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Youngest Looking Skin<O
</O
You like what you see in the mirror ... except for that one little thing. Maybe it's those furrows in your brow even when you're not worried, or the dark circles that stay put no matter how much sleep you get. We'll tell you how to tackle those trouble zones with the latest skin-care solutions -- little pick-me-ups that will keep you looking as young as you feel.
Erase Undereye Circles
Cause
Blood vessels showing underneath skin and/or skin that's hyperpigmented (darker) because of sun exposure.
Do-it-yourself fix
Retinol, the form of topical vitamin A found in over-the-counter products, helps undereye circles in two ways: (1) by fading melanin, the skin pigment that often contributes to darkness, and (2) by stimulating production of collagen, a fiber that keeps skin plump. "Even a slight dermal thickening will make the underlying blood vessels appear less obvious," explains David Bank, M.D., director of the Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic & Laser Surgery in ffice:smarttags" /><ST1
lace><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
lace>. Try Pond's retinol-rich Dramatic Results Active Face & Neck Moisturizer or Dr. Paul Carniol's Rejuvenating Eye Serum and look for improvement within three to six months. To both thicken skin and tone down hyperpigmentation ASAP, Bank prescribes Tri-Luma (about $90 for a two-month supply), a new "turbocharged" cream that contains tretinoin, the prescription-strength form of vitamin A, and hydroquinone, a bleaching agent that lightens the circles.
M.D. method
The Vbeam, a state-of-the-art laser that seals the blood vessels below the skin without damaging the skin itself (save for some slight swelling that goes away in two days). The treatment, which may have to be repeated, costs around $500 per zapping session.
Don't bother trying
Vitamin K products, whose makers claim they can lighten undereye darkness by healing broken blood vessels and controlling the production of melanin. Studies haven't proven there's anything special about K, and most dermatologists think its effects are just hype.
<O
</O
Keep Your Chin Up <O
</O
Cause
Jowls and/or a double chin result from genetics, gravity, sun damage and a redistribution of the underlying fat around the jawline.
Do-it-yourself fix
Firming creams. "Though these products have no permanent effect on the skin, they do create tighter contours by firming up the superficial layer of the skin," says Debra Jaliman, M.D., clinical instructor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in <st1:State><ST1
lace>New York</ST1
lace></st1:State>. Try BeComing Transfirm Contouring Treatment or Olay Total Effects Night Firming Cream.
M.D. method
Liposuction. Yes, it's pricey (from $1,500). But surgery is the only permanent solution -- and a simple, low-risk procedure at that. Before signing up, be sure your physician is board-certified in dermatology or plastic surgery and that she's performed the surgery at least 100 times.
Don't bother trying
Facial exercises. "Jowls and double chins aren't caused by weak muscles," reports Kathy Fields, a clinical instructor of dermatology at the <st1
laceType>University</st1laceType> of <st1laceName>California</st1laceName> at <st1:City><ST1https://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.giflace>San Francisco</ST1https://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.giflace></st1:City>. And the excessive motion can accentuate wrinkling!
Smooth a Wrinkled Brow <Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif</Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
Cause
With repeated contractions of the muscles responsible for frowning, furrows become etched into your brow.
Do-it-yourself fix
Frownies, adhesive patches you apply to your forehead to immobilize muscles while you sleep. A higher-tech alternative is DDF Wrinkle-Relax, a topical cream that contains an ingredient clinically proven to lessen muscles' ability to contract. It takes up to two months to see the full effect, a slight but noticeable decrease in your ability to furrow your brow.
M.D. method
Botox, a highly purified form of the toxin that causes botulism, administered via four to six painless pokes with a needle. (Don't let the word botulism scare you; though botox does contain the purified neurotoxin, the amount used is very small and thus harmless.) When injected in low doses, Botox paralyzes muscles so they can't contract and cause expression lines, such as forehead wrinkles and crow's-feet. "It's the gold standard because it acts on the source of the problem," explains Fields. Results, which can take up to a week to kick in, last three to six months (longer with continued use). From $400 per treated area.
