Elina Fedotova, Holistic Practitioner, Cosmetic Chemist, Medical Aesthetician and Owner of Elina Herbal Skin Care Clinic, firmly believes in the effectiveness of non- invasive techniques. She said holistic beauty procedures and natural skin care products can offer dramatic and long-lasting results without any of the health risks associated with surgical facelifts and other cosmetic procedures. “In order to look their best, women don’t have to endanger their health with surgery, toxic products or harmful procedures, and the same is true for men as well,” Fedotova explains. “Men have acne, men have rosacea, and men have lots of aging problems.”

Many people have misconceptions about holistic treatments. “People think if it’s holistic we don’t use anything effective,” Fedotova says. “Holistic or natural doesn’t mean it’s not high-tech.” She said her office is equipped with many pieces of completely safe, high-tech equipment.

“Lots of people are afraid of the word laser because they’re thinking about laser surgery,” Fedotova says. However, the cold laser is very different from the surgical laser that produces a hot ray that can cut. The cold lasers Fedotova uses are all non-invasive. “They exist to rejuvenate your skin,” she says.

The laser ray helps regenerate more cells and give skin a “plumper,” firmer look, especially around lip and jaw line areas. “It helps genuinely to do a holistic facelift,” she adds. “My laser has magnet therapy and infrared therapy in it for additional anti-inflammatory treatments,” Fedotova says. She adds that the cold, red pulsing laser is gentle enough to be used on diaper rash.

Because of its anti-inflammatory benefits, a cold laser is beneficial for acne and rosacea, as well as an aging, saggy complexion. Even if a person at age 90 has perfect skin on the surface, their collagen loses elasticity and moisture so it gets saggy. “Skin becomes like an empty sponge,” she says. “The surface is fine, but the underneath is empty.”

Other equipment Fedotova relies on is Vibralife®, a machine that produces muscle contractions. “It’s like aerobics for your muscles,” she comments. The system firms, tones and lifts facial muscles, without chemical or electrical stimulation.

While non-invasive high-tech equipment is one way of keeping your skin looking good, there are also many effective skin care products available. Fedotova’s products are distributed in skin care offices all over the country, from Beverly Hills to New York City.

If a person feels they’re getting older and is starting to like themselves less, Fedotova believes they should investigate non-invasive procedures. “Why spend thousands of dollars, months of recovery and risk of surgery if you can get similar effects with non-invasive procedures?” she asks. “People will take a drug without trying chicken soup first.” It’s the same thing with skin care. If you’re contemplating plastic surgery, check out some non-invasive options as well.

Christine Gunter, Skin Care Specialist at Plastic Surgery of Kalamazoo Skin Care Center, also works with non-invasive skin care. “What we have here that a lot of places don’t have in this area is our Skin Ceuticals product line,” she says. “They are products that actually go down into the cell structure and make repairs by adding collagen or addressing pigmentation, and whenever you’re adding collagen into the skin you’re getting that firming.”

Three other options are IPL (Intense Pulse Laser), microdermabrasion, and peels. The IPL light procedure stimulates collagen as well as addresses pigmentation and redness due to environmental damage, according to Gunter. Microdermabrasion helps to stimulate cell renewal. “It resurfaces the skin, sloughs off all the dead cells, and brings up the new skin,” Gunter says. “The least aggressive treatments are our glycolic and salicylic gel peels,” she explains. These resurfacing techniques load up the skin with antioxidants, and help to firm and erase fine lines.

“Glycolic acts as a vehicle to drive the treatment products faster and further into the skin,” she says. “This is where people usually start.”