I know we have all seen the infomercials about the “latest and greatest product”, especially in the world of skincare. It is so tempting to grab your credit card and order it; especially when they offer free shipping, LOL. But seriously you have to do your research to see if your skin is a good candidate for the product.
Those of us with a higher Fitzpatrick number have to be especially careful. Disclaimer: everyone should be careful when using at-home/DIY products for skincare. There are hundreds of horror stories out there; don’t become a statistic.
So with that being said, let’s take a look at some of the more popular devices on the market that the masses are buying and trying.
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Contribution by Kurnita Wallace
Kurnita was literally born into the beauty industry. Her mother and grandmother were both cosmetologists. From a young age, she was obsessed with skincare. She wanted to find a way to make people feel on the outside what they were feeling on the inside; which was beautiful. This led her on the path to becoming an Esthetics Educator and later on a Laser Hair Reduction Specialist.
Kurnita’s beauty and wellness career spans 18 years. This includes being featured in publications such as Voyage Phoenix and American Spa. She was a featured panelist on a mental health forum sponsored by CVS Pharmacy.
Kurnita is a wife to Darryl, a mother to Diara and Austin, YaYa (grandmother) to Maddox and Marley, and a Selfcare Coach to everyone.
MYSKINBUDDY
MYSKINBUDDY uses ultrasonic vibration along with your favorite face wash to help break up follicular deposits of oil, dirt, and skin cells. This type of ultrasonic frequency exfoliates your skin without the redness and irritation from microdermabrasion or chemical peels. It also stimulates the skin to produce collagen and elastin which in turn helps to tighten and firm your skin.
This is good for POC because we tend to produce more oil thus putting us at a higher risk for acne, blackheads, and larger pore size.
It is good for daily use, just don’t get too aggressive with it. Used properly it will give you a healthy glow. I would recommend using it with a gentle face wash, nothing that has active ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, etc.
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CELLUMA POD
The mini handheld Celluma Pod device emits blue, red, and near-infrared wavelengths to treat a variety of skin and pain conditions.
This little device is safe for POC. It will help tighten and firm the skin on most areas of the body and by switching to a different wavelength can also reduce pain in certain areas of the body. It can relieve sore muscles and joints.
To reap the benefits you should use it daily for 20-30 minutes.
ZAQ RF TOOL
The RF Tool dynamo is a 7 in 1 tool that can fade dark spots, improve lymph metabolism, smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin texture, stimulate collagen, and reduce inflammation.
A lot of POC deal with most of these issues all at once. So these would be a great weapon in our arsenal to slow down the hands of time and repair some past damage.
THE BODEX
The BodEx is used to exfoliate below the neck; think mild microdermabrasion for your body. It is great for the arms (keratosis pilaris), back (bacne), and feet. These are all areas that POC frequently have issues with and don’t know how to properly treat them or didn’t know that there was a treatment for them. Again, I caution not to get too aggressive with this device. It should only be used 1-2 times a month. Remember to use a moisturizer or serum after use and a SPF for areas that will be exposed to the sun.
PICO TONER
This little ditty is a doozy. LOL. I would recommend this to my POC who aren’t afraid to try new things. Because let’s face it, POC are very apprehensive about trying new things for our skin. That’s because we have encountered practitioners who want to treat our skin the same way they do lower Fitzpatrick types. We are not the same. We are more sensitive.
So the PICO Toner sends microcurrents through gloves infused with silver to firm and tighten the skin. It can be used on most body parts. This, like most firming and toning devices, require a great deal of commitment. It will require 30 minutes a day to reap the benefits.
SKIN WAND PRO
This is a micro channeling device that is similar to microneedling but less invasive and less downtime. It makes tiny channels in the skin that triggers the body to produce collagen to begin to repair the injury. This is important because if you have acne scarring or pitting of the skin, fine lines, and wrinkles this device will help “plump” the skin and fill in the deficiencies.
My only caution for POC is to combine it with tyrosinase inhibitors. POC can run the risk of hyperpigmentation of the skin. The fact that you are making microchannels in the skin, triggering collagen to repair, is that action could cause hyperpigmentation. You avoid this if you use tyrosinase inhibitors (a skin lightener) to “pre-treat” the skin to lessen the chance of hyperpigmentation. Some popular Tyrosinase inhibitors are Hydroquinone, Arbutin, Kojic Acid, and L-ascorbic Acid-Vitamin C.
Editor’s Note – Many of the popular professional micro-channeling devices are used safely on POC.
ZAQ SKIN SPATULA
This is another ultrasonic device that is used to clean the skin. With the ZAQ Spatula, people often get too aggressive, and can make the skin more sensitive. POC already have sensitive skin. These spatulas have been marketed to remove blackheads. Not really sure how because to unclog pores you need to “squeeze” out the oil and dirt and the spatula is flat and won’t allow you to properly remove the blackhead; in my opinion.
MY DERMATICIAN SKIN SCRUBBER
This unique skin cleansing and exfoliating brush uses 5 different speeds of vibration technology to help dislodge dirt, makeup, and debris.
Lower vibrations help alleviate tired and puffy skin as well as dark circles under the eyes. Medium frequency focuses on wrinkle reduction, firming, and brightening the skin. It is waterproof and anti-bacterial.
This is a safe bet for POC to use in their daily routine. The silicone bristles are soft and feel good on the skin.
The takeaway for at-home devices used by POC is to do your research. Do some comparison shopping for price points because your skin is an investment. Look at reviews from other POC. Make sure the product is safe for Fitzpatricks 4-6. Don’t get too aggressive when using any device. Watch how your skin reacts to the product. If you are red, swollen, or irritated then maybe lessen the frequency that you use the product. If you use it daily try only 2 times a week. And if the reaction is still the same then discontinue use and see a doctor.