blog - Page 2 of 6 - Peace of Mind Wellness • Skin & Body Care

I’m taking it all off! AKA everything you wanted to know about waxing

March 2, 2015 by Wendei Leave a Comment

I know you’re all anxiously awaiting my next brilliant gem about how to have beautiful, healthy skin, but in the spirit of keeping it interesting I thought it might be fun to mix it up and talk about hair removal. That’s right, waxing.

I know, I know, discussing hair growth in inappropriate areas just isn’t sexy, but what IS sexy is having legs that are stubble-free, armpits that don’t get a rash after shaving, and a perfectly coiffed (or bare) bikini area free from ingrown hairs.

At Peace of Mind, we wax pretty much everything you would want to remove hair from. I’ve spent years trying out different waxes for different areas of the body, which is why we have quadruple wax warmers in our treatment rooms. Not all waxes are the same! For example, the wax I use on legs and arms is different than the wax I use on more delicate areas such as the face and bikini area. We wax lips, chins, arms, legs, thighs, bikini areas, men’s backs, women’s tummies, you name it! We even do fabulous eyebrows from complete shaping and design to monthly maintenance.

Even our pre- and post-wax treatment products are special and formulated in small batches by a long time esthetician/waxing specialist friend in Northern California.

Why waxing is better than shaving:

For those of you antiquates who are still shaving, here’s a few reasons why it’s not the greatest method of hair removal.

higher incidence of ingrown hairs
must be done daily (sometimes twice a day if you have a hot date that night)
hair remains coarse and no reduction occurs because you’re not affecting the root or the follicle – you’re only removing what you can see.
Dull razors don’t get the job done and new razors can cause cuts that aren’t pretty.

The benefits of waxing are too many to list. The biggest plus is that by doing it once a month, over time you actually end up with less hair. Pulling hair out by the root damages the follicle, so the new hair is softer, finer and lighter in color.

I’ve been waxing people for over 20 years now and Olivia and Elena are both proficient waxers. I bet you didn’t know that Olivia is right up there with Anastasia for brows but charges a lot less!

If you’re getting a Brazilian wax every month and you’re not coming to me at our convenient, peaceful Studio City location, why not? I can get you hair-free in generally less than 10 minutes using my amazing purple gel wax. We don’t skimp on quality skin care at Peace of Mind and we don’t skimp on our hair removal products and services either.

We also have our fabulous Depilar system that, when paired with waxing, will reduce regrowth significantly over time—results are usually seen within three or four treatments. Much less pain and less expensive than laser or electrolysis, and hair can be any color or texture. After using our Depilar system for just over one year, I have maybe 10 hairs (Olivia and Elena says it’s more like four) under each arm.

Do’s & Don’ts of Waxing at Peace of Mind

Before your appointment:

DO wait at least 3 to 4 weeks in between waxing appointments for best results.
DO exfoliate the night before you’re going to wax to loosen any ingrown hairs.
DO shower or ask for a wipe or towel to clean yourself before your appointment.
DON’T wax if you’ve used any Vitamin A or glycolic acid products in the last 48 hours—including over the counter products—as your skin can lift.
DON’T pluck your eyebrows in between appointments—thicker brows will always be in fashion and over plucking can cause some hair to disappear forever.
DON’T come in for waxing if you have a sunburn.
DON’T use lotions or deodorants on areas to be waxed.

At your appointment:

DO make sure to tell your esthetician if you’re taking any new medications, as some can cause you to burn even from a low temperature wax.
DO use our recommended take-home post waxing products to prevent ingrown hairs and take down inflammation faster.
DON’T (for men) put a dirty shirt on after waxing as your follicles are dilated and you can get an infection if sweat or dirt penetrates them. Bring a clean shirt with you.

After your appointment:

DON’T do any kind of exercise where you’ll sweat for at least 24 hours after your appointment, otherwise you can get a bad breakout.
DON’T be sexually intimate with your partner the same day you get a bikini wax as it will hurt and you can get a rash or infection.

As long as you follow our instructions, you will have smooth, hair-free skin and never need to pick up a razor again.

Waxing – yet another service to bring you Peace of Mind!

What’s With All the Pink?

