Qr8

💫 Skin concern: Acne⁠, Acne scars⁠
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📅 Treatment length: 8 Months⁠
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See what's possible with , for your skin. To book with one of our doctors, click the link: https://bit.ly/3Buqq6m
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Got questions? Just shoot us a DM⁠
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*Photographs are taken by the patient, published with patient consent, and without payment

Dear Australia,⁠
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Sending hugs.⁠
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XOXO, Michele

I'm almost 53 and in menopause, so this is a subject close to my heart (or ovaries 😜).⁠
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As you know my tolerance for snake oil sales and disinformation is normally zero, but (perhaps because of menopause!) it's currently less than zero. And because menopause represents a significant marketing opportunity to a relatively cashed-up group, there's a LOT of snake oil and disinformation out there. Not to mention the negative language around what is really just a normal hormonal transition, much like puberty (anyone else been told, 'your [insert menopause symptom] is just part of getting old'?)⁠
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So we're going to make some noise, and do what Qr8 is known for - bringing the best and latest science, b.s. free realness, and open conversation - and applying it to menopause. We're gearing up for a whole host of free/not for profit activities throughout 2022 for anyone with ovaries, and their significant other/s. These will be announced on our usual channels, so keep an eye out (and make sure you're signed up to our mailing list - link in bio).⁠
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If you feel strongly about making some noise with us, DM me. We need all the voices we can in this conversation!⁠
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Drop your comments below if there's anything you want us to know!

Required reading for anyone with ovaries (or adjacent to anyone with ovaries) who wants mansplain- and disinformation-free facts to understand and manage their menopause with confidence.

Because says: your awesomeness is unrelated to your oestrogen. Period.

Qr8™ NUTRITION IS LIVE! ⁠🫑⁠
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To celebrate our launch we're offering you and friend the chance to win a 3-month Qr8™ Nutrition program.⁠
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The prize includes a 45-minute consultation with your very own Accredited Practicing Dietitian, a personalised meal plan, educational content curated for you and support and motivation from your personal dietitian throughout your entire 3-month program.⁠
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To win, head to our page Qr8 Nutrition:⁠
- Tag your friend in the comments⁠
- Both you and your friend must be following Qr8 Nutrition ⁠(we will check!)⁠
- Winners will be announced on our stories, Monday 18th October at 6PM AEST. We will DM winners to organise treatment⁠
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Terms and conditions:⁠
- This giveaway is a giveaway and not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with Instagram⁠
- The hosting party of this giveaway is Qr8™ Nutrition⁠
- This giveaway is limited to Australian residents over the age of 18⁠
- The winner will be chosen at random using an automated number generator⁠
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🥬 Head to our website www.qr8nutrition.com to learn more about our programs!⁠

Only a year in the making, but coming soon to an app store near you!⁠⁠
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What features would you like to see in our new app?

Non boring strategy meetings….

When investment in innovation, science & quality meet vision and integrity, you get ⁠
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Thank you for a beautiful morning Vida Glow

Qr8 updated their business hours.

When your team knows *exactly* the way to your ♥️

Spending time with these good humans I’m raising is the best Mother’s Day gift anyone could ever give me. Their kindness, wisdom, and confidence inspires me every day, and I know they a reflection of the unconditional love I learned from my own Mother, and her Mother before her.

But ‘mothering’ isn’t exclusively female, nor does it necessarily involve being an ‘actual’ mother. So to all the queens out there who nurture, support, guide, inspire and care for others - happy Mother’s Day!

Daily dose ✔️

There's something big happening at Qr8...⁠
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We're in the final stages of changing how we structure our business so we can roll out some brand new services. I will be announcing these over the coming months as they come on line.⁠
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One thing that will never change is providing evidence-based, honest and independent advice. It's part of Qr8's (and my) DNA. I value that above all else. So Qr8 will become the central theme upon which all new services are built (like Qr8 MediSkin for example). You will see these changes reflected in the original Qr8 website very soon.⁠
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Something that has also been apparent to me for a while is that all our skincare advice (prescription *and* cosmetic skincare) should be moved to a single account. Starting from today, that account will be qr8_mediskin so make sure you're following us there for all the good skin stuff. It's actually a relief, because running 2 parallel accounts about similar things is exhausting! And I know it's been confusing for some of you too!⁠
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The Qr8 account you're on now, will change to . If you want to stick around and follow my announcements and crazy adventures as I run the Qr8 businesses and roll out new services, I would love you to stay. I will also be posting more about what brings me joy (and yes, my skincare products because I get endless questions about what I use!). It will be a little less 'curated' than you're used to, and a whole lot more candid - mainly because that's all I have time for 🤪. But I would love to share it with you, and most importantly, check in with you so I know Qr8 continues to give you what you want.⁠
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Michele xx

