You think it’s never too early to start wrinkle treatment (you can prevent fine lines, right?), but just like Botox for teens, some anti-aging treatments are a waste of time if you’re not ready for them yet. So Beautylish chatted with an expert in the field, Jim Wilmott, chief scientific offer of Leading Innovations, and former Executive Director of Global Skin Care for Chanel about how stem cells work­—and who should try the treatments.

WHAT ARE STEM CELLS?

Just what are stem cells? Molecular building blocks that renew bones, organs, and blood vessels. In humans these important cells also exist in the lowest level of skin, working to repair damaged or diseased tissue. “Stem cells are critical to the quality of tissue in the outer layer of skin,” says Jim. “When you’re younger, your stem cells reproduce rapidly, causing skin to turn over naturally about every 26 days. However, as you get older Read More…

SUNBLOCK ALL DAY, EVERY DAY: “Many of us have severe sun damage accrued at an early age,” says Johnson. “This is a big issue cosmetically because of brown spots and potentially with more serious conditions such as basil cell carcinoma. Men and women should use a high SPF every single day, rain or shine, and don’t stop at the neck. Protect any visible skin, hands included. Also wear sunglasses to protect eyes and the eye area from wrinkles caused by sun exposure.”

EXFOLIATION IS KEY: Using an exfoliating cleanser is essential for men and women. Read More…

In honor of National Melanoma Cancer Awareness Month, I interviewed a dozen folks who have been diagnosed with skin cancer. I digitally recorded their stories, and our photographers took lifestyle photographs. Their stories and images tell their story in the following slideshow.

Surprisingly, I noticed something different in these cancer survivors than other people I had interviewed with other types of cancer, such as breast cancer. The survivors’ attitude upon diagnosis was almost systematically laissez faire at first.

While the diagnosis of any type of cancer is so difficult that generations of people still whisper the word or refer to it generically as “C,” most people I interviewed were more intrepid about treatment. Their thoughts weren’t on radiation or chemo. Read more …

June 9, 2010 from Surface Medical Spas

1. Before anything else, speak to your state’s accreditation department to learn the state laws about laser technicians. Each State’s rules can vary. For instance, CA only allows doctors, physician’s assistants and RNs to carry out a cosmetic laser treatment. Some states require immediate direction from a medical doctor throughout each procedure.

2. Develop your business plan. From it, point out tips on nearby competition and their procedures, together with insights on how you intend to be competitive. Build a new expense plan of estimated purchases to include the Intense pulsed light and cosmetic lasers, (you should evaluate all of the newest cosmetic laser reviews and look into used cosmetic lasersbefore buying), the expense of renting a medical clinic along with all of the essential features, procuring a doctor to work on your workers, obtaining education as well as the required permits, and lastly advertising your laser clinic. Figure out how you are going to procure financing for your company, like a credit union or bank loan, close friends, or maybe an angel investor.

3. Depending upon the specific state, become a registered laser technician and / or Master Esthetician. Choose a credentialed education course which allows for hands-on training. Learn the biology for the dermis and hair, possible effects, laser configurations, hair growth cycles and ways in which to help assist customers about dealing with their skincare before every chemical peel, injection or cosmetic laser treatment.

4. Establish your laser clinic or medical spa as being a C corporation or limited liability company. Register your corporation with the state, obtain a Federal Tax number and purchase liability insurance for your medical spa business.

5. Rent the location for your medspa. Move into an old dermatologist’s medical practice or find acceptable space to make a waiting room, reception area and back office, meeting room, and procedure room.

6. Hire the team. At the very least, a new med spa team includes a assistant, a laser technician or esthetician to operate the laser, plus a physician to oversee operations. Your state will determine the degree of involvement essential from your medical director. He might only oversee treatments and be around in the event of a serious event, or be needed to be in the room for each and every procedure.

7. Buy an FDA-approved laser or IPL. Lasers range from the Ruby, Alexandrite laser, to the Diode, along with Intense Pulsed light (IPL) or CO2 fractional lasers. Various lasers respond in different ways to certain skin types. Communicate with top rated manufacturers such as Candela, Cynosure, Cutera, Lumenis, Syneron, ESC Sharplan, Palomar and Sciton to make it easier to find a cosmetic laser. Once you’ve purchased your laser, have your main office staff go through the education supplied from the laser company. It will be important to pay for separate instruction for each technology.

While many anti-aging treatments such as wrinkle fillers and Botox focus on hiding the signs of aging, the most effective anti-aging treatments are designed to actively rejuvenate the skin, providing it with a better appearance, elasticity, firmness and moisture.

One exciting new medical spa treatment of this nature is called LED skin rejuvenation. This process uses light to encourage skin cells to multiple and produce collagen, which gives youthful skin its natural firmness. Unlike many popular laser treatments for more youthful skin, this process does not start by damaging the skin to promote growth. This makes the procedure safer than laser skin treatments and also reduces recovery time from any redness or swelling. While LED skin rejuvenation does require several treatments over a few weeks or months, it is pain free, unlike laser procedures. Read more …