We first introduced you to Adriana Carador on ShopTalk about a month ago. Well, I have more info on that trunk show. Turns out it’s being held at SkinSpaMed–which happens to be owned by Marie Reyes, one of our finalists for D Beauty’s 10 Most Beautiful Women in Dallas. So in addition to fabulous bling, you can sip some bubbly and have a facial, too. (God I love being a girl.) Gather your girlfriends at head out to North Dallas on October 10, from 1-5 pm. You won’t regret it.

By NICHOLAS BAKALAR

Published: August 18, 2008

Correction Appended

Nostrums that promise to smooth wrinkled skin are a staple of snake-oil salesmen everywhere, but now there is strong evidence that certain kinds of treatment are effective. Over the past decade, researchers have been learning which treatments work, and why.

The key is a growing understanding of the skin’s connective tissue, called the dermal collagen, and a recognition that damage to the mechanical properties of the collagen outside the skin cells, and not necessarily genetic damage to the cells themselves, causes wrinkled skin.

A recent review in The Archives of Dermatology concludes that three anti-aging treatments are proven clinically effective: the topical application of retinol; carbon dioxide laser resurfacing; and injection of hyaluronic acid, a moisture-retaining acid that occurs naturally in the skin. Each depends on the same mechanism, the interaction of skin cells called fibroblasts with the collagen they produce.

“This is an area where there’s a lot of hype and not much substance,” said David J. Leffell, a professor of dermatology and surgery at Yale who was not involved in the review. But, he said, this study is “good science.”

Theory and experiment back these treatments, the authors write. Fibroblasts — connective tissue cells — secrete a complex group of polysaccharides and proteins that creates collagen, which gives the skin shape and elasticity and supports the blood vessels that permeate it. The network of collagen tissue is maintained by its mechanical tension with these skin cells.

Skin deteriorates as it ages, but its exposure to sunlight inhibits the ability of fibroblasts to produce collagen. The hands, face, neck and upper chest all suffer more than unexposed skin, and light-pigmented people wrinkle more readily than others. This damage, the authors write, is essentially an accelerated version of chronological aging. Ultraviolet radiation induces production of the same enzymes that degrade collagen with age.

Collagen fibers last as long as 30 years. But with age and ultraviolet exposure, they deteriorate and fragment, and fragmented collagen impairs the collagen-producing function of the fibroblasts that created it. As the fragmented collagen accumulates, new collagen production declines, the connections between the fibroblasts and the collagen weaken, and the skin, now lacking support, begins to wrinkle.

But there are treatments that counter this process. Topical application of retinol, a form of vitamin A, was the first to be proved useful. Although the molecular pathways are not well understood, retinol causes new collagen to form in chronologically aged skin and in skin damaged by ultraviolet light.

Skin creams with retinol are available over the counter, but many do not indicate the concentration of the active ingredient. “Many products just refer to retinol or vitamin A as a buzzword,” said Gary J. Fisher, the lead author of the review and a professor of dermatology at the University of Michigan.

Concentrations of 0.2 to 0.6 percent are enough, Dr. Fisher said, but preparations strong enough to have an effect can also have a side effect, a rash called retinoid dermatitis. Dr. Fisher’s advice is to stop using it if a rash occurs. The rash can sometimes be avoided if the concentration is increased gradually.

Retinol also makes the skin more sensitive to damage from ultraviolet light, so protection from the sun while using it is essential. “O.T.C. products tend to try to walk the line between effects and side effects,” Dr. Fisher said. “But many intentionally keep the concentration too low to have any benefit.”

Dr. Robyn S. Gmyrek, an assistant professor of dermatology at Columbia University, is also skeptical of over-the-counter wrinkle creams. “If something shows true biological activity, it’s regulated as a drug,” she said. “A cream bought over the counter is certainly not going to do what prescription-strength retinol will do.” Dr. Gmyrek was not involved in the study.

