Smoking - It Ages You

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Sugar causes premature aging

For those of you with a sweet tooth, it is hard to avoid those bags of leftover Halloween candy. Before you dig in, let this thought marinate for a few minutes. When you eat sugar, your body triggers a process called GLYCATION. Glycation occurs when sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins, forming harmful molecules called advanced glycation end products. AGE's are the end result of a chain of chemical reactions involved in the initial glycation reaction, they are also known for their formation into Diabetes - but also occur in other disease processes.

The more sugar you eat, the more AGEs you develop. As AGEs accumulate they damage adjacent protiens in a domino-like fashion. The most vulnerable protein harmed by AGEs is collagen and elastin. These are two protein fibers that keep your skin firm and elastic. In fact, collagen is the most prevalent protein in your body. Once AGEs damage collagen, they become brittle, sagging, dry and start the process of premature aging. 

The damage from a high sugar diet starts for most adults around the age of 35 and increase rapidly after that. This is one of the many reasons getting older really sucks, we just cannot eat the things we want to. 

These studies on sugar and skin damage have been published in the British Journal of Dermatology. 

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Stacey Dash aged well

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Fresh White Mint Body Scrub

This year the mint in our garden is growing exceptionally well. Although there are dozens of varieties of mint plants, I chose to plant only two: chocolate mint and spearmint.

The spearmint will be used exclusively for my culinary extracts. The chocolate mint will go right into a new line of bath products. I like a combination of sugar and dead sea salts in my scrubs.

I will extract the chocolate/mint fragrance oil from the leaves by making an infusion with hot oil and the mint leaves. Infusion typically takes weeks with oils. This way, we can make each mint body scrub without any artificial fragrance oil.

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What to buy Spring 2013

With spring around the corner it is time to clean out our cabinets, throw away anything that has past its expiration date, and try some new products. After many research hours at Sephara, I created a small Amazon store containing my personal recommendations for women and men. Many of the items are cosmeceuicals, meaning, they contain a combination of creams and FDA approved pharmaceuticals. They contain biologically active ingredients having medical benefits.

Please take the time to browse the store, and indulge in a few of my favorite products.

CLICK ON THE STORE BELOW TO SEE MORE

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(¯`'•.¸ ★ ¸.•'´¯) Growing up with Acne

Growing up with acne is extremely painful. I know because I have been there. Between the ages of 13 and 17 my skin looked horrible. Even in my early twenties I had problems. It is no walk in the park.

It is right there smack on your face. Everyone can see it, and you know it. It is a horrible thing to live with.

Adolescents with severe acne become shy, introverted, and many times do not want their photos taken. When I suffered from it there were a lot of myths about acne. I was told that I should not eat chocolate and that I was not washing my skin often enough. Usually the "information" was coming from some person who was not a dermatologist and just spreading misinformation.

Before we begin discussing how to cure it, it is important to explain that acne is often genetic. It is caused by blocked pores. Puberty causes testosterone to raise in girls and boys, this is one of the causes of acne. Working out also increases testosterone production. You will see weightlifters develop acne.

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Laser Resurfacing Amazing Results

This lady had more than one kind of treatment. I think she had thermage, which made her skin firmer, tighter, and created more collagen. She also had a treatment to eliminate the sun damage, find lines. I suspect that she had a surgery under her eyes. The fact that accumulated under her eyes has been removed in some way. 

Whatever she did, the procedure took about 25 years off her face. 

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Aging Celebrities

Some celebrities age better than others. First and foremost, it must be said that everyone ages differently. In these images, I ask my readers to pay close attention to how each person ages. We can tell who has had a drug and alcohol problem, who has used tanning beds and never uses sunscreen. We can tell who lives a healthy life and who does not. Finally - we can tell who is relying too much on cosmetic surgery.

The best aging award goes to: Susan Sarandon, Cindy Lauper, Bon Jovi, Bono, and Bruce Springsteen.

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$1700: Average Cost for Laser Resurfacing

The Winter is the Best Time to get Laser Skin Resurfacing

After you have had your skin resurfaced, your skin will be very vulnerable to UV rays. During dark winter months, presuming you live in the Northern Hemisphere  your skin will be less exposed to sunlight. I recommend getting this work done now rather than any other time of year 

What Is Laser Skin Resurfacing:

Each laser is a little different, some are Co@ lasers, some are Erbium YAG and fractional lasers. There are a few types,  but the general idea is that they remove top layers of skin via focused light energy. Some penetrate into deeper layers of the skin, stimulating collagen growth. Yay! That is what we really want, something to stimulate collagen growth. As we get older our faces start to skin in, and collagen stimulation is the only way to prevent this from happening. The main goal of laser resurfacing is to make the skin tighter, brighter, smother and more even in texture, color and tone. 

