Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Articles

We’ve come a long way in a few short years, men. It wasn’t so long ago that those of us who knew how to dress and take proper care of ourselves were in the minority. “But,” as GQ recently noted, “over the past decade-plus, somehow, gloriously, it has become imperative for the modern man to care more than ever. About the way he looks, about the way he feels, about the way he behaves toward himself, for starters—and toward the rest of the world from there.”

For those of you with a wedding on the horizon this summer (your own or someone else’s), allow me to suggest a couple of treatments that’ll serve as the proverbial cherry on top of that beautifully-tailored new suit and all those grooming habits that already have you turning heads and commanding respect everywhere you go.

As you’re probably already aware, our faces are the first and deepest impressions we make. Microdermabrasion and microneedling are a means to put your best face forward. Intimidating as the names may sound, they’re noninvasive. Even better, there’s little to no downtime and you’ll see the results immediately. Seems almost too good to be true, right? It’s not. Read on.

Is microdermabrasion right for you?

Microdermabrasion is done as an in-office procedure without anesthesia or a numbing agent. In all, it usually only takes about an hour. If you’ve ever exfoliated, it’s basically a more effective version of that.

There are a few different ways the procedure can be done, depending on the device that’s used, but, basically, microscopic crystals remove the superficial outer layer of dry, dead skin cells.

After your treatment, you’ll want to keep your skin moisturized and stay out of the sun—your face can be more sensitive to it for a few weeks after the treatment—but you can head right back to the office, if you want. This is definitely something you can have done over the week before your wedding, without any concern about irritation or swelling. Think of it just like a haircut—if a haircut could shave a few years off your appearance.

Is microneedling as terrifying as it sounds?

If you’ve got a bit more time on your hands, consider microneedling, because it tends to be most effective with multiple treatments. Though there’s still no downtime.

Needles?! Ahhh! I know. The name doesn’t do it any favors. Nor will this description: Microneedling creates hundreds of tiny punctures in your skin. There, that out of the way, let me say that it’s not nearly as bad as it sounds. In fact, it’s not painful at all. Those punctures are more like pinpricks.

What they’re doing is encouraging your body’s healing process to kick into action, to make more collagen, essentially. Collagen gives our skin its elasticity, which allows it to stay tight and smooth. It’s natural, however, for skin to lose collagen as we age. The idea with the pinpricks is to slightly injure the skin, which will cause it to make new collagen-rich tissue. In the process, there may be more collagen to help make the skin firmer, too.

A treatment typically lasts a couple of hours. Though, as I mentioned, multiple treatments generally yield the best results. So, if it’s something you’re considering, try to give yourself as much time before your wedding as you can.

Whether the star, a supporting-cast member, or merely a spectator, show up looking and feeling your best and seize the day.

Let CoolSculpting help you get the body you are after. In case you haven’t noticed, it’s hot outside. Like, get-me-to-the-nearest-body-of-water hot.

Understandably, this can be a difficult time of year if you’re even the slightest bit insecure about exposing your midsection. There are a number of ways to address that concern through modern cosmetic surgery, liposuction and a tummy tuck being two of the most popular.

But the summer’s here now, and while each may yield dramatic results, it could take a month or two for the swelling to fully subside in either case. And it may take even longer before you’re basking in the full effect of your treatment.

Is there something, then, that can have you looking better in a bikini or swim trunks with some summer left to spare? Yes: CoolSculpting.

[See CoolSculpting Before & After Photos]

A smaller midsection in a couple of weeks
How, exactly, is CoolSculpting different from lipo and a tummy tuck? For starters, it’s a noninvasive treatment, meaning there’s no scarring whatsoever to be concerned with. It can treat unwanted fat just about anywhere on the body, but it’s FDA-approved for the midsection, thighs, upper arms, bra fat, back fat, the “banana roll” underneath your butt, and double chin.

Here’s how it works: An applicator that looks like a big vacuum hose applies suction to the area you want to target. (Key to the process is having enough fat for the applicator to adhere to. If you can pinch your bulge, you’re a candidate.) It then applies carefully regulated cooling plates to bring fat cells down to a temperature at which they’re irreversibly damaged.

The frozen fat cells then die and are gradually eliminated by the body. It could take three months for the final effects to become apparent, but you should start noticing a difference in as little as a couple of weeks.

Virtually no discomfort or downtime
A CoolSculpting treatment generally takes between a half-hour and an hour. And it’s relatively gentle. You may feel some initial discomfort as the cooling begins, but it dissipates pretty quickly. Which leaves you free to check email, scroll through Instagram, or even sit back, close your eyes, and appreciate the solitude.

If that sounds too good to be true, I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet: There’s no downtime with CoolSculpting, so you can head into the office when your treatment’s done, run some errands, or hit the gym.

There’s really no downside here—especially when you consider that CoolSculpting may finally help you achieve that beach body that diet and exercise alone couldn’t deliver. And before the end of the summer, no less.

Over the weeks following your treatment, you can expect up to a 25 percent reduction of fat in the treated area. And those results are permanent. Once fat cells are frozen and eliminated, they’re gone for good.

Hello, bikini. So long, unflattering one-piece. And guys, you can leave those oversize T-shirts in your closet. They were never fooling anyone anyway.

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