Skin tightening is a process that is not unique to cellulite reduction. It is also important in the problems of skin firmness. Is actually composed of several processes that you can choose from depending on the condition you want treated. Therefore, it pays to know more about skin tightening and cellulite, as well as conditions in other parts of the body.

Fact 1: Modern Skin Tightening Techniques

The modern technologies used for non-invasive skin tightening are part of infrared laser, infrared pulsed light and radio frequency. These sets of teams have the ability to develop a simple adjustment on your skin. This is done through the transmission of heat deep into the area.  The heat that penetrates the skin immediately causes contraction of the underlying tissues. This is an indication that your body begins to create new sets of collagen. The emergence of new collagen over time will result in a denser skin.

Fact 2: Benefits of Skin Tightening

Numerous non-invasive skin tightening procedures are used to stretch the skin and helps remove signs of aging. In fact, the device has the ability to make the skin on the forehead and cheeks denser. It has the ability to lift sagging eyebrows. You can also increase the skin of the chin and neck with the technique. It has the ability to reduce wrinkles that were formed in the eye region. It also has the ability to reduce the development of cellulite. Finally, you can strengthen the skin of your stomach, buttocks, arms and thighs.

Fact 3: Results from Skin Tightening

Some people can immediately see the result of the process after the initial session. Some of them have at least 40% to 60% progress in the appearance of their skin after first-line therapy. This will result in more favorable results as long as the sessions continue and finish in a year. On the other hand, there are also people who do not render favorable results. Sometimes, skin tightening can occur even after four to six months of treatment. Well, this is because the results depend on several factors. The list includes the type of a person’s skin and the severity of the disease. In some cases, you will understand why non-invasive skin tightening may test only very minimal.

Fact 4: Skin Tightening and Cellulite Reduction

The result of the procedures for skin tightening can be simple, but can also be very clear in getting rid of cellulite. The best results of surgical procedure cannot be developed through machines that stretch the skin, but the problem of youth and adult skin can be remedied effectively through rigorous and continuous sessions.

Since these devices are non-invasive, skin tightening is able to develop a large amount of new collagen, the appearance of the skin will be thicker and stronger.

The end result of stretching of the skin varies depending on the equipment used in the process. Most people can only find obvious redness on the skin that can last for several hours after the procedure. You may also experience some discomfort after the procedure. In a very rare case, minor burns can be experienced.

The best thing is that you should remember that skin tightening effects may vary according to type of treatment used and the extent of the condition that you are trying to solve. You should also make sure you go to a certified therapist who will carry out the treatment for you – if you choose non-invasive or surgical procedures. This is so you can avoid the potential complications of these techniques on your cellulite.

Reducing stretch marks especially after weight loss is often cumbersome. You may end up sitting in your couch doing nothing about it. The good news is you do not have to suffer the ugly sight. All you need to do is try some solutions that offer help for the problem.

Solution 1: OTC Products

There are a number of OTC products from which you may choose from. These OTC products make the stretch mark lighter in terms of color. Although they do not promise to eliminate stretch marks, these have the capacity to make treatment easier for red or pink stretch marks. There are various brands offering the results, at least this is what those who have tried them say about the product.

Solution 2: Surgical Removal of the Stretch Marks

This is not a typical remedy for weight loss stretch marks but when your red stretch marks turn silvery or white, then it is but wise to use this solution for the problem. However, you have to take note that there are instances when incisions made through surgery may result to scarring. This may just aggravate the problem.

Solution 3: Dermabrasion

This is an actual procedure that helps in skin regeneration. Basically, it removes several skin layers. The advantage of this type of stretch mark reduction technique involves the fact that your former pinkish stretch marks will return to its normal color within several days after the treatment. It also allows you to resume work within a week or two after the session. It has some drawbacks though in that results are temporary and may also form scars, darken skin and raise the potential for acquiring infection.

