Dec
17
Are Natural Skin Care Products Better?
Filed Under Aesthetic medicine, Beauty Tips, Skincare | 1 Comment
Pomegranates. Green tea. Mushrooms. They taste great, and scientific studies have shown that they may have powerful health benefits as foods. Now, many cosmetics companies are touting these same ingredients in their natural skin care products.
But drinking green tea is one thing, putting it on your skin another. Do these botanically based potions, often labeled “natural,” “green,” or “organic,” live up to the hype?
“The marketing is still ahead of the science for the most part, but there is enough published work to convince me that the antioxidant botanicals will be the next big thing in skin care,” says Richard Baxter, MD, faculty member at the University of Washington School of Medicine and chief medical officer of Calidora Skin Clinics.
Leslie S. Baumann, MD, an expert in the area of cosmetic ingredients, agrees that there is little proof behind most marketing claims for natural skin care products. She is the director of cosmetic dermatology at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami, the first university-run cosmetic research center in the United States. If you want to try natural skin care products, Baumann recommends zeroing in on a specific concern and match the ingredient to it. Here are some botanicals she suggests:
- Argan oil, derived from the fruit of a tree that grows in Morocco, has been dubbed “liquid gold.” The vitamin E-rich oil can be found in a Kiehl’s body lotion. Baumann says Argan oil may improve skin ailments such as eczema, psoriasis,wrinkles, and dry skin. She also recommends olive, safflower, walnut, avocado, and evening primrose oils for dry skin.
- Soy can help prevent pigmentation, Baumann says. “Active soy” in Aveeno Positively Radiant and Neutrogena products has been altered in the laboratory for greater effectiveness. Licorice, mulberry, and burberry extracts, along with Vitamin C from citrus fruits — grapefruit, lime, lemon, and orange — can also fade brown spots, Baumann says. Look for products from L’Oreal, La Roche Posay, and Skinceuticals.
- Maitake mushrooms, found in Origins’ Plantidote, may help people with sensitive skin who suffer from rosacea and redness, she says. Chamomile, oatmeal, aloe vera, licorice, and cucumber extracts all have soothing properties; check out Jurlique products. Feverfew, a member of the sunflower family, also has calming properties. It’s an ingredient in Aveeno’s Ultra-Calming line.
- Rhodiola (or rhodeola), known as golden root, is native to the high Himalayas. In a recent study of people with sensitive skin, those treated with rhodiola extract reported improved skin sensation and less skin dryness. Origins’ Youthtopia skin-firming lotion contains extracts.
- CoffeeBerry is harvested from the coffee cherry, the outer, fleshy casing of the coffee bean. It is said to possess antioxidant activity greater than pomegranates, berries, and green teas. In studies sponsored by Stiefel Laboratories, which owns the proprietory name, CoffeeBerry treatment improved the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and pigmentation. Look for the Revaleskin brand.
- Resveratrol, a polyphenol from wine and grape skins, serves as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Animal studies suggest that resveratrol applied to the skin may help protect against harmful UV damage. The Caudalie line contains resveratrol.
- Green tea is rich in antioxidants, especially one that may curb UV skin damage, some studies have shown. Pomegranate products may also help protect against UV skin damage, according to other research.
- White tea is unfermented and uncured; only the young tips are used.Origins has a line called A Perfect World featuring white tea. In an industry-sponsored study, white tea extract was also shown to limit sunlight-incurred damage in human skin.
Keep in mind as you try these natural skin care remedies that many of them may not contain enough of the ingredient to make a difference.
“A drop of an extract in a two-ounce product is most likely not enough. Unfortunately, products containing only such ‘trace amounts’ of active ingredients for marketing purposes are still the majority on the market,” says Thomas Bombeli, MD, a Seattle-based member of the International Society of Dermatology and founder of the Shenui, Inc., a line of cosmeceuticals.
Also remember that labels such as “green” and “natural” are marketing labels that are not regulated by the government. And just because something says it’s natural doesn’t mean it works better than synthetic products. Some natural skin care products can actually aggravate skin conditions, Baumann says.
“Many natural essential oils such as rosemary, bergamot, and peppermint can irritate or inflame sensitive skin,” Baumann says. “Coconut oil, a popular natural ingredient, can cause acne.”
Although many natural skin care products make anti-aging promises, experts say these products are probably better at preventing aging than improving existing signs of aging. If you want to treat the wrinkles you already have, you may have to turn to synthetic products.
