More Vibrant Skin…Try Juicing!
By Kathryn M. D’Imperio
Did you know that your diet contributes greatly to the clarity and condition of your skin? It’s true. Pay attention next time you eat an entire candy bar by yourself, or take notice of your skin’s tone and texture if you opt for a better diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, salads, healthier foods, and lots of water. Natural skin care at its best...
Nutritional consultant and author Elaine Wilkes, N.C., M.A. offers a delicious tip to getting radiant, glowing skin. In her book
Food Choices Made Easy! Finally A Summary of What All The Health Experts Say!
, Wilkes provides helpful tips compiled from hundreds of health advisors on how to get skin that looks and feels healthy and young. Tips she delves into include advice on weight loss, great foods to eat and those to avoid, and money saving tips, to name a few.
So what is the secret to smooth, healthy, youthful skin?
Wilkes points to a fabulous beverage recipe as the answer.
“Believe me, I have tried everything,” Elaine Wilkes says. “But, doing this tip, I have had strangers come up to me and ask me why my skin looked so healthy. Say goodbye to weary skin with juicing.”
Elaine Wilkes is also a Certified Practitioner of Metabolic Typing, which means she matches people’s nutrition to their metabolism, taking into account their genetics, personality, blood type, etc. She recommends creating a juicy cocktail for a vivacious skin tone and healthier complexion, and to help anyone achieve glowing skin.
“Combine fresh green vegetable juices such as cucumber, celery, kale, parsley, spinach, and a little bit of apple for a delicious taste, into a juicer,” she instructs.
Wilkes also suggests also adding lemon and ginger for a yummy zing.
“Soon, you will notice a glow to your new, plumped-up, radiant skin,” she details. “For more added benefits, drink half your weight in ounces of water each day. Beautiful skin is about what is going on inside your body. Nourish your inside with these tasty, healthy juices and your skin cannot help but look terrific. Oh, and you'll feel great, too.”
For healthy skin that looks and feels great, make a conscious effort to improve your diet. Also take the time to practice a regular cleansing routine, and engage in a realistic exercise program. These commitments to yourself will give your body and skin the boost they’ve needed to get on and stay on the right track.
Skin Care Tips Search
Natural Skin Care
Foundation Tips and Tricks
Tips and tricks on choosing and applying the right foundation
By Anna Lynn Sibal
When you are putting your makeup on, you are like creating a painting on the canvass that is your face. Your makeup is supposed to add color and enhance the best features of your face.
Your makeup will not work, however, if the base upon which you are putting your makeup looks all wrong and is not applied properly. The base I am referring to is your foundation. The purpose of the foundation - turn back the clock - is to cover the skin of the face and to lend upon it the appearance of smoothness. Thus, it is important that the foundation you choose to use is the best for your skin.
Here are a few tips and tricks on choosing and applying the right kind of foundation for your skin.
You should always go for the natural look whenever you are applying your makeup, so your foundation should match the tone of your skin. How do you know if the color of your foundation matches your skin tone? You do this by putting some along your jawline. A foundation has the perfect color for you if it blends well with your skin, so much that it practically seems that you are not wearing any foundation at all. If the color of your skin changes, go ahead and change the color of your foundation. Also, to know for certain if you are picking the right color of foundation for your skin, always test the foundation under natural light.
When applying foundation, just pat the stuff down on your face and then spread it out smoothly with a sponge. Cover your face entirely with foundation, including your eyelids and your lips. Take care not to pull at the skin, especially at the thin skin around the eyes.
If the skin is dry, it will only absorb the foundation soon after it was applied. Therefore, make the foundation last longer by applying moisturizer first beforehand. If your face is oily, make sure that your moisturizer is oil-free; also opt for a powder foundation if you have oily skin. Another thing you can do to make the foundation last longer is to set it with loose powder whose color matches the color of the foundation.
If you have blemishes that you wish to hide, like pimples or dark spots, smooth a concealer on the blemishes first before putting the foundation on - five-minute makeover. Avoid putting too much powder or color on these areas where the blemishes are in order not to attract the eyes upon them.
Makeup in the evening is always brighter and more special - perfect party makeup. For added glamour, blend shimmer powder along with your foundation and apply it to areas on your face that you want the light to shine on to emphasize the best features of your face.
Always use products with sunscreen protection. That is a must in order to provide protection for your skin and to keep it from getting damage from ultraviolet exposure.
Natural Face Lift - The power to look young is in our hands.
By Anna Lynn Sibal
Aging - turn back the clock - is a fact of life. It is an inevitable process that we cannot really escape from as the years take their toll on our bodies. But despite this inescapable fact, there are a lot of women who spend a great deal of time, effort and money to keep themselves looking young regardless of their real, chronological age. It is largely due to our youth-oriented culture, where beauty always translates to youth.
Trying to look young is not really bad at all. After all, who does not want to look young for as long as she can? It is just that most of the methods available right now to keep those wrinkles and sags at bay are too expensive and too effort-intensive. Anti-aging creams and lotions are good for keeping the skin looking young, healthy and wrinkle-free, but what about the sags? It seems that the only way to get rid of those sags is to go under the knife and have a face lift.
A surgical face lift is expensive and scary. A lot of times, it also looks unnatural. There are not a few cases where one glance at a woman's face immediately tells the beholder that the woman has had a face lift. What is the use of undergoing that procedure if it looks so crassly obvious?
Thankfully, there are ways of having a face lift that looks natural and is inexpensive. Most of all, we do not have to have a surgical procedure done on our face to have that youthful-looking visage - get glowing. It only involves a few minutes of our time on a day-to-day basis, and it could be done while we are driving and waiting for the red light to turn green, while watching TV, or while putting on our face creams in the morning or at night. It is called facial fitness.
Facial fitness is an exercise regimen that involves working out the muscles of the face to prevent them from sagging. It works on the same principle that if we exercise the muscles of our body, then the muscles will become toned and the skin will visibly improve.
The muscles of the face also need to be exercised. If they are let alone, they just sit there on our faces, lengthening and thinning as the years come upon us, giving us that sagging and tired look as we age. With the facial fitness regimen, the facial muscles undergo resistance training, and the skin is pulled and pushed so the muscles are contracted. Eventually, the skin is lifted with all the pushing and pulling, taking away the sags and smoothing out the wrinkles from our faces.
Another benefit of undergoing a facial fitness regimen is that making the muscles of the face contract increases blood circulation to the face. With improved blood circulation to the face, more oxygen and nutrients are brought to the cells and tissues of the facial muscles and skin. Therefore, it would look healthier and whatever damages that our facial tissues have sustained are more easily repaired.
Having a regular facial fitness routine brings us a natural face lift. With a natural face lift, we do not have to undergo surgery just to keep ourselves looking young. The power to look young has become literally in our hands.
Alpha Hydroxy Acids: Good or Bad?
By Anna Lynn Sibal
The term “alpha hydroxy acids” is becoming more and more of a popular term among those of us who are conscious of the beauty products that we use for our skin. There are even some beauty companies out there that use the alpha hydroxy acid content of their products as a focal point for their marketing campaigns. But just what are alpha hydroxy acids?
Alpha hydroxy acids, or AHA for short, are compounds that are taken from sugars found in milk and fruits. Alpha hydroxy acids are known to be effective in rejuvenating the skin, making wrinkles disappear and heal the damage caused by photoaging on our skin. AHA does this by exfoliating dead cells off the skin, which in turn encourages the skin to grow cells to replace the old ones. AHA also induces the production of elastin and collagen, the compounds responsible for the reduction of wrinkles and the suppleness of the skin.
Alpha hydroxy acids can now be found in a wide range of beauty products – eye creams, moisturizers, foundations, toners, cleansers and facial masks.
However, just like any other skin product, AHA should be used discriminatingly, because it is not a miracle potion. If used incorrectly or used too much AHA can irritate the skin. Ironically, as much as AHA can cure photoaging damage, it can also increase the skin’s likelihood to get damage from photoaging. Pigment scarring is also associated with the excessive use of AHA.
Thus, it is very important to exert care when applying alpha hydroxy products on our skin. The best way to do it is to choose one or two products among the number of products that we use for our skin to contain AHA, then use other beauty products that do not have AHA. This will decrease our chances of getting our skin irritated.
Better have those two products that you need to contain AHA to be your exfoliant and your moisturizer. AHA, after all, basically works as an exfoliant, and moisturizer is always left on to let the skin absorb it. The skin must absorb the AHA ingredient of the product in order for AHA to work; thus, using cleansers with AHA do not make sense. Cleansers are just washed off before the AHA can be absorbed by the skin.
Always, always, always use a sunscreen when using a product with an active alpha hydroxy acid ingredient. Remember that AHA increases our skin’s vulnerability to damage from sunlight. Applying sunscreen generously on the skin, especially the part of the skin treated with AHA, is a definite must in order to protect the skin from the negative effects of exposure to sunlight.
Because too much alpha hydroxy acid can be dangerous to the skin, better use a product with only the right levels of AHA in it. The ideal AHA concentration in any product should be around 5% to 8%, and with a pH level of three or four. Any more can do more damage than good for our skin.
Alpha hydroxy acids, on a reasonable level, are good for the skin. Care in their use should be exerted, however, or else a good thing can only become bad.
Natural Look - If you want the gorgeous yet understated look.
By Anna Lynn Sibal
Putting on makeup can be a daunting task for women who are not really adept at the art of makeup and are not familiar with the right techniques and with picking the right colors for their skin tone and eye color. Common fears include choosing the wrong colors for the skin or colors that do not match the outfit, putting on too little or too much, or botching the makeup altogether. Instead of putting on makeup, there are women who opt for just the ordinary face powder or talcum powder and a dash of lipstick (which may or may not be the right color for their lips either), and then they are done.
