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Minimize fine lines, wrinkles and acne

lady and mirror
Your body goes through a ton of changes and to top it all off, fine lines are starting to appear right alongside those pesky pimples that you thought would have gone away after high school.
You’re not alone. According to a report published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, more than 35 percent of women ages 30-39 and more than 25 percent of women ages 40-49 reported suffering from acne.
So what’s a girl to do? Here are some simple solutions to banish this—stat!
Cleanse
Use a mild foaming or cream cleanser daily. Since your cleanser is on your skin for the shortest amount of time of any other product you use, it’s the least important step in your beauty regimen. If your skin is oily, look for a cleanser that has salicylic acid or glycolic acid which exfoliate to unclog pores and help to stimulate the skin to prevent wrinkles.
Protect
Wearing sunscreen every day is one of the best ways to prevent wrinkles. Even small amounts of sun exposure through windows in your home or in your car add up.  Look for products that have an SPF 30 or more and zinc oxide of at least 5 percent.
Prevent
Antioxidants are your second line of defense against damage from the sun, smoke, and pollutants in the air. These power houses work like sponges to soak up free radicals that do damage to your skin. Look for moisturizers and serums that have vitamins E, C, green tea, or grape seed extract.
For wrinkles around the eyes- it’s important to wear sunglasses anytime you’re outside. You really have to maintain your collagen as much as possible because it’s not an area that’s easy to treat with lasers or anything else.
Exfoliate
Prescription Retin-A and over-the-counter retinol products are the best way to treat both wrinkles and acne because they work to reduce oil secretion, unclog pores and eliminate old, damaged cells.
Superficial chemical peels that contain both salicylic and glycolic acid are also great options because they allow oxygen to get into the pores and prevent bacteria from growing. Professional microdermabrasion is also effective for treating fine lines and large and clogged pores.
Avoid abrasive scrubs that are granular or have beads because they can be too harsh. Instead, look for products that contain both salicylic acid and retinol together. Be sure to check labels—if retinol is listed as one of the first few ingredients, it’s likely to have a higher concentration. For some women, retinols are too harsh, so alpha hydroxy acids can work.
Treat
Sometimes a little professional Rx is needed in the form of topical solutions, prescription medications, or a variety of in-office procedures. It’s best to speak with your dermatologist who can devise a plan that works for your skin type and the type of acne and wrinkles you have.
aging face

Where to go for professional wrinkle and acne treatments:

Sona Med Spa offers patients help with sun damage, skin resurfacing, and microdermabrasion to name a few.  Locations in Dallas, Grapevine and Frisco https://www.sonamedspa.com
M-Pulse Modern SkinCare can help patients with acne therapy, skin rejuvenation and skin care for both men and women. Locations in DFW- Plano, Dallas, Fort Worth https://www.m-pulse.com
For more information on treating fine lines, wrinkles, and acne please visit a skin care professional that is trained in skin care health.  Dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons offices are also great places to visit.
The Paragon Plastic Surgery & Med Spa offers patients treatment with fine lines, wrinkles, acne therapy, as well as many surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures. We are proud to serve the Mansfield and Southlake and surrounding areas.  Please call our office at (817) 473-2120 for more information on our services or visit our website at www.MarkBisharaMD.com.

This information is brought to you courtesy of Dr.Mark Bishara and The Paaragon Plastic Surgery & Med Spa in Mansfield and Southlake, TX

 

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Reasons why Your Skin Needs Help!!

