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Slow The Signs of Aging with Nurse Raquel Merlini - E82
57 Plays2 months ago
Looking in the mirror and seeing new lines, dullness, or stubborn sun spots can be a frustrating signal that your skin - and maybe your health - aren’t what they used to be.
Trying to slow the signs of aging isn’t easy. It’s hard to know what really works when the world is overflowing with miracle creams, cosmetic treatments, and contradicting advice. The pressure to look vibrant while staying truly healthy can leave even the most disciplined completely overwhelmed. Most routines either overcomplicate things or ignore the fundamentals, leaving gaps that only become more apparent with time.
This episode dives straight into habits that actually preserve your skin, energy, and mindset - balancing smart interventions with everyday practices that nurture health from the inside out. Hear the real stories, honest science, and no-nonsense protocols from someone who has helped countless people find what works, and why you don’t need a drawer full of products to look and feel your best.
Raquel Merlini is a Registered Nurse and Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist with 14+ years in the plastics industry. As the owner of R SKIN Aesthetics, she specializes in Botox, fillers, laser resurfacing, and skincare, leading with integrity and compassion. A former IFBB Pro Bodybuilder, triathlete, and personal trainer, she understands the connection between confidence and well-being. Raquel mentors aspiring nurses and offers Botox training, while her Pay It Forward Scholarship supports single mothers and women overcoming challenges. She is passionate about aesthetics, education, and women’s empowerment.
“There’s some things that you can DIY, do it yourself, but then there’s others that you should really seek a professional to kind of guide …” - Raquel Merlini
In this episode you will learn:
- Why simple, steady skincare and hydration routines matter for skin health as you age.
- The science and benefits of Botox, fillers, and laser treatments for skin appearance and confidence.
- When and why to use retinol, vitamin C, and red light therapy for lasting results.
- Potential risks of at-home microdermabrasion and the value of professional, controlled treatments.
- The role of key supplements like collagen, turmeric, and peptides in supporting healthy skin from within.
- How mindset and mental health tie closely to beauty, mood, and self-care routines.
Resources
- Connect with Raquel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rskinadmission
- Check out R Skin Aesthetics’ offerings: https://rskin.net/
- Follow Raquel on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rskinaesthetics
- Listen to the SkinAdmission Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0amO7dZ7dqio7seVuhT6qC?si=fqz0pPlbQRyF0j1mT13L6g
This podcast was produced by the team at Zapods Podcast Agency:
Find the products, practices, and routines discussed on the Alively website:
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Transcript
Introduction to Skincare and Aging
00:00:00
Speaker
I'm 53, I've been using a Retin-A since my mid-20s. I feel like I don't have a lot of lines on my face because i don't do a lot, but the things that I do try to do is always good skincare, take care of your skin, and Botox. If you can stop the muscle from moving, then you're not gonna get a line.
00:00:24
Speaker
This is the Home of Health Spam podcast, where we profile health and wellness role models, sharing their stories and the tools, practices, and routines they use to live a lively life.
00:00:37
Speaker
Raquel, welcome to the Home of Healthspan
Guest Introduction: Raquel's Philosophy on Aging
00:00:40
Speaker
today. I'm excited to have you on and not just because of my band and and I want to learn all the beauty tips, but ah because I do think it is kind of a window to our health as well. but Before we get into that and everything that you do, how would you describe yourself?
Cosmetic Procedures and Health: Choices and Perceptions
00:00:56
Speaker
Okay, so I am a lively, aging female. Can I say that? Yes. ah You can say whatever you want. Right. I mean, in an ageist kind of ah society, i am trying to age not backwards, but definitely forward with um health and longevity would probably be ah the best description.
00:01:22
Speaker
and and I love that description because of the health and longevity side. So I think... I want to preface this by some people say, oh, there's certain ah cosmetic things you do for health reasons and others, it's vanity.
00:01:37
Speaker
And I don't know if fantasy is a problem. it's your body. You should be able to do, I would think, whatever you want to do. It's your body. You're not harming someone else. So I don't i think it's a false split between these things.
