The joys of bringing new life into the world are unparalleled. Yet, with the incredible journey of motherhood often comes a few souvenirs – like stretch marks. For years, I struggled with these reminders of pregnancy, particularly on my stomach, but then I stumbled upon a transformative solution: radio frequency microneedling.

Embarking on this skin care journey felt like a leap of faith, but oh, was it worth it! From the moment I stepped into Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute in Dallas, Texas, the warm welcome and professionalism put me at ease. My journey with radio frequency microneedling by Morpheus8 was not just about aesthetics; it was about reclaiming confidence and embracing self-love. 

The procedure itself was surprisingly comfortable. With three total treatments over the span of almost five months, each was more intense than the last, but all were worth the experience. With the practitioner’s expert hands guiding the process, I felt minimal discomfort after the local anesthetic. The tiny needles delicately penetrated my skin, stimulating collagen production while the radio frequency technology worked its magic, tightening and rejuvenating the treated area. 

As weeks passed, I witnessed a remarkable transformation from each treatment. The stretch marks that once marred my stomach began to slowly fade, gradually replaced by smoother, more supple skin. Each session brought renewed hope and excitement, as I saw my reflection return the inner strength and beauty that motherhood had instilled in me. 

Today, I stand in awe of the results. My stomach, once a source of insecurity, has become a symbol of resilience and empowerment. Thanks to Morpheus8, I’ve reclaimed control over my body and embraced the journey of motherhood with a newfound sense of confidence. 

To anyone contemplating this journey, I say this: take that leap. Invest in yourself and your well-being. With the right treatment and a dash of courage, you too can unlock the radiant, glowing skin deserved. After all, every stretch mark tells a story – and with Morpheus8, you get to decide how that story unfolds. 

As a child of the 1950s, I was aware I was different in many ways. My sexuality was just one of those differences, one that made me stick out from the crowd, along with my innate need to question and speak about everything. A frustrated private school teacher once accused me of being “an old man in a little boy’s body” because I would loudly voice opinions in adult settings using vernacular most children would never use (often embarrassing my mother).  

Back then, I thought more about my future and what I wanted to accomplish and discover. Fitting in and feeling like a part of the community was not a priority. I knew who I was and what I wanted: knowledge and answers about the scientific world around us. However, I was also aware of topics most kids hadn’t even begun to ponder yet, including my sexuality.  

Being gay was secret, and depending on where you were, it was either simply not talked about, deemed illegal, or even considered a mental illness. As a result, I never wore a sandwich board around my neck announcing it, but I never hid anything about my sexuality, either.  

I knew who I was even so and accepted it in the deepest part of me, and despite the political temperament of the 50s, my sexual orientation was never an issue. I didn’t experience that all-encompassing preoccupation most pre-pubescent boys went through. I was also never bashed, made fun of, or subject to name-calling and pejorative remarks.  

In fact, I had a terrible temper, and if any bully ever bothered or attacked me, I would go crazy and beat them up. “Crazy” is the operative word – back then, even the meanest delinquents were fearful of crazy. I refused to back down and always greeted confrontation head-on, even if that meant suffering the consequences. In that respect, I don’t think I have changed much, even at 81!   

Gay pride parades became prevalent in the 70s and 80s. Harvey Milk, a founder of these movements, was often on TV at these events. The same week he was tragically assassinated in San Francisco, I was lecturing to the FBI and Law Enforcement in Hot Springs, Arkansas about homosexuality and getting praise for the same message he was murdered for. Little did I know that later in life, I would be working closely with his nephew, Stuart Milk, becoming the first Global Ambassador of his foundation, a legacy I am proud to amplify.  

My message at the time was not one of activism per se, but rather an analytical lecture to law enforcement, who knew the gay community was becoming a political element and simply wanted more information on how to deal with gay people at large.   

I covered everything from younger men hustling older men and vice versa, drag queens, lesbians, queer life, and love. The latter made the officers in the audience squirm a little – one even barking out “I love my fellow troops here, but I sure as hell wouldn’t sleep with any of ‘em!” Scanning the room, I said, “Well, I can see why!” which got a big laugh.   

I realized that they all attended expecting an explicit, shocking self-confession of the gay lifestyle from me. What they did not expect was an actual seminar on the different types of people in the gay community – the revelation that gay people were not predatory, exotic, or dangerous but, in fact, ordinary. I think that was when I became an activist, albeit not (yet) a bombastic, fist-pumping-the-air one!   

It was not until a few years later I truly understood what pride is all about. I was in a parade in Long Beach, California, sitting on the back of a convertible, waving at the massive crowds of all kinds of people, all smiling, clapping, and taking photos – the atmosphere was electric and spoke to me. Pride is not about acknowledgment or even tolerance. It’s about acceptance that every human being on the planet has the right to be who they are – any place, any time!  

