Category: Skin & Nails

How Long Does a Spray Tan Last?

Everyone seems to want a golden glow in the summertime, but spending too much time in the sun without the proper protection can be dangerous. Not only can it cause wrinkles, age spots, and discoloration, but it can also increase your risk of developing skin cancer. Luckily, spray tanning can quickly darken your body without the risks of premature aging, sunburns, or (most importantly) cancer. The active ingredient, dihydroxyacetone, will temporarily change your skin’s color. However, you might wonder, “How long does a spray tan last?”

How Long Does a Spray Tan Last?

So how long does a spray tan last? Under the right conditions and with the right product, a spray tan can survive up to 10 days. All tans fade over time, of course, as you shed skin cells, but you can extend the life of your tan with the right routine. At least seven different factors affect the lifespan of a spray tan:

1. Exfoliation
The longevity of a sunless tan largely depends on how and when you exfoliate your skin. Exfoliation banishes dead skin cells and removes old residues. For best results, exfoliate 24 to 48 hours before tanning. Then, maintain your tan by performing a light scrub every three days afterward. Avoid vigorous exfoliation, which will rub away your tanned skin cells.

2. Drying
Be sure to let your body thoroughly dry after applying a sunless tanning product. Otherwise, the color will fade quickly or become blotchy. Remain patient and leave plenty of extra time for drying. Electric fans can speed up the drying process.

3. Moisture
Dry skin will cause a spray tan to fade sooner. You can make your tan last by using a basic natural moisturizer, such as cocoa butter. However, some citrus or oil-based products can ruin a spray tan. Keep in mind that low indoor humidity and excessive washing promote dry skin. You might benefit from using a humidifier during the winter.

4. Water Exposure
Tans quickly disappear when people shower or swim frequently. They deteriorate even sooner if the water contains chlorine. Hot showers inflict extra damage as well, especially when you bathe for the first time after applying a tan. In fact, any contact with water can greatly reduce a tan’s longevity during its first eight hours on your skin. Splashes or raindrops will create blotches and streaks as they remove the dihydroxyacetone. Remember to exercise caution when you travel, clean your home, and prepare meals. And always bring an umbrella to the salon!

5. Sweat
Like water, perspiration can cause spray tans to disappear rapidly. For this reason, spray tans usually deteriorate faster in sweaty areas of the body, like the legs, breasts, and underarms. During the first few hours after you apply a sunless tan, avoid strenuous exercise. Baby powder may help prevent the color from fading.

6. Location
Spray tans don’t just vanish quickly in sweat-prone areas. They also fade fast on parts of your body with relatively thin skin. Greater exposure to water, soap, or weather may also hasten a tan’s demise. This means that the color on your face and hands could fade in as little as three days, while the skin on your stomach and back remains tan.

7. Soap
Some shampoos, soaps, and cleansers will cause a spray tan to fade faster than others. For example, exfoliating scrubs and abrasive cleansers are a bad idea. In addition, harsh products can cause tans to age unevenly, and they have the potential to dry out your skin as well. For best results, use gentle soaps and avoid cleansers that contain sulfates.

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How long does a spray tan last? It largely depends on what substances come in contact with your skin. Sunless tanning products aren’t always the same. For example, showering instructions vary from one treatment to the next. Remember to carefully read the directions on your spray tan product or ask a salon technician for advice.

If you want a perfect summer glow (without damaging your skin), head to DermaHealth Skin Care Clinic for the perfect solution: Body Bronze tanning products. The unique formulations of these products will give you a lovely bronze color that is beautiful, believable, and not at all orange. Plus, they dry quickly without streaks or greasiness. To learn more, please give us a call at 417-447-7777 or click here to schedule your free consultation. We would love to help you achieve a safe and healthy tan this summer.

Epionce Skin Care

Developed by a clinical dermatologist, Dr. Carl Thornfeldt, the Epionce skin care line is designed to improve your skin’s health and repair and reduce the appearance of damage. The products in the line are specifically formulated to work together, and they can reduce the appearance of pores, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun spots. Furthermore, regular use of Epionce skin care will improve your skin’s texture, elasticity, and overall health.

