American Laser Centers offers industry-leading aesthetic technology for Skin Care & Tightening, Laser Hair Removal, Wrinkle Reduction, Botox and Dermal Fillers, Cellulite Reduction and Body Shaping.

“We are extremely proud to have reached the 5.8 million treatment milestone,” said Steve Straus, American Laser Centers CEO. “In addition to being the most experienced provider of laser cosmetic services, our commitment to providing the best customer service, our investment in the newest technologies and our constant evaluation of new procedures has allowed us to provide our customers with the highest level of treatment and services available in the industry.”

American Laser Centers began as a single clinic in Novi, Michigan in 2002 and quickly grew to 30 clinics by the end of 2003. Now with over 170 locations nationwide, American Laser Centers is providing over 160,000 treatments per month to thousands of satisfied clients across the country from Mesa, AZ to Philadelphia, PA.

For more information visit www.americanlaser.com.

American Laser Centers provides Beauty through Technology with the latest trends in skin care solutions including Laser Hair Removal, Skin Care & Tightening, Wrinkle Reduction, Body Shaping, Cellulite Reduction, Botox and Dermal Fillers. Since the company’s establishment in 2002, over 5.8 million treatments have been performed using state-of-the-art-technology.

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American Laser Centers performs 5.8 million laser cosmetic treatments

Laser Hair Removal by American Laser Centers

American Laser Centers surveyed 540 ladies around the country to find out about their preferred hair removal approach, attitudes toward it, time invested in it and the cost to perform it. Please read below to find out the results!

Survey respondents reported they will spend more than 58.4 days removing hair from their bodies during their lifetime.  The survey also revealed that women remove unwanted body hair for an average period of 53.6 years using methods including shaving, waxing and depilatory creams.

While women report a small monthly spend on shaving, $15.87 per month, the lifetime investment for females who shave adds up to $10,207.

Delapidory cream- or lotion-users are paying slightly more than those who shave for their hair removal, $10,555 through their lifetime, yet they only remove hair one to two times per month.

Waxing is by far the most expensive form of hair removal.  While respondents reported waxing only one to two times per month, women who wax will spend an average of $23,000 on hair removal in a lifetime.

American Laser Centers conducted the hair removal study to determine the cost savings benefit of laser hair removal verses a lifetime of shaving or waxing.  On average, women can save $7,000 by receiving laser hair removal on the areas of the body they typically shave.  When compared to a lifetime of waxing, women can save $20,000 by receiving laser hair removal on the areas of the body they usually wax.

“As people are more time crunched than ever, laser hair removal has evolved into a lifestyle decision for our clients,” said American Laser Centers Clinical Training Director, Ana Varela, A.R.N.P., M.S.N. “Like Lasik surgery for contact and glasses wearers, laser hair removal is a decision to free yourself from one of the most mundane processes in your life – hair removal.  When performed by American Laser Centers trained professionals, laser hair removal is safe, effective and painless.”

In addition, laser hair removal is a procedure that will help conserve water.  Fifty-two percent of women surveyed reported shaving with the water running the entire time.  Women surveyed reported an average shaving time of 10.9 minutes and an average of shaving 12 times per month.  With the average shower using five gallons of water per minute, this means the average woman will use 7,848 gallons each year and a total of 420,652 gallons of water shaving throughout their lifetime, nearly enough water to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool.  Only 2 percent of women shavers do not use water when shaving.

American Laser Centers offers laser hair removal services in most major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix and San Francisco. For more information about laser hair removal and to find an American Laser Centers clinic near you, visit www.americanlaser.com.

Survey Methodology

The American Laser Centers hair removal survey was performed using Zoomerang to recruit a random sample of respondents for an online survey, 540 females between the ages of 18-65 were asked approximately 30 questions about their preferred hair removal approach, attitudes toward it, time invested in it and the cost to perform it.

Do you remember being reminded to “put on your sunscreen” growing up? How many of you listened?

