Not in the Pink? Think of Zinc!

  If your skin doesn't have that healthy pink glow, could it be that you are lacking zinc? Zinc is potent micronutrient that we need for general as well as gyno health. Health effects on the fetus of being deficient in zinc has been known for over 50 years and some famous studies of dwarfism in Iran had been traced to zinc deficiencies. It is a trace mineral, also called trace elements, widely available in meat and plant sources. Because the zinc is harder for us to chemically extract from vegetarian food sources so there is lower bioavailability in plant sources. In otherwords, having lower bioavaibility means, its there in your food, but you just can't extract it. Vegetarians and vegans are urged to get approximately 50% more zinc than those who do eat meat. In fact your zinc blood levels will vary depending upon how much meat you do eat. Fish sources have zinc too, and oysters are among the best way to get zinc into your diet.

Zinc is necessary for the function of dozens of our body's metabolic enzyme systems; it is important for our immune system, the repair of DNA and for wound healing. Over 70 enzyme systems need zinc for proper function. It is linked to skin disease, poor sense of smell, inability to taste as well, infertility, and poor resistance to infection. It may be a cause of hair growth cycle disturbances. For those getting cosmetic treatments getting the right amount of zinc in your diet will help you heal more quickly and help enhance the way your products are working for your skin’s protection. Sun screens and cosmetics with zinc can help your skin be less irritated and less dry or flaky. If you have had diarrhea your skin can be listless for a variety of reasons: low fluid levels, too little magnesium and potassium in your system due to the loss during diarrhea, but low zinc can be responsible for the symptoms of being pale as well.

Remember there are hidden ways doing things you think of as beneficial for your health, that actually can be detrimental. Since zinc is absorbed in the small intestine too much fiber can oddly bind up your zinc and you can suddenly have a zinc deficiency you did not have before. For instance too much zinc can be both toxic and compromise the amount of copper, another trace mineral, in your body. Too much iron can also affect how we absorb zinc from our intestinal track.  Discussing these issues with your gyno, boils down to a basic diet analysis. There is no approved blood level tests for zinc, and hair analysis is inconsistent, so you just have to rely on the content of our diet to get enough zinc in!

Dark Circles Under the Eyes

Dark circles might just be temporary from a poor night sleep, but those with the deepest dark circles know it's not a quick fix in them. But there's no reason to dispair! First fix would be to get a cover-up mineral make up that has anti-oxidant treatment power as well as making you look and feel good. One recommended at Hada Cosmetic Medicine is Colorescience, and you can check their Facebook Store if you can't run right in downtown and get color matched. The next fix is sun screen. If you have your coverup on, it's sun screen as well, but double protection, and ideally every 2 hour application! The next fix is a quick trip to your physician. Several nutritional deficiencies can lead to dark skin pigmentation, and if your undereye area is one of your problem areas it will show this the worst! For instance, poor Vitamin D levels will manifest as dark pigmentation, and this can be simply corrected with the approprate supplements and medical monitoring. Lighteners do work, some are more chemically based, others just have botanical lighteners such as the Revale, or Skin Sceuticals pigment correctors which are safer and we recommend as your first line! Intense Pulsed light as well as laser treatment can treat pigmentation of various depths. To minimize the accentuation of the pigmentation appropriate use of fillers and botox can help, but in and of themselves won't likely make a dramatic effect on the pigment. The point is, a lot can be done, an there's no reason not to evaluate the options!

Freckles

The evolution of the word freckle.