WE'RE BACK 🙌🏽🎉⁠
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After several weeks off the air thanks to a hack, we're kicking things off with a great article for Mamamia on how to save your hard-earned $$ on skincare - and what to spend it on instead for maximum bang for buck, results-wise!⁠
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Click here for all our tips (and the science behind them): https://www.mamamia.com.au/where-to-spend-in-skincare-routine/
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Got questions? Ask them in the comments👇🏾

THE SKIN SESSIONS ARE BACK! 🙌🏼⁠
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Join Dr Natalia Spierings and Dr Michele Squire as they bust hydroquinone myths left, right and centre 💥⁠
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📅 THURSDAY 25TH FEBRUARY⁠
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⏰AUSTRALIA: 3.30pm AEST (QLD)⁠
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⏰DUBAI: 9.30am GST⁠
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⏰LONDON: 5.30am GMT⁠
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Make sure you're following our qr8_mediskin Instagram account to watch live.

Can't make it? The live will be saved to our IGTV so you can watch it anytime.⁠
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Hit us with questions in the comments👇🏾

Make sure you're following our medical skincare service qr8_mediskin for before and after transformations like these (and loads more skincare advice)!

AFTER ONLY 2 HOURS IN THE SUN!

Qld woman with horrific injuries because she didn't wear sunscreen Leanne Whyte from Queensland's Sunshine Coast continues to suffer the painful consequences a week after her 'silly mistake' and still can't lie on her back due to her bad sunburn.

We all want to get 2021 off to a cracking start, especially after the crap that was 2020 (which has continued into this year for many 😢)

Our feeds are flooded with 'new year, new you' posts, sales and new product drops - all designed to sell you more stuff. It's not a coincidence that irritant contact dermatitis surges at this time of year. Skin can only take so much before it plays up!

I don't want to be the Grinch that stole beauty - skincare is meant to be enjoyable after all. But adding more and more cosmetic products in search of miracle results often produces the opposite result (or no results at all 😲)

Here's our top tips to get your 2021 skin plan on track:

1️⃣Do you really need it? 🤷🏽‍♀️
Instead of haphazardly adding products you see advertised, try doing the opposite! Remove everything but cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen. Do this for a few weeks, and see how your skin responds. Did you really need all that other stuff?
If you miss something, add it back in slowly and purposefully to monitor its effects.

2️⃣Be methodical
Don't start a whole new routine all at once. If something goes wrong you won't know what it is, and if there is a miracle product hiding in there, you also won't know what it is!

3️⃣Watch for pseudoscience 🧐
We see it often - the results of studies where a high concentration/pure ingredient is applied to cell cultures in a lab setting or used in a clinical study, applied to a retail product that uses a tiny concentration of the same ingredient in a completely different formulation.
One example is azelaic acid - at 15-20% it has rosacea, acne and pigmentation-busting powers, but there's no evidence that a 10% cosmetic formulation does the same.
Email the company to ask for evidence (and know the difference between a consumer study, and a proper clinical study).

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Fake and paid consumer reviews are hard to spot. Click our link in bio for a recent high profile beauty industry case prosecuted by the FTC.
Approach manufacturers directly to ask for evidence, be skeptical, and search widely for reviews in multiple locations.

If all else fails, message us! We can point you in the right direction 😊

It's a new year and we're kicking off 2021 by helping you to achieve your skin goals 🙌🏽

We’re giving you and a friend the chance to win your own personalized Qr8 MediSkin prescription plus full medical and skincare support for an entire year (worth up to $1200 each 😀)

How to enter:
✅Head to our qr8_mediskin page and follow us (we will check)
✅Tag any friends you think would like to share this prize with you (each friend tagged in a new comment counts as an additional entry to increase your chance of winning)
✅BONUS: share the post in your stories and tag us for an additional entry

The contest closes on Sunday 17th January and is open to Australian and New Zealand residents over 18 years of age. The prescription product supplied will depend on medical skin diagnosis by our doctors. The winner will be randomly selected, and announced here.

