I like that expression–”if you follow all of the rules, you miss all the fun”. To a certain extent, that’s the way I’ve lived my life.
So I like it when people do their research, follow package directions, but ultimately–change things a little and do what’s right for them. Sometimes, when it comes to skin care, I learn a lot from those people.
That was the case with a blog that came to my attention–from Diva Debbi. On her blog, she rated Oraser Daily Hand Repair as “one of 2009’s Top Beauty Faves”. That was nice, but it’s even more interesting what she said about it. She said:
ZO Skin Health’s Oraser Daily Hand Repair is part of a trio of hand repair products. Despite wasting the SPF 20 while I sleep, the day version is richer and more emollient than the night, so I use this one twice a day. Packed with retinol, vitamins and anti-oxidants, this hand cream truly lifts away dark spots, plumps wrinkles, improves elasticity and softens cuticles. Nothing gives your age away faster than old looking hands. Worth every cent of the 6500 pennies it costs…and yes, I’ve contemplated using it on my face…many times.
Wearing a hand repair lotion on your face? I’ve reviewed the formula, and it does contain good anti-aging ingredients that would work well for your face. I personally prefer SPF’s of at least 30, though, for your face. But darn, you’re right… I’m glad that you’re an independent thinker and realize that a day hand cream can work perfectly well at night. It will even work for your face (provided it’s not too heavy!) There’s nothing in the formula that would cause any contraindication.
These are great ideas, and I appreciate reading your blogs. Nothing like hearing from the guru of skincare!
What products should I use in your line and can the products be used without medical supervision? I’m 50+ and live in the sunbelt states.
Thank you.
Hello Franita,
The ZO Skin Health Products do NOT need medical supervision. They are Dr. Obagi’s OTC system.
You may not be aware of the fact that skin begins to lose collagen at a rate of 1% a year
beginning at age 28. Meaning at that point, you are no longer regenerating healthy skin cells and technically, your skin is aging. In the 30’s skin enters the inactive state. The rate of this slow down is even faster if you smoke, drink, expose yourself to the sun excessively (or don’t apply a good physical blocking sunscreen).
It is best to use the ZO Skin Health products as a system. You can begin with the DNA Kit, which provides you with an excellent cleanser, day and night collagen stimulating steps, and an excellent physical block (sunscreen) that will not leave the white film, conventional sunscreens leave behind. The following items are in the DNA kit. Exfoliating Cleanser, Daily Power Defense, Ossential Growth Factor Serum, and the Oclipse (sunscreen).
The Exfoliating Cleanser (great for normal to oily skin) Make sure to use it for ONE minute to achieve the best results from it. It is a Vitamin-E encapsulated cleanser that will exfoliate dead skin cells, help boost collagen production, and neatralize free radicals.
The Daily Power Defense is an anti-oxidant and retinol based cream that hydrates, repairs damaged DNA and stimulates collagen. This product encourages the skin’s DNA repair mechanism to self-correct. It speeds up correction from past UV damage and prevents new UV damage. It has both L-Ascorbic acid and C-Esters for maximum benefit to skin in terms of removing free radicals. The Retinol will reduce fine lines and wrinkles and even skin tone. Apply this product in the MORNING only right before your sunscreen. (COLLAGEN STIMULATING STEP).
The Oclipse totally hides redness, reduces oil and by far one of my patient’s favorite items. It is a physical block that will NOT leave the white film conventional sunscreens leave behind AND is the best primer to even your tone. You can interchange this with the current Obagi Sunscreen you have.
The Growth Factor Serum is the most effective advanced lipopeptides serum I’ve experienced in 16 years as an esthetician. Two proprietary lipopeptides help boost collagen production and increase epidermal thickness. Also, it stimulates cellular function and evens tone as a result of the Retinol. You apply this product as your LAST step at night (nothing else on top of it). You use about 1 pump every night after you cleanse your skin for ONE minute. (COLLAGEN STIMULATING STEP)
After 2 months of daily use, you can determine whether you want to continue using daily, or drop the collagen stimulating steps to 2-3 times a week (maintenance). Think of maintenance like exercise.. Once you reach your desired body image goals, you don’t stop exercising. You have to maintain. The same goes with skin, as long as potent retinols and active ingredients that stimulate collagen are being applied, skin will continue to do so. If you completely stop, your skin cells will go back to sleep. You are doing yourself and your skin a great favor by taking preventative action now to keep your skin young and healthy and to correct any fine lines and wrinkles that may be present.
