Learn if you are a good candidate for a breast augmentation, the different surgeries available, and the risks associated with surgically altering your breasts.

Breast altering surgery can be achieved in four ways:

1.Breast enlargement can be considered using saline or silicone implants. The size of the implant will depend on patient wishes and their physical characteristics. Small volume augmentations are being tried using fat injections as well, however, there are safety issues that still need to be evaluated.

2. Breast lifts are used to reshape the breast and bring the nipple to a more desirable position. Depending on the amount of sagging, various incisions can be planned with the goal of minimizing scars. For some patients, a combination of augmentation and lift maybe needed to achieve the desired outcome.

3. Breast reductions are performed to alleviate the physical discomfort and aesthetic concerns with large and heavy breasts.

4. Reconstructions are performed after breast cancer surgery for those whose breasts need to be restored to their pre-lumpectomy or mastectomy state.

Risks:  anesthesia, bleeding, infection, poor wound healing, unsightly scars, asymmetry

Risks Associated with Implants Especially: infection, risks of capsular contracture

Regardless of the specific type of surgery, it is very important for the patient and the doctor to plan the procedure with adequate knowledge about detailed plans. It is helpful to review photographs of similar cases to have proper expectations.

– Dr. Reza Nabavian M.D., Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, http://nabavian.com & Dr. Adam Schaffner M.D., F.A.C.S. http://psinewyork.com

Summer Skincare Tips

Thanks to longer days and warmer weather, it’s natural that we’re drawn outdoors in summertime. Unfortunately, the elements (be it sun, sand or pool chlorine) aren’t always a natural complement to our skincare regime. Terese Linke, global education and spa training director for PRIMAVERA natural and organic skincare, shares her top four tricks for beating the heat:

1.  Ice Cold Refreshment

Put Moisturizing or Revitalizing toner in an ice cube tray in the freezer. Use the “Ice Toner” cubes for a cold massage to freshen-up skin. Or, for a hot day at the pool or beach, store a bottle of Moisturizing Refreshing Mist in a cooler and spritz as needed.

2.  Break a Sweat

Use a gentle foaming facial cleanser to remove dirt and excess oils. Choose a lightly scented product using Sage or Peppermint to leave skin and senses refreshed.

3.  Hydrate

The best way to apply body oil (a must for parched summer skin) is with a damp cloth, which allows for light, even coverage.

4.  Stimulate the Body

It’s no secret that a good body scrub is a must before applying self-tanner.

Terese Link, Global Education and Spa Training Director, PRIMAVERA Natural and Organic Skincare

What is your favorite summer skincare regimen?

If you have had a similar experience and continue, like me, to hide beneath your swimsuit cover-up, I can provide you with some hope! There are many treatments available today to help reduce stretch marks. Learn how dermatologist, Dr. Asarch, recommends treating your stretch marks… and in time for SUMMER!

Reduce Stretch Marks with Fractional Skin Resurfacing

STRETCH MARKS HAVE YOU KEEPING THE COVER-UP ON? Let your Summer Skin Show.

There is still time to treat stretch marks before you slip on your sundresses, shorts and bathing suits! Dr. Asarch of the Asarch Center for Dermatology and Laser in Denver, CO suggests a new laser treatment called Fractional Skin Resurfacing. This procedure regenerates skin cells and stimulates collagen to create a more uniform skin surface. Clinical evaluations have shown up to a 75% improvement in treated stretch marks three months after the last treatment. Fractional Skin Surfacing is a non-ablative laser, meaning the overlying skin is left intact. Stretch marks are caused by a breakdown of collagen.

Whether from pregnancy or weight changes, stretch marks resemble scars- with newer stretch marks ranging from red to purple in color and older stretch marks appearing white or almost silver in tone. “I recommend the Palomar 1540 laser for the first treatment to diminish stretch marks.” says Dr. Asarch, M.D. This FDA-approved laser is effective for both scars and stretch marks. If redness or dis-coloration persist after treatment with Fractional Skin Resurfacing, other options may be recommended including use of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) laser.

Dr. Richard Asarch, M.D., Dermatologist, The Asarch Center for Dermatology and Laser

What treatments have you used to reduce stretch marks and help you feel more self confident with your body?

