Jan Marini Regeneration Booster:  Worried about wrinkles? Me too- which is why I like this product so much!  I was a little skeptical of this product, but when I was given a sample to try for a couple weeks, I became a believer. I decided to just try it on one side of my face to see if it really does make a difference. I saw such a difference after one week, I had to start using on my other cheek to even them up. I couldn’t believe it. My skin was firmer, I had smaller pores, and my laugh lines were less noticeable. This is my little, secret fountain of youth. Plus, you only have to use it for sux weeks,  once or twice a year. How great is that?   It works by stabilizing what are called “telomeres” in our cells. They use a telomerase enzyme with anti-inflammatory agents and peptides to significantly improve the appearance of lines, elasticity, texture, discoloration and overall suppleness. This technology actually won a Nobel Science prize in 2008… Wow.. you know it has to be good.

The Clarisonic; The ONLY way to cleanse your skin!!!  For anyone out there who has a love affair with their sonicare toothbrush, well you will also fall in love with the clarisonic. Produced by the same inventor as the sonicare toothbrush, the clarisonic facial brush will leave your skin feeling amazing. Within weeks you will have the clearest pores abd the cleanest skin. Every guest of mine that uses their clarisonic regularly (as in a.m. and  p.m.) has minimal to no blackheads. This is a must have for everybody; male, female – and most especially teens.  It comes in a variety of colors and in two different sizes – one for travel and one super deluxe version for home… It’s rechargeable and you can simply use it in the shower.

AVEDA Herbal Clay Masque; This should be a staple in your regimen. This masque is great for drawing out impurities in your pores. Gets those blackheads out  (which in return makes your pores look smaller) and can clear up a blemish. Apply it five minutes before you get in the shower and then you can cleanse it off with your clarisonic Even Kathy Lee & Hoda like it!  Check this out:  http://allday.today.com/favorite-things

My favorite treatment… That’s a hard one. I have a few, but I’d have to say my all time fav is the MLP or MicroLaser Peel.   Yes,  you do have a few days of down time,  some redness and peeling, but the skin looks gorgeous afterward! Your pores are small, your skin feels tight, and your complexion looks even. This is a great treatment to have once or twice a year, no matter what age you are as ‘routine maintenance’.

The biggest struggle with my skin has been… Hyperpigmentation- those annoying brown patches. It’s not always the sun that makes them noticeable, either. Hormones can be mean! They too will give you brown spots called melasma that seem harder to diminish then just a sunspot. Whether you have a baby, take BC pills or go through menopause, it seems like we have to deal with hyperpigmentation. Thank goodness for BBL! (Broad-Band Light,  a pulse- light photofacial treatment that lightens it).

In my makeup kit…. MY Rhonda Allison eye & lip repair. I don’t  know what I’d do without my eye & lip repair to share with my guests. My secret lip plumper/awesome lip moisturizer! (I know, not the most professional way to describe it)  but I love this stuff!!!  It makes my lips feel so smooth and plump. I wear it to bed and under my lipstick. Pretty much whenever I can.  So when the boss brought it back after discontinuing it a few years ago, I was ecstatic! The bonus… you can use it under your eyes too!

Best beauty advice I can give: WATER! WATER! WATER! Please drink your water. Oh yeah, did I say WATER? A silly as it sounds, it’s like a grape to a prune. You drink your water (and the water it takes to make your pot of coffee everyday doesn’t count) and the skin stays hydrated, plump and firm. You don’t get your 64oz’s in, and the skin can look dry and wrinkled. That’s usually the first thing I notice in my guests skin when I’m giving a facial. I can tell if they are good about drinking their water or not.

Worst beauty advice I ever got…This pertains to us oily skin types. I was once instructed to use alcohol as a toner. Yuck!  When you use alcohol daily, you are striping your pores of its natural sebum it needs throughout the day. Alcohol is not a PH balanced product. You will actually cause your pores to produce even MORE oil. So, throw away that Seabreeze or Clearasil toner. They are not much different than rubbing alcohol. A toner that is alcohol free and citrus infused (such as PCA’s Nutrient Toner) will help control that shine!

