Keeping your skin looking fresh and healthy as you age becomes harder.  The environment and genetics both play a part in how our skin ages but if we choose to disrupt the aging process there are a number of options to choose from. 

First, let’s look at how our face ages.  We tend to focus on wrinkles and sagging but other changes also occur as we get older.  For example, our foreheads appear bigger as our hairline recedes.  It’s not your imagination, your ears are actually getting larger as the cartilage in them grows.  And it’s not just your jowl that sags, the tip of your nose may also start to droop as the connective tissue along the cartilage weakens.  Thus, making it appear longer.  The fat pockets in your face begin to loose volume and move around.  This is when you begin to see the sagging, while the lower part of your face gains more fat, giving us that jowly look.  The more prominent wrinkles are a result of years of expressions and smiling.  As the skin thins and the muscles weaken, the creases are not able to recover and the creases become permanent.  Some of the wrinkles are a result of sun damage, smoking, and other environmental factors.

These changes are unavoidable.  In a sense, they are a map of the life you have lived and something to be proud of.  But if you are not content to let nature take its course, there are options.  One of those options—and one that I’ve been using for some time—is laser treatment.  Lasers have come a long way and are being used for all kinds of things in many different industries.  Most people have heard of laser eye surgery and the great advancements that have been made with lasers in the medical field.  The beauty industry has also benefited from this technology where lasers are used for several types of treatments.

The treatment that I have been using to improve the look of my skin is IPL—Intense Pulsed Light.  I initially looked into laser to improve the texture of my skin but soon discovered that it could help with other issues as well; specifically, enlarged pores, sun spots, and spider veins.  IPL—also known as photofacials, skin rejuvenation, or vascular/lesion treatments—target these issues as well as rosacea and hyperpigmentation.  IPL stimulates production of collagen and elastin so skin becomes plumper, reducing wrinkles and giving a fresher look.  Lasers work by using various light frequencies to target specific issues.  For instance, brown light gets rid of liver spots and freckles.  Red light targets broken capillaries and spider veins.

Over-all the IPL laser treatment resurfaces the skin by stripping away the upper layer of the skin and with it wrinkles from sun damage and scars from acne.  It is non-ablative, which means it does not break the skin.  It passes through the upper most layer and works at a deeper level to stimulate collagen formation.  For best results a series of treatments are required, usually about 5 or 6 at least 3 weeks apart.  Since there is no down time, the treatments can be done during a lunch break as they only take about a half hour.

I have been doing these treatments for years and have been very happy with the results.  If you would like to try an IPL treatment be sure to use a licensed aesthetician, dermatologist, or plastic surgeon that you trust.  My aesthetician, Mireet from @mspamireet, explained the process thoroughly and was very clear about the expectations and the results.  So do your homework and get ready to a fresher, fab, and fierce you.