20% off products at open house

You are invited to our open house!

• Time: Noon-4 p.m.
• Date: Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010
• Location:
  Center for Excellence in Dermatology
  8901 W. Gage Blvd.
  Kennewick, WA 99336
• RSVP: 735-1100, ext. 114

Event highlights:

We’ll be giving away two door prizes, each for 20 free units of Botox® Cosmetic.To be eligible to win, you must RSVP in advance by calling 735-1100, ext. 114, and attend the open house.

20% off product purchases
Any PCA Skin®, Dermalogica®, Jane Iredale, Clinique Medical, Procyte Ti-Silc® or Z-Silc® purchases at the event will be marked down 20%.

20% off Ultherapy™
We’ll demonstrate this exciting new device that uses ultrasound energy to lift, tighten and firm skin without surgery or downtime. Book your Ultherapy™ treatment at the open house to get 20% off plus a free introductory facial and a travel kit of products based on your skin type.

PCA Skin® peel demos
We’ll do peel demonstrations on volunteers while we discuss our new peels and daily care product line from PCA Skin®.

New laser treatment
We’ll show off our new Fraxel® re:store DUAL wavelength system that now targets pigment problems in addition to skin rejuvenation.

Gift Cards Now Available

Don't know what to get that special someone for Christmas? Let them decide by getting one of our gift cards. You can add whatever amount you'd like on them, and they can be used towards any of our cosmetic products or services.

Also, during the month of December, buy any laser package of 5 treatments or more and get a free $100 gift card that you can give to someone else or use yourself on a different visit.

November Specials

• IPL FotoFacial: Buy One, Get One Half Off
• 30-day supply of Dermalogica (up to $40 value) free with any extraction treatment.
• Purchase a series of 3 or more laser treatments and receive a Clinique Medical 5-product Optimizing Regimen kit, a $235 value, for free.

Offers expire 11/30/09

Coming soon: PCA SKIN® professional chemical peels and daily care products

Starting approximately mid-November, we will be introducing a new line of skin care products by PCA SKIN® and using their products for medical grade chemical peel cosmetic treatments.

Since 1990, PCA SKIN has partnered with renowned physicians and scientists to help create innovative formulations that are available exclusively through doctors and licensed skin care professionals. PCA SKIN was the first to provide scientifically researched daily care products and professional treatments that are both gentle and effective to the medical and clinical aesthetics markets.

Progressive, not aggressive, peels

PCA SKIN professional treatments are scientifically formulated to gently stimulate, firm and tighten skin. Advanced ingredients are carefully blended and work synergistically to remove dull, damaged surface layers without the downtime often associated with chemical peels. The purpose of peels is not only to exfoliate but more importantly to increase the penetration and absorption of the active ingredients in both the professional treatments and daily care products to target and treat troublesome skin conditions at the cellular level.

Skin conditions addressed by peels include:

• Hyperpigmentation/sun damage
• acne
• chronic dryness
• sensitive skin
• rosacea
• aging skin

Here's an example of an acne patient treated with both a peel and daily care products:

For more examples of before and after photos, go to: http://pcaskin.com/before_after.aspx

Should you get treatment for your acne scars?

This is a personal decision that only you can make. Some people feel that acne scars diminish their quality of life. Others can see the same type of scarring as not so bad.

Dermatologists generally recommend making an appointment to talk about treatment if you experience any of the following:

• You frequently wish that you could just get rid of your acne scars

• You feel that the scars limit your opportunities to date, to get a job or a promotion, or to do well at school

• You feel more depressed or less self-confident than before you had acne and acne scarring

• You get together with people less often because you feel so self-conscious about the scars

In deciding whether to treat acne scars, it is important to know a few facts about scar treatment. Probably the most important fact is that medical insurance generally does not cover treatment for acne scarring. You will have to pay for the treatment. Be sure to get an estimate for the total cost before starting treatment.

You also should know that scar treatment may require several treatment sessions and some downtime.

Having realistic expectations about the results also is important. While treatment can improve the appearance of your skin, restoring it to the way it looked before you had acne scarring may not be possible. A dermatologist can tell you what you can expect.

For best results, if you still have acne, your dermatologist will probably want to get it under control before addressing your scars. And if you don't have scars, but do have acne, the sooner you get it treated and under control, the less likely you'll be to develop scars.

