NDDA Spa Services: Your Guide to Perfect Skin

Good skincare takes a holistic approach. And when it comes to spa services, it’s tempting to try the newest treatment, or duck in for a quick facial while you’re out shopping. Don’t let the latest Groupon special be your guide for the kinds of spa treatments you seek, or how often you get them done. Dermatologists and aestheticians can erase years from your face, solve decades-long acne problems and literally give you a whole new layer of skin with one pass of a laser wand – but packing that kind of powerful punch is only possible with targeted, customized skincare.

Dermatologists can help you avoid treatments that actually exacerbate skin problems like acne and reverse the effects of damage done by poorly executed procedures. And aestheticians have the tools in their arsenal to deliver treatments with subtle, ongoing anti-aging benefits. At NDDA, problems like skin dullness, droopy jowls, or uneven texture are no match for our state of the art technology, cutting-edge laser treatments and experienced doctors and spa staff.

Knowing what services are available and which procedure accomplishes what skin goal is the first step toward the best skin of your life. Want brighter, tauter skin? This practical guide is for you. Read on for NDDA’s spa services roundup . . .

Step 1: Address surface-level imperfections.

Services: microdermabrasion, facials, chemical peels and dermaplaning.

Beautiful-looking skin starts deep. To get the best texture and tone, you need at least two months of targeted treatment to kick off the process of undoing damage and revealing brighter, healthier layers of skin.

Facials and chemical peels come in all varieties – from facials to address specific problems, to the traditional, skin-clearing services – and from weak to strong peels. Pair a series of facials with micro-glycolic peels to get rid of rough patches and even out skin. The procedures work well together, so in many cases, you can combine treatments in one visit. This is a good area to defer to your dermatologist for guidance. Facials and peels work best when they are customized to address a person’s specific level of skin sensitivity and the problems they want to resolve.

Microdermabrasion and dermaplaning are staple treatments for improving texture and relieving skin congestion for a smooth, bright complexion. Think of these as “foundation treatments.” While microdermabrasion is still one of the best go-to services, dermaplaning – a method for manually exfoliating skin to remove dead cells by gently running a fine blade over the skin’s surface – is rapidly growing in popularity for its ability to deliver results with minimal disruption to the skin surface. Exfoliation to remove dead skin cells leaves a brighter complexion, and may, some believe, help the skin better absorb topical treatments. But perhaps one of the best side effects of these base-level treatments is that makeup application is easier and smoother.

Step 2: Stimulate collagen production, smooth skin and get rid of unwanted hair.

Services: fractional laser resurfacing, photofacials, laser hair removal and microneedling.

“Laser treatments” can encompass a wide variety of procedures that fall under the category of laser resurfacing – from lighter options to address concerns like sunspots or brown spots, remove hair or smooth out skin – to deeper treatments that minimize fine lines and wrinkles and remove acne scars. One category of treatment includes what are referred to as non-ablative lasers, or lasers that do not break the surface of the skin. Instead, they work by heating up skin below the surface. As with another, non-laser procedure called microneedling, the goal is to stimulate collagen production by removing the outer layers of skin to encourage new skin to grow in its place. Another category of lasers, called ablative lasers, penetrate more deeply into skin to resolve larger issues and achieve more dramatic results. The concept is the same as with non-ablative lasers, and these days, cosmetic surgeons use what are called fractionated lasers to remove only a fraction of the skin in a treatment area.

Micro-needling also stimulates collagen production and reduces pore size. And it can even minimize any old acne scars or other skin depressions, leaving skin smooth. The treatment does what it sounds like it does. Small needles create micro-injuries to the skin and stimulate a healing response that in turn increases the skin’s elastic and collagen production, preventing fine lines from deepening and giving skin a more radiant look.

Meanwhile, laser hair treatments work by using targeted heat to kill the hair follicle. The laser delivers that heat to the skin, where hair follicles in an active growth cycle absorb it, destroying the follicle and preventing hair from re-growing. Not only does it treat the hairs, but it can also treat the bumps associated with shaving (“razor bumps”).

Step 3: Use body contouring technology to address fat cells where exercise and diet can’t.

Services: SculpSure and Coolsculpting.

At the other side of the spa services spectrum – opposite simpler treatments like facials and peels – are the treatments that really have the power to transform your body, in some cases by removing fat pockets entirely. If you’ve noticed extra neck fat adding some work to your beauty routine and wondered what could be done about it, a procedure called Coolsculpting or another one called Sculpsure might be the answer.

Coolsculpting kills fat cells by freezing them to death. During a session, chin fat or other stubborn bulges are clamped in a device that freezes the unwanted fat cells. And an added benefit of the procedure is that the freezing action quickly numbs the treated area, which means prep time and down time after the treatment is minimal.

In addition, another option for belly, hip, and thigh fat or fat in just about any other area that is sticking around despite an exercise regime, a procedure called SculpSure is a laser-based technique that uses heat to zap fat cells. While the subcutaneous fat is targeted, the surface of the skin is kept cool to prevent burning or damaging non-fat tissue. SculpSure uses several small laser applicator pads to deliver the fat-killing heat directly to pockets of problem fat cells like love handles.

Both procedures are great for dealing with stubborn fat, ask your doctor which one is right for you.

To learn more about your NDDA spa team, click here.