Microdermabrasion is an incredible invention! It has allowed us to give our clients spectacular results with little to no downtime. Are you using microdermabrasion in your own spa? If you aren't, you should be! It has gained in popularity over the past 20 years. However, do you know what it really does to your client's skin and why you are getting such great results? What about the newest form of microdermabrasion, the crystal free machine? Do you know the difference between crystal and crystal free and which is best for your clientele? Have no fears, I am here to tell you all the ins and outs of microdermabrasion, what it does to the skin, and educate you so that you can pick the best machine for your own practice.

What Exactly is Microdermabrasion?

Gemstones are so fascinating! The color properties, myths, and legends are diverse and intriguing. Folklore about stones has been revered and honored for centuries in all cultures. There has been so much buzz regarding gemstone facials, but is it hype or is there real benefit to the skin?
The radical change to our environment and lifestyle leaves skin deficient and degenerative. Skin conditions like inflammation, pigmentations, skin cancer, and blemishes are on the rise. These changes necessitate the need to seek innovative modalities and solutions. We have moved beyond skin type and skin condition. Most skin conditions we see today lack nutrients and are in dire need of supplementation and detoxification. As we learn more about the harsh side effects of synthetics and chemicals and the impersonal spirit of machinery, we turn back to nature for the answers.

Sun exposure is unavoidable, but proper protection is more available than ever. Guiding patients by customizing daily regimens that incorporate appropriate broad-spectrum sun protection is a critical component to achieve healthy skin. Additionally, helping them to identify ingredients and blends that work to preserve critical dermal components and promote the deposition of additional structural and elastic fibers will protect against matrix breakdown. Broad-spectrum UV protection takes more than sunscreen alone.

A quick glance through the latest fashion ‘IT’ magazines makes it clear having golden skin is “Beauty Hot” representing health, vigor, and youth. The desire for this tanned look also presents the flip side of the increasing awareness of accumulative hazards affiliated with prolonged UVR light exposure and a yearly-renewed interest in ‘artificial tanning’ products as summer approaches. Using the term ‘artificial tanning’ is by description only a ‘marketing idiom’ and not accurate in present day sound skin science. Although the potentially dangerous photon energy of the sun is not accountable for this ‘artificial’ pigment reaction, the skin none-the-less is chemically responding with darkening consequence.

Within the past 10 years there has been a new awakening for sun care. Tanned bodies and naturally high-lighted hair was the sign of beauty because it symbolized recreation and free time as the majority of jobs were indoors and pale skin was a sign of labor. My how times have changed; tanning beds are out and sunscreen is now in! As professional skin care providers, we know that sunscreen is the key product in any skin care regimen because of the many benefits it provides for protecting the skin and preventing premature aging.

I have always known that margaritas are not good for the waist line, but being dangerous for the skin I never even imagined. The story begins in the beautiful city of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. A trip with some friends started out innocently enough; the sun drenched beaches, the 90 degree ocean water, and the margaritas. Oh yes, those margaritas. Who can resist this classic Mexican cocktail in the most beautiful Mexican city?

Professional body sugaring continues to demonstrate how multi-beneficial it really is when the correct education is provided for technique and theory. And you should have an opportunity to learn even more once you are certified so that you fully comprehend the variety of treatments applications your salon/spa can offer with it… from hair removal treatment options to “skin conditioning treatments” which you guessed it – includes eczema and psoriasis.

Last Saturday evening, dressed up to the nines and head held high, I went out for dinner with my friends in a trendy part of Vancouver, and didn’t get noticed once. I was elated. Yes, I was happy not to be glanced at, stared at, or leered at, because that is my every day reality as a facial burn survivor, and for once, I got my anonymity back, and for once, I did not have to explain what had happened to me to anyone. I could just be me: Karen. 

Rosacea was originally described in exacting detail by one of the most prominent doctors of his time, the English dermatologist Robert William (1757 – 1812) who started one of the first institutions focused on skin diseases. Rosacea is a chronic ‘acne form’ disorder of the facial pilosebaceous units, coupled with an increased reactivity of capillaries to heat, leading to flushing, blushing, ultimately causing a vaso-dilation condition called telangiectasia. Rosacea is an extremely common disease that is underreported and often improperly treated. It progresses slowly in stages and in its early forms, is rarely recognized by skin practitioners and all too often missed by medical professionals.

Welcome to the second part of the series looking at skin disorders. In this part we will look at the next level of common skin diseases. Previously we defined diseases as abnormal appearance, feeling, or sensation of the skin requiring diagnosis by a medical practitioner, which may need treatment either by prescription medicines or procedures performed by a medical professional. This information is important for your practice to help your patients with skin abnormalities receive proper care. As a skin care professional, you can also help them cope with their disease, encourage compliance with treatments, and provide complementary non-prescription adjuncts for control and prevention.