What is ReFirme™?
ReFirme™ is an FDA cleared, skin tightening procedure, using Elōs (electro-optical synergy), to comfortably achieve a more youthful, tightened and toned appearance without downtime. ReFirme™ treatments effectively treat sagginess under the eyes, brow lines, cheeks, and jaw area.  It is also effective with firming the neck, the skin on the hands, and the abdomen. 

How Does ReFirme™ skin tightening work?
Elōs technology uses combined energies that precisely heat the dermal tissue within the target area, providing safe and effective results for all skin types.   This non-invasive technology produces a firming effect in lax skin by stimulating collagen production. 

What results or beneficial outcomes can I expect?
Noticeable lifting of the skin, reduction of fine wrinkles, and a smooth, luminous and toned texture. 

When can I expect to see results?
Most clients will see gradual, cumulative, results throughout the ReFirme™ skin tightening treatments.  The total number of treatments necessary to achieve your desired results varies depending on your skin’s condition.  To establish your personalized treatment schedule, click on the link below or call LuminaSkin at (650) 401-6060, to schedule a complimentary ReFirme™ skin tightening consultation.

What are the possible side effects and complications?
ReFirme™ is a gentle treatment requiring no downtime.  Some people may experience a little discomfort with this treatment; however it is temporary, usually lasting only a few seconds.  The treatment may also cause reddening of the treated area, (like mild sunburn).  The reddening will usually go away within a couple of hours after treatment.  The treatment may also cause minimal, temporary, swelling for some clients. Applying cold Aloe Vera gel will help alleviate the redness and swelling.  Clients may return to normal activities immediately after the treatment. 

How long does the treatment take?
The amount of time for a treatment depends on the area(s) being treated.  The average session takes approximately 60 – 90 minutes. 

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Tips for Kissable Lips

Let’s face it – our mouths say a lot about us; our hygiene, our disposition, and yes, even our age. We can keep our lips from revealing our age by addressing dryness, lines, wrinkles, and thinning of the lips. Here are some tips and treatments for softer, fuller, more youthful lips:

• Dryness – Skin loses moisture as we age. The lips do not have an epidermal layer, which is where oil is produced. Therefore, the lips are more prone to chapping and dryness than the rest of our skin. Restoring moisture to the lips is essential in helping the lips look and feel smooth and full.
Tips and treatments : Exfoliate the lips, using either your toothbrush and warm water or a lip-specific physical exfoliant. This will remove the flakes of skin, revealing baby soft, smooth lips. Your lip treatments will penetrate better and your lip color will go on smoother. Follow with a humectant-based lip treatment. Dry wax and petroleum based lip balms do not add moisture to the skin, so go for the gooey lip treatments. In the daytime, be certain your lip treatment and/or lip color contains a sunscreen. UV exposure not only damages the skin, but contributes to dryness.

• Fine Lines and Wrinkles – Aging, expressing and eating all contribute to the lovely vertical lines above the lip. Since all of those factors are part of life, it may seem like we cannot do much to fight back. Actually, there are a few things you can do to slow down the etching of lines.
Tips and Treatments: Apply sunscreen regularly, not only to fight dryness, but to battle fine lines and wrinkles. You may also apply a collagen boosting treatment around your mouth. Products containing hyaluronic acid to retain moisture and “plump” fine lines are also beneficial.

For more dramatic results, there are a few options. Although new lines are continually being created, you can reduce the appearance of lines around the mouth with IPL (photofacial) and/or microdermabrasion. IPL stimulates collagen production, smoothing out the lines over time. To see major results, most individuals require a series of treatments. Injectable fillers like Juvederm â provide instant results.

• Fullness – Thinning of the lips is part of the natural aging process. The breakdown of collagen and loss of fat cells thins out the lips.
Tips and Treatments: You can fake fullness in the lips using a lip pencil. Do not line lips corner to corner – it doesn’t look natural. Instead, trace just above the bow of the upper lip and round out the bottom center of the lower lip. Fill in the lips with lipstick or gloss. For a “pouty” lip, apply a gloss that is one shade lighter than your lipstick to the center of both your top and bottom lips.

A subtle way to increase fullness is by using a lip plumper. SkinMedica makes a great lip plumping system using NouriCel-MD â and collagen-filling spheres to enhance the fullness and smooth the surface of the lips.

For instant gratification and more natural, visible, results ; fillers such as Juvederm â can be injected into the lips to restore fullness, and above the lip to define the borders of the mouth. The results can last up to one year.

