For those of us who were fans of the Naked Gun movie trilogy, Priscilla Presley, wife of the King, went from '80s comic beauty to a tragic beauty train wreck as the oldest contestant ever to appear on the reality TV hit, Dancing with the Stars. It is heartbreaking to see someone, who probably would have aged very gracefully by nature, have such a bad experience with plastic surgery, exposing her to additional

unavoidable criticism.

Many celebrities like Presley, including Tara Reid, Kenny Rogers and Joan Rivers, have fallen victim to bad plastic surgery. With celebrity tabloids criticizing each and every beauty flaw from cellulite, to wrinkles to weight gain, the pressure to perfect each nook and cranny - no matter the risk to your health, wellness or appearance - remains intense.

Although celebrities continue to feel pressure to look good, there are safer, modern day advances in beauty laser technology that do not require going under the knife. These alternatives yield great results with little if any downtime. And, even though your bad beauty photos may never grace the cover of the National Enquirer, it's always a great confidence boost when you look and feel your best.

For those you who might be considering a facelift, there are safer laser treatments available that smooth wrinkles and rejuvenate skin. Technology has responded to this renewed interest in looking and feeling healthier and younger, led by tremendous advances in laser technology. Now, with a combination of light, heat and radiofrequency waves, major national aesthetic laser treatment clinics are helping women and men experience a virtual face lift without surgery, scaring, downtime or permanent face-altering tragedy. These safer modern-day treatments produce excellent results without the risk living the rest of your life in hiding because of a botched plastic surgery experience.

The newest capability in virtual facelifts comes in the form of a treatment called skin tightening. This non-invasive procedure helps remove wrinkles, tighten the skin and improve skin laxity on the neck and face. Laser-based skin tightening boosts production of collagen that fills in wrinkles at the jaw line; along the brow line; and around the eyes, mouth and cheeks. It's a much more comfortable process than injections of foreign materials like Botox or Restylane, yet generates similar results. It can make wrinkles in the forehead disappear; helping to lift the brow line as well as iron out dreaded Crow's feet. It uses a natural method to restore young-looking skin.

To complement the benefits of skin tightening, there is also a treatment that can help reduce the slink flaws caused by sun damage or acne, such as age spots and scarring. A treatment called Affirm uses fractional laser technology to smooth both scars and wrinkles, while evening out any uneven skin tone. This helps prefect the overall appearance of the skin, leaving you with an even-toned, flawless appearance.

The technology used in skin tightening treatments like skin tightening is also used in devices for skin rejuvenation in FotoFacial treatments. When a FotoFacial treatment is followed by microdermabrasion every two weeks, skin irregularities begin disappearing and the process stimulates production of new collagen. The result is reduction of fine wrinkles, more even skin tone and the creation of a more youthful, healthier appearance.

All across the country, people have found a way to take advantage of new, safer ways to look younger and healthier without enduring the pain associated with other methods, nor surgery - once the only means offered for improvement of wrinkles and skin tightening. In fact, a major national aesthetic laser treatment clinic reports it has completed more than 2.5 million treatments over the past six years at more than 220 clinics throughout the United States. These procedures are growing in popularity as an alternative option to plastic surgery.

As in other aspects of health care, technology now makes it possible to take better care of our appearance in a far less disruptive way than has been available previously. Often, the ability to look younger and fitter longer can lead to happier, more productive lives. Be a smart patient, do your homework and weigh your options. There are many alternative, aside from surgery, that can glean very desirable results.

In the 21st century, Americans understand what truly is most important - not our gadgets but our well-being, both physical and psychological. Keeping our bodies in prime shape on the surface may encourage us to pay more attention to other aspects of our health. We all want to be more appealing individuals and more confident personalities with more healthful lifestyles. The new, safer laser technology can enable us to enjoy the kind of life that we all deserve.