Regimens: Combining Different Active Ingredients
I’d like to use Glykeros and Id, or Id and Illuminants, or Superskin and Glykeros together…Can I?
Absolutely! In fact, using different treatment products correctly can give you the combined benefits of the active ingredients. However, it is CRUCIAL that you be very conscientious about combining your therapies slowly and carefully.
Specific combined regimen instructions appear below. But first, here are some general guidelines to follow when combining therapies:
•Be committed to using only a pH-adjusted cleanser from Glykeros, Illuminants, or Id. These cleansers are specifically designed to keep skin within one consistent pH range while undergoing active therapies. As you will be combining actives, it is even more important to use a pH-lowered cleanser to reduce the risk of irritations that can come when skin has to jump from a low pH (with active treatment products) to a high pH (from a soap, or mid-to-high pH cleanser).
•GO SLOW. All active treatment products should be applied slowly, only about once or twice a week at first. However, as you combine actives, you need to increase application frequency of all your products even more slowly to allow your skin time to adjust.
•Protect: active ingredients can increase photosensitivity. It is very important that you use Armada every day, both indoors and outdoors, and whether or not you’ve used any active treatment on a given day. As well, this kind of use of Armada helps prevent repigmentation if you’re using a lightening therapy.
•Practice prevention: cosmeceuticals are serious products that provide real, clinically-proven therapy. If you use them correctly (the right cleanser, the right protection, slow increase in application frequency), you get the best out of them. If you use other products (makeup, lotions, shampoos, soaps, etc.) with allergens or comedogens, however, you risk two things. First, you could be working against your therapy (causing the problem you’re actively treating). Second, you risk irritations and cross reactions and will have to stop therapy until it clears.
•Be watchful: even with proper use and prevention, combined therapy may not be for you. A mild stinging or redness at the beginning of therapy is normal. For Id, an initial acne breakout is normal (your pores are getting deep cleaned at Id’s level for the first time). These normal initial reactions disappear with regular, correct use. If the redness or stinging is severe, or you notice other adverse reactions, stop use immediately and contact your physician. Contact us for assistance as well.
Combining Regimens: Option 1:
•Cleanse with your choice of Glykeros, Illuminants, or Id Cleanser.
•Apply the active Toner from one system.
•Apply the active Cream or Lotion from another system.
•Protect with Armada every day, both indoors and outdoors, and whether or not your active products have been applied on a given day.
TIP: Visit www.vmvhypoallergenics.com > Regimen. Download the regimen for one of the systems whose products you’ll be using. Use it as a guide: simply replace the Toner or Cream/Lotion/Formula in that regimen with the equivalent product from your other system.
Combining Regimens: Option 2:
•Cleanse with your choice of Glykeros, Illuminants, or Id Cleanser.
•Apply the active Toner from one system (let’s call it Toner A). Start only once-a-week, very slowly increasing to twice-a-week, then once-every-other-day, etc. Continue until you can tolerate Toner A once or twice-a-day.
•When you are comfortably using Toner A twice a day, start applying your second Toner (let’s call it Toner B). In the beginning, apply Toner B after Toner A only once a week. Very slowly increase so that you apply Toner B after Toner A twice a week; then three times a week; then once every other day. Go very slow until you can comfortably use Toner A then Toner B every day.
•Follow the same procedure with Creams A and B. Do not start Cream B until you are comfortably applying Cream A every day. And then, start using Cream B only once a week, following the slow increase in frequency mentioned above.
•Protect with Armada every day, both indoors and outdoors, and whether or not your active products have been applied on a given day.
Source: http://www.vmvhypoallergenics.com/askvmv/index.php?pf=kb&page=index_v2&id=67&c=
