Most people would like to have clean, smooth and younger looking skin. Advanced rejuvenation requires going to the salon, spa or dermatologist to see a skin care professional. Technology that was once only available to skin care professionals is now being made available to everyone to use in the comfort of their own home.
You can find microdermabrasion, light therapy, galvanic and ultrasonic gadgets along with rotary brushes and lasers being produced for home use. A professional skincare specialist would probably recommend a series of treatments to maximize the benefits. In today’s economy, it can make sense to get an at-home device to keep your skin looking young and vibrant. The cost of a home device can be anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars depending on the quality. The average is under five hundred dollars. The cost for a professional series of treatments can be $360 to $2400. They are usually done twice a year, often with a maintenance treatment in between.
How do you choose which type of device to buy? Don’t fall for the hype and marketing. You have to be careful about the suggested use by the manufacturers. There are homecare devices that can cause damage to the skin, even when used as directed. Consider the results that you want to achieve, including the long term effects. If there is a home device that you are considering, I highly recommend consulting with a skincare specialist that specializes in the particular treatment to make sure it will give you the results you want. Pay particular attention to the techniques they are using so you can maximize the benefits of any unit you purchase for home use. A skincare professional with your best interest at heart will not only consult with you but would also be willing to give you private lessons to maximize your results. I’ve been recommending various devices to my clients use at home for years.
The favorites have been those that are multipurpose. Light therapy with ultrasound is a great anti-aging treatment that minimizes fine lines, reduces age spots, stimulates circulation, reduces inflammation and encourages tissue rebuilding. Galvanic and micro-current devices are effective for toning and firming facial muscles. The galvanic has the added advantage of clearing out and shrinking the pores.
At home microdermabrasion is an effective exfoliation treatment. It’s very important to not go over areas more than once or twice because this can leave the skin very irritated and red. Knowing the health of your skin is crucial because they incorporate a vacuum. This can cause broken blood vessels in delicate skin. The best estheticians prefer ultrasonic microdermabrasion because there is less chance of damaging the skin. It’s great for all skin types and clears out clogged pores.
Rotary skin brushes are an alternative exfoliating treatment. They help to reduce dry and oily patches, leaving the skin feeling smoother. Over use can leave the skin more sensitive to products that the skin could have easily tolerated prior to use.
Personal-use lasers have to be less powerful than the commercial lasers used in professional specialists offices to make them safe for at-home use. The question is whether a device that is made safe enough for home use can really improve your skin enough to justify the cost.
My top picks are: The ultrasonic skin spatulas, the Galvanic Face Spa, and light therapy. They are safe and rejuvenate the skin while providing a youthful and healthy glow.
Will Ferrell can make sunburn look funny, but it can be a very serious issue. Prolonged and excessive exposure to the sun can lead to sun poisoning, accelerated signs of aging, and life-threatening skin cancer. Melanoma is the most common form of skin cancer.
Protect yourself from the sun’s harmful UV rays by using sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or more. We recommend Hanna Isul’s Vita C SPF-30 sunscreen and skin protectant. It provides excellent protection from the damaging effects of the sun for up to six hours. It moisturizes and nourishes the skin. The product’s light smooth consistency and sensational feel make it unique from all other sunblocks.
Other ideas for maximum protection include avoiding the sun’s rays when they’re strongest, covering up with long sleeves and pants and a broad-brimmed hat, using a lip balm with sunscreen, and knowing if you are using medication that increases your risk of sun damage.
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Tassi
The Tassi is a simple product created to solve the “hair problem” when washing your face, doing skincare treatments, or just brushing your teeth. It conveniently holds back you hair in a comfortable stretch terry cloth with special elastic. The Tassi is easy to use for any hair length or style.
Recovery Ointment
No home should be without Hanna Isul’s Recovery Oinment. The patented formulation rejuvenates the skin with reduced or minimal potential for skin irritation. Amino rich aloe vera dramatically reduces the appearance of swelling and inflammation, while the multivitamin packed formula promotes the appearance of healthy and well-nourished skin. The ointment can be used for improving the appearance of sensitive skin. It’s also effective for reducing the appearance of scarring after cuts or injuries.
Cranberry Exfoliating Gel
Cranberry Exfoliating Gel from Advanced Rejuvenating Concepts visibly reduces the appearance of fine lines and discolorations, while smoothing skin tone and refining the pores. The cranberry gel uses a glycolic acid with cranberry and fruit enzymes to polish and exfoliate the skin. Natural fruit enzymes aid in removing cellular debris and diminishing blackheads. It penetrates through very superficial layers of skin to stimulate cellular renewal and help strengthen the skin.
