Category Archives: Cosmetic Treatments

How Does the Holiday Season Affect Our Skin?

Cosmetic Treatments, Microdermabrasion, ,

Even if you’re not exposed to freezing temperatures, snow, and wind, winter festivities can put your skin through the wringer so that by the time the New Year comes around, you’re having to deal with the terrible effects of a post-holiday complexion. Between getting together with friends and family, indulging in rich holiday foods, and perhaps going on an exotic vacation, we often let our healthy habits fall to the wayside when we get busy. This makes acne breakouts, irritation, and dry, dull skin more likely. A lack of quality beauty sleep deprives our skin of its chance to repair itself, all of the sweet treats cause inflammation to spike, stress harms our skin barrier, too much alcohol produces free radicals that break down skin fibers, and our normal skin care routine may get put on the backburner when things get hectic. At Western Dermatology Consultants, we provide a range of cosmetic treatments—including lasers and microdermabrasion—for Albuquerque patients to revive their skin by removing the buildup of dull and damaged skin cells that block the surface. 

Along with in-office procedures to restore more vibrant, healthier skin, we recommend that patients follow these tips for helping their skin survive the holiday stress. 

Avoid Certain Holiday Foods

Some high-glycemic and processed foods are believed to be linked to skin breakouts. Eggnog is something you’ll need to avoid because it contains plenty of inflammation-inducing saturated fats along with alcohol that will dry out your skin. Sugar cookies can also be detrimental for your complexion because of all the white sugar and white flour they contain. Trade in eggnog for water or hot chocolate or have a slice of antioxidant-rich pumpkin pie instead of cookies. 

Be Consistent 

Consistency is the key to healthy skin, so remember to follow the same skin routine—including wearing sunscreen—throughout the colder months. 

Don’t Sleep with Makeup On 

You’re likely to be wearing more makeup for holiday parties, but even if you feel too exhausted to remove it before bed, make a habit of at least using micellar water to cleanse your skin. Forgetting to take off your makeup results in blocked pores and bacteria. 

Explore options for cosmetic skin resurfacing procedures like microdermabrasion from Albuquerque, NM’s The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants. Call 505-855-9267 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation if you need advice on skin care. 

How to Prevent Chlorine Rash

BOTOX, Cosmetic Treatments, , ,

While it’s the most fun time of the year for many of us, summertime can be rough on the complexion. We’re usually much more active during these months, but all of the moments we spend exposed to the elements—during barbecues, outdoor sports, tropical vacations, and lounging by the pool—often leave us with dry, wrinkled, or painful skin by the time September rolls around. You can use BOTOX® from our Albuquerque-based team to minimize wrinkles around the eyes from sun exposure, but the injectable won’t sooth dry, cracked, or blistered skin from other types of stressors.

The chlorine that’s added to swimming pools and hot tubs serves an important purpose—destroying germs and bacteria—but unfortunately this chemical is also an irritant that strips the natural oils from your skin, especially when you’re exposed to it for extended periods. This leaved your skin dehydrated and speeds up premature aging. Chlorine can also cause an itchy, red rash that’s similar to a chemical burn, especially among those who have sensitive skin or allergies.

The good news is: If you love everything that’s involved in late summer, you won’t have to let sensitive or irritated skin prevent you from doing the things you enjoy—like swimming. Simply plan to take certain steps before and after you swim to avoid uncomfortable rashes. You may also want to give your skin time to heal by avoiding exposure to chlorine for a while. 

• Start by putting on a waterproof, broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 50+) before you get in the water. For it to work properly, you need to apply it 15 minutes before you go outside. This protects your skin from UV damage and may reduce chemical damage from chlorine. 

• Create a barrier to protect your skin from the water by applying petroleum jelly to irritated areas before swimming. 

• Shower or bathe with clean water right after you get out of the pool, then use a good moisturizer that contains ceramides to protect the skin’s barrier and replace the natural oils it may have lost. 

Want more summer skincare tips? Talk to our team to learn more about skin conditions or set up an appointment for cosmetic procedures from The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants. Reach out to us by calling 505-855-9267, or submit a contact form to request a consultation if you’re interested in learning more. 

Top 4 Non-Obvious Ways You Can Get Sunburned

Dermal Fillers, , ,

Aside from normal aging, a major cause of wrinkles, hollows, discolorations, and textural changes to your skin is exposure to UV radiation. Once the collagen breaks down and the DNA of the skin cells themselves is warped by this external stressor, people begin to notice static wrinkles appear on areas like the cheeks and the lips. Injectable fillers from our Albuquerque-based practice are ideal for adding subtle volume to minimize these wrinkles. Nevertheless, the best defense against these signs of aging is preventing them from occurring in the first place.

As this generation is more knowledgeable on sun protection than previous ones, more people are taking steps to guard their skin against skin cancer and premature aging than ever before. Even a mild sunburn can cause lasting damage to your skin.

