Author: Welltopix Med Spa Team

WEAR SPF ALL YEAR LONG

Fall is almost here – the days are soon going to be shorter and temperatures will be dropping. But don’t be tempted to skip the sunscreen, even if you’re staying inside. Protection from the sun is one of the most important factors of year-round skin care. Even when it’s cloudy outside and when you are inside, the sun’s ultraviolet rays can damage your skin. This damage can cause premature aging and even cancer! Thankfully, SPF is a great buffer that can protect your skin from damage. That’s why we recommend making it a habit to apply a daily lotion or moisturizer with SPF, multiple times a day.

But you might be wondering what exactly is SPF?

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, and the number associated with SPF measures how well a product protects your skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s UVB rays. Skin care experts and the doctors at Welltopix Med Spa agree that everyone should be using a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, which blocks 97 percent of the sun’s UVB rays. Higher SPFs block slightly more of the sun’s UVB rays. And remember that high SPFs last the same amount of time as low SPFs. A high SPF does not allow you to spend additional time without reapplying your sunscreen. To ensure your skin is protected, we recommend reapplying about every two hours when you are outside, every 3 hours inside, and anytime after you go swimming or work up a sweat.

Don’t forget that UVB rays from the sun are the main cause of those nasty sunburns, and prolonged exposure can severely damage your skin, and potentially lead to skin cancer. Many of the visible signs of aging, like wrinkles and fine lines, are caused by the sun. UVA rays can penetrate your skin and affect how your skin rebuilds itself. But this can be avoided by using a broad spectrum sunscreen that protects your skin from both UVA and UVB rays. If you need a recommendation for a broad spectrum SPF, check out our new Welltopix SPF 40 sun protection product.

Contact us at info@welltopixmedspa.com to set up a free consultation and a complimentary skin analysis where we will help you develop your ideal skin care routine.

AUGUST IS CHILDREN’S EYE HEALTH AND SAFETY MONTH

Welltopix Med Spa is excited to celebrate Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month this August. We hope to raise awareness for this important topic and help keep your children’s eyes healthy!

Did you know?

• Vision disorders can negatively impact a babies’ ability to bond with their parent/caregiver, their ability to explore the world by reaching and grasping, and also impede development of fine and gross motor skills.
• One in every 4 school-age children and 1 in every 17 preschool-aged children have some form of vision problem requiring treatment.
• 24% of teens with correctable vision have the wrong prescription and this rises to about 33% for Mexican-American and African-American teens.
• 80% of all blindness and vision impairment is either preventable or treatable.

Across the country, as children and parents are gearing up for the back to school, remember that healthy vision is critical to academic and social success. As kids grow, an untreated eye disease or condition becomes more difficult to correct. These can worsen and lead to other serious problems as well as affect reading ability, focus, classroom behavior, and social adjustment in school.

Vision problems that can affect children include amblyopia, (“lazy eye”), strabismus, (“crossed eyes”), and the most common forms of refractive error: myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism.

We recommend vision screenings and eye care for children on a regular basis.

For more information, visit the American Optometrist Association’s website at www.aoa.org to learn about vision health.

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BACK TO SCHOOL SPORTS – INJURY PREVENTION & SAFE RECOVERY FOR YOUNG ATHELETES

Back to school is here. And while not all of our kids are going back to organized sports just yet, for those who are (and for young athletes that train year-round), it’s important to educate ourselves on common injuries, prevention, and recovery. The goods new is that most of these injuries are minor and have minimal recovery time!

Ankle sprains may be the most common injury in all sports. A sprain, “roll,” or “turn” of the ankle is a twisting injury that damages supporting ligaments of the ankle. Most ankle sprains in young athletes heal quickly with a short period of immobilization, then an exercise program and short rest from sports. When considering this injury in children and teens, be aware of the non-displaced growth plate fracture of the fibula, which can look almost identical to an ankle sprain. Luckily, a brief period of immobilization is the treatment for this injury as well.

Knee pain is particularly common in young female athletes. Knee pain is usually considered an overuse injury and referred to as “patellofemoral syndrome.” Pain in the front of the knee is usually due to pressure overload on the kneecap or “patella.” In young female athletes, this is often due to different degrees of muscle imbalance and high activity levels. A combination of physical therapy and strength training a few times a week is very successful in treating knee pain in young athletes.

Osgood-Schlatter is a very specific type of knee pain. Osgood-Schlatter is caused by a traction injury on an apophysis (a special type of growth plate) at the top of the shin bone (tibia). The traction occurs during high activity levels on strong and tight, developing, muscles. This injury can cause a bump at the bottom of the knee, which may be painful and swollen. Recovery can include any combination of rest, stretching, ice, NSAIDs, and/or a supportive knee strap.

