Speaking of Women's Health
The Speaking of Women's Health Podcast is excited to bring you credible women's health information from host and Executive Director, Dr. Holly L. Thacker. Dr. Thacker will interview guest clinicians discussing relevant women's health topics and the latest news and tips.
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Speaking of Women's Health
Skincare Secrets for Beautiful, Healthy Skin
Join Speaking of Women's Health Podcast Host Holly Thacker, MD, for secret skincare tips from dermatologists and other experts for younger, healthier skin.
Did the summer sun dry out your hair and skin? This episode is filled with ways to get rid of sun spots, improve split ends and bring a glow to your skin.
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Welcome to the Speaking of Women's Health podcast. I'm your host, dr Holly Thacker, and I am back in this hot sunflower house for a new edition. Actually, it's a reprise edition, but there's some new information. Prize edition, but there's some new information. I recently re-listened to my podcast interview with esthetician Lori Skarsgård from season one called Top Skincare Tips from an Esthetician, and when I was listening I forgot all some of the wonderful skincare tips that Lori shared with us throughout the interview. So, since it was so helpful for me to listen to again, I wanted you to get to hear it again, as well as some additional tips. So I first want to go over a couple of skincare tips and tricks that I have learned over the recent years from dermatologists. I don't know why my dermatology friends and colleagues withheld some of that information, or I didn't find out about it until later, but a lot of this, all of this, really is actually over the counter and it's something that I want to share with my wonderful listeners. That being said, this is not medical advice. This is just information to empower you to be strong, be healthy and be in charge. So one of my go-to gifts for new parents when we had the pelvic stimulating devices which were over the counter and currently, because of the microchip shortage, we don't. I used to give pelvic stimulating devices to treat pelvic floor problems and urinary leakage to moms, because everybody gets stuff for the babies, but that's on hold. But as soon as something similar comes back on the market, I will be sure to let all of our listeners know, as well as post breaking health news on our speakingofwomenshealthcom site. We have a section under news, and we have great social media too, like Facebook and X and Pinterest and LinkedIn, and we have a YouTube channel and a Rumble channel if you want to actually watch when I interview people or show certain things on the audiovisual tapes. We're also on Instagram, which is really very, very popular, and I don't know if we're going to expand into TikTok it kind of depends on what happens with that company. So right now we're not on that, but always stay tuned because we like to advance and get information out to our audience.
Speaker 1:So some of the skincare tips that I wish I would have known earlier, including when I was a young parent, is sickle fate and it's one of my go-to gifts now for baby showers and personally and my work, family, neighborhood, my inner circle I have had a baby boomlet. In fact I don't know if my audience knows, but I'm expecting my fifth grandchild. It'll be Stetson, and his wife Laura's third baby at the very end of summer, so we're so excited. So Cyclofate contains zinc oxide, which of course is in baby ointment, baby rash, diaper rash. It also has copper and it has Sucralfalfate, which is a protective coating and it's great for little cuts and because it's antibacterial and it's like a protective paste, so it helps the skin heal better. I've put it on cold sores, I put it on minor cuts and bruises and I keep it in my travel makeup bag whenever I leave home.
Speaker 1:Another tip which I just learned about and what prompted me to do this little extra information on skincare tips was from a good friend of mine who last summer, when we were at the pool, she pointed to some areas on her leg like some bruising that she says it takes forever to go away, and she was talking about her husband who complained about the senile purpura, the little purple marks that happens bruising in older, more mature people, when there's even minor trauma, especially for people that are on aspirin or blood thinners, or just with the loss of collagen that happens with aging or sun exposure. That's why we see it more on the extremities. And I only recently found out about this from our skincare folks and it's an interesting herb arnica and it comes from an herb and it reduces skincare inflammation and bruising. So you can get it in creams, you can get it on roll-ons, and she told me how she had an injury which would have taken a couple of weeks to heal and she immediately remembered I said put Arnica on and she said within a couple of days it was all gone and her skin was presentable. So it could also help with some pain or inflammation. And another interesting kind of old-fashioned natural product that you might have remembered, if you're old enough, from the 70s when there'd be gas stations that would advertise.
Speaker 1:We have DMSO and it is a natural solvent. It stands for dimethyl sulfoxide. It's used in the lab. It's a very potent solvent. So if you have anything on your skin and then you put the DMSO on, it will deeply penetrate. So you wouldn't want pesticides or toxins or things like that on your skin or something that you didn't want to get into your body. So even though it's over the counter and it comes in different strengths for topical ingestion, it's only classically used in allopathic medicine to install in the bladder for interstitial cystitis, which is a very irritating bladder condition, which is a very irritating bladder condition. So it has been used, though, by athletes for bruises and injuries and musculoskeletal problems, because it's a solvent and it can dissolve things. It's been also used topically on lipomas, little subcutaneous fat collections. So if you put some DMSO on the skin and then something else topically that you want to be deeply absorbed, like the Arnica for bruising, I did that recently for an injury and a bruise that I had and I was so surprised at how fast it cleared up.
