Mar
30
Alcohol And Your Skin
Filed Under Beauty | 2 Comments
During my holiday, we went to the Okanagen Wine Valley, and had some pretty good wine. However, it got me wondering as well. Drinking alcohol- be it a social drink, wine pairing with your meals at home or outside or binge drinking, all the alcohol must have some effect on our health. And as I’m writing a beauty blog, my post will concentrate on alcohol and its effect on our skin.
HOW MUCH ALCOHOL?
Alcohol as a beverage is mainly divided into beer, wine and spirits. Beer contains 4-6% alcohol, wine 9-16%, and spirits can be of any level of alcohol beyond 20% in content.
The recommended intake of alcohol consumption is
- On any single DAY: No more than 4 drinks for men, and no more than 3 drinks for women.
- Per WEEK: No more than 14 drinks per week for men, and no more than 7 drinks per week for women.
- Pregnenat women: No safe levels. Alcohol can damage the fetus and result in fetal alcohol syndrome.
One unit of alcohol is 10ml (1cl) by volume, or 8g by weight, of pure alcohol. But remember, many wines and beers are stronger than the more traditional ‘ordinary’ strengths. A U.S. “standard” drink contains about 0.6 fluid ounces or 14 grams of “pure” alcohol. That’s the amount in 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of table wine, or 1.5 of ounces distilled spirits.
The US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has a website Rethinking Drinking which provides a good guide on what a standard drink is and its equivalents.
ALCOHOL AND YOUR HEALTH
The Good
Drinking in moderation can be beneficial and help to
- Reduce your risk of developing heart disease, peripheral vascular disease and intermittent claudication
- Reduce your risk of dying of a heart attack
- Possibly reduce your risk of strokes, particularly ischemic strokes
The Bad
Unfortunately, its easy to drink too much and be at higher risk of
- Cancer of the pancreas, mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus and liver, as well as breast cancer
- Pancreatitis, especially in people with high levels of triglycerides in their blood
- Sudden death in people with cardiovascular disease
- Heart muscle damage (alcoholic cardiomyopathy) leading to heart failure
- Stroke
- High blood pressure
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Miscarriage
- Fetal alcohol syndrome in an unborn child, including impaired growth and nervous system development
- Injuries due to impaired motor skills
- Suicide
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON YOUR APPEARANCE
Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it dehydrates your body. The skin is the largest organ of your body, and contains 70% water which is mainly stored in the epidermis (the topmost layer of skin). Hence the skin can tell the hydration of the body and explains why its also the first to show effects of alcohol. In fact, the younger the body, the more water there is in the skin. Thus your skin is very forgiving, especially when you are younger. But the capacity of the skin to retain water decreases with age, making the skin more vulnerable to dehydration. So treat your skin well!
Some effects of alcohol on the skin
- Dry, dull, dehydrated skin
- Eyes: Dark circles, puffy eyes, bloodshot eyes. It can also impair vision temporarily.
- Body: People with roscea also are more prone to worsening of their skin condition. Rash due to an enzymatic deficiency (lack of aldehyde dehydrogenase) is also more prevalent in Asians.
- Blood vessels: It causes blood vessels to dilate, causing flushing of the skin. Somtimes smaller vessels burst and cause a broken veins look.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
- For your eyes, click on the link above.
- Reduce the amount of alcohol intake to moderate levels
- Keep the water on hand and hydrate yourself. Your body requires 2litres of fluid per day.
Even if drinking too much has taken its toll, you could notice your skin improving within just a few weeks of adopting some changes. So start these changes now for a more youthful you.
Mar
27
Loose And Saggy Eyelids
Filed Under Beauty | 5 Comments
Droopy eyelids may occur as a result of multiple origins, and the problem can be accentuated by droopy eyebrows. It makes the eyes appear smaller and can unintentionally make you look bored, tired, angry or even sad despite not being consistant with your true feelings. Sometimes it can have more profound consequences such as blockage of your visual field, or the eyelid may turn inwards causing your eyelashes to irritate your eye. The problem may be hereditary in nature, develop from aging or post injury, and may have medical causes as well like nerve problems.
Droopy eyelids occur when there is excess skin or fat in the eyelid, causing the sagging or drooping. Similarly, excess skin and fat deposited in the eyebrow region causes the brows to droop as well. Gravity and the loss of skin elasticity and eye muscle tone with age compounds the drooping problem. Ptosis and brow drooping often become apparent after the mid40s.
If the problem is not too severe, the non surgical option is to use eye tape to lift the eyelid and allow the eyes to appear bigger and brighter. My previous post on creating and enhancing double eyelids with eye tape and eye glue can help persons with droopy eyelids too.
However, if there is significant drooping, or if vision is affected, surgical correction via blepharoplasty (correction of eyelid), ptosis repair or a brow lift is more appropriate. You will need consultation with your doctor to odecide on the suitable procedure for you.
Mar
26
Beating Crows Feet
Filed Under Aesthetic Procedures, Aesthetic medicine, Beauty, Beauty Products, Skincare | 4 Comments
Crow’s feet are one of the earliest signs of facial aging to appear. Crows feet, also called laugh lines, are actually a natural phenomenon of aging. Anyone over their mid-twenties can expect to show tell tale signs of these little lines appearing at the corner of their eyes. The upper third of the face comprising of the eyes, forehead and eye brows, is the first area in which the earliest signs of aging become apparent. The most expressive area of our face- our eyes- no doubt give tons of justice to the phrase ‘the eyes are the windows to our souls’. Yet it is this expressiveness which also makes the crow’s feet so apparent. These little lines are not something many people laugh about- it’s one of the first wrinkles on the face to appear, and every facial expression just makes them more obvious and cosmetically unacceptable!
