Skin Care Tips, Notes & More

Yale dermatologist, Dr. Nicholas Perricone, has popularized a well known potent antioxidant ingredient called topical alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) in his top selling book, The Wrinkle Cure and The Perricone Promise. He developed his product line after using a higher potency ALA formulation in his dermatology practice in which he noticed that patients benefited dramatically who had a lot of sun damage, deep lines and wrinkles, enlarged pores and loss of radiance, tone and resilience. For a thorough understanding of Dr. Perricone's approach, be sure to view the Larry King interview in the Video below.

In 2007 Dr. Perricone launched his Advanced Face Firming Activator, which is available here through Amazon and which is one of the products in keeping with his philosophy. This over-the-counter formulation has a higher concentration of active ingredients to gain maximum results. In addition to ALA, the product includes additional well proven ingredients - DMAE, glycolic acid and Green Tea Extract. Be certain to use sunscreen along with this product. You can order this advanced formulation below.

Overall Rating:

 

Total Customer Reviews: (0)

Seller: Amazon

For most skin care, Dallas residents prefer non-invasive, non-surgical treatments that are significantly more effective than over-the-counter or spa methods. The most popular skin care procedures in Dallas - even more than traditional plastic surgery - are Botox injections, laser skin rejuvenation, chemical facial peels and in-office microdermabrasion.

If you're a Dallas resident and looking for more information on these five popular skin care treatments, read on for an overview of each procedure. You'll also find tips on identifying a qualified skin care professional.

Chemical Peel Procedures

In the state of Texas, a chemical peel may only be done by a dermatologist, registered nurse or specially certified esthetician operating under the guidance of a dermatologist.

Though a typical chemical peel treatment is brief, the procedure involves peeling away extremely thin layers of skin. Because of this, the treatment can be somewhat painful and clients are often prescribed a mild pain killer as part of their after-care.

Once your chemical peel is complete and you're cleared to leave your doctor's office, you're advised to stay away from the sun or possible skin irritants. Patients should pack a sun hat and SPF sunscreen formulated for sensitive skin.

Skin Rejuvenation with Laser Light Technology

When it comes to laser skin care, Dallas is leading the way with a large number of state-of-the-art laser skin resurfacing and laser skin care facilities. The procedure can cause minor scabbing, but final results - which include reversal of sun damage and diminished fine lines - can typically be seen within 10 days at the most.

The cost of laser light skin resurfacing can vary wildly depending on the size of the area to be covered, the nature of the treatment and the extent of your treatment plan. However, the average cost for a single laser skin resurfacing treatment is roughly just over $2400.

Microdermabrasion Procedure

Microdermabrasion serves two purposes - it reverses existing sun damage, fine lines and skin discoloration, while also encouraging rejuvenated and more rapid new skin cell growth. The result? Younger, fresher-looking skin.

While a dermatologist can perform microdermabrasion, this procedure is usually taken care of by a licensed esthetician or registered nurse working under the guidance and supervision of a dermatologist.

Botox Injections

Essentially, Botox is a toxic poison that actually paralyzes muscles in the face, taking away their ability to contract and permit facial expressions. However, these facial expressions not only emphasize existing wrinkles, but also create them. Therefore, Botox both prevents and treats wrinkles.

Most patients see an 80 percent reduction in the appearance of their wrinkles, but the results typically only last from between 3 and 5 months.

Finding a Dermatology Practice or Skin Care Professional

For skin care, Dallas offers some of the country's best working professionals. To locate a quality practitioner, try either the Texas Dermatological Society (texasdermatology.org) or the Associated Skin Care Professionals (ascpskincare.com).

Frequently it seems that maintaining healthy skin, a great appearance, and an attractive scent costs an arm and leg. However, it is not necessary to commit a significant sum of money to one's external care. There are alternatives.

You don't have to spend a fortune for a high-quality organic face or hand cream. In fact, you can make your own at home with ingredients from your own local organic grocer. Keep reading for a few fantastic recipes for homemade and organic moisturizers.

Almond-Jojoba Nail and Cuticle Treatment

The oil in this treatment will lock in moisture for dry or chapped hands. The honey will condition and strengthen your nails.