Don't bother trying
Vitamin A derivatives (a.k.a. retinoids). While they're great for minimizing fine lines, splotchiness and enlarged pores, retinoids don't affect the muscles that create expressions, so they can't fix the wrinkles on your forehead or the furrows between your eyebrows.
Take Time Off Your Hands <Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif</Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
Cause
If it's splotches, it's those nasty UV rays again!
Do-it-yourself fix
A three-pronged approach that includes daily use of (1) lightening ingredients, including hydroquinone and kojic acid; (2) exfoliators, such as glycolic acid; and (3) a broad-spectrum, SPF 15 sunscreen.
M.D. methods
Physicians use the same tools -- chemical peels and pigment-zapping lasers -- on hands that they do on face and chest, often at no additional cost. (From $100 for hands only.)
Don't bother trying
Fade creams alone. Unless they're used in conjunction with an exfoliator and a sunscreen, blotches just won't budge.
Plump Your Pout <Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif</Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
Cause
Smoking and exposure to the sun lead to thinning lips and those annoying lines that lipstick bleeds into.
Do-it-yourself fix
Lip glosses laced with ingredients that temporarily supersize your kisser. The ginger and cinnamon in DuWop's Lip Venom increase circulation, leaving lips more luscious (and tingly feeling). Jeni Lee's Get Lip sexily plumps your pucker with L-Arginine, an amino acid.
M.D. methods
Collagen, a protein derived from cows that is injected into lips and their borders to instantly plump them up -- and knock out lip lines in the process. (For an instant image, think Melanie Griffith and Goldie Hawn, two celebs whose kissers are reported to be collagen-enhanced.) Recently other lip "fillers" have come on the market, including Restylan, AlloDerm and Gore-Tex. But collagen remains the best option if it's your first time plumping up: "Collagen has been around for a very long time," says Oleh Slupchynskyj, M.D., a founder of the Aesthetic Institute of New York, "so we know it's safe. It's not permanent, and it's less expensive than other forms of lip augmentation" (from $350, lasting three to four months).
Don't bother trying
Toki, a lemonade-flavored skin-plumping cocktail. According to Bank, it's "nonsense" that anything you ingest can target the skin, so it's beyond unlikely that Toki's active ingredient, a collagen peptide, can actually be absorbed into the bloodstream and delivered directly to skin cells, where it's supposed to trigger the collagen production. Anyway, the price, $195 for a one-month supply of daily drinks, is enough to choke you.
De-age the Décolletage<Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif</Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
Cause
Splotching and crinkling on the chest are the markings of sun exposure.
Do-it-yourself fix
Kinerase, a cream formulated with kinetin, a plant-based growth hormone that softens fine lines and clears brown spots (about $60 for a three-month supply). "It's nonirritating, which makes it ideal for this sensitive and fragile skin," says Mark G. Rubin, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California in San Diego, who says to look for improvement after four to six weeks. For a less expensive, though weaker, version, try an over-the-counter product with kinetin, such as Almay Kinetin Age Decelerating Daily Lotion and The Body Shop Kinetin 24 Hour Treatment Lotion.
M.D. methods
Lasers obliterate or significantly lighten melanin, the skin pigment that clumps together to cause mottling (from $300 for a 15-minute session, during which about 20 spots can be removed). Light chemical peels (from $150) with agents such as glycolic acid and salicylic acid can help smooth fine lines and fade brown spots, but you will need several sessions, depending on how blotchy and crepey you are, says Fields.
Don't bother trying
Microdermabrasion. "Whether it's performed at home or in a doctor's office, microdermabrasion doesn't do much for the chest," says Bank, who speculates that this is because the skin in this area is thin and dry.
The 2 rules of anti-aging you should never break <Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif</Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
1. Wear sunscreen.
Don't even bother with antiaging products if you aren't also using sunscreen. "If you don't constantly protect skin from damaging UV rays, you'll just be spinning your wheels," says Fields. Using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 every day is the surest way to prevent signs of aging and help your skin repair past damage.
