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How to Make Smart Skin Care Choices Based on Science Not Hype Intelligent anti-aging skin care based on independent research Lose wrinkles, keep your bank account! Skin Care 101 You are here: Making Smart Skin Care Choices -- advertisements -- Skin Care Basics Skin Protection Making Smart Skincare Choices via Science Not Hype Skin Biology Biology of Aging Ingredient Guide Skin & Nutrition Skin Conditions Anti-Aging Treatments Given today's flood of skin care ads and infomercials, it's no small feat to pick out the "gems" that are actually useful and avoid ineffective or even potentially harmful products or procedures. The articles in this section help you avoid "being taken for a ride" by some of the less scrupulous skin care manufacturers, distributors and providers. We also expose common skin care myths and misconceptions that may interfere with the effectiveness of your skin care. Topical Actives Can wrinkles disappear overnight? The hoax of before and after photos Wrinkle Fillers Research studies versus testimonials Noninvasive Is Botox riskier than commonly thought? Find Good Skin Doc Aging face: Fixing wrinkles is not enough Quick Tips The dark side of liposuction Freebie Finder Reviews & Research Product Reviews Reviews By Brand Skin Care Research Blackhead Skin Skin Care Myths and Misconceptions Natural vs synthetic Are proven ingredients guaranteed to work? Collagen creams Cucumber for under eye puffiness Retinol vs Retin A more >> Tried Everything? Try Freederm. For Freedom From Spots & Blackheads www.Freederm.co.uk Skin Treatments Taunton Book Now To Avoid Disappointment. Soothing Facial Treatments. Skin Rejuvenation bareskin-beauty.co.uk DIY Skin Care Skin & Nutrition Eye Skin Care Search Longevity In a Pill Community & Misc News and Updates Get Great Face and Skin Products and More for Less. Join Now! www.StemuLift.com How-To Infopacks Forums Up To 70% Off Face Care Clinically Proven 69% Reduction in Wrinkles Using Plant Stem Cells! Risks and benefits of plastic surgery Smart Choices Best Practices uk.LizEarle.com/SkinCare Proven Stem Cell Cream Choosing a doctor for skin rejuvenation treatment Skin Care Smarts Natural Skincare Products From AwardWinning Liz Earle. Buy Now! www.Groupon.co.uk/Face_… How to interpret skin care research data Invasive Natural Skincare Home | About Us | Contact Us | Ask a Question | Resources Copyright © 1999-2012 by Dr. G. Todorov / SmartSkinCare.com Site Disclaimer | Copyright Certification Search http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/[24/01/2012 22:33:13] Can wrinkles disappear overnight? The hoax of before and after photos. Intelligent anti-aging skin care based on independent research Lose wrinkles, keep your bank account! Skin Care 101 You are here: Making Smart Skin Care Choices > -- advertisements -- Skin Care Basics Skin Protection Skin Biology Can wrinkles disappear overnight? The hoax of before and after photos. Biology of Aging Ingredient Guide Skin & Nutrition Skin Conditions Anti-Aging Treatments Topical Actives Wrinkle Fillers Noninvasive Invasive Skin Care Smarts Smart Choices Best Practices Find Good Skin Doc Quick Tips Freebie Finder Reviews & Research Product Reviews Reviews By Brand Skin Care Research Beware to base your judgment of an anti-wrinkle/skin rejuvenation products on before and after photos provided by commercial vendors. In a strictly controlled setting of an unbiased clinical study, before and after photos might be a useful adjunct to other methods used to evaluate the efficacy of a treatment for wrinkles or skin aging. Otherwise, before and after photos are often unintentionally or intentionally misleading. In fact, some unscrupulous skin care providers have a "bag of tricks" to create a false impression of skin rejuvenation. For instance, the position of the lighting source has a dramatic effect on how wrinkles appear to a viewer. When light comes from the side, wrinkles appear deeper, whereas placing a light source in front of the face makes wrinkles much less noticeable. You can make a little experiment to see that for yourself. Take a lamp or a flashlight and then position yourself in front of a mirror. Then place the lamp / flashlight so that the light comes to your face from the side and look in the mirror. Then do the same with light coming to your face from the front. You face will appear "years younger" although there has been no real change in wrinkles or skin texture. Another method involves using the light of different brightness and/or tint. Due to the nature of light waves, wrinkles and other small details are easier to notice if the light has greenish-bluish rather than yellowish-reddish tint. On top of lighting effects, some unscrupulous beauty specialists use tightening makeup that temporarily smoothens the skin. The effect, of course, is transient but long enough to take a photo. To sum it up, unless photos come from an unbiased clinical study with full disclosure of the conditions under which they were taken, they can not be assumed to be reliable. In some cases, a good observer may be able to tell whether a particular set of before and after photos reflect a genuine change, or a magic trick. For specific guidelines to help you be a better judge of before and after photos see Skin Rejuvenation Infopack. How-To Infopacks Skin Rejuvenation Back to Making Smart Skin Care Choices Eye Skin Care Longevity In a Pill Search Community & Misc Forums News and Updates Search Tried Everything? Try Freederm. For Freedom From Spots and Acne www.Freederm.co.uk Dove MEN CARE Range Built In Moisturising Technology For Face/Body Wash & Deodorants. dovemencare.co.uk Naturally Reduce Wrinkles Learn About Treatment Options. Visit a Consultant Who Can Help. www.TheNaturalLook.co.uk Up To 70% Off Face Care Get Great Face and Skin Products and More for Less. Join Now! www.Groupon.co.uk/Face_… Eyesential with Free P&P Great Low Price & Fast Delivery Beauty Secret to The Stars www.SoSpecial.co.uk DIY Skin Care Skin & Nutrition Treatment For Spots Home | About Us | Contact Us | Ask a Question | Resources Copyright © 1999-2012 by Dr. G. Todorov / SmartSkinCare.com Site Disclaimer | Copyright Certification http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/photohoax.html[24/01/2012 22:33:21] Research studies versus testimonials Intelligent anti-aging skin care based on independent research Lose wrinkles, keep your bank account! Skin Care 101 You are here: Making Smart Skin Care Choices > -- advertisements -- Skin Care Basics Skin Protection Research studies versus testimonials Naturally Reduce Wrinkles Skin Biology Biology of Aging Ingredient Guide Skin & Nutrition Skin Conditions Anti-Aging Treatments Topical Actives Wrinkle Fillers Noninvasive Invasive Skin Care Smarts Smart Choices Best Practices View Before & After Results. Find the Right Treatment For You. What information can we use to make the right choice about using a particular skin care product or procedure? The easiest way is to simply try it and see if it works. The problem with