Principles of Aging with Dignity
00:01:49
Speaker
But the flip side as well is on the health side, have been numerous studies that people who look younger are rated objectively by people in studies as looking younger are also healthier by all the internal but biomarkers that we have.
00:02:06
Speaker
And so when you say, aging, not backwards, but forwards, you know, with dignity, with health, with vitality, with longevity. What does that mean? What does that look like? I mean, and obviously we can see you, but what does it look like kind of day-to-day, week-to-week, year-to-year in practice?
Mental and Physical Health in Aging
00:02:24
Speaker
Yeah, so that's a great question. um I feel like, you know, ah especially in the aesthetics treatment room, I'll see patients come in and, you know, they're looking at their face and and wanting to make um subtle tweaks to do that kind of improvement.
00:02:42
Speaker
However, i believe too that it's really super important to make sure that we're keeping our mental health well, right? There's a lot of stressors that we're facing. um You know, I don't want to just limit it to females, but as um men and women, you know, we're ah daughters and sons of aging parents. We're parents also of ah children. You know, we are friends. We're sisters and brothers to, you know, our family members. ah caregivers.
00:03:14
Speaker
And, you know, I mean, there's a lot of different roles. And then let's factor in that we've got to work and we've got to work families and work relationships and then all of your other friendships and and relationships as well. So I think there's a huge mental health aspect that people should be mindful of.
Lifestyle Influences on Skin and Well-being
00:03:32
Speaker
And then also physical our physical nature. so you know, getting out and moving, you know, the big thing is, um you know, as again, an aging female myself, it's bone density, right? It's, you know, making sure that um my frame is strong to be able to carry me into, you know, my my future. So I think that there's a lot of different moving parts of with the aging process. And um it's funny because I just went today for a consult with a doctor and and he's like, well, what brought you in? And I said, well, vanity. You're a plastic surgeon. It's vanity, right? And so he goes, oh, I've never heard anybody actually like admit that. But I think that there's is so much more that goes into our health and and our wellness. And yes, looking good is very important, but it's also...
00:04:28
Speaker
feeling good and feeling healthy. And, you know, as you're aging, of course, you've got those body aches and those those things that are happening. But you want to make sure through nutrition and making sure that you're making mindful choices of whatever you have to do for those mental tune ups to keep your sanity.
00:04:46
Speaker
Yeah, and I mean, it it really is something, i believe, that touches all five pillars. So, you know, if you have toxins in your body, the the movement, the sweat, getting those out, you're going to have healthier skin.
00:04:58
Speaker
If you're fueling your body with better nutrients, I think there's studies that people eat a good amount of turmeric, they get this kind of golden glow that people rate, that you don't necessarily see it, but they rate them as looking healthier if you're getting the right nutrients.
Social Interactions and Self-care
00:05:11
Speaker
Sleep. I mean, ah we know the glymphatic system will wake up if we don't have a good night's sleep. are Our, our limbs are swollen. We get puffy eyes. We look puffy face. We don't look as healthy or as good. So, and then if you don't feel good about how you look, and this may be a societal problem and we need to address, et cetera. But most people, if you don't feel good about how you look,
00:05:33
Speaker
it creates stress. you It impacts your mindset. And then that can lead to social connection. I mean, maybe we are a vain society. Maybe we are a superficial society, but better looking people can have more friends. They get job offers more frequently. They make more in the marketplace. So it does better for you in terms of social connection as well. So it's it's not this separate thing off to the side. It is reinforced by and reinforces every pillar we have. And so I guess understanding that what is for you, right? Like you you mentioned going to a plastic surgeon, doing a consult, like there's a work side of it of outside. What are the, again, day to day, week to week, maybe year to year practices you say, Hey, this is
Skincare Techniques and Routines
00:06:16
Speaker
something I do. So for example, for me, uh, you know, i I've gone through my five pillars, but one thing I do maybe for vanity is the the BBL, uh,
00:06:24
Speaker
twice a year. And as someone who swims outside a lot and in everything, like a it helps lot. I would have a lot more sun damage in spots if not for that. And that's something I, whether it's vanity or not, I say, Hey, this is something I'm committed to doing for, for my skin health.
