Acne:
a common skin condition characterized by inflammation, pimples and comedones which may cause scarring
Age spots:
flat light brown discolorations on the skin caused by sun exposure and typically found on people over 40, these lesions are commonly called liver spots
Aging skin:
a condition of the skin caused by sun damage, heredity and the passage of time, characterized by furrows, wrinkles, creases, cellulite and sagging
Anti-inflammatory:
the property of a treatment or substance that alleviates or prevents imflammation
Benzoyl peroxide:
an antibacterial chemical that is used in acne treatment gels and creams
Blackheads:
a pore partially blocked with trapped sebum which has begun to push through the skin’s surface, blackening upon the sebum’s exposure to air
Botox:
an injectible treatment that is used cosmetically to temporarily paralyze or relax facial muscles to eliminate or minimize wrinkles and lines
Cellulite:
dimpled and bumpy fat deposits beneath the skin that cause a “cottage cheese” appearance
Collagen:
an insoluble, fibrous protein that is naturally found in the skin and that can also be injected into the skin to return a supple, youthful appearance
Cosmetic dermatology:
the branch of medicine dealing with the treatment of skin and skin conditions with the goal of improving the patient’s appearance and beauty
Cyst:
a closed, fluid-filled sac beneath the skin
Cystic acne:
a severe skin condition typically causing scarring, characterized by multiple pus-filled cysts that become inflammed and infected
Dermal:
pertaining to the dermis (skin)
Dermalogica®:
a skin care product range and treatment system
Dermatitis:
a non-contagious inflammation of the skin that causes rashes, blisters and/or itching, which can have a variety of causes including allergies or exposure to irritants
Dermatology:
the medical specialization that is concerned with the treatment of skin and its conditions and diseases
Dermis:
the middle layer of the skin which contains the majority of the skin structures including its blood vessels, lymph vessles, hair follicles and sweat glands
Dysport®:
a protein extracted from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which is injected into the skin to reduce or eliminate frown lines and wrinkles
Eczema:
a form of dermatitis often caused by dry skin or allergies
Elastin:
a similar protein to collagen that gives skin tissue its elasticity
Epidermis:
the outermost superficial layer of the skin
Epithelialization:
the healing process of skin regeneration across a wound after injury
Erythema:
redness of the skin caused by inflammation , frequently caused by sunburn, allergy, infection or healing
Evolence®:
a long-lasting collagen dermal filler that must be injected by a trained skin care practioner
Eye wrinkles:
fine skin lines that appear around the eye
Face care:
the maintenance and treatment of the skin of the face
Facelift:
a cosmetic surgical procedure, also known as rhytidectomy, that improves the youthful appearance of the face by tightening skin and underlying muscles
Facial fillers:
injectible products such as collagen, hyaluronic acid and calcium hydroxyl apatite that rejuvenate facial skin by reducing or eliminating wrinkles, raising scar depressions, enhancing lips and replacing soft-tissue volume loss
Facial hair removal:
temporary or permanent elimination of unwanted hair on the face
Facial peels:
chemical or laser treatments performed by a skin care practitioner to reduce the appearance of blemishes, freckles, age spots, light scarring and other skin irregularities
Facial rejuvenation:
any treatment performed by a skin care practitioner to improve the youthful appearance of the face
Facial:
of or pertaining to the face
Folds:
the appearance of the skin when part of it bends or lays so as to cover another
Follicle:
the skin structure that contains a hair root and surrounds the hair shaft where it emerges through the skin
Glabellar creases:
the creases, or frown lines, that develop on the forehead between the brows
Glycolic acid:
an alpha-hydroxy acid that is used to promote the topical exfoliation of skin cells
Glycolic peel:
a treatment that uses glycolic acid to peel or exfoliate the surface skin cells to rejuvenate the skin
Hair removal:
permanent or temporary elimination of unwanted hair
Hemangiomas:
a benign overgrowth of blood vessels in the skin which may be present from birth or appear later in life
Hyaluronic acid:
a naturally-occuring substance found in the skin that helps to maintain skin moisture and plumpness
Hypopigmentation:
the patchy loss of skin pigment caused by a decrease of melanin production
Inflammatory:
caused by or characterized by inflammation
Intense pulsed light:
a focused, broad-spectrum light applied to the skin surface that is used by skin care practitioners to treat acne rosacea, aging skin, acne, and other conditions
IPL:
intense pulsed light used by skin care practitioners to treat skin problems
Juvederm®:
an injectible dermal filler made from hyaluronic acid, used to reduce wrinkles and fill in facial lines
Keloid:
a thick, pink scar caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue
Keratin:
a tough, fibrous protein that is the main component of skin, hair and nails
Laser acne treatment:
a laser skin treatment for severe acne breakouts
Laser facial treatment:
also called laser facial resurfacing, a treatment that destroys the surface layer of skin in a controlled manner, exposing the lower layer and rejuvenating the skin
Laser hair removal:
