ABOUT Afterglow

Afterglow is a full-service medi-spa, founded in 2005 by Dr. Shehla Ebrahim, a practising family physician. Dr. Ebrahim's passion for wellness and beauty - the underpinnings of self-confidence - has led to Afterglow's growing reputation as the leading provider of professional skincare services in the Greater Vancouver area. Although the medi-spa is situated in North Vancouver, it attracts clients from all over the province: a testament to the satisfaction of those who have experienced Dr. Ebrahim's professional and friendly manner as well as her technical ability.

 

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS

Photo by Mandana Zaidi

The staff of Afterglow Medi-Spa believe strongly in corporate social responsibility. Our special role as health professionals enables us to give back to the communities in which we live, as well as to the world at large.

In 2002, Dr. Ebrahim travelled to Tibet to provide free medical services to the nomads of the eastern regions. In 2006, she climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for BC Children's Hospital.

In 2010 Dr. Ebrahim is preparing to climb Mount Everest Base Camp with a mission to promote and support community-based education, especially for girls, in remote, underserviced and war stricken areas of Northern Pakistan. She believes that the best hope for a peaceful and prosperous world lies in the education of all the world's children.

In collaboration with the Central Asia Institute, a non-profit organization, Dr. Ebrahim has pledged to donate 2% of the profits from Afterglow, starting January, 2009. Should you decide to undergo a cosmetic rejuvenation procedure with us, Afterglow will donate 2% of your treatment towards this noble cause.

 

Afterglow for Men

Afterglow for Men

Now, the guys have their own treatment facility at Afterglow! Our unique men's skin care program will give you a firmer and smoother face and body and specializes in result-oriented solutions in a confidential and discreet atmosphere.

Dr. Shehla Ebrahim and her highly-trained staff offer the latest medical advancements in cosmetic medicine and skin care for men using state-of-the-art technology.

Take advantage of our men's skin care program today! Eliminate wrinkles, acne, excess body hair and age spots. Improve your looks and enhance your self-image...

 

We're in the news!

We're in the news!

Our reputation is growing. The following article appeared in the March 2009 edition of Fashion Magazine:

Those looking to get that certain covetable glow might want to book a visit with Dr. Shehla Ebrahim at her fully licensed and medically supervised medi-spa in North Vancouver. Asian-influenced decor is the finishing touch on a relaxed, private and no-pressure environment, where informative Power Point presentations about Botox, photofacial and laser hair removal help set realistic expections and put clients at ease. Menopausal women wary of synthetic hormones can look into bioidentical hormone replacement therapy....

To calm any pre-procedure jitters, enjoy complimentary tea and nibble on chocolates as you wait."

July 13, 2010

Introducing SwissTec™ – an innovative professional skincare line

Afterglow now carries the innovative SwissTec™ skincare line

Afterglow is thrilled to be carrying an innovative line of professional skincare products, SwissTec™

These superior products were formulated to enhance and maintain the effects of various skincare procedures such as laser treatments, skin-lightening treatments and IPL. They are free from parabens.

(A list of the products we carry, and their specific effects appears at the end of this post.)

Here are some of  the  helpful ingredients in SwissTec™ products carried by Afterglow:

 
 

CIC2: Slows the signs of aging, lightening brown spots while enhancing the skin’s renewal process. This increases the skin’s radiance.

Ameliox: Reverses the signs of deterioration of the skin’s elastic tissue, reducing expression lines and wrinkles.

Algisium C2®: Helps to restore the skin’s moisture balance while soothing discomfort caused by dehydration.

Hyaluronic Acid:  An excellent moisture retaining agent, HA can hold 1000 times its own weight in water.

Sveltonyl®:  This firming complex renews the skin’s appearance and youthfulness.

Oligopeptide: Reduces the appearance of dark circles and redness while enhancing  skin tone and texture.

Vitamin C-PMG: Helps thicken the skin to reduce dark circles and wrinkles, and also lightens age spots.  Is a powerful antioxidant.

Quartz: Exfoliation spheres of quartz remove impurities and dead cells from the skin’s surface, for a more radiant, youthful appearance.

Salicylic Acid: Improves skin tone and texture.

Vitamin C: Helps thicken the skin and reduce pigmentation.

Evermat®: Reduces the appearance of pores, generating a more refined skin tone and texture.

Antioxidant Complex: A powerful dose of antioxidants for overall skin tissue enhancement.

Peppermint oil (lips only): Cleans, tones and energizes.

Sucrose Esters (lips only): Cools and soothes.

The following products are now available from Afterglow:

CIC 2 Cellular Serum (CIC2,  Ameliox, Hyaluronic Acid) Treats aged and prematurely aged skin, reduces hyperpigmentation and enhances elasticity.