A survey by The Skin Cancer Foundation found that 45% of responders do not wear sunscreen. Not only does sunscreen prevent sun burns which may prevent skin cancer but it also prevents photodamaged skin which causes brown spots and wrinkles. It isn’t too late to make sunscreen a part of your daily beauty regimen. The easiest step is to buy a moisturizer with sunscreen already included.

For those of you already experiencing the effects of your bathing beauty days there is hope! Non-invasive laser treatments such as Matrix RF use Sublative Rejuvenation to improve skin’s texture (pores, acne scarring, fine lines and wrinkles) and skin pigmentation. This clinically proven treatment diminishes the effects of sun damaged skin on the face, neck and décolleté by stimulating cell and collagen growth.

Want to learn more? Click here.

That unwanted hair! You don’t want to be constantly shaving, waxing and tweezing, do you? Well, maybe it’s time that you considered laser hair removal treatment. Why? Laser hair removal treatment offers long-term hair removal solutions, so you can say goodbye to the conventional way of removing unwanted hair.

However, keep in mind that there is more to just randomly picking the laser hair removal clinic that you like. You do not want to entrust your delicate needs to those with little experience. You want nothing but the best laser hair removal treatment from only the experts that offer high quality hair removal. Remember, just like in any other medical treatments, choosing the best clinic for your hair removal needs is a delicate decision, so you have to choose carefully and wisely.

Use the Internet

Perhaps the easiest and most convenient way of choosing the right laser hair removal clinic is by searching online. ‘Googling’ your way around will offer you tons of information about the various clinics that offer the treatment that you need. You can narrow down your search by location, in order to locate the clinics offering laser hair removal treatments around the area or areas nearest you. As you go along your search, you can obtain important information such as the contact persons for the clinics, clinic hours, phone numbers, email addresses and most importantly, customer feedback.

To get the best chance of learning if the clinics listed online are reputable, Google some more. Check for certifications and government approvals to see if their treatments are FDA-approved. Also check for pricing and compare prices between several clinics.

Asking around

There are other ways with which you can wisely choose the right clinic for your hair removal needs. One great way is to ask around. And who better to ask from than your friends? Some of your friends (or people they may know) may have already gone through laser hair removal treatments. They may offer insights on whether to choose the clinic where they had their treatments or to choose other clinics. They may be able to relate to you their experiences, their successes with the treatments, the kind or customer service that their clinic offered, etc. As their experience may have taught them several things, they may even know of a few ideas on how to save costs on laser hair removal treatments.

Getting in touch with real-life patients

Go to laser hair removal clinics and see if you could obtain a list of patients. If you are successful enough in obtaining information about their former patients, you can get in touch with these patients and do some information gathering. Don’t interview just one patient. Interview more than you need until you are satisfied, as not all patients gain the same results out of laser hair removal treatments.
Actually go to the clinic of your choice

Once you have chosen the clinic where you want to have your treatment, do a spot check. You don’t want to just go there and get the treatment and regret later on. Check to see if a qualified doctor supervises the treatment. This cannot be emphasized enough, as it is required that a qualified doctor should be present in each laser hair removal clinic. Check to see as well if the clinic employs registered nurses and licensed anaesthesiologists.

It is also very important to see if the laser operators received ample trainings and are very qualified in doing laser hair removal treatments. You may also want to see if the clinic uses the latest technology or has updated equipment.

Ask the clinic if they offer free consultations. Most reputable laser hair removal clinics offer free consultations as added value to their clients and prospective patients, so as to evaluate your needs before you actually receive your first treatment.

Other things that you may want to check regarding the clinic of your choice is the cleanliness, the professionalism that their staff offers and the various packages that they have in store to meet your needs.

In our quest to create ways that can instantly make us look fabulous and stunningly sexy, the medical field has produced breakthrough means of almost instantly making excess fat in our body melt away. Many of the modern and innovative techniques to make us more aesthetically pleasing has been brought about by what the society has mandated as the ideal for ’sexiness.’ In short, a slim body is always sexier and fat is always undesirable.

Of course, exercise still has its place today in helping us lose unwanted poundage. However, we seem to have gravitated to everything that is ‘instant.’ That is why modern science has come up with lipoplasty, or what is commonly known as liposuction.

