I have a confession to make to you... I used to dream about the day when I would be rich enough to afford all the plastic surgery procedures that would make me look 20 again (considering everything I wanted done, it was going to cost me about a million dollars)! But recently I was jarred back to reality by a horrific sight!

I was in downtown Santa Barbara having a nice little lunch at an outside cafe when a handsome  young man sitting at a table across from me was accosted by an alien/rabid cat-lady of about 100 years old! After closer observation, I realized that the alien/rabid-cat lady was a victim of over-plastication (I just made that word up).  At one time, I'm sure she was very pretty, but she had had one too many face lifts, so her eyes were pulled tightly to the side of her head, and she had a Joker-esque smile permanently plastered to her face. It was seriously one of the scariest/saddest things I have ever seen.  

Our desire to look young and attractive can cause us do almost anything (like pay thousands of dollars and endure tremendous pain) to achieve a youthful appearance. While I'm not opposed to going under the knife, I definitely AM afraid of coming out looking like alien/rabid cat lady!

There are several effective treatments you can do that don't cost a fortune and can give you very desirable results.  But before I tell you what they are, let's agree on one thing right now! Let's make a pact that we are going to STOP being fixated on LOOKING 20, and instead get focused on FEELING 20.  I promise you, feeling 20 is the single most effective youth serum I've found so far! There's so much to say on the "Feeling 20 Youth Serum" subject, but I'm going to have save it for my next blog entry, or this one's going to turn into a mini-novel!

Ok, back to effective treatments... 

1) Drink a ton of water - yeah, I know... you've heard this one before, and I can hear some of you groaning because you hate the taste of water.  Suck it up, Cupcake! You want your skin to look fresh and hydrated like a 20 year old's?  Then you've got to drink water! It's a heck of a lot less painful than surgery, and way less money!

2) Retinoids (topical Vitamin A derivatives).  Products containing some form of vitamin A increase skin cell turn over and with continued use you WILL see more even skin tone, a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, and firmer skin.  My personal favorite product (which I carry in my spa) is Rhonda Allison's "Organic A Complex". 

3) Products containing hylaronic acid and peptides  create a plumping effect and increase collagen production which strengthens the skin, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles. I personally use "Satin Peptide Serum" from my favorite product line, Rhonda Allison.  But there are many products on the market with these two ingredients. 

3) Collagen Induction Therapy.  There are several different terms and variations for this treatment, but the basic treatment involves a device that creates micro-perforations in the skin, pushing subjectable serums into the skin and activating the natural regeneration of skin. The results are akin to laser resurfacing, without the cost or the down time.

4) Microdermabrasion/Chemicals Peels.  I actually use a combination of both on my clients, with very good results.

5) Laser surgery... very effective, but there is down time and it can be costly.

Here's something to keep in mind when considering the treatments listed above.  Doing any of them one time is not going to be very effective.  Just as with diet and exercise, you need to be consistent. So when your esthetician says you need 4-6 microdermabrasion treatments, she's not saying it because she wants to take more of your money. She's honestly trying to give you the results you desire.

I've given you a lot to ponder, so I won't overwhelm you with more information... but be prepared for my next blog, because we are going to get down to the nitty-gritty on the "Feeling 20 Youth Serum" subject!

~ Keep striving for happy healthy skin!