Colorado skincare for Fall, time to switch it up?

by kderry | Oct 5, 2018 | accent aesthetics, skincare colorado

It’s getting cooler, and DRYER!

at home skin care colorado

If you’ve lived here forever or even for just a little while, you know the change of seasons here in Colorado can be extreme. It’s 96 degrees and sunny one day, 45 degrees and raining the next. Welcome to Fall in Colorado! It comes in quick!

These changes often wreak havoc on your skin. But luckily there are a few simple changes you can make to your skincare routine that will ease your skin in without any issues!

1st:

Switch up your cleanser. This is an easy and inexpensive way to help your skin adjust to the seasons. If your using a foaming cleanser with anti-acne properties such as Salicylic Acid or Benzoyle Peroxide, start using a more gentle, foaming, fruit enzyme cleanser such as Revision Papaya Enzyme Cleanser. This cleanser uses Papain, a fruit enzyme derived from papaya, to gently polish away dead surface cells and keep pores clear without stripping the skin’s natural moisture. It also delivers vitamins and minerals to the skin helping brighten it up after the harsh, sunny summer. (And it smells divine!)

If your already using a gentle, foaming cleanser and you know your skin is going to dry up and shrivel like the leaves on the trees as soon as the forced heat goes on in your house, ( like me!), switch to a creamy, moisturizing cleanser such as Meg 21‘s Moisturizing Cleanser. It contains ingredients such as glycerin, that help attract and retain moisture, maintaining the skin’s essential barrier function.

2nd:

Add a hydrating serum to your regimen. A good quality hyaluronic acid product can boost your skin’s moisture level without leaving a greasy, heavy, oily feel on your skin. This is a simple addition to your existing regime that can make a BIG impact! Revision Hydrating Serum provides short and long term moisture, alleviates tightness and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin E and Pomegranate Extract also provide strong antioxidant protection. This will also increase the efficacy of your existing moisturizer.

3rd:

Show your skin some love. If your already exfoliating with Microdermabrasion or Dermaplane treatments simply add on a hydrating mask or brightening mask. Both hydrate and soften while supporting the overall health of the skin. They contain all kinds of extracts that keep your skin hydrated and soft long after they’re removed, perfect for struggling skin!

We here at Accent Aesthetics LOVE to talk about all things skincare! Call anytime to book a consultation: 720-420-4090

Beyond Botox….

by kderry | Sep 28, 2018 | accent aesthetics, Aquagold Fine Touch, Botox, collagen induction therapy, Cosmetic Dermal Filler, Dermaplaning, Dysport, HydrafacialMD, IPL Limelight, Laser Genesis, Laser Hair Reduction & Removal, Microdermabrasion, Microneedling, Pearl, Peels, skincare colorado, Sun & Skincare, Ultherapy, Uncategorized, Vein Treatment

I think by now we all know there is no miracle in a bottle, and botox has been the closest thing we have seen to astonishing results with minimal side effects.

However, optimum skin health goes beyond botox. It is similar to the health of our bodies- to be optimally healthy you have to work on several factors- diet, cardio and strength training. Having youthful healthy skin is much the same. IF you only do botox, you are only addressing one aspect of what takes place as we age. The aging face is multifactorial and thus your anti-aging treatments should be so as well. Bone loss, descent of fat pads, skin texture changes, dermal thinning and photodamage all contribute. When you work with a dermatologist and their staff, you are offered non-invasive treatment options to address these different aspects of aging.

Technology advancements in the field of cosmeceuticals has brought us amazing topical skin care products. I recently attended a conference where a scientist was reviewing various ingredients/ peptides and said to conduct the research, develop best formulations and then bring those highly active ingredients to market costs money! If you are getting a Vitmain C serum on Amazon for under a certain price point- do not expect much change to your skin. Even when we find highly effective products it is good to change your regimen every so often. We do not like to use growth-hormone products long term and not every person can tolerate tretinoin. So partner with someone who can help you achieve your best! Last but not least- healthy inside will reflect healthy outside- clean eating, restful sleep, adequate water intake, physical exercise…..and wear an SPF 30 on your face daily!

I always tell patients our goal is find the treatments that will give the most bang for the buck and find the balance between a treatment that is highly effective while still being safe. You want to partner with a skincare expert who attends educational events, stays up on current trends, has access to multiple modalities to use and works alongside a Board-Certified Dermatologist or Plastic Surgeon to minimize unwanted side effects. Look for someone who will be candid, give realistic expectations and instead of trying to sell you something- will give you both short term as well as long –term goals for your skin.

