Save the Date to Get Gorgeous (and Get Gifting)

You're Invited to Erickson Cosmetic Dermatology's Gifted and Gorgeous Party!

Join us at Erickson Dermatology (yes, this is the practice I work for!), 737 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL on December 11th from 4:30-7:30 We'll have tons of super fun specials on treatments and products, trunk shows from Jo Malone London and Alexis Bittar, express hydrafacials, Jo Malone Hand and Arm massage, champagne, hors d'oeuvres and much more.

Rsvp by calling us: 312-300-6858 or email us at info@ericksonderm.com

See you there!

Here's a fun DIY project to make your products Travel Size

I'm traveling this week to the Sciton Laser User Summit, and then to see the fam for Thanksgiving, so I've got travel sizes on the brain. Here's a neat DIY project (yes, you need a heat sealer, but I might be drinking the Kool-Aid on this one: I could be buying one soon!) to bring all of your great products with you! This seems like a great way to travel with cleansers and SPF's. I would still consider exposure to oxygen once the products come out of their original packaging, so be sure to use them up within a week for best results.

Thanks, Mighty Girl, for this great idea! <a href="http://mightygirl.com/2014/02/03/make-travel-size-toiletries-with-a-heat-sealer/

3 Fast Facts: Skinmedica TNS Essential Serum

I started 3 fast facts because I could go on forever about some of these products... which can make writing about them a little daunting.  Instead of overthinking (and therefore procrastinating), I'll just use this category to finally touch on some of my favorite products & three reasons you might love them too! 

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Three Fast Facts About: SkinMedica TNS Essential Serum

➢ Fact 1

All-in-one-awesome:

TNS Essential serum is product is used to correct, protect from future damage, promote cell renewal, smooth, lighten and increase collagen.

I personally call this fantastic product 'The Mercedes of anti-aging products'. Not only is there Vitamin C in here, but lots of other potent goodies, too. Users will benefit from ultra-high concentrations of growth factors, 7 antioxidants, peptides, and super-potent  alpha-arbutin for lightening and brightening.

➢ Fact 2

Antioxidants both ways:

The antioxidants found in Essential Serum include ergothionine, green tea extract, blackberry leaf extract, saccharomyces ferment filtrate, coenzyme Q-10, tocopheryl acetate (E) and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (lipid-soluble C), which are all free-radical fighters.

Just like SkinMedica's C & E Complex, there's a combo of water- and lipid-soluble antioxidants here.  This is good because the water-soluble antioxidants can weave down between skin cells. The lipid-soluble's are meant to actually enter the cell through its membrane. The two types of action here means that you're covering your bases and in for a better result.

➢ Fact 3

In a hurry?

Essential serum is essential for the gal (or guy) on the go. A combination of both the beloved TNS Recovery Complex and APS corrective complex in one. This super-covenient dual chamber packaging is like those toothpaste/gel combo pumps that pump out both products simultaneously. One pump and both the APS serum and the Recovery Complex are dispensed.

Oh, and for the instant-gratification lovers out there: hyalauronic acid plumping spheres are present in this all-in-one serum. Buh-bye, fine lines!

Check it out here

Until Next time, Stay Fabulous, My Friends!

3 Fast Facts: Skinmedica TNS Recovery Complex

I started 3 fast facts because I could go on forever about some of these products... which can make writing about them a little daunting.  Instead of overthinking (and therefore procrastinating), I'll just use this category to finally touch on some of my favorite products & three reasons you might love them too! 

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Three Fast Facts About: SkinMedica TNS Recovery Complex

➢ Fact 1

Growth factors are not something that come naturally to aging skin. Thankfully, SkinMedica has provided us with the #1 growth factor on the market, NouriCel-MD, which is a naturally secreted , physiologically-balanced combo of over 110 human growth factors that are both active and stable. TNS Recovery complex is made up of 93.6% NouriCel-MD (this means it's potent).

Growth Factors like TNS Recovery complex basically play a game of telephone with the skin to unlock it's ability to heal and repair itself. Since age and inflammation basically wound the skin, TNS helps 'heal', improving skin texture, smoothing fine lines, and reducing photo damage.

➢ Fact 2

This nifty red gel is quickly absorbed by the skin. In fact, you've got to be pretty quick about it! This has been a patient favorite for years. I would say that there's almost a cult-like following of TNS among many clients/patients. Many of our patients insist that it almost instantly tightens upon application and won't go without it. Great for all skin types, use AM/PM before all of your other serums and moisturizers.