Solution 4: Chemical Peels

Chemical peels are often referred to as the chemexfoliation process. Others also call it by the term derma peeling. If there is one thing to take note of in this special solution for stretch mark reduction after weight loss, that is the fact that it uses several chemicals like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid and trichloroacetic acid. This results to controlled wounds since blisters are formed. Eventually, these blisters will peel off thus giving way to a better skin condition. The process, in the end may result to abnormal skin pigmentation especially if the patient is taking birth control pills.

Solution 5: Laser Therapy

Laser therapy is considered as one of the best ways to deal with stretch marks after weight loss. This process can be a solution both for old and new stretch marks. This includes processes such as removal, vaporization and break down of the tissues that cause stretch marks. You are advised to undergo at least six sessions though to experience results.

Now, after knowing more about the solutions you may have to reduce stretch marks after weight loss, the next thing for you to do is to weigh in on each option. All these solutions have their own pros and cons. Some treatments may also offer more benefits than what others may offer. Consider the price of undergoing the treatments as well. From here, you may then decide on what to use to solve your problem.

My favorites were the artistically presented beet tartar, the grilled lemon rosemary seitan and the chocolate souffle. Don’t ask me how he does the souffle without any eggs or milk. Like I said, he’s a genius. If you’re looking for something a little less fancy, he also makes comfort food, including a surprisingly delicious veggie version of the Big Mac for lunch. I brought the leftovers home to Victor, who is the biggest fan ofFogo de Chao‘s all-you-can-eat Brazilian steakhouse that I know. He devoured the vegan cuisine and licked his fingers.

If you can’t imagine driving to the Valley for a vegan meal, then wait six months. The Andersons are currently securing financing and looking for a space in West Hollywood to launch a new vegan restaurant by the end of the year. The new place will be “bigger, with a bar, more of a scene kind of place,” says co-owner Molly Anderson. It will also have a new name.

The Andersons have no plans to close Madeleine, but they are considering making it a more casual restaurant to fit with its Valley setting. Whole Foods is opening up nearby, and Yoga Works is coming in across the street. So they want to capitalize on the post-yoga crowd. Right now, hungry yogis sporting Hard Tail and mats may feel out of place at a fancy restaurant with tablecloths.

As a fledgling yoga teacher who worries about the environment, I’m trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals into my diet. Madeleine makes that easy. When the food is this good, you don’t miss the meat. We swear. – Jenny

Madeleine Bistro, 18621 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana; 818-758-6971.

The 2005 Trilogy is a Meritage blend of traditional Bordeaux varietals, 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 4% Malbec mainly from the Komes Ranch estate vineyards surrounding the winery. The wine spent 22 months in new French oak barrels, and it’s wonderfully rich, full-bodied and balanced.

The best wine of the night was actually the 1996 Trilogy, but that one is a lot harder and more expensive to get your hands on at this point. The ’05 Trilogy retails for $65, but I found it online here for as little as $39.99.

The family behind Flora Springs owns 650 acres of vineyards in Napa Valley, a total of 10 vineyards in five appellations: Rutherford, St. Helena, Oakville and Carneros. All the vineyards are sustainable, and 20% are certified organic, with another 240 acres to be certified this year. A full 90% of the grapes used in the Flora Springs red wines are from organic vineyards. That means no spraying of harmful chemicals. Instead, they use natural methods such as cover crops, hawks and owls to control problems such as pests.

A quick summary of our dinner to whet your palate: We started with a delicate hamachi seasoned with ponzu and wasabi, which was paired with Flora Springs 2007 Soliloquy Sauvignon Blanc. That was followed by ricotta gnocchi with hedgehog mushrooms, cippolini onions and chestnuts, which we enjoyed with the 2007 barrel fermented Chardonnay. For our third course, we savored a rich and delicious moroccan spiced lamb stew with fregola sarda (a healthy pasta from Sardinia), cauliflower, piquillo pepper harissa (a hot sauce) and banana raita (a cool, yogurt-based sauce). This dish was accompanied by the 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. And finally, we sipped the ’96, ’99 and ’06 Trilogy wines with some artisanal cheeses before capping off the evening with a dessert of pain perdu with meyer lemon, huckleberries, port reduction and vanilla ice cream. Yum. — Jenny

