The Ten Instructions After Your Facial Laser Resurfacing Procedure

Resurfacing of damaged and wrinkled skin by the laser is a very effective procedure for creating smoother skin with a better texture. Because laser resurfacing is really a big burn and it is on your face, the after care is both significant and a little laborious. Not to mention somewhat psychologically disturbing as you see your face during the first week after treatment. The degree of care needed is dependent on the depth of the laser resurfacing. In general, if the procedure was done in the operating room under some form of anesthesia then it is likely is was DEEP laser resurfacing and the following list of instructions apply. In office-based laser resurfacing, this is either light or medium depth levels and the healing is much faster without the need for extensive after care.

1) Keep all treated areas covered with Aquaphor ointment constantly. Clean the facial wounds gently with Cetaphil soap and cool water every 6 hours or so the first two days and then twice a day thereafter.

2)Aquaphor ointment should be applied liberally to keep the treated areas moist. T he formation of scabs is not desired. If they appear, it is because either not enough ointment is being applied or it is not being applied frequently enough. If scabs do appear, do not scrub, pick, or rub off any of them.

3) The more fluids you drink, the better your skin will heal. Try to drink 8 - 10 ounces of fluid every 2 to 3 hours during the first week after surgery.

4) You should continue oral antibiotics (e.g., Kelfex) for 7 days after surgery.

5) If the area around the mouth was treated, you should continue antiviral medication (e.g., acyvlovir) for 5 days after surgery.

6) Take your pain pills (e.g., Vicodin) as prescribed.

7) You may experience mild itching 3 to 7 days after surgery. Ice packs gently applied on top of the treated areas during the first day or two after surgery will alleviate most itching. For more severe itching, you may try over-the-counter Benadryl 30mg every 6 hours. (this will make you sleepy so no driving)

8) Once the skin is healed (7 - 8 days), apply your regular moisturizer to the the treated areas liberally for the next few weeks to keep it from getting dry.

9) NO make-up until 7 - 10 days after surgery. A mineral-base foundation is is recommened to both conceal the redness and sensitivity of the skin in the first month.

10) Avoid direct sunlight during the first month after surgery. The skin is very sensitive during this early healing phase. After the first week after surgery, wear sunprotection (SPF 30 or higher) for the next 3 months when going to be exposed to the sunlight.

Dr Barry Eppley is a board-certified plastic surgeon in private practice in Indianapolis, Indiana at Clarian Health Systems. (eppleyplasticsurgery.com eppleyplasticsurgery.com) He writes a daily blog on plastic surgery, spa therapies, and medical skin care at exploreplasticsurgery.com exploreplasticsurgery.com

Remove Unwanted Hair With Laser Hair Removal

With summer fast approaching, it's time to de-fuzz and slap on some fake tan to perfect those pins ready for summer.

Ladies have to invest a little more time when it comes to preparing to bare flesh. Body hair is just unacceptable on the fairer sex and it takes real dedication to stay fuzz free every day and smooth to the touch. When such maintenance takes up five or ten minutes of every day shaving, or an hour going for a wax every few weeks, the time adds up and ends up eating into much of our precious free time. That's not even counting the mess of razors and shaving cream, the regular cuts and nicks to our poor skin when we are trying to shave in a rush, and the expense of razors every few weeks.

Those brave enough to go for a wax have an even higher expense to maintain smooth skin, not to mention the pain and raw red skin for at least a few hours after treatment. Both shaving and waxing can result in ingrown hairs which will not appeal to anyone, can be sore and even scar.

As for depilatory creams, I speak from experience when I say those strong chemicals should not be used on sensitive skin that you plan on showcasing. Even those with skin tough enough to bare the chemicals probably don't have noses strong enough to bare the smell. There's little point in having silky legs if the result is smelling like a chemical plant.

As all women know hair removal is a vital part of a beauty routine, but whether you choose to shave, wax or pluck those hairs, they never stay away for very long. That is until you consider the often overlooked option of laser hair removal.

