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Are You a Good Candidate for Laser Hair Removal?

Let’s face it; shaving your legs and underarms can be a pain. You often cut yourself, the hair grows back in no time at all, and the area gets dry and itchy. Also, razors tend to grow blunt fast, and you end up having to buy another. If you can empathize with this, then laser hair removal could be the option for you.

What is Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal is a process where unwanted hair is removed by means of exposure to pulses of laser light.

How Does It Work?

Pulses of laser light are emitted by a handheld device, targeting the follicles of unwanted hair. These pulses of laser light destroy the hair follicle, thwarting growth. The laser energy is carefully controlled in order to ensure precision and patient comfort.

What are the Benefits of Laser Hair Removal?

There are a great many benefits to undergoing laser hair removal at our office. Let’s take a look at just some of them:

No More Cutting Yourself
Cutting yourself with a razor blade is not fun. Laser hair removal stops the need to shave, therefore saving your skin from the blade.

Smoother Skin
When hair grows back, it can be extremely irksome. Skin irritation often appears, and your legs, arms, or other shaven areas feel bristly in no time at all. Laser hair removal stops this from happening, and if and when hair does grow back, it’s a lot softer. This is due to the fact that the hair follicle is damaged during the laser process.

Save Money On Razors and Wax
Constantly having to buy razors, wax, or hair removal creams and strips can be a drain on the wallet. Laser hair removal can be a more long-term financial investment.

What Areas Can Be Targeted?

Let’s take a look at just some of the many areas that can be treated with laser hair removal:

Legs
Arms
Back
Underarms
Stomach
Bikini line

Who is a Good Candidate?

How do you know if you’re a good candidate for the treatment?

You Suffer From Excess Hair
Some people are hairier than others. Laser hair removal helps to keep it under control.

You Have Sensitive Skin
Some skin types have a tendency to become irritated when shaving or waxing. Laser hair removal can be a good way of preventing such afflictions as razor burn.

You’re Sick of Manual Hair Removal
This treatment may be perfect for you if you’re sick and tired of shaving, waxing, and other forms of hair removal.

Visit Our Office

If you feel that you could be a good candidate for this popular treatment, book an appointment at Urban Allure to find out for sure. Contact us today to set up your consultation at our office in San Francisco!

The Many Benefits of CoolSculpting

If you haven’t reached your body goals with diet and exercise alone, we have a solution. Non-invasive cosmetic procedures have helped thousands of people safely shed stubborn fat and gain the toned physique they desire. CoolSculpting® is one of the most popular clinically proven treatments for fat reduction and body contouring. The trusted team at Urban Allure can share the many advantages of this innovative procedure. Could it be the right treatment for you?

What is CoolSculpting®?

CoolSculpting® is a revolutionary non-invasive body contouring treatment that targets and eliminates excess fat. Unfortunately, problem areas don’t always respond to diet and exercise the way we’d like them to. This procedure is a safe and effective solution that doesn’t force you to go under the knife. It can be applied to various areas of the body. It works by infusing the dermis with a cooling energy that attacks and destroys stubborn fat cells. A single treatment may yield noticeable fat loss in the targeted area, so it’s possible to see significant results after your first session. However, it’s important to note this process is gradual like fat loss through diet or exercise. A treatment triggers your body to flush the fat out of your system, so more noticeable improvements will develop over the course of time, and more than one treatment may be necessary for the ideal results.

How Does the Treatment Work?

All CoolSculpting® treatments are performed by a qualified and skilled professional. Basically, we reduce the temperature of the area to a degree at which fat cells can’t survive. It feels cold at first, but the cold will fade. The treated fat cells eventually crystallize and die and naturally flush out of your body. The body stops producing new fat cells after your teenage years, so results can be permanent if you maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine.

Benefits of CoolSculpting®

With so many advantages, it’s no surprise this treatment has gained mass popularity. Unlike many other treatments, the FDA approves this procedure. With their official seal of approval, you can be confident in its safety and effectiveness.While diet and exercise are necessary for maintaining your overall health, they can’t zero-in on targeted areas of concern. CoolSculpting® allows you to treat the specific problem areas head on.

