The Road to Perfect Skin
Nobody has "perfect skin" - but you can improve what you've got.Warts, moles, skin tags, acne, wrinkles, you name it, you'll find all the best solutions here.
Look your best, feel your best with smooth, lovely, touchable skin.
Tips for for beautiful, smooth skin
Remeber, real beauty of the skin starts from the inside. For great looking skin you need fresh air, exercise, a proper diet, minerals and vitamins as well as protection from the sun.
Don't just put skin cream on your skin, thinking it is going to make it soft and smooth. Skin cream on the skin may feel soft and smooth, but if you want you to get the most benefit from that cream, dampen your skin first before adding the cream. That way the cream will help retain the moisture in the skin.
Don't neglect exercising like walking and building up your muscle tone. Muscle tone keeps skin from looking so saggy.
And of course you need to keep your skin clean. That doesn't mean scrubbing your face. Faces should not be scrubbed. Same goes for your back. If acne is your problem, the more you scrub on it, the more it'll get worse due to the trauma to your skin.
Try a warm face cloth with a non-chemical soap, patted. A good gentle rinse afterwards. Then dry your face gently with a soft clean towel. And remember, do not use soap on your face, especially if you have dry skin.
The Basics
There are four major components that make up a successful skin
rejuvenation regimen. When used together, they will help keep the
skin cells alive and stronger for a greater length of time.
1. Moisturizer - a good moisturizer that penetrates deeply into the
skin will help reduce sunspots, fine lines, and wrinkles. Some
skin types may require a larger or smaller amount of moisturizer to
produce the desired results.
2. Antioxidants - antioxidants can stop the oxidation process that
leads to the visible effects of skin aging.
3. Sunscreen - protects you from harmful UV rays and keeps your
skin looking smooth and young.
4. Exfoliation - an external form of exfoliation is helpful to
renew the fresh skin layer. Since there are seven layers to the
skin, you will want an exfoliation tool that reaches at least
several layers down.
Although the first three components are very important, if you
already have any of the skin problems mentioned above, then only
exfoliation will help to get rid of them. This will be our main
focus throughout this email series. We will also provide you with
other recommendations for the first three components.
For more
information on how to achieve beutiful skin see www.skin-care-resource-center.com
Part 1: TCA and Phenol Peels
TCA (Trichloroacetic Acid) peels are a very effective way to removethe outer layers of skin and are used by dermatologists and
certified salon estheticians for lightening and evening the skin. This
treatment does burn the outer layers of skin and carries with it
some discomfort and risk of infection. It all but removes the outer
layers of skin and there is a healing time of about one and a half
to two weeks.
TCA's come in several strengths and recently were approved for
limited home use. However, we do not feel that these are to be
fooled around with - this is a real acid and needs to be applied by
a certified salon specialist or a dermatologist.
WHEREVER the acid goes it burns off skin. If it runs down the neck
it will remove that skin, if it gets on the hands it will remove
that skin, and if it gets in the eyes it will cause burns that can
result in blindness.
By using a TCA peel the results can be good as it works deep enough
to help improve superficial discoloration, fine lines and wrinkles,
and very mild acne scarring. However, the peels can be and often
are very painful.
You need to understand TCA's will not do anything for moderate to
severe acne scarring, age spots, photo-aging, sun damage, or deep
lines and wrinkles. Multiple peels must also be performed over a
period of time to get really good results. Application of an
antibacterial/antibiotic cream is required post peeling.
Total cost of a full-face TCA chemical peel averages $2,000. If you
wish to have only a portion of your face peeled, such as the area
around your mouth or the area around your eyes, you will pay about
$1,200.
Phenol peels act in much the same way as the TCA peels but are very
strong and are required to be performed by a medical professional. We
don't recommend you to use Phenol peels, as they are being replaced
by the milder glycolic and TCA peels in the dermatological profession.
If you can still find a dermatologist to perform a Phenol peel for
you, the treatment will more than likely cost from $3000 up to $6000
for the entire face.
