The Fitzpatrick Scale allows classification of skin types.  It uses as a guide the skin’s reaction to 10 to 45 minutes of sun exposure after the winter.  It is really easy to understand:

• Type 1 always burns easily and never tans
• Type 2 always burns easily and tans minimally
• Type 3 Burns moderately and tans gradually
• Type 4 burns minimally and always tans well
• Type 5 Rarely burns and tans profusely
• Type 6 never burns, and indicates deeply pigmented skin

The benefits of both microdermabrasion and chemical peels are well known.   Regeneration of the skin occurs after the top layer is removed, allowing the removal of wrinkles of various sizes, scars left from acne and stained skin.  Cell renewal also results in an increase in collagen and the elasticity of the skin. Using the Fitzpatrick scale before treatment will give an aesthetician an excellent idea of the tolerance and sensitivity level of a clients skin.

In fact, through an analysis of the skin an aesthetician can determine if a client is a good candidate for microdermabrasion or chemical peel treatment.  As the name implies, microdermabrasion  is abrasive, and is actually removing the outer layer of skin.  Professionals have discovered that the complexion types outlined in the Fitzpatrick Classification Scale  help in determining the toughness or sensitivity of skin to other factors, such as chemicals or abrasion.  While microdermabrasion uses crystals to remove the extremely fine layer of skin, and is not only a comfortable treatment for most people but actually considered enjoyable, it is still the professional duty of the aesthetician to ensure that the client will not have ill effects.  The same is true of chemical peels.

Most people have no ill effects, and many find the experience enjoyable.  However, skin that is too sensitive, such as the Fitzpatrick Classification  Scale Type 1, might not be good candidates for either treatment.

If you want to learn more about advance skin care, you might find my book “Ensuring An Optimal Outcome in Skin Care” interesting and educational.

Assessing the Room

The first step in this process is your own awareness of the room and environment.  First, does it look appealing?  The treatment room should be a professional setting, but not stuffy.  It should seem peaceful.  Soft lighting rather than harsh, glaring light is a given, as is cleanliness.  But take a look at the paint or wallpaper used in your treatment room.  Is it pleasing to the eye and relaxing?  Soft, pastel colors have been shown to contribute to relaxation.  Paintings or prints on the wall of nature scenes such as forests, deserts, or beaches also help clients relax and feel at ease.  Paying attention to the visual details of your treatment room is a first step towards caring for your clients.

Pay Homage to the Senses

The next step you take should concentrate on the other senses.  How about the temperature of the room?  Too hot can be just as bad as too cold.  Make sure the room is comfortable to you and it probably will be comfortable to your client as well.  Heated pads and electric blankets on the treatment beds are also a nice touch that will be greatly appreciated by many clients.  Those extra little touches can make a world of difference in the satisfaction your clients have with your services.

Many aestheticians also report that the sense of smell plays an important role in their client’s comfort levels.  Scented candles, incense and other aspects of aromatherapy will put a new client at ease, and even existing clients will feel a renewed sense of wellness and relaxation.

Music to the Ears

As a final touch, think about the audio environment of your treatment room.  The old saying, “music soothes the savage beast” holds true for clients as well.  Soft, relaxing music, played at a low volume level on your sound system will have positive results.  Having a nice selection of New Age mediation music, Gregorian chants, and sounds of nature are also a good idea.  Some companies also make specialty CD’s that are designed for spas. Everyone’s taste in music is different, and one type of music may please one client but not necessarily another.  Most clients will respond well to nature sounds, which on the average person result in calmness, a lowering of stress levels and lowered blood pressure, all signs of the relaxation you want to encourage.

Good for Business

In addition to making your client comfortable for their treatment, the added benefits of a comforting environment in the treatment room are two-fold.  First, your own stress levels will go down.  A pleasant and relaxing environment will help put you at ease every time you enter it.  Secondly, think of a pleasant treatment room as a major part of your marketing efforts.  Relaxed, happy clients tend to tell their friends about the wonderful experience that they had with you, leading to referrals, and even more clients.  The result is less stress, more business, and increased comfort levels for all.

