Skin care tips for moms: An interview with wellness expert

I have a confession to make: When it comes to taking care of my skin, I am very delinquent. I don’t take the time and effort to invest in skin care, and sometimes I find myself wondering how my skin will be like in the future.

So when I read this article on WebMD.com about “Taking Care of Your Skin,” I realized that I need to take better care of my skin. As it says in the article, “Your skin reflects your health. It’s your body’s canvas and one of its most valuable assets.”

This is something that wellness expert and health advocate Dr. Kaycee Reyes also emphasizes. Dr. Reyes is the founder of Luminisce Holistic Skin Innovations, a developed boutique clinic that aims to provide wellness, beauty and body care through premium and innovative skin care services.

Dr. Kaycee Reyes emphasizes the importance of taking care of our skin.

As someone who is passionate about beauty and wellness, Dr. Reyes is known to her patients as “the doctor who provides tailor-fit and individualized approaches, especially in the field of non-invasive aesthetic and cosmetic dermatology.”

I took the opportunity to send some questions to Dr. Reyes via e-mail a while back, and I’m happy to share her answers here. I hope they will be helpful to the moms – and even non-moms – out there!

Philstar.com: Before we talk about skin care, we’d like to get to know more about you. What was your job before you opened Luminisce? Why did you decide to start it? What is/are your objective/s for opening a business like it?

Dr. Reyes: As an advocate towards health and wellness issues in the Philippines, I formerly directed the ALAGA KA project, a local cause that focuses on helping underprivileged communities to renovate their barangay health centers and include staff training. It has become my mission to educate, inspire and help people to live happier and healthier lives through encouraging important lifestyle changes.

My goal at Luminisce is to help a patient achieve overall health by providing premium and innovative skin care services. And by innovative, we mean the use of state-of-the-art technology complemented with a tailor fit program of services that starts with a careful and meticulous examination of one’s medical history, lifestyle and the conditions at work.

Philstar.com: How do you decide on what treatments to offer?

Dr. Reyes offers individualized skin solutions at her Luminisce clinic.

Dr. Reyes: During consultation, I always go beyond the skin issue because I believe that the skin is a reflection of an underlying imbalance. We don’t stop at treating the skin; we have to treat the root cause as well. I also don’t prescribe the same treatments. I believe that the skin responds differently, so I provide skin solutions that are unique to each individual.

Philstar.com: Do you have services that are safe for pregnant and nursing mothers? If yes, please tell us a bit about them.

It is always best to get a clearance from your ob-gyn or physician before undergoing any treatments. Generally, facials are a relaxing and rejuvenating option for pregnant and nursing mothers. Staying up late and the changes that come with motherhood can take a toll on the skin.

Our luxury facial is popular to many of our “skinvestors.” Luxury facial deep cleans pores and removes bacteria-causing acne, trapped dirt and excess oil, while minimizing pores up to two weeks. This pain-free procedure begins with a soothing facial cleanse and relaxing facial massage.

Then, skin-nourishing vitamins are absorbed into the skin via sonophoresis, a process wherein ultrasound waves seep nutrients into the skin, removing blackheads and whiteheads along the way. After, electric currents safely pass through the skin using a special machine to lift and revitalize the skin. And finally, an oxygenating machine releases cool, pressurized oxygen into the skin to hydrate and open pores.

Pregnant moms who want to achieve glowing skin can also enjoy our Skin OxyGlow. This treatment infuses oxygen and hydrating nutrients deep into cells that immediately rejuvenates the skin by improving blood circulation while encouraging collagen production to protect the skin from the harsh environment.

For moms who want to improve the appearance of stretchmarks, we have Rejuve Clear Laser, which is the only US FDA-approved laser to remove stretchmarks. It’s really powerful, it can significantly reduce stretchmarks, even the older ones.

Philstar.com: Why do you think such services are important for moms?

Moms need to feel good inside and out. Take care of your skin!

Dr. Reyes: Just like everyone, moms need to feel good inside and out. Motherhood is a very demanding job, moms need to juggle taking care of the kids, running the household and nowadays, moms continue to pursue their career alongside of taking care of everyone.

It is important that moms also take care of themselves. One of my patients was inspired to take care not just of her skin but also of her health after her visit at Luminisce. She adapted a healthy lifestyle and faced new opportunities with increased confidence, partly as a result of her treatments but, more importantly, her realization that mothers also need to focus on themselves and not just their family.

Philstar.com: Do you have any practical skin care tips to share for the moms out there? Please feel free to share them.

Dr. Reyes: The simplest way to achieve healthy skin is getting the right amount of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are essential for the skin to protect itself from cellular damage, defend itself from viruses and bacteria, and delay aging, all while looking smooth, radiant, and clear.

Don’t scrimp on using sunscreen. When applied regularly and correctly, sunscreen can effectively protect the skin from the damaging UVA (those that cause premature aging) and UVB rays (those that cause sunburn). Wearing sunblock is important if you want to prevent or delay the aging process.

Now that I know more about the importance of skin care, thanks to Dr. Reyes, I will do my best to be a “skinvestor,” as Dr. Reyes puts it: to take better care of my skin and invest in my health.

How about you, fellow moms out there? How do you care for your skin? I’d love to know! Please feel free to leave a comment below or contact me here.