Medical science and technology have come a long way to be able to offer laser treatments with either minimal or no downtime, even with measureable results over time.  It seems the more clinics that offer alternative laser procedures the more rapidly they are turning into the ‘lunchtime facial’ appointment choice for many medical spa goers; instead of the former and still viable treatment choice, if you don’t mind hiding indoors for weeks, of  ‘fractionated resurfacing ablative laser’.

How and why have lunchtime laser treatments stolen the spotlight? In one word, technology.  Newer ‘laser’ technology among skincare machines leads to newer, better treatment offerings for those desiring a youthful, fresh, wrinkle-free, pigment-free appearance.  And that is why laser skincare technology is something read up on.  As is ‘everything skin care’ it’s quite fascinating.  What is the latest and greatest fascinating laser treatment out there for Facial Rejuvenation?  Thanks to persistent, clever marketing, one stands out among the many in the crowded laser pool.

Laser Genesis is being touted as the no-downtime laser facial. I think it is sad, actually.  A facial is about physical relaxation and mental and spiritual rejuvenation while the skin is pampered with appropriate cleansing, exfoliating, masking and hydrating steps.  Ooh, and massage.  How could I forget my incredibly relaxing, deeply touching massage techniques?  Tell me of any one person who books a laser appointment because she’s in desparate need of an emotional retreat.  A laser, unless it develops warm, incredibly soft hands and a caring for its patient, will never be a facial.  A laser is a laser.  Please do not fall for seductive marketing of non-seductive laser machinery. 

Now that I have said that, Laser Genesis is the cross between ablative and non-ablative laser.  Meaning it requires little to no downtime and doesn’t actually rupture the skin causing inflammation.  And in some patients, results may be seen immediately -although for the average client it takes until the third or so treatment.  Why does it take soo long?  The fractionated infrared laser penetrates the deeper, lively, and active layers of the skin, the dermis- where collagen and elastin forms; where skin damage occurs and similar to a pulled strand on a woven sweater, the function of collagen formation, continues to deteriorate and come undone.  This infrared light is known to stimulate collagen which will help to ‘firm and tighten’ the skin and in some cases will minimize appearance of rosacea conditions.  If you are working with the lowest, innermost level of the skin, the dermis, it takes several treatments before it is visible on the epidermis, or the outermost layer of the skin; because all of the ‘work’ being done is working beneath the surface.

The plus side to laser:  over time, it will, rather, it may offer more youthful looking skin (firmer, smaller pores, less wrinkles) with increased collagen production and minimized rosacea tendancies.
The minus? I’ll numerically list these.  You can simply type facial laser treatment reviews and read for yourself real testimonials.

1. Severe burns or adverse reactions mainly due to insufficient exferience from the laser technician.  Scary and ugly and may not be reversible. 

2. Hyperpigmentation from an adverse reaction or severe burn from an inexperienced laser technician.

3. Overall lack of results – due to an inexperienced technician.

4. DO A TEST AREA. The one time you do not, will be the one time you and the laser technician will learn a very important unpleasant lesson. You do not need to find out your skin does not like the laser treatment after you have undergone the treatment on your entire face, neck, and decollete.

If you are not 110% confident in the technician’s ability to perform LASER on your skin; which could severely burn you or leave you with scarring or hyperpigmentation should something go awry, find another technician who is experienced in lasers AND your skin type.  If the setting is set even one notch too high, that could be the difference between, beautiful results, no results, or first to third degree burning.

5. A LOT of money, well to the majority of middle-class workers.  Be prepared to shell out about 1500-2000 dollars. For the first series. A second series may be recommended of the same or different laser combination procedure, and there is always the ‘upkeep’ treatment recommended a few times a year to prevent the skin from reverting back.

Overall thoughts: Does laser work 60-70% of the time? Yes. Although it will cost you.  You’ll need to say goodbye to more than just Starbucks to fit this one into the budget. It does no good to go in for one promotional treatment and then not continue to reap the benefits of the procedure consistently while the skin reverts back to normal from only undergoing the process once.  In the grand scheme of things, that will truly be a waste.  Pointless.  If you’ve convinced yourself you want or need laser, be serious about it.  And jump in with both feet.  Don’t waste 300-500 on one treatment, unless that is your pocket change and you won’t miss it.  Be smart and incredibly selective with who you ‘hire’ for the job.  Don’t be the looking-for-the-deal client, because I’ve heard it time and time again from brand new clients.. “I got what I paid for”.  Which was not what was advertised in the ‘deal’.  Either bad results, or no results.   

Think of it this way.  You are not just paying for laser. You are paying for ‘Professionalism, Knowlege, Passion for the job, Before and After Regimen, Expected Outcome, Realistic Outcome, Confidence, Appropriate Safety Practices, Cleanliness, Tons of Experience, and the ability to immediately and calmly handle an adverse situation should something go wrong”. 

