As with all things, the latest and greatest quickly become “so last season” as technology continues to trump itself over and over again. That’s not a bad thing, especially when it comes to better, less painful, more effective and healthier alternatives to the procedures available for a more beautiful you and me. Here’s the scoop on what’s available today and what’s on the way for tomorrow.

What’s here and available now:

If dark spots/ brown spots are a constant source of frustration for you, a new pigment regulator is on the shelf and available without a prescription. This cream uses Kojic acid which inhibits the formation of tyrosinase, the enzyme that triggers melanin. It combines with the antioxidant emblica which helps prevent any melanin that is triggered from reaching the skin’s surface so no new brown spots appear. Finally a glycolic acid helps lighten already present spots by increasing cell turnover. Professionals are impressed with this new wonder cream. It works as well as prescription hydroquinone without the prescription. In a 12-week study, doctors found no difference between subjects who used this product and those applying a 4% hydroquinone.

Also available is a revolutionary new surgery that removes upper back fat that cannot be exercised away. According to Joseph P. Hunstead, a plastic surgeon in Charlotte, North Carolina, he has successfully operated on seven women and seen wonderful results. Hunstead’s procedure removes eight- to ten-inch-wide sections of fat and skin, but no muscle. – that is a huge difference to the sculpt of a person’s back! The downside is the procedure now cuts a long incision across the patient’s back just under the shoulder blades. While the scar extends across the width of your back, it is made precisely at the lower bra line so it can be hidden by a bra or bikini. Recovery currently takes about two weeks. If this is an answer to your prayers, hang on. It won’t be long until this is done with minimal or no scarring, just like everything else, it will be improved upon.

What’s coming soon:

What’s the greatest plague to women’s skin as we age? Wrinkles. Specifically wrinkles around the mouth and eyes. While there are countless procedures, creams and exercises that are supposed to target and eliminate these dirty little age tellers, the most effective way to treat fine lines is with a laser. That’s great if you’ve got extra cash on-hand. What’s the solution for the rest of us? An at-home fractional laser that has been approved for all skin types is slated to be available within the year. This yet-to-be-named light machine “is the first home laser approved by the FDA for treatment of periorbital wrinkles – the annoying fine lines around the eyes caused by squinting and sun damage,” says Frederic Brandt, a dermatologist who is studying early results on the laser. So far, women who used the laser daily for three minutes saw visible improvement in wrinkle depth and skin texture after only two weeks.

Not crazy about more prominent wrinkles and sags, but not interested in injecting the toxin Botox into your skin? Clinical trials are showing results that last up to 90 days for a new probe that delivers numbing cold to facial muscles. The cold is working and it appears to be safe. Muscles are relaxed just the same as with Botox but without the injection.

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