When it comes to keeping your skin looking good, there are a number of invasive and non-invasive options available.  If you are trying to decide which route you should be taking, you need to know what your options are.  It’s important to remember that you don’t have to go under the knife to get the best results.

Many people become overwhelmed with the number of skin rejuvenation treatments on the market.  Before you consider the specifics, you first need to decide whether to go for an invasive or non-invasive treatment.  Non-invasive options are medical procedures that do not break the skin, while invasive treatments do.

Non-Invasive Skin Procedures

One of the benefits of non-invasive procedures is that they require little to no recovery time.  They are also considered to be less painful than invasive treatments.  The only downside is that the results are not as extreme as the invasive treatments, so you will not instantly look 20 years younger!

Microdermabrasion

This treatment is ideal for people who have dull skin, age spots or brown spots.  The specialist who carries out the treatment sprays tiny crystals onto the skin to exfoliate it and remove the outer layer.  Recovery from this treatment is just 24 hours and there are very few, rare side effects to worry about.

Hydra Facials

This treatment is non-irritating as well as non-invasive, and combines a range of skin rejuvenating techniques.  Your skin will first be exfoliated by a specialist and then an acid peel is used to loosen the oils inside the pores.  The oil and dirt will then be extracted and the pores filled with a nourishing and hydrating serum.  The whole process will take around an hour to complete and is generally painless.  While this process will not remove wrinkles, it will make your skin look younger and clearer.

Ultherapy

This is one of the newer and simpler hour-long procedures you can have.  It will need to be carried out by a trained technician, as it uses ultrasound to tighten the skin of the face and neck.  The technician uses an ultrasound wand across the face, which jumpstarts the production of collagen and tightens the skin.  It’s important to note that you will have to wait up to 2 weeks to see the results, but the healing from this process is immediate and there will only be slight bruising and swelling for a few days.

Non-Invasive Devices

There are several devices on the market that claim to have anti-aging applications.  Most of them require trained technicians to use them.  There are other devices, such as Sensilift – which is approved by the FDA – that can be used at home.  These devices are safe to use, easy to handle and provide you with the results you want without a trip to a specialist.

Invasive Skin Procedures

The old saying is no pain, no gain.  If you live by this motto and you are brave, you can try an invasive skin procedure.  These will have more dramatic results when compared to the non-invasive ones, but they will break the skin.

Botox

Everyone has heard of the skin procedure, Botox. It was originally intended to treat wrinkles, not fill out your lips to make your mouth appear to have a permanent pout!  To use Botox, you will need to have it injected into the skin where it will block the nerves in the muscle, causing a stiffness which fills out the wrinkles.  The results of this procedure are immediate and there is also no recovery time needed.  The side effects can include swelling and bruising around the injection point.

Facelifts

A facelift is the best option for people who have a lot of wrinkles or have lost a lot of weight and now have excess skin.  The procedure will remove excess skin, tighten the underlying muscles and lift the skin to a higher position for a youthful look.  The results of this process will go beyond any other procedure, but you will have to be placed under general anesthetic first.  There is also a range of fairly severe side effects which could occur, such as bleeding, nerve damage and poor healing, as well as psychological problems arising from unrealistic expectations.  This procedure is also expensive and requires a long recovery time.

Laser Skin Resurfacing

If you have sun-damaged skin, acne scars or your skin has poor texture, this treatment might be the right option for you.  One laser treatment will take around 1.5 hours to complete and you will need to have several treatments to get the best results.  After the treatment, your skin will be itchy and raw.  There is also the chance that the area will ooze plasma and recovery can take up to 2 weeks.

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels come in a range of forms, some stronger than others.  However, they all involve an acidic solution being used to remove the top layer of skin from your face to reveal the lower layer which will have fewer wrinkles.  The deeper the peel, the more effective the treatment will be, but the longer the healing time.