Concentrated Renewal Cream (CIC2, Ameliox, Algisium C2®)  Treats aged and prematurely aged skin, reduces  hyperpigmentation and enhances elasticity. Works well as a night-time partner to the CIC2 Cellular Serum.

Redefining neck Emulsion (CIC2, Svetonyl®, Algisium C2®)  This powerful formulation tones and strengthens the skin of the neck and décolleté.

Concentrated Renewal Eye Cream (CIC2, Oligopeptide, Vitamin C-PMG)  Hydrates the delicate skin of the eye area to renew its moisture balance and re-establish the look of elasticity and firmness.

Tri-foliant™ (Quartz, Salicylic Acid, Vitamin C) A powerful triple-action exfoliating complex designed to encourage balanced skin texture.

Concentrated Mattifying Cream (CIC2, Hyaluronic Acid, Evermat™)  An innovative light cream moisturizer for normal to oily skin types that helps prevent shine.   Skin tone and texture is also enhanced.

Lip-foliant™ (Antioxidant Complex, Peppermint Oil, Sucrose Esters)  Gently removes impurities and dry skin cells while moisturizing and soothing dehydrated lips.

Please drop by to view this exciting new line or contactl Afterglow for more details.

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Category: Community
Posted by: Dr. Shehla Ebrahim

June 16, 2010

Don’t forget your sunscreen!

After a long, wet winter and an equally wet spring, West Coasters are about ready for a little sunshine. This year in particular, we are likely to get a nasty sunburn if we don’t cover up properly. Why? Because our skins have not seen the sun in a long time, and will immediately become exposed to the strong overhead rays that June traditionally brings.

So remember to cover up, and try to stay out of the sunshine from the hours of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Love the beach too much to stay away from it? Then be sure to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection. (This will be marked on the packaging.) For extra protection, whisk ColoreScience Sunforgettable over your face, neck and decolleté. (Some sun-savvy women use this on the back of  their hands too – every day!) Sunforgettable is available from Afterglow.

Since many sunscreens break down in sunlight, to be safe, you should reapply every two hours or so and always after a swim or dip in the pool.  You will need to apply approximately one shot glass full of sunscreen to your entire body to ensure proper protection.  Sunscreen should be applied half an hour before going out in the sun to allow the protective components to fully penetrate the skin.

Finally, be sure to eat as many sun-protective fruits and veggies as possible! Pomegranate juice, broccoli, carrots, beets and dark chocolate all help to provide an internal sunscreen that will help keep wrinkles at bay.

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Category: Body Skincare
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Posted by: Dr. Shehla Ebrahim

June 6, 2010

Well Done, Dr. Shehla!

Dr. Shehla Ebrahim thanks her clients for their support at Mount Everest’s base camp (17,300 feet above sea level) in April. Dr. Ebrahim donated partial proceeds from Afterglow over the last 18 months to the Central Asia Institute

She’s back! Congrats go to Dr. Ebrahim for climbing past Base Camp (to 18,500 ft.) and for helping to save a life en route. In our previous post, we told how Dr. Ebrahim planned on climbing to Base Camp, and donating part of the profits from Afterglow to Greg Mortensen’s Central Asia Institute.  Not only would the donation support schools for poverty-stricken girls in Pakistan, “It would also be a nice way to say thanks to Afterglow clients—the men and women who have made my business successful and my climb possible,” says Dr. Ebrahim.

“It was so hard to breathe,” she continues. “Every step required a monumental effort but I felt  incredible power and determination, which enabled me to press on.  Afterglow has a mandate for social responsibility and I do believe in giving back. In North America, we are so blessed and it is a good thing to be able to provide for others who may not be similarly blessed.”

The Everest mission is Dr. Ebrahim’s third major humanitarian journey. In 2002, she travelled to Tibet with a group of physicians to provide free medical care to the nomads that inhabit the eastern reaches of that country.  In 2006, she climbed Kilimajaro and helped raise $50,000 for Children’s Hospital.
And what about the life she helped save on her latest mission?
“At 14,000 feet above sea level, a woman staggered into our camp. She was short of breath and her sherpa guide planned to take her down 1,000 feet however, she appeared to have high altitude cerebral edema,” Dr. Ebrahim explains. When a person has this condition, he or she must be taken down to a low altitude immediately or death will quickly follow, but it was already 7 p.m. and unlikely that the sherpa could get the woman down far enough before nightfall.  Fortunately, Dr. Ebrahim’s team was carrying a gamow bag—a pressurized cylinder that simulates an altitude close to 4,000 ft. below where it is used. With careful monitoring, the woman survived the night and was flown out by helicopter. She survived thanks to Dr. Ebrahim’s diagnosis and quick action.
“I felt like I was meant to be there at that time,” says Dr. Ebrahim, adding that the whole experience has galvanized her desire to perform more humanitarian work in the years to come.

Dr. Ebrahim’s journey was also covered in a detailed news story in the North Shore News, which you can read here.