Speaker 1:Now, of course, anyone who's on blood thinners, high dose aspirin, coumadin, eliquis, et cetera would always want to consult with their physician or cardiologist or blood specialist before doing anything that can affect clotting or bleeding time that can affect clotting or bleeding time. Interestingly, I found out when my husband had surgery and he had a blood clot from the vein, the IV access that they put in. Usually we just treat that with heat, maybe some topical aspirin or oral aspirin. I found out that actually over the counter is topical um heparin cream Hero. Uh, do it as one of the um heparinoid topical creams that can be put on topical skins for superficial thrombophlebitis, blood clots or bruising. Um, so it's. I didn't find it very readily available. I actually ordered it. It's over the counter and I got it on one of our Canada drug sites.
Speaker 1:If you have not read our column or listened to our podcast on how to save money on medicines, you can get both prescription medicines with a prescription and over-the-counter products, sometimes for less money or sometimes even more availability online through various Canadian pharmacies. So trying to save money but getting really high-quality products or medications or supplements always is a big, big concern. Now, vitamin K1 is sometimes recommended by dermatologists and plastic surgeons after procedures or after skin injury to minimize bruising, and there are a lot of products that contain arnica and vitamin K and sometimes DMSO. So that's interesting because these products can reduce bruising and swelling and inflammation in the skin. But again, with any major injury or major undiagnosed skin condition, of course you want to talk with your family physician or your dermatologist, et cetera, but there's a lot of cuts and scrapes and you know bruises and things that maybe don't need medical attention. That it's kind of nice to know that some of these topical products really seem to have a significant effect.
Speaker 1:Another thing I learned about is ferulic acid, which is many times added to vitamin C products for the skin, which is many times added to vitamin C products for the skin. Now we have a great listing of vitamin C rich foods and it's very important we humans do not make vitamin C. You can get scurvy, which can cause skin problems and all sorts of systemic problems from lack of vitamin C, and it's always best in terms of nutrients to ingest them in your diet for your whole body as opposed to only apply them on the skin. But the combination of vitamin C and frulic acid helps fade sun damage and it helps to brighten the skin. Now there are prescription skin brightening products laser. You know there's other things that the dermatologist can do for age spots. The most important thing, of course, is to protect your skin and some you know you can find these products that have vitamin C and ferulic acid.
Speaker 1:Also iron oxide. I was asking Lori when I saw her recently when I had one of the Dermablades and Diamond Glows. Also, she does hydro facials, which kind of takes off the dead skin and really infuses extra serums in your skin. I'm like, for Christmas I got some skincare products from a girlfriend and one of them had vitamin C and iron in them. I'm like, why would they put that together? I know when I prescribe or recommend iron to women for low iron after I evaluate why they're low in iron. In fact, my very first podcast in season one was all about iron. So you don't want to just treat low iron, you want to know why you have it. But vitamin C helps your gut absorb vitamin C. And what she told me, which I didn't realize, is that iron oxide topically on the skin can help protect your skin from the blue light that comes from the computer screens and phone screens, and regular exposure to blue light can cause hyperpigmentation on the skin. There's all different wavelengths of light. If you didn't hear the podcast I did with cosmetic dermatologist Dr Taryn Murray on laser therapies for skin, for skin problems, for anti-aging, for tattoo removal that's a great one to listen to. And Red Light, which is very popular for energy and other purported benefits. Although we don't have a whole lot of research, you might want to read our column on Red Light Therapy by Dr Sobia Khan, our Women's Health Functional Medicine Doctor in the Center for Specialized Women's Health, as well as the podcast.
Speaker 1:Some other common home remedies, apple cider vinegar. We have a great column on that. It can be used for dandruff treatment on your scalp. Apple cider vinegar contains alpha hydroxy acid and alpha hydroxy acid is actually great for removing dead skin, and so some people use it to act like a toner to the skin and they might combine it with warm water and it might help shrink some of the pore size on the face, and you can add a little splash of lemon to help minimize sunspots or areas of hyperpigmentation. And apple cider vinegar can improve the fingernails and appearance, and a lot of people will soak their nails for about a minute in apple cider vinegar before the next manicure and it might remove excess residue and moisture, allowing the base coat of your nail polish to adhere a little more effectively, creating a long lasting manicure with less chipped nails.
Speaker 1:Eucalyptus oil it's a popular ingredient in topical pain relievers and it works by bringing either a warm or cool sensation to the skin, and studies show that breathing in eucalyptus oil before and after stressful events can help reduce anxiety. And research shows that the natural toothpaste which contain eucalyptus work just as well as the standard ones in preventing gingivitis and plaque buildup. There's been a lot in the news recently about removing fluoride in terms of adding it to regular drinking water, and some states have totally removed it from automatically putting it into the water supply. Some counties have done this, and so a lot of people are looking for natural products as opposed to added things to their water or their food supply or their skin care products, and there is this kind of push to look for natural things.
Speaker 1:Now, turmeric is a spice and it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and, when applied directly to the skin, can help calm certain skin conditions like acne and eczema and rosacea. If you haven't heard our podcast on all things rosacea or read the column by Dr Tiffany Cochran, who is a graduate of our Specialized Women's Health Fellowship Program, it's a great one. So turmeric can help give your skin a little glow. Some people will add a teaspoon of turmeric to honey and squeeze in a little lemon and make their own little facial mask, and adding a half a teaspoon of turmeric to a smoothie rich in fruits and vegetables to ingest systemically can be soothing and anti-inflammatory. Coconut oil Well, it's one of the most versatile skin products there is. It's a proven hydrator, antioxidant and skin moisturizer.
