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The world of cosmetic medicine has grown in leaps and bounds during the last decade. This growth has been seen both in the demand for aesthetic products and services and in the technologies and techniques that are now commonly available.

The increasing popularity of the medical spa concept is due in large part to the fact that they offer primarily non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures that allow for benefits that could have previously only been provided by surgery.

For many years one of the more popular procedures performed by a plastic or cosmetic surgeon has been the facelift. The facelift is the solution to the problems that arise as the result of the passage of time. Gravity and diminished cellular functions take their toll, which becomes evident in the form of wrinkles and thinned or lax skin.

While the facelift has become more common place than ever before, it certainly has its down side. Afterall, a facelift is still surgery, and surgery means anesthesia, cutting, risk of infection, discomfort, and a recovery period. That is the price of beauty though, right? If you ask your local medical spa they will tell you that may no longer be true.

In fact, there are a variety of new tools that have been made available to medical spa professionals that can offer their clients similar benefits without the risks. We can now tighten loose skin, eliminate wrinkles, and fight the effects of gravity by using technologies that produce varying forms of energy that create extremely precise changes in human tissue.

For example, micro current energy devices can emit small amounts of energy that stimulate muscle contractions. This energy is often targeted at facial muscle tissue in order to strengthen and tighten the appearance on the face. Society has placed an incredible emphasis on exercise and fitness, so why not do the same for you face?

Facial muscle tightening through micro-current energy is incredibly effective and provides for an immediate result. As with all forms of exercise, however, facial muscle toning requires upkeep and a regular schedule of visits to your local medical spa to maintain a favorable result.

Another form of energy produced by a medical grade laser technology has shown to be an immensely effective means of stimulating the bodys natural ability to produce a greater density of collagen fibers. Collagen and elastin are responsible for the supple appearance and elasticity of the skin. Soft supple skin is devoid of wrinkles and fine lines.

As we age our collagen fibers stretch or become damaged as the result of a variety of causes, which can include sun exposure or simply gravity. By stimulating and restoring the natural process of creating collagen we can reset the physiological clock without ever cutting the skin or causing discomfort.

Technology has also provided a means of tightening lax skin. With the use of both monopolar and bipolar radio frequency energy, collagen can become constricted in order to produce a tightening effect. This procedure likewise does not require anesthesia or surgery related after effects.

Simply stop in on your lunch hour, and get ready to become the new you, which is really of course the old you. The old you was younger with tighter, more supple skin. With the benefit of these revolutionary energy based technologies, you truly can reset the hands on time more safely and predictably than ever.

Jason Begley has been a contributor to the laser hair removal industry for more than 15 years. He is also one of the founders of the nations premier esthetics school as well as the internets top cosmetic dentist and lasik surgeon directories.

It would be difficult to find any industry that has experienced more change over the last five years than skin care, and it appears that it may only be the beginning. The skin care professional, known as an esthetician, now finds themselves in the midst of a myriad of new opportunities and available specialty career paths. This is the result of the combination of changes in the regulatory environment and the maturation of new technologies.

While the traditional esthetician has provided anti-aging and corrective services designed to promote the health and appearance of the skin, todays professional has been provided a far greater set of tools with which to accomplish these tasks. This evolution can be attributed primarily to the emergence of medically based technologies.

For more than two decades, the use of lasers and other energy based devices have been a part of everyday life within the medical community. These technologies allow for the opportunity to stimulate or make a change to human tissue in ways we could previously only dream of. As the science related to these devices advanced, lasers and similar equipment began to prove useful for a wide range of cosmetic enhancement services. This includes everything from small vein closure to the permanent removal of hair and the reduction or elimination of wrinkles and fine lines.

As these concepts have continued to develop over the years, the vast majority of these services currently do not involve cutting or puncturing, require no anesthetic, and do not mandate any sort of recovery period or down-time. Although medically based, these non-invasive procedures are well suited to be performed by the skin care professional. Quite simply, these advancements have led to skin care with better tools.

The esthetician now has the opportunity to provide their clientele with both traditional and advanced services to address a wider range of needs in a more effective manner. The more significant effect provided by some of these energy-based devices creates, in many cases, a more valuable service, which can lead to a higher earnings potential for the professional.

As a result of these new opportunities, estheticians now frequently seek employment at medical offices and medical spas in addition to traditional spas and salons.

To further substantiate the growth of the skin care industry towards the more medically based services, many states have enacted or are considering legislation that would help to facilitate this trend.

In May of 2008, the Governor of Arizona signed into law the Cosmetic Laser Act (Senate Bill 1419). This new law officially broadened the legal scope of practice of an esthetician to include the use of non-ablative, non-invasive laser and energy treatments. It is important to note that cosmetology professionals must also adhere to the training requirements of the Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency and operate under the supervision of a licensed medical professional in order to be eligible to provide these services.