Remember that beautiful skin is more than just wrinkles. It is about how your face reflects light. I always tell people do not try to look younger, just try to be a better version of yourself. 

Who Is a Good Candidate:

The best candidates for skin resurfacing are light-skinned non-smokers who are in generally good health and who have a positive outlook and realistic expectations about outcome. You should be free of any active skin infections, including acne. If you have cold sores the dermatologist will prescribe a special medication to take for a few weeks prior to your resurfacing. Laser resurfacing can trigger outbreaks.

If you smoke you should quit for a two weeks prior to surgery. Smoke blocks oxygen to the skin. (It also ages the skin terribly, so if you care about your skin smoking is something you should never do.)

Fraxel Laser Before and After

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Celebrities without Sunscreen: Time Lapse

Susan Sarandon Timeless Beauty

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Warm Winter Body Scrub

It was freezing yesterday. The cold was one of those foggy, trembling, bone splinting types.  Nothing in this world makes me happier than having a hot cup of coffee and a warm bath on these freezing days.

I decided it was time to treat myself to a moisturizing scrub. Here is the recipe:

one half cup finely ground rolled oats
one tbs finely ground coffee
quarter cup Greek Yogurt
one tsp Salicylic Acid (mixed very well)

I mixed the batch up in a mason jar and placed it right next to my warm bath, ready for use. First, I always sit in the water and wash up, this opens my pores so that they respond to the treatment. The Yogurt contains lactic acid. Combined with salicylic acid we have two fold chemical exfoliation.

Scoop up a small amount of oatmeal scrub and massage it into your skin. The finely ground oats and coffee will provide enough physical exfoliation to remove dead skin. The acid dissolves the fibers connecting the cells. This is a perfect combination of physical and chemical exfoliation. Rub just until it starts to feel uncomfortable, then stop.

Rinse with warm water. Immediately after the bath, pat the excess water. This is when I use my massage bar, lotion bar, or body lotion. The pores are still open, there is a short window so lotion up quickly.

My skin still feels very soft.

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Winter Hair and Scalp Treatment

If you live in a northern State like I do, then you know that winter will only be getting worse for us. The bitter cold will leave our lips chapped, skin cracked, and hair dry and brittle.

Depending on how dry and damaged your scalp and hair are, I recommend treating yourself to a hot oil treatment. I do it once a week.

Here is my recipe:

One tablespoon olive oil
One tablespoon jojoba oil
Three drops vitamin E oil
one half teaspoon of ascorbic acid.

Mix well. The ascorbic acid (vitamin C) should dissolve completely into the oil. Heat the oil for a few seconds in the microwave. Do not let it boil. Mix well, make sure it is hot to the touch. You can heat it by placing it in a cup of boiling water.

Apply the mixture generously to your hair, massaging it deeply into your scalp and the ends of your hair. Pile your hair up, then put on a shower cap. Leave the hot oil on your hair for one full hour.

When the hour is up, rinse out the oil and wash it with a very gentle shampoo. Do not over wash, just wash it enough so that you do not have an oily head all day long. Some hair stylists say that you should rinse with ice cold water. I do not agree. Your hair contains absolutely no living cells. It does not react to cold or hot water. Think about it this way, hair is nothing more than dead keratin. It is bundles of rod-like fibrous structures that do absolutely nothing. Rinse with whatever water you like. So long as the water is not green, don't worry about the temperature.

If your hair is thinning, check out the Rogaine Hair Treatment for ladies. They will help you grow more hair, without any problems or dependency.

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Why I love Retin A

Why I love Retin A

I am in my thirties, and my skin looks fantastic. I do all the right things for my skin. I wear sunscreen everyday, exfoliate, apply natural masks and practice good hygene. I eat antioxidants and apply topical antioxidants to my skin. But I also have a little secret. Every winter I use Retin A.

When I first discovered Retin A I was a teenager. I needed it to treat my acne. My grandmother started using it to reduce her wrinkles. I did not start using it again until years later. This stuff is proven to increase collagen production. Collagen is a protein, when we age the fibers loosen.

“To my knowledge, this is the only drug for which there has been crystal-clear demonstration that it works on the molecular level,” said Dr. John J. Voorhees, the chairman of the dermatology department at the medical school of the University of Michigan.

The problem with Retin A is that it is very uncomfortable to use. Many people give up quickly. My advice is to keep using it, even with the redness and flaking. It is worth every cent, and one of the few skin care produces that really does work.


Every winter I start using Retin A. It is my way of building up collagen and reducing the appearance of fine wrinkles. I just finished one week of Retin A and my face is finally starting to recover. It has been red, irritated, and flaky.

