Botox has been used as a non surgical treatment to improve wrinkles and fight aging.

A typical Botox treatment consists of injections of Botulinum toxin being placed under the skin. This toxin essentially paralyzes the normal actions of the skin, resulting in a smoother and firmer appearance. Botox treatments do wear off, so periodic refreshers are needed to retain a more youthful look.

Recent warnings published by the FDA suggest that Botox may have more dangerous side effects than previously thought. There are a range of reported adverse reactions, including respiratory failure, and, in a few cases, even death.

The FDA assures the public that there is no defect in the product, and that these reactions may be related to overdosing. Problems arise when the Botulinum toxin moves away from the site of injection and enters other tissue and the bloodstream, leading to breathing problems, weakness, and problems swallowing.

The FDA is not asking doctors to stop using Botox. They are, at this time, issuing a warning about possible dangerous side effects.

If you are currently using Botox in your quest for anti-aging, it may be wise to speak to your doctor about whether other anti-wrinkle treatments would be better.

Sometimes you want the look of smoother, firmer skin, and you want this quickly, without pain or a long recovery time. For instance, you may be getting ready for a holiday party and want to look younger, more well-rested, and overall sexier. With some of the newest instant effect treatments on the market, you can get better looking skin in less than five minutes.

These treatments are often creams or light lotions which you apply to your face, and which act to tighten the skin. Common ingredients include caffeine, which simultaneously flushes excess water. You might use this type of treatment when you want to get rid of puffy eyes.

Argireline is another compound that provides instant skin boosting effects. Argireline works by reducing excess neurotransmitter production, so your wrinkles end up relaxing from the inside out.

While instant effects products offer fast results, these results, unfortunately, start to fade over time. So you may want to use instant effects products when you need to look great for holiday party or special occasion, and then treat your skin to regular good skin care to help keep it in good shape all year long.

I've been using Avotone instant skin tightening cream for a few days and the results have been very good. I feel more confident that I can get through the holidays having fun and looking great.

Bispectral index monitored propofol ketamine sedation (BIS for short) is now trademarked as MIA- no, not missing in action, but, instead, "minimally invasive anesthesia."

This is good news for those of you considering cosmetic surgery, as BIS sedation offers a lower anesthesia risk than the other forms of anesthesia usually used in cosmetic surgery procedures.

The BIS method monitors brain activity, and assigns levels of sedation from 1-100. By monitoring the activity of the brain, patients can be sedated with 25% less drug in their body. This means that risks of anesthesia related complications goes down.

This method of sedation is also less expensive than traditional anesthetics, and has fewer side effects.

If you're considering some kind of skin treatment, ask your doctor about the new minimally invasive anesthetics.