Other items such as, the Olluminate Eye Cream and Ommerse Daily Renewal Creams can be used to enhance your results and can be incorporated in the program recommended above. However, the DNA system is the core program.
Best,
Sandra Obagi, MBA
Medical Esthetician
The area around and under my eyes is wrinkled; therefore, I daily use products to moisturize the areas. The eye moisturizers promise to plump the skin and reduce the look of wrinkles, dark circles, and that tired look. The problem: I have developed white bumps (like whiteheads) in the same area I’m applying the eye moisturizer. These bumps under the skin are so close to my eyes they are too painful to try to remove myself.
What can I do to prevent this problem and correct it?
Thank you, Leslie G
Hello Leslie,
Hydration is not the solution to stimulate the growth of healthy skin cells. You are correct, moisturizers, etc., will only “plump-up” wrinkles temporarily and DO not correct or prevent these. You need to activate skin to stimulate collagen, which will correct the underlying source of your wrinkles and prevent new ones from occurring. A lot of cosmetic department brands (department store brands) and ones purchased at a conventional salon contain lanolin or other oils/lipids that are bad for skin. The white bumps you described are called “serangomas.” These are NOT whiteheads. Lipids above can cause them as well as genetics. You cannot extract these. They must be correctly and properly removed. We use a hyferator or vascutouch depending on the extent to remove. It’s too bad you’re in Florida. You will just need to call around some Dermatologists to see if they have the Hyfercation machine and know how to remove serangomas.
The Olluminate Eye Cream, contains retinol in a stable and high concentration form and lipopeptides to reduce wrinkles and prevent new ones from occurring. It is also an excellent eye cream to reduce dark circles and puffiness. You may have some transient dryness with it (making wrinkles appear temporarily worse, but this is a temporary effect. The same can be said for the rest of your face. Something like the DNA kit will stimulate collagen and elastin and improve the overall appearance of your skin, while activating healthy skin cells once again, to keep skin looking its best.
Please call our office if you have any specific questions. Stop using the products that are causing your serangomas!
Best,
Sandra
I am currently using the NuDerm system and have been for 6 months. I have had good success with it. I would like to know if the ZO line would be better for me. Is it a stronger and more aggresive regime? I’ve read everthing I can find on the internet but am confused as to what I should do. My skin is now in pretty good shape for a 63 year thanks to NuDerm.
Thank you, Cheryl
Hello Cheryl,
I respect your position that you don’t want to use the Obagi
Nu-Derm system on a daily basis after your 18th week. That’s what
makes ZO products so great. They complete what my father, Dr. Zein Obagi, has called
“The Circle of Skin Heath”.
The ZO Skin Health product line and Obagi Nu-Derm system were both
developed by Dr. Zein Obagi. The ZO Skin Health products are different than
the Obagi Nu-Derm system as they are over-the-counter strength (OTC)
and not as strong as the Obagi Nu-Derm system. ZO Skin Health is Dr.
Obagi’s newest product line that provides individualized skin care
products with a focus on prevention and maintenance.
This line bridges the gap between Dr. Obagi’s therapeutic, Nu-Derm
line and daily skin care. You should not replace your Nu-Derm program
with ZO products. What you can do is incorporate the ZO Skin Health
products into your Obagi Nu-Derm regimen. For example, you can
incorporate the Ossential Growth Factor Serum on the nights you do not apply
Retin-A® & Blender, once you are on maintenance.
