New Year, New You: Spider Vein Treatments

If you suffer from Spider Veins, you know how painful they can be. If you’re sick of dealing with the aching and cramping that goes along with Spider Veins, start the new year off right with spider vein treatments at Pacific Vein Care and Blue Sky Med Spa. Our treatments will help reduce the symptoms that go along with spider veins.

What are Spider Veins?

Spider veins are red, purple, and blue vessels that twist and turn, and are easily visible through the skin.

What Causes Spider Veins?

There are a number of factors that can cause spider veins, including:

• Heredity
• Occupations that involve a lot of standing, such as nurses, hair stylists, teachers, or factory workers
• Obesity
• Hormonal influences of pregnancy, puberty, and menopause
• The use of birth control pills
• History of blood clots

Symptoms of Spider Veins

Many people who suffer from spider veins complain about aching or cramping pains in their legs. Other common symptoms include tiredness, restlessness, burning, throbbing, tingling, or heaviness in the legs. Pain from spider veins can usually be relieved by elevating your legs, or wearing support stockings.

Treatment Options

One popular treatment option for those with spider veins is sclerotherapy, which is a treatment that was developed in the 1950s and 1960s. It involves the use of an extremely fine needs to inject tiny amounts of a dilute solution directly into the spider veins. The solution causes the lining of the vein to swell, eventually sealing off the blood vessels and preventing blood flow. At Pacific Vein Care, we use polidocanol as our sclerosant of choice because it’s painless and effective.

Prior to treatment, a complete medical history is take and a thorough examination is made in order to determine, among other things, how long the problem has existed, are there any ongoing causative factors, and if there are any associated symptoms. If your spider veins are found in conjunction with varicose veins, treatment for the varicose veins may be recommended before Sclerotherapy is undertaken.

After your treatment, you are required to wear compression stocking for up to 14 days. Benefits and expected results include:

• Gets rid of spider veins
• Normalizes skin blood flow
• No incisions or scars
• Does not interfere with normal activities
• Safe, virtually painless, in-office treatment
• Only takes about 30 minutes

If you suffer from spider veins, and think you can benefit from treatment here at Pacific Vein Care, give us a call at 815-669-4224 to set up an appointment!

Keep Your Skin Healthy All Winter Long With Pacific Vein and the Blue Sky Med Spa

Keep Your Skin Healthy All Winter Long With Pacific Vein and the Blue Sky Med Spa. A dry, barren environment. An unappealing, inhospitable location, filled with grueling conditions and constant discomfort. Does it sound like we are describing a desert wasteland? That’s where you’d be wrong; these unpleasant characteristics can also be given to winter skin.

The summer season was your time to shine when it came to skin care; and for good reason—your skin was on constant display in your shorts, summer dresses, and even bikinis. But this change in the temperature that we are currently experiencing is no excuse to stop paying attention to your skin. In fact, we’d argue that this is the time of year where we need to pay the most attention to our skin. Hiding your skin under a baggy sweater or a parka will not hide the issues that come with dry, itchy, and unattractive skin. Now is the time to not only maintain your current beauty routine, but to enhance it.
Here are a few of our favorite ways that we keep our skin at its healthiest during the frigid months ahead.

Don’t Bathe in Hot Water
As good as a hot bath or shower feels during the winter months, it’s best to avoid it to keep your skin as moist as possible. Instead, set your water temperature to be lukewarm. This will sustain many natural body oils on the surface of your skin.

Never Forget the Moisturizer
Immediately following your bath or shower, give your skin a heavy dose of moisturizer. Applying lotion to damp skin will seal that dampness from your shower into your skin. To us, the more lotion you can apply, the better results it will have on your skin. We recommend stepping up your moisturizing routine this winter by scheduling a few massage treatments at Blue Sky Med Spa. It’s a relaxing experience that works wonders on your skin.
We at the Blue Sky Med Spa are also concerned about what moisturizer we are putting on your skin not only during your massage treatment, but also in your daily life. Your summer beauty products should absolutely be different than your winter ones. Look for products that have natural and nourishing ingredients rather than products that contain heavy amounts of petroleum-based ingredients. It’s also wise to choose oil-based solutions rather than water-based ones.

