More and more Canadians and Americans are relying on the benefits of Botox Cosmetic® injections to enhance their beauty. The Botox craze might have started as early as 2001, but it certainly exploded in 2003 where over three million Botox procedures were performed in North America. Botox treatments were the leading cosmetic treatment of that year — more women sought Botox treatments than breast enhancement surgeries (100,000 injection treatments versus a little under 17,000 breast augmentation surgeries – Source Toronto Star).

Botox® has worked for many people, but it’s been criticized for eliminating all facial expressions. Many stories from Hollywood circulate about actresses reading a tragic scene but yet looking very relaxed and emotionless. Just like anything else in this world, overuse (or worse, addiction) usually leads to disasters.

Angelica Houston once commented on overdoing it a tad with Botox® treatment on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show“. She explained how her husband was telling her a horrible story that had happened to a friend and Angelica could only respond with a stony emotionless face. Her husband became upset, she recounted, because he thought she was mocking him and they got into an argument. No doubt, Angelica has learned not to overdue it when it comes to her Botox® treatments.

So is Botox® to blame or is overusing Botox® the real problem? This study came out in September 2006 and it’s an important read if you missed it: ‘Botox® therapy may be addictive‘. Botox® is like everything else…so much better in moderation!

Did you know? The smoke and the tar found in cigarettes take away the nutrients and oxygen that are needed for your skin to remain healthy. This includes weakening the collagen and fibres that are needed for healthy skin. These fibres are what give your skin strength and flexibility. Smoking strips the collagen and fibres from your skin and replaces them with the chemicals and toxins (all 4000 of them) that are found in cigarettes. Smoking also causes the blood vessels in your skin to slow down. This takes away essential nutrients that the skin needs in order to remain healthy, such as vitamin A and vitamin C.

Queens-based beautician Patricia Villegas, president of Altiva New York Temple of Beauty and Renewal, was arrested in New York in March 2007 after two women in their 20s accused the beautician of giving them disfiguring cosmetic injections. It is alleged that Villegas did not have a license to administer injections of Restylane®, collagen or cortisone. The patients who reported her allege that they were so disfigured by a severe infection that they had to undergo reconstructive surgery.

I was curious to find out if hyperpigmentation was the only serious post-treatment concern you should keep in mind when looking at Dermabrasion as an anti-aging solution. A number of non-surgical procedures still carry some level of risk when laser, peels or other chemical products are used. That said, the risks are substantially reduced if the procedure is performed by a qualified, experienced doctor.

Given my darker complexion, Dermabrasion is a gamble I might not be willing to take because of my problems with hypergimentation, but I recognize that it’s an effective anti-aging treatment for the right skin type. That’s why I’m taking a closer look at this anti-aging treatment.

So here’s what I’ve found out about Dermabrasion:

While visiting Pure & Simple spa to purchase a few products, I noticed a little promotion card for Lumilift Facial. I read the description with more attention and realized how beneficial this facial can be for so many of us who are not ready or willing to go under the knife. As you can imagine, any rejuvenation treatment that does not include pain is quite appealing to me, and the Lumilift Facial sounded like it could fit the bill.

The Lumilift is a lifting treatment for the face, which utilizes light therapy. Using HF polarized currents and micronized currents, the lumilift stimulates facial muscles for a more toned complexion.

Non-surgical facial treatments such as Botox™ and injectable soft tissue dermal fillers (such as collagen or fat) have done wonders in diminishing the appearance of creases caused by facial expressions. A few minutes with your cosmetic dermatologist, doctor or nurse and you can say “ciao” to squinting, frowning or smiling lines. These dermal fillers are injected into the skin under wrinkles and scars to puff out creases or scars.

If you are unsure of the difference between Botox and injectable soft tissue dermal fillers, it’s a simple matter of preference.