To help you combat and remove any of the skin problems mentioned at
the beginning of this email, we recommend for you to give our Skin
Culture Peel a try! This is a natural mixture that has been in use
since the 1930's. It provides the same results as the stronger phenol
and TCA peels, but without burning the skin or risk of infection.
It is much less expensive to use, only requiring 90 minutes a day for
just six days to get amazing results. The peels are also 100% safe and
have been approved for home use by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration.)
We hope this information today has been helpful. The next email with
Part 2 should arrive in your mailbox very soon... be on the look out
for it!
For more
information on how to achieve beutiful skin see www.skin-care-resource-center.com
Part 2: Glycolic Peels
Glycolic acid peels have become very popular today. Glycolic acid,
which is a naturally occurring substance (alpha hydroxyl acid)
found in sugar cane, softens and loosens the dry, dead cells that
form a barrier layer on the surface of the skin. During the
glycolic peel process, the skin sheds these dead cells, and a new
layer of cells is revealed resulting in a smoother, moister, and
fresher skin surface.
These types of peels do not damage or burn any live cells, and are
only able to remove the two outermost layers of the skin -
depending on the strength used. Glycolic peels are only good for
helping skin tone and texture. They can leave the skin softer and
more even toned, but usually take 4-6 treatments over a period of
three months to be noticeable.
After every treatment, you may notice a slight redness lasting no
more than a couple of days. You may also experience skin flaking
five to six days after the treatment, but this will eventually
disappear.
Since glycolic peels are not strong enough to penetrate past the
first two layers of the skin, they will not be able to do anything
for moderate to severe acne scarring, age spots, photo-aging, sun
damage, or fine lines and wrinkles. Even higher strengths will
have minimal impact on an individual's appearance when it comes to
these types of skin problems.
Glycolic peels are usually priced by the peel or individual
session. Cost ranges anywhere from $75 (lower strength) up to $250
(higher strength) per peel or session. Although at first glance
glycolic peels seem to be a fairly inexpensive option, the ongoing
costs and limited results can make a big dent in your pocket book
in a hurry.
For more
information on how to achieve beutiful skin see www.skin-care-resource-center.com
Part 3: AHA Peels
Alphahydroxy acids (AHAs), such as lactic or fruit acids are themildest of the peel formulas and produce light peels. These types
of peels can provide smoother, brighter-looking skin for people who
can't spare the time to recover from a medium or deep peel.
AHA peels may be used to treat fine lines, areas of roughness or
dryness, and uneven pigmentation (by being mixed with a bleaching agent.)
Various concentrations of alphahydroxy acids may be applied weekly
or at longer intervals to obtain the best result. Your doctor will
make this decision during your consultation and as the treatment
proceeds.
AHA's are also widely available over-the-counter, working very
slowly over a long period of time to speed up the exfoliation
process. They range in strength from 5% up to 20% generally. The
stronger ranges (20% and higher) are reserved for more intensive
peeling perform by a doctor or certified esthetician.
AHA peels may cause stinging, redness, irritation, and crusting. Temporary
flaking or scaling may also occur. Eventually your skin should
adjust to the treatment regimen and these symptoms will subside.
If not, please consult a physician immediately.
As with glycolic peels, these types of peels are only able to
remove the two outermost layers of the skin - depending on the
strength used. AHA peels can leave the skin softer and more even
toned, but usually take many treatments over a period of three to
six months to have any noticeable improvement.
Please keep in mind alphahydroxy acid peels will not be able to do
anything for moderate to severe acne scarring, age spots,
photo-aging, sun damage, or deep lines and wrinkles. Even higher
strengths will have minimal impact on an individual's appearance
when it comes to these types of skin problems.
AHA peels are usually priced by the peel or individual session. Cost
ranges anywhere from $75 (lower strength) up to $200 (higher strength)
per peel or session. You can also find them over-the-counter at even
lower concentrations and pricing.
Although at first glance AHA peels seem to be a fairly inexpensive
option, the ongoing costs and very limited results they achieve can
cause them to be much more expensive in the long run. If you have
one of the skin problems mentioned previously, you are better off
going with a different skin rejuvenating option.