➢ Fact 3

Since procedures like chemical peels and laser treatments are also a sort of wound, TNS Recovery complex is often times appropriate to use after your peel or laser treatment to help the skin heal quickly and predictably. That's one reason it was called Recovery Complex! (Always check with your doctors office to see what their specific post care instructions are for your procedure). We love it after HALO laser, MicrolaserPeel, pro-fractional laser, chemical peels, after the incisions seal up post-surgical procedures, and all the time!

Here's a link to learn more about it:

http://www.skinmedica.com/skin-care-products/tns-recovery-complex

Until Next time, Stay Fabulous, My Friends!

3 Fast Facts: Skinmedica Vitamin C & E Complex

I started 3 fast facts because I could go on forever about some of these products... which can make writing about them a little daunting.  Instead of overthinking (and therefore procrastinating), I'll just use this category to finally touch on some of my favorite products & three reasons you might love them too! 

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Three Fast Facts About: SkinMedica C & E Complex

➢ Fact 1

This fantastic product is a topical antioxidant used to protect the skin from future damage, promotes cell renewal, and increases the build of collagen. Topical vitamin C's have been known to reduce inflammation (think rosacea and post-sun exposure) and brighten the skin. These are usually great for everybody with the exception of super oily skin types, and some very sensitive or fragile types.

➢ Fact 2

Usually Vitamin C is really unstable... always about to oxidize and bite the dust. In this case, the vitamins are suspended in a silicone (dimethicone suspension) base so they are gradually released throughout the day and won't oxidize. This assures that your product isn't weakened or *GASP* causing oxidation. This is an ANTI-OXIDANT, for goodness sake. But don't become oxidation paranoid, you're safe with this formula.

There are 2 forms of beneficial C in there, too... lipid soluble and water soluble. Covering our bases here.

➢ Fact 3

The above-mentioned dimethicone suspension is not just a great delivery system, it feels like an awesome makeup primer! This super-satin finish will make you look forward to applying it. Use it in the AM's to protect against the onslaught of free-radical threats that you'll meet in your day. Your skin will thank you for it!

Here's a link to learn more about it:

http://www.skinmedica.com/skin-care-products/vitamin-ce-complex

Until Next time, Stay Fabulous, My Friends!

Nuts about it Now: Neocutis

I will admit: I was hesitant to experiment with Neocutis a few years back because I am SUCH a SkinMedica TNS fan. Like, an Ultra-Fan. But of course I have to keep my eyes and ears open for different and new ways to use products and new technology etc... so I dove in.

I loved the way the Lumiere Bio-Restorative Eye Cream felt, and really enjoyed the brightness it seemed to provide my eye area. I really enjoyed using the Exfoliating Skin Cleanser (featuring 10% Glycolic acid) which did not make my skin feel stripped. I also really loved the convenience of the Journee, a one-stop-shop anti-aging product featuring a sunscreen, a slight tint, and PSP, Neocutis' growth factor. By far, my favorite of the group was the Bio-Serum: a concentrated growth-factor intensive that helped the clarity of my skin and the texture simultaneously.

I recently became re-familiarized with the line when my good friend Jill took on the Chicago Neocutis territory and dropped in to school me on the swiss technology ...and let me play around with the products again. I am pretty excited about the line again, it's just as good as I remember and I even had the chance to do a couple split-face comparisons with other products. (More about that in another post).  In the meantime, here is a another post I wrote about Neocutis and their approach to skin care technology: to check that out, Click Here

And until next time, Stay Fabulous, My Friends!

Neocutis to the Skin: 'I'm gonna need you to start the healing process, ok?'

I wanted to share a bit about my recent look into Neocutis Skin Care products, their technology,  and how their growth factor 'PSP' works. Here's the scoop.

Neocutis offers a number of products that feature technology that was developed by leading Swiss researchers out of the University Hospital of Lausanne, a leading international research facility. Their claim-to-fame/ proprietary ingredient is called PSP, which they have termed the "Cadillac of Peptides".

Here are some interesting facts about PSP and how it works:

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The Healing Power of Peptides

Inspired by the phenomenon of the scarless healing of fetal skin, medical researchers in Switzerland created a biotechnology process to obtain the super power proteins involved in wound healing from cultured fibroblasts.  A dedicated cell bank was established for developing new wound healing and burn treatments with these amazing proteins.  That same cell bank is the source of the fibroblasts that produce PSP, which is Neocutis' secret weapon. By the way, fibroblasts are the collagen producing cell found in skin.

PSP

PSP stands for Processed Skin Proteins. PSP is a mixture of Human Growth Factors, interleukins, and the other cytokines that were discovered by those Swiss scientist smarty-pants.

