Skincare: More than skin deep

Skincare is one of the earliest of medical sciences, known to man. The royalty and nobility of ancient Egypt were known to pamper their faces or bodies with all kinds of fancy concoctions made from plant and animal parts. 

Modern day skincare is a lot more complex. It is a multi-billion dollar industry that is fuelled by high-decibel advertising that uses, imagery of gorgeous movie stars. 

However, beyond all the noise and limelight, lie genuine, healthy, simple, and organic skincare concepts, which have endured, the test of time, through the centuries. Most of these concepts are still germane and offer hope to millions of people who do not believe in artificial or quick-fix solutions.

• Sun: Depending on your race or country of origin, people can be sensitive to sunlight. The ultraviolet component in sun rays, is known to damage the skin or even trigger skin cancer in some people. Such people should use sunscreen of SPF 15 and above when going out in the sun. They should also wear sun-protective clothing which is designed to block ultraviolet rays.
• Smoking: The connection between smoking and its damaging effect on skin has been established decades ago. Smoking causes wrinkles and sagging of skin, along with creating pout lines around the mouth and squint lines around the eyes. Smoking and tobacco in general, are known to inhibit the production of collagen and elastin by the body, which keeps the skin supple and taut. Smoking also narrows down blood vessels in the outer layers of the skin, restricting blood flow leading to dull and lifeless looking skin.
• Physical handling of your skin: Skin is the largest organ in the human body. Maybe, that is why, it is taken for granted. Long baths, hot water baths, strong soaps and deodorants, callous shaving - are all known causes that damage skin in the long run. The effect may not be immediately visible but as age sets in and health conditions take a downward spiral, smoking and use of tobacco take their toll. It is good to remember that the skin needs as much caring as the other organs, and must be treated gently.
• Cosmetics: Cosmetics are made from strong chemicals and can be harmful with prolonged usage. Yet many people are imprudent, in the use of makeup or cosmetics. If you are in the habit of never stepping out without painting your face, now is a good time to start limiting the usage of cosmetics and tempering it down gradually, before cutting them out completely from your life.
• Diet: Elders in the family have been telling people through the centuries that fresh fruits and vegetables are great for the skin. The nutrients in them, are completely absorbed by the human body, in the purest form, and help keep the skin fresh, glowing and healthy. Restricting the use of oil or fat in your food is good, while water must be consumed liberally, especially if you are exercising or tend to sweat more. Water helps lubricate the skin, flush out toxins faster and keeps the skin supple. Alcohol consumption should be limited as it is known to create sagging, puffy and wrinkled skin.
• Exposure to chemicals: Pollution, smoke, smog and industrial-grade chemicals are all known to damage skin. So people who have to endure these on a regular basis must use more protective clothing, and cover their face as much as possible.

Meridian Medical is a reputed healthcare provider in the Bay Area. Our comprehensive approach to medicine extends to skin care as well. Our skin care experts will guide you on lifestyle habits, diet, exercise and other dos and don’ts that will enhance your skin health and keep you looking young for longer.

Anti-aging: Getting it right

One cannot tune into a television channel or read a journal without being inundated with innumerable advertisements on anti-aging skin creams, tonics, nip-and-tuck surgeries and other fancy procedures. Most of these are cosmetic products and procedures which do not have any evidential data to substantiate their claims, subjecting the health, finance and lives of multitudes of patients, and putting them at risk. 

In contrast, genuine anti-aging medicine is the emerging ray of hope for millions of people who seek more scientific and healthy ways of prolonging their healthy lifespan.

Such anti-aging medicine combines breakthroughs in biotechnology with advanced and preventive healthcare treatments. These are aimed at detecting, preventing and treating all age-related ailments and disorders at an early stage and reversing their effects, to a significant extent. Such a “preventive and proactive healthcare” approach helps you stay productive and live independently for a longer period of time.

This approach has its own set of expectations from you as a patient:

• Keep up a good relationship with a physician: While this may sound obvious, ailments can be detected in the early-stage only when one has frequent and comprehensive checkups. Such screenings can help detect the presence of cancers of the breast, prostate and other internal organs, as well as the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Adopting calorific restriction: For over a century, Americans have been advised on the importance of ensuring quality and restricting quantity of calorific intake. It is only in recent years that this has been taken more seriously, thanks to USA becoming the diabetes, obesity and heart attack capital of the world. There is enough literature and medical expertise to guide patients on all of these ailments. 
• Exercise regularly: Regular exercise has been called the panacea of all ills by practitioners of health and fitness for years. While a change in diet plan can control or reverse existing maladies, exercise has a more preventive effect. Aging brings about inflammation in the body which is linked to heart disease, reduced cognitive abilities, muscle atrophy and depression. Exercise considerably reduces inflammation keeping a person healthy and young for long. 
• A Favorable history of smoking: For years, people have known that smoking causes lung cancer and accelerates wrinkling of the skin leading to a ‘smoker’s face’. Now research shows that smoking is also linked to heart attacks and strokes, with women being more vulnerable than men. It can also lead to early menopause in women.
• Drinking alcohol in moderation: Collagen is a tissue that is created and recreated constantly by the human body. It is responsible for keeping the skin elastic taut. Alcohol is known to affect collagen production making frequent drinkers more prone to wrinkles on the skin, sagging skin, heavy jowls and puffy eyes. Alcohol also inhibits absorption of nutrients into the blood and the transport of oxygen to the brain thereby increasing the risk of dementia, stroke or Alzheimer’s.
• Attitude: Maintaining a healthy and positive outlook to life helps manage stress levels that are inevitable in modern life, and consequently helps prolong a healthy lifespan. Studies conducted on people with high stress revealed shorter telomeres in their DNA which is linked to Parkinson’s, diabetes and cancer. Stress also accelerates cell aging leading to vision loss, hearing loss and unnatural fatigue.

As a reputed healthcare provider in the Bay Area, Meridian Medical takes a more holistic approach to anti-aging. Our anti-aging experts will work with you closely to understand your lifestyle, medical history, and design a long-term program that will slow down the effects of aging and reverse them in some areas. And it is quite cost-effective and light on your pocket, which makes the program worthwhile.