There are just some celebs who never seem to age.
Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani, Pharrell—we’re looking at you.
What’s their secret? Is there some fountain of youth only accessible to the rich and famous? As a matter of fact, there is: It’s called Hollywood’s leading doctors, aestheticians and wellness experts. Instead of some illusive magical elixir, a youthful look can come courtesy of a few services and treatments you may never even heard of. Plastic surgery, a regimented diet and hardcore workouts aside, here are the real reasons why celebs look so damn good.
Celebs have seen the light—and it comes in red, blue and other skin-correcting colors. “The Custom Facial is my most popular treatment,” said Shani Darden, celeb aesthetian to stars like Jessica Alba and Lily Aldridge. “A key component of this treatment is LED Therapy, which helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles, boosts collagen in the skin, kills bacteria that causes acne and accelerates healing after extractions.”
The benefits of light therapy have become so apparent that celebs are using it for full-body treatments. “The LightStim LED Bed…helps to build collagen and elastin to help reduce wrinkles and tighten the skin, temporarily relieves muscle soreness and joint pain and increases blood flow, which is the body’s natural way of aiding in the healing process,” Darden explained. “It also releases nitric oxide—dubbed the ‘miracle molecule’—into the body. Nitric oxide is linked to medical benefits including: reducing heart attacks and strokes, increasing blood flow to the brain, reducing lactic acid buildup in muscles, assisting the immune system in fighting off bacteria, defending against tumors, reducing inflammation, and improving sleep quality (to name a few).”
Of course, this head-to-toe experience can cost a pretty penny. One 40-minute session can ring in at $300.
We’ve already introduced you to EndyMed, which harnesses radio frequency technology to replenish collagen and help with creping around the décolletage, fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes and skin sagging at the jawline. No wonder several celeb dermatologists and medi-spas use it. Can’t afford a trip to the Kate Somerville Clinic or Dr. Lancer (skin savior to stars like Victoria Beckham)? An at-home version of EndyMed, called NEWA Skin Care System, will be available at Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus for $450 later this year.
There’s also several hybrid devices available in Tinsel Town.
“The Exilis Ultra is the latest total face and body treatment combining radio frequency and ultrasound on the market,” said celeb aesthetician Gina Marí. “Celebrities flock to this advanced treatment to tighten and smooth the lower face, eyes, around the mouth, legs, back, stomach and more!”
Did we mention this latest technology targets cellulite and fat reduction?
Oh just relaxing…
A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Mar 23, 2013 at 3:46pm PDT
What was once a staple component of ancient Chinese medicine is now often used during beautification appointments with the stars. Acupuncture is built on the idea that our ailments correspond to specific paths of organs and tissues. Think of your body as a freeway interchange with blood-stream highways going in all different directions. Inserting fine needles where a specific highway (say, one correlated to stress, a leading cause of fine lines and wrinkles) is supposed to be may help promote blood circulation and stimulate collagen and elastin production.
Interested in one of these pointedly powerful facials? Exhale Spa offers a Facial Rejuvenation treatment ($205-$255), which incorporates this natural, holistic approach.
Wrinkle-freezer Botox used to be popular among Hollywood elite, whether celebs admit to that or not. However, these days, it’s much more about fillers, specifically one called Restylane, to plump up hollowed areas. To learn more about fillers, read this.
Why don’t injections seem to work as well on you as they seem to do on celebs. It’s not a question about what injection to get; it’s about how often you get them.
“In my experience, the main difference with celebrities is not always what procedures they do, so much as the frequency with which they do them,” said Dr. Kenneth Howe, dermatologist at Wexler Dermatology. “For example, the average person comes in when their filler has been resorbed and gone away. Celebrities maintain a full correction through frequent filler and Botox “touch-ups”—restoring a full correction before it has a chance to fade. This approach has significant anti-aging benefits, because our skin is at its healthiest when maintained in its youthful positioning and contours.”
Remember the Sex and the City episode where Samantha gets a chemical peel? Don’t worry—they don’t all end up being painful, grotesque experiences. There may be some discomfort, as you are literally breaking down the top layer of your skin, so it can regenerate a softer, newer version of itself. In the meantime, though, excessive peeling and redness may occur for the days following.
“It’s extremely intense. You don’t realize you look like a battered burn victim for a week,” Jennifer Aniston once described to Conan O’Brien about the process.
To avoid Samantha-like results, go in for a consultation at a licensed dermatologist’s office or medi-spa. Credible experts will decide if your skin can withstand the treatment. Oftentimes, they will offer less intense chemical peels or ones tailored to your skin issues. Keep in mind: Chemical peels are used less for anti-aging and more fore acne, rosacea or hyperpigmentation issues.
How far would you go to stay young?