Learn why moisturizing your skin is important and effective.  Our Beauty expert, Christin Peeples, shares a few moisturizing techniques with us that will give us healthy looking skin.

Soft, Supple, Simple

Moisturizing is an integral part of any skincare regimen. It serves as a protective barrier against the environment, reduces the signs of aging, and promotes hydration needed for healthy skin. Moisturizer should be applied shortly after cleansing, while the skin is still damp to lock in moisture all day.

The application of your moisturizer is equally as important, particularly when applying to the face. Ensure that moisturizer is applied using upward strokes to defy gravity. Often times the neck and décolletage are overlooked so be sure to include these areas of the body in your daily moisturizing regimen as well.

Be sure to choose a moisturizer that has an abundance of natural and organic ingredients. This will promote proper absorption and ensure the skin’s natural pH balance is restored. Moisturizing is a simple way to promote skin that is healthy, soft & supple. Include moisturizing in your skincare regimen and see the difference.

Christin Peeples, Beauty Expert/Founder Jordan Alexis Beauty

How often do you include moisturizer in your beauty routine for healthy looking skin?

Q:  Are there natural, healthier options to bio-identical hormones available?

A:  While bio-identical hormone replacement therapy is considered natural by many, there are many other ways to help manage the symptoms of menopause and aging. There are wonderful herbal remedies that can be very helpful to help handle the symptoms associated with the transition of menopause, as well as diet changes and nutritional supplements that help women and men feel their best as well as focus on preventing disease in later life.

Dr. Emily Dashiell, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, Arbor Vitae Wellness Center

Q:  Is testing hormone levels to subscribe replacement therapy an effective testing method?

A:  There is no scientific evidence to support claims of increased efficacy or safety for individualized estrogen or progesterone regimens prepared by compounding pharmacies. Hormone therapy does not belong to a class of drugs with an indication for individualized dosing. Salivary hormone level testing used by proponents to “tailor” this therapy isn’t meaningful because (a) salivary levels are not as accurate as blood levels and (b) they can vary within each woman depending on her diet, the time of day, the specific hormone being tested, and other variables.

Brett Badgley Snodgrass, Family Nurse Practitioner, Comprehensive Primary Care

Q:  Do compound levels of bioidentical hormones work?

A:  BHRT are safer due to the fact that the dosages can be adjusted easier than synthetic versions. Not all doctors are trained in this form of HRT. Not all over the counter hormones work long term, and women should find either a naturopathic specialist or gynecologist who fully understands prescribing and testing your own hormone levels!

Gail Sas, Health and Fitness Trainer/Advisor, Health Quest Unlimited

What questions do you have about using bioidentical hormone replacements?

Finding Yourself in Love-and Menopause

I can’t help but feel a key component of finding- and celebrating- love during the Midlife Years is being overlooked by many women and here’s why:

Currently 3 of my Menopausal gal pals are finding themselves in new love relationships, and all 3 are encountering the exact same angst, insecurity- and self esteem issues regarding their body images and their budding sex lives with their new partners.

My friends have all lamented that they are ‘no longer youthful’-‘no longer look like they did in their 20s’ ‘cannot possibly be now all they might’ve been before ’, and are ‘horrified at the prospect of being seen naked by him…’

It’s a predicament indeed, this finding love in the middle years- but it should be something that is celebrated and embraced- not grieved or fretted about.

As Menopausal women increase in number daily-worldwide- we are truly missing out on the chance to ride a very powerful wave. Women in their late 40s and 50s are, in essence, just becoming ripe.

Having worked through life issues, loss, childbirth and family rearing, grief, illness and numerous other struggles, we are so much better equipped to rise up and embrace our True Self.

We have earned our wisdom, our freedom, and the right to be comfortable in our own skin. What better celebration of this achievement than to share it with a wise, mature and loving partner?

So often in western cultures, the concept of Sexiness is interchangeable with Youth.

-Nothing could be further from the truth- and no culture reveals this better than Italy. Italian women are sexy and SEXUAL during all the stages of their lives. To these women and the men who love them-sexual vitality is not something that ‘dries up’ or diminishes with the aging process. Far from it!

