How Does Diet Affects Our Skin?

Diet is an ongoing debate in dermatology. I am a firm believer in treating the whole person and not looking for a quick fix. The things that we do over and over and over again, surely affect our body and mind. Since the skin is the largest organ, it stands to reason that the fuel we put into our system affects our skin. Today, we will take a closer look into sugar, caffeine, alcohol and iodine.

Sugar and glycation

If you’ve guessed that sugar can cause breakouts in the skin, you are correct. But what is more frightening than that is what happens underneath the skin that you do not see. The excess sugar in the skin binds to the collagen and elastin in the skin, causing it to become hard and rigid instead of supple. When your face moves, the bounce back effect slows which is when fine lines and wrinkles begin.

I always recommend a balanced diet; low in the white stuff (sugar, processed, starches, etc.) and more in the colorful stuff (fruits, veggies, etc.) That being said, I heard recently that it’s important to have a healthy diet, but that cookies are good for the soul. If you like to indulge in sweets, just remember that moderation in sugar is a good thing.

Caffeine and hydration … Alcohol and redness

It’s not all about what we eat, but what we drink. We know that both caffeine and alcohol are stressors for the body. Caffeine (for many is the nice little perk in the morning) can dehydrate your body. Water is very healing and a large percentage of what we are made up of. The skin gets the leftovers of everything we ingest, but it also is the first place that can be taken from when the body needs something. I am the first to have dry lips. Part of this can be curbed by being mindful of the amount of caffeine you consume as well as the water that you intake.

Alcohol has inflammation effects in the skin, causing redness, puffiness and also dryness. It too can also cause acne. If your skin has a tendency already to be more red or your have rosacea or flushing in the cheeks, it’s my recommendation that you limit alcohol. After you have a night of drinking, you’ll also need to step up your hydration game. Carry a water bottle with you and continue to drink as much water as you can the next day or too.

Iodine and acne

This has been a long debate that is ongoing. Dr. Mark Fulton shared that there was a correlation between acne and iodine in the production of acne. Since then, Laura Cooksley has also shared the same thought. However, Dr. Mark Lees has challenged that thinking and believes that you would have to consume A LOT of iodiode food, such as sea kelp several times a week.

My thought is that it is relatively easy to keep this low (by using Himalayan salt instead of iodized salt, choosing low sodium foods, and not eating too much sea weed), so why not give it a try IF you are having issues with acne. Salt is also going to increase the puffiness in the skin, so if you are looking to rid yourself of those bags under your eyes, this will be a good idea too.

Don't forget to 

Breathe. Let Go. Relax.

Zoey Jolley, LE 

How Can I Combat Redness?

Every face tells a story. A story of fun summer days, memorable trips and numerous smiles with laughs along the way. Your skin also will tell you what it needs, but often we are not paying attention to the cues that it gives us. If your skin looks (or feels) red, it’s time to start addressing what it is telling you. Below are four of my top suggestions to help your skin heal and take on that normal color again.

First and paramount is sun protection. Since the sun is the skin’s enemy number one, it’s important to use sunscreen everyday. Yes, each and everyday, and not just on the days when you are out. Regardless of how simple (or complex) your home care routine is, this will be your very last step. When you are regularly using SPF and continue to do so, this alone will help with the red ‘tint’ that our skin takes on.

Second is hydration! So many clients will tell me that they drink 8 glasses of water and eat all the right things. Wahoo!!! This is SO important, but the skin will get the left overs after the other organs have taken what they need. Simply put, the best way to address the skin’s needs is to apply it topically. Using professional products with high quality ingredients is exactly what the Esthetician ordered!

Third is an elimination diet (so to speak.) Remove any products that may be irritating to the skin. Specifically, if you have redness, you’ll want to remove the scrubbie exfoliants, any product that has added fragrance, and hot water to wash off your cleanser, exfoliants, and masks. Use tepid water instead (trust me on this one.) If one of your skin care products feels tingly on the skin, you may also want to consider removing it from your current line up and see if your skin does better without it.

Finally, you may want to add in a serum or concentrate that helps with redness, especially if this is your top skincare concern. Making sure that it is gentle and soothing is a must. Some may find benefit in adding a serum that works on the blood vessels of the skin, ensuring that they are not in a dilated state all of the time. Your Esthetician can help direct you to something that will fit your needs.