Speaker 1:Just the other day I was at home and I thought, okay, I'm going to do a coconut moisturizer mask with coconut oil and put it on my scalp and hair. Because in the summer, with the extra uh being outside and the ultraviolet light, you know, my skin, my skin and hair get drier and just take a lot more beating, even though I try to wear hats and even sometimes put, like spray, not just sunscreen on my face and wear a hat but also a sun protected on my hair. So I did the coconut oil and then afterwards I did my usual once a week exfoliator with some alpha hydroxy acid and somehow that coconut oil must've really taken off the dead skin so that then that alpha hydroxy acid was a little bit more potent. And I went into work and the nurses were like Dr Thacker, were you out in the sun and not wearing your sunscreen? It really, really exfoliated my skin.
Speaker 1:So sometimes when you're using various products, even if they're over the counter, you have to be careful. And obviously very young people and more advanced ages the skin is generally a lot more sensitive. Now coconut oil is very interesting because it contains medium chain triglycerides which can have some therapeutic effects on the whole body and it is very moisturizing. Some people use it in place of cuticle oil or shaving gels, and replacing shaving gels with coconut oil can reduce the amount of razor burns and razor cuts. And, again, if you have cuts and burns that aren't too severe, a little bit of topical sycophate can really be very soothing and protective. Phosphate can really be very soothing and protective, and if you suffer from split ends, dry or damaged hair, like I do, you may want to make your own hair mask with coconut oil, and you can add egg or avocado to help lock in the moisture.
Speaker 1:We have a couple podcasts on all things hair June of 2023 and June of 2024. So, as we're approaching Father's Day, hair thinning is not just for dear old dad, and women are always interested in things that help the skin and the hair. So these are just some simple tips that might help improve your skin. If you've got specific concerns, though, talk to your healthcare team, your dermatologist, your nurse practitioner, your women's health doctor, your primary care physician, because you do want to have regular medical visits, and it's so important to emphasize that beauty sleep is important for your skin and your brain and your body, and having a diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables and antioxidants and staying hydrated is so important, and here is the replay of Lori's podcast interview from season one top skincare tips from an esthetician.
Speaker 1:I hope you enjoy listening to this episode, whether it's for the first time or a second time, because for me, listening to it again was like listening to it for the first time.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for joining me in the Sunflower House and I will see you next time. Be strong, be healthy and be in charge. Ladies and men even two you're going to be excited because we are going to talk all things skin and skincare. So our guest today is Amanda Kanin, and she's an esthetician at the Cleveland Clinic main campus and Avon, which is one of our Western branches, and she received her advanced esthetician license in 2015 from the Brown Aveda Institute in Rocky River, ohio. She also has an aesthetics instructor license, which really encapsulates her passion for product knowledge and education about skin care. And through her many years of education, she has provided services for a wide range of skin types and skin concerns, and her goal is to educate and help her patients achieve flawless skin. And for those of you listening on Rumble and you can go to Speaking of Women's Health on Rumble you can see how beautiful and flawless her skin is.
Speaker 1:Oh, thank you, and so she does this through education, through advanced treatments as well as customized regimens. So we'll get into all of that. Welcome, amanda. Yes, thank you.
Speaker 3:Thank you for having me so I understand.
Speaker 1:You have a sweet two and a half year old daughter who is already into the skin skincare regimen and beauty routine. Is that right?
Speaker 3:She is, she is. She will sit there and pretend to put on mommy's makeup. So, and she's good at it.
Speaker 1:She's good at it, I think Lori Scarso, who's one of your colleagues, who we had on in season one last year, in 2023. And if our listeners haven't heard that interview on skincare, that's a great one to go listen to. She was telling me something about how your daughter was knowing already had a dab and pat or something.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, she knows when to dab or pat and where the blush goes, where the bronzer goes, so it's fun watching it.
Speaker 1:That's lovely. I have two granddaughters, so after being the mother of three boys, it's kind of fun.
Speaker 3:Oh, you're having so much fun. Yes.
Speaker 1:For that girly stuff. So what made you get interested in this field? And tell us what does it take to become an esthetician?
Speaker 3:I had an interest early on when I noticed my skin starting to change, so I had cystic acne. I was dealing with all of that and I just, you know, took an interest in kind of helping myself heal my skin, and so I was able to do so through research, through the right ingredients, through the right products, and I wanted to offer that for others. You know, I think it's important because I can sympathize and empathize with my patients, you know, being that I have been there before with different skin concerns. So, and I went through a aesthetics program, a seven-month program, and, you know, started practicing and then, after that, I went back again to get my instructor's license, because I also had a passion for teaching it, because when you teach something, you almost learn something new each time.
Speaker 1:So, and here I am. That is true, that is true. So would you encourage this as a potential career path for people interested in skin health?
Speaker 3:Absolutely, absolutely. It's a great career path. You learn a lot, it is ever evolving and there is a lot to learn, but it's fun. It's fun at the same time.
Speaker 1:That is great, and the skin is the largest organ on at the same time. That is great, and the skin is the largest organ. And certainly there's so many common conditions, from acne to dry skin, to eczema to acne all sorts of problems that can affect our skin. So I know that a lot of our midlife women you know, as part of our quest which is our mission on this nonprofit speaking of Women's Health to be strong and be healthy and be in charge really want to look their best. So what do you recommend when you first see a midlife woman who comes to you with her aging skin concerns?
