By Copper Williams
It’s all about taking charge of your cosmetic care this 2016! But how are you going to tackle some of the toughest decisions about your treatments when there are so many myths and mysteries desperately in need of debunking?
Easy. We’ve sorted the facts from the fiction for you. That’s right, my soon-to-be-pampered elite! We want you to rest well come treatment time, knowing that you’ve made the right choice for your body. So get your game face on, because here’s your crash course in everything you need to know from head to toe.
Chemical Peels vary depending on your own personal needs.
FACT!
The type of chemical peel you require depends entirely on your skin. And because peels can extend to certain epidermal layers, you’ll want the one that best serves the function you’re looking for.
If you need to get rid of a few fine lines you’ll want a light peel. This skin-tingling treatment normally lasts for 15 minutes before the solution is rinsed off and you’re on your way.
Medium peels dip a little deeper into your skin and are perfect for treating acne scars, improving overall skin texture, and pigmentation. A good weekend treatment; you’ll be swollen for a few days following!
Sun damaged skin and severe wrinkles are best treated with a deep chemical peel. This treatment can produce dramatic, long-lasting results, but comes with a much longer recovery time. Prepare for temporary swelling, peeling, discoloration, and scabbing that can last for weeks.
“Our Glycolic Peels resurface & clarify skin texture, minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, assist in resolving acne, and reduce the appearance of discoloration” – Aimee Pennington, The Make-up & Skincare Studio
There is no “cure-all” for acne scaring and wrinkles.
FACT
Unfortunately, nothing is available to remove every little nick and bump we have ailing our beautiful skin, but Dermabrasion is an amazing way to shave down the true eyesores plaguing our lovely looks. This treatment actually shaves off a few top layers of skin, minimizing the appearance of deep acne scars, facial lines, and scarring from accidents.
Any skin care regimen begins with a thorough investigation of your skin.
FACT
When you come in for a facial, peel, or any treatment, it should always begin with an assessment on the general area to be treated. This means talking with your specialist about what your skin’s general reactions are to certain products, if it’s too oily or dry, and so on. This process ensures that only the best treatments are used in order to prevent a breakout or allergic reaction during or after your skin care regimen.
“After reviewing the clients skin consultation form they will be given an overview of the services we provide and which one we would recommend.” – Teresa Georguson, The Make-up & Skincare Studio
There’s really no difference between injectables like Botox and fillers.
FICTION
Although Botox and fillers are both injected into your face, these products work very differently. Botox blocks nerve signals and prevents them from reaching muscles in the injected area. This, in turn, keeps the muscles relaxed and, over time, the wrinkles caused by your furrowing brow diminish.
Fillers work just as the name suggests and are often used with Botox. A filler like hyaluronic acid, also known as Juvederm and Perlane, is used to add volume to creases and deep lines in the skin, thereby removing them. A full face is a youthful face!
There is no sure-fire way to permanently shrink your pores.
FACT
No one likes it when their pores take center stage on a selfie, but don’t kid yourself if you think there’s a way to make them disappear forever. Take comfort in knowing that procedures are out there to temporarily minimize their appearance!
Chemical peels work to remove the top layers of skin that have taken a beating. These peels remove damage around the pores and potential debris trapped inside. By keeping the pores clear they aren’t as noticeable.
Laser skin resurfacing can pinpoint the areas that need the most work with powerful beams of light, prompting the body to produce a new layer of skin. This treatment is perfect for centralizing an attack on areas around the nose where pores can get blocked up by oil and dirt.
PULLOT: “Laser skin resurfacing complements surgery by enhancing the appearance of the skin that remains.” – Kimberly Cockerham, M.D., F.A.C.S. at Kimberly Cockerham MD
When it comes to facelifts, one lift fits all.
FICTION
You definitely need to face the facts on this one! Facelifts all depend upon the areas of your lovely epidermis you’re trying to contour. Traditional facelift surgery focuses on your lower face and neck with incisions hidden along your hairline. Underlying fat and muscle are adjusted to give your face the boost it needs to look years younger while excess skin is trimmed away. This lift is typically paired with a brow lift and eyelid surgery.
A minilift works well for younger people needing only a little skin tightening to fix looseness and light wrinkling. It’s also useful for redistributing fat to add volume to shallowing areas in the face, providing a fuller, more youthful appearance.
A neck lift is useful for those accumulating fat and loose skin around their neck. With a similar incision to the minilift, the procedure fixes sagging jowls and tightens skin overall along the jawline.
“Wrinkles and creases in the facial skin can be smoothed with a facelift.” – Thomas McNemar, M.D., F.A.C.S., McNemar Cosmetic Surgery
Removing unsightly varicose veins can not only make you look good, but help improve blood flow!
FACT
Varicose veins, those plump little eyesores roving up and down your lovely legs, usually due to a faulty vein valve, definitely need to go! And when they do, the larger veins that were meant to do all the hard work for proper blood circulation will be able to take up the slack that those tiny ones couldn’t!