It’s well documented that our feelings of self-esteem impact –negatively or positively-our level of sexual intimacy and sexual satisfaction within loving relationships. It stands to reason then that we can be either our own best friend in this regard, or our own worst enemy.

Armed with this truth, is it not wiser to work to make peace with ourselves and the reflection that daily stares back at us? The areas that can be helped, help if needbe. The areas that can’t be helped, learn to embrace- but for heaven’s sake don’t let them interfere with the heady experience that awaits you in the arms of your Beloved!

Menopause brings with it many emotional, psychological and physical changes. It would be foolish to refuse to acknowledge them and learn to compensate for them. How much wiser it is to embrace the body you find yourself with and then introduce it –lovingly, proudly and willingly- to your new- or old- love.

In every one of the cases mentioned at the beginning of this article, the men involved have also expressed body image issues and insecurities themselves. ‘Not the man I used to be…’ ‘Don’t look like I did in High School anymore do I??!’ ‘Have a bald spot now…’ Even sexual dysfunction issues have been confessed, so these body changes are not happening to just women at this stage of life!

Granted, Menopause brings issues such as vaginal dryness and structural changes, possible pain during intercourse, mood swings and lessened libido in many cases- but these issues are really no different from the body and mood changes that accompany men as they move through Andropause aka: Male Menopause.

During Andropause, men experience many of the same issues women do: depression, fatigue, weakness, loss of muscle mass, weight gain, flagging libido and sexual dysfunction.

A burgeoning market is now rising up to help Midlife women AND men cope and thrive during these Midlife changes; have vaginal dryness? You have a million lubes to choose from and many are downright fun and yummy! Have body image issues? Buy extra candles or make making love in the dark a game until you can address your concerns in more concrete ways with diet and exercise… experiencing hormone imbalance issues? Get thee to your Doc and get balanced! There is a virtual smorgasbord of options all waiting to help you feel, look and love better.

As Christiane Northrup so eloquently states ‘Menopause is that fork in the road where one side says ‘Grow’ and the other says ‘Die’. Dr. Northrup also states that ‘our libido is our life force and reflects the degree to which we are tapped in to the creative life force of the planet.’

In a published study conducted in 2000, it was found that 65% of women aged 51-64 and 74% of women aged 65 and over engaged in sexual relations at least once per week. This finding is nothing to be sneezed at and reveals that women- and men- are choosing to overcome their middle-aged insecurities and body issues in order to remain vitally alive and actively engaged.

Key to this achievement is a healthy respect for Self and others, a reverence for life and the human experience- and a profound awareness that it is a gift to love and be loved-throughout life.

Boil all this down and what it means is this:

‘Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction.’ -Saint-Exupery

Carrie E. Pierce, Founder and President, Menopauserus.com

Our experts have provided us with a few valuable tips that will have our sensitive skin looking young and beautiful.

One Step to Younger Looking Skin

Free radicals (oxidants), rogue molecules that form when your skin is exposed to sunlight, are the root cause of sun damage and skin aging. The process of skin aging is similar to what happens when the inside of an apple is exposed to open air–it begins to oxidize or age. Applying a combination of 100% natural plant based antioxidants to your skin on a daily basis,via a sunscreen or moisturizer, will boost your ability to counteract the build up of free radicals, and thus, help your skin remain more youthful.

What you want to ensure is that the antioxidants in your lotion or sunscreen are in fact “100% natural,” because synthetic antioxidants are ineffective against free radicals. Natural Mixed Vitamin E (d-Tochopherol), Green Tea Extract (Camellia Senensis), and Bio-Melanin (Date Fruit Extract) are examples of 100% natural antioxidants.

Michael J Russ, President, Oceana Naturals LLC

Two Simple Skincare Steps for Sensitive Skin

1.Mineral based makeup is a MUST for sensitive skin. Because it is free of fragrances and dyes, it is less irritating to skin. Plus, you apply it with a brush, so you won’t tug at your sensitive skin.

2. Use of fragrance-free moisturizer formulated for sensitive skin. Apply it right after you get out of the shower to lock in moisture, or start with a moisturizing spritz!

Dr. Laura Skellchock, MD, Cosmetic Dermatologist, Integrative Dermatology

What is your favorite sensitive skin skincare tip?

