Friday 30 July 2010

Guide To Mole Removal

Although some moles are regarded as a sign of beauty, for many people their moles can cause them great distress due to the risk of becoming malignant (cancerous) or simply because of their unsightly nature. Leading dermatologist expert Jonathan Bowling has recently expressed his concerns about the increasing risks of melanoma, especially amongst the 15 to 34 age range. Have a read of our guide to Mole removal to learn about how to identify and check your moles and the best treatments available.

Identifying your moles
The first step is to learn how to identify your moles. Unlike other skin pigmentations they are usually a dark brown or even yellow or blue in colour. They are most commonly found on the arms, neck and face and can be either flat or raised. Be careful not to get them confused with the many other skin pigmentations that can be found on the skin such as freckles, angiomas or seborrhoeic kerastoses.

How to Check Your Moles
Many people opt for mole removal because of the risk of the mole becoming malignant (cancerous). The most important thing to do if you are worried about your moles is to become familiar with them. If the appearance or feel of your mole changes, then this could indicate that your mole could be a risk to your health. It is very important to be aware of the risks of melanoma as the number of diagnoses is increasing more than any other form of cancer. If you do notice a change, then consult your GP or a dermatologist to get your moles checked out.

Treatments for Mole Removal
Radio Surgical Mole Removal is a preferred method as it is a safe and highly effective treatment. The procedure involves emitting beams onto the skin that penetrate the mole, removing it from the skins surface. The healing time for this treatment is very rapid and the scarring is virtually non-existant. Laser Mole Removal is a popular treatment that involves using resurfacing lasers. The results are very good and leave hardly any signs of scarring or marks.

An alternative to laser resurfacing or removal is the surgical option of Excision Mole Removal. This method allows the whole mole to be removed and sent to a laboratory and diagnosed as to whether it is malignant. A local anaesthetic is used during the procedure as a small amount of skin surrounding the mole is removed and the wound is then stitched up.

Another technique known as Cryotherapy mole removal, also commonly used for removing warts, involves freezing the mole by applying liquid nitrogen directly on to the mole to destroy the cell tissue.

The End Results
After receiving a treatment there will generally be some small scarring, which is much less prominent than the original mole. The latest treatments ensure that the procedures are very safe and virtually pain free leaving happy patients satisfied with results of their treatment.

Thursday 29 July 2010

What is Mesotherapy?

Every woman wants to keep their body looking sexy and slim for as long as they can until recently they have resorted to liposuction, face lifts and body sculpting to get the job done. Many of these procedures are fairly invasive and most people do not want signs that they have had any treatment done; therefore some women have resorted to getting spot treatments or spot sculpting known as mesotherapy. The procedure has become very popular among celebrities and the elite and it seems to have minimal side effects compared to other fat reducing procedures.

Mesotherapy is the technical name for fat spot treatment or body sculpting. This is a procedure that has been around since the early 1950’s, however, it has just recently emerged on the scene in the UK and now in the states. This is a technique that claims to decrease fat and cellulite by injecting a cocktail of vitamins, minerals and a chemical substance into the fat layers of the body. It is used a lot in areas like the buttocks, thigh and neck. The benefits of the treatment are that it removes wrinkles, scars and decreases cellulite.

The procedure consists of a needle that is filled with the cocktail and it is then injected into the layer of fat under the skin. The patient is of course anesthetized slightly in that particular area. The injection then breaks down the fat cells and the waste that is produced from this is eliminated through the bowels and the kidney. Several treatments are required to get the desired effect and the patient must wait a week or two between sessions. The total number of treatments could be as many as ten in order to get the desired look.

Sunday 25 July 2010

How Macrolane Really Works

You may be considering Macrolane as an alternative to surgery to enhance your body's silhouette. The process is less invasive and doesn't carry with it the risks associated with surgery under general anesthesia. As well, it can result in a more natural-looking result than saline or silicone implants.

Macrolane is a thick, clear gel made of hyaluronic acid, a substance which occurs naturally in the body. Unlike implants which are permanent, unless surgically extracted, Macrolane is not. Like Restylane and Juvederm for filling facial wrinkles, Macrolane is temporary. It is metabolized by the body gradually within a year or so. Repeat procedures or top-ups are required to maintain the desired appearance, at 12 to 18 month intervals.

The whole procedure should take about 30 to 60 minutes. It is performed on an outpatient basis with no hospital stay required. The injection site is numbed with a local anesthetic. A small incision is made in the area into which the Macrolane will be injected. The thick, dense gel is slowly injected into the area. Some stinging from the anesthetic, or a pulling or tugging sensation as the gel is placed, is normal. After the procedure you may feel some tightening of the skin as it stretches to make room for the gel. Redness, swelling or bruising at the injection site, are not uncommon. You should be able to return to normal activity almost immediately with the exception of strenuous exercise or sports.

The best use for Macrolane is to enhance nature, not replace it. For example, application of Macrolane to the breasts gives a fuller, rounder appearance than before the procedure. Sagging and unevenness are reduced. One half to one full cup size increase is achievable. Macrolane can also be used for a buttocks lift, to achieve the youthful roundness that age and gravity take away. Smoothing out the baggy appearance left by liposuction is another practical application.

If you do your homework, you’ll find that scientific testing has shown Macrolane to be safe. If you are considering surgical implants, before you decide, consider Macrolane to see if you can achieve the same results with less cost, physical discomfort and personal downtime. As with any medical procedure, being fully informed will help you know what to expect and how to get the best results from your Macrolane treatment.

