Category: skin care
The Surprising Health Benefits of Looking Pretty
Did you know that there’s more to looking pretty than just aesthetic appeal? It turns out, there are actual health benefits associated with feeling attractive and confident in your appearance. Let’s explore how looking pretty can contribute to your overall well-being.
Boosted Confidence: When you feel good about how you look, it naturally boosts your confidence. Confidence is not only attractive but also essential for overall mental health. Studies have shown that confident individuals tend to have lower levels of stress and anxiety, leading to improved emotional well-being.
Reduced Stress Levels: Taking the time to groom yourself and put effort into your appearance can have a calming effect on your mind. Engaging in self-care activities like skincare routines or styling your hair can serve as therapeutic rituals, helping to alleviate stress and promote relaxation.
Enhanced Mood: Looking pretty often goes hand in hand with positive self-perception. When you like what you see in the mirror, it can uplift your mood and increase feelings of self-worth. This positive self-image can translate into greater happiness and satisfaction with life.
Social Connection: Feeling attractive can also improve your social interactions. When you exude confidence and positivity, others are naturally drawn to you, leading to stronger social connections and a sense of belonging. Meaningful social relationships are crucial for mental and emotional well-being.
Physical Health Benefits: Believe it or not, looking pretty can even have physical health benefits. Research has shown that individuals who prioritize their appearance are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors such as regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and adequate sleep. These lifestyle habits contribute to overall health and longevity.
Improved Professional Success: In many cases, looking pretty can positively impact your career. Studies have found that individuals who invest in their appearance are perceived as more competent and trustworthy in professional settings. Additionally, feeling confident in your appearance can give you the motivation and drive to pursue career advancement opportunities.
While it’s essential to remember that beauty comes in many forms and is subjective, there’s no denying the potential health benefits of feeling attractive and confident in your appearance. Whether it’s through skincare routines, fashion choices, or simply practicing good grooming habits, prioritizing your appearance can have a ripple effect on your overall health and happiness. So go ahead, embrace your unique beauty and enjoy the health benefits that come with looking pretty.
See you soon.
Avoiding Premature Aging: Unveiling Skin Care Habits to Embrace
The quest for timeless beauty often begins with the habits we cultivate daily. While many focus on skincare routines that promote a youthful glow, it’s equally crucial to be mindful of habits that may contribute to premature aging. Let’s review some common practices and discover the key to preserving your skin’s vitality without invasive measures.
Sun Neglect
One of the primary culprits behind premature aging is unprotected sun exposure. Skipping sunscreen or neglecting to reapply throughout the day exposes your skin to harmful UV rays, leading to fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven pigmentation. Embrace sun protection as a non-negotiable step in your skincare routine to shield your skin from the aging effects of the sun.
Inconsistent Hydration
The importance of staying hydrated goes beyond internal health; it significantly impacts your skin’s appearance. Inconsistent hydration can lead to a loss of skin elasticity, making fine lines more noticeable. Ensure your skincare routine includes a hydrating moisturizer to lock in moisture and maintain a supple, youthful complexion.
Sleeping with Makeup
The allure of a cozy bed after a long day tempts many to skip the makeup removal ritual. Sleeping with makeup can clog pores, contribute to breakouts, and hinder the skin’s natural renewal process. Embrace the nightly cleanse to allow your skin to breathe and regenerate, promoting a smoother, more radiant complexion.
Overlooking Antioxidants
Neglecting antioxidant-rich skincare can leave your skin vulnerable to environmental stressors. Antioxidants combat free radicals, preventing oxidative stress that accelerates aging. Integrate products with potent antioxidants like vitamin C into your routine to fortify your skin’s defense against premature aging.
Skimping on Sleep
In our fast-paced lives, adequate sleep often takes a backseat. However, quality sleep is when your skin undergoes crucial repair and regeneration. Chronic sleep deprivation can contribute to fine lines, dark circles, and a dull complexion. Prioritize restful sleep as a cornerstone of your anti-aging strategy.