There are a number of treatments available to remove veins and all require very little down time depending upon the level of treatment. Ambulatory Phlebectomy treats larger veins with tiny punctures in the skin under local anesthetic, pulling the vein directly from the leg. Endovenous Laser Ablation heats up the vein and allows it to dissolve back into the body.
“Endovenous Laser Ablation is the treatment of choice for large veins. It is a painless, outpatient procedure performed under local anesthesia in an office setting” – Stephanie M. Dentoni, M.D., California Vein & Vascular Institute
Facial moisturizers are more than enough to remove wrinkles.
FICTION
If only the miracle to removing wrinkles really did come in a bottle! Alas, many moisturizers stacked on the shelves claim they can cure our creasing brow, but moisturizers normally manage to plump up our skin for a few hours before letting it fall back into line-etched disarray.
If you’re really looking to kick your wrinkles your best bet is to look for a chemical peel for your skin type, check into the best filler for your oh-so-fine lines or try laser treatments and micro needling on for size. Facials performed once a month help to lock in moisture and diminish visible creases, keeping skin silky smooth.
Dermapen / Micro-Needling works to reverse wrinkles and improve skin texture.
FACT
Trust us when we say the prick of these micro needles won’t make you frown! The Dermapen is positively perfect for puncturing the outer layers of your skin just enough to stimulate your body into producing collagen, thus keeping your face wrinkle-free and fresh! It’s practically painless and requires very little downtime. Expect to stay pink for the next few hours after your procedure, but prepare for radiant skin with less creases, an even pigmentation, and better texture.
“Microneedling can be performed on any skin type without the risks of lasers or peels.” – Kimberly Cockerham, M.D., F.A.C.S., Kimberly Cockerham MD
Breast augmentation and breast lifts are two very different procedures.
FACT
Although very different, these two procedures are often performed in conjunction. To put it simply, generally breast augmentation surgery utilizes implants to resize and shape your breasts, allowing you to increase your bust size or correct an imbalance between the two breasts. However, there is the option of fat transfer breast augmentation, where liposuction is performed to collect fat tissue from areas of the body where it is unwanted which is then deposited within the breast.
A breast lift works to correct any sagging you experience as you age. This process tightens your skin and raises your breasts back up to a higher and natural looking position on your chest, returning perk and firmness.
PULLOUT: “A breast lift, or mastopexy, is commonly recommended in addition to augmentation to create a more youthful contour as well as enhanced size.”
– Thomas McNemar, M.D., F.A.C.S., McNemar Cosmetic Surgery
Laser treatments can cause more harm than good.
FICTION
A statement that couldn’t be further from the truth! Although any cosmetic procedure carries its weight in risks, laser treatments were created to be as minimally invasive as possible while achieving incredible results.
Photofacials and Intense Pulsed Light procedures are perfect for removing sun damage and discoloration with no down time. Laser vein removal is a popular treatment for those with facial spider veins. Laser facial resurfacing is a procedure whose intensity is based around your needs. It removes the upper layers of your skin to diminish the appearance of wrinkles, scars, and pigment discoloration.
“Photofacials have to be done once a month for four to six sessions to see the results.” – Candy Wilson, Milo Medical
Mommy Makeovers come in all-or-nothing deals and require multiple surgeries.
FICTION
The breast augmentation/lift, tummy tuck, and liposuction combo that make up a “mommy makeover” is normally completed in a single procedure, meaning you’ll only have to go through a single recovery period! And because no two clients are ever alike, your makeover will be customized to meet your body’s needs.
Facials performed at home work just as well as any treatment at the spa
FICTION
Sure, we all love to save money. And, honestly, who wouldn’t want to enjoy their treatment from the comforts of their couch? But the truth is that you and I can’t treat ourselves like a trained expert can.
The staff at your favorite spas and studios has studied the best approaches to different skin types and can assess what will work well for your current ailments. Getting ready for a big date? Your specialist will suggest something that will have your skin glowing for days, and not in the sunburned kind of way!
“The most important preparation [for a facial] is the initial cleansing and skin analysis to determine the best treatment for [the client].” – Laila Arian, Laila’s Spa
Schedule Your Treatments At:
California Vein & Vascular
2216 N. California St., Stockton
(209) 462-8346
VeinandVascularInstitute.com
Hugh L. Vu Skin & Laser
1617 St Marks Plaza, Stockton
(209) 476-7074
VuPlasticSurgery.com
Kimberly Cockerham
1826 W. Kettleman LN., STE. F3, Lodi
(209) 952-3705
312 Lincoln Center, Stockton
(209) 952-3700
CockerhammMd.com
Laila’s Spa
6231 Pacific Ave., Ste. 3B, Stockton
(209) 808-5241
LailasSpa.com
Makeup & Skin Care Studio
101 S. School St., Lodi
(209) 426-6444
TheMakeUpStudio.biz
McNemar Cosmetic Surgery
2160 W. Grant Line Rd., #250, Tracy
(209) 834-0626
McnemarCosmeticSurgery.com
Milo Medical
225 E. Main St., Turlock
(209) 850-5680
Milodoc.com
Total Body Medi Spa
1805 N. California St., #201, Stockton
(209) 939-3800
TotalBodyMd.com