girl face

Spring is just around the corner, and we will help you get your skin looking its best as you get ready to bare a lot more of it!
From the latest laser procedures and dermal fillers you can find at our office, to our extensive line of SkinCeuticals products, we’ve got the stuff you need.
We’re stuck in that crazy phase where winter is almost over, but it’s not quite spring. It’s kind of like when Britney Spears was not a girl, not yet a woman. One day it’s sunny, and the next day it’s snowing. One week it’s 60 degrees, the next week it’s polar vortex status, and the frequent changes absolutely wreak havoc on our skin. Sigh.
skincare
Reasons why Your Skin Needs Help!!:
If your skin is dry and dull: No matter how much the temperature drops, your skin still needs a boost in cell turnover.
Rule #1: Don’t stop resurfacing. I don’t mean abrasive scrubs—the appropriate and consistent “resurfacing” products will keep your skin looking dewy, hydrated, smooth, and glowing without creating microscopic tears and abrasions. Think retinoids and acid combinations such as glycolic, salicylic, and azaleic acids. If the weather is really cold, then dial down on frequency or strength, but do not stop resurfacing. I also recommend using a proteolytic enzyme once or twice weekly. Proteolytic enzymes are “smart exfoliators” since they only digest dead or diseased cells and cannot disturb healthy, newer cells. Even very sensitive skin types can tolerate proteolytic enzymes.
Rule #2: Adjust your hydration. Oftentimes, individuals simply trade up from a lighter moisturizer to one that is heavier. Think layers—when you layer clothing, instead of just one heavy outer garment, you stay warmer because more heat is trapped between the layers.  Likewise, when you layer hydrators you trap more moisture, prevent moisture loss, and provide a more effective barrier against the elements. Try a lighter serum or cream that is packed with peptides and anti-inflammatories under a heavier barrier cream, topped by sunscreen.
If your skin is oily: The typical conundrum here is that the skin is oily, but actually looks dull and surface dry, primarily due to wind and colder temperatures.  You’re not necessarily producing less oil, but it’s getting trapped in the dead surface layer and your skin appears duller and even your pores are more noticeable.
Rule #1: Exfoliate. Here again, the key is resurfacing. A resurfacing product, with the right combination of acids, will remove the dead surface skin without abrasion and keep your pores unblocked and looking smaller and more refined.
Rule #2: Do not abandon your acne meds. If you have breakouts, select a product that is non-drying and treats acne and aging at the same time. Once or twice a week an enzyme mask or a Retinol mask will provide further skin refinement and help make skin look dewy and luminous instead of simply oily.
If your skin has redness: Stop aggravating, start soothing!
Rule #1: Anti-inflame. Skin that has persistent periods of redness and little red capillaries may be experiencing mild to moderate rosacea. The causative factors in rosacea are varied and complex. However, it is believed that individuals with this tendency produce more of a type of inflammatory protein. The key here is to use products with lots of anti-inflammatory properties such as green tea, red tea, and ascorbyl palmitate.
Rule #2: Be gentle. Your skin also needs lots of barrier protection to prevent moisture loss and enable your skin to more effectively defend itself from transitional elements. Select products according to how dry or oily your skin is. Remember to lay lighter serums under more protective creams.
Rule #3: Sunscreen is an absolute must! The sun’s rays can still penetrate, even on the gloomiest day and UV rays equal inflammation, which sets up conditions that cause and exacerbate rosacea type tendencies.

This information is brought to you courtesy of Dr. Mark Bishara and The Paragon Plastic Surgery & Med Spa in Mansfield and Southlake, TX

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New wrinkle worry identified: Water bottle mouth

Facial wrinkles occur because people lose skin elasticity as they age, but there are also habits that can contribute to premature signs of aging. For example, forgoing sunscreen can cause sun damage, which leads to lines on the face. Repetitive motions, such as constantly squinting at the sun or sucking on a cigarette, can also make you more likely to develop wrinkles. In a recent article, The Inquisitr identified another potential cause of facial lines: water bottles.
water bottle drink
Think before you drink
If you live in an area that has less-than-stellar tap water, drinking bottled water may seem like a no-brainer. There’s nothing wrong, nutritionally, with drinking H2O from a bottle, but the cosmetic dermatologist told the news source that it’s the repetitive motion that could cause lines to form around the mouth when they otherwise might not.
“We tell our patients, keep on drinking, it’s great for your body, it’s great for your health, it’s great for your skin,” a physician said in the interview. “Unfortunately, over time it either causes these lines or it aggravates them.”
Of course, there are ways to avoid this issue. Water purifiers may do the trick if you’d rather drink from the tap, and this will also save you money in the long run. You can pour your bottled water into a cup or drink through a straw, thus eliminating the lip-pursing motion.
mouth1
A cosmetic solution
Unfortunately, for those of us who have been drinking out of water bottles for years, this news may come a bit late in the game. If wrinkles have already formed, you can discuss other options with a plastic surgeon. Facelifts and deep chemical peels offer long-term results that can make you appear younger, while dermal fillers can help fill deep wrinkles and reshape the facial contours.
 

