About Face

Three Must-Haves for your Face

As you may already know, the Chow Center for Facial Plastic Surgery has recently added a clinical esthetician to our staff. Naturally, I immediately took advantage of this opportunity! I sought her out because of a large pimple I had the other day, which I wanted (needed!) to be gone by the weekend. She knows a tremendous amount about cosmetic skin care (she’s been in the field or training since the age of 12), and she gave me some great advice about just what I’ve been doing wrong all these years. I learned some great tips, and I wanted to share some of them with you.

To help you sort out what you need for your skin type, here are some recommendations from Dr. Chow and our clinical esthetician, Anita:

The New Beauty Craze... CC Creams?

BB creams (beauty or blemish creams) which were very popular in Asia have now officially began to catch on in the US.  BB creams are basically over the counter multi-tasking tinted moisturizers that help hydrate and even out your skin tone while providing your skin with some common antioxidants. They even treat pimples and blemishes to a degree.  But now, the beauty industry is introducing what it hopes will be yet another craze: CC creams! 

CC creams are color or complexion correcting creams. While not as effective as medical grade skin care, they are similar to BB creams but offer more pigment, a more matte finish, and are not as sheer as BB creams.  What do you think? Will you be giving CC creams a try?

Three Easy Ways to Ruin Your Skin

In a recent blog entry, we noted that one of the key factors to looking great is good skin and provided tips on how to keep your skin healthy.  If you missed that article, you can read it here. Have you been following these tips and still find yourself with skin woes?  Maybe you didn’t know about some of these surprising things that can ruin your skin! 

Caffeine.  Are you a caffeine addict like me?  I must have my coffee every morning in order to get through the day.  However, caffeine is a mild diuretic, which means that it causes you to get rid of the water in your body. This, in turn, leads to dry skin.  So if you drink a lot of coffee daily, remember to also drink lots of water in order to keep your skin hydrated.  Drinking at least 8 cups of water a day will keep the wrinkles away and fight off aging!

Wash off your makeup.  Going to sleep and leaving your makeup on overnight can lead to clogged pores (causing acne), and not to mention leaves makeup residue all over your pillow case.  Dirty pillow cases also can contain bacteria and other stuff that can cause you to break out, so make sure you wash your pillow cases and don’t go to sleep without washing your face.  A great thing to have handy are makeup remover wipes, so even if you are too tired to wash your face, just keep these by your bed so you can just wipe your face before going to sleep!

Sugar. Fight that sweet tooth!  We all know that too much candy and sugar is bad for your teeth (and weight), but it’s also surprisingly bad for your skin.  When you eat more sugar than your body needs, it can make your skin dull and wrinkled because it harms the collagen in your skin.  So rather than reaching for sweets, eat fruit instead.  Your body and skin  (and teeth!) will thank you down the line.

Eating healthy and exercising will also help keep your body and skin in tip top shape.  With the right diet, skin care regime, and exercise, you will be well on your way to looking great for your age.  What other surprising things have you found that can ruin your skin?  Share your tips and comments below!

Sunscreen Slows Skin Aging

As most facial plastic surgeons have been telling their patients for many years, excessive sun exposure not only increases the risk of skin cancer, but also causes many of the signs of aging we see. At the Chow Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, I have regularly recommended that my patients apply sunscreen on a daily basis, if not even more frequently, when out enjoying the Southern California sun. Now, a new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine (paid subscription required) brings scientific support for the use of daily sunscreen. In mostly middle-aged individuals with fair skin, use of daily sunscreen meant no detectable skin aging after 4.5 years. 

Wearing sunscreen on a daily basis not only decreases the risk of skin cancer, but can keep you looking young! 

Plastic Surgery while Pregnant?

For some celebrities, having the right look means continued success in the public eye. But at what cost? There have been some recent reports that Kim Kardashian is continuing to receive medical cosmetic treatments despite being pregnant. 

