dermatology
The Eyes Have It
At Refine Dermatique, we are often get asked: Do I need an eye cream? The answer is probably yes! Do you notice that you look at someone eyes and area around their eyes to guess at their age? That is because the eye area is the first area to show signs of aging. The skin around our eyes is thin, delicate and needs extra protection and moisture to prevent pre-mature signs of aging. Here are a few tips:
- Where a good quality spf (at least 15 spf or more) on your face and around your eyes
- Wear sunglasses to avoid squinting (which contributes to crow's feet). Wear X-Lg glasses for added protection of that delicate skin around your eyes.
- Add an eye cream to your bedtime routine
Tips for that Summer Glow
Summer is coming! Summer is coming! Here are some tips to help you get ready to show of your skin!
- Exfoliate: Get rid of those dead skin cells. Use a body scrub for the whole body and use a facial exfoliator for the face and neck.
- Hydrate: Use a light fast absorbing moisturizer. Apply right after your shower to seal in the moisture.
- Healthy Glow: There are salons that offer a professional spray tan and many choices of self tanners that build color gradually for a beautiful summer glow without any of the damaging side effects. There are many options for getting that "glow"--the tanning bed should not be one of them!
- Protect: Sunscreen is a must! Use about a shot glass full for your body, and at least a nickle size for you face. The key is to reapply every 2 hours.
May is National Skin Cancer Awareness month so watch this blog for a month's worth of
blogs, tips and specials regarding sunscreen and protection in May!
Acne Prevention and Skin Care Results
Prom Season, Graduation Season, and soon to be Wedding Season! Winter is finally gone (or at least firmly on its way out!) and now is the time many of us start to think about big events we have coming up. How do we begin to get our skin ready? 80% of the population will deal with acne at some point in their lives. Most of us seem to deal with it right before a big day. Here are some tips to help yourself:
Precautions and Self Care for Acne situations:
- Avoid touching your face with your hands and fingers
- Wash pillowcase 2 to 3 times a week
- Clean home, cell, and business phones often
- Keep skin clean with non-drying soaps and cleansers
- Avoid greasy cosmetics or creams
- Look for non-comedogenic products
Following these instructions will help you prevent future breakouts. If acne persists or you'd like help to cystic acne or scarring from acne, Refine offers several services and products that have a great track record! Combining treatments such as microdermabrasion and chemical peels with our acne product lines can lead to maximized results. See the Refine website for more information on specialized acne treatments.
Finally, if your acne is severe and treatments don't seem to be working, we recommend visiting a board-certified Dermatologist.
Take Control of Your Skin Care
Spring is coming! (despite the blizzard swirling around us in Minnesota as I write this) and we're getting alot of questions about ways you can improve the appearance and health of your skin. The great news is you do have control over many things that impact your skin and they're all things that will improve your overall health!
1. UV Sun Protection!! We'll have a whole month of blogs coming up about sun protection, but needless to say it is the SINGLE most
important thing you can do for your skin!
2. Quit Smoking
3. Eat a Balanced, Vitamin-rich Diet
4. Drink More Water
5. Get Enough Sleep
6. Exercise Regularly
In addition, you can incorporate a professional skincare regimen for maximum results.
Skin Care For Men
Taking care of our skin is like taking care of a nice vehicle: Maintenance is required to prevent rusting and breakdowns! No matter what your gender, preventative care is important!
Did you know that we have several clients who happen to be men? It's an unfortunate stereotype that only women should take care of their skin! There are many men who are interested in having healthy looking skin and who take pride in their personal appearance. At Refine, we are particularly interested in helping men feel comfortable during their visit.
Our top 3 most popular services for men are:
1. BBL (Broad Band Light) for sun/age spots on the face and arms. BBL is also used to treat broken capillaries on the face.
2. Botox is often used for men wanting to erase the vertical lines between the brows.
3. Laser Hair Removal for the back, neck, and upper arm shoulder area.
Tips for Dry Skin
The winter blues can certainly be compounded by our frustration with dry, dull skin. Since we can't all head to Florida for the winter to keep our skin soft and supple, here are 4 practical try-at-home tips for preventing and treating dry skin during these long Minnesota winters!
# 1 Avoid taking long hot showers and baths. I know it feels great on that cold winter morning, but it really is very drying because it strips your skin of natural oils. So keep the temperature more moderate and keep bath/shower time to 10 minutes or less and your skin will thank you.
#2 Apply a moisturizer (emollient) while your skin is still damp. This technique traps the moisture still on your skin (for both your body lotion as well as your facial skin care moisturizer).
#3 Using a humidifier especially in the bedroom at night will increase the humidity level in the air and help your skin stay hydrated.
#4 We can't always count on the same skin care moisturizer to treat our skin needs throughout the year and through our extreme seasons here in Minnesota. Consider changing up your skin care routine during season changes to help manage your skin's needs.
Maximize Skin Care Results
Today let's talk about how your skin may be working against your skin care products.The natural barrier of our skin (the epidermis) is actually designed to keep things out. It's designed to protect us. Certain procedures can eliminate some of the dead skin cells to create "holes" or "Windows of Opportunity" so that your skin care products are able to penetrate as deply into the live tissue (the dermis) as possible.
High quality skincare products are a great investment in your skin's health and appearance. Want a way to maximize the benefits of your skincare products? Microdermabrasion removes the topmost layers of skin, leaving the skin supple and creating a greater "window of opportunity" for those products to work. Microdermabrasion is a great way technique for maximizing skin care benefits and seeing healthier looking skin faster.
Welcome to Refine!
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Sincerely,
The Refine Dermatique Staff