Want to look and feel great at the beach this summer? It means more than just working out to get that bikini body. There are a number of cosmetic treatments designed to keep you looking your best during the months when your body’s exposed the most.
The heat of summer—and our body’s natural reaction of sweating to help keep us cool—can cause a number of unpleasant side effects that include acne breakouts, rashes, and body odor. The summer sun can cause sunspots to form on the skin. And chronic problems like excess body hair and excessive sweating are simply more bothersome in summertime when it’s hot and our skin is exposed.
If you have summertime body bothers of any kind, you can pamper yourself with these safe and effective treatments to stay looking and feeling your best.
Hyperhidrosis: Hyperhidrosis gives a whole new meaning to the term “sweaty palms.” This condition causes a person to sweat more than is necessary to regulate body temperature. Hyperhidrosis may manifest itself in the hands, feet, face, armpits, and groin where there are higher concentrations of sweat glands. It may affect the entire body, or it may be localized in only one area of the body. Many patients experience predominately sweaty hands or palms.
Hyperhidrosis is linked to overactive sweat glands and is thought to be related to thyroid and endocrine system dysfunction. Because excessive sweating is the side effect of several other medical conditions it can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint hyperhidrosis as an isolated problem.
There are several treatments for hyperhidrosis, including topical, oral, and injectable medications. Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) is a surgical procedure that clamps the thoracic ganglion along the main sympathetic chain of the spine, cutting off signals to sweat glands. It is reversible because the clamp can be removed, and it provides long-term relief to a majority of patients—particularly those with excessive hand and face sweating.
Body Hair: Body hair, whether excessive or not, can be permanently removed if you want to create a sleeker look or simply want to be body-hair-free. People with excessive or unwanted hair don’t have to live with it any longer. Back, leg, foot and toe, pubic, arm, and even female facial hair are all common complaints that can be treated to achieve permanent results.
Permanently removing body hair means destroying the follicle from which the hair grows. Recent laser technology offers a non-invasive solution that uses a laser beam of light to destroy the hair follicle. This method of hair removal is mainly effective on darker hair colors.
Radio Frequency (RF) technology, like our elōs™ treatment, offers better results by sending a current that destroys the hair follicle, regardless of hair color. The targeted hair follicles are preheated with optical energy, giving the RF a thermal path to travel on. When the RF reaches the hair follicle, it delivers enough heat for coefficient thermal transfer, destroying the follicle.
Sun Spots: When skin is exposed to the sun, it naturally creates extra melanin in order to protect itself. This, of course, gives you a tan (or sunburn—ouch!) and more permanent skin marks like freckles and sun spots. Remember, a tan = sun damage, no matter how great it looks. Sun spots are usually larger than freckles and may come and go when the skin is exposed to the sun. Permanent sun spots can be removed through laser treatments, microdermabrasion, and other skin rejuvenation treatments.
Lasers remove sun spots by slightly damaging the skin over the affected area, causing healthy scar tissue and new skin to form. Microdermabrasion uses the abrasion of tiny crystals to remove dead skin cells and the top layer of living cells from the skin’s surface, similarly promoting new, healthy skin to form. Other skin treatments include chemical peels and light energy treatments. Having sun spots removed not only improves your look, but reduces your chances of skin cancer too. Win-win!
Acne: Acne is often worse in the summertime if you already have it, and many people without chronic acne still experience summertime breakouts. Almost any summertime climate can cause worsened breakouts. Hot, dry climates (and therefore dry skin) can be a major culprit behind breakouts because it not only causes the skin to produce excess oil, but dry, dead skin cells mix with facial oil to clog pores. Skin hydration treatments can be effective at both preventing and combating acne.
Microdermabrasion may also help clear up a breakout by removing dead skin cells and blemishes from the skin’s surface and unclogging pores, but it is not recommended as a treatment for chronic or severe acne. Laser treatments are a good option for severe breakouts or chronic acne sufferers, as the non-invasive laser beams can target individual clogged pores without abrading and exacerbating the breakout.
If you’re coping with any of these summertime beauty bothers, realize that you don’t have to. There are effective and safe treatments to fix these issues and help you make the most of your summer. Plus, many treatments are much more affordable than you’d think, and financing options are often available. Consult with your physician to see how to take control of your summer (and fall, winter, and spring, for that matter) by feeling confident in your own skin!