Eid Boon - Lips To Love

 

Beautiful, soft and plump lips are a universal beauty hallmark and are desired by women no matter what ethnic background they hail from. You admire luscious lips featured on magazine covers, on beauty-campaign billboards, and on the faces of your favorite celebs (yes, Angelina bless your famous kissers, we're still talking about you) and think secretly to yourself why can’t I have them perfect puckers? - Who says you can't have them too?

Ladies let me be the bearer of the smoldering smackers good news - there are ways to plump up, protect, and enhance your lips even if you feel you were genetically cheated at birth.

First Do No Harm - Understanding Causes Of Lip Damage & Aging

Your lifestyle choices and aging process result in constant wear and tear of the delicate lip area, which translates into dehydration, and loss of collagen/elastin, thus making your kissers appear wrinkled, shriveled and shrunken over time. You’ll notice your lips are the first to indicate your body is trying to fight off an illness, stress or disease. Lips are also the first to show signs of unhealthy, destructive lifestyle with warning signs like dryness, chapping, and discoloration.

Bear in mind, beautiful healthy lips should be smooth and supple with very few lines and they should always have a healthy natural color (regardless of your age).

Natural aging plays a part in the thinning of lips and the formation of these lines, but so do sun damage, dehydration and cigarette smoke.  Some of these factors you can control, and some you can't.

One common cause of lip lines is, unfortunately, using your lips! Every time you purse your lips to drink through a straw or whistle a tune, you create folds in the skin. Over time, the repetition of this pursing motion can result in permanent creases and lines around your mouth. This is the main reason that people who smoke cigarettes tend to see lip lines develop sooner and more noticeably than nonsmokers. When you add in the fact that smoking has a drying effect on skin and is known to accelerate the formation of wrinkles and loss of skin tone, it becomes clear that smoking is a major factor in the formation of lip aging.

Volume loss with time is another reason for lip thinning and deepening lip lines with aging. As you get older, your skin loses collagen and elastin -- the components of skin that give it a full and smooth appearance. In addition, facial fat, which accounts for some of your lips' plumpness, is also lost naturally as you age. Both thinning of skin and fat loss over time result in lips loosing their youthful puckered shape.

Understand The Sad Realities Of Lip Product Formulations 

As women, we have been conditioned to believe anything creamy is also moisturizing. As far as lip products are concerned, nothing could be further from the truth. When lip products that contain wax, wax derivatives, and petroleum-by products (all recognized for their ability to repel moisture) are regularly applied to the lip surface over an extended period of time, the innate ability of your lips to keep their tissues hydrated naturally, is compromised, and eventually ceases to function at all.

Over time, this prolonged state of dehydration results in the loss of lip volume, vertical lines on the lip surface, the onset of lines along the upper and lower lip lines, and the dreaded and feared lines which extend above the lip and can also extend below the lips.

Aside from giving up smoking and to stop using wrong lip products, it sounds like there's little you can do to avoid lip aging and deterioration. But, there are several things you can do to rejuvenate your lips and here are some valid options.

A Little Help From Your Dermatologist - Fillers For Fuller Lips

One straightforward way to plump up and add volume to lips is by injecting dermal fillers into them, hence making them appear more pleasantly contoured and fuller. This procedure has been very popular among Hollywood stars for years now and is no longer a secret behind their out-of-this-world-sexy-pouts.  Word of advice for plumping needle fans- while opting for fillers to enhance the lips the goal should always be to replace what Mother Nature gave you and gravity took away and not to create a stuffed trout pout (sorry Meg Rayan not a flattering look).

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is one of the most popular dermal filler that is used to replace the enhance lip volume, it also helps in tightening and smoothing skin. Usually a filler injection treatment with HA lasts up to 3-6 months after which you’re up for a reinjection session at your discretion.

Another option to rejuvenate lips is to have fat injected into your lips. Fat is usually taken from one part of your body (such as the stomach), treated and re-injected to add volume and reduce lip lines. A word of warning though, fat injections can lead to lumping or uneven results, so talk to your dermatologist weighing the risks versus the benefits.

