Every woman idolizes the female stars of the red carpet. How is it that their skin is so perfect and flawless? Why can't we have skin like that? What unique skin care treatments and regimens do they use? Why is it that some people just have amazing skin? There are thousands of skin care products hawked in TV ads and at the local stores. Some can be quite expensive like Strivectin SD (around $100 a tube). What really works? Great skin is not only for the stars and can be achieved by anyone with a little knowledge of skin care and treatments. It also doesn't have to be super expensive either.

First of all, too many of us use harsh soaps and cleansers that actually dry out the skin. Dermatologists know this and routinely prescribe and recommend gentle cleansers like Cetaphil that will clean without irritation. Irritation can lead to rashes and breakouts. It can also worsen acne. Yes, in some really oily cases, dermatologists will recommend a strong anti oil soap like Dial soap. But for regular to dry skin it will cause over drying and can cause photo aging of the skin (which causes wrinkles and fine lines to appear before their time).

It is a good idea to follow up with a moisturizer that is non comodogenic or non pimple causing. Find a moisturizer that you like and stick with it, one that smells pleasing, does not cause skin allergies, and one that you really like. It is important to find a moisturizer with sun blocking features added. If it does not then you will need to add a sun lotion to your regimen. Basically, you want to keep your skin care regimen as simple as possible. The simpler it is the more likely you will follow it. Every added and unnecessary step will make it that much more likely that it will end up like a New Years resolution, a wish that doesn't hold out.

Limit sun exposure as it can age your skin and cause wrinkling, sun spots, freckles and fine lines. Yes, many of the stars always seem to have beautiful tans and the sun only makes them look better. The reality, though, is that many of them fake it. They use spray on tans and products with self tanners in them. They also have these professionally applied so it is a beautiful and seem less application. Also, many of the pictures we see have actually been touched up by computer photo editing and digital software. The latest advances in digital photo editing have recently been revealed in articles in the New York Times and it is quite amazing. They can add or remove weight, age or rejuvenate skin, etc? So, many times when we see these stars and how beautiful they may look, they really don't look that way.

One treatment currently used by almost every plastic surgeon and dermatologist on stars and non stars is the TCA peel. The TCA peel has the ability to remove several layers of skin and reveal younger and fresher skin from underneath. It can treat aging skin, remove or lessen blemishes and pigmentation problems, even tighten skin as it increases the production of collagen. A TCA peel will also restore the skins pH to normal and reduce the conditions favorable to a bacterial infection like acne. TCA peels are actually one of the only treatments currently used for both anti aging and acne treatment.

So there you have some great advice, use a gentle cleanser, moisturize, use a high SPF protection, get a TCA peel, and don't get discouraged as the stars don't always have perfect skin.

Copyright 2006 David Maillie