Click here and receive savings up to $100!

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/tattoo-removal-techniques

Just wanted to give a shout out to everyone about the importance of sunscreen. And not just because our mother tells us to use it.

Did you know approximately 65% of melanoma is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays, From either the sun or indoor tanning beds. That’s right tanning beds, in fact using tanning beds, before age 30 increases your risk of a melanoma diagnosis by 75% and occasional users can triple their chances. Melanoma is the most common form of cancers for young adults 25 – 29 years old, and the second most common cancer in adolescents and young adults 15 – 29 yrs. old.

• DID YOU KNOW      UV rays are present all year long, but are stronger in the summer months. UV rays reflect off of water, sand, concrete, and penetrate glass, well you get the idea.
• DID YOU KNOW     More then 90% of skin cancers are caused by the sun.  2 million people in the USA alone are diagnosed with skin cancer every day.
• DID YOU KNOW     Up to 90% of the visible  changes commonly attributed to aging  are caused by the sun. also after about 5 minutes of sun exposure there is a reverse effect and breaks down vitamin D, Its better to                                                  get vitamin D from your diet.

So what can you do to protect yourself. Limit your time in the sun between 10 am and 4 pm when the suns rays are the strongest. Wear protective clothing , long sleeves, long pants, broad rim hat and sunglasses. Be aware of medications that increase your sensitivity to sunlight. Use a sunscreen that provides broad spectrum protection from both UVA and UVB rays. Look  for zinc oxide, titanium oxide, mexoryl since they block UVA rays better. Have an SPF of at least 30, reapply every 2 hrs. Water proof and sweat proof still needs reapplication.   There is so much more information out there, but I thought this is enough to maybe get you to use your sunscreen.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Information gathered from : Melanoma Research foundation.

At Fusion Skin spa we are happy to offer Life Coaching as one of our many services.  Anne Marie Spiliotis is a trained Life Coach who is also a Special Educator and Parent trainer.  Inquire about your free life coaching session.

Thanks to newer technology, treatment of tattoos with laser systems has become much more effective with very little risk of scarring. Laser treatment is often safer than many traditional methods such as excision,dermabrasion or salabrasion (using moist gauze pads saturated with a salt solution to abrade the tattooed area by rubbing) because of its unique ability to selectively treat pigment involved in the tattoo.

In many cases, certain colors may be more effectively removed than others. It is known that blue/black tattoos respond particularly well to laser treatment -

Susan here! I just had my second V.I. Peel and wanted to share with you all what I’m experiencing day- to- day. I’ve been keeping a small blog and taking pictures so I can tell you (and show you!) all about my experience and how fabulous my skin looks in the end…Enjoy!

Tuesday 3/27

I just had my 2nd VI Peel done by Paula at Fusion Skin Spa.  She applied to my face and neck.  Like the first, it stung a little, was not too uncomfortable.  Paula was fantastic  in taking her time to explain, in detail, what I should expect today and exactly whats going to happen over the next few days as well as answers all my questions. This put me at great ease….thanks Paula!!

Wednesday & Thursday 3/28 and 3/29

Just like I expected, I look like I got some sun, as a matter of fact, I got a lot of compliments on how good I look !  A little itchy, but the products in The Post Peel Kit that came with my peel, is taking care of that.

Friday 3/30

As expected, I woke up and began peeling on my chin and now is working its way up my cheeks.  The flakes are fluffy and I am not touching it other than to put Post Peel Kit product on it.  Lots of moisturize and SUNSCREEN.  Going about my business as usual not interrupted at all.

Saturday 3/30 (12pm)
My chin area is almost finished peeling.  What I see is fresh renewed healthy skin.  Out of all exfoliation methods I’ve used, the VI Peel has produced and  revealed, healthier looking skin immediately.  My peeling advanced upwards toward the parameter of my face.  Keeping  my skin hydrated with products provided.  Also, liberal amounts of hydrocortazone handles the minor itchiness .  I noticed my lips feel extra dry, so I’m using more Chap Stick. Other than that, no issues that would prevent me from my active and busy lifestyle of a working mother of 14 year old twins.  I’m really looking forward in wearing less makeup and looking better than ever!.

Sunday/Monday

Continued peeling throughout Sunday and by Monday evening the peeling was done.  The results, at 48 years old, my face is in the best condition ever.   The tone and clarity has improved tremendously.  The sun damaged I had is gone and my wrinkles soften quite nicely…the best part is now I need very little make up!  I’ll call this peel “my secret weapon”!  Cannot wait for the next one.

There is certainly no shortage of people with a medical background who are offering injectable cosmetics in their offices now, specifically Botox and dermal fillers; but, finding the right practitioner to perform these long-lasting ‘corrections’ to your lovely face can be quite a challenge. Here I offer some tips and guidelines to help consumers who are considering these services to proceed with a little more confidence.

If you can actually see the face of a friend or acquaintance that has had work done by a certain practitioner, and you think they look just fabulous, that’s a good start. If their practitioner is logistically convenient for you and you can afford his/her rates, then you should feel relatively safe about booking an appointment for yourself. One problem here can be that many people who use these products don’t necessarily want to admit to it; and, in fact, their privacy should be protected and honored, especially by their practitioner! Also, your friend’s ‘correction’ may have been the result of Botox injections, whereas your correction might require a dermal filler. A practitioner’s skill at injecting Botox does not necessarily guarantee his/her skill at injecting dermal fillers (and vice versa), so your results could be less satisfactory. You may have very different needs and areas of concern from your friend. Let’s talk for a minute about those areas and the products used for corrections.

