The sensory manifestations of warmth have been associated with various physical and often common place experiences; the energetic sensation of heat through circulation from running, the application of a warm thermal pack to soothe muscle tightness, the stinging from a sunburn, or the comfort of a warm electric blanket to take a chill away are familiar. There are also fewer familiar applications of warmth from energy that are not as clearly understood in their dynamics including lasers, light emitting diodes, and electromagnetic radiation. Radiant energy is the energy of electromagnetics that takes the form of various invisible waves as kinetic energy. Like the laser and light emitting diodes, radiant energy is measured in joules and is based on the small light energy packets called photons that fuel the radiant energy from its source. Radiant energy is measured with its radiant influx, or power, with respect to time and is distributed according to the vibration of its photon particles. Most often, radiant energy is used to describe heat that may or may not be invisible to the naked eye and is typically harnessing thermal energy. This is the result of changes in the configuration of electrons and can travel through any substance – air, liquid, or space. However, radiant energy can be reflected if the object receiving the energy cannot absorb it. Energy has the circumstantial capacity to be reflected, refracted, or absorbed.

Dr. Erin Madigan-Fleck is an educational icon known for her 35 plus years of experience and expertise in dermatological skin sciences, integrative aesthetics, and wellness. She is licensed in Georgia as a master cosmetologist, aesthetician, and aesthetic instructor. She is also a certified dermatology technician, lecturer, author, and national educator for the skin care industry. She holds national certification with the NCEA, Oncology Esthetics International, and as a natural health practitioner with Certified Natural Health Professionals. She received her naturopathic doctoral degree from the University of Science, Arts, and Technology College of Medicine and is a member of the American Society for Nutrition, International Association for Applied Corneotherapy, and the Society of Dermatological Skin Care Specialists. Dr. Madigan-Fleck is the CEO and owner of Naturophoria, established in 2000.

Nature has beautiful rivers and streams flowing down the earth’s mountains into valleys that follow specific pathways lined with sand and river rocks that perform special functions of filtration. As the water moves through the natural purification system, debris is removed – the end product resulting in a stunning lake of clear water. This amazing process of detoxification also occurs inside the human body through the complex super-highway known as the lymphatic system, which controls microcirculation as it transports interstitial fluid in and around the body tissues eventually dumping it so that the waste can be disposed of.

The anatomy and physiology of the lymphatic system works within the body like a sewer system plant for a city. By taking in toxic waters, purifying them, and disposing of waste, it then produces a sparkling clean output. As clean fluids, blood, enzymes, and proteins are put back into circulation, it boosts the immune system and the cellular energy soars. The lymphatic system is similar to the front line special forces for the body that work to clear out invading enemies from the internal terrain, so the immune system can stabilize the ecosystem within and keep the balance process of homeostasis steadily moving forward to create optimal health.

Alissa de Jongh, ND, is a board-certified naturopathic doctor, CIDESCO Diplomat, and founder of Glace’ Skin Therapy. She was recognized by the American Naturopathic Medical Association with the 2018 Higher Achievement Award. In 2014, she joined Houston Community College as a professor of facial aesthetics in the consumer arts and sciences department. She also teaches and prepares student aestheticians for careers in the medical and luxury spa industry. Dr. de Jongh, along with her husband Dr. David de Jongh, DDS have a private practice that promotes integrative wellness and dental spa concept in Houston, Texas. Together, they treat patients from a whole-body perspective, looking for the root cause of the issue. Starting with a dental exam and then moving into a naturopathic consultation which offers many options to create an individualized plan for optimal health, using lasers, along with her line of wellness products from Glace’ and other natural health modalities. drdejongh.com

The art and science of professional cosmetic chemistry formulation has advanced significantly in recent years with modern research, development techniques, and an understanding of the skin. The understanding of the synergies of the skin microbiome, barrier function of the skin, and the pH of the natural skin surface is very important to understand. If in an optimal state of balance, these three properties (continuum) of the skin can, in part, define good skin health.

Why is good skin health important? It seems like an easy answer, but most professionals and consumers do not understand it well. Excluding skin pathology or disease, good skin health is defined by continual maintenance and prevention processes. Fine lines, wrinkles, skin tone and texture, pore size, dry skin, dark spots, and other aesthetic issues contribute to the look of aging skin. A common root cause of these aesthetic issues is inflammation. How does skin barrier function, the microbiome, and the natural pH create a condition which degrades the functions of the skin?

Robert P. Manzo, president and chief formulation chemist of Skinprint, founded Skinprint in 2002 as a cosmeceutical company focused on personalized skin care solutions for providers. Manzo holds 15 patents in skin care and associated fields, including a patent on customized skin care processes. He continues to speak and train medical based skin care audiences internationally and publishes in trade journals and periodicals regularly.

Managing the signs of aging for facial skin has been an ongoing pursuit since the beginning of time. From facial masking and beautification rituals of ancient ayurvedic civilizations to present-day products, injectables, and medical treatments, consumers have always been willing to invest time and money into slowing the aging process for the skin on the face.

There has been a massive increase in interest and growth in sales within the body care sector of the skin care industry, including both the professional services offered, as well as homecare products purchased. This growth is partially due to a shift towards viewing skin care as a necessity and the practice of overall wellness.

