Essential Guide to Skin Rejuvenation Services for Youthful Skin

Everyone wants healthy, youthful skin, prompting people to try everything they can find. From natural remedies, as simple as using lemon juice for its collagen-boosting properties, to clinically proven treatments, like dermal fillers, people would give anything a shot that promises a glowing complexion.

However, if you truly want youthful skin, you will be better off turning to professional skin rejuvenation services. However, in order to choose the most suitable treatment option, you first need to learn about the types of rejuvenation services and their benefits.

What Are Professional Skin Rejuvenation Services?

Professional skin rejuvenation services are a combination of various advanced treatments designed to improve the overall appearance of your skin. You are supposed to get the best results considering these services are offered by trained professionals who rely on state-of-the-art technology throughout the procedure. Some of the most common types of skin treatments to reverse aging and get youthful skin include PicoSure (PICO) laser, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), microneedling, and Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy.

While IPL is used to deal with redness, pigmentation, and vascular lesions, PICO helps treat acne scars and fine lines. Similarly, microneedling, which is considered an effective form of collagen induction therapy, triggers natural healing processes to improve skin texture and firmness.

At-home treatments, natural remedies, and dietary modifications may help a little with healthy skin and hair, and make you look younger, but they are not nearly as effective as professional services. DIY options often lack the efficacy, precision, and safety of professional treatments. Those devices are underpowered and cannot be customized as per your skin type and individual needs. Professional skin rejuvenation services can also offer many other benefits.

Improved Skin Texture

At-home treatments and natural remedies just can’t compete with professional skin rejuvenation services when your goal is to improve skin tone and texture. As they are designed carefully to deal with uneven skin texture, they help reduce hyperpigmentation, treat dark spots, and make you look younger.

Procedures like laser resurfacing and microneedling work effectively to promote the growth of new skin cells. However, advanced treatments, like radiofrequency skin tightening, are also available, which target hyperpigmentation and lighten these areas in no time.

Reduced Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Professional skin rejuvenation services work effectively to deal with visible signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles. Professionals maintain a multifaceted approach and harness cutting-edge technologies to stimulate collagen production, which is vital for improving skin’s elasticity.

They can achieve good results using laser resurfacing, and microneedling. Sometimes, they combine microneedling with radiofrequency to target specific areas and get the desired results. The controlled micro-injuries result in increased fibroblast activity, which fills existing wrinkles and fortifies the dermal matrix at the same time, ultimately reducing aging effects.

These professionals may also utilize growth factors, antioxidants, and peptides after the treatment to promote cellular turnover and limit free radical damage. The combination of these treatment approaches helps you see a considerable improvement in skin texture, tone, and overall health.

Effective Treatment of Acne Scars

Many people look for natural remedies, at-home kits, and other treatment options to get rid of acne scars. However, it often seems those scars are too stubborn to budge, and that’s when professionals can help you find a suitable treatment.

The use of various treatment options, like chemical peels and blue light therapy, enables professionals to reduce the appearance of acne scars while improving overall skin clarity. The use of glycolic acid and salicylic acid during the treatment also reduces breakouts by eliminating acne-causing bacteria.

Depending on your condition, a professional may also decide to use other treatments, such as dermabrasion and subcision to stimulate collagen production and reduce the visibility of scars.  These treatments also alter the scar tissue and promote the growth of healthy skin cells. 

Customized Treatment Plans

One of the biggest benefits of professional skin rejuvenation services is that you can get a treatment plan designed specifically for your skin type and needs. Not everyone experiences the same aging signs, and that’s why the treatment needs to be different as well. This bespoke approach allows professionals to deal with various skin issues simultaneously, such as uneven skin tone, fine lines, wrinkles, and texture irregularities.

Treatment plans can also be customized as your skin condition evolves due to environmental stressors or aging factors. Your aesthetician works directly with you to learn about your major concerns and then explain various treatment options, such as laser therapy, chemical peels, and microneedling to promote skin vitality. They also help combine different modalities to ensure you get multiple skin-related problems fixed at the same time.