 Questions for Kimberly Ross?  Contact her at KRoss@ologymd.com today!

Today, our favorite new bride (WOW – look at those lashes!) – Ology Aesthetician Kimberly Conway (formerly Dine) talks shop with some great favorites and simple, direct advice to better skin care….

Fav Product:  A cleanser is such a simple product that often gets overlooked, but can make all the difference in the way your skin behaves. Jan Marini’s Bioglycolic Cleanser is a glycolic-based product that’s great for removing impurities in all skin types without irritation. GREAT AT-HOME TIP:  I often apply the product to dry skin and let it sit for a few minutes to give my pores a deep cleaning. (Also works well if you steam it in the shower). 

The Bioclycolic Cleanser will smooth the texture and prime the skin.

Runner up – La Rosche-Posay Anthelios sunscreen is ultra light and fast absorbing, which keeps your skin from feeling sticky in the heat and humidity. This sunscreen offers Broad Spectrum protection while being water resistant, and great for sensitive skin. 

Fav treatment:  Microdermabrasion.  Clinical microdermabrasion causes very little recovery other than a little pinkness in the cheeks and a little sensitivity to the sun. Your skin feels smooth and refreshed giving you a radiant glow- immediatley. Plus, makeup will go on smoother and products will work better. As long as you protect your skin from the sun for 5-7 days after a treatment, your skin will look great when your schedule doesn’t allow the downtime of a chemical or laser peel.

In My Beauty Bag:  NIA eye cream. It does it all… fine lines, dark circles, puffiness. This eye cream feels good, smells good, and best of all- works! Also, Latisse, Latisse, Latisse! I absolutely never forget to use this product because I can’t live without my longer, thicker eyelashes.  Latisse is a great way to boost your own lashes – even if you like to wear extensions.

My biggest skin struggle is… Breakouts. If someone would have told me that my skin would break out more in my twenties than when I was a teenager, I wouldn’t have believed them. Breakouts can be tricky because the cause can vary from clogged pores, bacteria, stress, hormones, and more. 

My skin breaks out because of all these reasons, not just one, so I have several products on hand to make sure I cover all the bases. I find my skin does best when I get facials and light chemical peels regularly in addition to my at home regimen.

Best beauty advice I can give:  Prevent now instead of fixing later!  Preventing sun spots , deep wrinkles, and large pores before they get out of control will prolong the time before you need more aggressive treatments .  Do lighter treatments on a regular basis, and you won’t need to find time for extended downtime and a big rejuvenation down the road.

Worst advice I ever got:  Use alcohol to dry up oil. Yikes! Now I know this is a big no-no. Overdrying the skin will cause an over production of oil which is completely counterproductive not to mention harsh on the skin.  

 Questions for Kimberly?   Contact her at kdine@ologymd.com

She’s our reigning Waxing Queen – and a brand new mom!   Ology Aesthetician Tonya Tsoukalas shares her insider’s view on her favorite tricks – and treatments….

As an Aesthetician, I’ve sampled and tested more skin care products than you can possibly imagine, and I’ve come to learn that when something works for you, you keep it around! Always test a new product for at least 3-4 weeks before you judge its effectiveness. You didn’t age overnight, so don’t expect to anti-age overnight either. Same goes with acne and hyperpigmentation. The best things in life take some time!

Here are some of my personal Favs:

Jan Marini Bioclear Lotion- This product provides resurfacing and retexturizing benefits on every skin type.  It will measurably smooth, clear, and promote younger looking skin as well. What you have to keep in mind when you start using this amazing serum, is that for the first few weeks it will draw out impurities, so expect to break out a little more initially. Remember to give it at least 3-4 weeks before losing hope. Your skin will never be clearer, and will stay that way too.