If your skin problem is very mild, then AHA peels might work wonders
for your skin. Please consult with your general practitioner or dermatologist
about them, and they should be able to help you or point you in the right direction.
For more
information on how to achieve beutiful skin see www.skin-care-resource-center.com
Part 4: Dermabrasion
Dermabrasion was developed in the 1960's and involves using amotor-driven burr to remove superficial skin through a process that
is similar to sanding. The removal of superficial skin allows
healthier skin cells to surface and results in smoother texture and
tighter skin.
Dermabrasion is somewhat effective in improving wrinkles and acne
scars, but it is not a miracle cure. Each treatment should have an
improvement of about 20-40%. Therefore, multiple treatments may be
required to achieve your desired result. Some wrinkles and acne
scars may not be removed at all, even following multiple treatments.
Although dermabrasion can improve wrinkles (temporarily), it is not
nearly as effective as a medium to deep chemical peel. There are
also some complications that may occur such as de-pigmentation of
the skin (where the "sanded" area is lighter than the rest of the
skin).
There is also a higher risk of infection with this kind of
procedure than any other kind. The outer layer of skin is
completely removed and the very deep layers of skin are vulnerable
and extremely tender. Pain medication is usually required for
several days after the medical procedure.
Dermabrasion has to be performed by a doctor and may require a
couple of days hospital stay due to the risk of infection. In a few
cases the results have been quite less than acceptable as
additional scarring has been reported in sensitive individuals.
Although dermabrasion can have a lasting effect on acne scars, it
can't do so with wrinkles. They are caused by ongoing muscle
activity and will redevelop within one to five years. The cost of
having a dermabrasion procedure is also prohibitive for the results
achieved. They range from $2000 up to $4000.
For more
information on how to achieve beutiful skin see www.skin-care-resource-center.com
Part 5: Laser Resurfacing Treatments
The goal of laser skin resurfacing is simple: replace damaged skin
with new, fresh skin. Techniques for skin resurfacing have made
enormous advances, allowing consumers to achieve nearly flawless
complexions.
Many systems allow for light, moderate, or deep laser resurfacing. Laser
resurfacing can restore skin to a healthy state, similar to that of
skin that has not experienced sun damage or scarring. With proper
sun protection, results can last for more than five years.
The primary targets of laser skin resurfacing include: fine lines
and wrinkles of the face, loose eyelid skin, crow's feet around the
eyes, pucker marks (smoker's lines) and frown lines, brown spots
and splotchy, uneven skin tone, acne scars, and loose skin around
the neck and jowls.
The area of skin to be treated with the laser is usually locally
anesthetized, so that you will be pain-free during the procedure. If
you are having full face laser resurfacing, an anesthetist might give
you a light general anesthetic so that you will be completely comfortable.
Although laser treatments can provide great results for up to five
years, the process does have some drawbacks. After the treatment,
the treated area will initially be red with a superficial wound. Swelling
around the treated area will occur. It is especially marked in treatment
around the eyes. In 24 to 48 hours, some crusting and mild drainage may
also occur.
Healing following laser resurfacing occurs gradually over
approximately 1-2 weeks, but up to 4-6 weeks. The treated area may
remain red for 1 to 3 months following laser resurfacing. During
the healing phase, special care of the treated area is extremely
important.
An antibiotic ointment will be prescribed, and must be applied
several times a day. If the area develops increased redness and
itching, discontinue the ointment and contact your doctor
immediately. It is important that you do not apply makeup to the
treated area until all the scaling and crusting has healed.
Laser treatments are expensive. Cost can range anywhere from $2000
to $5000 depending on the size of the treated area. On top of the
actual price for one treatment, treating only one part of the skin
with any resurfacing procedure may not produce an even-toned
complexion. Multiple treatments are recommended to achieve the
best results. Talk about taking a hit in the pocketbook!
If you are interested in learning more about laser resurfacing treatments,
please contact your general practitioner or local dermatologist. They should
be able to refer you in the right direction.
For more
information on how to achieve beutiful skin see www.skin-care-resource-center.com