Sources: WebMD features from “Good Housekeeping” Magazine. Kimberly A. Daly

Select Sunscreen

Dermatologists caution:  Look at more than SPF  American Academy of Dermatology, SkinCancerNet Spotlight Article

4-Point Checklist

1. SPF of 15 or greater
   Short for “Sun Protection Factor”, the SPF tells you how well a product blocks ultraviolet (UV) rays,  also known as the rays that cause sunburn.
   An SPF of 15 screens 93% of the UVB rays and an SPF of 30 screens 97% of the UVB rays.   While a sunscreen with a higher SPF can be beneficial for people with very fair complexions and those visiting a tropical or sun-intense region, even sunscreen with an extremely high SPF cannot screen out 100% of UVB rays.
   SPF does not equal how many hours one can stay in the sun without burning.
   To protect your skin, sunscreen must be reapplied approximately every 2 hours even on cloudy days – and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off.
2. Broad-spectrum protection
   Since SPF only indicates UVB protection, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends broad-spectrum sunscreen.  “Broad spectrum” means the sunscreen also offers protection from ultraviolet A (UVA) rays, which are the rays that age the skin.  The label may say, “broad spectrum” or “UVA and UVB protection”.
   UVA protection is extremely important.  UVA rays penetrate the skin more deeply than UVB rays.  Exposure to UVA can lead to wrinkles and other signs of aging.  Both UVA and UVB rays can cause skin cancer.  Be sure to purchase a sunscreen that offers broad-spectrum protection.
3. Water-resistant
   All sunscreens wash, rub, or sweat off, so there really is no such thing as “waterproof” sunscreen.  A sunscreen can be “water resistant.”  This means the product stays on the skin longer if it gets wet.  You will need to reapply water-resistant sunscreen, too.  Be sure to reapply every two hours and after swimming, sweating, and toweling off.  Each time you reapply the sunscreen, be sure to reapply generously.
4. Make sure you like the product
   Dermatologists often say that the best sunscreen is the one that you will use. Whether you buy a lotion, spray, gel, wax stick, or cream, really is a matter of personal preference.  Just make sure that you like it.

Other tips

• Buy a product for your lips.  Skin cancer can develop on the lips, too – and be quite aggressive.  The thought of applying the sunscreen that you just rubbed on the rest of your skin can be unappealing.  Some sun-protection products are formulated specifically for the lips, and some lip balms offer sun protection.  Be sure to select one that offers an SPF of at least 15 and broad-spectrum protection. 

• Buy insect repellant separately.  While a product that contains insect repellant and sunscreen may be convenient, dermatologists generally recommend buying sunscreen and insect repellant separately.  Sunscreens should be applied liberally approximately every 2 hours, but insect repellant should be applied sparingly every 6 hours.  Applying a product that contains insect repellant too often can increase the risk of toxicity.  Waiting 6 hours to reapply sunscreen limits sun protection.

• Makeup with an SPF has limits.  Makeup that offers an SPF of 15 or greater and broad-spectrum coverage is ideal for incidental sun exposure (exposure you get every day without thinking about it, such as walking to and from your car). 

If you expect to be in the sun  for longer than 10 to 15 minutes, dermatologists generally recommend applying sunscreen under your makeup – even if the makeup has an SPF.  The sunscreen should offer an SPF of 15 or greater, UVA and UVB protection, and water resistance.  And, yes, the sunscreen should be reapplied approximately every 2 hours and after sweating, swimming, or toweling off.  Sunscreen tends to break down over time and rub off with normal wear.

Getting Legitimate Botox® cosmetic

Can you believe it? Two weeks ago Priscilla Presley made the headlines when Fake Botox Doc, Dr. Daniel Serrano, was re-arrested in order to be deported back to his native Argentina. Convicted in 2003, Dr. Serrano was busted for injecting Ms. Presley and other celebrities like Shawn King, Larry’s wife, and Lionel Ritchie’s then wife, Diane with an industrial-grade silicone not fit for existence in the human body.

Ms. Presley is currently undergoing treatments to undo the damage from the doctor she thought was injecting her with Botox® His re-arrest is in conjunction with allegedly smuggled this stuff into the United States and promoting it as a new, better-than-Botox wonder-drug.

For People magazine’s online article, click here.

So, why would you care about Hollywood celebrities getting duped? You’d think that they’d know better, wink wink. But, they’re like many consumers; they’re searching for the next big, miracle cure for marionette lines, crow’s feet and droopy eyelids. These people wanted to be ahead of the crowd. Right now, better to be in the crowd of FDA- approval than not.

Before you end up with some low-rent, and, potentially lethal, substance, here are some tips to make you’re getting real Botox®, Juvederm®, Radiesse® and Restylane®.