October 6, 2014 by Wendei Leave a Comment

October is here and it’s breast cancer awareness month.

As you know from my last blog, cancer is a disease that’s near and dear to me as one of my specialties is working with people who are living with cancer.

Last month, I had the honor of being invited to Sao Paulo, Brazil, to speak about my work and my certification in Oncology Esthetics. I spoke to more than 600 people at the 2^nd largest professional beauty show in the world. I was treated like a celebrity when I was finished and people stood in line to have their picture taken with me. I was touched when I met other estheticians who had flown in from different parts of the country just to hear me speak because either they had clients living with cancer or, in one case, she had cancer herself.

During my speech I did an exercise where I asked members of the audience to stand up if either they had ever lost someone to cancer, if they currently knew someone living with cancer, or if they were currently living with cancer themselves. I was blown away when nearly the entire room was standing. It was such a powerful image seeing hundreds of people standing up.

As many of you know by all the pink ribbons and pink merchandise being promoted this month in stores, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the number one cancer diagnosed in women. It’s also 92% curable if detected early so I implore each of you ladies reading this to get an annual mammogram if you’re over 40 and I beg all of you to perform monthly self exams at home.

At Peace of Mind we are doing our part by offering a special Think Pink bag featuring a Simple Sugars Body Scrub, a Youngblood Lip Gloss and instructions for performing a self breast exam. We will donate a portion of all sales to the American Cancer Society, with whom I’ve been volunteering for the last five years. Pick up one for yourself and think of giving one to another special woman in your life (think Moms, sisters, adult daughters, BFFs).

If you have a loved one living with any type of cancer, please consider bringing them in to our Studio City spa for an Oncology Facial. I will do a thorough consultation to see where they are in treatment so I can design a pampering, yet safe treatment for them.

Think Pink and do your part to support research to find a cure!

Peace & Gratitude,

Wendei

The Work I am Most Proud of — I Bet You Can’t Guess!

August 22, 2014 by Wendei Leave a Comment

Some of you may know that I’m certified in Oncology Esthetics. Some people have seen the heading on my website or have seen my separate business cards featuring this service. Most of you probably don’t know what Oncology Esthetics is but I have to tell you, it’s the most rewarding work I’ve done in my 20 year career as an esthetician.

About five and a half years ago I became friends with a beautiful woman who was in remission from AML, a very aggressive form of leukemia. She had developed dark spots all over her face and body – it was a side effect from her stem cell transplants called graft vs host disease. She sought me out to help her with camouflage makeup. I color matched her and showed her how to apply it and she was thrilled. We were both mothers. My youngest was 5 at the time and her little girl was just 2. We had a lot in common and became fast friends. We emailed and talked on the phone a lot and visited when we could. She encouraged me to help other women like herself; women who had cancer and didn’t feel beautiful anymore because of the awful side effects of treatments like chemotherapy, radiation and stem cell transplants. I listened to her and I trained to be Look Good Feel Better facilitator. The LGFB program is one of American Cancer Society’s programs where licensed professionals like me teach groups of women being treated for cancer how to take care of their skin, do their makeup and choose wigs and head wraps if they’ve lost their hair. I learned a lot in my training but knew there was so much to learn. Around the same time, an amazing book came out which was a guide for estheticians about Oncology Esthetics. I devoured the book and then learned that the author had just started teaching live classes so I signed up and went to Phoenix where I spent three long and intense days learning about different types of cancers, treatments, medications, and side effects pertaining to the skin. I learned how to tailor and modify my skin care treatments so they would be safe and helpful for people living with cancer.

Unfortunately, my girlfriend didn’t make it. Her cancer came back later that year and she passed away a week before her daughter turned 3. She taught me how to talk to people with cancer. How to listen, accept them where they are at, even if they know they aren’t going to win the battle. I knew her for barely a year but she changed my life forever.

The good news is that most cancers now are survivable. Five years later, I’m still teaching Look Good Feel Better classes at the Roy Disney Cancer Center almost every month and I’ve helped numerous people living with cancer through the power of touch. If you or someone you love is living with cancer, it is both safe and beneficial to receive facials as long as the estheticians is certified in Oncology Esthetics. I have an understanding about the many different treatments for cancer along with medications and how they affect the skin. I am trained in the ingredients to avoid and how to modify my treatments depending on whether lymph nodes have been removed or a port is still in place, etc.

