The new year arrived and many people started a new workout routine. Five days out of the week, they started doing cardio and lifting weights and began to see results. Inches started falling off and weight decreased. Three months passed, some continued to consistently perform the same workout five days out of the week, never increasing cardio or the amount of weight lifted.
These individuals may be surprised to find that when month four comes along, no changes are made in loss of inches or pounds. Their bodies have become stagnant. That is because their muscles have already adapted to the new changes by the three month mark. In order to continue to see change, a new routine with new challenges is required.
Skin operates in the same way. Clients may have begun a new skin care regimen for the new year by purchasing new products to create that vibrant, youthful look they once had. They purchased the best cleanser and mechanical exfoliant for their skin. Perhaps they bought a hydrating facial toner mist, anti-aging serum, and moisturizer, too.
For a few months, their skin care regimen works brilliantly. They make sure not to skip a step all week. Morning and night, they carefully tend to their skin, applying all the products. The client may feel their skin has never looked so good!
Then, month four comes along. They notice that their skin is not as vibrant as it was a few weeks prior. That radiant look has seemed to diminish. The client is doing everything exactly the same, following the same skin care routine, but little do they know, their skin has adapted to its therapy. Skin cells know how to respond when each product is applied to the skin. There is nothing new they can do to change what the products are meant to do. They have adapted their response by month three and start to lose their effectiveness on the skin, just like muscles adapt to their workout by month three.
The skin needs to be challenged just like muscles. New products need to be introduced to make the cells within the skin change their responses. Not all products in a client’s regimen necessarily need to be changed. It may be just the cleanser, exfoliant, or serum that needs to change. At the least, some products need to be omitted and a new product introduced to revive the cells and encourage them to keep changing. Helping clients to understand these principles, professionals can ensure that their clients continue to see changes instead of hitting a plateau.
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