5  Things You Should Know About Botox and Fillers

1) What is Botox? Juvederm, Restylane and Radiesse?

Botox® and these fillers are FDA-approved substances. Botox is a purified protein and a finished medical prescription product meaning it’s derived from botulism, not made of it. Juvederm, Restylane and Radiesse are fillers that plump up or replace volume lost as skin ages. Each one is non-toxic and, depending on the product, can last from 3 to 18 months.

2) What should it cost?

Botox and fillers should cost $200-$800 per treatment. Botox is applied per site (like forehead, eyebrow, crow’s feet, etc.) Fillers are priced per syringe and are be applied in several areas of the face until the syringe is exhausted.

3) Who is authorized to give these injections?

In California, only licensed physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants are authorized to give ANY injections including Botox and fillers.

4) How do I verify authentic practitioners?

Look in their office for diplomas and/or medical licenses. You should ask your provider about the number of years they have been doing the treatments, how many treatments they performed, if they have been certified on the treatments, and are they members of medical cosmetic dermatological societies. Most importantly you need to trust your instincts about your clinicians. And, remember, legitimate medical professionals will accept all forms of payment, not just cash.

5) How do I know I’m getting a legitimate product?

Legitimate Botox is identified by the hologram on the vile confirming it’s an authentic Allergan product. Fillers have their product name on the vile which you are encouraged to ask for should you feel uneasy.

Had Ms. Presley and her buddies followed any of these steps they would have save themselves pain, disfigurement, plea bargains (in Ms Ritchie’s case) and money. Do it right the first time and you’ll thank yourself in the future.

Chemical Peels

Soften fine lines, promote a rosy glow, encourage better penetration of your skin care products, diminish skin discoloration, and even dry an acne flare up.  Medical grade chemical peels improve and smooth the texture of the skin by removing the dead  and damaged skin cells.  This treatment is helpful for those individuals with acne prone skin, blackheads, whiteheads, wrinkles and uneven skin pigmentation. There are many different types of chemical peels to choose from. The precise formula used may be adjusted to meet the needs of each individual. Our nurses can determine which chemical peel is best suited for you. 

LuminaSkin offers Glycolic, Salicylic, Retinoic, TCA and Jessner’s peels.
To schedule a complimentary consultation, please click here.

• Glycolic Acid:
  Glycolic acid has been widely used in recent years to give the skin a smoother, younger, fresher, look. It helps control mild acne, and improves skin discoloration associated with acne. Glycolic acid, a natural substance derived from sugar cane, is particularly useful in rejuvenating sun damaged skin, including; rough, unevenly textured skin, fine wrinkles, and skin pigmentation.At LuminaSkin, our peels have a glycolic acid concentration of 70%, for maximum benefit and results. The peel takes between 15 – 30 minutes, and four treatments are usually necessary to achieve the desired effects. Most clients tolerate the treatment well and report only slight stinging and temporary redness as side effects.
• Salicylic Acid:
  This Beta Hydroxy Acid is keratolytic and induces smoothness of the stratum corneum surface. Its lipophilic molecule gives it the ability to penetrate through sebaceous plugs and normalize the excess shedding of cells within the follicles. Topical irritation is minimal with salicylic acid, perhaps as a result of its strong anti-inflammatory properties. 
• Retinoic Acid:
  Retinoic acid peels result in smoother, softer skin texture. This type of peel is used to reduce wrinkles and pigmentation problems. The use of Retinoic acid increases dermal volume and tightens the skin.  It also improves, and in some instances eradicates actinic keratosis.  Retinoic acid increases blood flow to the face, which imparts a healthy, rosy glow.
• Jessner’s and TCA:
  Jessner’s  or trichloraceptic acid (TCA) peels creates  quite a bit of exfoliation, helping to remove sun-damaged surface layers of the skin, including fine lines and brown spots. These peels are also effective in eliminating precancerous skin lesions and actinic keratoses.  Jessner’s  and  TCA peels are stronger than Glycolic acid peels, and are typically used for individuals with more advanced photoaging.  While these peels have shown to be very safe, there is a healing time of five to ten days.

Benefits of the Peels:

• Removes dead skin/skin cell and impurities from the face
• Restores a youthful glow
• Reduces wrinkles and hyperpigmentation
• Reduces blackheads and whiteheads
• Helps to minimize and control acne
• Well tolerated by most clients  and no downtime (with most of the peels)

Things To Know About the Peels:

• Treatment may feel warm, like a sunburn
• Stinging and temporary redness may occur
• Multiple treatments are needed to maintain the benefits

How Laser Hair Removal stacks up against Electrolysis, Waxing and Shaving.