Botox is used for correcting dynamic lines and wrinkles, mostly around the eyes (Crow’s feet), between the brows (“11″ lines), across the top of the nose (bunny lines), and the entire forehead. A small amount injected superficially under the eyes can also help reduce the appearance of bags. The Botox is injected, (using a very fine needle), not into the lines and wrinkles directly, but into the nearby muscles that are contracting repeatedly with facial expressions and creating those lines and wrinkles. Minimize the muscle contractions and you minimize the lines they cause. Botox is not a magic ‘eraser’, and a good practitioner will help you to have realistic expectations about your results. Properly injected, it can and usually does greatly reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles in most people. By injecting it into the sweat glands, Botox is also highly effective for the treatment of axillary (underarm) hyper-hydrosis (excessive perspiration). It takes 3-7 days to see the full effects of Botox and it typically lasts 3-4 months. Keeping up with treatments can sometimes mean a little less product needed for subsequent corrections.

Dermal Fillers, as opposed to Botox, are injected directly into (under) and/or around the lines and wrinkles of concern, and they are also used to replace lost youthful volume to areas of the face. Two popular products, and the ones that I use in my practice, are Juvederm XC and Radiesse.

Juvederm XC is a hyaluronic acid, clear gel that comes in a 0.8 cc syringe and has Lidocaine, which is a local anesthetic, already mixed into it to increase comfort during injections. With a little bit of a ‘softer’ feel and finish than Radiesse, it is the product of choice for lip enhancements. It can also be used for filling deep naso-labial folds (the lines from the edge of the nostril to the upper corner of your mouth), as well as jaw-line contouring (to minimize the appearance of jowls), marionette lines (that come down from the corners of your mouth), and general volume replacement (most often used in the lower face). Results are seen immediately (there may be a little temporary swelling and/or bruising at injection sites) and its effects last about one year. One nice benefit to the use of Juvederm XC is that it can be instantly dissolved with the injection of an enzyme, hyaluronidase, into any over-corrected areas.

Radiesse is a calcium-based filler and comes in a 1.5 cc syringe. It is usually priced higher than Juvederm XC, but it delivers almost twice the volume. Before injecting it, your practitioner may add to the product Lidocaine, or Lidocaine with epinephrine, which helps reduce the possibility and/or extent of swelling, bruising and bleeding at injection sites. Radiesse also has properties that stimulate your body’s own collagen production which enhance its effects. It is especially good for larger areas of the face that need volume replacement, such as the cheeks and jaw-line, but it can also be used to minimize naso-labial folds. As with Juvederm XC, Radiesse results are seen immediately, (there may be a little temporary swelling and/or bruising at injection sites), and it lasts a year or more.

*IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING INJECTABLE MEDICAL COSMETICS BECAUSE OF AN UPCOMING BIG EVENT, IT IS BEST TO DO SO AT LEAST TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE EVENT!

Now let’s return to finding a great injector. Really, you should want someone who takes the TIME to provide a thorough and comprehensive consult with you. I can look at a face and see one thing, and that face’s owner might be concerned about something else entirely! Often, though, a client will sit before me and ask “What do YOU think? You’re the professional!” And that is OK, too. With the client holding and looking into a mirror, I will point out the places where I believe a correction would be beneficial, based upon my professional judgment and ‘critical eye’. After I describe the REALISTIC possibilities for him/her, I EDUCATE the client about various products and possible side-effects, like temporary bruising and/or swelling. Do BEWARE of anyone who promises to “take 10 years off your face” or make you look like Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt! The ultimate goal should be for you to look like YOU, only better- more youthful, rested, refreshed and less stressed. And you should NEVER FEEL PRESSURED into making any decision about how or whether to proceed.

Your practitioner should also take a CONSERVATIVE APPROACH, as more product can always be injected if desired; but Radiesse and Botox cannot be removed once injected, and finding the right balance using hyaluronidase to dissolve Juvederm XC can be a little tricky. Besides, who wants additional injections of anything if they can be avoided?

As simple as it may sound, you really want to find a practitioner who CARES! This is your face we’re talking about! It is your ‘first-impression-maker’ and you need to feel confident about its appearance. CARING in your practitioner will be manifested by the things I’ve listed above: taking the time for a good consult, offering education about products, side effects and realistic results, taking a conservative approach, and never making fantastic ‘promises’ or pressuring you into a decision. Since the ultimate success of your practitioner depends upon your satisfaction, he or she should care as much, or MORE than you do about creating a good result for you!
June Rose, R.N., M.S., P.C.

Mico-dermabrasion treatments are gentle and take very little time, approximately 20-30 minutes. The treatments will show immediate effects and it only gets more beneficial with each additional treatment. Generally series of 4-6 treatments are recommended to be done once a week or every other week for more sensitive skin.

Some of the many benefits from micro-dermabrasion are:

-decreased appearance of scars casued by trauma, acne or chicken pox

-reduction of age spots and pigmentation imbalances

-treatment of skin damaged by long term sun exposure

-reduced appearance of stretch marks

-rid skin of unsightly blackheads

-reduces enlarged pores

-minimize fine lines, crow’s feet and wrinkles

Another great use for a micro treatment is for that annoying back-acne…a treatment will help to remove the clogged blackheads and debris that cause back-acne. This is especially good for athletes who sweat frequently.  Micro-dermabrasion is also great for teenage skin, which has a tendency to not exfoliate very well and cause clogged and congested pores or blackheads.

Micro-dermabrasion is also a great way to help prevent skin problems, and to keep skin youthful and glowing. You can also use micro-derm to prep your skin for other treatments or to get the full benefits of your skincare products and routine. Sloughing away that dead top layer of skin allows for products and treatments to really penetrate into the skin, so it is important to know that your treatments are only as good as the products you follow up with!  Micro-dermabrasion should really be your first step your healthy skin routine. It can be followed up with peels, laser facials or just to get your skin clear and radiant.