Nobody’s perfect. Often, the help we seek improving our appearance improves our health, as well.
[radiating good health]
Glowing skin radiates good health and vitality. To rev up your skin for the new year, follow these skin-care tips from local experts.
Dr. Joseph Muccini, dermatologist, MidAmerica Skin Health & Vitality Center:
When we talk about a glowing complexion, we think of someone who is healthy and youthful with undamaged skin. So how do you achieve this appearance of vitality when you’re not so young anymore?
Products help. Have a reasonable cleansing regimen and a good moisturizer. Maintain an intelligent approach to exfoliation and use vitamin C serums and retinols. These measures address one or more features associated with aging: wrinkling, roughness and non-uniform skin tone, such as brown or copper blotches.
Microdermabrasion, the medical equivalent of sandblasting the skin, also helps the appearance of aging skin. Peels and dermaplaning can help, too, as can more aggressive laser treatments. Operated by a physician, an ablative laser removes the top layer of skin to smoothe, tighten and rejuvenate skin.
Figure out how far you need or want to go with treatment, enlist the aid of a professional, and then ask what you need to keep your skin looking good following treatment.
Donna Marie Macdonald, skin care aesthetician, Nicole’s of Ladue:
There are three components that lead to glowing skin: exfoliation, makeup and lifestyle. A chemical exfoliation uses an acid or enzyme peel to remove dead skin cells that dull its surface. A mechanical exfoliation uses a tool to eliminate buildup on the face and improve skin texture. Microdermabrasion and dermaplaning are mechanical exfoliation techniques. Microdermabrasion uses a diamond-tipped wand, and it also can help to even out skin tone. Dermaplaning uses a blade that also removes the downy vellus hairs on the face, which makes makeup easier to apply.
I like to use illuminators to fool the eye and make skin look brighter. I use it on top of the cheekbone, on the eyebrow bone, along the center of the face, or all over the face to give it a reflective glow.
Lifestyle—diet, nutrition and exercise—also affects the complexion. Salmon, berries and low-fat dairy are good for skin health. Smoking, sun exposure and a sedentary lifestyle are not. In my 30-year career, I’ve found that too much sun is the No. 1 inhibitor of healthy skin.
[hair-raising ideas]
Thinning on top? Learn what works and what doesn’t for hair loss.
Dr. Larry Samuels, Specialists in Dermatology & Cosmetic Medicine:
There are six things unrelated to hormones or genetics that can cause hair loss: smoking, sun damage, stress, excessive alcohol consumption, an imbalanced diet and bad hair-care products. Quit smoking: it’s not good on any front. Wear a hat on sunny days to protect your scalp from the sun. Minimize stress, which aggravates hair thinning. Because hair is 97 percent protein, a man should consume at least 60 grams of protein daily; a woman, 50 grams. Both should consume 25 percent more if they are prone to thinning hair. Eggs, fish, cheese, milk and red meat are good sources of protein and essential amino acids. There are 19 essential amino acids needed for hair growth. Contrary to public opinion, biotin does not promote hair growth. If you have a true biotin insufficiency, you’ll have other, far more serious symptoms, including neuropathy and seizures. Choose shampoos with a pH of 3.5 to 5.5, which is compatable with the scalp’s acid balance. Hair transplants, Rogaine and low-level laser (light) therapy also can be helpful.
Dr. Richard Moore, medical director, The Lifestyle Center:
Three therapies have been approved by the FDA to make hair healthier, follicles thicker and block hormone effects. They are Rogaine (minoxidil), laser therapy and Propecia (finasteride).
Rogaine is a topical product rubbed on the scalp twice a day for five minutes. It works, but compliance is an issue. Some people don’t follow the directions, partly because they don’t like how it makes their hair or scalp feel. Laser therapy can be delivered three ways: you can sit under a laser at a clinic, or use a laser comb or laser cap at home. The laser and laser cap require two to three treatments a week; each session lasts 20 to 30 minutes. The laser comb requires daily use. You section your hair, and pass the comb through each zone for 10 to 15 seconds. Depending on the type of laser cap, you can move freely about or be hooked to an electrical socket. Propecia is a pill that blocks the production of DHT, a hormone that kills hair follicles. It’s approved for men only. Side effects, although rare, include decreased libido and erectile dysfunction.