this approach is that it takes a lot of time and money. What's worse, with all the enormous variety of skin care products on the market, you may never encounter right products. www.TheNaturalLook.co.uk Proven Stem Cell Cream One alternative is too see what other people have to say about the product. This is not always a wise choice, especially if you rely on testimonials provided by the vendor. For some products, testimonials are simply "medical fiction" supplied by ghost writers. However, even true testimonial can grossly misrepresent reality. Consider the following scenario. One million people tried a product and fifty had an improvement (even with a sugar pill an occasional person will have an improvement). Then the testimonials of these fifty are taken and attached to the product. What do you think is the chance for an average consumer to benefit from the product? Yes, about the same as winning a lottery. As sobering as it may be, the only reliable way to find out if a product or treatment has a decent chance to work is to analyze independent medical research performed by institutions unrelated to the product's vendor. This is the kind of information the articles on this site are based on. Clinically Proven 69% Reduction in Wrinkles Using Plant Stem Cells! www.StemuLift.com Spot Cream Tried Everything? Try Freederm. For Freedom From Spots and Acne www.Freederm.co.uk Find Good Skin Doc Quick Tips Freebie Finder Back to Making Smart Skin Care Choices Reviews & Research Skinceutical SkinCeuticals 20% Off Buy Online At Unbeatable Prices www.NaturalComplexions.c… Product Reviews Reviews By Brand Search Skin Care Research How-To Infopacks Skin Rejuvenation DIY Skin Care Home | About Us | Contact Us | Ask a Question | Resources Copyright © 1999-2012 by Dr. G. Todorov / SmartSkinCare.com Site Disclaimer | Copyright Certification Skin & Nutrition Eye Skin Care Longevity In a Pill Community & Misc Forums News and Updates Search http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/testimonials.html[24/01/2012 22:33:30] Natural Skincare Get Firmer & Smoother Skin With Natural Skincare Products. Buy Now! uk.LizEarle.com/SkinCare How to interpret skin care research data Intelligent anti-aging skin care based on independent research Lose wrinkles, keep your bank account! Skin Care 101 You are here: Making Smart Skin Care Choices > Skin Care Basics Skin Protection How to interpret skin care research data Skin Biology Biology of Aging Ingredient Guide Skin & Nutrition Skin Conditions Anti-Aging Treatments Topical Actives Wrinkle Fillers Noninvasive Invasive Skin Care Smarts Smart Choices Best Practices Find Good Skin Doc Quick Tips Freebie Finder Under ideal circumstances, the best way to get reliable information about biological phenomena, including anti-aging skin treatments, is to read and analyze a large number of well-designed research studies. Unfortunately, many people do not have the time to dig through raw biomedical research. Others may have time but lack specialized expertise required to correctly interpret the data. In fact, even scientists specializing in different branches of the same field sometimes have difficulties in interpreting each other's work. Still, these difficulties should not be an impenetrable obstacle between an inquisitive mind and direct access to quality research. With common sense, one can balance the information from raw research, scientific reviews, popular articles and real-life experiences in order to come as close to the underlying truth as possible. To that end, this site provides a comprehensive compilation of skin care research abstracts. But first, here is a set of guidelines to help you navigate the sea of raw research data. General guidelines Before reading research abstracts or articles on a particular topic, read an overview of the issue written in plain English. Many skin rejuvenation methods are discussed in Anti-Aging Treatments section of this site. For example, before reading research abstracts on laser resurfacing, read our article about it. Reviews & Research Product Reviews Reviews By Brand Skin Care Research How-To Infopacks Skin Rejuvenation DIY Skin Care Skin & Nutrition Eye Skin Care Longevity In a Pill Community & Misc Forums News and Updates Search There are two major types of research articles: a study report and a scientific review. A study report is essentially an account of a research study performed by the authors. A review, on the other hand, is a summary and analysis of key studies in a particular (usually narrow) field of research. In a review, the authors mainly discuss other people's studies. If written by knowledgeable and impartial researchers, reviews are useful because they allow the reader to quickly assimilate the results of multiple studies. Still, reviews are a third party interpretation of the research data and cannot fully replace reading the actual studies. In most cases you can quickly figure out if an article is a review. Many reviews contain the word "review" in the title or publication attributes. Also, if the abstract does not contain specific, quantitative experimental findings, chances are the publication is a review. Make sure that you understand the meaning of the terms used. If you do not understand some terms, do not try to guess their meaning from the context - it is easier to get it wrong than right. In fact, some very common words take on a different meaning when used in scientific articles. For example, in a scientific paper, "significant improvement" does not necessarily mean a substantial improvement. In most cases, it only means that the observed improvement was statistically significant, i.e. not likely to have happened by chance. In statistical terms, even a 3% improvement can sometimes be considered significant as long as it has been proved to fall outside the range of random fluctuations. In real terms, however, such an improvement is not worth the time or money. Always try to figure out the quantitative magnitude of the observed effects (such as reduction in wrinkle deapth or increased skin elasticity). Determine how these effects were measured. Physical measurements, especially using several independent methods, are more credible than visual observations or self-assessments of the study participants. http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/interpreting_research.html[24/01/2012 22:33:51] -- advertisements -- Naturally Reduce Wrinkles View Before & After Results. Find the Right Treatment For You. www.TheNaturalLook.co.uk Natural Skincare Get Firmer & Smoother Skin With Natural Skincare Products. Buy Now! uk.LizEarle.com/SkinCare Treatments For Spot Tried Everything? Try Freederm. For Freedom From Spots and Acne www.Freederm.co.uk RevitaEyeLash Low Price Great Low Price & Special Offers New Formula in Stock www.SoSpecial.co.uk Men+Care Products By Dove A Range Of Men's Shower & Hygiene Products With Added Moisturisers. dovemencare.co.uk How to interpret skin care research data Abstracts are adequate for scanning research data. However, if you come across a particularly interesting