permanent reduction of unwanted body or facial hair using laser light treatments
Laser scar removal:
the use of laser light treatment to remove or reduce the appearance of scars
Laser skin resurfacing:
a skin treatment that destroys the surface layer of skin in a controlled manner, exposing the lower layer and rejuvenating the skin
Laser treatment:
skin treatment using the application of a strong laser beam of light
Laugh lines:
wrinkles that form from the nose to the mouth, also known as naso-labial folds
Lip collagen:
injections of collagen into the lips to produce an appearance of youth and fullness
Lip enhancement:
augmentation of the lips through surgery or the injection of fillers to create fuller lips
Lip wrinkles:
wrinkles that form in the lips due to loss of volume through aging
Lipid:
a fat or fat-like substance that helps to retain moisture in the skin
Marionette lines:
folds or deep lines that stretch from the corners of the mouth along the sides of the chin to the jawline
Melanin:
an insoluble brown or black pigment that gives skin its color
Melanocyte:
a skin cell that creates the pigment melanin
Melanoma:
a serious malignancy or cancer that has its genesis in melanocytes
Melasma:
sometimes called a pregnancy mask, comprised of tan or brownish patches of pigment across cheeks
Microdermabrasion cream:
a cream that mildly abrades skin to rejuvenate the face, refine pores and reduce scars
Microdermabrasion treatments:
a procedure during which fine granules are blasted onto the skin in order to abrade the top layers and rejuvenate the skin
Microdermabrasion:
the nonsurgical exfoliation of the skin accomplished by blasting fine granules onto the skin
Milia:
hardened white skin bumps caused by the retention of sebum, also called whiteheads
Nasolabial folds:
the folds or lines stretching from the edges of the nostrils to the corners of the mouth
Obagi®:
a line of skin care products aimed at the retail and medical markets
Oral commissures:
lines or folds extending downward from the corners of the mouth and extended into “marionette lines”
Oxidation:
damage of the skin due to aging, also called free radical formation
Perioral lines:
deep vertical lines that form on the upper lip, which are also called “smoker’s lines”
Periorbital lines:
sometimes called “crow’s feet, the lines or wrinkles that extend from the outer corners of the eyes
pH:
a measure of the skin’s acidity or alkalinity
Photoaging:
damage to the skin caused by long-term sun exposure
Pigmentation:
the hue of the skin, determined by the pigment content of the skin
Pimple:
a red and swollen infection of a skin follicle or pore, which may contain pus
Plastic surgery:
the medical subspecialty dealing with the surgical treatment or enhancement of external physical appearance
Pores:
the small openings in the skin that excrete sweat and oils
Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation:
skin darkening and discoloration resulting from past skin inflammation
Psoriasis:
a chronic scaly red skin rash characterized by gray flakes of dry skin
Reloxin:
this is the trade name that was going to be used by Medicus in the United States to market their neuro-muscular relaxing agent. They have since decided to not use this name and are sticking to their original name, Dysport, used in other parts of the world.
Restylane®:
a dermal filler made from hyaluronic acid, typically used for lip augmentation or other wrinkles
Rhytid:
an unwanted skin wrinkle
Rosacea:
a skin disorder marked by facial redness that can lead to bumps, pimples and eye irritation
Scar:
a visible skin imperfection caused by the healing of injured skin and soft tissue
Sebaceous gland:
a skin gland that produces sebum, an oily subdstance that moisturizes the skin and hair
Seborrhea:
a condition of the skin marked by excessive oily discharge
Seborrheic dermatitis:
inflammation and scaly, crusted patches of skin caused by seborrhea
Sebum:
an oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands
Skin:
the tissue that comprises the outer surface of the body, and which is the body’s largest organ
Skin tightening:
surgical or non-surgical firming, lifting and smoothing of the skin to reduce sagging and wrinkles
Skin treatments:
medical or esthetic procedures intended to improve the appearance and structure of the skin
Smile lines:
deep lines that run between the nose and the mouth, also called “nasolabial folds”
Solar lentigo:
light brown spots that appear on the skin as a result of aging and sun exposure, also called age spots or liver spots
Subcutaneous:
of or pertaining to the layer of fatty tissue beneath the skin
Sun protection factor (SPF):
the scale that measures the degree to which a sunscreen protects the skin from the sun’s UVB rays
Tattoo removal:
a treatment intended to remove or substantially reduce the appearance of a tattoo using methods such as dermabrasion, salabrasion and laser
Telangiectasia:
small dilated blood vessels on the surface of the skin
UV or ultraviolet rays:
the electromagnetic radiation of the sun that causes photogaging of the skin
Vermillion border:
the line of demarcation between the lips and the rest of the face
Worry lines:
creases or wrinkles on the forehead or between the eyebrows
Wrinkle removal:
removal or reduction of the appearance of wrinkles through surgical or esthetic treatments
Wrinkle treatment:
a treatment intended to reduce or remove the appearance of wrinkles
Wrinkles:
unwanted lines, creases and folds in the skin caused by skin aging and damage