Little Leaguer’s Elbow is usually considered the classic overuse injury and includes any pain of the elbow due to excessive throwing. Young athletes typically recover with rest, stretching and attention to proper throwing form. In some rare cases, a young athlete may end up requiring surgery if this injury goes untreated, so visiting an orthopedic physician for an evaluation early is recommended.

ACL tears are another extremely common injury in young athletes. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a stabilizing ligament of the knee which can be torn during an uncontrolled twisting motion. ACL repairs almost always require surgery in the young and active population. Additionally, other structures in the knee, namely the shock-absorbing menisci, are often damaged during injury as well. Generally, these additional damaged structures also need surgery for repair. While there is a high rate of return to sports after ACL injuries, it can be up to 6-12 months before safely returning to play. Recent studies show that many ACL injuries can be prevented if muscles surrounding the knees are strong and flexible. ACL tear prevention includes exercises that increase muscle power, balance, and improve core strength and stability.

In the last few years, big steps have been taken in school sports to help ensure children and teens are as safe as possible. However, more can be done to prevent sports injuries in young athletes. Most importantly, keep up with visits to health care providers to help catch injuries early on (or before they occur!) and continue to be diligent with cross training and stretching.

If you would like to learn more about sports injury prevention and wellness for athletes, please contact info@welltopixmedspa.com or call/text 616- 516-6230.

IS VITAMIN C THE NEW SKINCARE MIRACLE INGREDIENT?

Vitamin C has been a trendy ingredient in skincare for the last few years. Properly formulated topical vitamin C delivers the ingredient to the skin in doses that can never be achieved by diet.

Experts agree that vitamin C is a high-quality antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals. And because of its antioxidant properties, vitamin C can also help your skin repair damaged cells and protect skin from precancerous changes caused by UV rays.

Since vitamin C is highly acidic, when applied topically, it can accelerate the production of collagen and elastin. Collagen and elastin are both components that help keep skin firm, plump, and youthful. Studies also show that topical vitamin C also seems to be useful in speeding wound healing, reducing wrinkling, and preventing the erythema associated with laser resurfacing.

Vitamin C containing products often claim to be brightening. This is because vitamin C contains a property that inhibits melanin production. And this can prevent skin discoloration like dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Vitamin C is a brightening agent that can fade brown spots but will not alter normal skin pigmentation.

The bad news is that the most common form of topical vitamin C is L-ascorbic acid, which is very unstable and has a difficult time penetrating through the outer layer of skin. Since L-ascorbic acid is water-soluble and a charged molecule, our skin has a tendency to repel it.

However, the stability and penetration ability of L-ascorbic acid can be increased with the correct formulation and lower pH.

For the best quality topical vitamin C, look for products that have a pH around 3.5 and add ferulic acid, which can further stabilize the ingredient. Also be careful that you are not using a product that has oxidized, as this is ineffective and a waste of your time. You can tell if your vitamin C serum has oxidized if it’s turning yellow-orange in color.

Overall, if you use a properly formulated skincare product including vitamin C, you should benefit from the wonderful anti-aging and brightening effects of the ingredient. We recommend using products containing vitamin C in the morning. Apply your vitamin C as the first product you put on your skin — before your moisturizer and sunscreen.

Do you use vitamin C in your skincare? Let us know by connecting with us on Instagram and Facebook!

TRUSCULPT vs. COOLSCULPTING

Both truSculpt and CoolSculpting are non-surgical fat reduction and body contouring procedures. Neither of these treatments require an incision, needles or, anesthesia. Both are beneficial for men and women who are healthy and near their target weight, but still have problem areas that they can’t get rid of through diet or exercise.

In both procedures, the fat loss is permanent – once the fat cells are destroyed and eliminated from your body, they are gone for good. (However, remember neither treatment will not prevent you from gaining weight in other fat cells afterward, so make sure to continue healthy living to maintain your new fat loss.)

While both truSculpt and CoolSculpting are used to destroy fat cells, each one takes a very different approach to the process. CoolSculpting relies extreme cold, and truSculpt uses heat.

TruSculpt literally melts away unwanted fat.

• More specifically, TruSculpt uses a special device that, when applied to the skin, delivers radio-frequency energy that heats the layers of fat below the skin.
• This creates a warming sensation on the treated area that is not only melting fat cells but also stimulating the skin and encouraging it to produce extra collagen.
• This bonus effect can help keep the treated skin healthy and toned.
• A typical truSculpt procedure lasts anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour and no downtime is required.
• It can be done on all skin types and multiple areas can be treated during one session.
• Results start appearing four weeks to three months after the treatment, as the fat cells are processed and eliminated.
• Multiple treatments can be done to get the best results. It’s best to work with your provider to create a customized treatment plan during your initial visit.

