New Research Discovers Skin Boosting Effects of Botox

Botox, or onabutulinum toxin A is something most people will have heard of by now. Even if you've never tried the anti-wrinkle injection that is the No. 1 aesthetic treatment worldwide, you probably do know it by reputation. 

The latest research has shown that Botox treatments have some surprising side effects. 

Doctors in Canada show that Botox has skin pliability and elasticity effects

Are Razors The Next Beauty Secret?

There is a weird trend being touted on the Internet, and it says that women should start shaving their faces.

Many women swear by facial shaving as the answer to their anti-aging woes

Many women swear by it, and some have been doing it for years. Reality TV star Caroline Manzo of The Real Housewives of New Jersey was even filmed doing it on the show. "Let me make something clear and hopefully answer your questions once and for all: I shave my face as a method of exfoliating my skin." Manzo says. "I don’t shave because I have a hairy face! I’ve been practicing this for over 10 years, and I haven’t grown any facial hair because of it, and I have beautiful skin with minimal wrinkles. I think this should clarify any questions.”

Which Facial Treatments Really Work? Part 2 - The Best From The Rest

This post is part two of my two-part post on facial treatments that really work. Read part one here, to read more about the supposed and actual benefits of treatments such as gold, diamond, snail mucus, bee venom and caviar.


This post at beautyeditor.ca discusses why spa facial treatments are not really good for your skin. This New York Times article also explains why dermatologists don't recommend facials for optimal skin health and beauty. This article quotes Professor of Dermatology, Doris Day, MD about spa facials: "I call it 'spa science' because there isn't a lot of science behind many of the claims." She further adds,"Think of a facial as a treat rather than a medical treatment." Good at-home daily facial care can preclude the need for costly facial treatments. 

Which Facial Treatments Really Work? Part 1 - It's All About The Hype

My wife complains that going for a facial is more stress than bliss nowadays. "Too many options and choices ... I don't know if I should go for a deep-clean cream cleanser or a blemish-relief clarifying one; would a diamond polishing be better than a ultrasonic exfoliation; and is a gold or propolis mask better for my skin?"

Do You Have Dry Skin? Top Five Causes Of Dry Skin

Dry skin conditions often contribute to irritated, sensitive skin, and can lead to premature aging symptoms such as wrinkles and a dull complexion. 

If your skin often feels rough and dry, consider if these factors may be the cause:

Hyaluronic Acid - Every Skin's Best Friend

If you keep your ears to the ground in beauty matters, the ingredient hyaluronic acid should be something that is familiar to you. Often touted as a "fountain of youth" component of skincare, hyaluronic acid can be found in skin lotions, creams, serums, and is used as an injectable dermal filler, but what exactly is it? 

Eating Well To Look Well

True or false : your diet affects the aging of your skin. Answer: True!

An article from Prime Journal by Howard A. Epstein, PhD, titled "The Effect of Diet and Nutrition on the Skin" showed that diet greatly affected the ability of the body to defend itself from oxidative stress.


An apple a day keeps the wrinkles at bay ...

Our skin naturally produces compounds that protect us from free radical damage. Oxidative stress UV rays, however, break down the antioxidant compounds, so the body has to produce more to replace them. Wrinkling, acne, hyperpigmentation, dry skin and poor wound healing are just some of the long-term effects from oxidative stress. The body needs many compounds such as vitamin C, retinol, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc to fight against skin damage and aging.

A study was conducted among individuals from various ethnic groups, from different countries, to examine if there was any relationship between their diet and the condition of their skin. The study showed that a diet high in green leafy vegetables, fruits, and legumes gave great protection against oxidative skin damage. Plant foods often possess anti-inflammatory properties, and have been shown to boost the immune system as well as replenish antioxidants. Foods such as tea, apples, onions, garlic and eggplant were found to be associated with reduced wrinkle formation, whereas a diet high in dairy products, fat, meats and sugar was found to be associated with wrinkle development.