Preserving youthful skin is a journey that extends beyond skincare products. By avoiding sun neglect, staying consistently hydrated, removing makeup nightly, incorporating antioxidants, and prioritizing quality sleep, you empower your skin to defy premature aging naturally. Embrace these age-conscious habits, and let your skin radiate with timeless vitality.
See you soon.
We Can’t Remind You Enough: Avoid the Sun
Tanned skin is damaged skin…and who wants that? Prolonged exposure to the sun can cause early wrinkling and brown spots, and it puts you at risk for skin cancer, too. While most of us enjoy being outside in the summer, not many of us really want to suffer the effects of sun damage. Staying safe while spending time outside is possible, though. The strategies just need to become a part of your daily routine.
Here are some simple ways to protect your skin:
- Stay indoors between 10am and 3pm, when the sun is most powerful. There are two types of rays: UVA rays cause aging and wrinkles and contribute to skin cancer. UVB rays cause sunburn and skin cancer.
- Go nowhere without sunscreen:
- More is better, so don’t scrimp. Make sure that it has a SPF of 30 or higher and it says “broad spectrum” on the label, which means that it will handle both UVA and UVB rays. Also, make sure it’s water-resistant and that you apply it all over your body 15 to 30 minutes before leaving the house.
- Use sunscreen even when it is cloudy outside, when you are driving in a car and inside a window. UVA rays penetrate clouds, glass and water.
- If you wear foundation, apply the sunscreen first and let it absorb before continuing with your makeup.
- Don’t forget the lip balm, SPF 15 or higher.
- Remember the tops of your ears, hairline, the “V” of your chest, nose, hands and tops of your feet. Eighty percent of skin cancer occurs on the head, neck and hands.
- Wear protective clothing: hats, sleeves and sunglasses. Dark, tightly woven fabrics provide more protection than lightly colored ones. Find hats that have protection built into them.
- Be aware that umbrellas and shade trees give only moderate protection from ultraviolet light. They don’t protect you from light that is reflected off of sand, snow, concrete and other surfaces.
- Avoid tanning oils. These essentially cook your skin.
- Be conscious of your medications. Certain medicines can make your skin extra sensitive to sun exposure, including tetracycline, diuretics and even herbal formulations such as St. John’s Wort.
Call us today to schedule your complimentary consultation. See you soon.
Keeping Dry Skin at Bay
When winter temperatures hit, we put on coats, scarves, hats and boots to keep our bodies warm. But it is just as, if not more important, to protect the delicate skin on your face.
Biting cold and wind can assault exposed skin, causing dryness, chafing and other more serious skin disorders, including frostbite. And, it happens quickly. So, before you venture out, even for a few minutes, moisturize with a broad-spectrum sunblock and apply a petroleum-based product to your lips. If your moisturizer is oil-based, choose an oil that is “non-clogging,” such as avocado, mineral, primrose or almond. Then, cover your face as best as you can with a scarf or hood. Also, don’t forget the sunglasses, which will protect your eyes from glare, freezing temperatures and wind.
To avoid the inflamed and itchy skin that happens all over your body during the winter months, you can take several preventative steps all season long, around the clock. Remember, the condition happens because of a lack of water, not oil, so the following tactics aim to prevent dehydration.
- If your facial skin is uncomfortably dry, avoid using harsh peels, masks, and alcohol-based toners or astringents, all of which can strip vital oil from your skin. Instead, find a cleansing milk or mild foaming cleanser, an alcohol-free toner and masks that are “deeply hydrating” rather than clay-based, which tend to draw moisture out of the face.
- Trap water from a shower or bath quickly by applying a water-in-oil cream moisturizer. If you have sensitive skin to begin with, use a cream moisturizer that does not contain lanolin or perfume, and don’t scrimp. More is better in this case, particularly on your hands, elbows and feet (these can contain petroleum or glycerin).
