Get flawless body skin: it's time to take your beauty routine beyond just your face and neck. Your decolletage, arms, hands, legs and feet all need TLC too. Here's how to get radiant all over

Shape, Nov, 2004 by Mary Rose Almasi

Have you noticed? All of a sudden, there's a surge of interest in skin below the neck, from the proliferation of new body products to innovative services being offered at salons and dermatologists' offices. And while women are beginning to understand that a lifetime of healthy practices is the best route to beautiful skin, the bad news is that many women who have regularly exfoliated, moisturized and slathered sunscreen on their faces for years haven't taken as much care below the neck. The result, they've come to find out, can be a bit shocking.

"Women have begun to notice a disconnect between their face and their body, which hasn't received the same protective steps," says Min-Wei Christine Lee, M.D., dermatological surgeon and director of The East Bay Laser & Skin Care Center, in Walnut Creek, Calif., and clinical instructor of dermatologic surgery at the University of California at San Francisco. While we've been so focused on our faces, we've simply forgotten that our body skin needs some serious pampering as well.

Now the focus is starting to shift. "Healthy, glowing skin is now considered an accessory--it's the reason women want to show off their arms, backs and legs," says Regina Viotto, spa director for Paul Lebrecque Salon & Spa in New York City, about this new whole-body attitude. "We crave more than just ways to keep our skin well-hydrated; every woman wants it to be flawless too." Luckily, advances in skin treatments--both in the dermatologist's office and at home--have caught up with the desire to maintain and restore body skin to its glowing best. Read on for the latest smoothers and radiance boosters for every area of your body.

Decolletage

GOAL >> to reduce mottled (excess) pigment "The chest can take on a host of changes from sun exposure, which can show up in the late 20s or early 30s," says David Bank, M.D., a dermatologist in Mt. Kisco, N.Y. Freckles peek out first, and then an over all ruddiness/mottling called poikiloderma appears.

Professional solutions Peeling agents like glycolic acid can be swabbed over skin to get rid of the top layer of mottling (plan for four to six treatments at $150-$200 each, with slight redness for a few hours afterward).

There's also microdermabrasion, which uses ultrafine granules to gently "sandblast" the top pigmented layer of skin (again, expect to get four to six treatments, at upward of $200-$250 each; a slight redness can result for a few hours afterward). Ruddiness, which is caused by tiny dilated blood vessels below skin's surface, can be erased too with the V-Beam or V-Star laser, both of which seal off blood vessels. You'll likely need two to three treatments at $500-$700 each; possible temporary bruising can result.

At-home fixes A lotion with gentle chemical exfoliators like alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), including glycolic acid, or beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) like salicylic acid can help gradually even out skin tone (although it won't give you the same results as professional peels). Most products can bring about a slight improvement after several weeks of daily use. At-home body peels also can keep skin even-toned. (A best bet: MD Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Body Peel, $78; mdskincare.com, a two-step product with skin-smoothing AHAs and BHAs, as well as antioxidants, green tea and essential fatty acids.) To prevent further damage, use sunscreen religiously. Try DuWop Revolotion ($21; nordstrom.com), a sheer, tinted SPF 15 body moisturizer, or Neutrogena Skin Smoothing Body Lotion SPF 15 ($10; at drugstores) with AHAs.

Legs

GOAL >> to minimize spider veins, varicose veins and cellulite

All of these skin-care concerns have a strong genetic link. But varicose and spider veins are also associated with increased pressure on the veins, which can be exacerbated by standing or sitting for prolonged periods and habitually crossing your legs. The veins have little valves, or flaps, that get damaged over time from gravitational pressure. Increased pressure dilates vessel walls, making them more evident, explains New York City dermatologist Arielle Kauvar, M.D. The exact causes of cellulite (deposits of dimpled fat most commonly found in the thighs and butt) are less clear, but the condition is no less unsightly. The appearance results from fat protruding between the strands of fibrous tissue that connect the skin to the muscle beneath.

Professional solutions For small spider veins, sclerotherapy--the gold standard for years--is still most often used. During a session, a saline or chemical solution is injected into the tiny veins, causing the vessel walls to collapse and dissolve. (Plan for three or more treatments at about $350 per "cluster," and expect some temporary discoloration or bruising afterward.)

Awaiting FDA approval for the treatment of cellulite is Velasmooth, a device that combines the energies of radio-frequency, infrared laser and mechanical manipulation/vacuum to break up fat and fibrous bands as well as to tighten and smooth skin. Most cases call for an initial series of eight to 12 treatment sessions scheduled one to two times a week, then once-a-month sessions for maintenance. Cost will likely be $150-$350 per session, depending on the extent of cellulite; as of now, there are no reported side effects. "Patients in the study demonstrated a 30-50 percent reduction in cellulite after eight to 12 treatments," reports Lee, who is one of the lead clinical trial investigators of Velasmooth.