Studies have shown that heavy smokers are nearly five times more likely to be wrinkled than nonsmokers are.  But that’s not all smoking does to the skin.  So-called cigarette skin is pale, thick, and has a grayish hue with wrinkles and folds noticeable on the cheeks.  One reason for this is nicotine causes the blood vessels to contract so less oxygen-bearing blood reaches the skin.  Smoking also increases production of elastin by about 100 percent, but the new elastin is thicker than normal.  Finally, smoking repeatedly contracts the skin as the person purses their lips, tightens their facial muscles, and squints to avoid the smoke.  Bending the collagen repeatedly in this way creates permanent bends or breaks, or smoker’s wrinkles.

Happy holidays everyone!  I hope you’re all staying warm.  A client recently told me she washes her face  three times a day  and was concerned she was causing it to dry out.  First of all, you don’t need to was your face three times a day.  Remove your makeup with a cleansing cream or makeup remover when you get home and then let it be.  The more you wash, the more dry and irritated your skin will be.  At bedtime use a gentle cleanser, your exfoliating and hydrating treatment, and apply a night cream.  The next morning,  follow your cleansing with a moisturizer.  On the weekends when you don’t need to wear as much makeup, if any, give your skin a break and cleanse it just once a day, if you can.  You don’t have to do the same thing every day.  Dry skin can use a rest from cleansingg occasionally.

“It’s beauty that captures your attention; personality which captures your heart.”

Hi everyone, I hope you’re all enjoying this holiday season. A common question clients ask me is how they can get firmer, more youthful skin.    One popular approach is with SkinTyte.  SkinTyte uses the Sciton laser’s pulsed light technology to deeply heat your skin while cooling and protecting the entire treated surface.  SkinTyte is relatively quick and comfortable with no downtime.  The end result is a more youthful appearance. 

A typical procedure lasts approximately 30 minutes and is generally performed once a month for 2-3 months.  You may experience some temporary redness in the treated area. This procedure is not a substitute for a face-lift, and is recommended for patients who desire moderate, noticeable skin improvement without having to undergo surgery.  Full results often take up to four months as the collagen foundation of your skin is rebuilt and strengthened.   Feel free to stop by or call us with any questions about this great procedure!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving…It’s back to work today for us here at the Appearance Institute!

Many people spend a lot of time, effort, and money to ensure they appear as beautiful as they can be.  It helps them to feel better about themselves.  But underlying beauty is health, particularly as it relates to skin.  Here are several step you can take to keep your skin looking its best. First, keep well hydrated.  This is probably easier to remember during summer, but is just as important in winter.  Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.  This keeps skin moisturized and flushes toxins out of your body. Next, use sunblock.  Although skin is less exposed in winter, ultraviolet rays can be particularly intense on clear winter days.  If you go skiing, UV exposure is even greater.  Finally, keep out the chemicals.  Your skin wasn’t designed to deal with dish soap; bleach, hair coloring and thousands of everyday chemicals that can cause dry skin.  Many common cleaners and solvents specify the wearing of gloves.  Always follow such advice.  Even products that don’t require gloves can still suck the oils and moisture out of the skin, leaving it dry, cracked, and irritated.  This even applies to antibacterial soap.

Skin care is more than skin deep and really starts on the inside.  We now know that the rate of skin aging is dependent not only on genetic factors (i.e. what you inherit from your parents and grand parents) but also on internal stress factors such as diet, as well as exercise and mental attitude.

External stress factors, such as exposing your skin to excessive stays in the sun, extreme climatic conditions, air and water borne pollution and chemicals also play an important part in skin aging and the incidence of skin problems.

Skin disorders and premature skin aging occur as a result of a decline in optimal skin function due to any one or all of the above factors. Regular skin care routines, involving cleansing, toning and moisturising, are beneficial in slowing the rate of skin aging and in controlling or preventing skin problems.