Tatiana Zhornist, R.N., Aesthetic Director

Laser hair removal (LHR) - Smooth, Clean, Soft & No Hassle of Maintenance

I have to confess that I’m a little nutty about laser hair removal (LHR). It’s an unbelievable process that has steadily improved in effectiveness over the years.

I was born a hairy monkey. But, having done my whole body years ago with LHR, I’m still loving the effects of it every day; smooth, clean, soft and no hassle of maintenance.

When new clients come in for a consultation they are full of questions. In this newsletter I want to explain a bit about why I find LHR so effective and why I’m so passionate about it.

Electrolysis vs. Laser Hair Removal

Electrolysis has been around for over 125 years, believed to have come from experiments with electricity in the Civil War. In this method, a small electrode (miniscule) is inserted into the hair follicle and zaps the hair. The process is repeated over and over again as each hair is zapped individually. On the other hand, LHR uses a cool-tip laser that only emits heat to eliminate the hair follicle en masse, making the treatment far less time-consuming and, therefore, less painful.

Consider that all body hair is on a growing cycle and not all follicles grow at the same time. Three follicles right next to each other can each have a different cycle. If they didn’t you’d be really hairy on some days and bare skinned on others. Great when you don’t want it but not so hot for your head. As a result, you’ll require additional treatments to reach dormant follicles and some treated follicles may grow back. But, re-grown hair will often be thinner and lighter.

Earlier versions of LHR favored dark hair on pale skin. At LuminaSkin, the machine we currently use is the “Ferrari” of LHR machines. FDA-approved, Lumenis’ LightSheer Diode Laser System offers safe and effective treatments on all skin types including tanned skin and the broadest range of hair colors, diameters and depths, and able to take on less high contrast skin and hair colors. As a result, it’s broadened the ethnicities that can take advantage of this treatment.

Certainly electrolysis has been popular and effective for long-term hair removal. Patients experience as much as a 90% satisfaction rate. But, I know that electrolysis is a protracted process better suited to removing small areas of hair because of the prolonged pain.

While LHR procedures are on par with electrolysis in satisfaction and the sheer number of visits, the total time elapsed for LHR is significantly less. For example, upper lip electrolysis requires 5 to 7 treatments at 45 minutes each. LHR takes 3 to 5 minutes per treatment.

Perhaps you’d like to work on your legs? Think about how many follicles are on your legs. With LHR, it’s 1.0 – 1.5 hours for one full treatment. In 3 to 5 months (4 to 7 treatments) and just in time for summer, you’ll be switching to maintenance. Electrolysis? Forget about it! One treatment, all those follicles? Months. Four to seven treatments would effectively take years just to complete your legs.

What about the pain? Let’s be honest. In both procedures, the sensation of pain depends on each person’s threshold. It’s similar in feeling to a pinprick and, of course, some areas of the body are more sensitive than others. Current LHR treatments can be practically be pain-free by applying ice and/or numbing cream. Because it’s so rapid, your comfort level is far greater. And, with the each evolution of LHR treatments, manufacturers constantly seek significant reductions in pain.

Contrasted to LHR, electrolysis technology has barely evolved in the last 40 years and numbing treatments are ineffective.

When, you were a kid, did your mother rip the bandage off slow or fast? That’s what LHR versus electrolysis is about. It’s a little uncomfortable but if it goes fast, you hardly remember, it’s over quickly and you’re glad you did it.

Laser Hair Removal vs. Shaving and Waxing

We all know what shaving and waxing does. Many of us have experienced the charm of both. Shaving is a practically daily event. ‘Nuff said about that commitment.

Of course, waxing offers a longer-term solution than shaving albeit it has to be lifelong practice because there’s no numbing cream and you’re pulling your skin, waxing induces pain, sensitive skin or not. In between waxings, you cannot shave and have to walk like a hairy monkey for half the time.

While, you’re ripping the hair from the follicle, you’re merely slowing it down but not killing it. And, that’s a lifelong commitment, too.

A Last Note

One of the most significant differences between LHR and the other methods is who is performing the treatments. In the state of California, LHR is only allowed to be practiced by licensed medical professionals who have college educations complete with anatomy, chemistry and biology. Their education and extensive medical training make them uniquely qualified to safely administer these procedures. They also have exclusive access to extremely effective topical anesthetics. Electrolysis and waxing are also practiced by licensed professionals but with far less training and education and lacking access to medical-grade topical anesthesia.

I hope you understand why I believe that LHR is such a fantastic treatment, how it can be cost-effective and how the latest in technology can produce amazing and long-lasting results for you.

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