A Massage Minute
Posted on 1 February 2010 | No responses
If forced to pick from all the great pleasures of the world, a good night’s sleep would have to be high on my list. Few things feel better than waking up after a long, deep, peaceful night’s sleep. And there is little that feels worse than the morning after a night of tossing and turning, then falling asleep just a couple of hours before waking up. For many of us this is an all too common occurrence.
There are about as many causes for insomnia as there are insomniacs. Conditions like chronic back pain, arthritis, or any pain disorder can make it difficult to get comfortable enough to fall asleep. Other conditions like stress, anxiety, and depression can affect sleep equally, yet be more difficult to deal with.
Fortunately, as several studies have shown, massage can have a significant impact on insomnia. In 1998 a study by Culpepper and Richards showed that critically ill patients reported a greater quantity and quality of sleep after receiving massage. And Tiffany Fields found that after two weeks of bi weekly massage those with fibromyalgia showed better sleep patterns.
Massage can directly affect most of the causes of insomnia. Pain disorders like chronic back pain and arthritis are well within massages scope of practice. And many studies have shown the positive effect massage has on anxiety and depression.
In the hectic never stop world we’re in today it’s no wonder that, according to the national health institute, thirty percent of Americans have reported sleep difficulties. Massage is an effect non pharmaceutical method to deal with insomnia.
You Asked Our Esthetician
Posted on 1 February 2010 | No responses
Q: My skin is normally dry but it seems like every winter my skin gets so dry that it hurts and sometimes itches. I have tried all kinds of things even Vaseline at night and I still have terribly dry skin. What are some things that you would suggest for me during the winter months?
A: First of all you should know that this is completely normal for your skin to become drier in the winter. The dry air sucks moisture right out of your skin. There are a few things that you can try at home that I would recommend. First of all, do not use any type of petroleum jelly on your skin. Petroleum jelly will help to lock moisture into your skin but if you do not already have moisture in your skin you will only make the dry skin worse. I would also make sure that you are taking lukewarm showers or baths and they should last no longer than 5-10 minutes. Another great thing that you can do is to add a humidifier in your home. When there is moisture in the air then your skin will not be robbed of precious moisture. This is also helpful during the summer months when the air conditioning is running because it too will cause the air in your home to become dry.
You could also add some things to your diet that will help your skin from the inside. Eating plenty of fresh fruits and veggies and drinking ½ your body weight in ounces of water will insure that you are getting enough water in your body. You could also try adding more fish to your diet. If you do not like fish you could try fish oil capsules that way you get the benefits of the fatty acids and omegas that fish contain.
As far as products go you should look for a cream instead of a lotion. Creams contain oils that your skin is lacking while lotions only contain water. Plus stay away from cleansers that contain sulfates. Sulfates are detergents that cause the foaming action in most cleansers; they are very harsh and can strip and dry the skin out even more. Don’t be afraid to exfoliate; this keeps dead skin cells from collecting on the skin’s surface and can keep your products from penetrating. Here are some of my favorite products for those how suffer from severely dry skin: Moisture Protecting Cleansing Lotion, Visibly Moist Toner, The Ultimate Scrub, Continuous Moisture Crème, Nutriment Blue Oil, and Moisture Infusion Mask. All of these products work together to create dramatic results but alone are still very effective. You can find these products at http://www.facesbeautyboutique.com/.
A Massage Minute
Posted on 31 December 2009 | No responses
If you do a web search for the definition of holistic medicine you’re likely to come up with several different results. However, most of them will amount to basically the same thing: treating the entire human being, body and mind or soul, instead of its individual parts. Ironically, even many people who think of themselves as holistic practitioners will still treat a person using their method, focused on a specific system of the body, forgetting how other modalities can enhance their own work.
While every system in the human body affects every other system in the body, some work more closely than others. The skeletal and muscular systems are directly related, and are often referred to as one: the musculoskeletal system. Loosely, when a muscle contracts it moves a bone. So if a muscle is chronically tense it can pull a bone out of place. If a bone is out of place it can easily cause increased tension in the muscles associated with it.
With this in mind, it makes sense that chiropractic care and massage therapy go hand in hand. At its most basic chiropractic helps to realign the spinal bones when they are subluxated, or slightly dislocated. However, if a muscle attached to that bone is still tight after the adjustment, it can easily pull the bone out of place. Receiving a massage either before or after a chiropractic adjustment can help the body to heal as it should.
Here at FACES we like to approach the human being in their entirety. We are now partnering with Fraum family chiropractic. Come in for a treatment and see what deals Dr. Fraum will be offering FACES clients.
You Asked Our Esthetician
Posted on 31 December 2009 | No responses
Q: I love your spa and all the people that work there but I have been contemplating getting some injections or maybe even some laser treatments. I was wondering if FACES was ever going to start doing injectables or laser?
