Get Fit, Don’t Get Skinny!
First, we want to congratulate our patients who cumulatively have lost more than 500 pounds since launching our Get Fit program last year. This is a huge accomplishment, and we look forward to continuing to empower patients in becoming the healthiest and fittest version of themselves. Within our […]
Glossary of a Facial Menu
Many of us have excitedly gone to get a facial treatment to pamper our skin, and then been perplexed by a menu more dizzying than Starbucks. This blog will help you navigate facial treatments and define some of the terminology used in a facial menu so you can be an informed consumer at your […]
Sunscreen 101!
Five Million…read that one more time. Five MILLION. That is the number of people diagnosed with skin cancer in the United States each year.
8,290. That is the number of people who die a year in the United States from skin cancer. 5,430 of that number being men and 2,860 being women.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. More people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year than all other cancers combined. In case this is not enough reason to wear your sunscreen religiously, here are some other shocking skin cancer stats:
• Caucasians are 20x more likely to have skin cancer, however all ethnicities are at risk.
• The risk of developing skin cancer increases 75% with the use of tanning beds before age 35. So using a tanning bed to get ready for Prom is a NO! At least 41 states have passed some type of legislation that regulates minors using tanning beds. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning beds not only can lead to painful sunburns, but UV is also the major cause of skin cancer and skin aging.
• 1 in 5 people will develop skin cancer by age 70.
• More than 2 people die every hour of skin cancer.
• Having 5 or more sunburns double your risk of Melanoma.
So What Causes Skin Cancer? Outside of genetics, UVA/UVB rays are the main culprits.
• About 95% of UV rays are UVA rays.
• UVA rays can penetrate your skin more deeply and cause your skin cells to age prematurely.
• UVA rays play a role in skin cancer formation.
• About 5% of rays that hit the earth are UVB rays.
• UVB rays cause sunburns and play the greatest role in causing skin cancer.
• UVA/UVB rays come from the sun, LED lights in homes/businesses, and tanning beds.
As summer quickly approaches it is a good time to think about your sun safety routine. Protection from the sun should always be a part of your routine, year round. Knowing the risks, protection should be a no-brainer. Here are some tips for sun safety…
1. Know your sunburn risk!
– Although people of all skin colors can burn and need protection, those with lighter skin tones are at a higher risk.
– Be mindful of the medications/skin care you are using. Certain oral and topical medications can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
– UV rays can penetrate clouds and reflect off surfaces like sand, water and pavement. Don’t let the weather fool you. You can get burned on a cool or cloudy day.
Now let’s talk about the choices you have for a Sun Protection Factor, more commonly known as SPF. It’s important to choose the SPF that is right for you and your lifestyle. Broad spectrum SPF 30-50 or higher are your best option since there are minimal benefits of SPF less than 50. There are two kinds to choose from, mineral or chemical. Both are FDA approved, but if you’ll be spending most of your time in an ocean just keep in mind that a mineral sunscreen is safer for sea life.
The main difference between mineral (or physical) sunscreens and chemical sunscreens is how they handle the sun’s rays. The active ingredients in mineral sunscreens are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which create a barrier on your skin that reflects UV light. They don’t absorb into the skin, literally creating a physical separation between you and the sun. You will recognize mineral sunscreen by their chalky, white look and feel. That look also helps serve as a reminder for when you should reapply, which is around every two hours. However, not everyone likes the look of the zinc oxide resting on their skin so you may choose a tinted option like PCA Sheer Tint 45 or Elta MD Elements. These tinted options will blend more naturally, and make a great “foundation” for the summer months.
Those who don’t love the thick texture of mineral sunscreens, opt for chemical versions, even though they’re not as effective. Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays by changing their chemical structure to reduce sun damage. Most chemical sunscreens contain at least one of the following active ingredients: oxybenzone, octinoxate, cinoxate, dioxybenzone, ensulizole, homosalate, meradimate, octisalate, octocrylene, padimate O, sulisobenzone, and avobenzone. One of our staff favorites is PCA Skin’s Hydrator Plus SPF 30. Be aware that chemical sunscreens wear off more quickly and need to be reapplied every couple of hours. If you choose a chemical sunscreen, make sure it is labeled “broad spectrum,” which protects against both UVA and UVB rays that damage the skin.
