Skin Resurfacing

April 2, 2010 by amber  
Filed under Anti-Aging Strategies

As we age our skin develops wrinkles, age spots and many other problems related to aging. Many of us opt for all types of treatment to get rid of these problems. However, there are a few that might be a tad misleading. On the other hand, one of the most popular treatments for anti-aging is laser skin resurfacing. This procedure is known to improve the appearance of fine lines or wrinkles and age spots. Nevertheless, one should know the advantages and disadvantages before using this treatment as with all other treatments.

What is Skin Resurfacing?

During this process, layers of skin are removed. This prompts the growth of new healthy skin. Skin resurfacing is different to other treatments as the layers of skin are removed in a different way. Unlike chemical peels and dermabrasion, skin resurfacing treatment uses a carbon dioxide laser. The laser vapourizes the layers of skin. The use of a laser allows the aesthetician to control the depth of penetration by specifying the amount of energy transmitted to the skin’s surface.

Is Your Skin Appropriate for Skin Resurfacing?

There are many questions that you should consider before taking this treatment. Not all skin types are suitable for this treatment. However, you may be a good candidate if you have one or more of the following problems:

-          Wrinkled or sun-damaged facial skin

-          Age-spots

-          Acne or chicken pox scars

-          Precancerous skin growths

-          Superficial facial scars from a past injury

You can receive treatment at any age as an adult. However, it is important to keep in mind that certain skin types do make you a better candidate for this treatment than others. In Addition, it is vital to acknowledge that the recovery time does depend upon the depth. More superficial treatments require less recovery time than deeper treatments.

What are the Risks of Skin Resurfacing?

As with many treatments it is vital to know all the risks before diving into it. However, there are thousands of patients that undergo successful skin resurfacing treatments without experiencing any major problems.

Make sure that you choose and experience board-certified plastic surgeon for this treatment. Since it is your face and your money, it is important that you choose the best of the best. In addition, consult the doctor before opting to take this treatment in case you have any allergies as they can resurface with this treatment. A few white heads might appear after treatment; however, this can be cleared up by using a mild abrasive facial wash. Most of the time, the surgeon would have to remove it so that your face is cleared up fast.

There have been a few cases, where individuals have developed raised or thickened scars. Nevertheless, medications are available for treat such problems. It is rare a case that scarring has been permanent.

Following any type of skin resurfacing procedure, make sure than you avoid any exposure to the sun whatsoever until your proper skin colour has returned. Exposure to the sun afterwards is still not recommended. If you do have to be out in the sun after, use plenty of sunblock. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat is also suggested. Furthermore, after certain types of skin resurfacing treatments, some aestheticians do advice against exposing your skin to chlorinated water.

Skin resurfacing is a cosmetic treatment and should not be considered lightly. Make sure that you follow the instructions of your surgeon in order to minimize any risks after treatment. If you are planning to undergo this treatment make sure you research a bit more about the procedures involved. Do not dive into any cosmetic treatment without knowing all the advantages and disadvantages.

Age Spots

April 1, 2010 by amber  
Filed under Anti-Aging Strategies

Also known as sun spots, liver spots, lentigos or lentigines, these lesions are flat, tan, brown or dark brown spots that appear on your skin as you age. Common amongst those who linger out in the sun a lot, these unattractive spots tend to appear around the back of the hands, the forearms, neck, chest and face. Although these spots are not cancerous themselves, research has shown that you might be at a risk for developing skin cancer if you do have them.

The Causes of Age Spots

Age spots develop when you age and if you have had increased exposure to the sun. The spots are come about when melanocytes (pigment producing cells in the skin) are activated to produce more of the pigment melanin due to the ultraviolet rays. Thus, spots appear in your skin that is darker than your natural skin colour. Sun spots are common amongst those who have freckles or who burn easily when exposed to the sun.

How do you get rid of Age Spots?

