Does applying aloe, vitamin E, or one of a variety of marine plants from algae to seaweed help heal wounds, prevent scars, or reduce the scarring you already have? There’s no single substance or product that can address the complex issue of wound healing and scars, but there is a sensible plan you can follow […]

the basics Follow the basic skin-care steps for your skin type or skin concern. how Skin heals Whether it’s a scratch, a paper cut, a scrape, cut, sore, lesion, or a really bad wound that requires stitches, one of the more amazing aspects of skin is its capacity to heal. Damaged skin regenerates and repairs […]

Liposuction has been used to reshape and reduce the appearance of accumulated fat layers and cellulite. However, the primary function of this procedure is to remove fat in localized areas, not cellulite. In cases where liposuction involves the removal of large quantities of stored fat, it can sometimes worsen the appearance of cellulite by creating […]

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), it “has continued its attack on bogus weight-loss claims by suing a diet patch manufacturer and a retailer that marketed the patch directly to Spanish-speaking consumers. In two separate federal court actions, the FTC charged that the patch manufacturer, Transdermal Products International Mar­keting Corporation, and the retailer, SG […]

Many salons and spas offer a cellulite/weight-loss service where the body is tightly wrapped or dressed in special garments with or without a “specialty” cream or lotion applied first. Promising to take inches off your body, these treatments may cost $65 to $500, with the range depending on the salon and if the clientele is […]

According to www. quackwatch. com, “Muscle stimulators are a legitimate medical device approved for certain conditions—to relax muscle spasms, increase blood circulation, pre­vent blood clots, and rehabilitate muscle function after a stroke. But many health spas and figure-enhancing salons claim that muscle stimulators can remove wrinkles, perform face lifts, reduce breast size, reduce a ‘beer […]

Intense pulsed light (IPL) is a consideration in the treatment of cellulite. The rationale for the use of IPL is based on the idea that it builds collagen, creating a thicker dermis, like that more typically seen in men—and men have less cellulite than women. Lasers may very well be the next generation in the […]

Searching on the Internet, you would think endermologie was nothing less than a cure for cellulite. Physicians, spas, salons, and just about anybody else with the money to buy one of these machines want you to believe in their exaggerated, over-the-top claims. Endermologie is based on the unproven and illogical theory that deep massage can […]

Mesotherapy is a procedure that has been claimed to dissolve fat from the repeated injection (and I mean lots and lots of injections) of various substances into the fat layers of skin. Mesotherapy actually got its start 50 years ago in France through the work of a physi­cian who was trying to find a cure […]