Treating Ethnic Skin with Pamela Springer

04 Nov Treating Ethnic Skin with Pamela Springer

Hey Beauties,

I recently had the opportunity to attend a dynamic lecture provided by  Pamela Springer, an educator in the field of ethnic skincare.

Ms. Springer is the founder of The Skin & Makeup Institute of Arizona and the Academy of Advanced Aesthetics and Permanent Cosmetics. She has worked in this field for more than a decade, and is widely known for her expertise in ethnic skincare. When I found out she would be giving a lecture in Philadelphia, PA, I knew that I had to be there.

Ms. Springer began her talk by giving a brief overview of the common skin conditions associated with various ethnicities. She presented  major skin pathology (disease states) and corresponding histology (tissue changes). She was so thorough that I had a flashback to my med school days :). The major crux of her presentation was embarking on an 8-12 week treatment plan. She discussed preparing the skin to undergo this intense treatment, benefits of certain ingredients/chemicals included in the regimen, and the steps of the treatment plan.

Being a lover of all things nerdy, I have carefully studied the physiology and pathology of common skin conditions that commonly affect women of color. I attended this lecture to further build on my knowledge base in order to improve the care I offer my clients. Most of my beauties have firm beautiful skin that oozes a high amount of oil. In addition, they sport acne-prone skin that has a tendency to form scars and hyperpigmentation. My inquisitive nature prompted me to investigate how the Ms. Springer’s treatment plan could improve the skin of my clients. I was very impressed by her approach to skincare.  Rather than giving us an abundance of product reviews and making recommendations, she actually educated us on the root of the problem. Once you understand that process, it makes treatment less complicated!

For example, acne is a chronic disease that many women experience at some point in her lifetime. There are several components to the pathophysiology of acne.

These include:
-increased androgens (sex hormone) production which act on sebaceous glands (glands in the skin that are attached to hair follicles) to produce excess sebum

-Increased proliferation of a bacteria  Propionibacterium acnes (cool name huh?) that normally lives in the sebaceous follicle but in excess can result in inflammation that leads to comedones (acne bumps).

-The sebum blocks off the follicle creating an environment that P. acnes loves: one without oxygen. Here P.acnes thrives leading to more inflammation

Through the years, I have noticed the effect acne has on women physically, mentally and emotionally. Acne and several other skin conditions have a direct relationship with low self-esteem and depression. This profound effect on women is my major motivating factor to incorporate the treatment of common skin conditions into my practice as a physician and makeup artist.
Ms. Pamela Springer’s lecture was very inspiring and educational. I am so excited to continue to build on my knowledge by continuing to learn more about treating ethnic skin. As we move into the new year, I plan on incorporating more discussion about the benefits of certain treatments or processes in a bit more detail. Consider this your go-to resource for understanding skincare. I love learning and sharing, so I anticipate that we will go through this journey of understanding what’s going on with our skin together. We all deserve to have flawless skin and feel as good as we look!

No worries, you will still get your makeup looks and product listings from my upcoming brides 🙂

Comments

comments