Written by Kerri Zukosky, PA-C

Colorado Home Care Must Haves For Your Skin

by kderry | Sep 7, 2018 | accent aesthetics, skincare colorado, Sun & Skincare

We all know that our Colorado climate can be tough on our skin. A good at-home skincare routine is absolutely imperative if you want to change your skin or maintain it. We tell this to all of our clients who are investing time and money to come in and see us . One of the biggest mistakes we see clients make is coming in regularly for treatments to dramatically help their skin and then using inactive products at home. That’s not helping your skin or wallet out. Think of good homecare as insurance on your investment. You wouldn’t go to the dentist every 6 months for a deep cleaning and NOT floss and brush every day at home, right?

So what does almost EVERYONE need to use at home?

#1: A good sunscreen!

YUP! This is an absolutely, hands down, the most important step in your regime if you want to PREVENT aging, hyperpigmentation, loss of collagen and elastin, fine lines and wrinkles, etc. etc. ESPECIALLY here in sunny Colorado. Sun-proofing your skin is so important. Sunscreen will be the best anti-wrinkle cream you ever use, and you want to start as soon as possible.

#2: Retinol!

Retinol is going to be the workhorse of your regime. It stimulates cell turnover, which prompts new, healthy skin cell production, which thickens your dermis and stimulates collagen production. A good retinol nightly will help treat acne, acne scarring, brown spots and sun damage, fine lines and wrinkles, pore size and overall skin texture. We recommend Revision Retinol Complete. This retinol is filled with peptides that tell your skin cells exactly what to do. It’s time released which helps eliminate the dryness and irritation associated with retinoids and retinols making it easier to use consistently.

#3: Eye cream!

The skin around the eyes is the thinnest skin on the body and contains no active oil glands. That’s a recipe for disaster! Add in constant movement from smiling, crying, rubbing etc., and that poor skin doesn’t stand a chance against lines, wrinkles, puffiness and crepyness. We recommend eyecream twice daily, which one you choose depends on your main concern and skin type. Even if your 20 and see no signs of aging around your eyes yet, DO IT! You can thank me later…

#4: Topical Vitamin C!

Ours bodies don’t produce or store vitamin C, which is a major building block for collagen. Vitamin C is also an amazing antioxidant which helps protect your skin from free radicals such as UV rays, pollution, smoke, etc. It’s important to use a GOOD, high quality, pharmaceutical grade Vitamin C. Please don’t order just any Vitamin C from Amazon or buy something cheap at the grocery store, you are wasting your money!! With the right Vitamin C product topically, you’ll see increased hydration, lightening and brightening of brown spots and redness and with continued use, firmer, healthier skin!

So this is a great place to start for anyone who is new to Colorado or if you are a native and want to prevent skin damage or maintain the skin you have!

We are always a phone call away or if you are curious you can check out our Revision Skincare Starter Kits!

IPL Treatment Client Review! Check Out Her Results

by kderry | Sep 7, 2018 | accent aesthetics, Client Reviews, IPL Limelight

Thanks to our client Brook Richards for this awesome review after she had our IPL Treatment Check it out!

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) Treatment Review

Accent Aesthetics / Golden Colorado

Monday, October 30, 2017

ABOUT MY SKIN

I have normal to dry skin with occasional hormonal breakouts. Dark spots on the cheekbones and close to the hairline, fine lines and Rosacea.

WHY IPL?

When asked what is my biggest concern about my skin, hands down, I always say my dark spots. I don’t have many, or so I thought, but the ones I do have, have become darker and larger. I have tried brightening serums but haven’t received the results I am looking for. So I reached out to Ramie and Katherine ( with over 30 years of experience ) at Accent Aesthetics in Golden, Colorado for their expertise. After discussing various treatments, we decided on an IPL of the entire face.

A FEW FACTS

IPL treatments are also referred to as “photofacials.” IPL treatments boast 50-75% improvement rate in treating rosacea, sun spots, age spots, brown spots, chronic sun damage, fine lines and skin. Cost per treatment ranges from $300- $600. You can purchase a package of several treatment visits, which can reduce the total costs. Most professionals suggest 2-5 (depending on damage) treatments for optimal results. Contact Accent Aesthetics to book your appointment today!

PRE IPL TREATMENT

Accent Aesthetics, located in Golden, Colorado has a beautiful new office and a very friendly front staff. Ramie and Katherine, both licensed medical aestheticians, were extremely thorough, explaining the entire procedure and what to expect in the days following. The treatment starts with putting a numbing cream on the entire face. I’m not gonna lie, the topical left my face stinging and blotchy. Damn you, sensitive skin! How the hell am I going to handle the treatment? The numbing cream takes about 45 min to kick in. I highly recommend this step!