A: I am glad you asked this question because it really gives me a chance to tell you about all of those other options that you have and to explain why FACES does not do injectables and/or laser. First of all we firmly believe that you can get similar results from less invasive procedures and products. We feel that in the long run your skin will be healthier and age more gracefully. Injections do give you that instant gratification but I have seen and heard many horror stories about how they have gone wrong. Plus they are not permanent; you will have to continue getting injections as they wear. On top of that, they can compromise the health of the skin. We feel that protecting the health of the skin is the most important part of anti-aging and we have a plethora of products, services and at home devices that can help do just that.
As for our services, we have many anti-aging facials that can be customized to your specific skin concerns. Myotonology is one of our most beneficial anti-aging procedures because it works with not only the skin but the muscles of the face, keeping the muscles tight and lifted can create similar results as injectables without adding a foreign substance to your body. Myotonology is basically like working out; if you keep up your workouts you keep your muscles tone. When it comes to the muscles in the face, what happens is as we age is gravity takes over (as it does with other parts of the body) and those muscles begin pulling on the skin causing wrinkles. Also, certain parts of the face, for instance the forehead, have muscles that tend to be too tense and cause expression lines. What Myo does for those muscles is over work them to the point that they fatigue. Botox paralyzes the muscle with poison and Myo fatigues the muscle with microcurrent stimulation. We also carry an at home microcurrent device called NuFace. This little device is not the same strength as the Myotonology but it can definitely give you some great results.
We also do LED treatments which, in a nut shell, turns light energy into cell energy. Your body has trillions of cells that are constantly turning over and sometimes they do not always communicate correctly. LED stimulates that so that the skins cells begin communicating better. This can result in a better stimulation of collagen and elastin, which keep the skin plump. We carry an at home LED as well, again not the same strength but still delivers great results. We also do Microdermabrasion, which helps to resurface the skin. As we age the exfoliation process of our skin cells starts to slow down and we need to help it along; Microderm is a great way to do this plus it can also help to stimulate collagen. With Microderm you not only get a “sandblasting” effect but it also creates suction on the skin. This suction causes the skin to believe that it is damaged so it reacts by creating fresh skin and collagen. Much like if you were to cut yourself, your body would react by replacing the wounded skin with new skin.
On top of all of these wonderful treatments we also have some of the best skin care products on the market. Our estheticians are thoroughly trained in what products help with certain concerns. When great homecare is combined with professional treatments from the spa, great results can be made and at the same time the health of the skin is improved.
A Massage Minute-Depression
Posted on 4 December 2009 | No responses
In case anyone hasn’t noticed things seem kind of crazy lately. Even though the great recession may be ending unemployment is still up. Millions of people are out of work, struggling to make house payments, or are already underwater. Medical bills can pile up. And politics is, well, politics.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health depression is the leading cause of disability in America; nearly ten percent of the populations suffer from some form of depression. Why? The myriad reasons for depression could take an entire grad course to cover. Suffice to say between genetic and environmental influences anxiety and depression are a major problem for millions of people.
Allow me to say first that I would never recommend anyone stop seeing their doctor. I’m a firm believer in psychologist and the help they offer to millions of people. Most of us could probably benefit from some time on a therapists couch.
As with many physical ailments massage can make an effective addendum to therapy. Looking at the research available at the Touch Institute in Miami, one thing seems to pop up over and over; massage can have a profound effect on anxiety and depression. Not only is massage known to increase production of the body’s natural opiates, the feel good hormones, massage has been shown to alter brain wave patters from stressful to more relaxed patters. Add to that our natural need to be touched, and massage is a perfect way to help you when feeling down.
You Asked Our Esthetician
Posted on 4 December 2009 | No responses
Q: I bought some FACES products from you this summer that my esthetician had recommended and I love them. I was thinking about giving your products as a gift to my daughter-in-law for Christmas this year but I do not know what products she would need. Can I have her call you and tell you about her skin and you tell her what she would need?
A: Actually you could have her go to www.tinyurl.com/innun7 . This is a skin care quiz that gives us a good idea about her skin and her concerns. From there an esthetician will email her with a list of the perfect products for her skin and how to use them. Once she gets the results you can go to our online store www.facesbeautyboutique.com and order the products for her. Any purchase over $75 dollars receives free shipping and we can ship them to her or to you. Hope this helps and Happy Holidays!
A Massage Minute
Posted on 8 November 2009 | No responses
By Josh Goodpaster, LMT
I used to be a computer programmer. Years ago, before I decided I couldn’t stand to sit in a cubicle, staring at a computer, wondering why it wouldn’t do what I wanted it to do, I was a computer programmer. And like many people in that field, by the time I left, I was suffering from some fairly bad carpel tunnel syndrome symptoms. My wrists burned when I tried to type. My thumb, index, middle, and half of my ring finger would go numb. Any repetitive action could bring on these symptoms.
Carpel Tunnel syndrome is a condition caused by pressure on the median nerve where it runs through the carpel tunnel. The carpel tunnel itself is a narrow passage in the wrist formed by several of the wrist, or carpel, bones and the flexor retinaculum, a dense band of tissue running across the width of the wrist. The tendons of the wrist flexors and the median nerve run through this tunnel. Any impingement of the median nerve in this tunnel can cause carpel tunnel syndrome.
