THE LOVE HORMONE

Oxytocin has long been considered an important hormone related to intercourse, birthing, and nursing, but it turns out that its importance goes far beyond this short list of functions. Oxytocin is produced in skin by keratinocytes in response to touch, like caresses, massages, hugs. In fact, not only does skin produce this important hormone, but it also responds to it. Oxytocin receptors are found on the fibroblasts in the dermis. When oxytocin is bound to its receptor, it suppresses the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). The senescence-associated secretory phenotype typically promotes a low-level chronic inflammatory state by secreting proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6, interleukin-1, chemokines, growth factors, and extracellular matrix-remodeling proteases. The longer the senescence-associated secretory phenotype is active, the more destruction of collagen, elastin, and skin matrix there is, leading to skin aging. Intuitively, blocking the senescence-associated secretory phenotype over time should protect skin from damage, but does it?

Resource

1. Hayre, N. Oxytocin Levels Inversely Correlate With Skin Age Score and Solar Damage. J Drugs Derm. 2020: Vol 19(12). 1146-1148

Working with celebrities can be a dream come true and the perks that come along with the glitz and glam are quite exciting. Whether as an aesthetician or makeup artist, working with someone famous is a great opportunity for a professional to showcase their expertise. When working toward building a star roster, the beauty professional must be prepared to elevate their expertise to excellence. The art of working with Hollywood’s royalty involves establishing a professional partnership that consists of trust, loyalty, and privacy. 

To leverage one’s knowledge in skin care to offer a signature experience for celebrity clientele, professionals must be highly competent in their skill set and build a reputable name that is branded with trust. A professional’s ability to provide services at the highest level of quality will determine the level of trust placed upon them as a go-to expert in the industry. 

According to the Polaris Project, in 2021, there were 10,359 incidents of human trafficking reported to the United States National Human Trafficking Hotline. 28 million people are trapped in human trafficking situations worldwide, including 3.3 million children. While difficult to think about, these numbers are only rising, and it is important for beauty professionals particularly to understand the signs of human trafficking so that they can help potential victims. 

THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING NETWORK

 Human trafficking is often confused with human smuggling, which is when people are kidnapped and brought across foreign borders illegally. Homeland Security defines human trafficking as “involving the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.” Furthermore, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) explains that human trafficking is “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.” 

Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery, where people are held against their will for labor purposes. The perpetrators use tactics that can mirror dynamics of domestic violence, such as economic abuse, emotional abuse, intimidation, isolation, or threats to trap victims. 

References

1. “Homepage.” Safe Horizon, October 25, 2023. https://www.safehorizon.org/. 

1. “Human Trafficking Training.” Polaris, November 1, 2023. https://polarisproject.org/training/. 

1. “Human Trafficking.” Human Trafficking | Homeland Security. Accessed November 10, 2023. https://www.dhs.gov/topics/human-trafficking. 

1. “Human Trafficking.” National Human Trafficking Hotline. Accessed November 10, 2023. https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en.

The stem word “halo” comes from the Greek prefix meaning salt. Halotherapy uses this crystalline mineral as a touchless treatment alongside sound, color, and light therapy. Halotherapy has both physiological and psychosocial implications, with benefits ranging from questionable to quantitative. 

ONE IF BY LAND, TWO IF BY SEA

There are hundreds of underground salt mines and caves across the globe, with the 10 largest located in Columbia, Germany, Peru, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Poland, Chile, Pakistan, and Ontario. Marine salts, on the other hand, span the Dead Sea shared between Israel, Palestine, and Jordan, the Salt Lake in Utah, Laguna Cejas in Chile, the Pink Salt Lake in Spain, and many places in between. It is evident that the planet boasts breath-taking (pun intended) salt deposits ranging in color from white to pale pink to light gray. 

I consider myself an esteemed cosmetic practitioner because I captured the nation’s attention in 2019 with my courageous fight for equality, ignited by the wrongful termination and tragic loss of my late husband due to his sexual orientation. My unwavering dedication led to a groundbreaking ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, affirming the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals against unjust dismissal based on sexual orientation.  

