Can A Facial Ruin Your Face?

The purpose of a basic facial is simple, its a multi-step skin treatment that involves cleansing, exfoliation, extraction and a mask. That my friends, is a basic facial and thats what I thought I was going to receive from a licensed Esthetician.

I had some breakouts on my cheek and I wanted a good extraction to help get rid of the impurities. This "facialist" was recommended to me as she is known to get every single blackhead and pimple out of your face. Unfortunately, what I received was some scaring and even more breakouts than I had in the first place. The sad thing is this all could have been avoided if I just went to my regular Esthetician who has extracted me many times, always leaving my skin better than she found it. The "she will squeeze the hell out of your face" sounded so appealing though... 

 Can a facial ruin your face? Absolutely it can. The main cause is trusting your face onto inexperienced hands but even licensed Estheticians can ruin your skin. In Esthetics school I learned that being "licensed' means that you paid thousands of dollars to get a certificate and you passed a test. However, in Esthetics school I came across so many of these woman that in all honesty did not deserve to graduate and be able to head out in the world with a license to ruin peoples face. I loved everyone in my class, but the truth is the truth and the truth and some of them should have chosen a different career (which some of them realized and did shortly after graduation) 

I want you to be clear that having a license does not make anyone an expert. What makes an Esthetician an expert is years of practice but most important is understanding moderation. Knowing what is ok to extract and when its best to leave alone is a true testament of a skilled Esthetician and always making sure that the skin is left better than it was when you found it. 

Another way your skin can get ruined by facials is by over treating it with harsh chemicals and peels. Beware of these Estheticians as well, you want to make sure that the two of you are crystal clear on what your goals are and a smart and safe way of achieving them. Facials can be very expensive, and I understand that you want to get the most out of your money, but trust me thats not the best approach to have when it comes to a facial. 

Last but not least DO NOT let anyone without a license touch your face... I know you are probably thinking "Steffany didn't you just say the whole licensed thing didn't matter?" Well it does, because that license will protect you. It is whats going to tell you that at the very least this person learned some basic sanitation. Having that knowledge will hopefully keep you from leaving there with an infection. 

My Dermatologist and I were speaking the other day and he was telling me how he had a patient come to him for a "pimple" that never healed after a facial. It wasn't a pimple at all, it was basal cell cancer. He also told me about patients with chemical burns that now have to spend thousands of dollars in laser treatment to correct the damage. 

My advise to all of you is simple, do your research and get multiple opinions. If you are dealing with breakouts on a regular basis start by addressing your health and or see a dermatologist. They are not exempt from making mistakes when treating you but the odds are less. Don't let the price of something be what convinces you to do a treatment, find a great Esthetician that will care for your skin and help you achieve your skin goals safely. 

To Be Continued...

My Pursuit Of Eternal Youth With Nurse Fiona Featuring: Viva by Venus Versa With PRP Facial Review!

Aging is inevitable. Aging gracefully while for a very lucky few happens naturally, for most is a choice. A choice we can make everyday when we decide to put sunblock in the morning before heading out, the choice to wash our makeup off every night, the choice to invest in good skin care products, the choice to try some of the many DIY's out there to help your skin look its best. One of the most important routines for me in my hopes of aging gracefully is having a good facial every month. If you have been following for some time then you know I love Nurse Fiona and her staff. They stay up to date with the latest and best skincare treatments and they are just the most genuine and knowledgeable people to have looking out for my skin. 

Two weeks ago I went in to try the Venus Viva with PRP facial, a non surgical skin resurfacing that corrects signs of skin damage and improves the appearance of acne scars. It improves the appearance of enlarged pores, deep wrinkles, uneven skin texture, rosacea, scars and stretch marks. Adding your PRP to the Venus Viva is optional but its so worth it. 

PRP is short for Palette Rich Plasma it is obtained by drawing the patient's blood, spinning it down in a centrifuge, drawing off the layer of Platelet Rich Plasma (rich yellow liquid). Fiona Drew two vials, one to apply with the Venus Viva and one to inject directly into my skin. The benefits of PRP are when injected into the skin it helps repair, rejuvenate and remodel damaged tissue. All this means is more collagen production in the ares injected, which helps with fine lines, wrinkles, skin texture, enlarged pores and uneven skin tones. 

