Taking Care of Your Skin - The Cotton Flower

TAKING CARE OF YOUR SKIN MEANS TAKING CARE OF YOUR HEALTH

Author: Isabel Clemente - L.E. - Medical and Oncology Aesthetician

The Skin is the body’s largest organ and its first line of defense. Like all other organs in our body, the skin is a marvelous, intricate and finely tuned one. Its complexity goes as far as having its own immune system with specialized cells called Langerhans cells. Healthy skin not only looks good, but also increases our chances of success when fighting diseases. So caring for and protecting our skin is very important, if not vital. To have a glimpse of the importance of the skin, think for example, that if we did not have the epidermis – the outermost layer of the skin – we would go around oozing blood and other fluids and death would be certain within a very short period of time.

Unfortunately, taking care of our skin is not always a high priority and when it does become an issue, it is, oftentimes at a point where a lot of damage has already been done to it.

Reversing damage caused to our skin is often a slow, tedious and can, at times, be an expensive process. This process will involve discipline and consistency on one’s part and the attention of a trained skin care professional. In-office procedures involve skin analysis, exfoliation, extractions, massage and a great deal of relaxation.

All these procedures should be included in a good facial and performed by a knowledgeable and caring aesthetician. However, facials alone will not resolve problems because most of them may have been years in the making before becoming obvious. Some may be the result of changes in diet, lifestyle, habits, illness, medicines, etc. Each of these topics should be discussed with the aesthetician so that she can design a proper home regimen for you.

The Importance of Facials

The primary goal of a facial is to determine skin type and conditions affecting the skin. Once this is done, the right procedures and routine can be designed for you with your particular needs in mind at that particular time; then the right products can be prescribed. Massaging of the face, especially the lymphatic drainage massage, will help detoxify the skin, improve circulation and tone muscles.

What Else is Involved in a Facial?

For relaxation, a thorough facial should always include massaging of the neck and shoulders. More thorough aestheticians will massage feet, hands and arms as well. The whole procedure should have you and your skin feeling good and rested.

Consistency and Discipline

Ideally, you will come to your aesthetician once a month for a facial so that she can follow up on your progress and perform specialized services only a trained professional can.

Getting a good facial is a great way to relax and have your skin looking good. However, the use of products at home is imperative if you want to correct problems and have healthy skin.

The Quality of The Products

Although the epidermis is the part of the skin we see and is the first line of defense, the live skin is the dermis where the real action happens. So, in order for the skin to benefit from treatments, in addition to the high quality of the ingredients utilized in the formulation of the products, the “Delivery System” utilized in the entire line should be efficient enough to reach and positively affect the dermis, which is commonly called “the true skin” in aesthetics. A good product line should be focused in the well-being of the individual as a whole and not just the skin on the face. It is also important that the professional utilizing the line should have enough knowledge of the entire line in order to recommend what is best for you at the time of the consultation.

Choosing An Aesthetician

As important as the quality of the products you use on your skin is the choice of the professional you will trust your skin to. Make sure that the aesthetician you choose is knowledgeable, caring and works under sanitary and safe conditions. Seek the services and advice from those who ask you plenty of questions and shows interest in your overall health and well-being. Do not hesitate to ask for references from her clients.