Beauty and Health Options for Busy Schedules

Local companies offer easy ways to squeeze beauty and health options into even the busiest of schedules.

The new year presents a perfect time to reconnect with family, reflect on the past year and focus on making changes to your health and beauty regimen.

At least that’s the hope. But busy work schedules can often make it very difficult to stick with a new routine. However, folks with even the busiest work schedules have options that can become part of even the most hectic lifestyle.

When Barbara Bolotte was working as a personal trainer she saw firsthand how challenging it was for clients to balance a workout routine with healthier food choices.

Bolotte launched Clean Creations, a healthy food delivery service, out of her home before expanding to a commercial kitchen in Gretna.

“I had clients who worked so hard at the gym but weren’t seeing the results they were hoping for because their food wasn’t ‘together,’” she said.

Bolotte developed a menu of low-calorie, low-fat meals available for delivery for her personal fitness clients.

“We even deliver right to your work place,” she added. “I know there have been so many times where I have forgotten to bring my lunch to work even though I went through the effort to pack it the night before.”

The company, which has expanded to offer delivery service in New Orleans, the North Shore and Baton Rouge, uploads a new menu with a variety of new meal options to choose from every week.

“It’s grab and go, open the fridge and they can set themselves up for success,” said Bolotte.

A U.S. News and World Report published in January 2017 says that 80 percent of people can’t stick with their New Year’s resolutions, typically because the goal is unrealistic and too much of a dramatic change from what the person’s life is like. For those who have a desk job and must work for eight or more hours straight, sticking to a new health and beauty regimen can seem especially difficult.

Dr. Pamela Egan at the Egan Wellness Center said that the trick is to keep resolutions simple. The center, located in Covington, offers a variety of services dedicated to skin care and nutrition. The company also operates on flexible hours — Egan added that she has made appointments with clients on Saturdays when they were unable to make it to a weekday appointment. The clinic can also consult with out-of-state customers via teleconferencing or Skype.

Egan said that keeping the skin clean and using a “pure, organic skin care line is essential.” Because many skin care products have chemicals in them that can be toxic, the center recommends skin care lines with stem cells, which Egan says are the “repairmen of the body.”

“It doesn’t have to be complicated,” she added. “A cleanser specific to one’s skin type, day cream with SPF 30 and a good quality night cream are essential. I personally use a tinted daytime moisturizer as my base instead of makeup.”

The center also offers services that take little to no time and can fit into any busy schedule. For skin, they offer 30-minute hydrafacials. The service take as long as 90 minutes, depending on the extent the customer requires.

Cosmetic procedures including facial fillers can take up to 30 minutes. Chemical peels can also be a relatively quick option, with the appointment lasting between 15 to 25 minutes.

“For the Wellness Clinic, I spend one hour with new patients and 30 minutes with follow-ups,” Egan said. “Our Wellness Clinic incorporates five basic steps: restoring the balance, balancing hormones, restoring nutrients, removing toxins, and balancing the mind and body.”

Megan Naccari, the owner of Saintly Skin LLC, said that when it comes to simple skin treatments people don’t have to devote too much time to be able to care for themselves, and a lot of their procedures can fit into a lunch hour.

Saintly Skin’s treatments vary from teeth brightening, to eyelash extensions, to different types of facials, such as anti-oxidant facials and illuminating facials to reduce dark spots, as well as firming neck and décolletage treatments.

“Many of our collagen and skin treatments don’t take more than 30 minutes. We also are very flexible and able to work with people’s schedules,” she said.

One of the favorite treatments for facial aging at Etre Cosmetic Dermatology and Laser Center in New Orleans is the Sculptra Aesthetic, a filler that restores volume to the face and produces collagen for long lasting results.

“With little to no downtime, patients can turn back the clock and lift sagging skin,” said Dr. Kyle Coleman, part of the dermatologist duo that runs Etre, along with Dr. Lisa Donofrio. “Patients are able to return to normal daily activities immediately.”

Another option for someone with a busy work schedule is a treatment called the Silhouette Instalift, a lunchtime face-lifting procedure.

“The Instalift involves placement of dissolvable threads under the skin that lift sagging skin,” Coleman said. “While not comparable to a surgical face lift, this procedure can be done with little to no downtime and provide instant results.”

The clinic also offers a procedure called Coolsculpting mini, which can be performed in the office in 45 minutes to reduce fat under the chin and help sculpt the jawline.

For people with a little more time who want to help reduce unwanted bulges on their bellies, thighs and backs, Etre offers minimally invasive laser liposuction. The procedure is performed in the office under local anesthesia.

Coleman added that patients are back to work and social activities within one day; however, “full results take time, so it’s best to think ahead for spring and summer vacations.”

For those that don’t have time to go to the office, there are many new topical treatments that can be done at home to prevent and reverse signs of aging.

Combining tried-and-true therapies like retinol-containing products with newer products that plump existing collagen in the skin can prevent and soften fine lines, according to Coleman.

“As technology has advanced, there are more options available to treat and prevent signs of aging without significant downtime. This has allowed patients with busy schedules flexibility to treat themselves without having to take significant time away from work or social engagements,” he said.

TIPS

6 ways to stay healthy

Just because you work in an office it doesn’t mean healthy habits can’t become a part of your hectic schedule. The following are some tips for a healthier, more active you:

1. Make healthy food choices. Grab a healthy snack on the go. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
2. Be active. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park farther away and walk.
3. Protect yourself from injury and disease. Put on a helmet, sunscreen, or insect repellent. Wash your hands for 20 seconds.
4. Manage stress. Don’t overschedule or overcommit. Take short breaks throughout the day.
5. Make an appointment for a check-up, vaccination or screening.
6. Quit smoking. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW for free counseling on how to quit smoking for good.

SOURCE: Center for Disease Control (Five Minute Health Weekly Tips)