By Carol Trehearn from Identity Magazine
We are all living longer and more healthy lives, but that doesn’t mean we can look any younger. Learn how laser skin care works and if it’s right for you.
Featured photo by Anna Sastre
What’s all the hype about laser skin care?
We are all living longer and more healthy lives. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean we can look any younger. For that, we’re having to give nature a helping hand. People have been finding ways to eliminate wrinkles for years, but now technology is offering a host of new ways to fight back against the ravages of time – and best of all, they are simple, non-invasive, safe, and increasingly affordable.
One of the most interesting treatments is laser skin tightening. This market has grown to over $4bn in 2014 from just $909 million in 2011. It’s minimally invasive, non-surgical, and can be done and dusted in a few minutes. It uses an infrared light source (otherwise known as a laser) to heat the collagen underneath the skin. Collagen is the substance in our skin that keeps us looking youthful. By heating it up, it causes the skin to tighten and eliminate wrinkles. It’s a swift process and you will notice the results immediately after the treatment.
It is, then, a safe and immediate solution to give you younger, firmer-looking skin all over the body. Moreover, it can also be used to promote the growth of new collagen in the treated areas and increase the absorption of collagen from surrounding untreated areas. It is therefore much more than a simple cosmetic treatment. It encourages the body to activate its own natural defenses against the aging process, which means the results continue to improve in the months after the treatment. In other words, not only does skin seem to be younger and healthier, but thanks to the growth of new collagen it actually is.
Sessions normally last for between 30 minutes and an hour during which the practitioner will use a handpiece to apply laser pulses to the treatment areas. For your comfort, they will also provide a continuous supply of cool air to offset the effect of the heating. In the end, you may have a total of four to six treatments with an interval of two to four weeks between each session.
What to Consider
When planning skin care treatments here are some things to consider. There are some side effects, but these are normally pretty minimal. There may be some redness and swelling in the affected area. However, this tends to fade within a few hours. In the run-up to any treatment, you should avoid sunbathing for at least a few days before the treatment and remove any makeup. After the treatment, there isn’t that much you need to think about. This is a simple treatment and sparks an entirely natural biological response within your body. However, you may want to think about using sun cream to protect the treated skin from exposure to the sun.
We all want to look and feel younger. However, some of the treatments on offer can be draconian and in some cases dangerous. For example, we’ve all seen the horror stories of plastic surgery gone wrong. What this offers is a process that is simple, safe, and non-invasive, doesn’t require surgery, and works in harmony with your own body’s natural processes.
