Now that we are well into winter, it is a great time to think about refreshing and preparing your skin. Along with the dryness of winter, it’s also the perfect time to repair the heat and sun damage from past seasons that can take a huge toll on your skin, especially the sensitive skin on your face. Things like age or sun spots can become more noticeable and your skin can have a dull, tired look and feel. But with today’s technology and the array of new, advanced skincare products, you can easily bring back that healthy, fresh, dewy glow and feel. And one St. John’s company has just the tools and expertise to help.
Bense SurgiSpa is a world-class aesthetic treatment centre that offers an extensive range of specialist services for people considering surgical or non-surgical treatments to improve their appearance and boost confidence and self-esteem, says Allison Bense, assistant director.
“You can’t use lasers and lights on someone who has a tan, so this is a great time of year to consider having these treatments,” says Bense, who adds this technology not only offers great, reliable results, but it doesn’t require a ton of downtime.
Bense SurgiSpa is an internationally recognized leading provider of a number of cosmetic treatments, according to Bense. For instance, when it comes to rejuvenating and refreshing the skin, they offer several great options that range in the degree of treatment and the amount of time it can take to achieve maximum results:
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)
IPL is a non-invasive, non-ablative treatment that uses high-intensity pulses of light to improve the appearance of skin. The pulsed light gently heats up the upper layer of the skin and targets any red and brown colours, eliminating many of the vessels that cause redness and the unwanted melanin (dark spots). This heat also stimulates your skin cells to generate new collagen, which provides a firmer, smoother appearance to the skin.
“IPL’s main job is to target pigment — i.e. reds and browns. So it is great for the rosacea patient or someone that has brown pigmentation in their skin, like you see with age or sun spots,” says Bense.
Laser Genesis
Laser Genesis is another non-invasive technology that safely and effectively treats fine lines and wrinkles, large pores, uneven skin, redness and scars. This treatment also works by lightly heating the upper layer of the skin, which also helps improve the appearance of wrinkles by collagen stimulation. The heat to the dilated capillaries can further help reduce any redness and restore the skin’s youthful glow and appearance by smoothing any uneven textures caused by aging, sun damage or scarring. Laser Genesis also helps treat active acne in many cases and helps to restore a creamy, healthy complexion as it reduces large pores and minor imperfections.
“Laser Genesis is something you can do any time of the year because you don’t have to worry about having a tan like you do with other treatments. Its main job is to reduce reds and congestion in the skin, like breakouts,” explains Bense, who adds it is a wonderful treatment that she hopes more people take advantage of.
Microdermabrasion and peels
These treatments can be customized to the level of treatment you need, says Bense. Also called crystal peel or diamond peel, microdermabrasion is another alternative to chemical and laser peels and it achieves ultimate skincare results quickly. In fact, microdermabrasion has come to be known as the “lunchtime” approach to skin resurfacing. It stimulates the production of new skin cells and collagen and you can literally have it done over your lunch hour.
“We have peels for someone who is very nervous and sensitive and just wants an introductory peel to someone who needs more of a therapeutic peel. We even have a peel that is suitable for rosacea patients. Our peels can be done in different ways from using a peel product up to a laser peel, which is something that would go a little deeper and requires technology,” explains Bense. “Microderms are basically your mechanical peels that can be done on your downtime. You can couple that with a nice, brilliant peel on a Thursday before an event on a Friday, for example, when you want a nice glow and dewy skin,” says Bense, adding that when you think of peels, the deeper you go, the more downtime you will have.
Nano Laser Peel (NLP)
During a Nano Laser Peel, a laser beam is scanned over a treatment area to remove a very thin layer of the skin. By removing the top layer, it eliminates some of the damaged cells that can give skin a tired, aged look. It also helps to activate messenger cells to trigger the body’s natural healing process. As the skin heals, fresh cells grow and resurface the treated area. The result is healthier looking skin, often with reduced wrinkles and improved colour and evenness.
“Patients often say that it looks like their skin went from looking tired to vibrant. This fast and easy treatment enables you to get back to work, play, commitments and compliments!” says Kristine Feaver-Noseworthy, clinic director and head nurse at Bense SurgiSpa.
“While NLP is something that will leave you a bit pink for 24 hours, a week later, if you couple it with a Microdermabrasion peel to get rid of all of the excess dead skin, you will see amazing results,” Bense adds.
Dial it up a notch with Profractional Laser Resurfacing for the treatment of acne scars, wrinkles, sun damage such as stubborn browns and overall younger looking skin. The Profractional laser can be used on the face, neck, chest and hands. It is a quick and comfortable laser procedure used to improve the appearance of your skin using a laser microbeam to treat thousands of pinpoint areas of your skin. It can take two to three days to completely heal, and makeup can be applied one to two days after treatment.
Redensity
Redensity is a relatively new treatment (an injectable) that is really just for the health of the skin, says Feaver-Noseworthy.
“It ‘re-densifies’ your skin, so it is more for people that are 40-plus as it targets aging skin. Age, stress, hormonal changes, harmful effects of UV rays, oxidants and the environment can all lead to dull, dry, lackluster skin. Redensity is an injectable that combines three natural potent antioxidants, eight amino acids, vitamin B6 and free hyaluronic acid, which are all naturally occurring components in the skin that stimulate collagen and elastin production, as well as restore hydration,” says Feaver-Noseworthy.
Bense SurgiSpa also offers other treatments, including Botox, various fillers, Coolsculpting fat reduction (body contouring) and FemiLift vaginal rejuvenation services, as well as tattoo and laser hair removal.
What makes Bense SurgiSpa different from other skincare centres? “A physician actually approves everyone’s candidacy for any treatment before it is delivered, they go over any medical history and oversee your care throughout your entire journey with us,” says Bense.
For more information or to book a consultation, visit bensesurgispa.com.