Epionce Skin Care

The Epionce Difference
During most skin care trials, researchers simply ask participants how they feel about their skin after using a product. Clinical trials involving Epionce, on the other hand, used trained investigators to determine if the test subjects’ skin actually improved and (if so) the degree of improvement.

This same rigor was used when developing the line. Dr. Thornfeldt has more than 30 years of experience in skin research and has published more than 40 scientific articles. His focus on science means that he ignores fads in skin care lines and hones in on what actually works. Epionce products are created with botanical ingredients as well as ingredients proven to improve the health of skin. Active ingredients include grape seed extract, safflower oil, and salicylic acid, just to name a few.

Step One: Cleanse and Prepare
The first step in any effective skin care routine is to create a blank slate, which means removing dirt and impurities from the skin. Epionce offers several options to choose from for each step, so you can purchase products that will work for your particular needs and skin type. You can choose from a milky lotion cleanser (designed for sensitive skin), a gentle foaming cleanser (great for most skin types), and a lytic gel cleanser (designed for people with oily or troublesome skin). Each of these cleansers has been specially formulated to not harm the skin’s natural protective barrier.

You will also be able to select from either a balancing or purifying toner. Toners help to eliminate any oil or makeup that the cleanser might have missed. The balancing toner provides moisture, while the purifying toner controls oil.

Step Two: Correct and Boost
Once your skin is clean, you’re ready for the next step, which is to reduce the appearance of trouble spots on your skin and prevent them from developing in the future. Lytic Tx is available in lite, standard, plus, and sport formulas. The main difference between each formula is the concentration of active ingredients. Each product is formulated to clean out pores, improve skin’s texture, and prevent and treat blemishes and redness. Stronger versions of Lytic Tx can also help combat the signs of aging.

Step Three: Renew and Fortify
Whether you have dry or oily skin, moisture is essential. Hydrated skin can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and keep oil production under control. The Epionce skin care line offers a variety of moisturizers based on your skin type and your concerns. It also includes spot treatments, like moisturizers for hands, lips, and the skin under your eyes. Each treatment option is designed to improve hydration without leaving you feeling like you have a layer of film on your skin.

Step Four: Protect and Prevent
Sunscreen is an essential part of your skincare routine even if you don’t spend a lot of time in the sun. Damage from UVA and UVB rays can add up over time, and UVB rays can make their way through even on cloudy days. Epionce offers an SPF 30+ sunscreen and an SPF 50 sunscreen, and both are broad spectrum. These sunscreens are antioxidant enriched, work well under makeup, and do not produce the whitening effect that most other sunscreens do.

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The Epionce skin care line can assist with a variety of skin conditions, including age spots, milia, and cholesterol deposits. To improve your skin today, contact DermaHealth. Our consultants can help you decide which services and products will work best for your concerns during a free consultation. To learn more, please give us a call at 417-447-7777 or click here to schedule a free consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!

How Warts Form

You’ve probably heard the old wives’ tale that touching frogs and toads causes warts. As a child, you may have been told to avoid amphibians based on this silly myth, perhaps assuming it was true due to the bumpy skin of some frogs and toads. In actuality, if you want to learn how warts form, you need to focus on the human papillomavirus (HPV). Warts, whether white, brown, pink, or flesh colored, are caused by viruses. They vary in size, and they can appear in clusters or alone. To learn more about these unpleasant growths’ formation, prevention, and treatment, please scroll down.

How Warts Form

Typically, the human papillomavirus (HPV) will infect the top layer of the skin by entering through broken skin (like a small scrape, hangnail, or a cut from shaving). Even a minuscule break in the top layer of the skin can allow HPV to penetrate the skin’s barrier. Once inside, the virus causes a wart to form.

Unfortunately, warts can easily be spread from person to person. If you have a wart, you can infect another person through skin-to-skin contact (such as shaking hands) or by sharing towels, razors, or other personal items. In fact, you can even infect another part of your own body through contact with the wart.