- Choose a shower instead of a bath; sitting in hot water will break down lipids and dry your skin.
- Limit your use of hot water and soap. Take short lukewarm showers, using non-detergent soaps and cleansers, and only as much as you need since they remove natural moisturizers from the skin. If you must bathe, keep the water as cool as possible.
- Keep your house temperature as low as you can (no higher than 78 degrees) and use a humidifier that returns moisture to the air.
- Overnight, use a thicker night cream on your face, a product formulated for the delicate skin under and over the eyes, and a lip balm.
As always, call my office to schedule a complimentary consultation to learn how we can help you look and feel your best.
See you soon.
Stay Beautiful While You Travel
Many of you have planned vacations for the upcoming winter season. If you’re about to travel by plane, remember that our bodies don’t always respond so well to being moved from place to place, high overhead. But, fear not. With a little preparation, you will look your best despite the altitude.
Here are a few beauty strategies that you can make part of your normal travel routine:
- Face: Cabin pressure causes skin to become dehydrated. The night before you fly, apply extra rich, extra thick moisturizer that will prime your face for the plane’s dry air. And, do yourself a favor and skip the foundation on the day of travel. Sometimes, foundation can exacerbate dryness, so use a rich moisturizer only as you normally do in the morning and then again before you board.
- Cheeks: It’s best to avoid makeup when you fly, but if you must…boost your complexion with a shimmer powder or cream applied lightly to the tops of your cheeks and bridge of your nose. Also, a cream blush and lip balm will add color without drying.
- Lips: Layer with a lip stain, apply a few coats and then finish with gloss. Or, use an extra creamy lipstick. If you don’t use color, use medicated lip balms throughout the trip, instead. More is better, in this case. Stay away from cakey lipsticks or long-lasting formulations, since these can sometimes dry out the delicate skin on the lips. Remember to moisturize well before applying any product to your lips, particularly on the border between the lips and skin above and below them
- Eyes: Use a rich eye cream under your eyes and if you are skipping concealer, reapply during your flight, particularly if you will be sleeping.
- Body and hands: Again, it’s all about the moisture. Slather your body with your creamiest moisturizer before you dress, and do the same for your hands. Remember to reapply after you wash your hands.
- Hair: Cabin dryness will produce fly-aways and static and sometimes leave hair looking flat. During the trip, twist your tresses on top of your head and secure with a butterfly clip or fabric band. When you land, your hair will be full and full of natural waves, too. Take along a spritz bottle of water, turn your head upside down and spray at the roots to reignite products when you are on the ground. The upside—if you suffer from coarse hair, nothing is better than airplane air to fight the frizz.
Safe travels, and see you soon.
The Happiness Factor
As a doctor, I think about you–my patients–all the time. I think about your health, your general well-being and what I can do to improve both of these aspects of your lives. This past week, as I’ve watched you come into the office looking and feeling one way and leave looking and feeling another, I’ve been thinking a lot about your happiness.
It has always been important to us to make sure that you are pleased with our treatments. It’s critical for us that this extends beyond the actual procedures and into your every day life, and I think that it does. Our goal is for you to live your life in a happier and more confident way, and we are so thrilled that we see this even as you walk out the door.
Contentment with one’s physical self, we know, translates into contentment with a whole lot more. When you believe that you look good, your walk changes. Your posture improves. You wear different clothes, different makeup. You get a new haircut. You smile more, you engage other people more. You are optimistic and, simply, happy.
This coming week, as you visit us in our offices, think about the emotional shift that is about to happen. Your face and body will look their most beautiful and equally exciting, so will your outlook.
See you soon.
What Makes Someone Beautiful, Anyway?
The notion of attractiveness seems simple. When we see a person, we know immediately whether we think he or she is beautiful. We don’t really have to decide; our reaction is involuntary, and it is personal. You might think that a particular person is stunning, while your best friend might not.
