Shaping A Smoother You With SmoothShapes

Have you ever wondered if your cellulite could disappear? At Seasons, we have the technology to do just that.  SmoothShapes, a state-of-the-art machine, is a pain-free treatment that uses dynamic laser and light energy to smooth and tighten skin. Collagen is regenerated, circulation is improved and metabolic processes are restored. This system is recommended in a series of eight treatments over a four-week period.

“Dermatologist Cheryl Karcher, MD. was very excited about SmoothShapes, a new laser treatment that she believes can significantly reduce the appearance of cellulite. ‘At this time, this is the only technology with a laser that’s specifically designed to melt fat.’” (Oprah Magazine; May 2009, p. 204)

A recent study was done in Phoenix with 83 patients that showed the SmoothShape system to effectively reduce thigh circumference. When the results came in, the average overall reduction among the thigh areas treated was 1.9 cm, with the maximum loss being 8.7 cm. “We generally saw the greatest results in the upper thigh,” said Dr. Robert A. Weiss, director of the Maryland Laser, Skin, and Vein Institute in Hunt Valley, Md. He concluded that the SmoothShapes system “was highly effective in producing thigh circumferential reduction at each thigh location and at each evaluation time-point in the study with 1- and 3-month follow-up.”

We all want to look better in our swimsuit, or maybe just feel better in our clothes. Anytime is a good time to think about cellulite. Give us a call to set up a consultation to see if SmoothShapes is right for you! SmoothShapes is available in our Ruston location at Seasons – The Spa, 318-255-1155.

You Don’t Have To Be A Teen To Get Acne!

For years, acne mainly plagued teens and those in their 20’s. We are now seeing it in people who are in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and even 60’s. Where does this dreaded plague come from? Acne may develop from a variety of things including hormones, stress, and unfortunately, your inherited genes.

Food choices are a huge factor contributing to this dreaded skin problem. What you eat directly and indirectly affects your acne. This is one factor that we can easily control by being mindful of what goes into our bodies. So, here are a couple of things to remember:

1. Take your vitamins. Whole foods multi-vitamins taken daily are a good choice to fight acne. Acidophilus B and garlic are also great acne fighters.
2. An apple a day. Eat red or golden delicious apples daily.
3. Drink water, water, water.
4. Clear is better. Soda drinkers, change to clear sodas. The ingredients that make sodas dark can make acne worse.
5. Go natural with your sweets. Too much refined sugar can aggravate acne. This means stay away from candy, sodas, cakes and pies! Try to use natural sweeteners, like honey or stevia!

Not only do we need to be cautious in making food choices, but we need to take care of our skin with good products! Here are a couple of ways to do that:

1. Don’t wash TOO much! Over washing your skin can stimulate the sebaceous glands, causing breakouts. Twice daily is enough!
2. Go BLUE! LED Blue light therapy greatly reduces acne-causing bacteria.
3. Clean sleep. When you are experiencing breakouts, change your pillow case daily.
4. Treat with tea tree. Tea Tree Oil is a great natural anti-bacterial apply to acne lesions, use as directed on bottle.
5. Be careful with the POP! When done incorrectly picking, mashing, squeezing your acne can cause more flair up.Using fingernails to “POP” pimples will cause scarring.
6. Opposite effect. Using antibiotics can actually increase the number of acne breakouts over time.
7. Don’t rely on THE PILL. Using birth control pills will only clear breakouts for a short period of time if at all, and may even cause breakouts.

There is not just a simple cure for acne. I wish there were. However, I am dedicated in helping you customize YOUR fight with acne! Call us at Seasons, 255-1155, for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Delta Style Makeover Contest Winner – Tiffany Spillers

Seasons – The Spa, Seasons Medical Aesthetics and It’s Permanent have teamed up with Delta Style Magazine to provide aesthetic services to one hopeful makeover candidate. The lucky lady, West Monroe resident Tiffany Spillers, is a wife and new mother looking to revamp her image and give herself some much needed tender-loving-care.

At Tiffany’s initial consultation, Tiffany, Terri Grayson of It’s Permanent, Elizabeth Drewett of Seasons, and Sarah Jeffords of Seasons discussed some of the cosmetic procedures that she was interested in and the results that she was hoping to accomplish. Following her consultation, Tiffany decided to enjoy the following services:

• Electrolysis
• Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) for hair growth reduction
• Spray Tan
• Sudatonic Wrap
• Permanent Makeup – Eyeliner
• Microdermabrasion
• Obagi-C Facial Cleansing Kit

One of Tiffany’s concerns was hair removal. To address that concern, Tiffany had electrolysis on her eyebrows and upper lip and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) under her arms to reduce hair growth.

