro-Tip: We do not recommend dual-exfoliation for sensitive skin. Simply choose one exfoliant or another each time instead of both. Rinsing and follow up instructions are the same for singular and dual exfoliation. Do not exfoliate more than 3-4 times weekly for sensitive skin.

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The "Layering Method" in RhEAL Skincare

4/12/2020

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The Layering Method

Author

Rhea Brown, CEO

Definition: the strategic application of RhEAL Cosmetics (RC) products to maximize absorption and cumulative benefits.

Ideal for: mature, dry, oily, acne-prone, scarred and combination skin types.
We recommend using the layering method EVERY time you perform your skincare routine, however a minimum of 4x weekly is also effective.

How to Layer

Mask (Step 1)
Instructions: Apply two quarter-sized amounts of mask to your face with mask applicator. Layer the mask more heavily in problem areas (i.e. scars, acne, dry patches). Allow mask to absorb completely (most masks will dry clear).

Why Mask First? We mask first to nourish the skin without stripping and/or over-drying it before cleansing. Our masks are packed with dozens of skinfoods which create a more favorable environment for cleansing/exfoliating by pre-hydrating the skin.

What do masks do? Our masks hydrate, nourish, and protect your skin while bringing debris, blackheads and whiteheads to the skin surface to make them easier to extract/exfoliate away, They help active ingredients to penetrate into the deeper layers of your skin because they contain 100% active ingredients,

Cleanse (Step 2)
Instructions: Squeeze a quarter-sized amount of cleanser onto your face scrubber, and with a few drops of warm water, cleanse your face in circular motions for a minimum of 60 seconds.

Why mask and cleanse at the same time? Combining a cleanser with your dried mask deeply cleans your pores and increases circulation/absorption of active ingredients while the flexible silicone bristles of the scrubber gently exfoliates, Focus on cleansing problem areas especially. You may wet the bristles of your face scrubber periodically using warm water to help move the products around and keep the pores open during cleansing. (Recommended: Allow the cleanser + mask combo to stay on your face while you gently steam for 2 minutes over hot water. You may use a towel for better insulation).

Exfoliate (Step 3)
Instructions: Twist and wet the top of your Blackhead Poison applicator with warm water for several seconds before scrubbing in wide, circular motions, focusing on the chin, forehead, mid-brow and cheeks. Now scoop a quarter and a half-sized amount of our Organic Lavender Scrub or Sea Moss Microfoliant (better exfoliative option for sensitive skin) onto your face scrubber or fingers and exfoliate gently in circular motions, Take care to avoid the eyes. Rinse your face thoroughly with cold water to remove the mask + cleanser + dual-scrub combo. Using cold water helps to reduce irritation and closes the pores. Gently pat your face dry with a clean washcloth/face towel

*We do not recommend dual-exfoliation for sensitive skin. Simply choose one exfoliant or another each time, depending on needs of the skin, instead of both. Rinsing and follow up instructions are the same for singular and dual exfoliation.

Is redness/irritation normal after exfoliating? Experiencing mild redness/irritation is not unusual during and after exfoliation and over time, this reaction subsides more quickly as your skin acclimates to consistent exfoliation. (Excessive redness, especially with sensitive skin, is easily alleviated with the use of our anti-aging cold cream. Place the jar in the freezer/fridge for about 25 minutes before use to chill the product, then apply to areas of redness to soothe.

Tone (Step 4)
Instructions: Spritz toner onto a clean cotton ball/round, especially for toners with cosmetic grade additives added like glycolic or lactic acid. Use ball/round to wipe product across the forehead, hairline, bridge of the nose, cheeks, jaw, chin and neck. Allow toner to air dry completely.

Why tone after cleansing and exfoliating? Toners contain astringents which function to minimize pore size and allow water-soluble vitamins, extracts and nutrients to permeate the skin membrane after cleansing. It helps to remove any residual oil/debris left after cleansing.

Moisturize (Steps 5-7)
Moisturizer
Instructions: Apply 1-2 pumps of desired moisturizer to face and neck in circular motions. Massage well into skin for a full 25-30 seconds. Wait about 1 minute for moisturizer to settle into skin and absorb completely.

How do I know which moisturizer is for me?

