Houston’s New Skincare Spas — Hi, Skin and Westlake Dermatology Take Facials to Another Level

WWhen was the last time you had a facial? If you can’t remember, it might be time to block out about 60 minutes to get your glow on. Keeping those quickly accumulating wrinkles at bay in an effort to achieve nourished, hydrated and healthy-looking skin is always a good idea. But what to do and where to go? Newcomer Hi, Skin and Westlake Dermatology are two leading skin care options in Houston.

Hi, Skin, an Arizona export, just arrived in Houston with two locations open (soon to expand to four later this year). Hi, Skin’s innovative take on the facial experience allows guests to book a 60-minute “best facial” or a 30-minute quick facial, the mini facial as it’s called, to those who are pressed for time.

Regardless of the duration, each treatment is tailored to your skin’s concerns, with a range of different options included at no extra cost. Consider Gua Sha stone (a gentle massage with soft stones that releases tension and toxins while working to lift and shape the muscles in your face), cryo globe massage (icy steel or glass wands designed to increase the blood flow to the surface of the skin) and those which are essential. pore extractions.

However, if you choose to try a recall as it is called, additional charges apply. Basic booster options (priced at $65 each for a walk-in visit or $45 for Hi, Skin members) include Purelift, a patented 10-minute muscle stimulation, diamond microdermabrasion (to remove dead skin cells promoting a more even skin texture) and the non-invasive dermaplaning technique where a gentle blade removes dead skin cells and fine hairs resembling a peach to create a brighter, smoother complexion where your serums can penetrate more effectively.

While Hi, Skin’s premium boosters ($115 for an open visit and $95 for members) include options like ultrasound using high-frequency sound waves and LED light to improve collagen production and absorption of the product, radio frequency which gently warms the skin to increase its elasticity. and infusion therapy where targeted serum infusions are plunged beneath the skin’s surface via jets of microdroplets. If you choose to join Hi, Skin as a member, the monthly cost is $109, and you will receive a 60-minute treatment once a month and save $20 on all treatment boosters and 10% on treatment products. skin care. (Alternatively, the best 60-minute facial treatment costs $140 for walk-in customers.)

Westlake Dermatology, led by a dermatologist and plastic surgeon, has locations throughout Texas.

“We’re seeing clients move away from treatments that make you look too contoured, filled out, and exaggerated,” says Westlake physician assistant Laura Scott. “The goal is to look beautiful and feel good without makeup.

“Many therapies are moving towards regenerative skin treatments, the aim of which is to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin in the skin, giving you a glowing, glass-like complexion.”

Skin Care Options in Houston

Launched late last year, Juvéderm’s Skinvive is the first and only injectable containing hyaluronic acid designed to give that dewy look to your skin by literally infusing moisture and water into the layer of dermis. Made up of tiny droplets, hyaluronic acid is injected into the middle and lower face (never on the forehead), staying away from bony and vascular areas.

Mind you, this doesn’t change the shape or volume of the face, but Scott says it helps his dry-skinned patients retain moisture. And for twenty-somethings who are looking for that trendy “glazed donut look,” it gives them that dewy glow, creating highlights where we have natural contours on the face.

“Hyaluronic acid is highly lipophilic, meaning it attracts and draws water into the skin,” notes Scott. “I like to describe it as an injectable moisturizer or hydration boost that not only gives patients the appearance of youthful, dewy skin, but truly improves the quality and health of your skin from the inside out.”

I tried it and found it to be particularly effective as perimenopause and menopause wane and estrogen levels drop, leaving your skin looking dull and more dried out. The procedure keeps downtime to a minimum (you are warned to avoid heat, sun and sweat for 24 hours). Although it wasn’t painful – thanks to the numbing hyaluronic acid-infused lidocaine – I had quite a bit of bruising that lasted for a good week. The full effect lasts about six months and the treatment costs range between $600 and $800.

At Dr. Neil Farnsworth’s River Oaks Westlake Dermatology, Farnsworth is discovering that Vitality Institute’s VI Peel Chemical is another popular option that can address a number of skin concerns, from acne and wrinkles to uneven texture and discolored hyperpigmentation. This medium-depth chemical peel comes in six different varieties.

The Precision Peel (the most popular type) suppresses melanin production (responsible for sun spots and melasma) while promoting rapid skin renewal for a more even, luminous complexion. (Although the VI Peel Body is similar and can also be applied to smaller areas like the décolleté and back.) For those concerned with cystic acne and the scarring that can result, the VI Peel Purify may be an alternative for patients who do not. You do not want to undergo Accutane treatments that are long and often difficult or are prone to hyperpigmentation and/or scarring of the skin.

Finally, there is the VI Peel Advanced, which is particularly powerful and suitable for elderly patients who suffer from long-term skin damage. It focuses on loss of elasticity, for patients who are starting to develop deeper wrinkles.

Admittedly, Westlake’s team says the hardest thing about this painless chemical peel is convincing patients not to exercise for three days. Designed to go down to the papillary dermis and stop there, it is a controlled peel. Initially applied at the clinic, you’re sent away with a take-home kit including post-peel wipes and hydrocortisone cream, plus an app downloaded to your phone that starts the countdown.

Four hours later, armed with a wipe in hand, you are asked to scrub the skin. On day one, your skin will look like it has a bad tan with that telltale orange tint. On the second day you seem to have a sunburn; your skin feels tight and looks a little red all over. Days three, four, and five are when you should start shedding hair from the inside out, shedding from the mouth to the outside of the face. By day six the flaking will subside and a week after your initial treatment you should have no flaking, just fresh, glowing skin.

The price range for each VI Peel (people often do a series of three over a period of months) is $300 to $500 for large areas of the body.

Hi. Skin has locations in the MKT mixed-use development and Uptown Park. They are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Westlake Dermatology River Oaks is located at 3636 Westheimer Road. It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.