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Check out our nurse Lori’s Before, During (one week) and After (3 weeks) pics! Her customized peel was several layers, but not the most aggressive level. She can expect even more change to occur in the weeks ahead as collagen remodels! Check it out
Article by our Aesthetician
Skin Care for the Sun Worshipers!
As a sun worshiper, I was always getting yelled at by our Aesthetician, Elizabeth to make sure I was wearing sunscreen every day. I do admit that up until I started working here, I never thought of putting SPF on my face daily even if I wasn’t on vacation laying out in the sun. I do love getting a good tan in the summer, but this new product we started carrying here at the Institute of Aesthetic Surgery called NIA24 caught my attention.
NIA24 is a skin care line that is ideal for anybody with moderate to severe sun damage. I thought that was perfect for me since I am pretty sure I have some sun damage deep in my skin. This line is the first I heard of that is applied topically and delivers Niacin to your dermal layer. I didn’t really know the importance Niacin had for skin care, but it was explained to me that the Niacin Molecule regenerates damaged skin cell layers, and this product has been researched by the University of Arizona Cancer Center. It basically builds stronger better skin that is more resistant to damage, your overall texture and tone of your skin improves, and it helps get rid of lines and brown spots associated with sun damage. What is also nice about this line is that if you are using any other product like Retinol or Hydroquinone, you can use this along with the NIA24 line.
At first I was skeptical because I will admit I am very lazy when it comes to skin care regimens and I will not put forth too much effort when it comes to it, but this one is really easy and only 3 steps (compared to other systems that can be up to 6 steps). You wash your face twice daily with the Gentle Cleansing Cream, apply the Skin Strengthening Complex at night, and the Sun Damage Prevention SPF 30 in the morning (and reapply throughout the day as needed). They also have a wonderful scrub that you substitute twice a week to smooth your skin (which is fabulous). I absolutely love this line, and the face wash feels so good. The Gentle Cleansing Cream is a creamy face wash and I normally do not like cream cleansers, but this one is really moisturizing and takes off all of my makeup! I do admit at first I didn’t know what was supposed to happen to my skin and I was a little skeptical but after using it for over a month I realized my skin just looks and feels healthier and I don’t even have to use any lotion on my face anymore, which is pretty amazing because I always had to put lotion on my face. Also the sunscreen is really nice too, especially if you put makeup on over it, because it dries to a nice powdery finish and your skin feels awesome! SO all in all I love the NIA24 line and plan to use it for a long time! In addition to repairing the sun damage I already had, it is now going to help prevent and protect my skin from further sun damage!
Article by Cristina
Doctors Do It Better!
Are skin care products purchased through a physician’s office better than department store skin care products? I was a department store skin care user for many years, and I THOUGHT my skin was getting the best care that my hard earned money could buy. Little did I know that there was a significantly different level of skin care available through a physician’s office. Skin care that not only made the surface of my skin appear soft, but repaired it on a cellular level which ultimately brought an incredible feeling and glow to my face. I began using the Obagi-C Rx System about a year ago, and I can honestly say that I have seen a remarkable improvement in my skin. I know it’s not just me that thinks this, because I receive compliments on a regular basis about the quality of my skin. For someone who’s within sniffing distance of the big 5-0, and whose idea of a great summer afternoon in my teens was laying out on the garage roof to tan with nothing but baby oil between my precious skin and the bright sun, I am immensely pleased.
So what is it about the Obagi-C Rx system that makes it so effective? First and foremost for me, it is simple to use. Four basic steps in the morning and two basic steps at night (when you’re too tired to think about much else!). Not only is it simple to use, but the patented combination of prescription strength 4% Hydroquinone and professional strength Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) is the first and only system of its kind; which is at a level and quality not available in department stores. The combination of these two elements helps regulate the production of melanin producing cells, enhance collagen production, minimize skin cell damage from the environment, and correct lackluster skin and dark patches. The result is a more even skin tone which is smoother, brighter, and has reduced fine lines and wrinkles. I’ve always thought investing in quality skin care is well worth it, considering that your skin is the biggest organ in your body. Now I know, like the Wall Street guru who has found the perfect stock, that I have finally found the best return on my skin care investment – Obagi-C Rx System.
Article by our Patient Coordinator Tina
Obagi Blue Peel
I wanted to write about my experience with the Obagi Blue Peel. I had started using the Obagi Nu Derm starter set faithfully last fall after seeing photos of myself up close without makeup and under a Wood’s Lamp. That was really depressing. I had a lot of what I thought were freckles, but learned that is was sun damage from my teen years of “soaking up the rays”. If I could offer any young person a valuable piece of advice, it would be to please wear sunscreen. If you are already past that point of major prevention like me, there is still help available with good skin care products. It is amazing the level of improvement the Nu Derm system achieved for my skin. Almost all the visible damage was gone after about 8 weeks.
