Laser skin resurfacing with Fraxel: strange to see MY answers coming out of someone else's mouth

It is definitely weird to hear the same exact answers I would give (except for the pricing, we're less), coming out of a person who is very much NOT me.

The recent interview on Good Morning America shared great information about Fraxel laser skin resurfacing, and in a few minutes, they covered all the most important facts: what kind of results to expect for acne scarring, surgical scars, wrinkles, melasma, etc., how the device is being utilized for people in their teens, versus people in the 50's, and how Fraxel treatments can actually help prevent skin cancer. 
 
Kudos to Dr. Rohksar, definitely one of the best Fraxel videos I've seen:

Making people confident in their own skin: Brian

CBS cut out the best part of Brian's post-acne treatment (Isolaz and Fraxel) interview during the editing process.

When "Talk Philly" host Pat Ciarrocchi asked Brian about the best part of having clear skin, Brian paused for a second, then looked at her smiled. As honestly and simply as a 19 year old male could say, he answered "The girls."

Obviously more comfortable and confident in his skin after getting rid of his acne and acne scars, it is a delight to see the new twinkle in Brian's eye, and the extra spring in his step.

Ladies-- watch out.

Jordan's "Before & After" Acne Story

The technological advancements humans are developing, are consistently amazing. In every realm of life, scientific break-throughs are allowing our quality of living to constantly improve. 

 Obviously, considering my line of work, the ingeniousness I am the most frequently in awe of are those pertaining to skin care. The efficiency with which we can treat acne and acne scars, has never been attainable before. Any skin color, any age, any race-- if you're a person suffering from acne, technology now exists so that you can allow your skin to be pristinely clear. 

It's remarkable, and even though we are doing these acne treatments every day, the results from Isolaz and Fraxel  never cease to amaze me. 

Witness Jordan's transformation, courtesy of Cosmopolitan Skin Care, Isolaz, and Fraxel:

The key to glowing skin that's in every kitchen cupboard?

Baking Soda is the king of reinvention, and one of their latest incarnations has put this kitchen product square in the middle of at-home skin care.

Initially a seldom used product that non-the-less could be found in every kitchen cupboard, a household could buy one box of Arm & Hammer baking soda and have it last for years on end. In order to increase the frequency of sales, marketing geniuses began to promote the product as a way to keep your refrigerator odor-free. Sales sky-rocketed. 

Then, once every refrigerator in America had an open box of baking soda in it, sales flat-lined again. The marketing force then decided to advertise the product as a way to keep your freezer odor-free too, and sales again shot through the roof. 

Baking soda is a very inexpensive product, that can be utilized for a plethora of uses. In order to keep the company profitable, Arm & Hammer's marketing team has to constantly evolve and promote the different ways that baking soda can be useful to a wide variety of people.  

One of their most recent forays is currently being advertised amongst the glossy pages of In Style magazine, as a cheap, miraculous skin care product.

Apparently Secret #33 amongst the countless ways that Baking Soda can benefit you, is that Arm & Hammer Baking Soda can allow you to have healthy-looking glowing skin. By exfoliating your entire face and body with Arm & Hammer, you can allegedly remove your dead skin-cells and expose the healthier skin underneath, courtesy of baking soda. 

Their on-line description of this practice is as follows:

Are you a fan of the self-tan? Before applying products that give you a ‘glow’, give yourself an invigorating, yet gentle, facial and body scrub with ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda. Removing dead skin cells will leave your skin soft and smooth, perfect before application. Make a paste of 3 parts ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to 1 part water. Rub in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate the skin. Rinse clean.

If anyone has tried using Arm & Hammer Baking Soda as an exfoliator,  please share your findings. From personal experience, baking soda is not abrasive enough to physically slough off skin cells, and all that will occur is a messy shower... with a need to buy* more baking soda for the kitchen.

*Ding, ding! The real reason Arm & Hammer wants you to cover your body with their product is revealed...!

Philadelphia's "Just you, only better" workshop

This upcoming Friday, about one-hundred Philadelphians* will gather at 17 & Market, to spend their entire day in a workshop dedicated to teaching them how to look like the best possible version of themselves. 

As a company that is dedicated to being your trusted source for all the best up-and-coming skin/image/self-confidence boosting news/tips/tricks, a Cosmo Skin Care representative will be in attendance to report back the most meaningful nuggets of information that were shared throughout the course of the day. 

A quick look at the day's agenda reads like the cover of a glossy fashion magazine, with sessions titled  "How to Find the Right Hair Style for YOU", "Celeb’s Secrets to Looking 10 Years Younger", "Fashion Tips to Help Reveal the Stylish & Sophisticated You", and others of that ilk. However, as a faithful fashion magazine subscriber since the age of 12, this sounds like a day filled with 8 hours of heaven... 

