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Time to dispose of some well-known sunscreen “facts” that aren’t actually true at all. You might think that suggesting that you worry about sun protection in the middle of the winter demonstrates particularly bad timing on our part, but please read on. There are some very good reasons why it’s never a bad time to think about protection from the sun.

Myth 1: It’s only necessary to use sunscreen to prevent sunburn while tanning.

Sadly, no. Exposure to sunlight, over time, will cause premature aging of the skin. This damage is not limited to your face and will happen even if you’re on vacation, sitting on a beach under an umbrella, swimming, wearing clothing, and even when you’re out and about on a cloudy day. Most importantly, you can damage your skin without even knowing it, and certainly without necessarily feeling your skin burning.

Recently there have been important changes to the way that sunscreen is used – instead of reserving its use for days when you know you’ll be exposed to a lot of sunlight (vacation, hiking, outdoor events), more and more people are incorporating it into their daily skin care regimen. And with this trend we see sunscreen products evolving away from heavy, greasy creams, towards products that incorporate moisturizers, and are far more easily applied to, and absorbed by, the skin.

Myth 2: One sunscreen product is much like another.

The most obvious difference between different sunscreen products is the degree of protection from sunlight ultra-violet rays that they provide. A sunscreen product’s SPF (Sun Protection Factor) rating is a measure of how effectively a product protects your skin. SPF ratings typically range from 15 at the low end, up to 50 or even more at the high end. However, the SPF scale is not linear, and high-SPF rated products may not offer significantly greater protection than low-rated ones. We believe it’s more important to find a sunscreen product that you’re comfortable applying several times a day than to choose a product based simply on its SPF rating.

Aside from their SPF factor, products differ widely in the degree to which they offer protection when exposed to water. Regardless of what the manufacturers claim, no sunscreen is completely waterproof. You should re-apply sunscreen several times during the day to maintain effective protection, as well as immediately following any water exposure. Bear in mind that sunscreens also take several minutes to be absorbed by the skin, and so should be applied several minutes before exposing yourself to water.

Myth 3: Most sun damage occurs when young, so it’s not as important to protect against sun damage when older.

Unfortunately not. Damage from the sun is cumulative and takes place regardless of your age. Given the average life span, less than 25% of your lifetime exposure to sunlight occurs before the age of 18, so there’s plenty of time (and reason) for you to take care of your skin as you age, regardless of how well (or not) you protected your skin when younger.

Myth 4: Wearing sunscreen reduces one’s Vitamin D levels.

Today we are more aware of health problems that can be caused by low levels of vitamin D in the body, and people with low levels of vitamin D can easily combat this by taking supplements. Although the body uses sunlight to make vitamin D, and although sunscreen obviously works to limit sunlight exposure, medical studies have concluded that sunscreen application does not have a significant effect on most people’s levels of vitamin D. Age, skin color, and weight (only one of which we have any control over!) have more effect on our levels of vitamin D.

Myth 5: Having olive or dark-skin means that I can’t burn.

Our last myth to bust is a very pervasive one: does having olive or dark skin allow one to spend more time in the sun without protection? In a word, no. Having darker skin may mean that one burns more slowly, but anyone can suffer damage from too much sunlight exposure, regardless of skin color. Unfortunately, even though very dark complexioned people are less likely to develop skin cancer, those that do are more likely to develop complications. Melanoma is a particularly dangerous form of skin cancer, and having a dark complexion can lead to delays in diagnosing the condition.

Using sunscreen on a regular basis is something that we ALL need to do. A related belief is that maintaining a tan will provide some degree of protection against further damage to the skin. This is quite simply not true, and we strongly recommend against using tanning salons, for all skin types. The World Health Organization lists tanning beds as one of the most dangerous sources of cancer-causing radiation. In fact, using artificial tanning beds before the age of 35 more than doubles your chances of developing skin cancer later in life.

Los Angeles IPL and Skin Rejuvenation

Our office provides IPL and skin rejuvenation treatments to combat the effects of sun damage and premature aging. With our non-invasive and innovative treatments, we can work on removing and resurfacing your skin for a healthier, more youthful appearance.

Your Laser Skin Care in Los Angeles specializes in Botox and Fillers injections, laser hair removal, vein therapy, chemical peels and IPL among many other services. Please call us at (323) 525-1516 or visit us online at www.yourlaserskincare.com to schedule a free consultation.

