LUX

Summer Newsletter.

1) What I'm up to ...

This summer I continue to see 20-25 clients per week at LUX. In addition, I have been volunteering for Break Method: The School for Sustainable Self Mastery and training for a half marathon called the Mendocino Running Festival.

Break Method is a 16 week online course I took back in 2017 that changed my life forever. Before completing Break I was feeling so stuck and overwhelmed in my personal life and career. After Break I was brave enough to start my own business (LUX) and the relationships I was struggling with have transformed and become 100x better. If you ever feel like talking more about Break I am always interested in chatting about my experience and why it might be helpful for you too. I also do 15 minute discovery calls for Break Method (here’s the link to schedule). My heart is centered on finding my path to inner peace and purpose, then helping others do the same.

The Mendocino Running Festival is the first half marathon I have signed up for since my daughter was born (14 years ago). I am finally ready to start creating a fitness goal and following through. I find telling others helps me with my own personal accountability (so thank you for being my accountability buddy). It will take place on September 10th in the redwood forest near the village of Mendocino.

2) Seasonal Skincare ...

Summer season is all about staying cool and being smart about your sun exposure. Staying cool is important for those prone to redness and hyperpigmentation because the heat will dilate the little capillaries on our face and chest causing broken blood vessels. Then, to top it off, those prone to hyperpigmentation will get more brown age spots that are difficult to remove with topical skincare. These issues often will require up to three $800 laser light treatments per year (in the Fall/Winter) at the dermatologist/plastic surgeons office. If this is something you are interested in I can give you recommendations in Santa Rosa and further south.

I know that you know you need to wear at least 30 SPF sunscreen and reapply every 2 hours when swimming or sweating. Shady spots, wide brimmed hats and umbrellas are your friends. Take care of your skin... Please 🙏. I always have EltaMD sunscreen on hand if you need to come pick some up just shoot me an email at info@luxukiah.com.

3) Updates related to services at LUX ...

HydraFacial $199. This is a facial to give you a glow. The machine and I take about 30 min to exfoliate, do a chemical peel and infuse moisturizing serums. It's not a "facial" like you would get from an esthetician with all the warm towels and massage. It's more like a gentle microdermabrasion with hydration to give you a little boost for an event or maybe to remove some dead skin gently so that your home skin care regimen will penetrate better. Ask me at your next wrinkle relaxer treatment for more information and if you want to add it to your next quarterly visit so we can block off more time.

Scheduling Information ...

Summer is a time I adjust my schedule to my daughter being out of school so my schedule becomes a little less flexible for last minute changes. It has been working well to have established clients rebook their next treatment before they leave the clinic. I find that once we get to know your individual response to the wrinkle relaxer we can decide together when we should bring you back for your next top up. Typically 3-6 months is a good window to keep up your results. (If you are under 35 then 6 or more months also works well.) Filler is typically dependent on the amount you already have in place and the area treated... 6-12 months and sometimes longer works well.

Online access to bookings is a weekly “work in progress” as last minute cancellations do occur. If you aren’t someone who is able to book 3-6 months ahead before you leave your clinic visit then you can go to the website anytime to see the latest openings. I open my few remaining spots online with the request that you commit a $100 deposit to block my schedule. This is because I am so small and I am promising to be there so I need you to do the same if we block the appointment for you.

Thank you and I hope your summer is wonderful!

Love,

Rachel

Lip Filler: Conservative vs. Augmented

Have you been thinking about lip filler, but feel scared you’ll end up looking “done”?

Or are you loving the Instagram posts showing “bigger is better” when it comes to lip fillers?

Conservative Approach:

Filler can be used to very conservatively soften the lips and surrounding area without anyone ever knowing. Especially when your goal is hydration of the lips and surrounding area. A micro-cannula using two entry points may be used instead of a needle to reduce the chance of bruising. Micro-cannulas are an advanced injection technique that I have been using since 2013.

