Centre Yourself Medical Rejuvenation Spa

The Dos and Don’ts of Sun Exposure - Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Living in the Midwest, we never know quite how the weather is going to pan out. Midwesterners have been spending an unusual amount of time outdoors this March due to the beautiful weather. When gearing up for the summer months, it is important to be aware of what you can be doing to protect yourself from those damaging UVA and UVB rays. By following a few simple steps, and being aware of the types of skin protection recommended, you can enjoy your summer and rest assured that your skin is safe.

Limit outdoor activities between 10:00am and 2:00pm or 11:00am and 3:00pm during daylight savings time.
If you get minimally sunburned at midday, beware of further exposure to the sun later in the afternoon. That late afternoon sun can turn minimal sunburns into severe sunburns.
Don’t be fooled by a cloudy day. Clouds and particulate matter in the air can scatter sunlight making it possible to get sunburnt – even on a cloudy day.
Sand, snow, concrete, and water reflect large amounts of sunlight onto the skin. Increased UV exposure can occur during high altitude activities such as mountain climbing or snow skiing. The risk of sunburn is greater at higher altitudes because the thinner atmosphere absorbs smaller amounts of damaging UV rays than at sea level.
Some drugs, or even makeup, can increase susceptibility to sunburn. Ask your pharmacist or physician if your medications can increase your risk of sunburn.
Wear a hat and long sleeve shirt in the sun whenever possible. Tightly woven fabric offers better sun protection than loosely woven fabrics.
Be sure to apply sunscreen to all exposed areas of the body an hour before sun exposure. The sunscreen should then be reapplied generously every two hours while in the sun (sunscreens in an alcohol or gel base require more frequent applications). Sunscreens labeled with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or greater provide the best protection.
Use sunscreen on your face even if you wear a hat.
Always reapply sunscreen after swimming or heavy perspiration.
Men should be sure to apply sunscreen to the tops of their ears and any areas of thinning hair.
People who are at higher risks for skin cancer and degenerative changes (i.e. outdoor workers, outdoor athletes, fair-skinned people, and persons who have had skin cancer) should apply sunscreen daily during the summer or when on vacation in sunny climates.
Tanning booths add further damage to the skin. Tanning booths contain bulbs that emit UV light, which can cause sunburn, skin cancer, and premature aging of the skin. While a tan provides some protection against sunburn, skin damage continues to occur even in the presence of a tan. Tanning bed use, even casual use, can increase the risk of malignant melanoma by 75%!

Contact us to schedule a consultation with one of our skin health specialists. Centre Yourself offers the latest skin care products and services to patients in Michiana, including Elkhart and South Bend, Northwest Indiana, and Southern Michigan.

Protect Yourself from the Inevitable - Monday, March 5, 2012

While, spring is quickly approaching us; so are those intense UV rays. Sun exposure is an unavoidable fact of life. It is also the leading cause of premature aging of your skin. It’s important to understand the risks involved in excessive sun exposure. UVA rays for example, are known as the “aging” rays that cause fine lines and wrinkles. UVB rays or “burning” rays, cause damage to the skin cells and the melanin which provides pigment to the skin.

A key factor in protecting your skin from these harmful rays is the consumption of antioxidants. Antioxidants are vital for maintaining good health and fighting disease and can be found in many fruits and vegetables. They also protect against free radical damage, which is any environmental factor that may cause damage the composition of your skin cells, such as wind, pollution, radiation, smoking, and sun.

Antioxidants are also responsible for giving your skin that healthy glow. They also help to provide your skin with a clear tone by helping to reduce redness and blotchiness. There are two ways to protect your skin and body with antioxidants. It has to do with protecting your overall health internally by maintaining a balanced diet, rich in antioxidants, as well as your external appearance. For example, some topical forms of antioxidants can stimulate collagen in the skin which helps to firm the skin and soften fine lines. One product that can help to protect your skin with antioxidants is Centre Yourself C-Molient Gel. This pharmaceutical grade product is structured in such a way that it allows for collagen contraction in the skin. It is the only form of Vitamin C clinically proven to increase collagen production. Another product that will help protect and nurture your skin is CEGA, an anagram that stands for Vitamins C, E, and glycolic acid. This formula gently exfoliates the skin and generates collagen.