WHAT TO EXPECT

Before the treatment begins, you will be given eyewear to protect you from the bright flashes of light. Ramie then applied a cool gel to my skin, this helps lubricate the handpiece and cool the epidermis during the treatment. Now comes the laser, I have to say, the anticipation might be the worst part. The laser feels exactly like how Katherine and Ramie explained it to me, like a hot rubber band snapping your skin. Now, that description sounds pretty bad, but the entire procedure only lasted 15 minutes. Anyone can handle that, Right? No pain, no gain.

POST IPL TREATMENT

I have sensitive skin which inflames very easily, so my face was like a tomato after the treatment, red and hot. Ramie and Katherine gave me 2 ice packs which helped cool my face. The heat was intense and made me panic, will this last for hours or days? But in reality, after about an hour, my face cooled and felt fine, kinda like the day after you had too much sun, precisely the reason I am getting this treatment in the first place!

RECOVERY TIME

I discovered that the downtime after an IPL Treament in terms of discomfort, is minimal. An hour and a half post treatment, the heat disipaited. Based on my experience, I wouldn’t want to go to work immediately after the IPL, but the day after I did. Waking up the next day, it was crazy to see how dark the pigment was! Since my late 20’s I have been diligant about wearing sunscreen and covering my face when outside for periods of time. Clearly my skin has a lot of damage, damage that I didn’t even think I had! To all my peeps out there- Sunscreen, Suncreen, Sunscreen!

SKIN CARE REGIMEN POST TREATMENT

AM and PM Regimen- 1.) Cleansed my skin with Lamer Cleansing Foam, 2.) Applied hydrocortesone, 3.) La Mer Concentrate 4.) La Mer Face Oil, 5.) Creme de la Mer then 5.) La Mer sunscreen for day. You don’t want to exfoliate the skin until all of the coffee grounds slough off naturally! As far as makeup goes, I was able to wear it the following day, of course you could still see the dark pigment but hey, it was a great conversation starter!

SHOP MY LAMER REGIMEN

RESULTS

I am blown away with my results! Minimal recovery time with a huge payoff, I am beyond thrilled with this treatment! My dark spots that I was most self conscious about are gone, I have reduced pore size, smoother texture and I feel like my skin is more plump, all in just 2 weeks! Ramie and Katherine were very thorough, informative and professional. This is an invasive treatment, so it is impairative that you do your research. I highly recommend Accent Aesthetics! I can’t wait to see my results after round #2!

My Results IPL Intense Pulsed Light Treatment

1650

Why Our Estheticians Love Micro-Needling

by kderry | Sep 6, 2018 | accent aesthetics, collagen induction therapy, Microneedling, skincare colorado

MICRO-NEEDLING!!

Microneedling is one of our FAVORITE treatments here at Accent Aesthetics in Golden, CO. It’s one of those treatments that benefit almost everyone and sooo many skin conditions and concerns!

microneedling colorado

HOW DOES MICRO-NEEDLING WORK?

First, we use a device with either 12 or 36 tiny, hair-thin needles to “stamp” the skin at a controlled depth. The number of needles and depth we choose depends on the skin type, condition and concern. This creates tiny micro-wounds in the dermis (lower level of the skin), causing pin point bleeding. ( YES, you will bleed and NO, you won’t die.) Check out our Instagram and Facebook pics and videos! @accentaesthetics1

By creating these micro pin-point insertions, we stimulate your skin’s own, natural healing process which creates new, healthy, undamaged cells and also COLLAGEN. Collagen is everything and what we want more, more, more of!! Collagen plumps and thickens the dermis, smoothing out the top layer of the skin called the epidermis. This process reduces and softens fine lines and wrinkles, diminishes acne scarring and large pores and also helps lighten hyperpigmentation or dark discoloration of the skin caused by sun damage, hormonal changes, acne, etc.

BENEFITS FROM MICRO-NEEDLING:

Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
Lifts, tightens, rejuvenates
Minimizes pore size
Improves the appearance of stretch marks
Lightens the appearance of scars
Softens the appearance of acne scarring
Smooths rough skin texture
Brightens and evens skin tone

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER TREATMENT?

Most patients have a moderate to severe looking sunburn similar to patients who have experienced chemical peels. This may cause your skin may also feel warmer and tighter than before. This is normal and usually subsides after 4-6 hours. Few people may experience bruising, mostly on the bony prominences of the face such as orbital bones, forehead and jawline. Most patients have a full recovery within 2-5 days. You may experience dry, flaky skin – all of this can be expected. Your aesthetician will recommend a post procedure regimen to aid in the healing process.

Our micro-needling treatments are just one of MANY treatments we offer here at Accent Aesthetics to help you achieve your skincare goals.