To give her a healthy glow without the risk of tanning, Tiffany enjoyed several spray tans throughout her makeover journey. “I really enjoyed the streak-free glow. And it lasted over a week,” she said.

To boost her weight-loss efforts, Tiffany received six Sudatonic wrap treatments. “I really loved the Sudatonic wraps,” said Tiffany, “and I saw a dramatic difference in inches lost and water weight.”

Tiffany was also interested in having permanent cosmetics but was hesitant to do something permanent and possibly painful. Following the procedure, her anxiety was replaced by joy. “I am so glad I decided to have the permanent eyeliner done,” said Tiffany. “I love it!”.

To exfoliate and improve the appearance of her skin, Tiffany had two microdermabrasion treatments. In conjunction with the microdermabrasion treatments, she used the Obagi-C Facial Cleansing Kit. Obagi, the leader in cosmeceutical products, is designed to prevent and improve the most common and visible skin disorders in adult skin. “I will never use anything else,” said Tiffany. “My skin is so soft and clear, and I love adding the sunscreen as part of my daily routine.”

While Tiffany’s makover results are obvious in the photographs on the pages of Delta Style, the team at Seasons and It’s Permanent noticed the biggest difference in Tiffany’s self-confidence and personality. “We were so pleased to play a part in transforming Tiffany into the bubbly, outgoing, and gorgeous girl that was already on the inside. We just helped the inside and the outside match!” said Terri. “We enjoyed every second of working with Tiffany and being a part of her transformation.”

For more information about the services Tiffany enjoyed at Seasons and It’s Permanent, call 255-1155 (Ruston) or 340-1178 (Monroe).

Confession #8: Hair Today. Gone Tomorrow.

I love a good birthday card. Maxine cards are my favorites — you know, the little old lady with the purple hair. I even have some Maxine slippers with purple hair that my sister-in-law gave me when I turned 40. My kids think they are hilarious. 

Well, I found another hilarious birthday card at the Beehive the other day. I just have to share it with you. It’s not a Maxine card, but it shares the same sarcastic view of life-as-an-aging-woman. “These aren’t chin hairs…they’re stray eyebrows!” is the comment on the front of the card. Those words are decoratively written on a sign held by an obviously-more-mature-but-trying-to-look-younger lady wearing a sash that says “Miss Optimistic.” Inside the card are the words “Happy Birthday to an ageless beauty.”

What is ageless beauty? And how about those stray eyebrows? I’ll save the ageless beauty column for a rainy day, but sister, we are going to talk about those stray eyebrows.

One of the most difficult parts of growing older is hair. And hair is one of those outside garnishments which envelopes the self-esteem of every self-respecting, card-carrying Southern woman! You know, we already have the challenges of heat and humidity around here. But there are also internal challenges that wreak havoc on our pursuit of a “good hair day”.

Did you know that hormones, the body’s communication system, can greatly affect your hair? Two years ago, I was suffering from a great amount of hair loss due to an undiscovered thyroid issue. Handfuls of hair, I’m telling you! Clean out my hairbrush every day kind of hair loss. And to make matters worse, I was growing hair in places I didn’t want it — my ears, my face, my chin, etc.! That was due to an elevated testosterone level. After having my hormones tested and discovering how out-of-whack my hormone levels were, I tried bioidentical hormones, achieved a better hormone balance and the hair started staying on my head instead of jumping off my head and into my hairbrush! Plus, the random hair growth in unwanted places decreased dramatically!

So why am I bringing up a subject we’d rather not talk about? Especially in the holiday/New Year issue of The Minute Magazine? Well, here’s my answer. ‘Tis the season! We’ve got to look good for our holiday parties. And then there’s that whole issue of “New Year/New You” for 2010. With holidays and New Year resolutions approaching, there’s no time like the present to talk about hair!

Hair Tip #1: Hormone Balance

It doesn’t matter what you do, if you don’t solve your body’s mysteries, you will just have to continually deal with this problem. So let’s start with hormone testing. If your doctor doesn’t test hormones, then find one who does. And make sure that you are retested on a periodic basis. Hormones can become unbalanced again due to stress or other events in your body. So this is a constant monitoring process. You and your doctor should have an ongoing dialogue about your hormone levels. And moms, this can affect your teenagers, too. As their hormones fluctuate, hair growth can result. Hormone testing can  be beneficial for teenagers, too.

Hair Tip #2: Waxing

Waxing is a method of semi-permanent hair removal which removes the hair from the root cause. Almost any area of the body can be waxed, including eyebrows, face, bikini area, legs, arms, back, abdomen and feet. New hairs will not grow back in the waxed area for two to eight weeks. I’ve used this method of hair removal since I was a teenager for my brows and lip. It works well, is relatively inexpensive, and available at most salons.

