Imagine you are famous and you have millions of people scrutinizing every single pore on your face. On top of that you have bad skin, acne, discoloration, scars, enlarged pores, etc., and your skin takes center stage on the big screen, or possibly worse, in high definition.
Check out this gallery of seven stars who have fixed their problem skin to reveal the flawless faces we all envy. The tricks and procedures that helped these celebs perfect their complexion are available to you as well. See what targeted treatments the best dermatologists and plastic surgeons use to fix even the worst skin problems.
Rosacea—a chronic inflammatory condition resulting in blotchiness, dryness or bumpy, rough skin—can cause redness and whiteheads just like acne. However, unlike acne there are also broken or dilated capillaries involved. If you suffer from rosacea, like Bridget Jones' star Renée Zellweger, keep it under control with a combination of oral antibiotics and products that contain ingredients like azelaic acid and sometimes even retinoids. Lasers, like IPL, can help by reparing the deeper layers of skin and strengthening the blood vessels.
1/7 - Cameron Diaz's skin requires diligent care because of her acneic complexion. "She's conscious of it and goes to great measures to handle and correct it," says her aesthetician Christopher Watt. "Uneven skin tone, sun damage and hyperpigmentation are issues that plague her complexion," he says. "I regularly do microdermabrasion on her, with a lactic acid peel. I also put her under a blue LED light to lessen breakouts and do microcurrent work to tighten and tone."
Microdermabrasion is a non-invasive treatment that utilizes a diamond- or bristle-tip head to lightly buff the skin. It will leave the skin clearer and more even in tone after only a few treatments.
2/7 - Maria Sharapova is constantly sweating on the tennis court, which doesn't cause acne per se, but can cause bacteria on the skin if constantly wiped with a dirty towel or sweatband. The summer heat also exacerbates the situation, causing the sebaceous glands to work overtime producing excess oil, making slickness more prevalent.
The best ingredient for fighting bacteria is benzoyl peroxide, which suffocates the bacteria so it can't thrive. Use it either allover or as a spot-treatment. Probiotics and oxygen products work toward the same goal.
3/7- Eva Longoria, who is constantly in the spotlight, struggles with oily skin and breakouts.
To spot treat areas, topical sulfur applied to the breakout can unclog the pores and minimize the pimple-causing oil. Alternatively, pimples can be spot treated with cortisone injections—a quick way to take down inflammation and swelling in nodules and cysts in a few days. But, the injections can only be used in isolated areas and not as a regular treatment.
4/7- Even the occasional pimple can be extremely annoying, as Gwyneth Paltrow can attest. To avoid the ill effects of oily/acne-prone skin, take a cue from Gwyneth who maintains a clean, organic diet. What you put into your body has a direct effect on your complexion, so feed yourself with foods that will nourish and sustain your skin.
5/7- It looks like party-girl Kate Moss has discovered that stress, hormones, the sun and even alcohol and a lack of sleep can trigger inflammation.If your acne is resistant to conventional treatments, try a series of light-based professional treatments. Blue and red light treatments have an anti-inflammatory effect by killing bacteria in the pores and stimulating new fibroblasts to help heal the skin. Light combined with vacuum treatment, known as Isolaz, can help clear the dirt and oil in your pores to target the source of blemished skin.
6/7- Victoria Beckham suffered from some pretty bumpy skin, but lately she has been sporting a radiant complexion. Fillers, like Juvederm or Restylane, may be your best bet to treat more severe scars. "Rolling-hills scars, where the contour is a bit wavy, can easily be corrected with fillers.
7/7- Madonna isn't suffering from acne, but age is starting to take its toll on her skin. One of the easiest ways to prevent sagging skin and fight the signs of aging is by wearing an SPF everyday. To treat skin that has already begun to droop, ask your derm or plastic surgeon about the non-invasive device Ulthera which uses high-frequency ultrasound technology to deliver energy deep down below the skin targeting the same muscle layer addressed in a facelift.