Latest in Spa or In-Office Treatments
In the late nineties the entire skincare buzz revolved around "lunchtime peels." You could literally go to the dermatology office or medical spa at noon, get your face peeled and be back to work by 1. These mild (relatively speaking) alpha or beta hydroxy acid chemical peels were all the rave at one time and still maintain a solid place on the medi-spa menu, but I'd like to see what's new for this millennium. My pick for this decade in terms of results, little or no down time with few complications is Fraxel laser rejuvenation. But just because it has fewer complications and little down time don't be fooled. It's a big-gun laser that gets the job done. The best way to describe the results you'll see is to use the analogy that the manufacturer themselves use:

Think of your skin as a family portrait or digital photograph in need of high-quality restoration or touch up. Just as a damaged painting is delicately restored one small area at a time, or a photographic image is altered, pixel by pixel, Fraxel® Laser Treatment improves your appearance by affecting only a fraction of your skin at a time with thousands of tiny microscopic laser spots.

This "fractional" treatment allows your skin to heal much quicker than traditional laser rejuvenation because it only resurfaces certain zones, treating them intensively, but leaves surrounding tissue unaffected and completely intact.

By producing thousands of tiny but deep columns of treatment, old pigmented cells are eliminated. The company boasts that the Fraxel laser "allows the skin to heal much faster than if the entire area were treated at once, using the body's natural healing process to create new, healthy tighter tissue to replace skin imperfections." Results are immediate and progressive. Optimal improvement is usually visible in about 2 to 3 months. Typically two to three sessions are needed and are usually scheduled about 2 to 4 weeks apart. Some patients actually return to work and normal activities the same day of treatment while others take more time. A good consultation with the practicing physician before hand will give you some idea of what you can expect individually. Post treatment you will feel a sunburned sensation and then once healing and repair begins you will notice bronzing (lasting between 3 and 14 days) and flaking. No worries though, after the healing period you will reveal a beautiful more youthful you! One more perk if a more youthful you still doesn't seem worth going through the treatment. Over the next few months the deeper dermal layer that was once affected by the Fraxel treatment begins to repair. So just when you thought you've already seen your results, you're still getting more. Join this millenium and get my pick for the best skin treatment available. It's wrinkle treatment, squared, exponentially speaking!

Is it just me; or do we all want instant gratification? When I get in the mood to treat myself to a little facial injectable or wrinkle treatment I never get anything that works over a period of time. I want to sashay out of the medi-spa results in tow!Well, lucky for me, the dermal filler Radiesse does both. Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Leave with instant results knowing that over the next month or two the results will only improve. Still not enough incentive to change your ways? Try this perk on for size. Radiesse can last twice as long as other leading fillers.Radiesse is an injectable filler best suited for deep wrinkles such as the nasolabial folds. It is made of calcium-based microspheres suspended in a natural gel. These microspheres create a "scaffold" to support your own natural growth of collagen. Simply put, "it rebuilds your skin's own foundation."

Over a quarter a million people have used it with safe and effective results. It has been clinically tested and is FDA approved. As with any treatment or procedure there may be side effects. However those with Radiesse seem to be mild. Be sure to discuss any risk or side effects with your practitioner before undergoing injections. Radiesse is comparable or a tad more expensive than other dermal fillers initially, but in the long run seems to be a money saving value due to its long lasting results. However, it is not permanent and over time the tiny calcium based microspheres will gradually break down into calcium and phosphate ions which are safely absorbed into your body, leaving your own collagen kept in its proper place.I don't know about you, but I'm ready to change my impatient ways!

It's a given that your skin reflects your general health; therefore it makes sense that exercise, proper nutrition, sleep and good psychological health will shine through your outer appearance and make your skin glow. But did you know that one of the best things you can do for your skin is to have sex? According to past studies and some well-known dermatologists there are a number of factors that equate having sex with having a peaches and cream complexion. One being the toxins that are flushed away from heat and sweat, and another being the estrogen that is released during sex along with the boost in circulation that sends blood to the elastin fibers and collagen causing the facial skin to be plumped up thereby diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Now that's the apotheosis of a win-win!