Crows feet, like other wrinkles on our face, appear as we age as the skin’s collagen production naturally declines over time, and the elastin breaks down as well. Environmental factors such as ultraviolet sun exposure, squinting and smoking hasten this decline. The skin around the eye is the thinnest and most fragile in the face, so lines in this area are the first to appear.
So take action now! Although it is not possible to eliminate them completely, if you don’t smoke, squint or tan, you can reduce the number of crows feet forming. And the sooner you take steps to prevent it, the fewer the volume of lines. But read on for tips to minimize the appearance of crows feet.
HOME TREATMENTS
- Reduce sun exposure, wear hats and sunglasses, and include sunscreen around the eye. Remember to reapply every few hours!
- Stop smoking
- Avoid squinting
- Adequate hydration to moisten the skin is important. Parched skin assists wrinkle formation!
- Massage your eye area to reduce puffiness.
- Flaxseed oil supplements
- Eye treatments:
- Papaya. Rub a slice of fresh papaya along the wrinkles and allow the juice to penetrate for 15 to 20minutes, then rinse off and pat dry. Interesting fact: papaya contains a substance called papain which stimulates skin collagen production and gently exfoliates dead skin cells as well.
- Egg white. Use a cotton ball to swab egg white over your face and eyes as a facial mask. Leave on for about 15 minutes while the egg dries. Then wash your face and pat dry.
- Vitamin E oils. You can buy capsules of Vitamin E from the local pharmacy. Use a sharp needle to poke a hole into the capsule and squeeze out the contents and dab it onto the wrinkles around the eye. Use one capsule per eye. (I read this somewhere, but have not tried it myself. But it sure sounds interesting!) Vitamin E is a great anti-oxidant and used in many eye creams and rejuvenating treatments!
MAKEUP AND SKINCARE TIPS
- Use a gentle cleanser. Massage it in and avoid pulling the skin around the eye.
- Apply eye creams and moisturizers twice a day- after you get up from bed and at night before bed again. Moisturizing eye creams help add moisture and hydrate the skin. Note that night creams are much thicker, and are inappropriate for daytime wear.
- Choose eye creams containing glycolic acid. Glycolic acid is a group of alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) that encourage old skin cells to drop off and newer ones to replace them. However, not many cosmetic eye creams contain glycolic acid. Try Murad Intensive Wrinkle Reducer For Eyes ($90), or Neostrata’s Ultra Daytime Smoothing Cream. DO NOT use high strength skin lotions with glycolic acid (more than 10% strength formulated for use on the face and neck) around your eyes without dermatologist supervision as glycolic acid products can sting and burn the skin, especially so for the delicate skin around the eye. 5% strength or less is usually safe for personal home use.
- A list of most effective eye creams is also ranked by Consumer Health Digest which “scrutinized the most currently marketed eye treatments and distilled the most current scientific research in order to assess which eye cream treatments were most effective.” At the top of the list were Eyevive by Dermestetics, Restoration Eye Return by Z. Bigatti, and Peter Thomas Roth’s Power K Eye Rescue.
- Include SPF in your eye cream to reduce the effect of sun exposure on your skin.
- Be careful with application of foundation and concealer. Too heavy applications actually accentuate fine lines and deepen them.
WHAT YOUR DOCTOR CAN DO FOR YOU
- Botox. This little injection will paralyze the muscles around the eyes, and reduce the wrinkling around the eyes. Be forewarned though, the effects are only temporary and repeated injections will be required in a few months.
- Collagen Injections. These are injections using purified bovine (derived from cows) collagen. As with botox, these are also temporary measures. Also, the face may become puffy for the next couple of days as the collagen gets absorbed under the skin.
- Chemical Peels. Peels ‘burn’ away the surface layer of the dead and dull skin and encourages the underlying newer younger skin to replace it. The chemicals used are usually alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) and trichloracetic acids (TCAs). Glycolic acid (a type of AHA) peels are a popular dermatologist office peel. In severe cases, it can be applied under medical supervision weekly initially. The advantage of such peels is that there is no need for injections into the skin. However, AHA peels can sting and burn the skin.
- Microdermabrasion. This method removes the surface layer of dead skin cells as well. Unlike peels, this uses mechanical methods to remove the top layer of skin. Microdermabrasion has aluminium oxide crystals blown onto and off the skin by a steady stream of air. Dermabrasion is a little rougher, using a brush to resurface.
- Laser Resurfacing.
- Thermage. Non-invasive method of skin rejuvenation.
Ultimately, prevention is the best cure. So the most important factors to prevent are sun exposure, smoking and squinting. Once present, they’re determined to stay. All creams and the best medical treatments cannot erase all lines that have formed.
Mar
19
The Eyes Don't Lie- Age Proof Your Peepers
Filed Under Beauty Tips | 2 Comments
As a follow up my previous post on puffy eyes, I wanted to write one on aging eyes, which no doubt is a concern for all.
In fact, the eyes are often what is used to judge the age of a person. As reported in the journal Ophthalmology (published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology), researchers found that the eye region was the most looked at region on the face to judge the age and alertness of a person. This was followed by the forehead then the nose regions. And in the eye region, the brows and the lower lids were the main focus. This study was conducted on47 young adults (18-30years old) making judgements on the age and fatigue level of older subjects (40-80years old) using eye-tracking device technology that analyzed the direction and duration of the participants’ gaze fixation.
This led the researchers to conclude that the results “demonstrate that the eye region is most important in making fatigue and age judgments [raising] the possibility that aesthetic surgery to the eye region may be an efficient, effective intervention to enhance an individual’s attractiveness by possibly reducing how old or tired one appears.”