Vita C SPF-30
Hanna Isul’s SPF-30 sunscreen and skin protectant provides excellent protection from the damaging effects of the sun for up to six hours. It moisturizes and nourishes the skin. The product’s light smooth consistency and sensational feel make it unique from all other sunblocks.
ageLOC® Tru Face® Essence Ultra
Nu Skin’s ageLOC® Tru Face® Essence Ultra utilizes revolutionary anti-aging science, targeting the sources of aging that lead to the loss of firmness. The product helps contour and firm the skin for a more youthful appearance. It defines skin around the eyes, neck, chin, and jawline while helping to protect the skin from free radicals.
Addressing the health of our skin involves the health of our body, on the inside and the outside. The skin is our largest organ and the skin is our first line of defense in our immune system. The common cold and allergies lead to people coughing and sneezing all around us. Two of my secret weapons to stay healthy also make my skin stay healthy and look fabulous. They are green tea and mushrooms. These two foods enhance the immune system and have healthy skin benefits.
You can find green tea and mushrooms in a variety of skin care products, including cleansers, serums, moisturizers, exfoliants and masks. They can also be found in supplements. Green tea and mushrooms can yield powerful results when used internally and externally. Both ingredients can be found in Chinese medicine.
Certain mushrooms and teas have been used for thousands of years for their immune-enhancing and energy supplying effects. In the last 30 years, researchers have confirmed the antiviral, antimicrobial and anti-cancer properties of many varieties of mushrooms. These include Shiitake, Oyster, Reishi and Cordyceps mushrooms. My favorite for immune boosting properties is the Reishi mushroom because it contains polysaccharides that have been shown to enhance our immune system by suppressing the growth of tumor cells and increasing T-cell and macrophage counts. The Cordeceps mushroom is great for increasing energy.
Teas are found in several varieties. The amount of steaming and fermenting processing the harvested tea goes through determines whether it becomes black, green or white tea. Most studies have been on green tea, but all teas have therapeutic benefits.
Green tea can reduce swelling and inflammation. In clinical studies, green tea has demonstrated the ability to prevent, or at least postpone, the onset of cancer and heart disease. I drink cold-processed green tea from Kyoto, Japan and take supplements made from the potent tips of the green tea leaf as a part of personal weight management. I also chew green tea “pearls” throughout the day for energy. My daily skincare regimen includes using serums and moisturizers with green tea ingredients, which have been scientifically proven to stop the signs of aging and restore skin to a healthy state. The reason they are so effective is because they are packed full of anti-oxidants called catechins. The most powerful is the epigallocatechin (EGCG), which is found in green tea, not black tea. Green tea catechins are synergistic with other anti-oxidants like vitamin E and vitamin C. The epigallocatechin (EGCG) has been found to be much more effective than vitamin E in neutralizing pro-oxidants and free radicals that cause the body to age intrinsically and extrinsically.
Hippocrates said “Let thy food be thy health”. So have a cup of tea and put some mushrooms in your next meal. Enjoy good for you foods. The best therapeutic benefits green tea and mushrooms are when they are used in supplements to your regular diet. I prefer pharmaceutical grade nutraceuticals made from natural ingredients. Not all supplements are created equal, so do your research. I enjoy the benefits of looking and feeling fabulous in my 50s. So can you, at any age.
In our society, you see advertisements all over television, magazines, newspapers, and websites, all promising a more youthful appearance. They cater to our search for the fountain of youth. In addition, we receive advice from family and friends about the latest and greatest product or procedure that will take years off of our appearance.
Educating ourselves about what we apply on our skin is important. One of the most popular products that we see today in topical skincare is vitamin infused cleansers, serums and moisturizers. Vitamins are not equally created. How deep the product penetrates into the skin must be considered. These two important factors are related to the quality of the ingredients which can impact their effectiveness. Clinical studies show that utilizing a specific and active part of a vitamin source makes an incredible difference on the effectiveness of the ingredients. The delivery system that carries these nutrients to the live cells of the dermis is a key in feeding the skin externally. A big problem is that most vitamins are only penetrating the outermost levels of the skin. The skin is the body’s largest organ. One of its purposes is to protect the rest of our organs. When vitamins are trapped in the outer layers, they are perceived to be foreign invaders and can cause inflammation and increase the free radical damage that causes skin to age.
