Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States. While it is primarily present on the face, it is not the only site. Acne can affect any part of the body that has oil-secreting glands or hair follicles, including the back, chest, and shoulders. Though these regions may be easier to conceal, body acne can still have an adverse effect on an individual’s social life, self-esteem, and body image.

Luckily, there are ways to support clients who may be experiencing body acne, starting in the treatment room with body facials and peels. With advanced professional treatments, peels and enzymes, and the right homecare regimen, professionals can help clients achieve healthy, smooth skin, and prevent or reduce the appearance of acne scaring. Think beyond only treating the face and explore how to help clients achieve whole body radiance and skin health.

Shannon Esau is the CEO and national educator at RA Skin Care where she oversees the company’s strategic growth, development of new product formulations and innovations, and the educational and instructional programming. She brings more than 20 years’ experience in the aesthetic industry. Esau has also completed advanced chemistry studies in cosmetic formulation and formerly owned and operated three advanced skin care clinics in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

Contrary to popular belief, cellulite is not actually fat. In fact, cellulite is a nonharmful cosmetic skin condition that affects the appearance of skin in localized areas. Usually found on more fatty areas of the body, cellulite can appear on hips, thighs, buttocks, breasts, and abdomen.

To everyday people, cellulite is often referred to as orange-peel or cottage cheese skin, hail damage, and the mattress phenomenon because of the creation of lumps and dimples on the surface of skin.¹ On the other hand, medical professionals refer to the condition as edematous fibrosclerotic panniculopathy (EFP), gynoid lipodystrophy, or adiposis edematosa.²

The texture of cellulite is created when deposits of subcutaneous fat found throughout connective tissue expand in the deeper layers of skin.³ The fatty tissue pushes through the vertical fibrous bands, medically referred to as septa, that ultimately connect skin to muscle matter. The septa run perpendicular to the surface of skin, so the bunched-up fat deposits pull through the skin layers which results in the puckered finish to the epidermis.

Throughout the epidermis and dermis, fat cells naturally store excess energy. Since septa links the upper layers of skin to deeper tissue, these vertical bands create miniature chambers for fat cells to live. However, once the fat cells begin to expand, the chambers bulge through to the surface of skin with the septa still tethered in place. The fat chambers balloon upward while the septa create a valley in between, creating a cratered surface known as cellulite.

These irregular connective tissue patterns below the epidermis create honeycomb-like compartments in the adipose tissue which cause skin to dimple. It is important to note that cellulite is completely unrelated to cellulitis though the similar names may suggest otherwise. Cellulitis is the inflammation of skin and underlying tissue by means of a traveling bacterial infection.⁴

Amanda Azar Walsh, L.M.E., is a professional makeup artist, medical aesthetician, and body wrapper based in South Florida. She is the founder and executive artist of Azar Beauty, and lead artist for NewsmaxTV, Pelican Grand’s Pure Spa, and Studio 1 Talent Specialists. Walsh has a degree in business management from Florida Atlantic University, diplomas in fashion makeup from Cosmix School of Makeup Artistry and Paramedical Aesthetics from Southeastern College, is dual-licensed, and holds over 40 certifications. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Businesswomen, National Aesthetic Spa Network, Look Good Feel Better, and a RAW Artist alumni.

The word ayurveda is a natural medicine with ancient history reigning from India. Since ayur means “life” and veda means “science of knowledge,” it refers to the overall knowledge of life. Ayurveda uses natural oils and herbs that includes a process of steaming and pouring through the body to center the mind, body, and soul.

The use of herbal remedies boosts and balances the system and relieves emotional stress. Ayurvedic massage relieves pain by increasing circulation, strengthening the lymphatic system, and opening for the flow of life. One of the most popular treatments is called panchakarmas; pancha meaning “five” and karma meaning “action” or “therapy,” which deals with the five major therapies. These are Vashti (includes the procedure of enema and is used with medicated oils that are filled in a plastic bag and tied), nasya (application of medicines through nostrils with medicated oils), raktamokshana (procedure that removes the vitiated blood from the body), vamana karma (an induced emesis using medicines to treat different diseases), and Virechana (the treatment of purgation to treat diseases caused by vitiation of pitta).

Making clients comfortable is an essential part of providing a phenomenal experience in the treatment room. There are many factors that play into anxiety before coming to an appointment, especially for first time clients. The objective is always to make sure that the client is fully comfortable physically and mentally. Showing the initiative to go the extra mile is always imperative.