Before Your Treatment: 

Avoid products like Retin-A, scrubs, sun bathing, and salicylic acid for at least one week before treatment. 

The Process: 

The Esthetician will do a skin analysis to determine what strength is best for your skin concerns and skin type. Then the Esthetician starts by numbing a small area on the back of your neck where she will test the strength to make sure you are comfortable with it and your skin has no reaction. If you are adding the PRP Fiona would have drawn your blood around this time as well. 

The Venus Viva treatment on its own lasts around 45 minutes, with PRP about about one hour and a half. The whole treatment was very comfortable for me, I would rate the "pain" level to a 1. The best way to describe the feeling is like light pins on the skin. 

The second vial of PRP was then injectected by nurse Fiona, the pain level for this part was between a 3-5. The eye area surprisingly was the least painful, around the mouth was a very pinchy and burning sensation.

The After Care:

My skin was immediately red and as the numbing cream started to wear off I can start to feel the "burning" and discomfort one feels after a sunburn. It also felt dry and hard from the dried up plasma.

As always the aftercare is all up to you, the results will be more effective if you follow the recommendations given by your esthetician and nurse. The aftercare is very simple in my opinion; No sunscreen for 24-48 hours after treatment so stay indoors! Use a mild cleanser for the first week or two after your treatment and avoid scrubs, or any harsh products. 

I was given a post care product kit to use the cleanser, I washed my face the next day so I can have the plasma doing its thing overnight. My routine convicted of only two steps; Mild face wash (Ormedic By Image) and a light moisturizer. 

Overall I'm satisfied with the results so far, I have some breakouts which is very normal after any facial treatment. The only negative I would say is my skin was not back to normal as fast as I was expecting. On day 6 I could still see the squares the laser leaves behind but nothing makeup couldn't cover. The whole process of the Viva was painless and fast, the PRP was a little more uncomfortable but very bearable. I can notice a difference under my eyes and in the brightness of my skin. 

I would definitely get the treatment done again every few months to maintain a youthful complexion! 

The treatment can be done every 4 weeks if targeting major issues, for preventative treatment it is recommended every 3-6 months. 

Where: Nurse Fiona Medical Spa HERE

Treatment: Viva by Venus Versa

Price: $500 

Add PRP for $300

Mention @steffanyschoice at checkout and receive 20% off your spa treatments. 

For more information I might not be including here or a list of contradictions go to the Venus Viva website HERE. 

Anti-Aging 101: Six Tips And Secrets To Look Younger And More Awake!

There is nothing that gives up our age (or ages us more) than the skin around our eyes. Fortunately for us if we properly take care of our eye area, we can prevent and even repair signs of aging like wrinkles, dark circles and puffy eyes.

• The first tip and most important is prevention, we do this by not exposing our skin to the sun without sunblock and wearing sunglasses to protect the delicate skin around our eyes. 
• Apply eye creams rich in antioxidants and vitamins, a great eye cream should have active ingredients that combat a few issues at once. I'm currently using and loving THIS ONE
• Visine yes little old visine is my number one tip for my clients that complain of always looking tired. Bright eyes are one of the first tricks of looking more youthful and awake!
• Lashes, lashes, lashes I swear it is incredible some of the before and after of my clients after they get eyelash extensions. Faux lashes can take years of you and give you and instant (no knife) eye lift! 
• Concealer is a must for looking more awake and youthful, the trick is finding one that won't crease on you and if it has added benefits even better, like THIS ONE. 
• Last but not least highlight, yes you are reading correctly. If used correctly highlighters work wonders for faking a more awake look. One of my favorite places to use them is under the brow, it immediately lifts the area giving you a more youthful look. I also love using it in the tear duct and a  beige pencil in the water line to open up the eyes. 

Dont forget that good diet, not smoking and getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep play a very important role in how well we age! 

Papaya!

