Monday, April 18, 2011

Laser Treatments? Botox? Surgery? Really?



Feeling good in the skin you’re in is important. Wrinkles, fine lines and age spots can put a damper on your appearance, leaving you feeling self-conscious and sometimes even embarrassed to go out in public or have your picture taken.
Some people turn to drastic – and expensive – skin treatments such as Botox, laser treatments and even surgery to improve the signs of aging in the face. But do you really know what you’re getting yourself into when undergoing one of these procedures?
Risks of Laser Treatments
Laser treatment, or resurfacing, has grown in popularity over the last several years, but you might be unaware of some of the risks involved, and what results you can actually expect from this sometimes costly procedure.
Deep laser treatments involve using a laser to resurface your skin, removing sun-damaged skin and allowing newer skin to grow in its place. Some laser treatments also claim to improve collagen production by penetrating beneath the initial layer of skin to the dermis, where collagen helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
But some of the risks of laser treatment include hyperpigmentation, according to the Mayo Clinic. This is a condition marked by the appearance of spots on the skin that may be darker or lighter than your regular skin. These spots can last up to several months after your treatment. Laser treatments also put you at risk for a herpes infection, according to the Mayo Clinic, especially if you already have a history of cold sores or flare ups.
What’s more, laser treatment can put a hefty hole in your bank account. Initial treatments can run anywhere between $2,000 to $5,000, not including any touch-ups your doctor may need to perform later.
History of Botox
Hollywood made Botox famous, but did you know that Botox is actually a controlled form of the disease botulism? Botox acts as a temporary muscle relaxant to help smooth out wrinkled areas of the face such as crow’s feet around the eyes.
The side effects and dangers of Botox have been well-documented. In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about Botox after several children who were treated with Botox for muscle spasms died. Side effects of Botox include itching, headache, nausea and temporary muscle weakness in the face. Although it’s uncommon for the botulism contained in Botox to spread throughout the body, it is a possibility.
Botox injections usually run between $125 to $400 for each area of the face you want treated. Keep in mind that the effects of Botox usually wear off within several weeks or months, so you’ll have to invest several thousand dollars per year to keep up your appearance.
Is plastic surgery your last hope?
Going under the knife means taking drastic measures to help improve your appearance. Any type of surgery has its inherit risks, and face lifts and other forms of plastic surgery are no exception.
A face lift involves a surgeon making a large incision around the area of your temple all the way back past your ears, then literally lifting the skin of your face up towards your hairline in order to stretch out the wrinkles in your face.
Although literally thousands of face lifts are performed across the country each year with minimal effects, there are some risks involved with plastic surgery. There’s no way to tell how your body will react to undergoing anesthesia strong enough to put you under. Significant bleeding or swelling can occur at the site of the incision, especially if the doctor removes fat or tissue from the area. People who undergo a face lift are usually out of commission for at least a few days, and you’ll have to expect to wear bandages for up to several  weeks after the procedure.
Muscle spasms and nerve damage in the face are also other risks involved when making such drastic changes to your skin and muscles.
Not to mention the fact that a face lift can run you anywhere from $6,000 to $15,000, depending on hospital costs, anesthesia and your doctor’s fees.


A Safe and Inexpensive Alternative
If you want to avoid the high costs and numerous risks involved with major skin treatments and surgeries, why not use a product that can address all the skin care issues outlined above? Ageless Renewal Serum by Isagenix® can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (see right), helps exfoliate your skin and repairs damaged skin through its powerful blend of peptides, antioxidants and epidermal growth factors.
Unlike some serums and treatments that use harsh, skin-irritating chemicals that may require downtime to make skin look healthier, Ageless Renewal Serum helps the skin “remember” what it has “forgotten” as we age. This naturally-derived formula works in harmony with the body to support the skin’s natural ability to produce collagen and other proteins.


Best of all, it costs pennies on the dollar when compared to expensive treatments and surgeries that have made Hollywood doctors rich beyond compare.
So the next time you look in the mirror and don’t like what you see, reach for Ageless Renewal Serum and give your wallet and your worries a break.

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