Laroche Posay SPF Face Fluid- There is no excuse to not wear sunscreen every day. But for all those women out there with oily skin– layering on moisturizers, SPF, and makeup in the AM will only lead to a big greasy mess by midafternoon. So…you skip your sunscreens, and convince yourselves that the measly SPF in your foundation should be sufficient enough. Well, you are wrong! You would never want to cake on the amount of makeup that is required to actually meet that coverage. I love this product because it’s an SPF 50 that’s formulated into little droplets that not only layer perfectly, they absorb as if you hadn’t applied anything at all. Also, because it’s a mineral formulation, don’t expect to see a single bump or breakout either. There is no excuse now ladies!

Jan Marini C-esta Serum-Oil Control- I have always been a die-hard user of the original C-esta serum, but since I’ve been trying the oil control formula for summer, I am even more in love! Vitamin C is an antioxidant that blocks free radical damage and also increases collagen production. It will result in firmer skin, tighter facial contours, and a healthy more even skin tone. This formula has added microsponges to control oil on hot and humid summer days. You can also use it on your upper eyelids to prevent eye shadow from creasing, and even on and around your lips to increase lipstick wear, and lessen lip color “bleeding”. How great is that?

Best Beauty Advice I Can Give: I can give beauty advice all day, but there is one thing I want to especially stress to those teens and twenty-somethings out there…STOP TANNING. You have no idea the kind of long term damage you’re doing to your skin, and all for what? To be more beautiful? Keep it up and in the future, you’re not going to look beautiful, you are going to look old and ugly. I always hear the same thing- “When the time comes for me to worry about it, there will be new lasers and creams to make it all go away”. DON’T COUNT ON IT my darlings. And what is the obsession with being so tan anyway? Fast forward Snookie twenty years…she’s going to look like an old raisin, and it won’t make a difference if she bathes in Botox. Now is the time to take care of your skin and try to prevent. You are already beautiful, and maintaining is much easier and cost effective than correcting.

Worst Beauty Advice I Ever Got: “If a pimple comes to a white head, pop it”. This is such a hard one for all of us. Whiteheads look awful and it’s so difficult to leave them alone. What you have to try to remember is that the white pus you see is your immune system trying to kill the bacteria that is causing the breakout. When you pick at your skin, you’re not letting your body to its job, and you are also spreading those bacteria elsewhere, causing more breakouts. Stop the cycle. A breakout that would have only lasted a couple days can result in a scar or pit mark that can last years. Invest in a good acne spot treatment (like Aveda Outer Peace Acne Spot Relief) and concealer, and keep your hands off. If you’re having a skin emergency, make an appointment with your Aesthetician that can safely extract and treat the area with no scars in sight.

My Favorite Treatment: I would first like to say that I am 100% Greek, and one hairy girl. Yes…I may have been blessed with a thick head of hair and long eyelashes, but I also had sideburns and a moustache when I was 12. So, it’s no surprise that I absolutely love Laser Hair Removal. The area that I am most satisfied with this summer is not my legs, or even my bikini area. I could not be happier with the way my underarms look. When you have naturally dark hair, and shave your underarms, you know what I mean when I say there is still a “shadow” left behind. And although I loved the result when I waxed it, I hated the horrified gasp my husband would make when he got a glimpse of my grown out underarm hair (it must be grown to at least a quarter of an inch to wax it off). Laser hair removal doesn’t require a grow out period, and after about a week post treatment, the hair falls right out of the hair follicle and won’t come back for up to a month. When it does grow back it will be finer and sparser. After about 5 treatments, six weeks apart, most of it should be gone completely.  It’s honestly been a dream come true.

Biggest Struggle With My Skin: As many new moms know, everything changes when you have a baby, and you no longer have any time for yourself. We are lucky enough if we get to pee alone, let alone finding the time and energy to complete our nightly skin regimen. If you find that you are frequently (gasp) going to bed with makeup still on, or always skipping out on eye cream because you’re just too tired, remember that you don’t have to wait until bedtime to treat your skin. Even if its 6:30 and you know you’ll be in for the evening, cleanse your skin and apply your products then if you get the opportunity. It is better to do it early, then to skip it altogether.