Speaker 3:The first thing I would recommend is, of course, I would ask them if they have some type of retinoid in their skincare regimen, and that could be a retinol that could be more of a prescription retin-A, tretinoin, something that's going to constantly give their skin that exfoliation, Therefore that new skin can come through and lessen the looks of fine lines, wrinkles.
Speaker 1:Some may even deal with hyperpigmentation, with their hormones fluctuating, so adult acne, and I really feel that you know Retin-A retinols they're the holy grail of skincare and they work, and so I really like to put my patients on those products and make sure that they have them in their routine which I think, and so did my sons actually, and that's how I got involved and got to know so many of the great care skincare estheticians at the clinic, because I brought my sons in for for, for you know, acne treatments, for peels, for the light, for some of them needed antibiotics. My one son had to go on Accutane a couple courses and and now my who's so beautiful but is dealing with acne and needs topical treatments as well as systemic treatments. It can really be a significant problem. But anyway, when Retin-A was first out, it wasn't for anti-aging, it was just for acne. So in retrospect, when I look back, I'm like, oh, it's good that I was on that for so long.
Speaker 3:Yes, absolutely. It has some great benefits and you know, you kind of have to get past that initial three month mark to really see the change. But if you push through you will have completely different skin.
Speaker 1:And isn't one of the Retin-A products, differin, which used to be a prescription? Isn't that now, over the counter products differ, in which?
Speaker 2:used to be a prescription.
Speaker 3:isn't that now over the counter? I think it is. It is the lower percentage is over the counter. There are retinols over the counter because they are not as strong as Retin-A. You know they've been converted into a more diluted version and they still work, but they're just, you know, not as strong as Retin-A, which is good for anyone who has sensitive skin. It's good for someone starting out to try an over-the-counter retinol first before potentially going to a prescription.
Speaker 1:I've noticed that, but there's a lot of things at our fingertips these days.
Speaker 1:Yes, so much more than there used to be, that's for sure. You know, I just remember only having Nxzema cream and that was it. So I've just noticed, as I've gotten older, my skin is drier, not quite as oily, which of course goes along. As you get older, you have less adrenal gland production of some of the hormones that can irritate the skin and cause increased oil and acne hormones that can irritate the skin and cause increased oil and acne. And one of the people in your team recommended that I get alpha ret, which is, I guess, retin-a. And is it alpha? Is it another topical like glycolic acid?
Speaker 3:And alpha hydroxy acid, Alpha hydroxy Initially it's a glycolic. Yes, it's a glycolic with a retinol and I've enjoyed using that.
Speaker 1:I love that product that's good, fabulous fabulous, so um I love that one so retin-a, um, is your like go-to some sort of retinoid and obviously a great skincare routine as well, right, of course. So, what else is part of the whole package and routine. We'll be back after a quick break.
Speaker 2:Hey, quick question for you Are you someone who wants to be fit, healthy and happy? And what if I told you you could get your dream body by simply just listening to a podcast? I'm Josh and I'm KG and we're the hosts of the Fit, healthy and Happy podcast. Listen, we get it. Fitness isn't easy. Carbs, no carbs.
Speaker 2:Just stop okay. It doesn't have to be that complicated and that's why we made this podcast. We get straight to the facts so you can become your best you. So the way to check us out is click the link in the show notes or search Fit, healthy and Happy podcast on any of the major podcast platforms. We'll see you soon.
Speaker 3:I, a lot of the times, believe it or not, your at home regimen can be more important than coming in for the treatments. Coming in for the treatments is important, but the maintenance you do at home to extend that longevity of what we're doing in office. So vitamin C, I would say, is a top for everything. That's AM, whereas your retinols would be PM. But vitamin C is good, those antioxidants, they help fight free radicals and a lot of them even will help with blue light, as you know. Help with blue light. As you know, we're constantly on our phones, computer screens, ipads, so vitamin C helps with that and it's actually brightening. It's not always marketed that way, but vitamin C can help with brightening, pigmentation, smoothing out texture and it makes your skin feel great.
Speaker 1:You don't have any harsh effects from it, and so you think it's important to do it topically as well as ingest it systemically. Of course, we always recommend, you know, healthy diet and superfoods and a colorful diet. Oh, of course.
Speaker 3:Yes, both. Because, as you know what happens in your gut, first place it shows is your skin. So having a good diet, you know, especially stuff like dairy or sugar, can you know for somebody who has rosacea prone skin or acne prone skin? You know that too much of it can cause flare up. So everything in moderation colorful diet, fruits and vegetables, but of course topically as well, really helps the skin and it works great with a sunscreen. So that's my next one is SPF is very important.
Speaker 1:I've done a podcast specifically on sunscreens. In fact, years ago we in America didn't have access to the anthelios that blocks UVA and UVB light, and I had heard that some of the dermatologists they would go to Europe would pick it up and I'm like why didn't anyone tell me about that? Is this somebody prone to sunburn, someone who's had melasma during pregnancy, which, of course, uv light makes worse? I mean other than, of course, physical, wearing hats and umbrellas, and you still need to use the sunscreen. So do you have any tips about what the best sunscreen is, depending on whether it's your face, your arms, your type of skin type?