My career in the skin care world started off as a quest for scientific answers, understanding how skin works on the cellular and macro levels, and solving common and complicated conditions alike. However, as the company grew, I realized the positive impact I could make with my influence. After all, gay culture is at the forefront of beauty and skin care trends. So, while providing the community with the best skin care possible and uplifting queer aesthetics professionals and clients everywhere, I make sure to host charity events that are as much a celebration of pride and queer life as they are a chance to dedicate funds to LGBTQIA+ activism.  

I am grateful for where my journey has brought me, from my innate sense of self as a child to my science-and-activism-filled adulthood, and to have the opportunity to advocate for acceptance everywhere. 

The fun and creative path to opening an aesthetics business ventures beyond the glow of skin care regimens and the tranquility of the services themselves; it meanders through the details of commercial real estate decisions crucial for professionals aiming to establish a serene sanctuary. To flourish in such a competitive industry, it’s imperative to ground your spa and skin care business on a foundation of strategic location selection, rigorous compliance with dispensary requirements, and a crystal-clear understanding of lease obligations and terms. This guide intends to provide spa entrepreneurs, especially aestheticians, with the real estate insights necessary to make informed decisions. Ultimately, with amazing decision making due to strategic planning, business ownership can be both rewarding and fulfilling for both the owner and clients!   

THE RIGHT SITE 

Choosing the right location can dramatically impact the success of any spa business. Key to this decision is understanding the business’s client base and ensuring the chosen location is accessible and attractive to its target demographic. A location in a bustling urban area or a chic suburb can lure a steady stream of clients seeking pampering. Visibility and foot traffic are significant but so too is the ambiance of the neighborhood. Clients often associate the environment of their spa experience with the surrounding locale; therefore, an area that exudes calm and luxury may complement your business model effectively.  

When selecting your site, consider proximity to complementary businesses such as gyms, health stores, or upscale boutiques. Such establishments can introduce cross-pollination of clientele. However, be mindful of the competition; ensure the business is far enough from other spas to not saturate the market, yet close enough to areas where potential clients reside or frequent.   

Courtney Sykes is the chief administrative officer of Southeastern Esthetics Institute and is a licensed aesthetics instructor in South Carolina. Sykes is also the creator of Courtney Sykes Molecular Anti-Aging, a clinical skin care line for consumers and professionals. Her passion lies in creating real change in the aesthetics industry, assisting her students to obtain gainful employment, and making a difference in the lives of their clients. Sykes specializes in a science-based approach to skin health and education. Her primary focus is chemical peels, laser treatments, eyelash extensions, micropigmentation, and cosmetic lasers. Her background in medical spa management has led her to nationally accredit the largest licensed aesthetics school in South Carolina, Southeastern Esthetics Institute. 

Do you want to grow your business? Do you want more clients, more bookings, and higher retail sales? Do you want a way to increase your income outside of the income you make for your work with clients? If you said yes to any of these questions, then consider investing your time in e-mail marketing. If you think e-mail lists or monthly e-blasts of your specials are all that e-mail marketing encompasses, think again.  

Imagine if a friend only talked to you once a month, and when they did talk to you, they only wanted something from you. That wouldn’t feel very good, and you would probably quit answering their calls after a while. This is what spammy e-mail marketing feels like to a subscriber. However, e-mail can feel inspiring, expansive, educational, entertaining, and can aim to provide value with a side of authentic promotion if done well.  

E-MAIL MARKETING OUTCOMES  

Foster Connection 

Consistent e-mail marketing builds the know, like, and trust factor. Consistently showing up in front of your customers is an excellent way for them to get to know you and develop trust. Purchasing is emotional and intimate, and we are more likely to purchase from someone we know, like, and trust.  

Emily Davis has been a licensed aesthetician since 2007. She is the owner and operator of Stratum Aesthetics in Denver, Colorado, where she focuses on integrative skin care, incorporating holistic old-world treatments and plant medicine. Davis has spent seven years educating about aesthetics and loves to share her passion and knowledge with others. She is currently working to become a certified herbalist and nutritional aesthetics practitioner, and is so excited to broaden her offerings in the treatment room to assist in whole-body wellness. Davis has a long-standing passion for health, wellness, and skin care and is so thrilled to intersect that passion. Additionally, she hosts an online aesthetician’s book club focused on education and networking. When Davis is not in the treatment room she enjoys time outdoors in the Rocky Mountains with her Great Dane mix, Daisy Fuentes.   

The aesthetics industry is where beauty and business join forces. Having set standards of professionalism, operations, services, and customer service is how you run a successful business, whether you are a solo practitioner or working under someone else. Client satisfaction is key and having robust business policies in place is crucial for success. These policies serve as the backbone of any aesthetics venture, providing a framework for operations, client interactions, and staff conduct.  