In My Makeup Kit: God knows I have spent a fortune on expensive makeup brushes. I hate nothing more than to see that after a few uses and washes the hairs start falling out. If you use mineral makeup, you know a good kabuki brush is the best way to achieve a flawless application. Aveda makes the best makeup brushes on earth, and my most beloved tool is their powder foundation brush. I have had mine for months, and washed it countless times. Not only has a single hair ever fallen out, but it is just as soft on my skin as the day I bought it.

Questions for Tonya?  Contact her at Tsklas@ologymd.com 

Licensed Aesthetician, Laurie Thomas

Laurie Thomas, LE joined Ology in 2010 – and as a self-described ‘product junkie’, has tried almost everything out there…the good, bad and ugly.  Here’s Laurie’s take on her FAVORITE THINGS:

Favorite Tools

NIA 24 Skin Strengthening Complex

I have been a faithful user of NIA 24 Skin Strengthening Complex for years. It’s a light, but very hydrating treatment hydrator that works with most skin types.   NIA has a patented formula that includes 5% Pro-Niacin, Green Tea Extracts, and Dermaxyl Peptide Complex. It’s the most potent form of Niacin (a B-vitamin) available in topical skin care, literally fades sun damage, reduces lines, and helps repair redness and calm angry capillaries on the skin’s surface – a must for someone with thin or ‘red’ skin!

Anthelios SPF 60 (La Roche-Posay Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid)

Anthelios is the lightest sunscreen I have ever used. It starts as a fluid, and has a totally matte finish – GREAT for hot summer days. The SPF of 60 lasts all day, and I can apply my mineral make-up on top of it without it looking cakey. It has a special blend of antioxidants to protect your skin at the cellular level, with a unique UV-A filter (the aging ray) that helps prevent sun damage better than any other sunscreen currently available in the US. I use this every morning in the summer months so my fair skin doesn’t burn; even if I’m just driving to work (yes, UV-A rays do penetrate even through glass and cloudy skies).

My favorite treatment:  Chemical Peels

I have tried to have a chemical peel at least every 4 weeks for years now. They can help with everything from acne to aging, blackheads to flaky, dry skin. There are so many options, and they can be customized with blends of acids, retinoids, and antioxidants. They can be so gentle they can give a healthy glow and soft skin the day before a big date (like PCA Pumpkin Peel or Aveda Green Peel). They can also be more aggressive (such as The Perfect Peel or PCA Ultra Peel Forte) and produce skin that sloughs for about a week – a huge help diminishing dark spots from the sun, fine lines, and large pores. My favorite peel right now is somewhere in the middle (PCA Ultra Peel 1 finished with Esthitique peel on top). It helps with my acne, dryness, redness, fine lines, and hyperpigmentation all in a quick treatment that results light peeling. For most chemical peels short of really intense, deeper ones, no downtime is necessary- even for someone with rosacea.

What’s in my makeup kit:

• Kaplan MD Lip 20 Moisture Therapy + SPF in Berry Shine

Berry Shine is a sheer, natural pink lip balm that protects my lips from the sun with an SPF of 20 (most people forget their lips burn, too), hours of moisture so I don’t have to reapply it every constantly, and over time can help plump lips and decrease lip lines with hyaluronic acid filling spheres, marine collagen, and grape seed extract. It has just a hint of shine, but for sun protection with a sparkle, Kaplan makes lip glosses with the same benefits. 

• Aveda Mineral Duo Foundation in Cream

Aveda’s new mineral makeup comes in an easy-to-travel-with pressed form, and can be applied dry with a swirl of a brush to cover imperfections and even out my skin tone without causing me a breakout. I can even apply it with a damp sponge if I want heavier coverage. The ingredients are all naturally derived, and even their packaging is eco-friendly.