The lure of liposuction and its side effects

Liposuction is considered by many today as the ultimate shortcut to looking slim and sexy. Hundreds of thousands of people, including celebrities and even athletes, have been lured to its instant benefits, letting them see their fat go away quite literally.

Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery procedure that contours the body by surgically removing unwanted fat from certain areas of the body as specified by patients. Parts of the body where unwanted fat can be removed may include the buttocks, thighs, abdomen and even the neck.
Many patients have successfully reaped the rewards of liposuction. However, like some surgical procedures, there are risks and minor side complications associated with liposuction. That is why plastic surgeons always let the patients become aware of the side effects that liposuction may cause.

The side effects and complications associated with liposuction

Many doctors and patrons guarantee liposuction’s safety. However, the procedure is still extremely invasive. As such, the risks involved are real. Liposuction uses a cannula, or a hollow tube inserted through the skin where the unwanted fat lays. Through the cannula, the fat is sucked out of the body. It should be noted that while the cannula is sealed in sterilized packaging, once the procedure is underway, there is still the danger of infection.

The possible dangers and side effects of liposuction include:

• Pulmonary emboli, where fat accidentally travels to the lungs during the procedure
• Swelling of the affected area
• Extended healing time
• Bruising
• Skin irregularities
• Allergic reaction to medication
• Excessive fluid loss
• Damage to skin or other vital organs
• Discoloration or sagging of skin
• Numbness

In extreme cases, deaths linked to liposuction have been documented. However, these cases are rare, and almost always linked to small, underground facilities.

A great alternative to liposuction

There are certain alternatives to liposuction that are worth looking at. These options are non-invasive, thus taking away the danger of infection and other adverse effects that are associated with invasive procedures such as liposuction. One very effective procedure that takes away excess fat that is gaining popularity in the States is VelaShape.
VelaShape reduces the cellulite in as few as just four sessions. VelaShape is a non-invasive fat reduction and body contouring procedure that is FDA-approved. This procedure is not painful and does not involve sticky creams and other uncomfortable methods.

VelaShape owes its powerful effect to a combination of light, energy and specially designed rollers that smooth out the skin surface, reducing the appearance of fat significantly. VelaShape uses a four-pronged approach to fat, using mainly infrared light, radio-frequency (RF) energy, vacuum-pulsed negative pressure and advanced rollers that smooth out various areas of the skin during the treatment. It effectively and quickly melts away fat.

To learn more about VelaShape, visit the American Laser Centers website at AmericanLaser.com.

Winter time is at hand. For many people, the winter season causes some serious skin problems. The cold air can cause the skin to dry leaving it flaking, cracking, and inflamed. There are many skin care products that offer some outrageous promises of miraculously curing dry skin, but some fall short of their claims despite their exorbitant cost.

This is not to state that all skin care products offer false claims. Sure, there are some products out in the market that make wonders to your skin. However, it is best to go the practical way when dealing with dry skin problems.

Below are some of the practical means that will help you with your skin problems.

The wonders of using a good moisturizer

Our body is composed mostly of water. As such, our skin needs to be regularly nourished with moisture. However, experts agree that you shouldn’t use just any moisturizers found in commercials. Those moisturizers usually contain mineral oils and other petroleum-based products.

For dry skin, it is best to use hypoallergenic skin care products. Applying a good amount of cocoa butter, virgin coconut oil or Shea butter all over your body right after taking a bath locks in your skin’s moisture, leaving it feeling supple all day long. These natural moisturizers contain very nourishing ingredients such as essential oils and vitamins that are essential to the skin such as Vitamins A, C, D and E. Because these natural creams do not contain harmful chemicals, they effectively protect your skin from aging by deeply moisturizing the skin.

On bathing and showering

It is also best to avoid taking showers or baths with tap water. Tap water contains chlorine and other harmful elements that could harm your skin. It is also important to take note that if your skin dries easily, it is best to reduce the amount of time you spend in the bathroom.

Use mild soap, and avoid soaps with heavy perfume and other strong ingredients. Better yet, use liquid soap, as soap bars are known to contain hardening ingredients that are highly corrosive. Can you imagine taking a bath using chemicals intended for industrial use?