Surgical facelifts have always been a somewhat risky way to achieve a younger look. They’re effective, but often too effective – everyone has heard stories from legions of patients left with over-stretched, artificial-looking skin. They’re also costly, both in terms of the financial outlay, as well as the sometimes extended periods needed to fully recover.

The good news is that there are now several non-invasive treatments that can achieve similar results to surgical procedures, as well as address conditions (fine wrinkles, creases around the nose and upper lip, and hollowed-out cheeks) that surgery cannot.

Liquid Facelifts

It’s possible to combine injectable fillers with Botox to achieve very similar (and even superior) results to surgical facelifts. In our office, we use a combination of Botox, various fillers, Sculptra and Juvederm Voluma for liquid facelifts. These products can be used to target a wide range of problems, ranging from fine wrinkles to moderate or severe lines and skin folds, on the forehead, between the eyebrows, in the folds of the nose, around the lips and mouth, and elsewhere. They allow dynamic areas of the face to be effectively treated while retaining a natural look (an area which surgical face-lifts are typically unable to address). They also have the ability to provide a degree of lift to sagging areas of the face, as well as compensate for unwanted loss of fat beneath the skin.

We also use Kybella, an FDA-approved injectable treatment that can be used to dissolve fat under the chin. Kybella results will be seen in four to six weeks after treatment, and last for several years. Kybella is applied over the course of several sessions, leading to more gradual, and hence more natural-looking, results.

CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting is a proprietary technology that allows excess fat to be precisely targeted and destroyed by using cold temperatures to freeze the fat cells. The cold temperature is applied using cooling pads placed on the surface of the skin, including under the chin area. Results are visible about three weeks after each procedure as fat cells are gradually absorbed by the body.

CoolSculpting is one of the fastest-growing non-surgical treatments. We are thrilled to be able to add it to our list of available treatments in early 2019.

Most facelifts are performed to address double chins and facial skin folds. You can combine fillers, Juvederm Voluma, Sculptra in the mid-face area with Botox on the forehead, and use Kybella or CoolSculpting under the chin, to totally transform and rejuvenate your look, or simply use one or more treatments to address more minor concerns.  Either way, we will be delighted to discuss whatever treatment options you’re interested in. Don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation with us.

Schedule a Nonsurgical “Facelift”

Your Laser Skin Care in Los Angeles specializes in Botox and filler injections, laser hair removal, vein therapy, chemical peels and IPL among many other services. Please call us at (323) 525-1516 or visit us online at www.yourlaserskincare.com to schedule a free consultation.

Hyaluronic Acid occurs naturally in the body, primarily in the skin, joints, and eyes. It performs a major role in lubricating joints and maintaining the healthy appearance of the skin. The body’s hyaluronic acid levels decrease with age, which can contribute to various age-related skin and joint problems.

Hyaluronic acid is also the active ingredient that forms the basis of just about all popular cosmetic injectable filler products, as well as in many supplements and topically-applied skin creams and lotions.

To learn why this is so, we’ll explore its various properties – you’ll see that this substance possesses a quite remarkable number of desirable properties.

Skin Hydrating

Keeping hydrated typically means drinking enough water to maintain your body’s correct level of fluids.

Hyaluronic acid’s most interesting property is its ability to retain water -amazingly a single gram of hyaluronic acid can bind up to six liters of water. Fortunately, it also has the ability to regulate the level of moisture inside cells, so that skin cells will retain the appropriate amount of water. This is key to keeping your skin looking (and feeling) healthy as you age.

Note that hydrating is not the same as moisturizing – although the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, hydrating products are designed to increase the water content of the skin, while moisturizing products are designed to seal moisture into the skin by forming a protective barrier over its surface.

Hyaluronic acid is often combined with moisturizers to help boost the skin’s natural barrier to losing water, it also provides long-term benefits by continuing to draw in and retain water long after being applied.

Combats the Effects of Aging

As the natural levels of hyaluronic acid decline with age, the skin loses its elasticity and the skin’s overall vitality declines. When hyaluronic acid is applied to the skin, the level of moisture in the skin increases and the skin cells increase in size, which improves overall firmness of the skin. This helps to combat age-related loss of skin tone, improves skin texture, and can also compensate for loss of body fat beneath the skin.

Increasing the skin’s ability to retain moisture will also lessen the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Hyaluronic acid also promotes skin cell regeneration, and it reduces the visibility of age spots and uneven pigmentation. The overall effect is to give you a healthier-looking complexion.