Here are our NNMD staff’s favorite sunscreens:
Dr. Norris – “I use PCA Skin Hydrator Plus SPF 30 every day under my makeup because most makeup only has SPF 10-15 which is not enough. When I’m outside in the hot weather, I use water resistant ELTA MD UV Sheer SPF 50+ for my face and body with a hat of course!”
Kelsey, LE, LT – “My everyday favorite is Elta UV Clear because it is safe for my rosacea and because Elta MD is the gold standard for sunscreen! It’s noncomedogenic so it doesn’t make me break out. It also contains niacinamide that helps calm and protect skin. Another favorite is RMS Super Natural Radiance Serum with SPF 30. Mineral/Physical sunscreen that blocks rays and is made with safe and natural ingredients that are non-toxic. I wore this my entire pregnancy because it’s a safer option. It’s weightless and gives a glowy appearance.
Amanda, LE, LT – “Elta MD UV Clear is my favorite because I’m breakout prone, sensitive and it doesn’t irritate my skin. It layers well with my other products and feels really lightweight compared to other sunscreens I’ve tried. It gives my skin a healthy appearance and looks good under my makeup.”
Sierra, LE, LT – “My favorite SPF is UV AOX Elements tinted! It’s waterproof and has a tint that gives my skin some color on the days that I don’t want to wear any makeup. It’s also a great “foundation” on its own, or it can be easily layered to give myself more coverage on days when I feel like I need it.”
Kendra, LE, LT – “I absolutely love PCA’s Hydrating SPF 30. Having two small kids mornings can get hectic, so getting ready quickly is key for me. The SPF 30 is my daily moisturizer and SPF in one. I love a two in one product! It goes on smoothly, leaves my dry skin feeling hydrated and absorbs well so my makeup can glide on easily.”
Danielle, LE, LT – “I am obsessed with RMS Supernatural Serum Mist because it is a two in one, SPF and makeup. I don’t have a lot of time to get ready in the morning with a toddler and teenager, so a quick and easy morning routine is what works for me. This one step sunscreen does the trick!”
Ania Peek, FNP-BC – “I love Elta MD UV Clear because it is lightweight and evens my skin tone to prepare for my foundation. It does not leave a white residue”
-Kendra Pagoria LE/LT
NNMD Elite + Membership Program and Dr. Norris’ Bedroom Secrets on Aging Backwards
Are you over thirty-five and trying to navigate all the messages we get from social media and popular culture on what the best way is to maintain your youthful look and always look younger than your friends? The science of anti-aging has evolved so much and there are so many different procedures and products available to maintain your natural beauty that it is quite frankly overwhelming.
Dr. Norris at Nicole Norris MD Medical Spa has masterminded a total anti-aging solution to simplify the process. Over her last 10 years in the aesthetic and wellness space, she has curated what she considers an extremely effective maintenance recommendation for men and women who want to look as young as they feel.
“I like to think of the face like a bed in a beautiful bedroom. Intrinsic aging causes our mattress to deflate due to loss of facial bone and fat pads. Extrinsic aging thins and tatters the sheets over the top due to loss of collagen and elastin in our skin. The bedroom where this bed is represents our overall fitness including our muscle mass, percentage body fat, and general health. Aging gracefully in appearance is multifactorial. We need to maintain our sheets, mattress, and bedroom to maintain our confidence in our reflection in the mirror,” explains Dr. Norris.
She continues, “Let’s break down this analogy. First, how do we get nice high thread count sheets i.e. restore our skin? My favorite way to do this is with procedures like Hydrafacial or facials with dermaplaning as often as possible to keep the skin glowing. Microneedling treatments or laser resurfacing treatments three times per year are essential in keeping the texture of the skin and sun damage under control. Daily use of medical grade antioxidants and sunscreens prevent further aging and protects your investment. Botox or Dysport are injectable medications to smooth out the wrinkles in your sheets most often used for expression lines and need to be done 2-4 times per year pending your age and desired result.