Fast forward a few years and my commitment to dismantling societal barriers and empowering men remains resolute. Once again, I have captured national headlines, shedding light on the booming market of penile filler, exposing dubious practices, and introducing safe solutions that are emerging in the field of dermatology.  

This mission holds profound personal significance to me because I have witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences of flawed procedures. Thus, in 2021, I introduced a pioneering, nonsurgical girth-enhancement method acclaimed for its safety and reliability. By utilizing FDA-approved hyaluronic acid fillers that are naturally compatible with the body, the treatment distinguishes itself by enhancing the penis’s existing anatomical features while preserving functionality. It stands as the first of its kind to mandate in-person training for all providers and implement a comprehensive post-care program, ensuring positive post-procedure outcomes.

The procedure involves skillful injection of fillers into specific areas, augmenting girth while respecting the penis’s natural contours. Characterized by its noninvasive nature, this enhancement method minimizes risks and reduces recovery time, resulting in a notable and transformative enhancement that harmonizes seamlessly with both form and function. 

In contrast, experimental treatments like free fat grafting, silicone injections, and PMMA injections have left many patients grappling with serious complications. Even prominent urologists and men’s health providers have been known to administer non-FDA approved products unbeknownst to their patients, leading to avoidable complications. 

My unwavering commitment to quality has made the difference, as board-certified providers nationwide, including dermatologists, have embraced my vision. The treatment’s reach has expanded to clinics across 16 locations, spanning the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. 

As the demand for penile-girth enhancement continues to surge, it becomes imperative for patients and providers alike to comprehend the nuances of a relatively new, unregulated, and sometimes secretive market. With more dermatologists and certified practitioners adopting proper protocols, the horror stories of subpar procedures and the associated stigma will hopefully become relics of the past. 

William Moore is the founder of the Dallas-based biohacking clinic, AdvancedYOU and the visionary behind PhalloFILL, the leading network for nonsurgical penile girth enhancement. After launching in 2021, PhalloFILL now spans 17 U.S. markets, Mexico City, and Montreal. Beyond the clinics, Moore is the president of the Texas Med Spa Association, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and healthcare equality. With an MBA and an M.S. in health and human performance, he draws on two decades of experience to guide patients to optimal health, enhanced appearance, and heightened self-esteem.

According to the 2022 Medical Spa State of the Industry Report Executive Summary, there has been a significant increase in men seeking aesthetics procedures in recent years. While men are becoming more conscious of their appearance, the demand for preventive and rejuvenating treatments among male spa clients has been driven mainly by their desire to look refreshed, more youthful, and less tired. The popularity of social media, image-conscious society and culture, the Zoom boom, and the importance of personal branding have contributed to this trend as well and made it essential for men to invest in their outer appearance.

Men are becoming more comfortable with the idea of practicing self-care and perfecting personal grooming habits. They want to look and feel their best and are turning to skin care professionals for solutions to their skin concerns.

At this point, we are entering 2024. My question to you is, how do you think it will go? Have you made any resolutions? Do you have a plan in place to stick to them? Are you heading in the direction of growth and success?

I hope you are. I truly do. But if you are not, it is time to redirect. I am one for saying that every day is a new day. There is never any sense in looking back because yesterday cannot be changed, but tomorrow surely can. Set your sights on something that inspires and excites you, like a new product line, a new piece of equipment, or a new paint color on your treatment room wall. The objective is to grab the reigns and control the direction of your career. You, and only you can make things happen. To sit back and wait for someone or something to alter your pathway is simply a waste of time that only leads to incredible disappointment.

Fortunately, AIA and DERMASCOPE is here for a little support (actually a lot of support). The pages of this magazine and the content of the DERMASCOPE website are a powerhouse of tools to help every skin care professional flourish and grow. Decide what tickles your fancy and pop that word or phrase in the search line. You will be provided with source material that is sure to give guidance, answer questions, and sort out comparisons that can sometimes be paralyzing and prevent forward motion. The bottom line is that it is January. The year has begun. Tomorrow is a new day. Let it be a new beginning.