A holistic approach to skin care has always been the philosophy of Dr. Hauschka Skin Care products, considered leaders in the field.  Dr. Hauschka Skin Care was inspired when a  chemist, Dr. Rudolf Hauschka had a conversation with the philosopher Dr. Rudolf Steiner, asking him the ultimate question: “what is life?”  The answer he received was rhythm. Dr. Steiner told him that “rhythm is the carrier of life” and Dr. Hauschka took his advice to study rhythm and began developing his well known healing remedies based on Steiner’s teachings and using all natural plants.  He studied the rhythms and polarities found in nature, creating plant extracts that retained their vitality, and to his delight, he found that they remained stable without using preservatives such as alcohol.  Dr. Hauschka founded his company, seeing it as his mission to help people through introduction of the rhythms of nature through holistic remedies.

Elisabeth Sigmund, a pioneer aesthetician in Sweden, was at this time studying skin care and coming to a realization that outward appearance was a result of a person’s emotional well-being and inner health.  Also having an interest in anthroposophy and in traditional plant remedies, Sigmund developed her own line of skin care treatments.  When she discovered the healing ingredients proposed by Dr. Hauschka they began a collaboration, and in 1967 these two giants in the field joined forces, launching the line of skin care products and treatments methods we know today as Dr Hauschka Skin Care.

What is Holistic Treatment?

The idea of holistic treatment is new to many people.  What is meant by holistic is thinking of the complete picture of health.  Rather than simply treating the symptoms, the holistic approach is to determine the cause and treat it.  The repercussions and ramifications of any one decision are considered.  Plant and mineral ingredients are chosen based on their individual effects and interactions with other components.  And, whether or not they came from an ethically and ecologically sound source is also taken into account.  Dr Hauschka also uses environmentally friendly packaging and always avoids artificial preservatives.

The holistic view of health and appearance requires an understanding of the relationship of the skin to a person’s overall health.  The Dr. Hauschka Skin Care regimen should only be one part of a holistic approach including healthy eating habits, proper exercise and personal contemplation to reconnect to the natural rhythms  All of these factors have an effect on the skin, and all should be taken into consideration.

Biodynamics Is Part of the Process

When it comes to acquiring the proper ingredients, Dr. Hauschka Skin Care products believe strongly in Biodynamcis, which is a holistic form of agriculture dating back to the 1920’s.  All products used in Dr. Hauschka Skin Care products are grown according to cycles of the moon and stars with plants, animals and people involved all taken into account, as a way of viewing the big picture.

It is only natural for people to want the best, and only logical to believe that the best comes from nature.  We are, after all, products of nature.  Using Dr. Hauschka Skin Care products on your clients, and selling these stellar products for at-home skin care programs is a good start to a healthier lifestyle, resulting in healthier, better looking skin for all of your clients.

More info is available at http://www.drhauschka.com

Ensuring an Optimal Outcome in Skin Care might also be of interest.

Cindy Graf, of Cindy Graf Consulting, LLC, Milwaukee, Wis., says that physicians who are thinking about adding a new cosmetic service should first determine their goals. “I always say, start with the end result and work backwards….What do you hope to accomplish? What is your goal for adding this to your business? Is it to raise the profile of your business? Is it to add a certain dollar amount of revenue? Or [more] to keep your cosmetic surgical patients in your practice rather than lose them to medical spa competitor? All that really determines whether it is going to work or not [number one] and whether it should be done onsite or off,” she tells Cosmetic Surgery Times . trans Taking the leap: 6 steps to successfully adding a new aesthetic service

1. WHAT’S ON THE MENU?

Once you’ve determined your goals, she advises, decide what you would like to add in the way of services. Ms. Graf asks her clients about their skill sets and what they enjoy doing.

“If you enjoy working with women in their middle years, maybe you want to do weight management/minimal incision liposuction [if you have a surgical background]. But if you do not like working with overweight women, that’s the last thing you want to do,” she says.

The choice(s) you elect to add to your menu is a starting point. From there, Ms. Graf suggests polling patients in the practice, to ask them what they think of the proposed service additions. She’s developed a 30-second questionnaire, which she instructs physicians to give to patients who come in the office. After about two weeks of accumulating patients’ answers, Ms. Graf compiles results, honing the new service offerings to not only what physicians know and love, but also to what patients want and are willing to have performed in their practice.

