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As vacation season approaches, and clothing coverage wanes, it’s no secret we all want to look our best. Though it may still be winter, now is the perfect time to start your vacation skin and body preparations...
As vacation season approaches, and clothing coverage wanes, it’s no secret we all want to look our best. Though it may still be winter, now is the perfect time to start your vacation skin and body preparations—especially since certain procedures, like laser hair removal, should only be performed in the fall and winter months.
You can think of the amazing team at Medical Aesthetics & Laser in The Woodlands as your vacation beauty prep gurus. After an initial consultation to learn your goals and timeline, we can create a plan completely customized to you.
Keep reading this helpful guide to vacation beauty prep to learn some vacation-ready treatments we recommend.
WHAT AESTHETIC TREATMENTS WILL HELP ME LOOK MY BEST FOR VACATION?
Just like no two clients are the same, neither are their aesthetic journeys. Depending on your concerns and the area(s) you’d like to address, we may suggest one or several of the following treatments to make sure you feel confident enough to show some skin
PHOTOFACIAL
Is sun damage a big problem for you? If you have patches of discoloration, freckles, redness, or premature wrinkles, a series of BBL Photofacials at our office in The Woodlands could be the perfect treatment for you.
Using our state-of-the-art Forever Young BBL™ device by Sciton, we use the power of visible broad spectrum light to selectively target imperfections on your skin and heal them. Besides reducing sun damage, this treatment offers its amazing benefits to almost anyone, some of which include:
- Minimized pores
- Tighter skin
- Clear skin tone
- Smooth texture
- Reduced scars
- Fewer wrinkles & lines
Though we call it a facial, we can also use BBL on your neck, chest, hands, and shoulders to combat visible signs of aging and sun damage. The best part? Forever Young BBL is clinically proven to actually reverse aging of the skin!
When to book it: BBL Photofacials are a season-sensitive treatment. After each session, it is vital that you avoid sun exposure. Because of this, we recommend clients schedule Photofacials in winter, when it’s easiest to stay out of the sun.
LASER HAIR REMOVAL
If you’re beach-bound, we bet you’ve already wondered how you’re going to manage your unwanted hair to look great in your bathing suit. Drop that razor and cancel your waxing appointment—it’s 2021 and time to take care of that hair once and for all with laser hair removal!
Whether you want to achieve permanently smooth, gorgeous legs, get rid of hair on your bikini area, eliminate underarm hair, or all of the above, the laser specialists at Medical Aesthetics & Laser will have you hair-free in no time!
Besides the bikini area, underarms, and legs, we also perform laser hair removal on:
- Arms
- Back
- Chest
- Face
- & anywhere with unwanted hair!
Most clients achieve the best results after a series of 5 to 8 laser hair removal sessions. This is because we can only eliminate hair in the active growth phase. Spacing out our sessions gives us the opportunity to effectively treat the entire area, dramatically reducing or eliminating unwanted hair.
When to book it: Your skin needs to be its lightest color for laser hair removal to work best. Therefore, we recommend scheduling your laser hair removal treatments in the winter months—you must avoid any form of tanning (including a “tan in a bottle”) prior to this treatment!
HALO LASER
Do you long for glowing, healthy skin? It’s in your reach! Allow us to introduce you to the Halo™ laser by Sciton. The Halo is the world’s first hybrid fractional laser—giving you the benefits of a deep laser treatment without the downtime! This revolutionary laser treatment can help you capture the perfect vacay selfies
After just one treatment with our Halo laser, clients can expect to see significant improvement in:
- Wrinkles & fine lines
- Sun damage & brown spots
- Enlarged pores
- Sagging skin
- Skin texture & tone
If you want a laser treatment that can be entirely customized to you, and involves minimal downtime, the Halo laser is an amazing option. With incredibly long-lasting results, this treatment will have you ready for vacation, graduation, your wedding, or any other big events coming up.
Depending on the extent of your skin damage and the recovery time you have available, we can make your Halo treatment more or less intense to suit your needs. Most clients require 3 to 7 days of “social downtime” to heal from a Halo treatment.
When to book it: A Halo treatment is generally safe any time of year, though you need to take certain precautions in the sun, like wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen to avoid skin damage. We recommend booking a Halo treatment about two months before vacation for the best results.
SCARLET RF & AGNES RF
Don’t let sagging skin get you down! Our two newest treatments at Medical Aesthetics & Laser, SCARLET RF & AGNES RF, combine microneedling with radio frequency (RF) energy to deliver incredible skin-tightening results.
SCARLET RF Microneedling uses short, teardrop-shaped radio frequency and microneedling technology to shrink pores, tighten and lift skin, soften fine lines, and reduce the appearance of sun damage and scarring. This treatment works to redensify skin, restoring collagen, elastin, and a more youthful appearance.
AGNES RF offers skin tightening and lifting results and is sometimes referred to as a nonsurgical facelift. AGNES uses specialized insulated microneedles that precisely deposit RF energy, or heat, at the correct depth. Under-eye bags, jowls, and submental fat don’t stand a chance! These needles destroy fat cells and tighten the skin.
If you struggle with acne, good news! The heat produced by AGNES’ insulated needles also destroys sebaceous glands that cause whiteheads, blackheads, and cystic acne.
We use our friends SCARLET & AGNES to tighten skin on:
- Face
- Neck
- Chest
- Arms
- Stomach
- Legs
When to book it: SCARLET & AGNES RF treatments are generally safe any time of year, though you need to take certain precautions in the sun, like wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen to avoid skin damage. We recommend booking a series of RF microneedling treatments three to four months before vacation for the best results.
ULTHERAPY
Another outstanding skin tightening procedure we offer is Ultherapy. Rather than needles, Ultherapy uses ultrasound technology to penetrate skin and stimulate collagen and elastin, AKA the skin’s support structures, to have you looking toned and tight just in time for your getaway.