I’m also very proud to be heading to Brazil on August 31st to give a presentation on Oncology Esthetics at the Beauty Fair Estetica in Sao Paulo. Apparently this is the second largest beauty show in the world and I will be speaking to estheticians, doctors and other professionals. Beauty Fair Estetica sought me out because of my extensive experience working with people living with cancer and I’m honored to have been invited to share my expertise.

If you know someone dealing with the side effects of cancer treatment, it would be my honor to pamper them and help them look and feel beautiful.

–Wendei

providing cancer patients with comfort and relief that has not previously been available. Studio City Sherman Oaks Valley

Heeding Your Hormones, Part One: Cortisol

June 19, 2014 by Wendei

Many of you got to meet Dr. Fischer, our naturopathic doctor, at our fabulous 2 year anniversary party in April. Those of you who know me or have gotten referrals from me in the past know that I’m very picky about my health care providers so I only refer out to people I’ve personally used. Dr. Fischer is no exception.

I have gained A LOT of weight over the last few years even though I’m a healthy eater… I knew something wasn’t right and wasn’t looking forward to my 4’11” frame turning into a beach ball. Dr. Fischer did an incredibly thorough lab workup on me and, low and behold, I’m in the throes of peri-menopause and some of my hormones were practically non-existant. I started on supplements and bioidentical (plant based) hormone therapy, and within a couple of weeks I already have more energy and the scale is moving down instead of up for the first time in three years! Dr. Fischer is a science and ingredient geek like me so I really connect with him because he explains how everything works and, as you all know, for me, knowledge is power. Dr. Fischer is giving me back control over my body and I’m so grateful!

He’s at Peace of Mind every Tuesday and offers consultation, hormone balancing, vitamin injections (I get one every week), IV therapies, and he also happens to be an acupuncturist and can prescribe Chinese herbs. Let me know if you’d like to book an appointment. Naturopaths can be considered primary care providers so if you have PPO insurance, ask him for a detailed bill so you can bill your insurance for reimbursement.

Wendei

by Dr. Jeremy Fischer

We have a variety of different hormones in our bodies. They each play an important role in regulating our health, helping to keep us feeling vibrant, healthy, and youthful.

They are important for maintaining a healthy weight and retaining muscle mass, regulating the female menstrual cycle, maintaining libido and energy, reacting to stress, suppressing inflammation, regulating the immune system, and more. However, due to various factors, such as stress, chronic disease, dietary factors, environmental toxins, physical traumas, as well as due to normal aging, you can have problems with hormones – whether imbalances, or frank deficiencies. Maintaining hormone balance goes a long way in terms of optimizing your health and vitality. Therefore, in this series, I’ll be addressing several key hormones, why they matter, what sorts of problems they might cause, and what you can do about it.

In this first article of the series, I will address cortisol.

Many of you may be familiar with the anti-inflammatory uses of cortisol, also known as hydrocortisone. Cortisol is used as a medicine to suppress inflammation, for example when someone has a painful swollen joint, or when they have an autoimmune disease or allergic reaction that is raging out of control.

When the body is stressed, the adrenal glands release extra cortisol to help maintain fuel for energy production. This is good in the short-term. However if the stressor continues for too long, and your cortisol levels are chronically elevated, this can cause problems, such as an impaired immune system, bone loss, elevated blood sugar and insulin resistance (the precursors to diabetes), impaired memory, infertility, menstrual irregularities, weight gain, insomnia and anxiety. Chronic stress can even cause the adrenal glands to produce excess testosterone in women, causing hirsutism (excess facial hair).

If the stress is intense enough, or lasts long enough, the adrenal glands can become worn out, and unable to create enough hormones– not only cortisol, but also aldosterone, testosterone, DHEA, to name a few. This can show up as depression, weight gain (notice this one shows up with both high AND low cortisol), chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, low blood pressure, etc.

