Skin Redness

We all know how frustrating unwanted redness can be. Most often it is caused by acne, sunburn, capillaries, bad diet or effects of your recent cosmetic procedure. Usually redness is some kind of your body’s signal that is fighting inflammation and irritation so it is important to take a closer look into it.

Skin Care Products
There’s lots of available products on the market that may reduce redness - La Roche Posay Rosaliac, however in some cases the only solution is to visit at the dermatologist office and use a combination of both, prescribed medication and topical treatment.

Light based treatments are effective for reducing persistent redness. Most common procedures are: Intense Pulsed Light and GentleWaves. Both treatments stimulate your skin’s natural rejuvenation process, leaving your skin soft and youthful.

What if I you have rosacea?
Well, rosacea is still one of the most difficult conditions to treat. Although there’s a number of available treatment options, there’s no cure. Medicine, skin care products or light based treatments can only reduce redness, but there no absolute cure.

“Fighting Acne” what a popular subject these days, however we would like to concentrate on two main ingredients used in many over-the-counter and prescription based products: Salicylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide.

Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl Peroxide in a antibacterial skin care agent that stops bacteria responsible for breakouts plus it dries up existing blemishes. Most popular concentration of this agent is ranging from 2.5% - 10%, products with higher concentration usually are prescription based. Very popular, yet effective skin care line using benzoyl peroxide is Proactiv Solution by Rodan & Fields.

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic Acid has totally different effect, it speeds up cell turn over and slows down the cells shedding inside the follicle to prevent clogging. Salicylic Acid also reduces appearance of whiteheads and blackheads. It is available in concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 2%.

For those with sensitive skin

When you try any kind of skin care product for the first time, please always rub small amount of product and leave it for some time to see if it doesn’t cause irritation.

Sunscreen and driving sounds weird, what these two things have together in common. Well, watch the video :). Our comments: Look at your left hand during summer if you do a lot of driving, it’s always a bit more tanned. Other thing we are really glad FDA finally took a step to approve Anthelios sunscreens, we haven’t even heard one negative opinion about these absolutely the best sunscreens on the market.

Melanoma Skin Cancer patient interviewed at Melbourne Dermatology Skin Care Center. Please view and submit your comments.

The technical name for eyelid surgery is “Blepharopasty.” It is the cosmetic procedure designed to remove the fat deposits and excess skin that can accumulate with age around the eyes. As people age, they can start to notice bags to side, below, and above their eyes. This is due to the muscles weakening and fat accumulating. People who are starting to see signs of aging might look in the mirror and see puffy bags and/or dropping eyelids. These are not the same as crow’s feet or dark circles under the eyes. It’s more of a generally puffiness that results in a person looking tired and old.

Eyelid surgery is done for both the upper and lower eyelids, although not usually at the same time. The plastic surgeon might choose to work on one set, like the upper eyelids, and save the other set for another session. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. The plastic surgeon makes small incisions along the creases of the upper eyelid or right underneath the lashes on the lower eyelids. After the incisions are done, the plastic surgeon will remove excess fat and skin and then close the incisions with very fine sutures.

Recovery from surgery is usually two or three days, however, you won’t be able to use contact lenses for at least a couple of weeks. There can be bruising, redness for up to a couple weeks. As with any surgery, there can also be complications. You might end up with double or blurred vision for a few days. You might get some whiteheads that can be removed later. There might be some light scarring, but it can be hidden with makeup. It is said that some people may have trouble closing their eyes when they sleep. You will have to check with your plastic surgeon to see if further surgery can correct any issues which arise.

Laser treatment for acne was mostly relegated to treating acne scars. However, there is new hope that lasers can also be used to treat active acne pustules in treatment using non-ablative laser treatments. These treatments were generally used to even out skin pigmentation and did not damage the skin’s surface layer, like the acne scar laser treatments; instead it uses light to stimulate collagen growth. The laser pulse works beneath the surface of the skin without producing injury to the outer layers.

Types of Lasers Chosen For Acne

There are many different types of lasers that can be used to treat acne. Copper vapor lasers, pulse dye lasers, and orange/red light lasers are a few that have been used to treat acne. These work by exposing the bacterium to light frequencies that trigger a production of a toxin that kills them.

Other types of laser work by creating a thermal injury to the sebaceous glands. These are InfraRed lasers known by such names as CoolTouch and SmoothBeam. The heat injury is underneath the skin and does not break the surface of the skin, leaving the patient with little visible effects of the treatment and not risking further infection.

Repeated Treatments

The patient will have to be treated several times before the acne subsides. There are very few studies to prove the effectiveness of laser therapy on active acne, though empirical evidence is mounting. If you want to get these treatments, be sure you go to someone who has experience with multiple patients and might foresee any problems with your skin type.

For lasers that remove the top layer of the skin, people with darker skin tone are warned of the risk of skin lightening or darkening in the treated areas. The ablative lasers do not damage the top layers of the skin, so they may not have as a great a risk for people of darker skin tone. Be sure to check with your skin care professional about this issue if you are concerned about the effects of the treatment.

Acne Scarring Laser Treatments

Unlike ablative laser treatments, laser treatments for scarring are done after the acne condition has subsided and the face has no recent outbreaks. The laser is used to remove the top layers of the skin and can cause a burning or itching sensation. It requires multiple treatments and can leave the face red for some time. The skin underneath is exposed which should be smoother and have a more even skin tone too. Most people feel only a mild stinging sensation when the procedure is being done, but you should make let your doctor know if the procedure is more painful.

Laser treatments for acne scarring are very well accepted in the dermatological field. It is a proven technique not only to remove acne scarring but also to reduce visible signs of aging on the face. It does produce a controlled skin injury and for that reason, it cannot be done with active pustules. However, it still remains a very viable method to reduce the aftereffects of acne scarring once the damage is done.