At Centre Yourself Medical Rejuvenation Spa, we have the tools to help your skin look its best in every season. To learn more, please schedule an appointment at our Elkhart or Mishawaka location.

I want to feel better about myself – even in a depressed economy - Monday, February 27, 2012

Major news sources have led Americans to believe that an economic downturn means Americans spend less money because we have less to spend. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Yes, we may be thinking longer and harder about where all of our nickels, dimes, and pennies are going, but we’re still spending them.

A study done by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that the number of patients receiving cosmetic procedures was up 5% in 2011 over 2010. This means that 13.8 million cosmetic procedures, both invasive and noninvasive were performed in 2011. The proof is in the numbers. Americans are willing to spend money if the value is present. It is worth it to the American people to look and feel their best.

Among the increase in minimally invasive procedures, laser hair removal saw the biggest increase of 15% over 2010. Laser hair removal is a procedure that uses laser energy that is transformed into head which destroys the hair follicle preventing the hair from growing and leaving the surrounding skin unaffected. Centre Yourself Medical Rejuvenation Spa offers laser hair removal at competitive pricing. We use the Cutera CoolGlide laser which is both cutting edge as well as cost effective and safe.

Another impressive increase was seen by the injectable market. Men and women across the country are managing their wrinkles and facial fat loss with the use of products such as Botox® Cosmetic and various dermal fillers such as Restylane®, Perlane®, and Juvéderm®. The combination of both resulted in 7.6 million procedures.

Clearly Americans are not willing to let themselves go just because we have fallen on hard times. With the economy looking up, hopefully you are too.

For more information on dermal fillers, or laser hair removal, please contact our licensed skin health specialists at Centre Yourself. We offer Restylane, Perlane, Radiesse and other facial rejuvenation treatments to patients in Michiana, including Elkhart and South Bend, Northwest Indiana, and Southern Michigan.

EVADO™ LLLT for Skin Treatment - Friday, October 14, 2011

Centre Yourself Medical Rejuvenation Spa is happy to add EVADO™ to our line-up of skin care treatments. EVADO™ is the latest innovation in low-level light therapy (LLLT), utilizing the power and efficiency of LEDs to restore the youthful appearance of your skin.

EVADO™ is not a laser treatment: it is a much milder form of skin care. LEDs of specific wavelengths have been shown to stimulate many characteristics of healthy, youthful skin. They can increase circulation, ensuring your skin receives the nutrients it needs to maintain a youthful luster. In addition, LLLT has been show to stimulate the production of collagen, one of the essential characteristics of elastic, healthy skin that tends to decrease with age. These and other aspects of EVADO™ LLLT can help your skin, damaged by sun or age, to restore itself to a more youthful appearance. It can reduce the appearance of:

• Fine lines
• Wrinkles
• Age spots
• Acne
• Sun damage
• Hyperpigmentation (such as age or sun spots)
• Rosacea

The result is a fresher, younger appearance.

To learn more about the benefits of EVADO™, please contact the Centre Yourself Med Spa for an appointment at our Elkhart or Mishawaka location.

What to Look for in a Medical Spa - Wednesday, September 28, 2011

There are many medical spas available, but finding the right one can be a challenge. Here are a few things to look for when selecting a medical spa:

• Not just a spa. When choosing a medical spa, commonly referred to as a med spa, both components are important. A spa is a great place to relax, but if you are looking to improve your mind and body health, you want to make sure the treatments are guided by sound medical principles. A med spa augments the traditional wisdom and remedies used by standard spas with medical knowledge that helps them to be used to maximum effect. Look for spas that have not just technicians, but nurses and even doctors on staff.
• Technique and technology. Some med spas go too far into the medical technology and they lose the human touch. If a med spa is all about chemicals and lasers, it is missing the other vital component: the healing touch that calms and soothes. Never underestimate the power of properly skilled human hands for relaxing your spirit and refreshing your soul.
• A full range of treatments. Remember the adage: "If you're a hammer, every problem looks like a nail." If you work with a med spa that has only a limited number of treatments available, those are the treatments they'll give you, even when they're not appropriate. At a med spa that has only lasers, people are likely to be given long courses of laser treatments even if what they really need is a facelift. Work with a med spa whose personnel have a wide range of experience and training so you will get the right treatment for your skin and the results you desire.

