With the cold and grey weather setting in, there’s only one thing we want: to fill up on vitamin D under the tropical sun! Love handles, skin that loses tone, and cellulite affect most people and are all normal manifestations of skin aging. Feeling good about those changes can be a process and it’s all about being kind to ourselves and better understanding it to act effectively. No matter what your goals are, here are a few tips and tricks to address them both preventatively and presently!
GOAL NO.1: IMPROVE SAGGING SKIN
Sagging skin (laxity) is primarily caused by a decrease in the production of collagen and elastin. The slowing down of skin cell metabolism as well as certain lifestyle habits also explain the phenomenon. Laxity affects several areas of the body such as the arms, abdomen, flanks, knees, thighs, and buttocks.
Laxity can have different causes:
A change in weight: When weight is gained and lost quickly, for example during dieting or pregnancy, the elastic fibers are stretched and then released quickly. The skin loses its firmness and becomes visibly less toned and firm.
Hormonal variations: A dysfunction or imbalance in the levels of certain hormones such as estrogen, testosterone and progesterone can accentuate skin dehydration and loss of tone.
Unhealthy lifestyle habits: Smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, lack of exercise and a diet high in sugar all have direct impacts on skin health.
DID YOU KNOW?
The 1% loss of collagen that we experience annually beginning in our mid-twenties not only affects the skin of the face, but also the appearance and structure of the skin of the entire body. This can result in an abdomen, arms or thighs that lack tone and firmness.
PREVENT
Laxity is a normal part of the skin’s aging process. However, it is possible to minimize it with a healthy lifestyle.
Adopt healthy habits
A diet rich in vitamins A and C, silica, amino acids, magnesium, and antioxidants promotes the production of collagen and helps fight against sagging skin. It is recommended to avoid overcooked (grilled), browned or caramelized foods. The reaction of our body when we eat these types of foods is called glycation and it degrades the elastin fibers and contributes to the loss of skin elasticity.
Hydrate again and again!
Applying a moisturizer and drinking 1.5 liters of water daily will keep your skin supple and toned for longer. A worthwhile investment!
Protect yourself from UV rays
UVA and UVB rays have a direct effect on the epidermis and dermis. It is so important to protect your skin with a sunscreen with SPF 50 or more, preferably mineral, and to reapply it every two hours.
TAKE ACTION
Skin that lacks elasticity is not the end of the world! By changing your lifestyle, starting a daily skin care routine, or using the best medical and aesthetic technologies, you have several options to help you regain toned skin.
Exercise
You don’t have to be in Olympic shape to exercise! Daily physical activity his can help you reduce the sagging appearance of your skin. Focus on workouts that will engage your lower body muscles such as dancing, aerobics, or swimming. Abdominal toning exercises, cardio workouts or simple weight training exercises at home are also good choices. The key is consistency! A few short workouts each week will quickly show results.
Skincare
Well-hydrated skin helps keep it supple. Certain skincare products can help improve the appearance of the skin by providing a good dose of moisture. For hydrated and visibly firmer skin, it’s all about applying them every day.
Our choice :
Retexturing Body Cream, by Functionalab
Supplements*
Since collagen is directly linked to the skin’s elasticity and strength, it can be worth-while to integrate supplements that stimulate its production into your wellness routine. Taking nutricosmetics designed with hydrolyzed collagen- a form that is very well absorbed by the body- is an effective additional tool.
Our choice :
Nutricosmetics Collagen Formula, by Functionalab
› Thermage®
Working with thermal energy from unipolar radiofrequency, this technology slows down collagen loss and stimulates its natural production in the deep dermis. Under the effect of heat, fibroblast cells are spontaneously stimulated, allowing them to produce new collagen fibers. The skin is thus visibly and gradually densified and firmed. It is generally used on the arms, stomach, thighs, and buttocks.
Frequency/ Results
1 session every year is recommended. A gradual tightening of the skin is optimal after 5 to 6 months.
› Venus Freeze™ / Venus Legacy™
Combining radiofrequency with pulsed magnetic fields, this technology heats the skin from the inside in a constant, safe, and uniform manner. This process stimulates collagen production in the superficial dermis and tightens and strengthens surface fibers. It can be used on the arms, décolletage, stomach, flanks, buttocks, thighs, and knees.
Frequency/ Results
A course of 10 sessions is recommended when the technology is used alone. The skin is firmed and tightened, the body contour is reshaped, and the silhouette is refined. This treatment can be done in combination with other treatments, depending on the clinic visited, and is an excellent investment to maintain the effects of a Thermage® treatment.
