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Someone once said “Old age isn’t bad when you consider the alternative.” So, in the struggle to retain a youthful appearance, many turn to anti-aging alternatives to hide those inevitable signs of age that creep up over time. The fight for a slim and trim physique proves to be more difficult the more we age, but advances in the aesthetic and cosmetics industry are reversing these struggles. The technology revolution has developed amazing techniques that can enable you to maintain a youthful look with little effort and discomfort while also being easier on the wallet.

Luckily, our newest procedure called Body-Jet is the most recent breakthrough in fat elimination. As weight gain inevitably creeps up, many turn to painful surgery to remove the fat which requires days of uncomfortable recovery. With Body-Jet, physicians are able remove fat in a similar way to liposuction, but with less downtime and discomfort, and faster recovery for the patient.

Performed under local anesthesia, Body-Jet is a water-assisted form of liposuction that is performed in-office. Developed to alleviate the customary side effects of surgical liposuction, Body-Jet can permanently remove fat cells from multiple areas of the body without causing trauma to other structures such as the blood vessels and nerves. The technique uses a fan shaped nozzle to transmit a pulsating water spray which gently loosens the fat cells from the connective tissue. The removed fat cells can then be used as an alternative to fillers and can also be used for grafting of the face, hands and natural augmentation of the breast.

Water-assisted liposuction has proved to be far superior to traditional liposuction due to factors such as reduced session length, less discomfort and side effects and shorter recovery times. In comparison, Body-Jet avoids the problems associated with tumescent infiltration used in standard liposuction procedures. Tumescent infiltration causes tissue swelling which lowers operative accuracy and can result in serious side effects. Patients can often go about their daily routines as soon as the treatment is complete.

Aside from creating a slimmer, more sculpted figure, the fat that is removed from problem areas can then be reused in areas such as the face, hands and breasts. Natural breast augmentation is a process which injects the removed fat cells into the breast area to create a natural, fuller look without the pain and downtime typically linked to breast augmentation. Now a viable alternative to breast implants, this alone is one of the medical breakthroughs associated with this new technology. Clients are much more open to using their own tissue versus saline or gel implants.

Amazingly enough, technology never ceases to amaze us as newer, safer and more advanced procedures arrive on the market. Water-assisted liposuction, often called water lipo or H2O lipo, has dramatically changed the way many Americans look at body sculpting. And in today’s fast-paced climate, time saving and natural alternatives are highly sought after. Advances in non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures have proven to be an effective way to maintain a youthful appearance and eliminate the signs of aging.

For us, the answer is simple. Be fit, be natural and be beautiful.

The makers of Accutane, Roche AG, recently pulled this drug from the market citing economic and safety reasons.  In reality, there have been several judgments and several pending lawsuits against the company regarding side effects from the drug.  Unfortunately, for the severe acne sufferer, this eliminates a very effective (but with side effects) treatment for acne.  So what is a good alternative to Accutane, which is safer and nearly as effective?  It’s Levulan.  Levulan is a photosensitizer of the skin.  It is applied to the skin and then activated by light.  It is absorbed by sebaceous glands – the ones that are overactive in acne patients.  The result is that the sebaceous gland is partially destroyed, leading to less secretions and less acne.  The light which activates the Levulan also kills the bacteria that cause acne as well.  The results after 2 or 3 treatments is 75-85% improvement in acne for 9 months, and in some patients up to several years. 

            Although Levulan is not FDA approved for acne, it is widely used by the medical community worldwide for this purpose.  Its FDA approval is for Actinic Keratosis, pre malignant lesions, on the skin.  The procedure process involves cleaning the skin thoroughly, then applying the Levulan.  It lies on the skin for about an hour and then washed off.  The patient then sits under a blue light to activate the Levulan for about 15 minutes.  After activation, the patient must protect his face from bright light and sunlight for the 24-36 hours.  This means staying indoors, curtains closed, in a dimly lit room.  During this time, the skin becomes red and begins to peel for the next few days.  Follow up treatments are done about 3-4 weeks.

            The Aesthetic Clinique offers Levulan treatments with Blu U light activation.  Give us a call for an evaluation or treatment.  850.622.1214

SunSoul, a Canadian-based company, has developed clothing that delivers beneficial wavelengths of sunlight to skin while significantly reducing harmful ultraviolet radiation. By borrowing beneficial light from nature, SunSoul Sunware sends nourishing light directly to the skin. Aesthetic Clinique brings its clients this healthful product line to help them transform the effects of the sun’s rays during a day on the beach.

High-intensity blue light is used to treat and prevents acne breakouts, and yellow light is used to reduce skin damage. The company’s two lines of clothing, Blumöd for acne aid and Yelomöd for skin rejuvenation, use microfiber fabric designed to block and convert the sun’s harmful rays while magnifying healthy sections of the light spectrum. To top it all off, the clothing delivers an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of 50+, offering protection from harmful rays.

How do yellow and blue lights help my skin?

Yellow Light – Yellow light rejuvenates skin by bringing out youthful radiance and reversing the aging process. Yellow light is naturally attracted to red and brown pigments called chromophores. Red pigments are the pesky red and blue blood vessels as well as the redness that develops on skin with aging and sun damage. The brown pigments in the skin are excess melanin, also the result of sun damage and aging skin.

Blue Light – Blue light is proven to be effective in eradicating acne causing bacteria. Blue light interacts with porphyrin from the bacteria as well as naturally occurring oxygen to produce singlet oxygen, which is lethal to the bacteria.

How long do these products take to work?

The average dose of sunlight to manage acne and rejuvenate the skin is about 2 hours per week in the sun wearing the Blumöd and Yelomöd products – this exposure will deliver about the same dose of light one would receive in a dermatologist’s office from a light device.

Try these fabulous and natural skin treatments while carrying on with daily life in the great outdoors or on the beach! Check out Rachel Ray’s recent talk show clip on SunSoul Sunware.