| The stigma once associated with
cosmetic procedures seems as
outdated as UV tanning beds.
Newer, more advanced products
and techniques offer today’s patients an
unprecedented menu of viable (and often
comparable) alternatives to cosmetic surgery,
including, in some cases, outcomes that were
once the exclusive domain of surgeons -
firmer skin, reduced cellulite, and a perfect
smile. According to the American Society for
Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, the number of
non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed
annually has increased by 754 percent since
1997; in 2007, spending on ancillary procedures
totaled nearly $9.6 million.
As science continues to evolve and nonsurgical
cosmetic procedures become more
accessible, we find ourselves with a broad
choice of options. After consulting with
multiple medical sources, here are a few of the
newest ways to spruce up your face, body, and
smile this spring.
Top: Recently developed two-part treatments
take advantage of freshly exfoliated skin by
infusing it with vitamins and minerals.
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Face:
• The Illuminize™ peel was introduced in the
fall of 2007, and employs a new generation
of alpha hydr oxy acids in combination with
other commonly used peel agents to tighten
skin and restore youthful appearance. Called
“the date night peel,” it can be used on the
same day of a social engagement and requires
no down time. It is also appropriate for
first-time chemical peel patients and can be
performed on all skin types.
• The Lux 2940™ Laser by Palomar was
introduced to the aesthetic market during
the last four months, and revolutionizes the
treatment of wrinkles, skin tightening, and skin
photo damage. Old CO2 lasers, long-considered
the gold standard for wrinkle reduction,
vaporize large skin surface areas, resulting in
a significant healing time. The Lux 2940
delivers microbeams in a grid pattern with
untreated skip areas between the treatment
columns, reducing the healing time to three
or four days.
• The Titan™ (a.k.a. the mini face-lift) uses
infra-red light to penetrate deep into the dermis,
deep-heating the tissue in the targeted area and
stimulating long-dormant collagen. As a result,
the collagen contracts and tightens, producing
visibly firmer-looking skin in the treated area.
Results become more dramatic over time as
collagen re-builds through a series of treatments.
Titan is effective and safe for all skin types.Microdermabrasion combined with the
French technique of “Mesoglow” involves
first uncovering the superficial layers of skin
through microdermabrasion. Next, a Mesoglow
cocktail of antioxidants, minerals,
• Popular in Europe for decades,
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vitamins, and
DMAE is infused into the skin with a syringe,
and although a tiny needle is used, the skin
is not pierced. The Microdermabrasion &
Mesoglow procedure can also be used the
same day as an important event.
Body:
• Recently approved for use in the United
States, Smartlipo™ is the first and only laser
system to offer a revolutionary and minimally
invasive procedure for the removal of fat.
Using a high-powered laser, Smartlipo™
targets a defined area, providing body
contouring with less downtime and fewer
side effects than traditional liposuction, owing
to the use of local (as opposed to general)
anesthesia and a one millimeter laser tube,
rather than the traditional four millimeter
removal tube.
• The Fraxel™ laser treatment is a revolutionary
way to reverse the signs of aging on any area
of the body including the chest, neck, and
hands. This non-surgical procedure smoothes
wrinkles and scars, improves texture, tone,
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