Skin care and skin care products from the Skin Care Friends!

I’m certain you’ve heard about botox injections and botox cream by now through advertisements and rumors of those who have used botox. It is used to treat wrinkles and lines in the face and has undergone quite a bit of controversy since it’s use has become so popular in the past several years. This article will discuss what botox is, how it’s used, how it has become controversial and finally the alternative botox creams that are also quite popular.

Botox is the registered trade name for a treatment made from Botulinum toxin type A. It is used medically for several different problems including cosmetic purposes and reducing wrinkles. The Botulinum toxin type A is the toxin that causes botulism and in large doses can cause paralysis.

However, in small diluted doses botox is used to treat several medical conditions from severe sweating problems to muscle spasms to wrinkles. Botox acts by paralyzing a persons muscle and stopping it’s ability to contract. When used to remove wrinkles this causes the skin over the muscle to stop folding by smoothing it out. Thus the wrinkles disappear. It was approved by the FDA for use on wrinkles between the eyebrows, but has been used to remove all types of facial lines and wrinkles by physicians.

A botox treatment will last from three to six months depending on the person and some wrinkles will actually require several injections to make them disappear.

Recently botox injections have come under attack due to reports of serious side effects mostly involving facial paralysis. Many of these cases have come from the cheaper non FDA approved versions of botox. Botox injections are still safe and effective, but you must make sure that you use a medically trained professional and only top quality FDA approved botox.

When comparing botox injections to botox creams we find that the injections are both invasive and more expensive than botox creams. Botox injections are meant to treat moderate to severe facial lines. If you’re dealing with fine lines then a botox cream may be more effective for you.

Botox injections are not meant to treat skin damage from the sun or fine lines. A good quality anti aging skin cream, also called botox cream by some, can be more effective than injections in reducing fine lines and small wrinkles. It does this slowly, but quality skin creams are reliable in reducing fine lines on the face.

So as you can see, you have many options for reducing wrinkles and maintaining a youthful appearance. With good skin care, a good anti aging cream, botox treatments and cosmetic surgery you can keep your young look for a very long time.

Whether you’re interested in Botox or another Dermal Filler, the people at Botox Forum are here to help. With a large network of skin care doctors in San Diego and elsewhere, it’s easy to find what you’re looking for at BotoxForum.com.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Are you planning for a hot date of big dance in the near future and hoping to look your very best?  It’s no surprise if you do, because in most cases we all want to look our best and make heads turn.  One way to stand out from the crowd is with a stunning golden tan and these days it’s easier than ever to accomplish this.  It’s no longer necessary for you to spend hours upon hours laying on the beach or poolside (although both are still nice) in order to get a healthy tan.  In the 21^st century the quick and easy way to tan is to use a tan accelerator to get that beautiful golden skin you crave.

In case you’ve never heard about tan accelerators, they are lotions or creams that you apply to your skin to accelerate the process of tanning.  As more and more people become aware of them and see the great results they can get using them they have become more popular.  Thanks to this popularity there are now quite a few tan accelerator products for you to choose from and this article will tell you what to look for to get the best results when using a tanning accelerator.

Tan Accelerator Ingredients

As with any cosmetic product your best choices are going to be the all natural tan accelerators.  That’s because you don’t want to put any chemicals on your skin if it’s not necessary.  Some chemicals can be absorbed into your skin and have nasty side effects over time, so avoid the chemicals and stick with natural tanning lotions.  Some of the most common natural ingredients in today’s tan accelerators are plant extracts and amino acids, specifically Tyrosine.

Tyrosine helps by stimulating melanin production (that’s what makes your skin look dark) as well as making the skin hold moisture better.  Making your body produce more melanin is really what these tan accelerators are all about.  Maintaining the moisture levels in your skin is actually pretty important in keeping a dark even tan as moist skin tans better and is as apt to peel and flake.

Speaking of moisture, you’ll find that all of the better tan accelerators will contain some sort of moisturizer for your skin.  Shea butter and cocoa butter are common as are several types of oils such as hemp seed and Emu.  Antioxidants are another popular addition and they are there to help fight against the free radicals generated by tanning.  These free radicals can damage your skin over time, making it look older than it really is.

Do Tanning Accelerators Really Work?

Absolutely tan accelerators can help you get a tan much quicker than tanning in the sun or tanning beds.  Depending on your skin type you may see the effects within 2-3 application although others may take more than that.  Also important is the amount of sun or UV radiation your skin is exposed to.

The nice thing about tan accelerators is that they come in a variety of gels, creams and lotions so you have a wide variety of choices.  You can even get some that come as pills.  The pill form tan accelerators have not been FDA approved at this point, but since the main ingredient is Tyrosine they are generally considered safe.  Still, if you prefer not to ingest anything you don’t have all the facts on you should stick with the external tanning accelerators.

The most widely accepted usage of tan accelerators is to use them in conjunction with lying out in the sun or using a tanning bed.  This gives your tan an instant boost so you get results much faster.

Using Tan Accelerator Lotions

Now that you have the facts you are probably ready to get started accelerating your tan.  There are plenty of places to get good information about tan accelerator products, but since you are at your computer now the internet is likely the easiest way.  There are many sites that review individual tanning accelerators and have them for sale.

You want to be sure to choose the correct accelerator for your skin type, so if you have dark skin find one made for that and if you have fair skin for one that is formulated for fair skin.  This will definitely help you get the best results.  If you choose a tan accelerator that isn’t right for you the results could be off color or streaky and that definitely isn’t what you want.

