Sunday, June 8, 2008

Exfoliating: Important Antiaging Program

Some major causes of sagging, wrinkled skin are excess glucose (sugar) in the blood, sun damage and free radical damage from the environment. You can reduce fine lines and wrinkles, although you can't turn back the clock completely. Regular exfoliating is one of the best things you can do to get brighter, softer, more youthful looking skin.

Beautiful woman

Beautiful Woman (exfoliating)


This replaces the dead, old and rough skin from the soft skin below and also deep cleans your pores, helps fade age spots and skin discolorations, makes dry, dull skin look fresh and radiant, and diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. You can also do this at home however there are certain degrees of exfoliating that's why some need special professional care.

At-Home Exfoliation

Glycolic Acid
One of the best ways of exfoliating is with alpha-hydroxy acids. AHAs gently exfoliate old skin cells of the outer layer of skin (epidermis) over time and help stimulate your body's own collagen production. Using an AHA like glycolic acids, a fruit acid, in the recommended strength of 8-10% on a daily basis will help reveal fresher, healthier, more even-toned skin.

Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion can be done at home using a kit. Typical at-home products consist of a cream with fine mineral crystals to gently sweep away dead skin cells. Over-the-counter microdermabrasion products can be used once or twice a week.

Microdermabrasion
Anti Aging treatments - Microdermabrasion



Professional Exfoliating
Superficial In-Office Peel
Skin care professionals and dermatologists can provide stronger exfoliation of the epidermis which helps in uneven pigmentation and reducing fine lines. Some methods are:

  • Glycolic acid peel - This is performed using a glycolic acid solution of 20-70%. There may be some mild pinkness that goes away fairly quickly and you could feel sting on your skin too. It should be done every few weeks for several months for better outcome.

  • Microdermabrasion - It is performed by using a small wand which expels tiny crystals onto the skin. It loosen dead skin cells which are then removed by a small vacuum.More than one treatment may be required for best results.
Microdermabrasion- before and after
Microdermabrasion- before and after

Medium-depth Medical Peel

A chemical like Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) is applied to the skin wihich causes a stinging sensation. Then the acid is neutralized with water. Your skin will have a "frosted" look for up to two hours afterward. On the 2nd day skin will tighten and turn brown, and start to peel the third day which will continue to peel for 7-10 days. Medical peels are good for fading age spots and reducing light lines and wrinkles.

Laser Resurfacing

Anti Aging Treatments - Laser Resurfacing


Laser Resurfacing

It is also called "laser peel" and is commonly used to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, mouth and forehead, and it may also be used for reducing acne scars and uneven pigmentation. It should be done by a doctor and under local anesthesia. A carbon dioxide laser is used to remove areas of damaged skin. Either the whole face may be done or just portions. Recovery time for this is ten to 20 days but redness on skin can last up to 6 months.

1 comment:

Pamela Mayhew said...

Thanks for this article! I have some Estee Lauder Idealist Micro-D Thermal Refinisher and I used it yesterday for the first time. My skin is like porcelain! I wanted to use it again today, but I wasn't sure how often I should. Anyway, it works wonders for me and can be found cheaply on eBay ($24.99 compared to $46 retail).