00:06:40
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. I mean, um well, I love the broadband light for sure. Definitely targets those um for people who don't know what BBL is. um in BBL and IPL, ah same. They're going to give you the same as like Coke and Pepsi. um The result is targeting those brown spots, those age spots, the freckles. um as well as it can target reds too, because oftentimes when you see browns, you're going to see reds also.
00:07:08
Speaker
And it's for people who have spent time outdoors, um you know, swimming, love that. ah Or, you know, people who are just living in warmer climates. I'm in Michigan, so we don't have as much sun, unfortunately, yeah as others.
00:07:25
Speaker
But yes, you know I tell my my patients, let's do fall cleanup, right? Come on in, let's clean up your skin and make sure then that we're combating the aging process and giving you a lighter, brighter glow. You know, and also too, you know, you get those actinic keratosis is the the broadband light is going to help with possible precancerous cells too. So definitely all-encompassing with that. um And whether it's vanity or, you know, just um you wanting to feel better about yourself, either way, I think it does go hand in hand. you know, I have patients who come in who might have a deep crease in the center of their brow, and they're like, you know, everyone keeps asking me, am I mad? Am I angry? And they're like, I'm a very happy person. but
00:08:12
Speaker
They might grind their teeth. They may furrow their brow. They're a deeper thinker. Maybe they spent years outside, you know, um where they were frowning and and making that face a little bit more. and But it does give off the appearance that perhaps they are angry or, you know, unapproachable. So putting a little bit of Botox there, I also, um it's a high risk area, but with safe practice, you can inject filler if there is an indentation there. and It is transforming when a patient comes back and all of a sudden they go. So I used to have one of those. going to date myself, but.
00:08:49
Speaker
Literally, i looked like a phone booth where you could put a quarter. um And it's because I had a scar there. I fell when I was young and i had lost tissue and i just needed it corrected.
00:09:03
Speaker
So, you know, she came back to me and she said, oh my God, i cannot believe how much you changed my life. She goes, no one's asking me anymore. Am I mad? She goes, I feel like I look bad.
00:09:16
Speaker
happier you know i'm not frowning all the time and you know just that little bit and then she's walking around with a little extra skip in her step that ordinarily you know again because if you're feeling like you look like you're angry right and you're giving off that vibe then people are reacting to that and then you're also becoming more self-conscious or insecure so it's a big circle right And our mood can follow facial expression. So they have those studies where people hold the pencil in their mouth and it forces a smile.
00:09:49
Speaker
They're subjectively rate themselves as, oh, I feel a little happier. And I imagine the same thing if if our face or muscles or tissues have kind of over time...
00:09:59
Speaker
gone to that, that it could put us in a worse mood. I i can relate to this, not in the exact same way, but my um swim coach all in college thought I just always had this terrible attitude when they would give sets on the whiteboard, they would draw them up. And and it was my facial expression.
00:10:14
Speaker
And it wasn't until late in my junior year, I got glasses, I just couldn't see. So I was always squinting. And I didn't know. And so I didn't know what my facial expression was, he thought I was denigrating the practice he was designing. i was i was just trying to understand what it was because I couldn't see the things he had written. um So I understand how it can really impact that your interactions with other people.
00:10:34
Speaker
Yeah, there's actually a study out too that Botox makes you happy because you have to think too, if you're constantly frowning, again, maybe it's eyesight, okay? Maybe it's even migraines and you're walking around like this, it's triggering your brain to think that you are unhappy. So they've said that it does, as soon as it relaxes that muscle, that you become a little happier too. And you know what I'm gonna go with that, Andrew, because I like it.
00:11:03
Speaker
Fantastic. Well, that's, the i mean, it's good to have the science supported. And I do want to get to more interventions like Botox for something like that, or fillers or BBL or IPL. But before we do, could we go through...