AminoGenesis™ “Lips-To-Love”

If injectable fillers sound painful and too much of a commitment, don’t loose hope there are other simpler over the counter options. AminoGenesis™ “Lips to Love” is a natural non-invasive lip augmentation system; that helps to restore and augment the lips at the same time.

The Proof Of The Pudding - Amino acids are the heart of the AminoGenesis™ formula. They are the actual building blocks of proteins like collagen and elastin, which are necessary for healthy and beautiful skin & lips. As you age you start to lose these essential amino acids (meaning the body can’t replace them on it’s own and needs supply from an outside source), collagen and elastin production stops and your skin begins to malfunction, resulting in wrinkles and discoloration.

AminoGenesis™ uses17 purified; plant derived amino acids necessary to make your skin & lips healthy and youthful looking. These amino acids are then carefully blended to match the optimum composition of collagen, giving your skin and lips all they needs to become healthy and radiant looking.  A perfect pout at a fraction of filler price!

The miraculous oligopeptide formula present in “Lips to Love” penetrates into the delicate skin of lips instantly, increasing volume while deeply hydrating lips for a plumper, sexier pout that lasts all day long. The application wand comes built in with a unique 3-speed vibrating system that helps in facilitating blood circulation to the lip area and also indirectly aids in product penetration for maximum results.  

Why I Like “Lips-To-Love”?

·      It increases lip volume instantly upon application (filler like effect)

·      Results are very natural looking and not over the top crazy

·      It hydrates and softens lips as it plumps them (conditioning and skincare)

·      It reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles revealing smooth looking smackers

·      It provides true lips rejuvenation as the vital amino acids at its core help to rebuild and restructure your skin’s collagen and elastin fibers

·      Brownie point- it also helps in restoring natural lip color due to it’s skin healing properties with amino acids

·      And, most importantly - No side effects

Beautistas now you have all the info on how to preserve and enhance your pout in the best ways possible – Eid is the perfect time to dab on a little lip color, pucker up and flaunt your kissers and dazzle everyone with your new found beauty secrets. 

Wish You A Lip Smacking Blissful Eid!!

Youth IV Lane - Anti-aging treatments

 

While IV vitamin therapy isn't new — 50 years ago, Baltimore doc John Myers treated fatigue and depression with his injectable "Myers' Cocktail" of, among other things, B6, B12, and magnesium — the practice is enjoying a resurgence of late, thanks to customized, tailor-made-for-you IV drips designed to treat whatever ails you - Can't sleep? Flood your veins with vitamin D! Suffer from digestive problems? Mainline folic acid! Problem is, there's scant medical evidence to prove it works, still some doctors have for years been prescribing mega-doses of vitamin C to alleviate symptoms of multiple sclerosis, Lyme disease, even cancer.

The procedure is currently being reported as the secret antiaging weapon of reed-thin models and celebs. Apparently, IV drips are so ubiquitous in L.A., you can order one with your facial. When stars need to shine at a party (or recover from one), they visit their dermatologist for a Vita-Infusion Facial coupled with Anti-aging IV treatments.

While an aesthetician tends to the skin, a registered nurse or a doctor starts an IV filled with vitamins C and B, calcium gluconate, and magnesium chloride—a modified version of a vitamin mixture that has been studied for its effect on chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Patients get an energy boost and "a nice glow, probably related to vasodilation," as explained by Dr. Norman Leaf MD, who owns the practice and is an associate clinical professor of plastic surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Los Angeles and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, aesthetician Melanie Simon, whose fans reportedly include Oprah Winfrey and Vanessa Williams, says she has seen skin glow for 24 hours when amino acids are added to a basic vitamin drip. She does not do the drip herself, but refers clients to a doctor specializing in anti-aging medicine. The aminos act as a vasodilator, increasing blood flow to the skin."

Warning Disclaimer:  Any IV treatments should only be given in reputable medical facilities, where "the risk of intravenous infection is impossibly low in the hands of skilled practitioners, and the dosage is safe.