TIPS TO AGE PROOF YOUR EYES
- PUFFY EYES & DARK CIRCLES
- LINES AND WRINKLES
- LOOSE SKIN & SAGGY EYELIDS
I plan to write individual entries for each problem, so do come back! In the meantime, here are some tips on how to fake bright eyes and looking awake like your favourite 5am newscaster:
- Use brightening eye drops. It’s the easiest, quickest way to make eyes look more awake. The drops remove any redness and make the whites seem whiter.
- Avoid dark eye shadows. They cast the entire lid in darkness. Use a flesh-toned hue instead to even out skin tone, then top it with a sheer gold shadow, applied from lashline to crease to make the eyes shine! Try L’Oreal HiP Eyeshadow in Visionary
- Dust bronzer over blush. Lancôme Star Bronzer Magic Bronzing Brush ($33), a bronzing powder with a built-in brush.
Mar
12
On Sleep And Puffy Eyes
Filed Under Aesthetic Procedures, Beauty, Beauty Tips | 6 Comments
SLEEP DEPRIVATION
With the arrival of daylight savings, did you wake up all bleary and puffy eyed? Sometimes more than a java jolt is required to give you the kickstart to your day.
In fact, near 20 percent of adults in the United States report a level of daytime sleepiness sufficient to interfere with daily activities, and excessive daytime sleepiness is the leading symptom of patients presenting to sleep clinics. The prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness is highest in adolescents, older persons, and shift workers.
Excessive daytime sleepiness can have diverse and serious consequences. Sleep problems contribute to more than 100,000 motor vehicle incidents that result in 71,000 personal injuries and 1,500 deaths annually. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, up to 52 percent of single vehicle crashes involving heavy trucks are fatigue-related, with the driver falling asleep in 17.6 percent of cases. Most sleep-related crashes involve adolescent and young adult male drivers. Sleepy adolescents also have significantly lower levels of academic performance, increased school tardiness, and lower graduation rates than other students. Daytime sleepiness has been linked to poor health on several standardized measurements, including impairment in all domains of the Medical Outcomes Study short form health survey (36 items). It has also been associated with compromised professional performance, including that of physicians and judges. Reduced cognitive function related to excessive daytime sleepiness can affect the ability to gain or maintain employment, because patients with excessive daytime sleepiness may be misperceived as lazy or unmotivated.
Excessive daytime sleepiness can occur secondary to sleep deprivation, medication effects, illicit substance use, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and other medical and psychiatric conditions.
Sleep deprivation is probably the most common cause of excessive daytime sleepiness. Symptoms can occur in healthy persons after even mild sleep restriction. Studies that restricted healthy adults to six hours of sleep per night for 14 successive nights showed a cumulative significant impairment of neurobiological functions. Symptoms of sleep deprivation can occur after only one night of sleep loss, and persons who are chronically sleep deprived are often unaware of their increasing cognitive and performance deficits. Paradoxically, most types of chronic insomnia (including primary insomnia, psychopathological insomnia, and paradoxical insomnia) are associated with daytime hyperarousal rather than excessive daytime sleepiness. The presence of excessive daytime sleepiness in a patient with insomnia suggests a comorbidity such as a sleep-related breathing disorder or a mood disorder.
WHY DO WE GET PUFFY EYED?
The skin around our eyes are thin and loosely attached to the underlying bone, and devoid of any sebaceous glands. Hence it has much potential to retain fluid in that area, resulting in puffy eyes. Fluid retention can be normal (physiological), or may have an underlying sinister cause. Normal causes are gravity (you do sleep horizontal at night, so body fluid redistributes and accumulates there), crying, menstruation, pregnancy and aging. As aging occurs, skin collagen production decreases, and the muscles that hold the eye and skin weakens. The skin around the eye starts to lose its tautness and starts getting baggy. Any fluid accumulation will accentuated this bagginess. Other causes can be due to medical conditions such as allergy reactions, eye infections, certain medications, visual problems like glaucoma or fluid problems due to thyroid illness, heart or kidney failure. Some people inherit eye bags. Environmental causes play a role too-insufficient sleep, excess alcohol consumption, smoking, dust and eye irritants and too much salt in the diet can all lead to puffy eyes. But despite the cause, puffy eyes can occur at any age! Don’t fret, there are ways to get around this.
It is important to identify the cause of your puffy eyes. Majority of causes are due to physiological and environmental causes. These usually resolve over the course of the day. Sometimes a second pillow under your head at night to prop up your head can make a difference. If you suspect anything wrong with your eyes, please consult a doctor and get the correct treatment!
OUT TO PUFFY EYES!
To delay the onset of undereye sagging due to aging, I would recommend a daily gentle massage with a good eye cream or moisturizer. Not to mention massaging helps to drain out any fluid retention in the eye area immediately. Masage your eyes out to your temples for about 5 minutes daily. With regular attention to eye care, your eyes can appear younger and brighter than your real age. Eye exercises can also help tired eyes- my school was a strong believer in eye exercises for better eyesight and better health and dedicated 10 minutes of assembly time to eye exercises everyday! Here’s a great instructional page of the eye excercises I used to do in school. These exercises can also be done with eye cream. I actually would not recommend oils or any substance not meant specifically for the eye area as the eyes are very sensitive and any perfumed lotion or oil can irritate the eye further. You can also try using a coconut oil or olive oil on the temples and neck. A reminder here too, to always be gentle to the skin around the eye. Tugging and pulling at the skin around your eyes can cause damage.
Other lifestyle modifications you can achieve to help reduce puffy eyes include reducing salt and alcohol in your diet, getting sufficient sleep in a well ventilated room, hydrating yourself with enough water, reducing sun exposure, reducing stress and eating foods rich in antioxidants.
Some home remedies for puffy eyes
- Splash cold water onto your eyes in the morning when you wake up.
