Skin Tightening

June 27, 2022

All About Our New Skin Tightening and Cellulite Reduction Treatment, Venus Legacy™

Skin Tightening body contouring, cellulite reduction, skin tightening, wrinkle reduction

skin tightening cellulite reduction venus Most of us have certain aspects of our appearance we would like to change. These will be different from one person to the next, but cellulite, sagging skin, and wrinkles are particularly common sources of self-consciousness. Fortunately, there are solutions. At Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center, we’re thrilled to announce the latest addition to our menu of services: body contouring treatments with Venus Legacy™.

What Is Skin Tightening with Venus Legacy™?

Skin tightening with Venus Legacy™ is a non-surgical, non-invasive treatment that is FDA-approved for temporarily reducing the appearance of cellulite. It effectively firms the skin and reduces wrinkles as well, making it an exceptional procedure for both the face and body.

Venus Legacy™ uses a combination of multiple technologies including multi-polar radio frequency warmth and pulsed electromagnetic fields. The procedure helps your body produce more skin-firming collagen while also breaking down the fat that contributes to cellulite as well as improving blood circulation and lymphatic drainage. All of this combines to give you smoother, firmer, more youthful skin.

Benefits of Skin Tightening with Venus Legacy™

Our new treatments with Venus Legacy™ use advanced technology to produce exceptional results for body contouring and cellulite reduction as well as facial rejuvenation. It offers a variety of benefits, including:

Firmer, more youthful skin throughout the treatment area
Treatment options for your face or body
Reduced cellulite dimpling for a slimmer, more toned look
Customizable treatment settings so our experienced, skilled body contouring specialist can optimize your treatment for you
Noticeable results with no incisions, injections, or recovery time
Comfortable, simple treatments that typically take less than 30 minutes
Safe use for all skin tones

What Can I Expect from My Body Contouring Treatments with Venus Legacy™?

Skin tightening treatments with Venus Legacy™ are known for being simple, quick, and easy. You’ll begin by consulting with our experienced body contouring specialist about your treatment area and desired results. Through this consultation, we’ll be able to select the ideal applicator and settings for your treatments.

During the procedure, you’ll simply rest comfortably while our specialized technician glides the applicator throughout your treatment area. You’ll feel a warming sensation and potentially light suction, but the treatments are usually comfortable and well-tolerated. A typical session only takes 15-30 minutes, though this will vary based on the areas you want to treat and the results you desire. The number of treatments will vary as well, but most patients will need 6-8 treatments spaced out one week apart.

After your procedure, you’ll have no downtime – you can go directly back to your daily schedule. Your results will gradually develop, even improving for up to 3-4 months after your treatment series. We recommend maintenance treatments as well, though the recommendations will depend on your specific needs.

How to Book Your Skin Tightening or Cellulite Reduction Treatments with Venus Legacy™

If you’re interested in skin tightening with Venus Legacy™, Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center can help. Call us to schedule a free consultation today and to learn more about this cutting-edge treatment. In the meantime, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok for more insider tips.

May 31, 2022

Stretch Marks: Top Facts You Need to Know

Microneedling, Skin Tightening laser stretch mark removal, laser treatments, microneedling, stretch mark treatments, stretch marks

female-slim-waist Stretch marks are an incredibly popular topic on mommy blogs and online parenting chat groups, but they’re far from a moms-only issue. Stretch marks can affect people of all ages and genders, and understandably, most people want a way to get rid of them. To help you better understand your stretch marks, our skin care specialists at Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center are here to fill you in on the essential facts you need to know.

Stretch Marks Are Made of Scar Tissue

Did you know stretch marks are actually scars? They appear when your skin is stretched too quickly for your skin’s natural elasticity to keep up with the stretching. This is especially common during pregnancy, puberty and growth spurts, rapid weight fluctuations, and rapid muscle growth. When this happens, the collagen and elastin fibers in your skin rupture and your body repairs them with scar tissue.