The Complexion Conundrum

 The Complexion Conundrum is the scribed dialogue between me and Style.comarabia’s senior editor Sofia Guellaty, exploring the controversial skin lightening trend in the Middle East.

You can read the Style.comarabia's fnal version here: Let's Be Fair

What do they say? Grass is always greener on the other side of the pond. People in the West are baking their bodies under the sun to attain a bronzed/tanned complexion even at the risk of getting skin cancer. Meanwhile, people on our side of the pond (Middle East) are looking for skin lightening solutions to ditch their perfect caramel/chocolate complexions in favor of a pale ghost-white complexion – idiosyncrasies of human nature go figure.

Skin Whitening

Let me start by clarifying one thing, the term skin whitening is misleading, I prefer to address complexion blending as skin lightening or depigmenting.

You can lighten your skin tone (a shade or two) by getting rid of tan acquired through careless or planned sun exposures, and you can also blend dark patches on your skin (due to hormones, acne or other skin predispositions) to attain a more uniform complexion, but you can’t whiten your skin, at least not without causing serious damage to your skin’s vital structures.

Skin Lightening Treatments

Skin lightening products - also known as bleaching creams, whiteners, skin brighteners, or fade creams - work by reducing a pigment called melanin in the skin. Most people who use lighteners do so to treat skin problems such as age spots, acne scars, or discoloration related to hormones. It is also a technique used to lighten naturally dark skin.

Understanding Skin Color

Skin color is determined by the amount of melanin in the skin. Melanin is a pigment produced by specialized cells called melanocytes. People with dark skin have more melanin.

How much melanin your skin has is mainly a matter of your genetic makeup. Sunlight exposure, hormones, skin damage, and exposure to certain chemicals can also affect melanin production.

Changes in skin color often resolve themselves. For instance, tans fade when the amount of direct exposure to sunlight is reduced. But over time, certain discolorations, such as "age" spots or "liver" spots, become more or less permanent.

What Is Skin Bleaching?

Skin bleaching is a cosmetic treatment to reduce the prominence of skin discolorations and even out the color of the skin. You can buy bleaching creams over the counter or by prescription through a dermatologist.

How Do Skin Lighteners Work?

Skin lighteners contain an active ingredient or a combination of ingredients that reduces the amount of melanin production in the skin where it is applied.

The most widely used ingredient in skin lighteners sold around the world used to be hydroquinone. Recently it has been banned in Europe because of its serious side effects over long-term usage. In U.S. the FDA regulates the use of hydroquinone (over-the-counter skin lighteners can contain up to 2% hydroquinone. Dermatologists can write prescription for lighteners that contain up to 4-6% hydroquinone). In Middle East its use is still uncontrolled and different percentages are available through over the counter sales.

Other skin lighteners use drugs such as steroids and retinoic acid (vitamin A) as active ingredients.

Newer and safer skin lighteners use natural ingredients such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C), kojic acid (a compound that comes from a specific type of fungus) and arbutin (a compound found in various plants).

Answers To Style.comarabia’s Ms. Sofia Guellaty’s Questions:

Is quest for fair complexion a post-colonial trend?

Margaret Hunter an expert on skin of color issues explains the desire to be lighter complexioned quiet eloquently for me. According to her, colorism is the process of discrimination that privileges light-skinned people of color over their dark skin counterparts (This definition of colorism places the phenomenon solely among non-Whites, but colorism also occurs among Whites, but that is another discussion for yet another day :).

The contemporary colorism has its roots in the European colonization of Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and the Americas. The complexion consensus empowers light-skinned people with more opportunities, status, and prestige in nearly all these societies. Thus, the values and norms of the complexion consensus influence many people to bleach their skin.

Furthermore, in the Middle East fair people, especially women, are considered prettier and most men prefer to marry a fair woman. In a culture where status and wealth is typically acquired through marriage, physical beauty and complexion translate into a fast track ticket to a life of privilege. This creates a much desired and easy connection between a girl’s social problems and the tone of her skin, explaining the particular prevalence of skin bleaching desire in young females belonging to the middle classes.

