Can you help me compare options?

@Trace86 (5030)
United States
October 3, 2008 10:31pm CST
As some of you may know, I recently turned 40 and am not pleased. I am hypercritical of tiny wrinkles and lines, as well as discoloration. Some lines above my upper lip are driving me batty. (I don't really have far to go! ) I am considering my options to get rid of some skin and start over and treat it much better. What do you think of microdermabrasion or chemical peels? Have you heard anything about them? Painful, safe? Have you had it done? Are there any more natural options? Something I could put on at home that would eat the dead skin away and leave me looking 10 years younger?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
4 Oct 08
My personal view is that beauty comes from the inside out and that the best thing a man or woman can do to have nice skin is to leave it alone and eat sensibly with an eye to sound nutrition. In this day and age, it is necessary for us to supplement our diet with nutritional supplements and yes what we eat does have an impact of the resiliency of our skin. Plenty of purified water is necessary, too, to flush out the toxins. The other key ingredient is happiness. Ever notice that happy people usually have great skin? Are they happy because they have great skin or do they have great skin because they are happy. I'd rather have a life full of laughter than worry about a few "laugh lines."
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@Trace86 (5030)
• United States
4 Oct 08
That is a good point. Some of my happiest friends have the best skin.
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
4 Oct 08
I have never tried either of these before. I would do whatever you feel would be the best for yourself. One thing may work better for one person but not work the same for yourself.
2 people like this
• United States
5 Oct 08
Trace while many of us start to question our appearances as we age- I have to say that nothing beats a daily routine that includes a great face cream and remembering to wash your make-up off before going to bed at night. As a nurse I have tons of information on chemical peels and the sort and they do work- down side is that most are expensive and require more treatments to maintain and yes there is some pain involved. But you would have to decide if it was worth it to you. I say the little lines show experience and wisdom and for now I plan to keep mine- but who knows what the future will hold. One last note a good vitamin, the suggested amount of daily water, and not smoking are some of the best defenses for your skin on the whole. The biggest and best thing you can do for your skin- beware of over exposure to the sun.
@Trace86 (5030)
• United States
5 Oct 08
Thank you for your response! I am a nurse too, but in a nursing home. I did smoke for several years and am convinced that the lines above my upper lip are from that. Or from the funny faces I make when I am thinking really hard. Maybe I should check out hypnosis first to stop making faces! I know a nurse with the last name Manning. You aren't in IL, are you?
@Trace86 (5030)
• United States
5 Oct 08
I am about 25 minutes west of Chicago. I went to school in Normal for a while before changing majors and schools for nursing. Thanks for your response. My husband's dad is a retired Dermatologist and thinks I am crazy for worrying and being hypercritical. He says that I am the only one who sees my lines and such.
• United States
5 Oct 08
Trace where is Villa Park IL, I am in Southern IL. I work in emergency med and critical care- thats my major backgroun but did for a very short stent work for a derm. As for the funny faces- I think thats a nursing thing.
1 person likes this