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About Spas in Puerto Vallarta - Part 2 – Facials
By The PVMirror Staff • Photos by Jesús de Avila • July 2009

Last month, we talked about how everyone loves a good massage, and we told you about the spas in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit – together known as the Bay of Banderas - the ideal places for visitors to escape from the daily routine while rejuvenating the mind and body.

Thanks to its privileged location, nestled between the foothills of the Sierra Madre and the Bay - its superb climate and modern facilities, this area offers the very best combination for our visitors and residents. The local spa resorts, hotels, haciendas and specialized health and beauty centers provide the latest in different options for those visitors looking for new alternatives in tourism during their stay.

The higher end hotels in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit have modern spas, offering a wide range of treatments, including facials of course. If you want to find an exotic destination retreat, or just an everyday spa for a facial, the choice of treatments available in the local spas is endless.

Playa Sol Grand Spa

As both men and women became increasingly aware of the benefits of visiting a spa, more and more hotels began incorporating them into their services. In time, men realized that a facial could keep them looking younger, and they started visiting them as well.

Whether you choose to have a facial performed by a spa’s skin care specialist, an esthetician or a cosmetologist, there is no question that you will leave feeling and looking better. Even the tiniest day spa or even beauty salon can offer a dizzying number of services. They await your visit…in the Bay of Banderas.

A good skin care specialist –

• Is impeccably groomed, warm and friendly
• is a stickler for cleanliness and sanitation. She keeps a clean table and
   washes her hands before she begins touching your face
• Gives you a relaxing facial customized to your skin. She can do “extractions”
   (removal of blackheads, etc.) without causing too much discomfort and is responsive
   to your needs
• Can answer any questions you have about what he’s doing and why
• Follows your lead in terms of how much “chat” there is. It’s your time!
• Asks about your home skin care routine and advises you on how to take care
   of your skin between facials
• Tells you what products are best suited for your skin type without resorting
   to high-pressure sales techniques.
• Recognizes skin problems that require a dermatologist. If you have a problem
   that needs a medical doctor, the specialist lets you know.

Licensing requirements for estheticians and cosmetologists vary greatly depending on location. Feel free to ask where yours was trained and what kind of program he/she went through.

www.spasincanada.ca

What Is A Facial?

A facial (the second most popular spa service after massage) is a skin treatment that deeply cleanses and maintains the skin by exfoliating excess dead skin cells - to promote clear, well-hydrated skin.

It usually involves a few basic steps:

• Cleansing
• Skin analysis, where the esthetician puts eyepads over    your eyes and looks at your skin through a brightly lit
   magnifying lamp
• Exfoliation, usually while a steam vapor is directed at
   your face
• Extraction of blackheads (if you want it, and if it's suitable for your skin type.
   It can cause broken capillaries and discoloration if done on sensitive skin,
   or done improperly.) People have different pain tolerance for extractions.
   They can be uncomfortable, especially on thin or ruddy skin.
• Facial massage to relax you and stimulate your skin and facial muscles
• A mask targeted to your skin type (dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature)
• Application of toners and protective creams
• Advice on home skin care

Everyone’s needs are different, varying from person to person. Ideally, we should get a facial every four to six weeks because that's how long it takes the skin to regenerate. Try to have a facial at least four times a year, as the seasons change - more frequently in cases of acne, but don’t overdo it!
 
Variations on the classic European facial include the "mini-facial" (cleansing without extractions) and specialty facials.

Add vitamin C, and you have an "age defense" facial.

It's a "collagen facial" when special collagen sheets are placed on the skin, while an acne facial will pay special attention to extractions.

Alpha and beta hydroxy chemical peels offer medical benefits and are among the treatments worth the cost, but each has different benefits. “A common beta hydroxy is salicylic acid, which gets into the oil glands and is very good for someone with acne-prone skin,” says Jessie Cheung, MD, assistant professor of dermatology and associate director of cosmetic dermatology at NYU Medical Center. Alpha hydroxy acids are good exfoliators and beneficial for older skin that has lost radiance.

Galvanic facials involve electrically stimulating the skin with a handheld device, another good value. Electric currents enable moisturizers and serums to penetrate the skin more deeply. “Anything that helps products get into your skin will help them work better,” Cheung says. She also advises facials that include retinoic acid, which helps slough off older skin cells, build collagen, and reduce the signs of aging. But you’ll need a treatment every four to six weeks to see results.

Playa Sol Grand Spa

And “organics” aren’t for everyone. Organic facial products are popular, but many people are allergic to plant oils. Speak up if you have a history of sensitivity to any plants.

Facials are usually given by a licensed esthetician or cosmetologist with special training in skin care. In smaller cities in Canada and the United States, these treatments normally start around $75.00 at a day spa, and prices will be higher at destination spas, resort and hotel spas. Special masks and serums also make the price go higher. You will find the prices around the Bay of Banderas to be markedly lower. Email to a friend

Next installment: Other spa treatments

• Spas Directory

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