Acne is caused by retention hyperkeratosis; however, there are several exacerbating factors, including stress, that can cause breakouts in even those who typically do not experience acne. For clients who are acne-prone, there is an even higher likelihood of stress-induced breakouts.

Skin is affected by increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol disrupts insulin and blood sugar regulation as well as hormones that regulate sebum production. Insulin and blood sugar disruption causes inflammation in the body while an increase of sebum production overworks the pore – the pore simply cannot keep up with the body’s output of sebum and skin cellular shedding. This increase in sebum production coupled with increased inflammation results in inflamed breakouts. Stress also slows down the body’s ability to heal which can lead to worsened lesions and more lesions present at one time.

Soothing this inflammation topically is usually the first response; this can be done with topical ingredients like sulfur or icing the lesions. While topicals solutions will help, addressing the root cause for this inflammation, stress, is also important. Though easier said than done, get clients started on the right track to preventing stress-induced breakouts with the following tips.

Skin is responsible for clearing toxins, retaining moisture, and defending against environmental stressors. External and internal stressors can result in a myriad of skin responses, including acne, hyperpigmentation, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, dehydration, and excessive oil production. Inflammation, under-eye bags, dark eye circles, flaky skin, and wrinkles can also be visible when the body or its environment is out of balance.

The first thing good skin care professionals may tell a client with stressed-out skin is to evaluate and fine-tune their diet and try holistic skin treatments. Healing and preventing stressed skin holistically mirrors what has already been proven by the medical community for long-term skin health and vitality.

Besides advising clients to adopt a healthy lifestyle, the second line of defense includes a number of at-home holistic treatments that can provide temporary reduction of facial stress responses such as tea bags, herbal facials, chilled stone rollers, or detoxifying baths and facial steams. The following remedies work as relaxing options for clients in between spa visits.

People spent a record-breaking amount of time outdoors this summer as pandemic restrictions lifted. There were more people enjoying outdoor activities such as dining al fresco, relaxing at the beach, or visiting campgrounds and national parks. After all that sun exposure, many clients should be visiting their dermatologists for a skin checkup and resuming their regular spa visits this fall. However, after more than a year of not being able to or hesitant to visit many service providers in person, some clients may still not be ready to make those critical appointments.

Because spas want to keep their clients’ skin in good health, it is important to encourage them to book their annual dermatology visits in addition to their spa appointments; spa owners should even consider partnering up with local dermatologists in this time of overexposure. Traditional appointment reminders may not be enough for reluctant clients, so dermatology offices and spas will need to get creative to find a way to calm fears and communicate the ongoing risks of delaying care in a manner that resonates.  

Men and self-care are not two words that are often used in the same sentence. In fact, when envisioning what self-care looks like, it typically involves women relaxing at a spa with maybe a glass of wine in hand. While this imagery does not often resonate with the modern man, self-care for men is an important selling point when it comes to marketing towards male clients.

For women, there is an entire market of products and services dedicated to self-care. For men, the options are limited. What most men inherently understand is the importance of their image, physical health, and underlying strength of their lives. Whether they know it or not, that upper body workout in the gym is an excellent form of self-care. When it comes to men and self-care, the key driver behind everything is intent. When men are intentional in what they are doing, why they are doing it, and see their actions drive results, only then will they buy into the system. In order to market this self-care to men, the same philosophy of a dedicated workout routine has to be applied.

Botanicals, flowers, and herbs have been used for centuries to calm, repair, and beautify skin. The infusion of the cannabis sativa plant into balms, oils, and tinctures dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, and it is said that even the queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, extracted the essence of the plant into elixirs for her daily bathing and grooming rituals. Cannabis is one of the earliest plants to be cultivated. By the late 1800s, cannabis extracts were sold throughout Europe and the United States to treat skin ailments such as psoriasis and eczema. 

For years, clients have focused on receiving facial fillers for the upper half of their face and have often neglected other areas that reflect the signs of aging, such as the lower half of the face and hands. With hyaluronic acid fillers becoming a game changer in terms of available injection sites, a stronger look in the areas that represent strength and youth has made a major impact in the aesthetic industry. However, with newer available injection sites and widespread availability of injection techniques throughout social media, injectors need to further their education now more than ever.

Allison Brewer is a certified nurse practitioner who has spent over 13 years in the aesthetic industry, working in surgery and with hands-on patient care. Her passion is using the industry’s latest injectable techniques to reverse the aging process while keeping clients looking natural and not overdone. She implements her one-of-a-kind smoothing technique to give her patients a natural, polished look. Brewer sets herself apart from other injectors with her gentle touch and her standard of care that she follows with each client’s injection.