To scrape off dead skills and to naturally exfoliate your skin, it is highly recommended to scrub your skin with oatmeal soap. Naturally exfoliating with oatmeal soap can effectively avoid skin irritation.

After bathing, instead of rubbing your skin with towel, pat your self dry gently. And to lock in the moisture on the surface of your skin, immediately apply moisturizer recommended above.

Dealing with skin itchiness

When your skin is dry, it’s usually irritated and itchy. To avoid further irritating the skin, do not scratch it. Instead, apply a sufficient amount of virgin coconut oil a few times a day. It would also be best to include essential oils in your diet. Essential oils can be found in raw organic butter, eggs, coconut oil, cod liver oil and certain types of fish.

Dealing with the cold winter months

To avoid the harsh effects of the winter season on your skin, get a good humidifier to be used in your bedroom to provide moisture in the air during the cold season. This can help protect your skin from dryness.

On using organic skin care products

Using only organic skin care products cannot be overemphasized. Organic products are made from virgin sources, meaning they do not contain harmful chemicals. Ask skin care experts on the best natural skin care products that are right for your dry skin problems.

Looking for ways to rejuvenate your skin? Visit AmericanLaser.com to find out how you can take back those years and regain a youthful glowing skin.

We get that guys are no big fans of the work that we put into looking good. You’re not big on spas, skin rejuvenation programs, hair treatment work and exfoliation. You won’t be as excited when girls talk about how to make one’s pores go away, how to remove hair from our bodies or what product helps keep moisture locked in skin amid dry weather.

What we don’t get is how come there are just so many of you who don’t get grooming – at all.

We don’t get why there are so many guys who seem to think that they can get away with getting outdoors while they have not even considered taking a shower, and instead grab a deo-cologne spray, thinking it’ll mask the smell. They don’t know how to wash their face, let alone wipe oil off it. They don’t understand why so many women insist that guys should shave, or why it matters that you should try to at least understand a thing or two about hair products.

There are probably a lot of things going on: pride, ignorance, machismo, or a combination of many other reasons. Nevertheless, after reading this, now you have no excuse. We at American Laser Centers have come up with what is simply called “The Basics of the Basics”. Here are some points that you unfortunate, misguided men (and the ladies out there who have one or two such men in your lives) can use to at least point you in the right direction.

1.) “Keeping it Clean” is not a state of mind; it’s a way of life. Human skin sloughs and sheds everyday. This is what we notice as dust in households, and why we launder clothes that “look clean”. While you may have bathed the other day, it does not mean you shouldn’t shower the next. Yes, even if it’s cold. Getting dead skin cells off you keeps your skin from acne, infection and other problems.

2.) Keep it. Lose it. Clean it. If you must keep that beard, please keep it clean. Hair on one’s face is a dirt magnet. When dirt sticks to it, you can bet it’ll get on your cheeks, your nose, your neck, and other places. Wash that beard. Or better yet, just shave it all off.

3.) On shaving: it’s not a race. You see that muscular half-naked man shave on the razor commercials? How the razor slicks across his face like a knife through butter? DON’T DO THAT. That’s still a sharp piece of metal that you’re rubbing over your face, and facial skin is very delicate! Trim thick beads before you use a razor, then shave slowly, gently. You owe it to yourself. And if you still don’t get it, ask a girl – she’ll know a thing or two about keeping smooth.

4.) We smell you. We can smell that, even when you can’t. We’re just polite about it. Still, that’s a sign that the skin on your body is attracting germs that need to be dealt with. The fastest, cheapest, instant way to deal with it is antibacterial rubbing alcohol, just to take away the smell. You’ll still have to shower. And pick a different deodorant.

5.) Leave no stone unturned. We notice things you don’t: Fingernails. Toenails. The gunk behind your ears. The grit that’s in your eyes when you just woke up. Many men take these things for granted and most people worldwide are too polite to say anything out loud in your faces. Try to spot them for yourself – it’s not hard. Then do something about it! You’ll be a world cleaner before you know it.