For more information about treatments dermatologist use for treating acne scars, go to the following American Academy of Dermatology links:

• Raised Acne Scars
• Depressed Acne Scars
• Treating Skin Color Changes due to Acne

And call us at (509) 735-1100 to make an appointment to discuss your options if you'd like to treat your acne scars. If you have severe scarring you probably want to make your appointment with one of our medical providers. If your acne scarring is less severe, one of our licensed estheticians or laser technicians can give you a free Visia consultation and let you know about the skincare products, chemical peels, microdermabrasion and/or Fraxel laser treatments that can improve your scarring.

October Specials

• Get a free Dermalogica® Skin Brightening System kit with the purchase of 3 ChromaWhite TRx™ facial treatments. Powerful exfoliants and botanical extracts help treat and prevent cellular discoloration for unsurpassed brightening and tonal balance. The ChromaWhite TRx™ Brightening Regimen kit, a $188 value, contains 6 products for brighter, more luminous skin.
  
  
• Save 20% on all Clinique Medical Skincare products. These clinically proven products are specifically designed to prepare patients for non-surgical cosmetic procedures, minimize unintended effects following a procedure and support the healing process. Available exclusively through physician offices, Clinique Medical's lineup includes pre and post procedure formulas, as well as daily use products.
  
  
• Purchase 4 Fraxel® treatments and get the 5th one free. Treatments with our Fraxel re:store® laser remove years from your appearance, promoting smoother, fresher looking skin, reducing fine lines around the eyes, as well as improving the appearance of acne scars and surgical scars.
  
  
  
• $125 for 6 Blu-U acne treatments. (That's one free.) These blue light treatments kill the bacteria that cause acne, so it's perfect for those with sensitive skin and can be used in conjunction with topical therapies.
  

September Specials

Good through Sept. 30, 2009

• Celebrate Jane Iredale’s Sweet 15 with a Limited Edition Sweet 15 Kit with $172 in savings.
  This is a comprehensive palette with shades for the eyes, cheeks and lips. This makes a great gift or a travel make-up kit.
  
  • Includes 15 shadow shades, three blush shades and three lip shades
  • Packaged in a dual compartment palette
  • Features a large mirror for easy application
  • Perfect for all skin tones
  • Wonderful gift idea
    
  A $236 value for only $78, and if you buy this kit before Sept. 30, 2009, you'll also get a free crease brush worth $14.
  
  
• Get rid of unwanted hair for good with laser hair removal.
  Purchase a package of 6 laser hair removal treatments before Sept. 30, 2009, and in addition to the usual 20% discount you'll get the 7th treatment free.
  
  
• Get your acne under control and look cool for school.
  Pre-pay for 3 extraction treatments and get a free Dermalogica Clean Start skincare kit (a $35 value). During an extraction treatment, deep-pore cleansing begins with the Dermalogica double cleanse. A fluid designed to dilate the follicles and soften the impacted sebum (oil and dead skin cells that form the pimple) is then applied. After thorough steaming, manual extractions are performed. Direct high frequency current may be applied to reduce redness and inflammation. Post-extraction solution is applied to further purify the affected areas. Oil-free moisturizer and sunblock complete the treatment. Then take home the Clean Start kit which includes a cleanser, toner, pore-refining scrub, overnight acne treatment and a lightweight moisturizer with sunscreen.

Flash exfoliation

Get smoother skin in a flash with Flash Exfoliation. Recommended for sun-damaged or prematurely-aging skin, this professional strength exfoliation treatment will help stimulate cell renewal and cell turnover rates while smoothing skin and improving texture. The cost is $75 per treatment or $65 each if you prepay for a package of 6 treatments. Now through Sept. 21, 2009, you can also get a free $25 hand treatment with any exfoliation. Call (509) 735-1100 to make your appointment today.

Alternative uses for Jane Iredale cosmetics

Here's a list of new and unusual ways Jane Iredale make-up can be used. These strange-but-true alternative uses were gathered from blogs, Twitter, etc. Have some of your own? Don't be shy, post them here!

1. Truly Pure, Jane Iredale's makeup brush shampoo, makes an amazing sulphate free shampoo for your hair!
2. Disappear takes the itch out of mosquito bites.
3. The zap (clear) side of Zap&Hide smooths severely dry, flaky lips.
4. Botanical Brush Cleaner makes a great DEET-free and pleasant smelling bug repellent especially if you don't like the smell of Citronella.
5. D20 tames frizzy hair!
6. Pommisst can be used like Fabreeze, spray it on bedding and clothes for a sweet smell. D20 also keeps sweaters fresh when you pack them away for winter.
7. Balance can be used in a pinch as a substitute for deodorant; perhaps it is the Tea Tree Oil in it.
8. One person wrote that when she had a skin rash, her doctor suggested she use something with Titanium Dioxide in it. She dusted herself with Powder-Me SPF and her skin felt better and it also helped camouflage the spots.
9. One esthetician uses shades from our Super Shape Me Brow Kit to cover up her clients' roots between hair colorings.
10. Lip Drink conditions and tames unruly brows. This is great for busy-morning makeup!

Call (509) 735-1100 today to schedule your free personalized makeup session. During the 30-minute lesson using Jane Iredale Mineral Cosmetics, you'll have a chance to test out the products mentioned here if you'd like and get more beauty tips.

And check out all our current specials on our website.

August Specials

We've got three specials good until August 31, 2009 :

1. Free Lipstick with $100 Purchase: Get a free Jane Iredale PureMoist™ LipColour of your choice (a $19 value) with the purchase of $100 or more of Jane Iredale cosmetics. With 32 fashion shades to choose from, ranging from matte to shimmer, you're sure to find your perfect color. It's also SPF 18 so it will protect your lips from the summer sun while it moisturizes.
2. Free Dermalogica® AGE smart™ starter kit (a $50 value) with the purchase of a package of six AGE smart™ facial treatments. As always, by prepaying for a series of 6 AGE smart™ facial treatments, you will also get the 7th treatment for free.
   
3. Free FotoFacial™: Buy a 3-treatment package of IPL FotoFacial™ treatments for skin discoloration and get the 4th one free (a $380 value). As always, by prepaying for 3 IPL FotoFacial™ treatments, you will also get 10% the regular price.
   

These offers cannot be combined with other promotions or discounts.

Don't neglect your neck

Necks can often give away a person's age easier than their faces. Part of this is because the skin on your neck is thinner than everywhere else on your body and has fewer oil glands. Some of it is just that we take better care of our faces until we notice that time has taken its toll on our necks.

"Most of us don't think about our neck until, well, let's say...a little later," says Dawn Risk, a licensed esthetician at the Center for Excellence in Dermatology.

However, it's never too late to start pampering your neck. We carry the complete line of Dermalogica® products. Of those, Dawn suggests a few for taking care of your neck:

• daily microfoliant® ($50): There's a reason this is Dermalogica®'s most popular product. Use this exfoliant after cleansing and before toning to instantly leave skin noticeably smoother and brighter.
• super rich repair ($75): Use this super-concentrated, heavyweight moisturizer at night. An active soy isoflavonoid helps stimulate collagen and Hyaluronic Acid production.
• extra rich faceblock spf30 ($48): Use this moisturizer/sunblock combination to protect your neck from sun-induced wrinkles and brown spots.

If you usually use a lighter moisturizer, Risk says, "Heavier moisturizer on the neck is usually tolerated well except for acneic or very oily skin types."

If you'd like to learn more about Dermalogica®'s products, call (509) 735-1100 today to book an Introductory Facial ($80). This hour-long treatment and lesson are perfect for anyone wanting a change in their skin or home skincare regimen. It includes a free 30-day supply of Dermalogica® products that are right for your skin.

If the right skincare products alone aren't enough to cure your neck problems, call (509) 735-1100 today to schedule a free consultation with one of our laser technicians. They will be able to tell you if one of our laser packages can help reverse the premature aging of your neck.

*Prices subject to change without notice.

Clinique Medical

We are now carrying Clinique Medical, a line of clinically proven products specifically designed to prepare patients for non-surgical cosmetic procedures, minimize unintended effects following a procedure and support the healing process. Available exclusively through physician offices, Clinique Medical's lineup includes pre and post procedure formulas, as well as daily use products.


Optimizing Regimen

The 5-product Optimizing Regimen is specifically formulated to help complement the benefits of non-surgical cosmetic procedures, including chemical peels, microdermabrasions, and IPL and fractionated laser treatments. Clinically proven to help both significantly reduce the unintended effects following a procedure and complement its outcomes, this regimen is designed to be an at-home extension of in-office procedures.

$230 for 5-product Optimizing Regimen Kit

Dry Spot Balm

This ultra-hydrating formula helps to relieve discomfort, especially on or around the lips, eyes, nose and other facial areas experiencing extreme dryness that is often associated with certain prescription medications.

All formulas are:

• Allergy tested
• 100% fragrance free
• No preservatives
• Non-acnegenic
• Physician tested and clinically proven

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Check out our website for all the specials we're running in May.

