Skin Care Dictionary

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