Layers are Important
It’s cold out there—so why expose your skin to the constant harsh conditions?
Always have a scarf and a pair of gloves on hand in addition to your coat and hat—it will do wonders for not only keeping you as warm as possible on a chilly day, but it sustain moisture on your skin.

Think about what you put into your Body
It’s that time of year for drinking plenty of tea and cocoa, because those are hot and soothing beverages. But we recommend adding more water into your daily routine. Something we like here at Blue Sky Med Spa? A little warm water with lemon can be very refreshing and hydrating at the same time.

Don’t let your skin become a dry and uncomfortable accessory for you this winter. Keep Your Skin Healthy All Winter Long With Pacific Vein and the Blue Sky Med Spa. Now more than ever, you must practice healthy habits to keep your skin healthy and glowing all winter long, even under your multiple layers. Feel good and look good all winter long with Pacific Vein Care. Call 815-759-2368 or email blueskymedspa@gmail.com to schedule one of the mentioned appointments or to book your free initial consultation.

How To Keep Your Skin and Body Healthy This Fall and Winter

How to keep your skin and body healthy this Fall and Winter. Everyone has a daily skincare regimen that they follow without fail. Every day, it’s wake up, you’re your face, exfoliate, moisturize—and don’t forget the sunscreen! These are practices that should be followed every day not only for you to be looking your best, but also for your skin to be at its healthiest.

As autumn begins and winter looms on the horizon, taking extreme care of our skin becomes even more important. The harsh and chilly temperatures ahead can do incredible damage to our skin and body, and practicing your already good habits may not be enough to fight the harm it can cause you.

That’s why it’s important to educate yourself on how your skin can look vibrant and beautiful all winter long. Here are a few of our recommended ways to take care of yourself during the cold months ahead:

Freshen Up Your Entire Body From  Head to Toe

No part of your body should be ignored in the cold months ahead—or always, for that matter. But especially as the autumn begins, it’s important to treat your skin right after spending an entire summer in the sunshine, sand, and water.

Restore your hair, skin, and nails and get rid of tired and dull layers to kick off your fall. We recommend treating your hair to a hot oil application, spreading a masque moisturizer on your skin, and treating yourself to a pedicure to remove food calluses.

Never Stop Moisturizing

Summer is the time of year for constant heat and humidity, so naturally, lighter and multipurpose moisturizers are ideal for these stifling conditions. So, when the weather outside is frightful, it’s recommended to have hydrating body lotions to prevent dry skin. Consider investing in rich hair conditions or silicone serums to fight winter frizz. For your face, switch from your summer astringent face wash to a thicker cleansing oil.

Don’t Ditch the Sunscreen

Just because summer is over, doesn’t mean you get to hide your sunscreen. While it’s important to change how you apply sunscreen in fall and winter, it is crucial to remember to, well, not forget it! Focus primarily on your face and neck during the coming months, trade in your SPF 50 for an SPF 15 or 30 instead.

Switch Your Color Palette to Reflect the Season

Now that your face and body is fresh and clean, now it’s time to consider the makeup you put on your face. During cool weather, heavier eye makeup, full coverage foundation, and warm, saturated shades are the way to go.  We are loving shades of espresso, greens, mauves, and even grays.

While the autumn and winter seasons are the most wonderful time of the year, it’s important to remember that following these best practices to make sure your skin and body beautiful and healthy.

For more information on how to keep your skin and body healthy this Fall and Winter and what you can be doing to guarantee beautiful winter skin, contact your friends and experts at Pacific Vein Care. We would be happy to help you stay fit, healthy, and feeling beautiful all winter long. Contact us to schedule your consultation at 815-759-2368 or email blueskymedspa@gmail.com.