I would have to say I am growing beautifully yet uncomfortably in the beauty, health, and wellness industry. My goal is to positively influence and educate millions of people all over the world about self-care one person at a time. I am currently a licensed aesthetician and massage therapist, therefore I am very familiar with taking care of the body internally and externally. I am the owner and founder of Beautified Bodies, LLC, a company that offers skin care and body work.  

My reason for choosing this career path is a part of my dream of wanting to help people become better versions of themselves inside and out. If we choose to cater to our bodies early, there is a higher chance of our bodies properly functioning and looking better than ever before. Longevity is the goal. I will be visiting new cities and states soon with high hopes to make my business global.   

I completed my aesthetics program in August 2022 and became licensed in October 2022. Since then, I have gained a loyal clientele and have become popular in my city. I have even started hosting spa parties! My spa parties consist of express 30 minutes facials and massage for 10 people or more. During my spa parties, I educate clients on how to properly care for their skin, I also go into depth about aging prevention, product recommendations, and the importance of knowing about ingredients used on the body when it comes to products. 

Being a part of the industry is very fulfilling for me. There are so many business ventures and opportunities that will effortlessly encourage growth and a more satisfying lifestyle that I would like to share with my community. I would love to be able to connect with other business professionals like me and take everything I have thoughtfully planned to the next level in this industry with hopes of bettering the world. Won’t you join me? 

Skin is home to a unique bacterial environment of microbes. It is imperative to understand this system since the body is continually challenged by toxins, viruses, and bacterial overgrowth. Considering the growing consumer and professional interest in peptides, this article will dive into the nature and processes of antimicrobial peptides.

PEPTIDE PARTY

Peptides are essential cell messengers with various functions that support healthy cell activity. Certain peptides can help with the restoration and repair of skin remodeling following injury or during inflammation.1 A peptide is composed of two or more amino acids, the building blocks of protein, that are linked naturally during metabolism. 

Susan Wade joined Viktoria De’Ann in 2015 as the director of education and sales after working in the health and education industry for over 30 years. She holds a master’s degree in higher education, is a licensed aesthetician, and is currently completing her license in functional medicine. Wade taught kinesiology courses for 12 years at Boise State University, along with owning and operating a sports training business and working closely with physicians, physical therapists, faculty members, and athletes. Her passion lies in learning about the complexities of physiology, nutrition, and cellular functions coupled with peptide science, and she enjoys sharing her knowledge in a simple and applicable format.

Many of us have joyful and fun-loving memories of our childhood – playing in the sand at the beach, swimming the days of summer away, scoring goals on a soccer team, or jumping off the swing set in the backyard on a sunny afternoon. More likely than not, these glorious days of outdoor play and activity resulted in a sunburn or two, or ten. 

While most sunburns heal in a few days and are viewed as no more than painful inconveniences, having five or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma, the most dangerous and deadly of skin cancers. This article will review the three types of skin cancer and how the early detection of skin abnormalities can save lives. 

THE RUNDOWN

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer and by definition, the least dangerous. This type of cancer develops in the basal cells of the epidermis and its main cause is exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun or tanning beds. 

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma grows in the flat cells of the surface of the epidermis. Its main cause also comes from ultraviolet radiation from the sun or tanning beds. 

Kathleen Nordby has a bachelor’s in journalism from CSU Chico and wrote professionally for about five years. She spent 20 years raising three beautiful girls and teaching music and theatre at elementary, junior high, and high school levels. She became a California licensed aesthetician 15 years ago and worked in high end spas as well as owning her business. In 2017, she moved to Oregon and became certified in advanced aesthetics and oncology aesthetics. She worked in a medical spa, where she loved performing laser treatments and microneedling. In 2020, she began educating in a premiere aesthetics school in Oregon and has built a small cancer survivor clientele. She is passionate about skin and truly loves the honor and privilege of teaching the future of the industry.