or impressive new treatment (and especially if you are seriously considering this treatment for yourself), get the full text of the research articles. Unfortunately, due to copyrighting restrictions we can only provide abstracts on this site. You can obtain the full text of research articles in medical libraries or online at such sites as medscape.com (depending on the journal, they may charge a fee per article). Try to find several studies on your subject of interest. Only multiple studies by unrelated, independent teams can fully substantiate the treatment's effectiveness. It is best to rely on the studies performed by the teams that are not affiliated with or funded by the pharmaceutical or skin care companies. Unfortunately, such studies are harder to come by in our market driven world. How to determine the value and credibility of a research study Not all scientific studies are created equal: some deserve more credence than others. To distinguish among "the good, the bad and the ugly," we recommend the following. Look where a study has been published. The publication source should by no means be your only criterion. However, just as newspapers, TV shows or websites, not all scientific journals are created equal. Respectable peer reviewed journals (e.g. Nature, JAMA, Lancet, etc.) tend to be more rigorous in screening out flawed studies because their reputation is their main asset. Hence the studies they publish tend to be of better quality. Long-term studies are more valuable that the shorter ones. Some treatments work well in the short run but quickly lose their effectiveness or even lead to long-term damage. While a short-term study is better than nothing at all, the evidence of long-term benefits and safety (12 month or longer) is far more valuable. Studies with larger number of participants tend to be more reliable since a larger sample provides more reliable statistics. Studies in cell tissue culture or animal models are far less reliable that those in human subjects. In most cases, an animal or tissue culture study is an indicator of whether a human study is worthwhile, but by no means the evidence that the treatment will work in humans too. Studies with better controls hold more value. The golden standard of medical research is a so-called randomized double-blind placebocontrolled study. In such a study the subjects are randomly assigned to two similar groups. One group gets an active treatment and the other, a.k.a. the control group, gets a placebo (hence the term placebocontrolled). Furthermore, neither the subjects nor the administering physicians know which batch has the active substance and which is a placebo (hence double-blind). In the studies of topical skin treatments, for example, the placebo may be the base cream (i.e. inactive ingredients mixed together). Notably, many skin care studies use each subject as her own control by applying different agents (e.g. wrinkle cream vs inactive base cream) to different sides of the face. However, this tends to be less reliable because the subjects often have to apply the treatment themselves and may confuse or forget the application rules. Unfortunately, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled studies are relatively rare in skin care research because they are costly and harder to perform properly. Studies with a thorough statistical analysis of results tend to be more reliable. Imagine that we have just finished a study and observed some http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/interpreting_research.html[24/01/2012 22:33:51] How to interpret skin care research data effect, such as improved skin elasticity. How do we know that this is a real effect rather than a transient natural fluctuation in people's skin properties or a measurement error? Statistics to the rescue! It turns out that statistical methods allow us to estimate the probability (p) that the observed effect resulted from random fluctuations or errors rather than biological activity of the treatment. The smaller the p, the more reliable the result. You should give more credence to the studies where such probability is less than 5% (p < 0.05) or, even better, less than 1% (p < 0.01). Whenever the researches confirm their results with a rigorous statistical analysis they almost always include that value of p in the abstract of the article. Hence if the abstract does not include the value of p, chances are that such analysis has not been done (or perhaps it was, but didn't come out favorably). This article is by no means an exhaustive tutorial on how to interpret scientific research and distinguish between reliable evidence and junk science. In fact, a comprehensive discussion of this issue would take a sizeable book. While the first-hand analysis of research can give you an edge in your quest for the truth, it is no simple matter and should be done carefully and thoroughly. When deriving conclusions, one should take into account the limitations of both the research itself and one's expertise in interpreting it. Like Be the first of your friends to like this. Back to Making Smart Skin Care Choices Search Home | About Us | Contact Us | Ask a Question | Resources Copyright © 1999-2012 by Dr. G. Todorov / SmartSkinCare.com Site Disclaimer | Copyright Certification http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/interpreting_research.html[24/01/2012 22:33:51] Aging face: Fixing wrinkles is not enough Intelligent anti-aging skin care based on independent research Lose wrinkles, keep your bank account! Skin Care 101 You are here: Making Smart Skin Care Choices > Skin Care Basics Skin Protection Aging face: Fixing wrinkles is not enough Skin Biology Biology of Aging Ingredient Guide Skin & Nutrition Skin Conditions Anti-Aging Treatments Topical Actives Wrinkle Fillers Noninvasive Invasive Facial rejuvenation typically focuses on prevention and reduction of wrinkles. Indeed wrinkles are perhaps the most obvious and easily measurable aspect of facial aging. Yet there are other factors that can contribute to the "aged look" at least as much as wrinkles. Sometimes, wrinkles and fine lines are the only sign of facial aging a person would have. This is typical of relatively young people who have spent too much time in the sun without proper UV protection. But more often wrinkles are just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, reducing or even eliminating wrinkles may sometimes do relatively little to help take years off one's face. A number of other age-related changes can contribute to facial aging to varying degree, such as skin laxity & sag; muscle laxity, sag & atrophy; loss and redistribution of facial fat; facial bone growth; and nose drooping. In this article I discuss these often overlooked aspects of facial aging as well as the available remedies. Skin laxity and sag Skin Care Smarts Smart Choices Best Practices Find Good Skin Doc Quick Tips As the aging skin loses its structural proteins (collagen and elastin), it becomes more lax and begins to sag, which contributes to tired and aged look. The sagging can be