00:11:20
Speaker
kind of a baseline day-to-day or week-to-week of like in the morning, maybe something around hydration of, hey, we know that this is what it does for skin health.
Product Insights: Hydration and Retinoids
00:11:29
Speaker
Some kind of the types of cleansers to use or serum or or like what that kind of daily practice to take care of our skin health and our our aesthetics because it is our largest organ. And what should we be thinking about?
00:11:41
Speaker
Yeah, so definitely good point because do you know the majority of us are walking around dehydrated? Yeah. So we're not getting enough water. And what people don't understand is, yes, okay, um we've all heard drink those eight eight ounces of glass, ah eight ounces of water a day. However, you need to factor in you know, if you drink a cup of coffee or, um you know, im I don't like soda, but if you're gonna drink pop or anything like that, that also dehydrates you. So it cancels out one of those glasses of water. So ah you would have to supplement that. So the majority of us are walking around um dehydrated. And yes, our skin is our largest organ and it's made up of 90% of water.
00:12:28
Speaker
There's studies too that shows the first thing you should do in the morning is drink a glass of water. It's good to, it's good. It bathes your kidneys and, you know, all of your organs. And it is going to hydrate um your skin. You're going to have a little bit of better skin elasticity and reflective properties. However, um it's only going to do so much. Right. So again, I'm in a colder climate right now and our heat is kicking on and not all houses have humidifiers or are balanced. Well, I've got a humidifier even next to my desk. It was so dry in my office yesterday because the radiant heat was kicking on in our building here. and
00:13:11
Speaker
um that's where your skin care with your moisturizers. So there's hyaluronic acids that you can put topically on your skin. And I'll advise my patients first thing in the morning. So with the routine, and I love that you brought that up, is if you wash your face really well the night before, and that's a double cleanse, and then you're putting on all of your products, because earlier we spoke about how when you sleep, you heal in your repair and sleep is one of the most important things that we can do also for our skin, as well as our body. But you go to bed,
00:13:45
Speaker
your skin is cleansed, you wake up first thing in the morning, drink your glass water, just splash tepid water on your face. If you've done everything the night before, there shouldn't be anything on your skin that's dirty or needs to be removed product wise. So what I like to do is I'll just splash um cool water on my face, pat dry, and I let my own natural oil protect my skin.
00:14:09
Speaker
Then I'll go ahead And I'll put my hyaluronic acid and HA product that we have all over my skin. And then you want to make sure that you layer it and you put your moisturizer, your daily moisturizer over top of that hyaluronic acid. And the hyaluronic acid will bind a thousand times. It's water weight. So it's a nice humectant. It's going to pull moisture from the air throughout the day. And then you put your moisturizer hopefully with um a sunblock on top of your skin. and then whatever else you need to do, whether you put on makeup or, you know, your tinted moisturizer and and go about your day. But I love a hyaluronic acid for that, especially for a drier skin. And the other thing is, is knowing. um so I know we' we' were talking about your daily, but it's also important to know your seasons, right? So your skin, because again, it's your largest organ. It is also constantly changing.
00:15:05
Speaker
It's you know not one stop. So it might be one way in the spring, different in the summer, and again, different again in in the fall. So it's something that you should constantly be reevaluating.
00:15:17
Speaker
What about maybe not daily, but I've heard and been recommended personally, was like retinoids or retinol on a more episodic basis, maybe every other day and depending on the potency.
00:15:28
Speaker
Yeah, another great question. So um I think everybody should be on some type of retinol and a retinol would be more of an over-the-counter strength and a tretinoin would be your prescriptive strength that you're going to get through a doctor.
00:15:45
Speaker
And the differences are, and the best way that I can explain it is if I go to CVS and get it in an ibuprofen or an aspirin, um that's a certain strength. But my doctor might prescribe a Norco, which is a higher level painkiller.