Why does Chanel only sell skin lightening products in Asia and Middle-East etc.

Beauty trends and unique regional market demands are the driving forces behind product sales. To run a successful business companies hone in and focus on those criteria.

In Asia like the Middle-East lighter skin tones are considered desirable and affiliated with high status symbol. A huge number of men and women use skin brighteners on regular basis as part of their daily skincare routine. Hence, both these regions are big markets for skin lightening products.

US is a melting pot of ethnicities, there’s an enormous demand for skin brighteners among ethnic communities in US too.

In Europe only people with uneven skin tone are interested in skin lightening products which doesn’t translate into big numbers, hence companies don’t find it a lucrative business strategy to focus on skin bleaching products. As per demand cosmetic companies focus more on tanners and bronzer in those markets.

Do you see a lot of patients that want to whiten their skin?

Of course I do and by Rolls-and-Bentley-loads if I may say so. Arab and Middle Eastern skin is more prone to pigmentation disorders. Actually the skin classification has been revised over time and “Pigmented” is the latest addition to Skin Type Charts. It pertains to skin types; which produces abnormal levels of melanin in response to friction, sun, hormones and inflammation or injuries resulting in uneven complexion.

Most of my patients come to me with complaints of hormone and sun related pigmentation problems in addition to a unique complaint of dark elbows and knees very indigenous to Middle East and Indian Subcontinent.  Najadi Boys know about this pigmentation Achilles heel and tease girls on the subject all the time. I believe dark knees and elbows haunting females are even part of folklore tales originating from the Middle Eastern region.

Where do they (patients) come from?

As I practice in Saudi Arabia, most of my patients seeking skin-lightening treatments are Saudis, some hail from the neighboring Arab Middle Eastern and African countries too.

What is their motivation?

Every region has its indigenous beauty icons. In Middle East mostly the Lebanese, Syrian or Egyptian (music or T.V) celebs are given goddess of beauty and attraction status. As, most of these celebs set high on the glamour pedestal are light skinned, all our girls next door want to bleach their hides to match their silver screen diva’s skin color.

I also believe that the growing preference for white skin is not merely one of choice or aesthetics, but it seems to grow also from self-doubt and the lingering confusions of identity and acceptance. Spousal pressure and acceptance are also quoted as the main reasons by some of my patients seeking skin-lightening treatments.

What are the risks of whitening?

When our skin is exposed to the sun, cells called melanocytes produce pigment to make a shield around the nucleus of the cells to protect it from carcinogenic mutations caused by the UVA & UVB rays. This pigment acts as a barrier shield protecting our skin from cancer and photo-aging.

Long-term use of skin lightening products can increase the risk of skin cancer with sun exposure.

As with any new product, skin lightening products do come with some risks. It’s important to read the label and know the facts before you buy and apply a skin lightener.

Various bleaching agents, including natural ingredients, can cause skin irritation or skin allergies e.g AHA’s (alpha hydroxy acids), high concentration of ascorbic acid (vit. C), tretinoin (vitamin A) etc.

Mercury Warning: Some people apply skin lightener to their entire body to change their complexion, and this can be very risky. Regional ministry of health’s have reported the active ingredient in some skin lighteners (originating from Africa and Asia) can be mercury, using these products can lead to mercury poisoning.

Mercury is a toxic agent that can cause serious psychiatric, neurological, and kidney problems. Pregnant women who use a skin lightener with mercury can pass the mercury to their unborn child.

The use of mercury as an ingredient in skin lighteners is banned in Saudi Arabia, UAE, U.S and Europe. However, some skin lighteners produced outside these regions may still contain mercury.

I always warn my patients to make sure there is no mercury in the skin lightening products they use. Mercury is sometimes listed under other names, such as calomel, mercuric, mercurous, or mercurio.

Steroid Warning: Some skin lighteners contain steroids. Using steroid laced products can lead to increase risk for skin infections, skin thinning, acne, and poor wound healing.