Venus Freeze – Explanatory video
GOAL NO.2: ELIMINATE STUBBORN FAT
The cells that make up adipose tissue play an essential role in the body as they provide the energy needed for the body to function properly. However, when fat intake exceeds energy needs, these cells grow to up to ten times their original size. Fat bulges then appear on the body, mainly on the stomach, hips, thighs, and buttocks in women and on the abdomen, flanks and back in men.
Causes
In addition to a high calorie diet and a lack of physical exercise, fat deposits can also be explained by:
An unhealthy lifestyle
It is known that stress and lack of sleep create hormonal variations that can cause an increase in appetite.
Heredity
Parental obesity is a risk factor for obesity. Studies show that a person with obese parents has a 70% chance of becoming obese.
Hormonal changes
Since certain hormones affect the body’s metabolism, hormonal changes such as puberty, pregnancy or menopause can affect the body’s ability to regulate weight.
Age
As we get older, we lose lean body mass, muscle mass and sometimes even bone mass, which leads to a drop in our basic metabolism. As a result, daily energy expenditure decreases and, if the same calorie intake is maintained, weight gain is inevitable.
DID YOU KNOW?
When you lose weight, the size of your fat cells decreases, but the number of cells in your body remains the same. With the CoolSculpting® procedure, a portion of the treated fat cells are permanently eliminated.
PREVENT
Healthy eating and physical activity
To avoid the accumulation of fat deposits, it is essential to balance energy intake and physical activity as much as possible. A healthy diet combined with regular physical activity is the key to maintaining a harmonious figure.
Maintain good lifestyle habits
Enjoying a good night’s sleep, drinking plenty of water, avoiding alcoholic beverages rich in calories and avoiding stress as much as possible are also recommended.
TAKE ACTION
Few people will never have to deal with love handles! If they bother you, it is possible to reduce them or even make them disappear by changing your lifestyle habits, for example.
Physical exercise
The best way to lose love handles is to do activities that combine cardiovascular activity with muscle strengthening. Swimming is an excellent choice because it allows you to burn a good number of calories (cardio) while strengthening several muscles including those of the abdominal belt. Cycling, jogging, and jumping rope are also effective and inexpensive sports that have the advantage of mobilizing many of the body’s muscles.
Changing your diet
There is no secret, to get rid of excess fatty tissue, you must pay special attention to the food you eat. You should therefore eat a diet rich in fiber, vegetables, antioxidants, and proteins and low in fast sugars and animal fat. Don’t forget to stay well hydrated with unsweetened drinks such as water and green tea, which is known to help eliminate toxins through its draining action.
Skincare
Certain ingredients, peptides or botanical extracts can help reduce fatty deposits by acting, for example, on the fat storage cycle in the adipocytes. This is not a solution, but a good complement to a balanced lifestyle.
Our choice :
Body Toning Gel, by Functionalab
Supplements*
HCA, a natural extract of Garcinia Cambogia, is recognized for its effects on appetite regulation and, consequently, on weight control. Studies have shown that taking daily supplements of HCA for 12 weeks significantly reduces subcutaneous and visceral fat. Integrating a quality HCA supplement is therefore a safe way to maintain a healthy weight.
Our choice :
Nutricosmetics Weight Management, by Functionalab
› CoolSculpting®
This world-renowned medical platform is based on the principle of cryolipolysis, which is the permanent destruction of fat cells, without surgery or downtime, by cold. During a treatment, controlled cooling of the subcutaneous fat cells is used to destroy them, which are then eliminated naturally by the body’s own natural channels. This treatment can destroy up to 27% of fat cells in the treated area in one session. It can be used on the abdomen, flanks, arms, inner and outer thighs, as well as the back and pectorals.
Frequency/ Results
A minimum of 2 sessions on the same area is recommended. 3 or 4 sessions may be necessary depending on the initial mass to be treated. The contours of the body are then better defined, the waist is refined, and the silhouette sculpted. Venus technology is also an excellent treatment to maintain the results.
GOAL NO.3: REDUCE CELLULITE
Cellulite is made up of clusters of adipocytes (fat cells) linked together by vertical fibers from poorly eliminated cellular waste, giving it a bumpy texture often compared to an orange peel. It is mainly located on the thighs, buttocks, and abdomen.
Causes
Cellulite is a normal physiological phenomenon. Although it generally appears at puberty and often increases after pregnancy or at the time of the menopause, its causes are not only hormonal. A combination of the following factors generally explains it:
Gender
The structure of the connective tissue surrounding the fat cells (adipocytes) differs between the sexes. In women, the partitions are perpendicular to the skin, whereas in men they form a sort of grid. As a result, when the adipocytes grow, in women they can only expand upwards, giving the skin its irregular appearance. The phenomenon is different in men because the lattice-like structure means that the cells can only expand widthwise, with little or no change in the texture of the skin.