The aesthetics industry is multifaceted, encompassing a wide range of services and professionals dedicated to enhancing beauty, wellness, and skin care. Skin care professionals, spa owners, and suppliers of skin care products are all integral players. Despite its diversity, the industry faces various challenges, including evolving consumer preferences, regulatory compliance, and competition from emerging trends such as natural skin care and wellness-focused services.  

Taylor Wilson is a licensed aesthetician hailing from the Washington metropolitan area. She is a graduate of Von Lee International School of Esthetics, founded by the legendary Carole Walderman. She was a wax trainer at a European Wax center and eventually transitioned into her own studio, JB Skin Clinic, full time where she provided waxing and skin revision treatments. Realizing she wanted to focus on education and helping other aestheticians reach their goals, she came on board to Starpil as their brand educator.  

Scarring is an inevitable part of having skin. Therefore, it is an inevitable part of treating skin. Whether your scope is as an aesthetician, nurse practitioner, or plastic surgeon, you’re going to be very familiar with scarring at one point or another in your career. 

FORMATION 

Scarring is the overproduction of collagen after the dermis is injured and the wound has healed. The dermis is the layer of skin responsible for thermoregulation; it helps support and protect the deeper layers and aids in sensation. It could be considered the stocking that holds all skin together – it houses nerves along with blood and lymphatic vessels. When the dermis is damaged, scarring or fibrosis is more likely to form, especially in younger people, or higher Fitzpatrick types. Scars can be categorized as keloid or hypertrophic, amongst others, but this article will discuss them in the general sense. This wouldn’t be a cannabis column if I didn’t say “cannabis may help with that!”  

Cannabis and the compounds that make it therapeutic, known as cannabinoids, are fabulous anti-inflammatory agents. A critical part of any healing process is dealing with inflammation. Scarring is no different. The stages of scar formation following an injury are as follows: 

• Stage One: hemostasis, when blood rushes to the site of the injury and clots.  
• Stage Two: inflammation, usually a clot is formed within minutes followed by an increase in circulation, heat, and pain with a timeline of one to four days on average. 
• Stage Three: proliferation, the tissues of the wound contract and draw in closer to each other, helping the trauma heal. Three weeks is the generalized length of time for the proliferation stage. 
• Stage Four: remodeling, the last stage of scar formation when tensile strength of the tissue has dramatically increased. This is an interesting phase because 80% of tensile strength is regained within three months but can take up to two years to max out resulting in the maturation of the scar. 

CANNABIS TO THE RESCUE 

Aside from the fascinating process of how we heal, along with skin’s ability to reconstruct, the great news is scars are very treatable depending on your scope of practice and cannabis once again has a place in the treatment room! 

Antonia Schreiber is a New York state licensed massage therapist, cosmetologist specializing in aesthetics science, and electrologist. With over 16 years’ experience in the industry, Schreiber’s work has brought her everywhere from the classroom to her certified green spa, the Windham Spa, to the United States Olympic Training Center and beyond. Outside of the treatment room she is a writer, speaker, and consultant with the New York State Department of Education, leading education firms and industry magazines. Her current passion projects include treatment research and development for burn patients, and assisting in the development of the United States Paralymic Bobsled and Skeleton Team.  

Waxing has increased in popularity over the years and is a quick and easy way to get rid of unwanted hair. However, there are many factors that can directly affect the results for your client such as skin care products, medications, and hormones. Hormones should be considered as part of your assessment of all your waxing clients. Hormones and waxing are intricately linked as hormonal imbalances can impact hair growth patterns as well as the sensitivity of a client’s skin.  

HORMONAL INFLUENCE 

There are a number of hormones that have significant influence on hair growth frequency and density, including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), testosterone, androgens, estradiol, and progesterone. Elevated levels of certain hormones like androgens and estrogens can cause the hair to grow more. Often, when a woman is pregnant, she may experience thicker, fuller hair as a result of increased levels of estrogen. Conversely lower levels of certain hormones may lead to hair loss or hair thinning. In general, hormone levels do impact the hair growth cycle directly; however, the degree that hormones influence hair growth may vary between each individual due to factors such as genetics.  

Lindsay Miller is the president of LYCON Wax North America. Having first discovered LYCON Wax in the United Kingdom 10 years ago, she has dedicated her time to growing the brand across North America, including introducing LYCON to Canada. Training and product quality are extremely important to Miller and she prides herself on building a strong team around her that can offer the best customer experience possible. LYCON continues to be a market leader in hair removal wax and is used in top spas and salons around the world.  

We are all familiar with skin care treatments that heat up skin or cause a warming reaction –  our trusted steamers, radio frequency (RF), microcurrent, lasers, and chemical peels, to name a few. But there are facial treatments that aim for the very opposite, to produce a cooling effect. 