00:16:03
Speaker
That's going to be more of a medical, right? A stronger prescription. So there's a difference between what you would purchase, which would be a retinol, whether you go to CVS or the mall, Sephora, Alta, and then you get a prescription strength tretinoin from either a prescriber, whether it's a dermatologist, a plastic surgeon or med spa like we are.
00:16:25
Speaker
So what a retinol or a tretinoin does is The best way that I like to explain it is it can do some correction. So it'll fix your past sins as well as prevention for your future self, which will thank you for using that retinol or that tretenoin because it is a cell turnover ah rate product. And um originally it was developed for an acne skin. And then what they found was it had anti-aging properties. And that is going to help with the correction of some fine lines and wrinkles. My patients who struggle with acne, I love for them to be on a prescription strength. Tretinoin, those so who may be a little bit intolerant and, you know, like my daughter, she's 30 and she's like, you know what, mom?
00:17:15
Speaker
I can't be like giving a presentation and I rub my nose and my face falls off because it's flaking from the treinol. I'm like, OK, then let's do a retinol that's going to be buffered. It's going to be a little less strength. So you've got to kind of play around with it. And that's why I say you know, there's some things that you can DIY, do it yourself. But then there's others that you should really seek a professional to kind of guide you and and give you um do a skin ah assessment and figure out what would be the best product for you. But, um you know, I'm 53. I've been using a retin-A since my mid-20s. I feel like I don't have a lot of um lines on my face because i do do i don't do a lot. But the things that I do try to do is always
00:18:01
Speaker
good Good skin care, take care of your skin and Botox. If you can stop the muscle from moving, then you're not going to get a line. Yeah, you don't have to fix damage if you stop the damage
Skincare Product Effectiveness
00:18:14
Speaker
before it occurs. You mentioned products and I'd be curious, kind of top...
00:18:19
Speaker
impactful, useful, and then maybe top eight, these may be hyped, but they're not impactful and useful. I'll start with a couple examples of things that I do. And one that I've recently learned I should stop doing, um but like ah a retinol vitamin C mask, I do each week, a red light therapy or like a red my light mask or stuff. But then I had ah a micro abrasion device And the company I had sold, I went to the site and they weren't even selling those anymore. They had moved a red light mask all this and they didn't even offer. said, I should see, has this been debunked?
00:18:54
Speaker
And it basically was. It was that the theory, I guess, was a causing the damage would stimulate collagen building and do all these things, but actually it was just causing damage. And so for however many years, I guess it seems maybe I was not doing myself any favors with this micro abrasion treatment. What was it? What was it in at home? It was an at-home microabrasion. Yeah, I would do it like almost every week. Oh, yeah. You're scaring me.
00:19:17
Speaker
yeah yes i was i Yeah. You know, the best time to have learned it would have five years ago. the second best time was right when I discovered it. So I stopped doing it Yeah, right. Well, that was five years ago was COVID when we were all locked down and we were all trying to DIY. Yeah. You know, those derma rollers and everything. Yes, theoretically, they sound great. But like when we do microneedling here in our office, you're using um a disposable tip. Every patient gets their own tip. It's a one use only. So when you're done, you throw it away and it
00:19:49
Speaker
I guess for layman's terms, it'd kind of be like a jackhammer, right? It's up and down. So it's perpendicular. So those needles are going up and down and penetrating that skin in a controlled fashion. So when you're using a derma roller, you're rolling it across the skin and you're actually dragging it and you're tearing the skin.
00:20:09
Speaker
as opposed to those controlled micro disruption to the the exterior of the skin, the epidermal layer. So, you know, that's where you kind of can And then you've got to think bacteria, too. So, like, you know, I have patients come in. Oh, I have my derma roller. And I'm like, oh, if you don't properly cleanse and prep your skin properly,
00:20:29
Speaker
And then if you don't store it correctly after and then you have to think every single time. So like when I inject a person with um a patient with Botox, even when I do filler, I change my needle three to four times when I'm injecting because every time I'm injecting, i am dulling the needle every time it is penetrating that skin.
