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Posts Tagged ‘Cosmetics’

What Causes Crow’s Feet?

October 8th, 2008

Crow’s feet — the fine lines that radiate from the corners of your eyes – are among the first wrinkles to form and can surface as early as your 30’s. They are dynamic wrinkles, meaning they’re most noticeable when you contract the muscles in your face, such as when you squint or smile.

Many factors contribute to crow’s feet including sun exposure, squinting, smoking, and menopause. Sun exposure is probably the most important of these. Over years, solar radiation in the form of UVA light damages elastin and collagen leading to lax skin that hangs loosely instead of clinging tight to the underlying muscles. The result is sagging, wrinkled skin.

The more natural pigment you have in your skin, the more you are protected from harmful ultraviolet radiation. This is why people with darker skin tend to have fewer crow’s feet than those with lighter skin.

Squinting contributes to crow’s feet as a result of countless contractions of the muscles around the eyes; years of squinting eventually form permanent wrinkles. Crow’s feet overlie the large muscle that surrounds your eye called the ocularis orbis. When you squeeze your eyes tight, you are contracting this muscle, forming wrinkles that radiate from the corners of your eyes to your temples. Under constant tension, as in an afternoon at the beach, the skin becomes fixed in that wrinkled position, and over years, changes in the collagen make these wrinkles permanent.

Smoking causes wrinkles by damaging collagen and elastin fibers and by depriving the skin of blood flow and oxygen. It also contributes to dynamic wrinkles like crow’s feet because you squint to keep smoke out of your eyes.

Estrogen helps prevent wrinkles by maintaining your skin’s collagen, elasticity, and hydration. Since estrogen is decreased following menopause, it can worsen your crow’s feet. Studies have demonstrated that women lose 1 to 2% of their collagen every year after menopause and that hormone replacement therapy might help maintain women’s skin’s thickness and elasticity, minimizing wrinkles.

Post written by Jeffrey Benabio, MD for The Derm Blog.

Photo: Jacob Theo, Flickr.com

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Is Mineral Makeup Better for Your Skin?

August 4th, 2008

Cleopatra was 2,000 years ahead of her time. Mineral makeup, once used by ancient Egyptians, is now the hottest trend in cosmetics. But is it really healthier for your skin? Read more…

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Pineapple’s Bromelain for Bruises

July 29th, 2008

Bruising is an inevitable part of life, especially if you are a woman. Sometimes procedures such as Botox® injections or laser treatment of blood vessels cause bruising. Bromelain, a substance found in pineapples, might help minimize bruising from cosmetic procedures (or from walking into the coffee table). Read more…

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FDA Approves New Wrinkle Filler: Evolence

July 10th, 2008

The FDA has approved a new treatment for wrinkles. It’s a collagen filler that can be injected into frown lines to smooth them out, giving your face a younger, smoother appearance. The product, Evolence®, lasts 6 months according to its maker, Colbar LifeScience, (a Johnson and Johnson-owned company). Read more…

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A 3,000 Year-Old Beauty Trend

June 24th, 2008

While most women go to the latest Vogue or In Style to see what’s hot in fashion, you have to go back a few thousand years to find the latest trend in Botox treatments — The Nefertiti Lift. Read more…

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