Starting with a half syringe is a very conservative way to slowly hydrate and fill your lips with very little downtime. Typically, swelling is the most noticeable the next morning because sleeping with your head flat increases the swelling in your lips. So, you might want to take the day off following your filler injections if you'd rather not have others take notice of your healing lips. In about two weeks everything will be settled in and you may decide you want another half or full syringe to reach your goals. Or, you can wait 6 months to do the treatment again when the results have completely worn off. Most people realize they would like more when the swelling period has ended because the swollen lips were tolerable and not "too much" as they had thought it would be. Typically the more you do, the longer it lasts. Everyone is different, so it is an estimate to say the filler will remain up to 12 months. It is best to plan on doing your lips twice a year for the first year then once a year thereafter, if you're doing a full syringe and you have average sized lips. If you have larger lips, then you may need more product to fill in the entire area to your liking. I am still referring to the natural look for those conservative folks. If you are interested in going bigger, then, see below.

Noticeable Augmented Approach:

If you want a noticeable increase in lip size then there is a different approach for you. I prefer to do one syringe each visit, so that the lips adjust to the filler gradually and the healing process is easier and safer. It is best to space the visits 3-4 weeks apart so that the lip tissue has recovered and the filler has settled in. At each visit your lips and surrounding area will be reassessed to be sure you are not looking overdone. Filler can be dissolved with hyaluronidase if needed. In truth, too much will actually give some people an aged appearance because the augmentation doesn't fit their features. My ultimate goal is achieving balance with your other facial features so that you don't overdo it. And it takes a lot more that you think to get to too much. Many of the overdone instagram lips have 2-4 syringes (or more).

Consultation and Follow-up

Whichever approach you choose I will always take my time and make sure you maintain a look that you like. Follow up visits and communicating by phone or text during recovery will help me check in on your treatment and the healing process.

To schedule please go to www.LuxUkiah.com

#Injections #Fillers #Recommendations #natural #lips

Prevent Bruising After Wrinkle Relaxers and Dermal Fillers: 10 Tips

10 Tips to Prevent Bruising After Wrinkle Reducers & Dermal Fillers

Cosmetic injectable treatments, such as wrinkle relaxers and dermal fillers, can work wonders in filling out lines and wrinkles, but they can cause temporary bruising and swelling. Many patients ask how to prevent bruising and the good news is that there is a lot you can do before and after your appointment to minimize any unsightly coloring– and in some cases prevent it all together.

No injector can guarantee that you will not bruise from injectable treatments, but to avoid having any serious side effects it is always best to go to the most expert injector in your area. Also, to be on the safe side, please don’t plan any special events for at least 2 weeks after your injectable appointment. Remember, treatments can take anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks for results to fully settle in, so unless something is really off, most minor problems will resolve in that time by just being patient.

If you are just having a wrinkle reducer treatment (Botox or Dysport) these suggestions are still good to follow even though bruising is uncommon. However, dermal fillers like Juvederm, Restylane, and Sculptra are slightly more invasive and following these instructions will help to prevent bruises or reduce the appearance, quicker.

Here are a few pre and post treatment tips that can help you avoid any unnecessary bruising:

#1 Avoid Aspirin & NSAIDS

Aspirin, NSAIDS (Motrin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Aleve, Advil), and NSAID-containing products (Midol, Excedrin, cold medicine) are the most potent of the “bruisers”. All of these medications stun your platelets, which are the cells in your bloodstream that stop bleeding and bruising when your blood vessels and capillaries are damaged. If your platelets can’t do their job in sealing off the tiny capillaries that are disrupted during injectable treatments, your likelihood of getting a bruise is much higher than normal. Avoid all of these medications for at least a week prior to your treatment. If you need pain medication, please consider Tylenol as a substitute.

#2 Avoid Wine & Alcohol

Wine and alcohol also have some anti-platelet effects and increase your chances of bruising in the same way that Aspirin and NSAIDS do. I hate to ruin any fun plans, but avoiding alcohol the night before and the night you have your injectable treatment really helps to prevent bruising.

#3 Avoid Green Tea, Vitamin E, and Herbal Supplements

High doses of Green Tea, Vitamin E, Fish Oil, Gingseng, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Ginko Bilboa, Flaxseed Oil, and herbal supplements like St. John’s Wart, Garlic, Red Yeast Extract and many others, act like mild versions of prescription blood thinners and definitely increase your chances of bruising. In particular, Green Tea Extract is known to be one of the most potent “bruisers” on the market, so make sure you curb it well before any injectable treatment. Because there are so many herbal supplements that have unpredictable effects on bleeding and bruising, we recommend stopping ALL supplements at least one week before your treatment.