Makeup is supposed to enhance the features of our face rather than to cover it, and nothing is more alluring than what is known as the natural look. For those who do not know much about makeup, or know nothing at all, achieving the natural look is pretty easy. The key to doing it is matching the color of your foundation with the tones of your skin, as well as using shades that go well with the undertones of your skin.
A quick tip: when buying foundation, test the match of the product with your skin tone by applying it against your jaw line and letting it on your face for a few minutes. Go ahead and see how it looks like in daylight, rather than in artificial light to see how well it goes with your skin. The perfect foundation for you blends well with the color of your skin, so much that it is hardly noticeable.
If your skin has beige tones. If your skin has beige tones with a touch of peach or pink, the colors you should go for are shades of peach, pink and apricot for your lips and cheeks. Cover up whatever blemishes you have on your skin with a concealer before applying the foundation, and then dust the foundation off with matching loose powder. Make sure that your foundation has SPF because skin like yours burns easily under the sun. Also, try not to put on too much makeup on your face because too much will look harsh on your skin and make you look older. Finish off with a shimmering peach or pink lip gloss.
If your skin has olive tones. If your skin has olive tones, the best way to go is with foundation with warm colors like golden brown. Skin with olive tones is also generally oilier than most, so try to stay away from foundation with shimmer in it to reduce the shine. For a sun-kissed look, apply a touch of bronzer on the apples of your cheeks, the bridge of your nose and a little on your forehead. For your lips, outline it with a nude-colored lip pencil, and then apply clear gloss.
If your skin has yellow tones. If your skin has yellow tones, stay away from ivory or pink for your foundation and stick to warmer hues with a yellow base. Also, avoid using powder foundations; yellow-toned skin tends to get dry and flaky, and so powder foundations will only emphasize this unnecessarily. Finish with a light cream blush, colored pink, on the apples of your cheeks, and a light pink gloss for your lips.
To get a smoother finish on your foundation, apply moisturizer on your skin first as a base. Remember to put on only the right amount of moisturizer and dab off any excess with tissue. Too little moisturizer will make it hard for the foundation to blend, and too much will make your makeup run off your skin.
Achieving the natural look is easy. You don’t have to be a makeup wiz to do it, and it is perfect for those who want the gorgeous yet understated look.
Indulge yourself in weekend cleansing programme
Every now and then, ideally once every four to six weeks, it is a good idea to devote a whole weekend to yourself. Tell partners and friends that you are otherwise engaged, or ask your husband or a friend to look after the children. If you feel you cannot spare a whole weekend, at least try to get a full day. Giving time to yourself should be an empowering experience, but it may feel strange at first.
The aim of this programme is to enable you to take stock of your body. You could use the weekend to lose a little weight, to detoxify your body of needless substances, or simply to re-establish a balance in your life. Don’t expect to feel totally different after one weekend; this is just one small positive step.
If you suffer from any medical conditions such as diabetes or cancer or regularly take any medication, you should check with your doctor before you engage on a cleansing programme, as you may need to modify it slightly to accommodate your specific needs.
Planning Your Time
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BOOK A BEAUTY TREATMENT
The first stage, a week or two ahead, is to book a massage, facial or pedicure, either at a local salon or, if possible, by a beautician who will visit your house. In some areas there are companies who will come to your home and give you a ‘health farm’ –style beauty, exercise and food routine. However, if you are not used to it, you will probably find that one pampering treatment is enough. You may like to consider asking a friend to join you, either for your beauty treatments or for the day, but make sure she is someone you can relax with.
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INDULGE YOURSELF
Stock up with new magazines, one or two books and your favourite music, so that you can lie back in the comfort of your own home and completely indulge yourself. Treat yourself to some new beauty products: for the bath or shower, for your hair, nails or skin. If you are going to try the natural face packs, don’t forget to shop for the ingredients beforehand.
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SHOPPING
The day before, go to the shops or markets and buy plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits. Make sure that your refrigerator and cupboards are well stocked, so that you can easily prepare food that is both appetizing and healthy, such as a fruit shake or vegetable soup. I suggest you buy bunches of fresh herbs and plenty of limes and lemons, as these will help to make your salads and cooked vegetable dishes even more delicious. Also make sure you have a good-quality virgin olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper to make dressings for your salads.
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EXERCISE IS OPTIONAL
Some of you may like to combine the cleansing weekend with visits to your local gym. This would be excellent, but is not essential as the aim of this programme is to get you to feel energized by food.
General Guidelines
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EAT REGULARLY
Even though you will be eating different types of food during this weekend, it is important for you to eat regularly. This will help to protect your gut from stomach acids and keep a steady flow of food through your bowel muscles. Also, if you let yourself get too hungry, you are likely to give in to a craving for something less healthy.
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PREPARE DELICIOUS FOOD
Devoting time to making something delicious for only yourself to enjoy should be a major priority. This weekend there is no need to worry about other people’s needs, but many women feel that it is not worth the effort of preparing something special just for themselves. This shouldn’t be so – you’re worth a lot. Think of cooking or preparing delicious vegetable and fruit dishes as an empowering activity.
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ENJOY YOUR MEALS
Think about the presentation of the meals and take time to enjoy them. In the winter you might like to take your food outside and sit in the garden under the sun. In summer, make sure the house is warm enough for you to relax without having to have lots of clothes on.
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AVOID HIGH-PROTEIN FOODS AND CARBOHYDRATE
Just for two days, try to keep off protein-rich foods such as meat, game, chicken, fish, shellfish, eggs, cheese, dried beans and lentils and nuts (although a few nuts will not hurt), and carbohydrate foods such as bread, potatoes, rice and pasta. Of course they have their place in a balanced diet, but two days of not eating these foods will not harm you. You will be amazed how well you feel after two days of eating just fruits and vegetables – flavoured with honey or sugar, and delicious oils and vinegars.
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AVOID CAFFEINE
Caffeine prevents your body from absorbing many vitamins and minerals from the fruits and vegetables you will be eating. Since the aim of this weekend is to boost your health and energy, it would be better to avoid tea, coffee, hot chocolate and cola-based drinks. If you have been a heavy caffeine drinker you may suffer from a mild headache for a couple of hours when you stop drinking it. It is not recommended that you drink decaffeinated tea or coffee as these frequently contain chemicals, which not only make the drink taste strange, but their effect in the body is not fully known. Instead drink plenty of water, herb teas, fresh fruit or vegetable juices.
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AVOID ALCOHOL
Alcohol isn’t bad for you, but in a weekend where we are trying to get you to feel full of energy, try to avoid it. This will give your liver a rest as well as enable your body to regain its natural energy balance. It is fine to use alcohol to poach fruits, or to splash into vegetable soups, as long as it boils for at least a minute or two: the alcohol evaporates off, leaving its lovely flavours in the food.
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MAKE A HEALTH PLAN
Take this opportunity to plan how you can keep the next few weeks healthy and less stressed. Making lists of things to do, blocking out time for yourself and organizing the shopping so your cupboards are stocked with good foods, can all help keep you on the straight and narrow.
Remember to examine your body regularly. Get advice on how to examine your breasts and do this at least once a week. Don’t just rely on your doctor to pick up problems: you know your body better than anyone, so keep in contact and you will notice if things are changing. Report any changes or worries to your doctor.
Choosing a beauty salon
The beauty salon is not only a place where women go to have their hair and nails done, but is also a center for community news, confessions and general "hen parties." Choosing a beauty salon is a process most women (and even men!) will undergo some time or the other in their life. Now-a-days in order to attract customers, beauty salons invest a lot into advertisement, exterior and interior design. However don’t let a catchy advertisement or stylish couches in the waiting room influence your choice of beauty salon.
Some of the criteria one should take into account when deciding on a salon include:
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Highly Trained Experienced Personnel
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Clean Premises
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Modern Quality Equipment
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Quality Trustworthy Professional Beauty Products used for treatments
Before you make an appointment at a beauty salon make a tour. This way you will have a chance to look at the premises, get to know the personnel better and get a feeling about the facilities. Ask as many questions as you need to make sure you will get a high quality treatment.
The first place to start in choosing a salon is to evaluate what needs to be done. A woman just wanting her hair trimmed may go to a different salon than one who wants a permanent, coloring, or other more extensive services. If she needs her hair cut quickly and that day, she might be better off going to a walk-in salon, rather than trying to get her regular stylist to work her in on short notice. For other services, a woman may want to think about a full-service, by-appointment-only salon. This means that she will have a stylist who is expecting her, knows what she wants done, and is not under pressure to squeeze in more clients.
Women should choose a beauty salon based on their ethnic background. This may sound strange, but different ethnic groups have different hair and skin needs. A salon that has a primarily African-American clientele, for instance, will be much better versed in working with the unique needs of Black hair. A white stylist may not be as familiar with these needs. Similarly, various cultures have various perception and various accepted "rules" about skin-care procedures. For example, in Western cultures it is commonly accepted that a facial mask should not touch the areas of eyes or lips either when applied or when taken away. But this is not necessarily a rule in some other countries. Salons also may carry different products, depending on the ethnicity of their clients. A full-service salon in a large city will probably have a multi-racial clientele, but smaller shops in smaller cities may not.
Another, factor which you might like to consider is location. How close the salon is to your home, whether they have a clean and up to date store front appearance, and whether the stylists and employees are friendly and considerate.