 One of the many things I'm thankful for is that I grew up in my country the beautiful Dominican Republic. I had the luxury of eating fresh unprocessed foods and lots of fruits and vegetables. In my house we grew and still have coconut trees, cherrie tree, passion fruit, banana, orange, mango, avocado, and a guava tree! Whenever my siblings and I wanted a quick snack we just went to the back yard and grabbed whatever was in season growing and ate it. Unfortunately this is not the case now, but I do go to the farmers market and always try to grab the freshest looking fruits and enjoy it. One of my favorite fruits are papayas, they are not only delicious but very good for you. Papayas are filled with anti-oxidants thanks to the high amounts of vitamin a, and remember what vitamin a is good for? Its an excellent skin cell turnover, which means it exfoliates your skin and helps reveal younger, clearer skin. I love using papaya in my beauty routine and now that its in season and can be found at your favorite farmers markets I wanted to share with you my favorite at home mini treatment I LOVE to do when my skin is looking dull. 

Una de las muchas cosas que estoy agradecido es que crecí en mi país la hermosa República Dominicana. Tuve el lujo de comer alimentos frescos, sin procesar y un montón de frutas y verduras. En mi casa tenemos todavía los árboles de coco, cereza, maracuyá, plátano, naranja, mango, aguacate, y un árbol de guayaba! Cada vez que mis hermanos y yo queríamos un aperitivo nos ivamos al patio y cogí lo que estaba en período de crecimiento y comiamos. Por desgracia, este no es el caso ahora, pero yo voy al mercado de los agricultores y siempre trato de agarrar las frutas más frescas que tengan y disfruto de ella y sus beneficios. Uno de mis frutas favoritas son la papaya, que no sólo es delicioso, pero muy bueno para usted. Papayas están llenos de antioxidantes gracias a las altas cantidades de vitamina A. La vitamina A Es una excelente renovación celular, lo que significa que exfolia la piel y ayuda a revelar una piel más joven, más clara. Me encanta usar papaya en mi rutina de belleza y ahora que esta a tiempo y se puede encontrar en los mercados de agricultores quería compartir con ustedes mi favorito mini tratamiento que AMO hacer cuando mi piel está actuando rebelde.

Ingredients/ Ingredientes: 

Flesh Of Papaya/ La masa de la papaya
2 tbsp plain greek yogurt/ Dos Cucharadas de Yogurt plain
1/2 cup Epsom salts/ Medio vaso de epsom sal
1 peppermint tea bag/ Te herbal de menta

How To/ Preparacion: 

In a bowl, mash papaya with a fork; blend in yogurt; set aside. Dissolve Epsom salts i a large pot of water, then drop in tea bag. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Sit with face over pot for 2-5 minutes, head covered with a towel (like a tent) to seal in steam. Spread papaya mask over face. Leave for 10 minutes; rinse.


En un bol,  aga un puré de papaya con un tenedor y mezclando el yogur, poner a un lado. Disolver las sales de Epsom en una olla grande con agua, a continuación, colocar en una bolsa de té. Llevar a ebullición, retirar del fuego.  Durante 2-5 minutos, Colocate sobre el s que salga de la olla con la cabeza cubierta con una toalla  para sellar el vapor. Luego coloque la máscara de papaya sobre el rosto. Dejar actuar 10 minutos y enjuague.

Good Luck/ Buenas Suerte, Xxx

Botox Cures Acne?

  I will confess that I would definitely consider using Botox, I have these two lines (From Frowning) that I have been treating with Retin-A but as soon as they start getting out of control, I will inject!  But I’ve seen some really young girls look extremely old when they used it! So I really recommend waiting till you really need it to not only remove wrinkles but also lift your brows!

I would never really consider getting it so young UNTIL I read that Botox has been used to rid Acne! It’s not a popular study, but it actually makes sense! I know so many people who use Botox to help with sweating issues and I have seen their success! The way Botox helps Acne is similar to the way it helps with sweating–by closing the sweat glands producing oils. The results sound promising, especially since such low dosages have been recorded! So, maybe for very severe acne, this could be the answer and a great way to avoid more invasive things such as Acutane, which have caused some very serious side effects, like depression, blindness and even death. 

Keep in mind, Botox is not permanent, it would need to be redone every 4-6 months while Acutane you take for 3-9 months (depending on your condition) and you may need to retake in case of more outbreaks later on down the line. What do you guys think, does it seem too good to be true, or is this the acne cure we’ve been looking for?