The increase of air pollution over the years has major effects on our skin. Not only do we need to protect our skin from ultraviolet rays (UV rays) from the sun, but we also need to protect it from long term exposure to environmental air pollutants. Exposure of the skin to air pollutants is associated with skin aging, inflammatory or allergic skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, or acne. Long term exposure to air pollutants may induce serve interference of normal skin function. Air pollution silently attacks the upper layer of the epidermis which is the barrier layer for protection. The protective ability of the skin is not unlimited, and problems arise when an abnormal exposure to environmental stress exceeds the skin’s normal defensive potential. Without getting too technical, the major air pollutants are wood burning, auto exhaust fumes, all smoke from combustible material, including cigarette smoke, organic solvents in paints, varnishes, vehicle refinishing products, environmental tobacco smoke, and emissions from industrial facilities. Here’s some of the impact on skin: Cigarette smoking is associated with deeper eye wrinkles & psoriasis. Among cigarette smokers there is a higher prevalence of acne which can be more severe. Pollutants associated with traffic, car exhaust, contributes to skin aging - pigment spots, nasolabial folds, and wrinkles caused by collagen & elastin loss. Higher prevalence of atopic dermatitis in areas of high air pollution. Increases in atopic dermatitis or eczema. Skin pigmentation or discoloration can be triggered from air pollution. Another complication is the interaction of pollution with UV radiation. Together they chemically form summer photochemical smog which can lead to inflammatory responses that stimulate atopic dermatitis, eczema, or pigment changes. More reason to limit sun exposure. We often don’t think about what air pollution is doing to our skin because it is invisible, and effects accumulate over time. However, in area such as ours, where there is pollution, but not at the highest levels, occasional treatments that address the issues of pollution are recommended.

When someone says you look good, but they don’t know why, that’s the ultimate compliment. Maybe you tweaked your skin care, tried a new makeup, did a series of advanced skin care treatment, or a little Botox. People will notice, and you will feel good. Here’s some guidelines to get that Ultimate Compliment: Care for your skin every day using effective products and intermittent facial treatments like facials, peels, dermaplaning, etc. Slow down aging with advanced treatments like micro-needling - naturally stimulate your own collagen & elastin that you lose as you age Go conservatively with injectables - a little Botox and some filler go a long way Your makeup should be an extension of your skin care, meaning it does more than just cover More details: Effective, medical grade skin care products make a difference because they have a high concentration of results-oriented ingredients, but they must be used regularly for results. Skin care treatments accelerate and enhance the results you get from your home care skin program. The best strategy is to stimulate your own collagen & elastin through treatments. Advanced treatments like micro-needling stimulate collagen & elastin that we lose as we age. Fillers are great to give you that immediate “pick me up” results. A good long-term strategy is a filler followed 12 months later with a micro-needling series. You get the natural stimulation and put off another filler for some time. If you want Botox or other injectables always use less - you can always come back for more. Some Botox is great around the eyes or on the forehead to soften fine lines, not remove them. Too much will give you a frozen look. Or perhaps you want a little pick me up on your cheeks - a light filler works wonders. When people get injectables and not have a good skin care regimen, they don’t achieve the desired results. If you have a specific concern - fine lines around your eyes, volume loss in your face or saggy skin, there are other options besides injectables. For example, for eyes you could do a series of Guinot eye facials or infusions of Intraceuticals Atoxelene. For saggy skin, you could do a series of micro-current treatments that stimulate the muscles while creating a low level of collagen & elastin. Finally, don’t use makeup that just covers and has bad ingredients; use one that has ingredients that work with your skin while giving you the coverage and look you want. Jane Iredale is a great option. Many people use a good eye cream but follow it with a concealer that dries the eye area. This defeats the purpose of the eye cream. Remember care for yourself. Love your skin care regimen, consider other treatments, use makeup that helps and remember exercise, nutrition and sleep also play a significant role in our looks. It may seem like a lot, but it really isn’t. Get the Ultimate Compliment & Age Beautifully.

I have said many times to clients that winter terrorizes skin, and it does. But summer also has challenges. Here’s some things to consider this summer. Oily, break out prone skin Hot weather increases humidity and humidity does not allow oil to dissipate into the air resulting in oil on your face and increased breakouts. To combat this consider using a slightly stronger cleanser such as a foaming wash, or in the case of brea k outs, a cleanser medicated with benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or mandelic acid. Switching to a lighter-weight hydrating gel is a good idea too. Even though you may feel the sun helps your break outs, try to avoid because although the ultraviolet rays from the sun can kill the bacteria, it also dries your skin out. Additionally, it can cause pigmentation and long-term damage. Dry to normal skin If you have dry skin, your skin probably loves the elevated humidity levels we have here in the Midwest. If you are in air conditioning a lot your skin will miss out on the increased humidity effects. Keep a facial mist close by to replenish your skin from time-to - time. Today, there are hydrating mists available that also contain ingredients for both dry & oily skin. We have them available at SkinTrust. For both types of skin exfoliate 2 to 3 times a week to get sunscreen and general cell build up off your skin to better hydrate and ultimately have radiant skin. Remember to drink lots of water and eat hydrating foods like strawberries, blueberries, melons, cucumbers, and zucchini. Finally, the only safe tan is a sunless tan!

