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Woman getting a facial massage.

Anti-Aging Facial Treatments

The desire to look younger is nothing new, ancient cultures had many potions or elixirs designed to keep a youthful appearance. Breakthroughs in science have provided some incredible anti-aging skincare ingredients, but there is no magic product that will erase years from your face as soon as you apply it. A great skincare routine is a huge part of maintaining a young visage, but when you need a little extra help, there are anti-aging facial treatments available. Below, find out about three of the least invasive, yet effective, anti-aging facial treatments.

Facial Massage
You know if you want to keep your arms and legs looking long and lean you need to work the muscles and keep them toned, but you probably don’t think about your face that way. Ymedisour facial muscles require attention as well to maintain a younger looking face particularly because when your facial muscles are tense, they encourage wrinkles. Julia Baba, an esthetician at The Spa in Toronto’s Four Seasons Hotel, advocates for facial massages saying they are an amazing anti-aging treatment that you can do daily at home and just one to two minutes per day can provide anti-aging results. The main rule when giving yourself a facial massage is to avoid pulling or tugging at your skin. Use different motions like tapping or softly pinching near your eyebrow area and always massage in an upward circular motion because as Baba says, “you want to work against gravity so that everything goes up.”

Woman getting laser treatment.

Energy Facial Treatments
Lasers are a popular and effective method of addressing signs of aging on your face, but they are also a significant investment and may require multiple treatments. Energy facial treatments are growing in popularity as are the number of medispas or cosmeceutical treatments. The energy facial you receive will be based upon the doctor or medispa you visit, but these treatments have one major thing in common: heat. Many treatments use ultrasound, radio-frequency rays or micro-currents to firm your skin. The idea behind energy facial treatments, which you could do on your lunch hour and return immediately to work, is that the heat used “tricks” your skin into believing it has been damaged so that your skin will remedy the problem with an increase in collagen production. Energy facial treatments are non-invasive and provide immediate results, though the results are temporary.

spa you visit, but these treatments have one major thing in common: heat. Many treatments use ultrasound, radio-frequency rays or micro-currents to firm your skin. The idea behind energy facial treatments, which you could do on your lunch hour and return immediately to work, is that the heat used “tricks” your skin into believing it has been damaged so that your skin will remedy the problem with an increase in collagen production. Energy facial treatments are non-invasive and provide immediate results, though the results are temporary.

Facial Fillers
Botox has been around for ages and it continues to be used frequently as a way to treat sagging skin and wrinkles. While women today want to eradicate wrinkles and look younger, many women are concerned that traditional plastic surgery or Botox will look “fake” and “plastic,” and they desire a treatment that reduces wrinkles and leaves them looking younger, but still natural. When done by a skilled cosmetic dermatologist or plastic surgeon, fillers can have a dramatic effect while remaining more natural looking. Hyaluronic acid as a filler is gaining popularity not only because it fills in lines and wrinkles, but it can actually lift problem areas as well. Frederic Brandt, a dermatologist in Miami and New York, says that when done properly, one can expect a replenishment of youthful contours such as chins, jawlines, cheekbones and temples and lifting of the face. On certain areas, you can place the filler under the muscle, which will add volume but also give a more contoured and structural effect.” According to Brandt, these facial fillers can last up to two years, but proceed with caution when selecting a doctor. “The filler is only part of the equation. The technique in which it’s used is an equally or more important part of the treatment,” notes Brandt.

Prevention is key in the fight against aging, so protecting your skin as best as you can early on will result in less work as you age. Always wear an SPF not only on your face, but down your neck and chest too because these areas show signs of aging as much, if not more, than your face. Be consistent with proper skincare and add a facial massage to your nightly routine and when you need more serious help, look for anti-aging facial treatments like the above to give you a younger, yet natural looking face.

Laser treatment

All About Laser Treatments

If you’ve ever considered laser treatments for your skin concerns but have been worried about looking like a lobster for several months, we’ve got some good news. Laser treatments have advanced significantly since their inception and while there are treatments that will leave you looking like you just got a sunburn, there are also procedures and treatments that provide great results with minimal side effects.

What is a Laser and How Does it Work?
The word laser is actually an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. What this boils down to is that lasers work by generating a concentrated stream of pulsed bright light that can be strategically controlled and directed over the surface of the skin. Unlike a regular white light bulb that contains a spectrum of colors, lasers only contain one specific color. These intense rays of light are used to destroy unwanted pigments, hair or other skin concerns. Lasers are classified as either ablative or non-ablative.

Ablative Lasers – Ablative lasers work by targeting the surface of your skin (epidermis) as well as the lower, deeper (dermis) layers of skin. In order to penetrate to these lower layers of skin, ablative lasers injure or ablate the surface of your skin. Ablative lasers can be used to:

  • Fade skin discolorations
  • Remove sun damage
  • Reveal healthier skin
  • Improve appearance of deep lines and wrinkles

Non-ablative Lasers – Non-ablative treatments target the lower layers of your skin, but they leave the surface of your skin undamaged and intact. Non-ablative lasers are used to:

  • Improve or eliminate redness from broken capillaries or rosacea
  • Remove superficial spots
  • Improve appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
  • Stimulate collagen production

Types of Lasers
Laser technology has advanced significantly since the treatments were first offered. Today’s lasers are able to provide more precise results with less damage and side effects. Some of the most common types of lasers used for laser therapy include:

  • CO2 Pulse Laser – This ablative laser is one of the oldest lasers in use. It provides significant results following therapy, but the side effects are intense with the potential for skin to remain red for up to two months following treatment.
  • Erbium YAG Laser – Another ablative laser, this machine is less invasive than the CO2 Pulse Lasers, but it also does not treat wrinkles as deeply as those machines. There is also the Variable YAG Pulse Laser, which is a popular option for its ability to work almost as effectively as the CO2 Pulse, but without as much damage.
  • Fraxels – These non-ablative lasers are some of the most frequently used because they deliver impressive results with minimal side effects and risks. The name is derived from the word fractional, which is how fraxels work. Instead of one, steady stream of light, fraxels pinpoint target the skin with a polka-dot type pattern of light that causes less tissue damage. Fraxels are used for a large range of skin concerns from wrinkles and stretch marks to hyperpigmentation.
  • Long-Pulsed YAG Laser – This laser is also non-ablative and is used mainly for wrinkles and reducing the appearance of acne scars. These lasers, while less invasive than others, provide more subtle results than others.

What to Know Before Laser Therapy
That’s definitely a question for your doctor to decide. If you are considering laser therapy, it is a great idea to do some research, but remember that your doctor is the expert. Look for offices that feature multiple types of lasers, because an office that only has one may use it on your skin to keep your business, but it may not be the most effective or safe treatment for you. Laser therapy costs range widely depending on the type of laser, the number of treatments, your location and what type of laser therapy you are having done. Laser therapies come with varying amounts of pain. The majority of laser treatments do not require numbing before the treatment, but if you are having deeper resurfacing done, your doctor may use “…a topical anesthetic or a combination of a topical and pain injections plus anxiety drugs such as Ativan or Valium,” says Brian Biesman, clinical assistant professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

Laser treatments are an effective way to treat a large number of skin concerns from resurfacing to deep-set wrinkles. Prior to undergoing any type of laser therapy, we recommend doing some research to find a doctor that you trust and the laser treatment that is right for you.

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