It can be difficult to pinpoint the exact time and place of exposure to HPV, since warts take quite a while to grow large enough to be seen with the naked eye. In addition, some people are far more likely to develop warts than others, perhaps due to differences in the immune system. Children, for example, are more likely to have warts than adults.

Preventing Warts
Knowing exactly how warts form is crucial to prevention. Maintaining proper hygiene is the best place to start. Always make sure that cuts and scrapes are treated properly (bandage as needed) in order to prevent HPV from entering through these vulnerable areas. Keep your fingernails neat and trimmed to avoid hangnails. Wash your hands frequently, and don’t share personal items with people who have warts. By adopting solid hygiene practices, you can greatly decrease your risk of developing these unsightly appendages.

Treating Warts
Although warts are usually harmless and disappear over time, some warts are particularly painful or bothersome. If you would like to remove a troubling wart, you can try at-home treatments that utilize salicylic acid (found at most mass merchandisers and drugstores). Other people swear by duct tape, which researchers say may work by stimulating the patient’s immune system. For more advanced or stubborn warts, consult with a skincare professional who can prescribe stronger medications or recommend minor outpatient procedures (like laser surgery).

Speaking of which, if you’re in need of wart removal – or treatment for any other skin problem – contact DermaHealth Laser & Skin Care Clinic. At our facilities, we can diagnosis your condition, remove your wart, and advise you on any other skin concerns. Simply give us a call at 417-447-7777 or schedule a free consultation online. We look forward to hearing from you!

How Skin Works

Your skin is amazing. It is the largest organ in your body, and it grows with you from birth to adulthood. It allows you to feel a wide range of sensations, and it protects you from a variety of harm. In addition to providing protection from physical damage, your skin also helps keep out germs and bacteria. It triggers your immune system when germs do manage to make their way through your skin. Plus, skin helps regulate your body temperature and it synthesizes chemicals (like Vitamin D) that provide your body with the nutrients it needs. Learning how skin works will help you protect and care for it, no matter what your age.

How Skin Works

Your skin is made up of three layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the hypodermis. These layers work together and support each other. To learn how skin works, you must understand the purpose of each of the following layers:

• The epidermis is the outer layer of skin. It contains melanin, which gives your skin color and protects against infections.
• The next layer is the dermis, which is where blood vessels are located. It’s also where you find collagen (which supports your epidermis) as well as sweat glands, hair follicles, and nerve endings.
• The final and deepest layer of skin is the hypodermis. This layer of skin connects to muscle and bone, and it is made of subcutaneous tissue, which provides insulation and helps control the body’s temperature.

A Little TLC

Although your skin is tough and can withstand a lot of damage, it’s important that you give it all the help you can. When skin is in poor condition, it will have a hard time doing its many jobs. Skin that is not properly nourished, hydrated, and protected may become dry, itchy, painful, and easily damaged. Every 27 days or so, your skin will regenerate itself. This means that it won’t take long to see dramatic improvements when you start caring for your skin.

However, it’s important to note that some damage may not be healed in just a month’s time. For example, spending too much time in the sun or smoking can permanently damage the collagen you currently have and reduce collagen production. Collagen supports your skin. When your collagen levels drop, your skin will begin to sag and can form wrinkles. Collagen damage may not be replaced when your skin regenerates.

Proper Skin Care

Although it’s best to start caring for your skin early in life, it’s never too late to start. Your main focus should be keeping your skin hydrated, nourished, and protected.

Hydration involves making sure that you drink enough water, and minimize your intake of soda or sugary drinks because they can dehydrate you. In addition, use a daily moisturizer to hydrate your skin after cleansing. Nourishing your skin means eating right, although some nutrients can be delivered with oils, serums, and lotions. Your skin needs beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, and antioxidants, amongst other nutrients. Finally, protecting your skin means staying out of the sun and making sure you’re properly covered when you do go out. In addition to using sunblock, you need to make sure that you’re selecting an SPF that offers broad spectrum (both UVA & UVB) protection for your climate.

