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Skin care treatments
are abundant in today’s world. They include everything from cosmetic surgery, laser surgery, botox injections and chemical peels to at-home microdermabrasion and peels. Chemical peels are quite popular and can be performed by dermatologists and plastic surgeons. They provide facial rejuvenation benefits by removing the top layers of the skin to reduce the appearance of sun damage, wrinkles and uneven pigmentation. Peels are divided into light, medium, and deep peels. A light peel can improve fine lines and wrinkles and help the texture and smoothness of the skin. Medium peels can remove fine and some medium depth wrinkles and lines. Scarring, although rare, can occur from medium depth peels, and they require some “down” time. Deep peels are quite effective in deeper wrinkles such as these that appear over the upper lip, but these peels have a higher risk of scarring and usually require two weeks for recovery. Laser resurfacing is also very effective at removing fine wrinkles, and has a lower risk of scarring. It is a more gentle way of removing the outer layers of the skin to remove damaged or unevenly pigmented skin, and it also stimulates the production of collagen. In general, a fresher, smoother complexion is achieved with this procedure.
Retinol cream ( a topical vitamin A cream) has received a lot of publicity in recent years, and it does seem to improve the appearance of skin over a period of time. However, it’s not for everyone, as it can cause skin irritation, sun sensitivity, peeling, and requires a medical prescription. Alpha hydroxy acids also give remarkable results, making the skin softer and a younger looking appearance, plus they lack most of the irritating side effects. There are many other lotions, creams and serums that you apply to the skin yourself at home that don’t require a prescription. They may contain ingredients such as shea butter, mineral oil, aloe vera gel, vitamins A, E, or C and other moisturizing agents. Peptides are another relatively new ingredient added to anti-aging creams and serums that seem to be effective in helping complexions look younger. They have been shown in clinical trials to boost collagen production in skin cells. Peptides are made of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, an important component of all cells.
Microdermabrasion is another effective method to help diminish age spots and light acne scars, and reveal softer, smoother skin. The procedure is often called a "lunchtime" wrinkle treatment because it can be performed quickly in a cosmetic dermatologist's office. The physician uses a handheld instrument to spray tiny crystals onto the surface of the skin. The crystals gently exfoliate the skin's upper layers, while light suction simultaneously removes the crystals and dead skin cells. There are also many microdermabrasion products available for use at home that do nearly as good a job as those done in a dermatologist’s office.
Laser skin tightening is an advanced treatment that uses infrared light to tighten the skin without surgery. The light delivers heat to layers beneath the skin’s surface, stimulating collagen production and making the skin look tighter. It’s an alternative to the traditional face lift, requires no anesthesia, no scalpel, and no downtime.
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