Applying steroids to large areas of skin can put you at risk for health problems related to steroid being absorbed by the body.

Hydroquinone Warning: Long term use of Hydroquinone has been linked with unwanted and untreatable skin discoloration called ochronosis.

Is whitening more dangerous than tanning?

I don’t think whitening is more dangerous than tanning if tried under proper medical guidance. Over the years tanning has been clearly linked with skin cancer.  Dermatologists world around are busy rallying and campaigning to warn against and stop the skin tanning trends.

Skin color (melanin) acts as a shield against skin cancer that’s why we don’t see too many reported cases of cancer in darker skin types. Lighter skin is more prone to getting skin cancer and anybody using skin-lightening creams must remember that by loosing skin color they are loosing their protection shield against harmful UVA and UVB rays. Hence, they must use sunscreen diligently and religiously.

Which products do you recommend? 

I don’t advocate mindless skin bleaching. I usually tell my patients no matter what your skin color it’s the quality and health of your skin that makes you look beautiful. In my opinion a little color in the skin actually adds to a person’s attractiveness.

Product choice-wise, I prefer products that are hydroquinone or cortisone free.

I recommend products containing vitamin C, niacinamide, arbutin, licorice extract, kojic acid, tretinoin, and azelaic acid.

I also strongly advocate use of sunscreen on daily basis, even on cloudy days.

Could you share some whitening stories with us? 

When I moved to Saudi back in 2004 I used to get like 5-10 patients walking in specifically with skin bleaching/whitening requests on daily basis. They were always looking for a miracle cure to change their skin color completely. “Doctor do you have any pills or injections that can change my skin color permanently”, was the most common question rolling off of every patient’s tongue.

When I explained to them it is practically impossible to change your skin color completely without seriously damaging your skin, as complexion is a genetically determined trait. “How did Michael Jackson magically changed his skin color permanently” was the counter query thrown at me. I had to explain over and over again - There is a disease called Vitiligo in which some parts of the skin lose their color producing cells (melanocytes). Michael Jackson had Vitiligo and he opted to destroy all his pigment producing cells to blend his dark skin with the diseased colorless patches and that’s how he became the poster child for skin whitening. During his last days he was seen using face-mask, umbrella and gloves on regular basis because his doctors warned him he was at serious risk of getting skin cancer.

With years of education, constant reiteration and advice most people now understand that skin color is a genetic trait and can’t be tampered with without serious consequences. Now a days I am mostly seeing people with complaints of melasma, dark patches post acne, dark elbows and knees coming over for complexion blending, which I am happy to cater to.

Photo Credits: Sølve Sundsbø & Lily Cole

Beauty Confessions From Who? - Moss The Boss You Bet!

Regarded as Britain's most iconic supermodel Kate Moss is almost 40 and still Über-fabulous. Despite her hard-partying and controversial lifestyle the ubiquitous fashion goddess is still showing no signs of aging, looking at her flawless skin even today girls half her age turn green with envy. How does she do it? I for one am dying to know; the secrets behind this modern day beauty-icon’s glowing visage and youthful body. My lovelies to uncover the secrets behind the Moss-Factor I dug deep, get ready to construe as Kate’s beauty esoteric goes much deeper than her much publicized St Tropez bronzed tan.

Daily Skin Preservation

Moss is widely renowned as a Crème de la Mèr devotee and she credits the buttery moisturizing cream for providing her with that glowing complexion boost.

Hallelujah! Kate believes in sensible SPF and takes extra caution now that she's older to stay out of the sun. "I was a real sun worshipper," she said in her interview with The Times, "I loved it, boiling and lying out there. But now I don't do that. Now I have [SPF] 50."

Technology Savvy Beauty

Talking to InStyle Australia Moss confesses giving technology a fair shot to keep her face taut and firm, her latest fascination is a face-firming gadget Tua Tre'nd Face. “It works your muscles, so one eye goes up and down—attractive! I'm like, 'Jamie [her boyfriend], try it! It gives me something to do while I'm watching TV."

Wake Me Upper On Puffy Blotchy Days

Kate might be a super diva with multimillion-dollar offers and rock-star boyfriends, but she still believes in the humble power of inexpensive kitchen table beauty recipes. "I fill a sink with ice and cucumber and submerge my face in it," the supermodel revealed in an interview with Stylist UK. "It tightens everything making you look and feel instantly awake. It is a bit Joan Crawford - but it works." Kate believes cucumber and the skin share the same level of hydrogen, so the fruit/veggie can help to cure problem areas. "It has a cooling effect and helps in soothing and softening the skin and, even better, it costs almost nothing”, she croons playfully.

Bow To The Power Of Exfoliation & SPF

Shinning light on how she keeps her beach body in tip-top condition, Moss divulged that she thoroughly exfoliates her skin before she jets off on holidays. She has also caught on to the aging secrets of UV rays and stays fully protected under the sun with plenty of SPF before topping up on her tan on the beach.

Bombshell Body Image

We are all familiar with Kate’s controversial slogan -"nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" and to make that happen Kate labors hard practicing plenty of Pilates to ensure her body is toned to perfection. Steering clear of anorexia wrangle the delicate beauty has evinced publically, "For the record - Kate does not support this as a lifestyle choice."

Almost Under The Knife - Supermodel Insecurities

Talking to Allure magazine Kate confessed at one point, she considered plastic surgery – What? "I didn't like my teeth. I didn't like my flat chest, either. I was like, 'Oh, I'm going to get a tit job.' Can you imagine?"

Perfectly Tousled DIVAlicious Hair

Kate’s runway ready hair secrets have been vouged and allured over the years, "I use that Moroccan oil stuff, and then I blow-dry it upside down and brush it. Maybe I'll give it a back-comb at the top”, is how Moss brings festive-hair under media light.

Invaluable Life Lessons

And finally Kate’s most indispensable piece of advice: "Moisturize, sleep, and happiness: that's a beauty secret. I know I look different when I'm happy. I don't really stick to one thing." 

Yes happiness is the ultimate drug ladies, be happy and be beautiful.

 

Cupid’s Measles or The Carly – Yup! It’s the Nasty Cold Sore Edition

Practicing dermatology in the free world I was quiet accustomed to seeing the very frequent cases of kissing sores, as around 90% of the population in Europe & America’s is reported to suffer at the hands of the pesky herpes labialis virus. Practicing in Jeddah considering the conservative religious population I was not betting on seeing as much of the darned cold sores. But, the gnarly, massive cold sore; which once you exhibit gets passed on through awkward conversations, and the evil icy stares is an incidence; which is being brought to derma practices in the region quiet frequently. So read along as, its time to brush up & update medical info. Herpes labialis is the infection of the lips, mouth, or gums with the herpes simplex virus. It leads to the development of small, painful blisters commonly called cold sores or fever blisters.

The Cause & Course:

Herpes labialis is caused by infection of the mouth area with herpes simplex virus type 1. Most people in the United States and Europe are infected with this virus by age 20.

The initial infection may cause no symptoms or mouth ulcers. The virus then remains dormant (asleep) in the nerve tissue of the face. In some people, the virus reactivates and produces recurrent cold sores that are usually in the same area, but are not serious.

Herpes virus type 2, which usually causes genital herpes and can infect babies during birth to infected mothers, can also cause herpes labialis.

Herpes viruses are contagious. Spread may occur through intimate and personal contact, or through contact with infected razors, towels, dishes, and other shared articles (razors, toothbrush, makeup brushes and sponges etc.). Occasionally, oral-to-genital contact can also spread oral herpes to the genitals (and vice versa).

Symptoms

First symptoms usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks, after contact with the virus. Sore throat and fever that can last up to 5 days may occur before the blisters appear. There may also be swollen glands in the neck.

First episode may last 2 to 3 weeks. The lesions may be on the gums, in the mouth and throat, or on the face. It may hurt to swallow. Later episodes are usually milder.

