Are you enjoying your summer sun and fun? I hope so, but keep in mind that too much of both of these can take their toll on the skin. That golden glow from the sun doesn’t come without a price. Some mid summer skin rejuvenation may be in order.

Dehydration

Dehydrated skin is different than dry skin. Dry skin is due to lack of sebum, but dehydrated skin is due to lack of moisture. It appears dull because the lack of moisture prevents cellular turnover. It also can be sensitive and flaky because the topmost layer of skin is not functioning correctly, so irritants can penetrate and more moisture is lost. In addition to drinking lots of water, use skincare that focuses of restoring moisture and not oil. A good example that we sell in our office is SkinMedica Rejuvenative Moisturizer. Also, avoid soapy cleansers that can strip the skin even more, and use cream cleansers instead. Restorative serums, such as SkinMedica’s Vitamin C and E complex, which prevents and repairs UV damage are helpful.

Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Dehydration along with aging, lifestyle and sun damage contributes to wrinkles. Fortunately, along with making healthy changes, there are effective non invasive cosmetic procedures to help smooth things out.

Here are some areas that can really be aged by the sun and dehydration, along with some “quick summer beauty fix” suggestions for your face:

• Crow’s feet creep out from the outer corners of the eyes and extend outward towards the hairline. They are corrected with Botox or Dysport because limiting the muscle movement in the area will relax the wrinkles and prevent them from deepening due to activity.
• Forehead Lines are caused by excessive brow movement and forehead furrowing. Accentuated vertical lines between eyebrows can give an angry or scowling appearance. You can quickly lighten your look with Botox or Dysport.
• Tear Troughs or Hollows swoop below the eye from the bridge of the nose along the lower eyelid and sometimes extending downward toward the cheekbone. Their sunken appearance gives a tired appearance to the eyes, but Restylane and Juvederm are hyaluronic acid gels that safely restore volume to these areas.
• Cheeks and Temples lose fullness and hollow out due to volume loss. Facial fat loss naturally occurs with age, but is sped up by dehydration and sun damage. As fat diminishes, these areas commonly sag and appear shallow. Restylane or Juvederm help plump these shallow areas to restore youthFULness.
• Nasolabial Folds are formed due to volume loss and skin shifting downward. These lines are also called “marionette lines” and reach from the outer corner of the nostrils to the outer corners of the lips. Fillers Restylane and Juvederm help fix this issue.
• Lips lose volume over time, looking thinner and flatter. They also can become framed by smile lines, called “parenthesis lines.” We can help you restore the youthful shape and fullness with the effective lip plumper Juvederm.

 Along with avoiding sun damage, staying hydrated and using effective skincare, these injectables are great “quick summer beauty fixes” for your face. Schedule your summer beauty touch up today at www.davinciplastic.com.

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

If you’re going to make the investment in getting a Facelift, you want it to last as long as possible. Even though a Facelift can take up to 10 years off your appearance, your skin will continue to age. This means that gravity will have its affect as your skin loses elasticity and collagen – over the years following your surgery. You can’t stop the aging process, but you can help keep the age reversal affects as long as possible by implementing the habits and tricks suggested in this blog.

Buying Time with Injectables
You will love your more youthful appearance with a Facelift and subsequently you’ll want to help the youthful effects to stay in the most effective way. Injectables, such as Voluma, are crucial to add back lost volume, as well as Botox to stop muscles from recreating those deep wrinkles. They may seem like subtle youthful enhancements at the time, but they will help the facelift last longer. These are perfect options to push back or prevent the need for touch up surgery.

Luscious Lips Look Younger
An issue that the Facelift doesn’t address is the lips. Just as volume decreases in the rest of the face, age related volume loss affects the lips. You’ll want to maintain facial harmony and balance -throughout your face with youthful lips. Using a hyaluronic filler, such as Juvederm, to plump your lips will help enhance and maintain a youthful appearance after a Facelift.

Daily Care and Special Treatments for Skin
The cumulative affect of taking good care of your skin on a daily basis… really does pay off in the end. I suggest using clinically proven skin care, such as SkinMedica to help prolong the youthful effects of cosmetic procedures. On a regular basis it is also important to get special treatments for your skin. For example, chemical peels stimulate new skin growth to enhance skin clarity and smoothness. A chemical peel can wreak havoc on the skin and actually cause aging if done incorrectly, so please be sure to come to my office even for serious treatments such as this.
Stay Away from the Sun and Pollution
These are the outside factors that cause the most skin damage and can reverse the benefits of a facelift real quick. Protect yourself from environmental pollution and the sun, which can damage the skin’s cellular integrity. This can show up as blotchy, uneven skin that is dehydrated and leathery.