Hair Tip #3: Waxing with Epilar Treatment

This treatment begins with waxing, followed by application of an inhibitor gel and an activator gel. This treatment works on all skin and hair types and can be used on all body parts. The procedure targets hair follicles left empty after waxing, specifically hairs that are active and in the growth phase. Epilar application will also increase the intervals for depilation and leave skin smooth and soft between treatments. I haven’t personally tried this, but I know it is very effective for women who might have a lot of hair on their cheeks and would just prefer to have smoother skin.

Hair Tip #4: Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)

FDA approved for permanent hair reduction, intense pulsed light is fast and very effective in eliminating large areas of unwanted hair. Light is absorbed by the pigment in the hair and converted to heat in the follicle. The heat damages the follicle and disables it from growing new hair. IPL is excellent for areas such as the lip, under arms, or even the bikini area. This treatment lasts only 10 to 15 minutes, works best on darker hair, and is usually recommended in a series of four to six treatments. I have had IPL treatments under my arms. And yes, I rarely have to shave there anymore. This is truly one of my small joys in life! No more itchy, scratchy, five-o’clock shadow in my pits!

Hair Tip #5: Electrolysis

FDA approved for permanent hair removal, electrolysis is a procedure in which individual follicles are destroyed with chemical or heat energy. The hair is then removed with tweezers. Once the follicle is destroyed, it can never reproduce hair. Electrolysis can only be performed by a Licensed Electrologist. Electrolysis works on all hair and skin colors and is great for small areas that can’t be treated with IPL like ears, eyebrows, and for white-blonde, red or gray hair. Many factors influence hair growth, so the number of sessions needed to remove hair permanently from an area will vary. Treatments typically occur once a week and last 15 minutes to one hour. Electrolysis is on my list of things to do. I’d like to never again see a hair on my big toe again! Can anyone relate to that? This is also great for those “stray eyebrow hairs” that show up on your chin!

Whew! That’s it. Five tips for hair! And none of them involved cutting, highlighting, styling, weaving, extensions, horse shampoo, or other strange products. While this conversation has been geared towards my lady friends, it applies to our men as well. The ear hair that you would like to see disappear from your honey’s ears (this will help him actually hear the honey-do list you so lovingly give him) can be permanently gone, not to mention the nose hair. I do recommend that you LOVINGLY and DELICATELY talk to your honey about getting his coiffure in order PRIOR to the company’s Christmas party! After all, guys are as sensitive about their hair as we girls are. They just use fewer products — hair gels, straighteners, hairspray, to name a few. This is the moment when you can educate your man about hair removal. And after you make your own appointment, make him an appointment, too!

So if you, like me, would like to reduce or eliminate the hair issues in your life, then join me on the appointment calendar at my favorite two places for hair reduction and removal: Seasons – The Spa and Seasons Medical Aesthetics in association with It’s Permanent. You can find Seasons – The Spa at 1809 Northpointe Lane, Suite 202 in Ruston, LA. You can find Seasons Medical Aesthetics in association with It’s Permanent in Monroe at 1033 N. 6th Street. And to make an appointment or get more information about any of these procedures, contact our Ruston office at 318-255-1155 or in Monroe at 318-340-1778. In the meantime, girls, let’s put our best hair (and hair removed) forward!

Seasons Spotlight: Anna Stephens, Nurse Practitioner

My name is Anna Stephens, and I am an RNC, BSN, MSN, WHNP-C. What in the world do all those letters mean?

It all began with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Northwestern State University (BSN).  I worked in Labor and Delivery for seven years and absolutely LOVED it!  After 1½ years working in the hospital, I decided that I could do more for women’s health with a higher degree.

I then earned my Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), also from Northwestern State University.  After four years of part-time school and part-time work, I became a Certified Registered Nurse (RNC) and a Certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP-C).

So now that you know what all the letters mean, let me explain how that helps me to help you at Seasons.

Some of you may see me for a medical visit — hormone evaluation, annual exam, female problems. Some of you may see me for “fun” visits — Botox, Juvederm, Radiesse, microdermabrasions, IPL treatments, or even skin evaluations. My goal is to see all of you for everything!  How much fun would we have?! I love what I am doing at Seasons.  It is so much fun to see women feel better and then be able to help them look better as well.  The two truly go hand-in-hand!

In addition to my nursing education, I have had many trainings for medical aesthetics services. I am a certified injector for both Botox and Juvederm.  Since becoming certified, I furthered my training with one-on-one advanced training from Allergan, the makers of Botox and Juvederm, and am now a certified advanced injector.

I also have one-on-one training every four months with an expert trainer from Bioform Medical, the makers of Radiesse.  By having an expert train me, I am able to stay up-to-date on the latest injection techniques, thus offering my clients the most current treatments!  It is so much fun to see the immediate improvements on the faces of my patients following a Botox, Juvederm or Radiesse treatment.