An outbreak usually involves:

• Skin lesions or rash around the lips, mouth, and gums
• Small blisters (vesicles) filled with clear yellowish fluid
• Blisters on a raised, red, painful skin area
• Blisters that form, break, and ooze
• Yellow crusts that slough to reveal pink, healing skin
• Several smaller blisters that merge to form a larger blister

Episode Triggers: May be triggered by menstruation, sun exposure, fever, stress, or various other unknown causes.

Warning symptoms of itching, burning, increased sensitivity, or tingling sensation may occur about 2 days before lesions appear.

Exams and Tests

Diagnosis is made on the basis of the appearance or culture of the lesion. Examination may also show swollen lymph nodes in the neck or groin areas.

Viral culture, viral DNA test, or Tzanck test of the skin lesion may reveal the herpes simplex virus.

Treatment

·      Untreated, the symptoms will generally go away in 1 to 2 weeks. Antiviral medications taken by mouth may help the symptoms go away sooner and decrease pain. Acyclovir, Famciclovir, and Valacyclovir are the three oral treatments currently available.

·      Herpes sores often come back again and again. The antiviral medicines work best if you take them when the virus is just starting to come back -- before you see any sores. If the virus returns frequently, your doctor may recommend that you take the medicines all the time.

·      Topical (rubbed onto the skin) antiviral cream (penciclovir andaacyclovir) and Xerese (acyclovir 5% and hydrocortisone 1%) may be used. Cream must be applied every 2 hours while you're awake. They are expensive and often only shorten the outbreak by a few hours to a day.

·      Washing blisters gently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus to other areas of skin. An antiseptic soap may also be used to avoid further bacterial contamination of the open sore. Applying ice or warmth to the area may reduce pain.

Tips To Prevent Future Outbreaks: 

·      Apply a sunblock or lip balm containing zinc oxide to the lips when you're outdoors.

·      A moisturizing balm to prevent the lips from becoming too dry may also help.

What Future Holds In Terms Of Treatments:

Existing treatments can minimize or even prevent an outbreak, but they do not kill the virus which lies dormant when it is not activated. Scientists believe they have finally found a permanent cure for cold sores. They say the treatment, a lotion, will be the first to kill the virus that causes the sores.

A new treatment (NB001) lotion has been developed that not only halts the attack, but also kills the virus. This treatment lotion has been developed as a by-product of biological warfare technology, which actually kills the virus by exploding it from the inside. It is made up of nano-particles of detergent and solvents in emulsion. These particles are so small that they penetrate the outer coating of the virus and destroy its effectiveness. The lotion will also work for genital herpes, a sexually transmitted disease, and it is being looked at as a potential treatment for a range of other viruses, including HIV, Ebola and smallpox. Currently studies are ongoing to assess the safety and efficacy of this new emulsion and we await results.

Researchers have also been working on a twice-a-day pill to prevent the cold sore from growing by attacking the DNA of the virus. The aim is to meet the virus head-on as it emerges into the lip or skin tissue and to stop it multiplying and forming bumps or blisters. The drug gets into the DNA of the virus and turns off its ability to replicate, stopping it from reproducing itself and expanding.

The bottom line

Your best bet is to treat cold sores at the first sign of symptoms with topical or oral anti-viral treatment, and to prevent an outbreak by getting enough sleep, eating a well-balanced diet and exercising (the same way you would avoid coming down with any other virus).

Keep lips moisturized through lip balms and by drinking plenty of water, and apply sunscreen regularly if spending time outside. While you’ll carry the virus forever, you needn’t suffer because of it: just keep your immune system boosted and treat cold sores immediately to reclaim control.

Effects of Gold on Skin

It is believed that Cleopatra wore pure gold for a radiant complexion. Romans used gold preparations for treatment of skin lesions and sores. Egyptians believed the healing powers of gold could cure all manner of physical, mental and spiritual ailments.  In ancient Chinese medicine, gold was the secret to youthful skin. Today gold leaf is used in the treatment and rejuvenation of skin conditions. The application of gold compounds to medicine, called chrysotherapy, reduces inflammation beneficial in the treatment of a variety of diseases, but this therapy often causes adverse gold-related skin reactions.