In addition, the Arizona State Board of Cosmetology recently appointed to its governing board the President of the nations most experienced Laser and Clinical Esthetics training school, the IMAj Institute, in order to gain additional insight and resources to help integrate and facilitate these new opportunities for their licensees.

It is an exciting time for both clients and professionals related to the skin care industry. The coming years are likely to lead to more states adopting similar standards to those in place in states like Arizona. Already a multi-billion dollar industry, medical esthetics has a bright future ahead.

Jason Begley has been a contributor to the laser hair removal industry for more than 15 years. He is also one of the founders of the nations premier esthetician school, and is a member of the Association of Aesthetic Professionals (AAP).

In the heyday of poodle skirts and fuzzy dice, Americans were fixated on keeping their cars in top shape. They’d work hard to remove the slightest dent or scratch and rebuild engines to keep them young and responsive. By the emergence of the ’60s revolution and the movements of the ’70s , it was our clothes that defined us. We wanted our jeans or bellbottom cut just so, our miniskirts or cranberry sweaters in perfect condition. We could argue that, by the turn of the new century, our focus began shifting in yet another direction, towards technology, caring for our mobile phones, decorating our laptop computers and accessorizing with our iPods.

Although fads and fashions have kept us busy over the years, in today’s world we all tend to concentrate on protecting and rejuvenating the things that matter most - and those begin with our own bodies. We understand the benefits of healthy lifestyles and the importance of looking healthy as well. We’re all living much longer than we did half a century ago, so our bodies require more attention to stay in top shape and to keep us feeling young longer.

Technology has responded to this renewed interest in looking and feeling healthier and younger, led by tremendous advances in laser technology. Now, with a combination of light, heat and radiofrequency waves, professional laser clinics are helping men and women alike to reshape their bodies and their self-image.

The newest capability is reflected in a leading laser center’s service called VelaShape. It’s the first (and only) process approved by the FDA to temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite and reduce thigh circumference. VelaShape is a clinically proven procedure that many Americans are choosing instead of surgical techniques. The non-invasive VelaShape device uses something called el’s technology, invented by laser developer Syneron. It employs bi-polar RF waves and infrared energy to improve skin texture, reduce the appearance of cellulite and cut down on localized fat deposits by literally shrinking your fat cells.

Improvements from VelaShape often are visible within as few as four office visits. It obtains results much more quickly than other techniques because it uses high-powered, but safe, forms of energy. Typically, with four to six treatments spaced one week apart, patients see thinner thighs and better skin texture.
The el’s technology is also used in devices for skin rejuvenation in FotoFacial treatments. When a FotoFacial treatment is followed by microdermabrasion every two weeks, skin irregularities begin disappearing and the process stimulates production of new collagen. The result is reduction of fine wrinkles, more even skin tones and the creation of a more youthful, healthier appearance.

Closely related to skin rejuvenation is skin tightening. Again a non-invasive procedure, use of ReFirme skin tightening device helps remove wrinkles, tighten the skin and improve skin laxity on the neck and face. Laser-based skin tightening boosts production of collagen that fills in wrinkles at the jaw line; along the brow line; and around the eyes, mouth and cheeks. It’s a much more comfortable process than injections of foreign materials; instead, it uses a natural method to restore young-looking skin.

Permanent hair reduction was one of the earliest applications of laser technology; and with a leading laser center’s proprietary treatment protocol it’s become much more effective, succeeding even with the darker skin tones or light-colored hair that were not amenable to treatment by more conventional lasers. In the dermis, the top layer of the skin, lie both active and dormant (inactive) hair follicles. Laser hair removal destroys the active follicles through a series of treatments. Lasers destroy hair follicles during their growth stage, so multiple treatments are required to manage all the active follicles, since they grow at different times. The dormant follicles may become active and start producing hair tomorrow, 20 years from now or never. Hormones in your body are responsible for activating these follicles and due to natural hormone changes throughout a person’s life, minor touch-ups may be necessary over the years. The process combines pulsed, high-intensity light with precisely controlled radiofrequency waves to destroy the active follicles. The result: Permanent hair reduction in the treated areas that may only require a handful of “touch-ups” rather than daily shaving or frequent, painful waxing.
All across the country, people have found a way to take advantage of new ways to look younger and healthier without enduring the pain associated with other methods, nor the surgery that once offered the only means of improvement.

As in other aspects of health care, technology now makes it possible to take better care of our appearance in a far less disruptive way than has been available previously. Often, the ability to look younger and fitter longer can lead to happier lives.

In the 21st century, Americans understand what truly is most important - not our gadgets but our wellbeing, both physical and psychological. Keeping our bodies in prime shape on the surface may encourage us to pay more attention to other aspects of our health. We should all want to be more appealing individuals and more confident personalities with more healthful lifestyles. The new, safer laser technology can enable us to enjoy the kind of life that we all deserve.