Everyone should. Vitamin C is one of the most important ingredients to maintain beautiful, healthy skin. Here’s what it can do for you: Enhances collagen production Provides skin brightening Firms & tightens Strong antioxidant that fights free radicals that can cause pre-mature aging - dynamic duo with your sunscreen! For any client concerned with how their skin is aging this is the first ingredient I recommend. It’s vital for younger clients and essential for older clients. There are many types of vitamin C - here are some of them: L’ascorbic acid Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Ascorbyl Guscoside Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate The most popular in skin care are the first two. With L’ascorbic acid you need to be careful because it can be irritating and can be unstable and oxidize, therefore not good to use on your skin. Many times you will see it combined with Vitamin E to reduce the irritation. Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAG) is a very effective non-irritating Vitamin C. The Circadia Vitamin C Reversal product profiled in the newsletter is 19% concentration of Vitamin C in a base of hyaluronic acid, so it penetrates well into the skin. That’s a very good level of Vitamin C and many products do not have a high enough concentration.

I am so grateful that life is slowly returning to normal. At SkinTrust I am fully vaccinated as is our nurse practitioner Carol. Although COVID-19 is slowing down, I want you to know your safety is still very important to me. For that reason, I will continue the following: Wearing a mask when I am providing a service or treatments. A HEPA air purifier located directly next to the treatment table Extensive sanitization of the room Windows are open for air circulation & the ceiling fans are on A no touch check out procedure I plan to continue these pre-cautions throughout the rest of the year. Your comfort and safety are most important to us.

Our skin starts aging from the age of 25 and this is when collagen production begins to slow. Over time your skin becomes thinner and more fragile. Aging can also be accelerated by sun damage, which is why the number one aging beautiful tip is to wear sunscreen every day. However, this may not be enough to slow aging down so we also offer many treatments which can help to slow and revise the signs of aging. All of these treatments encourage an increase of collagen & elastin production to firm the skin. In Peptide Firming Facial, we use the newest technology in aging beautifully peptide masks and powerful antioxidants, which leave your skin feeling lifted, firmer and younger through increased miso-circulation and detoxification. The key ingredients of the facial include: L-carnosine L-carnitine Aspatic acid Glumatic acid Beta Glucan Green Tea Peptides are particularly important in the aging beautiful process. Peptides are figments of proteins which when combined in a certain way, form specific proteins. These proteins are the building blocks of our skin so without the peptides, our skin starts to wrinkle and become less firm. This facial focuses on using these peptides alongside other ingredients and encouraging these into your skin so they can help to increase the elasticity once again.

The Ultimate Natural Skin Care Treatment Are you naturally stimulating collagen & elastin in your skin? Remember we lose this as we age & the loss is accelerated with sun damage. Losing collagen & elastin is responsible for most aging issues we don’t like - wrinkles, sagging, and volume loss. Medical micro-needling is one of the best treatments to improve your collagen and elastin. And it’s natural. Using a device that makes tiny needles to penetrate the epidermis down to the dermis stimulating your system to regenerate collagen & elastin. Normally this treatment uses hyaluronic acid to glide the device and penetrate your skin. There is another substance - Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) that is used and does more. Using your plasma regenerates the cells and repairs the skin. You may know this as the “Vampire Facial”. Paired together micro-needling and PRP are significant treatments to stimulate collagen & elastin. PRP is also used in other medical area such as orthopedics to heal. And why not - it is so natural.

Springtime is a great time for a chemical peel because it is not too cold or hot, and sun exposure is still limited. But is a chemical peel right for you? Basically, chemical peels do two things: They keep your skin in great shape by slowing the aging process down through the stimulation of hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin and they treat specific skin care conditions like acne, rosacea and pigmentation or dark spots. To keep your skin healthy, one to three chemical peels a year is just right. If you are treating a specific condition, the number of treatments will vary. In all the available skin care treatments chemical peels are still one of the most effective treatments. The downside to a chemical peel is the peeling or flaking process the skin goes through during the week following the treatment. Everyone peels or flakes at different levels, but you need to be prepared for the worse. However sometimes you don’t peel at all and people feel the peel has not worked. That is incorrect. Once chemicals go into your skin they are working. How your skin responds is based on your skin and what you have been using. At SkinTrust we offer the following peels: Gel Peels (Circadia) - The “Lunch Time Peel”. Quick peels with no peeling afterwards but you get aggressive exfoliation and increases hydration. Retinol Peel (PCA) - For skin in need of rejuvenation, this retinoid peel smooths, brightens, and evens skin tone through increased cell turnover and peeling. Restorative Peels (Circadia) - a deeper peel to treat sun damage, pre-mature aging and acne. Blended Peel - (PCA) - A unique chemical peel option for all patients, including those with sensitive skin, that will improve surface texture and brighten the skin while helping promote an even skin tone. Peel Alternative SWICH- Skin Wellness Intra-Cellular Health, (Circadia) - there is no flaking or peeling with this treatment, but it is powerhouse. Your skin is energized to that of a 20-year-old giving you radiance while it plumps & firms. This also treats scars, discoloration, fine lines around the mouth and accelerates healing before an ablative skin care treatment (laser). Must be 37 or older to receive.