FAQ’s
12 step hi-tech facial
What happens if I don’t peel?
A low to medium strength AHA, BHA, or combination peel is used in order to break apart the hardened, protein bonds that connect the dried, dead skin cells in the outer layers of your skin. Because these bonds are so strong, a chemical solvent is needed to break through them – a simple scrub will not do the job. Once this solvent is applied, you can rest assured it is doing its job. Not everyone actually “peels” ( e.g., skin flaking) – this can be for a number of reasons – sometimes it can be because of oily skin, metabolic fluctuations within the body, or because the outer layers of dead skin have already been exfoliated, allowing the peel to penetrate deeper and affect real change in the lower layers of the skin.
Can I wear makeup after the treatment?
For best results, and since you will be leaving our studio with a treatment mask, we recommend not applying anything and not cleansing the night of the treatment, but if you must wear makeup and/or cleanse, then we recommend waiting 4-6 hours.
Is it normal for me to have blotchiness after the facial?
If you have any discoloration or even a tan, it may cause your skin to look blotchy during the week after your treatment – this minor blotchiness is often superficial and disappears within the week. If you still have concerns after 7-9 days from the date of your treatment, contact your local studio for a check-up and one of our practitioners will assess.
When will I start peeling? For how long?
While the peeling process varies from person to person, typically the skin begins to flake approximately 48 hours after the treatment, and continues until day 6-7 from the date of the treatment (treatment day = day 1)
I got the 12 step hi-tech facial and my skin isn’t cleared up?
While our treatments are highly results based, they work by accelerating your skin cell turnover rate and boosting skin regeneration, thereby replacing old and potentially damaged skin cells with new ones, and also by pushing out impurities within the layers of the skin. While we have been very successful in achieving great results, the process takes time, and we recommend a series of treatments in succession in order to have a cumulative effect at the onset of the treatments. After a desired result is achieved, your practitioner will help you figure out a maintenance plan that suits your needs.
Do I need to wear sunscreen after the treatment?
By default, we will not apply sunscreen after the treatment – this is because you have a treatment mask on which we don’t recommend washing off and the use of sunscreen will require you to cleanse your skin. Most people typically leave the studio and go to their cars and/or places of work – we recommend that under 30 minutes of normal sun exposure is fine – if you are planning on being out more than that please go ahead and wear the sunscreen of your choice.
Do I need to completely avoid the sun after this treatment?
No, our treatments are designed for you to be able to live your normal life and conduct your daily activities quite normally. On the day of the treatment we will not be applying any sunscreen (but you may apply it if you are planning on having more than 20-30 minutes of sun exposure). After the day of your treatment, you can wear your sunscreen (SPF 30 or less) and go about your normal daily activities. If you’re planning a hike or prolonged sun exposure, you may wear a hat. The only activity we don’t recommend for one week after the treatment is sun bathing.
I want to make an appointment for BOTOX, DYSPORT, or other injectables. When can I do this?
You should consult your doctor about getting peels and/or microdermabrasion in conjunction with the particular injectables you are receiving and what timeframe they recommend between visits, but typically 1-2 weeks or until the skin/muscles have completely healed after your injectables is usually appropriate. We will not work on any skin that has any kind of bruising or needs healing after the injectables so please clear the timeframe with your doctor.
When can I schedule an appointment for LASERS?
We do not recommend doing any other kind of resurfacing treatment while you are also doing the hi-tech series, and you should wait until your skin has completely healed before doing another treatment. Consult your doctor who is doing your laser treatment and be sure to tell them what kind of peels you are getting and how frequently.
Can I thread/wax after the treatment?
Yes, after your skin has stopped flaking, typically 7-8 days after your treatment you can schedule waxing or threading.
Can I exercise after the treatment?
Yes, but we recommend a workout that doesn’t cause too much sweating/heat on the day of the treatment – such as yoga or a walk. No hot saunas.
What can I expect after the treatment?
Expect to experience some general dryness, tightness, and/or redness which usually subsides within the week. For day-to-day instructions, please refer to post-care instructions. The flaking/peeling time is usually from day 3-day 6 or 7 (day 1-day of treatment)
I have a lot of hyperpigmentation – will this treatment help?
It really depends on the type of hyperpigmentation and how deep it is. With the 12 step hi-tech facial, you can expect to see general brightening of pigment related issues that are within the top layers (epidermis) but results vary based on the depth of the pigment and how long the pigment has been in the skin. For deeper pigment issues consult your dermatologist about various laser options.
My treatment involved a lot of extractions for cystic acne and there appears to be some bruising – is this normal?
Yes, if we are treating cystic acne or even just doing lots of extractions, there can be some bleeding and some of the blood can get trapped under the layers of the skin and dry up there, appearing as a bruise. This type of bruising is not permanent and will typically heal very quickly. We recommend using a jade scraper to push fluid toward the outsides of the face often, at least once/day, to stimulate lymphatic drainage. This boosts circulation and helps tremendously with the healing process.
glow + go
What’s the difference between the Glow + Go and the 12 step hi-tech facial?
