by Q Pro-team | Apr 19, 2011 | 1.1 Resources & Tips
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by Martha Edwards | Apr 1, 2011 | 1.1 Resources & Tips
How Old Is Old? Only 29 if You’re a Woman
Remember when 29 seemed like an absolutely ancient age? Yeah, me neither. But according to recent polls, 29 is the actual age you start to feel properly old. If you’re a woman, anyway. Men, on the other hand, don’t start to feel old until they’re way into middle age — 58 to be precise.
But age isn’t everything. The poll, done by Avalon Funeral Plans in the U.K., found some other interesting indicators of old age. For instance, women start to feel ancient as soon as they find their first grey hair. Men aren’t so worried — and why should they be with silver foxes like George Clooney and Richard Gere dominating many a womanly fantasy?
Women also start to feel over the hill once their skin becomes less luminous and their “assets” (as in, breasts) start to sag. And men? It takes much more for a man to feel past his prime — the study found guys don’t feel old until they’re unable to perform in the bedroom, which — given Hugh Hefner’s track record and the advent of Viagra — might not happen for a very looooooooong time.
But if we women judge feelings of age rather shallowly on things like looks, it’s not our fault.
“In our society the attractiveness of women is quite important. Men don’t have to be good looking, but, for some reason, it’s important for women to look presentable,” Professor Cary Cooper of Lancaster University told the Daily Mail. “Magazines are all about youth and are filled with young, attractive women. Women then start to perceive themselves as old when they no longer feel like this, when they don’t feel trendy or fashionable. Men, on the other hand, don’t have to be good looking; it doesn’t concern them.”
There’s another facet to all this too, says Dr. Cooper. While men tend to be more career-oriented, and, therefore, don’t start feeling their age until they’ve moved up the ladder and are nearing retirement, women feel pressure to settle down and raise a family once she turns 30.
It’s important to keep in mind that how old (or young) you feel is largely controlincluding the media. And you know what? Forget them. Act the age you feel, but do it while respecting your body — abusing it is one thing that’s sure to make you old before your time.
by Q Pro-team | Mar 3, 2011 | 1.1 Resources & Tips
‘Plumper lips and pout’ make women look younger
BBC News: Women who have fuller and firmer lips are seen as younger than they really are, research suggests.
Even with a few wrinkles or gray hairs, a plump pout can takes years off a woman, Unilever scientist David Gunn has found.
His study of over 250 women, including sets of twins, reveals that thin lips are a genetic trait rather than a result of our environment.
The findings are published in PLoS One journal.
The researchers found a large variation in lip thickness among women over 60.
When we identified people who looked young for their age, we were struck by the difference in their lips
Researcher David Gunn
The pink part of the thinnest lips measured just 3mm from the top of the upper lip to the bottom of the lower lip, while the fullest lips among the over-sixties measured 2.2cm.
Other tell-tale signs of aging that appeared to be genetically determined included a receding hairline and graying hair.
But wrinkles, sun damage and age spots were equally influenced by both genetic and environmental factors.
Researcher David Gunn said: “When we identified people who looked young for their age, we were struck by the difference in their lips.
“It is a feature that is strongly genetically determined and relatively easy to measure.”
by Elizabeth Landau CNN | Jan 24, 2011 | 1.1 Resources & Tips
How acne and depression feed each other
(CNN) — Kelly, 22, has suffered from depression since age 8. But it’s only recently that she realized how much worse she feels when her acne flares up. During the two years in college when her depression waned, so did her skin problems.
“When I was free of the depression, I was feeling completely confident and able to make use of all of the opportunities, and much more able to present myself and meet people,” said Kelly, who asked that her last name not be used. “And, of course, also with the acne clearing up, I didn’t worry about people seeing me and judging me based on acne.”
The connection between acne and depression has long been documented, especially in teens, but some attributed it to particular medications for acne such as isotretinoin (sold as Accuttane, Clarus and others). But a recent study in the British Medical Journal found that the drug itself may not matter; according to Swedish researchers, acne itself raises the risk of depression and suicide attempt.
That may be because appearance is intimately linked with self-esteem, doctors say.
“Your skin is what you present to the world, and unfortunately we all aim for that airbrushed perfection that’s on the covers of the magazines,” said Dr. Diane Walder, clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Miami.
Finding a caring dermatologist to guide you through acne is key to both getting clearer skin and feeling better about yourself, said Dr. Jessica Krant, a dermatologist based in New York. A proper treatment plan from a dermatologist can clear up a person’s skin, which in turn may resolve depression symptoms, said Dr. Sherrif Ibrahim, chief medical editor of skinsight.com.
In teenagers, self-esteem may take a particular dive with acne because others may be making fun of them, and their anxiety about others’ perceptions of them can result in depression, said Bobbie McDonald, a psychologist in Costa Mesa, California. In fact, anything that makes teens stand out makes them see themselves in a negative light, she said.
Some of the low mood and anxiety symptoms may go away after high school graduation, she said.
“Even if the acne remains, we’ll see a shift when they finish high school because whether they go to college or get a job, they start to redefine themselves in ways that boost their self-esteem,” she said.
Depression may also worsen acne, because depressed people’s motivation to take care of themselves and do their doctor’s recommended skin routine is lower, Krant said. Stress in general can also exacerbate acne, but not cause it, Ibrahim said.
Any parent of an adolescent with acne should be on high alert, McDonald said. Start asking questions like, “How are you doing?” and, “What’s going on with you and your friends?” to get your teen to open up about possible issues.
It’s also important to point out the teens’ positive qualities to them, McDonald said. Some teens need reinforcement about their appearance specifically, such as their eyes or hair. But their inner traits should also be emphasized.
“What makes them valuable and worthy as a person?” she said. “If they’re a good listener to their friends, or a leader in different ways, or if they have some sort of talent.”
For Kelly, the acne started at age 11 or 12. She didn’t feel too upset about it at first, because several of her classmates had it much worse. But as the years went by, her peers’ faces started clearing up, while hers remained the same.
This summer, after graduating from college and starting her first real job, she found herself back in the throes of depression — and with it, the the daily skin breakouts returned.
Kelly has been working with a therapist and plans to see a psychiatrist about her depression. No face wash or other skin treatment she’s tried seems to cure her acne, but she hasn’t given up.
“I’m also hopeful that if the change in depression medication helps, that maybe I’ll see a correlating change with reduced stress levels that maybe reduce acne as well.”
by Q Pro-team | Dec 16, 2010 | 1.1 Resources & Tips
Benefits of Laser Skin Tightening
Skin tightening with Palomar Starlux 500 uses pulses of infrared light to generate fractional areas of deep heating. These heated areas coagulate tissue within the dermis and hypodermis while Advanced Contact Cooling preserves the epidermis and upper dermis. The body’s natural healing response causes Soft Tissue Coagulation, reducing skin laxity and making the skin to appear tighter.
Columns of infrared light create islands of deep
heating in the dermis while preserving the epidermis.
Major benefits of laser skin tightening:
- Tighter, firmer-looking skin
- No incisions, no risk of infection
- No downtime
- A well-tolerated procedure
- Dramatic skin tightening results
Learn more about fractional laser skin tightening.
by Real Beauty | Dec 12, 2010 | 1.1 Resources & Tips
What Your Favorite Holiday Foods Can Do to Your Complexion
You already know what the holidays can do to your waistline (that’s what elastic waistbands are for this time of year, right?), but they can also wreck serious havoc on your appearance. We asked Real Beauty expert, Dr. Bank what the most common holiday food offenders are and how to stop them from harming your complexion this season.
Salty Snacks: Everyone’s eyes look a little swollen in the morning, but chowing down on salty foods (like mini hotdogs and Swedish meatballs) can cause water retention, which, in turn, leaves you with bigger bags than normal. If you know you’re going to be going on a salt binge, make sure to keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of water to prevent puffy eyes and bloating.
A Fatty Dinner: If you pile your plate with prime rib, buttery mashed potatoes, and stuffing (and enjoy several nights of leftovers), you’re asking for acne. According to Dr. Bank, eating a lot of fatty (and sugary) food can trigger an increase in insulin production, which ramps up your body’s production of the male hormone, androgen. Androgen is responsible for excessive sebum production, and as you know, sebum clogs pores and attracts bacteria, resulting in acne. But this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your seasonal favorites. Be mindful of portion control and you can still enjoy everything on the table.
Dessert Overload: From pumpkin pie with whipped cream to sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, the holidays are an endless parade of sugary treats. But know that going overboard at dessert time can mean premature aging, sagging skin, and wrinkles, says Dr. Banks. Excess sugar is linked with a natural process called glycation, where blood sugar attaches to proteins and results in Advanced Glyacting End products (AGEs). AGE molecules cause premature aging, dull skin, and sagging skin. The increased AGE molecules also cause skin to be more susceptible to sun damage, because AGE molecules deactivate the body’s natural antioxidant enzymes.
If you find you’ve managed to stuff yourself bigger than Aunt Ida’s turkey, don’t panic. Just make sure to eat your first meal the next day as late as possible (or at noon) so that your digestive system has time to recover from your holiday feast. You can also ward off overeating by chewing slowly (at least 25 to 30 times before swallowing) and taking smaller bites of food.
