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Dermatology, Tips & Awareness

Top Ten Anti-Aging Tips for 2017

Each year in January, roughly one in three Americans resolve to better themselves in some way. A much smaller percentage of people actually make good on those resolutions. While about 75% of people stick to their goals for at least a week, less than half (46%) are still on target six months later, a 2002 study found.

See a better future for yourself in 2017. Start now by visualizing the life you want to experience later.

Therefore as we prepare to turn the calendar to a new month and a new year; the urge to harness better control of one’s life always takes precedence during the last few weeks of the year. It’s apparent in everything from new year’s resolutions to gym & health or fitness commitments – all becoming the talk of the majority of conversations for the next 45 days and longer. So, if you’re like the rest of us who don’t necessarily gravitate to implementing new year’s resolutions but utilize each day as another tool to live your best life. Living a life of success in 2017 starts with taking the steps today and recognizing how those daily steps will help you reach the bigger end-goals next year.

Top Ten Anti-Aging Tips 2017

HERE ARE OUR 10 ANTI-AGING TIPS FOR 2017 TO GET YOU MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR A NEW YEAR, NEW START AND BEGINNING. THE ART IS UNDERSTANDING THAT EVERY DAY IS A NEW BEGINNING, AND NOW, THIS VERY MOMENT, IS ALWAYS A GOOD TIME TO START ANEW. START BY CHANGING A FEW THINGS NOW AND YOU WILL BEGIN TO FEEL THE DIFFERENCE OVER TIME.

Top 10 Anti-Aging Tips for 2017

  1. Eat Healthier. Nutrition is Everything.
  2. Sleep/Rest is Pivotal. Meditation too.
  3. Protect Your Skin.
  4. Develop an Exercise Regime.
  5. Defy Time. (No Smoking & Drinking or Sugar)
  6. Cultivate Friendships (Create New Opportunities)
  7. Help Others. Volunteer/Give, Donate.
  8. Laugh More.
  9. Learn More.
  10. Develop a “No Fear – Mentality”

Eat Healthier. Nutrition is Everything.

Forget the food pyramid, meet the portion plate – You might remember the food pyramid from school. It featured 6 to 11 servings coming from grain, cereals, rice and pasta, followed by ever smaller quantities of vegetables, fruits, protein, dairy and, finally, fats, sweet and oils. But health officials have nixed the old food pyramid and instead now offer an easier visual guide: the portion plate. The portion plate is a plate with illustrated images showing how to balance fruits and veggies, proteins and grains at every meal.

Kids in school are learning about the portion plate, which suggests fruits and vegetables take up half of the plate. The remaining half should be split equally, with one quarter filled by proteins and the other taken up by whole grains. In addition to getting the balance right, filling a smaller plate is an easy way to begin to train yourself to eat the correct portion sizes. Keep in mind that one portion of meat, for example, is only about the size of a deck of cards.

  • Avoid processed foods in favor of those composed of raw ingredients.

  • Replace those sugary and salty snacks with their healthier counterparts and reorganize your daily meal plan to include six small bites as opposed to three large eating sessions. This will keep your metabolism busy all day, give you energy, and keep pounds from piling on.

  • Another easy trick is to avoid making sandwiches with two pieces of bread. Each piece of bread is a full serving of grains, so making half a sandwich instead of a whole sandwich can help save calories.

  • Fight off disease, stress, and signs of aging by upping your intake of all-powerful antioxidants too.

Sleep/Rest is Pivotal. Meditation too.

Getting more sleep should be at the top of your resolution list. Although everyone loves a little R&R, sleep brings more benefits than just indulging in sweet dreams.
Adequate sleep—which equates to about seven hours a night, although most people think they can run on less—can help you manage your weight, improve your memory, live longer, and reduce stress. All those benefits just from catching enough zzz’s every night!

There are many things you can do to sleep more soundly this upcoming year, such as sleeping in a dark room, turning off electronics 30 minutes before bed, and getting a better pillow. If your circadian rhythm, the brain mechanism that manages your sleep and wake cycles, needs some re-tuning, try taking melatonin.

Protect Your Skin.

Yes, sunscreen is one huge area of emphasis or concern. But in this case, we’re referring to protecting the entire organism – your entire body. This ideally starts with having a current up-to-date diagnosis of knowing where your health issues, concerns and medical problems stand as as of date. Scheduling your yearly physicals, body examinations and sexual history/infection tests can all give you and your doctor the necessary information to help you develop a healthier lifestyle in 2017 with the best available care.

