Summer is all about sun—and protecting yourself from its harmful UVA/UVB rays. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States.
With sunless tanner, you can get the glow without the damage. Also known as spray or airbrush tanning, many spas around the Delaware Valley offer the service. Wayne’s AME Salon and Spa makes the treatment even healthier with Norvell, an organic sunless tanner.
Being chemical-free doesn’t reduce Norvell’s results, says Kassandra Gimson, an aesthetician and makeup artist at AME. She suggests clients follow a certain protocol to get the most out of their tan—like not swimming for 48 hours after treatment. Gimson also recommends exfoliating 12 hours before spraying to slough away dead skin cells. Waxing, manicures and pedicures should also be done days in advance.
As for choosing a shade, most of Gimson’s clients want a light bronzing, not a dark tan. “What makes the shade is how the Norvell is applied,” she says. “It’s all about layering the product on the skin. A light application creates that light glow that is very flattering.”
On the opposite end of the beauty spectrum, cryolipolysis is the scientific term for eliminating fat cells by subjecting them to subzero temperatures—a process made famous by CoolSculpting. Strafford Chiropractic & Healing Center’s CryoSkin uses a smaller handheld wand. “That enables our trained practitioners to target different areas of the body and work on larger areas more efficiently,” says Strafford Chiropractic & Healing Center co-owner Amie Hamel.
CryoSkin slims fat, reduces the appearance of cellulite and tones muscle. Tummies, butts and thighs can be slimmed over several appointments, and results can last several months or permanently if clients maintain a diet-and-exercise regimen.
For more immediate results, try the CryoSkin facial. “The subzero temperatures stimulate collagen growth, tighten skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines,” says Hamel. The 30-minute treatment is completely painless and even relaxing—albeit chilly. Three to six treatments are recommended to achieve all the benefits. Facial results aren’t permanent. Further treatments are needed in one to three months.
Intracel is among the new anti-aging treatments at Lohner Plastic Surgery in Bryn Mawr. By combining radiofrequency energy with microneedling, Intracel tightens and resurfaces skin. “What we see on the face’s surface are dead skin cells,” says Anya Bado, the nurse who performs the procedure. “We can use chemical peels or a laser to get to the skin underneath that, but microneedling is a step down from that. It improves the texture of skin with minimal down time.”
According to Bado, Intracel can reduce fine lines around the eyes and mouth and improve laxity in the jawline. “It’s also a great way to treat acne scaring and large pores,” she says.
Three one-hour treatments are required, and patients may be a bit pink for a couple of days. A post-treatment kit with skincare products is also part of the procedure.
Another option is the hydrafacial, a 30-minute procedure that cleans and hydrates skin. Dead skin cells are exfoliated, then pores are cleansed with a vacuum-like device, says nurse Kimberly Costalas, owner of KP Aesthetics in Newtown Square. Nutrient and antioxidant treatments are applied after the extractions. “If we do extractions by hand, we’re doing one pore at a time,” Costalas says. “With this device, we vortex the entire face and cover a larger surface area.”
Costalas also offers clients “super serums” called boosters. Bright Alive and Britenol minimize and even skin tone. Growth Factor and Derma Builder have patented mixes of peptides and other anti-aging ingredients. “They’re called Baby Botox because they really tighten the skin,” says Costalas.
With these, there’s no recovery time, and results last for about a week. Costalas says her clients’ skin looks hydrated, cleansed and—best of all—natural.