Fractora

When it comes to skin rejuvenation treatments, you want the biggest bang for your buck as well as the quickest and most painless option possible. Fractora is a skin rejuvenation treatment that tightens and lifts the face while treating fine lines, wrinkles, and even photo damage. This painless procedure requires no downtime or anesthesia, and is best completed in one treatment per week for six weeks. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about Fractora.

How does it work?

Fractora delivers targeted bipolar radiofrequency energy to various selectable depths in the skin. Fractora meets and exceeds the results of fractional CO2 without the associated downtime, prolonged redness, and pigmentation drawbacks. Fractora achieves full-scale treatment depths with customizable fractional energy to improve superficial skin tone problems (photo damage) to deep textural concerns (rhytids and tightening). Clinicians can select between variable depths, densities and energy levels for results that were previously unattainable without excisional surgery.

What are the benefits?

Patients experience a significant reduction of wrinkles and fine lines. Other benefits include improved skin tone, a reduction of blood vessels, and even reduction in acne scarring. Fractora also provides the best ratio of power of results to recovery period and potential for adverse effects compared to other skin resurfacing treatments.

How will I look following treatment?

For the first 24 to 48 hours the skin will be red and irritated, and small black dots will be visible. During this time you will frequently apply a moisturizer. Within 2 to 3 days most patients can begin wearing their makeup again as usual.

How soon will I see results?

Most patients see an improvement in the quality of their skin as soon as the initial redness and swelling subside. The full effect takes about 6 months, due to the continuous production of collagen.

If you’re ready for the softer, smoother, and clearer skin that Fractora brings, come to Blue Sky Med Spa! We offer Fractora skin rejuvenation and resurfacing treatments along with many other spa services. See what we can do to make you not only feel better, but look better, too! Contact us today.

Keep Your Skin Hydrated During the Summer

Blue Sky Med Spa can help keep your skin hydrated during the summer. Summer is a wonderful time of year, complete with beach days, road trips, and fresh summer food and drink. But with the warm weather comes potentially damaging factors that can make our skin look dull and lifeless. This summer, keep your skin looking youthful and fresh with these simple tips.

The Basics of Skin Structure

Your skin is the largest organ on your body, and makes up about 15% of your body weight. It is composed of three layers: the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. The epidermis is the outermost layer of skin, and is directly exposed to the environments around you. The dermis is the second layer, and is rich in collagen and elastin, which keeps your skin flexible and strong. And finally, the hypodermis, which contains fatty tissue. These three layers need to stay balanced in order to keep your skin hydrated and looking it’s best.

Factors That Affect Hydration

There are a few factors that can affect the hydration level of your skin. Those factors include:

• High temperatures
• Humidity
• UV radiation
• Aging
• Drinking coffee or alcohol
• Taking too long of showers or baths
• Aggressively cleaning or exfoliating your skin

Symptoms of Dehydrated Skin

When your skin is dehydrated, it’s feels similar to dry skin. Your face can feel tight and dry, and you may also experience redness, peeling, or itching. Dry skin, however, does not always indicate lack of moisture.

Tips for Keeping Your Skin Hydrated

Although everyone’s skin care routine will vary, there are a few basic things you can add to help keep your skin hydrated and fresh.

• Exfoliate
  • While over-exfoliating can add to dehydrated skin, regularly exfoliating- two or three times a week can help remove dead skin cells and increase blood circulation to your face. You can research recipes for exfoliating scrub that you can make at home, or find a brand you like at the drugstore.
• Moisturize
  • Using the right kind of moisturizer for your skin in the morning and evening is essential in keeping your skin hydrated. Moisturizer is a key component in the skin’s rejuvenation process, so it’s important to find the right one for your skin.
• Drink Water and Eat a Balanced Diet
  • How much water you drink and the foods you eat also play a crucial role in keeping the skin hydrated. Drink plenty of water during the day, and make sure you’re eating enough fruits and vegetables.

If you have any problems with your skin or want to know more about how to keep your skin hydrated over the summer, please feel free to reach out to us! Call 815-759-2368 to schedule your free consultation, or visit our website. We hope to see you soon!