Lower your blood pressure. Cut your sodium intake. The American Heart Association recommends consuming less than 2,300 milligrams daily, which is about a teaspoon of salt. Some people—middle-aged and older adults, people with high blood pressure and African-Americans— need less than 1,500 milligrams per day, the AHA says.

You should visit your healthcare provider regularly, even if you feel healthy.

The purpose of these visits is to:

  • Screen for medical issues
  • Assess your risk of future medical problems
  • Encourage a healthy lifestyle
  • Update vaccinations
  • Help you get to know your provider in case of an illness

The list of routine medical checks or screenings include: cancer screenings, sexually transmitted diseases/infections, testicular, prostate, blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and yearly physicals.

Visit us at Advanced Dermatology Associates for skin, cancer, hair & nails checkups & Central Park Medical Associates for sexually transmitted infections/diseases treatment and examinations.

Develop an Exercise Regime.

Make a commitment to fitness. In order to maintain healthy body function, a regimen of stretching, whole food nutrition, relaxation, and plenty of sleep is crucial for sustained wellness. A dynamic, yet balanced routine will help to nurture vitality, reduce the risk of injury or illness, maintain stress levels, and support immune function. Don’t just make a resolution and join a fitness center you won’t see after February—make a commitment and build fitness into your schedule. Join a class at your fitness club, an exercise group or a team sTop Ten Anti-Aging Tips 2017 - New Yearport. Or, if you can afford it, hire a trainer. Doing any of these things will not only make your workouts more productive, but they will also be more fun.

Defy Time. (Cut the Smoking, Drinking & Sugar)

This year, make a resolution to look and feel younger every day. Start by cutting out those wrinkle-inducing habits like smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and over-indulging in processed sugars.

  • Make hydration your new best friend. Prioritize drinking enough water throughout the day and hydrate your skin daily from top to bottom.

  • To reduce wrinkles and firm up your face without drying out your skin, reach for retinol. This anti-aging formula has been perfected over the last three decades and includes a number of anti-aging catalysts, such as snow algae and summer snowflake.

  • Moisturize, oxygenate and hydrate your skin while reducing the signs of aging for smoother, younger looking skin, and a younger feeling soul.

Cultivate Friendships (Create New Opportunities)

Always keep friends close. Time passes and life isn’t promised. Work schedules, family obligations; life gets in the way of friendships. So spend more time cultivating and building upon current or old relationships; as well as developing newer ones. Refresh your network. Have a host of contacts you’ve lost touch with over the last few months? Pull up those numbers and refresh your network!

Now is the perfect time to check in and keep your network working for you.

Top Ten Anti-Aging Tips 2017 - Give More

Help Others. Volunteer/Give, Donate.

You can’t delight everybody all the time but you can do something extraordinary for someone each day. Find a customer, colleague, relative or a friend each day and do something remarkable. Using the one-a-day principle will make your business and life remarkable.—Mark Sanborn, leadership development speaker and author of the best-selling book The Encore Effect.

Want to extend your lifespan? Think about regularly assisting at a soup kitchen or coaching a basketball team at an at-risk high school. Research has shown that these kinds of activities can improve health in ways that can lengthen your lifespan—volunteers show an improved ability to manage stress and stave off disease as well as reduced rates of depression and an increased sense of life satisfaction—when they were performed on a regular basis. This might be because volunteering alleviates loneliness and enhances our social lives—factors that can significantly affect our long-term health.

Laugh More.

This is the fun stuff. Trim years off your age by adopting an active smile. Laughter and a grateful grin can do wonders for your overall glow.
There is already so much to love for laughter that it seems greedy to look for more, but that’s exactly what researchers Dr. Lee Berk and Dr. Stanley Tan at the Loma Linda University in California have done. These two doctors have researched the benefits of laughter and found amazing results:

People who laugh more lower their blood pressure, even those who start at normal levels, will reduce their risk of stroke and heart attack.

  • REDUCES STRESS HORMONE LEVELS: By reducing the level of stress hormones, you’re simultaneously cutting the anxiety and stress that impacts your body. Additionally, the reduction of stress hormones may result in higher immune system performance.

  • BOOSTS T-CELLS: T-cells are specialized immune system cells just waiting in your body for activation. When you laugh, you activate T-cells that immediately begin to help you fight off sickness. Next time you feel a cold coming on, add chuckling to your illness prevention plan.

