Facelifts and other skin treatments

For those who desire to make drastic changes in a short period of time, facelifts and other skin treatments are options to reflect on. But, drastic procedures and treatment do have risks, side-effects and high cost to consider.

Traditionally, dramatic change has always been accomplished through procedures such as facelifts and chemical peels. There are other procedures that exist today. Today’s modern technology makes possible many new skin treatment.

Here are some of the latest and not-so-latest advances in the science of skin.

Facelifts
A facelift, also known as rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure to improve visible signs of aging in the face and neck. Plastic surgery is real surgery and the chance that a patient will experience complications or achieve an undesirable result is greatly increased when the procedures are performed by someone who is unqualified. This includes physicians who are not board certified in plastic surgery or those who offer medical tourism packages.

Facelifts can produce dramatic results very quickly but you need to decide if the high, cost, possible unnatural results, pain and risk of surgery are worth it for you.

Obagi Nu-Derm
Obagi is a new system that rejuvenates skin health from the cells. It helps maintain a healthy glow and the appearance of soft, smooth, radiant, and younger looking skin. The treatment can be done at home. It transforms dry, damaged, and course skin in as little as six weeks – which is about the same time it takes for new skin to emerge. This treatment is usually performed in conjunction with the Obagi Blue Peel treatment. The Obagi Blue Peel is a mild chemical peel that allows for the removal of damaged layers of the skin. After a week or so, this area will be replaced by a new layer of skin which will be smoother and will have smaller pores.

Risks of Obagi Nu. are usually attributed to the ingredients, Hydroquinone and tretinoin - as well as your actions while on the treatment. Hydroquinone when used in very high strengths has been connected with ochronosis. Ochronosis is the condition when black specks spots form in the epidermis. It is mostly seen in in persons of ethnicity (Africans and Asian have used this to lighten their skin, hence its ban in Africa and Asia).

Tretinoin thins the skin and reportedly thickens the dermis. Aggressive use can cause intense irritation, sores and blisters. Especially near the corners of the eyes and mouth and around the nostrils of the nose. This is thought to be due to the reaction with moisture.

Chemical Peels
Chemical peels use solutions that will smoothen and improve skin texture and appearance. It does so by stripping away the damaged outer layers of the skin. By doing so, chemical peels can lessen, and in some cases, even eliminate blemishes, hyperpigmentation (or discoloration and darkening.) and wrinkles. They are even known to reduce acne scars and the occurrence of acne.

There are many kinds of chemical peels; you may choose one according to your needs and circumstance. The available chemical peels are divided into three categories: Phenol, trichloroacetic acid (TCA), and alphahydroxy acids (AHA). Each of these categories differs in use, potency and inconvenience. Your dermatologist will help you decide which one is right for you.

Common side effects of chemical face peels that can occur during recovery include, stinging, tightness, redness, a feeling comparable to a sun burn, and irritation. In some cases, the side effects of chemical face peels can include infection and scarring.

BOTOX®
Botox is the cosmetic treatment of choice for most people. Due to its incessant popularity, plastic surgery and other ‘bloody’ treatments available are steadily being out hustled by botox.

Botox uses Botulinum Toxin Type A to "freeze" the facial muscles and give the impression of wrinkle reduction. There are many side effect and also the unnatural look and high cost of painful injections can be a big deterrent. Serious heart problems and serious allergic reactions have been reported. The most common side effects following injection include temporary eyelid droop and nausea. Localized pain, infection, inflammation, tenderness, swelling, redness, and/or bleeding/bruising may be associated with the injection. Patients with certain neuromuscular disorders such as ALS, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome may be at increased risk of serious side effects.

Restylane
Restylane smoothes wrinkles, and helps shape and sculpt lips and facial features. The treatment involves the use of a clear gel of hyaluronic acid. This substance is hypoallergenic and remains in the skin for months.

The most common side effect is bruising, which is seen in roughly 20 percent of all patients. People also experience more pain with Restylane injections than they would with collagen injections because collagen has an anesthetic.

Some patients may also experience swelling at the site of the injection; this usually subsides within a few days. In other cases, people acquire an infection or cold sore at the point of the shot. Pain, redness, itching, discoloration and tenderness at the point of injection are also common side effects that occur after a Restylane treatment. Roughly one in 2,000 patients suffers more severe reactions, such as extreme tenderness, long-lasting redness and acne-like skin formations. These side effects can last for only a few days after injection up to as long as four weeks after treatment. Hypersensitive skin is usually to blame for more serious reactions to Restylane.

Collagen
Collagen injections plump up skin tissue, causing it to look healthier and firmer. This is usually performed in cases where there is sagging and loss of firmness in the skin. Results will last for a few months. This treatment is usually recommended for the lips and other areas of the face that are desired to look fuller, smoother, and firmer. The results can sometimes look unnatural or uneven.

Side effects can include allergic reaction. The allergic collagen injection side effects can appear as red, tender bumps that can end up ulcerating and causing permanent scars. The majority of people that suffer these collagen injection side effects will see them disappear over several months.

One thing that some patients consider is an undesirable collagen injection side effects are the temporary results. After about six months to a year, varying depending on the individual, the collagen will gradually be absorbed into the body. It is not yet clear if collagen injection side effects include autoimmune disease, though there have been some reports of cases developing.

Every consumer should be aware of both the benefits and risks of procedures by becoming as educated as possible before considering if their characteristics make them a good candidate. When used in qualified candidates, collagen injections can provide a non-invasive way of minimizing the appearance of wrinkles by raising the depressions to the level of the surrounding skin.

Light Procedures
The CO2 Laser targets fine lines, scars and wrinkles and makes dramatic correction on these areas that are not possible with chemical peels. With powerful bursts of laser light, the treatment achieves this result with less reddening and irritation than other peels.

Technology is constantly creating methods to produce skin care treatments that are constantly getting safer, more effective and more dramatic. The above-mentioned treatments are some of what today’s technology offers and give many people the opportunity to improve their image fast. But always thoroughly weigh up the risk verses reward for any treatment before proceeding.