Non-Invasive Anti-Aging Techniques

Check out our Non-Invasive Anti-Aging Techniques. As we age, our skin loses elasticity and fine lines become visible on our faces. In addition to lost elasticity, our skin also becomes thinner and drier, lacking the radiance and “glow” of our youth. Thankfully, we live in a modern era with modern treatments for all your aging skin woes. Non-invasive techniques are the way to go, since they address your skin concerns without risky surgical intervention. Blue Sky Med Spa offers several of the latest and greatest non-invasive anti-aging treatments.

Laser Skin Tightening

Laser skin tightening uses an infrared laser to tighten skin by heating the collagen under the skin’s surface, causing the skin to contract and tighten. Facial skin tightening is noticeable immediately after the treatment, and there is no downtime, making this an increasingly popular procedure. Additional skin tightening occurs over the next few months, but optimal results usually require two or three treatments about a month apart.

Injectables

Rather than just smoothing or tightening skin, an injectable filler aims to change the facial profile to a more youthful one. The injection of filler materials under the skin can fill in deep folds, create fuller lips, and pad out hollow cheeks and eyes. Collagen used to be the standard filler, but now hyaluronic acid is more popular, and used by brands like Juvederm (available at Blue Sky Med Spa). The most recognizable name in anti-aging injectables, Botox (also available at Blue Sky Med Spa!), prevents and removes wrinkles by temporarily paralyzing the muscles in your face.

Microneedling

Microneedling involves using fine needles to create hundreds of tiny, invisible puncture wounds in the top layer of skin. These tiny “micro-injuries” stimulate your body’s natural healing process, which increases collagen and elastin production - resulting in cell turnover and reversing/preventing signs of aging. At Blue Sky Med Spa, we use the PR (Power Rejuvenator) Pen to channel anti-aging serums into the skin via microneedling. We apply a topical anesthetic to the treatment area to minimize any possible discomfort. Typically the procedure lasts less than one hour, and you may begin to see some results before you leave the office! With progressive healing, final results are typically achieved within six weeks.

At Blue Sky Med Spa, we offer free initial consultations and would be happy to discuss Non-Invasive Anti-Aging Techniques and your skincare goals and come up with a treatment plan that works for you. If you are ready to discover the wonders of modern, non-invasive anti-aging treatments, contact us today!

Keep Your Skin “Forever Young” This Summer

Youthful, radiant looking skin is the dream for millions of women across the country. Unfortunately, with age brings the appearance of wrinkles, sunspots, freckles and exhausted looking skin. It can feel impossible to meet the unrealistic expectations of photoshopped celebrities and social media. As we struggle to improve our appearance, remember that beautiful skin starts with healthy habits. Here’s what you need to know as we approach the sunny summer months.

Importance of Sun Protection:

Have you ever wished you wore sunblock after a day at the park or beach? It’s easy to know the right thing to do after it’s happened. When it comes to sun protection, always apply sunblock of at least SPF 30 approximately 15-30 minutes before going outdoors (even when it’s cloudy). Not only will this help prevent wrinkling but it will also protect against skin cancer. To learn more about sun protection please visit this link.

What You Eat Matters:

A diet rich in vitamins and protein is good for both general health and glowing skin. Simply put, eating healthy is a win-win! Cut down on sugars, fats and starch. Instead, add plenty of Vitamin E and Vitamin C to your diet with fruits, veggies, and omega 3 fats. Some of the best foods for healthy skin include avocados, spinach, kale, berries, nuts, beans and olive oil.

How to Stay Forever Young:

Blue Sky Med Spa wants to help keep you looking youthful this summer with our ForeverYoung Package. This package includes an Atlantic Peel – PRPEN – Laser Skin Tightening and Collagen Mask. The Laser Skin Tightening stimulates collagen under the surface of the skin to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines while the collagen skin treatment is used to fill lines/wrinkles around the eyes, lips, nose and forehead. (Treatments to be done 3 weeks apart).

Turn back the clock with our ForeverYoung Package available now at Blue Sky Med Spa. To schedule an appointment or to learn more about this package, please contact us today!