CoolSculpting destroys fat cells by freezing them.

• After the cells are frozen, the body will process and eliminate the fat cells naturally.
• CoolSculpting uses a vacuum applicator to apply extremely low temperatures to freeze targeted areas of fat cells.
• While CoolSculpting is being performed, you may feel some discomfort, which can feel like a tugging or tingling sensation.
• Afterward, you might have some temporary side effects, such as redness, swelling, bruising, tenderness, aching and skin sensitivity. Discuss this with your provider as they can recommend effective medication. Side effects should subside in three to 10 days, and they are not extreme enough to require rest or recovery time.
• Results are visible three weeks to six months after receiving treatment.
• The amount of time spent getting the procedure is typically 35 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the area being treated.
• Just like with truSculpt, depending on how many areas you’d like to have treated, or how much contouring you’re looking for, additional visits may be required.

Many people have heard about CoolSculpting since it is heavily advertised on television and in magazines. Although truSculpt is not advertised as much, it provides more consistent results and can be used to treat fat anywhere on the body.

There are two main benefits of truSculpt:
1. truSculpt has the capability of treat fat ANYWHERE on the body and

2. truSculpt provides skin tightening and textural improvement (reduced cellulite) to the area being treated.

The ability to treat anywhere on the body allows patients to treat even the smallest area of fat with success. The skin tightening is a great secondary benefit to target those loose skin that result after pregnancy, weight fluctuations, or due to aging. Coolsculpting limits the patient to which areas can be treated and will not tighten the surrounding skin. These reasons are why Welltopix Med Spa prefers truSculpt over Coolsculpting as the best non-invasive fat removal procedure.

If you are interested in learning more about truSculpt, email us at info@welltopixmedspa.com or call/text us at 616-516-6230 to schedule your FREE consultation.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF PETS

Almost 70% of households in the US have a pet. But it’s only recently that studies have begun to scientifically explore who benefits from the human-animal pet bond and also which type of pet brings health benefits.

Caring for an animal can help children grow up more secure and active. Pets also provide valuable companionship for older adults. Pets (especially dogs and cats) can reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

Some pets, dogs, in particular, are a great stimulus for healthy exercise, which can substantially boost your mood and ease depression.

There are even direct, measurable health benefits of pets.

Studies show that people with pets have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without pets. One study found that when people with borderline hypertension adopted dogs from a shelter, their blood pressure declined significantly within five months.

We now also know that playing with a dog or cat can elevate serotonin and dopamine, which can make us happy, calm, and relaxed.

If those weren’t enough reasons to consider adopting a pet, pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels (indicators of heart disease) than those without pets.

Families who own pets usually have the greatest health benefits, but the benefits of pets don’t always need to come from owning a loving dog or a cat. Even watching fish swim in a tank can help reduce muscle tension and lower pulse rate.

Pets can help fulfill the basic human need for touch. Petting, hugging and being around a pet that loves you can quickly soothe in stressful or anxious situations.

Researchers will continue to explore the many health benefits of pets. But so far the science is in – if you can handle the commitment of a pet, you will also reap the rewards of their love and the significant health benefits.

Tell us about your pets by connecting with us on Facebook and Instagram!

EXERCISE DAILY FOR WELLNESS

There are so many benefits to exercise.  This blog post is just a reminder of a few reasons why. Read on to see our favorite wellness benefits of exercise.

Exercise can help you control your weight. To maintain your weight, calories in must equal calories out.  To lose weight, calories in must be less than calories you burn.  So adding an extra workout can help account for these factors.

Regularly working out can help you manage blood sugar and insulin levels. This benefit of exercise can reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Exercise can also help you manage these diseases if you already have one. If that isn’t enough, regular exercise can also reduce your risk of heart disease and some cancers – including colon, breast, uterine, and lung cancer.

One of the most important benefits of exercise is that it can improve your mental health and mood. When we exercise, our bodies release endorphins, which are chemicals that send signals to our brain and make us feel happy. Regular exercise can help manage stress and reduce the risk of depression or anxiety.

Another vital benefit of exercise is that it can help keep your brain healthy.  Regular exercise keeps thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as we get older. Exercise gets the blood flow going, even to our brains, and stimulates the release of proteins and other chemicals that can improve the structure + function of our brains.

Exercising at every age is important. As we age, exercise can help slow the loss of bone density that comes with age. This is especially important for women. Muscle-strengthening exercises can help increase or maintain muscle mass and strength in both teens and adults.