Be smart when it comes to lasers and your face.  It is your skin, your face.  You are stuck with the results for the rest of your life.  I don’t say this to deter you, I say this so you go into your appointment grounded.  No rainbows and butterflies.  Because if you have someone who does not know what they are doing, you’ll know afterward. Either, from the lack of positive results, or the excess of negative results; meaning your skin is worse off now than before you went in.  And, you signed a consent form, so there will be no money back, and that will make you unhappy and stressed.   You will invest time, money, energy once the laser treatments begin to then ‘maintain the results’.  Lastly, plan to alter or begin a new skincare regimen to support your new laser treatment series regimen.

According to Dr. Daniel Amen, author of ‘Change Your Brain, Change Your Body’, by taking care of your brain, you will be able to improve the appearance of your skin.  Each day my position on inner health stands a little closer to Dr. Amen’s position:  take a moment to think about what is going on inside your body and your brain and how your lifestyle and environment are affecting both your skin and your brain.

People, especially women, spend so much time and money working on their skin, when the first organ to take care of to have great-looking skin is your brain.  The cosmetics counter, the dermatologist, the plastic surgeon-this is where you run to reverse the aging process.  But, skin care products, laser treatments, and the scalpel are often only temporary fixes.  The real fix lies in your brain.

Once reading the above excerpt, I decided, okay, Dr. Amen, you have my attention, I’ll bite.  I’m still biting.  That was several books ago on internal health for external health, beautifying foods, the falsity of the cosmetics industry… all pointing with very large, brightly colored arrows toward one pertinent message:  It is not what you put on the outside, but what you put on the inside that matters most.

The prevailing concept behind the message has resonated with me for years but the universe is throwing it in my face everywhere I turn and now it’s time to share the enlightenment on the subject, or the opinions of my findings.

Dr. Amen, similar to many naturalist MD’s states that your lifestyle and environment are affecting both your skin and your brain, and usually not to the healthiest degree, but rather the opposite.

He explains over 18 lifestyle and environmental factors that play a negative role in the skin’s functionality and appearance.  I am going to highlight the most common.

1.  Too much Caffeine from coffee, tea, chocolate, or some herbal preparations dehydrates your skin, which makes it look dry and wrinkled.

2. Alcohol has a dehydrating effect on the body, sapping moisture from your skin and increasing wrinkles.  It also dilates the blood vessels and capillaries.  With excessive drinking, the blood vessels lose their tone and become permanently dilated, giving your face a ‘flush’ that will not go away.  Alcohol also depletes Vitamin A, an important antioxidant involved in skin-cell regeneration.  Alcohol abuse damages the liver and reduces its ability to remove toxins from the body, resulting in increased toxins in the body and skin that make you look older than you actually are.

3. Nicotine reduces blood flow to the skin, robbing it of that healthy glow.  It also destroys elasticity, which promotes wrinkles.  The act of puffing on cigarettes also adds fine lines to your upper lip.  If you smoke for ten years or longer you can end up with ‘smoker’s face’.  This makes people look older than their true age and includes the following facial characteristics:  lines at the corners of the eyes, on the cheeks, or the jaw, and above and below the lips; a graying tone and a reddish complexion.  And smokers are three times more likely to develop a very serious type of skin cancer, Squamous Cell Carcinoma than non-smokers according to a study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

4. Your daily food intake fuels your skin cell’s regeneration, which make themselves new approximately every thirty days.  Your skin reflects the nutritional quality of your diet.  If you eat a deficient diet, your skin will not have the proper nutrients to look well-aged.

5. Eating high glycemic foods and too many sweets causes wrinkles? Yes.  According to the British Journal of Dermatology, consuming sugar promotes a natural process called glycation, in which sugars attach themselves to proteins that form harmful molecules called AGE’s, or advanced glycation end-products.   These little molecules damage your brain and also damage collagen and elastin, the protein fibers that help keep your skin firm and supple.  The more sugar you consume, the more damage to these proteins, and the more wrinkles appear on the face.

6. When you don’t drink enough water, similar to consuming too much alcohol or caffeine, the body and your skin becomes dehydrated.

7. Without adequate rest your skin misses out on the crucial rejuvenation process that occurs during ‘sleep time’.  The result of this leads to bags under the eyes, increase in wrinkling, and overall premature aging of the skin.

8. Lack of exercise, or couch potato syndrome deprives you of the antiaging benefits of physical activity.  when the blood flow is increased, it allows the body to send vital nutrients to the skin through increased circulation.

9. Researchers have pinpointed a strong brain-stress-skin-connection.  Your brain sends signals to your skin that can result in pimples and breakouts in response to stress.  Scientific evidence has also found that psychological stress worsens symptoms of common skin conditions, i.e. eczema and psoriasis.

These are of the most common aggravators to aging skin, although there are many more that play a role in robbing our youthful appearance.   Be sure to take a vitamin supplementation-fish oil and vitamin D, drink enough water, limit the skin dehydrators to a minimal amount, exercise, and eat a brain healthy diet, for starters.