You’ve patiently waited for months. But finally, the season is upon us! With great big promises of abundant glow, sure to lift and restore vitality, and bring brightness and clarity. It’s LASER SEASON!

The long days of sunshine are a distant memory and all that’s left of your summer color is a collection of spots. Freckles, dark spots, capillaries, and other accelerated signs of premature aging. They all gotta go and now that your summer pigment has faded, it’s the ideal time to obliterate them! While we’re at it, we can tackle the fine lines and wrinkles that have sprouted.

Late Fall to Winter is the ideal time for laser resurfacing and photofacial treatments. Why?

1. Laser treatments are most accurate, therefore most effective on untanned skin, in it’s natural tone. Wait for any hint of color to fade before treatment. Chances are, you’ve already started hibernating as the temperature outside continues to steadily drop.

2. Laser-treated skin is ultra sensitive to sunlight. Even moderate sun exposure must be avoided following a laser treatment to protect the skin from further damage. In other words, the sun will aggressively replace all the damage you just removed, and add a fresh batch on top of it. 

So stay under cover before and after treatments. Consider using your recovery time to delegate outdoor chores such as leaf raking and trash duty.  Ignore overly chatty neighbor getting mail, inexplicably at the exact same time as you every single day. Park obnoxiously at the grocery store so as to limit the walking distance between vehicle and store entrance, etc and so on…If sun exposure can’t be avoided, layer up and pile on the sunscreen. 

So we’ve firmly established Fall/Winter is the ideal time for laser treatments. So which laser treatment is right for you? Amanda Rose Esthetics uses Venus Versa™, a cutting edge medical aesthetic device that targets a wide range of concerns.

The two most popular treatments are IPL and Fraxel. IPL is light based and uses short bursts of high energy light to penetrate the skin and target brown spots and blood vessels. Fraxel uses laser energy to precisely target damaged skin such as wrinkles and fine lines while leaving surrounding areas untouched. 

Benefits of IPL:

• Best for treating sun damage; fading brown spots and reducing redness.
• Long lasting results, minimal downtime.
• Short procedure time of around 15 – 30 minutes.
• Both face and body can be treated with IPL.

Benefits of Fraxel:

• Improves texture and tone, reduces pore size.
• Smooths wrinkles and fine lines.
• Minimizes poor size and acne scarring.
• Treatment areas extend beyond face to neck, chest and hands.

Both treatments are minimally invasive, easily tolerated and with a short recovery period.

You might be thinking what a fortunate coincidence it is that laser season aligns with the holiday season. At this point in 2020, it’s in our best interest to take advantage of anything that can be described as ‘fortunate’. Only kidding. But seriously, talk with Amanda or Jessie about your skin rejuvenation wish list. Learn how laser treatments might just be the gift you never knew you always wanted.

 

 

 

 

Not all skincare products are created equal. That’s hardly brand new information, as we’ve all become well-practiced at debating high-end vs value priced beauty products. Remember when you desperately wanted that deliciously fruity smelling hair spray that “scrunched” your hair to sweetly scented perfection? But your mom kept bringing home the way less expensive 3 liter can that smelled like expired Lysol and left a layer of gritty glue all over the walls and counter top. She insisted it worked just as well as the pretty, yummy smelling one. We had no choice but to hold our breath, squeeze our eyes shut and hope for a hair miracle. 

Now we’re all grown up and this choice is ours. Spend more money and get better results? How do we really know if this is actually the case? We research! Since skincare is our business, we can at least provide answers to these questions as they pertain to skin care products. 

 

Skincare products are identified by the FDA as either cosmetic (over-the-counter) or medical-grade. Cosmetic products are sold by any general retail source. Medical-grade products can only be sold by an establishment operating under a physician’s license such as a dermatologist’s office or medical spa. So, why choose medical-grade?

1. Your shopping buddy is a licensed professional. Many hours have been spent standing in the skincare aisle at Target reading labels, asking nearby shoppers if they know what hyaluronic acids or amino-peptides are, and do they know if our face will catch fire if we apply both of these products at the same time? When purchasing medical-grade products, a trained and licensed professional aids in selecting the product best suited to meet your skincare needs.

2. Medical-grade products are higher in potency and purity.  Higher concentrations of active ingredients are allowed because medical professionals are dispensing them, advising patients on how and when to use them. The concentration of active ingredients is limited in over-the-counter products to avoid harmful reactions. 

3. Medical-grade gets down deep. Many over-the-counter products only reach the superficial layers of skin. Products must delve into the dermal layer, beneath the skin’s surface to stimulate collagen and elastin. Medical-grade products are formulated to penetrate the surface and reach these cells, resulting in changes seen on the surface. 

4. They’ve done their homework, and then some. Medical-grade skincare products are backed by science and put through rigorous testing processes and clinical trials, over many years. Their findings are reviewed and approved by the FDA, confirming what they say is what we’ll get. The FDA’s requirements for over-the-counter brands is much less scrupulous.

Despite all these factors, the price tag on medical-grade cosmetics is still a strong deterrent. The thing is, while you may spend more on a product recommended by your physician or medical spa service provider, that product comes with expert knowledge, and is guaranteed to accomplish desired results. You will spend less on a product from a general retailer, but you’ll likely be back to try again and again with additional products, never really seeing the changes you’re looking for. 

It’s worth mentioning that while it’s tempting to shop for discounted medical-grade skincare, it is only guaranteed if purchased from a licensed seller. Otherwise, you run the risk of purchasing counterfeit product, old or expired stock, or product that has not been maintained at proper temperatures for active ingredients to remain effective. 