When Chin Hairs Come

When chin hairs start to form that you have not seen before! What? Why? When! There are several possible solutions, age, the cause of the hair growth, the hair type, the hair color, whether you also have other side effects of male hormones like breakouts, and your goals are strongly considered. No FDA approved treatments other than laser hair removal, but some medications are effective, and often solutions have to be managed with more than one technique.It may be best to see a Gyno plus your aesthetian! One medication that is less frequently used for women is Flutamide (marketed as Eulexin) which blocks the receptors of the male hormone and is actually approved as a chemotherapy treatment for prostate cancer. The dry skin, dry scalp and green pee is usually tolerated pretty well, but it's the potential liver toxicity that has discouraged patients and physicians from using it too often. A therapy that is used as a treatment for prostate enlargement works on another step of the pathway that makes make hormones in your body, it's called finasteride, and it's been used as well, and it has fewer side effects although may not be as effective. All the medications used for those chiny chin chin hairs however can potentially cause feminization of a male fetus and you need to have effective contraception or be past your child bearing years to consider them!

Stacy's Tips For Skin

Stacy’s Tips for Highlighting Your Best Facial Features

     A natural look is best when it comes to make up.  Those who are great at applying make up don’t even look like they are wearing it; instead appearing naturally beautiful.  Of course, this skill takes a little practice and experimentation.

For Glowing Skin

     Hada carries the full line of Jane Iredale as well as  Colorescience Pro Mineral foundation.  These are high-performance cosmetics were created to remedy and camouflage specific skin concerns and the formulations blend and layer to create a flawless face. Pick a foundation that matches your skin perfectly, provides sun protection, and nutrients for your skin.

Enhancing Your Eyes

     A common eye make-up mistake is overdoing the eye shadow or liner.  Don’t hide your eyes-flaunt them! 

     Oftentimes, for a daytime look all you need is a light eye shadow and carefully applied mascara.  The shadow should compliment your skin tone, often in shades of beige, pink or brown.  Apply the shadow so it blends in seamlessly with the skin around your eye.

     The most important step in highlighting your eye is a careful application of mascara.  The mascara will make your eyes look bigger and brighter.  Spend some time around the outer corners of your eye to get that baby doll effect.

Creating Soft, Full Lips

     As with choosing the right foundation, the key to a natural looking lip is finding that perfect color to compliment your skin.  Nude shades are perfect for a natural daytime look and don’t forget to add a little gloss on top to highlight your perfect pout.

     Please stop in for a Colorescience Pro Mineral foundation match and while you are there let us show you our beautiful spring colors from our Jane Iredale collection.

Stacy works at Hada Cosmetic Medicine 

Gain a Pound, Gain a Pimple

We make a liver protein called Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG), and it carries around our hormones making sure they don’t over act. Too much and we don’t have enough free hormone too little and we have too much. I think of it as a scrotal hormone, odd, I know, but there you have it, the same stuff , or darn near the same stuff, in guys, is made in the scrotum. Yuk right, but you won’t forget the thing will you! Here’s a new fact: Weight gain will decrease SHBG. This is mediated by both direct liver effects, and the amount of cholesterol and hormone production, as well as the amount of insulin in the circulation which is increased by being over weight or obese. In fact insulin is so tied in with SHBG you can use blood testing of it as a predictor of who is going to become diabetic.

Stop the Sweat Drip

Do you have 2 million or do you have 24 million sweat glands? Some of us actually have fewer than others, so the amount you glisten in the sun will vary! Either way, we can actually produce up to 10 liters of sweat a day. Impressive. It's necessary to have bacteria around to product the odors we think of as associated with our sweat. We do swat salt with our water, but actually the ducts in the sweat glands reabsorbs most of the salt, so we don't loose enough to be dangerous, on a typical day. There are three cell types, the clear, the mucoid and the myoepithelial ones. Being dehydrated will decrease your sweating but that is not a pleasant or healthy way to do it. Not moving much and of course being cool with air conditioning or in a pool will decrease the amount you perspire. There are medical grade antiperspirants that will help with this also. For when that won't work you can use Botox. The ingredient in Botox which is Botulinum toxin prevents the actylcholine release and it's what is usually secreted in response to sympathetic nerves. This can be used under your arms, in the groin area, on the forehead or on the palms to decrease sweating. The most common use of Botox for decreasing sweating is under the arms, which is very effective, and only has to be repeated every 6-12 months for most individual. Risks and side effects can be discussed with your provider at your next visit.