There are several factors that can lead to the pain and numbness associated with carpel tunnel syndrome. The carpel bones themselves can dislocate. Fluid can accumulate in the wrist putting pressure on the nerve (this often happens to pregnant women.) The muscles or tendons running through the carpel tunnel can become swollen or inflamed as happens with repetitive motions like typing.
Depending on the cause of carpel tunnel, massage can be very helpful. A study at the Touch Institute in Miami showed that a month of self massage alleviated pain and increased nerve conduction rates in adults suffering from carpel tunnel syndrome. One of massages primary benefits is the alleviation of inflammation and swelling, making massage an excellent tool when dealing with carpel tunnel syndrome caused by over use of the wrist muscles.
You Asked our Esthetician
Posted on 8 November 2009 | No responses
Q: I just had my first facial not long ago and it was amazing, but I was just wondering if there are actually benefits to a facial or are they just simply another way to relax?
A: There are actually many benefits to getting professional facials aside from being relaxing, which is a benefit in itself. When you have professional facials a skin care specialist is taking a close look at your skin and can make suggestions for you on what you should use at home or even just make sure that what you are using at home is right for your skin type. Facials give your skin that deep cleaning that most people do not get at home. They also give your skin a great exfoliation to get rid of dead skin build up, making your skin ultra smooth and helping other products work better. Facial massage benefits the skin by increasing circulation, increasing penetration of other products, and overall helps the client to just relax (something many people do not take the time to do). Skin specific masks are used during facials and masks are great boosters to any skin care regimen. All facials finish with skin specific treatments, hydration and protection so even after the facial is over you still have wonderful products working on your skin for the rest of the day.
Aside from these basic benefits of a facial you can take your facial experience to the next level by allowing your esthetician to educate you on skin care and help you get on the right track with your own skin care regimen. That is when a facial becomes more than just a relaxing experience and more of a skin therapy session. Most estheticians are very aware of when someone is there to relax only and when they are there for skin therapy, but letting them know what you are looking for at the beginning of a facial will make it easier for them to recognize what you are looking for from your treatment. So feel free to talk to your esthetician about your concerns; they love helping people with their skin- that is why they are in the business of skin care.
A Massage Minute-Massage for Cancer Patients
Posted on 16 October 2009 | No responses
As a massage therapist it’s a rare instance that I turn someone away from my table. Like most in the medical professions I would like to help everyone who comes to me as much as I can. There are, however, a few conditions that absolutely contraindicate massage, blood clots for one. And there are some, like cancer, that hover in a gray area of concern and doubt.
During any discussion of massage and cancer it is important to dispel two myths. First, it has long been thought that massage can aid in spreading cancer through the lymphatic system. Current research shows that this is not true. Exercise increases circulation as much if not more than massage and does not aid in metastasis. Second, and more importantly, no matter what anyone tells you massage is not a substitute for conventional treatment. Early detection and treatment are paramount. Any treatment advised by your doctor should be acted on as quickly as possible.
Having said this, what can massage do for the cancer patient? As shown by Doctor Tiffany Fields at the Touch Institute in Florida, massage does have a beneficial effect on the human immune system; it aides in the clients general well being and may help in the bodies ability to heal itself. In the same vein, massage can help to sooth the anxieties and tensions facing a serious illness may cause.
While working with cancer patients it is crucial that the clients doctor be consulted before any treatment begins. there are several complications (edema, increased risk of fracture) that need to be addressed, and only a physician should give the final go ahead for treatment.
You Asked Our Esthetician
Posted on 9 October 2009 | No responses
Q. I’ve been hearing a lot about the new eyelash growth products like Revitalash®. Do they really work?
A. Yes, they do. Just ask Tanya, one of our estheticians who has seen her own lashes double in length and density with Revitalash®, the brand we carry.
Revitalash® was developed by Dr. Michael Brinkenhoff as a special gift for his wife, Gayle, while she was recovering from breast cancer. Intensive chemotherapy treatments had damaged Gayle’s once-beautiful eyelashes, leaving them sparse, breakable and fragile.
After extensive research with a team of talented cosmetic chemists, Dr. Brinkenhoff formulated an eyelash conditioner that, after just a few weeks, gave a renewed look of vitality to Gayle’s eyelashes.
Soon friends and family wanted to know Gayle’s secret to beautiful looking eyelashes. Gayle knew immediately the perfect name for the amazing eyelash conditioner that had given her eyelashes a renewed look of vitality: Revitalash®.
Thus, a new product was born; and a formula created originally for just one special woman has become a product available to women everywhere who want to have beautiful looking eyelashes.
Gayle and Michael are committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from RevitaLash® sales to benefit non-profit breast cancer research and education initiatives.
“Often we feel helpless when someone we love is suffering. I am very fortunate, in my own small way, to have been able to help Gayle through her recovery. Watching her be excited about her beautiful looking eyelashes has been a real joy.”
Have a skincare or beauty question? Visit FACES online BeautyBoutique to Ask Our Esthetician NOW.