We started our meal with the crudo, thin slices of raw fish similar to sashimi. A dorade with sea salt and olive oil melted in my mouth, followed by fluke with mint and blood orange. Very nice. Next we tried the tradizionale pizza with San Daniele proscuitto, tomato arugula, red onion and pecorino romano. I’m a huge proscuitto fan so I was shocked to discover that I enjoyed the potato pizza more. The proscuitto was sliced a bit thick for my taste, and there was something so rich and wonderful about the potato pizza. Pure comfort food.

Our group of four also shared three entrees, including the pork chop, which was moist and tender.  Mine at home never are. I wish I knew the secret. (Writing that, I realize I sound like that cheesy Folgers commercial from the 70s. “Jim never has a second cup at home.”)

The shellfish diavolo (the last pic of the post) was a messy mixture of lobster, mussels, clams and squid in a hot tomato sauce. The dish also contained fregola sarda, which was a new one for me. It’s a toasted breadcrumb-like pasta that’s apparently better for your blood sugar levels than most starches. Not sure if it made up for the potato pizza, but nevertheless. The dish was just OK. Not as much kick as I had expected.

My favorite entree, by far, was the lamb spezzatino (pictured below), a rich, comforting dish with a wonderful smoky flavor from the mozzarella. Definitely a winner, and it worked well with the 2004 Barbaresco.

Desserts were a mixed bag. I wasn’t a huge fan of the strawberry semifredo, but the ricotta fritters were amazing. They were like tiny, warm doughnut holes. Quite addictive.

Overall, Riva has a nice, upscale vibe, far less touristy than most of the other places near the Third Street Promenade.  It’s got a bar and a pizza bar, and the place was buzzing all night. With Mozza, Gjelina and Riva, I think LA’s reputation for having crappy pizza is finally an anachronism. — Jenny

312 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, (310) 451-7482

The reason for such massive expansion? Long lines outside the Culver City location are a huge clue. While many restaurants are suffering during the recession, Tender Greens had its best month ever in April (boosted by Earth Day, perhaps) and sells $3 million worth of food a year. “We see a hole in the marketplace,” Dressler says. “There are not a lot of places for good, affordable, healthy food, where you can get a great organic plate for $10. The lion’s share of our business is within three to five miles. People are just so time-crunched, they don’t want to spend 15 minutes in the car to go to lunch.”

Dressler is looking for locations with lots of foot traffic from homes and businesses, as well as outdoor space for sidewalk cafes and plenty of parking. “We’re looking at Burbank and Tarzana, Hollywood and maybe Santa Monica…We’ll get to Santa Monica eventually, but it’s a slightly more difficult restaurant market.”

So could Tender Greens turn into the next Pinkberry or even Starbucks? Whatever you do, don’t use the vile C word. “We may have multiple locations, but we don’t see ourselves as a chain,” Dressler says. “Our goal is to build a company that believes wholeheartedly in sustainability. We’re not trying to build a behemoth.” – Jenny

The cafe occupies a bright, casual space, perfect for Santa Monica, while the menu focuses on “locally sourced, farm-driven” foods, such as salads, sandwiches, soups, rotisserie meats (free-range Jidori chicken, of course, and duck on Thursdays) as well as all kinds of breakfast treats. Also perfect for Santa Monica. There’s a communal table for those who want to mingle with neighbors, a growing trend in LA. I arrived just after 11 a.m. in the mood for a hearty breakfast, but I’d just missed the cutoff. Instead I ordered the one savory, breakfasty item on the lunch menu, a fried egg sandwich with Niman Ranch bacon, gruyere, arugula and aioli on two thick pieces of freshly baked country bread ($9.50). Delicious. The caffe latte hit the spot, too.