Last week the internet lit up after JLo attributed her ageless complexion to using olive oil rather than wrinkle relaxers.⁠
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Whatever your personal beliefs about this statement 🤨, it's worth understanding a couple of things that might put this into perspective (and save you from drowning yourself in a vat of olive oil 😩)⁠
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🧑🏼🧑🏽🧑🏾🧑🏿Skin of different ethnicities ages differently - those with increased melanin (i.e. richer skin tones), show sun damage and wrinkles later than those with lighter skin tones - reportedly up to a decade later. This is a result of increased melanin, but also a slightly thicker dermis [1].⁠
The downside of increased melanisation is that these skin types are prone to hyperpigmentation, so staying on top of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, sunspots, and melasma with sun protection and topical pigment lighteners is a must.⁠
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☀️J.Lo is a self-confessed religious sunscreen user, and has been since a young age. She uses sunscreen as her daily moisturiser🧴⁠
Cumulative UV exposure, especially when it is extensive, doesn't just increase the formation and extent of wrinkles and pigmentation, but also the development of broken blood vessels (telangiectasia) and saggy, deeply furrowed skin through increased dermal collagen and elastin breakdown - all hallmarks of prematurely photoaged skin.⁠
If you have a lighter skin tone, then this is especially pronounced - in a 2018 study comparing severity of facial lines and volume loss between 1472 Australian Caucasian and Asian women, and 1795 matched skin types in Canada, the UK and USA, Australian women reported deeper facial lines and enhanced volume loss in tear troughs and nasolabial folds than women from other countries. Australian women also reported moderate to severe signs of ageing 10-20 years earlier than their US counterparts [2].⁠
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We'll say it again - a great sunscreen is the least sexy, least expensive and best future-proofing product in your lineup (bonus, it might be life saving!)⁠
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Oh, and we suspect J.Lo also has a great cosmetic dermatologist on speed dial 🤫⁠
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References 👇🏾

1. Vashi NA et al. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2016. PMID: 26962390
2. Goodman GJ, Armour KS et al. Australas J Dermatol. 2018. PMID: 28397327

✅What are they?
Hand held devices for at-home use that deliver a tiny electrical current (the eponymous 'microcurrent'), promising to tone and firm facial muscles to improve wrinkles and facial contour, build collagen, and lift saggy bits.

You'll recognise them by the metal contact points (balls or wands) on top of the device that deliver the electrical current*. Professional devices used during microcurrent facials usually have metal prongs. A conducting gel/serum is used to transfer the electrical current to the skin.

✅Do they work?
There's not a single clinical study showing that they do anything (please correct me if you know one!)

These devices supposedly work by increasing cellular energy (ATP) production to produce positive effects. But there's no evidence of this either. Some state that electrical stimulation of muscles improves muscle tone (like a 'workout') - although if this does work, it will only affect facial muscles, not skin, collagen or fat.

One study looked at the effect of 2 devices on signs of ageing after 4 months of daily use (longer than the recommended usage protocol) [1]. 2 plastic surgeons were unable to detect any difference in signs of ageing in a blinded review of before and after photographs.

Of the 18 subjects enrolled, only 10 completed the study because they couldn't maintain the daily treatment or stopped due to lack of results.

In the absence of data, it's likely that there is a temporary massage-induced increase in blood circulation and muscle tone, that transiently improves facial contours (similar to massage during a facial). This might be nice for a special occasion, but needs to be performed daily. There is certainly no evidence of medium- to long-term cumulative results.

*The device in the image doesn't use microcurrent - it vibrates on the skin. These don't have any effect on collagen or facial structure but can be handy if you are having painful procedures performed. There's some early evidence to suggest that applying these adjacent to the site of pain (such as an injection), can exploit something called the 'gate theory of pain' to confuse the brain's processing of pain signals, thereby easing pain [2]

References:
1. Lee S & Most SP. 2006. PMID: 16415451
2. Mally P et al. 2014. PMID: 24464122

✨ Qr8 Christmas Closure Dates ✨ - https://mailchi.mp/1cbadb04bdc4/qr8-christmas-dates