Ok, so it heals wounds (that's pretty cool). But what does it do for the skin's appearance?

Let's face it: aging skin is damaged.  No matter what you want to primarily blame for the inflammation, damaged/aged skin is basically wounded skin.  The free-radical damage (reactive oxidative species) that causes the wound (aging/ skin damage) is caused by stuff like

• glycation
• injuries to the skin
• pollution
• chronic skin conditions
• sun damage: the tanning bed you hit in high school, the baby oil/iodine days of the past, or even just daily daylight-exposure

The scientists found that even though the skin does not actually absorb the growth factors, they are proven to play what I like to think of as a game of 'telephone' with the skin when applied topically.  They are able to stimulate the healing process, actually acting to 'heal' the 'wound' of the aging/damaged skin.

The result is smoothed, brightened and firmed skin, all with no color or fragrance additives. Give it a try and see what you think! Check it out here: www.neocutis.com 

Until next time, stay fabulous, my friends!

Woo Hoo! Our Ad in CS Magazine

I got my first glimpse of our Erickson Cosmetic Dermatology Ad in CS Magazine's 20th Anniversary issue Wednesday night at the Art Institute. How fun to see it in reality for the first time. Great success!

Dr Erickson is also featured in the Best of Beauty section. Keep an eye out for this issue!

Until next time, Stay Fabulous my friends!

Things that make you go 'Hmmm!': Cool SPF Photography

http://www.upworthy.com/what-happens-to-your-face-when-you-wear-sunscreen-might-shock-you-it-did-for-these-people Here's some really great videography illustrating essentially how SPF can help protect your skin. Remember to re-apply! :)

Until next time, stay fabulous my friends!

Have you heard? HALO is the word!

Ok, I meant to post this a few weeks ago... time flies!! But I'm too excited about this technology to let this one sit in my 'drafts' folder any longer. Read on about our fabulous new laser technology! Have you heard of HALO?

Erickson Cosmetic Dermatology is the first in the nation to receive this awesome new laser resurfacing technology!

In a nutshell, it provides the results of an intense/major laser resurfacing, but without the downtime. I had one myself, and it was amazing! I will be posting more about it soon!

Check it out here:

http://www.ericksondermatology.com/new-halo-technology

And until next time, stay fabulous, my friends!

Hair For You: Products for Hair that needs Help

My hair has suffered through a lot throughout the years... Health and nutrition issues,  stress, changing colors, bleaching, medications, breakage... The list goes on! While I'm entirely more of a skin care expert than a hair expert, I do have some experience on the topic. This ranges from working as an shampoo girl, assistant and salon receptionist for many years to managing a larger corporate spa.  Add to that list the transforming, repairing, and disguising of issues with my own hair (years later ) with everything from cranial prosthesis to extensions, weaves and falls. (It doesn't hurt to have fabulously talented and smarty-pants professional stylist friends to give advice, either!)

Anyway, here are just a few key things that I have found helpful over the years for  thinning and breaking hair. Because if you've ever gone through this, you know that you're ALWAYS seeking new info, desperate to find something to helpful during a really tough time.

Best for Delicate Hair, Loss, and Breakage

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• A Boar Bristle Hair Brush

The theory here is that the boar bristles will help to distribute your own oils from your scalp to the ends, while simultaneously stimulating the scalp. Mine is new, so far it's going pretty well! Caution: these guys are expensive. I found mine on Amazon, but these can be found at Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom as well.

• Aveda Invati Line

Consisting of an exfoliating shampoo, a light/medium consistency conditioner, and a daily scalp spray, this line is most helpful for prevention of breakage*. Aveda insists that the spray is necessary to do every day ("12 sprays a day keep the loss away") But I must admit, I am not great at completing that stop as regularly as I should. Nonetheless, I still feel that this line has been helping considerably. * Side note: You may be thinking, "Great, but my issue is hair loss, not breakage". I thought the same thing. But when you are suffering from hair loss, do not under estimate the importance of keeping the hair you have!  http://www.aveda.com/products/8655/Hair-Care/Hair-Concern/thinning-solutions/index.tmpl

Best for Damaged and Dry hair

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• Phyto 7 and Phyto Revitalizing Serum

Found at Nordstrom, Sephora, and Ulta, these products are one of the reasons that I still HAVE hair over the years of bleach and abuse. My favorite by far is the Phyto 7 Day Cream. Not as heavy as an oil this can be used easily on dry hair without making it look heavy or greasy. I've also liked the treatment serum, packaged in ampules and used twice a week on the scalp.   http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/phyto-7-daily-hydrating-cream/2832082

• Aveda's Damage Remedy line

These fantastic products are sort of expensive, but I worth every penny. Using proteins to repair damage, this line consists of a Reconstructive Shampoo and conditioner, a daily repair leave in conditioner, and an intensive treatment mask. I've been using this product family for a few years since they launched, and would highly recommend them. http://www.aveda.com/products/5232/Collections/Damage-RemedyTM/index.tmpl

I'll post additional hair products soon... In the meantime, stay fabulous my friends!