• My biggest skin struggle:  Redness!

I struggle with redness, flushing, sensitivity, dryness, AND sporadic cystic acne. Even though people always comment about how beautiful my skin is, my skin is genetically worse than most guests who come to me with concerns about their skin. I have learned so much from being my own guinea pig: experimenting with every procedure and product in hopes of making my own skin look better (without causing a dry, red, and irritated complexion) that I can usually personally relate to just about any skin concern someone else has – because chances are that I’ve been there myself! 

• Best beauty advice I can give: Wear. Sunscreen. Everyday.

Keep it right next to that toothbrush so you never forget to leave the house without it. Sun damage is responsible for more than 85% of the visible aging on your skin (not to mention skin cancer and a host of other problems). Even though in Indiana (and maybe Jersey) it seems that tanning is “in”, everyone in Hollywood knows that sun exposure is a no-no if they want to stay in front of the camera. Luckily, we don’t need to don a bonnet like our great-grandmothers to keep our skin from looking like leather. With all of the advances in SPF technology, there’s really no excuse… Find a product you like that fits your budget and use it!

•  Worst beauty advice I ever got: Try UV light as an acne treatment

When I was a teenager, my mom took me to a dermatologist not long after I started to break out. He was ‘old school’, and recommended being treated with a UV tanning bulb in his office to help with my acne. I tried it ONCE. It did dry out my skin at first, but then it came back with a vengeance. To top it off, I found out I get something called PMLE, which is basically a rash that looks like hives that comes from exposure to UV light. Not pretty and not a great confidence-builder for a teenager!

Questions for Laurie?  Contact her at lthomas@ologymd.com or at our North location at (317)814-4100. 

Ok, so I am fast-approaching a milestone birthday – and I’ve gotten away with having low-maintenance, highly cooperative skin for the last few decades.  But recently – really, since the change of the season and arrival of warmer, humid weather, I’m reverting back to my teenage years and it seems I wake up every morning with yet another NEW spot…sigh.  I’ve gone from down-the-middle ‘normal’ skin to being oily, red, flaky and habitually broken out – in only a few months.

Retin-A didn’t work; my normal go-to salicylic acid products were only having limited success.. thank goodness for the newest offering from Jan Marini- Duality MD.  Now, I am an absolute skeptic when it comes to products; I have access to just about anything you might ever want to try on your skin and I know better than most people that pretty packaging and slick advertising does not necessarily equal results… But I must say – Duality MD is the real deal.  This product is specifically intended for a 40-something (or soon to be) skin that is experiencing a regression to teenage acne. 

The combination of benzoyl peroxide and anti-aging properties (retinol and multiple peptides) seems to be nothing short of magical.  In less than a week of nightly use, I’ve gotten control of those vicious little monsters popping out all over the place; I’m back to my normal, neutral skin tone instead of red and blotchy, and much less oily.  I have to tell you – this is my absolute new fav product, hands down.  I was a little unimpressed with the two-chambered pump and thought, ‘what new gimmick is this – could they use ANYMORE plastic on this thing?’ but its performance has overcome any doubts I may have had about its overwrought design, and I’ll happily recycle the empties.  The only downside, and it’s one that I can live with, is the tell-tale scent of benzoyl peroxide does linger till the next morning; but no matter – this stuff works!

Details:

Duality MD by Jan Marini Skin Research

Price: $90.00

Age Intervention Duality is a breakthrough anti-aging acne solution providing serious acne control and dramatic anti-aging benefits. Its unique dual chamber dispensing solution combines some of the most medically validated, yet previously incompatible, technologies in one product. The maximum allowed percentage of benzoyl peroxide, concentrated retinol and powerful anti-aging technologies, including multiple peptides, anti-inflammatory agents and antioxidants, are combined in a gentle formulation.