Ready to Schedule Your Consultation?

Find out if CoolSculpting® is right for you by coming in for a consultation at Urban Allure in San Francisco. We would be more than happy to evaluate your case. Contact us today to book an appointment!

What are Chemical Peels in San Francisco Good For?

There are many ways in which day to day living, ongoing wear and tear, and the natural aging process can affect the look and overall resilience of your skin. Despite the expansive range of injectable cosmetics that are designed to instantly turn back the hands of time, one of the absolute best methods for naturally rejuvenating your complexion is by relying upon its inherent healing abilities. Chemical peels do exactly this. This procedure breaks down damaged and dead skin cells to reveal the bright, healthy skin beneath. In so doing, it triggers a natural healing response that includes the rapid proliferation of new skin cells, and significant increases in the production of essential, skin-supporting substances like collagen. These are just a few of the many reasons why facial peels have long been popular among appearance-conscious San Francisco residents.

How a Chemical Peel is Performed

During this treatment, a mild, acid-based solution is applied directly to the surface of the skin. Depending upon the type of peel being performed and the targeted peel depth, this solution may be cleaned off after several minutes, or it may be left in place until it is fully absorbed. Once the application process is complete, a soothing moisturizer will be applied. This product will not only pamper the skin as it reacts to the peel, but it will also offer protection from the sun. Patients are then given special after-care instructions and sent home. The topical agent used in this procedure will gradually break down the topmost layers of skin over the days that follow treatment.

Issues a Chemical Peel Can Correct

The benefits of a facial peel are numerous. When a light peel is performed, only the very top layers of the skin will be broken down by the acidic, topical application. Apart from at-home exfoliation, this is skin resurfacing at its mildest and most effective. Eliminating damaged or dead skin cells at the surface layers will allow the much healthier, new skin cells beneath them to shine through. This has a virtually instant, brightening effect on the entire complexion. Beyond merely getting a youthful glow, however, patients can also expect to see a significant decrease in superficial blemishes over time. Dark spots, sun spots, melasma, and any other issues with hyperpigmentation will slowly start to fade. Within weeks of treatment, most San Francisco patients see considerable improvements in overall skin tone.

There are also a number of textural issues that these procedures can address. As damaged skin layers are eroded away, the body begins working overtime to rebuild its protective covering. As new skin cells are produced at a significantly more rapid rate, fine lines and wrinkles will become less noticeable, and enlarged pores will look far smaller. When facial peels are performed at a greater depth, these procedures can even help minimize the appearance of deep and pitted acne scars.

How Your Skin Will Respond to a Facial Peel

While your body works hard to repair itself from the controlled, surface-level damage that a chemical peel is designed to cause, your skin will be bolstering its own defenses as well. Non-invasive facial rejuvenation treatments like chemical peels have the impressive ability to incite a major increase in normal collagen production. This in turn makes treated skin more elastic, resilient, and all-around youthful-looking over time. Moreover, for people who are starting to notice volume loss in the midface, the peel process can help delay or slow this more advanced stage of facial aging.

Make Your Skincare Products Work Better

One lesser-known benefit of the facial peel is its ability to enhance the overall efficacy of skincare products. This is great news for San Francisco locals whose favorite cleansers, toners, and moisturizers haven’t been delivering the same results that they used to. Once layers of dead and dry skin have been stripped away, these products can deliver their active ingredients, and all of the essential and skin-supporting nutrients that they contain down to the deepest levels of the dermis, which is often where they’re needed most.

Understanding the Healing Process for Chemical Peel Procedures

The depth of a facial peel will ultimately determine the length of the healing process. For a light peel, people can expect to experience a slight lightening or darkening of the treated skin for a period of one to seven days. With mid-depth peels, the healing process can take up to two full weeks. Throughout much of this time, the skin may appear red and tight. Deep facial peels, which are frequently performed to minimize the evidence of advanced aging and severe acne scarring, can require one or more months of healing, depending upon the topical agent used and the individual’s natural healing abilities.

