Have you ever seen a freshly sandblasted building? Or a piece of old furniture rubbed down to look good as new?
While microdermabrasion might not be quite so aggressive – it does take a similar approach on your skin. By removing the duller outer layer, a bright new surface is revealed beneath.

So, why is this technique so popular, and why should you consider it?

1) It’s non-surgical
That means no injections, no anaesthetic, no scalpels, no overnight stays – in fact none of the aspects of surgical procedures that make many people nervous.
Instead, microdermabrasion is performed using a small handpiece, operated by a doctor or trained professional.

The handpiece delivers a jet of ultra-fine crystals that remove dead cells, scar tissue and clogged impurities from the outermost skin layer. All of this is then vacuumed away to leave you looking cleaner and smoother.

2) It’s almost side effect-free
Most people can expect to experience slight redness after treatment, but usually this will only last for 30 minutes or so. Compared to many other procedures, this is insignificant.
You can have more intensive microdermabrasion sessions for areas with light scarring or deeper discolouration. Yet, even in these cases, redness is unlikely to last longer than several hours.

Microdermabrasion also works for most skin types. Of course you should always consult with your dermatologist or specialist before treatment (particularly if you have a history of hypo or hyper pigmentation).

3) You can use it alongside other treatments

Lots of people opt to combine microdermabrasion with other types of skin treatment. In particular, it’s a great complement to some skin peels, as well as photofacials.

This approach is ideal for getting a longer-lasting, or more extensive treatment that targets deeper scarring or wrinkling.
4) It works!

Of course, the main reason hundreds of thousands of people get microdermabrasion treatment each year is that it works – fast. You can also use it to treat a variety of common skin issues, including:

• Light scarring
• Acne
• Skin discolouration
• Dull skin
• Sun-damaged skin
• Light wrinkles

Of course, when it comes to more complicated skin conditions, microdermabrasion may not be your best option. Don’t think that microdermabrasion will be enough to get rid of that unwanted tattoo or an unwelcome mole, for example.

5) It’s quick
You could be in an out in 45 minutes – pretty quick for any type of treatment.

There’s also significantly less downtime than comparable procedures. Most people will be able to return to work the day after they get treated. This makes it ideal for creating an extra glow close to a special occasion, such as a wedding or birthday.

Overall, if you’re looking for a non-invasive, fast and effective treatment (or if you simply want to rejuvenate your skin for an important upcoming event), microdermabrasion is an excellent choice.

Are we all doomed to get wrinkles in the end?

Well, although wrinkles are a perfectly natural part of growing older, you might be surprised how much you can do to minimise their appearance. Understanding a little about how they develop, prevention techniques, and what your wrinkle treatment options are can help you combat unsightly lines and creases.

The Cause of Wrinkles

Let’s face it – there’s one cause of wrinkles that none of us can avoid: ageing.

Over time, skin loses its elasticity. According to Scientific American, when a person reaches the age of 20, their skin will naturally produce 1 percent less collagen each year. Collagen is the substance which helps skin look taught and plump. Similarly, older skin contains less elastin – the substance which helps skin retain its firm shape.

So, as we age – our skin gets thinner, less durable and more prone to wrinkling.

The good news is that there are other factors that we can control. For example, persistent exposure to sunlight can have an ageing effect. Certain chemicals have been shown to accelerate the appearance of wrinkles – including smoking tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption.

Wrinkle Prevention

Clearly, none of us can stop the march of time.

However, we can take a few steps to take care of our skin. We can also avoid behaviour that has a negative impact.

Good lifestyle choices such as drinking lots of water, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet all help. Not smoking or drinking too much can prevent early skin fatigue.

You should also develop a skincare regime that works for you. Using the right cleanser, toner and moisturiser to keep your skin clear and well-nourished. Ideally, your moisturiser should have some UV protection. And of course, make sure you wear sunblock when outside and try to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun.

Wrinkle Treatment

Prevention only goes so far when it comes to combating wrinkles. At some stage most of us will have to deal with them.

Thankfully, there have been amazing advances in treatment technology over the last decade.

Wrinkle-reducing injections, such as Botox and Vistabel, are now one of the most common procedures in the world (with over 1.5 million people treated).

Straightforward and painless, the injections effectively relax the muscles beneath the skin which contribute to wrinkling. The effect is usually noticeable a few days after treatment – and lasts for around three months.

They’re particularly useful for forehead lines and crow’s feet at the edges of the eyes.

Alternative anti-wrinkle treatment options include dermal fillers – such as Restylane, Perlane or Restylane Sub-Q. These are injected beneath the skin to give the treated area more volume.