slowed down by stimulating the synthesis and inhibiting the degradation of collagen and elastin using topical agents. (See our articles on collagen and elastin for more details.) However, once the sag has set in, topical firming treatments (such as DMAE) tend to be only modestly effective at best. Freebie Finder Reviews & Research Product Reviews Reviews By Brand Skin Care Research How-To Infopacks Skin Rejuvenation DIY Skin Care Skin & Nutrition Eye Skin Care Longevity In a Pill Community & Misc Forums News and Updates Search A noninvasive procedure called skin needling (a.k.a. percutaneous collagen induction) shows some promise for modest skin tightening and has a good safety profile. It may help correct mild skin laxity. (See also our article on skin needling). Another category of noninvasive procedures that may help reduce skin laxity and facial sag is targeted radiofrequency therapy. The early variants of facial radiofrequency treatments were inconsistently effective and associated with significant occurrence of adverse reactions. The new generations of radiofrequency treatments may be better on both counts but the jury is still out. (For more details, see our articles on radiofrequency treatments in the section on noninvasive procedures.) In the case of severe skin laxity and facial sag, facelift surgery is likely to be the only option to provide dramatic improvement. However, surgical risks, prolonged recovery time and high costs associated with facelift procedure make it unacceptable for many people. (See also our article on facelift surgery.) Loss and redistribution of facial fat Young faces are supple, properly padded with facial fat in all the right places, yet without the excess of it. As we age, the distribution of facial fat tends to change. In some areas of the face (e.g. under the lower eyelid), fat can accumulate excessively, leading to the impression of permanent puffiness. More often, however, fat padding thins out and/or migrates, leading to deep creases, sunken cheeks and other unwelcome changes. Of particular cosmetic significance is the so-called malar fat pad (a triangular fat pad adjacent to the base the nose). Its thinning and shifting is a major factor in the development of nasolabial folds (deep laugh lines). The causes of redistribution of facial fat are not entirely clear but may include age-related shifts in hormonal balance, repeated facial movements, certain http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/aging-face_not-just-wrinkles.html[24/01/2012 22:34:10] -- advertisements -- Naturally Reduce Wrinkles Learn About Treatment Options. Visit a Consultant Who Can Help. www.TheNaturalLook.co.uk Facelift Through Exercise Erase 10 Years In 15 Min A Day. Eliminate Wrinkles, Jowls And More! www.CarolynsFacialFitness.… B-O-X: The Beauty Secret No Surgery or injections: Order now and enjoy a new wrinkle-free look! www.2be-pretty.com/B-O-X You Wont Believe Her Age Firmer, Fuller & Revitalised Face. Beat Aging Like She Did www.tinarichards.com/tuat… Goodbye Bags under eyes Finally the alternative to cremes & operations for bags under your eyes www.facelift-gym.co.uk Aging face: Fixing wrinkles is not enough disease conditions and so forth. Again, topical treatments are not going to help. One minimally invasive approach is to "return" the fat by taking it from elsewhere in the body and injecting in the face. This approached is somewhat complicated and has a mixed record of longterm success because only a modest (and varying) percentage of the injected fat becomes permanent. Yes it has been around for a long time, is well tested and has a good safety profile. (See also our article on fat injections.) Another approach is dermal fillers (and occasionally implants). Instead of trying to restore the lost tissue, dermal fillers fill up the space left by the fat loss, thus camouflaging the problem. This method is "farther from nature" than fat injections but easier to apply and may provide greater flexibility, reliability and, in some cases, be less costly. The risks and benefits of dermal fillers vary depending on the particular filler and the skill & experience of the provider. Generally speaking, all fillers carry some risk of rejection/tissue reaction, although for many fillers such risk is quite low. (The reactions/rejection is not a problem with fat injections because your own fat is injected.) For more information, see our section on dermal fillers. Finally, the more complex variants of the facelift surgery include repositioning of facial fat pads to approximate a more youthful anatomy -- in particular, vertical repositioning of malar fat pad. For best results, this requires a highly skilled surgeon with extensive experience in this and other intricacies the facelift procedure. Muscle laxity and atrophy As we age, the natural tendency of facial muscles (just as muscles elsewhere) is to become more lax and atrophy. This contributes to facial sag, droopiness and aged look. Topical treatments are not going to help here either. Skin tightening procedures might temporarily mask muscle sag but their results, if any, tends not to last if the underlying problem is not addressed. Can anything be done? The simplest, safest and arguably cheapest approach is to try facial exercise. Body exercises tone and bulk up the muscles, making them plumper and less saggy. In theory, the exercises targeting facial muscles should be no different - hence they may reduce facial sag, add volume to the face and tighten up the skin (by propping it up with the increased muscle bulk). Facial exercise has been a popular topic in the media and lay skin care literature. Unfortunately, the rigorous scientific proof of its effectiveness is scarce due to relative lack of scientific studies. (This may be partly due to the lack of funding facial exercise is next to impossible to patent.) Still, before considering more drastic measures, facial exercise may be worth a try even before there is more scientific proof to support its effectiveness. After all, the downside of trying it is so much less than that of the alternatives (like facelift). Notably, facial exercise has an "automated" cousin, the facial electrical muscle stimulation. This method employs a device (typically called facial muscle stimulator or toner) that sends electrical impulses making your facial muscles contract (as opposed to nerve signals that make muscles contract during real exercise). This approach may produce more consistent results than facial exercise but also lacks sufficient support by clinical studies. Facial electrical muscle stimulation may cause side effects (usually minor), such as skin irritation from electrodes. The ultimate long-term (albeit still not permanent) solution for facial muscle laxity is facelift surgery where the surgeon repositions the muscles to achieve a more youthful anatomy. Not all variants of facelift surgery include muscle repositioning but the more comprehensive ones often do. For best results, this requires a highly skilled surgeon with extensive experience in this and other intricacies