Hydrate Your Skin with Juvéderm

Hydrate Your Skin with Juvéderm

If you suffer from dry skin, you know how frustrating it can be when you can’t find any treatment that will work. Many over-the-counter options treat temporary skin dryness at a surface level, without helping you get to the root of the issue. However, Juvéderm HYDRATE is different!

Juvéderm HYDRATE is a member of the Juvéderm injection line of ULTRA fillers, which include hyaluronic acid and mannitol, an antioxidant. These ingredients work together in Juvéderm HYDRATE to improve your skin’s hydration and elasticity by replacing hyaluronic acid that we lose naturally as we age. The addition of mannitol is what sets Juvéderm HYDRATE apart because it helps slow down the breakdown of the hyaluronic acid, allowing the product to last longer than other hyaluronic acid products on the market.

Juvéderm HYDRATE is different from other fillers because it works to hydrate your skin from the inside out. It does this by attracting more moisture and then keeping the moisture in your skin for longer, giving you a healthy glow! HYDRATE is injected in small quantities and can be placed in your face, neck, hands, or décolletage.

Juvéderm HYDRATE can last between four and six months, depending on your personal skin condition. This is a shorter amount of time than other Juvéderm fillers, but this is because Juvéderm HYDRATE is injected superficially instead of deep within your skin like other fillers.

Juvéderm HYDRATE is part of a skin treatment known as mesotherapy. Mesotherapy is where your filler is placed just below your outer skin layers, rather than deep into your skin. This method allows you to get more hydrated skin which will help boost the brightness and smoothness of your skin, leaving you with more natural results. The Juvéderm HYDRATE pulls moisture into the area that it’s injected into, allowing you to experience better hydration in the dry areas of your skin.

Most people experience little to no side effects after receiving Juvéderm HYDRATE, making it a great option for anyone considering it! If you do experience side effects, they will likely be mild including redness, itching, swelling, pain, or discomfort at the injection site.

If you’ve been suffering from dry skin due to natural aging and you’re looking for a low-maintenance treatment option that works, Juvéderm HYDRATE is the perfect treatment for you! If you think this is a good fit for your skin, schedule a consultation with Beauty & Body By Mia today to see if Juvéderm HYDRATE can help you get your hydrated skin back!

What to Do When Products Cause Unexpected Breakouts

What to Do When Products Cause Unexpected Breakouts

Obviously, you use skin products and procedures to look your best. But sometimes, those efforts can trigger a rash or a breakout that defeats what you were trying to accomplish. In that case, what is the safest course of action that protects your skin and clears up the flare-up?

As part of our continuing educational series, let’s discuss what you should do when products cause unexpected breakouts such as redness, rashes, and hives.

Why Breakouts Happen

The first and most common cause of a breakout is an allergic reaction — your skin comes in contact with an ingredient that triggers a histamine response, i.e., hives. Typically, hives stay limited, remaining at or near the area of application.

Redness after using an anti-aging or exfoliating product (face masks, chemical peels, etc.) is a different matter. Because these products are by definition intended to remove a tiny layer of skin, some irritation is likely to occur. This is especially true with products containing retinol, salicylic acid, or other acne-fighting ingredients.

Acne breakouts are common when the formula of the beauty product is oil-based and clogs your pores, trapping oil and bacteria.

Finally, breakouts sometimes happen if you haven’t washed and exfoliated well, or you are using a product that is expired and that might contain irritating bacteria.

Specific Solutions to Specific Breakout Problems

If you are suffering from hives due to an allergic reaction, immediately stop using the product and get it off of your skin. Experts recommend removing the product with room temperature water or a gentle moisturizer.

Be careful not to scrub too hard or with hot water, as each of these can intensify the histamine reaction. Never try to camouflage or cover up the affected area with cosmetics.

If the hives are severe or painful, you can also take an over-the-counter antihistamine allergy medication, such as Benadryl or Zyrtec. These remedies reduce the inflammation, itching, and discomfort of the allergic rash.

Of extreme importance, if you suffer more serious side effects such as swelling of the tongue or throat, pronounced swelling of the face, or shortness of breath, this is a medical emergency, and you should either call 911 or seek immediate attention.