“Antioxidants can prevent future wrinkles, but they can’t treat existing wrinkles,” Bauman says. “If you want to restore youthfulness, retinoids and vitamin A products derived from red and orange fruits made in the lab are what you need. They work better than if you just put carrots on your skin.”
Dec
7
De-wrinkle Yourself
Filed Under Aesthetic Procedures, Aesthetic medicine, Beauty Tips, Plastic Surgery, Skincare | Leave a Comment
We’ve all heard the clichés: Wrinkles are a roadmap of your life. But many of us would rather not be reminded of the distance we’ve traveled. What can you do? First, understand what causes wrinkles. Then, if you still want to reduce wrinkles, explore your treatment options.
What Causes Wrinkles?
The following factors are the most significant:
Aging
Wrinkles are a by-product of the aging process. With age, skin cells divide more slowly, and the inner layer, called the dermis, begins to thin. The network of elastin (the protein which causes skin to stretch) and collagen fibers (the major structural proteins in the skin), which support the outer layer, loosen and unravel, causing depressions on the surface. With aging, skin also loses its elasticity, is less able to retain moisture, oil-secreting glands are less efficient and the skin is slower to heal. All of these contribute to the development of wrinkles.
Facial Muscle Contractions
Lines between the eyebrows (frown lines) and lines jutting from the corner of the eyes (crows feet) are believed to develop because of small muscle contractions. Smiling, frowning, squinting and other habitual facial expressions cause these wrinkles to become more prominent. Over time, the expressions coupled with gravity contribute to the formation of jowls and drooping eyelids.
Sun Damage
Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (too much sun) can result in premature aging of skin. Premature aging of the skin is called photoaging. The ultraviolet sunrays that cause photoaging damage collagen fibers and cause the excessive production of abnormal elastin. When ultraviolet light damages skin tissue, an enzyme called metalloproteinase is produced. This enzyme creates and reforms collagen. During the process, however, some healthy collagen fibers are damaged, resulting in a disorganized formation of fibers called solar scars. Wrinkles develop when the rebuilding process occurs over and over.
Smoking
Healthy skin perpetually regenerates. While old collagen is broken down and removed new collagen is produced. Researchers have found that smoke causes a marked reduction in the production of new collagen. A lack of new collagen results in the development of wrinkles.
What Are the Treatment Options for Wrinkles?
There are numerous over-the-counter treatment options for wrinkles, including various creams and lotions. Prescription treatments, including the retinoid cream renova, are also an option.
Removing skin layers to reduce wrinkles or irregular depressions is an effective way to regain smoother, more youthful looking skin. Dermabrasion (scraping layers away) and chemical peels (dissolving skin away) are two of the traditional methods used in skin resurfacing. Laser skin resurfacing with an ablative laser (such as an erbium or carbon dioxide laser) is another technique that, like dermabrasion and deeper chemical peels, may require some downtime during the healing process.
Other lasers, known as non-ablative lasers, may also be beneficial in treating wrinkles. These lasers work by heating the dermis and stimulating collagen growth. This process, which leaves the outer layers of skin intact, has no downtime associated with it. However, the results are not as dramatic as the ablative lasers which actually remove the surface layers of skin.
Botox collagen and other injections are the addional techniques available to help minimize wrinkles.
If you are considering treatment for your wrinkles, ask your doctor which procedure is right for you. There is no replacement for your doctor’s professional advice. Each person has his or her own individual needs; similarly, each procedure fulfills its own specific need.
Taken from WebMD, Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic, Department of Dermatology.
Nov
30
Your Aging Patterns Mimic Your Mom’s!
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Oct. 27, 2009 — New research confirms what may be some women’s greatest fear: You may actually turn into your mother – at least when it comes to aging in your lower eyelids. The new findings were presented at the annual meeting of American Society of Plastic Surgeons in Seattle.
“We now have a way of knowing precisely where in the lower eyelids you will age and where you will age the most and we can plan the correction based on the prediction,” says study author Subhas Gupta, MD, a plastic surgeon in Loma Linda, Calif.
The researchers looked at 10 sets of similar-looking mom-daughter pairs via high-tech 3D computer modeling to determine which areas around the eye lost the greatest amounts of volume over time. A clear pattern emerged: Sagging and volume loss around the inner corners of the eye and lower eyelids in the mothers mimicked the early signs of lower eyelid aging in the daughters. The mom-and-daughter pairs ranged in age from 15 to 90. By and large, volume loss in this area began when women entered their 30s and was greater than previously estimated.
