Archive for the ‘Skin Care and Products’ Category

The Importance of Nutrition in Cosmetics

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Last Wednesday, bloggers at Daily Beauty commented on a new study about the role nutritionof lycopene in skin health. Apparently, new research conducted in Berlin suggests a correlation between smoother skin and lycopene, the carotenoid found in tomatoes.

But aside from just lycopene, what is the relation between diet and healthy skin and how important is it?

Nutritionists say the relationship is very important. Every day, our bodies naturally exhibit evidence of our lifestyles as a cell-level battle is raging within each of us — a battle between the natural process of aging and the natural systems that help us resist that very process. Many other nutrients play a critical role in maintaining healthy skin.

  • Protein is essential for skin repair.
  • Thiamine is a B vitamin that helps skin cells function normally
  • Vitamin C helps the body naturally manufacture collagen
  • Zinc assists epidermal cell growth

Nutrients help us maintain resistance to the processes commonly associated with aging, and those nutrients reside in the foods we eat. So if you’re trying to look as young as you feel, good nutrition is the obvious starting point.

Obagi Medical Products Defends Anti-Competition Suit

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Dr. Zein Obagi, founder of ZO Skin Health, is suing his former company, Obagi Medical Products, for anti-competitive practices.

The complaint alleges that Obagi Medical interfered with the distribution of the new ZO line of anti-aging products when it contacted an e-commerce distributor and informed them of a non-compete agreement.

Obagi Medical denies the allegations and says it will vigorously defend the suit.

As the demand for anti-aging skin care products has increased over the last decade, so has the competition within that market. Between 2006 and 2008, U.S. sales alone rose 13% to 1.6 billion dollars, and the trend shows no sign of weakening as baby-boomers take advantage of advances in skin care science to address the effects of aging on their appearance.

As a person gets older, the process of skin-cell-rejuvenation is slowed. Topical aesthetic and therapeutic skin health systems designed by Obagi Medical are specifically designed to address all of these effects, and their growing popularity should only lead to more competition in the marketplace.

Read more about Obagi and the Obagi blue peel in Owensboro.

Visit Us This Summer – For Your Skin’s Sake!

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

Summer in Kentucky is lovely.  While you’re at the pool, the golf course, or the barbeque with your friends, remember to protect your skin from the sun.  You should also choose the right cosmetic treatments to prevent premature aging so you stay healthy and look your best. If you’re heading out for some fun in the sun this summer, here are a few skin management tips and procedures that can keep you looking hot while you’re out in the hot sun.  

If your skin is in need of rejuvenation, a few microdermabrasion treatments each year can make a big difference.  Microdermabrasion removes the top layer of skin to reveal a fresh, healthy layer underneath. It also stimulates collagen production, which improves skin elasticity.  It’s an easy procedure that can reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and even some forms of skin damage.  If you use skin products (we recommend medical grade), it can increase penetration, so your daily skin care regimen is more effective.  For many patients, this combination of at-home skin care and microdermabrasion is all it takes to achieve smoother, more silky looking skin. 

If you exhibit age spots, zap them away with a CO2 laser or Chemical Peel. Rejuvenate your skin while reducing or removing age spots. 

Sunscreen is important any time of year, but especially during these hot summer months. Choosing the right sunscreen for your face – one that addresses your skin type and skin conditions – is not always easy.  Use a sunscreen every day. For days spent mostly indoors, use a foundation with an SPF15 or higher. For outdoors you want at least an SPF45 that is waterproof or water-resistant. The right sunscreen can prevent sun damage, skin problems, and even skin cancer.  Harmful UV rays can damage skin cells deep within the skin’s surface, making your cells vulnerable to toxins (free-radicals) in the environment. 

Self conscious about spider veins on your legs or elsewhere? Sclerotherapy can remove unwanted, unsightly veins so you can bare your legs at the beach again.

Let us help you maintain the health of your skin. Come visit us at Edds Cosmetic Surgery to find out which treatment will work best for your skin type; then look forward to looking hot all summer long!

The Origin of Allergan’s New Eyelash Enhancer, Latisse

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

Some drugs gain widespread appeal for uses that were never intended, and such is the case with Latisse.  The hot new eyelash enhancer was born out of a group of popular medications called topical prostaglandins, drugs frequently used to decrease intra-ocular pressure in glaucoma patients.

What doctors labeled a ‘complication’ or side effect of using these topical agents was “hypertrichosis,” a condition characterized by darkening, thickening, and lengthening of the eyelashes.   

 Allergan offered the topical prostaglandin Lumigan in 2001, a drug that contained the active ingredient bimatoprost. Two important precursors to Latisse occurred after the FDA gave clearance for Lumigan.

Jan Marini Skin Research Inc had over $2 million worth of product seized by the Food and Drug Administration.  The product, Age Intervention Eyelash, evidently contained bimatoprost, which was unapproved for cosmetic use at the time. Allergan later filed a patent infringement suit against Jan Marini and several other companies that had tried to market bimatoprost in their eyelash enhancing drugs.

Some doctors started prescribing Lumigan off-label to enhance eyelashes.  Knowing the desirable side effects it could produce. But Lumigan wasn’t formulated for cosmetic use and many believed more research was needed to confirm the safety of topical prostaglandins for cosmetic use.  

Clinical trials and further research is exactly what Alllergan Inc did.  In one early study, 278 healthy adults with minimal to moderate eyelash prominence applied bimatoprost or a placebo to their lash line.  The results were favorable; researchers observed that the average patient’s eyelashes were 25 percent longer, 106 percent fuller, and 18 percent darker, while only 3.6 percent experienced itchy eyes and redness, and only 2.9 percent experienced skin hyperpigmentation.  

Latisse received FDA approval late last year for the treatment of ‘inadequate’ eyelashes.  Allergan now owns the patent on use of bimatoprost for eyelash enhancement.  

Contact our office for more information on Latisse in Kentucky.