Key Technologies

Key Anti-Acne Cream Technologies:

• 10 % Micronized Benzoyl Peroxide
• Peptide: Myristoyl Tripeptide-4
• All-Trans-Retinol

Key Anti-Aging Cream Technologies:

• All-Trans-Retinol
• Peptides: Palmitoyl Oligopeptide and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
• Green Tea Extract
• Chrysin
• Bisabolol
• NHS
• Hyaluronic Acid

Features & Benefits

• Delivers unparalleled acne treatment with dramatic anti-aging benefits
• Helps decrease erythema and inflammation and reduces the appearance of acne scars and discoloration
• Advanced BPO increases penetration and decreases dryness and irritation
• Concentrated retinol improves cellular turn-over and addresses the main signs of aging including the appearance of lines and wrinkles, rough texture and hyperpigmentation
• Anti-aging peptides rebuild and rejuvenate skin
• Antioxidants deliver anti-aging benefits and increase free radical protection
• Significant moisturizers for improved hydration and barrier function
• Easily incorporates into Step 3 of the Skin Care Management System for intensified results
• A perfect solution for adults and of every skin type

Check out Duality MD during your next appointment – and remember, if you Facebook ‘Check In’ at Ology Spa on your mobile phone, we’ll give you 10% off any product – every day. 

Andréa Bradley-Stutz, Dir

OLOGY LLC

abs@ologymd.com

This wicked winter weather seems to be never-ending!  Given the ongoing below-freezing temperatures and the snow piling up, people are spending more and more time in the drying heat of their homes.  As a result, we’re hearing quite a few complaints about dry, itchy, crusty skin. While an early spring would bring an end to the misery on many fronts, here is a quick review of how you can get dry winter skin under control fast.

1.  Humidify your home.  Adding a portable humidifier to your bedroom will start correcting the problem at its root and will give your skin a break while you sleep.
2. Eliminate products containing fragrance for the time being.  This includes perfumes, body products such as lotions that are scented with any fragrance other than essential oil, and fabric softener.  Most of the time, you can begin using your favorite products after the warmer weather returns, but synthetic perfumes are going to be nothing more than an additional irritant to overly-dry skin.
3. It’s certainly not appealing on a ten degree morning, but keeping your shower short and cool will also help enormously.  Hot showers promote further moisture loss from the outer layers of your skin.  If you just can’t give up this part of our routine, then apply a fragrance-free body lotion immediately after showering while your skin is still damp, and cover it up right away to trap moisture next to your skin.
4. Ease up on the alcohol; increase H2O.  Exchange that second glass of wine for water – and hydrate from within.
5. Don’t scratch.  Pick up a tube of 1% hydrocortisone at the drug store and slather it on before bedtime.  This over-the-counter strength is not harmful, but avoid long-term usage (more than 10 days).  Hydrocortisone will ease the itchy feeling, and most brands are available in an emollient base that will also help moisturize.

Great Cold Weather Skincare:

Here are our ‘staff picks’ for heavy-duty hydration through the next month:

NIA Intensive Recovery Cream -  This is a best-seller that not only inhibits moisture loss, but also delivers pro-Niacin directly to the skin.  Niacin is a strengthener – and the result is firmer, stronger, supple skin.  Great for face, neck, chest and hands; and we’ve heard it puts LaMer in the corner when it comes to hydration.   110.00

Jan Marini C-Esta Cream – Time and time again, guests return to this tried and true favorite during the winter months.  The heavier base is great for all but oily skin types, and makeup glides on over the top of this cream making it as ideal for day as it is for night use.  We’ve not found a product yet that beats it for firming.  90.00

Aveda’s Tourmaline Hydrating Cream – This product gets kudos for being a great bargain as well as a super treatment cream.  Tourmaline is ideal for giving skin ‘radiance’ – or that glowy look that we crave in the dead of winter.  As a cream-based product, this one also hydrates extremely well – great bang for your buck.     35.00

For more information on treating your ‘winterized’ skin, please contact us today!

