Aesthetic Skin Care
In a society influenced by beauty standards, aesthetic skin care can help you love your looks and feel comfortable in your own skin. Aesthetic treatments can remove unwanted hair, reduce the appearance of scars, moles and liver spots, or tighten skin.
Aesthetic treatments are often non-invasive or painless and are great for reducing fine lines, removing pesky moles, or reducing enlarged pores. These treatments can be done alone or in conjunction with a healthy skincare routine.
Medical Estheticians
Often, physicians who work in medical practices such as dermatology and plastic surgery offices will use estheticians to help with their clients’ skin care needs. A medical esthetician is trained to perform skincare treatments that are more advanced than the typical spa facials.
Unlike regular estheticians, who primarily provide skincare services in salons and businesses, a medical esthetician is licensed to perform cosmetic treatment procedures. They typically work in a med spa, doctor’s office or healthcare facility and are familiar with chemistry, nutrition, physiology, medical treatments and the use of specialized tools.
They can perform a variety of facial and body procedures including salt or sugar scrubs, body wraps, hair removal and more. In addition, they are familiar with a wide range of energy-based cosmetic treatments such as laser and light therapy. They also follow clinical protocols for sanitation, infection control and tool disinfection.
Botox Injections
Botox injections have become one of the most well-known and popular services in aesthetic skin care. The FDA approved BOTOX(r) Cosmetic is a safe, synthetic neurotoxin that blocks nerve signals to the muscles.
This causes the muscle to relax, softening or eliminating fine lines and wrinkles. It is most commonly used to reduce the appearance of frown lines, crow’s feet, and horizontal forehead lines. It can also be used to help reshape the eyebrows, lift the chin and reduce a “gummy smile.”
Before getting Botox, it is recommended that you do not receive it if you have an infection at the injection site; are pregnant or breastfeeding; have severe eye diseases; or have taken an antibiotic by injection in the last 4 months. You should also tell your doctor if you have received a similar treatment with another botulinum toxin in the past (such as Myobloc(r), Dysport(r) or Xeomin(r)). Typically, Botox injections should be spaced about 3 months apart.
Filler Injections
Dermal Filler injections are soft tissue products that, when injected properly, can erase the signs of aging and enhance facial features. They are an excellent alternative to surgery and can be used to reduce lines, creases, wrinkles and to lift the skin in areas such as the cheeks and chin.
Hyaluronic acid (a natural substance found in your skin) is a major component of most dermal fillers and works to hydrate your skin care store near me skin, soften fine lines and creases, and increase skin tightness and volume. Other fillers such as poly-L-lactic acid are technically known as collagen stimulators, as they stimulate the production of your own natural collagen.
It is important to choose a licensed health care provider with experience in dermal filler injections and a thorough understanding of facial anatomy. Also, be sure to read and follow the patient labeling information on FDA-approved injectable dermal fillers before receiving treatment.
Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is a skin-smoothing treatment that can help with a variety of conditions, from uneven skin tone to acne scarring. The treatment uses a device that gently scrubs the outer layer of your skin with fine crystals, removing dead cells and boosting collagen production.
A dermatologist can perform this procedure, or you can find a licensed aesthetician at a spa or salon. Although this is a safe procedure, it’s important to choose an aesthetician with good knowledge of the risks and benefits of microdermabrasion.
At Lone Star State Dermatology Clinic in San Antonio and Live Oak, TX, we offer microdermabrasion treatments to give you glowing, baby-soft skin. The treatment is also popular for diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It can be combined with a hydrafacial treatment for even more rejuvenation results. Most people need multiple sessions to achieve their cosmetic goals, and many benefit from monthly maintenance treatments to extend the life of their results.
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels are a quick and effective way to improve skin tone, texture and blemishes such as mild sun damage or acne scarring. The procedure uses chemicals that burn away damaged outer layers of the skin, leaving behind fresh new skin with a more even tone and less fine wrinkles.
Light peels use alpha hydroxy acids, skin care shop salicylic acid or glycolic acid, which loosen the bond between dead skin cells and healthy skin underneath. They reduce fine lines and wrinkles, blotchy pigmentation and brown spots (melasma), as well as acne.
Moderate and deep peels, using trichloroacetic acid or phenol, are more aggressive treatments that need to be performed by a dermatologist or plastic surgeon. These produce more dramatic results, including a reduction in deep wrinkles, freckles and actinic keratoses, as well as improving acne.
Before a peel, the skin is thoroughly cleaned and may be prepped with a topical numbing agent. Avoid applying makeup and do not wax the area for about a week prior to treatment.
Laser Therapy
Laser treatments use light to favor and accelerate the body’s natural healing processes. Different wavelengths of light interact with different molecules (chromophores) in the skin, which causes different biological effects.
Lasers can be ablative or non-ablative. Ablative lasers remove layers of the skin, while non-ablative lasers don’t affect the surface but penetrate through to the tissue below.
Blood vessel lasers treat vascular lesions, like broken blood vessels or spider veins on the legs, by lightening the area.1 IPL, pulsed dye, and Nd:YAG lasers are also popular for reducing brown spots and redness.2
For hair removal, laser therapy emits a beam of light that targets and destroys hair follicles, without damaging surrounding tissue. Patients can expect a slight stinging sensation, similar to a sunburn, which should subside within 24 hours. Applying a moisturizing ointment can help reduce this sensation. Swelling is also common, and can be minimized by applying a cool pack or sleeping on an extra pillow during this time.
