Dr Johnson's Corner :: Understanding Rosacea

Dr Ben Johnson, MD

Rosacea is triggered by digestive disturbances (reflux, IBS, Candida excess, etc). You and your clients should know that rosacea worsens over time because the foods/beverages we ingest are usually inflammatory. This means that if we are not addressing the source of the problem, the skin will be harder to control every year. Dietary changes are a great start, but Digestive Health Harmonized H20, Anti-PathogenHarmonized H20 and/or Restore Internal are extremely beneficial for the internal conditions associated with rosacea. Topically we recommend Restore for the most severe cases but all cases need to add Calm into their routine at some point because it restores lost collagen and repairs scarring while calming the skin. The inside-out approach is critical for success with rosacea, and we want to ensure that you and your clients achieve the results they deserve!
 
 
Dr Ben Johnson, Rosacea
Share:

Ask Osmosis :: Are the brushes in your Colour collection sustainable and are any animals harmed?


 
 
 
We use the same manufacturer that makes top quality brushes for Laura Mercier, Trish McEvoy, Nars and many of the larger retail cosmetic companies. They are hand sewn and crimped. The handle is made out of wood and the brush ferrel is nickel. They use suppliers whose handles come from managed wood reforestation programs. 

 

 
 
Our brush manufacturer is a big supporter of the Free Arts NYC which provides under-served children and families with a unique combination of educational arts and mentoring programs. Our brush manufacturer is also environmentally sensitive and supports the fight against animal testing by supporting organizations such as Friends of the Asian Elephant who are dedicated to promoting the conservation, providing treatments, rehabilitation, and rescue for sick, injured and maltreated elephants. They are also working with Glenice Moore, an internationally known artist and author. Her instructional painting books are helping to raise money for the Dian Fossey Mountain Gorilla Fund.
 
 


Most of our brushes use goat or pony hair or a combination of both. Usually the mane or tail is shaved from the animals to acquire the hair quality. The animals are maintained with good nutritional diets to get better hair quality from them and no animal is ever killed for it. It would be an expensive process to acquire new animals all the time interfering with the sustainability of our brushes.


We also use some squirrel hair with the same integrity for the squirrels. The only synthetic brush in our line is the Eyeliner/Brow brush.
 
 
Brushes, Colour, FAQ
Share:

Testimonial Tuesday :: Lyme Disease


What an amazing story from one of our clients!

 

"Even though I took very good care of myself, ate well, took supplements and did seasonal detoxes, for years I struggled with my health. Finally, in 2005 I was diagnosed with chronic lyme disease. The protocol included; massive amounts of expensive antibiotics for months, probiotics, immune supports, IV's...the list goes on. I only got worse. I was forced to go on disability, and give up my esthetic practice. I had an appointment scheduled with an infectious disease specialist at UC Davis but it was months away. Dr. Johnson recommended that I take Restore Internal. Having tried everything else, I wasn't optimistic but realized I had nothing to lose. Three months later I had my appointment with the specialist and when he told me I didn't have lyme disease I told him the test was incorrect and argued with him. Of course I did, I still felt terrible. After thinking about it and knowing that the cells have a cellular memory, I thought that maybe the disease was gone but my cells still needed to heal. So, I continued with the Restore as directed. Within another 6 months I was symptom free. I am now back to work, doing what I love and am completely healthy. I am very grateful to Dr. Johnson and his team for creating these incredible products that work! I feel very blessed to have all of them in my corner.”  ~ Brenda
Restore, Success, Testimonial
Share:

The Scoop On Rosacea and Relief


by Corporate Educator, Jamie Palmer
April is National Rosacea Awareness Month so I thought I would take this opportunity to explore this very common skin condition with our readers. According to the National Rosacea Society, rosacea.org, over 16 million Americans suffer from rosacea, many without even knowing they have it.  It is most common in people age 30-50 and individuals with fair skin.  Those who tend to flush or blush easily are believed to be at greatest risk. Even though this disorder is more frequently diagnosed in women it can be more severe in men. The most common signs of rosacea include: flushing, persistent redness, bumps, pimples, and visible capillaries. Other less prevalent signs range anywhere from burning or stinging, dry skin, plaques, skin thickening, swelling, and eye irritation.


There are 4 types of rosacea (AAD):


 

erythematotelangiectatic rosacea which is flushing, persistent redness, and visible capillaries
 
papulopustular rosacea which has persistent facial redness with bumps or acne-like breakouts

 
phymatous rosacea described as skin thickening and enlargement bumpy texture

 

ocular rosacea affecting with symptoms of watering, bloodshot appearance, irritation, itching, gritty feeling, burning or stinging

 

 
While some people only experience flushing, rosacea can result in permanent changes in appearance for example, a bulbous nose called Rhinophyma. Symptoms can have such an effect on self esteem that 41 percent of rosacea sufferers reported it had caused them to avoid public contact or cancel social engagements (National Rosacea Society).

Common treatments include antibiotics, azelaic acid, isotretinoin, lasers, dermabrasion, and in severe cases electrocautery and surgery. Osmosis has had great results in treating rosacea with a more holistic approach instead of just treating the symptom on the surface. We calm inflammation both internally and in the skin.  When we increase the skin's ability to heal using ingredients that partner with the skin instead of having potentially harmful side effects, we see redness disappear, capillaries become less visible, thickening of a thinned dermis, and all over improvement in skin tone.