Carbon dioxide laser resurfacing is another well-tested treatment for wrinkles. The laser removes thin layers of skin without damaging surrounding tissue. As the wound heals, new collagen is produced. The treatment works first by inducing high levels of matrix metalloproteinase, or MMP, an enzyme that destroys fragmented collagen. Then it reduces MMP and increases the production of new and undamaged replacement material. The procedure is also used for removing scars, warts and birthmarks.

Healing takes two to three weeks, and the wound has to be cleaned with saline or diluted vinegar and treated with ointments to prevent scarring. In most cases, the procedure is done only once, Dr. Fisher said, and lasts many years.

There are now some less invasive laser procedures, the authors write, but their effectiveness is doubtful.

The third effective treatment is injecting a form of hyaluronic acid, similar to a substance the skin normally produces, into the dermis that underlies the wrinkles. This was originally designed as a space filler, with no intended physiological effect. But as the injection stretches the dermis, the fibroblasts respond by producing more collagen and less MMP. The authors cite studies that have demonstrated that increased collagen production is visible within a month after the injection. The benefit lasts about six months, Dr. Fisher said.

This type of hyaluronic acid, he said, should not be confused with hyaluronic acid in some topical cosmetic products. Rubbing such products on the skin will not stimulate collagen production.

Do the benefits of these treatments outweigh the risks?

“It’s a matter of the kind of problem a person perceives and how he wants to deal with it,” Dr. Fisher said. “For these treatments, which have sound research behind them, and for people who want to improve their appearance, the benefits far outweigh any problems.”

The authors have no ties to companies that make skin care products, but the University of Michigan, where they teach, has patents on the use of matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors in the treatment and prevention of aging skin.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: August 21, 2008 Because of an editing error, an article on Tuesday about three treatments proved to be effective against wrinkles described incorrectly part of the process of one of those treatments, carbon dioxide laser resurfacing. After the laser removes thin layers of skin, the healing wound produces more collagen, not less.

By LAURA JOHANNES

Wall Street Journal

July 22, 2008; Page D2

If varicose veins are ruining your summer, zapping them with a laser is an option. Companies that sell lasers to treat varicose veins say they can fix the problem with little pain and a short recovery. Physicians say the machines are very effective at reducing pain from veins, but it is often necessary to get additional procedures to achieve a satisfactory cosmetic result.

* * *

Varicose veins are gnarled, enlarged veins, commonly found on the back of calves or inside of the legs. They are generally caused when valves leak and allow blood to flow backward. Besides being ugly, varicose veins can cause aches and discomfort in your legs and even lead to ulcers.

Traditionally, they’ve been treated by a surgery called ligation and stripping, in which the veins are tied off to redirect blood, then completely removed. It’s usually done under general or spinal anesthetic.

Laser surgery typically lasts less than an hour and can be done in a physician’s office, where a local anesthetic is used to numb the leg. A laser tip is inserted into the skin through a tiny needle puncture and the heat from the laser closes the leaking vein, forcing blood into other veins. Typically, the procedure completely seals the great saphenous vein, a large vein that runs down the inside of the leg. (Most of the blood flow in the leg is through hidden veins deep inside, so losing this vein usually isn’t an issue.)

According to a 111-patient study published earlier this year in the British Journal of Surgery, laser therapy was as effective as surgery in improving quality of life, but had faster recovery. Laser-surgery patients returned to normal activities in a median of two days, compared with a week for the surgery group, the study found. The study was funded by the distributor of a laser that is being sold in the U.S. by Angiodynamics Inc., of Queensbury, N.Y.

Compared with “vein stripping, there is less pain in the thigh and less bleeding,” says Richard Fowl, chairman of the department of surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz.

You will feel some pain or tenderness, and some people have bruises where the area was treated. One laser maker, Cool Touch Inc. of Roseville, Calif., says its laser causes less pain and bruising than rival models, but Angiodynamics says it hasn’t seen any evidence of a difference, and that if there is one, it is minor.

The cost of laser treatment varies, but typically ranges from $1,800 to $3,000 or more a leg. It is often covered by insurance, but many insurers require you to first attempt to control the problem by wearing tight stockings called compression hose.

