Twenty-five years in the beauty and health industry have made me wary of promises made by manufacturers selling miracle cures for aging. The industry has very little regulation and in our pursuit of youth, we could be harming our skin and our health. At the very least we are wasting time and money. How to be a savvy buyer in an industry that is notorious for potions and lotions promising eternal youth?

These are just some of the things to watch out for when visiting a spa or esthetician.

Myth # 1 You get what you pay for. The more you spend, the better the results. This is simply not true. I have seen vendors come into Spa on the Plaza promising huge results if we buy their $25,000.00 machine. Upon closer inspection it was old technology, repackaged and rebranded at 8 times the cost! The same goes for product. The industry has tiers that have less to do about the product inside than the customer they are targeting. Caviar skincare anyone? Let’s put it in a glass jar and a gold top and charge $150.00 an ounce for the woman who has everything. A good esthetician and spa will steer you towards products that have results and will be considerate of your budget.

Myth # 2 Pigmentation. The promise that product will remove pigmentationFacial spots! After dozens of potions and peels, this is not my experience. In fact many of these treatments make your pigmentation worse. Unless you never let your face see the sun again, those dark spots come back and sometimes worse because the skin has been stripped of protection provided by its natural pigmentation. Instead, I recommend healing the cell with a micro-current treatment, an LED infrared light and an O2 infusion. Peels are over used and can make the skin thin and sensitive. Healing the skin with technological skincare, and healing touch is the focus of our estheticians at Spa on the Plaza.

Myth # 3 Facelifts are your only option. Not true! I recommend a monthly Micro-current Facial, which utilizes an electrical current to regenerate cellular activity. Used in the best spas for decades this is a very simple 5-minute treatment that is easily incorporated into a facial. Also, daily lymphatic drainage massage can make a huge improvement to your appearance. Facial massage is an ancient technique used by women for thousands of years because it works. Every facial at Spa on the Plaza includes lymphatic drainage massage but anybody can easily incorporate this into his or her daily routine. Finally, before you resort to surgery, I recommend Ultherapy. It is half the cost and has no down time. The results are remarkable and it looks more natural than most facelifts.

Myth # 4 Sun is bad for your skin. Not true! Early morning or late afternoon sun is excellent for our skin. It gives us our vitamin K and also a golden glow that signifies health and vibrancy. Get outside, move your body and you will emit a youthful appearance. The sun is good for us on many levels. Do not be afraid of it.

Myth # 5 Because it is natural, it is safe. Natural does not mean organic. Neither does it promise that the ingredients are safe. The ingredients in cosmetics are not regulated in the United States and yes, some are very dangerous for your health. Many ingredients used by the cosmetic industry have been proven to cause cancer and harm the reproductive and endocrine systems.