There are many types of treatment available nowadays to remove age spots. However, the best way is prevention. Avoiding the sun and using sunscreen daily is a great way of preventing age spots in the future. Nevertheless, there are the numbers of us where it might be too late for prevention. Age spots can be removed with a number of treatment options. This includes, chemical peels, laser resurfacing, intense pulsed light therapy and bleaching creams.

è Chemical Peels

This procedure is quite amazing for age spots and for taking years off your face. The advantage of this treatment is that it is fully customizable, where you would be able to choose the depth of your peel and how you want the end result. Furthermore, it has been proven to improve skin by years of testing. In addition, the procedure has shown amazing results that have lasted for many years unlike other surgeries.

The treatment works by removing the layers of skin that contain age spots, wrinkles and other problems on the skin’s surface. Moreover, the recovery time span and side effects can range from nothing to moderate depending on the severity of the treatment you select.

è Laser Resurfacing

If you are looking for a solution that is safe and effective in the removal of age spots, then laser resurfacing is the best. Results have shown that laser resurfacing has successfully reduced the appearance of age spots and other discolorations for many years.

The procedure usually lasts about 30 to 90 minutes where by using various intensities of laser light, laser resurfacing removes damaged tissue without incisions. This encourages the growth of new, healthy, normal-pigmented skin. Although results can take a few months to show, they do last for many years.

è Intense Pulsed Light Therapy

This treatment is a non-invasive method that has shown significant improvement in the visibility of age-spots, melasma, enlarged blood vessels and freckles. Furthermore, it has significantly reduced pain and recovery time in comparison to laser or chemical-related procedures. The delicate upper layer of the epidermal layer is also protected during this treatment.

IPL (Intense Pulses Light) therapy works by applying broad-spectrum light to the deeper layers of the skin. This encourages new skin growth that is similar to the photosynthesis process in plan. Due to these events, there is far less damaged associated with IPL than some laser treatments. However, some patients do require a series of IPL treatments over a course of a few weeks in order to get the desired effect.

è Bleaching Creams

This method is probably the slowest but can be quite effective. Not to mention, this is probably the cheapest of all treatments. Nevertheless, when it comes to bleaching creams opt for the high-quality creams as the wrong creams might have a bad effect upon your skin. Make sure that you choose the cream that is suited to your skin type.

Proper Skincare for You

March 26, 2010 by amber  
Filed under Anti-Aging Strategies

As with all the organs in the human body, the skin is very essential. It protects the delicate internal environment from the harsh conditions outside. Thus, the skin takes quite a lot of strain on itself.

A proper skin-care regimen is required to obtain healthy and glowing skin. However, this does take quite a bit of effort. Furthermore, it is important that you have the right products to use.

What Type of Skin do you have?

There are five basic skin types according to dermatologists: oily, combination, sensitive, dry, and sun-damaged. This is determined according to oil level produced by your skin. Keep in mind that oil production can be affected by genes, diet, stress, medication and your skin-care regimen.

Here are the five skin types and their qualities:

è Type 1: Oily – this skin type tends to be quite shiny with enlarged pores. Unfortunately, it is prone to blackheads, blemishes, and it might feel tight.

è Type 2: Combination/normal – this type of skin has a smooth and even texture, with medium pores. It has a healthy colour as there is good circulation. However, this skin type is associated with dryness on the cheeks and an oily t-zone.

è Type 3: Sensitive – sensitive skin tends to be thin and delicate with fine pores. Due to these qualities, it does have the tendency to flush easily and is prone to broken capillaries. Moreover, having this skin type would mean that you are likely to get rashes as the skin is allergic to many foreign objects.

è Type 4: Dry – if you have this skin type, it would feel quite tight after washing. Additionally, you are prone to developing fine wrinkles and red patches.

è Type 5: Sun-damaged – aging skin is also referred under this group. This type of skin feels tight with a leathery texture. As with Type 4, this type of skin is also prone to broken capillaries.

You should plan your skin-care regimen based on the type of skin you have.  Skin products are made based on the five types of skin. If you use the wrong product for your skin type, then it is highly likely that you could either end up with a rash or get a whole bunch of zits. So make sure you plan your skin-care treatment properly.