Chemical Peels Have Evolved Throughout the Years

Although this popular, skin renewal procedure has been around for ages, it has become much more gentle and soothing to the skin in recent years. Peeling of the skin is not actually a huge or painful issue given that dead and damaged skin will naturally slough away on its own. In fact, patients are often advised against using exfoliation tools or other abrasive products to expedite this painless, post-treatment process. It should also be noted that all patients are sent home with comprehensive skincare kits that are designed to help them protect and pamper their skin as it heals. Rather than being aggressive in the effort to produce rapid and remarkable results, these treatments trigger natural skin repairs while supporting the skin in its efforts to gradually heal itself.

When Should You Get a Chemical Peel?

Chemical peels are the perfect procedure for anyone who is looking to improve the overall texture and tone of the skin. This treatment can balance out dark spots and other areas of discoloration, minimize the appearance of mild acne scars, and reduce the size of enlarged pores. It also has the ability to minimize superficial wrinkles and fine lines, particularly at the brow, and at the mouth and eyes. Peels that are performed at a greater depth are able to address more serious skin issues, including some forms of deep and pitted facial scarring.

Get in Touch with Us for More Information

To learn more about our chemical peels and what they can do for you, we warmly encourage you to reach out and make an appointment with Urban Allure. At our convenient location in San Francisco, our caring and dedicated team of professionals will be pleased to explain this option to you in greater detail and answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to set up your consultation – we look forward to speaking with you!

Change Your Life with Laser Hair Removal in San Francisco

Imagine how much time you have spent over the course of your life in removing unwanted body and facial hair. What if you could permanently remove unwanted hair so that you no longer have to wax, shave, or pluck? Think of how much time that you would have available for doing other things. This is achievable by undergoing a laser hair removal procedure in San Francisco.

What Is Laser Hair Removal?

This treatment in San Francisco involves the use of equipment that transmits focused wavelengths of light into hair follicles, destroying them and their ability to grow hair. The light energy is converted into heat that destroys the bulb at the base of the hair. The melanin, or pigment-producing part of hair, absorbs the energy, making the treatment must appropriate for those with dark, coarse hair, although some people with lighter colored hair are still eligible for the treatment.

Why Do I Need Multiple Treatment?

You will need a few treatment sessions to permanently remove hair since individual hair follicles grow in certain phases that they cycle through. One hair follicle may be in a growth phase, which makes it treatable, while another nearby is in a dormant phase and cannot be treated. Multiple sessions allow us to treat all hair follicles when they eventually move into a growth phase.

What Happens at My Appointment?

Before beginning your laser hair removal procedure in San Francisco, hair in the treatment area will be trimmed very low or you may be instructed to shave it down a day earlier. Skin in the treatment area will be cleansed and a numbing agent may be administered, particularly if the treatment area is a sensitive.

Everyone involved in the process will need to wear protective eye gear. We will hold the laser equipment next to your skin and start treating it. Depending upon the type of laser, we may use a machine or special cooling agent on your skin to protect it.

What Happens after My Treatment?

Avoid prolonged UV radiation exposure for a couple of weeks before and after your treatment since this could limit the effectiveness of your laser hair removal procedure or interfere with your recovery. Do not undergo any other type of laser procedure in the treatment area until you have fully recovered.

Am I a Good Candidate for This Treatment?

If you are a San Francisco resident who is ready to permanently remove hair in places like your face, arms, underarms, legs, or bikini area, please reach out to us at Urban Allure in San Francisco to learn more. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!

The Key Benefits of BOTOX in San Francisco

San Francisco residents tend to have high standards when it comes to skin treatments. In recent years, there has been a move away from cosmetic surgery towards less invasive anti-aging treatments and procedures. If you are dealing with wrinkles like those found between the eyebrows, on the forehead, or around the eyes (crow’s feet), you may benefit from a treatment with BOTOX®.