#4 Skip the Gym

No exercise except for walking for 24-48 hours after your treatment. Keep your heart rate under 100. Do not do any inversions in yoga or do hot yoga. Damaged capillaries need two things to repair themselves after an injection; functional platelets and minimal blood flow. Exercise and physical activity increases your heart rate, blood pressure, and the flow of blood through arteries, veins and capillaries, including the ones that get damaged during injectable treatments. Also, avoid squeezing or massaging the treated areas for several hours after treatment as this could subtly change the results. If you were treated with the injectable Sculptra, please disregard this note and massage as you were instructed.

#5 Choose a Qualified Injector

This seems like a no-brainer, but be careful. There are no enforceable regulations on who is allowed to inject wrinkle relaxers and dermal fillers, so there are tons of unqualified injectors out there. Be particularly cautious about getting injected in clinics offering extremely low prices because they tend to rely heavily on counterfeit products.

#6 Icing

Apply a cold pack to the treatment area before and after your injection. Cold applied to the skin constricts blood vessels and constricted blood vessels are smaller and less likely to get in the way of the needle. An added bonus, the cold will desensitize the area so you will feel less pain.

#7 Numbing Cream

If your injector applies numbing cream about 20-30 minutes before starting the injections, it will help prevent bruising and make you more comfortable during the treatment. Some anesthetic creams constricts blood vessels slightly making bruising less likely. When you make your appointment, ask if you should come in early if you want to get numbing cream.

#8 Anti-Bruising Supplements

You can try taking two supplements that have been shown to prevent bruising; Arnica and Bromelain. Take Arnica pills 4 days before and after the procedure to aid in potential bruise reduction. Arnica is an herbal dietary supplement that has been used for centuries to reduce bleeding and inflammation. Place four pills underneath your tongue, twice a day. If you do bruise, you can take it each day until bruising has subsided. Bromelain is helpful in reducing any swelling after the procedure and may be taken three days prior to your treatment and continue for one week after. Bromelain is a pineapple-based enzyme that also helps to reduce inflammation and bruising.

Arnica and Bromelain are both available at Ukiah Natural Foods Co-Op for purchase, and there is enough in the bottle for several treatments. If you have ever had a cold sore around the mouth or near the injection site be sure to talk to your practitioner before treatment, so that they can properly prescribe you Valtrex or another anti-viral medication to prevent an outbreak.

#9 Sun Protection

No excessive sun or heat until any initial swelling and redness have resolved. Proper and frequent use of sunscreen is always important. The sunscreen should offer broadband protection (UVA and UVB) and have a sun protection factor of SPF 30 or more. Wear a hat when outdoors.

#10 Plan Accordingly

Another important part of getting injections is timing. Try to make your appointments at least two weeks prior to a big event just in case you have swelling or bruising. You should also make sure they are within your budget when you do get the treatment. There are times you might need more areas treated and sometimes less, depending on how your body responds. Injectables work differently on everyone, so you may not get the same results in terms of how long the treatments last as your friend.

What happens if you bruise?

If you do bruise, there is help. First of all, continue icing the bruised areas once you get home as long as you can. Next, take your Arnica and Bromelain as directed. A high-level concealer will also come in handy to hide those temporary bruises. If the bruise is on your lip, then lipstick should do the trick. The intensity and duration of your filler or Botox side effects will depend on the treatment aggressiveness and your individual healing characteristics, but normally can last for one to two weeks after the treatment.

Understand where you want the injections.

Finally, now that you have taken the plunge on facial injections, be careful not to get carried away. Some people go overboard with wrinkle reducers and dermal fillers and develop an artificial look to their face. A good injector will actually tell you they will not do the treatment on you at a certain point. If you feel like your face looks “done,” then you have done too much. You should look like a refreshed version of yourself!

#Recommendations #Injections #WrinkleRelaxers #Dysport #Botox #Bruising #Fillers