VISIA COMPLEXION ANALYSIS

We are proud to offer the VISIA Complexion Anaylsis System in our Skin Care Center.  VISIA starts with a digital photograph of your face to document the condition of your skin and evaluates the effectiveness of the treatment options available to you.  The system generates comprehensive reports to add to your record and tracks your progress to a healthier, more youthful looking complexion.

                    WEBSITE FOR CHILDREN-"It's a Skin Cell's Life'

A unique new website lets kids learn how to practice good skin care virtually, or risk the consequences of pimples, greasy hair, poison ivy rash or sunburn.  The interactive game, "It's a Skin Cell's Life"  is just one of the many features on the American Academy of Dermatology's new website.  This site provides information about caring for skin, hair and nails to kids ages 8-12 and their parents.

Tips from Kelly, our Licensed Aesthetician:

Taking proper care of our skin is an ongoing, year-round process, particularly when we spend more time outdoors. If you care about your skin but fail to use the right products, not only will the results be disappointing but it will be a waste of your time and money. Even worse, you will not be getting the protection and benefits your skin desperately needs in today’s stressful polluted environment. So take the time to do at least a bit of research to know what you need and the best way to get it.

            First, you need to know about oxidants (also known as ‘free radicals’) and antioxidants. One easy way to understand the effect of oxidants is to think about them as the body’s normal ‘rust’ factor. Oxidants are the enemy of healthy cells. This is considered the primary cause of aging and a variety of diseases. Oxidants thrive by exposure to sunlight or pollution, smoking, drinking alcohol, stress or unhealthy eating habits. Basically, a free radical is a thief and your body pays the price. It is an unstable element due to a missing element. So it steals from another cell to stabilize itself, damaging the other cell in the process. Besides the impact on your health, it also causes the skin to lose its youthful appearance.

            Luckily, there are a variety of antioxidant agents to minimize the destructive effect, by binding the free radicals together. Even better, the anti-oxidants can help already damaged cells. However, it can only be a guardian once, so ideally they are constantly replenished. Otherwise, you get premature aging, a compromised immune system leading to higher risk for certain diseases, hyperpigmentation, and loss of skin elasticity. The only way to neutralize this oxidative stress is with antioxidants. While taking care of what goes into your body is easy with available supplements and a healthier diet, dealing with the effects of oxidants in your skin is a different matter. Skin is our largest organ, but studies show skin is the last organ of the body to receive antioxidants from food and supplements that we digest. This is why antioxidants for the skin topically are so vital. You can’t control the level of sunlight or pollution it is regularly exposed to unless you plan on making a hazmat suit part of your daily attire.

            Next, be aware that your skin constantly needs antioxidants such as Vitamin C. It is crucial for collagen production, which is destroyed by oxidative stress. Taking a pill isn’t the answer either, topical application is needed. Just being careful outdoors doesn’t solve the whole problem of skin protection, unfortunately, due to indoor photodamage. Many people are not aware that UVA rays, unlike UVB, can penetrate glass exposing the skin to detrimental photoaging at all times. So it is an issue indoors or out, especially if you have one of those really nice corner offices with lots of windows, a great sun room or spend a lot of time in your car.

            Finally, understanding the difference between photoprotection and SPF. Photo- protection is not SPF (sun protection factor-measure of protection against UVB radiation only) Photoprotection is a measure of a product’s ability to protect against oxidative stress. One could call this an EPF (environmental protection factor). The average consumer does not adequately apply sunscreen, using only one quarter of the sunscreen needed for full SPF protection. So SPF 30, wrongly used, is only as effective as an SPF of 3 to 4 (due to not re-applying throughout the day). Even worse, consumers have false confidence in the sunscreen they are misusing, sadly unaware of the resulting true destruction to their skin. Just using a sunscreen correctly is simply not enough either.

            These amazing antioxidants are designed to not only prevent future photodamage and protect the skin from new injury but aid in correcting previous damage.