Many Factors Affect Stretch Marks

You’ve probably noticed that some people develop more severe stretch marks than others. It isn’t just a matter of luck. There are several factors that affect stretch marks and the way they look, such as your unique skin, where your stretch marks appear, the severity and timeframe of your skin’s stretching, genetics, and even hormones. Stress hormones, for example, can weaken the fibers of your skin and make them more likely to rupture.

You’ll notice that stretch marks also change with time. They usually start out looking raised and potentially pink or red. Over time, they fade and fall below your skin so they’re depressed instead of raised. While stretch marks generally fade over the course of several years, they don’t go away entirely.

Topical Products Have Minimal Effect on Stretch Marks

There are countless topical products today that claim to reduce stretch marks, but unfortunately, most of them have little if any impact. Most of these products are primarily moisturizers, which may reduce the appearance of your stretch marks for a matter of hours but they won’t make a long-term difference. There is some evidence that hydrating products with hyaluronic acid can improve stretch marks if you use them while your skin is stretching or while the stretch marks are new.

The other types of products that may have some impact on stretch marks are products containing retinol. While the improvement is not extreme, these products may help to reduce the scar tissue and strengthen your skin over time. However, retinol products shouldn’t be used by people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

There Are (Reliable) Treatments for Stretch Marks

While topical products have minimal effects on stretch marks, there are other reliable ways to reduce stretch marks, including stretch marks you’ve had for years.

The first treatment option is microneedling for stretch marks. During a microneedling procedure, our highly trained and advanced specialists use an applicator with ultrafine needles to trigger your body’s healing process throughout the area. This causes your body to produce more collagen to smooth and reduce the scar tissue of your stretch marks.

Another way we treat stretch marks is with laser scar reduction treatments. Much like microneedling, laser treatments activate your body’s healing process to break down old scar tissue and replace it with smoother collagen that is more consistent with your natural skin.

If you’re looking for a short-term way to camouflage stretch marks, sunless tanner or a spray tan may be able to give your stretch marks a temporary tone that is more similar to your skin tone. Be sure to avoid tanning, though, whether you’re laying out in the sun or in a tanning bed. Not only does sun exposure increase your risk for skin cancer and break down the collagen in your skin, but it can make stretch marks more pronounced because scar tissue doesn’t tan.

Reducing Your Stretch Marks

If you have stretch marks and you’d like to minimize their appearance, our team at Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center is proud to help. Schedule a free skin care consultation to discuss your stretch mark treatment options. In the meantime, follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more tips.

March 7, 2022

Your Top Questions About Cellulite, Answered

Non Surgical Fat Reduction, Skin Tightening cellulite, med spa, non surgical fat reduction, skin, skin tightening

Cellulite. Cottage cheese. Orange peel skin. There are plenty of names for the symptom that is medically known as cellulite. To some, it’s not much of a concern, but at Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center, we work with patients every day who are tired of their cellulite and have decided to put it behind them.

Curious about your own cellulite and what you can do about it? Our cosmetic specialists are answering all your top questions about cellulite.

What Causes Cellulite?

Cellulite appears because of a combination of factors. There is a layer of fat below your skin, and there are also connective bands that secure your skin to the underlying tissue. Cellulite dimples appear when the fat is pushing your skin up and the connective bands are pulling down on the skin, creating little lumps in between the connective bands.

Of course, you have fat and connective bands throughout your entire life, so why don’t you develop cellulite until at least puberty or adulthood? It’s because your connective bands often become more rigid as you get older, and most people accumulate more fat below their skin in adulthood too. That combination of increased fat and overly rigid connective bands creates the look of cellulite.

Does My Weight Affect Cellulite?

If cellulite is partially caused by fat, does that mean that your weight affects your cellulite? Yes, it does, but only to an extent. According to the Cleveland Clinic, cellulite affects up to 90% of women, and that includes a large percentage of women who are slim.

Losing weight may reduce the fat below your skin and reduce the pressure pushing up against those connective bands to produce cellulite dimples. While this is likely to reduce your cellulite, remember that there are several factors that contribute to cellulite, so it isn’t likely to go away entirely.

Why Do Women Get More Cellulite Than Men?