BOTOX® helps combat wrinkles by attaching itself to nerve endings. When this occurs, acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that stimulates muscle contractions, cannot be released. In other words, BOTOX® injections help to temporarily slow the activity of facial muscles that cause some forms of wrinkles.

Dynamic Wrinkles

The amazing popularity of BOTOX® is largely due to its ability to effectively and instantly minimize dynamic wrinkles. These are the wrinkles that form when you make certain facial expressions, like when you frown. Other treatments have no effect on dynamic wrinkles because they cannot affect the muscles that cause these wrinkles to develop. And unlike many skin treatments, there is no set downtime associated with this type of treatment.

Eligibility for Treatment

BOTOX® treatment has been found to be safe and effective for most patients, particularly anyone looking to eliminate dynamic wrinkles. Younger patients tend to obtain the best results from the treatment. However, results vary from patient to patient.

Although the vast majority of people make good candidates for BOTOX® injections, the treatment is not for everyone. That’s one of the reasons why a consultation is so important.

Your Treatment

BOTOX® injections are quick and simple. Right after your injections, you can resume virtually all of your normal activities. This makes the treatment a great option for those in San Francisco with busy schedules.

You should get the injections as needed for the best results. This ensures that you can maintain the results for as long as you are getting the injections. Follow-up treatments tend to take just minutes and can be easily incorporated into your daily schedule.

Contact Us Today

If you live in San Francisco or the surrounding area and are interested in targeting your dynamic wrinkles, we encourage you to learn more information about BOTOX® treatment at Urban Allure. Contact us today to book an appointment at our office in San Francisco!

What Sets JUVÉDERM XC Apart?

JUVÉDERM® products have long been known for their ability to soften the look of wrinkles and fine lines and add volume to flat and dry spaces in the face and even the hands. It does this through its use of hyaluronic acid, which is a natural hydrating substance that’s found in all living things. As people age, their stores of hyaluronic acid are depleted. This leads to skin losing its elasticity, which in turn leads to wrinkles, furrows and lines.

There are several types of fillers in this line, including JUVÉDERM® XC. What makes it different from other dermal fillers?

Approved by the FDA

JUVÉDERM® XC stands apart from many other dermal fillers in that it’s approved by the FDA. It was approved specifically to add volume and lift to the cheeks, but it is good for other areas as well. These include the folds between the nose and the lips, marionette lines and the lips themselves. Because it is FDA-approved, JUVÉDERM® XC is safe for clients to use.

The XC in JUVÉDERM® means that the gel contains lidocaine as well as hyaluronic acid and water. The lidocaine keeps the injections painless and removes the need to add a topical numbing agent to the client’s skin before the treatment. Waiting for these agents to work can take as long as a half an hour. This can be longer than the injection session itself.

Long-Lasting

JUVÉDERM® also has an edge over other dermal fillers in that its effects can last as long as two years. Other fillers last from only from three to six months, and a client who wants to maintain their more youthful look needs to come back to the aesthetician for follow-up injections every few months or so.

The Session

The client does not have to prepare for a dermal filler session the way they might need to prepare for other cosmetic procedures. They don’t have to fast overnight or stop taking medications or supplements, though they’ll have a consultation with their aesthetician. The aesthetician explains what the procedure entails, and the client tells the aesthetician what they want out of the procedure.

Call Us for More Information About JUVÉDERM® XC

If you are unhappy about smile or laugh lines or feel your cheeks are sagging and unattractive, don’t hesitate to visit Urban Allure for more information about JUVÉDERM® XC. We are conveniently located in San Francisco, CA. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!

Common Questions About Botox in San Francisco

Botox® is one of the most popular and trusted wrinkle reduction treatments out there, but you still may not know a lot about it and how it works. It’s different from others because it’s not a filler. Rather, it works by targeting the nerves that cause the muscle contractions that form wrinkles. By disrupting the contractions, the wrinkle is released and you’re left with a softer, more youthful appearance. The information below will go more in-depth to help answer some of the most common questions about Botox® in San Francisco.