Andréa Bradley-Stutz, Director

Ology Spa/Aesthetics/Medicine

Info@ologymd.com

Glowing skin starts at Ology

My favorite combination of products to use during treatment is Jan Marini Clean Zyme / Skin Zyme enzyme therapy combined with the Jan Marini Factor A mask. Both of these clinical products deliver results- and really change a relaxing Ayurvedic Facial into a super-charged Treatment Facial.  This has been my ‘go-to’ combo when wanting to provide my guests with an immediate, dramatic glow. The enzyme therapy products digest dead skin cells- without irritating the skin. I love to use this product combination with steam before using a gentle granule exfoliant, and before performing extractions. It immediately increases skin clarity and improves the texture of the skin.

The Factor A mask contains Azelaic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Kojic Acid, and the highest percentage of retinol available which improves acne and helps improve photo damaged skin. Some people experience mild tingling with this product, but for most people the warmth decreases after a few minutes. Guests see improvement in acne and fine lines immediately.

The combination of these products leaves the skin looking luminous and healthy, while calming down inflammation from breakouts. By finishing with a vitamin C product, the skin feels plumped and hydrated for days.

Best of all, the results can be maintained by using these products at home in between facials. These products are a staple in my own home regimen, especially when I feel a breakout coming. For my oilier skin type, I can use the products several times in a week to help control a breakout or when I want my skin to look its best. I will even use the Factor A mask to spot treat a blemish.  Email me directly for more product combo ‘tricks’ to deliver glowing skin for the holiday party season!

Kimberly Dine, LE

Licensed Aesthetician – Ology LLC

kdine@ologymd.com

 My My My My Myyy ZERONA!!!    

(… remember that popular song from the 80″s “Sharona” by the Knack? You know you’ll be sing that song in your head the rest of the day! )

Ok moving on. 

ZERONA, my favorite new treatment!   This non invasive body slimming laser is wonderful. How can losing fat be so relaxing?  No pain no gain, right? Not true with Zerona. This 40 minute treatment is amazing.  I have seen  differences in every guest I have treated.  Patients have lost  3.5 inches, 6 inches, 9 inches, and even 11 inches. 

The biggest comment: “I feel so much better in my clothes!”  From the bra line to the thighs, you will see and feel areas that have reduced in size. I will tell you though, as the treatment provider, every individual IS different.  It can depend on how far over your ideal weight you are.  Zerona works best for those who are 10 to 40 lbs overweight.  If the area you are trying to reduce is closer to 40 lbs over your ideal body weight, I highly recommend 12 treatments.   I have found those who have gone through menopause also need more treatments, 9 to 12 at least.

If you stick to the commitments - drink at least 64 oz of water daily, eat a balanced diet and get some sort of exercise, you will be pleased. I have had most guests say it really is the water drinking that you have to stick with. This  makes the most sense to me because,  the laser is working on the adipose tissue, where the fat lives, to create what’s called a transitory pore. This pore is only open a few hours, that’s why we suggest you come for a treatment every other day. Once the fat seeps out of the pore, it has to go somewhere! That’s your job…by drinking the adequate amount of water you are encouraging your lymphatic system to  flush the fat out through natural detoxification. If you’re lowering your caloric intake, you’re putting less fat back in your body and if your getting some sort of exercise (even just walking 10 to 30 minutes a day) well, BONUS!  That’s even more weight loss in addition to the target-specific slimming effect of Zerona.  I even had a guest who was not able to exercise during her sessions  and she still felt a difference in her clothes.

I believe in Zerona because I’ve seen it change my guests with my own eyes. No,  it’s not liposuction- but it is a nice non- invasive alternative method to slim the body.

Kimberly Ross, LE

Aesthetician – Ology Spa

Kross@ologymd.com

“How do I get rid of these brown spots!?”      