For an initial outlay you can achieve life long hair free areas of your body, and save time and pain by doing so. Adequate methods for hair removal have long been in demand; long-term hair removal with minimal adverse effects is the ultimate goal. Laser hair removal has managed to achieve this and has become established as an effective form of treatment for unwanted body hair. Laser hair removal allows you to forego conventional hair removal methods for good, and all the problems that each one entails.

sknclinics.co.uk/treatments-and-pricing/laser-hair-removal Laser hair removal works via a laser beam or a light pulse which works to destroy the hair follicle so that hair growth slows down. It is pain free, people do not feel the laser entering the skin. You may require multiple sessions, but you can be in and out of the clinic's office within an hour and start to see results the very next day. The best thing about it is its permanent, meaning that if you invest some time and money in removing fuzz this summer, the rest of your summers and all the days in between you will never have to think about it.

About the Author
Seleena Kajla-Pawar - sk:n was established in 1990 and is the UK's leading provider of skincare treatments and products including: sknclinics.co.uk/treatments-and-pricing/botox Botox, laser hair removal and laser tattoo removal.

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For interviews, images or comments contact:
Seleena Kajla-Pawar
Online Marketing Manager
Email: s.kajlapawar@sknclinics.co.uk

Is Home Laser Hair Removal Really Worth It?

In the endless search for the perfect body, the market for high-end electrical equipment such as home laser hair removal treatment is a growing industry. Advances in technology have meant that women (and an increasing number of men) who want to remove 'unsightly' hair can now do so in the privacy of their own bathroom, rather than having to go to a specialist clinic. But there are still considerable concerns as to the safety of such equipment in the hands of those not fully trained to use such devices.

The biggest problem is that home laser hair removal devices are approved for use on areas such as the legs, but not on more delicate areas such as the face or the bikini area. If used incorrectly, home laser hair removal devices can still burn the skin, causing painful blisters and tissue damage. Although these devices are designed not to discharge unless closely applied to the skin, it is possible that if used on the face around the eye area an accidental slip of the hand might cause the laser to be activated directly into the eye, which can cause irreparable damage and possibly even blindness.

The key to effective permanent hair removal is using the correct laser for a particular skin type. Professionally trained practitioners will be able to adjust their equipment according to the skin type. By their very nature, home laser hair removal equipment is generic and therefore may not suit particular skin types. At best, the result may be unsatisfactory, with regrowth despite treatment. At worst the skin could be damaged, causing painful blisters or even scarring.

Another thing to consider about home laser hair removal products is that they are particularly unsuitable for some skin types, such as African or darkly pigmented skin. At the other end of the spectrum, some very pale skin types (particularly redheads and blondes) may also find home laser kits extremely harsh on delicate skin.

Laser technology as applied to the beauty industry is still in its infancy, which is why many products on the market are severely limited in what they can actually achieve. Laser technology brings with it an element of risk, which is why home laser hair removal equipment should not really be considered as a replacement for a professional procedure at an established clinic. The process required to sever the hair follicle in the subepidermal layer of the skin requires a great deal of energy that only large, commercial machines are capable of producing. Home laser treatment is still not as effective as that carried out in a professional clinic resulting in treatments that may take a very long time to do anything but the smallest areas of skin. As such they may be seen to be perhaps a complementary treatment to be used in between sessions.

It is also important that the equipment you use for home laser hair removal treatment is genuine and conforms to all health and safety guidelines. Cheaper equipment may seem like a cost-effective alternative to a lifetime's supply of hair removal creams and razors, but if there is any doubt to its authenticity as a genuine product (and not some cheap imitation), then there have to be severe doubts as to its safety. Recent studies have shown that many devices promoted for home hair removal have such low energies they will never cause permanent hair reduction.

Laser hair removal in the beauty industry has really developed from the expansion of the use of lasers in such procedures as laser tattoo removal, but, as stated earlier, it is still in its infancy. In this instance, maybe it is better to leave the use of such potentially dangerous equipment in the hands of professionals who are fully trained and experienced in its operation. The cost of the consequences should it go wrong far outweigh any perceived saving that home laser hair removal may promise.