If you already use a tanning salon ask the people there for suggestions.  They should have a wide range of products and be familiar with which ones have given the best results for previous clients.  You can also ask your friends or family members what they use.

One final thing to consider when choosing a tan accelerator is whether or not it has any fragrance added.  This is very personal as some odors can be offensive to some while smelling great to others.  Also, many people with sensitive skin may find themselves having a reaction to some fragrances.  Also consider the “feel” of the lotion or cream.  If you would be bothered feeling greasy or sticky when applying the accelerator then try to find one with a grease-less feel.

Now you may not be an expert on tan accelerators, but you certainly have enough information to get out there and choose a few that might be right for you.

Popularity: 25% [?]

Sagging skin is a common problem especially as we get older and the skin begins to lose its elasticity. Skin firming lotion can help provide a solution to this problem by restoring the elasticity. However you need to be careful regarding which skin tightening creams you choose as some actually contain dangerous ingredients that can harm your skin and even lead to cancer. Here are the ingredients you want and the one’s to avoid when searching for the correct skin firming cream.

Good Skin Firming Ingredients
Of course all natural skin care ingredients are always going to be the best for you and this is no different when choosing the best skin firming lotion. Natural butters and oils provide deep moisturizing, while other ingredients help to shed dead skin cells, provide antioxidants to reverse aging, reduce redness and inflammation of the skin and help to restore the skins elasticity. Below are 5 of the essential ingredients for any good skin firming cream or lotion:

• Elastin – This is what makes the skin pliable and flexible. As we age the level of elastin in our skin declines, causing sagging, wrinkles and dryness. Replacing the elastin lost to aging can help to reverse the aging process and make the skin firm and pliant once again.
• Collagen – This is another substance that declines as we age and replacing it can make the skin more durable and strong, preventing damage and restoring suppleness and firmness to the aging skin.
• Seaweed Extract – Maybe surprisingly to some, seaweed extract has amazing healing properties and helps restore the skin and reduce inflammation that can make the skin look red and puffy. It also helps add moisture back to the skin and combats the effects of aging.
• Shea Butter – One of the most popular skin moisturizers, Shea butter promotes deep hydration of the skin as well as protecting from loss of moisture and damage from the elements. It is one of the best moisturizing compounds available.
• Vitamin E – Vitamin E has been shown to be critical to the health of your skin. Adding it to skin firming lotion aids in the prevention of cell and tissue damage while making the skin look and feel smoother as well as helping to reduce inflammation and damage from free radicals.

Bad Skin Firming Ingredients
You may find that some of the firming creams and lotions you use feel quite oily and take a long time to absorb into your skin. If this is the case, look at the ingredients carefully and I will bet you will find that some type of petroleum oil id listed. It might even be labeled as mineral oil, but in any case it is quite bad and you want to avoid any skin firming lotion that has petroleum oil as one of its ingredients.

Liquid petroleum is a byproduct of the oil refining process and while it may feel similar to the oil that your skin produces, it is really dramatically different. What makes it so dangerous though is the fact that during the refining process it can easily become contaminated with other chemicals. These other chemicals are often linked to cancer and cosmetic companies are not required to test for their presence meaning that you could be getting a large dose of dangerous chemicals with your skin tightening product if it also contains petroleum based ingredients. Imagine the damage that could be caused by rubbing this into your skin every day.

While fragrances may make the skin firming lotion smell wonderful, they do nothing to help improve the effectiveness. They should also be avoided for several reasons. Some fragrances are irritating to some users and can cause rashes, redness, sneezing and irritate your eyes. While they may smell nice, they are also harmful to your health and since they add nothing to the firming properties of the lotion there is no good reason to have them in your skin firming cream.
Finally, avoid any skin firming cream that has parabens listed in its ingredients. This is a preservative that has been scientifically linked to breast cancer in women because of the way that it mimics the hormone estrogen. Definitely something you don’t want getting into your body and it should be avoided at all costs.

Best Skin Firming Lotions
Since you made it this far along in the article I know that finding the right skin firming lotion is important to you. You may have already done some looking and if so you know that there are quite a few creams and lotions available, but you need to know which ones are the best. Your best skin firming lotion choice will be determined by your own skin type, but below are 4 skin firming lotions that I have found work very well and don’t contain any dangerous ingredients.

• Palmer’s Cocoa Skin Firming Lotion – This is a nice non-greasy product that has cocoa butter as its base ingredient giving it a heavenly chocolate smell without the chocolate guilt.
• Vaseline Intensive Active Firming Deep Lotion – This is an all purpose skin firming lotion that contains ingredients that not only restore firmness to your skin, but also combat other signs of aging such as wrinkles, dryness and age spots. It also contains an SPF5 formula to protect you from dangerous UV radiation.
• Jergen’s Skin Firming Toning Moisturizer – Best for people with sensitive skin, this product is hign in emollient rich moisturizers and seaweed extract. It not only firms, but hydrates and helps to improve your skins texture and appearance.
• Nivea Body Skin Firming Lotion Q10 Plus – In addition to other skin firming compounds this one adds the enzyme CoQ10 which is a strong antioxidant that declines with age. This decline can result in the body producing less collagen and elastin, which are both critical to skin elasticity and firmness.

You don’t have to take my opinion as gospel though. Looking around the internet for reviews of these products will lead you to the same conclusion I came to, that skin firming lotion can and will improve the look and feel of your skin.

Popularity: 16% [?]