At Centre Yourself Medical Rejuvenation Spa, we combine the best in medical technology with the most proven traditional techniques for improving the appearance and health of your skin, body, and spirit. We also offer a full range of treatments, including our exclusive line of Centre Yourself Cosmeceuticals and plastic surgery procedures, so you know you will always have access to just the right treatment for you and your cosmetic goals.

We invite you to schedule an appointment at the Centre Yourself Medical Rejuvenation Spa and learn for yourself the advantages our med spa offers.

Health Benefits of Massage - Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Massage has long been part of what is often described as "Oriental" medicine. The original proponents of massage enthusiastically endorsed its health benefits (see our blog on Swedish massage to learn more). However, as "Occidental" medicine moved more toward surgical and pharmaceutical techniques, massage was left behind. People are coming to better appreciate the value of a combination of treatments, including the everyday health benefits of massage.

As we have come to studying massage, it turns out that clinical studies show massage has significant benefits in terms of:

• Stress relief
• Blood pressure reduction
• Anxiety and depression
• Boosting immunity
• Pain
• Joint stiffness
• Cancer treatment
• Infant growth

You can see that many of the conditions listed here have a significant psychological component, and many of the benefits of massage are beyond what can be easily quantified. If you want to look and feel your best, we encourage you to add massage to your routine.

If you are looking for more than “just another spa”, a place where health and beauty go hand in hand, and treatments ranging from completely noninvasive to surgical are all brought together, we invite you to visit Centre Yourself Medical Spa. Please contact us today to schedule a consultation at our Elkhart or Mishawaka office today.

Happy Bastille Day! - Thursday, July 14, 2011

Bastille Day is the French holiday celebrating the storming of the Bastille in 1789, a French prison that housed a small number of political dissidents. Thus began the first French Revolution, the one that would depose King Louis XVI and erect the first of many unstable republics.

But this was not the only revolution happening in France at this time. During the late eighteenth century, French society was changing in a way that would transform the world. French society was becoming the first in the world to adopt and promote commercial cosmetics, and through them to transform the role of women in society. And though the French Republics have been notoriously unstable, the impact of French innovation and culture on cosmetics and the role of women has been lasting.

Modern cosmetics were essentially invented in France in the late eighteenth century. In the Medieval and Renaissance periods, people made cosmetics at home from local ingredients, but after 1750 manufactured cosmetics began to be made with purer ingredients, some of them imported from what was known as the "Orient," primarily the Middle East. The Orient was also used as a marketing tool, "Harem women, chosen by the sultan for his pleasure, represented true beauty" in the words of critic Morag Martin, in Selling Beauty: Cosmetics, Commerce, and French Society 1750-1830.

Although women at this point were subject to masculine control, and were encouraged to present themselves for masculine judgment, cosmetics also represented a freedom they had not previously enjoyed. Prior to the advent of commercial cosmetics, only noblewomen could afford to use make up made with fine imported ingredients that gave them richer colors, smoother textures, and an overall more attractive appearance. Commercial cosmetics, though, allowed peasants and shop girls to present themselves on the streets of Paris with the same rouged cheeks, the same powdered skin, the same painted lips that Marie Antoinette herself enjoyed, giving French women greater class mobility and helping to destabilize the last vestiges of feudal society.

Our own line of Centre Yourself Cosmeceuticals can trace their origins to this period, because it was during this time that cosmetics and medicine were most closely allied. Half the beauty manuals published between 1750 and 1818 were written by doctors. Doctors helped women to sort through the multitude of advertised products to determine which ones promoted health as well as beauty.

At the Centre Yourself Medical Rejuvenation Spa, we are happy to take this Bastille Day to celebrate the ongoing legacy of French cosmetics: Freedom, beauty, and health. Liberté, beauté, santé!

To learn more about cosmetics that actually protect and promote the health of your skin, please contact the Centre Yourself Medspa today for a consultation.

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Centre Yourself offers the latest skin care products and services, and facial rejuvenation procedures to patients in Michiana, including Elkhart and South Bend, Northwest Indiana, and Southern Michigan.

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Centre Yourself provides Skin Care in Michiana, including Elkhart and South Bend, Indiana.