Educating ourselves about how we apply products to our skin is just as important. The over exfoliation of the skin can be problematic. We all want smoother skin for that glowing healthy complexion to reduce the appearance of our pores. Microdermabrasion, scrubs and brushes are commonly used to achieve healthier looking skin. A colleague once said to me, “no pain no gain” in regards to microdermabrasion treatments. This is a dangerous and unhealthy perspective. Microdermabrasion is meant to be a progressive, not aggressive, treatment. Crystal and diamond tip types of microdermabrasion can cause microscopic lacerations on the skin. Having thousands of microscopic lesions on our skin can cause a breach in our immune system, which makes us more susceptible to germs and viruses that are all around us.
One of the most important things I can do for my clients is to educate them on the best practices to keep their skin healthy. I educate them about aging from the appearance on the outside and the structural health building from the inside. The care of your skin requires consistency from both sides. This is the key to looking younger and but feeling younger.
One last reminder about caring for your skin; the appropriate sunblock is your only true anti-aging product throughout the year. All other products are simply damage control.
As an anti-aging skin care specialist, I feel compelled to stay young and healthy looking. This is good business for me. I love sharing all the wonderful things that I learn with people who also care about healthy living.
I’d like to share with you a few anti-aging tips that I believe are important to fighting the appearance of aging.
The easiest and most sensible thing that anyone can do is use sunscreen. It’s the only true anti-aging product. All the other products are simply damage control. Exposure to the sun not only can speed-up the aging process of your skin, but it can also lead to costly and life-threatening health problems, like basal cell carcinoma and melanoma skin cancers.
Exercise is another way that you can combat the aging process of your skin. There are ways that you can accomplish this that are easier and less stressful than the traditional types of exercise that are common. You can actually trick your body into thinking that it’s exercising. Once a week I visit a super-hot sauna called a Russian banya that combines high heat and steam. This is the best way to detoxify the body and lose or maintain body weight without going to the gym every day. You can also combine the high heat with a cold plunge pool. This will increase your heart rate and exercise your circulatory system, which benefits your skin. This gives your body the benefits of a five mile run without the stress on your heart and joints.
Another thing that you can do to strengthen your circulatory system is to use a dry brush on your skin several times a week. Gently brushing the surface of the skin with a boar’s hair and copper brush removes dead skin and stimulates the millions of cells and capillaries. This not only improves your circulation, but also reduces the appearance of cellulite by stimulating the lymphatic system.
I highly encourage you to try these anti-aging skincare tips. They aren’t expensive or time-consuming, but require regular attention and diligence.
The skin is the largest organ of the human body. In the average adult it covers about 3000 square inches and weighs around six pounds, which is nearly twice the weight of the human brain or liver. The skin can regenerate and repair itself under most conditions.
The health of our skin can reveal a lot about our overall health. We just have to learn what our skin is trying to tell us. Many times we are quick to relieve a symptom without uncovering the root cause. I’m not saying that we should never take medications or treat a blemish. Unrelieved pain can wreak havoc on the rest of the body and a blemish on the skin can damage the complexion by leaving a scar if left alone. We should responsibly take care of these issues while simultaneously addressing the root causes. The health and vibrancy of our skin is directly related the health of our bodies. This is why I love being an anti-aging skincare specialist.
Seeing a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon will not automatically give you fabulous skin. Getting a professional facial by a trained esthetician can be helpful. However, practicing disciplined daily skincare is the key to a great complexion. This must be done from the outside-in and the inside-out. Knowledgeable skincare professionals should always be educating their clients about the long-term effects of healthy skincare habits.
Topical skincare with appropriate vitamin and aloe-based, trans-dermal products have given me great results in my own quest to have healthy skin. The health of my own skin is essential for me having my own skin care business. I need to be my own best advertisement. My colleagues noticed a difference in my complexion when I began seeing a nutritionist. Under the guidance of a nutritionist, I began drinking a daily fruit smoothie that included vitamin-rich fruits and powdered super foods like maca, seaweeds, and chia seeds. The recipe is specific to my personal health issues. Not only has this helped to make my skin look better, it has also helped alleviate the frequency of chronic migraine headaches that have plagued me since childhood.
The most important thing to remember is that there is no one-size fits all solution for healthy skincare. Our bodies are all unique. What works for your best friend may not work for you. Stay young at heart and listen to what your body and soul are telling you.