Since it’s summer, change up your routine and try exercising outdoors or on the water. With time, exercise can become a habit and part of your daily routine, just like drinking water and brushing your teeth. Aim for 30-60 minutes a day of exercise, most days of the week. This can be broken up throughout the day. It’s also important to switch up the types of exercise your doing – shoot for a mix of cardio and strength training for the best benefits.

If you have any fun exercise ideas or tips, share them with us on our Instagram or Facebook pages!

SKIN CARE TIPS FOR WEARING A MASK IN THE HEAT

The summer is in full swing and it’s probably going to be super hot for the next couple of months. This means that for those of us wearing masks, our skin needs some extra TLC to help avoid redness, irritation, and breakouts.

Here are our top tips to help you be as comfortable as possible wearing a mask for these hot months.

1. Wash your hands thoroughly before putting on your clean mask.
2. If you’re going with a re-usable mask, opt for washing it with fragrance-free detergent and skip the fabric softener. This will help reduce chances of coming into contact with irritants. Also, make sure to toss your mask in the laundry after each use.
3. Wash your face twice a day with a gentle cleanser.
4. Moisturize your skin immediately after washing to keep the skin hydrated and to improve the barrier function of the skin. We recommend rubbing in your moisturizer while your skin is slightly damp to help seal in extra moisture. Don’t forget to keep using SPF during the day.
5. Be gentle to your skin and scale back the exfoliating, especially on the lower half of your face. Try not to use any aggressive physical scrubs or exfoliators with granules. This can further damage the skin surface if your skin is dry or irritated as a result of wearing a mask.
6. Try using a healing balm with petrolatum (like petrolatum jelly) overnight on any broken or flaking skin. Use this as the last step of your night time skin care to seal in your moisturizers and serums.
7. Experiment going makeup-free on days you need to wear a mask. Wearing heavy makeup and foundation under a mask – especially in the summer heat – can lead to irritation, clogged pores, and acne.
8. Remember that if you are exercising or walking alone outside (maintaining social distance), you can take the mask off. We recommend keeping a mask on your person (in your pocket) in case your trail or outdoor area does end up with more people than you anticipated.

We highly recommend our hydrating and soothing facial treatments during this time to minimize the effects on your skin of wearing a mask. Contact info@welltopixmedspa.com or (616) 516-6230 to learn about our facial & skin services menu.

Schedule your FREE skin assessment by mentioning this blog/Instagram post when you call/text or email us!

Additionally, during the months of July – September, for FIRST RESPONDERS & their spouses, WELLTOPIX is offering one FREE jelly facial ($80 value) with the purchase of any WELLTOPIX skin care product. We value you and know you deserve to be pampered! Our jelly facial will be catered to soothing your skin.  During your time at WELLTOPIX, we will also help you develop an at-home skin care routine to combat effects of wearing a mask for long hours.

RETINOL 101

Retinoids are the most important friend of acne and aging skin. This miracle skin care ingredient is derived from Vitamin A, but not all retinol or retionid products are created equally.

The proper formulation and concentration of retinoids in topical skincare products can indeed reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen. In fact, it’s the only topical product that has been repeatedly proven to do so. Retinoids can also also stimulate the production of new blood vessels in the skin, fade age spots and soften rough patches of skin.

However, retinoids require some care when using — they can cause dryness, irritation, and may take 6-12 months before results are visible. It’s also very important to wear SPF during the day, because retinoids increase the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight.

While over the counter & cosmetic retinoids exist, the effectiveness of these is likely not going to compare to a prescription retinoid. And, when you are using a prescription retinoid prescribed by a licensed physician who is familiar with your skin type, you know you are getting the highest quality formula + customized aftercare to ensure best results.

Tretinoin (Retin-A) is probably the most prescribed retinol and most widely studied as well. It has conclusively shown to reduce the signs of aging and photodamge in both long term and short term clinical studies. Tretinoin is available in different strengths, which can be customized to a patient’s particular skin type, age, sensitivity, and other factors.

Welltopix Med Spa offers telemedicine and virtual visits to prescribe Tretinoin. During our virtual visits, physicians at Welltopix will help you develop a tailored skin care routine from the comfort of your own home. We also package our own Tretinoin sourced from our private pharmacy to help us quality control the product. This helps ensure you never receive an expired or questionable product. By using our pharmacy, we can also then ship the customized skin care products & Tretinoin to your home so that you can have your best skin every day, all without ever leaving your home.

If you would like an in-person or virtual skin consultation, please call us at (616) 516-6230 or email us at doctor@welltopixmedspa.com to set up an appointment.