- Use cold compress- ice in a bag, iced water, milk- on closed eyelids for 20mins can do wonders!
- Use teabags. Caffeine is a natural diuretic, which will flush excess fluids out of your body’s system, taking the puffiness along with it. It is also a vasocontrictor, which means it shrinks blood vessels, reducing the swelling and fluid leak into the eyebags. It can be used hot or cold- soak the teabags in water for 5 minutes, then wrap a soft cloth around the bags and put them to your eyes for 10 minutes.
- Cold cucumber slices. This must be the classic, and oldest remedy, and the favourite of many supermodels!
- Cold spoon. If you don’t happen to have any of the above handy, a cold spoon can do the job too. It loses the chill quickly, so you may want to consider putting a few spoons in at a time, and rotating them back into the chiller as they warm up.
Some products and makeup tips for puffy eyes
- Eye mask like shiseido pure retinol eye masks, bliss triple oxygen instant energizing eye mask
- Eye cream, especially caffeine containing eye creams, Benefit Sisters Ford Depuffing Action Eye Gel, La Prairie Cellular Smart Eye Cream, Kiehl’s Eye Alert
- Foundation and Concealer. Apply concealer after foundation as the foundation will partially hide undereye circles and lessen the amount of concealer you need. Choose a shade that is just one to one shade lighter than your skin tone. Avoid choosing a concealer that is too light as it will result in a grayish shadow on the skin. Choosing a concealer that is too dark will magnify the problem. Blue circles (caused by blood pooling underneath thin skin) benefits from a yellow based concealer, while dark brown or yellowish circles (typically due to melanin and darkens with sun exposure) benefit from a peachy concealer. Don’t overload concealer, it can end up looking cakey. I like Bobbi Brown’s Creamy Concealer Kit.
WHAT CAN MY DOCTOR DO?
- Skin-bleaching ingredients like hydroquinone- to use under medical supervision.
- Products with Vitamin K or retinol (stimulates skin cell turnover)
- Laser treatment like Fraxel, Thermage or IPL Photofacial
- Surgery to remove or modify undereye bags
- Fillers like Juvederm, Restylane and Radiesse to fill hollow areas
Mar
10
Smart Shopping Tips
Filed Under Fashion | Leave a Comment
I saw these smart shopping tips recently and I think they’re really great. I must have lost count of the number of impulse buys I’ve made and regretted or ended up not wearing them. I’m sure you have too and in this belt tightening times, not wasting money on what you don’t really need should be at the top of your new year’s resolutions. Read these tips!
Stop wasting money and avoid these mistakes when you go shopping
Do you go shopping and always end up buying the same thing? Are you tired of buying clothes you never wear? Do you discover clothing in your wardrobe that you didn’t even know you had?
If you’re spending a lot on clothes but your style never improves, you’re making the same mistakes as most women when you go shopping:
- Not having a plan for building a basic wardrobe
- Not having a personal style
These are the biggest mistakes to avoid when it’s time to go shopping:
- Not looking in your closet before you go shopping.
- Not taking a list of what you really need.
- Not prioritizing what you really need to buy.
- Leaving without a plan of the stores you’ll shop at.
- Wearing unsuitable clothing when you shop.
- Going shopping when you’re feeling down.
- Buying items you really don’t need just because they’re on sale.
- Buying clothes that make you feel uncomfortable.
Never buy:
- Boots that extend above the knee. You’ll never wear them.
- Jeans that are too tight. You’ll be uncomfortable when you wear them, and you’ll stop pulling them out of your closet. Besides, too-tight jeans aren’t flattering and they’re not good for the circulation in your legs.
- See-through white pants. There’s nothing worse than showing off your panties…
- Bras if you don’t fill out the cups or if you’re bulging out of them. You’ll look bigger than you really are, and even the best outfit can be ruined by an ill-fitting bra.
- Miniskirts that are too short – unless you’re 20, you have the legs of a supermodel or you’re headed to the beach.
Some tricks for making a good purchase:
- Keep your personal style in mind and be consistent.
- Create a plan of what you really need.
- Set a budget.
- When you come across a piece of clothing that makes you feel good and fits with your style, buy it!
- If you find something in black that you like and it works for you, buy two!
- Put together a basic wardrobe.
- Don’t buy anything on sale that you wouldn’t buy if it were full price.
Mar
9
Has Painless Skin Rejuvenation Become A Reality?
Filed Under Aesthetic Procedures, Medical | 8 Comments
For those of you with a phobia of needles and knives, there’s a non-invasive option for you to tighten and rejuvenate your skin without the pain. Introducing the ThermaCool TC System, developed by Thermage Corporation in California to tighten skin without surgery. Thermage therapy, which uses a unique radiofrequency technology which safely heats the deeper layers of your skin, while cooling the surface of your skin to keep it intact during the procedure. This deep heating stimulates your body’s natural skin renewal process, which helps tighten existing collagen and form new collagen. Over time, sagging or wrinkled skin is replaced with smoother, tighter skin; improved tone and texture; and an overall younger looking appearance.
Anytime after you celebrate your 25th birthday, your skin’s collagen production decreases and elastin (what keeps the skin firm and springy) has less recoil. Dead skin cells do not fall away as quickly and turnover of new skin cells starts slowing. Thankfully the process is slow, and it takes decades before its effects show. Unfortunately, environmental factors can accelerate skin aging, common agents being sun exposure, alcohol, smoking and even repetitive facial expressions. Thermage promises to help those with the following conditions to get you a rested, rejuvenatd look, “So people won’t think you’ve been away at surgery. They’ll think you’ve been away on vacation.”
