Modern Facials: the intersection of a self-care ritual and a therapeutic skin treatment.

Why should you get a facial?

In addition to being a relaxing experience, facials are an excellent opportunity to learn more about your skin. Skin type is genetic but skin conditions are often affected by our choices: lifestyle, nutrition, sleep, stress, and medications to name a few. The skin communicates, but often times it’s a language that the average person does not understand and that is where a well-trained aesthetician becomes invaluable.

First things first!

Thorough skin analysis is the first step in a facial consultation and treatment. You know that tedious paperwork you were asked to fill out upon arriving? Inside each and every one of those questions is a clue that will help your aesthetician decide the right course of action for your skin on the day of your appointment and proper advice regarding at home care, life style modifications, and whether or not you should seek treatment from a dermatologist, integrative practitioner or naturopath.

In my treatment room, facials are customized at the time of the appointment to meet the skin’s needs, which change seasonally and are affected by different stages in a person’s life: pregnancy & child rearing, air travel for work, disrupted sleep, change of environment, heartache, illness, menopause, fertility treatments, etc. After taking the full picture into account, I can make an educated decision on how to help my clients achieve a therapeutic glow and a state of relaxation. For me, a modern facial will do both.

The “treatment” stage of a facial is the application of a chemical or enzyme exfoliant, or perhaps a cocktail of both, layered one after the other. The application of a professional exfoliating product takes into consideration the product’s pH, percentage of active ingredients, cocktail of active ingredients, length of time for application, and most importantly the individual’s skin on that day. These treatments impact the stratum corneum and are not intended to cause visible peeling. The treatments used are designed to re-texturize, breakdown hardened sebum (blackheads), brighten, hydrate, and improve the overall quality of your complexion. I will address chemical peeling in another blog.

Let’s face it. All facial junkies know the benefits of a professional treatment, but truth be told we are clamoring for the massage, aromatherapy, acupressure and blissed-out affect that accompanies our GLOW. Benefits of massage are well documented.

• Increases circulation, oxygenation and exchange of nutrients
• Removes metabolic waste from the connective tissue via lymphatic drainage
• Boosts immunity
• Tones the musculature of the face
• Releases tension in the muscles of the face, neck, shoulders, and upper back.
• Reduces the effects of stress on the mind and body, by activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
• Tapping into the parasympathetic nervous system and shutting off the sympathetic “GO, GO! DO MORE!” mode allows are bodies to move into a state of cellular repair and regeneration.

In my practice, the massage is woven throughout the entire treatment.

Through proper analysis, professional treatment, and massage, a modern facial will address your skincare concerns while also educating and empowering you to make the best possible decisions for yourself. Modern facials typically include non-invasive technology like LED, Micro-current, Compressed Medical Oxygen and Ultra Sonic modalities. All of these applications are designed to enhance ATP production, stimulate blood flow, increase oxygenation and nutrient delivery to the tissues, remove cellular waste via the lymphatic system, enhance product penetration, boost exfoliation, and tone facial muscles. Essentially putting your facial on a techni-color carpet ride.

In a perfect world, where there are no restrictions on time or money, I do recommend monthly facials. It makes sense, as your skin matures from the stratum basil to the stratum corneum about every 4-6 weeks. Monthly facials are definitely beneficial, especially for women approaching 40 and beyond where the affects of aging are more noticeable. However, I also recognize that life is demanding, schedules are imperfect, and budgets are always changing. With that in mind, I do recommend that clients with healthy and problem-free skin schedule their facials seasonally, provided they are following a professionally recommended regiment at home.

If you would like to learn more about my facial services, click here.