Working women are not only pressed for time, juggling between household chores and work schedules; they usually find it difficult to squeeze in the time for indulging themselves in a well deserved skin care regimen. If you’re one of these working women, you know you need to take extra care since you are subjected to environmental stress, hormonal changes, and harmful UV rays every day.

Skin care know-how, prevention, and maintenance are required in order to maintain healthy skin. A basic cleanse, hydrate and treat should be your guide, but you have to understand that as you age, your skin ages too.

Your skin in your 20s, 30s, 40s

By the time we reach the 30s and 40s, we’re a little grayer, a little more wrinkled, and our metabolism just isn’t what it used to be. People in their 30s can still have pretty healthy skin, but elastic collagen fibers have begun breaking down, cell production starts to lag, and the effects of what we eat and drink are more immediately evident in our physical health and appearance. Facial wrinkles are more prevalent than they were in the 20s, as are fine lines and age spots. Slower metabolisms in the 30s and 40s can also mean the development of stubborn storage of fat that can be hard to kick.

Good skin starts with good skin care

The first steps towards great skin involve good habits and smart lifestyle choices. Re-evaluate your current skin and health situation to look for indicators of harm you’re causing, or to identify ways you could be speeding up the aging process.

If you didn’t kick the smoking and/or excessive drinking habits before you hit the big 3-0, there’s no time like the present to make those changes. Aside from kicking harmful vices, implement some new methods of self-improvement.

Into the 30s and 40s, regular exercise, a healthy balanced diet, and daily vitamin supplements become highly advisable to keep your skin and body on the right track as you continue to age. Daily sunscreen application and frequent moisturizing should be automatic in your daily routine. Also, drinking lots of water to keep your body hydrated and consuming plenty of antioxidant-rich foods are also musts for preserving the skin’s vitality.

Maintain a good skin care regimen

With a good skin care regimen in place, you need not worry about looking old and sagging facial skin while at work or at home. Here are some things that you can do:
Invest in quality and reliable natural skin care. Cleansing, toning and moisturizing here become key to a good natural skin care ritual.

Exfoliate.

Exfoliation helps to get rid of unwanted dead cells and also helps your skin care products work faster and better. Moreover, weekly or biweekly exfoliation also ensures a radiant and fresh complexion.

Have a regular face massage.

Your skin needs all the pampering after a week of environmental onslaught. Consider this as deep cleansing for your skin and opt for a skin care treatment that is best suited for your skin type.

Use a good wrinkle cream periodically.

This can help to infuse hydration and replace the moisture lost as we age. Effective wrinkle creams often contain Argireline which acts to relax skin tissue and eliminate or reduce wrinkles and fine lines.

At the end of the day, properly clean and remove make-up and oils. Make-up and oil accumulation can trap and promote dirt and bacteria. Cleansing is the first step to softer, cleaner, and healthy skin.

You might not really believe you can become like them, but then again, what if you could?

We all have our beauty secrets, and even the biggest icons in the entertainment industry have theirs too. They differ from person to person, as different styles and products all add up to making them look fabulous every day. These all add up to some amazing results, and the millions of fans they have around the world are proof enough.

What most of the world don’t realize, though, is how simple a lot of these beauty secrets are, such as drinking plenty of water, exercise, and getting enough sleep. Yet, there are also a lot of tricks that one can do to keep skin smoother, teeth stronger and whiter, and one’s hair look amazing. Even better, a lot of these tips are done without having to spend millions.

For oily skin, one can borrow a quick tip from “Sex and the City” star Sarah Jessica Parker. A cheap way to slick off excess oil is to find clean sheets of tissue paper used as toilet bowl seat covers. A quick dab on the face’s “T-zone,” or chin, nose and forehead quickly does the trick. It’s an easy alternative over the expensive oil wipes sold in the market.

A fun way to clear one’s teeth is espoused by Academy Award winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones. Her way for whiter teeth is to brush using mashed strawberries mixed with baking soda. It may sound weird, but strawberries are a rich source of malic acid, an astringent that can help to better clean the mouth. Baking soda, meanwhile, has properties known to help whiten teeth.

