Looking good is second nature to me. During my 11 years as a model, having good skin and a great body was a must. It was part of work. I always aimed to be the best so I tried to look my best all the time. Now, it has become a part of my lifestyle. I no longer model, but I still have the same rigid standards for myself. I am my worst critic.
Let’s face it. First impressions are set through our physical attributes. What we have to say and the way we behave just follow. This is reality. So if you want to succeed in anything you want to do, make this reality a part of your life – this underlying pressure to look polished and presentable every day. We are surrounded by images of flawless skin. The most perfect faces we envy in glossy magazines, on television and in the movies have undergone professional makeup, airbrushing or computer manipulations and flattering light effects. In real life, no one is flawless. It takes time and work. Establish fast and simple ways for you to look your best every day. I cannot stress enough that consistency is key.
But this is not what I want to talk about now. For many years, it was taboo to talk about tummy tucks, eyelifts, nose lifts – anything unnatural. Going under the knife was a woman’s deepest, darkest secret! Times have changed. It’s no longer kept secret – now, it’s like going to a salon for a haircut or having your hair color changed. Thanks to Hollywood celebrities, people have become more open to these changes. In the movie and fashion industry, looking good is serious business.
Now, a face-lift isn’t the only route to a youthful look. What are our options? What’s new in dermatological medicine? Let’s take a close look.
Fear no more. Looking younger and fresher is just an injection away – without surgery, scars and recovery time. Worry no more – dramatically reduce laugh lines, crow’s feet and worry lines through Botox. Botox is a brand of botulinum toxin type A, a natural bacteria product, FDA-approved and originally used by ophthalmologists to treat eyelid twitching. It has been used for medical purposes for over 12 years now. A small amount of botulism is injected, using a fine needle, to specific areas of the face. It is used to treat the muscles causing the wrinkles. Relaxing the surrounding muscles allows the skin to smooth out over a period of two to seven days. The effect usually lasts for three to six months, depending on the individual. Studies also show that repeated use may require less treatment for maintenance. The procedure takes only 10 minutes. Why, you can have it during your lunch break! Botox is one of the most popular "mini treatments" today. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, it was the No. 1 cosmetic procedure in the year 2000. It is considered safe and has been widely tested and used for patients with various medical conditions in many countries since 1982. It is also approved for use in children over two years of age with lower limb spasticity. The most common side effects are tenderness and bruising at the treated area. Only a properly trained doctor will ensure that you achieve the best results possible. Consult only a trained professional who can prescribe the optimum treatment to enhance your appearance.
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Collagen Replacement Therapy |
Skin is the largest and most visible organ of our body. It is composed of two layers. The first layer, called the epidermis, acts as a protective barrier and controls the loss of water from cells and tissues. Just beneath it is the dermis, which is primarily composed of protein called collagen. This protein forms a network of fibers that provides the framework for the growth of cells and blood vessels. It is the support structure of our skin. As we age, its elasticity weakens, thus facial lines become more visible. Creams can moisturize or exfoliate the surface of your skin, but they can’t reduce the lines or wrinkles caused by the wearing down of collagen. Collagen Replacement Therapy is a safe non-surgical treatment that smoothes out facial lines and scars and at the same time replenishes the natural collagen support layer under the skin. Zyderm or Zyplast collagen implants
(natural substances derived from purified bovine collagen) are injected just beneath the skin’s surface where the body commonly accepts them as its own. It produces an immediately visible difference. It is important to understand that this treatment is highly individual. The same amount of collagen that would give one person full correction may be inadequate for another. But remember not to overdo it. You don’t want to end up with Goldie Hawn lips in the movie
First Wives Club. The key is natural!
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IPL Photorejuvenation |
Actually, the latest lasers aren’t lasers but rather, intense pulse light (IPL) machines. Not only will the IPL machine not burn the skin’s surface – unlike lasers, which use one wavelength to treat one condition – its multiple wavelengths are able to perform several functions. The breakthrough technology uses innovative laser physics and advanced computer software to successfully treat a range of vascular structures. It works magic on rosacea, varicose veins, spider veins and red birthmarks. Robert Levenson, global marketing manager of Lumenis’ aesthetic division (LPL machine manufacturer), says, "It can treat skin-texture imperfections, broken capillaries and signs of sun damage – all at the same time." This non-invasive treatment erases skin damage without disruption of the skin’s surface. It zaps large blood vessels up to three millimetres in diameter and as great as five millimetres in depth. This enables doctors to treat specific damaged veins. The technology has been so successful that an increasing number of dermatologists are adding it to their menu of facial procedures. IPL requires four to six treatments, usually about three weeks apart. An individual treatment takes about 15 minutes and the pain and side effects are greatly reduced. Most people can resume their usual activities after treatment.
Remember that lasers are specific. They are not "fix-it-all" machines. They are just tools. A doctor’s knowledge of how to use the machine correctly is very essential. It can be useless and harmful if not used properly. Now, the Q-switched Nd: YAG laser machine removes blue, brown, black tattoo pigments, certain brown age spots, freckles, growths, birthmarks and other pigmentation on the skin. The tattoo or pigmentation is usually treated at intervals of two months or longer until the entire pigment is removed. It all depends on the lesion size, location, color, age of the patient and age of the tattoo. The pain is mild – similar to snapping the skin with a rubber band. Some areas are more sensitive than others. Laser surgery may cause a superficial burn on the surface of the skin, which takes several days to heal.
Wouldn’t it be heaven not to shave unwanted hair every day? This laser technology penetrates deeply enough to damage the hair bulb with minimal risk of hypopigmentation and other side effects on patients with darker skin. Studies have shown a significant delay in hair regrowth following several treatments. The treated areas may not be completely hairless after the treatments but the remaining hair may lighten in color and the texture is finer.
There’s just no excuse anymore not to look your best. Advances in dermatological medicine will aid us but how we take care of our skin on a daily basis is still the most important thing. If you opt to try the new technology, make sure to go to a medical dermatologist. Go to someone accredited and trained. There are so many skin clinics mushrooming in the country so be discerning and discriminating.
Remember, never say never. We’ll never know until we reach that point. If you think it will make you look and feel good, go for it. Only you can decide. But please do it for the right reasons. Do it for yourself, not for anybody else. Also, in anything that you do, exhaust all options, study and research before you take the plunge!
Remember that maintaining a skincare regimen is still the best headstart to maintaining good skin. Make time and you will reap the benefits in the future. But still, for me, the best beauty secret is learning to love yourself – flaws and all. Appreciate your own unique features. And accentuate your good points. No one is flawless. We all have our bad hair and beauty days! But often, it’s not our looks but our outlook that counts.
Send queries and suggestions to joyceo@netvigator.com