 

 

Tips for a Good Skin-Care Regimen

è Invest in a good cleanser

Find a cleanser that is suitable for your skin type. You do not need to find an expensive branded cleanser. There are perfectly good, less expensive cleansers at your local drugstore.

Do not opt for a soap bar as it can just dry out your skin. Instead, go for a creamy cleanser if you have dry skin or a clear cleanser if you have oily skin.

Once you find the perfect cleanser, be sure to only cleanse at night. Use a dime-sized bit of cleanser, and then rinse off with cool or lukewarm water. Remember to use make-up remover to remove any make-up before you cleanse. You do not want to be running around in pain if eyeliner runs into your eyes.

è Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate!!!

This is quite an essential step that is forgotten most of the time. Remember that exfoliation is the key to looking more youthful.

There are several ways to exfoliate the skin:

Microdermabrasion – works by removing the top layer of dead skin cells that dull your complexion. Using this method once a week will be a sure way to obtain glowing skin year-round. Make sure that you use a gentle scrub with tiny grains.

Chemical peels – although costly, chemical peels are known to take years off your face.

Retinoids – this removes the top layer of dead skin cells whilst generating collagen in the skin.

è Moisturize your way to healthy, glowing skin

No matter the skin type, it is important that you use moisturizer. Nowadays, there are many moisturizers that are made according to the different types of skin. Make sure that you know your skin type before you opt to buy any moisturizers, as the wrong moisturizer can make you skin too dry or too oily.

è Use a sunscreen

One of the greatest threats for your skin is too much of sun. Although tempting, staying out long in the sun can cause many problems for your skin, such as wrinkles. However, if you just can’t resist the temptation to lie outside on a warm summer’s day, then go and slap on some sunscreen. Sunscreens come with different SPFs; therefore, you should make sure you choose the appropriate sunscreen for the weather conditions in your area.

There are many moisturizers that include UV protection nowadays. Do not use these moisturizers with UV properties at night since they are not meant to be used 24/7.

Remember that without your skin, there is no way your body would be able to survive against the harsh external environments. So go ahead and pamper your skin. The right skin-care regimen will help you attain the youthful and healthy skin you want.

Look Younger Naturally

March 23, 2010 by amber  
Filed under Anti-Aging Strategies

Every one of us fears growing old. Not only does this mean that life becomes a tad harder, it also means that our skin is not as youthful and wrinkle-free as it once was. Many resort to buying ineffective lotions and potion or even “going under the knife” to retain their youthful appearance. Nevertheless, there are plenty of pain-free, natural methods to look younger that you can use to look younger, some methods can be even done at home.  

Easy Ways to Look Younger

Here are some easy ways to look younger naturally:

Wear the right type of make-up

One problematic issue that ages a woman is the type of make-up you use. Getting the right type of make-up for your face can be a difficult process. As a rule of thumb, when choosing lipstick shades, do not opt for brown shades. Matte lipsticks have a tendency to add on the years. Instead, opt for the creamier lipsticks or glosses. There are plenty of make-up brands that offer non-sticky glosses, so go ahead for that pouty appeal.

You will want to choose creamy blushes and eye-shadows.  If you choose matte blushes and eye-shadows you will look older than you really are. However, the creamy blushes and eye shadows tend to make skin look plump and healthy.  

Define your eyes

Curl your eyelashes to make your eyes “pop”. It is possible to curl eyelashes after you have applied mascara. Ensure that the mascara has dried well before curling your eye lashes. Curled long eye lashes will definitely define your eyes and make them 10 times larger.

Do not thin out your eyebrows

One mistake that is made by both genders is over-plucking. This can be an awful mistake for the young too. Keep in mind that eyebrows grow less as you grow older. Thus, if over-plucked it is possible you might end up with the very same shape for a long time. If you decide to rebel and do end up over-plucking then there are several ways to undo it. Using an eyebrow pencil to fill in is one of the quickest ways to undo your mistake. If you do not have an eye pencil, use a matching shade of eye-shadow instead.