Doctors are still trying to determine the etiology of rosacea but according to the American Academy of Dermatology, there are some determining factors.  These include: genetics, since rosacea tends to run in families; an over active immune system; H pylori, since it is commonly found in rosacea sufferers but not all individuals with H pylori have rosacea; the demodex mite which lives on everyone's skin but is found in larger quantities in rosacea, and a protein called cathelicidin which normally protects the skin from infection but causes the inflammation seen in rosacea.

Though the medical community does not yet know the direct cause of rosacea they are starting to recognize intestinal influences.
 
Dr. Johnson has always held the belief that our digestive issues are a direct link to rosacea. We have seen amazing results in our rosacea sufferers just by taking Digestive Health Harmonized Water that is designed to help balance intestinal issues and calm inflammation along the digestive tract. The powerful anti-inflammatory property of Restore has also provided dramatic relief to rosacea sufferers both internally and topically. Though you can't diagnose rosacea in your clients, being able to recognize the signs and symptoms to provide them with products that can help to alleviate their discomfort will help to change their lives.
 
We recommend Digestive Health Harmonized Water and Restore Topical to anyone you suspect of having rosacea. This dynamic duo will calm their irritated skin from both the inside and out and start them on the path to recovery. (Please remember that Restore Topical is very drying to the skin so they will need an effective and healthy moisturizer like our award-winning Quench!) Once the inflammation starts to dissipate, slowly bring in Calm to start rebuilding the health of the skin while still effectively treating rosacea. As well as getting them on a home care regimen, start their recovery process with an anti-inflammatory facial specifically designed for the worst rosacea sufferers.
 
For more information, please visit our Professional Resource Center (login required).  In addition to many other resources, you will also find a new facial protocol designed to calm inflammation and start the healing process without overly stimulating the skin.
Education, Rosacea, Skincare
Share:

Ask Osmosis :: What are the Osmosis Colour Make Up Brushes made of?


 

Alejandro Falcon
Our Angled Blush and Oval Shadow brushes consist of Pony hair. They are little firmer to allow more even and smooth application of richly pigmented powder formulas.

 

The Contour Shadow brush is a combination of Squirrel and Pony hair. The squirrel hair quality adds softness to the brush especially when used on the delicate eye crease area.

 

The Eye liner/Brow brush is a Synthetic Bronze nylon. This makes them resistant to cream or waxes and less prone to damage from makeup solvents.

 

The Foundation Base Powder, Dome Powder and Kabuki brushes consist of Synthetic Capra (Goat) hair. They are better suited for soft layering of mineral powder foundation colors and are easier to keep clean than natural hair bristles because the filaments don't trap or absorb pigment.

 

The Retractable brush consists of Badger hair bristles. Badger hair is usually coarser at the top and thinner at the bottom. This is why our Retractable brush can pick up and hold powder better to take with you, for touch ups, wherever you go.

 
Alejandro Falcon, Colour, FAQ
Share:

Dr Johnson's Corner :: Taking DNA Repair to the Next Level


Dr. Ben Johnson, MD
As you all know, Osmosis’ primary goal is to reverse aging… and we are doing that! One of the biggest obstacles to overcome is DNA damage because it uses unique repair pathways. Aging of our DNA is inevitable but slowing that process can make dramatic changes in your skin and overall health. DNA provides directions to the cells to make collagen, antioxidants, peptides, growth factors and repair-cells like macrophages. As we lose that information through damage from the sun, acids and other sources of inflammation like our diet, our skin simply cannot maintain its normal functions.
 
By now you are familiar with Catalyst and its Zinc Finger Technology™. It has done remarkable things for the skin, as we can all attest. Osmosis is excited to announce incorporation of a new DNA repair agent called AC-11 that has extensive research showing it increases DNA repair by 33%. What makes this even more exciting is that when taken orally, AC-11 creates internal healing that is noticeable and in many cases remarkable. DNA is damaged by fluoride, mercury and several other toxins that are prevalent in society. DNA is also damaged by many environmental factors.
 
Osmosis is excited to introduce Elevate, an update to the original ATP Cell Therapy formulation with the addition of AC-11. We encourage you to start your clients on it so they may receive the benefits of both ATP production (stimulates cellular production, including fat burning) as well as DNA repair.
 
Best Regards,
 
 
 
Dr Ben Johnson, Elevate, Wellness
Share:

Ask Osmosis :: Why do you recommend we only use Enlighten for 90 days?



Great question!  Enlighten has both tyrosinase inhibitors and melanocyte hormone blockers that suppress the production of melanin. Melanin, of course, also provides protection for our skin and DNA so we don’t want to over suppress its production. That is where the 90 days comes in. It might not be exactly 90 days that someone can use Enlighten as everyone is slightly different and may be able to use it less or more. The idea is to use until desired effects (meaning normal skin tone) is achieved. Then stop use of the product so as to not under suppress the production of melanin. They can always pick up use again if needed down the road.

 

This is an example of treating the symptom and not the cause of over pigmentation. We know how great Enlighten is at getting results but if the damage still remains then the pigmentation will return. This is why we also recommend the use of Catalyst and Restore because they repair the damage so that the pigmentation doesn’t return. This takes some time but over the course of 3 months using all three products (Enlighten off and on after 90 days) they should see significant results in their pigmentation if it is not melasma or a liver spot.

 

Dr Johnson's recommendation: Make sure to apply Catalyst first, then wait 5 minutes and spot treat with Restore. Enlighten goes on last, a minute or two after Restore. If this is too many products, we recommend the use Catalyst and Restore only.
Catalyst, Enlighten, FAQ,
Share:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)