You should still use a Cleanser, Toner, Sunscreen, and Eye Cream
(optional) during maintenance on a daily basis. 2-3 times a week you
will use the Clear, Blender &; Tretinoin, and Exfoderm. On
the other days, you can use the ZO creams recommended below to enhance
and maintain results, and to complement your Obagi Nu-Derm program. I
recently blogged a response to a patient with very similar skin to
yourself and outlined a maintenance
program for her. I am also going to outline the same program for you.
Monday-Wednesday-Friday–AM
NuDerm Cleanser OR ZO Exfoliating Cleanser
Toner
Clear
ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense
Exfoderm
Olluminate (ZO) or ElastiDerm (NuDerm)
Oclipse (ZO) – preferred sunscreen once you’re on Maintenance
Monday-Wednesday-Friday–PM
NuDerm Cleanser
Toner
Tretinoin and Blender
Olluminate (ZO) or ElastiDerm (NuDerm)
Growth Factor Serum
Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday–AM
NuDerm Cleanser
Exfoliating Polish
Toner
ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense
Olluminate (ZO) or ElastiDerm (NuDerm)
Sunscreen
Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday–PM
NuDerm Cleanser
Toner
Olluminate (ZO) or ElastiDerm (NuDerm)
ZO Skin Health Ossential Growth Factor Serum
ZO Skin Health Ommerse Overnight Recovery Creme OPTIONAL (This is a
functional moisturizer, meaning it will hydrate your skin, reduce
redness/inflammation, and promote the growth of new and healthy skin
cells)
If you are using Pro-C instead of the Exfoderm, then just use that Daily after the Toner and skip where I mentioned the Exfoderm.
Thanks for asking!
Sandra Obagi
For your information–ZO Skin Health is not affiliated with Obagi Medical Products. Although Dr. Zein Obagi founded both companies, is a shareholder in Obagi Medical Products and developed products for both Obagi Medical Products and ZO Skin Health, the two companies are separate. Both ZO Skin Health and Obagi Medical Products provide products that complement each other. For more information on Obagi Medical Products, consult with a physician or visit obagi.com.
I have rosacea and have been recently treated for age spots on my forehead by lazer. It did the trick but I suffer with break outs on my nose. I also have a dry forhead and the usual wrinkle lines. I am a man with medium skin thickness.
Hello,
Thanks for submitting your question. Yes, that is the problem with lasers. They are very specific and focused at treating one condition such as, brown spots or wrinkles, (depending on the laser) but do not address the overall quality and texture of skin to make it healthy. Acne breakouts post laser are very common. OR, if you had breakouts before Laser resurfacing, acne is not going to be treated.
You need a program that will address your acne breakouts, prevent new ones from occurring AND have a program that will ensure that your brown spots do not return. They can easily return if you expose yourself to the sun without protection and do not use a good, potent antioxidant.
For the breakouts, you will use the Exfoliating Polish on a daily prior to shaving. In the morning (or if you shave at night) you will first use the Exfoliating Polish to gently massage skin, remove excess dead skin cells and oil, etc., and enhance cleansing. Afterwards, wash your skin for ONE minute with the
Exfoliating Cleanser, then shave. After shaving you apply the ZO Skin Health TE pads.
The Tepads are presoaked antibacterial pads that prevent pores from clogging, smooth skin, reduce oil, and will prevent irritation and ingrown hairs. When you are NOT shaving… you will just wash skin for ONE minute, followed by the Tepads. For example:
AM ROUTINE
1) Exfoliating Polish: ONE minute rinse well (2) Exfoliating Cleanser: Cleanse skin for ONE minute then rinse off and dry. (3) SHAVE skin like normal. (4) TEPADS.
PM ROUTINE: (1) Cleanse with Exfoliating CLEANSER: one minute (2) Tepads: Swipe one pad all over skin until dry.
These are the same steps you will use every morning and night regardless. To address your anti-aging concerns, brown spots (treat and prevent) and to tighten skin (by reducing lines and wrinkles) you can add the DNA kit. This kit also has a ONE month supply of the cleanser, so you would not have to purchase this.