Age
As we age, the skin naturally becomes thinner and looser, which generally accentuates the appearance of cellulite.
Lifestyle
A rich diet and lack of regular exercise can aggravate cellulite problems.
Other causes
Despite healthy lifestyle habits, it is possible to be predisposed to developing cellulite since it is our genetic heritage that determines the number and size of our fat cells. Stress, poor blood or lymphatic circulation, smoking and alcohol are also factors that contribute to the appearance or accentuation of cellulite.
The different stages
Stage 1
Visible only when the skin is pinched. It is possible to eradicate it completely.
Stage 2
The orange peel appearance is always visible. Cellulite is also reversible at this stage.
Stage 3
The fat cells are more voluminous and water retention is present. This type of cellulite can be eliminated over a longer period.
Stage 4
The cellulite is deeply hardened and is difficult to eliminate.
DID YOU KNOW?
It is estimated that nearly 9 out of 10 women will have cellulite in their lifetime, compared to 1 in 50 men!
PREVENT
Practicing regular physical activity
Regular exercise helps eliminate fat and optimize blood circulation. Sports that involve the muscles of the buttocks, thighs, and abdomen, such as swimming, cycling, running, and skating, are preferred.
Stay hydrated
Drink 1 to 2 liters of water a day, avoiding carbonated water, which promotes water retention.
Adopt a healthy diet
A diet low in refined sugars and fats is preferable. Put in your grocery cart: kale, onions, peppers, leeks, pineapple, red fruits, and green tea!
Reduce your salt intake
Knowing that salt consumption favors water retention, it is recommended to reduce it as much as possible in your diet
Wear comfortable clothes
Tight clothes compress and immobilize the tissues, thereby slowing down blood circulation.
TAKE ACTION
Once cellulite has set in, it is possible to reduce its appearance and, in the best cases, make it disappear. In addition to applying the tips mentioned above, a few tools can also make a real difference:
Daily massage
Massaging the affected areas helps stimulate circulation and promotes the elimination of toxins. Palpate and roll massage technic is well known to help lipolysis, i.e., the breakdown of stored fat by the body’s cells, and to activate venous and lymphatic circulation. It can be done by yourself or by a professional in a clinic.
Skincare
Anti-cellulite treatments generally combine various active ingredients that work at the lipolytic level (to reduce fat deposits) and at the venotonic level (to activate circulation and fat drainage). Good results are noted with regular use, and it is an excellent complement to a balanced lifestyle.
Our choice :
Body Toning Gel, by Functionalab
Supplements*
In addition to being recognized for its weight control benefits, HCA, an extract of the tropical fruit Garcinia cambogia, also contributes to the breakdown of fat stored in fat cells and the inhibition of the storage of new fat and cholesterol. Nutricosmetics with HCA and chromium, a metabolic accelerator that also helps with cellulite loss, are therefore a very good choice when it comes to reducing the appearance of cellulite.
Our choice :
Nutricosmetics Weight Management, by Functionalab
Thermage® offers a non-invasive approach to improving the appearance of mild to moderate cellulite, using a unipolar radio frequency technology. Working on two levels, the treatment tightens the skin’s structure and stimulates the production of new collagen. Visible improvements to the skin’s surface and remodeling are observed as the body goes through its normal collagen regeneration cycle. It is typically used on the arms, stomach, thighs, and buttocks.
Frequency/ Results
1 session every year is recommended. A nice reduction of cellulite and a gradual and optimal skin tightening effect after 5 to 6 months.
› Venus Freeze™ / Venus Legacy™
This technology uses heat in the form of multipolar radiofrequency and pulsed magnetic fields to reduce cellulite by at least one stage per course of 10 treatments, by stimulating the production of lipase, the enzyme responsible for the reduction of fat cells. It is generally used to reduce the appearance of cellulite on the arms, stomach, flanks, buttocks, thighs, and knees.
Frequency/ Results
A course of 10 sessions is recommended. Results are usually visible after the third treatment. It is also an excellent option for maintaining the effects of a Thermage® treatment.
Would you like to know more about our different treatments and how they can help you achieve your goals? Make an appointment today at your favorite clinic for a free consultation!
* Food supplements should be used as part of a healthy lifestyle, and should not be used as a substitute to a balanced and varied diet. Consult a healthcare practitioner prior to use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