Interestingly, studies over the years have shown that most people tend to agree, for the most part, on what constitutes a beautiful face, and that the reason they do relies more on brain science than on preference. Consider the ability of babies to recognize faces and prefer the ones that society deems pretty.
So, how we assess appearance might be more complex than simply liking large eyes better than small ones or full lips rather than thin ones. The brain has the capacity to recognize not only attractiveness, but also emotions, personality traits and fertility. The part of the brain that allows us to do this, the fusiform, is also responsible for our ability to recognize familiar faces. When it is damaged, we can’t recall whom we’ve just met, and we can’t distinguish between plain faces and beautiful ones. When we decide that someone is beautiful, we are really thinking that the person is healthy and vital, studies have shown. Smooth skin and symmetrical facial features, for instance, indicate to our brain that a person has good genetics and is not ill, both of which lead us to think that the person is attractive.
However our perception is formed, appearance–of others and ourselves–has a powerful effect on so many of our emotions.
See you soon.
Here Comes The Sun: Time To Get Ready
Living close to the beach requires discipline. That may seem like a strange statement, given how relaxed and casual the environment is here. But when it comes to your skin–and wrinkles, dark spots and melanoma–you need a serious regimen.
Now is the time to put your sun protection plan in place, if you haven’t done so already. It is easy to do if you simply make it part of your daily routine. Here is what I recommend:
Think 30: Every day, whether you are going to the beach or not, and even when it is cloudy, apply a moisturizer with an SPF of 30 or above. Use it on your face before you put on makeup and on the exposed parts of your body. You may choose a moisturizer formulated specifically for the face and another just for your body, or you may use the same for both. If you are at the beach, where the rays are intensified, remember to reapply after two hours or after swimming or perspiring.
Search for Shade: Sun damage is cumulative, so every minute spent out of dangerous rays will help your skin stay young-looking and healthy. So, avoid the sun when you can, at all costs–cross to the shady side of the street, sit under the umbrella on the restaurant patio, carry an umbrella in your purse.
Beware the Bewitching Hours: The sun is strongest between 10 am and 2 pm, so do what you can to avoid it during this time.
Hats On: Go for a wide brim, and make sure that it covers the back of your neck, too. Make wearing other protective clothing a habit, too, such as sunglasses and long sleeves. Keep a basket of summer sun gear in your car, as you would a fleece throw in the winter.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, we’ll be happy to help you look and feel your best.
Keeping Dry Skin at Bay
When winter temperatures hit, we put on coats, scarves, hats and boots to keep our bodies warm. But it is just as, if not more important, to protect the delicate skin on your face.
Biting cold and wind can assault exposed skin, causing dryness, chafing and other more serious skin disorders, including frostbite. And, it happens quickly. So, before you venture out, even for a few minutes, moisturize with a broad-spectrum sunblock and apply a petroleum-based product to your lips. If your moisturizer is oil-based, choose an oil that is “non-clogging,” such as avocado, mineral, primrose or almond. Then, cover your face as best as you can with a scarf or hood. Also, don’t forget the sunglasses, which will protect your eyes from glare, freezing temperatures and wind.
To avoid the inflamed and itchy skin that happens all over your body during the winter months, you can take several preventative steps all season long, around the clock. Remember, the condition happens because of a lack of water, not oil, so the following tactics aim to prevent dehydration.
- If your facial skin is uncomfortably dry, avoid using harsh peels, masks, and alcohol-based toners or astringents, all of which can strip vital oil from your skin. Instead, find a cleansing milk or mild foaming cleanser, an alcohol-free toner and masks that are “deeply hydrating” rather than clay-based, which tend to draw moisture out of the face.
- Trap water from a shower or bath quickly by applying a water-in-oil cream moisturizer. If you have sensitive skin to begin with, use a cream moisturizer that does not contain lanolin or perfume, and don’t scrimp. More is better in this case, particularly on your hands, elbows and feet (these can contain petroleum or glycerin).