2. Don't smoke.
Numerous studies have proven that all that puffing causes a premature aging of the skin (a.k.a. "smoker's face"), including prominent lines and wrinkles and a wasted, gray appearance. If that's not enough to get you to kick the habit, there's also the fact that smoking increases your risk of hair loss and of going gray prematurely.
Taken from ivillage.com!<Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif</Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
You like what you see in the mirror ... except for that one little thing. Maybe it's those furrows in your brow even when you're not worried, or the dark circles that stay put no matter how much sleep you get. We'll tell you how to tackle those trouble zones with the latest skin-care solutions -- little pick-me-ups that will keep you looking as young as you feel.
Erase Undereye Circles
Cause
Blood vessels showing underneath skin and/or skin that's hyperpigmented (darker) because of sun exposure.
Do-it-yourself fix
Retinol, the form of topical vitamin A found in over-the-counter products, helps undereye circles in two ways: (1) by fading melanin, the skin pigment that often contributes to darkness, and (2) by stimulating production of collagen, a fiber that keeps skin plump. "Even a slight dermal thickening will make the underlying blood vessels appear less obvious," explains David Bank, M.D., director of the Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic & Laser Surgery in ffice:smarttags" /><ST1
M.D. method
The Vbeam, a state-of-the-art laser that seals the blood vessels below the skin without damaging the skin itself (save for some slight swelling that goes away in two days). The treatment, which may have to be repeated, costs around $500 per zapping session.
Don't bother trying
Vitamin K products, whose makers claim they can lighten undereye darkness by healing broken blood vessels and controlling the production of melanin. Studies haven't proven there's anything special about K, and most dermatologists think its effects are just hype.
<O
Cause
Jowls and/or a double chin result from genetics, gravity, sun damage and a redistribution of the underlying fat around the jawline.
Do-it-yourself fix
Firming creams. "Though these products have no permanent effect on the skin, they do create tighter contours by firming up the superficial layer of the skin," says Debra Jaliman, M.D., clinical instructor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in <st1:State><ST1
M.D. method
Liposuction. Yes, it's pricey (from $1,500). But surgery is the only permanent solution -- and a simple, low-risk procedure at that. Before signing up, be sure your physician is board-certified in dermatology or plastic surgery and that she's performed the surgery at least 100 times.
Don't bother trying
Facial exercises. "Jowls and double chins aren't caused by weak muscles," reports Kathy Fields, a clinical instructor of dermatology at the <st1
laceType>University</st1laceType> of <st1laceName>California</st1laceName> at <st1:City><ST1https://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.giflace>San Francisco</ST1https://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.giflace></st1:City>. And the excessive motion can accentuate wrinkling!Smooth a Wrinkled Brow <Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif</Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
Cause
With repeated contractions of the muscles responsible for frowning, furrows become etched into your brow.
Do-it-yourself fix
Frownies, adhesive patches you apply to your forehead to immobilize muscles while you sleep. A higher-tech alternative is DDF Wrinkle-Relax, a topical cream that contains an ingredient clinically proven to lessen muscles' ability to contract. It takes up to two months to see the full effect, a slight but noticeable decrease in your ability to furrow your brow.
M.D. method
Botox, a highly purified form of the toxin that causes botulism, administered via four to six painless pokes with a needle. (Don't let the word botulism scare you; though botox does contain the purified neurotoxin, the amount used is very small and thus harmless.) When injected in low doses, Botox paralyzes muscles so they can't contract and cause expression lines, such as forehead wrinkles and crow's-feet. "It's the gold standard because it acts on the source of the problem," explains Fields. Results, which can take up to a week to kick in, last three to six months (longer with continued use). From $400 per treated area.
Don't bother trying
Vitamin A derivatives (a.k.a. retinoids). While they're great for minimizing fine lines, splotchiness and enlarged pores, retinoids don't affect the muscles that create expressions, so they can't fix the wrinkles on your forehead or the furrows between your eyebrows.
Take Time Off Your Hands <Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif</Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
Cause
If it's splotches, it's those nasty UV rays again!