00:20:51
Speaker
And I don't like to bruise my patients. It's very rare that I do, and i and I really take pride in it. So I'd rather get a new needle and inject a different area each time so that I'm reducing um the trauma
Advanced Techniques and Therapies
00:21:05
Speaker
to the skin. So the derma rollers, unfortunately, you're using that same modality continuously, and you're dulling it. So not only are you causing micro tears, possible bacteria, but it's going to just wear down. So but we're not going to hold that against you because i love that you are being proactive yeah i'm trying try and just want to be proactive in the right direction so it yeah your facial expression sounds like red light therapy you are a fan oh i love red light so you know i was a little skeptical at first. I try not to hop on the bandwagon. um You know, I feel like ah people get excited and then they start throwing all these things out. Now everybody's got to do it because it's the hip, the buzz um thing to do. And then a year from now we find out like, oh, really? That wasn't a good idea.
00:21:48
Speaker
There is a neurosurgeon. um His name is Jack. And of course, because I'm on the spot, I'm not going to remember his last name. But he talks, um he's been on Joe Rogan a lot and Huberman and Gary Brecka. And he has spoken about, you know red light is actually like going outside and having the sun. Cruz. Is this Jack Cruz? I think it is Jack Cruz. Yes. Have you listened to him? I have. Yeah, because he was on ah Rick Rubin. I think he kind of co-hosted a podcast with him.
00:22:19
Speaker
Yes, I was fascinated. And at one point he was like, you know what, if I could have done surgery outside and controlled it, I would have because the red light and the the the light from outside had all of these healing properties.
00:22:35
Speaker
So when I um started looking into red light, i I have the mask, I have the k neck, I've got the pad also that I lay on. And when I've had patients who have even gone in for cosmetic surgery, I'm like, you need to get a red light panel um and sit in front of that red light panel. And it really does, it stimulates that mitochondria, all of the the collagen, the fibroblasts, and it really does help to um stimulate the skin. So as well as going down, you know,
00:23:05
Speaker
I was a IFBB pro and um I did a couple of triathlons and you know, your body, it can take some of that abuse, but there are days that I feel it a little bit more. so so I get out and i lay on my red light pad and um body pad and it's amazing. So I'm a big believer in the red light.
00:23:26
Speaker
And masks. ah So sorry, not red light masks, but like different, like the retinol, vitamin c different nutrient masks. So I think, you know, anytime that you're doing something for your skin, you know, I love masks. I think you can buy them you know, and and put them on your face at home. you know, I like to sit and have a glass of wine myself and and have one. um You know, there's, again, it's,
00:23:50
Speaker
What specifically is it that you want to target? You know, your vitamin C's are going to lighten and brighten. They're great antioxidants. You can buy a hyaluronic mask if you're a little bit dry, you know, and put that on. You've got retinol ones, kojic acid or azalic acid um that can really help to target discoloration for the skin. So absolutely. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I think that's great. And, you know, there are things...
00:24:17
Speaker
I do think it's important to do things in the treatment room, but I think it's just as important to do your home care also. So, you know, I think masks are great.
00:24:29
Speaker
And what about supplements? so we talked about turmeric can kind of give you this Golo or collagen, you know, has become a big thing. I take collagen every day. But anything that people should make sure that they're consuming or try to consume or make sure they're avoiding or try to avoid when we think about skin health and aesthetics.
00:24:49
Speaker
Yeah, you know, definitely, you know, turmeric, you've got that golden glow um that will definitely help. It also helps with inflammation. i think that's amazing. um You know, supplements, vitamin C. um I always put together a protocol. I was in plastic surgery for a long time, and um there's a lot of things that we tell patients not to take before surgery. However, there's some really good supplements that you should take post-surgery, such as vitamin C, ah vitamin d um Vitamin D is going to help with your immunity, but it's also going to help um with your skin. um i do Collagen is great. I do a lot of Sculptra here in my office. A lot of my patients are on GLP-1s, your Ozempics and your Wigobis. They've got facial wasting. We're putting Sculptra in their face to stimulate that collagen. And then I'm like, if you're not pairing it with those
00:25:44
Speaker
building blocks right at home, which is your amino acids and your collagen ah is stimulators, which would be your your collagen powders. um I think that that's very beneficial as well. um What other supplements that I can say that are FDA approved? Because i I love my GHKCU. They're seeing a lot of that topically is being added. It's a great copper peptide. I think it's youth serum in a bottle. You can take it also orally. They have injectable GHKCU. I love BPC-157. That's amazing for inflammation, both for your body if you're a big athlete or working out as well as healing.