“Beauty is the gift from God.”  (Aristotle)

As the body’s largest organ, the skin is integral to human health.  Because it’s also the only visible organ, it is an extremely important part of human identity.  These dual roles have a long history of being at odds with each other.  Until the Victorian era, the skin directly signified wealth and social status. Workers were brown from working in the sun, and royalty were pale from rarely stepping outside.  To emphasize their pallor, women applied lead makeup to their skin, unknowingly poisoning themselves. 

Many attribute the end of the pale fashion to Coco Chanel, who accidentally became tanned after yachting on the French Riviera.  Her bronzed skin became the the new representation of wealth after the Industrial Revolution, where the rich spent time browning in the sun and the workers grew pale in factories.  Suntans have been in vogue ever since.  Despite warning that UV radiation is harmful, many people still seek out the sun, hoping for that bronzed, “healthy”  glow.  Perhaps that’s the reason that Physicians are seeing a spike in melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.  In fact, one study found that melanoma cases in young women spiked 50 percent since 1980.

“There is nothing that makes its way more directly into the soul than beauty.”  -Joseph Addison

In modern culture, beauty reigns supreme.  Everywhere we look-whether it’s magazines, TV shows or movies-beautiful people dominate.  We all aspire to be beautiful and if we’re not, we’re intrigued by the possibility of becoming so.  Just look at the success of shows such as “Dr. 90210″ and “Extreme Makeover.”  Our quest for beauty is nothing new.  In nature, beauty among animals encourages mating and survival of the species.  Evolutionary psychologists believe this is true in humans as well, providing a survival benefit to attractive people. Philosophers and and poets chronicle the importance of beauty and the virtues that accompany it.  In Timaeus, Plato states that “The good, of course, is always beautiful.”  Scientific studies have shown that strangers tend to attribute positive qualities to more attractive people.  Attractive children tend to be more popular in school and receive higher grades.  Attractive people earn higher wages than unattractive people and are more likely to receive help from strangers in public places. 

“The good, of course, is always beautiful.”  (Plato, Timaeus)

Happy Halloween! I’m so excited to announce that the Appearance Institute is now offering Sculptra!  Sculptra is a long-lasting, clinically-proven injectable volumizing treatment that stimulates the build up of the body’s own collagen to smooth out lines and wrinkles and restore facial volume lost to the body’s natural aging process. The enhancement is a fuller, younger-looking face with results lasting as long as three years – considerably longer than many injectable aesthetic treatments!  The effect of Scupltra cosmetic treatment is gradual and exceptionally natural looking.  Two or three treatments are usually required, and the benefits become most noticeable after six weeks. Sculptra is very well-tolerated as the main ingredient, poly-l-lactic acid, is biocompatible and biodegradable and has been used by surgeons for over 10 years.  No allergy testing is needed before treatment.  Please feel free to drop by the Appearance Institute anytime or call me and I’d be happy to tell you more about this great product!

Hi Everybody, today I’m going to tell you about a very popular product we have been selling a lot of in the Appearance Institute boutique lately -Colorescience’s Sunforgettable SPF 30 mineral powder sunscreen.  Colorescience mineral powder sunscreen is one of the first sun protection products that clients say they will use and reapply every day.  Many clients prefer the easy to use brush applicator and the powder sunscreen over more traditional, greasier sunscreens.   Besides, the brush applicator makes sunscreen compliance fun! The Sunforgettable SPF 30 powders are a great solution to achieve flawless, waterproof coverage, and they  even remain through heavy perspiration!

We’ve all experienced it – the dreadful remains of what was once a pimple.  A single outbreak  on your skin can leave you with a red mark  that can take anywhere from weeks to months to to fully fade away.  But using redness-reducing products and in-office treatments like IPL Laser Treatments, also know as Intense Pulsed Light Treatments, can help alleviate redness and scarring.To eradicate discoloration, the light used in IPL treatments destroys bothersome pigment in the skin.  IPL has been around a long time and is proven to work.  Here at the Appearance Institute we perform multiple IPL treatments on a daily basis and our patients are always raving about the results!  It’s definitely worth considering if you’re looking to get rid of any residual redness or discoloration you may have a result of acne.