Healthy teeth and gums

Over time, teeth can become yellow from coffee, wine or other types of stains. White teeth are a good way of looking younger as it gives a sign of being healthy. Over-the-counter whitening teeth strips or even a trip to the dentist can bring out your pearly whites.

Get a good night’s rest

Having a good night’s sleep is an amazingly easy method to look and even feel younger. A proper sleeping pattern will ensure you do not have puffy eyes and dull skin, don’t discount the importance of proper rest to give you more energy and vitality.

Other Ways to Look Young

There are several other methods of looking younger without opting for plastic surgery.

Thermage

If you want that to have a face-lift without the pain, then opt for Thermage. Although the procedure is rather pricey, it is well worth the results.

Thermage is a radio frequency treatment that tightens the skin and helps stimulate collagen production. It is ideal for those who are afraid of going through the pain of surgery as the procedure is not invasive and requires no recovery time at all.

Opt for a Massage

According to aesthetician Joanna Czech, whose regular clients are Uma Thurman and Kate Winslet, a massage is essential if you want to look younger. It is useful if you want to keep your skin nice and firm. You can go for massages at any age. Furthermore, it is cheaper than Thermage.

Massaging is an excellent way to give your face muscles a work out. This is ideal for improving blood circulation, which in turn enhances the nutrients and oxygen being delivered. Due to this, collagen fibres within the skin retain their elasticity making skin look and feel younger.

It is best to have regular facials in order to maintain healthy skin. In addition, it is an excellent method of minimizing cellulite as well.

Balanced Diet is Essential

Your diet can affect how old you look. Certain types of food can cause skin to age by increasing inflammation and free radical production. Nevertheless, there are certain types of food that work in exactly the opposite way; thus, slowing down the process of aging.

 Opt for “white-colored” seafood, and green or white non-starchy vegetables. Food that is high in carbohydrates or fat only accelerates the aging process; thus, steer clear of these types of food.

It is always best to opt for natural methods to look younger as it would be less stressful for you and your skin. Adding natural methods to your daily regiment takes a little effort, but the end result is fully worth the time.

Guide To Staying Young

November 6, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Anti-Aging Strategies

When you want to stay young you want to do it in a healthy way. The more that you do things to help yourself become a healthier person, the more that you will take years off of your age. When you are trying to become a healthier person you want to start by putting healthy stuff into your body. Every thing that you do to help yourself become healthier will help you to look and feel younger.

You should start with a good nutritional supplement. Choose one which contains a number of vitamins and minerals. You also want one that offers you a good amount of antioxidants. By taking this nutritional supplement you will be able to boost your immune system, cleanse your system, and slow down the effects of premature aging. The reason the supplement will slow down the aging process is because it will actually slow down the aging of your cells. Not only will you feel younger, but you will look younger as well.

Make sure that you take care of your health by eating right and exercising. You should get regular exercise. You can do this in a number of ways. You may decide to join a local gym and go to it at least a few times a week. If you don’t have the time to commit to going to a gym then you can exercise at home. A good workout DVD can help to get you on the right track. There are a lot of workout products that you can keep at home to help you such as an exercise ball and hand weights. If you know of a friend or neighbor that is also wanting to begin an exercise program then you can make plans to get together with them a few times a week, this will help you to keep each other motivated.

You want to treat your skin good, it is what will have you looking great. One of the most important ways of staying young looking is making sure that your skin is in very good health. It’s not hard to take care of your skin properly, yet few people take the couple of minutes it takes out of their day to do it. Make sure that you exfoliate and moisturize. You want to wear sun block when you are out of the house and take off all of your makeup at night before you go to sleep. These tips will help you with staying young.

Slow Down The Effects Of Aging

November 6, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Anti-Aging Strategies, Featured

When you begin to see the signs of aging showing up in your life, you will want to put a stop to this right away. You will want to do everything in your power to slow down the effects of aging, no one wants to show their age to the world. There are many ways in which you can help to slow down the effects of aging that will have you looking and feeling better for longer. You will want to make sure that you take care of your inside, as well as your outside. How you care for your health will play a major role in how your body handles aging.