CRYO PIONEERS 

Providing cooling treatments in skin care isn’t a new trend. In fact, treatment by cold 

(cryotherapy) has been practiced in medicine for many centuries. “The use of liquid air to produce intense cold locally by [Campbell] White in 1899 introduced a new and valuable method of treatment into dermatology. His technique was soon adopted successfully by other American practitioners such as Trimble (1905), Whitehouse (1907), and Dade (1908); liquid air was used also in Australia by Beckett (1905)”.1 The use of cooling treatments in skin care has continued and evolved to modern day. 

Lila Castellanos has focused her energies into the beauty industry for the past 19 years, specializing in skin rejuvenation. As a licensed aesthetician, she has lent her expertise to several different environments, including working as a paramedical aesthetician in the medical spa field as well as in both day spa and mobile spa business models. It was through these varied experiences, along with the interactions with her loyal clientele, that she honed her passion for improving and maintaining the health and integrity of her clients’ skin. Castellanos thrives on being able to use her extensive knowledge to customize each treatment to help her clients achieve the results they are searching for. Her adaptability and versatility are equally impressive in providing antiaging facials, treating acne, minimizing the appearance of scarring, or addressing skin conditions that arise as a result of hormonal changes.  

Addressing hyperpigmentation is a top priority. With innovative formulas developed by professional brands and our expertise in treatment plans, skin care professionals continually strive to meet our client’s needs. 

According to clinical analyses, the primary concern for clients with melanin-rich skin is hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation presents itself in various forms and, depending upon the source, treatment times can vary. This is where the brilliance of an exceptional skin care professional shines the brightest – it is in how we help clients achieve optimal results while managing their expectations. 

THE BASICS

As we continue our monthly insights on melanin-rich skin, we should understand that the topic of hyperpigmentation will always be a conversation starter for many clients. Firstly, we know that all clients have melanin. However, not all clients have eumelanin-influenced melanin. Eumelanin is one of the two influencers on the quality of melanin that is produced. Eumelanin is the influence on the melanin protein that produces a darker, more insoluble type of pigment. When hyperpigmentation occurs, it shows up as brownish-black pigment spots on skin. Pheomelanin is the other influence on melanin that produces a lighter, more soluble quality of pigment. It shows up as reddish-yellow (sometimes blueish) pigment spots. 

The solubility of pheomelanin makes treating hyperpigmentation in lighter skin a bit less arduous, making active ingredients easily more readily efficacious in treating it. The insolubility of eumelanin makes treating hyperpigmentation in darker skin a bit more intentional, as the properties of pigment are more resistant in absorption capability. These active ingredients may require a bit more time to show results. 

With these things in mind, it is of the utmost importance to set realistic goals and manage client expectations around hyperpigmentation concerns. It’s helpful to keep in mind that hyperpigmentation takes time to develop and therefore, will take time to treat. 

C.R. Cooper is a connective, knowledgeable, and compassionate educator who has been a skin enthusiast for over 24 years. As the education manager and master educator for a renowned global institute of learning in the skin health industry, Cooper values organizational and individual industry standards, professional and personal brand integrity, but most importantly the inherent worth in every skin professional. 

Synergy with Melanin Homeostasis: The Method of Bioinspired Pharmacology

June 10, 2024 11:00 AM (CST) 9:00 AM (PST)

This lesson encapsulates the different types of melanin, where melanin is located in the body, melanin's purpose in the body, factors influencing melanin homeostasis, and how DMK formulations like Alkaline Wash interact with melanin to revise and prevent hyperpigmentation. Alongside a melanin biochemistry and functional overview, this webinar also covers the outcomes when melanin homeostasis is altered and a look into DMK’s unusual and exclusive approach to affect the pH of skin and how the treatment addresses pigmentation issues.

MEET THE PRESENTER 

Danné Montague-King is the visionary leader behind DMK. He represents over 50 years of scientific research, formulary breakthroughs, skin healing, education, and support of aestheticians worldwide. Danné began studying skin due to his dissatisfaction with weak, over-the-counter products and ineffective dermatologist recommendations. Danné’s passion for skin care and aesthetic education continues in the present with his cutting-edge StemZyme® system, which helps skin regenerate nearly perfect skin cells as it turns over. He is committed to improving scientific understanding of skin and assisting aestheticians to enhance their clinics and provide visible results to clients everywhere.

Dr. Jayant Lokhande is DMK’s Chief Scientific Officer and an expert on all things DMK. He maintains a deep understanding of skin care through biotechnology, looking beyond the surface to observe how each skin layer supports integrated health. Dr. Jayant also leads the charge of developing new formulations that work with skin. His most recent formulary breakthrough includes the complex StemZyme® system. Developed alongside Danné Montague-King and the talented DMK team, this treatment enhances the structures that create skin continuously: stem cells. Dr. Jayant and DMK strive to improve skin around the globe, healing stubborn skin conditions and Creating Confidence from the Outside-

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