Beautiful skin comes first from a healthy body. In this week’s blog we talk beyond fillers and botox and look to nature for the motivation to move!

Our lifestyle choices impact the quality of our skin. Past writings have taught us that inflammation, microbiome imbalance,  and oxidative damage can set the stage for unwanted outcomes like acne, dermatitis, skin cancers, and accelerated aging. This week we learn how blood sugar issues also impact the health of our skin. The information is inspired by Dr. Trevor Cates, author of Clean Skin From Within: The Spa Doctor’s 2-Week Program to Glowing, Naturally Youthful Skin. 

My practice is VERY needle heavy, using them to inject: botox, fillers, kybella, and sculptra. I draw blood out and then inject it back for PRP treatments. I set catheters for IV therapy and needle into muscles for vitamin injections. With needles comes risk of bruising; not a rare occurrence. One study estimated a 19-24 % chance (1) with filler treatment and another as high as 68% (2)! There are ways to minimize risk, but nothing to eliminate it (3). This week I talk about what a bruise is, what to expect over time, and how to care for it.

The lower third of the face is very important for facial aesthetics.  A well contoured jawline is desirable for both men and women and it is a key element when masculinizing or feminizing a face.  Injectable fillers like Juvederm Voluma are gaining popularity with the recent FDA approval for use in the chin (1). Hyaluronic acid fillers in the lower face can: reshape the jawline, lift sagging tissue, and improve facial proportions. When used to rejuvenate the aging face, we aim to redefine the jawline line and angle of the jaw. In younger faces, filler can be used to correct an inherited deficit or enhance facial contour; all aimed to enhance one’s self perception.  

The day Edith was born was the best day of my life. I went into labor on a Friday night and slept through most of the night. The next morning, her dad Jeff and I took a long neighborhood walk. We stopped at our neighborhood cafe where I was given a cookie for my labor. We walked to a diner and heard women share their birth story. The contractions were intermittent and were mild enough to be in public. Each contraction would stop me in my tracts to breathe. We walked and paused and walked again; chit chatting with the neighbors along the way.

With aging, we start getting lines between the eyes and forehead, mouth lines become more pronounced, under eye area sinks and darkens,, etc. These changes occur because of seismic moves of the bone, muscle, and fat beneath the skin (2). While some changes can be modulated with lifestyle choices like regular sunscreen use and non smoking status (3), others cannot. This week we learn about the changes that happen under our skin as we age. 

Sweating is a very normal human response and it happens as our body works to keep us from overheating, particularly in the heat and during exercise. Some of us sweat more than others, and when the sweat response is excessive and uncontrollable, it’s referred to as primary hyperhidrosis. It commonly involves the underarms, palms, and soles and can cause stress for the individual due to social stigmatization (1). Successful and long term treatments are lacking when it comes to excessive sweating. This week I explain how Botox can be used to manage excessive underarm sweating. 

Plants have been used by humans to treat illness and disease for a very long time. In fact, most pharmaceutical drugs are derived from plants. Mushrooms are from the fungi group, form from the fruiting body of spores, and are important because they are both a food and medicine. For instance, commonly used antibiotics are from fungi. Mushrooms have been shown to fight various cancers and stimulate the immune system(1).

In theme with St. Patrick’s day, we inevitably find cabbage on our plates. It’s one of my favorite veggies of all times, and this week my goal is to inspire us all to take full advantage of this holiday and eat that cabbage. A simple search of the scientific literature reveals that there are a ton health benefits to including cabbage into your diet.