You want to make sure that you give your body all of the nutrients that it needs to stay healthy. You can do this by making sure that you eat a healthy diet, drink a lot of water, and add a good nutritional supplement into your daily regimen, such as an Acai Berry supplement. By doing these things you will be providing yourself with the proper vitamins and nutrients that will help you to stay healthy and slow down the effects of the aging process.

Another way that you can slow down the effects of aging are to make sure that you live an active lifestyle. You will want to be sure to get regular exercise. You should be exercising at least three times a week for twenty minutes each time. As you become healthier you will want to increase your exercise sessions to at least five times a week at an hour each. You want to keep stress out of your life as much as you can too. When you are a person that is under a lot of stress, or doesn’t handle stress well, you can age faster.

You can slow down the effects of aging on your skin by caring for your skin properly. You want to make sure that you always wear sun block when you are going to be outdoors. Make sure that you wear it even when it is a cloudy day, or overcast. Sun block will help protect your skin from the suns rays which can cause your skin to become dry, causing wrinkles. It also helps to prevent uneven skin tones and helps to prevent you from skin cancer. Moisturize your skin daily to keep it healthy and fend off wrinkles.

Maintain Your Youthful Appearance

November 6, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Anti-Aging Strategies

There are many ways in which you can help your body to maintain your youthful appearance. You want to make sure that you know how you can keep yourself looking and feeling young. Nobody want to age before they have to, it can make you feel tired and look older. There are a lot of things that you can do to slow the aging process down and help yourself to maintain that youthful appearance for much longer.

You will want to care for your skin. The way that your skin looks is the most important way of looking younger to others. When you have young and healthy looking skin, you will appear younger than you are to others. You will want to make sure that you exfoliate regularly to remove the dead skin cells from your faces surface. You will also want to choose mineral makeup, it is better for your skin and also has youthful appearance promoting minerals in it. Remove your makeup before you go to sleep each night so that you won’t clog your pores and dry out your skin. Wear a good sun block when you go outdoors, regardless of the weather. Make sure that you moisturize daily, this will help to prevent your skin from becoming dry, which can promote wrinkles.

You need to take care of your health to maintain your youthful appearance. Take a good nutritional supplement that will offer your body extra vitamins, as well as antioxidants and other nutrients. A natural supplement will help you to have more energy, better concentration, fight off illnesses, and cleanse your body. You need to eat a lot of foods that are high in vitamins and fiber. Make sure to begin an exercise regimen to help you stay healthy and shed any extra pounds that you may need to lose.

Stress can make you age quite a bit. While we will all experience stress, the way that you cope with it is important in helping you to maintain your youthful appearance. You want to make sure that you still sleep well, even when you are under stress. Try to lighten your load and get rid of the stresses that you can. Talk to people to get some of it off of your chest. By helping to alleviate as much of the stress that you can from your life you will not only feel much better, but look better as well.

How To Maintain A Youthful Look

November 6, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Anti-Aging Strategies, Featured

No one wants to age, unfortunately it happens to everyone. However, there are many things that you can do to maintain a youthful look. The way that you care for your body, as well as your skin will play a huge part on how fast you show signs of aging. You want to make sure that you do all that you can to help yourself to maintain a youthful look for yourself. Here are some ways in which you can fight off the effects of premature aging:

The first thing that you will want to do to help yourself maintain a youthful look is to make sure that you protect your skin from the damaging effects of the suns harsh rays. You will want to wear a good sun block when you are going to be out in the sun. You will want to wear sun block even when it is cloudy outside. Make sure that you apply it fifteen minutes before you are going to be out in the sun and continue reapplying it every two to three hours while you are still going to be outside. By wearing sun block you will be helping to prevent unsightly sun spots, uneven skin tones, wrinkles, and skin cancer.