For puffiness and redness due to irritation, rinse your face several times with water to make sure you have removed all of the irritants. For added relief, you can apply soothing hydrocortisone cream or a light layer of Vaseline or Aquaphor.

It can be tempting to want to get rid of annoying pimples by picking or popping them. But this could cause the affected area to become even more irritated and inflamed. At worst, you could even develop an infection leading to permanent scarring.

Instead, carefully cleanse the area with salicylic acid and apply a topical antibiotic or a benzoyl peroxide gel.

Meeting and Treating All Your Skin Care Needs

The best way to ensure the optimal health of your skin is to only use products recommended by a trusted professional who is familiar with your specific skin condition and needs.

In the greater Chicago area, your best and most trusted resource is Beauty and Body by Mia. As one of the leading aestheticians in the area, Mia Valleskey offers skincare products, procedures, and services that keep you looking healthier and younger.

For a free skincare consultation or to book an appointment, contact Beauty and Body by Mia TODAY

Thermage vs Ultherapy: Choosing the Right Anti-Aging Procedure

Thermage vs Ultherapy: Choosing the Right Anti-Aging Procedure

When you want to look your best but don’t want to endure invasive procedures, two of your best options are Thermage and Ultherapy. Both promise to tighten your skin and remove wrinkles without surgery, but which one is right for you?

To help you decide, let’s take a closer look at these two no-cutting-but-cutting-edge beauty procedures that can help you regain your healthy youthful glow and take years off your appearance.

Thermage: Heating Things Up

Thermage is a non-invasive and FDA-cleared skin rejuvenation procedure that treats crow’s feet, crepey skin, jawline jowls, upper eyelid hooding and sagging, and loose skin on the body.

Thermage tightens the skin and removes wrinkles on your face and body. This versatile beauty treatment is safe for all skin tones and types and can be used almost anywhere on your body:

  • Around the eyes
  • Along the jawline
  • Backs of the hands
  • Arms
  • Stomach
  • Knees
  • Thighs
  • Butt

Thermage uses radiofrequency energy to heat the dermis — the layer just below the surface of your skin – to between 104 degrees and 131 degrees Fahrenheit, triggering an immediate collagen contraction. As new collagen slowly develops, you will be blessed with firmer, smoother, and tighter skin.

As an added bonus, Thermage has been cleared by the FDA as a treatment that temporarily improves cellulite and dimpled skin. Thermage gives you smoother, more beautiful skin by stimulating collagen growth and increasing circulation.

Best of all, Thermage treats sagging skin in one treatment, eliminating downtime.

Ultherapy: Sounding Things Out

Likewise, Ultherapy is also non-invasive and FDA-cleared. It lifts and firms the skin on the face, neck, and chin and reduces fine lines and wrinkles on the upper chest.

As the name suggests, Ultherapy utilizes focused ultrasound heat energy to stimulate collagen growth. Even better, providers can use ultrasound imaging to specifically target the tissues that need the most help. Ultherapy penetrates deeply into skin layers that once were only accessible through invasive surgical means.

Best of all, the results of this single-treatment, no-downtime procedure improve over time.

Comparing Thermage and Ultherapy

The ultrasound energy used in Ultherapy reaches the deepest skin layers easier than the RF technology utilized by Thermage. This means that each procedure is superior for different types of problems.

Thermage:

  • Better at reducing wrinkles and bulges
  • Produces noticeable results faster
  • 45- to 90-minute sessions

Ultherapy:

  • Tightens skin better
  • More precise
  • Less painful
  • Produces longer-lasting results

Making the Right Choice for You

Thermage and Ultherapy both have distinct advantages for similar issues. Choosing the right one depends on your specific skin problems and beauty goals.

If you live in the Chicago area, your first and best resource is Beauty and Body by Mia. As one of the area’s leading aestheticians, Mia Valleskey can help you achieve your beauty goals and enjoy a more youthful and healthy appearance.

To learn about skin rejuvenation or to schedule a consultation, contact Beauty and Body by Mia TODAY

Home Remedy Options for Skincare

Home Remedy Options for Skincare

You want clear, clean, healthy skin, but you don’t want to pay a fortune for skincare products. You also know that a lot of commercially-available skincare products contain problematic ingredients. There’s good news! You’ll find quite a few home remedy options for skincare that are both affordable and gentle on your skin. We’ll run through the ones you should know about below.

