C O V E R S T O R Y

Spa treatments help people age beautifully

By Ashley de Coligny
Special to the Star-Bulletin

"I don't plan to grow old gracefully,"comedian Rita Rudner once said."I plan to have face lifts until my ears meet." While most of us won't go to this extreme, many wonder what can be done about the visible signs of aging: dryness, wrinkles, sagging and sun spots."As you get older, cellular turnover gets lower,"explains Nicole Santiago-Vierra, president of Ampy's day spa."That means that dead skin is lying on top of your new skin longer. Instead of looking vibrant, it looks a little gray."

Fortunately, there's an abundance of treatments that help to keep aging skin ("mature"skin,as it's called in the spa world) looking its best. With these safe alternatives to surgery, you can get a gorgeous glow, without the dreaded windswept look of too many face lifts."We had one woman who was on the brink of plastic surgery,"says Santiago-Vierra. Instead, she received a series of facials over four months."She was able to take about 15 years off her face. She didn't need to go in for surgery, and she canceled her Botox appointments." So if you're looking for a little beauty boost -- without the surgeon's knife or Botox needle -- consider one of the following treatments. From organic fruit facials to "hyperbaric oxygen technology,"there's something for every need.

NEED A LIFT?

The Cold Laser Treatment, 30 minutes, $95

While the name may sound scary, the cold laser treatment from Ampy's spa is actually a safe way to enhance skin. "It addresses all of the factors of aging: uneven skin, rough texture, wrinkles and sun damage," says Santiago-Vierra. The cold laser activates your skin into producing collagen, which is re- sponsible for the elasticity of the skin. "After the age of 40, natural collagen production decreases at the rate of one percent every year," Santiago-Vierra says. "So at 65, you've already lost 25 percent of your capacity to produce collagen. The cold laser is reversing that."

This treatment can benefit people of all ages and skin types, and should be repeated, ideally, every four to six weeks. This treatment is painless, and can also help rosacea, acne scarring and pigmentation.

"We have clients who use the cold laser before a big event, because it's like a mini-facelift," Santiago-Vierra says. "Your skin feels tight and fantastic after- wards. The bone structure of the face is much more prominent, the skin is far tighter, and it has a glossy finish to it."

Ampy's A Day Spa
1441 Kapiolani Boulevard Suite 377
(808) 946-3838
www.ampys.com
Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Sat., 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun.,10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Appointments recommended

The Nourishing Anti-Oxidant Facial, 50 minutes, $100

Serenity Spa claims this facial is "ideal for anyone concerned with the early signs of aging or with mature skin." Antioxidants have been known to help fight sun damage and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

This treatment, which features anti-aging serums and moisturizers, is good for those with dry skin. "It boosts hydration in the skin, so it looks plumper," says Sheryl Bell, vice president of Serenity Spa. "It also helps to reduce fine lines around the eyes."

Serenity Spa Hawaii
Outrigger Reef on the Beach
2169 Kalia Road
(808) 926-2882
www.serenityspahawaii.com
Open 7 days a week, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Nicole Santiago-Vierra uses a laser on client Maryann Rowan at Ampy's A Day Spa in the Ala Moana Building. Opposite page, one of the color-coordinated Myospa treatment rooms at the spa on Kapiolani Boulevard.

InstaLift Oxygen Therapy, 55 minutes, $225

For those who are serious about their skin regimen, and don't mind paying for it, there's the InstaLift Oxygen Therapy at the Honolulu Laser Center and Spa.

"The combination of topical hyperbaric oxygen technology and a powerful antioxidant serum stimulates new cell regeneration, elastin and collagen pro- duction," according to the spa's Web site.

In simpler terms, it makes you look younger. "The skin is plumped and firmed, it fills fine lines, and lifts brows," says esthetician Lydia Cytriano. And the results are immediate, she adds.

Ideally, says Cytriano, you should return once a week for six weeks, and then once a month for maintenance. And while it requires a celebrity-sized wallet, you can hope for celebrity-like results: It's Madonna's facial of choice.

Honolulu Laser Center and Spa
1650 Liliha Street Suite 102
(808) 528-0888
www.honlaser.com
Tues.-Thurs.,10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Fri.-Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Closed Sun. and Mon.
By appointment only

The Fresh Papaya Peel Facial, 40 minutes, $50

If you're looking for something natural, head to Myospa. Their focus is on therapeutic massage, but they also offer nourishing facials with all-organic products.

"The papaya is very good for sun damage," says Christopher Riley, owner and principal therapist of Myospa. The fruit is a natural exfoliant, known to soften and firm the skin. This treatment, deemed a "natural face-lift," is loaded with extras: it includes cleansing, steaming, a gentle facial massage, foot mask, and hand and foot massage. At just $50, it's a steal.

Myospa
1600 Kapiolani Boulevard Suite 224
(808) 945-7899
www.myospa.com
Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Appointments recommended