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Posted by: Dr. Shehla Ebrahim

April 3, 2010

Bon voyage, Dr. Shehla! Go climb your mountain…

Congratulations and Bon voyage to Dr. Ebrahim who is now on her way to Nepal. In support of the Central Asia Institute, which funds education for young women in remote, war-stricken areas of Northern Pakistan, Dr. Ebrahim will fulfill one of her many dreams, to climb to Everest Base Camp.  The staff and clients of Afterglow wish her the very best in this admirable endeavour.

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Posted by: Dr. Shehla Ebrahim

March 29, 2010

Afterglow Medi-Spa gives Antonia high cheekbones

Recently, our client Antonia, came to see us about reducing her nasolabial folds. Antonia has deep clefts in the nasolabial area, the result of having a small upper palate.  Although she has had Restylane injected into her folds in the past, the upper edge of the fold has formed an obvious ridge.

To address this issue, and to add more volume to the upper area of the facial triangle, Dr. Ebrahim injected Juvéderm Ultra – a semipermanent filler- into the folds and over the cheekbone area.

In this image, we have shown where Dr. Ebrahim will inject the filler. Enhancing the cheekbones will help elevate the upper edge of the fold.

Injecting the Juvéderm. Since this filler contains lidocaine, Antonia feels barely anything as we inject.

After the procedure, left side.

Right side (where nasolabial fold is more pronounced).

Front, showing higher cheekbones and less deep nasolabial folds.

Juvéderm Ultra and other fillers can be used in a number of different ways to enhance or create more youthful lines for your face.

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Category: Dermal Fillers
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Posted by: Dr. Shehla Ebrahim

March 24, 2010

Dr. Ebrahim to Climb Mt. Everest-Base Camp

We support community-based education, especially for girls, in remote, underserviced and war stricken areas of Northern Pakistan.“As health professionals, we are able to give back to the communities in which we live, as well as the world at large,” says Dr. Ebrahim. It is a sentiment she holds dear, and in May of this year, it will take her to Level 1 Base Camp of Mt. Everest (18,500 ft) with a mission to promote and support community-based education, especially for girls, in remote, underserviced and war stricken areas of Northern Pakistan.

“The education of our children is the best hope we have for a peaceful and prosperous world,” says Dr. Ebrahim, who in 2006 climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise money for BC Children’s Hospital, and in 2002, travelled to Tibet to provide free medical service to the eastern nomads.

As of January, 2009, Dr. Ebrahim has pledged to donate 2 percent of Afterglow profits to the non-profit Central Asia Institute. (If you have undergone a rejuvenation procedure with us in the past 15 or so months, part of your payment will be directed to this noble cause…)

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Category: Community, Events / Media
Posted by: Dr. Shehla Ebrahim

March 20, 2010

We’re in Fashion Magazine!

Fashion Magazine, March 2010Afterglow has been featured in the March 2010 issue of Fashion Magazine. Here’s what they have to say about us:

Get bright, glowing, rejuvenated skin that has everyone thinking you’ve just come back from a tropical holiday. This fully kitted-out, Zen-inspired medi-spa was opened five years ago by Dr. Shehla Ebrahim, a warm and attentive cosmetic and family physician who has been practising for over 17 years. Book a complimentary consultation to get started on a treatment plan that meets your skin-care goals and concerns. Make rosacea, lines, folds, spider veins, sun damage, unwanted hair and age spots a thing of your past, or opt for a lunchtime pick-me-up of the Botox, silk peel (which uses Vitamin C instead of chemicals), filler or lip-enhancement variety.

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Category: Events / Media
Posted by: Dr. Shehla Ebrahim

March 17, 2010

Introducing the MicroLaser Peel® and Resurfacing Peel

Now available to Afterglow are the MicroLaser Peel® and Resurfacing Peel to reduce fine wrinkles around the eyes and mouth, soften acne scars and tone, texture and tighten the skin. (Both peels stimulate the skin’s collagen matrix to firm it and add the resilience or tone we associate with youthful beauty.)

Introducing the MicroLaser Peel® and Resurfacing Peel

The MicroLaser Peel ® : Using the new Sciton Contour TRL™ laser, the upper layer of your skin will be gently and safely treated using a vaporization process. This has the effect of reducing fine lines, as well as toning and texturizing your skin. You will also notice a mild tightening effect.

The Resurfacing Peel: Using a different head on the Sciton Contour TRL™ laser, your skin will be gently treated to a deeper level than during a MicroLaser Peel®. This procedure is for skin that is showing deeper wrinkles or scars and needing increased toning and texturizing. The mild tightening effect will be intensified. (Actual depth of treatment will be determined by Dr. Ebrahim during your consultation.)

Best of all, it will normally take only one procedure to achieve these improvements!

