We recently asked our Aesthetician Erica what common questions she gets asked the most about skincare at our Medical Spa in Bucks County.
But before we get into those questions…
What is an Aesthetician?
An Aesthetician is someone that works in a medical setting and is overseen by a Medical Doctor, that can help improve your skin. They can help you select medical grade skincare products, chemical peels, and laser treatments that would benefit you the most.
Why is everyone confused about skincare?
Reading beauty magazines and scrolling down your Instagram feed, we are all inundated with so many treatments and products for our skin that it can be overwhelming.
Like many of us, you probably have more than a few cleansers that you have tried over the years, masks that you have applied at home, and over the counter eye creams and moisturizers that you dabbled with.
Have they worked? Maybe? Did they cause you to break out or dry your skin? Were they the right products for your skin?
What are the common questions asked of an Aesthetician at a Medical Spa?
In what order should I apply my skin care products?
You should always start by removing makeup, cleanse, tone, serum/treatment, eye cream, moisturizer, sunscreen.
It is important to apply products in the correct order to get the best results.
Drugstore products are not recommended by skin care professionals because they contain tons of fillers, irritants, and low quality ingredients.
They only add minuscule amounts of the “good” ingredients so they can claim to be effective on the packaging.
Medical grade products contain more beneficial ingredients and are highly concentrated so you need less of it.
Whereas, drugstore products are so watered down they won’t last you nearly as long.
Where can I purchase medical grade products?
You should always purchase medical grade products from a medical spa or doctor’s office to make sure you’re getting legitimate products.
There are a lot of fake products sold online that are cheaper because they are most likely expired or have different ingredients than the original.
Also, you risk having a reaction or break out due to not knowing the actual ingredients that are in it.
You should always consult with an Aesthetician or Doctor first to choose what medical grade products will be most beneficial for your skin type and concerns.
Wearing sunscreen every day can protect you from exposure to UV radiation that can burn the skin and cause skin cancer.
Always make sure your sunscreen has an SPF of at least 30 and reapply every 2 hours.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays can pass through clouds so it’s important to wear it even on cloudy days.
Another benefit of wearing sunscreen is that it slows down premature aging of the skin.
It also helps maintain an even skin tone by preventing discoloration and dark spots due to sun damage.
At what age should I start using a retinoid?
Everyone over the age of 30 should be using a retinoid like Tretinoin cream.
It will speed up cell turnover which slows down as we age and causes fine lines and wrinkles to appear.
Tretinoin cream is also great for treating acne, so it is recommended for patients with acneic skin as well as mature or “aging” skin.
Dermaplaning is a safe procedure for exfoliating the epidermis and ridding the skin of fine vellus hair.
Many patients are concerned that the hair will grow back darker and courser after dermaplaning.
However this is not the case.
Vellus hair, also known as peach fuzz, will grow back at the same rate and texture due to its superficial nature and lack of complexity within the follicle.
What can I do to improve dark spots?
There are many different options to treat hyperpigmentation so it’s always best to consult with your Aesthetician to create a customized treatment plan.
A few great options are Clear + Brilliant laser, VI Peel, Vitamin C serum, and Hydroquinone cream.
A Photofacial or IPL, also known as Intense Pulsed Light treats skin pigmentation. A Photofacial can treat those pesky broken capillaries that many people get around their nose.
Is laser hair removal painful?
Everyone tolerates pain differently, but for most people laser hair removal is tolerable and hurts less than waxing.
It also depends on the area of the body being lasered, because some areas are more sensitive to pain than others.
It’s often compared to the feeling of a rubber band snapping.
A numbing cream may be applied upon request or you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever before the treatment.
Although there are certain lasers that can only be done on lighter skin types, there are also some that are safe on all skin tones.
The laser we use at Healthy Solutions Medspa can be done on all skin types and even has a melanin reader that helps choose what setting to use for ultimate results in a safe manner.
If you squeeze an inflamed pimple that’s not ready to be extracted, you can actually damage your skin further and can make the breakout worse by spreading bacteria.
To avoid long-lasting marks and scars, you should always see an Aesthetician at a medical spa.
There’s a proper way to extract blackheads, and a Hydrafacial treatment is one of the most gentle and effective options.
You can schedule a Hydrafacial as late as the day-of the event if you’ve had it before.
If it’s your first time, it’s best to schedule two or three days before so that your skin has time to relax just in case you have any reactions.
The skin usually starts to peel anywhere from 2-3 days following a VI Peel and it can last up to a week.
If you have an event, it is best to schedule a few weeks ahead of time.
An experienced Aesthetician in a medical spa will ask you a few questions to determine what type of treatment is best.
It’s best to be honest when discussing your skin type and what products you use at home.
Also let your Aesthetician know of any allergies you have and medications you take.
This will help your Aesthetician give you the best customized treatment plan for your skin.
How to find the right Aesthetician?
When scheduling a skincare appointment, make sure to select a reputable and established Medical Spa. Read their Facebook and Google reviews to see what their clients have said about the facility and the results.
If you are looking for the best medspa in Bucks County, schedule an appointment at Healthy Solutions Medspa.
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You may also be interested in reading “Get Your Summer Body In Less Than 90 days” and “7 Things To Know About Under Eye Filler.”