Reduction in Clogged Pores

When your skin has the correct moisture balance, excess production of oil will be reduced, which in turn leads to fewer clogged pores.

Natural Product

As we mentioned hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the body. As a natural product, it can generally be applied or injected without fear of allergic reactions. When used as injectables, hyaluronic acid products are often modified to create a thicker and more stable gel, which allows it to be used to fill in larger areas under the skin.

To cap off this impressive list, hyaluronic acid, when applied topically, is also used to treat burns, bed sores, skin ulcers, and help heal wounds. And if that’s not enough, apparently it can also be used to combat dry eyes, and research is underway to investigate using it to preserve joints and prevent bladder spasms.

We’d be happy to schedule a consultation to discuss the various ways you could use hyaluronic acid to improve your skin’s condition.

Lip fillers are a very popular way to change the appearance of one’s lips, typically by increasing their fullness. As with all cosmetic procedures, it’s wise to do your homework first, by researching the pros and cons associated with the procedure.

Here is our list of things you should pay special attention to before deciding to go ahead with the procedure.

1. Lip fillers are made from hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid-based products have many advantages – they typically last longer, and their effects can be reversed if necessary.

2. Perhaps the hardest thing is deciding how far to go in enhancing your lips. We’d council being conservative – it’s important to maintain a natural look.

3. Your doctor should be prepared to recommend the exact filler that will give you the best results. If you choose wisely, your doctor will have a wealth of experience to draw upon and will give you valuable advice on how to get the best results while still looking natural.

4. Your body will slowly absorb the filler, but the benefits should last from six months to a year or more. Thinner people absorb fillers faster.

5. It’s best to plan on enhancing your lips gradually, over several sessions. This is especially true if you want to go from naturally thin lips to a very full look.

6. To prepare for the procedure avoid taking aspirin, fish oil, multivitamins, vitamin E, or anti-inflammatory drugs the week before your procedure. They will thin your blood and increase the chances of bruising after the procedure. Likewise avoiding alcohol or coffee the day before and after the procedure will minimize the chance of swelling. You should also avoid exercising the day of the procedure.

7. If you’re prone to cold sores, take preventive medication two days before the procedure as the filler injections could trigger cold sores.

8. The procedure is very quick, normally less than 30 minutes. Although lip fillers contain numbing agents you should prepare for some discomfort, as the upper lip is a very sensitive area.

9. Some bruising and swelling after the procedure is natural. Applying ice can help. After around 24 to 48 hours you should see the final results. Once any swelling has subsided your lips should feel like normal again.

10. Check your doctor’s experience and reputation before deciding on where to have the procedure done. Your lips are a very sensitive area with many blood vessels, so choosing someone with solid experience is a must.

Los Angeles Lip Fillers

Your Laser Skin Care in Los Angeles specializes in Botox and Fillers injections, laser hair removal, vein therapy, chemical peels and IPL among many other services. Please call us at (323) 525-1516 or visit us online at www.yourlaserskincare.com to schedule a free consultation.

“Unwanted” facial hair describes a wide range of situations, including stray hairs. Typically, the most unwelcome facial hairs are the dark, coarse hairs that often appear on the chin as we age. They can be caused by hereditary factors, some medications, or by elevated levels of male hormones.

Causes of Unwanted Facial Hair

Hereditary factors are responsible for increased chances of excess hair and some people just have more hair than others. Excess levels of male hormones can be caused by several medical conditions, including ovarian and adrenal gland tumors. They can also be due to the medications you take, especially drugs that contain hormones (such as anabolic steroids), and drugs intended to boost hair growth (like Rogaine). More often, however, they are simply caused by the normal hormonal fluctuations and changes that our bodies undergo as we age. For most people, sooner or later, unwanted facial hair is simply a fact of life.

Laser Hair Treatment Options

Regardless of the level of hair growth that you regard as excessive, several treatment options are available:

– The traditional methods of shaving, plucking, threading, waxing, and depilatory creams.

Depending on your skin type these solutions may be more or less attractive. They often come with downsides – pain and redness from plucking, threading, and waxing. Irritation from depilatory creams, and cuts or razor burn from shaving.

– Laser hair removal is a highly effective way to remove unwanted hair. Although a single treatment won’t permanently stop the hair growth, after a few treatments unwanted hair can be greatly reduced or eliminated. The laser works by applying heat to the hair root (“follicle”), which kills it.