The researchers found that regular chocolate consumption was strongly linked to a lower body mass index, even when factors like amount of exercise were taken into account. How often chocolate is consumed, rather than how much, appeared to be the most important factor – there was no link found with the quantity eaten. The reasons underlying the results are currently unclear, but it is possible that compounds found in chocolate, such as epichatechin, can contribute to better exercise performance and improved lean muscle mass.

“Our findings appear to add to a body of information suggesting that the composition of calories, not just the number of them, matters for determining their ultimate impact on weight,” said the lead author of the study, Dr Beatrice Goolomb of the University of California at San Diego. “In the case of chocolate, this is good news – both for those who have a regular chocolate habit, and those who may wish to start one.”

Before you go reaching for that suddenly-slimming bar of Dairy Milk, it’s important to note that the findings only suggested a link, not conclusive proof that chocolate makes you slimmer. It’s true that in the past, studies have also indicated that chocolate is good for the heart and blood pressure, improves cholesterol levels and contains antioxidants that can clean up potentially dangerous free radicals.

However, it remains a high-sugar, high-fat food, and further testing will need to be done before scientists can establish the definite causes behind the unusual results. If you’re serious about losing weight, it’s best to err on the side of caution and stick to the tried-and-tested route of more exercise and fruit and veg for now!

Super Foods for Menopause

Dark chocolate, especially raw cacao has been proven to relieve emotional stress, lower blood pressure, improve blood flow, lower cholesterol and improve cardiovascular health. It lowers the risk of stroke and heart attacks, so it’s very important for midlife women.

Raw maca is a menopausal superfood. An adaptagen, it restores our body’s natural balance. Maca increases energy, endurance, physical strength, neurotransmitter production, and libido. It supports the endocrine system, the adrenals, and the thyroid, can improve your mood, and support healthy hormone production. It’s recommended for everything from impotence and infertility to depression, hot flashes, stress and memory loss.

Flax seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids. These good fats regulate our brains, lower risk of heart disease, arthritis and cancer. They even help fight wrinkles and may block the formation of fat cells.

Raw Cacao Smoothie

1 cup coconut water
1 frozen banana
2 tablespoons raw organic cacao powder
1 tablespoon raw organic maca powder
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon raw honey
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds

Add all ingredients to blender or Vitamix and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Margie King, Menopause Health Coach, Nourishing Menopause

What is your favorite recipe that implements nutrition to help manage menopause symptoms?

Resting for Digesting

During menopause, women may experience higher levels of stress due to the negative emotional response towards transformation (weight gain, loss of menstrual cycle, etc…) Excess unnecessary stress may allow an unhealthy elevated level of the stress hormone “cortisol” to be released. This process may directly have an influence on the digestive system, causing such symptoms as gas, bloating, constipation, acid reflux, or diarrhea. The digestive system is regulated by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. When we are in the sympathetic mode (Fight or Flight..Stress), the digestive system slows down to convert its energy elsewhere as needed. As a result, foods are not being digested in a healthy transit time, thus causing “indigestion.”

Simple lifestyle changes such as adding meditation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga may encourage the body to convert into the parasympathetic nervous system mode. In this state, we are resting and digesting. In addition, having a diet rich in Vitamin B Complex may have an important role in keeping the nerves in excellent running order.

Sandra LaMorgese, Holistic Practitioner, Wellness Innovations

Healthful Midlife Living Through Better Eating

Besides exercise, diet is key to perimenopausal and menopausal wellbeing! Too many midlife women are more sedentary than they used to be, and grab fast food meals full of fat, sugar and carbs. Ketchup may be a vegetable, but it’s not a healthful one!

Limit or stop eating “white foods”: wheat, potatoes, milk. Eat whole grains, fresh fruit and especially vegetables, olive or nut oils, nuts, dark chocolate. Meats, fish like salmon, and other protein sources are more healthful grilled than fried, and many of us eat larger portions of these than we need.

Keep a food diary and track what you eat and drink AND how you feel. Track libido, energy level, hot flashes, gastrointestinal functioning, other ailments. Your body will tell you what effect your diet is having–all you need to do is pay attention!

Carol Queen, PhD, Staff Sexologist, Good Vibrations

How do you counteract your during menopause?

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