Rejuvenation of Skin

Many luxury spas use 24-carat gold leaf treatments to hydrate, firm and moisturize the skin claiming reduced fine lines and wrinkles resulting in smooth and radiant skin. A news feed from the World Gold Council site reported a gold leaf facial treatment created in Japan declaring gold leaf put on the face naturally rejuvenates skin and reduce wrinkles. According to the creators of the treatment, gold locks in moisture and keeps skin firm by maintaining collagen in the skin and inhibiting the breakdown of elastin. A study appearing in the "The Journal of the American Medical Association," reported the effect of gold leaf on low blood-flow skin ulcers. Findings showed a significant improvement in mouth legions and skin ulcers with no adverse reactions to gold leaf observed.

Contact Dermatitis

Allergic reactions to gold are extremely rare but can result from direct skin contact. According to a publication in the "Daily News Analysis," some people display allergic skin responses to gold jewelery or dental crowns, says Dr. Thomas Fuchs of Goettingen University Hospital in Germany. After a survey of various dermatological clinics and hospitals, he concluded pure, unalloyed gold can trigger allergic reactions. The degree of allergy varies from immediate dermatitis on hands and feet from contact with gold items to reactions only after many years of skin contact.

Skin Rashes from Chrysotherapy

Chrysotherapy is a successful treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, but dermatological reactions to gold limit therapeutic usage. A study done at Tel Aviv Medical Center reported in "Annals of Rheumatic Diseases" was discontinued when patients given gold salts reacted adversely with symptoms including gold-induced skin rashes. After the study was stopped, coincidentally the patients with skin rash experienced remission in their rheumatoid arthritis. The patients without skin rash did not.

Skin Disorder Treatment

Gold is thought to have anti-bacterial properties and help transport oxygen molecules into the skin for cell-renewal to treat ulcers and inflammatory disorders of the skin. Some skin healing benefits of gold were demonstrated by an in vitro chrysotherapy study, by the University of Miami School of Medicine, which found that concentrations of gold administered in skin inhibited prostaglandin synthesis. "The Journal of Investigative Dermatology" reported that the findings suggest gold is beneficial in treating autoimmune diseases, inflammation and inhibits skin enzymes involved in blister formation.

Kick Cankles To The Curb This Summer

 

As temperatures rise, so do hemlines –  which means you no longer have jeans and trousers to conceal your cankles. “Cankles” are the new muffin tops of lower legs; a clever nickname for thick lower legs that lack distinction between the calf and the ankle. Whether your cankles are an unlucky genetic gift, or caused by the few extra pounds you carry on your frame, here’re some fitness, camouflage and medical remedies to make your cankles look like slender ankles in no time.

Fitness Fix

Cankles are somewhat structural depending on genetics and the shape of your legs. 

Best advice I can give is to skip the salt, and maintain a healthy diet of leafy greens and plenty of whole grains and keep your body fat percentage in a healthy range by doing some form of exercise at least four days a week

Fake-it Fix

When you don’t have time to slim down, here’s a quick trick to make your ankles look slimmer.

If you need to be in shorts fast, self-tanner like

St. Tropez Perfect Legs is always a quick way to create the illusion that your legs are smaller than they are.

Full-on Fix

Laser liposuction as an outpatient procedure under I.V. sedation can easily reduce the bulge that some people have in their ankles. The skin typically retracts well and the incisions are easily hidden in the body’s natural contours in the sides of the ankles. Because a procedure on such bony body parts requires delicacy, I use several innovative forms of liposuction, including Da Vinci Lipo, in order to contour and re-sculpture the area while providing the most beautiful results with minimal scarring. Laser Lipo, used in combination with other forms of liposuction or alone, is a procedure that uses laser light to liquefy fat and tighten the surrounding skin. It involves less downtime and side-effects than traditional liposuction and is particularly good for small areas of fat deposits like the ankles. New technology that’s gentler and faster than ever before not only allows the removal of fat, but also re-sculpts the body.