Education

I recently had the pleasure of treating a woman in her mid-thirties who had never had a professional skin care treatment. Why did I get so much satisfaction from this you may ask?  

There is no better instant gratification than the before and after effects that a professional skin treatment can have.  This women came in with dull, dehydrated and congested skin and left with a glowing and vibrant complexion. 

I often tell people that initiation into the self-care rituals of massage therapy and regular skin care treatments is like opening Pandora’s box- there’s no turning back!

This particular client had a rather curious question for me- are regular facials bad for your skin?- aren’t they really only effective for about a week?- that’s why you have to continue with them…?!

I’m not sure what the logic behind that idea is, but I do find that people rarely appreciate the benefits of habitual professional skin care. I liken it to regular excercise, eating well, brushing and flossing your teeth. If you don’t do these things regularly and consistently- it shows outwardly and inwardly. The same goes for your skin. Would you expect to stay in shape if you went to boot camp for a month and then stopped working out?

I’ve seen incredible changes in people’s skin, but it tends to happen gradually, over a period of about six months to a year. For instance, I did a series of microdermabrasion treatments on a client, one treatment a week for six weeks.  This client had a very bumpy and rough forehead with micro-comedones/ blackheads and more blackheads scattered throughout her cheek and chin area. After the treatment series, her skin had improved quite drastically, but it wasn’t until six months post-series that I saw the lasting results that come from regular treatments- spaced every five weeks for maintenance. Her skin had changed. It was smooth, clear and healthy with little to no breakout activity. 

Now that we’re using light therapy to treat the skin, the results we can offer are even more gratifying. I just completed a treatment series of skin tightening treatments with a gentleman in his early 70’s. Although skin tightening is not a replacement for a face-lift, I was astonished how much of a difference there was from his before and after pictures. The skin was definitely rejuvenated; his smile lines were softened and the definition of his jawline was improved.

So yes- with effort and consistency,  you can train your skin. Has a skin treatment changed your skin for the better? Post your comments here.

Other Site Links:

Skin Treatment Series: “Theory of Relativity” and “Cellular Salvation” packages 

Pre-Skin Tightening

Post-Skin Tightening

Oh to be a teen in 2009!  Not much has really changed from my teen years in the 90’s (I won’t say early or late 90’s)- okay- maybe I’m just saying that to make myself feel better!  But in all honesty, even though our lifestyles and social interactions are more digital, the same issues come up. Popularity, fitting in and of course looking good. The spike in hormones that occur during puberty can do a nasty number on the skin, ie: oily slicks and acne.

As adults, we have only a slight edge on teens as far as understanding our skin and how to treat it. Our main advantage is the myriad of choices that are marketed to us. Now teens have a product line they can call their own.  No more need to use rubbing alcohol to strip the oil residue from their skin (hard to believe, but this does happen) or applying tooth paste to pimples as a zit-zapping remedy. Clean Start is here. Developed by Dermalogica in their Los Angeles Labs and a panel of teens, this line of products makes skin care fun and simple. With brightly packaged products with funky names like “Bedtime for Breakouts” and “Smart Mouth”, I can’t help but feel a little jealous that I didn’t have these choices when I was a teen. The main brand I identified with at the time was Clinique for it’s simplistic packaging that didn’t seem to scream “this is your Mom’s face cream”. The kicker is that now, not only do teens have an option for professional strength, quality products- the price point is incredibly good as well; products range from $21-$31. That’s pretty sick if you ask me.

Check out the Clean Start website with myth-busting skin care information that even an adult can learn from. And if you have any teens in your life- help them start taking care of their skin early. Undoubtedly most of us could have used the help!

Did you have problem skin as a teen? How did you treat it? Post your comments here.

Clean Start

What are the benefits of a Customized Spruce Facial for a:

Normal Skin? If skin is normal- why bother with a skin treatment?  Although a normal skin may not be troubled with concerns that occur with other skin types, blackheads in the t-zone and general dehydration are most likely present. A professional skin treatment can offer a deep exfoliation that leaves skin smooth and soft, aiding in decongestion of the pores and re-hydration of the skin.  Here are some examples of professional products that may be used to treat normal skin: 

Dermalogica’s Daily Microfoliant combined with Exfoliant Accelerator 35: a professional exfoliation cocktail with lactic acid, extract of licorice and bear-berry, and vitamin C to brighten the skin and activate cell renewal. 

Colloidal Mask: this deeply hydrating mask smooths fine lines and improves skin’s elasticity, featuring hyaluronic acid and vitamins A and C. 

Dry Skin? The discomfort and dullness of dry skin will benefit from Dermalogica’s Multivitamin Power Exfoliant. Enriched with olive oil, multi-vitamins, lactic acid and salicylic acid, this potent exfoliant repairs sun damage and aids in the regeneration of the connective tissues. Dry skin is replenished and re-energized with vital nutrients from the Intensive Moisture Mask, a creamy moisture-rich mask containing evening primrose oil, gingko biloba, honey and vitamins C and E. 

Oily Skin? Oily skin generally has a higher pH balance then other skin types, produces more dead skin cells and has a stickier sebum which inhibits the desquamation process (cell renewal), leading to skin imperfections, enlarged pores, and shininess. A professional skin treatment with Pro-Derm’s 20% glycolic acid can be extremely effective in reducing pore size and eliminating excess dead skin cells.  A pore refining treatment with Pro-Derm’s Terreus Mask featuring a 20% concentration of thermal mud and sea clay reduces oil production by up to 12% while aloe vera, shea butter and lavender moisturize and sooth the skin.  

links:

dermalogica

pro-derm