Med Spas are the Secret to Celebrity Skin  - Hollywood’s Fountain of Youth! 

#1  Lasers

Celebrities use an arsenal of cosmetic lasers to repair damage and flaws on the skin’s surface and rejuvenate collagen to keep skin firm and tight.       

Lasers for Skin Resurfacing

The newer lasers can resurface skin with very little downtime  - which is pretty important to celebrity clients. The laser I use for resurfacing – the Pixel, fires these little grids into the skin causing “micro-injuries,” as skin heals the collagen is rejuvenated, the tissue firms up, and the texture is improved.   It’s fantastic, you can actually watch as the skin tightens up.  Sometimes I do one side of a patient’s face so they can see the difference - it can be pretty dramatic. We call “the photoshopper.”  I use the Pixel anywhere that is showing lines or signs of damage or aging. It’s a service a lot of my celebrity clients do on their neck, to eliminate neck bands and chest as well – this is a must for those low cut red carpet dresses. 

Lasers for Skin Tightening

A big reason stars seem immune to saggy jowls and those bat wings under arms are body contouring lasers.

Since the loss of collagen is a major tell tale sign of aging, (and that starts to happen in our 20’s!) celebrities use low level laser therapy to rejuvenate collagen production.

There are 2 that we use at the spa – the Alma Soprano with an NIR handpiece which is great for lifting and tightening areas of the face and neck, and the Accent which has the newest RF (radio frequency) technology – it is great for cellulite and targeting larger areas.  Skin tightening is something my celebrity clients love to do the day of a red carpet event to look absolutely firm and flawless. 

Lasers for Imperfections

Trust me, celebrities are not immune to skin tags, broken blood vessels and other imperfections – but they can’t be tolerated by my clients who spend a lot of time in the public eye. They just come in and get them zapped or treated with a lamprobe or cryoprobe – they treatments are also a way to eliminate birthmarks and moles.   

Lasers for Weight Loss

Sure, most celebrities put in their time at the gym and watch what they eat, but don’t think their perfect bodies are all rigorous workouts and personal chefs. Celebrities have had access to lasers for weight loss for years now. 

At Beauty Park we have a Zerona “lipolaser.”  It is a low level laser that creates a temporary opening in the fat cell – causing it to leak fat so it boosts your ability to loose weight from stubborn areas as easily as laying on your back for 20 minutes and on your front for 20 minutes twice a week, you can’t beat that! 

Laser for hair removal

When was the last time you saw a celebrity raise her award at the podium and reveal an armpit full of shave bumps?  That’s right - never!  Laser hair removal has become a celebrity staple - a complete necessity for silky smooth skin. 

#2  Injectables  - Paralytics and  Fillers

Celebrities don’t give wrinkles a chance. 

“Better to maintain than try to reclaim.”  It’s one of my favorite sayings because, well - it’s true.  Early treatment of wrinkles with paralytics like Botox and Dysport and fillers like Juvederm, Restylane and Radiesse keep celebrity faces line and sag free. 

Early treatment with Botox or Dysport prevents the lines from becoming deepset, - I have some clients in their early 20’s.  There are plenty of stars are honest about their use of Botox – it is the second most popular prescription drug (after Viagra!) 

“I certainly do Botox, which I definitely think that almost every woman that I know has, it’s a miracle drug, no cutting, nothing…”  

Vanessa Williams 

“I love Botox, I absolutely love it. I get it minimally, so I can still move my face. But I really do think it’s a savior.”

Jenny McCarthy

“It works, you do it once a year.  Who cares?”  

Simon Cowell, 

Also – David Hasselhoff, Hillary Duff, Megan Fox, Gordon Ramsay, - just to name a few Botox fans! 

Of course some celebrities have been accused of going a little to far – freezing their expressions – but I like to look at Botox like highlights – enhancing beauty with just the right subtle touch.  

#3 Dermal Fillers -  Juverderm, Restylane, Perlane, and Radiesse

Fillers are not new in Hollywood – since the loss of volume in the face is the primary reason we look older, no surprise.  Clients ask me all the time which I would like better – Botox or fillers, I say – “if Botox and fillers were drowning – I’d save filler first,” because some wrinkles can look natural – our faces tell a story, but the loss of volume – draws focus – it just makes you look saggy and sad.  I can fix that with a few quick injections.  #3 Protect Skin From Sundamage
It’s called “photoaging” and it is what happens to our skin when it is exposed to the sun. Dermatologists warn that up to 90 percent of wrinkles, dark spots and sun damage are caused by sun exposure. 
Sunscreen sunscreen sunscreen
I won’t leave the house without SPF 30 – (make sure your sunscreen and look on the packaging to be sure it has UVA and UVB protection.)  A big reason people forget the heavier protection is because they don’t like the way it feels on their skin – too heavy or pasty, but there are some great full strength products with a real luxurious cosmetic feel.   A couple of my personal favorites – one we carry at the spa from the Japanese company POLA – Perfect Shield is available in 30 and 50 SPF - it feels so light you forget it is a sunscreen, and Murad has a great line – Essential C, which has a 30 SPF that smells like fresh oranges – clients love it! 
Wear a hat
Celebs with wide brimmed hats and big sunglasses aren’t just making a fashion statement – they are making a skin statement!