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FYI: The date of Stacey Lemire's skin cancer talk has been changed to Thursday, June 25.

Teen tan bans

A recent AP story reported that 17 states, including Florida and Hawaii, are currently considering bans on tanning salon visits for minors because of skin cancer fears. The teens would be required under these proposals to get written permission from their parents or a doctor before being allowed to tan indoors.

A research and education group, Aim at Melanoma, is helping to get these proposals before state legislatures. Their goal is for all states to prevent anyone under 18 to use tanning beds without parental permission because of evidence that minors are more susceptible to skin damage. Twenty-nine states already have laws against minors tanning, but most are aimed at children under 16 or 14.

To get an idea of how many people these laws would affect, consider these facts:

• A quarter of teens 15-18 have used tanning beds in the last year.
• Nearly 30 million people tan indoors in the United States annually. Of these, 2.3 million are teens.
• Nearly 70 percent of tanning salon patrons are girls and women, primarily aged 16 to 29 years.

Stick to the lattes

Sometimes it seems there's a Starbucks on every street corner, but a recent study by San Diego State University found that in many cities in the United States there are more tanning salons than Starbucks. A quick look at a Tri-Cities phone book shows we fit right into the study with 27 tanning salons to eight Starbucks locations.

With bathing suit season right around the corner, we thought we'd share some info from the American Academy of Dermatology and tell you some reasons why we think you should stay away from tanning salons and use sunscreen when you're outdoors:

• The United States Department of Health & Human Services has declared ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and artificial sources, such as tanning beds and sun lamps, as a known carcinogen (cancer-causing substance).
• Indoor tanning equipment, which includes all artificial light sources, including beds, lamps, bulbs, booths, etc., emits UVA and UVB radiation.The amount of the radiation produced during indoor tanning is similar to the sun and in some cases may be stronger.
• A Swedish study presents strong evidence that exposure to UV radiation during indoor tanning increases the risk of melanoma, especially when exposed at an early age.
• Evidence from several studies has shown that exposure to UV radiation from indoor tanning devices is associated with an increased risk of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer such as squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma.
• A review of seven studies found a statistically significant increase in the risk of melanoma in those who had been exposed to UV radiation from indoor tanning before the age of 35
• Studies have demonstrated that exposure to UV radiation during indoor tanning damages the DNA in the skin cells. Also excessive exposure to UV radiation during indoor tanning can lead to skin aging, immune suppression, and eye damage, including cataracts and ocular melanoma.
• Because UV radiation from indoor tanning can lead to skin cancer, eye damage, aging skin and immune suppression, it is not safe to use tanning lamps to obtain vitamin D.

So, how should you get ready for swimsuit season? First, if you want to look tan, try a sunless tanning product. There are a variety of lotions, creams, gels and sprays available to give you a nicely bronzed look without the danger of developing skin cancer, wrinkles or age spots. (In fact, many tanning salons offer safe spray-on tans.) The active ingredient in most sunless tanners is dihydroxyacetone (DHA), and it works by coloring the outermost layer of skin. This coloring won't wash off, but as your dead skin cells slough off your sunless tan will fade. If you don't reapply the tanner, typically your tan will be completely gone in less than a week.

(Please note that although topical sunless tanners are safe to use, sunless tanning pills are not. These have not been approved by the FDA and should be avoided.)

Tips for sunless tanning:

• Prepare your skin by exfoliating, using a wash cloth or sponge to remove excess dead skin cells. If you shave your legs, do so before applying. This will help your tan last longer.
• Use a little more sunless tanning lotion than you would to moisturize.
• Go lightly over knees, ankles and elbows to keep these areas from getting too dark.
• Wash hands and under fingernails thoroughly after applying. Better yet, wear gloves. Then apply a little tanning solution to tops of hands using a cotton ball.
• Most sunless tanners don't contain sunscreen so don't forget to apply sunscreen before you go outside.

To keep your skin safe, we carry the complete line of Procyte Advanced Sun Protection products in our office. Procyte's high-performance sun care products leave skin soft and supple, not sticky or chalky, and come in a full range of SPFs. Ti-Silc and Z-Silc offer superior protection with effortless blending by utilizing micronized titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

Finally, there's another reason why you might want to visit a coffee shop instead of your local tanning salon. Researchers at Rutgers University have found that a combination of caffeine and exercise might help prevent skin cancer. But even if you're planning a jog to Starbucks, don't forget to wear your sunscreen!