Finally, you may be more suited to chemical peels, microdermabrasion – or laser treatment. All can help your skin look fresher and more alive.

Ultimately, understanding how wrinkles develop and what you can do to prevent them can help your skin look younger for longer. And, if and when you do see wrinkles appear, you have a range of effective treatment options at your disposal.

Which Food Should Pregnant Women Say Yes to?

Eating well for a pregnant woman means a lot more than increasing her food intake; it means she must also consider what she should eat and how much. For example, a pregnant woman would need about 300 extra calories each day during the last stage of her pregnancy.

This doesn’t mean that she can eat anything that provides those extra calories. Calcium is yet another important nutrient for a pregnant woman and her developing baby. This means having extra calcium for the fetus to consume. What a pregnant woman is supposed to do then is to look for nutritious sources of calories so that these can contribute to her baby’s growth and development.

The baby inside the womb depends greatly on the food that his mother provides for him. Therefore, it is important to eat only what is good. Here is a basic list of great nutrition for expectant moms:

• Lean meat, poultry, egg whites, fish (except tuna, mackerel and shark which are all loaded with mercury), tofu, beans and peanut butter. These are rich in protein which is needed for cell growth and production of blood.

• Milk, yoghurt, cheese, salmon, sardines, and spinach. These are rich in calcium for stronger bones, teeth, better nerve function, and muscle contraction.

• Bread, rice, potatoes, cereals, fruits, vegetables, and pasta. These are rich in carbohydrates which help provide energy.

• Green, leafy vegetables; carrots, and sweet potatoes are rich in Vitamin A. These foods can give good eyesight, healthy skin, and strong bones.

• Lean red meat, whole-grain breads (preferably those that are fortified with iron), and spinach are all rich in iron for healthy red blood cells. And since pregnant women are more prone to anemia, iron is a must to their daily diet.

• Broccoli, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and juices are all rich in Vitamin C. This vitamin is essential to having healthy gums and teeth; healthy bones; and it also aids in iron absorption.

• Pork, bananas, whole-grain cereals which are rich in Vitamin B6 (great for the production of red blood cells).

• Other essential vitamins and minerals include Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, fat and folic acid.

Remember to eat in moderation each time and you should be able to attain the doctor-recommended weight for pregnant women (about 25-35 pounds more than your prior to pregnancy weight).

Note: This article is posted by our Guest Blogger (Alan Murray)

The question should be asked can these anti wrinkle creams produce results as good as injections? And what really is the cost savings or difference considering most wrinkle serums need consistent application to ensure they work? We’re going to look at both of those question in the remainder of this article.

Needle Free and Wrinkle Free

The best anti wrinkle creams do produce similar results to injections without the needles. The primary difference is you won’t see the immediate results you get with Botox®. How ever you also won’t experience the pain and soreness the next day either.

Most anti-wrinkle creams contain natural and safely tested ingredients that won’t react with your skin and cause any long term damage. The same cannot be said for injections.

Is the Benefit Worth the Cost

Injections are generally given every 4 months at a cost of $350 – $500 per session. The price varies by geographic location and availability. If we break that down it’s about $100 bucks a month.

An anti aging system that can produce similar results will run you between $90 – $120 dollars for approximately a month. How often you need to re-order is dependent on how sparring you are with each cream or serum.

The end decision is up to you, instant results with some side effects versus topical treatment without side effects. When the costs are similar I know which wrinkle treatment I’d choose.

Let’s take a look at three different alternatives to reduce the look of dimples on your thighs.

1.) Mesothreapy: Mesotherapy has been around since the 1950’s in France, and through the past two decades it has become a popular anti-aging and anti-cellulite treatment regime. The process involves injections just below the skins surface to the areas affected by cellulite. The injections contain nutrient rich solution to help reduce the size of fat cells there by reducing the look of dimples on the skins surface.

Success rate of mesotherapy is quite, although it’s not the most enjoyable experience being pricked with needles. Of course continual treatments are needed to maintain results, and it can be expensive.

2.) Endermologie®: Like Mesotherapy is a spa like treatment performed by a qualified endermologist. The treatment is the only one of it’s kind certified by the FDA to state “temporary reduction appearance of cellulite”. Endermologie® is less evasive then Mesotherapy. It uses a machine with two rollers and slight suction to fold over the top layer of fat on the area applied. The rollers and suction stretch out the connective tissues below the skin to hide cellulite and actually reduce your body measurements in the area.

Like Mesotherapy there can be some discomfort associated with the procedure, but it does give results.