Olive oil, legumes, fish, vegetables and cereal foods were some of the foods eaten by the group with the best skin aging profile.
Mice studies have also shown that a diet high in green tea could inhibit cell damage from UVB radiation, preventing the formation of cancerous skin cells and regulating cell function at the DNA level.

Our choice of foods have been shown to impact the health of the body as a whole, but it is less well understood that skin aging and damage can be affected as well. Rather than expensive lotions and treatments, the secret to a youthful look may well be no further than what's on your plate!

-- CosMed, MD  

Dr. Liow Tiong Sin is an aesthetic practitioner who practices in Kuala Lumpur and Melaka, Malaysia. He has more than 12 years of expertise with non-surgical cosmetic treatments, and  conducts training courses for other doctors from all around Asia. To connect with Dr. Liow, Like Cosmedmd's Facebook page. or email. 

Laser Facials - The Future Of Skincare

Jennifer Aniston keeps her skin youthful
 with laser facial treatments

Laser facials have been getting a lot of attention in the press of late, after Jennifer Aniston publicly announced that they are the reason she looks closer to 25 than her real age of 43. Other celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Courteney Cox have also been quoted in the media talking about procedures such as Fraxel as part of their beauty maintenance regimes.  

Much as the regular visit to beauty salons for a facial rejuvenating mask and steam session was the norm in previous years, the trend today is for doctors to offer lower-powered, no-downtime laser sessions that can deliver on all of those spa treatments' promises of anti-aging, skin beautifying and rejuvenation. These laser facials are designed to fill the gap in your skincare regime, when you don't necessarily need or want a full laser resurfacing, but would like improvement on the limited results you get from skincare, spa and salon treatments.

BBL Keeps You Forever Young

 

Scientifically Proven Way Of Reversing The Aging Process

Before - Age 43. After - Age 55. BBL treatments have been shown to reverse the appearance of aging skin




Mankind has been searching for the secret to eternal youth without success for millienia, but a new study has found an aesthetic treatment that may actually deliver. A new study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2013) has shown that BBL (Broadband Light) treatments are able to change the gene expression of skin cells so they are rejuvenated and act like younger cells.

While most aesthetic treatments can only help to mimic the appearance of youthful skin, BBL treatments are the first to be a proven functional anti-aging therapy, where the process of aging is actually reversed and the skin is able to be renewed and rejuvenated from within.

Botox and You Infographic

Here is an interesting infographic produced by the American Academy of Procedural Medicine (AAOPM) that explains about the many applications of Botox, and what to expect during a treatment.

How To Avoid Botox - Prevent Wrinkles With A Healthy Lifestyle

Can skincare help you avoid Botox? Not as much as lifestyle choices

I was recently asked to contribute some quotes for a local magazine, and one of the questions the reporter asked was, 'how early in age would women have to begin using anti-aging skin products so they could avoid the need for treatments such as Botox.' I think this question is very interesting, because it shows that many people are unaware of the ongoing effects of environment and lifestyle choices on their skin.

Many people only start worrying about wrinkles in their thirties, when the stresses of hectic, active or unhealthy lifestyles start showing up in the form of dull skin or fine lines on previously pristine complexions. By their forties, the damage would have worsened enough that indeed, Botox, lasers and skin tightening therapies would be a god-send. Applying anti-aging products at that stage may not be enough to reverse or delay the damage that was already done. 

Should women be using anti-aging skincare in their teens and twenties to prevent effects of aging in later years? Anti-aging creams and lotions have certainly improved vastly in previous years, and many have proven skin smoothing and tightening qualities, but most are designed to replenish and boost insufficient collagen production, which is not a concern in such a young age. Others contain retinoids, which work by encouraging the rate of exfoliation and skin renewal, also not a concern when the skin is young and healthy and able to renew itself naturally. These anti-aging skin products are mainly focused at the 30s to 40s age group, when natural skin rejuvenation qualities of the skin have been compromised or decreased as part of the aging process.