Face
- Sagging skin
- Loose jowls or lack of definition in jaw line
- Sagging skin under the chin (“turkey neck”)
- Wrinkles and fine lines around the mouth, eyes or forehead
- Lack of definition in lips
Eyes
- Tired looking eyes
- Excess skin on the upper eyelid (also known as “hooding”)
- Crepey texture of eyelids, making it hard to apply eye shadow or eye liner
- Wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes (“crow’s feet”)
Body
- Wrinkled, crepey or sagging skin on the tummy, knees, arms, legs, hands or buttocks
- Sagging skin or unwanted bulges after pregnancy or weight loss
- Love handles
- Appearance of cellulite
The distinguishing feature of Thermage from other procedures used to rejuvenate skin like lasers, is that it uses radiofrequency waves to reach the deeper layers of skin (the dermis and subcutaneous tissue) to tighten these layers without heating nor injuring the superficial skin layers. In fact, Thermage claims to be able to tighten the collagen and even stimulate formation of new collagen, giving you tighter, smoother skin and improved skin tone and texture right after you procedure which will continue for months after your treatment. Recovery time is shorter as well, as the superficial skin is unharmed and there is minimal recovery time required. Best of all, only one Thermage treatment is needed to get the full benefits. In fact, because it heats so deeply, Thermage is the only non-invasive procedure that helps tighten and contour skin in a single treatment with little or no downtime.
Thermage machines can be used for the face, eyes and body. With the newest Thermage machine, The Body Tip 16.0 covers five times the surface area of traditional Thermage tips, reducing body shaping and contouring procedure time in half. In addition, the introduction of an innovative energy delivery system used by the Body Tip 16.0 helps improve overall patient comfort.
Some skin tightening is seen initially at the time of treatment, but the effect peaks at 2 to 3 months and seems to persist for several years. Tightening is more obvious in patients with thin skin who do not have significant laxity. Tightening produces facial contour improvements. Forehead and eye treatment typically produces 2 to 3 mm of brow elevation. Improvements in skin texture and tone and acne reduction also have been observed.
The clinical efficacy of Thermage has been well documented in the scientific literature. Several published reports have described clinical improvements in patients undergoing rejuvenation with Thermage. Reports indicate that mild to moderate skin tightening is achieved, although follow-up is often short, because this technology has been available only for the past few years. Most studies providing data from subjective patient questionnaires have found good patient satisfaction rates.
In Fitzpatrick’s multicenter trial of 86 enrolled subjects, a single treatment of periorbital areas resulted in a measurable eyebrow elevation in 62% and clinical improvement in wrinkles in 83%. These outcomes favorably compared with patient satisfaction rates. Abraham reported a statistically significant brow height elevation, ranging from 1.6 to 2.4 mm, recorded 12 weeks after the treatment with the ThermaCool device. Similarly, Bassichis described a significant improvement in brow height position; however, they raised concerns about the unpredictable degree of tissue tightening.
Studies focusing on rejuvenation of the middle and lower facial thirds also have showed favorable aesthetic results with the ThermaCool device. Fritz reported a statistically significant improvement in the appearance of nasolabial folds in nine patients 4 months after two treatments spaced month apart. In their study, 75% of patients had a positive experience with MRF treatment and considered paying for additional sessions. In another publication, Nahm treated one side of the face with MRF in ten patients; at 3 months, they documented mean jowl surface area reduction of 22.6% compared with the nontreated side.
Despite the many studies on effective results on the face and neck, but I have not found any regarding body contouring.
Because Thermage is currently limited to skin tightening, combining this with other aesthetic procedures serves to enhance the final result. Microdermabrasion, superficial and medium depth peels, intense pulsed light, and nonablative lasers are useful for treating superficial irregularities which are not target with Thermage. Tissue fillers can fill deeper folds, and botox can help eliminate frown lines. Liposuction and fat transfer can provide additional tissue sculpting.
The introduction of the Thermage system does not mean that other types of procedures like the lasers or traditional facelift have been rendered obsolete. As Thermage is recommended for mild to moderate skin laxity, the other procedures are still necessary for other specific skin conditions. Lasers are still used to treat fine lines and wrinkles, while the traditional facelift is still appropriate for those with a greater degree of skin laxity and bands in the neck. And the best person to advise you on the appropriate procedure would be your doctor.
Mar
8
Beauty Insurance
Filed Under Medical, plastic surgery | 1 Comment
Majority of us rely on medical insurance for a rainy day, but usually it does not cover cosmetic surgical procedures done, nor the complications which occur due to the surgery. Cosmetic surgery is an elective procedure performed to reshape or enhance body parts a patient may find unflattering. Since cosmetic surgery regarded as an aesthetic and not medically indicated procedure, it is usually not covered by health insurance. This is the argument for insurance companies give explaining why they do not cover cosmetic surgery procedures. A person can do without cosmetic surgery, as the procedure is used for beautifying oneself instead of being a life saving surgery. Now sit up and take heart, for there’s a new scheme for medical insurance for such cosmetic and aesthetic procedures!
Beautysure Surgery Insurance was launched by Llyods of London, as the first provider of cosmetic surgery insurance in the United Kingdom for patients undergoing under the knife. It covers many popular procedures such as breast augmentation, liposuction, tummy tucks, nose jobs, facelifts, ear pinning, and breast reduction. It basically covers medical complications which could occur related to the surgery, but not dissatisfaction with the surgery.
The package is available to the UK public via selected cosmetic surgery providers who are members of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS). Surgeons are reporting an average of 80% take-up of the insurance product since it was made available. It starts at approximately 5% of the price of a surgical procedure. Where traditionally hospital and clinic cover for complications runs out after a year, Beautysure offers a third party guarantee which can be renewed annually at a small fee, covering the patient for the cost of any corrective procedures in value up to £4,000.Douglas McGeorge, consultant plastic surgeon and former president of BAAPS, commented, “We are delighted that such an innovative option exists now for patients, which offers them ownership of the process as well as protection. Every surgical procedure carries a certain amount of risk, and Beautysure can provide financial safety and peace of mind.”