2. LEARN & PURCHASE

Armed with this data, physicians can then budget for requisite equipment and supply needs, staffing, space and more. Enter, the business plan.

Ms. Graf says most practices can absorb the financial brunt of additions to their aesthetic repertoire by utilizing existing space and some of the facility’s overhead. But most may need to lease equipment and obtain minimal ancillary supplies for the new procedure.

Staff is clearly another financial consideration, she says. It often makes sense to add a staff member, especially in plastic surgery practices that still rely heavily on reimbursement (where the staff is lean and busy). “Often, if they want to successfully integrate the procedure, they need to add one key personnel who is able to direct [the additional service], do the financials, marketing, implementation and make sure the whole…thing is running.”

Ms. Graf suggests that one of the first people you may want to consider for the job may be your favorite pharmaceutical representative.

“Drug reps are excellent people to do seminars, network and learn the treatments. They have a great skill mix. They know medicine, treat people well, know sales and, generally, speak well,” she says.

3. TAKE A TEST DRIVE

Ms. Graf recommends to her noncore physician clients, as well as to cosmetic surgeons who have not added new services to their practices recently, that they spend a few days at a course specifically designed to facilitate the aesthetic service expansion. She serves as a faculty instructor at the International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine’s (IAPAM) weekend retreat. There, physicians can learn not only the latest tips in the business of aesthetic medicine, but can also be oriented to aesthetic add-ons such as skin care, fillers and chemical peel treatments.

While this training can help physicians launch their new cosmetic service, it is not meant to serve as an end-all to learning what they need to know to be successful. Physicians should also be prepared to attend related meetings and explore continued training.

4. THE ROLLOUT

Be strategic about the launch of the new services, Ms. Graf recommends. “The key is not to roll it out too quickly,” she advises. “Most people want to have a big open house in week two and invite everyone they know into this new business. But, at that point, they are not well versed in the procedure yet. They do not talk well about [it] yet; they are not yet confident, experienced or polished…because it is all too new.”

Instead, Ms. Graf recommends a “soft launch” at the one-month mark, during which physicians treat family and friends and do internal marketing. This gives both practitioners and staff the opportunity to smooth out any service delivery wrinkles. At the end of the one-month mark, she counsels physicians to consider conducting an educational seminar for patients and the community on the new cosmetic addition.

She also advocates that physicians have in place a long-term (at least a year) marketing plan. “I tell doctors that they get out of this exactly what they put in,” she relates. “There are so many low-cost marketing tools we can use to promote within our own patient base…still, that has to be very direct [with] very specific marketing every month.”

5. GAUGING SUCCESS

Ms. Graf has found that cosmetic service additions take about six months to get up and running at most practices. She recommends that physicians opt for deferred equipment leases, so that they have more money in the initial stages for marketing. She adds that, as a rule of thumb, they should count on the endeavor costing 20 percent more than they think and taking 20 percent longer to launch.

“…You always have to make sure to have a line of credit of at least three months’ operating expenses to pull from,” she adds.

Don’t panic, she says, if, at six months, revenue from the new service seems to be lagging. Analyze what is working and what is not and put your energy, money and marketing into those services that are making a profit.

Obviously, pulling the plug is not an easy option when physicians have committed to three- and five-year equipment leases, she says.

“It’s almost impossible to sell used equipment because there is such a glut of used equipment for sale online right now,” Ms. Graf notes. “Most used equipment is already obsolete. Cosmetic medicine is a new technology business and you cannot afford to start behind your competition.”

6. MONITORING SUCCESS

But Ms. Graf emphasizes that today’s tough economy should not necessarily deter physicians from adding cosmetic options. She polled her clients in 2009 and found that those who had healthy, established cosmetic service businesses before the recession are maintaining those businesses — although, to date at least, they tend not to be growing.

Ms. Graf recommends that physicians who add new services in this still uncertain economic climate keep overhead low and start the services within their existing practices, rather than branching out into off-site medical spas. Instead, build a monthly revenue stream to support your in-house medical spa, then consider taking the services offsite when they are generating their own overhead.

If they’re willing to pay attention to nurturing the new business, physicians can expect what Ms. Graf calls a “passive” revenue stream from adding to aesthetic services. In summary, aesthetic expansion is an active — not a passive — process.