Price of the service is another thing you will have to consider depending upon your budget. Of course, you'll want to ask about the price of services and take note of whether the service is done efficiently and with courtesy.
If you're new to trying out a beauty salon, inquire about their familiarity with a certain look or type of technique that you're interested in trying out. Also, it helps if you can find someone who gets to know you and the styles you might look best in - that way you can come back to them on a regular basis for continual hair and beauty care.
Finding a beauty salon that works for you may take a bit of interviewing and effort. Through the suggestions provided above you'll be able to narrow your focus to those that would best suit your needs.
Remember, you are about to entrust your health and beauty into the hands of a beauty salon esthetician. You have every right to request information about the education, training and experience the personnel at a beauty salon have.
Skin Care for Diabetics
Some of these problems are skin conditions anyone can have, but people with diabetes get more easily. These include bacterial infections, fungal infections, and itching. Other skin problems happen mostly or only to people with diabetes. These include diabetic dermopathy, necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum, diabetic blisters, and eruptive xanthomatosis.
Diabetes can hurt your skin in two ways:
If your blood glucose is high, your body loses fluid. With less fluid in your body, your skin can get dry. Dry skin can be itchy, causing you to scratch and make it sore. Also, dry skin can crack. Cracks allow germs to enter and cause infection. If your blood glucose is high, it feeds germs and makes infections worse. Skin can get dry on your legs, feet, elbows, and other places on your body.
Nerve damage can decrease the amount you sweat. Sweating helps keep your skin soft and moist. Decreased sweating in your feet and legs can cause dry skin.
Tips to take care of your skin:
There are several things you can do to head off skin problems:
Keep skin clean and dry. Check places where water can hide, such as under the arms, under the breasts, between the legs, and between the toes. Use talcum powder in areas where skin touches skin, such as armpits and groin.
Take good care of your feet. Check them every day for sores and cuts. Wear broad, flat shoes that fit well. Check your shoes for foreign objects before putting them on.
Avoid very hot baths and showers. If your skin is dry, don't use bubble baths. Moisturizing soaps may help. Afterward, use a standard skin lotion, but don't put lotions between toes. The extra moisture there can encourage fungus to grow.
Prevent dry skin. Scratching dry or itchy skin can open it up and allow infection to set in. Moisturize your skin to prevent chapping, especially in cold or windy weather. Also, drink lots of fluids, such as water, to keep your skin moist and healthy.
Wear all-cotton underwear. Cotton allows air to move around your body better.
Treat cuts right away. Wash minor cuts with soap and water. Do not use Mercurochrome antiseptic, alcohol, or iodine to clean skin because they are too harsh. Only use an antibiotic cream or ointment if your doctor says it's okay. Cover minor cuts with sterile gauze. See a doctor right away if you get a major cut, burn, or infection.
During cold, dry months, keep your home more humid. Bathe less during this weather, if possible.
Use mild shampoos. Do not use feminine hygiene sprays.
See a dermatologist (skin doctor) about skin problems if you are not able to solve them yourself.
Keeping your diabetes under control is the most important factor in preventing the skin problems associated with diabetes. Follow your health care provider's advice regarding nutrition, exercise, and medication. Keep your blood glucose level within the range recommended by your doctor. Proper skin care can also help reduce your risk of skin problems with diabetes.
Winter Care for your skin
Winter often spells disaster for your skin. It looks rough and chapped, feels tight and drawn. What should be one of your greatest assets becomes one of your biggest beauty problems. You have to take extra care for your skin during this season and with our tips you will find that having a beautiful skin is not that difficult after all.
Your mission: remove less oil and moisture, and add extra oil and moisture as needed.
Keep your whole body hydrated. Drink approximately 64 ounces or more of water daily. Limit the amount of caffeine and alcohol you intake; these act as diuretics releasing fluid from the body.
Protect your skin from sun damage. Apply sunblock, preferably SPF 25 or higher, as a part of your daily skin care routine all year long. Remember to apply to all parts of your body that will be exposed during the day: face, arms, neck, etc.
Take warm-not hot showers or baths or at least reduce the amount of time. While this may not seem best during the cold winters it will actually help prevent the amount of natural acid mantel that is stripped off by the hot water which leads to dry skin. A soak in a warm bath amply infused with sweet almond or jojoba oil would be a soothing and skin-nourishing way to end the day.
Ditch your usual soap and use an emollient-rich beauty bar, such as Dove or Oil of Olay. Cleanse gently and don't soap up dry parts such as legs and arms.
Smooth on body oil or lotion as soon as you get out of the shower, to trap in the shower's moisture. Apply petroleum jelly on problem areas to seal in moisture and heal very dry skin. This includes your face -- petroleum jelly is noncomedogenic (it won't clog your pores) and very soothing.
It’s also a good idea to exfoliate once a week to get rid of flaky skin. Use a type of scrub that’s made for your skin type – and always remember to be gentle. Exfoliating gets rid of built-up dead skin cells and exposes a fresh layer of skin ready to suck up all the moisturizer you're going to apply when you step out of the tub.
After any bath or shower you should always apply a good quality moisturizer to help keep your body's natural oils sealed inside. You entire body should be moisturized daily so that it doesn't dry out, even those areas that are covered during winter can get dried out as a result of the central heating.
Use a humidifier to maintain at least 30 percent humidity in your home. With the heat on and the windows closed, the air inside can become very dry in the winter, making the dryness and itching of eczema even worse. If you don’t want to invest in an expensive humidifying system, smaller, relatively inexpensive humidifiers can be obtained at a local drug store. Placing two or three of these around your home will help to humidify the dry air. This can keep skin from drying and becoming cracked and itchy.
When you wash your hands, slather on hand cream immediately afterward to trap in moisture. Also, wear gloves when you're outside, to protect against cold, dry air that evaporates moisture from your hands.
Wear Natural-Fiber Clothing: Synthetic fabrics and wool can be very irritating to dry skin, so opt for soft cotton clothing instead. If you need to wear wool to keep warm, wear a long-sleeved cotton shirt or turtleneck underneath to provide a "buffer zone."
Stop Licking Your Lips: When our lips feel dry, we lick them. Of course, this only leaves them more chapped. Keep a tube or jar of lip balm with you at all times, and apply every time you get the temptation to lick those dry lips.
These tips which if executed, will lead to moisture, healthier skin this wintertime. With a little preparation and extra skin care, there is no reason why you need to suffer from "winter skin."
Caring Tips for Oily Skin
Regardless of your age, oil - also known as sebum – is always produced by the sebaceous glands. Located deep within the second layer or "dermis" of the skin, these glands are most plentiful in the face, neck, chest, head and back . To get from the glands to your skin, the oils flow into nearby follicular pores, and eventually works its way to the surface. Here it plays a vital role in the health of both skin and hair by giving hair that healthy sheen and helps keep skin plump and hydrated . But in some folks too much oil is produced. Skin and hair no longer look healthy, but instead, greasy, slick and even dirty.
Tips to manage oily skin
The first step is proper cleaning. One thing that needs to be remembered is that oily skin requires gentle cleaning because harsher the cleansing, the more likely the body is to respond by producing more oil. In fall and winter when skin is naturally drier, you'll benefit most from a super gentle cleanser. In warmer months, when perspiration can combine with sweat to make skin harder to clean, you may need a more thorough, deep cleaning product.
Secondly, never over-wash oily skin, even if your cleanser is gentle. Twice a day is usually enough. Too much washing will stimulate your skin to produce more oil.
Avoid soap, since most types strip the skin of all natural oils. That squeaky clean feeling people get from using soaps is derived from stripping the fatty oils from your skin and is more harmful than good.
Once a week, use a clay mask to help clean deep down into your pores. This will help to clean off any extra oil and dead skin cells. Again, be sure to use this only once per week, or you skin will increase its oil production to compensate.
Try incorporating alpha hydroxy acid (AHAs) creams into your daily skin care regimen. AHA creams increase production of collagen and hyaluronic acid which in turn helps in relation to moisture – plus they treat superficial lines and wrinkles so you also get a rejuvenating effect.
If your skin feels overly dry after you wash and apply an acne treatment or astringent, then a moisturizer would be a good idea. Avoid moisturizers with cocoa butter and minerals oils; instead, look for a light, oil-free version, also labeled as noncomedogenic.
Astringents and toners can also help – although the results are temporary, so application may have to be repeated more than once a day. Choose an astringent that contains acetone, which is known for dissolving oil. Strong astringents will do more harm than good, stimulating an overproduction of oil.
Cosmetic products known as "anti shine" primers can also help by forming a layer between skin and make-up that works to absorb excess oil as it's being secreted.
If nothing seems to work, there are also several professional treatments that can help. These include prescription topical and oral drugs like Retin A, Differin, Tazorac or Accutane. Accutane works the longest and has both immediate and long-term results.
Sunscreen is still important! If you do not have at least SPF 15 in your moisturizer, then make sure to find a sunscreen that is formulated just for the face. Gel versions are the best for those with oily skin.
Make-up for oily skin
Just because you have oily skin doesn't mean you have to stop wearing makeup if you so desire. Look for oil-free foundations and loose powders. Using a makeup primer product can help to keep oil at bay and your makeup in place for hours. Applying loose powder throughout the day can help to keep your makeup looking fresh while absorbing any extra oil from your skin.
To prevent the problem of your makeup becoming patchy either on the forehead, chin or nose due to excessive oiliness in these areas, apply a little cucumber juice on the excessively oily parts of your face, dry thoroughly and then apply your makeup. If your whole face turns patchy after makeup is applied on it, then apply equal parts of lime juice and witch-hazel. Dry well before putting on your makeup.
Shingles: symptoms, cause and Treatment
Causes
Shingles is a second eruption of the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes chickenpox.
Varicella-zoster is part of a group of viruses called herpes viruses, which includes the viruses that cause cold sores and genital herpes. Many of these viruses can lie hidden in your nervous system after an initial infection and remain inactive for years before causing another infection.
Anyone who's had chickenpox may develop shingles. If your immune system doesn't destroy the entire virus during the initial infection, the remaining virus can enter your nervous system and lie hidden for years. Eventually, it may reactivate and travel along nerve pathways to your skin — producing the shingles. However, it's most common in older adults: More than half the shingles cases occur in adults over 60.
A person with shingles can pass the varicella-zoster virus to anyone who hasn't had chickenpox before. This usually occurs through direct contact with the open sores of the shingles rash. Once infected, the person will develop chickenpox, however, not shingles. The infection can be serious for certain groups of people with immune system deficiencies. The varicella-zoster virus cannot be spread to another person with a normal immune system who has already had chickenpox.
Symptoms
The first symptom of shingles is often extreme sensitivity or pain in a broad band on
one side of the body. The sensation can be itching, tingling, burning, constant aching, or deep, shooting, or "lightning bolt" pain.
Typically, 1-3 days after the pain starts, a rash with raised, red bumps and blisters erupts on the skin in the same distribution as the pain. They become pus-filled, then form scabs by 10-12 days.
Fever and chills
Headache
Upset stomach or abdominal pain
The rash disappears as the scabs fall off in the next 2-3 weeks, and scarring may result.
For some, pain can be intense, with just the slightest touch causing severe pain. Sometimes the pain can be mistaken for other problems or diseases, such as kidney stones, gallstones or appendicitis, depending on its location. Some people experience the pain without the rash, which makes diagnosing shingles more difficult.
Although the shingles rash may resemble chickenpox, the virus typically causes more pain and less itching the second time around.
Diagnosis
Before the shingles rash appears, diagnosis of this condition may be difficult. Symptoms of shingles can mimic other conditions. The initial symptoms may include itching, numbness, tingling, or pain on one side of the body or face. During this stage, the pain may be so severe that it may be mistaken for kidney stones, pleurisy, gallstones, appendicitis, or even a heart attack depending on where the affected nerve is located on the body.
Your doctor can distinguish shingles from chicken pox, poison ivy, or other types of rash by the way the lesions are distributed on the body. The blisters of the shingles rash generally appear in the pattern of a band (dermatome) on one side of the body.
In addition to looking at how the rash appears on your body, your doctor may also take a scraping or swab of the blisters to send to a laboratory for analysis, beyond which, no further test will be required.
Treatment
The goals of treatment for shingles are to:
Shorten the duration of the eruptive stage or rash
Speed up healing of the lesions
Relieve patient discomfort
Shorten the duration of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) or pain associated with shingles even after the rash is healed.
There is no cure for shingles, but treatment may shorten the length of illness and prevent complications. Treatment options include:
Antiviral medicines, sometimes in combination with corticosteroids, to reduce the pain and duration of shingles.
Pain medicines, antidepressants, and topical creams to relieve long-term pain.
Topical creams containing capsaicin may provide some relief from pain. Capsaicin may irritate or burn the skin of some people, and it should be used with caution. A new skin patch containing a 5% lidocaine solution is the only prescription medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration specifically for the treatment of the pain associated with PHN. However, patients with severe PHN may be ordered a nerve block through transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), which involves sending electrical impulses to the affected nerves to block the pain sensation.
Things you can do to promote healing of the shingles rash and reduce the pain:
Apply cool compresses over the zoster lesions or take a cool bath twice a day
Avoid exposure to warm and hot water because this could lead to further itching
Cover shingles lesions with a clean cloth or loose-fitting gauze after cleansing
Trim fingernails to reduce the chance of bacterial infection from scratching
Avoid wearing tight clothing over the rash because this could irritate the rash
Prevention
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a vaccine that may help prevent shingles or make it less painful if you do get it. The shingles vaccine is known as Zostavax. One dose is recommended for adults 60 years of age and older. Ask your doctor about the availability of this vaccine. Zostavax has not been studied in people who have already had shingles. It’s not known if the vaccine will prevent shingles from occurring again. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recommend this vaccine for people who have already had shingles.
If you have never had chickenpox, you may avoid getting the virus that causes both chickenpox and later shingles by receiving the varicella vaccine.
Skin Changes During Pregnancy
Causes of Skin Changes During Pregnancy
Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy can produce a wide range of skin changes: from stretch marks to acne to darkening of the skin. Most of these changes disappear shortly after delivery.
Acne. During early pregnancy, some women develop acne, especially those who were prone to breakouts during menstrual periods before becoming pregnant. On the other hand, some women find that acne improves during pregnancy.
Bluish or blotchy legs. For some women, especially those who live in cold climates, increased hormone production can cause temporary discoloration or blotchy skin in the legs. This usually disappears after delivery.
Chloasma ("mask of pregnancy" or melasma). Some women experience a brownish darkening of the facial skin. This change is called the “mask of pregnancy.” The pregnancy hormones estrogen and progesterone stimulate the melanin cells in the skin to produce more pigment, yet because these cells do not produce extra pigment uniformly, your facial skin may acquire a blotchy tan. It is more common in women with dark hair and pale skin. The woman usually has brownish, uneven marks on the forehead, temples and middle of her face. Sometimes the marks appear around the eyes or over the nose. The darkened areas may get even darker when exposed to sunlight. These marks usually fade completely after delivery.
"Glowing" skin. The increased volume of blood causes the cheeks to take on an attractive blush, because of the many blood vessels just below the skin's surface. On top of this redness, the increased secretions of the oil glands give the skin a waxy sheen. The result of these two factors may be a healthy “glow.”
Itchiness. Many pregnant women have itchy skin, particularly around the belly and breasts during the second and third trimesters. This happens as the skin stretches to adapt to your body’s growth.
Linea nigra (dark line on the belly). Many women normally have a faint linea alba (white line) running from their navel to the center of their pubic bone. It is barely visible before pregnancy. (You may not have even known it was there). Sometime in the second trimester a linea alba becomes a linea nigra, a dark line that is much more noticeable. For many women, extra pigment (coloring) in the skin causes a dark line to appear, running from the navel to the pubic area. This line fades after delivery.
Nails. For some women, hormonal changes may cause the fingernails and toenails to grow faster than usual or to become brittle or soft.
Puffiness. During the third trimester, your eyelids and face may become puffy, usually in the morning. This is because of increased blood circulation. This condition is harmless. But if you have puffiness along with a sudden weight increase, contact your health care provider to rule out other potential problems.
Rashes. Many women perspire more during pregnancy because of the effect of hormones on the sweat glands. This can increase the chances of getting heat rashes. Late in pregnancy, some women also develop harmless but itchy red bumps on the belly. These can spread to the buttocks, arms and legs, causing discomfort.
Red or itchy palms. Increases in the hormone estrogen may cause your palms to become red and itchy. For some women, this may also affect the soles of their feet, called palmar erythema. The increased color is nothing more than a curiosity of pregnancy. Like most skin changes that occur during pregnancy, the redness should fade after delivery.
Skin tags. Some pregnant women develop tiny polyps, called skin tags, in areas where skin rubs on clothing or skin rubs together. Commonly found under the arms, between neck folds, or under bra lines on the chest, skin tags are caused by hyperactive growth of a superficial layer of skin. Skin tags do not go away on their own after delivery. A health care provider can easily remove them.
Stretch marks. As the breasts and abdomen grow, most women develop stretch marks across the belly and breasts. These small, depressed streaks of differently textured skin can be pink, reddish-brown or dark brown, depending on the woman’s skin color. Some women also get them on their buttocks, thighs, hips or breasts. These marks are caused by tiny tears in the tissue that lies just below your skin and helps the skin stretch. There is no way to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. They usually fade and become less noticeable after delivery. You may see creams to treat stretch marks in the drug store. It isn’t clear whether these creams work.
Spider veins. Some pregnant women have spider veins on the face, neck, upper chest or arms. These small, red spots have lines branching out from them. Spider veins are tiny blood vessels that appear because of increased blood circulation. Hormonal changes may cause them. Known as nevi, these burst vessels can be camouflaged by the appropriate use of make- up. Nevi take longer to disappear than many of the other skin problems of pregnancy, some spider veins on the legs or torso may not go away on their own. A dermatologist can remove them using injections if you feel that's necessary.
Skin darkening. In most pregnant women, hormonal changes cause darkening of skin that is already darker than the rest of the woman’s skin. This darkening may be most obvious in freckles, moles, areolas (colored rings around the breast nipples), nipples, labia (the genital tissue outside of the vagina) and the inner thighs. Some of this darkening may fade after delivery. But these areas are likely to remain darker than they were before pregnancy.
Skin Changes: What You Can Do
Many skin changes during pregnancy are unavoidable. Most disappear on their own after delivery. These tips may help reduce or treat common skin problems that occur during pregnancy:
Skin cleansing. Good skin cleansing is the best way to avoid or treat acne breakouts. Wash your face with a mild cleanser two or three times a day. Don’t wash too often or the skin may become dry, aggravating the problem.
IMPORTANT: Do not take any acne medications or over-the-counter treatments without checking with your health care provider. Some of these are not safe for pregnant women to use. Accutane (also called isotretinoin, Amnesteem and Claravis) is a prescription medication used to treat severe acne. It is a member of a family of drugs called retinoids. Accutane and other retinoids can cause very serious birth defects.
Sun protection. Your skin is more sensitive during pregnancy. Good sun protection is very important at this time. Sunlight can darken pigment changes in your skin and increase your chances of getting “mask of pregnancy.” Use a good sun block, cover up, and wear a hat when outside. Limit the time you spend outdoors between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Make-up. Cover-up and foundation can help hide dark streaks or spots on the skin. Avoid make-ups that contain mercury. Look at the label to see if the make-up contains mercury.
Stretch marks. You won’t be able to avoid stretch marks entirely. It will help if you gain only the recommended amount of weight (usually 25 to 35 pounds), and do so slowly.
Moisturizers. Moisturize your belly and your breasts to reduce itchiness and dry skin. To avoid skin irritation, use unscented moisturizer. Use mild soap when washing. Avoid hot showers or baths. They can dry out the skin.
Excessive heat. Heat can intensify itchiness and rashes. When you go out in warm weather, wear loose-fitting, cotton clothing.
When to Talk to Your Health Care Provider
Most skin changes during pregnancy are harmless and painless. A few conditions might require medical attention:
Severe itchiness. Severe itchiness, particularly in the third trimester, can be a sign of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). This is a liver problem that affects a very small percentage of pregnant women. Symptoms include severe itchiness all over the skin and sometimes nausea, vomiting, fatigue, yellowing of the skin and loss of appetite. Talk to your health care provider right away if you feel that you might have this condition. ICP does not harm a woman’s health, but it can hurt the baby. Women who have ICP are more likely to have stillbirths or to deliver prematurely. Premature babies are at increased risk of health problems and lasting disabilities. ICP usually goes away on its own after delivery.
Skin darkening with other symptoms. Certain types of skin darkening can be a sign of a serious problem. Let your health care provider know if changes in skin color are accompanied by pain, tenderness, redness or bleeding, or if you notice any changes in the color, shape or size of a mole.
Puffiness of the eyelids. Some puffiness of the eyelids is normal during the third trimester. But contact your health care provider if you suddenly gain five pounds or more. This could mean that you are retaining too much fluid and have high blood pressure.
Always talk to your health care provider before using any medicated creams or ointments to treat skin problems. Some are unsafe during pregnancy.
10 Tips to Stage a Spa Treatment at Home
The following tips will help you set the stage for a top-notch spa treatment in the comforts of home:
1. Spa Thermal Unit:
Use a miniature cooler to store hot towels. Simply immerse the towels in steaming hot water, wring them out, and then store them in the cooler where they'll remain hot for 10 to 15 minutes. You can also microwave wrung-out towels for a minute or less and then place them in the cooler.
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2. Spa Bowls:
A quart-sized plastic or glass bowl on hand to hold water, body baths, salts, algae and other spa ingredients.
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3. Wrapping Sheets:
Use a sheet to help the process of purifying herbs, creams or oils as well as to protect furniture and other surfaces in your home. The best choices are natural muslin or pure, unbleached cotton sheets.
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4. Insulating Sheets/Blankets:
To stay warm while cocooned in rich seaweed or while absorbing pure essential oils, use warming wraps. The best choice for blankets is, of course, wool, but other fabrics will insulate sufficiently as well.
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5. Skin Brush or Loofah:
Exfoliation is a key word in the home spa experience. To exfoliate the skin, a dry skin brush or a loofah is a must.
Avocado Moisture Scrub
Avocado, high in fat and oil, is very therapeutic for dry skin.
You'll need:
2-3 fresh avocado pits
1 cup (250 ml) milk, water, or yogurt
Yield: 1 treatment
To make:
Let the avocado pits dry for a few days, but not to the point of becoming rock hard (or they will break your spice mill). Using a spice mill or coffee grinder, grind the dried avocado pits to create a grainy, mealy powder. Add the water, milk, or yogurt to the powder and mix to form a paste.
To use:
Sitting or standing in the bathtub or shower, pat avocado paste all over your body using a circular motion. Start from the tips of the extremities and work toward the torso. Don’t forget to apply this mixture to your face, too. Leave on for 10 minutes, then shower, first with warm water, then cooler water. Pat dry.
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6. Towels:
Towels, towels and more towels. Spa treatments can be towel intensive and it may be best to invest in a set just for home spa use. Many of the treatments may require two or three towels and it is important to keep one towel on reserve as your designated "spa towel" to wipe up any mess and clean away excess oil during massage.
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7. Robes:
A robe and slippers are suggested dress-attire at most professional day spas. It's also a good idea to have a robe hanging on a nearby hook when you are pampering yourself at home. This is one area to splurge on as nothing feels quite the same as a high-quality bathrobe.
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8. Cotton Pads and Cotton Swabs:
For application and removal of just about any product, especially around the face, large circular pads are the best.
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9. Scrubs/Masks:
You can make your own natural masks and lotions! There is something for everyone. If you have oily skin, problem skin, or even normal skin, these treatments will deepen your glow. To make the rosewater or orange water that are listed in some of the ingredients for these spa treatments, simply simmer rose petals or orange petals in steaming water for approximately ten minutes. Use a 2-quart saucepan of water and add a handful of petals. To preserve the orange or rose water, add alcohol. Use 3 pints of rose or orange water to 1 pint of alcohol. * Place in a bottle and store for up to a month. For longer storage, freeze mixture.
Any number of fruits, grains, herbs, minerals, and vegetables can be used alone or in combinations to make scrubs. Most substances that are safe to eat are also safe to use on the skin, provided you do not have an allergy.
Lemon mask for oily skin
You need:
1/4- 1/2 cup of Potter's Clay, 1 Lemon (equivalent lemon juice concentrate)
For this mask you need a ball of potter's clay or any other type of clay. Make a ball with the clay in the palm of your hand, filling your palm. Squeeze lemon juice into the ball, and roll it around in your hand. This is great for battling oiling skin. Place the mask on face, and allow it to set for 15-20 minutes. Rinse it off with warm
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10. Bath salts:
Bath Salts are an easily prepared alternative to bath herbs, and are to be preferred to the mixtures now on the market; most of these chemical-ridden formulas are almost guaranteed to irritate your skin.
Bath salts are used for many different purposes. The basic ingredients are table salt, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) & Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate). Some herbalists also use borax.
To make mix:
3 parts Epsom salts
2 parts baking soda
1 part table salt (or borax)
Essential (scented, herbal/floral) Oils
Tip: try it with vanilla extract
Mix thoroughly using your hands to stir the ingredients.
Its wise to add colors to bath salts. Use plain food coloring for this purpose, letting it fall drop by drop onto the salt base. Also, add the essential oils drop by drop, one ingredient at a time, until the scent seems right. using your hands and fingertips, mix it until all salt particles are moistened. To use, add from 2 tablespoons to one-half cup of the bath salts to a full tub. Mix with your hands into the water. Relax, enjoy!!
NOTE: For bath salts place in a deep wide rimmed container, don't use a small bottle neck as the salts may
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Rosemary Lotion (oily skin):
1 oz. Rose petal or rose water ,1 Tbsp. Egg white ,1 oz Rosemary tea
Mix all ingredients until smooth, and apply the solution to your face. Leave it on for 20 minutes, and rinse with cool water. This oil-free lotion is especially good for moisturizing oily skin. *This lotion can not be stored. It must be made fresh for each use.
For a complete relaxation experience, re-create a spa hydrotherapy bath at home. First, you'll need to create your escape. Surround the tub with candles and the essentials, including towels and a bath pillow. Add the peaceful sound of soft music. Fill the tub with hot water; 104 degrees is the maximum. Next, add ten drops of special essential oils such as lavender or juniper for a calming effect. Step in and soak for twenty minutes, remembering to breathe deeply and enjoy the moment. When finished, pat yourself dry with a towel, leaving some of the bath's moisture to soak into skin. Now is a perfect time to slip into a comfortable robe and do nothing for 20 minutes.
Augmentation Mammoplasty (AM)- Cosmetic Breast Surgery
No exercises, creams, or machines can change the size of your breasts.
Breast surgery can enlarge small breasts using implants, reduce the size of large breasts, or lift sagging breasts.
Keep in mind
Any surgical procedure done on your breasts will leave scars. Surgeons can hide many scars by making the incisions under the fold of the nipple. Before you make a decision about having breast surgery, ask your doctor to show you some photographs so you can see what the scars will look like.
Some forms of breast surgery, especially breast reduction, can make it impossible to breast-feed. If you are concerned about not being able to breast-feed, talk to your surgeon before you have any type of breast surgery.
Many women have one breast that is slightly larger than the other.
Some women's breasts differ so much in size that their bras and other clothing do not fit properly and they feel self-conscious. A surgeon can perform surgery on one or both breasts to make them look more alike. Your surgeon will help you decide whether you would feel more comfortable making the smaller breast larger (using a breast implant) or making the larger breast smaller.
Breast Enlargement
Breast enlargement technically called Augmentation Mammoplasty (AM) is a surgical procedure to enlarge small breast or breast that has lost their fullness by inserting a synthetic implant under the skin or muscle of the chest.
For patients with mild to moderate breast sagging, it will also improve the shape of breast and the positioning of the nipple. The breast enlargement surgery is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures.
Breast implants usually feel like a natural breast.
The major disadvantage of implants is that they sometimes become surrounded by scar tissue that makes the breast feel hard, or areas around the nipples or the incisions feel numb.