“If you come in when you are 30, we can tell you where you will have changes and quantify what you will need and where,” he says.
“The findings were surprisingly repetitive regardless of ethnicity and actual age difference between mothers and daughters,” he says.
“You can beat Mother Nature to the punch and not have your mother’s eyes,” he says. Now the researchers plan to look at the whole face in a larger number of mother-daughter pairs to see if the findings hold.
Richard J. Greco, MD, a plastic surgeon in Savannah, Ga., says the researchers looked at the severe aging progression in moms and early aging in daughters, “and found that the patterns were similar in both.
“If your mom has great genes — taut skin, no jowls — you will probably age well,” Greco says.
The flip side is also true, he says.
Nov
25
DIY Botox Kit Seller Charged
Filed Under Aesthetic medicine, Beauty | Leave a Comment
Mansfield Woman Sold DIY Botox Kits
A Mansfield woman is facing charges and possible fines for allegedly selling do-it-yourself Botox injection kits over the internet.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott says Laurie D’Alleva sold several prescription drugs online from her businesses, Ontario MedSpa and Discount MedSpa. Abbott says D’Alleva does not have a license to sell or distribute prescription products, which is required in Texas.
Ontario MedSpa’s website sold several products, including Dysport and another the site calls “Freeze,” which the AG’s office says contains botulinum toxin. The site also sold the drugs as part of do-it-yourself kits, containing the drugs, syringes and needles. The site was still online as of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The AG says D’Alleva claimed that she was allowed to sell the prescription medications because she was a member of a group called the Texas Medical Council. But no such group exists.
D’Alleva also apparently produced “how-to” videos showing herself injecting her own face with syringes, which she posted to YouTube.
Wired Magazine did its own investigation of D’Alleva’s business last month. Although she has apparently removed the videos from YouTube, Wired saved one and posted it.
The AG is charging D’Alleva with several violations of state law. She could be fined up to $25,000 per violation per day of the Texas Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act, and up to $20,000 per violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices act.
Agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency, Mansfield Police, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tarrant County Constable’s Office were all at D’Alleva’s house when we were there Tuesday afternoon. She was there too, because she has not been arrested. But she refused to talk to us.
Nov 24, 2009, CBS Broadcasting Inc.
Nov
16
Lifting the lid on wrinkle reversal
Filed Under Aesthetic medicine, Beauty Products, Skincare | Leave a Comment
Expensive or cheap, the price of the cream you slap around your eyes to iron out those wrinkles makes no difference to the final outcome, consumer watchdogs have discovered.The Consumer Council also said one of the best ways to put wrinkles into reverse is to eat well, sleep well and drink plenty of green tea.
Separately, a dermatologist suggested Botox or laser treatment might be the way to go.
The council and International Consumer Research and Testing carried out tests on eight popular anti-wrinkle eye cream products sold in Hong Kong and overseas.
They found Nivea Visage anti-wrinkle Q10 Plus eye cream and Olay total effect 7-in-1 eye transforming cream, which cost HK$159 per 15 milliliters and HK$150 per 14 grams, respectively, are two of the three top performers.
Another top performer is the much more expensive Dr Brandt Lineless Eye Cream, which sells at HK$650 per 15 grams.
These three are more effective than the luxury brands – Clinique Repairwear Intensive Eye Cream (HK$320 per 15ml), StriVectin-SD Eye Cream (HK$695 per 38.45ml), Clarins Advance Extra-Firming Eye Contour Cream (HK$440 per 20ml) and NV Perricone MD cosmeceuticals Advanced Eye Area Therapy (HK$1,300 per 15ml).
The test for each product involved groups of nine to 11 users aged between 35 and 65. Over a period of six weeks, panelists observed the differences using high-definition photos.
RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream from France, at HK$360 per 15ml, was the poorest performer in the trials.
The council admitted there are only a few sure ways to minimize wrinkles, such as wearing sunglasses, wearing a hat or carrying an umbrella, applying sunscreen to the face and eye areas, avoiding smoking, having plenty of rest and eating a balanced diet.
However, dermatologist Henry Chan Hin- lee said there are no established studies to show creams can reduce eye wrinkles despite claims by manufacturers.
According to Chan, the most effective way to reduce wrinkles is using medical knowhow and technology such as Botox injections and lasers.
Chan said wrinkles are the result of aging and harm caused by ultraviolet rays and smoking.
He added eating more anti-oxidant foods rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, and drinking green tea could help.