  • TRIGGERS THE RELEASE OF ENDORPHINS: Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers. By laughing, you can release endorphins, which can help ease chronic pain and make you feel good all over.

Continuous Learning.

Expand your thinking with new experiences. Be a student of all you do. You must become an expert in your field. How? Read! Ask questions of mentors and peers. Attend training. Start today by identifying areas for improvement, looking for training opportunities in your field and signing up for seminars and training’s, reading or listening to personal-development material, seeking out people you would like to emulate and approaching those you’d like as your mentors. —Stedman Graham, speaker, entrepreneur and author of You Can Make It Happen: A Nine-Step Plan for Success.

Each month for 30 days in a row, commit to doing something new that you have thought about doing, but have not done, and notice how it affects your life.

Some possibilities: do aerobic exercise for 30 minutes, listen to only positive music, don’t read the newspaper, stop watching television, eat only vegetarian or raw food, verbally appreciate at least 10 people a day, get eight hours of sleep, meditate for 20 minutes, visualize your goals as already complete, do 20 minutes of yoga, read a self-help book every morning for 30 minutes, plan your next day’s schedule and prioritized to-do list before you leave work, do five things every day that forward your No. 1 goal, spend an hour with your spouse, call one of your children on the phone, write a handwritten thank-you note to someone, drink 10 glasses of water, take a nap, listen to a motivational CD on the way to work.

Develop a “No-Fear” Mentality.

Create an environment fostering your success. You might not even realize to what extent you are influenced—negatively and positively—by things and people around you. Start a journal to keep track of these influences so you can eliminate the negative and increase the positive.

For instance, if being around a certain friend always makes you feel discouraged or drained, you should limit time with that person. Nurture your emotional well-being by choosing friends who genuinely want you to succeed and who encourage you. Also, consider your environment—is your home or office dreary or energizing? And make sure to read and listen to inspirational and motivational material. Make it a point to go to funny movies or watch a TV sitcom that makes you laugh. Increase your productivity.

Your New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be some far off goals, they can be attainable ways to better yourself each day. You have the power to change your current situations by developing a successful 2017 game plan for starting today.

Top Ten Anti-Aging Tips 2017

 

Skin Care, Tips & Awareness, Uncategorized

Dangerous Risks – Acrylic, Artificial Nails

On behalf of Dr. Lawrence Jaeger and the medical staff at Advanced Dermatology Associates, we are extremely focused on ensuring optimum health is a choice for everyone. As the leading Dermatologist provider network in New York City, we strongly encourage both men and women to educate themselves with the proper knowledge and to seek the necessary medical care for decreasing the incidences of cancer. In this blog, we’re discussing the medical issues related to the potential dangers and risks from acrylic or artificial nails.  An industry which grew to a record $7.47 billion this year. 

Dangerous Risks – Acrylic, Artificial Nails

 

Dangerous Risks - Acrylic, Artificial Nails

What Are Acrylics and Artificial Nails.

For starters, let’s define what are acrylics or artificial nails. For those who simply have no clue –  acrylics are the fake nails placed on top of real nails, either painted a color of one’s choosing or covered in “fillings” — such as a white or clear powder substance. More-so like bi-weekly rites of passage for women and young ladies.

Now consider these two very important points.

  1. First, cosmetics and nail products do not have to undergo clinical trials before being sold on the market.
  2. Second – nail salons are not required to list ingredients on labels unless the product is available for purchase.

The Food and Drug Administration regulates nail products for both home and salon and considers nail salon services safe as long as they are administered carefully by trained and licensed nail technicians. The agency has stated that while many nail products “contain potentially harmful ingredients,” they are allowed on the market “because they are safe when used as directed.” But it’s really up to you to make sure that they are.

Ironically what goes into manicures and pedicures can be quite undefined and mysterious as the water your feet were soaked in. As we explore

Why the Deadly Causes?

 

Let’s just start with the basics, for many years, polish usually included substances known to be toxic:

  • UV Light (directly linked to skin cancer)
  • Acetone – Nail salons typically remove nail polish and artificial nails by soaking nails with acetone, ethyl acetate (a sweetish smelling “non-acetone”), or acetonitrile. No removers are considered safe for use.
  • Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), which adds flexibility to polish, is a toxin linked to feminizing effects in baby boys through breast milk, decreased sperm count, and other developmental and reproductive problems.
  • Toluene, which helps stabilize nail polish color and creates a smooth finish, has toxic effects on the brain and spinal cord, and as a result it can cause headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.
  • Formaldehyde, which serves as a nail hardener, is known to be a cancer-causing substance as well as a skin irritant.