Look Good, Feel Better!

It's that feeling you get when you're having an awesome hair day. Or, maybe when you have some fresh Botox cosmetic. You're feeling good, and maybe there's a little spring in your step... This is the feeling that can be hard to come by and sometimes fleeting when you are undergoing cancer treatment. Licensed cosmetologists and aestheticians can apply and become certified to lead American Cancer Society's Look Good, Feel Better patient workshops. Workshops are free to participants, and provide free cosmetics, skin care products, and wig styling and head-wrap techniques to help women look good and feel better during a tough time.

Here's me today, just finishing up a workshop for another great bunch of beauties at Elmhurst Hospital.

Here's the website for the program: http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/programs/programs-for-women Pass the info along, if you or someone you know is interested in volunteering for or participating in a workshop!

Click here to view another one of my posts on LGFB

And until next time, stay fabulous, my friends!

Scrub-A-Dub... DOH! Turns out Microbeads are messing up the environment.

While you might have until 2019 to stock up on your favorite microbead scrubs and cleansers, let your conscience be your guide: it turns out that microbeads are polluting the Great Lakes and starting to mess up the local food chain. Illinois was first state to pass legislation on the issue, requiring companies to gradually phase out the plastic beads by 2019. California (not to be trumped in this department) may ban them sooner, possibly by 2016.

Don't worry about your fave stuff disappearing, though. Companies like L'oreal and Johnson & Johnson are on board to sub biodegradable versions ASAP, with many others to follow suit.

Read all about it here:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/06/10/320638770/with-concern-for-environment-illinois-bans-microbeads

http://m.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2014/06/19/illinois-microbead-ban-cosmetics-industry-largely.html?r=full

Until next time, a fabulous my friends!

Food for Thought: Veggie-Based AntiAging Skin Care!

I will not pretend to be an expert in the realm of hormones. Not at all. In fact, I am perplexed by how intensely women are affected by hormones: hormonal changes, hormonal aging, and hormonal imbalances. Seriously, hormones affect just about everything... from hair growth and loss, kidney function, reproductive organs (obv), skin aging, and uhhh... basically everything. I thought this was a neat line to look into because of how little awareness there is on this topic (myself included, but perhaps a universal issue?) The VENeffect Line was founded by Chicago locals (and sisters!) Rebecca and Cecil Booth. Rebecca Booth, MD is a gynecologist and hormonal expert, who aims to balance the decline of estrogen influence on the skin as we age. She and Cecil designed this line to provide women with a solution to the hormonal aging issue by utilizing their proprietary blend of phytoestrogens in topical products.

Here's what the Booth girls say about PhytoEstrogens and what they do for the skin when applied topically: (click below to go to their site)

"They increase skin's production of collagen as well as boost hyaluronic acid production, the dewy substance that gives healthy skin its glow. Phytoestrogens also increase the activity of fibroblasts: collagen-making cells that also pump out elastin, the substance that gives skin elasticity.  Phytoestrogens are also potent anti-oxidants that neutralize toxic free radicals as well as promote healing in order to slow premature aging. VENeffect has developed a proprietary phytoestrogen system that is safe and highly effective at restoring and preserving skin's collagen and youthful glow."

Here they are talking about the science behind VENeffect (click below to watch a vid):

http://video.neimanmarcus.com/media/veneffect0212.mp4 

From my perspective:

As far as the efficacy of topical phytoestrogen's direct effect on the elasticity/tone of the skin: Hey, it's food for thought!  I will leave the hormonal science up to them, and physicians or experts on this topic. What I CAN comment on is my personal experience while experimenting with this line. Here are my top three favorites:

#1 Favorite: I LOVED LOVED LOVED the Anti-Aging Lip Treatment ($85) .  This award-winning lip treatment harnesses that  'phytoestrogen technology' to deeply hydrate. I applied twice a day, and really enjoyed the light green-tea-ish fragrance and delicate consistency. It really felt like the skin on and around my lips absorbed the product. While using it, I had no issues with color-bleeding  from lipstick, nor did I have any issues with flaky, dry, peely, or cracked lips. LOVED this.

