ALL ABOUT SKIN ANALYSIS

HELLO BEAUTIES! 
WELCOME TO MY BLOG!

My name is Elizabeth Hofferden and I will be your Esthetician today. Let's sit and have a talk about skin analysis.

What is a Skin Analysis?

A skin analysis is a visual and physical assessment of the skin. It is a crucial step that needs to be done so your esthetician can create an individualized treatment plan for you which will focus on treating your skin concerns so you receive optimal results.

What Happens During a Skin Analysis?

During a skin analysis you can expect an esthetician to perform a cleanse or double cleanse of the skin which will strip away any sebum, pollution or debris from the skin. A cleanse is done so an esthetician can asses your skin in its natural state without any products. After the cleanse an esthetician will cover your eyes and use a magnifying lamp to visually assess your skin. Your esthetician will also touch and gently pinch your skin to assist with determining your skin type and skin condition(s).

What Are We Looking For?                               

                                                                           

Determining Skin Type

During a skin analysis we will be analyzing:

1. The amount of sebum your skin produces. Your sebum production can be classified as:  

• Very alipidic - your skin produces very little too little oil, and your t-zone is limited to the nose area. 
• Alipidic – your skin produces a little amount of oil, and your oil zone includes the nose to the inside corner of the eyes. 
• Normal – your skin produces a regular amount of oil, and your oil zone is on the nose, inner cheeks and most of the chin.
• Oily – your skin has an overproduction of oil which can normally be felt, and your oil zone includes the nose, cheek area, around the mouth, and on the chin.  
• Very oily/Seborrheic – your skin produces and excessive amount of oil which can be felt and is very visible. Your oil zone would cover the entire surface of the face.  

2. Your ostium (pores) size to identify whether they are:  

• Severe – your pores are very visible and covers the whole surface of the face. 
• Defined – your pores are quite visible and normally covers the nose, cheeks and chin.  
• Medium – your pores are apparent and is normally on the forehead, nose and chin (t-zone). 
• Fine/Very fine – your pores are slightly apparent or invisible and covers the entire surface of the face.  

3. The thickness of your skin, this step is done by gently pinching the skin between the thumb and index finger. This will assess whether your skin is:  

• Thin to thinnish – very little too little skin is felt. 
• Average/medium – an average amount of skin is felt.
• Thick – a large amount of skin is felt.  

4. The texture of your skin, this is done by gently touching the skin. It will determine whether your skin is:  

• Smooth – there is no resistance felt. 
• Slightly smooth – there is minimal resistance felt. 
• Rough – resistance is felt and can be caused by dehydration, comedones (blackheads/whiteheads), milia, seborrhea (red, itchy rash), and/or acne.  
• Granular/Bumpy – resistance is felt and very visible, this can be caused by various skin conditions.  

5. How hydrated your skin is and it can vary from:  

• Superficial dehydration - skin lacks water and suppleness, its often sensitive, brittle and itchy. 
• Normal hydration – skin is hydrated (full) without signs of sagging. 
• Deep dehydration – skin severely lacks water and tone, there are pronounced wrinkles and flabbiness/sagging.    

 

6. The tone and elasticity of the skin, it can be classified as a mild, medium, or severe degree of:  

• Normal/Firm – your skin has good elasticity and has good volume/muscle tone. 
• Atony – your skin has definite looseness and a loss of volume/muscle tone.

Your sebum production levels, ostium size, thickness, texture, hydration, and tone are analyzed to determine whether you have a dry, normal, oily, combination or sensitive skin type.

Determining Skin Conditions

Common skin conditions that may be found are:

• Skin Tags - a small. flesh coloured extension of the skin.
• Sebaceous Hyperplasia - a raised donut shaped bump.
• Keratosis Pilaris - a red, bumpy, itchy spot on cheeks or upper arms that can feel rough like sandpaper.
• Seborrhea Dermatitis - an inflamed, red, and flaky rash (common form of eczema).
• Shingles - group of blisters that form a rash.
• Cellulitis - large area of red or swollen skin that is hot to the touch.
• Folliculitis - inflammation/irritation of a follicle.
• Dychromas - abnormal discolouration of the skin (hypopigmentation/hyperpigmentation).
• Atopic Dermatitis - red itchy skin.
• Eczema - red, itchy, thickened or flaky skin.
• Psoriasis - red, thickened, scaly patches with silvery/white rough skin.
• Pityriasis Rosea - round or oval red patches with a flesh coloured centre, normally accompanied with a sore throat.

Please remember to visit a doctor or dermatologist to receive any antibiotics or medication to treat your skin condition BEFORE booking an appointment with an esthetician.

Contagious skin diseases that may be found are:

• Warts - flesh coloured growth with a scaly looking top.
• Molluscum Contagiosum- clusters of small, flesh coloured papules.
• Herpes Simplex Virus - cold sores or small cluster of blisters.
• Impetigo - small blisters that develop into weeping, crusty lesions.

Contagious fungal infections that may be found are:

• Tinea Pedis -itching, flaking, pink rash normally found between the toes or in moist area of the skin (athlete's foot).
• Tinea Corporis - itchy, ringed, red pattern with elevated edges that resembles a worm under the skin.
• Tinea Versicolor - yeast infection, white splotches of hypopigmentation.
• Bacterial Conjunctivitis - red/pink eyes with crusty or yellow discharge (pinkeye).

IMPORTANT: IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED CONTAGIOUS SKIN DISEASES OR INFECTIONS PLEASE DO NOT BOOK AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR ESTHETICIAN, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PERFORM ANY SERVICES ON YOU UNTIL THE DISEASE OR INFECTION IS TREATED BY A PHYSICIAN!

Why is a Skin Analysis Done?

A skin analaysis is done to determine your skin type, skin condition(s), and to find out where you fall on the fitzpatrick scale. The Fitzpatrick scale is a scale estheticians use to categorize your skin from type 1 to type 6 which helps us determine how sensitive your skin is to UV light, how well your skin can tolerate treatments, and it will also tell us how likely your skin is to end up scarring (hyper/hypopigmentation). With this knowledge your esthetician is able to formulate the best treatment plan for you.

We've reached the end beauties! I hope I was able to answer all of your questions about skin analysis. Next time you go to get a facial, you'll know exactly why your esthetician is performing a skin analysis before treating you and I hope you new understand the importance of this step.

SEE YOU IN THE NEXT ONE!