Investing in a high quality sunscreen is really investing in the health and look of you skin. You’ll want to get a broad spectrum sunscreen, which will protect against UVA and UVB rays.

Here’s our top sunscreen picks available at our spa. We use them everyday!

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Why do they seem to appear in one’s late 30′s, 40′s and older?
As we age our skin is less able to regenerate from overexposure to sun. The way our skin would burn or tan and recover when we were younger just won’t happen as we age.

What can we do about it?
Most age and sun spots are not dangerous or cancerous, but if you are concerned about anything, you should visit your dermatologist. Medical spas offer specific laser treatments that significantly fade sun and age spots and in many cases, a series of IPL laser treatments (Photofacials) can make these spots disappear completely.

When is the best time to get an IPL Laser Treatment (Photofacial)?
The best time to get an IPL Laser Treatment (Photofacial) is when your skin is at it’s fairest. In the winter or spring is the best time, before you return to the summer sun. We cannot perform Photofacials on tan skin.

What areas can you treat with the IPL Laser?
We can pretty much treat any area needed with the IPL Laser. Hands, neck, chest, back, shoulders, face, and arms. Just call us for a complimentary consultation: 530-891-8772

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Prime Time to Peel
Your Guide to Corrective Exfoliation

With school back in session and the holidays fast approaching, fall truly is the season to be seen. However, for those concerned with aging or damaged skin, modern skin care has a solution. With so many reasons to put your best face forward, there’s never been a better time to consider a peel.

What is a Peel?
According to CosMedix co-founder Bettylou McIntosh, “peels” include “a wide range of exfoliating procedures that produce a post-procedure peeling effect on the skin.” While their contents and intensity may vary, the ultimate goal of any peel is the removal of the skin’s outer layer of primarily dead cells and the stimulation of collagen and elastin to tighten and firm the healthy layer beneath. When performed properly, this procedure can effectively diminish the appearance of wrinkles, age spots, blemishes and more with little to no trauma to healthy skin cells.

The key to a successful treatment lies in the peel’s contents, says McIntosh. Using natural, chirally correct ingredients—ingredients filtered in their most elemental form to contain only the purest, skin-safe molecules—CosMedix peels work with the skin to prompt the renewal process. “With CosMedix peels, there really is no true peeling, but a mild sloughing of the skin.” This process—known as metabolic peeling—achieves dramatic results without the irritation and consequent recovery time of a true chemical peel.

Is a Peel Right for Me?
Practically any adult can benefit from a peel. Whether you’re looking to correct a specific skin concern, defy your age or simply refresh your complexion, a CosMedix peel can be customized to fit your needs. Before you schedule an appointment, your skin care provider will assess your skin to see which peel is right for you. By identifying certain key traits—such as skin density and natural hydration—your physician or aesthetician can better determine the appropriate peel type, depth and duration for your skin.

“Peels can vary in intensity, from very superficial like Pomegranate Peel, to deep epidermal exfoliation like that of Purity Peel or a traditional Jessner’s peel, to a mid-depth dermal peel like Timeless Peel or a traditional TCA peel,” explains McIntosh. Your specific skin concern, along with your skin care provider’s assessment, will help establish the most effective solution for you.

What Are the Possible Side Effects?
While the side effects of traditional peels can range from minor discomfort and inflammation to post-peel pigmentation and increased skin sensitivity, “CosMedix peels minimize such reactions through advanced ingredient technology,” says McIntosh. “It’s all in the formula.”

In addition to using chirally correct, natural ingredients, CosMedix peels contain exclusive, state-of-the-art compounds, including encapsulated retinol, which are designed to affect change with minimum trauma. In the case of encapsulated retinol, retinol—the industry’s most popular peeling ingredient—is combined with arabino-galactan protein conjugates from red wine. By adding these conjugates to retinol, CosMedix is able to sidestep the ingredient’s signature irritation while delivering its full rejuvenating benefits.

Do I Need to Prep Before a Peel?
Depending on the type of peel and your skin care provider’s recommendations based on your skin assessment, pre-peel prep may or may not be required. CosMedix has developed two lines of peels based on the depth of penetration. Ranging from superficial to deep epidermal depth, Today’s Peels are designed to refresh and exfoliate the skin without prior preparation. While your physician or aesthetician may suggest additional steps based on individual needs, these gentle yet effective peels can often be applied at your convenience to help correct blemishing, skin discoloration, hypersensitivity and mild photodamage. Medium-depth dermal peels, like Tomorrow’s Peels, however, require a ten-day, at-home, pre-treatment regimen. Designed to correct the damage done yesterday, Tomorrow’s Peels are ideal for minimizing the visible signs of aging.

What Can I Expect After My Peel?
Post-peel recovery has typically been one of the treatment’s biggest drawbacks. Before such breakthroughs as chiral correction and metabolic peeling, a particularly unforgiving peel might mean spending weeks in a vulnerable, post-operative state. However, thanks to advancements in peel technology, you can now enjoy your rejuvenated skin sooner.

“Traditional peel recovery can take as long as one to two weeks,” explains McIntosh. “CosMedix peels range from virtually no downtime, in the case of Today’s Peels, to five to seven days for Tomorrow’s Peels.”

CosMedix further diminishes an otherwise grueling recovery process with a collection of after-care products designed to minimize post-peel side effects and reinforce the treatment’s results. In addition to providing professional UV protection—a must for any peel—these products help calm the skin, combat inflammation and neutralize skin-damaging free radicals to ensure your renewed complexion endures.