The compression hose can bring relief of symptoms, but the beneficial effect goes away when you stop wearing them, says Douglas Joseph, an associate staff physician at the Cleveland Clinic who specializes in vascular medicine. Laser surgery removes the source of aching legs and “typically patients are very satisfied,” he adds.

But if you are primarily concerned about the appearance of your legs, you may be disappointed if you get just the laser. About 80% of patients will still have visible veins even after laser surgery, says John E. Golan, assistant professor at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago.

For this reason, many physicians will offer to perform a simultaneous phlebectomy, in which problem veins are removed through small incisions. That gets rid of the big ugly veins, but if you still have smaller spider veins, you can return for sclerotherapy, a minor procedure involving injecting a chemical into the veins, which scar and then eventually fade away.

New clients receive a customized skin care regimen to meet the unique needs of their skin during a complimentary skin and body consultation. This consultation includes a free take-home skin analysis with our Visia technology.

Cosmeceuticals

SkinSpa offers an exclusive line of medical grade cosmeceuticals to transform your skin. The Ultimate Eye Area Relaxing Complex is a favorite among SkinSpa junkies. This eye cream contains special peptides to topically relax the skin, having a similar effect to Botox. SkinSpa’s cosmeceuticals include Retin-A, 4% Hydraquinone touch-stick, and a 20% Glycolic Facial Gel to rapidly exfoliate pores.

Mary Cohr

European skincare packed with essential oils in a patented delivery system. SkinSpa is thrilled to be one of the first medicalspa’s in the US to carry this luxurious line. The Creme d’Essence facial cream is the “creme de la creme” of skin care products, which penetrates additional products further into the epidermis. Treat yourself to the Catio-Lift Facial and experience Mary Cohr products first-hand.

Body Dynamics

Want to know the best kept secret to a celebrity body and superstar skin? Try MegaCleanse by Body Dynamics! This all-natural herbal detox supplement has gained an entourage because of it’s powerful effects on the body and skin. MegaCleanse contains 37 herbs and super foods to cleanse toxins from the liver, colon, kidneys, lymphatic system and blood. A must-have for clients with acne, eczema, weight issues, migraines, IBS, and a host of other inflammations in the body.

MoorSpa

SkinSpa offers all-natural products from the Austrian Moor. Our Massage clients love the Tension Balm to ease aches, pains and nagging migraines. In the winter months, try the popular Pumpkin Peel which contains heavy duty enzymes to exfoliate skin. In the summer months, get more out of your work-outs with the MoorSpa Bio-Shorts, which decrease cellulite and tighten skin.

Luminary Candles

Bring the spa home when you purchase a Luminary triple-scented soy candle! These fabulous candles fill a room in no time with fragrances like Mint Mojito, Coconut Lime Verbena, Linen, Poppy Papaya, White Tea Ginger, and Olive Citrus Sage. Luminary candles are the pefect gift for any stressed-out starlet.

Request a copy of “Celebrity Skin,” SkinSpa’s quarterly newsletter to be mailed directly to you. Our newsletter features the latest treatments, products and special events coming to SkinSpa. Past editions can be downloaded, so you will always be “in the know”!

Summer Edition 2007
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The SkinSpa Buzz

Wall Street Journal

Drug That Lengthens Eyelashes Sets Off
Flutter - November 19, 2007

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Southern Vanity

February/March 2007

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PaperCity

January 2007

Fashion Dallas - The Dallas Morning News

November 2007

Press Release

November 2006

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Now you can be sexy and smooth with SkinSpa’s most advanced laser on the market: The LightSheer Diode Laser. This cool laser has a chill tip built in so that it chills your manly skin upon contact. The LightSheer laser is quick (only one pass needed per session) and works on all manly skin types.

Backed by long-term clinical data, the LightSheer system has the ability to permanently reduce hair growth and treat the entire range of skin colors and hair types, satisfying hundreds of thousands of patients and their providers worldwide. The ChillTip handpiece provides the ultimate in epidermal contact cooling and compression, increasing penetration of laser energy to the base of the follicle.

Unwind at the end of a long hard day with a Sport Massage from SkinSpa’s expert Massage Therapist.