Why We Chose Correction Over Traditional Facials

Let’s face it; more people have concerns about their skin than not. The fact that the majority of us love the sun, feel better with a “glow,” or just completely neglect our largest organ, leads us to crave skin perfection.

Before we get into the “why,” I’d like to dive into the “how.” How do skin imperfections happen? Without being too science-y, basically, imperfections are cellular damage, internal inflammation, and/or self-induced. Ope. I went there. In a perfect world with perfect routines, none of us would have a single imperfection. The reality, however, is that I would bet 99% of us have some kind of imperfection on our skin and that is due to either damaged genes passed down, cell damage from the sun/food choices/environment, and/or outward damage that caused the skin to need to heal itself. The amount of skin imperfections are more than I can list but we’ll talk about some of the common issues we see.

Hyperpigmentation is dark pigment on the surface of the skin. This can be caused from the sun (sun damage or liver spots), from hormones (melasma), or from skin treatments that weren’t properly prepared for (trauma to the skin). They are usually irregularly shaped, darker, flat patches on the skin. Hyperpigmentation from the sun very much can become a skin cancer, which is why SPF is so important. The reason hyperpigmentation even occurs is because UV light damages the cells, which are trying to then heal themselves by pumping out pigment for protection from said UV. Lighter skinned people are less protected from the sun naturally, but that does not mean darker skinned people can’t also develop skin cancer. Melanin is the body’s protection from the sun destroying underlying cells. If your body is chronically exposed to UV radiation, your skin cell DNA gets damaged. This is what leads to cancers and premature skin aging. Melasma is not the same and is actually very hard to treat because it is hormone-driven. Melasma is usually seen on the face and is symmetrical on both sides. It can get worse with heat, sun, medications, and inflammation. Trauma to the skin from improper treatments can be permanent so please research your treatment before doing it. This is usually seen with deep peels, laser, or radiofrequency microneedling.

Rosacea and redness are also quite common. Redness to the skin is an indication there is inflammation within the body. The cause is widely unknown but is usually chalked up to genetics and inflammation from autoimmune diseases. Rosacea can be controlled with topical treatments, but knowing triggers will be your best bet. Redness can be very complex to figure out but can be exacerbated from heat, sun, spicy foods, alcohol, stress, and certain medications or topicals.

Dermatitis has become a bigger concern with the season change from Summer to Fall. There are many forms and all require a physician diagnosis but the triggers are many and they may not actually know why it’s happening. This requires a lot of writing down your daily routine and possibly having to do some kind of habit change. It can be triggered from anything from something touching the skin to cause irritation to something ingested that is causing inflammation to stress causing inflammation. We don’t diagnose the problem, but instead, work with you to try to identify triggers so you can avoid more flares and calm the skin topically.

Excessive dryness is another area we see a lot. If your skin is too dry, it will not absorb the products you apply topically. Think about it like a neglected houseplant (because I’ve done this all too often). When the ground is so dry that it pulls away from the pot (don’t judge me), adding water to it will have the water run right off of it, down the sides, and out the bottom. You can dump a lot of water on it and then still feel dry dirt if you stick your finger into the pot. This is the same with the skin. Many things can cause this to happen but are usually harsh topicals, environment, hormones, medications, bathing in hot water, or underlying medical conditions. This can result in flaking, peeling, sensitivity, burning, tightness, and visible wrinkles.

Acne is a complex issue we frequently address. It is a multifactorial issue that takes a lot of trial and error to determine triggers. It can be controlled with appropriate habits, skincare, and reducing internal inflammation and stress. Depending on the severity, it may require physician support but that is not always necessary if you are willing to do the internal work to fix it. Food, lifestyle, habits, products, and professional treatments are all required to heal your skin.

If you’ve made it this far, you’re officially nerdy, like myself! Kidding. You’re a curious soul who wants to know the answer to the question at hand; Why did we choose correction over traditional facials? The answer is simple: we like to use our brains to the largest capacity we can (aka: we’re nerdy here, like I said). At Wild Indigo, we have a team of problem-solvers. We like a challenge. We live for long-term change. We dive into ingredients in skincare and how it works with the body. We love a good results-driven treatment because as much as we wish we never will age, we know it is destined to happen, but we want to slow it down. We understand our skin is an organ and needs to be supported at times. We want to see how confident you can be wearing your bare skin in public, as we also do. None of us have perfect skin and can all complain about something. But, in a society that idolizes perfection, we want to flip the script. Imperfections are what make us unique! We want to help you feel confident in your skin without ever once caring what someone else thinks. So, we’ve opted to go deeper into the science, the research, the development of treatments that we can do for your skin that will show outward change. Because who doesn’t want someone to notice your glowing complexion? We also want to promote healing, healthy habits, and set you up for success. As sad as it may be, you can’t carry us in your back pocket every day to provide consistent guidance. Until that is possible (I joke. I’m not here for the Andrea cloning), we want to teach you how to care for yourself. Our knowledge will be your knowledge and that is why we do what we do.

Until next time,
Andrea