- Choose a shower instead of a bath; sitting in hot water will break down lipids and dry your skin.
- Limit your use of hot water and soap. Take short lukewarm showers, using non-detergent soaps and cleansers, and only as much as you need since they remove natural moisturizers from the skin. If you must bathe, keep the water as cool as possible.
- Keep your house temperature as low as you can (no higher than 78 degrees) and use a humidifier that returns moisture to the air.
- Overnight, use a thicker night cream on your face, a product formulated for the delicate skin under and over the eyes, and a lip balm.
As always, call my office to schedule a complimentary consultation to learn how we can help you look and feel your best.
See you soon.
Stay Beautiful While You Travel
Many of you have planned vacations for the upcoming holiday season. If you’re about to travel by plane, remember that our bodies don’t always respond so well to being moved from place to place, high overhead. But, fear not. With a little preparation, you will look your best despite the altitude.
Here are a few beauty strategies that you can make part of your normal travel routine:
- Face: Cabin pressure causes skin to become dehydrated. The night before you fly, apply extra rich, extra thick moisturizer that will prime your face for the plane’s dry air. And, do yourself a favor and skip the foundation on the day of travel. Sometimes, foundation can exacerbate dryness, so use a rich moisturizer only as you normally do in the morning and then again before you board.
- Cheeks: It’s best to avoid makeup when you fly, but if you must…boost your complexion with a shimmer powder or cream applied lightly to the tops of your cheeks and bridge of your nose. Also, a cream blush and lip balm will add color without drying.
- Lips: Layer with a lip stain, apply a few coats and then finish with gloss. Or, use an extra creamy lipstick. If you don’t use color, use medicated lip balms throughout the trip, instead. More is better, in this case. Stay away from cakey lipsticks or long-lasting formulations, since these can sometimes dry out the delicate skin on the lips. Remember to moisturize well before applying any product to your lips, particularly on the border between the lips and skin above and below them
- Eyes: Use a rich eye cream under your eyes and if you are skipping concealer, reapply during your flight, particularly if you will be sleeping.
- Body and hands: Again, it’s all about the moisture. Slather your body with your creamiest moisturizer before you dress, and do the same for your hands. Remember to reapply after you wash your hands.
- Hair: Cabin dryness will produce fly-aways and static and sometimes leave hair looking flat. During the trip, twist your tresses on top of your head and secure with a butterfly clip or fabric band. When you land, your hair will be full and full of natural waves, too. Take along a spritz bottle of water, turn your head upside down and spray at the roots to reignite products when you are on the ground. The upside—if you suffer from coarse hair, nothing is better than airplane air to fight the frizz.
Safe travels, and see you soon.
We Can’t Remind You Enough: Avoid the Sun
Tanned skin is damaged skin…and who wants that? Prolonged exposure to the sun can cause early wrinkling and brown spots, and it puts you at risk for skin cancer, too. While most of us enjoy being outside in the summer, not many of us really want to suffer the effects of sun damage. Staying safe while spending time outside is possible, though. The strategies just need to become a part of your daily routine.
Here are some simple ways to protect your skin:
- Stay indoors between 10am and 3pm, when the sun is most powerful. There are two types of rays: UVA rays cause aging and wrinkles and contribute to skin cancer. UVB rays cause sunburn and skin cancer.
- Go nowhere without sunscreen:
- More is better, so don’t scrimp. Make sure that it has a SPF of 30 or higher and it says “broad spectrum” on the label, which means that it will handle both UVA and UVB rays. Also, make sure it’s water-resistant and that you apply it all over your body 15 to 30 minutes before leaving the house.
- Use sunscreen even when it is cloudy outside, when you are driving in a car and inside a window. UVA rays penetrate clouds, glass and water.
- If you wear foundation, apply the sunscreen first and let it absorb before continuing with your makeup.
- Don’t forget the lip balm, SPF 15 or higher.