Knowing how skin works can help you protect and take care of your body. Create a solid skin care regimen to handle problems proactively, improve your overall health, and maintain a youthful appearance.

Getting Started

Whether you’re concerned about age spots, acne, wrinkles, dullness, or a specific condition like milia, a cholesterol deposit, or Actinic Keratosis, most people would like to change certain things about their skin. And if you don’t, you probably wish you could protect your skin’s current condition. For help with proactive and reactive skin treatments, contact DermaHealth. Our consultants can help you decide which services and products will work best for your concerns during a free consultation. To learn more, please give us a call at 417-447-7777 or click here to schedule a free consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!

Nail Fungus Treatment

Nail fungus, also known as onychomycosis (on-ih-koh-my-koh-sis), is a common condition that affects many people. It typically will present itself as a minor issue for sufferers but progressively can get worse, making many people self-conscious of its appearance. At DermaHealth, we offer nail fungus treatment to rid you of this annoyance.

Nail Fungus Treatment

Nail Fungal Infections

Nail fungal infections are typically caused by dermatophyte fungus, yeast, or molds. These particular fungi don’t require sunlight to survive. Fungi thrive in warm, moist environments, including swimming pools and showers. Nail fungus can appear on toenails or fingernails; however, it is more prevalent in toe nails, because they are confined to warm, moist environments more often. Also, toenails have less blood supply than fingernails, making it more difficult for our body’s immune system to detect and fight off their fungal infections.

What Do Nail Fungal Infections Look Like?

Nail fungal infections typically appear as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail. As the infection progresses, it moves deeper into the nail, making it appear discolored or thickened, and it may begin to crumble at the edges. If left untreated, the condition may cause the nail to separate from the nail bed. You may notice dullness or lack of shine in your affected nail(s) and potentially smell a foul odor from debris collecting under the nail(s). The infection usually will begin in one nail, but can spread to other nails if untreated.

Nail Fungus Treatment

DermaHealth offers conjunctive therapy for clients suffering from stubborn nail fungal infections. In conjunction with anti-fungal topical nail treatment, DermaHealth uses laser treatment to destroy the fungal infection once and for all.

Once a client expresses interest in receiving our nail fungus treatment, they begin a two-week, pre-treatment regimen of daily application of topical anti-fungal oil. After two weeks, they will provide consent to receive our Genesis laser nail fungus treatment. The laser treatment targets the affected nail(s) and surrounding tissue with heat in an effort to kill the fungal infection.

How Many Laser Treatments Do I Need?

DermaHealth recommends that clients interested in our conjunctive nail fungus treatment receive between two and five treatments, depending on the results they obtain after each session. With the client’s consent, we will obtain pictures to map the progress of the treatment regimen.

Especially when discussing toenails, we express to clients that the nails grow very slowly, and it may take up to a year for a healthy, uninfected nail to grow out. Once the client is happy with their results, they will no longer require laser treatments. However, there are several measures that the client can take to decrease the chance of the fungal infection returning in the future.

How Do I Keep the Nail Fungal Infection Away?

After receiving laser nail fungus treatment, it is important that clients conform to our post-care instructions, so that they may achieve optimal results both during and after treatment.

We recommend that clients continue to apply the anti-fungal topical oil to the affected nail(s) between laser treatments. Other recommendations for increased efficacy of laser nail fungus treatment include application of over-the-counter anti-fungal creams to the affected areas, disinfecting shoes (and not wearing them for 48 hours after treatment), and keeping the nail(s) clean and well trimmed. When possible, wear shoes that decrease humidity, and choose socks that absorb sweat. Maintaining a diet that is low in carbs and sugar is also recommended for decreasing the fungi population within the body.

Contact DermaHealth for Help

If you are suffering from stubborn nail fungal infections, give our professionals a call at DermaHealth to see if you are a candidate for nail fungus treatment. Our consultations are free, so it will not cost you anything to see if we can help. To speak to our professionals about nail fungus treatment or any other services that may be of interest to you, call DermaHealth at 417-447-7777.