What Is Botox®?

Botox® is a minimally-invasive procedure that injects a purified protein solution into the muscles surrounding wrinkles. This blocks the nerve signals to these muscles, limiting their ability to contract. The result is that wrinkles relax and appear less noticeable.

What Are Common Treatment Areas?

Botox® in San Francisco is used to treat dynamic wrinkles, or the kind that are formed over time through actions like smoking, smiling, frowning and squinting. Examples of these are crow’s feet, frown lines, nasolabial folds from the sides of the nose to the mouth and smile creases.

How Long Do Results Usually Last?

Botox® usually offers results that last up to four months. Regular injections will be needed to maintain optimal results. As your muscles adapt to treatment, you can expect to go longer between maintenance sessions.

How Can I Prepare for Botox®?

A consultation with our team is the first step to getting ready for your session. You’ll discuss your medical history and your desired results. In addition, you’ll be given more information about the procedure and how to prepare. For example, there are some medications you should stop taking prior to your treatment, and it’s wise to avoid drinking alcohol for a week before your session.

Is There a Recovery Period?

There really is no downtime after this treatment. Feel free to go right back to your everyday activities immediately with only two small exceptions. For a few hours after your session, it is important that you avoid rubbing around your treatment area or lying down. Both of these activities could cause the medication to travel to other areas of the face.

Is It Safe?

Botox® actually approved by the FDA for the treatment of dynamic wrinkles such as crow’s feet, forehead furrows and laugh lines. You can rest assured that it is safe.

These are answers to some common questions about Botox® in San Francisco. We welcome you to visit Urban Allure in San Francisco if there’s anything that wasn’t answered for you here or if you are interested in treatment. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!

Learn More About Intense Pulsed Light Treatments

The development of fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin is simply part of growing older, but it often happens too quickly. The environment, the processed foods we eat and the stressful lives we live can speed up the aging process significantly. Choosing a highly invasive cosmetic procedure isn’t always necessary. There are countless procedures that are non-invasive, safe and effective for reducing signs of aging. Dermal fillers, Botox®, and chemical peels are effective non-ablative treatments that can produce compelling results. Intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments can safely and quickly reduce common signs of aging in men and women.

How IPL Lasers Work

Lasers that are used in non-invasive cosmetic procedures generally utilize one of two forms of energy: radio-frequency energy and light energy. Intense pulsed light lasers emit concentrated light beams and are used in aesthetic as well as medical procedures. IPL lasers emit pulsed light beams that are composed of many different wavelengths of light. This means that many colors of light are contained in one light beam, making intense pulsed light treatments beneficial for people of all races and skin tones.

Color absorbs light, and the darker the color the more light is absorbed. The darker the skin of an individual, the more of the light beam will be absorbed. While this can seem risky or dangerous, remember that IPL laser beams can be adjusted for wavelength and resultant absorption by the skin. The laser beam that is generated is both intense and gentle because of the varying wavelengths as well as the pulsing. While IPL laser beams can appear to be constant, the pulsing that is imperceptible to the human eye gives the skin enough of a break, even if just for a millisecond, to absorb the light energy without being burned.

The IPL laser beam reaches into the layers of skin underneath the epidermis, called the dermis. When the skin is heated this way, the body notices it as a mild skin injury. The immune system then kicks in, initiating the healing process. This causes the production of key proteins and enzymes like collagen and elastin, which the skin absorbs at a higher rate than before the procedures were performed.

What Can IPL Lasers Treat?

IPL laser therapy can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as well as reduce the appearance of common skin blemishes. If you have any kind of scarring on your skin, including acne and wound scars, they can be diminished with IPL lasers.

It takes several weeks for most of our clients to get the results they’re looking for. If you’re ready for younger and smoother skin, you can start the process by learning more from the educated staff at Urban Allure in San Francisco, CA. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!