In April, our esthetician, Elizabeth, suggested I try the Obagi Blue Peel to help with some sun damage that was still noticeable on my left cheek, probably a result of wearing no sunscreen for years and having that side of my face more exposed to the sun while I was driving. I had been on and off the system trying other products we offered, but after returning from vacation in Arizona in late March I noticed a return of the ugly sun discoloration and went back on Obagi faithfully. It is a requirement of this peel that the client has used the Nu Derm system for 6 weeks prior to the peel.
I was a little nervous at first after learning I might be “blue” for 24 hours following the peel as I hadn’t cancelled plans I had for that weekend including dinner with some friends and a much needed hair appointment. I was also a little nervous when I learned that many people have to stop at level three because the burning becomes too intense. It was explained to me that the peel would be applied in layers and each one would progressively burn a little more intensely, but only for about 2 minutes as it worked deeper into the skin. There are a total of five layers and we would apply only what I was comfortable with, but each additional layer provided a deeper improvement to the skin. I worried I might have to shout “stop” and go running from the room, but I really wanted to improve that sun damage.
I started by cleansing my face and getting comfortable in a treatment chair. Elizabeth handed me a small electric fan and told me to turn it on if I needed to minimize the burning sensation. The first layer wasn’t much of a traumatic event at all and I started to relax. It felt similar to putting a little bit of rubbing alcohol on freshly scrubbed skin but certainly nothing intolerable. The second layer felt very similar to the first, maybe just a touch more intense. I felt I had survived both of the first two layers so I might as well go for the third. It did burn a little bit more, but nothing that I felt overwhelmed by. The fan was a very nice distraction and gave me something to do other than sit there and focus on the tingling. Now there was talk of doing a fourth layer. I was starting to realize that I probably made it worse in my head (which may not be a bad thing) and I decided to get the fourth layer. Again, more intense than the first three, but I didn’t have to shout stop or run away.
After the fourth layer had stopped burning, Elizabeth used the gentle cleanser to remove a lot of the blue color that is mixed in with the peel. I also washed my face and neck a time or two and went from bright turquoise “Smurf” blue to a more subdued “Smurf left in the sun” faded blue. I was given two products that I was to use to both moisturize and calm the area. As I drove home it may have been my imagination, but I think a few others drivers did a double take.
The next morning as I was showering to get ready for my hair appointment, I realized that I was still going to be blue going into the hair salon. I washed my face a few more times, but still looked “dirty”. I went anyway. People may have looked at me funny, but were very polite and didn’t say anything. That night at dinner with my friends, they thought it was very amusing and luckily the lighting in the restaurant was dim.
On day three and four post peel, I looked as thought I had plastic wrapped stretched across a dirty face. I was not supposed to wear makeup (I cheated and tried) so I just kept applying the products to help soften my look. I also started to actually peel at this time as well, and the skin underneath was absolutely gorgeous. It was a healthy looking fresh, pinkish color that I hadn’t seen for a long time. I was so excited and it was all I could do to not “help” the process of peeling along a bit.
By day seven I had my new beautiful skin and it was so worth it. I didn’t even want to put on makeup to cover it up it was so gorgeous. I would do it again in a minute and probably will at some point in time. I am also very careful and apply sunscreen right after my shower daily to protect my new face.
More about Obagi
Article by our Patient Coordinator Lori
Geranium Sage Salt Glow
Body treatments are essentially a facial for your whole body. It is just as important to cleanse, exfoliate, and hydrate the skin on your body as it is the skin of your face.
The most popular body treatment is a salt glow or sea-salt scrub. This is an exfoliating treatment that takes place on a massage table covered with a sheet.
As you lay on your stomach, the therapist rubs a mixture of sea salt, oil, and aromatics into your skin. This exfoliates the skin and leaves it feeling velvety soft.
I just recently had a salt glow. Salt Glow is an invigorating exfoliation treatment for hands, feet and body. It combines the refining power of Ancient Mineral Salts with the richness of Treatment Oil. When gently massaged into the treatment area, Salt Glow immediately revives rough, dry skin by removing dead skin cells and calluses.
I must say this is my favorite body treatment yet! It starts off with a foot soak. And then scrub away! Just to have someone scrub all those hard to reach areas and leaving them super clean and soft is fabulous… I invite you to come in and try this mind melting experience that will leave you looking and feeling bright and buffed.
Learn more about this and other spa treatments at Cantera Spa
Are you ready to take care of your lips during this winter season?
It’s that time of year where you lips start crying for hydration. Well I’ve got a product for you “Skinceuticals Antioxidant Lip Repair” will not only help with the environment elements but it will also prevent signs of aging. Here is the scoop about this product.
Two powerful antioxidants, vitamin E and silymarin form an exclusive combination antioxidant therapy for the lips. This powerful treatment helps prevent premature signs of aging, while restoring moisture and smoothing the surface of the lips. Medical research proves that combination therapy provides better protection from environmental aging, helping to shield the delicate lip area from UV light as well as environmental elements such as smoke and air pollution. Special botanical emollients hydrate and heal dry, cracked lips, while an AHA-free exfoliating complex accelerates cell renewal to smooth deep lip lines for full, healthy lips.
Benefits
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