Speaker 3:We love here at the clinic. We love mineral and physical SPFs, and what I mean when I say about that is something where the UV is going to bounce off your skin, as opposed to a chemical. Sunscreen is still good, but it can be absorbed into your skin for a quick second and then spit back out and for some people they can't handle that little bit of absorption. So a mineral SPF is good, especially if you come in for any invasive treatments, whether it be chemical peels or microneedling. You know your skin barrier is compromised and I think a mineral SPF is the best way to help heal the skin and protect it from any further damage.
Speaker 1:And so certainly obviously for children, also for reproductive-aged women pregnant or breastfeeding. I would think that you would want the mineral-based, which is primarily zinc, correct?
Speaker 3:Absolutely. I have my daughter on a mineral-based SPF and, of course, anyone who's pregnant you know there's certain ingredients you have to stay away from, especially breastfeeding all that. So we always go towards a zinc-based mineral SPF, and some of them are tinted and they give good coverage too, while they're at it, right right.
Speaker 1:I've gotten some samples that have the tinted in it and it's kind of nice because then you can make the beauty routine faster. The beauty routine faster, although I thought you don't get complete protection of both levels of UVA and B, depending with just the zinc mineral ones. So but certainly if you have any kind of invasive procedures or anything where you might be breaking that skin barrier, you don't want to be absorbing any of these chemicals, that's for sure. What would you say for women pregnant or trying to become pregnant who are using retinoids? Do they need to stop that or just the prescription strength ones? They do.
Speaker 3:They do. They do. It is, it is recommended. Any physician will tell you that you know no retinoids, even no acids, whether it be salicylic, glycolic, yes, yes. So all that has to be discontinued. And it has to be discontinued too, for as long as they choose to breastfeed as well, because we don't know how much absorption is going into the bloodstream. So it is best to discontinue all of that. So it is best to discontinue all of that, find something a little bit more easy and light and kind of proceed again once you're all done with that chapter.
Speaker 1:Well, of course, pregnancy has such high estrogen levels, and estrogen is great for the skin, great for collagen great for hair.
Speaker 3:I had my best skin while pregnant?
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's what so many women say that is for sure. So where would you put hyaluronic acid on your pyramid for anti-aging? Or is that just for moisturization or for fine wrinkles?
Speaker 3:No, hyaluronic acid is good for anti-aging. It's especially good for hydration, but it does have anti-aging effects. So the way we like to describe it is the hyaluronic acid is the water in a water bottle, all that hydration, all that weight, and then the moisturizer is the lid on top to lock everything in place. But the hyaluronic acid is actually what's giving you that hydration and replenishing your skin. So it's important and, of course, if you are on a retin-A or a retinol, it helps kind of break up those adverse effects that somebody may have, like the dryness, the irritation. It will definitely lessen the discomfort.
Speaker 1:We used topical hyaluronic acid in post-menopausal women who have a lot of vaginal dryness. I mean hormones certainly will improve that, some non-hormone regimens but there's actually a lubricant that helps the vagina and helps improve the moisture and even the integrity, and it's a hyaluronic based product and I think some lipsticks are coming out with it too to help plump the lips.
Speaker 3:Yes, Our body creates its own hyaluronic acid, but of course, as we age that tends to diminish on its own. So in any way that we can replenish it all over the body is so helpful.
Speaker 1:And what about peptides? What's the role of subtopical peptides in terms of anti-aging?
Speaker 3:They help strengthen and help rebuild that collagen and elastin. So peptides are very good and they're not harsh you know they're not like acids at all but they help and aid in that rebuilding of collagen and elastin. There's a lot of peptides in growth factors, which you know. Growth factors are good too, because it's almost reversing the signs of aging. So we love peptides very much and ceramides and all that for good supple skin.
Speaker 1:And so certain things like ultraviolet light and of course cigarette smoking, any kind of nicotine, is very bad on elastin in the skin and certainly smokers tend to look so much older inside and out.
Speaker 3:and have a much higher risk of disease.
Speaker 1:So you have great lips. What is?
Speaker 3:your lip routine. My lip routine is lip liner, a lot of lip liner and gloss. I try to stay away from the matte lipsticks, even though I love them, but I always do a gloss.
Speaker 1:So I you know that's my go-to Looks absolutely fabulous, thank you. So how often should a woman exfoliate her skin, specifically her face?
Speaker 3:It varies with different skin type, but usually we say once to two times a week we do, and you can exfoliate your skin every day gently, and that's usually via your cleanser. We have some, you know, exfoliating cleansers or exfoliating toners. You can use those every day, once a day, but a real good exfoliation we say once a week, twice a week if you are, you know, more oily and you're secrecing a lot of oil and dirt and debris and all that, but one or two times a week I would say.
Speaker 1:Well, you are listening to the Speaking of Women's Health podcast and I am your host, dr Holly Thacker, and we are with skincare esthetician Amanda and she is just giving us so many fabulous tips. The ladies at the Center for Specialized Women's Health I practice in the same building you do on, although I know you're also in the region they got me this great spa package for the holidays. They were really so generous so I just went there and had like the total body exfoliation and I was thinking, well, obviously you do this a lot less often than you do your face and the skin is different and obviously it seems like the skin on the face and the and the forearms and the neck and the decollet area seem to show aging so much more than other parts of the skin. And I just wondered if you had any comments about about that how much of it's sun exposure, how much of it's movement, how much of it's just different type of skin.