Lifestyle Contributes to Aging
You should be concerned about what you eat not just for the calories or weight management, but to promote overall healthy cellular integrity. You skin is your biggest organ and reveals much about the overall healthy or unhealthy lifestyle choices you make.

Here are some tips to feel and look younger:
There are actually foods that boost collagen production, such as celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, dark green and colorful vegetables, fish, avocados, berries, white tea, garlic, fresh citrus fruits, oysters, and proteins like eggs, nuts and lean meats.
Instead of drinking dehydrating beverages, such as coffee, tea or alcohol, drink lots of water.
Sweeten with raw honey since it is a vitamin and mineral rich alternative to sugar, which causes inflammation and other unhealthy body responses.
Maintain healthy weight instead of extreme gaining and losing.
Avoid smoking.
Smile more than you frown. You’ll use fewer wrinkle causing muscles and studies show that a positive, cheerful disposition can help keep you healthy.

Feel and look great after a Facelift by implementing these tips.

To talk about a Facelift or if you’ve already had one and would like the help to maintain the results as best as possible, schedule a consultation at www.davinciplastic.com.

Steven Davison M.D.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Since I recently talked about skin cancer, I thought I should elaborate on the topic a little more, especially prevention. There are a lot of myths and misunderstandings about the sun and sunscreen.

20 Minutes
When I recommend people to limit sun exposure, I don’t mean to completely avoid it. I recommend protecting yourself from getting too much sun and especially to avoid letting your skin burn. The ideal amount is about 20 minutes every day, but not in the heat of the day (10am to 2pm) when the sun’s UV rays are strongest.
Benefits of the Sun
Why 20 minutes? This is the average amount of time in the sun that our body needs to naturally generate a sufficient amount of Vitamin D3, which has many benefits for the body physically and emotionally.

Research on Vitamin D3 has demonstrated its ability to:
…naturally fight cancer
…boost the immune system
…improve mood

Dangers from the Sun
While there are benefits from the sun, there are also dangers. The long term negative effects predominantly come from the ability of the sun’s UV radiation to damage cellular DNA. This leads to genetic mutation and cellular malfunction that causes premature aging, and ultimately can cause cancer. As our understanding has increased we’ve learned that we need to protect our skin from both the sun’s longer ultraviolet A (UVA) and shorter ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.

The Long (UVA) and Short (UVB) of It
While UVA rays are longer and less intense than UVB, we are exposed to more throughout our lifetimes because they are equally present during all daylight hours throughout the year. UVA can also penetrate clouds and, unlike UVB, can go through glass. This is why it’s important to consider sun protection even when you’re not at the beach or pool.

It has been thought that while both play a major part in skin aging, UVB has been the main contributor to skin cancer. UVB is the chief cause of skin reddening and sunburn, affecting mostly the superficial layers of skin. But even though UVB has a more concentrated negative effect, UVA causes cumulative damage over years and years, which may also initiate the development of skin cancer. Most skin cancers occur in the basal layer of the epidermis and studies have shown UVA damages cells in this layer, as well.
Bottom line is that while the sun provides wonderful health benefits, we still need to take precautions to only receive its benefits and not its damaging effects. In my next blog, I’ll continue the subject and talk about how to protect yourself, including helpful clothing, sunscreen and diet tips.
If you’d like more information on rejuvenating your skin, visit www.davinciplastic.com.

Steven Davison M.D.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Aging & environmental factors slow down skin cell functions… Obagi transforms skin by restoring skin cell function. 

The Obagi system combines specially developed products with medical supervision and counseling to treat your skin from the inside out. Obagi products penetrate below the surface of your skin to stimulate cell renewal, improve circulation and help to restore your skin’s natural moisture.  It also works on the surface to smooth roughness and to correct damage that results in uneven skin tone and hyper-pigmentation. Obagi is what I recommend to my patients of all ages…in all of life’s stages.  Ask Nora in our SPA about the right Obagi system for you

CONSIDER THIS ABOUT OBAGI SKIN CARE SYSTEMS:

• Obagi Accelerates cell turnover in skin with moderate to severe sun damage.
• Obagi  achieves brighter Photolumines skin with mild to moderate sun damage
• Obagi Pro-C Serums provide daily anti-oxidant protection
• Obagi CLENZIderm MD provides effective acne therapy treatment
• Obagi has a system for every skin type…since one product does not work for every face!

