Whether you’re aiming to improve the texture of your skin or appear a few years younger, the registered nurses and medical estheticians in med spas and salons around town can help you sift through the numerous skin care and non-surgical options with your budget and goals in mind.
Dermaplaning
Dermaplaning is a painless method of mechanically exfoliating dead skin cells, making the skin appear brighter while removing hair that can appear with age on the jaw, chin, and upper lip. Performed with a beveled 10-blade scalpel, this procedure feels as if someone is sliding the edge of a credit card over the skin. Suzanne Flickinger, a medical esthetician at Zel Skin & Laser Specialists, says dermaplaning is a popular alternative to chemical exfoliation or waxing for clients who are pregnant, breastfeeding or using products with retinoid. Clients come in every three to four weeks. A single appointment is $50, or $30 each for multiple treatments.
Chemical Peel
During a chemical peel, a solution is applied to the face, neck, chest, arms or hands to exfoliate dead skin cells. Peels vary in strength from mild to stronger options resulting in three to five days of peeling and redness. Flickinger says the benefits of regular peels include a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, smoother skin cells that reveal glowing skin, drying up active acne lesions, a reduction of ingrown hairs and better absorption of at-home skin care products. Flickinger adds that over-the-counter products are not as strong as treatments at a medical spa. She recommends clients get a peel every four to six weeks, or every eight weeks for clients who do a mild peel at home between visits. Prices run $105 to $300.
Micro-Needling
Micro-needling involves a device that delivers small needle movements around the entire face to stimulate the skin’s natural healing properties and encourage new skin cell growth. MJ Harden, master aesthetician at Spalon Montage, says the benefits include breaking up scar tissue, promoting collagen growth, improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, reducing acne marks and making skin tone more even. The treatment begins with topical lidocaine for a pain-free experience. Clients could notice 24 to 72 hours of redness afterward with the possibility of slight bruising. Harden says clients see best results with three to six treatments and four weeks between appointments. Sessions range from $295 for the face to $395 for the face and neck.
Botox
An injection of Botox blocks signals from nerves so that the muscle cannot contract, forcing areas that would otherwise wrinkle to relax. Keely Manion, a registered nurse at Zel Skin & Laser Specialists, explains that many people do not know that Botox results are not guaranteed after age 65. Botox yields best results when clients begin treatments when they’re younger because while Botox softens lines that are already present, it does not erase lines.
Manion says most clients want to do something about the furrow between the brows that can make people look angry, even in a resting state. Botox lasts three to four months, and the average client comes in for treatments three times a year. At Zel and other clinics, there are loyalty programs that offer discounts; the average price is $12 per unit. A furrow typically requires about 21 units, and treating crow’s feet takes about 24 units.
Lash Extensions
Lash extensions are a popular choice for a semi-permanent solution to improving the appearance of thinning, short lashes. The original eyelash bar in the Twin Cities is inside Jett Makeup at 50th and France. Individual lashes, synthetic or mink, are attached to existing lashes to create a look as natural or dramatic as clients desire, lasting as long as the life-cycle of the original lash (about four weeks). Clients can choose to stop in for a fill between full applications. Prices range from $250/set to $450/set and $100 to $150 for a fill.
