Dear Cindy,

New Year's Resolutions 

Have you made any resolutions for the new year?  If not, it isn't too late to start making changes for a healthier and happier lifestyle.  People who commit to making positive choices are up to ten times as likely to achieve their goals as those who don't make resolutions.  The key to being successful at resolutions is in making the goal be something specific and attainable.  For example, don't just make a resolution to "be healthier in 2012".  Choose a specific area - concentrating on your diet or exercise habits.  Below are a few suggestions from us at Timeless Laser & Skin Care:

1) Eat a Healthy & Anti-Inflammatory Diet

a. Minimize processed foods - replace them with fresh food whenever possible in your diet.  

b. Make fruits and vegetables the foundations of your meals.  Dark green leafy vegetables and a variety of fruits and vegetables with deep rich colors should be a part of your daily diet. 

c. Select whole grain starches instead of more processed breads, cereals and pasta.  

d. Decrease the amount of animal protein in your diet. Select more fish rich in omega-3 such as wild Alaskan salmon and vegetable proteins found in beans and legumes.

e. Use extra-virgin olive oil as your cooking oil.

f. Limit your consumption of alcohol and caffeine. If you drink coffee, consider switching to green tea.

2) Exercise a Minimum of 3-5 Times per Week   including a variety of aerobic, strengthening and stretching exercises

3) If you smoke - STOP!

4) Use Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Every Day - even cloudy winter days

5) Relaxation - find time to include some form of     relaxation each and every day - reading, listening to music, meditation/prayer, bubble baths - whatever works for you!

You have the power to make positive changes in your life. Setting a resolution is just the beginning.  Sometimes it is best to find a friend or family member with whom to discuss your resolution.  They can help hold you accountable to meet your goals and might even be interested in sharing your goals.  Best wishes for an even better you in 2012! 

Highlighted Procedure - Spider Veins

Winter is the ideal time to treat spider veins because it is essential that the areas being treated not be exposed to sun before or after each treatment, and patients often need two or even three treatments, 4 to 6 weeks apart.

The laser destroys the vessel which is later reabsorbed by your body. Blood flow is then be redirected to veins deeper below your skin's surface, where it should be.  When scheduling treatment, it is important to remember that larger veins can look worse for up to 5-6 weeks after treatment before they get better; hence starting treatment in mid winter allows veins to heal before shorts and bathing suit season. 

Our laser, the Cutera CoolGlide combines the ideal laser wavelength with the most flexible parameters to deliver a superior vascular laser system to treat a broad range of vessels from tiny red telangectasias on the face to red, blue and purple spider veins on the leg. The CoolGlide is safe and effective for patients with light or medium dark skin, but should not be used on skin with recent sun exposure. (Varicose veins, which usually appear as bulging, rope-like green veins, cannot be treated with external lasers and should be evaluated by a vascular surgeon.)

Often, patients find that one or two treatments are sufficient. However, the number of treatments necessary depends on the number, color, and size of the vessels being treated.

Laser Vein treatment is less invasive than sclerotherapy and vein stripping (no insertion of needles or catheters are required).

 Before laser vein therapy               After laser vein therapy

For more information, please see our website at www.timelesslaserskin.com

FDA's New Ruling on Sunscreen

BACKGROUND

When applied to a sunscreen, the term "Broad Spectrum" protection means the sunscreen protects the skin from ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. UVB radiation is made up of shortwave rays which affect only the outer layer of the skin, causing sunburns and the more minor skin damage called sun tan. UVA radiation is made up of long-wave rays, which penetrate to deeper levels of the skin causing premature aging.  Both UVA and UVB suppress the immune system and thus are able to cause skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

In the US, the amount of protection a sunscreen provides against UVB rays has been indicated by its SPF (Sun Protection Factor) number; but until now, the FDA has not required a consistent standard for measuring a sunscreen's UVA protection.

NEW RULING

In June, 2011, the FDA established new testing and labeling regulations which are scheduled to go into effect during summer 2012.  These regulations include measurement of UVA protection and should simplify the process of shopping for sunscreens.

The most important of the new regulations:

• The claim "Broad Spectrum" will appear only on sunscreens that meet the FDA minimum standard of UVA protection as well as UVB protection.
• All sunscreens will only have one measure of effectiveness - their SPF rating. On products without the "Broad Spectrum" claim, SPF will rate only UVB protection. On "Broad Spectrum" sunscreens, SPF will rate both UVA and UVB protection, and the higher the SPF value, the greater the protection against both UVA and UVB damage.
• Manufacturers will no longer be able to label sunscreens as "waterproof" or "sweat proof" or identify their products as "sunblocks" because these claims overstate their effectiveness.
• Sunscreens that claim to be "water resistant" must show how long they last after a person has been swimming or sweating: either 40 minutes or 80 minutes. 
• As with other over-the-counter drugs, sunscreens will now listing warnings and other important information in an easy-to-find location.
• These regulations will apply to cosmetics and any other products claiming sunscreen benefits.

In addition, the FDA is considering a proposed rule that would limit the maximum SPF value to "50" because there is not sufficient evidence that products with SPF values higher than 50 provide greater protection than products with SPF values of 50.

The important point when buying sunscreens will continue to be to seek out only "Broad Spectrum" sunscreens with SPF of at least 15 for daily use and higher SPF for use when out in prolonged sun or for more intense sun exposure. The difference will be that companies will have to meet standards of UVA protection in order to claim "Broad Spectrum" protection.