Skin Care

Have you ever thought about having a facial?

Maybe a light chemical peel or microdermabrasion to even out those discolorations or marks we're likely to get with aging and/or excessive sun worshipping?

These and other treatments are often available at beauty salons and doctors' offices, and are becoming quite routine and popular in today's culture.

But if you have a bleeding disorder, USE EXTREME CAUTION! Because our capillaries become more fragile with age, and some WWBDs are prone to bruising and bleeding after even relatively "minor" procedures such as these, it's important to use the following guidelines:

• Consult with your hematologist prior to consulting an aesthetician.

• Review possible procedures you're considering. Ask the hematologist if she/he would speak to your aesthetician if necessary.

• Seek treatment from a professional. A licensed clinical aesthetician, preferably one working with a physician, is optimum. If you begin to bleed, there are experts there to help you. Have a consultation appointment BEFORE any treatment is provided.

• Explain your disorder fully to the aesthetician. Make sure she understands what type of bleeding disorder you have and what type of clotting medicine you use. Be active and informed in your health care and with any procedures that may affect it! Discuss possibilities of bruising/scarring/bleeding.

• Check again with your hematologist before proceeding. Since the reactions of WWBDs to these procedures is uncharted territory, you need expert advice on potential problems and procedures to avoid.

Sallie Deitz, Clinical Aesthetician, C.I.D.E.S.C.O. Associate, and author has offered these points for aestheticians to follow when treating a woman with a bleeding disorder, in a book called, Milady's The Clinical Esthetician, available for purchase through her website: www.salliedeitz.com

• Anything you use on or sell to the client should be patch-tested first.

• Extractions should not be performed unless the client has been prophylactically treated with clotting factor, or it's available during the procedure.

• Do not use any products containing salicylic acid or other potential blood thinners.

• Use non-aggressive enzymatic products, and perform treatments manually. Light peels, massages, and masks are best. Prolonged steaming may increase vascular activity, and should be eliminated. You should stay in the room at all times with the client.

• If your client begins to bleed from any procedure, even slightly, STOP the treatment and proceed with immediate medical attention.

For further information on skin health, visit: www.salliedeitz.com

The information provided in this website in no way replaces the information and advice provided by a health care professional. A doctor, nurse or Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC) should be contacted regarding the diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition.