Category Archives: med spa

The rise in ‘Chin-jobs’

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The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has found that chin implants are becoming increasingly popular in the US. With a 71% increase in 2011 from 2010, but in the grand scheme of things chin implants are only a small portion of cosmetic procedures taking place.

By Leanne Brooks

ASPS found that liposuction was the most popular procedure closely followed by breast augmentation, but the biggest growth was in chin implants for men and women.

The benefits of a ‘chin job’

Having a chin job gives a more youthful look like a facelift but not as drastic, it is also a great way to get rid of the dreaded double chin that so many of us seem to be cursed with. Having a chin implant is permanent unlike temporary fillers and can be easily performed in conjunction with other procedures.

‘Chin jobs’ in the UK

The desire for a chin implant in the UK is definitely not like in the US, it is yet to become a common procedure. But it is mainly used as part of other operations such as rhinoplasty, as the chin may be small so making the nose look big. Chin implants make up 80% of other cosmetic surgery procedures, so only time will tell if the chin fascination will spread over to the UK.

For more information about chin implants in the UK visit http://www.simplycosmeticsurgery.co.uk/chin-and-cheek-implants

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Five cosmetic surgery procedures for the face

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According to The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), cosmetic surgery’s on the rise in the UK. Facial procedures are particularly favoured, so let’s take a look at what people are having done.

Blepharoplasty

Research by BAAPS has revealed that blepharoplasty (also known as eyelid surgery) was the second more popular type of procedure throughout 2011. A total of 5,373 woman and 684 men went under the knife during this period and had the skin around their eyes tightened by a professional surgeon. Typically, incisions are made in the creases of the eyelids and fat and tissue is removed, leaving the patient with a more youthful appearance.

Face/neck lift

The natural ageing process takes its toll on all of us, which is why many people opt for a face/neck lift. During the operation, skin around the lower face, jawline and neck is tightened helping to reduce lines and wrinkles. The healing process can take a number of weeks, but the results are usually well worth the wait. Figures from BAAPS revealed that 4,700 women and 268 men had this procedure in 2011, making it the fourth most popular procedure in the UK.

Mole removal

Moles can appear anywhere on the body, but when they grow on the face they can damage a person’s confidence. Luckily, there are many mole removal techniques that can get rid of the growth for good. Depending on the depth of the mole, it can either be cut out and completed with or without stitches, or burnt out using a specialised tool. A qualified dermatologist will complete a thorough examination before carrying out the correct procedure.

Nose surgery

There are many types of nose surgery, but one of the most popular procedures is called rhinoplasty. This involves a full correction of the bridge, nose tip and nostrils and can transform a hooter dramatically. Septorhinoplasty (which includes all of the above plus an alteration to the internal septum) is also available as is rhinotip, which is just a tip correction and nostril adjustment.

Otoplasty

Otoplasty is the medical term for ear correction or ear shaping. It is a common form of plastic surgery and can be used to change the size, shape or position of the ears. The procedure’s different for every patient; however, protruding ears are cured by removing cartilage and pinning the ears back into their new position. A qualified surgeon would carry out a complete consultation before proceeding with this operation.

Plastic surgery appears more popular than ever, but would you go under the knife?

How to Stay Wrinkle-Free

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Let’s play a skincare version of “Would You Rather…”

Would you rather immerse your body in a bathtub of cockroaches or have wrinkles?

Many women would choose the cockroaches.  Good thing we don’t have to choose…right?

Wrinkles are the nemesis of the aging process and unfortunately NO ONE is immune to them.  NEWSFLASH!  You WILL eventually get wrinkles.  I hate being the bearer of bad news, but, if you prepare (likening it to preparing for a cat. 5 hurricane) you might come out on the other side unscathed.  And without the use of cockroaches!

There are a few key environmental activities that cause aging that we can control.  And some we can’t.  (Insert frowny face here).

Let’s start with can’t.  Gravity.  Can’t control it.  Newton said it exists and our skin, over time, proves it.  We sag…and we sag south…some more rapidly than others.  But unless we live on the moon, we need to just accept that gravity helps with aging.

Muscle use.  Let’s all cheer for facial muscles!  They are a double edged sword.  They allow us to embrace our facial expressions.  They help your kids know when you’re not happy.   It’s those two lines that form between your eyebrows that insure that yes, they are in BIG TROUBLE!  Facial muscles also let your bestie know when you’re happy to see her by the deep commas around your nose and mouth area.  And the other side of the sword?  There is almost no controlling habitual facial expression.  Sorry.

