The computer screen has become the new looking glass.
Zoom, that non-stop mirror on our desk, has us staring back at ourselves a little too often. By now we are fairly certain that the fairest of them all is not the person who just slid into the Monday marketing meeting with smeared lipstick, a little-too-messy messy bun, and a constant scowl etched between the brows.
With nearly two years of Zoom Face, many have been stampeding into their local MedSpa. But what treatments are going to help with the best reboot and refresh?
Carolyn Pampalone, RN, BSN, and owner of the West Valley’s Naya Aesthetics and Day Spa, gathered some of our favorite little-to-no-downtime tweakments so you can stare 2022 down with a perfectly Instagramable look.
Lip Flip
Many women are opting for the Lip Flip instead of the Kardashian-inspired over-filled lip look. Instead of dermal fillers to plump them up, a Lip Flip uses Botox to relax the muscle area around the upper lip. That causes the lip to relax which “flips” the top lip, making the upper lips appear more voluminous, literally turning that frown upside down! Many feel this look is more “natural” looking than the traditional filler – though at Naya, we’re always going for natural, even when we use dermal fillers, another great option for a quick refresh.
Glass Skin
In 2017, LA-based makeup artist Ellie Choi went viral. Her “glass skin” routine – and her own poreless, hyper-hydrated skin – blew up on Instagram. Choi didn’t come up with the term – in Korea words that describe clear or luminous skin are regularly used to describe “glass-like” skin – but ever since then, it has become synonymous in the US with the much-hyped and much-loved Korean skincare products. But if routine products aren’t doing enough for your own glass skin potential, Naya can hook you up with a hydrafacial that will kick up your hydration as well as your glow.
Pore Treatment
For another approach to a hydrated, refreshed look that specifically targets enlarged pores, Naya uses a combination of Botox and skin boosters. Skin boosters, made up of hyaluronic acid, have been used in other countries for years. But this year, FDA approval is coming for the US. Hyaluronic acid is the substance produced by your body to keep your skin hydrated. By injecting microdroplets of hyaluronic acid beneath the skin – these can be applied on the face, neck, and chest – the skin looks and feels refreshed and hydrated with fewer fine lines and wrinkles.
PDO
PDO Thread Lifts are considered an alternative to facelift surgery. It is less invasive, less expensive, and can be performed in under an hour. A PDO — or polydioxanone — is a biodegradable, colorless polyester suture that can be used to tighten and lift sagging skin. But even though if this is known as a “lunchtime lift,” it is good to have some downtime so you can rest, and heal. So try and get this done over a long weekend, or at least take a break from the camera.
Botox
For treating that perplexed, worried look that creases our brows at work – whether or not it is in your PJs – there is nothing that beats Botox. When injected, it causes facial muscles to relax. So next time Karen from accounting leans over her laptop and flashes an up close and personal look at her breasts, at least your forehead won’t be shocked.
Carolyn Pampalone, RN, BSN, is a healthcare practitioner, and the owner of Naya Aesthetics and Day Spa, located in Chatsworth, in the West Valley.