When I put lotion on my skin during the Retin A treatment it starts to burn. I do not know what is happening or why my skin hurts so much when I apply lotion.

This is something I do only once a year because I cannot tolerate the discomfort. My skin feels very tight and dry during the treatment. When it is finished, my skin looks refreshed and beautiful. I can say that there is a noticeable difference. I use Retin a during the winter months because during treatment, the skin is extremely sensitive to UV light.

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Sculptra - an amazing transformation

Sculptra Aesthetic is by far one of my favorite anti-aging injectables. It is not an overnight miracle, nor will you see the effects of it quickly. It will give you subtle results over time, as more time goes on, the more noticeable the results. Sculptra replaces lost collagen giving you a more natural looking appearance. This is a much better alternative to a face life. 

A full treatment of Sculptra Aesthetic, an average of three injection sessions over a few months, can last more than two years.^* So you have more time to see how sensational subtle can be. Discover anti-age for the modern age.

Sculptra Aesthetic is a new type of facial injectable made from poly-L-lactic acid, which helps to replace lost collagen. It helps correct shallow to deep facial wrinkles, and folds,^** that appear with aging by replacing lost collagen. The main ingredient is a biocompatible, biodegradable synthetic material that has been used by physicians for decades.

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Five Ways To Prevent Acne

Acne can be one of the most difficult problems adolescents go through. I know this will sound ridiculous to many of us. After all, we are adults and live in a world with real adult problems. Acne hardly seems like the thing to worry about. For children aged 12-18, severe acne is an emotionally painful thing to go through. Girls can hid it under layers upon layers of foundation and powder. Boys are not so lucky. 

It is humiliating to have a face covered in acne. Children also become reclusive, shy, and even unwilling to pose for photographs. They know people are looking at their skin. Their self-esteems are vulnerable, without good parenting, this can become a major problem.  

I do not think children should be expected to suffer acne. We know that it is caused by hormones and stress. We know that it is not caused by diet or eating too much chocolate. If parents have the money to invest in medication or treatments, it is money well spent. 

Acne can leave permanent scars. Sometimes the scars are so deep that the only way to fill it is by injections. Why even let it go this far? There are five ways to prevent acne.

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Cool Weather Skincare

I browsed through several YouTube videos looking for basic winter skin care videos that I could plug into this blog. To be honest, I was not happy with a lot of them. I did find one video that I think is worth sharing with my readers.

The video is by amodelrecommendations. She discusses basic winter skin care and recommends some products. I am linking her video because I think her advice and recommendations are sound.

Low humidity is common during the cold season in many parts of the United States causing irritated, dry, cracked skin. We also see a lot more cracked, chapped lips. Surprisingly our skin does age in the winter months. Here are some of my personal winter skincare and anti-aging tips.

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Fall Skin Care

As the days grow shorter, the temperatures drop, and the air becomes drier, your skin may lose precious moisture. Autumn is a time of transition, and the best autumn skin care routines will correct any summer damage that has occurred and prepare your skin for winter.

Sun, chlorine, and saltwater may have taken a toll on your skin throughout the summer, so fall is a time to exfoliate and moisturize.

Follow these fall skin care tips for fabulous, healthy skin:

• Ditch the soap. Fragrant soapy scrubs might feel (and smell) wonderful after a day at the beach, but they leave your skin dry. When fall arrives, switch to a soap-free hydrating cleanser. It’s time to put away the gels and bring out the creamy body wash.
• Exfoliate with an oil-based scrub. The summer sun and chlorine may have left your skin feeling dry and flaky. Start the new season off with a full-body exfoliation session. Oil-based scrubs are wonderful because they exfoliate and hydrate.
• Switch from lotion to cream. As the air becomes drier, your skin needs a thicker moisturizer. Creams provide a stronger oily barrier, which means they both reduce water loss from the outer layer of skin and provide hydration to this layer of skin at the same time.
• Protect your lips. Start moisturizing now to prevent dry, cracked lips this winter. Use a non-petroleum based lip balm for best results.
• Invest in hand cream. Hands often become dry and cracked during fall and winter. An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. Start moisturizing your hands now to ensure soft, supple hands all winter long.

Original Post By A Woman´s Health http://awomanshealth.com/fall-skin-care-tips/

http://awomanshealth.com/fall-skin-care-tips/

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How To Get Perfect Skin For School!

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Naomi´s August Eye Make-Up Recommendations

Click on any of the items featured below to find my Late Summer and Fall 2012 recommendations

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Skin Cancer Rates By State

Here is a quick look at skin cancer rates across the United States of America. Next, we are going to take a look at skin cancer rates by county in Washington State.

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