Dr Sean Lanigan -Consultant Dermatologist - sk:n was established in 1990 and is the UK's leading provider of skincare conditions treatment and products including: sknclinics.co.uk/skin-treatments/laser-hair-removal.html laser hair removal, laser tattoo removal & acne treatments.

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Stretch Mark Removal - Get Rid of Striae With New Fractional Laser Treatment

Stretch marks, also called striae, are one of the most frustrating problems I have encountered in my 25 years of plastic surgery practice. They are such a common problem, affecting a majority of women who have had children, no matter how careful they have watched their weight during pregnancy and no matter how hard they have worked to regain their shape and fitness after childbirth. In recent years, the use of steroids has caused stretch marks in many young men who have worked very hard at body building and fitness. What has frustrated me most is that I have had very little to offer my patients that effectively removes stretch marks.

Time and again I have read articles or seen presentations at meetings which claim that the laser can remove stretch marks and striae, but close observation of the results of good clinical studies have been too disappointing for me to try these therapies on my patients. Until now, I could only offer a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty surgery, which only partially removes the problem from the lower abdomen, and I have had no solution for other body areas.

Recently, however I have been very impressed with the significant removal and improvement I am seeing in laser stretch mark removal using a combined technique with the Starlux 1540 non-ablative fractional erbium laser resurfacing technique combined with the Starlux LuxIR Deep infrared skin tightening technique. This technique was developed by an Italian doctor named Dr. DeAngelis and a man from Palomar Medical laser company named Richard Benkowski. The results of this new laser technique are the first I have see that show nearly complete removal of even mature striae.

What Causes Stretch Marks and Striae?

The skin covering our body consists of the outer surface that we see called the epidermis and a deep pink layer called the dermis. The dermis is the pink tissue we see after the epidermis has been scraped off for example when we scrape our knee. The dermis supports our skin, plumps the skin, gives the skin substance and elasticity. Elasticity is the skin component which allows our skin to stretch, move and return to a normal shape after being stretched.

During pregnancy, the skin of the abdomen stretches to many times its normal size as the baby grows. After the baby is delivered, the skin's elasticity in the dermis, contracts to bring the abdominal skin back to its normal shape.

During skin stretching, if the dermis expands too much or too fast, the dermis can break, split or rupture. These breaks in the dermis of the skin cause a wide depressed scar which is called a stretch mark or striae.

If you look at a striae under the microscope you see a defect or space in the dermis where the dermis has been ruptured or split. The use of steroid medications also causes striae even without tension or pulling on the skin. The mechanism of the striae caused by steroids is a direct damage or dissolving of collagen in the dermis by the steroid medication. Very rapid growth spurts during adolescence or even in adults who are weight lifting and have rapid muscle expansion, can also cause rupture of the dermis and striae.

The basic building block of the dermis is collagen. Collagen is the main ingredient in the dermis and collagen fibers are ruptured and damaged in the dermis beneath the striae.

How Do We Remove Stretch Marks and Striae?

Removal of stretch marks and striae requires building new collagen in the dermis of the skin to replace the lost collagen and tightening of the skin to bring the stretched skin back together. To date, the only mechanism available to produce new collagen in the dermis and to tighten skin has been with heat produced by lasers, infrared energy and other forms of heat energy.

When the collagen in the dermis is heated to 66 degrees centigrade, the collagen shrinks and tightens, and the collagen is stimulated to remodel and grow new collagen.

This principle is used in all forms of laser and light energy skin rejuvenation, skin tightening, and wrinkle removal treatments. Examples are the Starlux 1540 and 2940, Fraxel, Fraxel repair, ActiveFX, DeepFX, Refirme, Affirm, Thermage, Titan, and LuxIR Deep technologies.

How Does the Starlux 1540 Laser Treatment and the LuxIR Deep Stretch Mark Removal Therapy Work?

The Starlux 1540 fractional erbium non-ablative laser goes deep into the dermis to heat the collagen to 66 degrees centigrade and promote the growth and production of new collagen to replace the collagen lost in the dermis in the stretch mark. The Starlux 1540 also causes collagen shortening which tightens skin. The Starlux 1540 works down to about 1000 microns deep in the dermis. That is about half of the depth of the skin.