Article from Aesthetic Medicine News
Patsy Moy and Beatrice Siu
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Nov
16
How to Get “Perfect” Skin
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Dr. Ellen Marmur, chief of dermatology at Mt. Sinai Medical Center and author of “Simple Skin Beauty” and Cynde Watson, a celebrity makeup expert, shared tips on how to achieve — or fake — flawless skin.
What is perfect skin, exactly?
According to Marmur, perfect skin is young, clear, radiant skin at any age. Perfect skin, she said, is free of sun spots and blemishes. She added “perfect skin” could also be defined as perfectly lined with years of smiling.
“Perfect skin makes you feel beautiful,” Marmur said.
Marmur says perfect skin is achievable by anyone. Marmur said her mantra for gorgeous skin is, “Protect, enhance and troubleshoot.”
“You can do that for 100 bucks a year,” she said. “That’s less than 50 cents a day. My philosophy is you don’t have to be rich or high-maintenance to have beautiful skin.”
If you spend the most time on any one thing, Marmur said, you want to go heavy on the protection end.
“It might not be sexy, but it is true,” she said.
Protection, she said, means moisturizing and sun protection. Marmur recommended multi-tasking your products to simplify your life. Use moisturizers and make-ups with SPF, she said. Use lotions to remove make up, not soaps. Massage your skin with creamy exfoliator to smoothe, stimulate, and moisturize all at once, she said.
Marmur said the main thing that stops people from having “perfect skin” is overdoing skin care by ‘over-enhancing” and “over-troubleshooting.”
“Many women and men use too many products, like exfoliating way too much,” she said. “It’s best to keep it simple. I have patients who bring a big sack of potions to me, pour it out on the table, and cry ‘What am I supposed to do with this?’”
If you don’t understand the purpose of the potion, Marmur said, you should read the ingredients, and cross check with her book.
“(My book) will spell it out for you. If in doubt, don’t use that product until you know exactly how it fits in with your routine,” she said. “If anything stings or turns your skin red and flaky, it’s not for you.”
She said the exception is “the retinoid family.” Marmur’s recommendation is to ask your dermatologist for tips.
Marmur said lasers are also another way people are striving to achieve “perfect skin.”
Fractional laser resurfacing, she said, is one of the latest lasers used to help in anti-aging. She said the laser works with aging prevention and building collagen, as well as resurfacing, exfoliating, and firming skin.
The downside to lasers, Marmur said, are that they can be expensive and “are a bit painful.”
“In the old days, dermatologists would give deep chemical peels, like the Samantha peel in ‘Sex in the City,’ or carbon dioxide resurfacing, which totally ablates the skin leaving red, raw skin for weeks, sometimes months,” Marmur explained. “The side effect profile was significant, like infections or white discoloration of the skin, plus people are too busy now to hide for a few weeks to heal. The fractional laser resurfaces a fraction of the skin at a time. So what was once one or two treatments, but intense, is now four to six treatments but much more manageable.”
Marmur said the laser drills thousands of tiny microscopic pinholes into the skin in a pegboard pattern. These columns of sun damaged skin — the deep collagen and elastic that dissolve with sun damage and are the filler and tightness of the skin, plus the epidermis which is the color and complexion of the skin — get kicked out about three days after the laser treatment, making your skin feel sandy for a day or two. The normal surrounding skin, she said, heals the lasered microthermal zone, also known as a “column,” very quickly leaving new collagen, new elastin, and new epidermis.
“I’ve done this twice to my own skin and noticed a huge difference,” she said. “I am ready for my third.”
Marmur added that there are many other lasers available that are can fix many other specific issues, such as freckles or red spots. However, she added, fractional resurfacing is her favorite way to invest against future sagging and aging skin and to reverse sun damage.
Botox is a popular procedure, but a new treatment called Dysport, Marmur said, is also available. Both Botox and Dysport, she said, relax muscles using homeopathic doses of a toxin that temporarily blocks contraction.
Many people, she pointed out, confuse this with filler, which is only to fill wrinkles at rest or to add volume to the cheeks. Dysport, she said, relaxes dynamic wrinkles of expression.
People can have these relaxers placed in the frown lines between the eyes, the neck, the jaw to lift up the corners of the lip, and the eyebrows to give a lift of the upper eyelid.
“We’ve noticed something unexpected with Dysport,” Marmur said. “It seems to change the complexion of the skin too. My patients are ecstatic saying, ‘You’ve given me back my look.’”
