The month of September is upon us and for many it signifies a month of transition. Although the weather still signifies the hot temperatures of the summer months, it also means the return of school and the end of summer vacation. Change is in the air during the month of September, and Jessica Millsaps captures the month beautifully through the words in her poem, September Changes. "September is like no other It's days change color and weather No other month can say quite the same For every day, I can feel the change It's cool breezes start out warm, Changing to cold throughout every storm The leaves change and fall As the Summer leaves and Autumn kisses us all..." Though change can be good, it can also be a hard thing to accept. Even harder is the process of allowing the change to actually happen – especially for those of us set in our ways. This belief can be carried over into business as well. In business it is easy to become comfortable and to get used to a certain behavior. A certain mentality and culture develops within the business which leads to a set of procedures and a work environment that defines it and its future. As time goes on, the environment around the business changes, but the business does not. Although past procedures and policies worked and once had the business thriving, they are now obsolete and behind in the times. It is hard to change. But, unfortunately, if a business lacks the self-awareness to realize it is time to change, in the end, they could find themselves extinct. This same analogy can be used with aesthetics. As new scientific advances are researched and discovered, we as skin care professionals need to stay informed and aware of these advancements. Our goal here at DERMASCOPE is to provide our readers with the most current and relevant information available in the industry; thereby assisting the aesthetics professional in gaining a true understanding of our profession, our customers and our potential. Throughout this issue, we have provided you with articles authored by experts in the aesthetic industry. From discussing the scientific advances in ingredients, both old and new, to the scientific approaches being used to study the skin, each article gives an in-depth view of the author's knowledge on the science behind skin care. It is my hope that these articles inspire you to sign up for a new aesthetics class, research a new ingredient or procedure you have heard about, or even restructure your current treatment menu. After all, like Ms. Millsaps says later on in her poem, "Changes come, no matter where you go…." It is up to you how you embrace the changes! Please feel free to contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; your suggestions and comments are welcome. I look forward to hearing from you! Best regards, Want to read more? Subscribe to one of our monthly plans to continue reading this article.