Elective (optional, not life- or health-saving) surgery during pregnancy is almost never recommended. That said, there are many medical cosmetic office procedures that have minimal or no downtime.

Yet because treatments such as Botox, Juvederm, and Radiesse have not been studied in pregnant women, their safety in such situations is unknown. Generally, they are not recommended for pregnant women. In my practice, I do not offer such treatments to women who are currently pregnant or breastfeeding.

If you are pregnant, planning to be pregnant, or breast-feeding, be sure to consult your qualified facial plastic surgeon before choosing to have a cosmetic medical treatment that may harm your baby.  

Tips for Clear Skin

One of the key factors to looking great is good skin.  As the largest organ in the body, it’s one of the first things that others notice when they look at you!  Now that the rising temperatures and melting makeup of summer is right around the corner, you want to have great skin so that you can lookyour best for the season. Unfortunately, most of us are cursed with less than perfect skin.  Don’t be discouraged, though--everyoneneeds a little help in the skin department sooner or later. Here are some great tips for keeping your skin clear!

Make Sure Your Botox is Legitimate

Given the fierce competition in Botox pricing, there are fraudulent vendors who have been illegally selling Botox online or tricking medical providers with fake Botox. The FDA has recently issued a warning about bogus Botox. Be sure that you get only legitimate Botox from a qualified and experienced provider!

FDA Proposes Tougher Warnings for Tanning Beds

If you were 75% more likely to develop cancer just by doing any one thing, would you still do it? 

The FDA may very well issue an order to reclassify sun lamps as moderate, rather than low, risk devices. They would also require labeling to warn young people not to use them. 

Read more about this topic HERE.

Happy, Healthy Mother's Day!

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and we all can’t help but think of our mothers as the holiday approaches.  When I was younger, my mom always used to give me advice, but (of course!) I never listened.

Now that I am older, I have realized that many of the things she told me were true! So in the spirit of Mother’s Day, here is some beauty advice from my dear mother that I have found to be the most useful.

Be Sure Your Cosmetic Medical Provider is Qualified

The rise in popularity of nonsurgical cosmetic procedures such as Botox, lasers, and fillers has led to a surge in the number of providers to keep up with demand. Unfortunately, not all of these providers are qualified. Almost everyone has heard of completely untrained individuals injecting dangerous substances such as cement and super glue for so-called "cosmetic purposes." But what you might not know is that doctors, nurses and estheticians, who are otherwise fully licensed, may be providing cosmetic treatments without adequate training. In some cases, such treatments may even be illegal.

For example, the California Medical Board has this to say about Botox:

"Physicians may inject Botox, or they may direct registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, or physician assistants to perform the injection under their supervision. No unlicensed persons, such as medical assistants, may inject Botox."

What this also means is that a nurse who has a practice on her/his own, without physician supervision, is acting outside her/his scope of practice. Therefore, be sure that there is a physician available should complications or any concerns arise from your cosmetic procedure. If you choose to have a laser procedure, be aware that the California Medical Board has specifically stated that only physicians, or a registered nurse or physician assistant under the supervision of a physician, may perform such treatments. The exact quote is below:

"Physicians may use lasers or intense pulse light devices. In addition, physician assistants and registered nurses (not licensed vocational nurses) may perform these treatments under a physician's supervision. Unlicensed medical assistants, licensed vocational nurses, cosmetologists, electrologists, or estheticians may not legally perform these treatments under any circumstance, nor may registered nurses or physician assistants perform them independently, without supervision."

In general, asking the right questions can really help you make the right choices about your face, your beauty, and your health. Don't be fooled into having your next procedure done by an unlicensed, untrained, or otherwise unqualified individual, no matter how persuasive they may be!

Facial Plastic Surgery Trends for Men

Traditionally, men have not been at the forefront of facial plastic surgery. Or any cosmetic surgery. But that has been changing for the past decade. Many men have focused on improving the appearance of the jawline, most often by strengthening the chin or tightening loose areas of the neck. 