Enhance Your Skin with a Chemical Peel in San Francisco

One of the first places that many San Francisco residents hear about a chemical peel is on television. Usually, peels are misrepresented in the media. Some view this as a treatment that is too harsh, and others are afraid that it is going to damage their skin. The truth is that modern peels are drastically different than what was used years ago.

What is a Chemical Peel?

The Mayo Clinic defines a chemical peel as a skin resurfacing treatment. During this treatment, a chemical solution is put on the outer layer of the skin. This leads to exfoliation. The skin that grows back after the chemical peel should be smoother and younger-looking.

One of the reasons why many turn to this treatment is because they are dealing with discoloration and scars on their face. This is especially true of individuals who have skin that is prone to hyperpigmentation.

Some of the results of this treatment are going to be seen immediately once the treatment is done. In the days and weeks that follow the treatment, you’re going to notice that your skin is getting smoother, it is taking on a nice glow, and it looks healthy. Individuals who are battling with pigmentation issues are going to be happy as their skin starts to even out.

What to Expect During the Treatment

People who have had this treatment performed are surprised at how easy and uneventful the treatment process is. It takes place in the comfort of our office, including the consultation.

During the actual treatment, we are going to prep your skin and then apply the chemical peel solution. The strength of the solution, the types of chemicals used, and the length of time the solution is on your face will vary, depending on your skin’s health and the results you are trying to achieve.

In the hands of a trained professional, a chemical peel offered in San Francisco is one of the safest non-surgical ways to revitalize your skin. Depending on how deep the peel is, you may have little to no downtime.

Getting Started with a Peel

Are you a San Francisco resident who is interested in enhancing your skin with a chemical peel? If so, book an appointment at Urban Allure. We look forward to helping you see just how amazing this treatment can be. Contact us today to set up a consultation at our office in San Francisco.

Tired of Waxing? Try Laser Hair Removal in San Francisco

It can be frustrating to remove unwanted hair using conventional forms of hair removal, such as waxing. First, you have the cost of the hair removal treatment. Then, especially when it comes to waxing, you have the discomfort that follows pulling out hairs by the root. And as if this discomfort weren’t enough, you realize that in just a few weeks you are going to have to undergo the entire process all over again if you want to keep smooth skin. In the interim, you are going to have to deal with irritated skin and all of the frustration that comes with manual hair removal. Are you tired of waxing? If so, try laser hair removal in San Francisco.

A Treatment that Can Help You Regain Confidence

For many people, unwanted hair on their body, and especially unwanted hair on their face, has a negative effect on their confidence. This is also true if that unwanted hair is found in their armpits, on their legs, on their bikini area, and on just about any other part of their body. It is not uncommon for a person to feel uncomfortable having a close friendship or a romantic relationship with another individual because they are self-conscious about the excess hair they have growing on their face or on their body. Laser hair removal treatments in San Francisco are a great way for you to get past all of the embarrassment that is associated with having unwanted facial and body hair. It can be just what you need to regain your confidence.

No Maintenance/Low Maintenance Treatment

Laser hair removal is a treatment that usually does not require maintenance. After the treatment is done, you should not have to worry about too much of anything. You will need to have multiple treatments performed in order to get the long-term hair reduction that you seek. This has a lot to do with the way that the hair grows on the body. They grow in cycles. During one treatment, you will be able to treat the hair follicles that are active during that treatment time. Then you will need to come back in a few weeks and have another treatment performed to treat the hair follicles that are active during that time. Pretty soon, you will have reached a point where permanent hair reduction, and in some instances permanent hair removal, has been achieved.

There are so many reasons why laser hair removal is convenient. What we have seen is that some of our patients will come because they want to have a treatment on one part of their body, but once they realize how nice it is to not have to worry about removing unwanted hair, they opt to have treatments on other parts of their body.

Get In Touch with Us for More Information

Are you tired of wasting time and energy on manual hair removal treatments like shaving and waxing? If so, feel free to reach out and make an appointment with Urban Allure! At our convenient location in San Francisco, our caring and dedicated team of professionals will be pleased to explain the laser hair removal process in greater detail and answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to set up your consultation!