Milia

Milia are small, 1-2mm pearly white sub epidermal keratin filled cysts on the skin. They are most commonly found on the skin around the cheeks, nose, eyes, eyelids, forehead and chest. Milia are very common in newborn babies but can affect people of any age. 

What are the types of Milia and what causes them?

There are several different types of Milia. They occur when the skins ability to naturally shed and exfoliate is impaired. 

• Neonatal Milia. These are Milia that are seen in young babies soon after they are born. They are very common and are usually found around the nose area but may also occur on the scalp, cheeks, upper body and inside the mouth. They are thought to arise from sweat glands that aren't fully developed or mature. Around half of all babies develop Neonatal Milia. In fact, because they are so common, they are actually considered as normal in newborn babies.
• Primary Milia. These are Milia that can occur in both children and adults.
• Secondary Milia. These are Milia that develop in an area of skin, anywhere on the body, that has previously been damaged or injured. For example, after a burn or a blistering rash. The Milia develop as the skin heals and it is thought that damage to the sweat glands may be an underlying cause. Secondary Milia also sometimes develop after certain skin creams have been used - for example, corticosteroid skin creams.
• Milia en plaque. Milia of this type are extremely rare. The Milia develop on an inflamed, raised patch of skin known as a plaque which may be several centimetres across. The cause for Milia en plaque is not fully understood. It usually occurs behind the ears, on an eyelid, or on the cheeks or jaw area. This type of Milia tends to particularly affect middle-aged women.
• Multiple eruptive milia. The Milia appear in crops, or patches of Milia that develop over a period of weeks or months. The crops usually appear on the face, the upper arms and the upper trunk. Milia of this type are also extremely rare.

Treatment for Milia

Milia are harmless. In babies, they clear up after a few weeks however, in some adults, Milia can persist for months or sometimes longer. Secondary Milia are sometimes permanent. Because they normally clear by themselves, Milia do not usually need any treatment. Some people find milia unsightly and so opt for treatment. Milia may be removed using a fine needle and then squeezing, or pricking, out the contents. No anaesthetic is needed. It is not recommended to squeeze or try to treat Milia yourself. This can lead to skin damage and scarring or infection.

If Milia become very widespread and persistent, various other treatments may be suggested, usually by a skin specialist. They include:

• Cryotherapy: a type of treatment that freezes skin lesions. Where a patch of skin has changed in appearance, it is known as a skin lesion.
• Laser treatment.
• Dermabrasion: a procedure that removes the topmost layers of the affected skin.
• Chemical peeling: a treatment where a chemical is applied to the face to burn off skin lesions.
• Advanced Electrolysis: a treatment that pierces the Milia with a needle & uses an electric current to break up the Milia. 

In the rare type of milia called milia en plaque, certain creams such as isotretinoin or tretinoin are sometimes suggested as treatment, or the antibiotic tablet, minocycline.

Contact the Claudia McGloin Clinic on 0719140728 for more information. 

Join me at Professional Beauty Ireland

Join me on the Live Stage at Professional Beauty Ireland where I will be discussing Skin Peels and introducing Advanced Facials to your treatment menu! 

Find out more and see the full line-up at www.professionalbeauty.ie/livestages 

#professionalbeautyireland #claudiamcgloin #skinexpert #sligo

Interview for Up and Running on Ocean FM

Claudia McGloin was recently interviewed by Claire Ronan for Up and Running on Ocean FM. 

The interview can be heard by clicking on the link below:

https://www.oceanfm.ie/2017/07/15/up-and-running-with-claire-ronan-23/

What is Keratosis Pilaris?

Keratosis pilaris is a common condition where the skin is rough and bumpy. It looks as if the skin is covered in permanent goose pimples.

Keratosis pilaris most commonly affects the back of the upper arms, and sometimes the buttocks and the front of the thighs. Less often, the forearms and upper back may be affected.

How it affects the skin

The patches of affected skin will be covered in tiny spiky bumps, which may be white, red or skin-coloured. This spotting looks like "chicken skin" and the skin feels rough, like sandpaper.