2nd Place: The anti-Aging Eye Treatment ($125) was a nice product, too. I was told by Melissa Moore, (the Product Specialist that educated me here in Chicago) that the founders designed it to work well when applied OVER makeup in case you need a mid-day refresh. I tried it for myself and it did not roll up, ball off, or make my makeup muddy. This was a nice rescue product when my allergies caused me to wake up with puffiness, and when I got too little sleep a few times during the week.

3rd: The Firming Neck and Decollate ($155) product is  another winner in my book for it's rich, yet not-greasy consistency.

I look forward to continuing to learn more about phytoestrogens and their impact on hormonally aging skin. But in the meantime, at least I found my current favorite lip product!  (So at least I can look good, even if I'm not totally sure why!)

Until Next time, stay Fabulous My friends!

Whew, that was a close one: The Valeant/Allergan Saga

Allergan Pharmaceuticals' products (including Botox, Juvederm and Skinmedica, to name a few), their loyalty/partnership programs and their customer service standards are all impeccable. They are truly a class-act company. Even though being acquired by Valeant (or anybody else) does not necessarily mean that these things would change... I think everybody has been sighing with relief after the news that things will be staying put as-is (for now).

Read the Chicago Sun Times article about the would-be Valeant takeover here:

http://www.suntimes.com/business/27394525-420/botox-maker-turns-down-valeant-takeover-offer.html#.U3srwaa9LCQ

Until next time, stay fabulous my friends!

Treatments that are a Treat: Botox in the Bands, A.K.A. the 'Nefertiti Lift'

Here is a post I wrote for the office on one of our more popular treatments =) If you haven't tried it yet, get ready to be impressed!

Obagi Inservice today at Erickson Cosmetic Dermatology Chicago

Thanks, Laura (our fabulous Obagi rep/expert) We always LOVE hearing about the most current updates and developments in the skin care science realm!

Yours Truly,

The skin care pro's at Erickson Cosmetic Dermatology, Laser & MedSpa

=)

PS: we're crazy about the Gentle Rejuvenation products!

(For more on Obagi Gentle Rejuvenation, here's a link: http://obagi.com/patients/product-line/gentle-rejuvenation/results and here's a link to another post about the Gentle Rejuvenation Vitamin C fortified SPF (click to follow the link)!

Mad About Mac Retro Matte

I've been rocking a couple of Mac Retro Matte Lip Colors lately. It occurred to me that I haven't accepted so many compliments or 'where-did-you-get-that?'s on my lip color in... I don't know, a long time. This collection is not that new (Sept 13, I believe) but I'm having some fun and thought I'd share! After much positive reinforcement on the color, along with a slow and passive realization that it does not smudge off during the day, I had to go grab some additional 'flavors'

Here's what I grabbed: Retro Matte Colors (From Left) Relentlessly Red Ruby Woo All Fired Up Not pictured: Flat Out Fabulous

"All Fired Up" is my total fave... but Ruby Woo is the original crowd pleaser of this collection, known for it's Vampy Hollywood True red with its (visually teeth-whitening) flattering blue undertones.

I was told by a Mac Pro that the Retro matte collection features some of the usual, pre-existing Mac Mattes, now made with the same formula that made Ruby Woo popular back in like,1999 or so. Legend has it that these bad boys are made with kaolin clay, which undoubtedly provide its lasting, mattefying effect. My fave features here are how light it feels, it's very vibrant colors, and it's lasting effect without drying you out (like a stain)*

*That last part seems to vary slightly between formulas... Ruby Woo and All Fired Up seem the creamiest to me... While Flat Out Fabulous (Fuschia) and Fixed on Drama (wine) seem to go on drier. For official info on the collection: http://www.maccosmetics.com/whats_new/11605/New-Collections/Retro-Matte/index.tmpl

and until next time- Stay Fabulous My Friends!

AmSpa, Environ, and Cutera host Chicago Aesthetic Industry Friends at POPS

Last week I had the honor of joining a number of Chicago area pros at the American Medical Spa Association, Environ Skin Care and Cutera Laser Industry Networking Reception at Pops for Champagne.  A great time was had by all! Thanks to Nealy Skeldon with Environ and Ryan Hotchkiss with Cutera for hosting!  

E's 3 Current Faves: a Sunscreen for Everyone

Here's a blog post I wrote for work, Erickson Cosmetic Dermatology. Enjoy! =)