You will also want to eat well, the way that you eat will help you to maintain a more youthful look. You will also be healthier on the inside which will help you to be more active and keep your body in better shape. It is best if you eat well balanced meals that include healthy portions from all of the food groups. Make sure that you drink a lot of water throughout the day. Water is extremely important to your health and will help your skin to continue to look beautiful and healthy.

A good daily supplement can help you to continue to maintain your youthful look. Supplements like Acai Berry supplements will provide you with a variety of benefits which will help you look younger longer. If you take a look at the Acai Berry, it is an antioxidant which helps to prolong the effects of premature aging by slowing down the aging process of your cells. This is a great way to add something into your daily regimen which will help you stay younger looking longer. By following the above tips you will look beautiful and feel great at the same time.

Beauty Tips To Help You Look Younger

November 6, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Anti-Aging Strategies

If you have begun to look in the mirror and see yourself looking older than you would like, then you will want to know how you can fight the effects of aging and maintain healthy skin which will help you to look younger. There are a lot of things that you can do to help you to look younger. Every step that you take to make your body and skin become healthier will help you to look better. Once you begin to take care of yourself properly you will be able to take years off of your appearance. These simple beauty tips will help you to look younger:

Make sure that you care for your skin in a proper way on a daily basis. You should wash your face with a soft facial cleanser. You do not ever want to use bar soap on your faces delicate skin because it can dry your skin badly and lead to the appearance of wrinkles.

Don’t use an abrasive wash cloth on your face as it can damage your fragile skin. Then you want to put a moisturizer on your face, you should always use one that contains a sun block when you are going to be spending any time outside, even on a cloudy day.

You will want to exfoliate regularly. The amount that you exfoliate will depend on how harsh of a product you use, as well as the type of skin that you have. Someone with oily skin will want to exfoliate more often than someone with normal skin. If you use a very gentle product then you can exfoliate more often, about two to three times a week.

When you wear makeup you will want to make sure that you don’t wear a very oily or heavy type. Instead, you want to choose makeup that is light. Try to purchase mineral makeup. Not only is it easier on your skin, but it also contains ingredients that are good for your skin.

A lot of the mineral makeups also come with a skin block already in them, this is helpful in protecting your skin from the suns rays. You want to remove your makeup before you go to bed by using a gentle makeup remover or a gentle facial cleanser. You will also want to change your pillow case often so that you don’t collect oils on your face while you sleep. By taking the steps to treat your skin well you will be helping yourself to look younger for years to come.

A Daily Routine To Look Younger

November 6, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Anti-Aging Strategies

When you begin to see the signs of aging on your health and the way that you look, you will want to do  everything that you can to make sure that you take the proper steps to help yourself with looking younger. There are many ways in which you can help yourself to obtain a more youthful look. You will want to stay consistent with your daily routine and make sure that you take the time every day to care for yourself.

Start by washing your face in the morning, you will want to use water or a face cleanser. Use your hands or a soft towelette, never wash your face with bar soap because it will dry your skin. Dry skin can lead to wrinkles and it will be irritated and itchy.

You want to be sure that you exfoliate on a regular basis, about twice a week for those with regular skin and as much as three times a week for those with oily skin. If you have skin conditions, such as eczema then you will want to exfoliate less than others.

Put a gentle moisturizer on that is right for your skin type. You may have to try a few different moisturizers before you find one that is right for you. You should apply it to at least your face, neck, hands, and feet. These are the areas that will show the effects of aging the most. You will also want to scrub your feet regularly to get the dead skin off of them and help to keep them soft.

Wear sun screen whenever you are going to be outside to protect your skin from the sun. You will want to make sure to wear it even if it is overcast or cloudy outside because the suns rays can still damage your skin. You should apply it to all of your skin that will be exposed. By protecting your skin from the sun you will be helping yourself to look good and looking younger.

You will want to add a nutritional supplement to your daily diet. Make sure that you take one that is high in vitamins and antioxidants, this will help you to be healthier and also looking younger by slowing down the aging process of your cells. A nutritional supplement will also give you a lot of other health benefits that will leave you feeling and looking great.