Skin Care Tips, Notes & More

When it comes to plastic surgery procedures in Colorado, Botox is by far the most popular. Thanks to its low cost, non-invasiveness and rapid recovery time, the drug has quickly become a mainstay at most Colorado dermatologist and plastic surgeon offices and is a great alternative to a facelift.

Botox, also known as Botulinum Toxin Type A, was first used by ophthalmologists to treat muscles around the eye, but was then approved by the FDA in 2005 as an effective anti-wrinkle treatment.

To learn more about Botox and the injection procedure in Colorado, keep reading.

How Botox Really Works

Basically, every time you move or contract your facial muscles, the muscles release a chemical called acetylcholine that allows them to make that contraction. Unfortunately, those contractions are also the cause of most wrinkles.

Botox stops your muscles from producing and releasing acetylcholine, essentially paralyzing the treated area, preventing the contractions that deepen the appearance of existing wrinkles and preventing the formation of new ones.

Botox Has Been Proven Effective

In monitored clinical studies, most patients saw an 80 percent reduction in the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. However, Botox is not permanent, and Colorado Botox patients typically needed refresher injections once every 3 to 5 months to maintain their results.

Step-By-Step Botox Injections

The typical first appointment for a Colorado Botox patient is simply an introduction and informational discussion with their practitioner or doctor. In this first appointment, they'll talk about risks, results, costs and what to expect.

The second appointment for a Colorado Botox appointment is the actual treatment. It starts with your doctor finding and marking every injection point and then disinfecting the treatment area. Next, your plastic surgeon or dermatologist will measure out the required amount of Botox.

The Botox is then injected into the skin. Most of the time, there is no anesthesia used. However some doctors apply a moderate numbing cream to reduce discomfort for patients undergoing an extensive treatment. The Botox will then attach itself to the muscles, at which point full results become visible within 7 to 10 days.

The average Colorado Botox treatment lasts between 5 to 10 minutes, not including preparation time.

After Your Botox Treatment

After your Botox injections, you can go right back to work or your regular, everyday activities. Most doctors ask that you avoid laying down and try to stay out of the sun.

Finding a Practitioner

To locate a doctor who administers Botox, try the American Society of Plastic Surgeons' website at plasticsurgery.org. Their website offers a searchable database, allowing you to limit your search to Colorado Botox suppliers and certified doctors.

Aging is inevitable, but there are steps you can take to slow the aging process that are more natural than the use of anti-wrinkle creams, Botox, or even plastic surgery.

For five simple changes you can make to keep yourself young, keep reading.

1. Drink Lots of Water

Water helps keep our bodies hydrated, functioning and clean. It flushes out toxins, increases circulation, improves digestion, revitalizes cell growth and helps us maintain a healthy weight.

Just as our skin needs moisture to stay fresh, our bodies need water to stay young, strong and operating at prime capacity. Ideally, you should be drinking 8 glasses of water a day.

2. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is a body's time to rejuvenate and repair itself. You know that after a night with little sleep, you have circles under your eyes, your skin looks shallow, you don't feel well and your eyes are bloodshot. Anything that can age you so quickly in a few hours can't be good in the long-term.

So, getting enough sleep every night is one of your best weapons against the aging process. Shoot for at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night and avoid drinking caffeine less than 5 hours before bedtime.

3. Eat a Well Balanced Diet

Eating a healthy diet can keep your digestive system working properly and your body well-fueled to fight off disease and aging-causing free radicals. Stock up on foods like pomegranates, blueberries, dark green vegetables, beans and legumes.

Also, foods that are high in Vitamins A and C, like citrus fruits, are great for your skin and can help boost the production of collagen, the fiber that keeps your skin smooth and soft.

4. Cut Down On Stress

Stress is a major factor in the aging process and can lead to prematurely grey hair, a depleted immune system, facial expression wrinkles and even poor skin tone. So to slow down aging, reduce your stress level by cutting back o your work hours, avoiding rush hour traffic, limiting your responsibilities, delegating tasks and taking at least ten minutes out of every day for meditation and reflection.

5. Stay on Top of Mental Exercise

Slowing down the aging process isn't just about fighting wrinkles, but it's also about maintaining a young and healthy mind.

Research has shown that individuals who did daily puzzles and mental exercises were 30 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease later in life. So, stay young with a daily book or crossword puzzle.

Aging itself is inevitable. But the appearance and effects of aging can be reduced with proper care of your body and skin.