Speaker 3:Yes, and it also. You know, whatever we do to our face, I always recommend we take it down to the neck, to the decollete and the back of the hands. I do, and a lot of people, and I'm guilty of it too. Before I got in this industry, we were just focusing right here on the face, but it really. You will see a huge change if you do bring down your products all the way down to the decollete in the back of the hands, especially if you're driving, make sure you, you know, throw on some sunscreen on the back of your hands. We do have products, you know, neck creams, all that that help tighten. When I do a chemical peel, let's say, I do take it all the way down to the neck as well. The neck is very vascular, as you know, so you will feel it, but it's quick to heal itself, just like the face.
Speaker 1:It seems like sometimes it's a lot more sensitive, but then other times it seems like it's more resistant to irritating substances, for instance, Like I'm more sensitive to retinoids on the face but not as much on the neck. I just thought that was kind of curious.
Speaker 3:It is. It's very common. You know. I have patients who can only do one pass of a chemical peel on their neck, but they can do all three on their face or vice versa. So yeah, it all comes down to skin type.
Speaker 1:And so what are the skin types and also what are the types of skin peels you do offer?
Speaker 3:We offer a great range different levels. Of course. You have some more superficial that just give you a nice exfoliation, a nice glow, not a lot of downtime. And then we have one called the Perfect Peel, and that is the best one, where you will shed like a snake, you know. So you will need to set aside some downtime, but the skin that will come through is beautiful, untouched, baby skin, healthy, and it's worth it at least twice a year.
Speaker 1:Oh, I haven't done that. It's been years since I did one with a peel. We have to get you in, I guess. I'll have to plan it. How many days do I need for downtime? At least what? Two or three or four?
Speaker 3:Well, we say about a week actually. So the peeling starts around your mouth and then it just works its way out and it's kind of cool. And it ends up in people's hairline too. Their hairline starts to peel Not that we put it there, but you know it absorbs all over the face.
Speaker 1:Wow, wow, I don't know if I'm going to be brave enough to do it. I just when I had peels before which they didn't call it the perfect peel, because, you know, I had a lot of acne issues it just seemed like whenever my skin got so tight and started peeling, I got so irritable and I was just, you know, snapping at people. Yeah, do you feel that way when you have the perfect peel?
Speaker 3:Absolutely, Absolutely. It does get really really tight at first and then it makes its way and it peels off, but it comes with a little kit, so you know there is a little bit of cortisone in the kit if you are feeling that irritation, Because the last thing we want is our patients taking their skin and peeling it off themselves.
Speaker 1:A big no-no, a no-no, a big no-no.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 1:And isn't there some plant-based product that I've heard patients say that is recommended to reduce bruising when people have any type of procedure that might predispose them to that?
Speaker 3:There is, yes, we have the Revox Line Relaxer.
Speaker 1:It has Arnica in it, that's by Revision Arnica yes, I've had patients talk to me about Arnica, so tell us what that is. Is that an herb, or what does Arnica do?
Speaker 3:It is an ingredient. It's an all natural ingredient and it just acts almost like a topical Advil. So it takes away inflammation. It lessens bruising because you never know how your skin is going to react with injectables or with microneedling or laser. You know it always varies. So having that on hand will help lessen the bruising and the trauma to the skin and accelerate healing.
Speaker 1:For sure so. Do you use that with your different peels, like the perfect peel?
Speaker 3:We do, we do.
Speaker 1:And then, what about with your lighter peels, Like I think I've gone in for? Is it aluminizing? Is that one of the ones that you offer?
Speaker 3:Yes, the aluminize.
Speaker 1:That's an easy one, cause there's no downtime, Like if you have to go to an event yeah, no downtime. The next day or so. Is there any season like? Do you recommend in between seasons, or like not in the middle of the summer because the sun is so strong, or does it really matter?
Speaker 3:It does. We are now currently in what we like to call peel season, so it's usually from October until February, and then, once you get into spring and summer, people tend to draw back because your skin becomes more photosensitive for sure. I mean even leaving here after a chemical peel and driving home if the sun is out, you know, in the heat, and it's just going to be a very uncomfortable drive for the patient.
Speaker 1:And is there any other peels in between? Just the very light one, like a luminizing, and the perfect one? Perfect peel yes.
Speaker 3:Yes, we have your traditional glycolic peels for anti-aging. We have traditional salicylic for teen acne or adult acne. We have a rejuvenized peel and a vitalized, which are a little deeper than aluminized. So you will get some peeling with those. So those are in the middle and then you know the perfect peel all the way at the end.
Speaker 1:Maybe I'll just go for the middle one next time and see if I can work myself up.
Speaker 3:Yes, what about that? I did the middle one. I got great results.
Speaker 1:Oh, I think that's what I'll sign up for with you. So what about back peels? I was just looking at my youngest son and he was the one that had terrible acne, had to have two courses of Accutane, had a lot of topical treatments. His face is great looking, but oh, his whole entire back is bacne. Do you do back peels or is that something that they really should see a dermatologist for systemic treatment?
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, we do. We do Anything we can we do on the face, we can do on the back. Of course, I would recommend having them see a dermatologist, depending on how severe it can be, Because systemic, sometimes topicals will work, but if it's something more deep-rooted, it needs a doctor, a physician. But we can definitely do back facials, back chemical peels. I've done extractions on someone's back because they can become so painful it's hard for them to really sit in a chair. So, yes, a mix of all is what we recommend.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he ended up getting a sebaceous cyst that got infected when he was in college and he had to go to a dermatologist and get it injected and then drained and then it flared up again and he just recently actually had a surgery to excise the whole thing and I'm sure it's all related to acne. So acne can be a really serious, you know, a serious medical problem. It's not just for just cosmesis, that is for sure.