Many people don’t realize, however, that you don’t have to spend hours sunbathing at the beach, exposing your skin to harsh summer sun rays, or use tanning beds constantly to end up with skin damage. Even some of the small things you do every day could be increasing your risk of skin damage. Here are four surprising ways you could be baking your skin without knowing it:

  1. Sitting inside by a window or driving in your car without protecting your skin can be causing skin damage. Although you might think your skin is safer when you’re not outside, UV radiation penetrates through glass, so you may need to wear broad-spectrum sunscreen and install window films or special tinting on your car or home windows.  
  2. Be aware of medications, acne creams, skin care treatments, and foods that increase your sun sensitivity. Take extra precautions about going outside if you know you’re at a higher risk of harming your skin.
  3. Looking at an iPhone, iPad, or similar tablet or device could increase your sun exposure significantly due to the reflected glare.
  4. Wearing the wrong sunscreen or not using it correctly may be almost as bad as not applying it at all. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that’s water resistant and high-SPF. Re-apply it every few hours.

Get more information from The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants. Call us at 505-855-9267, or submit a contact form to request a consultation, and we can give you further advice or help you put together a treatment plan.

What Exactly Is Skin Cell Turnover, and Why Does it Matter?

Chemical Peels, Cosmetic Treatments,

Each inch of your skin contains 19 million cells, about 1,000 nerve endings, 20 blood vessels, and around 600 sweat glands. The complex mix of water, protein, fat, and minerals it contains give your skin its strength and glowing, smooth appearance. Many beauty treatments, including chemical peels from our Albuquerque-based spa, claim to accelerate skin cell turnover—but what exactly does this mean, and why is it so important for your complexion?

Most of the time, we don’t even realize when the skin is taking care of itself through its own biological processes.

What we refer to as “skin cell turnover” is the process of your skin constantly getting rid of dead cells to reveal new, younger cells that replace them and maintain its overall health. This turnover process happens roughly every 28 days for adults and is vital for skin health, as the outer layers are constantly damaged by external aggressors like UV radiation, bacteria, air pollution, and harsh chemicals.

When your skin cell turnover is fast, like it is during childhood, the skin is smoother, supple, and more radiant, but the cycle becomes slower and less efficient as you get older. When skin cell turnover stagnates, you end up with blocked pores, dull skin, uneven texture, acne, hyperpigmentation, milia, and an increased risk of developing wrinkles.

In order to maintain bright, healthy skin, you can:

  • Use chemical or mechanical exfoliants to scrub away the dead cells.
  • Apply products containing strong ingredients such as retinols that accelerate cell turnover, or vitamin C products to undo damage from free radicals.
  • Improve your diet by consuming healthy, vitamin- and mineral-rich foods along with plenty of water to help flush toxins out of the body and reduce your sugar intake to control inflammation.
  • Exercise regularly to enhance blood circulation and cleanse the skin.
  • Make sure that you’re getting enough rest. You need at least seven hours of good sleep each night to give your skin time to repair itself and generate new cells.

If you would like to learn more about the benefits of chemical peels from The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants, call us at 505-855-9267, or submit a contact form to request a consultation.

5 Great Reasons to Try BOTOX®

BOTOX, Cosmetic Treatments,

If you want to take years off your face, minimally invasive injectables are one of the ideal ways to quickly make your skin look younger without having a surgical procedure. People from all walks of life commonly use botulinum toxin-based injectables to temporarily soften the wrinkles on the face that bother them. Thinking about trying BOTOX® injectables in Albuquerque, but still unsure whether they’re what you want? Check out these five major benefits of having neuromodulator injections from The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants.

1. Make Expression Wrinkles Look Smoother

Other than keeping your face still and expressionless forever, there’s no real way of stopping wrinkles that occur due to facial expressions made when smiling, talking, chewing, and squinting. The solution to fixing these wrinkles is relaxing the underlying muscles that cause the skin to bunch together. BOTOX® is approved for frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead wrinkles, which are referred to as expression wrinkles.

2. Prevent Additional Wrinkles from Occurring

One of the long-term benefits of having BOTOX® is that by relaxing the muscles that pull on the skin, you not only stop existing wrinkles from getting deeper, but also prevent new ones from forming. Many younger patients have started to use BOTOX® for this reason, known as preventative BOTOX®.

3. Enjoy the Convenience

Injectables are typically fast, “lunchtime” procedures that you can easily fit into your busy schedule. This is what makes BOTOX® such an attractive option for many people. There aren’t any major side effects that require recovery, so there’s no down time to speak of.

4. Get a More Approachable Look

When crinkles and lines form all over your face, it can make others think you look angry, mean, sad, or unfriendly—even if those descriptors don’t match your personality at all. BOTOX® can give you a happier, more open-looking face.

5. Treat Other Concerns

Along with improving wrinkles on the forehead or surrounding the eyes, BOTOX® is also used for wrinkles on the center and lower part of the face and even on the neck where excessive muscle activity has led to asymmetry, sagging, or dimpling. We can use it for bunny lines by the nose, chin dimpling, lip lines, sagging eyebrows, downturned mouth corners, and neck bands.

Curious about how injectables work? Get to know more about BOTOX® from The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants. Call us at 505-855-9267, or submit a contact form to request a consultation.