Second, let’s talk about the mattress. Every year our face experiences bone loss of the cheeks, temples and jaw line. Our natural fat pads of the mid face deflate a little more each year. With these changes, our facial shape changes and women lose their heart-shape faced and men lose their chiseled appearance. There are two ways to restore the mattress of the face. One is with dermal filler which is a gel-like substance injected under the skin and along bone to lift and fill areas of loss mimicking bone and fat pad. The other is Sculptra (poly-L-lactic acid), a biostimulant that naturally restores fat pad and bone in the face. It can also create new collagen to treat lines and wrinkles. Filler gives you an almost immediate result whereas Sculptra can take six months to see an improvement. Sculptra can last five or more years and filler lasts one to two years. Sculptra always provides a very natural result because your own body cannot produce “overdone” results.
Now what about the bedroom that this bed is in? Without the bedroom, there is no bed! We must do everything that we can to maintain good health to age well. This of course means staying active and eating foods that are beneficial to our muscle and bone. By maintaining healthy muscle mass and body fat we will not only look younger, but we will feel more youthful. Sometimes as we age, staying fit is challenging due to our loss of natural hormones and depleted metabolism. It seems to take an overwhelming amount of effort to lose fat or gain muscle compared to what it used in our youth. At NNMD we have created a concierge medical weight management program called GET FIT to get your body back in shape. Our program can be tailored to adults of any age with the combination of weekly health coaching, prescription weight loss medication, and soon, even bioidentical hormone therapy, “finishes Dr. Norris.
At NNMD, we created twelve-month treatment plan to redecorate your bedroom complete with a new mattress and bed linens. It is our NNMD Elite + Membership program. By joining this program, all the tools you need for this transformation are included with significant cost-savings when you make this one-year commitment to age in reverse. Check out our Elite + Membership details on our website or reach out to an NNMD team member to learn more about this unique aesthetic and wellness membership program.
Get Wedding Day Ready with NNMD: A Must-Have Guide for Brides!
Congratulations! You’re engaged! I’m betting the first things on your mind are securing a date, a venue, a photographer, a caterer, a makeup artist, a hair stylist…the list goes on and on. Forgive me for adding one more “to do” to that newly, never ending, wedding planning To Do list. But trust me girls, this […]
An Esthetician Mom’s Guide to Kids’ Skincare
Thanks to social media, kid skin care routines have become all the rage. While we love that these little self-care Queens and Kings are showing an interest in their skin, parents have to beware of the products they are using. As a mom of a nine-year-old skin-care loving girl and an esthetician of 15 years, […]
Am i a good candidate for botox?
It can be disheartening to look in the mirror and realize that the aging process is starting to have an effect on your appearance. The truth is that once we hit our mid to late twenties, our face starts to show the aging process. Once we hit our late thirties or early forties, the change […]
Exfoliate your skin with dermaplaning
If you’ve tried every skincare product on the market and are still frustrated by a dull and lifeless complexion, you may want to try dermaplaning. This cosmetic procedure is an exfoliating treatment that is performed with a precision scalpel. The dead skin cells and vellous hair, better known as peach fuzz, are gently removed from […]
Five reasons why a medical spa is not your typical doctor’s office
Even though a medical spa in the state of Illinois is owned and operated by a physician and follows all the same rules as a medical office, a medical spa is not your typical physician’s office. A medical spa is a doctor’s office specializing in non-surgical cosmetic treatments to improve a patient’s appearance. These treatments […]
About Medical grade chemical peels
PCA skin is a clinical skin care line sold only through PCA-certified physician offices, proven to change the overall health of your skin. PCA Skin provides customizable professional treatment options for all skin conditions including aging, acne, sensitive and hyperpigmentation through the use of daily care products and medical-grade chemical peels. PCA Skin, the originator […]