Do-it-yourself fix
A three-pronged approach that includes daily use of (1) lightening ingredients, including hydroquinone and kojic acid; (2) exfoliators, such as glycolic acid; and (3) a broad-spectrum, SPF 15 sunscreen.
M.D. methods
Physicians use the same tools -- chemical peels and pigment-zapping lasers -- on hands that they do on face and chest, often at no additional cost. (From $100 for hands only.)
Don't bother trying
Fade creams alone. Unless they're used in conjunction with an exfoliator and a sunscreen, blotches just won't budge.
Plump Your Pout <Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif</Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
Cause
Smoking and exposure to the sun lead to thinning lips and those annoying lines that lipstick bleeds into.
Do-it-yourself fix
Lip glosses laced with ingredients that temporarily supersize your kisser. The ginger and cinnamon in DuWop's Lip Venom increase circulation, leaving lips more luscious (and tingly feeling). Jeni Lee's Get Lip sexily plumps your pucker with L-Arginine, an amino acid.
M.D. methods
Collagen, a protein derived from cows that is injected into lips and their borders to instantly plump them up -- and knock out lip lines in the process. (For an instant image, think Melanie Griffith and Goldie Hawn, two celebs whose kissers are reported to be collagen-enhanced.) Recently other lip "fillers" have come on the market, including Restylan, AlloDerm and Gore-Tex. But collagen remains the best option if it's your first time plumping up: "Collagen has been around for a very long time," says Oleh Slupchynskyj, M.D., a founder of the Aesthetic Institute of New York, "so we know it's safe. It's not permanent, and it's less expensive than other forms of lip augmentation" (from $350, lasting three to four months).
Don't bother trying
Toki, a lemonade-flavored skin-plumping cocktail. According to Bank, it's "nonsense" that anything you ingest can target the skin, so it's beyond unlikely that Toki's active ingredient, a collagen peptide, can actually be absorbed into the bloodstream and delivered directly to skin cells, where it's supposed to trigger the collagen production. Anyway, the price, $195 for a one-month supply of daily drinks, is enough to choke you.
De-age the Décolletage<Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif</Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
Cause
Splotching and crinkling on the chest are the markings of sun exposure.
Do-it-yourself fix
Kinerase, a cream formulated with kinetin, a plant-based growth hormone that softens fine lines and clears brown spots (about $60 for a three-month supply). "It's nonirritating, which makes it ideal for this sensitive and fragile skin," says Mark G. Rubin, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California in San Diego, who says to look for improvement after four to six weeks. For a less expensive, though weaker, version, try an over-the-counter product with kinetin, such as Almay Kinetin Age Decelerating Daily Lotion and The Body Shop Kinetin 24 Hour Treatment Lotion.
M.D. methods
Lasers obliterate or significantly lighten melanin, the skin pigment that clumps together to cause mottling (from $300 for a 15-minute session, during which about 20 spots can be removed). Light chemical peels (from $150) with agents such as glycolic acid and salicylic acid can help smooth fine lines and fade brown spots, but you will need several sessions, depending on how blotchy and crepey you are, says Fields.
Don't bother trying
Microdermabrasion. "Whether it's performed at home or in a doctor's office, microdermabrasion doesn't do much for the chest," says Bank, who speculates that this is because the skin in this area is thin and dry.
The 2 rules of anti-aging you should never break <Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif</Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
1. Wear sunscreen.
Don't even bother with antiaging products if you aren't also using sunscreen. "If you don't constantly protect skin from damaging UV rays, you'll just be spinning your wheels," says Fields. Using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 every day is the surest way to prevent signs of aging and help your skin repair past damage.
2. Don't smoke.
Numerous studies have proven that all that puffing causes a premature aging of the skin (a.k.a. "smoker's face"), including prominent lines and wrinkles and a wasted, gray appearance. If that's not enough to get you to kick the habit, there's also the fact that smoking increases your risk of hair loss and of going gray prematurely.
Taken from ivillage.com!<Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif</Ohttps://forum.makeuptalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