To know more about how the Sciton Contour TRL ™ can help your skin look its very best this year, please call Afterglow at 604-980-3993 or email us to set up an appointment.

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Category: Facial Skincare, Sun Damage/Protection
Posted by: Dr. Shehla Ebrahim

February 11, 2010

Spring Packages for beautiful lips and smooth, hairless skin

Afterglow Medi-Spa Offers two Spring Packages for beautiful lips and smooth, hairless skin

Afterglow Medi-Spa Offers two Spring Packages for beautiful lips and smooth, hairless skinBeautiful Lips Package: It’s kissing time again! With all the new spring lip colours on drugstore shelves, many of us are wondering how we can make our lips look plumper and more youthful.

Women generally seek lip enhancement for one of two reasons: They were born with “thin” lips, and would prefer a fuller, more plump appearance, or they are noticing that their lips are becoming flatter and less “padded” due to aging. Either way, a treatment at Afterglow can restore or create natural-looking fullness in the lips, in a mere half hour or so.

To help your lips look their very best, Afterglow is offering a special lip enhancement package, Teosyal Kiss®, a safe and pain-free filler that has a completely natural feel and will not “drift” inside the lips.

Afterglow Medi-Spa Offers two Spring Packages for beautiful lips and smooth, hairless skinLaser Hair-removal Package: If facial or body hair is getting the better of you and you are tired of reaching for your razor, tweezers, depilatory, or waxing kit, a Laser Hair Removal treatment at Afterglow could well be the answer…

Women frequently have unwanted hair on the upper lip or eyebrow area, in the bikini zone, under the arms and on the legs, while men often wish to rid themselves of excessive hair on the back, chest, between the eyebrows or on other parts of the face.

The Sciton BBL™ (Broadband Light) laser offers a safe, effective and permanent alternative to shaving, tweezing and waxing, that you are sure to love.

Please call Afterglow at 604-980-3993 or email us now for more details.

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Category: Body Skincare, Events / Media, Facial Skincare, Hair Removal
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Posted by: Dr. Shehla Ebrahim

January 12, 2010

Ten tips for youthful-looking skin

Ten tips for youthful-looking skin

Ten tips for youthful-looking skin

With 2010 already in full swing, a lot of our “of a certain age” clients are wondering how to improve their skin this year. So here are ten tips to help your body’s largest organ look and act more youthful:

1. Follow a skincare regime that is appropriate for your “stage” in life. Today’s professional skincare products are filled with active ingredients that, applied regularly, actually produce a beneficial effect, helping the ski’s cells to behave in a more youthful fashion. Talk to Afterglow staff about Afterglow’s own line of professional products to find a regimen that is tailored to you.

2. Need we say it again? Use your sunscreen every day and —just as importantly—make sure it is marked “broad spectrum.” The SPF rating applies only to UVB rays, however, UVA light is far more damaging to the skin in the long run. This is because it is all around us, even on a dull day, and can pass through a glass window pane. Broad spectrum sunscreens contain blocks against UVA light, protecting your skin from cumulative damage.

3. Get enough sleep. Although skin repair is an ongoing process, lack of sleep causes an increase in the stress hormone cortisol and this can slow the production of collagen. Between 7 and 8 hours a night is the appropriate amount of shut-eye for that youthful bloom.

4. Get enough exercise. By increasing blood flow, physical activity will bring blood and nutrients to the surface of your skin, encouraging a healthy glow.

5. Don’t smoke. Smoking damages the skin. Period. Not only will you develop dynamic wrinkles from all that puffing and squinting, but the blood vessels in the surface of your skin will constrict, resulting in a dull pallor.

6. Eat more fruits and veggies. Their antioxidants are good for your whole body. Fruits and veggies are also hydrating.

7. If you are past menopause, the reduced estrogen in your body will gradually cause breakdown of collagen and elastin, resulting in a thin, sagging appearance. Consider Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). Dr. Ebrahim will be able to advise you on BHRT so you may wish to set up an appointment with her.

8. Treatment with the Pro-Fractional laser has been shown to improve the tone and texture of aging skin. You may also wish to discuss this with the staff of Afterglow.

9. Don’t forget to exfoliate. Exfoliating the outer layer of skin (epidermis) encourages cell renewal in the deeper layers of the skin. Afterglow offers a microdermabrasion treatment that will polish and refine your skin in a mere 20 minutes. It’s a great way to refresh your look for the coming year!

10. Last, but not least, hydrate! Drink lots of pure water or—if you can afford the sugar content—juices. Foods containing Omega-3 fatty acids (walnuts, flax oil, flax seed, salmon, mackerel, sardines), also help keep water in the skin. At night, when skin loses moisture, use a humidifier in your bedroom and wake up to a plumper, more youthful-looking skin.

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Category: Body Skincare, Facial Skincare, Sun Damage/Protection
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Posted by: Dr. Shehla Ebrahim
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