the facelift procedure. http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/aging-face_not-just-wrinkles.html[24/01/2012 22:34:10] Aging face: Fixing wrinkles is not enough Bone structure changes Many human bones, such as bones in the arms or legs, do not change much once you have reached adulthood while other bones continue to grow and readjust as we age. Unfortunately, facial bones appear to belong to that "untildeath-do-you-grow" category, their continuous changes contributing to the aged look. Several studies, conducted at such prestigious medical schools as Stanford and Duke, have looked into this matter using sophisticated computerized tomography of skull bones. The overall conclusion was that facial bones grow and readjust throughout life. One important consequence is that forehead moves forward and the cheekbones move backward. There are also indirect repercussions. Dr. Richard Woodward, a Duke researcher who co-authored one of the studies, explains: "The facial bones also appear to tilt forward as we get older, which causes them to lose support for the overlying soft tissues. That results in more sagging and drooping." Furthermore, age-related facial bone changes may impact more that one's appearance. For example, as the growing brow bones protrude, the drooping of the tissue around the eye increases, which may lead to vision problems, dry eyes or, conversely, excessive tearing. The degree of age-related facial bone changes appears to vary considerably from person to person. Overall, the effects appear to be greater in women than in men. It is unclear whether menopausal hormonal changes (and the resultant osteoporosis) are a contributing factor. Can something be done about this sneaky problem? Unfortunately, as of the time of this writing, the only available solutions come from the field of reconstructive plastic surgery. Furthermore, most reconstructive plastic surgeons do not perform facial bone reshaping just for the sake of cosmetic rejuvenation. As a result, such procedures are not common and the best operating practices are not standardized. Still, a few surgeons do offer variants of facial bone surgery for purely cosmetic rejuvenation (e.g. forehead reshaping and brow bone reduction procedures). Nose shape changes As if all the above problems weren't enough, there's more: the shape of your nose may also be affected by aging. This subject has not been studied much but it appears that the nose may undergo subtle age-related changes, such as drooping and soft tissue growth, contributing to the aged look. The rhinoplasty surgery (a.k.a. nose job) can reduce or eliminate the problem. However, rhinoplasty is not commonly performed to address the age-related nose changes alone. Since some of the nose consists of soft tissue, a radiofrequency treatment, which tightens and shrinks soft tissue, might in theory "tighten up" the nose and reduce its droopiness. However, whether this approach can safely and effectively work in practice is unknown. Bottom line Facial aging is not just about the skin surface. Therefore getting your skin to look wrinkle-free is not always enough to avoid the aged look. For more dramatic results you may need to analyze (preferably with the help of experts) what factors contribute the most to your facial aging and look into possible remedies. However, some of the remedies, even if available, may have significant limitations and costs. This is one of those situations where the ends do not always justify the means. Related Links http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/aging-face_not-just-wrinkles.html[24/01/2012 22:34:10] Aging face: Fixing wrinkles is not enough Skin needling Radiofrequency and combinations Dermal & soft-tissue fillers Facial implants Facelift surgery The youthful cheek and the deep medial fat compartment Common Questions on Forehead Reshaping and Contouring Science News: Facial Aging Is More Than Skin Deep Medscape: Facelift anatomy (Caution: graphic anatomic imagery) Like Be the first of your friends to like this. Back to Making Smart Skin Care Choices Search Home | About Us | Contact Us | Ask a Question | Resources Copyright © 1999-2012 by Dr. G. Todorov / SmartSkinCare.com Site Disclaimer | Copyright Certification http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/aging-face_not-just-wrinkles.html[24/01/2012 22:34:10] The dark side of liposuction Intelligent anti-aging skin care based on independent research Lose wrinkles, keep your bank account! Skin Care 101 You are here: Making Smart Skin Care Choices > -- advertisements -- Skin Care Basics Skin Protection The dark side of liposuction Skin Biology Biology of Aging Ingredient Guide Skin & Nutrition Skin Conditions Anti-Aging Treatments Topical Actives Wrinkle Fillers Noninvasive Invasive Skin Care Smarts Smart Choices Best Practices Find Good Skin Doc Quick Tips Freebie Finder Reviews & Research Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery procedure that removes excess fat from different areas on the body, including thighs, buttocks, abdomen, upper arms and neck. It sculpts the body, making its contours more aesthetically appealing and eliminating unsightly pockets of fat. The results of liposuction are virtually immediate and often dramatic. For a few thousand dollars, your excess thigh fat, or belly fat, or love handles can be gone tomorrow. Perhaps you don’t have to skip ice cream or crispy fries after all. And if they end up on your thighs again, you’d just need to find a few more thousand smackers for another liposuction, right? Well, many people appear to think so -almost half a million liposuctions are performed in the US each year. But it appears that there is no free lunch as far as liposuction is concerned -- or at least no free lunch that won’t go to your thighs or belly. You probably think I am talking about the possible risks and side effects of surgery – after all liposuction is an invasive surgical procedure typically performed under general anesthesia (see our article on liposuction). While these are real concerns, serious side effects affect a relatively small percentage of people undergoing liposuction; most people are believed to get good results without any downside except for the expense. But recent research indicates that liposuction also has a not-so-obvious downside affecting most if not all of the subjects. The fat comes back within about a year. The reason this effect was hard to spot sooner is that the "returning" fat seems to be distributed differently. For instance, the fat sucked out of a thigh would mainly "return" to the abdomen, upper arms, and shoulders. Product Reviews Reviews By Brand Skin Care Research How-To Infopacks Skin Rejuvenation DIY Skin Care Skin & Nutrition Eye Skin Care Longevity In a Pill Community & Misc Forums News and Updates Search This "return-of-the-living-fat" phenomenon was a subject of the study conducted by Dr. Teri Hernandez and colleagues at the University of Colorado and published in the journal Obesity in July 2011. The study involved healthy nonobese women with prominent fat