Pores No Mores?

Pores are always necessary, and often hated - where self-image is concerned. But these tiny holes serve grand purpose. They're actually hair follicle openings which provide oil to your skin. Excess oil and skin are then purged from the pores; similar to a 'drain' for impurities and excess. They're a VERY important part of your body's largest organ - your SKIN!

It becomes a problem for self-image - when the pores become large and highly visible. Certainly, we can't all have skin like our model, left. Looking at her skin reminds me of buying sheets: thread count.

She's got a 500 thread count face, and mine's 150 thread count jersey-knit.

Should it make us feel better that we (the low face thread count) are a majority? Why can't we all have the 'like-buttah' smooth and flawless skin like Miss Tighty-Perfect-Skin over here?

Well - there's lots of factors which contribute to pore size.

• Is it hereditary? Sometimes it's a matter of genetics. Look at mom and dad. Expect a nice mix.
  
  
• Are you getting older? Welcome to the party. You can't have the high-end thread count face forever, but you can die tryin'. Sometimes - as a part of the natural aging process - we lose elasticity and our skin thickens, - which causes pores to appear larger.
  

• Do (or DID) you worship the sun? Just another great reason not to purposely boil your skin in the sun for a few months of 'being dark'. Overexposure to the sun thickens the skin. When the skin thickens, cells gather around the pores - and VOILA - larger pores. Plus, sun damage decreases the skin's elasticity or - ability to 'bounce back'!
  

• What's your daily routine? (and- you better not say you don't have one) Please don't tell me 'I'm just one of those people who doesn't need to wash my face' - GROSS! And don't tell me you 'love using Dial soap'. You GOTTA clean out those pores. Period. When there's dirt and bacteria swimming around in there - the pore expands and gets BIGGER.
  
  
• Are you a picker? STEP AWAY FROM THE MIRROR. Don't you know picking at blackheads, whiteheads or popping pimples SERIOUSLY can blow a hole right through your skin? And take it from me - it scars. For life. And the scars get worse - YEAR AFTER YEAR. Don't pick at things. Your mom told you to keep your hands off your face. She was right.

So cleanse regularly, stay out of the sun and keep your hands away from your face - this will help! But unfortunately, there isn't anything you can do to permanently reduce your pore size.

Certainly there are things you can do now, too - to reduce the appearance of large pores. Here's some ideas to include in your ANTI-PORE PLAN:

Vitamin C: These antioxidants help repair the damaging effects of photo aging and overexposure to the sun's rays. Vitamin C Serums can also increase collagen and elasticity of the skin. Try a SkinCeuticals Vitamin C Serum.

Exfoliate: Use a cleanser that exfoliates (like SkinCeuticals Clarifying Cleanser - Or MD Forte Cleanser with Glycolic Acid) and then opt for periodic chemical peels. Microdermabrasion is a great way to exfoliate as a maintenance tool - and is safe enough to do every couple of weeks.

So if you're young enough - do what Mom tells you to do: wear your sunscreen and don't pick at your face! The bottom line here is exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. If you've already got some poor pore problems - then come see us and get on a good skin care regimen that will help your skin naturally exfoliate - and you can help it along with effective products and treatments too.

Be A Bikini Babe This Summer!

Join us for a very special event - and some very special offers!

SUIT YOURSELF will be here offering only the very best in swimwear - in an exclusive trunk show. Get ahead of the game with your swim attire this year - with high end and unique brands.

We'll have light food and drinks and some VERY special treatment offers - and a great time.

WHEN: Monday, June 28th from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

WHERE: Le Beau Visage Medical Spa
3685 Preston Road #129
Frisco, Texas 75034

AND - as a special bonus - if you join us for the event - and purchase a swimsuit - you will receive:

20 FREE UNITS OF DYSPORT™
-AND-
BUY ONE GET ONE FREE RESTYLANE ®*

That's right - buy a bathing suit - and Dr. Riehs will extend 20 FREE units of Dysport™ and you can pre-purchase as many syringes of Restylane® Dermal Filler as you wish - BOGO! (Buy one get one!)

*must attend event, purchase at least one item of swimwear, and complete entire purchase same evening. Treatments may be pre-purchased and scheduled for injection at later date.

Call Donna at 214-705-7676 to reserve your spot!

But hurry, space is filling up fast!

Milia. Those BUMPS That Never Go Away

That's right friends - we're talking about milia - those pesky, hard, no-poppin', whitehead-lookin' bumps all over your face. They're often confused for whiteheads (in adults) but are very common in newborns. But in newborns - it typically goes away. In adults, however - it can be an irritating under-the-surface obstacle to smooth and glowing skin.

Milia are deeply set white or off-white bumps that are created when the skin doesn't exfoliate properly. Skin get trapped and tiny cysts appear below the surface of the skin. Milia can occur just about ANYWHERE on your skin's surface (such as delicate eyelids, lips), and mucous membranes inside the cheek, nose and lips.

There are several factors that can contribute to the cause of milia - because anything that inhibits exfoliation - will help milia form. So, things like excessive sun exposure (which thickens the skin over time) can keep skin cells and trapped under the thickened epidermis.

Or, maybe you should look at your skin care program. There are many of us who over use product (use too much) or aren't using the right ones. Either way - the goal to helping rid your life of these 'tiny bubbles' is to EXFOLIATE, EXFOLIATE, EXFOLIATE.

Check your skincare regimen. Make sure your skin care program includes an exfoliating cleanser like SkinCeuticals Clarifying Cleanser (with salicylic acid) or MD Forte Cleanser (Facial Cleanser II is 15% glycolic acid). It's like starting every day with a mini-chemical peel to gently and effectively cleanse and exfoliate your skin. Then, be sure to exfoliate some more with an skin renewal product like MD Forte Facial Lotion (Facial Lotion II is 15% glycolic acid). Also, a vitamin-C Serum like SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF are a great way to fight the effects of sun-damage, and can help that thickening of the epidermis we mention above.

Get some microdermabrasions. Microdermabrasion is a great way to safely and effectively exfoliate the skin - and it's gentle enough to do every 2-3 weeks. Your esthetician will perform a few minutes of extractions - point out your trouble spots before your treatment.

Peel That Skin. Opt for a TCA chemical peel, or a more gentle salicylic peel (best for acne prone skin) or glycolic peel. Non-TCA chemical peels are safe enough to do as often as every month.

Protect That Skin. Of course - the Texas sun is nowhere to be without a broad-spectrum (and if you're a milia sufferer) oil-free sunscreen. Try Elta MD UV Shield 45SPF.

Talk to your esthetician or Dr. Riehs if you have concerns about MILIA!