Fall Savings Special:

PUMPKIN TREAT FALL FACIAL: Pumpkin has so many incredible antioxidants. (Antioxidants play the housekeeper’s role of “mopping up” free radicals before they get a chance to do harm). Now experience the October/November Pumpkin Treat Fall Facial

FOR MEN AND WOMEN: This yummy facial includes a pumpkin cleansing, toner, and a powerful exfoliating pumpkin mask to dissolve dead skin cells. You will be so delighted with the special smells of pumpkin pie that will feel like you’re at a Thanksgiving feast! So let’s be thankful for pumpkin!

Special price $80 for the month of October & November. 1.5 HR. MASSAGE: When you receive a 1.5 hour aromatherapy massage, you will be given a 20% discount voucher to be used for any one spa treatment within 60 days from the date of massage. This offer good through November 30th.

ALL PCA SKIN CARE PRODUCTS reduced by 15%. Offer good through November 30th.

Retinol is, by far, one of the most multifunctional ingredients in skin care.  Scientifically-proven to promote healthy cell turnover, increase collagen and elastin production, reduce follicular keratinization and inhibit dark spots on the skin, retinol benefits all skin types and conditions.  Perhaps one of its greatest properties is its ability to enhance in-office treatment outcomes.  These excellent additions are some of the most versatile professional treatments offered by PCA Skin (R), as they can be used alone or as boosters to any office procedures.  These excellent additions allow the technician to safely and effectively increase the benefits and visible flaking of their treatment without creating undue inflammation.  Ultra Peel II is good for dry or dehydrated skin and Esthetique Peel is good when treating acne, hyperpigmentation, rosacea or oily skin.

From PCA SKIN Skin Smart Resource Bulletin of PCA SKIN September/October 2009

There are two types of sun protection available:  chemical sunscreens and physical sunblocks.  A chemical sunscreen works by absorbing, reflecting or scattering the sun’s rays (UV radiation) before they affect the skin.  A physical sunblock sits on the skin’s surface and reflects or scatters UV radiation before it is able to damage the skin.  These two forms of protection have different methods of achieving a similar goal.

The FDA requires that all sun protection products display a Sun Protection Factor or SPF label. The SPF indicates the relative amount of sunburn protection a product can provide when used correctly. Sunscreens or sunblocks with an SPF of at least 15 are recommended, however the number can be misleading as an SPF of 30 is not twice as protective as an SPF of 15. When used properly, an SPF of 15 protects the skin from 93 percent of UVB radiation and an SPF 30 sunscreen provides 97 percent protection. Although the SPF ratings apply only to UVB rays, applying a product containing avobenzone, titanium dioxide or zinc oxide will provide broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays.

Two types of UV Radiation:

The two types of UV radiation that can affect the skin, UVA and UVB, have both been linked to skin cancer and a weakening of the immune system. They also both cause skin color changes and contribute to premature aging. UVA rays are not absorbed by the ozone layer and penetrate deep into the skin. UVB rays mostly impact the surface of the skin and are the primary cause of sunburn. Up to 90 percent of the visible skin changes commonly attributed to aging are caused by sun exposure.

About PCA’s Sun Protection Products:

SPF products from PCA SKIN are formulated with a sophisticated blend of chemical sunscreen ingredients that protect the skin from UVA and UVB rays. PCA chooses chemical ingredients rather than physical for two important reasons:

• Our products are formulated with every skin type, condition and tone in mind. This ensures that most people can wear our products comfortably.  Daily broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection is important for everyone of every color. Darker-skinned individuals often find physical blocks leave them with a chalky or ashy appearance, as the ingredients sit on the surface of the skin rather than being absorbed.
• PCA strives to formulate cosmetically elegant sun protection products that are effective and also have a smooth, light feel when applied to the skin. Chemical sunscreen ingredients have a much more comfortable feel on the skin than physical blocks making them perfect as light, daily wear sunscreens.

The following PCA products include sun protection:

PCA SKIN®
pHaze 6+ Hydrator Plus SPF 25
pHaze 7 Protecting Hydrator SPF 25
pHaze 30 Perfecting Body Hydrator SPF 30

PCA® MEN
Total Defense Calming Hydrator SPF 25

Dallas, Tex. – (March 23, 2009)
Jennifer Linder, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and fellowship-trained Mohs skin cancer surgeon, today presented a talk titled “Key Ingredient Combinations to Effectively Treat Hyperpigmentation” at the International Congress of Esthetics and Spa, held yesterday and today in Dallas, Texas.

Hyperpigmentation, a discoloration of the skin, is often caused by inflammation, hormonal change or heredity. Inflammation leading to hyperpigmentation can come from prolonged sun exposure, tanning beds, acne, through the use of lasers or other injuries to the skin. Hormonally-induced hyperpigmentation appears most often during pregnancy but can occur with any fluctuation in hormones, such as puberty, the use of birth control pills, menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

“I have found, through treating my own patients and in clinical research,” says Dr. Linder, who also struggled with hyperpigmentation as an adult, “that there is no single ingredient that effectively lifts existing and prevents future hyperpigmentation.”

According to Dr. Linder, physicians and licensed medical and skin care professionals wanting to treat hyperpigmentation in their patients effectively need to do their homework. First, they must develop a clear understanding of melanogenesis and its causes. Melanogenesis is the process that is instigated by inflammation or a hormonal fluctuation and results in discoloration on the surface of the skin.

Next, they will have to determine how specific topical ingredients treat hyperpigmentation. Finally, armed with this knowledge, they need to use the appropriate ingredient combinations to interrupt melanogenesis at multiple points in the process.

“The greatest benefits to using a combination of ingredients in treating hyperpigmentation,’ Dr. Linder said, “are the synergy created by those ingredients working in concert, the avoidance of potentially irritating ingredients, accelerated results while reducing the risks of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (referred to as PIH), and increased cell turnover and exfoliation.

“Of course, one thing everyone must do to help prevent new hyperpigmentation from developing and greatly reduce the risk of skin cancer is to protect themselves from the sun’s harmful rays,” Dr. Linder continued. “It is critical that we all use products containing an SPF of 15 or greater daily, even if you work in an office. Look for products that offer both UVA and UVB protection. If you are going to be outside for an extended period of time, remember to reapply your sunscreen every two hours.”

It is critical that patients struggling with hyperpigmentation receive a thorough skin analysis and consultation about their condition with a physician or licensed medical or skin care professional, such as a PCA SKIN Certified Professional, to learn which combination of professional treatments and daily care products are right for them.

About Dr. Jennifer Linder
Dr. Jennifer Linder is a board-certified dermatologist and fellowship-trained Mohs skin cancer surgeon. She is in private practice in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr. Linder also serves as a clinical instructor at University of California, San Francisco in the Department of Dermatology and as Chief Scientific Officer for PCA SKIN. She is a formally-trained bioengineer and chemist.

At ALEGRA SKIN CARE & DAY SPA we are experts in treating hyperpigmentation.  Call the spa at 619-293-0252 to ask about our hyperpigmentation treatments and products.  We use PCA SKIN products in all of our treatments.

PCA SKIN is a healthcare company that is acknowledged in prominent medical textbooks as the originator of advanced blended chemical peel formulations. The company remains the trusted industry leader in the development of gentle, yet highly-effective professional treatments and daily care products that are available exclusively through physicians and licensed medical and skin care professionals.  The organization is part of Physicians Care Alliance, LLC, and is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona.