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There are more cosmetic treatments to choose from than ever before, especially when considering how best to treat skin surface problems. It can be bewildering trying to decide which treatment to use.

Engineers love to quote an age-old maxim that might be appropriate here: fast, cheap, or good? Pick two.

Chemical peels and laser skin resurfacing are two of the most popular procedures used to address surface skin problems. It’s quite likely that multiple treatments will be necessary regardless of which method you choose.

What Are Chemical Skin Peels?

Chemical skin peels work by carefully applying controlled amounts of acidic chemicals to the skin, resulting in the outer layers of the skin eventually peeling off. 

This dramatically accelerates the natural exfoliation process that normally replaces skin cells to quickly reveals smoother, more youthful, and less wrinkled skin cells underneath. Weaker chemical peels may give more rapid results, but may also need to be repeated more frequently than laser skin resurfacing treatments.

What is Laser Skin Resurfacing?

Laser skin resurfacing uses focused energy from a laser to heat and erode the outer layers of the skin, resulting in a rapid contraction and tightening of the skin’s surface, as well as stimulating collagen production within the skin. This treatment results in longer-term continuing improvement to skin tone and elasticity. Laser procedures typically take more time for their results to become fully apparent but can last for several years.

How to Choose the Right Treatment for Your Skin

There are situations in which one treatment may be more effective, while both are equally effective in other circumstances. Both chemical peels and laser resurfacing may be used at different concentrations or strengths according to the severity of the problem being addressed. 

Below, we’ll compare both treatments for several of the most common skin issues, and point out which treatment may be the most appropriate.

Fine Lines and Rough Skin

Chemical peels are ideally suited to these types of problems, which allow the use of weaker grades of acidic solutions, with shorter resulting recovery times. Laser skin resurfacing can be very effective when treating fine lines and when you have skin pigmentation issues or spots to address.

Deep Wrinkles or Sagging Skin

Chemical peels are less suited for loose or sagging skin concerns. Laser skin resurfacing is usually the preferred treatment option. Using chemical peels for these problem types typically requires the use of stronger acidic chemical solutions, with correspondingly longer recovery times.

Rough Skin Texture

The skin resurfacing laser’s ability to tighten the skin can lead to a more effective treatment when skin needs both smoothing and tightening. A chemical peel may be just as effective when you just want to smooth the top surface of the skin.

Sun Damage

While both laser skin resurfacing and chemical peels are used to treat sun damage – this may be a situation where a mild chemical peel is the easiest way to repair mild damage. Having skin that’s extra sensitive to light may also be an argument for avoiding laser treatments.

Pigmentation Spots

Choosing which treatment will depend on the severity of the problems you’re trying to address, your skin type and complexion, and any sensitivities you may have to either procedure. 

Scarring, Including Acne Scars

Here too, either chemical peels or laser resurfacing may be the appropriate treatment option. We recommend getting professional advice on which to use in your particular case.

Other Considerations When Comparing Chemical Peels and Laser Resurfacing

Cost

Chemical peels procedures are typically lower cost than laser resurfacing, but this may be compensated by the greater number of treatments required and the possibility of increased recovery time after each treatment. 

Treatment Potency

There are several different strengths of chemical peels available to address the severity of the skin issue. Depending on the experience and equipment available to your practitioner, it may be possible to tune the strength of the laser energy to address multiple types of skin problems during a single session.

Skin Sensitivity and Recovery

Some people may be more sensitive to one treatment method versus the other, or to some of the different chemicals used in the various levels of chemical peels. Recovery times also vary widely, depending on the treatment type and the severity of the problems being addressed. 

Schedule a Consultation

We’d strongly suggest getting professional advice from a medically trained practitioner who can advise you on the most appropriate and cost-effective treatment for your particular cosmetic concerns. 

Contact Your Laser Skin Care at (310) 525-1516 to schedule a free consultation. We can answer any questions you have about either of these two procedures and will work with you to achieve the results you want.

Causes of Loose Skin

Our skin is naturally resilient, and healthy skin is not easily damaged by the rough-and-tumble of daily life. Nevertheless, many of us develop areas of loose skin at some stage of our lives. Loose skin is normally an indication of a loss of collagen and elastin in the skin, but may also be caused by the loss of muscle or fat layers beneath the surface. Loose skin can be a result of the normal aging process, lifestyle changes that result in rapid, significant weight loss, as well as excessive cumulative sun exposure.

Ways to Address Loose Skin

Regardless of the cause, there’s a great deal of interest in various ways to combat this problem. There are numerous skin moisturizing and conditioning products that may or may not actually help. In some circumstances, it’s possible to inject fillers beneath the skin to temporarily tighten loose skin. Some people even resort to surgery to tighten loose skin, but this can be an expensive, painful, and complex procedure that too often produces unnatural-looking results.

Fortunately, there is now a far simpler, safe, effective, and non-invasive alternative. Laser skin tightening is rapidly growing in popularity as more people discover how it can provide a long-term solution to loose skin in many places on the body. Laser skin tightening is far less invasive than surgical alternatives, while also allowing for more natural-looking results to be consistently achieved.

How Does Laser Skin Tightening Work?

An infrared laser is used to focus light energy on the collagen cells within the skin. The focused energy from the laser heats the collagen fibers responsible for supporting the skin’s structure, causing them to contract. The result is exactly what is desired – a natural-looking tightening of the skin that effectively rejuvenates it.

The process also stimulates the continued production of new collagen, providing ongoing benefits that continue long after each treatment.

Depending on the degree of tightening desired, it may be necessary to undergo several treatment sessions, typically spaced apart by a month or so. One major advantage of using multiple treatment sessions for skin tightening is that the practitioner can avoid over-tightening the skin in one sitting, creating far more natural-looking, gradual improvements to skin tone and tightness over an extended period.

Precautions Before and After Treatment

Your practitioner will advise you to avoid direct sunlight for several days before and after each treatment, as well as recommend the use of moisturizer and sunscreen products after treatment.

Patients occasionally experience minor swelling or redness after a tightening treatment, but symptoms are short-lasting. Overall the laser skin tightening process is well tolerated with very few side-effects and does not require any down-time after each treatment.

Choosing a Practitioner and Scheduling a Consultation

As with all procedures that rely on the skill of the practitioner to achieve the best results, it pays to choose someone who combines extensive experience with advanced medical training and qualifications.

Contact Your Laser Skin Care at (310) 525-1516 to schedule a free consultation. We can explain how laser skin tightening can help you achieve the results you desire.

Laser and IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments are widely used as effective ways to remove unwanted hair. However, unlike the highly focused energy produced by lasers, IPL uses a broad spectrum of light energy, making it useful for many non-invasive cosmetic purposes.

IPL is an effective way to remove spider veins and is also widely used to rejuvenate the complexion and improve the overall tone and appearance of the skin.

 The degree to which light energy produced by IPL is absorbed by skin cells largely depends on the pigmentation of each cell. Since excess skin pigmentation is pretty much the definition of “freckles,” IPL can be very useful as a way to treat unwanted freckles.

Of course, we’re not saying that freckles are necessarily unwanted – they’re often regarded as highly desirable by many, but not by everyone.

Different Types of Freckles

Freckles are small areas of skin with a distinctly darker color than surrounding skin. They’re more likely to be present, or at least more visible, on the face, arms, and shoulders of people with lighter skin color and light blonde or red hair. Yet, they’re also quite common in people with other skin tones, including those with very dark complexions. They’re more likely to appear when the skin is exposed to the sun and often have a genetic component, particularly amongst those of Celtic origin.

They’re not an indication of any health problems, but merely indicate that the skin’s melatonin, which is responsible for skin color, is not distributed uniformly. Freckles can be varied colors, ranging from yellow, orange, and red, to brown, and even black.

There are actually two main categories of freckles:

Ephelides freckles are flat, lighter-colored spots that appear in the summer months and fade during the winter.

Lentigines are darker spots that remain present regardless of exposure to the sun. Lentigines can develop after sunburn or sun damage.

How Does IPL Remove Freckles?

 IPL is the most effective way to treat freckles. Light energy is more efficiently absorbed by darker areas of pigmentation in the skin and breaks down the excess melanin that forms the basis of each freckle. Adjacent areas of skin that do not contain excess melanin remain unaffected.

The larger the contrast between skin and freckle color, the easier it is to correct pigmentation imbalance using IPL. It’s still effective when used on people with darker complexions, but may be less effective on patients with very dark skin color, or who have deep suntans.

During IPL treatment, a cooling gel or light anesthetic is applied to the skin to reduce discomfort. Each IPL treatment takes around 30 minutes.

You may need three to five IPL treatments before the results are complete. The number of treatments depends on the size of the treatment area, or whether you’re hoping just to fade freckles or want them removed entirely. Multiple treatments are typically spaced out and performed after three to six weeks have passed.

What Happens After an IPL Treatment?

 Individual pigmented spots may appear to darken immediately following an IPL treatment, but they will fade away over time. Your skin may appear red or slightly swollen immediately after treatment, but these symptoms usually disappear the same or next day. You’ll be able to resume normal activities right away.

Other Health Considerations

Although freckles are harmless, there are other types of skin problems that appear similar to freckles. Although typically not causes for alarm, skin pigmentation changes are not necessarily benign – you should immediately consult your doctor or dermatologist if you suspect that skin spots have recently appeared or grown.

In some cases, they might be caused by melanoma or other skin cancers; rapid diagnosis and treatment are very important in these cases.

Remove Freckles With IPL in Los Angeles

As such, for other non-invasive treatments, seeing an experienced and qualified practitioner is essential for freckle removal. Not only to choose the most effective treatment but also to ensure that any other skin problems are correctly diagnosed.

Your Laser Skin Care is delighted to evaluate your freckles and recommend an appropriate course of treatment. To learn more about the IPL Photofacial, contact our office at 323-525-1516 to schedule a free consultation.

Injectable dermal fillers are the preferred non-invasive cosmetic way to tackle lines and wrinkles, replace lost volume, tighten loose skin, and address many signs of aging on and around the face. They also allow facial contours to be subtly adjusted and are widely recognized as the most effective way to address a wide range of cosmetic concerns.

In common with almost all other fillers, Juvederm contains and supplements hyaluronic acid that occurs naturally in the human body. Hyaluronic acid helps the skin retain moisture, and is largely responsible for the general skin tone, volume, and elasticity that we associate with a healthy complexion.

Juvederm produces a family of dermal fillers, each containing hyaluronic acid combined with various additives, optimized to address different problems. Juvederm Voluma is the product variant that’s specifically designed to correct age-related missing volume in the cheeks.

Composition

In addition to its primary ingredient (hyaluronic acid), Juvederm Voluma also contains lidocaine as a light local anesthetic to reduce any discomfort during application. Unlike other dermal fillers, Juvederm Voluma is manufactured using proprietary “Vycross” technology that combines two variants of hyaluronic acid, resulting in a cross-linked gel with the ability to better maintain the shape it’s molded into over time. It also allows Juvederm Voluma to provide some degree of “lift” when needed.

The special manufacturing technique also creates an unusually smooth gel, which allows more natural-looking results when used by a skilled practitioner.

Usage

Juvederm Voluma is primarily designed for use in correcting age-related loss of volume in the mid-face, cheeks, and upper cheekbone areas. Typically, our faces lose fat, and our cheeks thin as we age. As a result, the skin starts to sag. Fat loss may also occur for those having naturally lean bodies, or who maintain particularly active lifestyles.

Typical results of using Juvederm Voluma are plumper cheeks and a smoother, tighter skin surface. Together these changes give a lift to any loose skin and result in a more youthful and natural look.

To increase its effectiveness, Juvederm Voluma is injected deeper beneath the surface than other dermal fillers; hence, it is seldom used on areas of the face where the skin usually is much thinner. Its use is also restricted to adults over the age of 21.

Duration of Benefits

All dermal fillers provide temporary relief and require periodic reapplication to maintain the best results. Juvederm Voluma, by virtue of its design, gives more consistent and longer-term results than other fillers. These results typically last up to 2 years after each treatment, but this may depend on the state of your general health.

Hyaluronic acid not only addresses problems at the time of treatment but can also stimulate the continued production of collagen in the body, further prolonging benefits after treatment.

Juvederm in Los Angeles at Your Laser Skin Care

The benefits of Juvederm Voluma are best achieved when using an experienced and well-qualified practitioner. We would be delighted to show you how Juvederm Voluma can be used, on its own, or in combination with other treatments, to address cosmetic problems that concern you. Please contact our office at (323) 525-1516 with questions, or to schedule a free consultation.

For those prone to developing varicose veins, and who have decided to undergo treatment to remove them, it’s common to think that after treatment there will be no need to worry about the reappearance of this uncomfortable and unsightly problem. Or at least, not until a long time has passed.

While this may be true, there are nevertheless several precautions you can take to minimize the chance of varicose veins returning after treatment.

What Causes Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins are the “big brothers” of spider veins – they’re caused by poorly functioning valves that fail to prevent blood from flowing in the wrong direction, away from the heart. The blood pools up, increases the local blood pressure, and eventually weakens the vein walls. This in turn causes the unsightly and painful twisting and enlargement that is the mark of varicose veins. 

In some cases patients are genetically predisposed to circulatory problems that cause varicose veins. In other cases, they can be caused by excess weight, pregnancy, tumors, surgery, accidents, and even constipation.

Why Do Varicose Veins Reappear After Treatment?

Varicose veins are ultimately symptoms of other problems, so even if the veins are treated, unless the underlying causes are not also addressed, the problem can be expected to eventually return after treatment. 

It may also be that your varicose vein treatment was not sufficiently thorough – perhaps not all damaged veins were properly identified before treatment, or the treatment itself was inadequate or poorly executed.

Pre-Treatment Precautions

Choose Your Provider With Care

As in so many other areas, choosing a qualified and experienced provider is vital to obtaining the most effective treatment, avoiding scarring, and minimizing the long-term risk of the problem reappearing after treatment. Your provider will be responsible for identifying damaged veins (including those that may not yet be apparent), then choosing the most appropriate technique(s) to treat them, and finally providing counseling on the best ways to prevent their return. This is an area where ensuring that your provider is a qualified physician is especially important – choosing the best treatment should take into account your prior medical history.

Effective Screening

In many cases your provider will perform (or request) various screening tests prior to treatment – this will help them determine the full extent of the problem, and allows them to tailor your treatment to include potential future problem areas – even if these are not immediately visible.

Post-Treatment Precautions

Monitoring Healing

Your physician will need to monitor you after treatment, to ensure that healing is progressing normally, and possibly to suggest ways to treat any ongoing medical problems that might cause varicose veins to reappear later on.

Staying Healthy

As vein damage is indicative of other health problems, staying (or getting) healthy will certainly help minimize chances of reoccurrence. This means getting appropriate exercise, eating healthily, and avoiding situations that can cause circulatory problems. You should also try to avoid extended periods either sitting or standing.

Resolving Other Medical Issues 

Depending on your circumstances the physician may also suggest ways to address any ongoing medical issues that might increase your chance of having future problems. This might be in the form of referrals to vascular specialists, or perhaps weight loss counseling. 

Vein Therapy in Los Angeles

We offer both sclerotherapy and laser vein therapy treatments in our Los Angeles clinic. For more information, contact Your Laser Skin Care for a free consultation. We will discuss how these treatments can help your particular symptoms, as well as how best to address the medical causes behind your symptoms.

Pores help to keep skin looking healthy, but large pores can spoil the appearance of even the best complexion, causing distress and frustration to many men and women.

What Causes Large Pores?

Oily skin is typically caused by overactive sebaceous glands creating excess oil, which causes pores to expand.

In addition to this genetic cause, the size of skin pores can be influenced by:

• Hormonal changes
• Poor skin hygiene
• Excess sunlight
• Living in extreme climates
• Normal aging process

While hot, humid climates increase sweat and oil production, cold, dry climates can also increase oil production as the body tries to compensate for the lack of moisture in the air.

Whatever the cause, large pores are regarded as cosmetically undesirable and are more likely to become clogged with oil and dirt, increasing the chance of developing acne.