Skincare products can be helpful but should not be the key focus when the goal is to prevent signs of premature aging. Aging is a process that begins as early as birth, and some scientists even argue it is a process that commences at the moment of conception. The key building block of healthy skin, collagen, declines at a rate of about 1% per year, so a 30 year old woman will have lost about 30% of her collagen, although these factors, as outlined below, may cause that rate of deterioration to be accelerated. 

Botox or Fillers? For Best Results, You May Need Both

A growing trend in aesthetic medicine is for a combination therapy approach to rejuvenation and correction, and botox and fillers are one such winning combination. The latest research has found that the two procedures have equal applications, but together, they can produce a synergistic effect that last longer and looks better.

Botox, or neurotoxins, work on the underlying muscle structures under the skin. The muscles not only provide movement, but affect our facial positioning and expressions. Certain large muscles such as those in the jawline, around the lips and eyes, as well as the forehead areas, can change the entire facial structure noticeably. Deep frown lines can make a person look permanently angry, while pronounced jaw muscles can give someone a belligerent or argumentative demeanor. Proper usage of botox not only relaxes the facial expression, but also can give a more pleasant, uplifted look.

Dermal fillers work hand in hand with botox to restore fullness to areas that are sunken or lined, and also helps to reshape and redefine the overall facial structure. By combining fillers with botox, the volume of both substances can be reduced to achieve a more natural, harmonious look.

Many patients find that in areas of the face that are in constant motion, such as in the mouth area, fillers do not last very long, as the muscle motion works to break up the fillers faster. A combination treatment including botox decreases muscle activity, so that the fillers are not broken down so quickly.

A combination of botox and fillers can relax and fill out deep frown lines
even better than either product can do alone.

The synergistic effect of botox and fillers is such that the combination of both is better than either treatment alone, and it has been theorized that effects of this dual-treatment lasts longer because the collagen production stimulated by fillers help the skin to form correctly in a way that muscle movement would have disturbed.


- Cosmetic Medicine, MD

Dr. Liow Tiong Sin is an aesthetic practitioner who practices in Kuala Lumpur and Melaka, Malaysia. He has more than 12 years of expertise with non-surgical cosmetic treatments, and  conducts training courses for other doctors from all around Asia. To connect with Dr. Liow, Like Cosmedmd's Facebook page. medical centre website or email. 

Skincare 101 - Active Ingredients That Really Work

A key component of skincare products are the active ingredients, the components that help to restore the skin's optimal wellness and appearance. Active ingredients help to boost your skin's ability to combat and reverse the damages of environmental and internal ravages, and are an important part of your daily care routine.

Which skincare? Consumers are spoilt for choice.

There are literally thousands of skincare brands on the market, with many more being launched every day. Expensive skincare brands are often advertised heavily, with endorsements by beautiful celebrities and models, but do big advertising budgets guarantee great products? Other brands are less well advertised but they appeal to different niche markets, whether it be the close-to-nature, hypo-allergenic or chic-but-cheap sectors. they all have different ingredients and claims that make the right choice very hard to make.

Which products have proven efficacy?

Dermatologist-tested products, or those who have been proven through clinical trials and tests, are your best option for products that actually give you your money's worth.

Anti-wrinkle creams are among those that are the most popular in the market. Everyone dreams of creams that can erase lines and wrinkles overnight, but unfortunately there are few products that actually live up to their exorbitant claims. One active ingredient that is proven is tretinoin, a Vitamin-A derivative which has been shown in trials to improve skin exfoliation and stimulate collagen production. It has also been shown to reduce pigmentation, improve skin tone and texture, and give a 'rosy glow' due to increased blood circulation.

