SCALPED!

SCALPED!

Corporate Bohemian Kage Gozun gets to the root of her dry scalp woes for Metro Magazine's March 2007 issue.

I am perpetually under the sun. Even before the weekend approaches, I am already plotting my next out-of-town beach trip. Snorkeling one weekend, surfing on another, it doesn’t matter to me so long as I am near salt water.

As with most of my friends, I have learned the adage “rays today, rasin tomorrow” and have long ago shunned suntan oils in favor of high-spf sun block lotions and zinc creams to protect my precious skin from UV rays. This comes complete with an after-sun regimen that includes moisturizers and regular bouts of exfoliation.

The one thing I seem to have neglected is my head. Sure, my hair has lovely natural highlights and is free of split end. Each strand is conditioned on a regular basis and does not resemble a witch’s broom.

But my scalp? It recently came to my attention that it is dry. Starting to flake kind of dry. The type of dry that could no longer be ignored. Little did I know that a healthy head of hair is reliant on a healthy scalp. Under our scalps exist a network of muscles and that bring blood, nutrients and oxygen to the hair root. And a collaboration of sun exposure, salt water and product residue had conspired to block these pores, giving me (literally) head full of woe. Left untreated, my precious hair was bound to suffer too!

Thankfully, Hairworks Salon has a range of treatments that target specific types of scalp trouble. Three L’Oreal products are the main features in this product line-up. A variety of scalp troubles is treated by mixing and matching these three. Everything from a flaking to itching to general dryness can be addressed.

Usually, only two of the three remedies are used on clients. For the purposes of my visit, we decided to use all three to see what magic they could work on my beleaguered scalp. First up was L’Oreal Soft Peel, applied between rows of my hair directly to my scalp. Tiny beads and massaging hands gently exfoliated the dry skin, leaving my scalp with a fresh, “breathing” layer of skin. A quick rinse and L’Oreal Sensi Post was up next. It was explained to me that even scalps need moisturizing and this nifty little tube was going to do the trick. I felt a soft tingling sensation. Although I am not sure if this was due to the treatment or blood rushing through my head and the moisturizer was massaged into my skin.

As a last step, my hair (and my body along with it) was transported back to the sink for another quick rinse. The final step of the procedure involved L’Oreal Power Clear, a leave on that was supposed to banish any dandruff I’d caused from my years of scalp mistreatment.

An hour later and I was left with a scalp that felt softer and refreshed. It is suggested that clients come in one more time after the initial visit for a follow-up check and another dose of the scalp care regimen. It takes more than one round to truly banish the baddies of itching, dryness and dandruff, especially if you’ve been disregarding scalp care in your day to day routine.

At home products such as L’Oreal Sensi Balance shampoo help maintain the scalp’s moisture while Sensi Balance leave on gives you protection all day.

Hairworks Spa is located on the ground floor of BSA Tower along Legaspi Street, Legaspi Village, Makati.

THE ULTRASHAPE SOLUTION

THE ULTRASHAPE SOLUTION
By Kage Gozun (published in Metro Magazine, March 2007 issue)

The newest way to sexy!

You know how this goes. After months of exercising and eating properly, you’ve still got that last little hump to get over before achieving your ideal body shape. Sometimes it’s those last stubborn five pounds. Other times it’s those final few inches that just refuse to budge.

Well, hard-working woman, be frustrated no more! A new treatment has been introduced that promises to re-shape your body without the hassle and stress of traditional yet invasive procedures such as liposuction.

The treatment is called UltraShape, after the company that patented the technique. The technology that drives UltraShape is a patented machine that uses therapeutic ultrasound waves. These waves target specific fat deposits and fat cells in the stomach, flanks and saddlebags. It breaks down fat cells in these problematic areas without damaging the tissue in nearby areas of the body. Afterwards, the body’s natural flow processes the fat through the liver.

UltraShape is painless, requires no recuperation time and doesn’t take more than two hours per session. The contouring treatment is revolutionary and continues to expand their scope and market.

To date there are over 100 clinics in 35 countries around the world that offer it. In the Philippines, it is the Marie-France Bodyline International chain that has added UltraShape to their menu.

Finding answers

On a mission, I checked out the Marie-France clinic in Makati to sit down with their doctors and discover more about this seemingly “too-good-to-be-true” procedure. Doctor Hajji Palaruan and consultant Evelyn Meriales took me on a tour of the facilities, where we came upon somebody in the middle of an UltraShape session. And it turned out that this “client” is actually another doctor of Marie-France.

In fact, many of the staff have tried the treatment and are living testimonies to its effectiveness. Of course, explains Doctor Palaruan, you cant expect miraculous results if you aren’t a “good patient” afterwards. Essentially this means no salty, oily and creamy food for at least four days after the treatment. Also, a change in lifestyle is needed in order to maintain the sexy new body that you’re sporting around. The ultrasound waves may have destroyed the fat cells but that doesn’t mean you wont get fat again if you insist on chowing down on fast-food. The fat may return, just in different areas of the body not treated with UltraShape.

UltraShape can show results after even just one procedure although the recommended standard treatment is four sessions spanning a phase of four months.

Doctor Palaruan also clarified that this is not a solution for everyone. There are certain restrictions for would-be patients of UltraShape. “UltraShape is more of contouring the body so it is not offered to obese patients. It will not have a significant effect (on them). We treat them with other treatments before we can offer them UltraShape. We also can not give this to patients who are too thin. And because the fat that is disrupted from the fat cells is processed by the liver, we can not give the treatment to clients with liver diseases.” Also on the blacklist for UltraShape are people with wound-healing or coagulation problems, cancer patients, expectant mothers, and those with pacemakers and metal prostheses.

The procedure is currently only available for the stomach, flanks and saddlebags because the device used to deliver the ultrasound waves (known as a transducer) is too bulky to use on smaller portions of the human body such as the arms and inner thighs. As of press time, clinical studies are in the works on a smaller transducer.

Trial by Treatment

I decided to go under the frequency knife and have my stomach go through the UltraShape procedure. Dressed in a comfy Marie-France tank top and shorts, I let Doc Palaruan measure my body and carefully marked the areas that the transducer is meant to target. It was explained to me that the transducer – a round instrument with a flat surface – is moved over these targeted zones with the aid of some castor oil.

Next, I lay down on a table under a bright light while assistants draped my sides with rubber sheets to keep the oil from spilling. A computer monitor was switched on and I could see myself on the screen. It felt very Nip/Tuck only without the blood and the drama.

The process took a little over an hour. True enough, it was painless and trauma-free. At most, there was a tingling sensation as the transducer was moved slowly over my abdomen. Near the bonier areas such as the ribcage, it felt slightly hot but not uncomfortable. In fact, I may have fallen asleep a few times because next thing I knew, it was over.

Hopping off the table and wiping off the excess oil, the attendants reminded me about eating properly and getting exercise. Mentally picturing the fat-less abs I could be sporting I made a mental note to pay heed to their advice.

The UltraShape solution is currently offered at the Timog, Makati and Alabang branches of Marie-France Bodyline International.