Speaking of baking soda, ever wonder how Queen Latifah always seems to have such impeccable skin? She has been known to go for days without putting on makeup, and she still looks so good. The secret apparently, was exactly that: go a day or two without makeup! She has also gone on record talking about how it helps exfoliate skin. Applying baking soda on one’s face is like applying a very gentle skin renewal product. This not only keeps skin silky smooth, but also saves thousands on pricey products.

The skin on one’s lips is very sensitive. According to InStyle Magazine, Mariah Carey has been known to do more than just put lip balm to keep moisture in. She has been said to add a drop of mint extract into her lip gloss before applying it. Studies have revealed that mint stimulates blood flow, helping the lip skin cells better regenerate. It also has been known to intensify the color of one’s lips, thus giving an all-natural hue that is simply eye-catching.

Jennifer Lopez, meanwhile, has another smart skin tip: sunscreen. While it may sound like a corny rip-off of the Baz Lhurman song, exposure to the sun really does count, and it does add up over time. Thus, keeping skin smooth, soft and evenly tanned are just some of the benefits that sunscreen provides. The other key thing she uses is honey. Honey added to facials, masks and moisturizers add anti-aging properties that staves off wrinkles and lines.

“Desperate Housewives” star Teri Hatcher also has her trick to keep skin young and vibrant. Her secret is to add some red wine into her bath. This is because grapes have reservatrol, a substance that fights fungus, improves skin elasticity and helps cell multiplication.

Cellulite removal can be done in a variety of different ways, but you need to decide how far you actually want to go to achieve this. Removing cellulite from different areas of your body can be difficult and expensive, or easy and affordable. There are several ways to remove it, but you need to do some research first to help you decide on how you want to really go about doing cellulite removal.

What Is Cellulite?

The fatty layer just below your skin is smooth and supple as long as the fat cells remain strong, healthy and flexible. The dimply, bumpy texture we call cellulite begins to occur when the structure of the fat cells begin to weaken. When the cell walls weaken, the cells begin sag and this “sagging” is what accounts for the orange peel look of cellulite. The weaker the cells become, the worse the sagging.

Cellulite usually begins to appear shortly after a woman has her first child, or somewhere between ages of 25 to 35. If and when cellulite appears on your body depends almost entirely on two things: the strength and flexibility of the fat cells, and the thickness of the underlying fat layer.

Although the cause of cellulite is not easily understood, it is firmly believed that the hormones play a major role in this unflattering but harmless condition. However, women still become very concerned and self-conscious about it. This is especially true for those want to look good on the beaches and at the swimming pool parties in their bikinis.

Some Cellulite Removal Remedies

Surgery and Mesotherapy

Most doctors do not recommend surgery for the removal of cellulite. In fact, the use of liposuction, a surgical procedure that is used to remove fat cells from underneath the skin is not really effective for cellulite removal and could actually make the problem more severe. There is also the Mesotherapy procedure from Europe, which targets affected areas with tiny injections of medicines, minerals, vitamins and amino acids. However, this method has had inconclusive results.

Creams

One simple and affordable way to get rid of cellulite is through different types of readily available, over-the-counter creams that you can use in the comfort, and privacy, of your own home. You will want to be careful of what you choose, as there are many variations of creams on the market. Finding an easy to use, odorless version is the preferred method used by most for at home cellulite removal.

VelaShape

And then there’s VelaShape, a cellulite treatment process used by the largest group of laser centers in the US that breaks down and re-contours cellulite. Compared to topical creams or surgical procedures, VelaShape is a comfortable, safe and effective cellulite treatment process. VelaShape contours cellulite under the surface of your skin by combining penetrating infrared and radio energies to make the cellulite layer receptive to the specially designed rollers that smooth out the skins surface.

Unlike surgery, VelaShape cellulite treatment is actually quite a pleasant experience. The deep massage action from the treatment head rollers and the warmth from the infrared energy are rarely strong enough to cause discomfort, although some clients report an initial pinching from the rollers. This, however, can be eliminated through a simple adjustment. If you’re bent on removing that cellulite, you may want to ask about VelaShape today.