Celebrity makeup expert Cynde Watson also appeared on “The Early Show” with ways to fake that perfect skin.
“Believe me,” Watson said, “these celebs that are gracing magazines and red carpets do not all have perfect skin.”
But how can you get the appearance of flawless skin?
Watson shared these four steps:
STEP 1
The first thing Watson said she likes to do is apply a base of foundation before she begins correcting the skin.
“You need a base of something to adhere the corrective makeup to,” she said.
Watson pointed out the difference between a corrector and a concealer. She said a corrector is a concealer with a peachy/pink hue.
She said, “The peachy/pink color helps contrast the blue, green, purple or ruddy tones on the skin common in dark circles, hyperpigmentation/pregnancy mask, age spots/sun spots, acne scars and ruddy/red patches on the skin.”
STEP 2
Using a small concealer brush apply light strokes then tap a corrector directly on the discolored area of your face to balance out your skin tone and avoid making the blemish appear more obvious, Watson said.
Watson said, first apply corrector in discolored areas then layer your foundation or a concealer in the shade of your foundation over the top of the corrector until desired coverage is achieved.
Step 3
Apply a translucent finishing powder to set makeup. It’s important to use a translucent powder because it is invisible and won’t change the shade of your makeup. If you set your makeup with your regular face powder, Watson said, the areas that you used corrector will appear darker.
Step 4
To keep your makeup from melting or disappearing during the day, Watson recommended spritzing on a makeup finishing spray.
CBS Early Show, NEW YORK, Nov. 16, 2009http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/16/earlyshow/living/beauty/main5667668.shtml
Sep
3
Aging Effects On The Nose
Filed Under Aesthetic medicine, Beauty, Plastic Surgery | Leave a Comment
The nose, as with the rest of the face and skin, is also susceptible to the aging process. Commonly, changes to the nose include drooping of the tip of the nose, contour irregularities, lengthening of the nose, a decreased nasolabial angle, narrowing of the nasal valve, and obstructed nasal breathing.
Drooping of the nasal tip is the one most precalent and distinctive features of an aging nose. It is caused by the weakening of the lower cartilage of the nose, and other supporting structures in the nose. Sometimes, the drooping tip may result in a illusion of a hump on the nose, and perceived septum prominence which is not physically present. Some ways a doctor may help correct the drooping is by using strut grafts in the columella, tip grafts, and various stitching techniques to increase tip support, projection, rotation and correction of contour deformities.
Nasal valve obstruction is common in the elderly, and it’s surprisingly under-recognized as a factor which is important in improving the quality of life. The weakening of the nsasal cartilages and the surrounding support mechanisms can cause collapse of the nasal valves resulting in nasal obstruction, worsened at rest or on breathing in. Surgery may be necessary to correct the problem.
As you age, the nasal bones also thin out and become fragile, making you more susceptible to nose fractures and trauma. The overlying skin also thins out, leading to greater visibility of even minor contour and tip irregularities previously concealed by the thicker nasal skin of youth.
Find out what a non surgical nose job can do for you in my next post!
Aug
24
Topical Botox Shows Effectiveness In Treatment Of Crows Feet
Filed Under Aesthetic Medicine, Aesthetic Procedures, Aesthetic medicine | Leave a Comment
NEW YORK – A topical, noninjectable form of botulinum toxin asserted its ability to effectively treat crow’s feet through impressive data from a recently completed phase II clinical trial released here.
Seventy-five patients at four study sites were treated with the novel topical toxin or placebo to the crow’s feet area. On a four-point static scale, a significant number of participants showed two point moves, according to Michael Kane, M.D., a principal investigator in the trial who released aggregate data from the study at the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery annual meeting.
“As one of the study centers, I was not unblinded as to which of my patients had toxin and which were [treated with] placebo. But, clearly, by looking at the patients, there were those whose crow’s feet got a lot better and some whose didn’t,” Dr. Kane, a plastic surgeon in private practice in New York City, tells Cosmetic Surgery Times. “The difference was night and day, both at rest and smiling. The people who showed significant difference, unsurprisingly, had lateral brow elevation, as well. Obviously, the toxin was working on the muscle.”
TRANSDUCTION TRANSFORMATION
The concept of simply applying a topical to eliminate wrinkles is not new, but proving the theory has yet to be conclusively accomplished. Yet, researchers involved with the development of the topical form of botulinum toxin think they are close. Its developers at Revance Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held company based in Mountain View, Calif., claim that the topical allows large macromolecules to cross the skin and other barrier membranes enabling local, targeted delivery. Delivered through the firm’s proprietary TransMTS™ (Macromolecule Transport Technology), the neurotoxin is based on a single, straight-chain, peptide that allows skin to be a gateway for drug delivery, rather than a barrier.