Literally all the chemicals used to apply artificial or acrylic nails are notoriously unhealthy and include offenders as resins and formaldehyde, which have been shown to cause cancer. Then add to the continuous use of these materials which can lead to serious nail breaks, infection and loss of the natural nail. The cost of unnatural beauty can be more damaging than you currently realize.

Since consumer advocacy campaigns targeted these “toxic three” in 2006, many major companies have excluded these chemicals from their products. OPI, Essie, Nail Tek, Orly, Sally Hansen, and Milani — among others — now advertise that their nail polishes are DBP-, toluene-, and formaldehyde-free. Some newer brands, including Priti and Karma, have never contained these ingredients.

MMA’s (Methyl Methacrylate) have been banned by the FDA for use on nails because of toxicity, some lower-end nail salons still use the toxic substance to cut back on costs.

But older products may still be on the market, particularly at discount stores. So be sure to only purchase polish that is specifically labeled as free of the toxic three.

Older products may still be in use at salons, too. Always ask your nail technician to use only products that are DBP-, toluene-, and formaldehyde-free. Better yet, bring your own nail polish: When the California Department of Toxic Substances Control tested a random sampling of 25 polishes from nail salons in 2011, they found that five of seven products claiming to be free of these three chemicals included at least one in significant levels. Most of the mislabeled products were brands available only at salons, not in retail stores

Are There Healthier or Safer Alternatives?

“The short answer is NO. Really there are no healthy alternatives to adding a false “coat of armor” to your nails. But creating a strong healthy natural nail base by using products free of formaldehyde or chemicals is the key.” stressed Dr. Lawrence Jaeger, a NYC Dermatologist at Advanced Dermatology Associates who specializes in nail disorders.

Regarding Artificial Nail Application

Artificial nail application is a popular service provided by nail salons, whether to strengthen nails or add length. Besides acrylics, there are now some newer alternatives.

  • Acrylic nails: Made with a liquid acrylic compound called ethyl methacrylate (EMA), acrylics are considered safe if applied carefully to avoid skin contact. Redness and swelling can occur if the product comes in contact with the skin around the nails.EMA replaced methyl methacrylate (MMA) in acrylic nails after MMA was removed from the market in 1974. MMA was taken off-market due to risks including serious allergic reactions, nail infections, permanent nail deformities, and respiratory problems. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency advises that salons should not use products with MMA. Even so, some MMA is still in use because no regulation specifically prohibits its use in cosmetic products.If you can, ask your nail technician whether the salon still uses MMA. More importantly, be alert to tell-tale signs. MMA gives off an unusually powerful and noxious odor. Also, be suspicious of very low-priced full-sets and fills, since MMA is significantly cheaper than EMA.
  • Gel nails, made with a gel resin and pigment, are less durable than acrylics, but they may be preferable because they don’t contain solvents. They also stay shiny and unchipped for significantly longer than a basic manicure.A nail technician paints layers of a thin, gel-like coating onto nails to create a flexible nail covering. Nails feel dry and smooth once hardened under a UV lamp. Like mini tanning beds, UV lamps emit rays that can harm the skin. Up to 10 minutes of exposure is required when gel nails are first applied and again whenever gaps are filled as the nails grow out. This repeat exposure over time can have a negative, unhealthy aging effect on the skin. UV lamps are associated with a higher risk of skin cancer and earlier signs of aging.Removing both gel nails, as well as acrylics, requires a soak in acetone after first filing off the top layer (to make acetone soak in faster).
  • Shellac nails, yet another option now available at many nail salons, are similar to gel nails but require a shorter-term commitment. This gel-polish hybrid is applied like polish and cured under a UV light like gels. It lasts up to 2 weeks and is easier to remove than acrylics or gels — requiring a soak in acetone but no filing.While the chemical risk from shellac, as well as gel, formulations may be quite low, the harms posed by repeated UV exposure should not be underestimated.
  • Minx nails offer a way to avoid many of the undesirable side effects of nail application. Available at many nail salons today, Minx are like stickers for the nails. After you select from an array of patterns or colors, a nail technician heats the flexible adhesive polymer and then presses it onto your dry nails, trimming each one to fit. There is no drying time, and the product is odorless. Minx nails last 1 to 2 weeks. They can be removed by heating the nails with a hair dryer and then peeling them off. Be aware that there isn’t any product safety information available for Minx nails, so no one really knows if any chemicals are released when the polymer is heated.