In fact, in lieu of making a strong, large nose smaller through rhinoplasty, many men have opted to balance the face by augmenting the chin. This can provide a more confident, masculine appearance while also balancing the face, thereby giving the nose a more proportionate, pleasing appearance without rhinoplasty.

To learn more about chin implants, including frequently asked questions, simply follow one of our hyperlinks or contact the Chow Center for Facial Plastic Surgery by phone at 626-447-3223.

Highlight Your Face With These Tips

What is your normal makeup routine? I don’t usually put much on, since I don’t like the feeling of a lot of product on my face. For my birthday recently, one of my girlfriends gave me a gorgeous highlighter blush. Given my dislike of too much makeup, I hadn’t really used one before. Still, I had to use this gift! I ended up loving it so much that it has become an important part of my daily routine!

Highlighting is important because it can accentuate your best features and also hide imperfections. A little goes a long way! Since I have a highlighter/blush combo (bobbiebrown.com), I just brush a bit on top of my cheekbones (over my bronzer). It definitely helps to define my cheeks, making them stand out far more than before. Not only that, but highlighting your cheekbones can also help draw attention away from any bags beneath your eyes! It can brighten your facial appearance, making you look healthier and happier.

Another great makeup trick is to highlight the top of the bridge of your nose. This will not only make your face appear more oval and longer, but it can also give you the appearance of a taller, straighter nose (which many Asians desire).

Do you incorporate highlighting or contouring into your beauty routine? Share your tips and tricks below!

The Stem Cell Facelift

One of the hottest treatments for facial rejuvenation now involves the stem cell facelift, which is a controversial treatment. In fact, as a recent article in the New York Times explores, the new treatment is one that does not have much evidence based research backing it up. 

Many treatments simply involve fat harvest from your body, which is then re-injected into the face, a procedure that has been done for decades. More recently, physicians have begun to notice improvements in skin after fat transplantation, and much of this is theorized to be the result of stem cells living in the adipose (fat) tissue.

The major question is whether stem cells really do make your face appear more youthful again. Unfortunately, we don't yet have the absolute answer. But you can learn more about it by seeing your facial plastic surgeon for a consultation. 

Aging Survey Serves Up Some Answers

Left: Mila Kunis (age 29), Middle: Natalie Portman (age 31), Right: Cate Blanchett (age 43) Photo Credit: People.com. Jason Merritt/Getty (2); Frazer Harrison/Getty

Is there a peak beauty age?  According to a new study from Allure magazine, there is!  I found this study quite interesting since I, as well as some of the other staff at Chow Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, am definitely about to hit the so called “peak beauty age.”  The average age that people think women are the most beautiful is around 31.  However, men think women peak earlier at the age of 29. 

Personally, I believe this might all be true, since I definitely feel that I look better now than I did in my early twenties!  When you get older, you become more confident and more secure with your sense of self, both inside and out, and that always shines through!

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s all downhill after 31. If you take proper care of yourself, you can definitely age gracefully long past your thirties. What do you think is the age that women peak at?  What about men?  Share your thoughts below!

Can Plastic Surgery Make You Happy?

With more than 8.5 million aesthetic surgeries performed each year, how do the people who have cosmetic procedures feel once they have them done? A new study seeks to provide answers.

Published in Clinical Psychological Science, the study looks at 550 first-time plastic surgery patients and finds that they are happier, have higher self-esteem, and enjoy life more a year after their surgeries compared to 264 who wanted plastic surgery but decided against it, and about 1,000 people who were never interested in plastic surgery. 

The researchers tested the patients (and those who chose not to have surgery) at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. For the most part, patients who had undergone surgery were satisfied with their results and stated they had achieved their aesthetic goals. In addition, receiving cosmetic surgery appeared to lead to decreased anxiety and depression while increasing life satisfaction and quality of life, among others.

While plastic surgery isn't for everyone, it seems the overwhelming majority of those who seek it appropriately are pleased with the positive changes in their lives.