Summer Sensation

 

With graduation just a month away, summer is barreling right around the corner. It is during April and May that many clients (should) place some focus on their back! It’s the season of summer dresses, beach trips and the time where your skin will often experience the most exposure. Now is a fantastic time to schedule your mole mapping and skin check with your Dermatologist! Don’t put this off! In my own life, I have lost two friends under the age of 30 to melanoma that metastasized into solid brain tumors. It’s no joke. If you need a recommendation of a good Dermatologist, give me a call (or a text, or a PM, or a tweet..you get the hint). While we’re on this subject, I know that like myself you all have stumbled upon Groupons or other special offers for laser services. In no way am I saying that businesses who run these specials are not qualified, just a gentle reminder to know that the laser is not as important as who is holding that laser. If you have “brown spots” and are not sure if they are precancerous, how would a clinically untrained individual know when NOT to treat that brown spot? The body has an incredible way of providing clues when something is wrong. Let’s say there is a lesion and it fails the ABCDE’s of skin cancer and an untrained individual simply removes the “brown spot” for you to gain a laser sale. This could lead to a disastrous diagnosis down the road (stage 3, stage 4?) cancer – all because the “signal” the body used was taken away. All of this to say – be careful. If the laser technician cannot describe cancerous versus noncancerous lesions, do not let them deploy a laser on your skin!

In this last year ALONE, I have sent 19 individuals to a Dermatologist to have lesions (many that the client didn’t even know they had) checked. One, a young mother of a 3 and 5 year old. She had skin cancer. Caught early. Did I make that sale that day? No. Can I sleep at night? Yes. (Well no, but not because of this!) Do I have a client for life? Yes. She was in for laser hair removal. I promised her it could wait. She has since returned with a clean bill of health and now I’ll deliver the hair-free legs that she wants. We both win. Her babies win.

Now that my ever-so-gentle-reminder is out of the way, during the month of April and May, we’re highlighting our specialized back treatments. No two treatments are alike, because none of you are alike (even the three sets of twins I treat)!

Classic Back Aesthetic treatment. Includes cleansing, exfoliation, extractions and moisturizing treatment cream application. regular price $60 (20% off – $48)

Bacne  treatment. This Aesthetic back treatment is intended for individuals with active back acne/breakouts. Cleansing, exfoliation, extractions, light glycolic peel and skin detox treatment mask included. regular price $75 (20% off – $60)

Lightening & Brightening: This laser and IPL service includes all components of the classic back treatment – with the addition of laser and IPL for the removal of scarring, brown spots or red dots. regular price $125 (20% off – $100).

We can’t wait to hear all about your fun adventures and the cool trips you take this summer. Play it safe! Because we’re all about protected exposure at About Face, here are some tips to protect your skin during times of high exposure:

Avoid sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. (early morning or late night runs)

Whenever possible, seek shade. (Take a beach umbrella along)

Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 – and reapply every two hours. Reapply after every swim or profuse sweating. (If you are not sure what kind of sunscreen is best for you – ask us for a recommendation).

Wear a wide-brimmed hat and if possible, tightly woven, full-length clothing.

Don’t forget your lips! Wear lip balm with sunblock with an SPF 15 or higher.

Wear UV-protective sunglasses.

Please just stop the use of tanning beds. Melanoma is not cute.

If you’re going to be outside for an extended period of time, check the UV index. Reapply sunscreen accordingly.

Obviously, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can reflect off water, sand, concrete and snow, and can reach below the water’s surface. However, certain types of UVB light penetrate fog and clouds, so it is possible to get sunburns even on overcast days.

If you are taking an antibiotic or other medications, ask your health care professional if it may increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun) OR LASER.

If there is no way to avoid over-exposure, check out clothing lines that block UV rays. VERY cool. If I had little children, you can bet they’d be sporting this line of clothing. It’s just smart.

Are you ready to be pain free and/or are you ready to get moving?

If you read the above headline and shouted (yes!) then this post is for YOU.

I am excited to be able to share this fantastic opportunity with our clients in and close to Murfreesboro, TN. I have recently partnered with Murfreesboro H3O (click on logo to go to their website).

H3O Aquatics is the most advanced and accessible warm water therapeutic exercise and recreation center in the world and it is right here in Murfreesboro. This facility has been on my radar for quite some time, and I, myself finally started to use the facility. Not only is this business locally owned, it is Veteran owned. They do amazing things for Veteran’s in our community. On my second visit there, I met a Vietnam Veteran who looked me in the eyes and said “you know, this is only my second time here. I just walked 2 miles. In the past several years, I have barely walked from my bed to my living room. This place, well this place gives me HOPE”. If you know me, you know my dedication to Veteran’s.