AmericanLaser.com is the largest and most successful laser hair removal, skin rejuvenation and cellulite reduction therapy company, with more than 220 locations in the United States. For more information, please visit AmericanLaser.com.

For those of us who were fans of the Naked Gun movie trilogy, Priscilla Presley, wife of the King, went from ’80s comic beauty to a tragic beauty train wreck as the oldest contestant ever to appear on the reality TV hit, Dancing with the Stars. It is heartbreaking to see someone, who probably would have aged very gracefully by nature, have such a bad experience with plastic surgery, exposing her to additional
unavoidable criticism.

Many celebrities like Presley, including Tara Reid, Kenny Rogers and Joan Rivers, have fallen victim to bad plastic surgery. With celebrity tabloids criticizing each and every beauty flaw from cellulite, to wrinkles to weight gain, the pressure to perfect each nook and cranny - no matter the risk to your health, wellness or appearance - remains intense.
Although celebrities continue to feel pressure to look good, there are safer, modern day advances in beauty laser technology that do not require going under the knife. These alternatives yield great results with little if any downtime. And, even though your bad beauty photos may never grace the cover of the National Enquirer, it’s always a great confidence boost when you look and feel your best.

For those you who might be considering a facelift, there are safer laser treatments available that smooth wrinkles and rejuvenate skin. Technology has responded to this renewed interest in looking and feeling healthier and younger, led by tremendous advances in laser technology. Now, with a combination of light, heat and radiofrequency waves, major national aesthetic laser treatment clinics are helping women and men experience a virtual face lift without surgery, scaring, downtime or permanent face-altering tragedy. These safer modern-day treatments produce excellent results without the risk living the rest of your life in hiding because of a botched plastic surgery experience.

The newest capability in virtual facelifts comes in the form of a treatment called skin tightening. This non-invasive procedure helps remove wrinkles, tighten the skin and improve skin laxity on the neck and face. Laser-based skin tightening boosts production of collagen that fills in wrinkles at the jaw line; along the brow line; and around the eyes, mouth and cheeks. It’s a much more comfortable process than injections of foreign materials like Botox or Restylane, yet generates similar results. It can make wrinkles in the forehead disappear; helping to lift the brow line as well as iron out dreaded Crow’s feet. It uses a natural method to restore young-looking skin.

To complement the benefits of skin tightening, there is also a treatment that can help reduce the slink flaws caused by sun damage or acne, such as age spots and scarring. A treatment called Affirm uses fractional laser technology to smooth both scars and wrinkles, while evening out any uneven skin tone. This helps prefect the overall appearance of the skin, leaving you with an even-toned, flawless appearance.

The technology used in skin tightening treatments like skin tightening is also used in devices for skin rejuvenation in FotoFacial treatments. When a FotoFacial treatment is followed by microdermabrasion every two weeks, skin irregularities begin disappearing and the process stimulates production of new collagen. The result is reduction of fine wrinkles, more even skin tone and the creation of a more youthful, healthier appearance.

All across the country, people have found a way to take advantage of new, safer ways to look younger and healthier without enduring the pain associated with other methods, nor surgery - once the only means offered for improvement of wrinkles and skin tightening. In fact, a major national aesthetic laser treatment clinic reports it has completed more than 2.5 million treatments over the past six years at more than 220 clinics throughout the United States. These procedures are growing in popularity as an alternative option to plastic surgery.

As in other aspects of health care, technology now makes it possible to take better care of our appearance in a far less disruptive way than has been available previously. Often, the ability to look younger and fitter longer can lead to happier, more productive lives. Be a smart patient, do your homework and weigh your options. There are many alternative, aside from surgery, that can glean very desirable results.
In the 21st century, Americans understand what truly is most important - not our gadgets but our well-being, both physical and psychological. Keeping our bodies in prime shape on the surface may encourage us to pay more attention to other aspects of our health. We all want to be more appealing individuals and more confident personalities with more healthful lifestyles. The new, safer laser technology can enable us to enjoy the kind of life that we all deserve.

AmericanLaser.com is the largest and most successful laser hair removal, skin rejuvenation and cellulite reduction therapy company, with more than 220 locations in the United States. For more information, please visit AmericanLaser.com.

A gleaming set of teeth has become an everyday cosmetic enhancement. Much like browning ones skin under a sun bed or going to the hairdressers and having hair dyed. It is part and parcel of the feel good factor of being beautiful. It is a recent trend that has its roots in dental surgeries but has now moved to an at home cosmetic treatment. There are lots of kits available on the market, so it is essential to know which does what and how best to use them.

Teeth naturally darken as a person’s age increases due to the porosity of the enamel and the structure of tooth minerals. Other factors cause darkening of the teeth such as consuming beverages that stain such as tea and coffee and eating certain foods. A major culprit is smoking tobacco, which can lead to sever tooth staining as can consuming red wine.