In the United States, there are limited options for covering the costs of surgery, recovery and corrective procedures. There are currently no U.S.-based insurance companies that offer a similar program as Beautysure, but some doctors may offer surgery at a reduced price or other financial payment options like payment plans and patient financing (financing options designed specifically for elective surgery help patients make monthly payments for large balances, and at better interest rates than standard credit cards or personal loans).
Hopefully insurance providers will come to light and realise that regardless of cosmetic or non-cosmetic surgery, patients need the assurance that if there are complications, they can depend on their medical insurance to cover part or full of the costs. We will look forward to medical insurance plans for patients to cover potential surgical complications from cosmetic surgery as well.
Mar
7
Coffee Berry In My Makeup Bag
Filed Under Beauty Products, Ingredients, Medical, Skincare | 5 Comments
Looking at Vitamin E, tea or promagranates in your skin care products for anti-oxidants? How passe! The Coffee Berry is now all the rage!
THE COFFEE BERRY
The coffee berry refers to the fruit of the Coffea Arabica coffee plant from which the coffee beans are obtained from. They are bright red in color, and each coffee berry contains a bit of pulp and two seeds (the coffee beans) which are shelled and roasted to make coffee. In the past, coffee berries were discarded after the seeds were removed as they perished quickly, but now they are being processed into liquids and powders that are marketed as health products for their antioxidant content. The Rhamnus californica or Frangula californica which also produces fruits which are also called the coffee berry is not the same plant we are referring to.
ANTI-OXIDANT CONTENT OF THE COFFEE BERRY
I wrote a previous post on caffeine as a source of anti-oxidants, and now a post on the coffee berry. So what’s the deal with the coffee plant and anti-oxidants? Dermatologist Dr Jeffrey Benabio explains, “Coffee berries are believed to be exceptionally rich in antioxidants because the plants grow near the equator and at high altitudes, where the sun’s oxidizing rays are strongest. To protect itself from these high doses of ultraviolet radiation, the coffee plants synthesize these powerful antioxidants.”
The coffee berry is a rich source of natural anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants help to scavange free radicals and prevent damage caused by these free radicals. They are high in polyphenolic antioxidants, and phenolic acids like proanthocyanidins and chlorogenic, quinic, and ferulic acids. Although these naturally occurring antioxidants are also found in many other berries, nuts, fruits, and vegetables, the coffee berry has these polyphenols so concentrated that they have a higher antioxidant activity than other heavyweights like tea, promagranates and blueberries.
Getting rid of the harmful oxidizing radicals in your skin can help minimize damage to skin collagen, thus preventing wrinkles and other sun damage from developing. Oxidation of your skin’s collagen is the main cause of wrinkles. However, what is important is topical antioxidants, no matter how potent or expensive, cannot reverse wrinkles. It can only, at best, prevent new wrinkles from forming.
The coffee berry has an Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) score of between 15000-17500, which is the highest known score among known antioxidants, beating other sources of antioxidants like green tea, promagranate, and even Vitamins C and E. The ORAC was originally developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to evaluate the oxygen radical absorbance capacity of food substances. The ORAC score of CoffeeBerry® extract is higher than even the most popular natural antioxidants:
- CoffeeBerry® Extract 15,000 – 17,500
- Green Teas 1,200 – 11,000
- Pomegranate Extract 2,500
- Vitamin C 1,900
- Vitamin E 1,400
Translated, research reports that the Coffeeberry, the outer layer of the coffee plant’s fruit has 400 mg of concentrate that has a radical scavenging activity equal to 9.6 grams of fresh blueberries, 6.2 grams of strawberries, or 4.9 grams of raspberries.
CoffeeBerry is also available in a powder and as an extract. It can be taken as a dietary supplement or added to products like smoothies or health bars.
Other medical benefits of the coffee berry indicate it might be able to help lower cholesterol levels, reduce risk of heart disease, protect against Alzheimer’s Disease, allergies and asthma.
COFFEE BERRY IN MY MAKEUP BAG?
Studies evaluating the coffee berry have shown that with daily use of coffeeberry products, there is an improvement of barrier function which improves skin sheen and texture, and diminishes the appearance of fine lines to give skin a healthy looking appearance.
Short term results from studying products containing the coffeeberry show that the products were well tolerated and demonstrated significantly enhanced skin barrier function and improvement of fine lines, wrinkles, erythema, skin texture, and pigmentation. According to Allure Magazine ‘The texture and tone of the skin treated with CoffeeBerry extract showed 46 per cent improvement in fine lines and wrinkles, 64 per cent in overall skin smoothness, and 79 per cent in skin hydration when compared to other natural antioxidants.’ No long term studies are available yet as this is a new ingredient and product.
COFFEEBERRY PRODUCTS
Currently, there are limited products containing the coffeeberry extract, which is available under its proprietary name CoffeeBerry®.
RevaléSkin™ is the first anti-aging skin care line formulated with natural 1% CoffeeBerry®, a breakthrough in anti-aging skin care. RevaleSkin comes in a cleanser, SPF15 day cream, a night cream, eye cream and an intense recovery treatment. The range is available only through dermatologists and plastic surgeons, and the price ranges between $40-$110.
In a six-week double-blind clinical trial, with 30 female patients between 30 and 70 years of age who showed signs of moderate to severe photoaging, the REVALÉSKIN system (Day Cream with SPF 15 sunscreen, Night Cream, and Facial Cleanser) was used to evaluate specific signs of aging including fine lines and wrinkles, texture, and pigmentation. Photographs were taken at baseline and at weeks three, six and 12 to evaluate results. Twenty applied the coffee berry products full-face. The other 10 used them on one side of the face and the vehicle on the other. The regimen consisted of once-daily use of the day and night creams and twice-daily application of the cleanser.