“Adding a peptide as a separate component within the [toxin] formulation allows the toxin to cross the skin,” explains Jacob Waugh, M.D., co-founder & chief scientific officer, Revance. “The peptide forms an ionic bond with the toxin and the peptide also has a Protein Transduction Domain (PTD), which is responsible for transcutaneous flux. It is essentially a quite broad and powerful transduction.”
Although the topical toxin’s technology is fairly obscure and complex, the use of two pathways on both the dead and living layers of the skin allows for a significant result, according to Dr. Waugh. Currently, there have been 600 crow’s feet areas treated via the TransMTS™ technology, with a fairly low local irritation rate and no evidence of adjacent paralysis above placebo grade, say the developers.
“TransMTS technology relies on the fluidity of the dead skin, that essentially is the equivalency of the typical topical that loads the stratum corneum, but more interesting is the second pathway that [also] happens on the living cells,” Dr. Waugh details.
“Basically, it’s a variation the cell uses to take a drink, then it dumps the drink back out on the other side of the cell.”
The key to TransMTS technology, say its developers, is a protein carrier featuring protein transduction domains that hold on to the cell membrane and allow larger molecules to pass through it undisturbed. The transport technology is also currently being studied for early applications of new cardiovascular disease drugs. Additionally, three different cancer drug trials are being investigated based on the system’s ability to transport molecules, according to the firm.
ADVANTAGE: EYE
While TransMTS technology may benefit additional medical innovations including insulin and other compounds, a phase III trial is underway to establish the neurotoxin adjunct’s effectiveness and advantages when treating crow’s feet. An area greatly sensitive to injections, a topical toxin may be a relief to most patients.
“I don’t think there’s much question regarding [the topical toxin’s] clinical effect for lateral crow’s feet,” says Richard Glogau, M.D., clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California and participant in the phase II clinical trial. “Yet, they [will need to] keep continuing to improve the formulation due to a delivery problem with the gel vehicle,” he adds.
The gel that allows the combination of the peptide and the toxin to get through the skin and the mechanics of using the gel present challenges in terms of getting it to stay where it is applied, according to Dr. Glogau, who completed a recent study for primary axillary hyperhidrosis with the topical form of botulinum toxin type A.
In that study, researchers used the topical agent to treat 12 patients in a randomized, blinded, vehicle-controlled study that also showed promising results: A 65 percent mean reduction of sweating on 10 axillae treated with the BTX-A (200 U) was observed after four weeks of treatment, compared with a 25 percent mean reduction in sweating on the vehicle controlled axillae. Although the topical toxin displayed its ability to reach the bottom of the dermis when treating hyperhidrosis, the one-time dosage upon which the crow’s feet trials’ results are based may be problematic says one investigator.
“It’s a very artificial situation, and I think that anything in dermatology ends up being a serial treatment — patients are looking for long-term effect,” Dr. Glogau says. “Yet, I think the neurotoxin is realistic in its abilities.”
“My one concern is that the topical toxin will be thought of as just the same as an injectable toxin, but in reality it’s another tool,” Dr. Waugh says. “Yet, it can be used to do some of the things that injectables can’t do.”
REFERENCE
Glogau RG. Topically applied botulinum toxin type A for the treatment of primary axillary hyperhidrosis: results of a randomized, blinded, vehicle-controlled study. Dermatol Surg. 2007;33(1 Spec No.):S76-S80.
DISCLOSURE
Dr. Kane is a paid consultant to Revance Therapeutics with an ownership equity interest comprising stock options whose value is less than $50,000 during the time of the study and for one year following completion of the study. Dr. Kane does not have a proprietary or financial interest in a product, patent, trademark, copyright, or licensing agreement, and has not received significant payments from Revance exclusive of the costs of conducting the clinical study or any financial arrangements whereby the value of the compensation could be influenced by the outcome of the study or tied to sales of the product.
Aug 1, 2009
By: Beth Kapes
Cosmetic Surgery Times
Aug
10
Bizarre Beauty: Animals In My Pot!
Filed Under Aesthetic medicine, Beauty, Beauty Products, Health, Skincare | Leave a Comment
With the rapid progress in science and technology, the beauty industry has tapped into it as well. The latest buzz is the use of non-traditional sources of ingredients for enhancement of beauty and to turn back the hands of time! Here’s a few of the weird and wonderful ingredients and products that are now available for commercial use.
