I am a huge fan of chemical peels and I get one to two Glycolic chemical peels with 50% strength every month (50% is pretty strong, they start at 10%). They keep my skin looking dewy and keep fine lines at bay. It also fades pigmentation issues. If you can afford it, it’s the best maintenance treatment for youthful skin. However, there are some possible side effects.

First and foremost, if you have darker skin, olive tones or darker, skip the peel! It can permanently lighten your skin. If you have lighter skin tones here is what you can expect: The solution will be applied to your face via a wet cotton ball, and you will feel a slight burning sensation. The burning sensation will get stronger as the chemicals stay on the face. After about thirty seconds to one minute your face will be sprayed with a dissolution liquid. This will stop the burning and deactivate the chemicals. Once the solution is off your face will feel a little tight and slightly sensitive like you got a mild sunburn. Within the next few days your skin may flake off, or little scabs will form, this is the damaged skin peeling off to reveal the undamaged skin below. However sometimes there is no peeling or flaking at all, especially with milder peels (I have only had two tiny scabs after an extra long peel [ 3 minutes ]).

As a rule, the deeper the peel or stronger the solution, the side effects will be more prominent and last longer. I suggest you start off with a mild peel and work your way up to a stronger solution. With regular applications the results are comparable to a laser treatment.

You can get a chemical peel through a med spa or a dermatologists office. You’ll be safer with a dermatologist, but you’ll also pay considerably more. Applying a chemical peel is pretty simple, so as long as someone is a certified aesthetician you’re pretty safe, and you will pay about $60 to $100 per peel. Prices go up as the peels’ strength goes up. I go through a med spa, but I did ask many questions regarding her knowledge prior to the treatment.

Whether it’s from age or weight loss, many of us have to deal with sagging skin. In the past there was the cut-and-pull method, but today there is a laser that can non-invasively treat sagging skin, the Titan laser. It uses light energy to stimulate new collagen growth deep beneath your skin's surface, and can tighten skin on your face, neck, chest, arms, abdomen, and legs…pretty much anywhere, and it does so without surgery, recovery time, or injections.

The Titan laser uses an infrared light to uniformly heat the dermis while continuously cooling with a handpiece. No down-time or pain medication is required, however some reviews state it can be painful and say you should ask for a numbing cream prior to the treatment.

This skin tightening procedure causes the collagen in the dermis to contract and tighten so that skin looks and feels tighter, fine wrinkles are less obvious and pores are shrunk.

It can be used for tightening skin over various areas of the body, including the forehead, the lower face along the chin line, under the eyes, the hands, the abdomen, around the knees, and in some cases the breasts.

The costs for this procedure vary depending on location and how many treatments are needed, ranging from $500 to $2,500.

The latest and greatest from Skinceuticals is their pigment regulator. This product has been proven as effective as the leading medical standard for treating hyper pigmentation, 4% hydroquinone. But unlike hydroquinone, it doesn’t have a reverse effect with the freckles and spots coming back if you discontinue using it. Pigment Regulator lightens and reduces existing hyper pigmentation, improves overall skin tone, and protects skin from future discolorations without the side effects of hydroquinone.

The natural formula combines precise concentrations of kojic acid and emblica, along with an exfoliating blend, to improve uneven skin tone and discoloration. Pigment Regulator inhibits the production of excess melanin (brown spots), prevents excess melanin from traveling to the skin’s surface, and breaks up melanin clusters on the skin’s surface to diminish existing discoloration.

This product was tested and chosen by InStyle magazine as one of their top picks for skincare. Available at Skinstore, $85. Use the link below for a 20% coupon.

Everyone is asking what is the difference between the two types of Botulintoxin A and B - Botox and Dysport. I got some feedback from a spa owner who administers both on herself and her clients.

Botox facts:
- average costs $12 per unit
- usually need about 50 plus units for eyes, forehead and brow
- takes effect 5 to 10 days after administration
- effects last about 3 to 4 months

Dysport facts:
- average costs $4 per unit
- usually need about 100 units for eyes, forehead and brow
- takes effect 3 to 7 days after administration
- effects last about 4 to 5 months

Both Botox and Dysport stop the muscles in the face from moving, thus not allowing our face or skin to wrinkle while the toxin is effective. The main difference between the two is price and the amount of actual cc's, or units, that get injected into the face. Since Dysport is about $4 a unit, but you need twice as much, it comes out to be about $2 less per effective dosage. However the quanity od fluid injected in the face is double, so the needle will be in the face in each spot twice as long, about 3 seconds per shot, versus the 1.5 second per shot of Botox. Since either Botox or Dysport regular injections can be pretty pricey, Dysport is becoming more popular, but those that don't like the needle are sticking with Botox.

Not every spa or doctors office that administers Botox offers Dysport, so if that is what you are seeking, ask ahead.