Need a Quick Fix?

Need a Quick Fix?

It is getting warmer, the flowers are blooming, and that wonderful season is almost upon us the season of memorable events. Graduations, weddings, proms and reunions are quickly approaching. Of course you can exercise and eat well, but what else can you do to look your best for the big day?

Your skin is an integral
component to the image
you project!

Youthful, healthy, radiant skin helps to project an image of beauty and well-being. How can you improve your skin while your special event is approaching quickly? There are actually many different ways to help improve your skin over a short time. The first thing to do is to make certain that you are using a good skin care regimen.

A dermatologist can help you evaluate your skin care regimen, and might even have a line of products in their office for you to use. As a rule, products sold through physicians offices have higher concentrations of active ingredients than those sold elsewhere.

Higher concentrations of active ingredients means that the products are more potent, which translates to better results in less time. Regardless of how much time you have until your event, the sooner you begin a good skin care regimen, the better.

What are some last
minute quick fixes?

Microdermabrasion is a procedure which can benefit most people, and it can be done as late as a day before your event. This procedure gently exfoliates while utilizing mild suction to help cleanse the pores. Patients may expect to have a slight pink color to their skin for one to two hours after the procedure.

Afterwards, the skin is noticeably smoother, helping it to reflect light and giving it radiance. While one treatment can give a patient some improvement, best results are seen with a series of treatments spread out over a few months.

Diminishing lines around the eyes takes years off of ones appearance. For fast wrinkle reduction, Botox is safe and effective. Botox takes three days to begin to have an effect, and reaches maximum efficacy two weeks after it is administered. Also, there is a risk of having a small temporary bruise at an administration site. For these reasons it is best to have Botox at least two weeks before your special event.

A new type of collagen on the market, Evolence, allows patients to have collagen augmentation without first getting a skin test, and with minimal downtime.

Collagen can be used to fill in the creases running along the cheeks in the central face. As people age, these creases tend to deepen. Filling them in with collagen gives patients a more youthful appearance without an obvious youve-had-something-done look. Collagen can also be used to fill out aging, thinning lips.

Other types of wrinkle fillers such as Juvederm have become widely popular. These are based on hyaluronic acid, which is a type of naturally occurring molecule in the body. In general, these products tend to last longer than collagen when used to fill in deep lines on the face. Due to a risk of bruising, these products should be placed at least two weeks before a big event to allow for healing time if needed.

What procedures require
more time?

Many people suffer from Rosacea and have dilated blood vessels on their face, while still more people have sun damage consisting of brown spots or sun spots.

These problems can be improved with a treatment commonly referred to as a photofacial. Photofacials are performed using an intense pulsed light device which is very similar to a laser. The light targets the unwanted blood vessels and brown spots causing them to diminish over the following two weeks.

Brown spots may be temporarily darker before flaking off, therefore this procedure should not be done within two weeks of an important event. For those who have several months until a special function, a series of photofacials can make a big improvement in the appearance of their skin, and help to turn back the clock.

Whatever your goal, and whatever your time frame is, a dermatologist can help you improve your skin. For more information, consult a board-certified dermatologist.