Reasons for Augmentation Mammoplasty
Aesthetic or cosmetic reasons for breast enlargement include:
Feeling that the breasts are simply too small or out of proportion
Loss of breast volume after pregnancy
Difference in size between the two breasts
Breast size that has reduced after losing weight
Breast surgery may also be offered to women having surgery for breast cancer or other rare conditions affecting the size and shape of the breasts.
Types of implants
All breast implants utilize a silicone shell but the fillings differ, either gel-filled or saline-filled. The gel filled implants contain high cohesive gel, which is more cross linked than a standard silicone gel and provides a higher resistance to flow. If the implant shell is ruptured, the inside gel will rarely escape (not leak).
The outer silicone shell, which give the prosthesis its elasticity and integrity, may be smooth (shiny polished) or textured (finely rough) surface. The breasts, augmented with textured implant, providing a disruptive surface for collagen interface, have a lower tendency to develop contracting capsules than the breasts augmented with the smooth implants.
Breast implants may not last a lifetime and the rates of rupture in saline filled implant is higher than the gel filled one.
The preferable shape of the implants should be, low to moderate profile (projection), providing natural upper fullness as well as nice cleavages of your new breasts.
Brands available are - PIP and Sebbin (from France).
Deciding on the Size of breast implants
The implant should not be too small or too large in comparison to the patient's chest wall dimensions. The goal is to augment the breasts to a size that is in better proportion to the physique and to maintain a very natural look. There are many factors effect the such as your original cup, your expected cup and your physique including the chest muscle.
If you have board chest, especially the position of your nipple is far apart, the selected size of implants should be rather big with low to moderate profile (wide base dimension) to get a closer nice cleavage.
If you have some degree of breast sagging, the selected size should be quite big with moderate to high profile, providing upper breast fullness and also improving the nipple position.
If you have little breast tissue and/or very thin skin, the proper size should be chosen carefully (for example: not more than 280cc.). Too big implant may cause abnormal thinness of skin (translucency) or visible and/or palpable wrinkling (rippling) in an implant.
Before surgery
Talk with your surgeon about the results that you desire-.
Inquire what types of implants are available and discuss the advantages of each.
Ask your doctor where he or she will make the incisions to best hide the scars. The most common incision site is in the fold under the breast. Another possible location is around the outer edge of the areola. When the procedure is performed properly, it should not affect the sensation in your nipples or any other part of your breasts. Although loss of nipple sensation is rare, it is possible, especially when a very large implant is used. No breast implants or breast enlargement procedures have been linked to breastfeeding problems. Breast enlargement is sometimes done through an incision in the armpit, which reduces the risk of loss of sensation in the nipples and does not leave a scar on or under the breast. However, this procedure is more difficult because the implant must be inserted over a longer distance to its final position in the breast. In rare cases, the implant may done up slightly too high.
Endoscopy has made it easier for doctors to perform this type of breast-enlargement procedure.
The common incision sites are:
1) Under the arm (auxillary):
2) Around the nipple (periareolar):
3) Within the fold under the breast (inframammary):
4) Umbilical or navel (transumbilical): This incision results in a single hidden scar (no breast scars) and no chance of causing difficulty with breastfeeding. Only inflatable implants are used in this procedure. Implants must be inserted entirely deflated and inflated only after they are in place.
The location of the implant-under the chest muscle or over it - is a personal choice.
Placing the implants submuscularly can help reduce the chance to get capsular contracture and also visible/palpable wrinkles in an implant, which are related to the thinness of the overlying tissue cover (skin and breast tissue). Besides, implants placed under the chest muscle interfere less with detection of tumors on a mammogram. In some cases, a surgeon may feel that a more natural shape is possible when the implant is placed over the muscle. You and your doctor together can determine the best option for you.
The Surgical procedure
Breast enlargement surgery is performed in an outpatient surgery facility or in a hospital operating room and usually does not require an overnight stay in the hospital.
You are likely to be given local anesthesia to numb your chest and a sedative to relax you during the procedure. General anesthesia to put you asleep during the surgery is an option. The procedure takes about 11/2 to 2 hours.
For breast enlargement, the surgeon makes an incision at the predetermined site (in your breast or armpit) and separates the tissues to create a pocket for the implant.
The newly formed pocket may be rinsed with an antibiotic solution to reduce the risk of infection.
During the procedure, your surgeon may tilt the position of the operation table to observe the effect of gravity on the position of the breast when your body is upright. The surgery takes 1 to 1.5 hour.
The surgeon then inserts the implant and closes the incision with stitches. Tape and a gauze bandage may be applied after the incision is closed and you may be dressed in a special bra that provides good support and light pressure to reduce swelling.
Recovery & After care
After breast enlargement surgery, you may feel substantial discomfort or pain, especially if the implant is placed under your chest muscle. If your pain is severe, your doctor can prescribe pain-relieving medication. You can bathe normally soon after the surgery. The stitches will be removed after about a week, but the area will still be swollen and bruised. Each breast may heal at a different rate. Most of the swelling is likely to subside within 6 weeks. The scars will be pink for about 6 weeks and will begin to fade in about 6 months.
Avoid sexual arousal for a week after the procedure because it can increase blood circulation to the breasts and cause swelling. After that, sexual activity without breast contact is fine until your breasts no longer feel sore - about another 2 to 4 weeks.
The patient is requested to have early breast exercise to prevent the breast firmness (capsular contracture). There are two main technique for exercising, which are pressing and squeezing technique. The aim is to maintain the space around the implant as well as prevent the thickness of surrounding capsule (capsular contracture). Only gentle manipulation of the implants is recommended, the proper time should be between 15-20 minutes 2 or 3 times a day. You may adjust your own schedule later if your breast contour improves satisfactorily and there is no resistance while exercising.
Complications
Although breast enlargement is a simpler form of surgery than other cosmetic breast procedures, complications can occur. Many women who have breast implants have them replaced in another procedure at some time in their life, usually because of capsular contraction.
Capsular contraction occurs when the tissue surrounding a breast implant becomes tight, forming a capsule around the implant and causing the breast to feel unusually hard. Some women are not bothered by this hardness; others find it extremely uncomfortable and unattractive. You may feel a firmness in your chest when you hug someone or when you lie on your stomach.
To correct this problem, the surgeon may need to perform a procedure called an open capsulotomy in which he or she reopens the incision and makes a cut in the tissue capsule to relieve the pressure. If this procedure does not provide sufficient relief, the implant and the surrounding scar tissue will be removed. The scar tissue may adhere to the breast tissue, making removal difficult.
Implants that contain saline (salt) solution have a lower rate of capsular contraction than silicone implants.
Various other problems can occur with breast implants. Your nipples may feel overly sensitive or less sensitive than before; both conditions are likely to improve over time. Implants can sometimes leak. Saline that leaks from an implant is safely absorbed by your body. Although research has not found a link between silicone from breast implants and illness, in most cases in which a silicone implant ruptures or leaks, a surgeon will recommend replacing it with saline-filled implant. If you have silicone implants that are not painful, hard, leaking, or causing you any other problems, you do not need to have them removed.
Infection, as manifested by swelling, tenderness, redness and fever, is an extremely rare complication of breast-enlargement surgery.
If an infection develops, the implant must be removed and the surgically created pocket must be cleansed thoroughly. A new implant can be inserted after about 3 to 6 months.
Hematoma formation, which is manifested by enlargement and discoloration of tissue, may, if happened, need to be removed. Meticulously stop bleeding, surgical tube drainage and postoperative pressure bandage are important to prevent this sort of complication.
Rupture of the implant
For saline filled implant, if the implant shell is ruptured, there is a rapid change in shape of the implant and you absolutely need to change the new one.
For standard silicone gel, if the implant shell is ruptured, the escaping gel is usually contained by the scar envelope in the surgical pocket and may be undetectable except by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). In case of the high cohesive gel, if the implant shell is ruptured, the gel will normally not escape or migrate from its shell due to a higher resistance to flow.
Implants may interference with Mammography in detection of Cancer-As silicone is opaque to x-ray, an implant may theoretically interfere with the early detection of cancer by mammography as it may obscure part of the breast. Newer techniques of breast compression improve the amount of breast that can be visualized. Alternatively, most surgeons feel that the implant may improve the detection of tumors by palpation.
To obtain a comprehensive packet of information on breast implant issues, request FDA's publication, "Breast Implants, An Information Update," by calling the agency's breast implant information line at 1-800-532-4440. For on-line information, see the Breast Implant Information on this Website.
Skin Care for Exercisers
Exercisers are prone to numerous skin problems caused by increased moisture or friction or damaging elements like cold, sunlight, and infection. Many skin afflictions, however, can be prevented by keeping the skin dry, clean, and protected.
INDOORS
Let's start with the gym. The key word for skin at any time is hydration, but when it comes to aerobic exercise in a hot, stuffy environment such as a gym, drinking an adequate supply of water is not so much a matter of comfort as a matter of urgency. Without vigorous exercise, you normally lose about 2 liters(4 1/4 pints) of water a day, only some of it through perspiration. Adding a good sweaty session at the gym will significantly increase the volume lost.
when you are dehydrated, the blood flow to your skin is reduced, and over time this can result in a kind of grey pallor. In the long term, you will also find that the diminishing number of nutrients reaching the skin affects its daily renewal process, meaning skin can become dry and flaky, and washing several times a day will only exacerbate this. Hardly surprising, the best way to combat these effects not only for your skin but also for your general fitness performance-is to drink more water. Drink 500ml (1 pint) of water around two hours before exercise, then 250ml (1/2 pint) when you arrive at the gym-and around every fifteen minutes during your workout. If the thought of this makes you queasy during exercise, chances are you're already dehydrated. Gym skin also needs extra care on the outside. Exfoliate with a gentle body scrub at least two or three times a week and apply body lotion after showering.