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Lasers and Lights

Lasers and light-based therapies– (for hair removal, anti-aging and skin rejuvenation) have nearly become everyday tools for people seeking smooth, blemish-free or simply more youthful-looking skin. The terms laser and light-based therapies are often used interchangeably, however, there are crucial differences in how the technologies work and what they effectively treat. Here’s a breakdown:
before and after laser
Lasers
The term laser is actually an acronym that stands for “light amplification by stimulated emissions of radiation.” Ablative lasers safely injure the skin at first, but eventually creates a healthy healing/wound response that results in collagen production. By delivering a deep, single wavelength of energy, these are often used to remove deep lines or scars and typically require one session. Nonablative lasers do not damage the skin, which is a plus, but may be less effective and require multiple sessions. These are used to correct skin concerns and remove tattoos and hair by targeting the dark pigments in the hair, which eventually leads the hair follicles to become inflamed and disabled, and voila! Smooth, hair-free skin after a few sessions. Lasers do, indeed, emit radiation-yet in tiny amounts that are deemed harmless.
laser on face
Light
Intense pulsed light (IPL) delivers a broader spectrum of light energy, unlike lasers’ single wavelength, and is a light source-not a laser. IPL is a strong, in-office treatment used for hair removal, discoloration, broken blood vessels and sun damage reversal. Another type of light therapy, light emitting diodes (LED) is a shallower, gentler treatment, ideal for collagen boosting and rejuvenating the skin. LED comes in a variety of colors, red for fighting acne, blue combat bacteria and yellow to reduce redness.
Dr. Bishara and The Paragon Plastic Surgery & Med Spa provide a wide range of cosmetic procedures to help patients look and feel their best. These procedures are designed to improve the appearance of the face and body through minimally invasive techniques that provide highly effective results. Many of these procedures can be combined in order to achieve your desired appearance. Please contact our office at (817) 473-2120 for more information or visit our website at www.MarkBisharaMD.com.

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Is There a Permanent Solution for Stretch Marks?

stretch marks
Hard to prevent and even harder to erase (for good), stretch marks, unfortunately, can be a lifelong problem. Although there are options available that reduce their appearance, a permanent cure still does not exist.
Stretch marks range in color from red (fresher, new marks) to white and silvery (older marks). They can feel indented or smooth on the skin. Whenever the skin is stretched out quickly, small tears in the dermis occur, causing stretch marks. They are basically microscars in the skin. To limit stretch marks from forming, keep the prone areas well-moisturized with a heavy hydrator like cocoa or shea butter, which will keep the skin pliable and more elastic. Keeping the skin hydrated and supple is key. Stretch marks can be exacerbated by the sun, which is why they should be safeguarded at all costs. While sunscreen is the go-to, you can also try a top or dress that’s embedded with UPF.
While some experts feel that in-office treatments, like lasers and skin tighteners, do little for stretch marks, others disagree. It is important to know that when treating them, the degree of improvement can range from minimal to moderate. If your stretch marks are red (due to the influx of blood vessels at the site), then a pulsed-dye laser may help; if they are white, a fractionated collagen-stimulating laser can offer some improvement. Lasers may help to lighten up any existing stretch marks, but they won’t get rid of them permanently since they will still exist to some degree. Think of using any type of laser for stretch marks almost like airbrushing—you’re ‘smudging’ away any of the sharp demarcations so that the marks are less noticeable on the skin. Excising any extra skin can also improve stretch marks since they are literally cut out or moved downward. If they are below the belly button and a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is performed, they can be cut out. If they are above the belly button and a tummy tuck is done, the stretch marks will now fall below the belly button and there will be less of them.
stretch marks side
Do you suffer from stretch marks? There are many procedures that are designed to improve the appearance of stretch marks and provide highly effective results. Please contact our office at (817) 473-2120 for more information or visit our website at www.MarkBisharaMD.com. You can also visit us on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paragon-Plastic-Surgery-and-Medspa.
 

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