Skin Care 2022

Now’s the time to prepare your best-self to re-enter the world. At Clark Institute, 2021 is the year for innovative additions to our skincare line, non-surgical facial rejuvenation, and minimally invasive procedures. According to Dr. Clark, the key to achieving optimum results with targeted therapy is a tailored program that meets your needs.

To that end, we take a personal interest in your lifestyle and skin changes. The benefits of a curated experience are great-looking skin and a refined appearance.

Top treatments to restore aging, sun-damaged skin include facials combined with a consistent skincare regimen, microneedling, and laser therapy. Over the last few years, scientific advancements in these modalities have met with great success, and we want you to be the first to know all about them.

Our 2021 preview starts with regularly scheduled facials. Perhaps not flashy or novel, facials remain integral to any skincare regimen. Consulting with a qualified person familiar with your skin’s needs addresses concerns like skin tone and texture irregularities.

A good facial includes a deep cleansing with extractions to unclog pores. Following deep cleansing comes facial massage. The combination of acupressure and lymphatic drainage relieves tension in the jaw and the upper face, improving circulation and headaches caused by sinus pressure.

Once the skin is clean and facial muscles relaxed, mechanical exfoliation with microdermabrasion or microplaning removes the layers of dry, dead skin, preparing the skin to receive an enzymatic peel’s full benefits.

Hydration is the last step. And, yes, oily skin needs hydration too! Products that retain moisture without clogging pores soften and plump the skin. Think of this final phase like a leave-in hair conditioner.

Maintenance between facial appointments is key to long term success. Skincare lines at Clark Institute are thoroughly tested and approved before they make it onto our shelves. Sensitive, acne-prone, sun-damaged, and aging skin require targeted ingredients to maintain healthy skin. More importantly, we adjust your regimen to your skin’s needs because we understand it is a moving target in our Florida climate.

In conjunction with regular facials, microneedling, or collagen induction therapy (CIT), is another modality that restores skin health. Microneedling stimulates the body’s ability to repair itself by creating more than 1000 microchannels per second. The body reacts to these tiny skin pricks by releasing growth factors that rush to restore and improve skin elasticity, tone, and texture. Little to no downtime makes this treatment an excellent alternative for people with busy lifestyles.

For some, baby steps are better than a deep dive into skincare procedures that leave your skin irritated and flaky. Microneedling is a baby step. Added to the end of a facial or as a stand-alone treatment, this fast and safe procedure for all skin types is appropriate any time of the year.

If amping it up a notch is what the doctor orders, microneedling with radiofrequency is our go-to procedure. Vivace RF® combines heat with microneedling to enhance collagen production. Little to no downtime combined with immediate results that continue to improve with time and treatment are hallmarks of this minimally-invasive treatment.

But, if you’re looking for significant skin changes in record time, laser therapy is the ticket. Lasers treat pigment and texture issues, skin laxity, spider veins, and broken capillaries. Two to three treatments spaced three to six weeks apart are fast and effective. Recovery from redness, mild discomfort in the form of heat like a sunburn, and sloughing and peeling takes four to ten days before skin looks rejuvenated.

Common laser modalities include the fractionated laser called Halo, Fraxel, or Microlaser, and intense pulsed light (IPL) or broadband light (BBL).

The Halo or fractionated laser is a dual-mode skin resurfacing treatment. Besides removing the top layer of dead skin, the laser penetrates below the dermis where collagen lives, stimulating production. Our nurse practitioner Holly Rosvik explains it this way, “It’s like aerating the lawn. Perforating the skin with small holes stimulates collagen activity, improving elasticity, texture, and pore size.”

When skin-lightening agents aren’t enough to eliminate the pesky brown and red spots that increase with age and sun exposure, IPL and BBL will. Heat absorbed by the pigmented areas on the face stimulates skin cells and reduces unwanted melanin that produces brown spots. The heat also eliminates tiny blood vessels and spider veins that become more noticeable with age, especially around the nose and cheeks. Recovery is minimal. The treated spots become darker and look like specks of dirt or coffee grinds that eventually fade within a week.

Why choose laser therapy over a less aggressive approach? The answer to this question depends on lifestyle and the degree of skin damage. Our experts at Clark Institute can help you decide.

Let 2021 be the year you experience a skincare breakthrough. If you haven’t fully committed, it’s not too late to reconsider. Give us a call today.