Did you find which one of these you need to do? Or maybe it’s all four! Let’s get your skin back to its natural baby coloring again. Are you ready?

Don’t forget to

Breathe. Let Go. Relax.

Zoey Jolley, LE

Why am I Experiencing Ingrown Hairs?

One of the problems from shaving or waxing is ingrown hairs. As the hair is coming out of the skin, it can't quite break through the dead skin cells. The hair continues to grow but it is now growing under the skin and can grow like a river underneath or can grow in the circle and stay balled up. Usually ingrowns are worse when shaving versus waxing. There are a couple of reasons why you would get an ingrown hair. Here's why and what you can do about it!

Some people are just more prone to experiencing ingrown hairs. This is due to our genetics, how the skin is and what the hairs do ... under normal conditions. That being said, it's important to find a great waxer that uses proper technique and post care. Develop a relationship so that you can ask any and all questions. Your esthetician is there to help you! You can have ingrown hairs anywhere on the body, but this article will focus mostly on intimate waxing.

What should I Avoid?

When going in for a brazilian waxing treatment, make sure to follow all the after care instructions you are given. I like to say to avoid the 3 S's - Sunning, Sweat, and Sex for 24 hours.

Sunning - This means to avoid anything hot like tanning, hot tubs, saunas etc. The area may be sensitive, so some people think that heat will make it feel better. Let me assure you that this is not the case. Instead, use ice, aloe and soothing products.

Sweat - Do not go straight from your wax to your hardest workout of the week! Infact, avoid the gym for 24 hours while the hair follicle is open. (It takes approximately a day for it to close up.)

Sex - Heat, friction, etc are a recipe for disaster. Wait 24 hours for the area to calm, the hair follicles to close up and 

What Should I Do?

There are also a couple things that are extremely helpful and something you can do. These include exfoliation and hydration.

Exfoliating - In order to understand why this is so important, let's talk about the anatomy of a hair. We'll use an analogy of a tree. If you are shaving, you are chopping the tree trunk down at the base, which is a thick area. The hair growing back will feel stubbly and may be itchy because it is at the base of the tree. When you wax, the hair will grow back like the tips of branch. The difference of the hairs breaking through the dead skin cells are very different with one being a trunk and another being a branch. The branch will definitely need help. Help comes in the form of exfoliating away the dead skin cells. My favorites for this are the Spa Cell (which can be used with any body wash) and the Ingrown Hair Buster (a spray using botanicals and acids.) Both are very effective at exfoliating. I like to have my clients exfoliate 2 to 3 times a week to start, while adjusting if needed.

Hydrating - In addition to exfoliating, the hair needs to be conditioned and hydrated. If the hair is not hydrated properly, it make break off while waxing. Broken hairs also have a hard time reaching the surface of the skin and may result in ingrown hairs. How do you hydrate and condition the skin? You need a moisturizer. If you use something too heavy, it can clog pores. Too light weight and it may not be enough to hydrate properly. So something in the middle is just right in this case!

One final thought on ingrown hairs. Many people wax for years, not experiencing problems and then start to have a couple of ingrowns. As the hairs are waxed, they do get weaker and finer. So this may be a problem that you experience later on. Make sure that you take the advice of your waxer and play with the frequency of how often you exfoliate and moisturize to find the right combination for you. 

Don't forget to 

Breathe. Let Go. Relax.

Zoey Jolley, LE

Why is My Skin So Dry in the Winter?

If you have ever experienced an Idaho winter, you'll know that it gets extremely dry. Not only do we feel it from our nose to our toes, our hands can experience cracking and bleeding from washing frequently and keeping away the germs. Our face is exposed to the outer elements throughout the year. So even though the lack of humidity occurs all year round, you may be wondering why it's extra bad in the winter.

The main culprit is not the lack of humidity, the fewer hours of daylight, or even the colder temperatures. Have you guessed it yet? The answer is the forced hot air to keep us warm! Since we can't live in igloos from November through February (or even October through March), here are some options to help ease the dry skin woes.

One of the main things you can do is to BEEF UP your skin care routine. In addition to daily cleansing, misting, and moisturizing, you may want to add in one or more of the following: Hydrating Mask, Daily Ceramide Comfort, Double up the Moisturizer by adding in a Serum, or a Night Cream.

