Aging Like a Pro

Rejuvenated and refreshed is the ultimate goal, according to Boulder skin care pros

By McKenzie Watson-Fore

Boulder is a place known for its exceptional beauty, expressed in the gorgeous weather (hello, 300 days of sunshine a year), the striking geographic landscape, and the people who walk, hike, bike and marathon all over it. However, these outdoor-centric lifestyles and extreme climate—high altitude and very dry air—are harsh on skin, especially as years of UV exposure add up. Even fluorescent lights and screens emit radiation that can damage skin over time. So, what can you do to save face?

Estheticians emphasize: The most important element of a daily skin care routine is sunscreen. “Find one that you enjoy using,” says Leah Nickie of Leah Nickie Advanced Aesthetics (LNAA), “and use it every single day—rain or shine, inside or outside.” While there are many different types of sunscreens that employ different UV filters—zinc, titanium and others—what matters most isn’t the filter itself but the consistency of use. 

Hannah Niederman, an esthetician at VIO Med Spa, echoes the sentiment. “Huge changes can happen simply by adjusting your at-home skin care routine.” The brands available at VIO Med Spa are all clinical or medical grade, subject to advanced clinical studies to prove that they actually work. “You don’t necessarily get that from over-the-counter skin care,” Niederman points out. “There are no scientific studies to show the efficacy of those products.” 

Want to take your skin care up a level? VIO Med Spa offers treatments suitable for many different budgets, ranging from routine regular facials, which are important for instilling skin health, to non-invasive radio frequency (RF) microneedling. That procedure, on the upper end of what VIO offers, is ideal for those with skin laxity concerns, and it provides skin tightening, better tone and texture. “Treatments will provide results faster,” Niederman says, “but you want to protect that investment by using high-quality skin care.” 

Michelle Hale, owner of The Beauty Spot, provides a different perspective. As a fixture of the Boulder beauty scene since 2008, she knows exactly what she offers that other outlets do not: the Helix CO2 laser. “Laser is the most elite form of skin care out there, period,” Hale states. The Helix includes an ablative CO2 laser, which vaporizes the top layer of skin and removes damaged tissue. Simultaneously, the 1570 laser provides deep dermal heat without injuring the skin. The heat stimulates collagen production while coagulating the collagen your skin already has. As is standard with any skin intervention, Hale recommends multiple treatments. The Helix laser has enough flexibility with its settings to be safe for all skin types—something that’s not true of all lasers. Many other lasers are not ideal for use on melanated skin and could cause hyper- or hypopigmentation. Hale’s clinic is notable for its privacy and intimate visit experience. 

Nickie co-runs LNAA with Dr. Julie Seaman, a former ER doctor turned expert injector. The intimate boutique med spa offers an individualized experience. “You know Boulder,” Nickie says. “Some people want facelifts, and some people don’t even want to go near a needle. We meet people where they are.” Where people are, literally, is a huge part of what Nickie considers when recommending treatments. “I find a lot of people relying on social media influencers,” Nickie notes. “Those people can’t see or touch your skin; they don’t live where you live.” Here in Boulder, many people struggle with finding the right products because of our dry, extreme climate. Seeing a practitioner in person, Nickie advises, allows you to get the best care and access to the most potent ingredients. 

Nickie talked through the different kinds of injectables available at LNAA—all the neurotoxins, colloquially lumped together under “Botox.” Different types are preferable for different effects, and some last longer than others, reducing the need for follow-up injections. The most invasive procedure her office provides is thread lifts, or suspension sutures, which can be a stopgap for lifting tissue before resorting to plastic surgery. “We just want people to look like themselves, but rested and refreshed,” Nickie says. 

She also says Dr. Kyle Cox is the only plastic surgeon in Boulder she recommends. Dr. Cox is an oculoplastic surgeon specializing in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery on the upper portion of the face. She first trained as an ophthalmologist, with a focus on the eyes, and then as a surgeon. “My biggest goal,” Cox says, “is to have a safe space where women can disclose how they feel about the physical changes occurring to us as we mature.” Her office provides surgical and nonsurgical interventions, including laser, microneedling, medical procedures to address skin cancer and education to allow women to take ownership over their skin care practices. Dr. Cox’s most common surgical intervention is blepharoplasty: upper and lower eyelid rejuvenation. Ultimately, her work is driven by intrinsic empathy for her clients. “I’m a female surgeon,” she says. “I know what it’s like.”

So, whether you opt for just sun protection or a host of facial treatments, the goal, as Nickie says, is for you to look like you, refreshed.

Resources: leahnickie.com, viomedspa.com, thebeautyspotboulder.com, kylecoxmd.com