Thursday 22 July 2010

Sclerotherapy Treatment Gaining in Popularity

Sclerotherapy – the word might not look familiar yet, but watch this space. Just as Botox has swept into the popular consciousness of the western world, so this treatment will in the years to come. Even in the past year the number of people subscribing to the treatment has sky rocketed. So what is it? Sclerotherapy is the injection of a solution into the veins themselves using very fine needles, which damages the veins and causes the body’s immune system to treat them as damaged tissue. This, in turn, causes them to be absorbed back into the body over the course of the following weeks and to disappear completely.

So why has it experienced such a rise in popularity? After years of subjection to horror stories about cosmetic surgery and the notoriously high costs involved, it looks like; for the most part at least, large swathes of the population are snubbing such procedures. In their place the people are demanding alternative, less costly beauty therapies, and innovative specialist surgeons (in this case vascular surgeons) and scientists are only too happy to oblige; Sclerotherapy is just one treatment that has benefitted from such a swing in public perception.

Of course, there are other factors involved. Despite the recent recession, in the long term wages in the western world continue to rise while the cost of such treatments continue to fall, so people can afford to spend the money – treatments don’t break the bank, they don’t come with the possible horrific side-effects that surgery can bring and they provide simple, elegant solutions to long-term beauty conundrums.

Also, Sclerotherapy particularly is a very quick procedure, which may be why it has recently been termed the ‘lunchtime legs’ technique, as increasingly professional women have been found to be making use of their lunch hour by popping in to the local clinic for the 15 minute procedure.

Whatever the reason for the Sclerotherapy treatment’s sudden rise in popularity, keep an eye out for it, because it’s here to stay.

Tuesday 20 July 2010

The Benefits of Laser Hair Removal

There are so many cosmetic products and treatments out there at the moment – so how do you figure out which ones are right for you? Well, there is no easy answer and thorough research is often your best bet. So read on while we guide you through the benefits of laser hair removal.

First of all, why have it done? Well, you can shave, wax and apply creams and lotions, however, these are all short term solutions and over time the cost builds up. Laser hair removal will cost a little more, but the results will last a lifetime. Furthermore, if you are one of the many, many people out there for whom hair removal is a constant battle, you will appreciate the benefits of not having to deal with bumpy, sensitive skin and shaving rashes.

So, you can do it out of convenience (and let’s not take that word lightly, as itchy, raw skin every other day is definitely a big inconvenience). Are there any other conditions under which you might plump for laser hair removal? Well, how about to improve your confidence? Whether male or female there are always areas we wish could be free of hair, and sometimes constant removal and re-growth can damage your self-esteem, especially if the hair is particularly obvious. Laser hair removal avoids all that, so you can save time and increase in confidence!

Furthermore, anyone who has had to go through the pain of waxing only to have to go through the same torment a matter of weeks later will know the dread that comes along with it. While initial results may be satisfying, it can never provide the long-term benefits of a virtually pain-free laser hair removal treatment! Patients do report a slight discomfort just under the skin, but certainly nothing as agonising as waxing, and it is a discomfort that can be easily treated with analgesic creams or gels.

So, for those problem areas (commonly the face, back, underarms, bikini line, chest and neck), how effective is it? Well, man or woman, no matter the skin or hair type, patients across the board report a 60-90% reduction in hair in the treated areas, with any hair that does grow back coming through much lighter and much finer.

There is of course a higher cost associated with laser hair removal, however you should consider this an investment, as you won’t have to shell out constantly for razors, shave gel or waxing strips. Cost depends on a number of variables, from the area to be treated to the number of treatments necessary, to the individual practitioner and even your location, but if any of the arguments above struck a chord with you, then we think you’ll find it a cost worth paying.

Thursday 15 July 2010

Botox Users Still Rising

Botox is one of those strange phenomenon – a brand that 95% of people will be familiar with, but one which very few of us would ever come into contact with. Well, maybe in the past, but right now Botox is more popular and more affordable than ever, meaning that large cross-sections of the population are deciding to give themselves the Botox treatment.

Although it has only really worked its way into the popular consciousness within the last few years, Botox is certainly not a new drug. Initially it was introduced in the US in 1989 to treat involuntary twitches around the eyes (known as ‘spastic eyelid syndrome’) but quickly its potential became clear, and by 2002 it received approval for use as an anti-wrinkle treatment. Before long it was getting further approval left, right and centre to be used for other cosmetic purposes. Quick, safe and clean, the treatment has found a wide variety of uses since its introduction for wrinkles, including widening of the eyes, ‘ski-slope’ nose, the perfect smile, perky breasts and refined cleavage.

Even more recently doctors and scientists have begun to see an even greater legacy for this multi-purpose drug as its uses once again range beyond that which was originally envisaged. First used to treat twitchy eyes, then exploited for its beauty benefits, now we are beginning to see that Botox may not yet even be close to reaching its true potential. Approved for treatments of conditions such as migraines and hyperhidrosis (whereby a person’s sweat glands go into overdrive, so that a person may be forced to change clothes several times a day), this drug seems to be finding new and wonderful uses year on year. Who knows what other uses might be found for it?

Monday 21 June 2010

For The Perfect Bikini Body

This year is going very fast, it's summer already! It's the time of year when people are preparing to look their very best on their holiday whether they are slimming down with liposuction, recapturing their youthful looks with Botox or ridding their body of excess hair with laser hair removal treatments.

At Cosmetic Clinics, we think that it is best to eat well, drink plenty of water, exercise and stay out of the sun before contemplating cosmetic surgery. By obeying these basic beauty principles, major surgery is unneccessary for most and smaller treatments such as Botox and laser treatments can keep everyone looking their best without spending thousands of pounds

However, even if you do everything else right, you may not be entirely satisfied with your body.

Those summer holiday photographs are the ones that will either make people proud of their bodies or sink into a depression - pictures to be used as inspiration to diet!

Make your bikini body the best it can be, contact Cosmetic Clinics to discuss how we can help you create the bikini body of your life.