- The primary efficacy parameter was the proportion of subjects who experienced improvement in the number and severity of fine lines and wrinkles, pigmentation and overall appearance and texture of photo-damaged skin.
- After six weeks, REVALÉSKIN was shown to be ten times better than vehicle at improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, three times better than vehicle at improving the appearance of skin pigmentation, and four times better than vehicle at improving overall appearance of photo-damaged skin. There was a 30% global improvement on the coffee berry-treated side, 25% improvement in fine lines and wrinkles was seen on the active-treatment side and 15% improvement in photoaging-induced pigmentary changes.
- There were no significant differences in skin roughness and dryness.
- In the 20 patients treated full-face, the blinded evaluators scored standardized photographs as 30% improved over baseline both globally and in pigmentary changes, 20% improved in fine lines and wrinkles, and 15% improved in roughness and dryness.
- No serious adverse events or allergies were reported.
- Side effects were limited to mild short-term redness and burning.
Priori skincare also has a line utilizing the coffeeberry in their cleansers, face serums, day and night creams and eye creams.
So keep your eyes pealed, because many more products containing this new anti-oxidant powerhouse are set to hit the market.
Mar
3
No longer content as being just another additive in our daily double-shot low fat lattes, caffeine has made its way into the medical field as well with oomph. In the recent years, its been tearing up headlines claiming to do wonders in every aspect of medicine- weight loss, cellulite control, eye creams, anti-aging, hair loss, skin cancers, Parkinson’s disease…
As any coffee addict can attest, caffeine has stimulant and diuretic properties, which are key reasons why caffine is such a popular beauty drug and used as active ingredients in eye products, weight loss and cellulite control. In addition, many studies have concluded that caffeine works as a powerful anti-oxident, vasoconstrictor, and anti-inflammatory agent. No wonder is been incorporated into so many beauty and health products! The majority of products containing caffeine are skin-firming tonics that attempt to use its dehydrating qualities to decrease liquid in fat cells. However, what clinical studies have actually studied is the benefit of orally taken caffeine, the safety and efficacy of topically applied caffeine is still debatable. Even so, caffeine is definitely heralded as “a new exciting product used in many topical creams both as an anti-inflammatory product as well as an anti-oxidant.”
Caffeine is the only drug classified as a safe and effective stimulant by the FDA and allowed to be included in over the counter stimulant products. Caffeine belongs to the group of drugs classified as xanthines. The xanthines also include the agents theophylline and theobromine; however, caffeine is the only compound of this group that is administered routinely as a therapeutic stimulant. Caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive medication in this country. It is consumed regularly by adults and children (more than 7 million kilograms consumed yearly in the United States) and is found in many popular beverages like tea, coffee, sodas, and beer and over the counter drug products.
CAFFEINE FOR EYE TREATMENTS
If you rely on caffeine for that morning wake up kick, you may be interested to know that it can help you look more awake as well. Caffeine in eye creams make use of its vasoconstricting (ability to make blood vessels smaller thereby decreasing blood flow and skin redness) and diuretic (dehydrating) effects. Dermatologist Dr. Melissa Babcock explains why caffeine is now finding itself one of the more pre-eminent ingredients in the cosmetic industry. “First off, caffeine is best known for its ability to cause vasoconstriction and therein to decrease redness in skin.” Dr. Babcock shares that, “for patients with rosacea, this can be a wonderful product.” However, she reminds us that “the effects are not long term so the product needs to be applied daily for best results.” Dermatologist Dr. Jennifer Linder echos the sentiment that “caffeine seems to be one of those “miracle” ingredients that is getting a lot of hype for the moment.” Especially in support of the trend toward “EyeJuvenation,” one of the top anti-aging trends identified by the International Association of Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine (IAPAM). The vasoconstrictive properties of caffeine are being marketed in eye products designed to reduce puffiness. However, Dr. Linder is equally careful in recognizing that there is “little research supporting these claims,” and while the short term “benefit” of reduced puffiness can be attributed to an increase in circulation, “again no studies have been performed for eye-area usage.”
Anthony Logistics Eye Cream $28
100% Pure Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream, $19
Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller, $19
CAFFEINE FOR CELLULITE TREATMENT
Coffee has been long been used in the traditional spa treatments in Indonesia, where the beans are ground and used as an exfoliating body scrub.
Previously thought to contribute to significant fluid loss, coffee consumption has now been found to be a mild diuretic, no more effective than water. Even so, many of these products entered the market after a 1999 study published in the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery concluded that caffeine-based liposome-encapsulated cream temporarily reduced the thickness of fat, particularly in the hips and triceps. “The caffeine gets into the fat cell and this makes the fat cell get a little more energized,” said Dr. Lawrence Moy, a dermatologist in Manhattan Beach, Calif., who was one of the study’s authors and sells his own line of firming creams containing caffeine. “When fat cells get more energized, it affects the sodium-potassium balance in the cell. The sodium runs out of the cell and water leaves with it. Potassium runs into the cell and all this helps the cell to become a bit dehydrated and to shrink.”