Dry/Sensitive/Mature Skin: Velvet Moisturizer
Oily Skin: Oil Control Moisturizer
Combination Skin: Combination Moisturizer

Serum
Instructions: Now Apply 1 drop of our Immortal Blossom Stem Cell Serum to face, massaging well for 60-90 seconds or until fully absorbed. If you appear oily, it is possible you used too much product; simply blot away any excess with a clean washcloth/face towel or paper towel.

Eye Cream
Instructions: Finally, apply a pea-sized amount of eye cream to pinky fingers, rubbing them together before gently tapping the product into the under eye area.

You avoid stretching the delicate skin under your eyes by tapping.

Super Masking: applying thicker layers of multiple masks for synergy and specificity.

We recommend super masking with the Cafe au Lait mask under and above the eyes + your favorite mask(s) on your face.
Perfect for combination skin types; apply the Moringa Mint masks to acne-prone/oily areas and our Rose Mask to drier areas like the nose and cheeks.

Mask Recommendations by skin type:

Dry/Sensitive/Mature: Rose Hibiscus, Cafe au Lait
Oily/Acne Prone: Moringa Mint, Aqua di Coco, Chocolat

Cleansing involves using a solid or liquid soap to break down excess oil and dirt. Cleansing also prevents acne causing bacteria from clogging your pores.

Cleanser Recommendations by skin type:

Dry/Sensitive/Mature or Combo: Rose au Lait and Matcha Tea
Oily/Acne Prone or Combo: Vitamin C Cleanser, African Black Soap, Matcha Tea Cleanser
Custom cleansers unless otherwise indicated by Rhea

Exfoliation is an imperative part of all skincare regimens. It involves the removal of the dead skin cells on the outermost layer of your skin.

Mechanical exfoliation: scrubs, manual/electric brushes and/or anything physically abrasive enough to grind away dead skin cells
Chemical exfoliation: dissolution/sloughing of dead cells through acids (i.e. glycolic, lactic, salicylic)
How Often? We recommend moderately exfoliating the face and body daily.

Scrub Recommendations by skin type:

Dry/Sensitive/Mature or Combo: Sea Moss Microfoliant
Oily/Acne Prone or Combo: Organic Lavender Face Scrub, Blackhead Poison Solid Scrub
Custom scrubs, unless otherwise indicated by Rhea

Our Botanical Toner removes left over oil and makeup that you may have missed during cleansing. We add botanicals which also aid in soothing, nourishing and hydrating the skin and amend the pH after cleansing.

Essential oils we recommend by skin type:

Dry/Sensitive: Lavender, Geranium, Frankincense, Ylang ylang, Rose Absolute,
Oily/Acne Prone or Combo: Tea Tree, Eucalyptus Lemon, Peppermint, Nialou

It is highly recommended, but not always necessary, for everyone to use both moisturizer and serum.

Moisturizers are oil-in-water based emulsions which allow both water and oil soluble ingredients to absorb into different layers of the skin and seal moisture in.
Serums are usually gel or oil based and tend to penetrate deeper for long-lasting hydration and also carry high quality ingredients like hyaluronic acid, vitamins and antioxidants into the skin membrane.
Eye creams are concentrated creams usually packed with caffeine, vitamins and antioxidants to tighten and lighten the under eye area.

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RhEAL Talks Spotlight

All About Photosensitizing Medications

The list below includes medications that may make your skin more sensitive to the sun and laser/IPL treatments:

Post-Facial Care

Post-Facial Care Instructions + Pro-Tips

Author

The "Layering Method" in RhEAL Skincare

The Layering Method

Author

How to Layer

Author: Rhea Brown
RN III, Chief Executive Officer
Medical Esthetician Electrologist/Laser Technician

Archives

Categories

Company

Support

RhEAL Talks Spotlight

All About Photosensitizing Medications

The list below includes medications that may make your skin more sensitive to the sun and laser/IPL treatments:

Post-Facial Care

Post-Facial Care Instructions + Pro-Tips

Author

The "Layering Method" in RhEAL Skincare

The Layering Method

Author

How to Layer

Author: Rhea BrownRN III, Chief Executive OfficerMedical Esthetician Electrologist/Laser Technician

Archives

Categories

Company

Support

Author: Rhea Brown
RN III, Chief Executive Officer
Medical Esthetician Electrologist/Laser Technician