Endnote

While home treatments and natural remedies may help in some cases, they are never as effective as professional skin rejuvenation services, especially when your goal is to reverse signs of aging and enjoy a more youthful look. As administered by trained professionals, these services offer precise, effective, and safe results. They are also tailored to your skin type and texture, so you should always expect optimal outcomes. Just be sure to choose an experienced aesthetician to reap the maximum benefits of skin rejuvenation treatment options.

Top Skin Care Tips for your Wedding Day in 2016

Preparing your skin for your Wedding Day

You’ve picked your venue. Set the date. Picked out your perfect gown (no doubt). You’ve found your glam squad hair, makeup... the works! Have you given any thought to your skin care prior to the wedding? What about waxing? Do you see an esthetician? Can you do things at home? What’s your routine? Do you HAVE a routine?

In case I’ve just spun you into a panic...or you’re thinking what’s an esthetician? I’m here to help guide you through the treacherous waters of the drugstore and department store aisles, and get you on track to the best skin of your life - for the biggest day of your life!

Amber Budd. Licensed Esthetician in Minneapolis

Your wedding will likely be one of the biggest days of your life, and as such, you’ll want your skin to be as flawless as possible: your makeup will lay nicer on the skin, your photos will look better, and you’ll FEEL better about how you look. Feelings relate to confidence and radiance.

Your skin is your largest organ, however, it’s the last place to receive nutrients and hydration from internal sources (i.e.: what you eat and drink) Your skin is one of the first places you’ll notice changes if you aren’t taking care of your body.

Too many nights out in a row? You’ll probably notice dark circles under your eyes and dry or red patches of skin on your face. Not enough vitamins and minerals from fresh fruits and vegetables? You might see dull, lifeless skin, with more breakouts, and higher or lower oil production.

In order to combat some of these issues, we have to treat the skin from the outside in, and inside out in order to create the balance necessary for flawless skin. Working with a professional gives you the greatest opportunity for success in achieving the skin you dream of.

So where do I start?

Yes, this can be overwhelming….so where do you start? First, find a reputable esthetician. Ask your friends, your makeup artist, or do a Google search. You’re likely to find several people to choose from that are operate reputable businesses.

Next book a consultation. Any esthetician or spa worth it’s weight in luminous skin, will be willing to meet with your for 10-15 minutes for free. Bring your list of questions (don’t worry, I’ll help you with this below) and make sure you’re on the same page.

Interview your Esthetician

Now here's the fun part. Interview your potential esthetician….

1. Are they licensed?
2. What continuing education do they do, and how often?
3. What recommendations would they have for a series of treatments for you and why?
4. What are the expected results?
5. After the first facial, will they provide home-care product recommendations so you can help maintain and build results at home in between facials?
6. What do they do to be sure the treatment room is clean between guests?

You’ll likely want to set up a series of skincare treatments roughly once a month leading up to your wedding so you can see increasing results over time. Remember most people spend a large chunk of their wedding budgets on photos having flawless skin. Hair and makeup just makes those photos THAT MUCH better and is worth every penny of your budget to secure the best hair, makeup and skincare team you can.

Waxing...

If you’re planning to wax any body or facial area prior to the wedding, there are several things to keep in mind:

1. Do not have anything waxed within 5 - 7 days prior to your wedding. You’ll want to give your skin ample time to get over any residual irritation before the big day!
2. Go to a reputable waxer. If they are double dipping sticks….RUN, don’t walk. I mean it. Leave the room in the middle of a wax and go somewhere else.
3. Estheticians are specialists in body and facial waxing. That means they are trained to know the bone structure and muscle layout on the face to give you a custom  service to your unique facial features. Estheticians who specialize in bikini and Brazilian waxing can make your experience significantly less painful than you think it will be, given their training. It’s worth seeking out a pro.

Prior to your Wedding

As you get closer to the wedding, make sure you book your hair and makeup consultations. Consultations are an integral part of making sure your wedding day goes smoothly and efficiently. It eliminates any chance for mis-communication, and makes the day so much more relaxing. You just kick back and let the artists do their work!

WarPaint International recommends 4 - 6 weeks before your wedding to have your trial run. It’s really helpful to your artists if you have an idea of what you like or don’t like. Pinterest can be very helpful with this, as you can make a beauty board for your wedding, and your artists can help you narrow down what will and won’t work best for your skin tone, hair thickness and length, etc.