“What you cannot do is buy a machine, stick it in a treatment room and expect a sign in the waiting room to drive your patients to these procedures,” she says. “There needs to be a lot more education [of existing patients], staff training and focus to make a big enough difference to make it worth your while.”

Cindy Graf
Cindy Graf has spent the last 20 years in the medical equipment industry, focusing for the past eight years on teaching and performing cosmetic laser procedures. As a faculty member of the International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine (IAPAM), and as the marketing director for a $4 million/yr cosmetic practice, Ms. Graf shares her valuable clinical and marketing experience, giving physicians the industry-leading insight and knowledge needed to create a successful aesthetic medicine practice. Ms. Graf is author and host of a 16 topic educational video training series for the aesthetic medicine industry called “Building a Successful Cosmetic Business.” Ms. Graf also serves as the Executive Director for “Loose the Tattoos”, a non-profit gang related tattoo removal program in the state of Wisconsin.  Cindy is also the chief blogger on cosmetic lasers at http://www.thelaserqueen.com/

This article was originally printed on Sep 1, 2009 by Lisette Hilton, Cosmetic Surgery Times

Smoking can cause many problems when it comes to your health not to think about the expense. Smoking can cause cancer, heart disease, and strokes, increase cholesterol and so on. Your heart is affected, since smoking causes your blood vessels to build up with cholesterol and fat. The results leads to harden of the arteries. Harden arteries mean that the blood flow will not pump fast enough to support the heart’s natural requirements. This starts blood clotting, broken blood vessels etc. It can also cause angina which will make you think that your having a heart attack but your aren’t its just not getting enough blood to the heart to make it pump right. Then it can cause you to have a heart attack, since smoking is a blockage so that there is no blood going to the heart.

Smoking can cause strokes or bronchiolitis. This disease is contagious, which most people do not realize it. The viral infection affects the airway, which affects breathing. The common cause of this contagious disease is smoking or second hand smoke. Smoking promotes bad breath, stained teeth, smelly furniture and clothes. You also get common colds and flu more often. You will start to cough and then you won’t be able to breath they even may put you on oxygen. In addition, smoking is so expensive now days. It is not worth it you will end up regretting it in end. On top of this, you get addicted to the nicotine once you are hooked your hooked.

Bronchiolitis is a common viral infection, which affects the respiratory syncytial. The condition causes inflammation. Once the inflammation accumulates the airway is blocked, since the nicotine consumptions and infections causes the airway to narrow, which the flow of air is obstructed.

When someone smokes, it is literally written all over their face – the signs of premature physical aging. Lines, wrinkles and discolored skin are some of the facial ravages of smoking. Luckily, ex smokers can reverse some of these things with a visit to a professional medical spa. Some of the treatments that help include microdermabrasion, chemical peel and fotofacials.
 
Why is nicotine addictive?

You get addicted to the nicotine because of all the chemical put into the tobacco. It’s not so much as the nicotine that makes you sick it’s the chemicals that they put in the tobacco, that cause you to get the disease like lung cancer and heart disease. In addition, what ever you get from smoking. Nicotine or cigarettes have several chemicals incorporated into it to causes addictions, and finally death.
 
How can I quit smoking?

Once you are hooked, it is going to be hard to quite. You have to decide that you’re going to quite regardless of what it causes, such as weight gain or being on edge. Not affiliated with Pamela Hill, but a great informational and helpful site to quit smoking is the New York State Quit Site.

You have to pull up the will power to do this and stick to it. You can say I will have one now and no more, yet it don’t work that way. You have to find the way that best fits your needs and build the will power. You may want to consult with your doctor who can offer you helpful suggestions on stop smoking.

Liposuction is a procedure that helps many people but there are many misconceptions about liposuction in  general circulation. Some people believe that liposuction is a cure all for every type of excessive weight condition, and that simply is not the case.

Liposuction is a tool used by a skilled, board certified plastic surgeon that can have positive benefits. It can be used in combination with other procedures to remove fat deposits that diet and exercise just can’t handle. But those who are chronically overweight should not look at liposuction as a substitute for diet and exercise.