Speaker 3:Absolutely it can be. It can be very deep-rooted, it can be chronic and painful. So it's good to have an esthetician but also be under the care of a physician as well with something that is that severe.
Speaker 1:I've often said that women kind of have it a little bit easier because they have more treatment options in that hormonal contraception whether someone needs contraception or not is excellent for the skin. I have a lot of the dermatologists refer patients to me for androgenic hair thinning or acne, or they want prescription either menopausal hormone therapy or hormonal contraception simply to treat an underlying skin condition. And of course, males don't have that option.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, so they don't Other than Accutane. They really don't yeah.
Speaker 1:So they really need to know everything topical as well as when antibiotics are needed. So acne rosacea is not the same as just standard acne and I see a lot of women with acne rosacea is not the same as just standard acne and a lot I see a lot of women with acne rosacea. I did a previous podcast on rosacea based on, you know, information from dermatologists, from the skincare estheticians standpoint. Are there any peels you recommend? Do you recommend just treatment with a dermatologist? I've had one of our nurses went and had laser and she said that cured her. She was really happy about that.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, I would have them first meet with a dermatologist for sure. We do have one peel. It's called the mandelic peel. It is geared more towards redness prone skin, rosacea prone skin and I know sometimes when you hear the word peel you automatically assume that it's going to be this horrific, painful, crazy peeling experience, and that's not always true. Of course, this is more sensitized to somebody that has rosacea and it will lighten, it will calm. Actually, you know a lot of people don't think that when they hear the word peel, but it is calming and it's, it's, it's a great option.
Speaker 3:It is for an instant.
Speaker 1:Tell me the name of that again and what's in? What's in? What's the substances in the peel?
Speaker 3:It's by Glytone and it's called the mandelic. So mandelic acid is great for calming, for cooling, for just like an anti-inflammatory type of acid. Okay.
Speaker 1:Well, we'll have to get some information about that. Maybe you could do a little column or piece for us on all of these topics. That would be great.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because there's so much. Yeah, it's my thing.
Speaker 1:That would be great. So tell us about what women can do to maintain the results of their facial treatments and home tips that you recommend, and how often people should see you.
Speaker 3:I recommend a good home skincare regimen. That is very important and it doesn't always have to be not everything has to be super pricey, not everything has to be medical grade and expensive. I would say the certain products like active serums and sunscreens yes, invest, invest in that. But cleansers you know moisturizers there's great cleansers over the counter. La Roche-Posay has a good gentle cleanser, cerave has a good cleanser and moisturizer. So a good mix of both. So that would be what I would recommend in between treatments and just some tips is cleansing.
Speaker 3:You'd be surprised at how many people forget to cleanse. Um, it's not just for when you have makeup on. You know, even if you don't have makeup on, you go about your day and you get dirt and debris and stuck in your pores and it needs to be cleansed off and it makes a world of a difference, needs to be cleansed off and it makes a world of a difference. Another one would be hydrating masks, and I want to touch on this a little because we all love a good, poor clarifying mask or anti-aging, but I think hydration is key because your skin needs to replenish that moisture in order to have a healthy skin barrier, and so when your skin is hydrated and your pH is balanced, you'll start to see that other skin concerns start to fall to the wayside as well. It's amazing how the skin can heal itself when it's well fed. So that's my top recommendation is hydration.
Speaker 1:So you can accomplish that in part through masks. Do you do the mask after the peel or? Is it a separate event.
Speaker 3:It's a separate. You can do it at home Anytime you're feeling like you're dry and your moisturizer isn't cutting it. It could be that you need a good exfoliation and then you need a good hydrating mask after, Because when you exfoliate you get all that dead skin out of the way, and so your mask will penetrate and absorb much better into the skin. So it's as easy as doing it at home. There's some sheet masks even you can buy that will give you good hydration.
Speaker 1:That sounds excellent. So what is the least invasive procedure that you offer for women who want quick fixes?
Speaker 3:Dermablading oh yes, that's what I do, that's what I do.
Speaker 1:I love that.
Speaker 3:We love dermablading. It's quick, it's easy and it makes a world of a difference. It really does so we always recommend it with any service we add on a Dermablade.
Speaker 1:Excellent. And then, what options do you offer for people that want more of a fix, but they certainly don't want anything invasive or surgical, et cetera?
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's probably where the chemical peels would come in. And of course, as you know, peels would come in and of course, as you know, we have great doctors here that do great filler and Botox to minimally invasive help kind of restore that volume loss. But I would say a good mix of that with chemical peeling, with retinols, will give you the right result.
Speaker 1:And that's right. You work with excellent dermatologists my good friend Dr Allison Vitimus, who's a medical advisor for dermatology for Speaking Women's Health, just recently retired. And then Dr Melissa Piliang, who I'm also friends with, who's excellent on hair and skin, and now she is the new chairperson. And I've known Dr Muppet, the head of plastic surgery, and Dr Zins, going all the way back to my residency days. So you work with all those great people and all their colleagues.