Swimming indoors also brings its own perils. Chlorinated pools leave skin dry, dry, dry-and also leave that lingering 'detergent' smell, so it's vital to wash straight after a dip. Use a highly lathering shower gel (the lather doesn't make you cleaner, but the extra time it takes to wash off means your body's getting drenched with extra water) and apply it twice, rinsing in between, in the same way that you would a shampoo on your hair. Again, body lotion afterwards is a must, but keep chemical fragrances to a minimum- they can add to skin dryness.
OUTDOORS
With all those indoor perils, it may seem as if a run or jog outside in the fresh air would be the perfect way to improve your body and skin together. Oxygen certainly does wonders for radiance-boosting, but there are still some factors to be aware of. If you're jogging in the city, for example, your skin is exposed to pollution, and wherever you're exercising there's always the question of those wrinkle-inducing UV rays. Fine, you might think, I'll just wear an SPF lotion while I run. The problem is that not all skin creams are alike. An SPF is good (factor 15-30 depending on the sun strength and time of day), but make sure you don't use a wax-based formulation. The pores on the face are tiny, and these thick, heavy sun protection creams can be comedogenic (pore-clogging), especially when mixed with perspiration. It's also important to wash your face properly after outdoor exercise. Perspiration mingles with sebum and forms a substance that attracts dirt, and if you don't wash it away, it will literally sit there all day. Hats and clothing made of tightly woven fabric provide fairly good protection against the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. Caps protect the scalp and, to some degree, the face. Broad-brimmed hats afford additional coverage of the ears.
No matter how much water you drink, perspiration is a normal part of exercise-even on the face. keep your facial temperature low by drinking plenty of water, and try a facial mist, too. Also, if you've drunk more than a glass or two of alcohol in the evening, don't exercise the following morning you will sweat much more than you would normally.
Another pore-clogging peril is make-up, but there's one simple make-up rule when it comes to exercising: don't wear any. Not only will it run as you start to perspire (and mascara halfway down your cheeks is not a good look) but the rise in temperature will help it work its way further down into your pores, making it even harder to clean off afterwards. If you can't bear to face the world without even as smattering of colour, look for mineral-based make-ups that are non-comedogenic and won't run, and a water- or gel-based foundation. And as in most situations in life, a little bit of lipstick won't do any harm!
The skin covers the machinery that allows active people to enjoy improved health, so it's important to protect it. Preventive skin maintenance can help ensure years of comfortable exercise sessions.
Caring for Combination Skin
How to care for combination skin
Your aim should be to treat the problem on one area of the face without harming the skin of the other areas. Your first step is cleansing. It’s best to avoid harsh cleansers that are formulated for oily skin or milky cleansers formulated for dry skin and instead use a moisturizing cleansing bar or facial wash. The foaming action of these will help strip through the oil on the greasier parts of your skin but won’t dehydrate the cheeks at the same time. After cleansing, use a gentle exfoliator. Many women with combination skin find they tend to get spots around their nose as the dry flakes of skin from their cheeks stick to the oily areas and so cause blockages. Gentle exfoliation will go a long way to help reduce this.
Exfoliation will loosen blackheads, but for the ultimate blackhead-buster turn to the pore strip – little sticky pads which you place over blocked pores and then pull off. These are perfect for combination skins as they allow you to focus your treatment on the affected area. For best results use the strips every day for three days, then reduce it to just once a week.
Look for products that normalize your skin, such as those that contain alpha hydroxy acids - Alpha hydroxy acids are derived from fruit, milk and sugar cane and have anti-inflammatory properties. When applied to the skin they help remove dead skin cells (exfoliate), giving us a younger appearance.
The final step in your skincare program is your moisturizer, and here you do need to pander a little to your different skin types. During the day, when beating the shine is what counts, you should use mattifying products to soak up the sebum produced in your T-zone without drying out your cheeks. Many companies now sell mattifying products using ingredients like with hazel, talcum or cornstarch to soak up oil without irritation. At night, choose oil-free creams or light moisture lotions which will supply your cheeks with extra hydration without over-stimulating the oil in your T-zone.
Balancing facial for combination skin
This once-a-week treat intensively tackles both the dry and oily area of your skin.
Cleanse your face using a moisturizing facial bar or a foaming cleanser. This will effectively target the oil on the greasy skin of the T-zone, without removing any of the moisture from the dry skin on your cheeks.
Exfoliate to avoid flakes of dry skin clogging pores. Using a gentle facial scrub or a flannel, rub the cheeks lightly. Go more intensely when tackling the greasy areas of the face to help loosen blackheads.
Boil a kettle of water and pour some into a large bowl. Add four drops of rosewater to the bowl- this hydrates the skin and will prevent the steam drying out the cheeks while it tackles the nose. After the hot steam has dispersed, lower your face over the bowl, keeping it 10 inches off the water. Put a towel over your head and stay put for up to 10 minutes.
On big pamper sessions like this one, go for the double mask. Use a hydrating moisture mask to your cheeks and throat and a clay- based mask for the oily areas. Leave the masks on for 10 minutes and rinse with tepid water before applying your normal light moisturizer.
TOP 5 TIPS FOR COMBINATION SKIN
Don’t scrub oily areas – this irritates the skin and increases oil production.
Don’t treat your whole face the same. Your T-zone will require cleansing twice a day, while the cheeks only need doing once. It’s vice versa with moisturizing.
After using pore strips, apply tea tree oil to your nose. It will reduce redness and cut bacteria levels in the pores.
Avoid leave-in hair conditioners. Ingredients in these block the forehead’s pores, making already greasy skin worse.
Don’t forget eye creams: you may need to avoid rich moisturizers on your cheeks, but you shouldn’t skip them on the delicate skin around your eyes.
YOUR 5 KEY PRODUCTS
Cleansing bars
Pore strips
Exfoliating scrub
Oil-free moisturizer
Eye cream
YOUR FACE MASK A rose-based mask is an excellent balancing treatment for combination skin. Use the following ingredients:
1 rose
1 tbsp rosewater
1 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 tbsp honey
Wash the rose petals in water. Soak for a few minutes and then crush them in a bowl. Add the rosewater; yoghurt and honey. Mix well and apply to the skin for five minutes. Rinse off with tepid water.
Astringents: for a clean & beautiful skin
After cleansing, an astringent or toner will remove the last traces of dirt, oil and makeup to clean deep down to the pores. They can also be used to refresh your skin morning and night.
Strong astringent lotions contain alcohol. Surgical spirit, too, is a good astringent but it smells too much. Use of strong astringents is not recommended as they over-dry the skin, leaving it tight and dehydrated. Always use a milder tonic or astringent.
Below are a few home-made astringent preparations for you.
Honey Water
Mix the following ingredients together in a glass jar with an air-tight lid for a week, shaking it twice daily.
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons coriander seed
2 tablespoons nutmeg
1 tablespoon cloves
4 tablespoons grated lemon peel
8 tablespoons alcohol
4tablespoons orange flower water
ฝ teaspoon benzoin, and
ฝ teaspoon storax.
Another, honey water astringent can be made by mixing the following together and keeping it in an air-tight jar for two weeks, shaking it daily.
8 tablespoons sandalwood oil
a pinch of musk or sandalwood chips
1 teaspoon bergamot oil
ผ teaspoon lavender oil
⅛ teaspoon clove oil
4 tablespoon rose water
4 tablespoons orange flower water, and
1 tablespoon honey
Rosemary Water
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons rosemary
peel and pith of a ผ orange
peel and pith of a ฝ lemon
4 sprigs of mint
ผ cup alcohol or witch-hazel (for mild astringent)
ฝ cup rose water
Mix all the ingredients together in a large air-tight bottle and let it stand for 48 to 72 hours, shaking frequently.
Lemon Astringent
Mix the following ingredients together in a large bottle for 24 hours, then strain and use for greasy skin.
4 tablespoons lemon juice or juice of 2 large lemons
ฝ teaspoon peppermint extract
8 tablespoons witch-hazel, and
2 tablespoons alcohol
Camphor Astringent
Mix together in a large bottle ฝ cup rose water, ฝ cup witch-hazel, ฝ cup distilled water, 1 tablespoon camphor spirit and 2 drops blue coloring. To make the astringent stronger, add a pinch of alum. Strain and use to tighten and tone the skin. This recipe is especially good if you suffer from large pores and spots. It can also be used as an after-shave lotion by men.
Why shouldn't people with dry skin use astringents?
An astringent dries out skin.
Thus, it will irritate already-dry skin, causing it to:
Burn,
Itch, and
Become Red
(Symptoms may take up to a few days after beginning to use the product before they become noticeable.)
Astringents are among the leading causes of irritant contact dermatitis (a reaction resembling allergic contact dermatitis, but occurring to local skin only).
Understanding complexion behavior through the years
Your teens
Some teenagers are lucky: their skin stays smooth, blemish-free, small-pored, and without a slick of oil anywhere. I have yet to meet one of these fortunate creatures, yet I am told by dermatologists that they do exist, for most people; however, the teenage years are about problem skin. Blame it on puberty, which causes the body’s sex hormones to go wild, creating body hair, deeper voices, breasts, larger hips, ovulation, and other signs of maturity. Of course, some of these things happen to boys, some to girls. At the same time, sex hormones also cause skin to pump out more sebum. Produced by the sebaceous glands surrounding the hair follicles, the sebum travels to the skin‘s surface via the pores. This sebum, combines with the dead skin cells called the epidermis. Constantly shedding clogs pores, creating blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples.