Hydrating Mask 

A hydrating mask can be for any type of skin. Instead of focusing on the lack of oil, these will generally focus on the lack of water in the skin. Masking is one of the easiest way to help the skin with a big impact. When you mask, you will apply it on the face and then wait 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse and wipe dry with a cloth and add your finishing touches. I recommend that you use a mask 2 to 3 times a week to see the best results. If you skin starts feeling bad normally in November, you'll want to increase what you are doing in October. Don't wait until your skin is super bad to start or it will take longer to see the results. 

Daily Ceramide Comfort

This tiny little gold nugget has been a lifesaver for my clients. Generally, I have my clients use them as a boost to their skin once a week, but as shown in the name, you can use these daily. Again, start early and use them at night. These not only feel amazing, they really do wonders for the face and are for all skin types. This product is considered a 911 product and is an antioxidant while nourishing and protecting the skin from the elements.

A serum!

Did you know that serums are a smaller molecular weight, meaning they can go deeper into the skin? I love using a serum because I know what I'm applying to my skin is sinking in and working below the dead skin cells. Choosing on that has hyaluronic acid is a sure bet, because that ingredient holds it weight 1,000 times of water.

Night cream

Inherently, a night cream is thicker and creamier than something you wear during the day. Our skin is on a circadian rhythm, so it heals and repairs at night. That's why many product lines include a night cream. A moisturizer that aids in the healing and repairing process will definitely help your skin in the winter. It's important to note that some of the night creams may be too heavy to wear for those that are prone to acne.

In addition to products, there are a couple more things that might be able to help your skin in the frigid temperatures. My favorites include drinking water, vitamin c, limiting hot baths, and increasing the humidity. 

Drink Up!

Water is very important for our skin and other vital organs. In the spring and summer, our body gives us more signals letting us know that we are hot and we literally feel thirsty. It almost screams to hand over the biggest glass of ice water! Our body still needs that same amount of water in the water, but we don't get the same cue. Carry around your favorite water bottle to make sure you are rehydrating your cells throughout the day.

Vitamin C

There are many dietary changes that you can make for your skin, but this is one of my favorites. Vitamin C is an antioxidant which means it helps to protect the skin from UV rays and other outside elements. It can help tighten the skin's barrier which helps to keep the good stuff (moisture barrier, lipids, and more) in the skin and repels the bad stuff like free radicals.

Limit hot baths

Okay, okay! I'm guilty as charged. This girl right here LOVES a good, hot bath. Sometimes more than once a day! But the hot baths can increase dehydration at a rapid pace. Without drinking as much as we should, this definitely can aid in the dryness of your skin cells. 

Add in some humidity

The forced hot air is something we can't really change, but we can add the humidity in the air by using a humidifier. Humidifier emit water vapor or steam into the air which increases the air's humidity. The mountain west is always dry, so this is something that you could do all year round if you wanted to.

In case you need a recap, your dry skin is most likely due to the forced heat in the winter. During this time, step up your skin care game about a month before you typically feel dry, drink water everyday even when you don't feel thirsty, make sure that you are adding vitamin c into your diet, limit hot baths, and increase the humidity by using a humidifier. 

Don't forget to 

Breathe. Let Go. Relax.

Zoey Jolley, LE

After the Skin Treatment

Facial Treatments are not only fun and pampering, but also quite effective in helping keep that youthful glow and encouraging skin cells to turn over at an optimal rate. I offer several Facial Treatments, but a couple of my favorites are the MicroNeedling, Microdermabrasion (or Microderm for short), and the 90 minute Signature Facial. Everytime you have a skin treatment, be sure to follow your esthetician's post care advice. Here's what I recommend:

Wear SPF. I cannot say this enough. Environmental factors are the #1 cause of aging. Yes, that's right (not genetic factors.) Your skin may be more suspectible to rays for a couple days post treatment, so SPF is a must! I recommend the GM Collins Dry Touch 50 SPF. Easy to reapply and compliments any skin care that you are currently using.

Drink extra water. Hydration is key to our skin, though our other vitals organs take the majority first before they get to the largest organ (the skin). I add a very relaxing facial massage to my treatment, so bump up your intake the day you come to see me.

Change your pillowcase. We've exfoliated your skin and put some incredible serums on your skin to work on your targeted concerns. The last thing that you want to do is put your face on a dirty pillowcase. Simply to do, right?

Don’t forget to Breathe . Let Go . Relax .

Zoey Jolley, Licensed Esthetician