[how to banish varicose veins]
They ache, they swell and they’re unsightly. Check out the therapies that offer quick results.
Dr. Raffi Krikorian, medical director, New Look Vein And Aesthetic Center:
Varicose veins are superficial veins that enlarge and bulge. They are caused by leaky valves within the veins of the legs that allow blood to flow backward and stagnate, resulting in swelling, pain, cramping and leg fatigue. Symptoms usually develop over the course of months or years. Patients may develop skin discoloration, bleeding and leg ulcers, and have a higher risk for developing small clots.
Treatment depends on the symptoms. If there is no bleeding or ulcers, the patient is more likely to have conservative therapy like of leg elevation, compression stockings and pain medications. If that doesn’t help within three to six months, or if the patient can’t tolerate treatment, he or she becomes a candidate for a more aggressive approach. We often call these procedures ‘surgery,’ but they’re not. We use laser or radiofrequency heat to seal and close the vein, or a chemical is injected into the vein to collapse it in a process called sclerotherapy.
Dr. Brian Rubin, professor, vascular surgery, Washington University:
In the past, we used to strip superficial varicose veins out of the body. Today we use thermal ablation, a process that relies on heat energy delivered through the tip of a slender catheter to destroy the targeted veins. Ultrasound is used to guide its delivery.
There are two thermal ablation systems: laser and radiofrequency heat. Both yield equivalent results, but radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is thought to be less painful initially. Treatment with RFA involves destroying a portion of the vein that has a malfunctioning valve. Residual ‘ropey’ branches of the vein are then destroyed with injection sclerotherapy or removed through a microphlebectomy. In this minimally invasive outpatient procedure, tiny punctures are made to extract the varicose veins. Sutures are not needed.
Existing thermal ablation procedures offer quick results with little risk and are typically covered by insurance. Some new and emerging technologies don’t use heat to treat varicose veins, but they’re not covered by insurance. Varicose veins are absolutely a medical issue, although there is a cosmetic component.
[body wraps]
Need to drop some inches quickly? Want to fit into a dress that’s a tad tight? Consider a body wrap, says Tricia Wilkinson, a therapy assistant with the practice of Kirkwood chiropractor Ryan Lewis. Body wraps are popular, spa-like treatments in which a special material, often infused with herbs, minerals or other products, is wrapped snugly around an individual.
“Our body wrap was developed 30 years ago by a UCLA biochemist to enhance the circulatory and lymphatic flow in patients,” Wilkinson explains. But an unexpected perk occurred: people shed inches. “Clients can lose anywhere from 4 to 14 inches overall in a single session,” she says. But the decrease is temporary—unless the patient avoids toxins like fats and sugars. “In other words, the client has to eliminate the bad stuff from their diets and they have to exercise, otherwise their slimmed-down silhouette will morph back to its pre-treatment shape. That’s why we also offer our clients dietary programs to help them keep the inches off.”
Each treatment session lasts about 30 minutes. “The wrap detoxifies tissues, minimizes cellulite and helps slims your shape,” Wilkinson says.
[laser hair removal]
“Fall and winter are a good time for laser hair removal because the skin has less pigment from tanning,” says board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Judith Gurley. “The darker the skin, the less effective the removal.”
No system provides permanent, 100 percent hair removal, Gurley notes. “However, permanent hair reduction is definitely possible. Results depend upon your hair and skin color, the laser equipment used, and the technician. Repeated treatment is necessary to damage the hair follicle at its growth center when it’s in its active phase.”
Look for lasers that perform only hair removal. “That’s important, because they’ve been specifically designed to do that task very well,” Gurley explains. Also, look for a laser with a large platform, she adds. “It treats larger surface areas with every pulse, resulting in quicker, more comfortable treatment.”
Typically, four to seven treatments are necessary for each area. “Stay on your treatment schedule so that hairs are targeted during their growth phase,” Gurley advises. “With the newest platform, we can treat underarms in five minutes, the bikini area in 10 minutes and legs in approximately 30 minutes.” Many men have laser treatments to remove hair from their backs and necks, Gurley notes. “It’s also a good treatment for folliculitis, a skin condition irritated by shaving.
By Mary Konroy