deposits in thighs. The study was randomized (one of the indicators of good design), i.e. half of the women were randomly assigned to have liposuction (in thigh area), while others served as untreated controls. After the liposuction, as expected, the women who underwent liposuction had reduction in both the percentage of overall body fat and the amount of thigh fat. However, within a year, the percentage of body fat in the liposuction group approached the pre-treatment levels. Notably, in the liposuction group, thigh fat remained reduced after one year whereas fat in the abdominal area (and possibly elsewhere) modestly increased. Dr. Felmont Eaves III, the president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has called the results surprising (according to The New York Times). I have to stress that a single clinical study, even if properly conducted, is usually insufficient to firmly establish a medical fact. But assuming this phenomenon is real, I would not consider it particularly surprising. In fact, it is in line with the key principle of physiology called homeostasis. Essentially, homeostasis is a proper balance of the organism's internal environment. To be able to function normally, the body needs its physiological parameters to be within a certain optimal range: the temperature should be about 37oC (98.6F), blood pressure about 120/80, blood sugar 70-120 mg/dl, and so forth. Homeostasis is a tendency of the system to maintain internal stability, which involves keeping dozens of physiological parameters within an optimal range. The body fat content is likely to be one of the key homeostatic parameters and is carefully balanced with related parameters, such as food http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/liposuction-dark-side.html[24/01/2012 22:34:29] The dark side of liposuction intake and energy expenditure. If homeostasis is disrupted by liposuction, the body will likely attempt to restore the balance in some way. The question is: How? The body’s endocrine system appears to monitor the size of fat stores by sampling the bloodstream for hormones released by fat cells, most notably leptin. On the other hand, it does not seem to track the specific contribution of each body part to the level of leptin. If some of the thigh fat is gone, the endocrine system would "know" that some fat is missing but not the exact location of the lost fat. The likely upshot is that the body would attempt to restore its fat content by simply telling all the remaining fat depots to accumulate some extra fat. Besides, it is possible that liposuction destroys the connective tissue scaffolding required for growing new fat cells, which makes it harder for fat to return to the treated area. All in all, it is actually plausible rather than surprising that the sucked-out fat comes back but is distributed differently than before. Still, even a plausible single result needs to be confirmed by other studies. Assuming future studies verify Dr. Hernandez’s findings, what would this mean in practice for people considering liposuction? At a minimum, it would mean that liposuction should not be considered a tool for weight loss. Medical professionals generally do not recommend using liposuction for the purposes of weight loss anyway. And yet some people view liposuction as a backup weight loss plan. Dr. Hernandez’s study points to the folly of such attitude. What about the esthetic value of liposuction in the light of the return of the fat? Notably, after Dr. Hernandez’s study had ended, the women who had liposuction were still happy with the results. They valued the improvement in the shape of their thighs. Furthermore, half of the women in the control group chose to have liposuction later on, fully aware of the study results. It appears that many women value liposuction as a body contouring procedure (rather than a weight loss tool) and may be willing to live with mild fat gain throughout the body for the sake of losing fat in a particular problem area. Thus, even if the results of Dr. Hernandez’s study are fully validated by others, liposuction will likely retain its utility as a body contouring procedure -- albeit with a downside of mild compensatory fat gain in untreated areas. So, if you still wish to consider liposuction, do it for the right reasons. Keep in mind that it cannot replace a trip to a gym or offset unhealthy eating habits. Like 4 people like this. Back to Making Smart Skin Care Choices Search Home | About Us | Contact Us | Ask a Question | Resources Copyright © 1999-2012 by Dr. G. Todorov / SmartSkinCare.com Site Disclaimer | Copyright Certification http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/liposuction-dark-side.html[24/01/2012 22:34:29] Skin Care Myths and Misconceptions: Natural vs synthetic Intelligent anti-aging skin care based on independent research Lose wrinkles, keep your bank account! Skin Care 101 You are here: Making Smart Skin Care Choices > Myths and Misconceptions > Skin Care Basics Skin Protection Natural vs synthetic Natural Skincare Skin Biology Biology of Aging Ingredient Guide Skin & Nutrition Skin Conditions Anti-Aging Treatments Topical Actives Wrinkle Fillers Noninvasive Invasive Skin Care Smarts Smart Choices Best Practices Many people feel compelled to use skin care with natural ingredients only. This is understandable: humankind has synthesized enough harmful chemicals to scare virtually anyone. Still, the all-or-nothing approach may not be the most productive. Freebie Finder Reviews & Research Synthetic chemicals identical to the natural ones work exactly the same and can be used in exactly the same way. In fact, take away the labels, and you won't be able to distinguish between the two -- even if using cutting edge analytical equipment. Synthetic chemicals not found in nature are structurally different and may indeed work differently. However, there is no direct relationship between the benefits and dangers of a paticular chemical and its origin as a natural or manmade substance. Many natural chemicals can be harmful, especially if misused. Many synthetic chemicals not found in nature are life-saving drugs. www.TheNaturalLook.co.uk The bottom line A product's merits depend on whether its ingredients are proven safe and effective by comprehensive research and whether the concentration and delivery of the ingredients are appropriate. ...Prion and Ova Peptides available within days. Check now! www.shop.jpt.com Low Price Great Low Price & Special Offers New Formula in Stock Blackhead Skin Back to Myths and Misconceptions Back to Making Smart Skin Care Choices Skin Rejuvenation Tried Everything? Try Freederm. For Freedom From Spots & Blackheads www.Freederm.co.uk DIY Skin Care Search Skin & Nutrition Eye Skin Care Home | About Us | Contact Us | Ask a Question | Resources Community & Misc Amyloid beta Peptides... www.SoSpecial.co.uk How-To Infopacks Longevity In a Pill View Before & After Results. Find the Right Treatment For You. RevitaEyeLash Reviews By Brand uk.LizEarle.com/SkinCare Naturally Reduce Wrinkles Product Reviews Skin Care