Category Archives: Skin Health

Microdermabrasion Took My Insecurities Away

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Today, we’re more exposed to pollution, harsh elements, and even damaging chemical agents that we put on our skin just to make ourselves look presentable at work. Most of the time, our work responsibilities also add to the stress which makes us look several years or even decades older than our chronological age. In other words, modern women are growing way older at a much faster rate than we used to. And if you’re like me who works both in and out of the office almost on a daily basis, getting exposed to a lot of environmental elements each day, you’ll eventually notice that your skin doesn’t look and feel that young anymore.

This can have significant repercussions in our self-esteem as well as self-confidence. To regain these, we need to take action. Fortunately for me, I was introduced several weeks ago by an officemate to a beauty clinic that provided microdermabrasion treatments. It would seem that she and her girlfriends have been frequenting this clinic for a long time. It’s their secret, she said.

I hesitated at first. You can say that I wasn’t really a firm believer of such technologies. After all, how can a spray of microcrystals help me regain my confidence and self-esteem? But then something in me wanted to try. And so I did.

My friend set up an appointment for me with the clinic. It was an agonizing week before my appointment since I wasn’t really sure what to expect. All I know is that the treatment is going to remove the outermost layer of my skin – those that are composed of dead skin cells – supposedly to stimulate the underlying skin cells to come up to the surface and replace those that have been removed. I was also told that it was great for those with fine lines, age spots, clogged pores, wrinkles, and even problems with skin texture. I wasn’t really sure if my friend was referring to the ideal candidates for the microscopic dermabrasion treatment or was she referring to me.

Regardless, the day of reckoning arrived and I arrived at the clinic 30 minutes early. I purposely went earlier so I could check out the facilities, have a chat with other clients perhaps to help me alleviate my worries. The clinic was in pristine order, like a well-organised establishment. The staff were very friendly, too, making me feel welcome and comfortable the moment I stepped right through their door.

When my name was called, I was guided to the treatment chair. The clinician asked me if I had any concerns before she gets started. She was very open and quite frank. All I know is that she did allay my apprehensions about the treatment.

The clinician proceeded to use a wand which I later learned is actually filled with microscopic crystals of aluminium oxide. The wand sprayed a very fine mist of these micro crystals on my skin. It didn’t actually hurt, but I could feel it was quite warm. The clinician explained that this is because of the abrasive action of the micro crystals. They’re actually chipping away at my skin, removing the ‘dirty’ and ‘old’ outer layer so that the fresher and younger-looking inner layer will show.

The treatment lasted only about 30 minutes, although I was told it could take 60 depending on the degree of skin issue that needs to be addressed. No wonder they call this procedure the ‘lunch hour facial’ since it can be accomplished in under an hour, roughly the length of time for lunch breaks.

After the treatment, you could say that I was impressed with the results. I couldn’t see any visible fine lines and wrinkles on my face anymore. My skin also looked more vibrant, more pinkish than pale white. It’s like I no longer need to put makeup on since my skin was already glowing naturally.

My friend was right. Microdermabrasion treatment can really help improve your self-confidence and self-esteem. I know that a single session is not enough to make accurate generalizations. But if that single session already dispelled my apprehensions about the treatment, what more if I decide to have other problem areas on my skin treated?

I feel way more confident than ever because I look and feel way younger. I still have fine lines, but these are nothing compared to what I have magically removed using the treatments at this amazing beauty clinic.

Wouldn’t you want to regain your confidence, too? If you really want to look and feel young again to regain your self-esteem, you’d definitely want to check out the treatments at Beaute @ 2001.

How I Got Rid of that Pesky Mole and Lead a Healthier, More Worry-Free Life

I am not really conscious about appearances. I am not like those people who would go to great lengths to whiten their skin with a variety of commercially-available skin whitening and skin rejuvenation products. Don’t get me wrong but I do put on my makeup, a dab of lip gloss, and a blush-on when I go to work simply because I had to look professional in my line of work. But, if there is one thing that has been bugging me all these years, then that would have to be my moles.

Yes, moles. I have plenty of them on my face then I noticed some growing on other parts of my body especially on those exposed to the sun. I have grown quite worried that these are no longer ordinary moles. I have been contemplating on seeking the advice of a mole removal Sydney expert but was not quite sure how it would turn out. I was afraid that I’d get the news that it is cancerous or something.

I know of some people performing very painful mole removal such as scraping the mole themselves with a very sharp object. I have also heard of individuals who use so-called natural remedies that act by drying out the mole until they literally fall off. I guess this is going to be effective if the mole were large and protruding from the skin. But what if the mole was flat and quite small, will these methods of mole removal really work?

Well, to answer my questions and help relieve my anxieties, I decided to visit a dermatology clinic that specializes in mole removal. I knew I had to find and learn the truth before I decide on whether to have them removed or just leave them be.

I learned that moles are not necessarily harmful because many are benign overgrowths caused by a defect in the distribution of melanocytes during the critical period of embryonic development – that period of time when all of the tissues and organs are being formed inside the mother’s womb. It turns out that instead of being distributed evenly across the body, some of these cells clumped together in certain parts of the body. This clumping is what we see as moles.

The dermatologist I had a chat with told me that there are essentially two types of moles – one that we are born with and those that develop during our lifetimes. Unfortunately I have both. She also said that moles that we are born with have a higher tendency of becoming a malignant melanoma. I also learned that acquired moles can be as cancerous as their congenital counterparts especially if it is of the dysplastic type. Explaining further, the dermatologist said that any abnormal change in the way a mole looks is often a sign that it could already be developing into a cancerous form of mole.

That really got me quite relieved since I haven’t noticed any change in my moles. If there is one thing I noticed, it is in the number of moles I now have. She explained that acquired moles can be brought about by the hormonal changes that occur in pregnancy as well as those who are diabetics.  Additionally, it can be brought about by excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. And that’s when it hit me. I loved going to the beach and I never really believed in applying sunscreen products.

So now comes the hard part. How do I get my moles removed? The dermatologist said I can choose between surgery and laser. Surgical mole removal is typically indicated in moles that are large, with irregular borders, and are raised. Laser mole removal is usually indicated in moles that are small and flat. I knew I can opt for laser mole removal but I was concerned about having cancer. You see, if I choose laser mole removal, the entire mole will be destroyed and I will never know if I have a cancerous type of mole or not. The only way for doctors to know if my mole is cancerous or not is if they can obtain a tissue from my mole and have it examined in the laboratory. Doctors need to know if it is cancerous so that they will also know what to do next.

I know a lot of people think of laser mole removal as the safest and most effective way of removing moles. But I am really deeply concerned about having cancer so I opted for a surgical method of removing my moles. It was not really painful perhaps because my moles were small. Tissue samples were sent to the laboratory for careful examination which came out negative.

Now I can start living without having to worry whether or not I already have melanoma developing on my skin. Mole removal should not only be about removing moles as nuisance. Moles should also be understood for their cancerous potential.