Of course, popular TV shows like Nip/Tuck and the admission of many celebrities that they have had liposuction have led to its increased popularity. Abdominal liposuction is quite popular. Some people however think it is cheating to have abdominal liposuction and  refer to it as a cop out. Of course many of those people who consider it such are those who do not have weight problems, and perhaps have metabolisms that burn off the calories. Your clients should visit with a plastic surgeon to determine if they are good candidates for liposuction. The doctor can discus pros and cons including risks associated with the procedure. Many women have suffered from weight gain from pregnancy. Many men and women both have suffered from weight gain due to sedentary lifestyles that come from the types of jobs we perform these days. Many people have physical disabilities that have made weight gain more common and easy. For many of them liposuction is a valid, and even a good option. However, while it is one of the most commonly performed plastic surgery procedures done in the US, it is not cheap and generally insurance does not cover it as it is an elective cosmetic procedure.

Liposuction is not complicated but there is a healing process and recovery time involved, The healing  period can take a few months. A strict diet is a part of it. Also the patient should be aware that there will be bruising and lumps may form around the fat extraction area. This is temporary however, and will eventually go away.

As an esthetician, you should have basic knowledge of plastic surgery procedures in general, including liposuction. Your clients may ask about it.

Are you a person that stays in the house all the time who does not know your next door neighbor? Everyone need to get out and socialize with other people, it will help you relieve the stress of being alone. Sometimes being with other people, you can learn from them about how they handle stress just by observing and being welcoming.

Get rid of as much stress as you can or it will lead into depression, maybe a heart disease, stress can cause many things to happen to your body. As aging progresses, we body lack the functions or abilities to maintain good health.

You have control:

Get out of the house and join an exercise group. Take in some vitamin D that comes from the sun by walking 15-20 minutes a day; make it fun by asking someone to walk with you around the block. The sun is good for you if you know your limits on how much you can handle and you can socialize too at the same time.

Being around people is good for all of us. People teach you new things about life. Having friends or acquaintances prevent us from drifting into depress. Depression can be caused from many things; being alone and just thinking about things you have no control over. If you become depressed for more than a couple of days see your doctor and he can give you medications and advise you on how to control it. Depression will take over your life and when it does, you can’t get out of it alone. Don’t let this happen to you.

What about your environment?

Is there a lot of violence in your neighborhood or do your neighbors argue often, keeping you awake at night? If the neighbor’s are making too much noise talk to them and ask them to please quiet down because you can’t sleep. As we age, our sleep is very important to our health. Losing sleep effects our mental capability as well as body functions. If we don’t get enough sleep, we feel tired all the time; we stop enjoy activities and begin lying around the house, and maybe even to tired to eat.

Is there a lot of violence in your area? Does your area have too many breaking and entering or stealing going around where you live? Violence and crime can scare all of us to the point that we’re afraid to go outside for that 15 minute walk. Locking yourself in the house is not good, which depression will step in again. Maybe it is time for you to relocate to somewhere your closer to family or to another area where you’ll feel safer to be.

We all need to be and feel safe and if it requires moving to another location then that might be the answer. Don’t let things around you be a problem if you have to go to the area police, maybe they can drive around the area once in awhile to keep an eye on things. Safety is very important for all of us.

Remember we all need to socialize with others and be safe at the same time. As we age, things change everyday including the environment around us. Keep talking and enjoying your friends and check with others about safety; maybe they can help you decide on how the handle it.

How to keep records:

You will need a journal. In the journal, you want to record dates, time, place, etc of your hospital stay. If possible jot down the diagnostics and doctors who served you, write their names in the journal.

You should record your family’s medical history.

Jot down each person in your family tree and name the diagnose. For instance, if your family has a history of diabetes, jot it down. On pen and paper, jot down any information that will help your doctor monitor your health and make accurate diagnosis in the event illness occurs. Do not rely on your memory. In time, you may not have memory, since your family may have a history of Alzheimer’s disease. When you use medical records, keeping them on paper, make copies. Put the copies in safe hands, someone you can rely on, as you grow older to give the copies to you in the event you lose your copies. Put all your copies in a safe area.

You want to keep records of vaccine shots, or immunizations. You want to keep records of lab visits, results, conditions, and treatments you obtained. The records should be updated annually. For instance, if in 2000, you were diagnosed with a disease that caused your liver to shrink, but the disease was curable, write it down. The next year if you notice in similar symptoms, record the new information in your journal. You want to give copies to your doctor as needed.