I also brought home some moist turkey meatballs in a tomato sauce and three prepared salads, one with farro (a type of wheat), english peas and feta; one with tangy broccoli and one with crunchy/sweet sugar snap peas ($12.75 for the trio). All fresh, healthy and tasty. Thumbs up for Huckleberry Cafe. Not that they need it. – Jenny

And while we’re on the topic of food sites, I must offer a ridiculously, embarrassingly — I hate adverbs, but in this case, they’re warranted — belated thanks to FoodDigger.com, a cool new site that hosted us at a dinner back in October at the all-you-can eat Brazilian churrascaria steakhouse Fogo de Chao. There we were lucky enough to meet fellow food bloggers Wandering Chopsticks, The Foodie Traveler, Teenage Glutster, kevinEats and Famished L.A.

Vic and I first visited Fogo together in Chicago six years ago after a group of fellow journalism instructors had a contest to pick the restaurant for a night on the town. Victor, who had visited the Fogo outside Dallas, won the contest with his campaign of “unlimited salad, unlimited meat. Did I say unlimited?” Its proximity to the Blue Frog karaoke bar was also a plus. Since then, we have make a habit of visiting the Chicago Fogo nearly every summer, and I’m happy to report that the Beverly Hills outlet offers just as gluttonous an experience.

We keep thinking that any day now, they might not let us come back…that Victor’s picture will be hanging behind the hostess stand like a Wanted poster. Anyone who has seen him in action knows that he could easily put Fogo out of business with his appetite for bacon-wrapped filet mignon, rump roast, garlic beef, lamb chops and chicken legs. I love the concept of little green and red coasters that tell the gaucho servers when to swoop in with their swords of meat. The start of the meal is always like a meat swarm, truly a vegan’s worst nightmare. Eventually, things calm down, but about an hour after everyone else has finished, Victor usually has his coaster still on green. He calmly chews his meat and asks for more. He has earned such a reputation among our friends that they have urged us to name our first child Fogo.

The man truly has a bottomless stomach, but he does have a strategy. Eat a hearty breakfast, and then nibble the rest of the day and work out hard at the gym mid-afternoon to keep the metabolism revved and to build up an appetite. The classic rookie mistake is overloading on the salad bar, which is tempting because it’s so extensive and tasty. Take it easy there, and save room for the big-ticket (i.e. meat) items. You can always go back to the salad bar. And while the cheese puffsare delicious, they can fill you up fast. You want to get your money’s worth, and Fogo ain’t cheap. Take just one bite for flavor, and don’t forget to save room for the tres leches cake and the papaya cream. There’s no shame in having to waddle out. — Jenny.

I decided to dig a little deeper and came up with this piece that will appear in Monday’s LA Times. The answer, of course, is working out really hard and watching what you eat — unless you’re Table 8 Chef Govind Armstrong, who is blessed with an inability to gain weight no matter what he eats. But what surprised me most is how many chefs refuse to eat their own food.

Here’s Page Moll, chef at the beachcomber Cafe in Malibu: “I’ll make you a great crème brûlée or flourless cake, but I’m not going to eat it.”

“Every dish we do we taste over and over,” says Sona and Comme Ca Chef David Myers. “You get sick of it.”

I suppose I can identify. Back in college, I had a summer job at Billy Bakers in San Pedro. Oat bran muffins were all the rage at the time. For years after leaving that job, I couldn’t eat another muffin. The thought made me cringe. In fact, the first muffins I truly have enjoyed since then were the fresh ones baked every day on a recentWilderness Safaris trip to the Kalahari Plains Camp and the Okavanga Delta in Botswana. Enough time and distance from the saturation source, I suppose. Plus, those muffins were goooood.

So if cooking is an appetite suppressant, maybe those who want to lose weight should get a job in a kitchen. Then again, if you have a serious sweet tooth or issues with impulse control, that strategy just might backfire. Here’s Kristi Ritchey: “There were definitely times after a workout — I’m not going to lie — there were a few days when I ate cheesecake for breakfast.”

Good to know that chefs are only human. — Jenny