THE items in the DNA kit are used after the routine outlined above. In the AM you would use the Daily Power Defense after TEPADS then the Oclipse Sunscreen. At night the Growth Factor Serum would be your last step.
The DNA kit is an excellent start for you to begin a program where you can reverse these concerns you are having. Everything from the Cleanser to the Sunscreen is included in the kit. It features an excellent “day use” anti-aging cream with antioxidant to reverse and prevent aging, as well as a Growth Factor Serum for evening use that combats aging with advanced lipopeptides an addition to Retinol.
The DNA kit has all of the products I would recommend for you to try in a 1-2 month supply at a great price. The Growth Factor Serum is the most effective advanced lipopeptides serum I’ve experienced in 16 years as an esthetician. You apply this product as your last step at night (nothing else on top of it).
The Daily Power Defense is an anti-oxidant and retinol based cream that hydrates, repairs damaged DNA and stimulates collagen. Apply this product in the MORNING only right before your sunscreen.
The Oclipse totally hides redness, reduces oil and is, by far, one of my patient’s favorite items. It is a physical block that will NOT leave the white film conventional sunscreens leave behind AND is the best primer to even your tone.
The Exfoliating Cleanser (great for normal to oily skin) can also be interchanged with your
I would try this for 2 months. You should see a dramatic difference in skin after 3 weeks of use. After 2 months you can decide to continue on daily use, or reduce the frequency of the Daily Power Defense and the Growth Factor Serum to 2 days a week.
Best,
Sandra Obagi
Medical Esthetician
The previous “dermatologist” I saw was actually not a dermatologist, but
a
skin esthetician. I was not happy. After one visit and the information
I
found out, I am no longer seeing this person. (We live in a rural area
and
have a couple towns of about 20,00 people with a few doctors and 2 small
hospitals.) I did some research and was recommended an actual physician
that was recognized by Obagi and was highly regarded (by Obagi) that was
about an hour away. I cannot tell you what a difference that has made!
I
am on the road to healthy skin! Here is my current plan of treatment:
5 IPL treatments
5 Laser Genesis treatments
These are both done at the same visit every 2 weeks apart. She has
started
me back on the Obagi NuDerm regimen with “proper” instruction and
guidance.
Are you familiar with these treatments done at the same time? She said
my
skin tolerated more pulses than the average person on the Laser Genesis.
Intense Pulse Light treatment is an alternative to laser (doesn’t cause the same thermal damage) and is quite effective if properly peformed on reducing redness and some superfical sun damage. Laser Genesis also uses deeper penetrating light to stimulate a response in skin. These procedures are great with Obagi Nu-Derm as they can enhance results, but have limited capability on their own, so it’s good you are having these treatments while on the Nu-Derm system. I am a bit confused as IPL and Laser Genesis basically have the same effects on skin. Usually one or the other is sufficient – NOT both… Laser Genesis, might have another laser that I am unfamiliar with, or parameters are being utlized I am not familiar with, but as far as my knowledge goes, Genesis is an IPL.
Here is another place I would greatly value your opinion…I am to use
the
Obagi Nuderm system during this 10 week treatment. After this, she
recommends removing two products from the NuDerm – Clear and Blender -
and
replacing them with products called NIA 24. Because I have had success
with
Obagi, I would like to continue using Dr. Obagi’s products. How would I
incorporate the ZO Skin Health products into my regimen?
The Obagi Nu-Derm system is used for a MINIMUM of 12 -weeks. Ideally, you should use the program for 3 (three) six-week cycles to effectively correct the skin. This is contingent on using 1/2 gram of Tretinoin Cream (0.1%) & Blender 1/2 gram EVERY night. Also, using the Clear (1 gram) two times a day. The others (Pro-C vs. Exfoderm) as recommended based on what you are using for your skin type. If you are using LESS than the concentrations and frequency of Retin-A (Tretinoin) stated above, it has to be used longer. NIH can reduce the irritation associated with the use of Obagi Nu-Derm system, however, it does NOT have the same stimulative (collagen forming) benefits.