With an interesting mix of spiritual, exercise, and shopping advice, I am preparing to show up well-caffeinated, with a blank notebook in my purse, and plenty of business cards in my wallet. The Just You, Only Better Workshop wants to help you not just beautify your physical appearance, but also will teach you ways to improve your health and enhance your true inner beauty. The goal is to make the attendees feel empowered, by teaching them how to become a more balanced, happier person, basically…you, only better!

Final perk: word on the street is that there is an absolutely amazing goody bag for all attendees. :) 

After seeing how the events unfold this year, perhaps this is something that Cosmopolitan Skin Care's experts should be speaking at in the future-- lord knows the condition of a person's skin has an incredible effect on the way a person looks, and feels about themselves.  

7:30 - 8:30	Registration & Breakfast
8:30 - 9:00	The Impact of the Media on the Confidence of Women and Young Girls - Molly Napolitano, Founder & President, Just You Only Better
9:00 - 9:45	Women’s Health:  Staying Healthy, Vibrant & Sexy as You Age - Vicki Lukert, PT, Women’s Health Expert
9:45 - 10:30	Meditation & More:  Simple Ways to Reduce Your Stress & Transform Your Life  - Alice Dommert, Co-Founder, Deliver Me Yoga
10:30 - 10:45	BREAK
10:45 - 11:15	Fattitude:  Lose the “F” in Attitude - Michele M. Paiva, Author, Publisher
11:15 - 11:45	Train Your Head…Body Will Follow - Sandy Weston, M.Ed, Owner, Weston Fitness & Founder of H30 Workout System
11:45 - 1:15	Lunch & Presentation:  Fashion Tips to Help Reveal the Stylish & Sophisticated You - Biana, THE Philly Fashionista
1:15 - 2:00	Never Diet Again:  Easy Ways to Achieve & Maintain Your Perfect Weight - Melinda Engel, Owner, A Simple Approach to Nutrition - Molly Napolitano, Founder & President, Just You Only Better
2:00 - 2:30	The Celeb’s Secrets to Looking 10 Years Younger - Janet Indorf, Regional Make-up Artist, Bobbi Brown
2:30 - 3:00	How to Find the Right Hair Style for YOU   - Jeffrey Moffet, THE Makeover Guru, Pileggi on the Square
3:00 - 3:15	Break
3:15 - 4:00	Healthy Cooking:  Fast, Easy & Delicious - Brian Duffy, Celebrity Chef & Corporate Executive Chef, Kildare’s Irish Pubs & Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar
4:00 - 4:30	Final Thoughts - - - Meet New Friends
4:30 - 5:00	Free Zumba Class at Weston Fitness (Sandy Weston) OPTIONAL

*I would assume the attendees would be all women, but really... suppose they could be any gender.

Patti Stanger's million dollar skin advice

With a mixture of sass and crass bluntness, third generation matchmaker Patti Stanger has a knack for finding love for other people. As owner of The Millionaire's Club, one of the most elite dating services in the world, Patti has seen thousands of relationship succeed and fail. Through both the successes and the failures, she learned-- and began taking note of the recurring trends that lead to higher love-match success rates. For single people looking to meet their perfect match, Patti delivers some harsh, but honest advice: appearance counts! 

One of her top physical priorities for attracting a mate is, unsurprisingly, good skin. In an instant, the appearance of a person's skin tells the story of that person's health and age, prime qualities that are subconsciously taken into account when choosing a prospective date. In order to get your skin in shape, and keep it looking it's best, here is a quick run-down of Patti's check-list to perfect skin:

• Do your homework!
  After testing out various micro-dermabrasions, facials, and laser treatments, Patti admits that she doesn't like to waste money-- and neither should you! Always extensively research any new skin fad you think might be beneficial before plunking down any of your hard-earned cash.
  Equally important, do your due research on the person whom might be administering these treatments to you. Check their credentials, get references, look at before and after pictures, and feel comfortable taking your time when it comes to decision making. "Keep in mind that just as the cheapest [treatment/specialist] might not be the best, the most expensive might not be either."

• If you find a skin care plan that works, stick with it!
  After experiencing break-outs whenever she strayed from her tried and true La Prairie skin care routine, Patti ultimately figured, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Staying faithful to a skin care plan that works, and taking good care of her skin, for over 20 years, has definitely paid off. At age 47, Patti looks at least a decade younger than her chronological age.
  Once you have found a skin care plan that works for you, resist temptation to switch every time a new "miracle"product or fad emerges. If you want consistently good skin, be consistent with what works.

• There is nothing wrong with Botox, but be wary of "Botox Parties"
  Although certainly not against the use of Botox, the concept of a "Botox Party" kind of skeeves Patti out. The idea of mixing alcohol (which usually is present at social gatherings) with a medical procedure seems like a recipe for disaster.
  Muses Patti, "Do you really want to be making decisions about your face when you're tipsy? Are you going to give credence to the opinions of your drunken friends?"
  When it comes to any sort of skin care treatment, Patti's discomfort is well founded: alcohol should certainly NEVER be present, for neither the patient nor the skin care administrator.
  