How to Control the Size of Pores?

Careful use of skincare products adapted to your skin type can reduce oil production and help control the size of pores. But it’s hard to find an effective long-term solution to this problem. Using cosmetics to camouflage large pores can also eventually exacerbate the problem.

Pores can be reduced in size by taking measures to unclog your pores, reduce oil production from skin glands, and by stimulating cell renewal and collagen production in the skin. Laser and IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments are recognized as effective ways to accomplish these goals.

How Can IPL Help?

Intense light pulses have the effect of rejuvenating the skin and are able to penetrate deep into the skin, killing bacteria and stimulating collagen production. The result is improved skin tone, reduced oil production, and an eventual reduction in the size of size pores. Light pulses are focused on the skin cell layers responsible for cell renewal, without harming the surface layers of the skin.

Individual IPL procedures normally take no longer than 20 minutes, and although multiple treatments are typically required, results usually become apparent within a week or two of the first treatment.

The IPL procedures we offer have several benefits in addition to shrinking skin pores. They can also help correct visible skin imperfections and improve skin tone.

Get IPL in Los Angeles

For more information about IPL in Los Angeles, contact Your Laser Skin Care for a free consultation. We can show you how to use IPL to address your particular skin issues and answer your questions about this and other non-invasive procedures that we offer.

Although women still account for the vast majority (over 90%) of cosmetic procedures, it’s becoming increasingly common for men to turn to non-invasive cosmetic procedures to counteract the effects of aging, excess weight, and less-than-perfect physiques. Younger men (the infamous millennials) are also more open to using cosmetic procedures than older men.

The CoolSculpting “fat freezing” body contouring technique, in particular, can be used to address several areas of specific concern for men – many of which are resistant to diet and exercise alone.

Here’s where most men get the most out of CoolSculpting:

Beer Bellies & Love Handles

CoolSculpting permanently removes stubborn fat deposits, particularly those just under the skin. Beer bellies and love handles (excess fat on the sides of the waist) are quite common in men and can be difficult to eliminate just through diet and exercise. If you’re self-conscious about the profile of your stomach or waistline, CoolSculpting can be an effective way to make permanent improvements. It’s also far less painful and invasive than the traditional liposuction alternative.

Gynecomastia

Fat deposits in the breast area can be particularly distressing for men. The problem can be due to hormone imbalances, but more often is caused by the simple accumulation of excess fat. Fat in this area can also be quite resistant to diet and exercise. Fortunately, CoolSculpting is an effective way to help minimize or eliminate these fat deposits.

Double Chins

CoolSculpting not only eliminates fat but can also help tighten loose (“lax”) skin under the chin. It’s common for both men and women to accumulate fat in this area, and CoolSculpting is a particularly potent treatment option for this problem area.

Thighs and Buttocks 

Fat accumulation on the inner and outer thighs and beneath the buttocks is another common male problem. Although these problems can be more readily addressed through exercise, CoolSculpting provides a more direct way to solve them.

Upper Arms

Excess fat on the upper arms is often accompanied by loose skin, which can also be present after losing weight through traditional means. CoolSculpting can be used to target these stubborn fat deposits and help tighten accompanying loose skin.

Los Angeles CoolSculpting for Men

These problems can affect all men, not only those with unhealthy diets or lifestyles. CoolSculpting is a safe, effective treatment, and leads to permanent fat elimination in targeted areas. Nevertheless, it should not be regarded as a substitute for eating and drinking wisely and in moderation, nor getting regular exercise. CoolSculpting is also not intended to be used as a weight-loss mechanism.

CoolSculpting offers several other advantages, including:

 

• No injections
• No restrictive diets
• No advance preparation
• No special post-treatment precautions
• No downtime after treatment

While no sudden changes are visible, fat loss occurs gradually in the weeks and months following treatment. Therefore, CoolSculpting provides a natural-looking and discrete way to improve your appearance and self-confidence. 

To schedule a consultation or discuss your questions about CoolSculpting, contact Your Laser Skin Care today.  We offer many other non-invasive cosmetic procedures, many of which can be combined with CoolSculpting, to effectively address the most stubborn problem areas.