#4 Exfoliate Professionally

Celebs know - to look fresh, radiant perfect skin, you have to be diligent about stripping off that top layer ofdead-cell sludge.  My favorite way to accomplish this is with a Pixel laser treatment every several months.  You can also achieve good results with spa grade chemical peels like Vitalize Peel and Vi Peel which also work to keep collagen active and prevent skin from aging.  I also love the Cosmelan peel for melasma, – melasma is sun and hormone activated so it’s a big problem out here in Southern California.  It can be pretty stubborn so I like to follow up with Pixel laser resurfacing, then I send my clients out the door covered in sunscreen. 

Classic dermabrasion with a facial is a monthly maintenance favorite. 

I know a lot of skin experts are big on at home scrubs – but these can be tricky – many irritating skin and aggravating acne and leaving skin raw.  You really can’t beat regular professional services for that flawless look.

I know this can get expensive – so use gently exfoliating products like Ayurmedic Anti- Bacterial Wash with Exfoliating Beads or a weekly mask like Murad’s Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask and their Intensive Resurfacing Peel.

“To stay in shape and maintain her appearance, she says she does regular cardio and weight training plus Pilates, takes antioxidants and has dermabrasion treatments”  

Susan Sarandon  

#5  Vitamins and Antioxidants

Celebrities are smart about vitamins and make use of vitamin injections. 

When nutrients are injected directly into the bloodstream they bypass the digestive system and are "pushed" directly into cells where they can be more effectively utilized by the body. Weekly vitamin shots are an effective way to increase your energy, strengthen your immune system and promote weight loss.

Vitamins C, E, A, K, and B complex can all help improve skin health. Vitamin E has been noted to reduce photodamage, wrinkles and improve skin texture.  Further, researchers saw a reduction of factors linked to DNA damage within skin cells, leading them to conclude that antioxidant vitamins help protect against DNA damage.
When I was on the set of “A Simple Life” I gave Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie B 12 shots.  B – 12 is a celebrity favorite for boosting energy, a lot of actors come in for these during filming, it really boosts their stamina for those 16 hour filming days. 

#6  The Smart Use Retinoids 

I can spot a retinoid abuser from a mile away – it’s that shiny, thin skinned, “my face looks like it’s been dipped in fire” look. 

Retinoids are vitamin-A derivatives that speed up cellular turnover. They first became available in the early 1970’s as an anti-acne remedy.  Celebs who are now in their 40s that started using Retin-A as teenagers to control their breakouts – are luckily now benefiting from the antiaging qualities f these products! 
Retinoid usage encourages collagen production, reduces fine lines, improves elasticity, and plumps the skin.

These are great benefits for sure, but misuse and overuse looks obvious – that raw look - because the skin is continually under stress.  That’s why most of my celebs do maintenance instead, providing the same collagen rejuvenating benefits without the continual stressing of the skin.

Some over the counter products do work because they are milder and Renova, a more moisturizing version of a prescription retinoid, that has been launched as an anti-aging cream provides pretty good results.
“No med spa necessary secrets to Celebrity skin!” 

#7  Hydrate

I know this one isn’t an earth shattering secret – the whole “drink 8 glasses of water a day” has been on everyone’s “how to get good skin lists” since, well they started “how to get good skin lists,” but loss of hydration in the skin shows in all sorts of ways – dryness, tightness, flakiness. Dry skin has less resilience and is more prone to wrinkling. Water is essential to maintain skin moisture and is the vehicle for delivering essential nutrients to the skin cell.   

#8 Exercise

Another not so big surprise, but it’s true!

Sure, most of the celebs I take care of have all the amenities; home gyms, pilates machines, lap pools and personal trainers…climbing walls…  But fitness is not a luxury - it is a necessity for true beauty! Some exercise is better than no exercise.  Investing in your good health will pay off in the future and you know when you feel good – it shows on your face. 

 

#9  Make Up Artists + Retouching = Perfection!

Even with all the right care and dedication to their skin and bodies celebs never make appearances at big events without a professional make up artist.

 

#10 – Be Well!

It’s true – I work from the outside in, and I’m not going to lie to you - I can work mini-miracles with Botox and injectables.  But if you want true and lasting beauty, well, that comes from within.  And you know what that means -  taking care of yourself  - eating well, sleeping well – trying not to stress. 

I promise you - it will show on your face!  If you don’t believe me, think of celebrity mug shots and see what smoking, drinking and partying all night will do to the face of beauty… 

A young client who is classically beautiful had been coming to me for a few years when she began showing up on the covers of the magazines with red circles and arrows gleefully pointing out her new “flaws.”  She turned herself around pretty quickly by stopping the partying, and eating crap and started taking better care of herself. Even I was impressed by the difference it made in the quality of her skin. 

Stress ages the skin too.  Do whatever you need to eliminate stress.  Easier said then done, I know but it’s worth it.  Again – think of those celebrity mugshots…  As for sleep – there is a reason they call it ‘beauty sleep.’

Not getting enough sleep shows up on your face the next day with those dark circles, puffy red eyes and long term lack of sleep will weaken your immune system. 

With all of my services there is no better foundation for lasting beauty than good health so take care of your self - it makes my job so much easier, – you bring me a good foundation and we’ll make it great!