A browlift is also called a forehead lift. It is performed by making an incision on the top of the head, ideally behind the hairline to hide it, and pulling the skin taut to reduce the appearance of furrow on the forehead. It will also bring the upper eyelids up a bit, which is why it is referred to as a browlift. Some people do the endoscopic forehead lift, which minimizes the area that is cut. As with any surgery that relies on incisions, there is a period of time that must be spent healing. In this case the final redness, bruising, and swelling should disappear within three weeks to one month.

The procedure is normally done for patients that are middle-aged who are experiencing the furrowed lines on their forehead known as “worry lines.” The browlift can be done in conjunction with a facelift. This would provide a whole new look, rather than just affecting the forehead and brow area. This can be a lot of surgery to undergo, and complications from surgery need to be understood.

The possible complications from a browlift that is not correctly done are: the inability of the patient to raise or lower the eyebrows or even wrinkle the forehead, scarring around the incisions, hair loss around the incisions, lack of sensation near the incision area, infection, and bleeding.

No cosmetic surgery is permanent and will relax with age. Therefore, you may need additional surgeries, either to correct a complication, or later in life to renew the look. However, if properly done a browlift can add remove the most noticeable vestiges of aging like a wrinkled forehead and sagging brows. This can dramatically alter your appearance and best of all; it can be your little secret. Any incisions done, whether healed or not, should remain under the hairline and not visible to others.

A Botox procedure is a cosmetic procedure that is done by injecting a form of botulism bacteria specifically created for this procedure. It is a toxin that does have a crippling effect on the muscles injected. In fact, that is the main aim of the procedure: to weaken or paralyze the muscles under the skin directly injected. If Botox is injected into the frown lines on the forehead or the crowfeet near the eyes, the results is the lessening of their appearance and more youthful look within three to seven days. The procedure is said to last up to four months, at which point you can have it re-done. Repeated uses can lead to some side effects, including a thinning of the muscles injected.

Botox procedures have become excessively popular. They provide a middle ground between face-lift cosmetics and plastic surgery. They take only a few minutes to perform and last about four months. The procedure has to be repeated, but not as often as creams. You do not have the risk of surgery scars, as it is completely non-invasive. If you don’t mind getting stuck with needles in some odd places of your body, they can produce some dramatic results.

There are some concerns from holistic and natural practitioners with the fact that the procedure is using a toxin to immobilize the muscles under the skin. Botulinum toxin, Botox, is a highly toxic neurotoxin. However, the Botox procedure itself uses very minute quantities of the toxin and is not digested, so there is no risk of fatal food poisoning from the procedure. The FDA approved the use of Botox for cosmetic procedures in April 2002. Improper or excessive dosages of Botox can result in some negative side effects including twitching, facial pain, eyelid droop, headaches, redness at the point of injection and more.

All About Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation can be done a few different ways. The most well known is probably breast implants. This is an invasive procedure that uses saline or silicone implants implanted under the pectoralis major muscle. The procedure for implants takes a couple of hours, and recovering time can be about a week. The scars from the operative procedure can last up to six weeks and will have faded after a few months.

Breast implants are not permanent. How long they last can vary from person to person. The estimates show that approximately 10% fail after five years and need to be replaced. Severe blunt shock or even a stressful mammogram can rupture saline implants. Silicon gel implants may last longer, and do not deflate as much as they leak, however, there is still a lot of research that needs to be done.

There are other methods for breast augmentation, including breast creams and supplements. These are said to work by using natural ingredients that can mimic hormones in the body. One such popular ingredient is saw palmetto. It has been used extensively in European countries to treat prostrate enlargement, but its actual value as a breast augmentation cream ingredient could be disputed. In fact, most of the natural supplements and augmentation creams do not require FDA approval to make claims about breast enhancement, therefore it’s important to review the ingredients and do your own research. You will want to not only look at potential benefits, but risks as well. Some herbal ingredients may seem benign because they are “all natural” but can have devastating results for particular classes of people, like pregnant women or people who are sensitive to allergies.

If you are looking to enlarge your breast area, you should check out whether you even make a good candidate for breast implant surgery. If you opt to try the creams and supplements, just make sure they are safe and that the main ingredient is something that has proven to have some hormonal benefit.

When lasers were first introduced, it might have amused the scientific experimenters to learn that they would soon enter the cosmetics world. There are a number of different lasers used to treat a variety of different beauty problems. Some are used to remove body hair; others are used to treat acne. Ablative lasers are used to remove the top layer of the skin, like a chemical peel or dermabrasion procedure would do. This reveals the younger, fresher-looking skin underneath. It can help to remove discoloration and uneven skin tone, old acne scars, stretch marks, and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. As such, the ablative laser is used in a cosmetic procedure to rejuvenate the skin.

The ablative lasers work by directing an intense pulse of light onto the skin’s surface. The pulse heats the water under the skin to such high levels that the skin and the water instantly vaporize. This procedure is also believed to help the skin produce more collagen, since it will invoke a healing response. Since aging skin loses its ability to create collagen, which contributes to a sagging appearance and wrinkles, the healing response and creation of more collage will give your face a tighter and firmer look.

The procedure requires anesthesia and it can also require pain management after you leave the office. If you resurface the entire face with an ablative laser, you can expect to spend about four to six weeks healing. The healing process itself can include redness, scabs, crusting, and sun sensitivity. You may be told to stay out of the sun for at least a year, if not forever. Since ablative surgery can change the tone of the skin, it is not advised for all skin colors. Check with your dermatologist before undergoing any skin resurfacing using ablative lasers.