Hormones.  Ahhhhhh, the culprit for everything bad and evil in the world.  You can blame your wrinkles on them too.  Yup, the decrease of the production of estrogen can have effect on the speed of chronological aging

Deep cleansing breath.  No more losing sleep about what we can’t control when it comes to collagen loss and and thinning skin.  Gravity, muscle use and hormones.  Check.

Now let’s talk about what we CAN control!  Raise your hand if you’ve ever been in the sun without sunscreen on?  I know you are ALL guilty!  Now stop it!  Never ever ever ever do it again!  The effects of ultraviolet rays on the skin are the biggest aging culprit that we can control.  It breaks down collagen fibers, it causes cancer and 90% of the symptoms of premature aging in the skin come from UVA, UVB or Ultraviolet light.  Use sunscreen.  Get a hat.  Protect your skin.  You get one shot with your skin…make it count!

Now, who smokes?  Drinks alcohol? Live in a city with any air pollution?  Another huge contributor to wrinkles is free radicals.  Each of these free radicals cause damage to the layers of the skin, which in turn,  breakdown the fibers of the skin, and cause the “W” word…wrinkles.  Reduce or stop bad habits and your skin will thank you!

Water.  Drink it or you will look like a dried up old saddle bag eventually!  Drinking water adds to the suppleness of the skin.  It makes it look plum, which will fill out the fine lines and wrinkles from within.   Oh, and an added benny?  It will help with your dark circles under your eyes too!  P.S.  Drinking Alcohol dramatically dehydrates the skin.  Moderation peeps!

There are a few other urban legends that claim to age the skin quickly such as husbands, jobs, kids, in-laws and stress.  However, studies are inconclusive to the severity of these stressors on the skin. 

So what can you do now, this very second, to keep the wrinkles from cropping up, or at the very least slow everything down a little bit?  Repeat after me.

“I solemnly swear to use sunscreen every time I leave the house.  I will drink at least 64 ounces of water a day.  I will reduce or eliminate free radicals from my life including, smoking (includes second hand smoke) alcohol use, pollution and ultraviolet lighting and in-laws and maybe even my husband.”

All punning and arthropods aside, utilizing these few suggestions will dramatically lessen the effects of the environment on your skin.  Check out the following links to some natural skin products that will protect your skin from the aging process.  Leave a question or two and I’ll even put your name into a drawing for a PRIZE!

Sensaria Daily Moisturizing Sun Protection SPF 28:

What I love about the Daily Sun Protection SPF 28 is that it soaks into the skin without leaving your skin oily or slick.  Perfect for under makeup for everyday use, or at the beach.

Sensaria SPF Lip Balm Trio:

Three yummy flavors.  One spectacularly silky lip balm formula. 

Sensaria Skin Perfecting Treatment:

Put a barrier between your skin and the environment while building back the moisture in your skin.  Doubles as a makeup primer and your skin will feel like silk.

Exfoliate Your Way to Smooth, Sexy, Unbelievable Skin!

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So have you ever looked in the mirror and really (no really…?) liked what you saw looking back?  Wish you had celebrity skin?  Who doesn’t!  As women, when our skin is rockin’, we feel unstoppable.  And almost nothing gives us more confidence than great looking skin…well, maybe other than a new hand bag.

But you CAN have rockin’ skin and you can achieve it by using a skincare treatment that EVERYONE is talking about.  And that my friend is…Exfoliation.

Exfoliating is the process of removing dead cells from your top layer of skin.  But did you know that there are two ways to exfoliate?  Yup!  Chemical exfoliation and manual exfoliation.  So get ready for your Exfoliating 411.  Chemical exfoliation uses acids such as BHA (Salicylic Acid), AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) or benzoyl peroxide that eat away the dry skin.  Manual exfoliation uses small granules or abrasive particles, usually suspended in a soothing cream, which scrubs off the dead skin.  Easy peasy!

Now for the hard part…which do you use?  It’s up to you!  I prefer a more natural approach, so I always recommend manual exfoliation.  Exfoliating benefits most skin types; however those with rosasea or very sensitive skin should go easy.  No worries though, most skin types can tolerate some form of mild scrubbing.

Exfoliating the skin on a regular basis (twice a week), can help improve many skin issues such as clogged pores, black head, white heads, hyper pigmentation and dry, dull skin.  And it’s not just for your face!  Scrubbing the skin on your bod will help with clogged pores or rough skin there as well.

Check out Sensaria’s Microdermabrasion Crème with volcanic pumice that’s suspended in a soothing cream with azulene from the chamomile plant for the face, and for the body, go for the Rejuvenating Salt Mud, which detoxifies the skin, as well as exfoliates it, using volcanic silt, a blend of Japanese mushrooms and wasabi.

Use both twice a week and you’re almost guaranteed to barely recognize the woman with gorgeous skin looking back at you!