The Glow + Go is a modified version of the 12 step hi-tech facial that replaces the deeper exfoliation with a lighter exfoliation, and does not contain the peels. Extractions are minimal (t-zone only) and are superficial (without the use of a lancet). The main difference is that there is no downtime.
Can I get this facial before a wedding?
Although this treatment is designed to be “party-ready”, we would advise trying out our products before any major events if you are a new client because as with any new products or treatments, your skin can experience sensitivity or reactions.
Can I wear makeup after this treatment?
Yes.
full body treatment
What is the full body treatment?
The full body is a 90 minute treatment. During the full body treatment, your practitioner will start off with microdermabrasion and a deep exfoliating body peel on your legs, feet, heels, arms, hands, and chest as well as the upper back. After that, you will receive the full 12 step hi-tech facial.
Why don’t I get a peel all over my body?
For safety reasons, it is recommended not to peel more than 70% of the body at a time, to avoid liver toxicity.
Will the peel cause me to “peel” all over my body?
Most likely not – you will experience no actual “peeling” or very minimal on the body. The purpose of the peel is to penetrate through the layer of dry dead skin to provide a deep exfoliating treatment.
Can I do these while pregnant?
Most doctors will allow their patients to do low percentage lactic acid peels, however, you must check with your physician first. We can always modify the treatments to exclude the peels and/or any other steps that are contraindications to pregnancy.
How often do I need to do these treatments?
We recommend the series of 6 every 2-3 weeks apart, after which you can switch to a maintenance program to do it monthly or quarterly.
Do I need to completely avoid the sun after these treatments?
Be sure to follow general post care instructions, but generally you do not need to avoid all sunlight. We recommend avoiding any activity where you will be in direct sunlight for 2-3 hours or more during the week post-treatment.
back treatment
Will I peel on my back?
Most likely not – you will experience no actual “peeling” or very minimal on the body. The purpose of the peel is to penetrate through the layer of dry dead skin to provide a deep exfoliating treatment.
How often do I need to do these treatments?
We recommend the series of 4 every 2-3 weeks apart, after which you can switch to a maintenance program to do it monthly or quarterly.
Do I need to completely avoid the sun after these treatments?
Be sure to follow general post care instructions, but generally you do not need to avoid all sunlight. We recommend avoiding any activity where you will be in direct sunlight for 2-3 hours or more during the week post-treatment.
facial rejuvenation acupuncture
How does this treatment work?
This treatment is based on TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and operates along meridian lines throughout the body. By tapping into various meridians, TCM theory is that we can channel blood flow and energy/electricity to the desired areas, thus eliminating blockages and also by creating trauma via the needles, we are increasing collagen and elastin production. Up to 100 needles will be inserted in various points.
What is facial acupuncture good for?
Facial acupuncture is great for stimulating muscle memory in the jowls, creating a natural and permanent non-surgical “face lift” effect, and also for any circulatory skin issues such as redness and congestion.
Is there any resurfacing involved?
No. For this treatment, we do not do any resurfacing. Our 12 step hi-tech facial would be the treatment to choose if you are interested in significant resurfacing.
How many treatments will I need in order to see a result?
We recommend a series of 10 treatments every week or two weeks in order to achieve significant results – but you should start seeing results around the halfway point. Results are best if done on a weekly basis.
microneedling
When should I choose the microneedling treatment vs the 12 step hi-tech facial
We typically recommend the microneedling for clients who:
* are over 30 for the preemptive prevention of collagen loss and wrinkles,
* want to avoid using injectables,
* have mature skin and want to fill in medium to deep wrinkles o have acne pitted scarring at any age to fill pitted scars
* want to focus more on general plumping and rejuvenation vs resurfacing (no extractions or peels) and cannot afford the downtime with their skin flaking.
Who performs the treatment?
A licensed nurse practitioner or a licensed acupuncturist will be performing the treatment.
What is the recovery time?
You will likely experience 2-3 days of redness, dryness, and tightness, possibly also some sensitivity. During this time, you should continue to moisturize (wait at least 4 hours post-treatment to apply anything) and treat the skin gently. The collagen and other proteins to heal the skin will continue to grow for up to a month following the treatment.
Will it be painful?
We use a 5% lidocaine topical anesthetic, which numbs the area of treatment for up to 2 hours. Most people will feel the pressure, not the pain of the needles. For some areas that are sensitive (forehead, jawline), there may be a bit more pain. Most people describe it as a slight prickling sensation and it’s usually quite bearable.
Are the results permanent?
Yes, once the collagen and elastin, and other proteins and carbohydrates are built within the skin’s matrix, they are there permanently, however, depending on your age, metabolism, and other factors, you may be losing collagen at a faster rate than others. This is typically true of anyone over 60 years old.
Is there a lot of bleeding?
Your nurse practitioner will determine the depth of the needle and in some cases, the bleeding can be significant when we use deeper needles. Some things to avoid in order to minimize the bleeding are blood thinners, aspirin, and alcohol up to 1 week prior to treatment.