Whether you call it a freckle, age spot, sun spot or a liver spot, it’s all the same animal: HYPERPIGMENTATION.  This dreaded, spotty darkening of the skin is caused by increased melanin production – a direct result of increased UV or sun exposure.  The melanin in your skin is produced by melanocytes, located in the epidermis layer of the skin.  When these melanocytes are stimulated by UV light, the areas in the skin that are denser will form hyperpigmentation.  Over a lifetime of aging and exposure to the sun, we see these brown spots occur.  Even though sun exposure  is the number one cause for hyperpigmentation, there are other ways it can form as well.  Injuries to the skin like a burn or acne vulgaris can also leave hyperpigmentation behind. There are also some skin disorders that can cause pigment change. One of the most common is melasma (aka: chloasma)- patchy hyperpigmentation usually seen in pregnant women.  Some women will also notice melasma after they start taking birth control pills. It seems like melasma is the hardest pigment disorder of all to treat, in the sense that the pigment lies deeper in the skin.

Which leads me to the magic question- how do you get rid of hyperpigmentation?

My first recommendation, which is the fastest and closest to a permanent solution is through Broadband Light (BBL™) therapy.  BBL™ or Photo Rejuvenation Therapy is also called ‘pulsed light’ therapy.  A device similar to a laser produces wavelengths of light that heat the layers of skin and target unwanted melanin. BBL™ is our most popular clinical treatment because it works extremely well for most skin types. There is very little down time and fairly rapid results. Plus you get the added benefit of stimulating skin cells and generating new collagen. (The more collagen, the tighter the skin!)  Now BBL is not for everyone, unfortunately.  Individuals with darker skin tones such as African American, Middle Eastern, or Hispanic skin types may be better off using a topical skin lightener.  Yes, there are many over the counter products for lightening the skin, which is what makes it so hard to know which one is the right one.   These specific ingredients are those you want to look for:  hydroquinone, azelaic acid, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), tretinion (retinol) and even licorice root.  All of these ingredients are great for helping aid in the lightening of hyperpigmentation. Your results will depend on the percentage of the ingredients in the product and how often you may have to use it.  Many of my patients undertake both BBL™ & a topical lightening product for the maximum benefit.  Additionally, prescription-strength lightening agents such as TriLuma Cream (a combination treatment) are very popular with our patients.

Whichever treatment you decide is right for you, please remember one critically important thing… Don’t forget to wear your SPF DAILY!  Rain or shine- protect your investment by protecting your skin.  I always tell my patients, the more religious you are about wearing daily SPF, the less you are going to see of me!

Kimberly Ross, LE

Aesthetician

(317) 814 4100 Ology at Clarian North

(317) 217 2200  Ology at Clarian West

kross@ologymd.com

It turns out, the end point a permanent makeup artist shoots for during the application process can be altered to turn permanent makeup into semi-permanent makeup. Basically when I perform a permanent makeup application, my goal is to pack as much pigment deep enough in the skin so that as the skin naturally turns over or sheds,  the pigment stays under the skin for as long as possible. The average end result should last between 3 and 10 years depending on how well the patient takes care of their new tattoo. To make the results less permanent, fewer passes are made during the application leaving less pigment implanted in the skin. Also, the treatment can be done more superficially than traditional permanent makeup. The color choice should be lighter with semi permanent makeup because darker colors tend to be more opaque even after the treatment area is healed.  The end result should last 3 months to 3 years.  Although three years in still a significant amount of time, it seems that for some people, semi-permanent feels like less of a commitment.

It is still important to be conservative when deciding on the color and design of your semi-permanent makeup. Even a few months can seem like a long time if the application is too heavy or too dark. I recommend brows to be a soft color that follows your natural brow line, and not a trendy style. For natural eyeliner, it is best to stick with a lash enhancement which is done just in the lash line. You can always add to permanent or semi permanent makeup with traditional cosmetics for a more dramatic look, but a cat eye might get old as the years go by.   

Kimberly Dine, LE 

kdine@ologymd.com

Licensed Aesthetician – Ology Spa Avon / Ology Spa Carmel