Recipe:
2 tablespoons almond oil
2 tablespoons jojoba oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons organic honey
1 teaspoon vitamin E oil or several vitamin E capsules broken open

Mix together all the ingredients. Soak your nails, hands and feet in warm water for 10 minutes, and then pat them dry. Massage the treatment lotion into your hands and feet, concentrating on the nails and cuticles. Wash your hands and feet again and then repeat, and again after a bath or shower.

This recipe yields enough organic skin cream for 4 hand treatments or 2 hand and feet treatments. To make an organic face cream that's not as heavy, reduce the amount of honey and oil, and then add water.

Apricot Oil Hand Moisturizer

Apricot oil is particularly effective on skin that is prematurely aged, dry, sensitive or inflamed - making it great for anyone combating sun damage.

Recipe:
6 dried apricots
2 cups water, preferably distilled
1 ounce grated beeswax
1 cup apricot oil
½ cup coconut oil
½ cup aloe vera gel
5 vitamin E capsules, broken open

In a saucepan, bring the water and dried apricots to a boil and simmer for close to 20 minutes. Set this aside to cool. Then in a double boiler, set it over simmering water, or in a heavy saucepan set it over a low heat. Combine the beeswax, apricot oil, and coconut oil and then cook them while stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes. Afterward, pour the mixture into a glass container and set it aside.

Pour the water and apricots into a blender, and blend them until smooth. Strain the mixture through a cheese cloth, discard the solid leftovers and put the liquid back into the blender. Add vitamin E oil and aloe vera gel. Blend this mixture at low speed.

Slowly blend the beeswax mixture into the blender and continue doing so until it has the consistency of cake frosting. Pour the hand moisturizer into jars and store them in a cool place. The mixture will thicken as it cools. Apply the final product to your hands every time you wash them.

Sweet Orange Wrinkle Banisher

This recipe is particularly effective against wrinkles caused by overexposure to the sun as the orange oil helps rejuvenate and revitalize your skin. The almond oil in this unique blend will also help replenish the skin's moisture.

Recipe:

2 teaspoons hazelnut oil
1 teaspoon almond oil
8 drops sweet orange essential oil

Combine the oils and massage gently into your skin. Use the mix each morning and night after cleansing. This is a great organic face cream for older skin.

Although there are several types of ultraviolet rays, two are of particular importance when discussing skin health. The first is UVB rays which are stopped at the level of the skin and the second being UVA rays which penetrate deeply into the various layers of the skin.

For over a decade we have heard endless warnings concerning the harmful rays of the sun and the development of skin cancer. In reality most individuals do not heed this warning; which is why skin cancer has in recent years become the most prevalent type of cancer in America.

One myth that seems to persist is the belief that you are safe from skin cancer if you do not allow your skin to burn. This simply is not true or is at least not the whole story. Basal cell and squamous cell cancers are related to excessive sun exposure (ie. tanning) where as melanomas are caused by sun burns.

The fact is the sun's UV rays cause considerable damage to the skin and in turn extreme aging. The radiation of the sun's rays causes the breakdown of the collagen and elastin which are proteins that is responsible for the structure of the skin. At the same time these rays disable our ability to repair the damage. This is all accomplished by the formation of free radicals, which attack not only the protein but also the skin cells DNA. This destroying of DNA is what leads to skin cancer.

The sun greatly affects the health and appearance of our skin on many levels; whether it is wrinkles, age spots, sagging, broken blood vessels or cancer, prevention is the key. This is extremely important as more than 80% of the damage to our skin actually occurs before we are twenty years of age. Although it takes several years of damage to our skin to cause wrinkles, the point of no return will be long past when your wrinkles start appearing. The sun damage we inflict on our skin is not detectable until the final results appear.

With the plethora of skin care products available there really is no excuse for negligence. Many of the products that many of us are already using are available with built in sunscreens; everything from make-up to moisturizers. These are not specialty items they are available everywhere and at every price range, it is just a matter of reading the labels. The advantage of these types of products is that you are protecting yourself at all times because many of us do not think about sunscreen unless we are heading to the beach or some other out door adventure. Remember that just because there are clouds in the sky does not mean that the radiation rays of the sun are not getting through, the sun is there everyday regardless of the forecast.