3.) Cellulite Creams: Unlike the previous two treatment alternatives anti cellulite removal cream is used at home without the need for a visit to a spa. You can purchase it online, from department stores and pharmacy’s.

One major difference using cellulite lotions as opposed to spa treatments is that you must choose which product to try. There are a lot of anti cellulite creams, and not all of them produce the same results. You must do your home work in researching ingredients, testimonials and guarantees before buying.

Look for products that contain caffeine, derivatives of Vitamin A and antioxidants to produce the best results and also be safe to apply daily.

Consistency of application and daily use are both musts to get visible results using cellulite creams.

Causes of Acne

As of the date of this writing, the exact cause of Acne is still unknown. Acne may be caused due to various factors but the most common factor is the excessive secretion of oil (sebum) from the sebaceous glands. It is believed that the excessive secretion of oil in men is caused due to the increase in androgens (sex hormones).

Acne may also be caused due to hereditary factors, excessive and prolonged mental stress, bacterium called “Propionibacterium acnes”, side effects of certain drugs or chemicals and blockage of skin pores. Studies are still ongoing to find the exact factor that leads to Acne.

How to treat Acne

Nowadays there are various treatment options available for Acne care or to treat Acne. Some of the products are medically proven to be effective and few may be not. One can contact a Dermatologist for a proper medical treatment however there are anti-acne creams and lotions that are available over-the-counter without any prescription from a Medical practitioner.

There are also various Alternative treatments/ products that aid in getting rid of Acne. One such product is Clearpores which is a skin cleansing system comprised of herbal supplements. Clearpores is endorsed by various Medical professionals and herbalists (Note: not evaluated by FDA). The product is available in 2 forms, one for fighting against the facial acne and the other for treating body acne. Clearpores is believed to have no side-effects and it is definitely worth of trying to fight against the ugly and painful Acnes!

Before you even begin to think about scheduling consultations, you should visit surgeons’ websites and talk to other patients. If you know friends who have had surgery by a certain doctor, ask what was good and what was bad about the process with that particular doctor. A website can give you a doctor’s bio as well as before and after shots. You should narrow down your list to three or four people who are highly qualified, with top choices, a second pick, and one or two to be left on your list in case your first two choices do not work out.

Next, you should ask for a consultation. Almost all doctors charge a consultation fee of around $100, but most only ask for this single fee even if you come back with more questions later. If you use that doctor, some apply the consultation fee to the total fee of the procedure. Every doctor is different.

Even if you love the first doctor you visit, you should ask for a second opinion, especially if you’ve never had plastic surgery before. Plastic surgeons are like artists, and each will try to give you the look you want. You may think you love the first doctor…until you see someone else’s ideas! If your top two choices are highly qualified, you can avoid more consultation fees by choosing between them. If neither suits your needs, you can see more doctors. Remember; don’t settle for a doctor unless he or she is exactly what you want. You have to live with how you look after the surgery, so choose the perfect doctor to avoid anything going wrong with the process.

Radiant, glowing skin is the first step to looking great. The secret to good skin is this that there is no secret. The skin looks good only when it is healthy and healthy skin requires a healthy diet. A well balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle will amend more than just skin.

Diet: A healthy diet with the required vitamins can revitalize the skin making it look younger and healthier.

(i) Vitamin A:

A diet with milk, cheese, eggs, butter, spinach, broccoli, carrot and fish oils etc is rich in Vitamin A that helps in preventing the dryness of skin and repairs the body tissue, thereby deferring aging. Vitamin A is fat soluble and its abundance will get stored in the liver, discretion is advised.

(ii) Vitamin B:

This water soluble vitamin is abundantly rich in cereals and green leafy vegetables. Yoghurt, brown bread, wheat germ and yeast are also good sources of Vitamin B. This vitamin rejuvenates circulation and skin color.

(iii) Vitamin C:

Strawberry, cabbage, blackcurrant, broccoli and all citrus fruit serve as rich sources of Vitamin C. This water soluble vitamin maintains the collagen levels for healing and keeping the skin smooth, firm and healthy looking.

Healthy habits pave the way to lead a healthy life. Drinking adequate water flushes out the toxins and keeps you fresh and clean. So try to drink at least 8-12 glasses of water daily. Avoid direct exposure to sunlight for a prolonged period of time especially when the sun is in its intense as ultra-violet rays can damage the skin which further results in wrinkles, dry skin, skin cancer (melanoma) etc. Try to wear sunscreen, cover up your body with long sleeves and protect your eyes thru sunglasses if you happen to go out in hot sun.