 HOW OBAGI SYSTEMS WORK:  In damaged skin the stratum corneum is thick and dehydrated, skin cells are misshapen and disorganized, excess melanin causes freckles and age spots while collagen and elastin fibers become weaker and more damaged. Healthy skin cells function normally when there is continual renewal of old, dead cells which are simultaneously replaced by fresh healthy cells being pushed to the surface.  This makes the skin’s surface smoother and naturally hydrated – while age spots seem to disappear, melanin is more evenly distributed to prevent the appearance of new, fresh spots. The healthy skin is rich in collagen which promotes resilience and firmness.  All these functions work together to keep the skin acting younger and healthier.

THE FOUR PHASES OF OBAGI TRANSFORMATION:

There are four phases of skin transformation experienced by every person who uses Obagi – without exception.  They are:

Phase 1 – Out with the old – Obagi penetrates to the deepest dermal level to correct signs of  aging and acne flares.  Old, dead cells are pushed up and replaced with fresh new ones. Itching dryness and redness occur as the skin adapts to the prescription strength ingredients.  (Weeks 1-6)

Phase 2 – In with the new – Healthy new cells are producing, pigment/melanin become more evenly distributed, collagen is stimulated – smoother, softer, clearer skin appears. (Weeks 7-12)

Phase 3 – Healthy glow – Skin cells are in transformation process, collagen production continues, skin is clearer, firmer and tighter – with a healthy glow, natural hydration, even color and more resilience.   (Weeks 12-18)

Phase 4 – The new you!  – Your skin is transformed – it looks and acts younger and healthier. With continued use you can expect FABULOUS blemish free skin all the time!

May is National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection/Prevention Month…Early Detection Increases Chances for Survival

One in every five Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime and every hour…one person in America dies from skin cancer.  Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer and it is preventable/treatable.

May has been designated as National Skin Cancer Awareness month by several organizations such as the National Cancer Institute, Skin Cancer Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Dermatology.  I won’t belabor the facts…just want to remind you of them and offer some helpful and important tips for skin cancer prevention.

Review of Skin Cancer Facts

-During the month of May we try to raise the public awareness of the importance of prevention, early detection and immediate treatment of skin cancer.

They are:  1) basal cell, 2) squamous cell 3) melanoma.

-More than 3.5 million skin cancers are diagnosed annually in more than 2 million people.

-Melanoma (unlike other cancers) has a wide age distribution…it occurs in young people & seniors.

-Rates of occurrence increase with age- they are highest among 80 years olds.

-One bad burn during childhood doubles the risk for getting melanoma skin cancer later in life.

-Skin cancer is the most deadly for African Americans, Asians & Latinos.

RISK FACTORS

Everyone is at risk…but some people with certain factors are more likely than others to develop skin cancer.  The risks include:

Lighter natural color skin

Family history of skin cancer

Personal history of skin cancer

Exposure to the sun through work & play

History of sunburns early in life

Skin that burns easily freckles, reddens easily or becomes painful in the sun

Blue or Green eyes

IMPORTANT TIPS FOR PROTECTION/PREVENTION

1.  AVOID the sun between 10am and 2pm…this is the when the rays are at their peak

2.  Damage occurs all day long…so be wise and use sunscreen or sunblock

3.  Take more precautions when it is hot, humid and windy as these conditions enhance harmful effects of   UV rays

4.  Cloudy days are dangerous days…we tend to be out more, longer and use less protection.  Understand that UV Rays pierce the clouds and cause serious damage (burns)

5.  TANS are NOT healthy!  No tan, whether from sun exposure or tanning beds, is healthy.  The darkened skin is merely a protective measure (performed by your skin).  It provides only minimal levels of protection and does not cancel out the need for using other sun protective methods.

6.  Short Term Symptoms of over exposure include: blistering, peeling, tanning

7.  Long Term Symptoms= increased risk for skin cancer along with dry, wrinkled skin.

Early diagnosis & immediate treatment of melanoma cancer can mean the difference between life and death.

Please read and heed this important information.

Ask us to recommend top of the line products to protect your precious skin…and allow you to enjoy your fun in the sun.

Dr. Steven Davison

At DAVinci…I combine the supreme elements of art & surgical science.