SNAKE VENOM
The slithering snake’s poison does not seem a likely candidate for delicate skincare. However, snake venom is actually a complex mix rich in pepides, proteins, toxins and enzymes. It inhibits a nerve transmission enzyme- anticholinesterase- thus blocking nerve signals to the facial muscles to contract. The result? Its action is similar to Botox, causing muscle relaxation and smoothens out wrinkles.
Although in nature snake venom attacks normal healthy cells and causes excessive salivation, tearing, and paralysis and eventual death, the products that we get containing snake venom are actually synthetic versions of the real thing (*phew*). Called Syn-Ake, the proteins, peptides, and enzymes are mimicked to produce a much gentler effect on the skin, while avoiding the deadly consequences of the snake venom toxins. Gwyneth Paltrow is known to use snake spit to keep her youthful looking skin.
Syn-Ake is manufactured by Pentapharm, and its own research comparing a Syn-Ake infused cream against a placebo showed 67% of the participants using the cream reported a decrease in muscle contraction, and wrinkle size was reduced by 52%. Read more on Pentapharm’s press release on Syn-Ake HERE.
If you’re interested, here are some products containing snake venom:
Sonya Dakar’s Ultraluxe 9 Age Control Complex
Planet Skincare Anti-Ageing Skincare Technology
Syence Skin Venom Memory Cream
PLACENTA
As gut wrenching it may be to imagine bloody placenta tissue on your face, placenta has been used since ancient times by Eastern cultures as in ingredient in both medicine and health products. The placenta functions to nourish the unborn fetus by supplying oxygen, nutrients and blood supply, and post delivery of the infant, the placenta has been utilized in various products for its regenerative properties. Famous beauties regularly applying placenta directly onto their faces? Cleopatra and Marie Antoinette!
Nowadays, placental tissue are mostly extracted from animals, and the high concentration of nutrients, collagen, enzymes and amino acids offer anti aging properties. Celebrity endorsement? Jennifer Lopez uses placental products!
Interested? Find placenta in
EMK Placental Anti Aging Serum
SNAIL SECRETIONS
Slimey snail secretions are not quite what you’d like mixed into your face cream, but the secretions are rich in a substance called calcite which, while snails use to repair their shells, is said to improve the texture of skin as well as help reduce scars.
Scientific analysis of the complex compound shows it is loaded with antioxidants & anti-inflammatories, immune modulators, proteins & peptides, enzymes & co-enzymes, cell-communicating and bio-available ingredients that act in concert and are biologically compatible with living cells. The serum is a complex compound that glycobiology scientists have identified as powerful biological glycoprotein enzymes, copper peptides and co-enzymes, proteoglycans, and glycosaminoglycans. It triggers cell turnover, dissolves or “digests” denatured, damaged and dying cells and releases their amino-acids and other components for the rebuilding of healthy molecules to replace blemished cells, enhances skin’s recovery capabilities, is antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, repairs and regenerates damaged and sunburn skin cells, promotes the proliferation of the water holding glyco molecules within the skin and enhances the capability of skin to secrete antimicrobials and control microbes, including those that proliferate in acne inflammatory lesions.
SPERMINE
Yeps, you read it right. Spermine, a powerful anti-oxidant, was originally recovered from sperm. Spermine is a polyamine present in many cells, tissues and organs, and plays an essential role in DNA systhesis and stability. Its anti-oxidant properties allows it to function as a free radical scavanger, and is a powerful anti-oxidant when applied to the skin.
According to Scandinavian manufacturer Skinscience, their research showed that their product was able to increase collagen production by 4 times, is 30 times stronger than Vitamin E, slowed aging by 25%, strengthened the skin’s barrier function and stimulated the glow and vitality of the skin.
Skinscience Anti-Aging Normal Cream
FROG SKIN
Just when you thought it was the end of the list, here’s one last food for thought. Scientists have successfully extracted a protein from the skin of the bullfrog, which is high in anti-oxidant properties and incredibly effective fighting free radicles. According to their study, when the peptide was added to a wall of human cells, it reduced the effects of oxidization by up to 73%! The peptide is also water soluble, which means it is possible to use it beauty products! So its worth keeping an eye out for it when it appears on the anti-aging market!
Move over vitamin E capsules… The animal revolution has started!
Jul
27
Erasing Tyre Tracks: What Can Be Done For Stretch Marks?