Once you write your medical journal you can move to research illnesses you might have had at one time. For instance, if in your history you had a repetition visit of colds, learn more about the upper respiratory system. If you had other illnesses throughout your life, take time to study these illnesses. Understanding the illness moves to acceptance, which moves you to prevention?

Prevention is the keyword you want to focus on when it comes to your health.

As you age, your body’s functions start to decline its actions, which puts you at high risk of disease. Using your records you want to study illnesses, you may have had throughout your lifetime. In addition, use your records to study genetic disease. For instance, if you have family history of diabetes, research the subject. Take notes on diagnostics, treatments, cures, and so on.

If you follow this friendly advice, as you start to age you will have advantages. For instance, in the future, if you are diagnosed with diabetes you would knowledge. The first thing you will note is symptoms. You would know that the symptoms include prolonged hunger feelings, fatigue, dizziness, etc.

You would take notes on symptoms that emerge when you feel sick and immediately contact your family doctor. You are at the doctor’s office now taking lab tests and so forth to find out what is wrong with your body. Once you leave the doctor’s office with your results you will feel relaxed, since you know that catching diabetes at an early stage gives a doctor the opportunity to slow or cure the mother of all living diseases. This silent tormentor is a notorious killer that everyone should understand. To learn more about healthy aging, seek more information online, at your doctor, or visit your local library.

Telling a Friend about a Spa is a Powerful Thing... whether the information pass along is good or bad!

How do you start acquiring more referrals? Ask for them. Let your existing clients who are satisfied with your services know that you appreciate referrals. Offer each o them some sort of thank you gift for every referral they provide you with. This can be a coupon for a free visit, a discount on a next visit, or a sample of some product you are selling that you believe would benefit them. The added benefit here is that the sample product may result in more sales down the road. The discount will get the client back into your door quicker, spending more money. And the free visit will interest the client so much that they may become even more of a walking, talking advertisement for your business, sending you more and more referrals.

Referrals are often called word of mouth advertising, but in actuality they are not generated by advertising, but instead by publicity. The difference is that advertising is paid for and publicity is positive information provided about your business for free. The old saying in the marketing world is advertising is what you pay for, and publicity is what you pray for. Some studies show that word of mouth publicity referrals are the most effective promotional method as far as getting people to take the business seriously and give it a try. After all, the person making the referral is someone they trust, who has no financial state in the matter. This being the case, make sure that you are getting all the referrals that you can handle. Ask for the business and you will receive it.

Maintain Professionalism

Remember that you want to convey an air of professionalism when you see clients.  This requires that the home itself, the yard and surrounding area, and especially the area devoted to business, be clean and presentable.  Many people think that having a business at home means simply getting up in the morning and walking into the work area, but don’t recognize the fact that your home can no longer be as casual as it may have been in the past.

If you have pets or children you’ll need to make sure that you have separate entrances for clients.  If you have pets be conscious of pet odors that you may not notice because you are around them all the time.  Some people are quite conscious of pet odors and some people actually have allergies to cats or dogs.  Also if you have young children make sure that they understand that they need to be quiet when clients are visiting.  They need to respect the rules, and it is never too young to learn this lesson.

Keep Business and Family Separate

Also make sure that your family members and friends understand the ground rules.  When you work at home it is easy for family members to think you are not really at work, since you work from home.  Many times they will decide to drop by for unannounced visits at odd times, or call and keep you on the phone.  Don’t be bashful about telling them that you are working and need to see them or talk to them later.  It might upset a few relatives or friends at first, but it will protect your business and get the idea across to them. Don’t let family and friends become time sopper-uppers.

What about your spouse?  Does s/he understand that you will be working from home and will need quiet for clients?  Some people find that working from home can place a strain on marital relationships, so make sure that you have an understanding partner who is flexible.

Obey the Law

Checking zoning laws is also a very good idea.  Most cities have rules about the types of business they will allow in residential areas.  Generally aestheticians are allowed to have businesses in the home as long as there is adequate parking and low noise levels.  But, better safe than sorry. Check with your city zoning department and make sure that what you are planning is actually allowed in your area.  If it is, and you follow the guidelines listed, you should have a great experience.