At a dental surgery when you undergo a tooth whitening procedure expect to have a layer of highly concentrated bleaching agent applied to the tooth. This bleaching agent is then subjected to an intense light source that in turn causes the applied chemicals to whiten the teeth. The process is not always successful as it is dependent on the type of discolouration of the tooth.

Kits for home use work in a slightly different way. Because the formulas used by professional dentists are of a high concentration for a speedy result, it needs to be used by someone that is trained to use it. Over the counter solutions are of a much lower strength, and consequently require a longer application, and repeated applications. Sets generally contain a gel of either low or high strength and mouth guards that can be shaped to your teeth. A low strength gel is recommended for people with sensitive teeth or receding gums, although it is probably wise to consult with a dental practitioner beforehand.

Higher strength formulations are recommended for those with health teeth and stubborn stains. It is vitally important to ensure that you do not have an allergy to the peroxide in the formulas. Some side effects can occur, such as increased sensitivity following treatment; this can usually be addressed by using a lower strength or by reducing the application time. Application times of home sets vary between fifteen minutes to half an hour. The procedure is usually repeated for a few days and then top up treatments whenever necessary. The effects of a course of application can last as long as six months.

The benefits of having whiter teeth are not only skin deep, there is a definite positive effect on the psychological state of the user. It has been reported that a whiter and brighter smile has a big boost on a person’s confidence. The courage to smile more naturally leads to a happier state of being. A person who smiles more is more likely to attract positive responses off other people. This in turn boosts confidence further. Having a more positive attitude often facilitates good opportunities coming a persons way, in employment or personal life. With a new found confidence, it is much more likely that those opportunities will be embraced and bring further successes.

Although it is said that a book cannot be judged by its cover, there is evidence that a little confidence boosting cosmetic magic can change a persons attitude and boost self confidence. The positive effects of a little preening can be transform someone in to a bird of paradise.

Shaun Parker is a leading dental expert with many years of experience in the cosmetics industry. Find out more about teeth whitening kits at Naturally Bright

Scent is a powerful thing. It has the ability to bring back memories from the ancient past and revive people that you haven`t seen in decades, just with a single whiff. Because of this, aromatherapy is something that has become very useful as a therapeutic aide.

Many people are aware that simple things like the smell of lemon smells clean and peppermint is often an aroma that reminds us of freshness and energy. But the actual amount of aromatherapy options out there can be overwhelming and there are quite a few things that those not steeped in knowledge of aromatherapy may not be aware of.

Some Oils Are Dangerous

Did you know that aromatherapy shouldn`t be used with all essential oils? Some oils are actually toxic and this may not be noted by the seller. Essential oils such as wormwood, camphor and rue are actually bad for you and shouldn`t ever be applied to the skin. It`s always good to know which oils shouldn`t be used in aromatherapy.

Other toxic herbs that shouldn`t be used with aromatherapy include wintergreen, sweet birth, Spanish broom, arnica, pennyroyal, onion, garlic and bitter almond. You may wish to talk to a professional before starting in on any aromatherapy work, just to be sure you know which oils are safe and which shouldn`t be used.

Aromatherapy Isn`t Just Mental

A common misconception is that aromatherapy is only a way to help your state of mind. It`s far more than that, though and you`ll find that some of the simplest smells can actually have a physical effect on your body, especially when applied to the skin. It`s important not to apply pure essential oil directly to the skin, you`ll need a carrier oil, first so it won`t burn you.

Drops of lavender oil on a pillow can induce sleep and a massage with peppermint is great for stimulating blood flow and waking you up. These herbs have physical effects, not just emotional or mental ones. Tea tree oil is perhaps one of the best known essential oils and is commonly used to heal all manner of maladies by simply applying it to the affected area.

The Methods of Aromatherapy

The great thing about aromatherapy is that if you don`t enjoy massage or prefer not to use a specific method of diffusing the smell, there are always other options.

Massage with an essential oil in a carrier oil can be very invigorating or relaxing, depending on the smells chosen. Diffusers are some of the most common methods of spreading the scent and consist of a heater (often a candle) and a container for the oil. Sometimes the oil is added to wax chips that release the scent as they melt. There are also aromatherapy candles on the market and sprays. You can also add a couple of drops of essential oil to a sink or tub of hot water or even onto a handkerchief or cloth to tuck inside your pillowcase or pocket.

Aromatherapy is a very useful way to treat problems or to enhance a state of mind. If you find that you are drowsy in the morning when you need to get ready for work, it can be a great idea to have a diffuser ready to go with an invigorating aroma. Likewise, a soothing one at bedtime eases the transition from being wide awake to sleep and has been used by insomniacs for hundreds of years now. Aromatherapy is a great way to connect with your family, as well, using their sense of smell to draw them in!

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