Dry Skin

Struggling with dry skin? While there are lots of products on the market that promise to help, most of them ultimately cause damage. Instead, consider something like coconut oil. It’s an effective moisturizer, plus it’s antibacterial. Best of all? There are no unwanted ingredients like parabens or petroleum byproducts. Did I mention that it’s also anti-inflammatory? With that being said, there is some potential to clog pores (as with any oil), so you might want to use this on your body, but not your face.

Oatmeal

Good old oatmeal – it’s great for your heart, but did you also know it’s good for your skin? That’s why it’s touted on the labels of so many commercial products. An oatmeal bath can soothe irritation and help your skin retain much-needed moisture. It also helps treat quite a few skin conditions, such as eczema.

Honey

Give your skin a sweet treat! Honey is a powerful aid in the battle against aging skin and fights wrinkles. It also exfoliates, while treating many different skin conditions. You can use it on its own, or combine it with other ingredients to create scrubs and baths.

Essential Oils

Lemon, rose, and jojoba oils can be combined with carrier oils to create powerful anti-aging skincare products. They help to fight wrinkles and other signs of aging, and can also reduce redness and help with other skin challenges you might be facing. Make sure to dilute them with a carrier oil first, though. Undiluted, they can cause irritation and damage.

Aloe Vera

Renowned for its ability to treat burns and sunburns, aloe vera is also a must-have tool to help keep your skin strong and healthy. It brings healing properties to the table, but also stimulates new cell growth and moisturizes your skin, without clogging up your pores the way oils will do.

These are just some of the many home remedy options for skincare. There are plenty of others! Probiotics, Gotu kola, shea butter, tea tree oil, and even soy can all help you heal damage, moisturize, and fight the signs of aging.

If you want to learn more about the top Skin Care recommendations, then reach out to me. I am more than happy to explain the differences, or even set an appointment for you to come in talk about which skincare treatment is the best one for you and your results.

B12 and Other Weight Loss Tips

B12 and Other Weight Loss Tips

Do you feel like you could stand to lose some weight? A lot of men and women feel this way, but they have trouble taking off and keeping off the pounds. It can be hard if you aren’t following a good plan for weight loss and good overall health. Fortunately, getting on the right track doesn’t have to be too hard. Here are some tips you will want to keep in mind.

B12 for Weight Loss

B12 can be a good option for helping you to lose some weight. It is an essential B vitamin, and it helps to support the nervous system. It converts the food we ingest into sugar and other fuel for the body. It can help to boost metabolism and provide you with lasting energy, which can help with weight loss efforts. As helpful as B12 might be, you will also want to use some other tips to help you with your weight loss efforts.

Eating Right

You need to think about the food you are putting into your body. Eating healthy food like fresh vegetables and lean protein will help with your weight loss and toning efforts. Too many people today rely on comfort food, fast food, and unhealthy options without realizing just how many calories they are ingesting. It’s not about “dieting”; it’s about building a healthy dietary lifestyle you stick to going forward.

Exercise Equals Results

Supplements and good eating habits are part of the equation. However, you also need to exercise. Try to exercise about five days a week for 30 minutes a session at least. If you need, you can start with less and then build up to longer and longer sessions until you reach half an hour to an hour. Just make sure you have at least a couple of rest days during the week for your body to recover.

Body Treatments

Additionally, you might want to consider some of the various available body treatments that can help to boost muscle growth and help with weight loss. One of those is EMSCULPT. This procedure can help to tone muscles and lose fat weight without the need for any surgery. It’s a non-invasive option, so there is no downtime. The device causes powerful muscle contractions that assist with toning and fat loss.

Some of the other options to consider include radiofrequency treatments, ultrasound cavitation treatments, and Liposonix.

You can always speak with me to learn more about these body treatments, and to see whether you might be a candidate for them.

Call Beauty & Body by Mia to Find Out More

If you want to find out more, then reach out to me. I am more than happy to set an appointment for you to come in talk about B12 treatments, and other services that can help you with your goals.