If you are interested in learning more, we would love to set you up with a consultation or feel free to call us!

Mineral Sunscreen vs Chemical Sunscreen, Which is Better?

by kderry | Jul 17, 2018 | accent aesthetics, skincare colorado, Sun & Skincare

We can all agree that sunscreen is absolutely necessary for long-lasting, anti-aging, happy & healthy skin. But how do we choose between chemical sunscreen and mineral sunscreen? There are many factors that go into selecting which SPF is right for your skin like your skin’s sensitivity, seasonal changes, and skin condition. We wanted to educate and enlighten you on the sun’s different types of rays and broad spectrum, mineral/chemical sunscreen, and some of our various products and what they do for your skin.

Mineral Sunscreen vs Chemical Sunscreen, Which is Better?

First off, the sun has two type of penetrating Ultraviolet (UV) rays. UVA rays which cause aging, wrinkles and are absorbed by your dermis (second layer of skin) and UVB which causes burning and are absorbed by your epidermis (top layer of skin). We want to protect against both types of rays, this is why we use Broad Spectrum sunscreen. Broad spectrum sunscreen helps protect against both UVA and UVB rays, so keep that in mind when choosing your sunscreen.

So, what is the difference between chemical sunscreen and mineral sunscreen? and what’s best for you?

One thing we do like to suggest when choosing a sunscreen is finding a sunscreen you cannot WAIT to put on in the morning. A sunscreen you love so that it becomes part of your daily routine. Some sunscreens have tint, others have an airbrush effect and others are hydrating – whatever you end up choosing for your skin, make sure you LOVE IT!

Mineral sunscreen is also known as physical sunscreen. Typically made of a zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, this sunscreen creates a barrier on the skin and the UV rays bounce off. Mineral sunscreen is naturally broad spectrum so prevents both types of rays from penetrating the skin, it also is great for sensitive skin as it may lessen skin irritation, and is great for individuals with “heat-activated” skin (ex. people with rosacea or redness).

Chemical Sunscreen, on the other hand, is absorbed down into layers of the skin and when UV rays make contact with the skin the chemical sunscreen absorbs the rays and disperses them as heat. This is the chemical process of protecting the skin. Chemical sunscreen comes in broad spectrum which protects against both UVA & UVB rays with a variety of options to help with anti-aging, oil-free hydration and acne control.

At Accent Aesthetics we have a great variety of options for mineral and chemical sunscreens to match your needs. Here are some of our favorites:

Revision TruPhysical

This tinted 5 in 1 anti-aging moisturizer has 100% mineral broad spectrum SPF 45 in it! It includes age-defying beneficial ingredients, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, 100% mineral SPF that protects against both UVA & UVB rays, firms skin, brightens and evens skin tone, enhances skin’s natural moisture and lastly provides antioxidant benefits. This fully loaded extremely beneficial SPF speaks for itself when it comes to an excellent physical SPF option for your daily routine.

Elta MD – UV Elements

This 100% physical sunscreen has a tinted, moisturizing base, and is extremely gentle and great for the most sensitive skin types. It combines both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to provide safe sun protection. The mineral-based UV filters work with ultra-hydrating hyaluronic acid to protect and hydrate the skin.

Colorscience Brush-On:

This super powerful, 100% mineral skin shield provides protection in an easy to use and convenient on the go application. It can go on alone or over makeup. It is a broad spectrum and protects against both UVA & UVB rays while giving you a nice even layer of protection against both sun and water.

Elta MD UV Clear:

This oil-free SPF comes in either tinted or untinted options and is great for protecting and preventing sensitive skin types that may be prone to breakouts or skin redness (ex. rosacea). It is lightweight and silky, it can be worn with makeup or without. It has antioxidant protection which helps combat aging while it leaves no residue it is great for calming the skin and prevents acne for sensitive skin.

Revision Intellishade:

This matte or original tinted, sheer, award-winning moisturizer with sunscreen is formulated with peptides to reduce wrinkles, pore minimizing technology, fights premature aging and is broad spectrum which as you know, protects against both UVA & UVB rays.

Elta MD UV Daily:

This superior hydration formula combined with the broad spectrum SPF protection that goes on sheer makes for a great daily addition to your routine. It is a lightweight moisturizer comes in both tinted or untinted and combats aging, increases skin smoothness/softness, and glides on easy so the skin absorbs it quickly.

As you can see, we have a wide variety of amazing options to benefit your skin. Of course, it is always great to set up a consultation or service with one of our dermatologist or skin care specialists/providers in order to see what your skin needs in this season of your life. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us or call us and we will be happy to assist in what ways we can!

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