00:26:31
Speaker
The GHK one, is that is that something you would also inject or you do or like like how, what is the way you do it? You can inject it. um ah However, it you know a lot of people are are not always comfortable in injecting. You can do sub-Q intramuscular. um You'd have to go through a peptide company. My 2026 goal for Our Skin Aesthetics is to get into Our Skin Wellness. I do the peptides myself personally, and I know the benefits.
00:27:02
Speaker
that they have. So that's something that I'd like to be able to bring um for my patient population. But um yes, you should look into, because you're very well versed, you should look into the GHKCU. It actually helps with ah telomeres also and heart health. There's a lot of really good science-based data on it.
00:27:24
Speaker
Okay. Yeah. I will definitely go out and deep dive on that because I knew BBC 157. This one was magical. I had a shoulder injury for two years. Did not get better when MRI and multiple orthopedic surgeons, and it's supposed to take two weeks. And literally within three days, I was moving my arm in ways I hadn't in two years. This is kind of crazy.
00:27:45
Speaker
Okay. Have you looked into TB500 also? I have. um the The concern is where i a lot of people are saying, hey, what's labeled tb five hundred is oftentimes TB4. And TB4 can stimulate all kinds of growth, which if you have a tumor or cancer can be dangerous. And I've had multiple ah malignant melanomas. And so on the off chance I have something else going on, I'm just trying to avoid that one for now.
00:28:10
Speaker
Yeah. And again, that's where you have to be knowledgeable and you have to be with a responsible um provider, right? Like, so I have NAD here also. I'm a big believer NAD. But again, like you just said, it's a contraindication. If I have a patient who comes in and they've had any um malignant tumors or um health issues, generally speaking, you know, that's where I'm like, I have to defer. You have to go to your primary care or your physician who you've,
00:28:41
Speaker
had a relationship with before and get clearance because again, do no harm, you know, safe practice. But NAD is an amazing um supplement and whether you want to inject it or take it orally, i really do believe that that's a big, um that gives you a really good glow.
00:28:58
Speaker
Yeah. And I don't know if you know the patches, but like Ion Layer is a company we've worked with that you can do patches and that's this ionized thing and comes in over time. So not quite as extreme as an IV or an injection, but maybe better than Orly and some of the others.
00:29:14
Speaker
Yeah, you know, i I did see those advertised and I am going to look. I'm glad that you mentioned that because I am going to look into those because, yeah, you know, with the IVs, aesthetics is
Simplifying Skincare Routines
00:29:24
Speaker
medicine. And I can't if anybody takes um once a takeaway is you need to make sure just because they hang the sign med spa um that they have.
00:29:36
Speaker
really do take into consideration patient care and safety because the aesthetics industry is growing exponentially, but you want to make sure that there you know there's a lot of charlatans in the industry also, and you want to make sure that you connect with um the right provider.
00:29:54
Speaker
For sure. And as as we kind of get in that realm, because we started on things maybe by over-the-counter, you're doing it home on your own, and now then we we're getting a little more arcane with the the peptides. But what about actual more, I don't know if the right word's invasive, or more impactful procedures that you see as the highest impact? We've touched on BBL and IPL, we've touched on Botox, but what are the things, maybe at different life points or different problems and you say, hey, these are kind of the top handful of procedures we do in the benefit and impact?