• Don't forget the skin on your hands and neck
  Often overlooked in favor of just focusing on the face, the neck skin, and skin on the back of the hands, receive just as much abuse and sun damage as your face does-- but with a fraction of the TLC. Make sure to apply sunscreen everyday, all year long, to both areas. Subconsciously, these areas can easily make you appear older than you are, despite the condition of your facial skin.
  When it comes to attracting a mate, Patti recommends extra care be spent on the tips of your fingers. "Manicures and good nail care are essential. Professional nail care is so inexpensive these days, and men think beautifully manicured hands are sexy."

• No matter what, take care of your skin before bed!
  Take off your makeup, cleanse your skin, and use night cream every night, no exceptions.
  Patti's tough love: "I don't care if you're tired, do you want a [mate] or not?"
  Since your skin uses this downtime to repair itself from the offenses incurred during the day, it is important to provide your skin with the best ingredients to work with; i.e. clean, hydrated skin. 

By following Patti's sound skin advice, you will find it easier to love the reflection in the mirror, which in turn will make it even easier to find love out in the world.

For more insight into how to attract your perfect mate, check out Patti on Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker show, or read her book, "8 Easy Steps for Attracting Your Perfect Mate".

No surprise: Philly's top 3 skin treatments are America's top too!

With the absolutely amazing transformations that we see on a daily basis, further convincing was not necessary, but... it's always nice to know that (MANY!) others agree with you. 

According to the American Health & Beauty Reader's Choice Awards, Fraxel, Thermage, and Botox were all picked as the BEST treatments in their respective genres.

 Best Skin Tightening Devices: Thermage 

While skin tightening inquiries were high, the most popular skin tightening device was Thermage. With almost immediate improvements, no down time, and no risk, it is easy to understand why Thermage would be America's most popular choice for tightening the skin on their faces, neck, belly, thighs, buttocks, arms, etc... 

Used to treat sagging skin, wrinkles and discoloration, Thermage stimulates growth of new collagen, therefore tightening and improving skin's texture and contours. 

Best of Fillers/Injectables: Botox 

An oldy but goody: BOTOX is still number 1 when it comes to facial fillers/injectables! (Having been around since 1994, this is the oldest procedure on the list!) 

Despite the negative media hype regarding the use of Botox, people love it, and keep coming back to it again and again for it's wrinkle erasing abilities.  Despite several competitors entering the market this year, Botox remained the #1 preferred injectable.

Best Resurfacing/Rejuvenation Device: Fraxel 

Setting the gold standard for skin resurfacing, Fraxel (by the same company as Thermage, Solta Medical) was by far the most popular in its category. 

By promoting new collagen growth, Fraxel is able to rid the skin of acne scars, sun damage, uneven pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, scarring, stretch marks, and much more. 

Snowball in the face: New SkinCeuticals Anti-Aging Treatment

The picture at left is of some sort of snow-ball cake, en route to be decorated. Nothing about a kitschy winter-themed dessert is even remotely skin related... and yet, it was the closest image I could find to what I imagine is going to be coming up during our upcoming SkinCeutical chemical peel training day. 

Yup, a snowball on a stick.

The shopping list of things we needed in order to facilitate our upcoming day of Chemical Peel training was both intimidating and formidable. Slowly working our way through the seemingly never-ending list (our Blade Handle and Blade Remover arrived just today, if you were wondering) has been a time-consuming and somewhat humorous task. Although it was a bit embarrassing for a complete chemistry-ignoramus to call the local gas company and describe why I needed a heavy duty CO2 tank for a Medical Spa, I cannot wait to see how everything comes together in action.

Since we haven't gone through our training yet, and no videos of this peel are available on YouTube, my excitement is based wholly off my imagination in conjunction with the description given by our SkinC rep...

For the anti-aging SkinCeuticals "MicroPeel", the CO2 comes into play with the seldom-used-despite-it's-awesome-benefits Cryogenic Therapy. "Snowballs" are formed with the frozen CO2, and then attached  to Popsicle sticks. They are wrapped in gauze, dipped in Glycolic acid and then rubbed all over the face. The extremely low temperature is supposed to help prevent redness and any inflammation, while the freezing temperature sanitizes the skin while helping exfoliate blackheads, ingrown hairs, and clogged pores. (There is derma-planing involved in this treatment too.) The end result is smoother, clearer, brighter, tighter skin, with a reduction in fine lines, wrinkles, and brown spots, with NO down-time.

Literally, these peels are going to be so cool, and I cannot wait to start doing them. Making snow-ball popsicles with a CO2 tank, wearing my Doctor's coat and safety glasses, I think I will look like a mad scientist version of an Aesthetician... and I simply cannot wait. :)