Five Popular Skin Care Therapies

Once upon a time, skin care meant nothing more than just washing your face daily with soap and water.

There have been numerous advancements in skin care though; soap and water's just not enough to solve every problem.

Read on to find out more about the latest skin care options available to you, like medicated lotion, chemical or laser treatments, and facials.

Over the counter medications

Walk into any drug store or supermarket and head toward the skin care section. In it, you'll find dozens of choices, from lotions to powders, gels to creams. These over-the-counter products can be an important part of your skin care routine.

The nice thing is that these products are available without a prescription. They're also usually specially-formulated for your skin type or skin problem. Just be careful in reading product labels so that you can be sure to buy the right product for your skin care needs.

Prescription medications

If you skin problems go beyond the every day, if they're especially persistent, painful, or bothersome, over the counter skin care products might not work.

In fact, an over the counter solution may actually make the problem worse! In that care, you may need to see your primary care physician or a dermatologist (a doctor who specializes in skin care).

Doctors can prescribe medicated lotions, gels, powders, or creams; certain circumstances may require specialized medical procedures. One thing to remember is that if you do see a physician, to follow his or her instructions exactly. Your skin is counting on you!

Chemical peels

Some doctors and spas offer chemical peels. In this skin care treatment, a particular chemical is applied to the skin, essentially removing it and revealing a fresher, smoother, newer layer of skin below.

There is some recovery time required for people interested in making a chemical peel part of their skin care strategy.

Laser treatments

Some skin problems may be treated with lasers. Again, this is an intensive skin care procedure that you'll most often find offered in a doctor's office. A special kind of laser is used to alleviate conditions like sun or age spots, wrinkles, and rosacea.

Laser treatments aren't for everyone, and aren't usually the skin care treatment of first resort, however it's good to know it's there if you need it.

Regular facials

Skin care treatments like facials include cleaning and toning skin, in addition to addressing blemishes and other specific skin problems. When performed by a professional, regular facials are a great foundation for a responsible skin care regimen.

By choosing the right skin care treatment based on the condition of your own skin (don't pick something just because your friends are doing it), you can be sure that you'll always look your best.

Whether it's a laser treatment or chemical peel, regular facials or topical applications -- either over the counter from the drugstore or prescribed by a physician, you can be confident that there is a "right" skin care treatment for you, you just need to find it.