Vitamin C

Although many of us take vitamin C to prevent colds–not our greatest concern in the summer–there are other preventative qualities of this vitamin that are important for our skin, all year long. Vitamin C can improve the quality of your skin because it is essential to production of collagen in our skin.

Vitamin C and Collagen

The production of collagen production keeps skin looking and feeling plump, healthy, and elastic. In other words, youthful. Collagen is the most abundant protein in humans, and essential to forming strong connective tissue. Vitamin C is essential for the prevention of free radicals that form chains that attack collagen production.

Sun protection

Topical application of Vitamin C has been shown to provide protection from and to repair sun damage. Look for medical grade lotions with L-ascorbic acid as one of the ingredients. This type of Vitamin C has shown the best results for relief and protection from  sun damage.

Skin Quality

Skin care products containing vitamin C can improve your skin quality:

• Strengthen your skin’s barrier
• Reduce inflammation
• Work hand in hand with chemical peels and microdermabrasion for the best outcomes
• Reduce hyperpigmentation
• Increase the effectiveness of sunscreen

Taking Vitamin C daily, as well as applying it topically may be the secret ingredient to improved skin. Look for ascorbic acid in the ingredients list on your medical grade skin care products.

Sunscreen In Winter

Should you wear it? Absolutely. It’s as easy to get sunburned and accumulate sun damage in the winter as in summer. Even if it the temperatures are in the minus range, you can still get a sunburn as the snow reflects the sun’s rays.

We think snow and ice should come with UV warnings as they can reflect up to 80 percent of UV rays. These rays cause skin cancer but are also the culprit behind about 90 percent of all your wrinkles.

For all you outdoor winter sports enthusiasts, it’s essential to remember windburn and sunburn give a double whammy, leaving your skin dry and agitated. The more elevated the slopes, the higher your sun exposure

What if it’s a cloudy day?

UV rays can work their way through just about anything—with the exception of freshly applied sunblock. About 80 percent of the sun’s rays can pass through clouds.

What SPF should I wear?

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, SPF 15 blocks 93 percent of UVB rays, while SPF 30 blocks 97 percent; SPF 50, 98 percent; and SPF 100, 99 percent, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. The higher the SPF, the smaller the difference becomes. Whatever your sunscreen’s SPF number, it’s effective for the same amount of time. You should reapply every two hours.

Wear sunscreen under your clothes

Most of your clothing provides very little sun protection. A standard white T-shirt packs an SPF value of about 7—and if it’s wet, the SPF can go down as low as 3, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. While the darker and thicker the clothing, the more protection it provides, the hotter it is, too.

Your best bet: Also apply sunscreen where the sun don’t shine.

Your Hair and Winter

Got hat head? From flat hair to static hair, dry fuzzy hair and split ends…winter can be frustrating.

Just like your skin, you need to make adjustments in how you care for your hair during the colder months.

The bad news

Calgary’s harsh winters are tough on your tender follicles and you need to take extra time to ensure your hair doesn’t get damaged. Alongside that, sun exposure on the ski slopes can be just as harmful as it is on a beach. Wind, snow and cold temperatures can make hair dry and brittle.

And then there’s indoor heating. Don’t get us started. It’s like spending an entire afternoon with your head stuck under an old fashioned salon hair dryer.

The good news

You can protect your hair by spending a little extra time, and perhaps a few extra dollars on a moisturizing conditioner—one that is thick and rich, and has these key ingredients: essential fatty acids and humectants. As well as moisturizing your hair, they will do double duty, attracting and holding moisturize in your hair.

Take good care of your hair – you spend time and money on your skin. Make sure your hair is also in good condition.

Give Your Self the Gift of Looking Your Best

Start the new year feeling on top of the world. If you’ve been feeling discouraged because you can’t rid yourself of excess fat, love handles, stubborn pockets of fat and cellulite, consider body contouring.

You can be fit, thin and healthy, but as you age, these skin issues arrive for most of us, and no amount of exercise can help.

Sad, but true

No matter your body shape, skin tone, diet or exercise plan, over time our skin looses elasticity, collagen weakens and it becomes harder to loose excess fat. As we age, we develop wrinkles, fine lines and some of us have a genetic predisposition to cellulite, which is a common concern.

How does body contouring work?

The latest advancements in this technology mean non-invasive and painless aesthetic treatment are available to regenerate your face, neck and body. Turn back the clock to get the look you love.

How long does a treatment take?

With treatments such as the Venus Legacy for body contouring, there is no downtime. It’s safe and a treatment takes less than 30 minutes.

How many treatments will I need?

It depends on your goals, and treatment varies from patient to patient.

Treat yourself this year – you can have a body contouring treatment on your lunch break, and head right back to work.

A Good Time for Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal might not be the first thing you think of when you hear the word “January.” However, after a few treatments the fabulous smooth effects will be long lasting. Winter is also a preferable time for beauty treatments if you are concerned with brief post-treatment redness!

What Areas Can Be Treated?

• Face
• Chest
• Arms
• Legs
• Back
• Bikini
• Nipples

How long does the treatment take?

The number of treatments to completion varies depending on skin tone–anywhere from three to six brief sessions. When your treatments are complete you should not need to come back as it is highly successful.

How it Works

A strong, non-invasive laser breaks down pigment within dark hairs. Eventually through repeated treatments, the laser breaks down the follicle that produces the hair, stopping regrowth completely. The hair is no longer able to produce, drastically reducing the appearance of hair on your body.

Be Good to Your Skin

Laser hair removal is a few short treatments that produce smooth, hair-free skin for the rest of your days. It is a non-invasive treatment that removes the routine of shaving or waxing from your life. Opting for laser hair removal can be beneficial to your skin in that it replaces these practices which are aggravating to your skin–waxing and shaving are rough activities that cause rashes and in-grown hairs. Consider laser hair removal this winter for a smoothness that will feel good this summer and in years to come.

The Importance of Medical Grade Skincare Products

We are all too familiar with the importance of moisturizing in cold, dry winter months. There’s more to it than slathering on any lotion, however, as quality is of the utmost importance. Using medical grade skincare products is necessary to ensure your skin is being treated in a way that is sealing in moisture, rather than clogging your pores.

Sunscreens

Sunscreen all year long: it’s the great secret to keep your skin in peak quality now and for years to come. Putting on any over-the-counter sunscreen on your skin every day is a good start to protecting yourself from the sun, but it will quickly produce clogged pores, likely followed by irritated skin. Medical grade sunscreens such as Colorescience’s Sunforgettable mineral powder are designed to protect while avoiding clogged pores.

Collagen Production

Some medical grade skin care products actually actively stimulate collagen production. Collagen fills out our body’s fine lines that may have sagged over the years, producing the “plumpness” or fullness in our skin we associate with youth. These products seal in moisture and stop dry skin while working on the overall youthful health of your skin.

Tested by Professionals

Consider medical skin care products to be at the top of their class. They contain more active ingredients than their drugstore counterparts, and provide results by penetrating beneath the skin’s surface. Standard lotions cannot penetrate the skin’s surface and rather sit, providing brief moisture to the face or body while ultimately clogging or irritating the skin.

A Good Investment

Especially if you’ve had any skincare treatments, consider medical grade skincare products to be a great investment in your skin’s future health. Medical grade skincare products help to prolong the results of skincare treatments by supporting the structure of the skin. Medical grade can be more expensive than drugstore lines, but consider them to be of much higher quality, requiring less applications than standard brands that don’t break the surface, and providing overall long lasting results. Invest in your skin.