Research Natural Skincare Products From AwardWinning Liz Earle. Buy Now! First, according to modern science, biological effects of a particular chemical are the same whether it is isolated from natural sources or synthesized in the lab. Second, we should distinguish between the chemicals that are synthetic but structurally identical to the natural ones, and synthetic chemical not found in nature. Find Good Skin Doc Quick Tips -- advertisements -- Copyright © 1999-2012 by Dr. G. Todorov / SmartSkinCare.com Site Disclaimer | Copyright Certification Forums News and Updates Search http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/myths/myth_natural_vs_synthetic.html[24/01/2012 22:34:40] Skin Care Myths and Misconceptions: Are proven ingredients guaranteed to work? Intelligent anti-aging skin care based on independent research Lose wrinkles, keep your bank account! Skin Care 101 You are here: Making Smart Skin Care Choices > Myths and Misconceptions > Skin Care Basics Skin Protection Are proven ingredients guaranteed to work? Skin Biology Biology of Aging Ingredient Guide Skin & Nutrition Skin Conditions Anti-Aging Treatments Topical Actives Wrinkle Fillers Many people think that as long as they use only the treatments backed by plentiful scientific evidence the results are virtually guaranteed. Such optimism, however invigorating, is unfounded. Due to variations in individual skin chemistry, only a percentage of people respond to even proven treatments. Also, a proven ingredient has a chance to be effective only if it is delivered deep enough into the skin in sufficient amounts. This, in turn, depends on whether the product is properly formulated (in terms of concentration, stability, skin penetration, etc.) and whether you apply it correctly. (See our article on how to apply skin care products.) Bottom line It is only the first step to find out which active ingredients are backed by solid science. You should also select a proper formulation and apply it correctly. Skin Care Smarts Smart Choices Best Practices Find Good Skin Doc Back to Myths and Misconceptions Back to Making Smart Skin Care Choices Quick Tips Search Reviews & Research www.TheNaturalLook.co.uk Natural Skincare Natural Skincare Products From AwardWinning Liz Earle. Buy Now! Proven Stem Cell Cream Clinically Proven 69% Reduction in Wrinkles Using Plant Stem Cells! www.StemuLift.com Face Care Face Mask, Day Cream & more Get Coupons - 70% Off in your City www.Groupon.co.uk/_Skin… Product Reviews Home | About Us | Contact Us | Ask a Question | Resources Skin Care Research Copyright © 1999-2012 by Dr. G. Todorov / SmartSkinCare.com Site Disclaimer | Copyright Certification View Before & After Results. Find the Right Treatment For You. Products: -70% Freebie Finder Reviews By Brand Naturally Reduce Wrinkles uk.LizEarle.com/SkinCare Noninvasive Invasive -- advertisements -- How-To Infopacks Skin Rejuvenation DIY Skin Care Skin & Nutrition Eye Skin Care Longevity In a Pill Community & Misc Forums News and Updates Search http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/myths/myth_proven_ingedients.html[24/01/2012 22:34:49] Spot Cream Tried Everything? Try Freederm. For Freedom From Spots and Acne www.Freederm.co.uk Skin Care Myths and Misconceptions: Collagen creams Intelligent anti-aging skin care based on independent research Lose wrinkles, keep your bank account! Skin Care 101 You are here: Making Smart Skin Care Choices > Myths and Misconceptions > Skin Care Basics Skin Protection Collagen creams Natural Skincare Skin Biology Biology of Aging Ingredient Guide Skin & Nutrition Skin Conditions Anti-Aging Treatments Topical Actives Wrinkle Fillers Noninvasive Invasive Skin Care Smarts Smart Choices Best Practices Find Good Skin Doc Quick Tips Freebie Finder Reviews & Research -- advertisements -- Collagen creams have been around for decades. At the first glance, they seem useful. After all, the skin is made of collagen; so if you put on a cream with collagen, the skin should absorb it and thereby improve. This does not work. Let me give you an analogy. Imagine you live in a brick house and your neighbor is throwing bricks at it. Will your walls become stronger or smoother? Of course not: those bricks will simply lay scattered on the ground. Same happens when you apply a collagen cream. Collagen is a large molecule, it does not penetrate the skin but stays idly on top of it, only to be washed off during your next shower. Traditional collagen creams are not entirely useless because collagen can hold moisture and makes a decent moisturizer. But do not expect these creams to strengthen your skin. Admittedly, there are a few emerging techniques to create a better collagen cream. Some companies use partially hydrolyzed collagen, i.e. collagen chopped up into fragments small enough to penetrate the skin. But even if such downsized collagen penetrates the skin, the fragments are too small to properly integrate into the skin's own collagen framework. They are likely to be quickly washed out of the skin via lymphatic flow. Finally, a few companies claim to possess unique transdermal technologies to deliver full-size collagen deep into the skin via topical application. This is an intriguing claim not yet supported by sufficient evidence. Even if true, it is unclear whether even successful transdermal delivery of full-size collagen will cause it to integrate into the skin matrix and improve the skin's strength and regularity. This research is worth following though. (See also our article on collagen treatments). Get Firmer & Smoother Skin With Natural Skincare Products. Buy Now! uk.LizEarle.com/SkinCare Naturally Reduce Wrinkles View Before & After Results. Find the Right Treatment For You. www.TheNaturalLook.co.uk Spot Cream Tried Everything? Try Freederm. For Freedom From Spots and Acne www.Freederm.co.uk Dr.Hauschka Skin Care Best Natural Brand in the Sunday Times, Style Beauty Awards 2010 Product Reviews www.drhauschka.co.uk/ Reviews By Brand Face Care Products: -70% Skin Care Research How-To Infopacks Back to Myths and Misconceptions Back to Making Smart Skin Care Choices Skin Rejuvenation www.Groupon.co.uk/_Skin… DIY Skin Care Search Skin & Nutrition Eye Skin Care Longevity In a Pill Community & Misc Forums Face Mask, Day Cream & more Get Coupons - 70% Off in your City Home | About Us | Contact Us | Ask a Question | Resources Copyright © 1999-2012 by Dr. G. Todorov / SmartSkinCare.com Site Disclaimer | Copyright Certification News and Updates Search http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/myths/myth_collagen_creams.html[24/01/2012 22:34:58] Skin Care Myths and Misconceptions: Cucumber for under eye puffiness Intelligent anti-aging skin care based on independent research Lose wrinkles, keep your bank account! Skin Care 101 You are here: Making Smart Skin Care Choices > Myths and Misconceptions > -- advertisements -- Skin Care Basics Skin Protection Cucumber for under eye puffiness Skin Biology Biology of Aging Ingredient Guide It is a popular practice to place freshly cut cucumber slices over one's eyes in