- Remember the tops of your ears, hairline, the “V” of your chest, nose, hands and tops of your feet. Eighty percent of skin cancer occurs on the head, neck and hands.
- Wear protective clothing: hats, sleeves and sunglasses. Dark, tightly woven fabrics provide more protection than lightly colored ones. Find hats that have protection built into them.
- Be aware that umbrellas and shade trees give only moderate protection from ultraviolet light. They don’t protect you from light that is reflected off of sand, snow, concrete and other surfaces.
- Avoid tanning oils. These essentially cook your skin.
- Be conscious of your medications. Certain medicines can make your skin extra sensitive to sun exposure, including tetracycline, diuretics and even herbal formulations such as St. John’s Wort.
Call us today to schedule your complimentary consultation. See you soon.
Stop the Squinting: Be Smart About the Sun
Herewith, a crash course in U’s and V’s…or, in other words, how sunny is it and what do I need to do about it?
The Ultraviolet index is a measurement of the strength of UV radiation at a particular time and place. It’s a standard scale used around the globe, with a range of 0 to 11.
- 0-2: This is considered low danger, but the Environmental Protection Agency recommends sunglasses and broad spectrum SPF 30+ protection. Also, avoid bright surfaces (sand, water) that can reflect and intensify UV rays.
- 3-5: Moderate danger. Seek shade during the height of the sun, at midday. Wear protective clothing, hat, sunscreen if outdoors, and reapply sunscreen every two hours.
- 6-7: High risk. Reduce time in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Follow protective measures as above.
- 8-10: Very high risk. Follow above.
- 11+: Extreme. Avoid the sun or if you have to be outside, follow the above.
As we know, prolonged exposure to the sun can cause early wrinkling and brown spots, and puts you at risk for skin cancer. While most of us enjoy being outside in the summer, not many of us really want to have old-looking skin, or illness. Staying safe while spending time in the sun is an easy thing to do. It may just require a little extra awareness and preparation on your part. Remember, tanned skin is damaged skin…and who wants that.
Here is some more specific information for protecting your skin and keeping you looking young, beautiful and healthy, particularly when the UV rays are at their most dangerous.
- Stay indoors between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when the burning rays of the sun are at their height. There are two types: UVA rays cause aging and wrinkles and contribute to skin cancer. UVB rays cause sunburn and skin cancer.
- Go nowhere without sunscreen:
- More is better, so don’t scrimp. Make sure that it has a SPF of 30 or higher and it says “broad spectrum” on the label, which means that it will handle both UVA and UVB rays. Also, be sure that it is water-resistant, and that you apply it all over your body 15 to 30 minutes before leaving the house.
- Use sunscreen even when it is cloudy outside, when you are driving in a car and inside a window. UVA rays penetrate clouds, glass and water, so when you’re swimming, make sure to apply plenty of waterproof sunscreen.
- If you wear foundation, apply the sunscreen first and let it absorb before continuing with your makeup.
- Don’t forget the lip balm. SPF 15 or more is best.
- And, don’t forget the tops of your ears, hairline, the “V” of your chest, nose, hands and tops of your feet. Eighty percent of skin cancer occurs on the head, neck and hands.
- Wear protective clothing, including hats, sleeves and sunglasses. Dark, tightly woven fabrics provide more protection than lightly colored ones.
- Be aware that umbrellas and shade trees do only so much. They give moderate protection from ultraviolet light, and they don’t protect you from light that is reflected off of sand, snow, concrete and other surfaces.
- Avoid tanning oils. These essentially cook your skin.
- Be conscious of your medications. Certain medicines can make your skin extra sensitive to sun exposure, including tetracycline, diuretics and even herbal formulations such as St. John’s Wort.
If you suspect that you have sun damage, call our office to schedule a complimentary consultation. We’ll suggest specific treatments that can help to minimize the appearance of wrinkles and brown spots.
See you soon.