While cellulite can affect anyone, it’s significantly more common in women than men, and there are a few reasons for this. First, women are more likely to accumulate fat in areas that are prone to cellulite, like the hips, thighs, and buttocks. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to hold most of their weight in their belly, which is less likely to have cellulite.

Women also tend to have thinner skin than men. Thicker skin can mask the appearance of cellulite dimples, so women are more likely to have visible cellulite dimples.

Is Cellulite a Medical Issue?

While many people with cellulite don’t like how it looks, the good news is that cellulite is not a medical issue. It does not affect your health, nor does it indicate that you are overweight. It is solely a cosmetic issue.

How Can I Treat Cellulite?

If you have cellulite and you want smoother, firmer skin with fewer dimples, our cosmetic experts are proud to offer multiple treatment options. At Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center, we offer skin tightening and cellulite reduction by Viora(TM). For a more direct and comprehensive procedure for cellulite, we also offer Cellulaze™ at Southern Plastic Surgery.

Keep in mind that while there are many topical over-the-counter products that claim to reduce cellulite, these have not been found to be reliably effective. In most cases, these products are only moisturizers, and while the hydration can temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite by plumping the skin, they don’t make any lasting changes to your cellulite.

To take the first steps toward smoother skin, schedule a free consultation at Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center or at Southern Plastic Surgery today.

October 22, 2021

Myths and Facts About Skin Tightening

Microneedling, Skin Care, Skin Tightening, Viora Skin Tightening blog, laser skin resurfacing, med spa, microneedling, skin tightening

Firm skin is one of those qualities you don’t normally think about until you don’t have it anymore. Whether your skin has given way to the effects of aging or it’s lost some of its firmness due to the stretching and release of pregnancy or weight fluctuation, seeing sagging skin on your face or body can put a damper on your self-confidence.

Considering how common it is to want firmer skin, it’s no surprise that there are a lot of theories, old wives’ tales, and myths about skin tightening. Our team at Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center helps patients achieve firmer skin on a daily basis, so to help you get the real facts, we’re taking a look at four common myths about skin tightening.

Myth: Surgery Is the Only Way to Tighten Skin

Plastic surgeries that tighten the skin are quite common – facelifts, neck lifts, arm lifts, tummy tucks, and so on. While these procedures are highly effective when you’re relying on the skilled hand of a board-certified plastic surgeon, they’re not the only option.

Our Viora Reaction™ skin tightening treatment offers targeted skin firming by using pressure and warmth to stimulate new collagen in your skin. This collagen tightens and tones the skin, whether you are treating your face, neck, buttocks, abdomen, thighs, or other areas. Treatments like microneedling and fractionated laser skin resurfacing produce mild skin firming as well by boosting your collagen growth.

Myth: Exercise Can Tighten Your Skin

You’ve likely seen those YouTube videos demonstrating “facial exercises” that are intended to tighten the skin. Unfortunately, because your skin’s laxity is not related to muscles, there are no exercises for the face or body that will tighten your skin. If you build muscle in your body, you may add enough volume to “fill in” some of your loosened skin, but this is as close as exercise can get to tightening the skin. The only effective ways to firm your skin are professional skin tightening treatments and cosmetic surgeries.

Myth: Only People with Limited Skin Types Can Get Skin Tightening Treatments

There is a kernel of truth behind this myth. Laser treatments like fractionated laser skin resurfacing do produce some skin tightening and laser treatments aren’t always suitable for every skin type.

However, our primary skin tightening procedure, Viora Reaction™, uses radiofrequency energy and not lasers to produce the deep warmth that stimulates your collagen production. As a result, Viora Reaction™ skin tightening is safe and effective for all skin types.

Myth: Body-Firming Creams Can Effectively Tighten Skin

If you go through any skincare aisle in a drug store, you’ll see creams that claim to tighten your skin and reduce cellulite. Unfortunately, these aren’t the at-home miracles that you might expect.