Tretinoin must be applied daily for a minimum of 6 months for noticeable results. It has been tested in many short and long term clinical studies, and has been proven to work even on severely aged and wrinkled skin. Tretinoin can be highly irritating to the skin and can cause acne and skin peeling in the initial stages, so it should be prescribed and administered carefully under a doctor's care. A high SPF sunscreen is a must to prevent the skin from continuing sun damage during the treatment process. Pregnant or lactating women should not use tretinoin, and it should also be avoided if you have rosacea (skin redness). Also commonly prescribed for the treatment of acne, tretinoin is also now available in micronized form to help with some of the side effects such as skin dryness and irritation.

Over-the-counter products with Vitamin A in the form of retinol do not have the same efficacy as prescription products as retinol is not as easily absorbed and used by the skin. Retinol can be more helpful as a preventative measure to help younger skin prevent the signs of aging. Other forms of Vitamin A such as tazarotene and adapalene are also available, but most patients find tazarotene highly irritating, and adapalene too gentle and non-effective.

Products containing hydroquinone are also effective for lightening of pigmentation problems such as freckles, melasma, liver spots and age spots. Hydroquinone works by inhibiting enzyme reactions within the skin, thus preventing pigmentation. Hydroquinone creams are available at 2% strength in OTC products, but your doctor can prescribe a cream up to 4% strength for better results. The use of a sunblock is essential during treatment with hydroquinone creams. Some doctors use a hydroquinone and tretinoin combination for stubborn melasma or hyperpigmentation cases.

Alpha-hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid or lactic acid work by exfoliating dead skin cells to allow for growth of new skin. They also help to unclog pores, improve skin texture and have an added benefit of skin lightening and depigmentation. The pore cleansing action of AHA also means it can be helpful in controlling mild to moderate acne. AHA creams are very commonly available, but the low acid content of most OTC products means they have limited effectiveness; for AHAs to really make any difference, they must have at least a 10% acid content or more, and have a low pH of around 2. 15% glycolic acid lotions are a useful additional treatment for melasma, when used in conjunction with treatment creams such as Tri-Luma.

A doctor-administered glycolic acid peel can be useful to restore the skin by exfoliation to reveal the younger, smoother, lighter skin beneath. Research has also shown that glycolic acid peels used in combination with topical active ingredients such as tretinoin, can increase the effectiveness of the anti-wrinkle or skin lightening process.

Beta-hydroxy acids or salicylic acid, is more suitable for younger, oily skin, as it is soluble in oil. It helps to soften keratin and promotes clearance of blocked pores. BHAs are also useful in promoting skin moisture levels and is an effective anti-inflammatory agent as well. Salicylic acid is also prized for it's ability to improve cell turnover and promote depigmentation, and is therefore a great alternative for those who are sensitive to AHA creams.

Antioxidants are active ingredients that help to fight the free radical activity that damages skin cells, and therefore should be an important ingredient in your daily fight against skin degeneration. The good news is that there are many antioxidants that have been shown to have great efficacy. Green tea  or olive extracts, for example, contain polyphenols, which have been featured in numerous clinical studies that show their ability to retain moisture, fight oxidative stress and prevent formation of skin damage. Alpha -lipoic acid is another potent antioxidant that can inhibit cellular aging, help soothe inflammation and promote detoxification of a variety of chemicals. Vitamin C, CoEnzyme Q-10 and caffeine are also antioxidative substances that show promise in the battle against premature aging.

Perhaps the single most effective skin care product that you can use to prevent premature aging and protect your skin against sun damage is proper sun protection and sunblock. I wrote about the importance of proper sun care in a previous article, Sun Safety: Is Your Sunscreen Doing Its Job?. If your skin is being attacked and damaged by the sun on a daily basis, then it cannot look its best and absorb any of the goodness from your active ingredients, and you are essentially wasting your efforts and your money.

Cosmetic Medicine, MD

Dr. Liow Tiong Sin is an aesthetic practitioner who practices in Kuala Lumpur and Melaka, Malaysia. He has more than 12 years of expertise with non-surgical cosmetic treatments, and  conducts training courses for other doctors from all around Asia. To connect with Dr. Liow, Like Cosmedmd's Facebook page. medical centre website or email.