Part Two of Our Sun & Skin Series

Think tanning adds to that beautiful, healthy glow? Think again. Some of today’s most popular celebrities know that staying out of the sun helps keep skin young-looking.

“I’m a massive believer in sunblock. Massive…I wear sunblock in the winter, when it’s rainy and gray out—all the time. And not just SPF 15; I wear 50. Five-Zero.” – Charlize Theron

“I say this to every young person I know. Stay out of the sun! I have very fair skin and it would have been super-damage. I always wear sunscreen and I walk on the shady side of the street.” – Julianne Moore

“My grandmother had skin cancer, so she has taught me to wear [sun protection] factor 30 sun cream every day. I even carry an umbrella if I walk in the sunshine.” – Anne Hathaway

So take a cue from these beautiful women. Protect your skin and, in the words of the Skin Cancer Foundation, Go With Your Own Glow™

For tips on safe skincare, visit www.skincancer.org/guidelines

Related Reading

Part One of Our Skin & Sun Series: Sunscreen Reduces Melanoma Risk

Amae Plastic Surgery Center carries the Image Skincare Daily Defense line of SPF products to help protect your skin from damaging ultraviolet radiation. This next generation of broad-spectrum UVA/UVB moisturizers provide the ultimate in protection from the sun. Image Skincare Daily Defense features products for every skin type, including:

Daily Defense™ Universal Moisturizer SPF 30 for all skin types, normal skin and/or aging skin.

Daily Defense™ Hydrating Moisturizer SPF 30 for dry/dehydrated, sensitive or Rosacea-prone skin.

Daily Defense™ Matte Moisturizer Oil Free SPF 30 for oily or acne-prone skin.

Daily Defense™ Moisturizer SPF 30 for all skin types and/or uneven skin color and tone.

Daily Defense™ Ultimate Preventive Moisturizer SPF 35 for all skin types. Designed for highly exposed skin, sports activities and post-treatment skin.

Image Skincare Daily Defense moisturizers use grape-seed derived stem cells to extend the longevity of skin cells, as well as Resveratrol to reduce the risk of free radical damage caused by the sun.

Paraben Free

All Image Skincare products are free of chemical preservatives like parabens. The use of parabens in cosmetics is controversial, as there are clinical studies suggesting that parabens have potential health risks. Image Skincare has removed parabens from its entire product line.

Good for Your Skin, Good for the Environment

Besides being paraben-free, Image Skincare products use no petrochemicals or other chemical preservatives and all fragrances are composed from 100% essential oils. Image products are not tested on animals and are produced with respect to the environment.

Injectables, fillers, Botox®, creams, treatments…what is all of this and how does it work? Anti-aging is not a one-shot solution. Battling the signs of aging is a multi-stage, multi-level effort.

As we age, environmental factors cause skin damage; sunlight, airborne pollution, cosmetics and other factors all take a toll on skin. The basis of an effective anti-aging routine includes using a good, high quality cleanser every night to insure that your skin is clean.

Masks and facials are treatments typically administered at a spa that provide deep cleaning and de-stress the skin, important for keeping lines and wrinkles at bay. Skin can also be rejuvenated and dead or damaged skin removed via microdermabrasion, chemical peels and/or laser resurfacing, all of which actually remove the top layer of skin, promoting healing and skin regrowth.

Many anti-aging creams and serums also help counter signs of aging by reversing the damage done to skin. These products use a variety of natural elements to replace collagen and restore elasticity and strength to the skin. There are general creams for daytime and nighttime application as well as specialty serums that treat specific areas (i.e. under the eyes).

Eventually–despite our best efforts–gravity, age and genetics result in lines, wrinkles and folds that simply can’t be eliminated or even minimized to your satisfaction. At this point many people turn to injectables and fillers, the most popular of which are Botox®, Juvederm® and Sculpra Aesthetic®. These products may be used individually or in a combination, depending upon the results you are trying to achieve and your specific situation. Botox relaxes the muscles and is often used for severe frown lines in the brow and crows feet around the eye area. Fillers use a variety of elements found in the skin to replace lost volume and “plump up” areas of the face. This is particularly effective for deep folds such as those that stretch from the edge of the nose down around the mouth area.

As you can see, anti-aging skin care is really a process, and there are a variety of options which may be right for your skin. The professionals at Amae Plastic Surgery Center can work with you to discuss what you hope to achieve and help determine the best regimen to keep your skin and healthy and as youthful as possible.

Like us at Facebook for great specials on anti-aging and skin care products.

A recent study shows that facial rejuvenation surgery takes off an average of seven years. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto and the NorthShore University Health System in Illinois. In the study, sixty first-year medical students were show photos of facelift patients and asked to guess their ages. Both before and after photos were randomly evaluated by test participants, who underestimated the patients’ ages by 1.7 years for the “before” photos and 8.9 years for “after” photos, resulting in an average of 7 years. The study used photos from patients who had undergone 1) facelift and neck lift, 2) face and neck lift and upper and lower blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) and 3) face and neck lift, upper and lower blepharoplasty, and forehead lift. In general, the perceived difference in age was larger for patients who had undergone more procedures.

This study is important in that it is one of the first studies to quantitatively and objectively study the impact of facial rejuvenation surgery on perceived age.