Facials: the What, Why and When

At Goldfingers Aesthetics Lady Lake / Villages, we believe in comprehensive, holistic facial care
as well as customized treatment plans. Read on to understand why we believe facials to be a
key component in many customized treatment plans.

Why get a professional facial?
A really good professional facial serves several purposes. It clears out your pores, tightens your
skin, and reduces wrinkles, making you look much younger in the process. There is a wide
range of facial treatments, some of which include: chemical peels, Hydrafacials, extractions,
LED facials, Dermaplaning, and microdermabrasion. Many facial treatments incorporate
multiple types of treatments in one session. Our Signature Facial, for example, can be
combined with a light chemical peel or Dermaplaning.
Benefits of facials include:

• Expert skin analysis by a professional who truly understands your unique skin type (factoring in seasonal, environmental, hormonal, and age-related changes occurring with
  the skin) and how to best care for it.

• Professional strength exfoliation to lighten discoloration from sun and breakouts.

• Manual extraction of blackheads and clogged pores to create smoother and less-bumpy
  skin.

• Intensive hydration to repair the skin’s moisture barrier to keep the skin looking plump and
  moist.

• Facial massage to increase circulation and encourage brighter, glowing skin.

• Professional guidance for your home care routine.

• Slows down the aging process.

• Reduces stress and relieves psychological distress.

Over time, regular facials can help with: acne, clogged pores, hyperpigmentation, dull skin, an
puffiness to name only a few conditions that may be treated with regular treatments with a
qualified esthetician.

What happens in a professional facial?

Facials include deep-cleansing, nourishing, brightening, and anti-aging. Most facials last
between sixty and ninety minutes.

The following is a typical routine. However, your esthetician will recommend the protocol that
is best for your skin type and needs.

1. Skin analysis followed by a cleansing
2. Exfoliation (A gentle acid or enzyme peel, ultrasonic exfoliation, microdermabrasion or
   bio brasion are the most common)
3. Steam
4. Massage of the face, neck, and shoulders (Sometimes this is omitted for those with
   severe acne so there is less stimulation to the skin and the esthetician can spend more
   time on extractions.)
5. Manual extractions to clear out blackheads and clogged pores
6. Mask
   Of course, there are many more modalities that can be added to a facial to enhance the results.
   Microcurrent, LED light, ultrasound, and high frequency are just a few examples. After you have
   completed your treatments, your esthetician will reassess your skin and recommend the best
   home skincare routine as well as the best schedule for follow-up visits.

How often should you get a professional facial?

More and more of our customers are incorporating professional facials (as opposed to at-home
facials) into their skincare routine. Professional facials are a luxurious, but nonetheless
effective way to care for your skin. After an hour or so of relaxing gentle facial massage, deep
and gentle cleansing, refreshing exfoliation, and soothing hydration serums, it is tempting to
want to increase both the duration and the frequency of your treatments. But how often
should you get a professional facial?
Depending on your skincare needs and goals, the frequency can vary from every three to eight
weeks, although a good average is four to six weeks. The reason for this estimate is that it
takes about 28 days for your skin cells to move through a full life cycle of cell growth and make
their way from the dermis to the surface of the skin at which point they are ready to be
sloughed off with a refreshing facial. Your skin type, lifestyle, and seasonal changes can cause
variations in this pattern so having a monthly check-in with your esthetician will ensure you get
the most appropriate treatment on the optimal schedule. If you have oily and acne-prone skin,
your esthetician may recommend a facial every three weeks. If you have sensitive skin, your
esthetician might want you to come in every eight weeks.
If your busy schedule prevents you from seeing your esthetician on a monthly basis, at least aim
for a visit every season. The warmer seasons can cause acne or sun damage while the colder
seasons cause dry skin.