Your Seven Day Post-Peel Forecast
What to Expect After a Tomorrow’s Peel:

Day 1: Skin may appear pink and feel tight. You may also experience mild swelling.

Day 2: Tightness and swelling start to subside. You may notice slight flaking around the nose and mouth as dead skin starts to slough away.

Day 3: You should experience less tightening and more flaking as dead skin continues to slough off, particularly while cleansing.

Day 4: Continue cleansing to hasten the removal of dead skin.

Day 5: Most heavy peeling should be over. Your skin care professional may recommend a mild exfoliating mask like CosMedix’s Pure Enzymes to remove any remaining dead skin.

Day 6: By now, you should notice a clearer, smoother looking complexion with little to no flaking.

Day 7: Enjoy your renewed complexion.

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Retinoids: Topical vitamin A derivatives that boost collagen to reduce fine lines and speed cell turnover to even out discoloration and smooth skin. Prescription retinoids include tretinoin and tazarotene; the over-the-counter retinoid is retinol. Retinoids may cause some dryness and flaking while your skin gets acclimated (summer’s skin-softening humidity can ease the transition).

Hydroquinone: A topical ingredient that inhibits the pigment-forming enzyme tyrosinase, to lighten discoloration. A 2 percent concentration is available over-the-counter; doctors can prescribe 4 percent, for more dramatic lightening.

Chemical peels: An acid solution is painted on the face to lift away the upper layers of skin, improving texture and discoloration. A basic, light peel most commonly uses glycolic or salicylic acid and causes mild, temporary redness. Four to six monthly treatments are generally recommended.

Microdermabrasion: Tiny aluminum oxide crystals are sprayed against the skin to buff away dead cells, improving texture and removing surface pigmentation. Skin may be pink for a few hours afterward. A series of four to six treatments is usually suggested.

Botox: A purified injectable form of botulinum toxin that blocks the nerve impulses that cause muscle activity — and the resulting expression lines. After it’s injected (you feel a pinch), lines disappear in about a week; results last three to four months. (Many dermatologists now also use Dysport, a newer FDA-approved botulinum toxin comparable to Botox in effectiveness and longevity.)

Hyaluronic acid fillers (Restylane, Perlane, Juvéderm): Synthetic sugars injected into the skin to plump lines and restore lost volume in the face. Restylane and Juvéderm are now mixed with anesthetic lidocaine, so injections cause minimal discomfort. Results are noticeable immediately and last about six months. You may have slight swelling for a day or two; bruising is also possible.

Radiesse: A filler made up of calcium-based beads that can recontour the cheeks and jawline. You see results right away, and they last up to a year. You may have slight swelling for a day or two; bruising is possible.

Fat transfer: Fat harvested from one part of the body (usually the butt or thighs) is used to recontour the face. Results generally last about six months to two years. You may experience a couple of days of swelling and bruising.

Fractional ablative laser (brand names include Lumenis DeepFX or ActiveFX): A laser with a pixilated beam vaporizes small portions of the epidermis to smooth deep lines, improve pigmentation, and generate some skin tightening. The treatment is painful; doctors offer injectable anesthesia (to numb the nerves in your face), an oral narcotic (like Percoset), and a topical numbing cream. Skin is very red, swollen, and flaky for five days afterward.

Fractional nonablative laser (brand names include Fraxel Dual or Palomar Lux 1540 Fractional): A laser’s pixilated beam targets collagen and pigment beneath the surface of the skin. It can soften fine lines and treat diffuse freckling. Three to five treatments (at 30- to 60-day intervals) are usually recommended; a topical numbing cream and ibuprofen prevent discomfort. Skin is red and peeling for a couple of days afterward.

Intense pulsed light (IPL): Pulses of light are delivered to the skin to reduce hyperpigmentation and redness. Three to five sessions are usually suggested. The treatment is virtually painless (you may feel some warmth); skin could be red for a few hours afterward.

Q-switched laser: Emits beams of red light that are absorbed by melanin to fade brown pigmentation. The treatment feels like rubber-band snaps; each spot darkens and falls away after about two weeks.

Thermage: Radiofrequency energy heats lower layers of skin, tightening collagen. Requires some over-the-counter pain medication; only one treatment is necessary, and there is no downtime. Results peak after six months and last one to two years.

Titan: An infrared laser heats lower layers of skin to tighten collagen. Treatments are painless, and most effective in a series of three. There is no downtime; results peak after six months and last one to two years.

Blepharoplasty: Surgery in which excess skin is removed from the upper and/or lower eyelids. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia or intravenous sedation. Downtime is about four or five days; some bruising and swelling could last for several weeks.

Browlift: Plastic surgeons usually use one of three techniques: An endoscopic browlift repositions tissue beneath the skin through three to five small (less than an inch) incisions along the hairline. A coronal browlift raises the brow, and removes extra skin, through an incision made from ear to ear, several centimeters behind the hairline. A lateral temporal browlift cuts away excess skin through two incisions (of about an inch and a half), made just behind the hairline. General anesthesia or intravenous sedation is required for all procedures. Downtime is about five days; swelling may not completely subside for several weeks.

Facelift: Through incisions made along the hairline and around the ears, a surgeon cuts away excess skin and lifts underlying tissue. General anesthesia is recommended; downtime is at least one week (often two), and bruising and swelling may not subside for a month or more.

See article here: The Skin Treatment Dictionary

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