While many people have lost money in recent years, America's interest
in beautification and body modification do not seem to be flagging. With
a current population that is very active, with more people choosing to
work, or simply having to in order to make ends meet, cosmetic surgery
is slowly being rivaled by non-surgical cosmetic treatments.
Unlike surgical procedures, cosmetic treatments don't have a prolonged
healing time, and recent advances in the latter are threatening to take
over the lion's share of certain cosmetic procedure niche markets. The
dangers of non-surgical procedures are lessened as well. The big
innovation has been in a new form of laser therapy developed to heat the
skin and promote collagen growth. The new Active FX fractional CO2 laser
is a less invasive way to minimize fine lines and sun spots in the skin.
Recovery period is around five days. It is even safer, less expensive,
and easier to recover from than deep chemical peels. One treatment using
the Active FX laser promises substantial, immediate results that will
last for years.
This skin resurfacing laser has a setting designed to treat wrinkles,
giving facial and neck tightening in only one pass, which leads to
faster recovery. The procedure is done at an outpatient facility with
topical anesthetic in about 30 minutes and results can be expected in
just a few days.
For more serious alterations of appearance, the fractional laser can be
combined with injectable fillers such as Radiesse. And the effect?
Cosmetic Surgeon Robin Fleck, Medical Director of Body Oasis Laser
Cosmetic Solutions in Prescott, AZ, says, ?I routinely see patients lose
ten years off their appearance with fractional laser resurfacing
followed by Radiesse injections. The injectable fillers can do more in a
twenty minute session, than a surgical facelift.?
The injectable fillers replace lost facial volume, rather than just
repositioning the skin. The loss of soft tissue in cheeks and under
eyelids is one indicator of aging, so the added volume restores the
appearance of more youthful days. According to Fleck, "Fillers correct
these issues immediately and are considerably more affordable than
cosmetic surgery."
Most dramatic results can be achieved by adding Botox or Dysport to the
mix. Botox kills nerves and can be applied to muscles that are creating
wrinkles. This is injected in regular five minute treatments twice a
year.
Such procedures are part of a trend of Americans preferentially
selecting outpatient treatment options for medical procedures.
Healthcare surveys have noticed this trend and suggest that there could
be increasing job opportunities for registered nurses and other
healthcare workers outside of traditional hospital settings.