At best, these creams produce temporary skin smoothing. They may do this by moisturizing your skin or by using caffeine to dehydrate the fat cells in your cellulite, making the cellulite look temporarily smoother. However, these are day-by-day results only. The only way to truly firm your skin, rather than making your skin seem firmer, is to stimulate new collagen production, and topical creams don’t penetrate your skin in a way that makes this possible.

Getting Reliably Firmer Skin

Skin tightening is an extremely common goal for people of nearly all ages, but because it’s in high demand, there is an abundance of false hacks and snake oil potions that have popped up. The truth is that only knowledgeable cosmetic healthcare providers like aestheticians and plastic surgeons can offer treatments that effectively tighten the skin. To find out how you can get firmer skin, schedule a free consultation at Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center today. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more aesthetic tips.

September 21, 2021

Is Fractionated Laser Skin Resurfacing the Best Facial Rejuvenation Option for You?

Laser Skin Resurfacing, Microneedling, Skin Care, Skin Tightening anti-aging, facial, rejuvenation, skin resurfacing, skincare

It happens to all of us: we look in the mirror from time to time and our eyes go immediately to our wrinkles, age spots, and other signs of aging. If your skin isn’t looking as youthful and energized as you feel, there are numerous ways that an experienced and skilled medical professional can give you the results you’re looking for. Is fractionated laser skin resurfacing the best path for you?

As with any cosmetic procedure, the first step in the fractionated laser skin resurfacing journey is finding out if you’re a good candidate for the treatment. Ask yourself these questions from our Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center team to see if fractionated laser skin resurfacing might be your best choice.

What Cosmetic Concerns Do You Want to Treat?

Aging creates several facial symptoms that most people want to remove, including fine lines, wrinkles, skin laxity, and age spots. Fractionated laser skin resurfacing can reduce all of these signs of aging, as well as sun damage and scarring. This versatile procedure can also make these same improvements to your neck, hands, and chest.

Keep in mind, though, that laser skin resurfacing only treats mild skin laxity – it doesn’t create notable results in heavily sagging skin like significant jowls. For dramatic skin tightening, a surgical facelift might be a better choice.

Do You Have Any Potential Risk Factors?

As beneficial as fractionated laser skin resurfacing can be, it does have its risks too, like any other cosmetic or medical procedure. For most patients, these risks are minimal as long as you follow your pre-treatment and post-treatment instructions from our knowledgeable licensed laser technicians.

There are certain qualities that can increase your risk for side effects, though, including very dark skin tones, active acne, and a current cold sore. If you have any of these risk factors, you may be a better fit for a different facial rejuvenation treatment, and our treatment providers can recommend the best options for your needs.

Are You Prepared for Your Recovery?

Because fractionated laser skin resurfacing creates small clusters rather than treating every bit of skin throughout your face, this treatment has a shorter recovery time than traditional laser skin resurfacing. It does still have a recovery period, though, and it can take a few weeks for your skin to fully heal.

To be a candidate for fractionated laser skin resurfacing, you need to be ready to care for your skin after your procedure. Our treatment providers will give you clear instructions for both before and after your treatment, including avoiding sun exposure and keeping your skin clean.

What Are Your Expectations for Your Results?

You’ll hear from countless people who have had fractionated laser skin resurfacing that it made a tremendous difference in their appearance and their confidence, but it’s important to realize that the procedure has limits too. It isn’t a replacement for a surgical facelift, for example.

It’s crucial to know what to expect from the treatment so you can make sure it’s the right procedure for you. Because fractionated laser skin resurfacing works with your body’s healing process, it takes time for your results to fully develop. Fortunately, though, for this same reason, the results are long-lasting and you will always look younger than you would have looked if you had not had the treatment.

Choosing Your Facial Rejuvenation Strategy

Fractionated laser skin resurfacing, Botox® and Dysport® injections, microneedling, facial filler injections, chemical peels, non-surgical skin tightening, treatments with natural growth factors – there are so many ways to look younger. Fractionated laser skin resurfacing is one of the most advanced, versatile, and effective among them. To find out if it’s the right choice for your cosmetic goals, schedule a free consultation at Laser Lights Cosmetic Laser Center. Be sure to also follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more cosmetic skin care tips.

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