If it sounds like a patient has cortisol irregularities, I may order some lab tests to see what the actual cortisol levels are. It is possible we may order other labs as well, since hormones interact with each other in a complex web of relations. My goal as a naturopathic doctor is to treat the underlying cause of disease. In this case, it means I look at all the potential factors that might be causing cortisol elevation/depression, including lifestyle factors, diet, diseases/infections, stress, etc. Sometimes we can regulate cortisol with lifestyle change alone. Other times, we may need vitamins and other nutrients, acupuncture, herbal medicine, or even prescription cortisol.

I’ll often use a combination approach since life is multifactorial, and therefore our treatments ought to be multifactorial as well. What I mean is that there are often various factors that go into creating a given condition. If we address all the factors and underlying causes, we get better results than just giving a drug that treats just ONE aspect of the condition. For example, when I treat high blood pressure, I don’t just want to make sure the blood pressure goes down. That’s an important goal, but I want to look at all the underlying factors contributing to the high blood pressure. Similarly, with high cortisol, I want to help induce relaxation, support a healthy diet that doesn’t cause cortisol elevations, optimize sleep as sleep issues can also affect cortisol, etc. Also, every patient is a unique individual, and so we adjust the treatment to their particular condition.

That’s all for now. Stay tuned for the next installment of Heeding Your Hormones. It’s going to be an interesting one. I’ll be writing about testosterone.

Dr. Fischer is a Naturopathic doctor, practicing at Peace of Mind, in Studio City, CA. His passion is helping people to overcome chronic disease and attain their maximum state of vitality.

All About Acne: Facts and Myths

June 18, 2014 by Wendei Leave a Comment

I’ve been wanting to start a dialogue about acne for a long time now so let’s get started.

First, there are a lot of myths about acne. We’ve all heard that eating greasy fried foods or chocolate causes acne. We’ve heard that we have to “dry out” acne to cure it or that we shouldn’t use moisturizers. Some of us avoid using all moisturizers and sunscreens because we’re afraid it’s going to cause a break out. All the above are false, but do have some merit and I’ll address them soon.

Fact number one: Acne is a hereditary condition. That’s right. Even if your mom or dad didn’t have acne, someone in your family had it and you can send them a special thank you for passing it down to you.

Fact number two: Acne is classified as a disease. Not only is it a disease, but it can’t be cured, only controlled, until your body finally clears it and in most cases it will.

Fact number three: Acne is caused by many different types of bacteria that irritate the pore (aka follicle). Once this follicle is irritated, dead skin cells build up, sticky oil mixes in with those cells and even more bacteria grows. The result can be blackheads, whiteheads (milia) pimples, cysts or nodules.

Fact number four: Whether you’re a teen, or an adult struggling with breakouts, I can help you get your acne under control. But it takes commitment. You didn’t get your acne overnight and no matter what anyone tells you, it’s not going to go away overnight. You’ll have to use certain products, eat a certain way, come in more often at the beginning for treatments and acne-specific facials, but you WILL clear up.

Let’s talk about a couple of those myths. Greasy foods don’t cause acne, but salt can aggravate acne and make it worse. To get technical, it’s actually the iodide in salt. Try using small amounts of sea salt instead if you salt your food. Avoid most fast foods because they contain a ton of iodized salt. The good news is that you don’t have to give up chocolate. A little bit of dark chocolate is actually good for you. Dark chocolate is much lower in sugar and actually has antioxidants which take down inflammation. Wait a sec, did she actually say chocolate is GOOD for us? Yep! Just don’t abuse it and the higher percentage of cacao the better. It’s the sugar in chocolate that’s bad for us. I’ve found lots of yummy ways to satisfy my chocolate cravings without the sugar. Maybe I’ll even share some of my recipes down the road.

Today I’ll give you one tip if you are one of the people struggling with acne or even the occasional breakout. Don’t pick! I know you want to, but it actually creates more problems. Instead, grab an ice cube and ice your breakouts. In fact, give your entire face a little ice massage. It can not only help lessen current breakouts but also prevent future episodes by taking down inflammation in the skin. You can use a plain ol’ ice cube, a bag of frozen veggies or fill a Dixie cup with water and keep it in the freezer and peel it down a little each time you use it. Icing at least a couple times a day will make a huge difference – I promise.

Please share this with any of your friends and family that may benefit and post any comments or questions below. As always, thanks for reading!!!

Wendei