In some people, the skin itches and there may be inflammation and pinkness around the bumps. The skin tends to improve in summer and get worse during winter months or dry conditions.

Who's affected

Keratosis pilaris is very common, affecting up to one in three people. It can affect people of all ages but typically starts during childhood, although it can sometimes occur in babies, and gets worse in adolescence, around puberty. 

Keratosis pilaris sometimes improves after puberty, and may even disappear in adulthood, although many adults still have the condition in their 40s and 50s.

What causes keratosis pilaris?

Keratosis pilaris is hereditary and occurs when too much keratin builds up in the skin's hair follicles. Keratin is a protein found in the tough outer layer of skin, which causes the surface of the skin to thicken, hence the name "keratosis".

The excess keratin blocks the hair follicles with plugs of hard, rough skin. The tiny plugs widen the pores, giving the skin a spotty appearance. It's often associated with other dry skin conditions, such as eczema. 

Treating keratosis pilaris

There's little that can be done to treat keratosis pilaris, and it often gets better on its own without treatment. However, if it's bothering you, the following measures may help improve your rash:

• use cleansers rather than soap – ordinary soap may dry your skin out and make the condition worse
• moisturise your skin when it's dry – creams containing salicylic acid, lactic acid or urea are thought to be the most effective
• gently rub the skin with an exfoliating foam pad or pumice stone to exfoliate the rough skin – be careful not to scrub too hard and rub off layers of skin
• take lukewarm showers rather than hot baths
  

You can also seek advice from a medical Skin specialist about treatments available such as:

• creams containing retinol, which is derived from vitamin A
• chemical peels
• microdermabrasion 
  

For more information contact the Claudia McGloin Clinic on 0719140728. 

Skin Tags

Skin tags are soft, small skin-coloured benign growths on the skin that develop in both men and women.

Skin tags, medically known as acrochordons, are usually a few millimetres in size but some can grow as big as 5cm.

They are commonly found on the neck, under the arms, around the groin or under the breasts. They can also grow on the eyelids or under the folds of the buttocks. 

Why skin tags occur? 

Anyone can develop skin tags and some people are prone to developing them for no apparent reason. It is thought that skin tags grow where skin rubs against skin or clothing. 

Skin tags are harmless and don't usually cause pain or discomfort but people may consider having skin tags removed if they're affecting their self-esteem, or if they catch on clothing or jewellery and bleed. 

Skin tags can fall off on their own if the tissue has twisted and has died from a lack of blood supply but it is not recommended to try to remove these yourself!

Skin tag or wart?

Skin tags can resemble a wart. Here's how to tell if you've a skin tag. 

Compared to warts, skin tags are:

• smooth and soft (warts tend to be rougher with an irregular surface) 
• knobbly and hang off the skin (warts are usually slightly raised or flat) 
• not contagious (warts spread very easily, so a sudden outbreak or cluster of growths is more likely to be warts)

Removing skin tags

If you have a skin tag that's causing problems, speak with a skin specialist. 

Skin tags can easily be burnt or frozen off in a similar way to how warts are removed. They can also be surgically removed and removed using diathermy. 

For more details on Skin Tags and removal contact the Claudia McGloin Clinic. 

Facial Aesthetic Conference and Exhibition

Last week we were in London for the annual Facial Aesthetic Conference and Exhibition (FACE). We were with Aesthetic Source on Stand for the launch of Clinisept - a game changer for the Aesthetic industry. 

 

We had an absolutely amazing couple of days on the stand and we met some lovely medical professionals from around the world. 

We also had a fantastic time at the annual FACE Social 2017 with our colleagues and friends. 

 

Until next year...FACE 2017 you were amazing 😘😘😘

Sugar ages the skin!

Happy Easter 🐣 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news while you're all tucking into your chocolate BUT...

Eating too much sugar over time ages the skin, making it dull and more prone to wrinkles. This is due to a process called glycation. 

Eat chocolate in moderation & cut out sugars where you can e.g. In teas/coffees and on breakfast cereals. 

#skinsecrets #antiaging #wrinkles