Related: What is Ultherapy?→
Commonly used on the brow, jawline, neck, or décolletage, Ultherapy sends ultrasound energy directly into the deep layer of your skin to target collagen fibers. As a result, this energy heats the tissue, triggering the body’s healing process without harming your skin’s surface.
We typically recommend a series of Ultherapy treatments for our clients for the best results. Though you can see some results immediately, the results will peak in the months after your last treatment and can last up to two years before you may need to undergo maintenance treatments.
When to book it: Since Ultherapy doesn’t disrupt the surface of the skin, you do not need to avoid sun exposure any more than your usual daily SPF routine. Ultherapy is great for any time of year, but we suggest scheduling a series of treatments about 4 months before vacation.
DERMAPLANING
Take a super simple skincare concept, add in a trained professional, and what do you get? Dermaplaning! Opting for dermaplaning can be a great way to maintain the smooth surface of your skin, whether on its own or with another treatment (like a chemical peel).
Using a surgical-grade scalpel, dermaplaning helps remove dead cells and the fine hairs from the top layer of your skin. It’s a manual skin exfoliation treatment that reveals healthy, fresh, glowing skin almost immediately!
Once your skin is clear of dead cells and fine hairs, you’ll find that topical skincare products work better, and your makeup goes on flawlessly! Even if you opt for a staycation this year, you can appreciate the benefits of dermaplaning treatments.
At Medical Aesthetics & Laser, our clients with the healthiest skin make time for regular dermaplaning appointments, either on its own or with other facial rejuvenation treatments!
When to book it: Anytime! We recommend monthly dermaplaning appointments to maintain your smooth, glowing skin. There’s no downtime or recovery to wait for, so you can book a dermaplaning appointment just a few days before your trip.
…AND YOU CAN NEVER GO WRONG WITH A HYDRAFACIAL!
What’s not to love about a multi-step, super relaxing facial treatment that also gives you an immediate radiant glow? Refresh your skin before and after vacation, and all year long, with monthly HydraFacials!
HydraFacial is a great option for you if you want to:
- Remove all the gunk from your pores and reduce pore size
- Improve your skin’s elasticity and firmness
- Address fine lines and wrinkles
- Clear up acne or pigmentation and even your skin’s tone & texture
- Get a shine so bright you gotta wear shades
After 4 easy and relaxing steps: cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, and serum infusion, you can go straight to the mirror and see your skin shine
Like dermaplaning, HydraFacials are amazing complements to other in-office treatments like photofacials, injectables, laser procedures, and more!
When to book it: We can perform this universally amazing skincare treatment any time of year. We recommend scheduling a HydraFacial in the week leading up to your vacation and continuing to book additional treatments at least seasonally, if not monthly, to fight environmental damage and the signs of aging.
DO SKINCARE PRODUCTS MATTER ON VACATION? WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
To answer the first question above, Y-E-S! Your skincare regimen is just as important as the treatments you book at Medical Aesthetics & Laser in The Woodlands.
If you do not adopt healthy habits and take care of your skin with medical-grade products, you risk diminishing the results of treatments you’ve invested your time and money in.
To answer the second question, see our product recommendations below
CLEANSER
In warmer temperatures, the extra heat and humidity means it’s absolutely essential to cleanse away the harmful dirt and oils accumulated on the skin morning and night to keep summer skin looking matte and feeling clean, especially on beach days.
We like SkinMedica®’s Facial Cleanser. It’s perfect for all skin types, removes pollutants, and leaves your skin feeling hydrated and refreshed, rather than tight and dry.
EXFOLIATOR
Turning over dead skin cells is key to a consistently clear complexion. It’s important to slough away dead skin all over your face and body once or twice a week to keep it looking healthy.
Find a sugar or salt-based body scrub to slough away dead skin cells, excess oil, and harmful dirt and debris on your body. Use chemical exfoliants on the face, like the SkinMedica AHA BHA Cleanser or Retinol Complex to keep bright, fresh skin shining at the surface.
MOISTURIZER
Some people think they can skip moisturizer in the summer because of the humidity and excess oil production, and we will be the first to tell those people they’re wrong.
While you should put away your rich, heavy creams for vacation or summer, it does not mean your skin can just fend for itself to get healthy moisture. Instead, just lighten up! The team at Medical Aesthetics & Laser loves the SkinMedica Ultra Sheer Moisturizer for perfect hydration without the weight.
SUNSCREEN, SUNSCREEN, SUNSCREEN!
While many would describe tanned skin as a “healthy glow,” skin actually darkens when exposed to sunshine as a protective measure against UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays.
Skin cells make themselves thicker with melanin (what we see as tan) to prevent UV radiation from penetrating deeper into the skin and harming your internal tissues and organs, where it can actually cause damage to the DNA in your cells
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, “UV exposure is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer.” Most cases of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, are directly attributed to UV exposure.
The experienced skincare specialists at Medical Aesthetics & Laser, alongside the AAD, encourage everyone to practice safe sun during summer and on vacation, making the proper use of SPF protection our number one vacation prep tip.
We offer many physician-grade sunscreen options, including ones from SkinMedica, Obagi, and more!
COME TO MEDICAL AESTHETICS & LASER IN THE WOODLANDS FOR YOUR VACATION PREP!
Medical Aesthetics & Laser is proud to be the premier destination med spa in The Woodlands. When you come to our office for your vacation skin care recommendations and treatments, you can rest assured knowing everything from your consultation to the procedure is performed by highly trained specialists.
SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH US TODAY
We want you to look and feel confident in your skin whether or not you’re planning a vacation. If you need help to achieve healthy, beautiful skin, count on us.