order to reduce puffiness and "that tired look". Some think that cucumber flesh can reduce swelling and revitalize skin. Alas, it cannot. Skin & Nutrition Skin Conditions Anti-Aging Treatments Topical Actives Wrinkle Fillers Cucumber is over 90 percent water and the rest is mostly inert fiber with no skin benefits. However, cucumber slices do sometimes reduce puffiness a bit. That's because they are cold! You store your cucumbers in the refrigerator, don't you? It is the cold (not the cucumber) that shrinks the swelling by constricting blood vessels and thus reducing inflow of fluid into soft tissues. You can get the same results with a washcloth dipped in cold water. Noninvasive Invasive Skin Care Smarts Back to Myths and Misconceptions Back to Making Smart Skin Care Choices Smart Choices Best Practices Find Good Skin Doc Search Quick Tips Freebie Finder Reviews & Research Product Reviews Home | About Us | Contact Us | Ask a Question | Resources Copyright © 1999-2012 by Dr. G. Todorov / SmartSkinCare.com Site Disclaimer | Copyright Certification Reviews By Brand Skin Care Research How-To Infopacks Skin Rejuvenation DIY Skin Care Skin & Nutrition Eye Skin Care Longevity In a Pill Community & Misc Forums News and Updates Search http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/myths/myth_cucumber.html[24/01/2012 22:35:06] Skin Care Myths and Misconceptions: Retinol vs Retin A Intelligent anti-aging skin care based on independent research Lose wrinkles, keep your bank account! Skin Care 101 You are here: Making Smart Skin Care Choices > Myths and Misconceptions > Skin Care Basics Skin Protection Retinol vs Retin A Retinol Vitamin A Creams Skin Biology Biology of Aging Ingredient Guide Skin & Nutrition Skin Conditions Anti-Aging Treatments Many anti-wrinkle and skin rejuvenation products contain retinol, which is a form of vitamin A. Many people confuse retinol with Retin A, which is a brand of tretinoin also referred to as trans-retinoic acid or simply retinoic acid. Retinol and retinoic acid are related but distinctly different. Retinol and other forms of vitamin A, such as retinal and retinyl palmitate, do not have much direct effect on the skin. They first need to be converted by special enzymes into the active metabolite, retinoic acid. Only retinoic acid directly affects skin cells and helps reduce some signs of aging. Topical Actives Wrinkle Fillers Noninvasive Invasive Skin Care Smarts Smart Choices Best Practices Find Good Skin Doc Quick Tips Freebie Finder Reviews & Research Product Reviews Reviews By Brand Skin Care Research How-To Infopacks Skin Rejuvenation DIY Skin Care Skin & Nutrition In theory, one should be able to apply retinol to the skin, wait till it gets converted to retinoic acid, and eventually get the known skin benefits of the latter. In reality, the conversion rate is low and varies greatly among individuals. Besides, when exposed to air either during storage or use, much retinol may get oxidized or degraded even before it can become availalbe for conversion to retinoic acid in the skin. As a result, significantly less people respond to retinol creams than to retinoic acid (tretinoin, Retin A), and the degree of response tends to be less too. It is true that retinol products tend to have fewer side-effects than retinoic acid (tretinoin, Retin A). The reason is the same: lower biological activity of retinol due do slow conversion and, possibly, degradation. Notably, some companies have developed stabilized high-concentration retinol formulas that seem to be more effective than run-of-the-mill retinol products. However, high concentrations of retinol can be almost as irritating to the skin as retinoic acid. (See our article on active retinol for more about such products.) www.faceandbody.co.uk/zo… Natural Skincare Natural Skincare Products From AwardWinning Liz Earle. Buy Now! uk.LizEarle.com/SkinCare Mario Badescu Skin Care Official Site Of Mario Badescu Mario Badescu Established 1967 www.MarioBadescu.com OBAGI at Lowest Price $259.99 Starter Set, All Full Size + Gift Obagi Sunblock, Check it out www.BeautifulSkincareSite.… Retinoic acid a.k.a. tretinoin (sold as Retin A, Renova and other brands) appears to provide a better shot at eliminating fine lines and reducing wrinkles than even the best retinol formulations. (Not to mention many virtually ineffective retinol products.) Tretinoin users who experience skin irritation and/or chronic peeling could try to eliminate the side effects by reducing the concentration and/or frequency of application. If that fails, a well-selected retinol product may be worth a try. Caution: neither tretinoin nor retinol should be used in the event of continuing chronic side-effects. Professional Skin Care Longevity In a Pill Forums Obagi ZO Advanced Skin Care Anti-ageing Retinol A Creams  £37+ Bottom line Eye Skin Care Community & Misc -- advertisements -- Back to Myths and Misconceptions Back to Making Smart Skin Care Choices News and Updates Search Search Home | About Us | Contact Us | Ask a Question | Resources Copyright © 1999-2012 by Dr. G. Todorov / SmartSkinCare.com Site Disclaimer | Copyright Certification http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/myths/myth_retinol_retina.html[24/01/2012 22:35:13] Relaxing Skin Care & Facials. A Simple Way to Stay Sexy. makemeglamglenrothes.co.… Skin Care Myths and Misconceptions Intelligent anti-aging skin care based on independent research Lose wrinkles, keep your bank account! Skin Care 101 You are here: Making Smart Skin Care Choices > Myths and Misconceptions Skin Care Basics Skin Protection Skin Care Myths and Misconceptions Skin Biology Biology of Aging Ingredient Guide Skin & Nutrition Skin Conditions Anti-Aging Treatments Topical Actives Wrinkle Fillers Like many health and fitness related fields, skin care sits somewhere between hard science, precarious word-of-mouth knowledge and wild hype. It is important to know what has been proven to work by science. But it is just as important to know what does not work, or works differently than you think, or can even be harmful. This section exposes some of the common skin care myths and misconceptions. This knowledge can help you save time, money and effort, which should rather be channeled into trying proven treatments in a correct way. Natural vs synthetic Collagen creams Noninvasive Cucumber for under eye puffiness Invasive Are proven ingredients guaranteed to work? Skin Care Smarts Smart Choices Best Practices Sleep and skin repair Topical vitamins Retinol vs Retin A Find Good Skin Doc Quick Tips Freebie Finder Reviews & Research Product Reviews Search Reviews By Brand Skin Care Research Home | About Us | Contact Us | Ask a Question | Resources How-To Infopacks Skin Rejuvenation Copyright © 1999-2012 by Dr. G. Todorov / SmartSkinCare.com Site Disclaimer | Copyright Certification DIY Skin Care Skin & Nutrition Eye Skin Care Longevity In a Pill Community & Misc Forums News and Updates Search http://www.smartskincare.com/smartchoices/myths/[24/01/2012 22:35:16]
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