When treating a senior client, a holistic plan of action would be most suitable. As a person matures, there are many changes, including physical, physiological, mental and emotional. Choosing an appropriate therapy should be based on overall health and sensitivity of the client. Depending on the desired results, the range from which to select an optimal treatment certainly does not fall short. Senior facials can offer a gentle and relaxing escape for the client or intend to repair skin concerns including but not limited to pigmentation, wrinkles, dehydration or loss of elasticity and firmness.
Health is critical at any age. Skin reflects any imbalance or illness from within, including those imposed by certain health conditions. A person in senior years has to pay special attention to maintain overall well-being. A healthy nutritious diet, staying hydrated, exercise and mental positivity by way of meditation, as an example, are all parts of the whole to promote wellness and support younger looking skin. A holistic approach must be applied to solidify treatment success.
CLIENT EXPECTATIONS
It is important first to understand who the client is and what are their skin needs, concerns and expectations. The targeted demographic is likely closer to the later stages of menopause, or in the post-menopausal phase. For male clients similarly, it pertains to andropause. During post-menopause, the accelerated aging process begins to slow and stabilize. The period in which the most dramatic signs of aging progressively accumulated settles. With that in mind, when determining what treatment to offer a senior client, there are several considerations. Is the client looking for simply a relaxing and soothing experience? Is the client seeking to have dramatic skin transformational result? How sensitive is the client? What is the level of treatment intensity or aggressiveness with which the client is comfortable? Based on this information, a proper treatment plan can be created.
RELAX AND DETOX
It is common that with age, personal tolerance to discomfort may change. In such cases, treatments which entail sensations that may be uncomfortable in their nature, such as a stinging or itchiness that may accompany certain kinds of peels or micro-needling for example, would not be the best option for these types of clients. For clients with greater sensitivities, treatments should be calming in their entirety. Relaxation inducing treatment protocols should primarily focus on results-driven but gentle ingredients. Light therapies and microcurrent are also great additions; they can contribute to achieving visible results immediately following the service.
Performing a lymphatic drainage stimulating facial massage will not only feel pleasant for the client, but will provide many wellness benefits. The lymphatic system is accountable for purifying and detoxifying the body. A massage of this nature will boost circulation, work to purge cells of toxins and waste, and will help drain backed up fluid throughout the face. It will improve facial swelling and it promotes immunity.
Gentle botanical ingredients such as aloe vera, ginkgo biloba, green tea, sea buckthorn, St. John’s Wort, chamomile, calendula and arnica are some examples that offer a multitude of benefits. They are nourishing, rich with anti-oxidants to combat cell-damaging free radicals, anti-inflammatory, to counter skin sensitivity or redness, and they complement modern day ingredients. These more advanced age management ingredients include ceramides, peptides, stem cells, phyto-hormones, hyaluronic acid and resveratrol. The ultimate goal is to synergistically repair the skin and alter it back to a more youthful appearance.
“SENIOR SKIN MAY HAVE DRAMATIC LOSS OF VOLUME…”
AGE MANAGEMENT
Some prominent age signs include dryness, dehydration, fine lines, wrinkles, and loose or sagging skin. Senior skin may have dramatic loss of volume because of the significant recession of collagen and elastin production. The cause of the dryness and dehydration most commonly is because of the sluggish sebaceous gland activity. The sebaceous glands produce oil that is essential to keeping skin moisturized and from becoming dry. Aging slows the oil producing sebaceous glands responsible for skin’s natural self-lubrication ability. This forces skin to be entirely dependent on an external source for moisture through topical product application.
The delicate skin surrounding the eyes is an area of the face that needs a special amount of attention. It is the thinnest skin anywhere on the body with no oil glands. Applying a rich nourishing cream will keep the area moisturized. Incorporating ingredients like vitamin K and kojic acid when treating the eyes will help remedy under eye dark circles.
The skin undergoes many changes during menopause, which are predominantly a result of hormone fluctuations. Although there are medical options to address menopausal symptoms including accelerated skin aging, phyto-hormones offer a natural prescription-free safe alternative. Phyto-hormones are derived from the following plant extracts: soy isoflavones, wild yams or clover. They are truly unique in their ability to trigger hormone receptor response, but without actually introducing foreign hormones into the body. The decline of estrogen during menopause causes many hormone receptors to become stagnant, hence the exponential changes that occur within the body and the skin. With consist use, phyto-hormones subtly but cumulatively counter this progression.
Using products containing phyto-hormones in senior facial treatments would be most appropriate to achieve age reversing benefits. By naturally awakening hormone receptors, the process initiates cellular memory. Every cell in the body has a memory, and by jump-starting it, the cells begin to behave as they did when they were younger. The skin can then be empowered to help itself. Genestin derived from soy isoflavones is specifically responsible for awakening receptors because its similar chemical structure to estrogen. Diosgenin derived from wild yams works to boost the self-lubricating action of the skin by stimulating androgen receptors. This enables the sebaceous glands to better generate sebum, which allows the oil to restore moisture on the skin’s surface. To simplify, phyto-hormones excite cellular memory and behavior, which leads cells to behave as they did when skin was younger, therefore allowing for an age revering effect.
PIGMENTATION
There is great demand in the senior niche community for solutions that improve age spots and other forms of hyperpigmentation that become especially pronounced with age. For starters, teaching the client about continuous sun protection at any age is the first defense against further sun damage or other more threatening skin conditions. Restoring pigmentation in senior clients can be achieved with treatments involving a peel either chemical, botanical or a combination of both. Certainly, peeling is an effective and beneficial form of exfoliation that delivers immediate visible results
Depending on the type of peel and the ingredients at work, skin can become brighter and smoother. It enables and activates regeneration of the outer stratum corneum layer of the epidermis. A superficial to a medium depth peel will improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and foster collagen production. Enzymatic botanical peeling is performed with enzymes derived from pumpkins, papaya or pineapple. Chemical peels utilizing alpha hydroxy acids such as glycolic or lactic are an excellent option to incorporate as a standalone service to seniors or as a step in a multi-facetted facial protocol.
Ingredients that inhibit tyrosinase should be used to treat hyperpigmentation. They encourage skin lightening by suppressing melanin production. Some botanical examples include licorice root, arginine, mulberry, arbutin and resveratrol. For homecare, recommending a skin-lightening product is critical to maintain results. One option to consider for localized hyperpigmentation is a serum containing hydroquinone. Hydroquinone is derived from propolis resin and it is considered one of the most aggressive skin lightening agents. Regardless of the exact selection or type of products, as long as they are appropriate to the client’s specific concerns, home maintenance is indispensable.
A holistic program is ideal when strategizing how to treat an older client. Senior facials are not only recommended, but they are also essential as part of a total regimen to support healthy skin and body wellness and to lessen the signs of aging. As part of a whole, eating a balanced nutritious diet rich in colorful vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables, drinking plenty of water, prioritizing physical activity, and even meditation for mental exercise are all factors to review with the client to mitigate aging symptoms. A clearly defined plan to treat skin and body, which should include all aspects of care within the professional’s scope of practice, will actuate successful results that are satisfying to both the client and the esthetician.
Written by Victoria Tabak © All Rights Reserved. Originally Published in Les Nouvelles Esthetique Magazine December 2018 Issue.