• Warm Water Therapy and Fitness  (NO Physician NOTE  Required)!
• Exercise on your own with Underwater Treadmills, bikes, and other aquatic equipment  cost is .25 per minute per person, or $15 per hour.
• Individual and small group Personal Training, Rehab, and Swim Lessons – personal
• Yoga, Pilates, Zumba®, Kickboxing, and Tai Chi in heated therapy pools
  • If you are a person with MS, Tai Chi is highly recommended
  • Want to have personal training, but can’t afford the price? No problem – find 3 of your friends to join you and pay just $10 each for the class. (this is $10 per person times 4 – to meet the training fee of $40). Read more by clicking here.
• HydroMassage bed provides a custom heated massage (and is one of Lori’s favorite things. ($7.50 for 30 minute massage or $15 for 1 hour massage). This is a private room with a hydromassage table that you control yourself using the touch screen pad.
• Designed for those who can not swim, private bathrooms, wear comfortable clothes
• Adults, special needs and abilities, and children age 4 and older (must be potty trained)
• Walk-in’s are accepted to work out or for hydromassage – but they also take reservations and if you have a tight schedule, I recommend you schedule a time just for you.

If you are one of our clients who has been struggling to lose weight, improve your physical fitness or just need a friendly, no judgment zone place to work out – this is the place.

You know I always come with good news, right? Right! So, here it is:

First, if you want to go into Murfreesboro H30 on your own – go on in and meet Captain Burrows and take a tour of the facility. Plan on staying and trying out the hydromassage table for 30 minutes (no change of clothes or towel needed) – or – exercise in one of their heated therapy pools for 30 minutes for FREE. All you have to do is say “About Face” to Capt. Burrows or one of his staff and it will be completely free. They’ll try not to pivot and march away from you (ha)! One per person only, please. (If you happen to be in the treatment room anytime soon, I do have printed gift certificates available for this free session as well).

Next, we are kicking off our About Face wellness program. This is a program for active About Face Clients only. How do you know if you are an active About Face client? You are if you have been in and treated at least one time in the last calendar year. If you haven’t been in during the last 12 months, you know how to take care of that! Click here to schedule an appointment! This is necessary because in order to create an affordable well-rounded wellness program that works for everyone, I have to know you. During your treatment, we’ll multi-task and get your skin in shape too. There will be a free informational hour long session at About Face on Wednesday, January 20th, 2016. Pre-registration is required. At this information only session we will go over the program outline. No one-on-one skincare or wellness counseling will be offered during this hour (other than in group conversation). Bring a notebook and something to write with. 

There is a registration fee of $20 to join this group. Contact us by emailing us at (thatwoodardgirl12@gmail.com) or by sending us a message via our Facebook page by clicking here. You may also leave a voicemail or send a text to (615) 796-1915. This phone is not typically answered during the day while we are treating patients, but we will call you either in between or after we are finished.

What kind of wellness program is this?

This will be a 6 days a week, daily opportunity program for you to improve your wellness. There is no on-going fees for this program, with the exception of our group sessions at local businesses.

For example: I have already reserved private sessions at Murfreesboro H30. Some of the first sessions are:

Wednesday, January 20th – 2pm

Friday, January 22 – 7pm

These one hour private sessions are open to the first 8 About Face Wellness (AFW) registered participants. You will be able to get an entire one hour training session personalized for you – for just $10. These dates and times are FCFS. Once you are registered for AFW, you will receive a calendar of daily activities.

In addition to Murfreesboro H30, we’ll be doing group walking hours where I’ve also invited local wellness professionals to join us on this walk and answer any questions! (no cost to you). In other words, some activities will be free and some will have small fees if you chose to join us when we use local facilities. Lori has been working hard to reserve times and dates at local wellness places at reduced costs for this groups participants.  These group activities will include something for everyone, and Lori will be attending all. To ensure the safety of group members, we will not be publicly posting our walk locations. All activities and locations will be sent to only AFW participants.  What’s better than group safety, physical fitness and affordable wellness? The only thing better than this is that AFW participants will be earning points for every AFW group activity they attend for Free skincare or laser treatments. I told you this was going to be good. So….

NOW? 

Step 1: register for the program.

Step 2: register for the information only session, Wednesday, Jan 20th – 9am (not mandatory for group participation). Non attendees will receive information via email.

Step 3: Start moving!