Anti-Aging Choices at Mountain Sun    The first two questions I ask a new skin care client at Mountain Sun are “What can you tell me about your skin and what would you like to change?”  The first question by its nature brings forth as many different answers as there are skin types.  But for anyone over 30, the answer to the second question almost always involves a wish to 1) slow the visible signs of aging, 2) stop the visible signs or aging or 3) reverse the visible signs of aging! The Most Basic Advice First and foremost, it is essential to understand that inflammation is the number one cause of aging cells. The number one cause of inflammation is UV radiation from the sun.  So the first solution in any anti-aging effort is to protect your skin from the damaging rays of the sun.  I wear sunscreen all day, every day.  (read more about that here)  I love my Renee Iverson Skin Therapy Sunscreen, but daily use of any sunscreen with an spf of 30 would be fine.  Use whatever works for you. An Overview of Your Choices When you look at our Facial Service Page you might be wondering what is the right therapy for you. Well, that depends on your goals, your time and your budget.  Combining regular facials with top notch daily skin therapy used as directed will get you to your goals much quicker than just facials, or just using skin care products. I recommend at least 2 facials a year (spring and fall), but 4 times a year would be better (one for each season).  Read more here about how often to get facials. We have so many great choices at the spa, but not every choice is right for every skin.  Here is a quick rundown of each type of therapy: Mountain Sun Massage and Skin Care     11930  Slater Avenue NE  #201, Kirkland, WA  98034 Phone: 425-825-0255                Fax: 425-821-8042 Custom Facial:  This is a great place to start.  The goal of all my facials is to deep cleanse, exfoliate and treat the skin while reducing localized inflammation.  Combine facials with excellent basic home care and sunscreen and you will be pleased! Swich Facials:  I have an entire page dedicated to describing this system.  (read more)  This is a great system for people who love to get facials and want dramatic results.  This is not a good choice for people with rosacea or those prone to facial flushing.  If you love retinols and retinoids, this is not the facial for you.  This is the facial system I use on myself combined with Cell Youth Actif and Vitamin C serums at home. Cell Youth Actif Facial and Serum: This is an excellent choice for the person who wants to use the very best state-of-the-art ingredients at home for daily improvement.  We kick start the renewal process with a very active facial, then you continue the therapy at home with the serum. The facial incorporates a thermal mask, so it is not recommended for rosacea-prone skin, but the serum if great for all skin types.  (read more about Cell Youth Actif) Redness Reducing Oxygen Facial: This is the facial of choice for rosacea-prone skin as well as inflamed, clogged congested skin.  If your pores are clogged and you experience underlying inflammation, this facial will calm the skin and supply much needed oxygen in a very safe way.  Combine this facial with my high performance Redness-Relief serum for inflammation and Cell Youth Actif for anti-aging state of the art skin therapy. Microcurrent and LED Light Therapy All the above facials include LED light therapy and many include microcurrent as well. I am an advocate of both of these great skin therapy modalities because they are energizing to every cell yet completely safe and non-invasive.