By comparison, facial skin only makes up a small portion of the skin on an individual’s body, so it is a logical step for consumers to see the need to invest in more services and products to care for the skin on the body. Another reason for this increase is the emergence of new identifiers for how age is perceived. The face is no longer the only identifier, as age is also seen by the appearance of the skin on the décolleté, backs of the arms, hands, and the insides of the legs. With this evolution comes the demand for new products to manage the signs of aging in crucial areas of the body.

 Brian Goodwin is an award-winning International Educator for Éminence Organic Skin Care. As a Master Medical Esthetician, Master Herbalist, and Consultant, Brian leverages over 10 years of spa industry experience to bring fun, engaging education to spa professionals around the world.

A skin professional’s chances of treating a client for aging issues are very high. It is a word that creates agitation and additionally provides a lucrative stream of return business a spa. Aging is a large umbrella term and from a marketing standpoint, it is up to the skin care professional to make sure they are covering all the bases with comprehensive treatment strategies. Typically, professionals deal with the extrinsic, environmental, and premature components of aging skin because, they are the most widely educated on and easily recognized in age management care. They are vital pieces to the puzzle and should ideally always be addressed with each client, but maybe there feels like a brick wall to the target goals. So, what could possibly be the missing link? Hormonal aging. Professionals know hormones can create a variety of skin issues to appear and aging is no exception. Here are some guidelines to better understand where the treatment of hormonally aging skin completes a holistic approach.

Elizabeth Brasher is a licensed aesthetician since 2011 and has been practicing with a strive for advanced skin care education ever since. Brasher is the lead for Facelogic Spa of Murphy, Texas for the last three years. She continues to devote herself to helping her colleagues offering expert training, heading online aesthetics forums, and writing contributions to industry magazines. At the beginning of 2020 Brasher became DERMASCOPE Magazine’s in-house aesthetician.

As people get older, most yearn for the smooth, plump, even complexion of a time past. It is because of this that many middle-aged individuals first seek out the services of a skin care professional, such as an aesthetician, dermatologist, or plastic surgeon. And while there are many characteristics associated with aging skin (including hyperpigmentation, dryness, thinning, and loss of elasticity), none of these seem to bother clients quite as much as the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

The industry has come a long way since the days when the best way to address wrinkles was to apply a nightly cold cream. Today’s consumer has so many options available to them – at-home treatments like serums and masks to professional interventions like laser treatments and facelifts. This can make the process of selecting an approach feel overwhelming. While it is certainly possible for someone to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with an at-home regimen, the results are typically less than stellar and can even worsen the integrity of the skin. Therefore, when it comes to minimizing the signs of aging, best results are achieved under the guidance of a professional.

The landscape of antiaging procedures and treatments is rapidly evolving, so much so that even aesthetic professionals can be uncertain of the best approach for a client. While a skin care professional is likely secure in their knowledge of how to perform advanced procedures and the outcomes that can be delivered, for clients who want to see the best results possible in the shortest amount of time and with the lowest financial expenditure, how does the skin care professional ensure an efficient path to results? Like all good aesthetic outcomes, the path begins with an understanding of the client and their lifestyle.

Dr. Ahmed Abdullah is CEO and founder of Lexli International, Inc. and formulator of the company’s Lexli line of professional aloe-based skincare products. A board-certified plastic adnd reconstructive surgeon and a leading aloe researcher, Dr. Abdullah is a recognized expert on the restorative and medicinal effects of aloe vera. In fact, he is a pioneer in the use of pharmaceutical-grade aloe in surgical applications, a practice that is growing in popularity.

Skin that has been exposed to trauma stemming from surgery, infection, injury, or even severe acne and cancer must be approached with a thoughtful and educated approach tailored to the individual’s specific needs. With a rise in clients who are more receptive to treatment plans designed not only to beautify, but more specifically to treat and heal, professionals in the skin care industry are responding to this need by acquiring the advanced training necessary to accommodate the challenges involved with rejuvenating compromised skin.

Skin Care Professionals live in one of two camps: The camp that firmly believes consultations should always be free and the camp that insists charging a fee for their time is the proper protocol. What professionals believe is likely based on how they were originally taught to conduct skin care consultations and further impacted by the number of new clients on one’s schedule and average unit sale. If on the fence or questioning a current approach, here are some considerations to guide the decision.

A scar, is a scar, is a scar, but not really. Especially not as a professional discussed them with many of their clients. Frequently, when referring to a discolored or slightly raised epidermal abnormality as a scar, it is not one at all. Most skin care professionals are familiar with a frantic clients’ inquisition about whether their pimple “scar” will ever go away when in reality, the menacing mark to which they are referring will soon heal and disappear without a trace. This temporary trauma is just the skin going through the normal healing process, which involves an inflammatory response followed by proliferation of cells and a remodeling of the tissue, re-establishing an effective epidermal barrier. Even though this process includes some unsightly consequences including swelling, erythema, and even a temporary hyperpigmentation of the skin, these cosmetic irregularities are usually not permanent. And because healing is a complex biochemical event that is not completely understood, it is difficult to predict outcomes for clients.

Aestheticians are always learning about new ingredients, creating new seasonal menus of services, and building custom skin care routines for clients. One of the first things taught in an aesthetic program is how to do a patch test. When a client comes into the spa, it is important to do a skin consultation to see what type of skin they have, what products they are using, and any allergies they may have. Patch tests are an excellent way to be sure that the product will work for a client and that they will be comfortable.