00:30:28
Speaker
Yeah. So, uh, definitely again, i think my, my first go-to always is Botox, right? Cause if we can relax the muscle, um, and get some lift and some correction, um and some softness, that's, that's key, you know, and I like to treat my patients with Botox first, get that all over look, and then you have them come back. And then I can see really it where the lines are that maybe we need to chase with filler. um Impactful for skincare. love microneedling. I think it's very undervalued. i think ah minimal downtime, minimal recovery um with a huge impact because you can correct anything from surgical scars to acne scars to childhood scars, um as well as pigmentation and soft and soften fine lines and
00:31:21
Speaker
not only are you doing some correction, but you're also getting prevention because you are stimulating collagen. And then my my other big workhorse is the CO2 laser. The CO2 laser, you are going to have some downtime. It's not going to target pigmentation so much like your IPL or BBL, but I do think CO2 laser is great for that a little bit stronger ah resurfacing to the skin.
00:31:49
Speaker
so So that's pretty impactful. And I really think that um aesthetics is going, you know, we're getting away from those fuller, puffy, you know, caricature looking faces and getting into a little bit more of regenerative, which would be my Sculptras and my Radiesse because those products are collagen stimulating. So, i mean, i I know I kind threw a lot at you, but I think there's different categories for everything. and you know, I don't think that people need to be Again, if you're in the right hands with the right provider, you shouldn't be fearful that you're going to walk out and and look like a completely different person. Because my belief is it if you are with the right person and you're doing it correctly, you should just look like you went on vacation.
00:32:32
Speaker
Yeah. And I think that that was really important. I think you were kind of pointing out is the train getting away from, Hey, I want to look different and be different than I am to I want to get to a healthier looking version of myself. Cause as we ate, right, we have less collagen, we have less fat stores. And so how can I get to this more youthful, healthier, vibrant, moist skin, you know, everything, ah hydrated, I guess is the better word.
00:32:57
Speaker
And, and that, work in this space. I appreciate everything you're doing there to help people. Yeah. Thank you so much. And don't complicate it. You know, it's simple. There, there is something to be said that keep it simple, ah silly, right? Or, or yeah, I think, is that the saying? Keep it simple, stupid. yeah yeah yeah but i want to go you were labor but i there Yeah. There are some moments where I'm like, okay, but just keep it simple. You know, you don't have to, you know, you go in somewhere and and I always get frustrated. You know people come in with a bag of these um products that they purchased and it's filled with 20 and 20 different products. And they're like, when do I use this? And how do I use this? And I'm like, oh my God, I'm like, I'm already overwhelmed and having anxiety. Just looking at this bag with all these 20 products. I don't think that's necessary.
00:33:48
Speaker
Simple. You just need your core products. Wash your face before you go to bed at night. i don't care if you've been on a bender and you've been enjoying yourself and you you can't even see the sink.
00:33:59
Speaker
Okay. Wash your face with soap and water twice. Do a double cleanse. Again, to circle back to what we spoke of in the beginning, your repair time is when you go to sleep.
00:34:10
Speaker
So you want to think putting your treatment products on while you're sleeping, skins repairing, right? And then you wake up in the morning, splash your face, put your stuff on and get out the door. Life is too short to be, you know, I've got these parents who are coming in and they're like my nine-year-old wants like system skincare and a refrigerator next to her bed. I'm like, are you kidding me?
00:34:31
Speaker
What are you doing? Go outside, color, find a friend, do something. Like get off a TikTok with these products. So
Conclusion and Resources
00:34:39
Speaker
just... Keep it simple. That is a beautiful place to close. Keep it simple. Keep it beautiful. Keep it healthy. Keep it youthful.
00:34:47
Speaker
Thank you so much, Raquel, for joining us today and for all the work you've been doing over the years. Thank you, Andrew, for having me. It was a pleasure. and um yeah I'm going to look at those NAD patches.
00:34:59
Speaker
Thank you for joining us on today's episode of the Home of Healthspan podcast. And remember, you can always find the products, practices, and routines mentioned by today's guests, as well as many other Healthspan role models on Alively.com.
00:35:12
Speaker
Enjoy a lively day.