Filed Under Aesthetic medicine, Beauty, Skincare | Leave a Comment
A friend of mine just got pregnant, and inevitably we got into discussing the topic of pregnancy stretch marks. Every mother-to-be has a fear of stretch marks, and one of the common questions I get asked is what can be done about those stretch marks, and what are the effective ways to cure stretchmarks.
WHAT CAUSES STRETCH MARKS
Stretch marks are, in truth, a form of scarring on the skin. The medical term for stretch marks is striae. It occurs when the area of skin undergoes a large amount of stretch over a short period of time, like in pregnancy, quick weight gain or extreme weight loss. The dermis stretches more than it can handle and tears, leaving behind an area of discoloured, thinned skin.
Fresh stretch marks tend to have a reddish or purplish hue. With time, they gradually fade to become whitish or silverish. The most commonly affected areas are the parts where more fat deposits are stored, like in the abdomen, breasts, arms, thighs, hips and buttocks. Stretch marks in pregnant women usually occurs in the 3rd trimester, when the baby is growing larger than the abdominal cavity and the skin gets stretched the most. Between 75%-90% of pregnant women get stretch marks. Other causes of stretch marks are rapid weight gain or weight loss, muscle building, puberty, hormonal inbalances and medical conditions such as Cushing’s Syndrome and medications.
Some of the risk factors for development of stretch marks during pregnancy are a younger age, family history of stretch marks in pregnancy, significant weight gain during pregnancy, higher pre-pregnancy Body-Mass Index (BMI), higher pregnancy BMI, larger birthweight and gestational age of baby, drinking alcohol and drinking less water during pregnancy. (Information sources from theJournal of the Medical Association of Thailand, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology)
The most commonly affected regions of the body affected by the problem of stretch marks are the abdomen, thighs, breasts, upper arms and lower back. Stretch marks are not a health threat, but they do cause significant distress to many people who have them.
HOME REMEDIES
- Diet. Take foods that help give you healthy skin- fish, nuts, legumes, colourful vegetables, green leafy vegetables. They will also promote collagen formation and improve elasticity of the skin. Look for foods high in Vitamins A, C, and E (carrots, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables), zinc (nuts and fish), protein rich foods (fish and eggs).
- Adequate hydration
- Reduce caffeine consumption- caffeine is a diuretic, which dehydrates the skin and reduces its elasticity and pliability, making stretch marks more prone to occur.
- Exercise. Firm skin makes stretch marks less apparent. And it helps to keep your weight steady, which will help as excess weight gain will exacerbate the stretch marks.
COSMECEUTICALS
- Stretch mark creams and lotions. There are many stretch mark creams around. Some popular ingredients in stretch mark creams are aloe vera, cocoa butter, dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), glycolic acid, palmitoyl oligopeptide, palmitoyl pentapeptide-3, retinyl palmitate, and shea butter.
Some popular stretch mark creams are
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Stretch Mark Cream
Revitol Stretch Mark Prevention
The current evidence for effectiveness of stretch mark creams is weak and anecdotal. Studies performed on stretch mark creams show equivocal results and there is no evidence of definite consistency of stretch mark reduction between users. However, they may benefit some users, and even though it is unlikely that the stretch marks will disappear, stretch mark creams may be able to lighten and reduce the amount of stretch marks present.
The best time to start applying stretch mark creams in pregnancy is as soon as you find out you’re pregnant! The frequent massaging, moisturising and effects of the ingredients in the creams will take some time to manifest, and so you’d ideally want to start as early in the pregnancy as possible. Once stretch marks appear, it is hard to eliminate, so prevention is the best cure.
WHAT YOUR DOCTOR CAN DO
- Chemical peels- more beneficial for fresh and superficial striae.
- Dermabrasion- Reduces appearance of stretch marks by aiming to even out the skin. More effective for smaller stretch marks. It may require a series of a dozen dermabrasion treatments spaced two to three weeks apart, but its best to discuss with your doctor how many sessions is beneficial.
- Laser Treatment- More effective for fresh stretch reddish marks, less effective for old silver stretch marks.
- Tummy Tuck Surgery- removes stretch marks and loose skin in the abdominal area.
Stretch marks are a common problem that can affect many individuals, and are a concern for many females. Having healthy skin is important in limiting the appearance of stretch marks. Stretch mark creams may benefit, but should be started as early as possible, and have better results on fresh stretch marks over older ones. Cosmetic treatments are also more effective for newly appearing stretch marks.
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