Laser hair removal can now be used on patients with any skin tone or hair color. Although the laser pulse is not totally painless, modern techniques incorporate cooling and anesthetic sprays that greatly reduce the discomfort.

Los Angeles Facial Hair Removal

Our office will be happy to schedule a consultation to discuss your particular situation and to recommend the best way for you to tackle unwanted facial hair.

Your Laser Skin Care in Los Angeles specializes in Botox and Fillers injections, laser hair removal, vein therapy, chemical peels and IPL among many other services. Please call us at (323) 525-1516 or visit us online at www.yourlaserskincare.com to schedule a free consultation.

Spider veins are the smaller cousins of varicose veins – they are twisty, fine, red, purple, or blue blood vessels that can be seen through the skin, usually on the face or legs. Unlike varicose veins they don’t cause the skin surface to bulge – although they don’t typically pose a health problem in themselves, they can be equally distressing. They typically form a spider’s web-like pattern, and up to 60% of adults will eventually suffer from them.

What Causes Spider Veins?

Healthy veins transfer blood to the heart and contain one-way valves that allow blood to flow in one direction. Spider veins are formed when problems with these valves cause blood to pool inside the veins. This causes blood vessel walls to weaken, which can result in the twisty patterns that are characteristic of spider veins.

Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from spider veins, as are people who spend much of their time at work standing up. Age, being overweight, pregnancy, trauma, and surgery also increase the risk of developing spider veins. There is also a genetic component, meaning that some people are just more likely to suffer from them.

If you want to decrease the risk of developing spider veins, the following methods are recommended:

-Stay active by walking regularly and keeping your weight under control.

– Additional exercises targeting your leg muscles will help.

– If you have to stand still for extended periods, periodically stretch your leg muscles to help promote blood circulation.

– Limit the level of salt in your diet to reduce water retention.

– Regularly rest with your legs raised to the level of your heart (or higher). This helps promote healthy blood circulation by stopping blood from pooling in the legs.

– Excessive sun exposure can also contribute to worsening the appearance of spider veins, so wearing sunblock and avoiding too much sun will also help.

If you’ve started to develop spider veins, Sclerotherapy and Laser Vein Therapy are both effective treatment options that can reduce or eliminate spider veins in the vast majority of cases.

Your Laser Skin Care in Los Angeles specializes in Botox and Fillers injections, laser hair removal, vein therapy, chemical peels and IPL among many other services. Please call us at (323) 525-1516 or visit us online at www.yourlaserskincare.com to schedule a free consultation.

We certainly don’t want to presume to tell you that you need a laser or chemical peel treatment, but if you’re thinking about choosing either, we collected three reasons why the New Year is a particularly good time to follow-up.

1. Laser treatments and chemical peels are both effective ways to rejuvenate your appearance and give rapid results. Many people start the New Year off by making resolutions to eat a healthier diet or exercise more. It can be tough to keep to these types of long-term plans when you don’t necessarily see any benefits for a while. However, the feeling of well-being and confidence from getting either laser treatments or chemical peels can give you the motivation to carry on and stick to your resolutions.

2.  It’s strongly recommended to avoid strong sunlight before, during, and especially after laser treatments and chemical peels, while your skin heals, and any inflammation goes down. Winter time is therefore the ideal time of year to plan these treatments. During winter, the damaging UV rays are weaker, there are fewer hours of sunlight in the day, and we typically stay indoors for longer periods. We also wear more clothing in the winter, which in turn provides more protection. These factors, taken together, can be especially helpful when you have a series of treatments, and you may need to avoid direct sunshine over an extended period. Several skin conditions, such as hyperpigmentation, are exacerbated during the summer months. Winter is a perfect time to take care of problems that are caused by excess sun exposure.

3. Dry skin typically is worse during the winter months. Getting a chemical peel in the winter helps to remove the dead skin layers, which in turn increases your skin’s ability to absorb winter skin care products such as moisturizers. Rather than disrupting your skin care routine, a chemical peel can actually enhance your ability to treat dry skin.

Skin Rejuvenation at Your Laser Skin Care

Perhaps the best argument is this: take good care of your complexion during the cooler months and you’ll be better prepared to enjoy the sun by the time the warmer summer months come along.  In moderation, of course!

Your Laser Skin Care in Los Angeles specializes in Botox and Fillers injections, laser hair removal, vein therapy, chemical peels and IPL among many other services. Please call us at (323) 525-1516 or visit us online at www.yourlaserskincare.com to schedule a free consultation.