SKIN DURING PREGNANCY
Pregnancy not only affects a woman’ figure, it can also affect her skin. Whether you’re pregnant or just thinking about it, here’s what your skin can expect:
1. During the first trimester, you may get “the glow” associated
with early pregnancy. This radiance comes from newly created blood vessels just under the skin that carry an abundant supply of rosy-making oxygen to the skin.
2. Sensitivities manifesting them rashes or dry patches on your skin may develop. Just as you may become nauseated by certain foods or odours, you skin may develop sensitivities to any or all of the ingredients. In your normal skin-care products.
3. Acne commonly occurs any time there is hormonal upheaval- puberty, menstruation, and yes, pregnancy. Ask your doctor and pregnancy-care provider about treating acne; many commonly prescribed antibiotics, such as a tetracycline and Roaccutaneฎ, cause birth defects. Tretinoin may also be linked to birth defects, making it sensible to avoid products containing this vitamin A derivative. Formulas with salicylic acid, a skin-care ingredient related to aspirin, are another no-no. However, some doctors say the topical antibiotic erythromycin is safe, as are alpha hydroxy acids.
4. Melasma – the “mask of pregnancy” – commonly occurs during the second trimester. Caused by hormone activity, the condition consists of brown patches on the forehead, cheeks, or above the lip. The hormonal changes of pregnancy make your skin more likely to develop dark pigment when exposed to sunlight. The common dermatologic prescription is sun-avoidance and use of hydroquinone bleaching creams once the baby is born and breast-feeding has stopped.
5. Broken blood vessels are common during pregnancy; they are caused by an increase in the body’s blood volume, which will disappear after pregnancy. Others can be treated by a laser-wielding dermatologist.
Your 20s
The 20s are a transitional period for skin. Some people continue suffering from the spots that marked their teenage years. Other peoples skin becomes normal, for the most part; not to oily, not too dry, with only an occasional spot. You may find you need a light eye cream or even an occasional moisturizer, but your skin is still taut and dewy-fresh. For those prone to them, new moles may begin appearing.
The most surprising changes that may occur during this time are signs of childhood and teenage tanning, such as freckles, maybe a few small broken capillaries, fine lines around the eyes, and even faint discolored patches. Those of you who avoided the sun-lucky you- will probably see none of these signs.
Your 30s
The 30s are a funny time for skin. The complexion still looks firm and youthful, but as you move further into this decade, you’ll notice “things” which seem to appear out of nowhere. I’m referring to fine lines around the eyes, maybe a furrow between the brows the beginning of lines between the nose and mouth, or a subtle looseness under the jaw. More evidence of past sun damage may appear- such as freckles and tan patches—even though you’ve worn sunscreen religiously and kept out of the sun since your 20s.
You may have some oversized pores left over from your teen years or 20s, but you will notice that your skin doesn’t produce the same volume of oil it once did. In fact, your complexion may range from slightly to very dry.
Your 40s
If you’ve taken good care of yourself and your skin (or if you come from youthful genetic stock), now’s the time you conscientiousness (or luck) will show. Your contemporaries may have the beginnings of under-eye bags, deep folds between the nose and mouth, looseness in the cheeks and jaw, slackness at the upper eyelids, furrows between the brows, not to mention possible mottled patches from past sun damage. You, however, may have only a few of these things, and none as severe as your friends.
Your 50s and 60s
As you move into your 50s, the skin glitches that appeared during your 40s grow more exaggerated. Your skin is thinner and less pliable than it once was. This makes it easier for deep folds to settle into those mobile areas of your face, such as the corners of your mouth, between the nose and mouth, and between the brows. If you quickly pinch and release skin on your cheek or under your eye, it takes a while for the skin to return to its original position. Also normal for these two decades: discolored patches and as unevenly colored, mottled skin.
No matter how you’re aging, expect an increase in that soft, fine facial hair older ladies have.
Your 70s and beyond
In your 70s, all the folds, slackness, wrinkles, thinness, and discoloration you noticed in your 50s and 60s grow more exaggerated. Though gravity has been in effect throughout your lifetime, you’ll notice its consequences most strongly in your 70s. As a result, your facial and neck skin will have a looseness about them. Your skin will be dry and have a rough texture. Sensitivities are common during this time, and your may find products you used only a decade earlier may now cause a rash or itchiness.
Alpha Hydroxy Acid: taking the acid test
AHAs are a group of acids, from fruits and other natural substances, that speed cell turnover and improve texture, reduce fine lines and even out skin tone.
AHAs are key to unclogging embedded cellular debris from pores and shedding the outermost layer of dead skin. They work by consistently peeling away dead and thickened areas of the skin, in essence thinning the build-up. If you stop using AHAs, your skin's turnover rate will gradually become more sluggish. With continued use, AHAs improve a wide range of skin conditions including wrinkles, acne, blotches, and brown spots. Other benefits include their moisturising, oil reduction, and pore-cleansing abilities, as well as bleaching properties for lightening discolouration.
Over-the-counter AHA strengths vary from 4-15 percent, but are often neutralised to a degree that they are not very effective - 8 percent is considered the baseline level needed to see results. Sensitive skin type may only be able to tolerate the mildest, like polyhydroxy acids. Gylcolic acid is considered to be the most effective AHA for skin rejuvenation because it helps draw other treatments deeper into the skin. At a low pH, it can also aid in stimulating collagen production within the dermis. As the skin becomes conditioned to AHAs, stronger concentrations can be used.
When trying any new product, use it regularly for at least a month before evaluating its effectiveness. Your skin fluctuates with your monthly cycle. In order to determine whether a product is working, you need to use it during each phase of that cycle. Don't try more than one new product at a time, as it will be hard to tell how your skin responds to any of them. Buy products with adequate labeling: for example, a list of ingredients and the name and address of the manufacturer of distributor. Stop using a product immediately if you experience any adverse reactions, including stinging, redness, itching, burning or increased sun sensitivity.
Natural Exfoliants
Glycolic acid: Most common AHA, derived from sugarcane or made from synthetic ingredients. Because it is a small molecule, it penetrates the skin easily.
Malic acid: Derived from apples and white grapes.
Tartaric acid: A type of glycolic acid that results from the fermentation process used in making wine.
Uses: Exfoliation, reducing surface oils, unclogging blackheads, smoothing fine lines.
Beta hydroxy acid: Also referred to as salicylic acid. It does not penetrate as deeply into the dermis as glycolic acid, so it is less irritating.
Uses: Exfoliation of epidermis, prevention of clogged pores.
Citric acid: Derived from citrus fruits. Acts as an antioxidant on the skin.
Uses: May stimulate collagen production, has mild bleaching properties.
Lactic acid: Comes from sour milk. Works as an exfoliator and to hold water in the skin as a component of the skin's natural moisturising mechanism.
Uses: Softening thick, rough skin, moisturising.
Polyhydroxy acids: considered one of the mildest formulations because they are larger molecules so are limited in the way they can penetrate the skin.
Uses: softening thick, rough skin, moisturising.
If you’ve applied creams with AHAs, then try to protect your skin before going out with a SPF of at least 15.Wear a hat with a brim and cover up with lightweight, loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants.
Facial Yoga: to fight wrinkles naturally
Face yoga comprises of a series of toning and strengthening exercises for the muscles of your face. Exercises include rolling the tongue to make vibrating sounds and exaggerated yawns to release the jaw muscles. It also involves laughing a lot out loud and blowing kisses. Relaxing your face is an important part of yoga because the face is an indicator of tension in the rest of the body.
One of the important yoga exercises for face is one that helps to increase blood circulation, muscle relaxation and relieves anxiety as well as stress. Try to clench or tighten your teeth and open your lips as wide as you can. Stretch your lips, cheeks, chin and neck to their limit. Hold and release.
Face Yoga Poses to Try
Lion Face
Take a slow, steady inhale of breath and constrict every muscle in your body: your toes, your buttocks, your fists — everything. On a slow, steady exhale, relax those muscles, stick out your tongue, widen your eyes and open your hands. Repeat three times. On the last repetition, try to hold the exhale position for 30 to 60 seconds to really stretch your tongue. This is an excellent workout for circulation to the face as well as a great way to release tension in the jaw — which tends to lead to wrinkles.
Inversion
Stand with your legs in a wide stance with toes pointed slightly inward. Bend forward until the crown of your head touches the mat. Gently rest your thumbs on your chin and place your fingers near your cheek. Inversions is recommended for a healthy complexion as the blood pressure in your head rises and the body reacts by lowering your blood pressure level, your heart beats slower and your blood vessels dilate, or relax.
Brow Smoother
Sit in any variation of the lotus position you prefer and place your pointer fingers on the outer edges of your eyebrows. Then slowly and gently pull your eyebrows away from each other, and at the same time, close your eyelids.
Twist Times Two
To develop the muscle tone in your face, twist your face when you twist your body. Once you are in twisted position, lift your cheek and press your lips to the same side your body is twisting. At the same time, gently stretch and relax the muscles on the opposite side of your face. Repeat for other side.
Facial yoga does help in maintaining the emotional and physiological balance, and keeps the mind calm as well. Since it is important to be healthy, everyone in the 18-60 age group, should practice it. Other asanas for keeping one’s skin healthy and rejuvenating are Kapalbhatti, Pranayam, Sarvangasan, Shirsasan, Dhanurasan and Salabhasan.
