Minnesota’s hot summer days are soon to be a distant memory but you may have some lingering effects that will stay with you, and we’re not talking about the lighter glistening tones in your hair. To combat the effects of a sun-soaked summer, we want to highlight three different ways for you to reverse those effects and rejuvenate your skin.

• Halo Treatments: Halo, created by Sciton – an authority in aesthetic lasers, is a great post-summer treatment with no downtime. Halo targets sun damage and reverses the effects that the sun has on the skin. It truly is a revolutionary non-ablative laser treatment that is perfect for patients who need to return to their busy lives right away.
• Chemical Peels: Peels use acids to remove dry, dull skin, even out tone and reduce pore size. These treatments are effective for treating noticeable age spots, freckles, acne and fine lines. A chemical solution is applied to the face, which removes the damaged outer layer of skin and unveils softer, smoother, more radiant skin.
• Skincare Regime at Home: We are passionate about this topic, too. Treatments at our office are very helpful for achieving your goals, but maintaining a good skincare regime at home on a regular basis with quality products is key, too. Sun damage speeds up the aging process but your everyday products at home can slow the clock. We would love the opportunity to offer a complimentary Visia skin analysis and to chat with you about what your goals are and how we can work together to meet them with treatments and products. Belladerm MedSpa is proud to carry these professional grade products: Obagi, SkinMedica, iS Clinical, Revision, Clarisonic and glominerals.

Visia is an innovative screening device that is an important tool that we use at Belladerm Medspa to guide us in making decisions about procedures and products. This device shows us visually just how damaging the exposure to the sun has been on your skin. We offer this as part of our consultation as a tool to pinpoint areas that we may want to focus on and why.
How does Visia work?
Visia takes only a few minutes and is completely pain-free.  No creams, lotions, or solutions are required.  Using cutting-edge technology, a computerized camera will obtain a clear ‘picture’ of the skin’s health. A Visia analysis captures multi-spectral photos of the face, examining the complexion for wrinkles, spots, pores, evenness (colour variation in the skin tone), porphyrins (evidence of bacteria in pores), and UV spots (characteristic of photo-damage, typically from over exposure to the sun) as well as grading skin features relative to other users of the same sex, age and skin type.  Once these images are captured, we will then review and discuss the images and the analyzed summary of your skin. Based on what we see, we can recommend a personalized skincare regime to improve your complexion including specific product recommendations or procedures.
Why do we love Visia?
The information Visia gives us is vital to help us develop more targeted treatment programs, track progress over time, and stay connected with patients as they consider the possibilities of aesthetic procedures. We understand that it can be hard to decide which treatments will benefit you personally the most. We love Visia because it is one way that we can hone in on the most important products/procedures that will help YOU achieve the look you desire and take better care of your skin, also.

Though it might not feel like it, summer IS coming sooner than we think and you’ll be prepared for it when you know a variety of ways to protect your skin from the hot summer sun. We just spent some time focusing on skin cancer prevention and this blog goes hand in hand with that topic. We’re going to look at ways you can protect yourself and your family since most skin cancer is caused by excessive and unprotected exposure to UV radiation.

1. Sun protection isn’t just for your skin. Don’t forget your lips! Use a lip balm with a sunscreen of at least SPF15. Pick up your complimentary lip balm at Belladerm when you stop in to see us.
2. Watch the clock. Sun exposure is most damaging between 10:00 AM-2:00 PM so do your best to limit sun exposure between those hours.  Use the shadow rule: if your shadow is shorter than you, the sun’s rays are at their strongest, and you should find some shade if you want to be outdoors. Check the forecast so you can quickly learn what the UV index is and stay informed about how harsh the rays will be on any given day. If it creeps up towards 10, use extra caution or stay indoors.
3. When you can, protect your skin with a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, and a hat. Keep in mind that dark clothing with tightly woven fabric blocks more sun than white or loosely woven fabrics. You can also find clothing made with special sun-protective materials.
4. The delicate skin around your eyes is easily affected by the sun’s powerful rays. Always wear sunglasses with 99% to 100% UV absorption to provide optimal protection for the eyes and the surrounding skin.
5. Be aware of how medications affect your skin’s sensitivity to the sun. Examples of some that make you more sensitive: specific types of antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, antifungals, blood pressure medications, and chemotherapies.
6. Be beach smart. Water and sand will all intensify the rays hitting your skin and water will wash away your protection. Reapply your sunscreen regularly but even more so when you’re enjoying a beach day!
7. Cloudy days are ALSO sunscreen days. You just won’t feel the heat of the sun as much on those days but please don’t skip your sunscreen. You should choose a broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB radiation and has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher.
8. Those of you with little ones will also need to know the importance of protection from early on.  Getting a bad sunburn in childhood increases a person’s risk of developing skin cancer as an adult.
9. Choose wisely. Sunscreen creams are better for dry skin, and gels are better for the scalp or hairy areas. Sunscreen sprays are found everywhere are make application fast and easy, but when possible, avoid using them.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is not sure that enough sunscreen makes it onto the skin and is concerned that the spray may be inhaled into the lungs.
10. We are passionate about protecting your skin. Stop in for our current sunscreen special. 10% off all sunscreen products through the end of May including Obaji Sunshield SPF50, Revision Intellishade SPF45, SkinMedica Daily Physical Defense SPF30 and Environmental Defense SPF50.

You may already have heard many of these before but it never hurts to get a refresher before the hot weather arrives. Never underestimate the importance of the protecting your skin from the sultry summer sun!
source: http://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/prevention-and-healthy-living/protecting-your-skin-sun.