The takeaway here is a bittersweet and costly truth, which is seriously damaging to your health. There are healthier choices, but no shortcuts. Stop and think about how costly and medically damaging your nail beauty (vanity) is causing. If you suspect a nail infection, consult a dermatologist for an evaluation.

RECAP of the FIVE POTENTIAL DANGERS: 

  1. The hard-to-clean area underneath your nail may cause your nails to be extra sensitive, especially if an MMA-based acrylic (Methyl Methacrylate) is used. Though they’ve been banned for use on nails because of toxicity, some low-end nail salons still it.
  1. Acrylics may create inflamed or itchy cuticles if the tools used to apply them are worn out or coarse. Be mindful of those which have sharp odors — this is a sign that something is off.
  1. Depending on your nail strength, acrylics may cause a splitting or painful nail plate. Pay close attention to how strong and think your nails are. Extremely thin nails may not be the best for acrylics.
  1. It might be hard to spot, but infection below the nail bed can become all too real. This also goes back to overused, worn out nail tools.
  1. Pay attention to your nail growth over time. Acrylics often weaken nails, making them prone to breakage.

 

Skin Care, Tips & Awareness, Uncategorized

No-Shave November: 10 Reasons To Participate

On behalf of Dr. Lawrence Jaeger and the medical staff at Advanced Dermatology Associates, are extremely focused on ensuring optimum health is a choice of life for everyone. As the leading Dermatologist provider network in New York City, we strongly encourage both men and women to educate themselves with the proper knowledge and to seek the necessary medical care for decreasing the incidences of cancer. So, we’re putting down the razors for a month here and participating in No-Shave November: 10 Reasons To Participate.

What is No-Shave November?

No-Shave November is a month-long journey during which participants forgo shaving and grooming in order to evoke conversation and raise cancer awareness.It’s become an extremely popular and unique way to grow cancer awareness through non-shaving or growing your hair.

What is the Goal?

The goal of No-Shave November (organization) is to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free. Donate the money you typically spend on shaving and grooming to educate about cancer prevention, save lives, and aid those fighting the battle.

No-Shave November: 10 Reasons to Participate

How Can I Participate?

The rules of No-Shave November are simple: put down your razor for 30 days and donate your monthly hair-maintenance expenses to the cause. Strict dress-code at work? Don’t worry about it! They encourage participation of any kind; grooming and trimming are perfectly acceptable.

NO-SHAVE NOVEMBER: 10 REASONS TO PARTICIPATE 

1. No-Shave November is proud to be working with the following organizations in 2016 to achieve their mission. Those Funded Programs are: American Cancer Society,  Prevent Cancer Foundation, Fight Colorectal Cancer & St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

2. The least you can do is “Like, Retweet, Snap & More”
Help spread awareness by sharing No-Shave November on social media. Now that you’re rocking that new look, snap it and let the world know that you’re participating in the fun! Every like and every re-tweet grows the No-Shave November community.

3. Anyone Can Participate. Male or Female. Men, Women, Boys & Girls. Even let your furry family members participate.

4. Monies Donated (2016) $458,446 has been raised by 15,998 members, 1,454 teams and 224 organizations.

5. We Are All Allowed to be a Little Lazier This Month – because shaving is a chore. It takes up time that you could use to sleep, shower, eat, or do just about anything else. Most men don’t really care for shaving anyway… so, it’s nice to have a whole month off.

6. Give Your Skin Time to Breathe – Taking a break from shaving gives your skin time to recover. When you grow the hair out, you avoid opening pores to infection. You also aren’t dealing with the bacteria that thrives on razors.

7. Not Shaving Controls Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB), or ingrown hairs under control for at least a month. Folliculitis which commonly occurs in men of color who have coarse, curly facial hair – is a result of hair follicle infections as a result of shaving/razor blades.

8. Stop Shaving & Save the environment – If men skip the five minutes to shave daily, they can save up to 375 gallons of water in the month of November. If women skip those five minutes to shave their legs every other day, then they can save about 188 gallons of water in just four weeks.

9. Reap the Benefits. Beards can actually reduce allergic reactions because it acts as a barrier for allergen particles. Beards can also keep your skin moisturized, help battle colds, limit the risk of infections, and can act as a natural sunblock.

10. Do you really need another reason for not shaving? Let that facial, arm or leg hair grow a little. Flaunt a beard or refrain from shaving for a month and become part of a “doing good campaign”.