In the area of skin care, I have attended Obagi Medical training workshops and have been educated on the Obagi Medical Skin care line. Healthy skin is so important and with Obagi the skin becomes healthy from the inside out. These are truly amazing products that offer truly amazing results!

I also have trained with Guinot, another pharmaceutical- grade skin care line available at Seasons. Guinot is manufactured in Paris and uses natural fruit acids and enzymes to give you a more gentle skin care than Obagi but with the same fabulous results!

The face is the first thing people see when they meet us…what better reason to offer them the healthiest, most beautiful, youthful, radiant face we can? I look forward to meeting you. Let’s work together to achieve your beauty, skin care and health needs!

Complimentary Services at the Seasons Fall Spectacular

Relax, renew, rejuvenate.

That’s our motto for the second annual Seasons Fall Spectacular. We’ve been very busy preparing for the event these last few weeks, and patients are going to have a wonderful time. Space is limited, so be sure to download our flier and RSVP at 318.255.3223.

Our month of educational opportunities and complimentary services will begin with the Day of Discovery on September 4 at the Squire Creek Country Club. (Let me tell you, you should come out for the event just to have an excuse to experience this beautiful country club.)

But we’re also going to have some really interesting things for you to see. Patients will have a chance to see live demonstrations of botox, dermal fillers, and and much more. You hear these procedures talked about in the media quite a bit, but we’re going to cut through all the talk and show you exactly what the possibilities are.

I’m particularly excited to demonstrate two new resources available in our Seasons offices. We’ll be offering live demonstrations of both Smooth Shape and the Visia Imaging System. Representatives from these companies will be there too.

You’ll discover new technologies that will help you achieve your personal health and beauty goals. You’ll be able to draw on the expertise of our aestheticians who will help you renew your healthy glow. And we’ll show you how skin care can leave you looking younger and feeling rejuvenated.

This is your opportunity to experience our services, ask questions, see demonstrations, hear professionals, enjoy a little food, and visualize the new you! And best of all…

Everything is complimentary!

A Day of Discovery presented by Seasons Medical Aesthetics and Spa
Squire Creek Country Club, Choudrant, LA
Complimentary services: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Info sessions: 12 Noon – 1 p.m.; 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Looking Good Helps You Feel Good

We have two Medical Aestheticians working for Seasons Women’s Care, Lisa Best and Terri Grayson.

That’s a fun word to say—aesthetician. (You can hear the pronunciation by going here and clicking on the speaker icon.) But don’t let the word scare you. Aesthetics is just a big word that means something has a pleasing appearance. Merriam-Webster defines aesthetics as “a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste and with the creation and appreciation of beauty.”

At Seasons, we may not be philosophers, but we are concerned about the aesthetics of our patients. You want to look your best. You want to look youthful. You want to look full of life. And we want to help.

Because looking good is important. When you look good, you feel good.

Think about when you were in High School and you dressed up for a big date. You knew you looked good, and you were certainly feeling good about yourself! You had confidence. That confidence and the wellbeing you get from looking good is beneficial to your body. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it is actually healing to you, but I believe it is very good for your body.

Positive thinking is healthy. That means we want to help you think positive!

Hair Removal: What’s best?

There are so many methods of removing unwanted hair, but some temporary methods—like waxing, tweezing, threading or using depilatories—can irritate the skin and actually cause increased hair growth.

Electrolysis

Thankfully, electrolysis was discovered by an ophthalmologist over 100 years ago. It is the only FDA approved form of “permanent” hair removal. It’s permanent because it is the only method that destroys the hair follicle.

Don’t worry, destruction is a process of weakening the follicle through multiple treatments. Electrolysis works for all hair regardless of color because its target is the follicle. For the same reason, it is tolerated by all skin types.

Be aware that  it is a slow, tedious procedure, and will require a commitment of time and money from the client. That said, electrolysis is the treatment of choice for small areas like the brow bone, lip, ears, chin, fingers and toes and other areas where the hair is too light for laser or IPL devices.

IPL and Laser

Spa Treatments Can Restore Confidence

A lot of my patients want to look better. So naturally, I want to help them with that. At our spas, Seasons Medical Aesthetics and It’s Permanent, we help restore a woman’s youthful appearance and so restore her confidence.

We are a full service medical spa with a wide range of offerings: facials, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, acne treatment, hair treatment, hair removal, treatments for hyper-pigmented areas of the face, even a natural lift of the face without any kind of surgery. We address wrinkles with botox and dermal fillers.

We’re a visual society. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to change elements of your physical appearance. For many women, looking better means having more self-confidence.

A visit to a spa can also be a kind of a spiritual renewal for many women. They walk away with confidence. They’re able to say, “I feel good about who I am.”

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