The LuxIR Deep is a fractional Infrared device which delivers heat to the very deepest layers of the dermis, deeper than the 1000 microns affected by the Starlux 1540. These deeper layers are where the elasticity of the dermis resides. Thus the LuxIR Deep adds not only new dermal collagen production but also adds significant skin tightening.

Both of these devices are called fractional because the heat is delivered into small partial areas of the skin instead of the entire skin surface. Because untreated areas of skin are left, the skin does not slough or peel, thus no skin is removed or ablated. Thus non-ablative laser and light treatment.

These non-ablative treatments leave the skin intact so that no surface healing is required-no down time, unlike the old time laser resurfacing which required 2-3 weeks for skin healing.

What Is the Starlux 1540 Laser Treatment and the Starlux LuxIR Deep Treatment for Stretch Marks Like?

Topical anesthetic or numbing cream is applied to your skin before the Starlux 1540 treatment to make you more comfortable. Cold packs also are very helpful. The LuxIR Deep has its own skin cooling device and is not painful.

These combined treatments take time. A lower abdomen can take an hour and a half for the combined treatment. Larger areas can take longer.

Once your treatment is over, your skin will be pink but usually otherwise normal. There is typically no blistering, peeling or skin injury which requires dressings and wound care. A soothing ointment is applied after your treatment and you go home.

How Long Until I See Results?

You will see improvement about a month after the treatment. New collagen production does reach a peak for 3 months. It will be 6 months after your last treatment to see a final result. Typically 5 to 6 treatments are required.

Remember, we are stimulating the dermis of your skin to repair and heal the dermis with new skin plumping collagen and skin tightening. It took 9 months to form the striae, so expect that it will take at least 6 months after your last treatment to see a good result and at least a year to see a full result.

Depending on the severity of your striae, you may need more treatments to get continuing improvements and when done you may need yearly touch up treatments for the first year or two.

Who Should Do My Starlux 1540 laser and LuxIR Deep Infrared Treatments?

Board certified plastic surgeons and dermatologists are the experts in laser treatments on the skin. Not all plastic surgeons and dermatologists use lasers, so you will have to do your homework to find an expert.

Ask your primary care physician for a recommendation. Also visit the websites of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society of Aesthetic plastic Surgeons for information on lasers and board certified doctors in your area.

See drseckel.com/stretch-marks-removal/stretch-marks-removal-with-new-fractional-laser-resurfacing-treatment before and after pictures of Starlux 1540 laser stretch mark removal. See before and after pictures of Starlux 1540 drseckel.com/scar-removal/new-laser-scar-removal-treatment-with-starlux-1540-non-ablative-fractional-laser scar removal.

Can Fraxel Work For People With Sun-Damaged Skin?

Summertime means many different things to many different people. For some, it means two months off from work or school. Others might have to work through the summertime, but they take a vacation here or there and enjoy the sunshine. Well, enjoying the sunshine can be very relaxing, but it can also be damaging.

People who are out in the sun for long hours on a regular basis (this is especially prevalent in people who like to boat) end up with blotchy or leathery skin, that procedures such as Fraxel are designed to help. Fraxel is one of the happinesslifetime.com laser skin procedures available in which certain sections of the skin are gradually repaired, stimulating the growth of new tissue.

How can skin become so damaged by being out in the sun? After all, the skin requires Vitamin D to say healthy, does it not? Well, it does, but only in small amounts - say, five minutes a day. Otherwise, over time the skin will take on that damaged appearance that Fraxel has to fix.

The damaged appearance occurs when the skin, in an effort to protective itself from the rays of the sun, starts producing more melanin. This is where all of the excess freckles and moles come from. The Fraxel layers are designed to break up the melanin in the skin, thus promoting skin that is more evenly toned. In order to keep skin healthy, it is very important that the person wears an SPF whenever he or she will be in direct contact with the sun's rays.