Dr. Linder notes that, “in studies, caffeine-containing products increased cutaneous microcirculation and reduced the appearance of cellulite.” She found several studies “on the physiology of cellulite that support microvascular changes in cellulite-effected tissue.” Of course, all this assumes that the caffeine can penetrate the skin once its applied. She is wary, though, that while “these studies show caffeine increasing microcirculation, topical products cannot typically penetrate the skin and devices like ultrasound may be needed for proper absorption.” . According to a 2004 study conducted at the TNO Nutrition and Food Research center in the Netherlands, caffeine can indeed penetrate, at the rate of about 2 micrograms per centimeter squared per hour. That means it would take an hour for an amount the size of 1/15th of a grain of salt to penetrate a fingernail-size patch of skin. The Beauty Brains calculated that using ThinkGeek’s Shower Shock Soap “you’d have to stand [and scrub] in the shower for 2 HOURS before you’d get the equivalent of 2 cups of coffee in your system.” Amos Lavian, founder of Dermalect Cosmeceuticals, builds upon Dr. Linder comments. He has seen improvement in clients who use cellulite products which utilize caffeine to reduce the dimpling of cellulite. Furthermore, in a Finish study done in 2000, cellulite products that listed caffeine as “an active ingredient” reported “to reduce thigh diameter during treatment,” likely resulting in a reduction in the overall breadth of cellulite dimpling. Given that cellulite is not a “fat condition”, dimpling that may be caused by vasodilatation may be successfully, albeit temporarily, improved through the topical application of caffeine containing products.
L’Oreal Sublime Anti Cellulite Gel $12.49
Revitashape Anti-Cellulite Skin Toning Formula $69.95
Shiseido Body Creator Aromatic Firming Cream, $68
CAFFEINE FOR PHOTO-AGING & SKIN CARE
Utilizing caffeine’s anti-oxidant (decreasing free radicals which damages normal functioning cells) properties, many skincare products have included this powerhouse into their list of ingredients. Research has shown that caffeine can decrease the formation of skin cancers after exposure to sun, particularly ultra-violet B (UVB) light. The study, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, used caffeine applied directly to the skin. The effect on mice exposed to ultraviolet radiation was dramatic. Caffeine caused the damaged cells to self-destruct and die, preventing further abnormal division to form skin cancers. Treatment with caffeine reduced cancerous tumors by 72%. It reduced noncancerous tumors by 44%. Therefore, “while antioxidants prevent wrinkles but do not treat wrinkles,” comments Dr. Leslie Bauman, caffeine applied topically as an ingredient in sunscreens or foundations may enhance these products’ ability to virtually stop photoaging of the skin. The latest buzz in skin care revolves around the coffee berry, the ruby-red fruit of the coffee plant. “Coffee-berry extract is a free-radical scavenger that is more potent than green tea and vitamins C and E,” says Dr. Marc DuPéré, a Toronto-based cosmetic plastic surgeon and consultant for Revaléskin, a new skin-care line based on the ingredient. “All skin issues-wrinkles, sun spots, loss of elasticity-are caused by free radicals, so attack these and you improve the overall look of your skin.” Baumann agrees that the coffee berry is a potent antioxidant but advises that it should be used with caution on acne-prone skin. “It can lead to breakouts,” she says. “I like it as an anti-aging day and night cream in conjunction with retinol.”
Juara Invigorating Coffee Scrub, C$37
Rodan & Fields Essentials Protect S.P.F. 30 $41
)
Cake Beauty Sweets Cheeks Better Bod Rub, $34
CAFFEINE FOR HAIRLOSS
A new research has shown that that caffeine can induce hairgrowth proliferation of human hair follicles published by the prestigious “International journal of dermatology” in 2007. This is achieved by blocking the hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) produced by the male hormone testosterone. The hormone is considered to destroy hair follicles in hereditary hair loss or pattern baldness. Dr. Babcock also comments on the use of caffeine in hairloss remedies. “Caffeine has increased hair growth in vitro (outside the human body). Studies have shown caffeine increased hair growth and prevented the negative effects of testosterone on hair growth in cultured hairs.” Equally, Dr. Linder tentatively touts caffeine’s ability to spur hair growth in male pattern baldness. She mentions a Swiss company Alpecin, whose hair loss restoration products claim that caffeine causes increased hair growth. In support of Alpecin’s claim, Dr. Linder cited a study from the Department of Dermatology and Allergology, at the University of Jena, in Germany, that found that caffeine did seem to stimulate hair growth during in vitro testing. However, in an effort to be duly diligent regarding the long term benefits of caffeine for hairloss, Dr. Linder cautions that, while this is “a creative use of a ingredient to try to improve an often frustrating problem, I would need to see more data, clinical results and proof that their delivery vehicle insures the caffeine is absorbed before making a conclusion.”
Alpecin Caffeine Shampoo $5.80
OTHER MEDICAL USES
- Headache preparations
- Cold medications
- Sunscreen
- Breathing problems in premature babies
- Psychiatric uses in electroconvulsive therapy*
- Reduce risk of Parkinson’s Disease*
- Reduce gallstone disease*
- Kill skin funguses*
- Improve sperm mobility*
*Controversial uses
Ultimately, Dr. Babcock offers some sage advice to those looking for the fountain of youth in a product containing caffeine. “People should consider where they buy products with caffeine or other antioxidants. It is important to determine what the concentration of the active ingredients is. Cosmetic companies understand what ingredients are popular and try to include them in their products for advertising purposes. Sometimes the levels of active ingredients are so low that they are ineffective. Products sold in physicians offices many times have higher concentrations of active ingredients and are better made.” Although skin-care companies are clamouring to include caffeine into their products, more research is required to explore its full properties and applications. “More evidence-based medicine is required to elucidate just where it’s most helpful in skin care,” explains Dr. Lisa Kellett of DLK on Avenue in Toronto. Everyday, more exciting research into the beneficial effects of the little coffee seed is elucidated, and it may not be long before topical caffeine products can be as effective as they claim.
RSS
Gilt Groupe
HauteLook
Ideeli
WellSphere
Fr3b
CozyCot
Hyperluxe
ChickAdvisor