Those are all the practical reasons to choose medical-grade skincare. Next time you pump out your last drop of over-the-counter product, consider heading to your skincare professional to try a clinically licensed product. It’s likely the difference in cost will be less than you thought, and the difference in visible results will be far greater. We think you’ll probably come to the conclusion that the price tag for all that science and research is an investment that makes sense to you. Your triumphant skin will glow in gratitude. 

 

 

 

 

 

​It makes complete sense that inner wellness will result in full, strong, vibrant, healthy hair.  But for some reason we keep buying products to strengthen, thicken, bodify and most expensively, GROW hair. Our first instinct is to put product on the problem. Volumizing powder? Add to cart. Thickening paste? Ring it up! Hair regrowth serum? I’ll take 6 bottles and just refinance. We probably don’t actually need to feed the kids three meals every day…

A commitment to whole body health has led Amanda Rose Esthetics to discover Nutrafol (www.nutrafol.com).

Nutrafol’s doctors and clinical experts have learned there are five root causes that can compromise hair. 

• Stress. 75% of Americans report increased feelings of stress in the past year (no kidding). Over time, stress can disrupt our hormones and increase nutrient deficiencies needed for hair growth.
• Hormones. Genetics and lifestage (such as menopause) increase the likelihood that DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) will affect hair follicles and cause thinning hair.
• Environment. Overstyling, pollutants, and heavy metals disrupt normal hair follicle cycling and increase oxidative stress in the body. These stressors can come from air, water, personal products, and food.
• Metabolism. The hair follicle has 20 different types of cells that need energy for hair growth. Your cellular metabolism is what provides that energy for your follicles to grow hair. 
• Nutrition. Key nutrients from diet help build hair fibers, texture, and support hair follicle health. Only one in ten US adults meet the daily recommended intake of fruit and vegetables, which provide nutrients to the body and support gut health needed for their absorption.

Nutrafol has formulated supplements to address all of these factors and more. Their key ingredients and formulas have been clinically tested, and their research published in medical journals. Clinical trials indicate significant hair growth in a little as 3 months.

Nutrition, exercise and rest are vital to whole body wellness. Supplement these practices with Nutrafol and your hair will show off your dedication and commitment to health and vitality. 

Holy BROW, things have gone way beyond plucking and tweezing in the eyebrow maintenance department, opening up some very exciting face-framing possibilities!  We all know a change in eyebrow shape, size, and/or fullness can be positively transforming! That is the totally excellent and also totally terrifying truth about the powerful impact of eyebrows. 

Fortunately, Amanda Rose Esthetics recently welcomed brow expert Joanna Marza (instagram – @raincitybrows) to the team and she’s wowing us with her brow perfecting skills. More on superstar brow artist Joanna in a bit…

Here’s a quick look at brow treatment options now available at Amanda Rose Esthetics:

• Microblading – a hand applied, semi-permanent eyebrow tattoo, custom designed and delicately drawn to perfectly replicate real individual hairs. This service includes brow design based on measurements, face shape, bone structure, facial features and the client’s desired results. 
• Powder Brow – another semi-permanent treatment applied by a digital device that allows color to be layered into the brow, creating a soft, powdery looking brow. Powder Brow is ideal for those with an existing shape who are looking to fill in sparse areas and create a denser brow. 
• Blade and Shade (Combo/Fusion Brow) – a combination of both techniques. Microblading is applied around the border of the brow to give the brow a natural look. The powder effect is applied to the body of the brow for fullness and depth. 

​​Keep your eye on Amanda Rose Esthetics for more on Joanna and her permanent makeup artistry. Better yet, call ​​​​(425) 949-9905 for your free consult! She can’t wait to meet you. 

The majority of BOTOX® patients are thrilled with the results from their initial treatment, and immediately want to know how to keep their newly refined features. There are a few factors to consider when determining the time frame between injections. 

How often should you get BOTOX® treatments? As months go by, wrinkles will gradually resurface, and facial contractions will resume. However, with regular treatments, you can keep these wrinkles at bay, but more importantly, PREVENT NEW ONES from forming!

Typically, the effects of BOTOX® last for up to three to four months. Continued treatment results in minimized facial contracting which means  the period of time for each treatment may be extended longer than three or four months.  

Factors that affect results and length of time between treatments are:

• How many units are used. If a smaller amount is injected into the target area, the results will wear off quickly. 
• Muscle characteristics. Patients with particularly thick facial muscles will require more injections in order to achieve the desired effect. This is because thicker muscles are more difficult to affect with injections, and rather than injecting deeper into thick muscles, more injections are administered to ensure that the same safety standards are met. Another factor that can affect results is the specific muscle that is being treated. BOTOX® and other neuromodulators wear off most quickly in the muscles that are used most frequently, such as crow’s feet that surround the eyes since you are constantly blinking throughout the day. Also, the bigger the muscle, the quicker you will see the results diminish (and vice versa).
• Your lifestyle. The amount of physical activity you participate in is a factor that can affect results. Those who exercise consistently may notice that their results from injections fade faster. This is because a physically active person’s metabolism runs at a much higher rate than more sedentary people. Conditioned bodies tend to heal faster and will eliminate the product  from their body more quickly.
• Your injector’s expertise. The experience of the injector is a very important factor that can affect results. If BOTOX® is injected too deeply, it is possible to hit a blood vessel which could cause bruising. On the other hand, if BOTOX® is injected too superficially the result can be visible lines or bumps in the skin. 

Amanda’s knowledge, experience and skill ensures patient safety, minimal discomfort, and results that often exceed expectations. She will consider all of the above and more to create the ideal treatment schedule for each patient.