Speaker 3:I do and that is I do, and it's a pleasure to see their work. They do great work.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and take care of a lot of serious problems too. Not just, of course you know, we all want to look good and feel good, but they also take care of some very significant and serious problems and skin cancer and skin disorders and things like that. So my husband was complaining the other day. He was like, oh, I have these bags under my eyes and of course he doesn't want to wear sunscreen, he doesn't want to wear hats, he doesn't care about any of this stuff because he's a guy, right. And then I was starting to say, oh, I bet you could use. And he's like I'm not having surgery.
Speaker 1:I wasn't recommending that dear. So any special eye creams or anything that kind of, take that baggy, look out of some people's eyes. And why do some people always have it and then later they don't, it just seems. Is it a hydration volume thing or lack of sleep, or it's all of that, but it's also a genetic thing too.
Speaker 3:It depends on your genetic, if your family before you had it. So a good eye cream I would recommend is one that has a little bit of retinol in it. So we do have the IMAX by Skin Better. It has a little bit of retinol and so it will what retinol does for the face it will do for under the eye.
Speaker 1:It's just, you have to be really delicate with that area. It's so sensitive. It's thinner skin. Yeah, I would have never thought about a retinoid because I would have thought that would have been such sensitive skin around the eye, huh, so yeah, well, yeah, but they make some eye creams with it in there. I should just make an appointment with uh him with you, or laurie, or, and just you guys can tell him what to do for skin care, because he doesn't want to listen, he doesn't want to listen to me.
Speaker 2:We would love it and so what's?
Speaker 1:oh, my husband, either my husband either, and and really it's it's. It's good not to be vain and it's nice that they're not overly concerned about their appearance, but it still is your skin and it's a barrier and it's important and it kind of projects. People make assessments on how they think you are feeling based on how you look. So what's your most popular procedure?
Speaker 3:The Diamond Glow by far. Oh, and that's our tried and true diamond glow machine, our nurse Lily, who she's retired.
Speaker 1:I'm going to have her in an upcoming podcast to talk about her year of retirement. I got her that once for her birthday and we posted on Speaking of Women's Health like the before and after pictures, and she literally glowed. But you don't have the diamond glow machine, as I understand it, all your locations. So if someone wanted to get a diamond glow, where would they go to do that?
Speaker 3:We have it here at Avon with me and we have it in Chagrin with Cynthia.
Speaker 1:Okay so not the main campus.
Speaker 3:We have east side and west side, so not the main campus.
Speaker 1:Okay, and why do you like? Why is the Diamond Glow one of your most popular, favorite ones?
Speaker 3:Because I mean it just. It does what it says. It gives you the world's best glow. And I like it because it's customizable. It comes with five different serums so, depending on your specific skin concern, we can pick a serum that best suits you. It's not just a one-size-fits-all, which I love, and the three-in-one technology of exfoliation, extraction and infusion you're getting the most bang for your buck all at once and no downtime either, right?
Speaker 1:No downtime.
Speaker 3:A little pink when you leave, but we love to see that blood flow. It's a great thing and it will subside throughout the day Wow.
Speaker 1:So we of course have listeners from 81 countries all around the world. So for someone who can't be in the Northeast Ohio, Cleveland area and see you or Lori or Cynthia or our other team, what is like a legitimate way Is there any like listings of licensed estheticians so, uh, that you would give advice to people that are in other States or other countries?
Speaker 3:Of course, of course, I just look for a reputable medical spa under the care of a physician. Um, all estheticians are required to stay up to date with their license and have them. You know, when you walk into the facility, you should be able to see their license up on the wall so tips.
Speaker 3:Look for all these things. Yes, reviews um instagram. Everything is so accessible now with instagram so you can see all their procedures, services, that they offer some feedback from patients that they've had. I think all of that will help pick a good facility to get this done, and so does your team have an Instagram page. We have the I believe the Cleveland Clinic Beautiful you, I think it's for all of the whole department. So we do post the services that we do. We post some fun products, tips and tricks and all that fun stuff, Okay.
Speaker 1:Well, if you want to share any of that with us, we will put it on our social media channels, because we're on Speaking Women's Health on X and Instagram and Facebook and Pinterest and LinkedIn, and you know we've got our Rumble channel and YouTube channel and our regular website, so that's you know. We would love that information. Our listeners and our speaking people love that. How can someone specifically get an appointment with you, Amanda? Like when could someone come to Avon to get the Diamond Glow, for instance?
Speaker 3:to Avon to get the Diamond Glow, for instance. Yeah, they can just call the. There's a number for the Plastics and Dermatology at REJ and they can book an appointment that way and then once they see me their first initial visit, then after that they can just schedule with me on my chart. So it becomes much easier.
Speaker 1:Yes, I let my patients do that too, and then they don't have to go on the line. So we'll be sure, in the show notes, to put that number and that link and if you would be so kind at some point to provide us with a column that we can put on our website, we'll also have your links and all these these tips, cause this was just such a great podcast. Thank you so much for joining us. You and your team are excellent, and thanks to our listeners for listening to the Speaking of Women's Health podcast. Don't miss a future episode. Subscribe or follow it's free on Apple Podcasts, spotify, tunein wherever you listen to podcasts. If you've enjoyed this episode, help support the podcast, share it with your girlfriends, donate to our nonprofit speakingofwomenshealthcom or just simply leave us a five-star review, and we'll look forward to seeing you back in the Sunflower House.