** Be warned that Pinterest is both a great tool and a detriment to your search. Many Artists are quite used to example photos that have more Adobe air-brushing happening than Artist air-brushing. Your Artists will likely help you weed out unrealistic expectations or images that resonate editorial touchups.  

You’re going to be stunning. You’re a bride, after all! Implement a plan, think ahead and enjoy your day!

Amber Budd

Licensed Esthetician & Makeup Artisan. Amber is an Esthiology graduate from the Aveda Institute and is a Twin Cities-based makeup artist for WarPaint International. 

Amber can be booked for skincare treatments online HERE.

For Beauty and Makeup bookings, or to see Amber's portfolio, check out her Artisan profile HERE.

8 Tips on How to Prepare Your Skin for Winter

Winter is coming! Here are some tips to prepare your skin.

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What products and / or treatments work well for people who suffer from eczema in the winter time?

Chronic eczema can be very tricky to treat completely, but to decrease symptoms and itch that can sometimes accompany it, an excellent natural remedy is Veriditas Botanicals essential oil blend called "Eczema Treatment". Applied 2-3 times daily with a thick salve, shea butter or olive oil on top can greatly improve this problem without the typical prescribed steroid creams that thin the skin and eventually stop working anyway.

Jill Schierholz

Aesthetician & skin care specialist.

Skin Savvy Inc. located at the Wayzata Medical Spa.

952-473-1111

What are some of the best ways to combat dry or chapped lips?

First of all...H to the 2-O!!! Hydration from the inside out is the very best way to prevent the problem in these desert dry months. Dry lips are one of the very first indicators that you are dehydrated. Listen to them!

Secondly, always keeping a barrier on those chops to keep the cold wind and elements that we're exposed to in the frigid weather away from that delicate skin. Look for names like lip butter, or protective balm. Even Aquaphor is wonderful. NO Chap-stick or Blistex! These have fiber glass derivatives that harm the lips rather then help.

How often should you be exfoliating your skin to get rid dead cells?

Generally, for normal skin types every other day is good. But when it comes to dry skin types, too much exfoliating strips that ever important layer of skin that can hold all important oils in, out of the skin that we very much need this time of year. To be sure you're exfoliating enough but not too much, use the Clarisonic brush once a day with the Delicate brush head and a gentle, creamy granular scrub with jojoba beads.

What are some of your favorite products for those who have excessive dry skin in the winter?

You may think thick, creamy lotions are the best, but they can only do so much to really get down deep into the skin, or retain enough water. An excellent pre moisturizer serum that pushes moisture deep down to lock in water in the dermis is Hydrating Complex from Skin Medica. Do this before moisturizer and then top with Skin Ceuticals Hydrating B5 mask before bed to douse skin with the ultimate moisture cocktail.

For us oily skinned guys & gals; what do you recommend to keep our skin hydrated while also controlling the oil?

Again, the Hydrating Complex! Light enough not to add oil, but moisturizing enough to prevent dehydration that can occur in the winter to even oily skin, which will then in turn cause your skin to produce more oil to compensate for the loss of moisture.

How often should you go in for a facial to maintain healthy glowing skin?

For a normal skin, about 8 weeks. Problematic, congested, or dry / dehydrated skin should be more consistently 4-6 weeks apart to keep skin more deeply cleansed and exfoliated which in turn prevents acne bacteria to produce, or dry, built up dead skin to block moisture retention.

What are some of the biggest mistakes people make in regards to their skin the winter?

One the hardest things on our skin during the winter is the exposure to the elements when it comes to wind and extreme cold. This stresses the blood vessels in the skin creating redness (and many times breaking the vessels) and stripping moisture. So not having enough moisture in the skin to protect, PLUS a scarf or high necked coat to block the harsh weather can cause a lot of aging and damage. 

Any other tips & advice for keeping our skin healthy in the winter time?

Besides all the above, one word, Sunblock. We think because it isn't summer anymore and not outside as much, we can forget about this step. The sun can actually be as strong as an August summer day (when the sun is at its peak strength) with the reflection of the sun on the snow. We've all been blinded by the sun when driving in the winter. With how hard it is on our eyes to see, think how hard it is on our skin as well! And all the "aging" UVA rays go right through glass. At least a daily SPF of 30 or higher to hold up all day is best.