More information on dermanetwork.org/procedure/fractional-resurfacing/hawaii/kahului,-maui Fraxel or other fractional resurfacing treatments and a dermanetwork.org skin care clinic in your area is just a click away.

Laser Skin Rejuvenation Stimulates Collagen Growth

Laser skin rejuvenation is used throughout the cosmetic industry to provide effective relief from wrinkles, acne scars, loose skin, stretch marks and various other skin conditions. Laser technology is being used more and more in the medical field because of the precision and control it gives physicians when performing treatment. Lasers can now be found in most field of medicine from surgery to the removal of varicose veins to the various cosmetic enhancements.

Non-ablative laser therapies work to produce new collagen within the skin. This helps patients achieve a tighter, more toned appearance. Collagen is naturally occurring and provides support for the skin, as well as other internal body structures.

When collagen levels are depleted, the skin may begin to sag and may not be as tight as it once was. Non-ablative laser skin rejuvenation works to restore levels of collagen so patients may improve their skin texture and achieve a more toned appearance.

Ablative laser resurfacing causes a controlled damage to the skin. This method may be used to reverse certain signs of aging such as wrinkles, fine lines and the loss of elasticity. As the skin heals and new skin grows, the appearance of these skin conditions is diminished. Of course, interested patients are encouraged to speak with a qualified physician to discuss the treatment in greater detail.

As people age, they begin to lose collagen in their skin, resulting in the loss of the skin's support structure. Replacing the collagen is important for patients who want to achieve younger looking skin.

Laser skin rejuvenation is one route commonly traveled, although some physicians may recommend other methods such as injectable fillers. To determine which treatment may provide the best results, interested patients are encouraged to speak with a qualified medical professional.

If you want renew your skin, get Laser Skin Rejuvenation [drnavarro.com/laser-skin-rejuvenation.asp] treatment, make a consultation, and get answers for dermanetwork.com laser skin therapy in Palm Beach, FL.

Skin Rejuvenation With Chemical Peel Treatment

Gone were the days when individuals who suffer wrinkles, facial blemishes and uneven pigmentation of the skin just accept their fate and go through their life with the situation. Now, every man and woman is presented with equal opportunities to improve their looks and correct the blemishes by various skin rejuvenation procedures available. Chemical peel treatment is one of the techniques that can open new doors and improve your overall personality.

Chemical peel treatments may not be suitable for everybody, depending on various factors but it is better to consult a plastic surgeon who will advice if you are suitable for chemical peel treatment. Open the communication lines with your plastic surgeon and don't hesitate to ask anything that you did not understand.

A chemical peel is performed not only to improve your appearance and boost your self confidence, but also to remove pre-cancerous growths on your skin as well as prevent or control acne. Check out your insurance company because some policies cover skin rejuvenation procedures like chemical peel.

There are different types of chemical peel, so it is important to consult a plastic surgeon to determine which type is for you. Chemical peel is normally a safe procedure but like other happinesslifetime.com laser skin rejuvenation procedures, they also present some risks like scarring, infection, irritation, crusting and other risks but these will pass away.

Chemical peel formulas include Alphahydroxy acids (AHAs) which is advisable to smooth dry skin and controls acne, Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) which is suitable to smooth fine wrinkles and remove blemishes, and Phenol is works best in smoothing out coarse wrinkles, removing pre-cancerous growths and in removes blotches caused by too much exposure to the sun, use of birth control pills and aging. Phenol is used for the face only and not recommended for individuals who have dark skin.

Each type of chemical formulas can be administered on several treatments, depending on how big the problem is. In undergoing happinesslifetime.com laser skin rejuvenation, it is very important that you seek a skilled physician with adequate training in skin rejuvenation.

The chemical solution in phenol or TCA peels already acts as an anesthetic so no anesthesia will be required but you can ask to be sedated to keep you comfortable during the procedure. AHA peels also don't require anesthesia and you will only feel a slight stinging when it is applied. Come out a new you after having skin rejuvenation.

LMA Clinic is one of the leading centre and specialists in lmaclinic.com Laser Hair Removal, lmaclinic.com/smartlipo.asp Smart Lipo London, Cosmetic Surgery etc.