What Prescriptions Really Cost

Spending on prescriptions in the US increased nearly 20% between 2013 and 2015.* It’s clear – the cost of medications is rising. What’s unclear is just how prescription drugs are priced – and why you pay what you do.  The American Medical Association supports transparent pricing and wants you to know more about what you’re paying for… (CLICK THE LINK TO LEARN MORE AT: TRUTH IN RX.)truthinrx-og-image

Make Pricing Transparent
Prescription medications aren’t like other consumer products. Like food, shelter, and water, they can be a matter of life or death. Yet, patients are left in the dark as to why the price of medicine and their out-of-pocket costs are rising.
Restore Affordability
If pharmaceutical companies aren’t required to explain their rising prescription drug prices, it could eventually make health care unaffordable for many Americans. Help us protect the future of health care.
Put Patients Over Middlemen
The costs of prescription drugs are often negotiated by drug players who aren’t required to disclose their pricing agreements. These middlemen turn a profit, while patients continue to pay a high premium.

Fall In Love With Your Skin Again

Did the days of summer leave your skin lackluster? Wipe the slate clean with a new fall routine. Just like your wardrobe, your skincare needs a seasonal refresh. Fall is the perfect time to boost your exfoliation, incorporate richer moisturizers, repairative serums, and targeted treatments to reform your skin and keep it looking its best.

For many of us, the end of summer leaves our skin feeling a bit dry and flaky. We’ve probably spent a bit too much time in the sun or in the swimming pool, and our delicate skin just doesn’t like the dryness that the sun and chemicals leave behind. Fortunately, eliminating dryness is fairly easy to accomplish. If your not sure what you should be using, give us a call for some recommendations.

Your facial skin is a bit different, however. Sun damage on your face and your decolletage can not only leave you feeling more aged, damaged skin can give way to precancerous cells. That’s one good reason you should always have an end of summer ipl-2checkup!

When it comes to anti-aging and improving the appearance of your facial skin, IPL treatments (laser intense pulsed light) can dramatically improve the surface appearance and the deep layers that promote healing. IPL can reduce dark spots, erase fine lines and wrinkles, improve texture, reduce pore size, lighten sun-induced freckles, and reduce the symptoms of rosacea, birthmarks, unsightly veins, acne scarring and other blemishes. You’ll be amazed at the difference after only 1 treatment, however most people will want to purchase a package of 3 or more treatments.

Prepare Your Summer Skin

1. Exfoliate for clearer, smoother skin
What it does: Exfoliation removes dead, dulling skin debris to prevent congestion and improve hydration from toners and moisturizers.
When: Perform in the mornings prior to toner, moisturizer, SPF and make-up application. Tip: Make-up will last longer on an exfoliated skin!
Don’t forget: After you exfoliate, follow with a hydrating body cream to seal in moisture, and always shield freshly exfoliated skin with an SPF (as recommended by the FDA).

2. Keep Skin Hydrated.
How: Up your regimen’s level of hydration with intensive masques, perfect for use one to two times a week. Boosters are a great fit, working best when layered underneath a moisturizer. Toners are a refreshing moisturizer prep, working to even out skin porosity. Tip: Refresh with a revitalizing toner spritz at your desk, in the car, at the gym, on the plan

3. Make Friends With Water
Why: Higher temperatures and more time outdoors leads to internal dehydration, which can result in headaches and dizzy spells!
What you can do: Eight 8-ounce glasses of plain, filtered water every day help maintain critical moisture balance of the body and skin, and assist in detoxification. Tip: If you drink caffeinated beverages, you must triple the amount of water you drink!

4. When In Doubt - Reapply!
Why:  It’s not enough to just apply sunscreen.: you must apply enough, and apply frequently.   Studies indicate that most people do not apply nearly as much daylight protection as they should.
How much: A teaspoon for the face. For the body, about as much as would fill a shot glass.
How often: Re-apply every two hours. Tip: Stay out of the midday sun from mid-morning to late afternoon whenever you can.
Bonus: Today’s sophisticated formulas and technology let you select sun protection that works with your skin condition. That means you can choose oil-free, mattifying formulas, extra emollient formulas for dry skin, or chemical free formulas for sensitized, reactive skin.

5. Soothe Over-Exposed Skin
What: You forgot the sunscreen, didn’t apply enough, or got caught in a sunny spell.
What’s next: Unfortunately, the damage is done, but you don’t have to suffer in pain! Super-soothing botanicals and cooling gels can help prevent peeling and reduce redness and inflammation.
How: Apply cooling balms generously over-exposed skin, preferably at the first sight of a pink glow.
Prevent: One blistering sunburn doubles your risk of melanoma -- remember to get a yearly skin exam by a doctor and perform a self-examination once a month to detect early warning signs of carcinomas and malignant melanoma. Look for a new growth or any skin change.

6. Repair And Treat Sun Damage
What causes skin damage: UV light causes photoaging in the form of brown spots, coarse skin and wrinkles, whether you have burned your skin or not. When sunlight comes in contact with skin a cascade of damage results (including the stripping of barrier lipids) causing inflammation, production of reactive oxygen molecules that affect healthy cell growth, and stimulation of collagen destructing enzymes.
What to do: A tan may be a popular summer look, but it indicates damage. Bombard your skin with age-fighting ingredients to help undo any damage that may occur, and to further protect it from the aging effects of UV.