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It’s hard to argue that Americans value a less-is-more approach to summer apparel. Much to dermatologists’ chagrin, tanning bed salons are still popular among young women, as well. Around 28 million people go to indoor tanning salons in the U.S. every year.

Thanks to gradually changing cultural norms, medical advice, fashion trends, leisure time activities and attitudes toward skin color since the 1900s, there has been a steady rise in melanoma rates. Conducted by New York University researchers, a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health explores how socioeconomic factors have played a role in the increase of skin cancer since the 1900s in the U.S.

The study breaks down the last 100 years to uncover trends that have possibly contributed to the rise in melanoma cases. While the study concludes that no causational link can be made between attitudes/behaviors and melanoma rates, it does provide a historical outline to illustrate UV exposure.

By understanding changing social trends, the study hopes to possibly influence public health officials and help them craft more effective strategies to reverse society’s sun worship. The study divided the century into four major periods:

• Pre-1900s-1910: Sunless, porcelain skin was desired during this period. Tanned skin meant someone was obligated to do manual labor. Many women used parasols and wore layers of clothing. As for extracurricular activities, people valued work over leisure. Therefore, less time was spent outdoors. However at the beginning of the 20^th century, heliotherapy, or sun therapy, started to become a medical prescription for tuberculosis and other ailments.

• 1910-‘30s: UV phototherapy was embraced by the medical community. The Ladies Home Journal was prescribing sunbaths to mothers. Some dermatologists were concerned about the increasing risk of “sunlight cancer” and premature facial wrinkles as a result. Tans were in vogue by the 1920s. It symbolized wealth and the ability to indulge in leisure. Clothing became less conservative. Swimwear now exposed more skin. Between the 1930s and ‘60s, the U.S. melanoma rate increased 300 percent in men and 400 percent in women.

• 1940s-‘70s: Travel and leisure became an even greater priority. Camping and boating supplies were in demand. Clothing became more revealing. However, more scientific proof that tanning was a link to skin cancer came to light. Between the 1960s and ‘90s, melanoma rates leaped 244 percent in men and 167 percent in women.

• 1980s-present: Sun exposure has only increased. Indoor tanning salons came around. In 1981, 10 new salons opened every week. The study found that cases of melanoma rose from 22.8 to 28.9 cases per 100,000 white patients between 2000 and 2009. Also, there was an increase of melanoma — 3.6 percent per year — with women ages 15 to 39, which is the group of people who use indoor tanning beds the most. A smaller amount of men in the same age group — 2 percent — saw an increase.

This new study hopes to propel new legislation to help protect people from societal pushes that could negatively affect their health. On Aug. 1, Minnesotans under the ages of 18 cannot patron tanning salons with UV tanning beds.

This is alarming to skincare professionals who are looking to keep patients healthy and to provide skin rejuvenation services. If you’d like to explore the services Your Laser Skin Care provides to help people reverse sun damage and remove wrinkles please visit us at www.yourlaserskincare.com or schedule a free consultation by calling us at (323) 525-1516.

Well, fall is here again (albeit in varying degrees depending on where you live in the U.S.). It’s usually a welcomed change of pace for most. However, it also means that it’s time to change up your skincare routine from head to toe.

The dehydrating, sun-soaked summer season can wreak havoc on your epidermis, whether we’re talking facial skin, your scalp or anywhere else on your body. Preventing dry and flaky skin is the ultimate goal in order to allow your body’s largest organ to function properly and to look its best.

1. Switch out your body cleanser — Upon the arrival of fall and winter months, it’s important to use a soap-free, moisturizing body wash rather than fruit-scented gels that don’t exactly keep your skin hydrated. Soap-free cream washes don’t strip your skin of its natural and healthy oils that regulate skin quality.
2. Rethink the ingredients in your scrub — Reach for an oil-based scrub to help combat dryness. Your Laser Skin Care offers VIVITE Exfoliating Facial Cleanser, containing 15 percent glycolic compound. The scrub loosens the top layer of skin. The scrub can also be used a couple of times per week.
3. Apply lotion daily — We aren’t strictly talking about your face, it’s important to moisturize your entire body. This should be done every day with a heavily concentrated lotion. Tip: Apply lotion immediately after toweling off from a shower. It helps seal moisture already absorbed in the skin.
   1. VIVITE Vibrance Therapy — Offered by Your Laser Skin Care, this lotion with natural ingredients brightens and evens skin tone for better skin rejuvenation in about eight weeks.
   2. VIVITE Daily Firming Lotion — This firming lotion helps reduce the appearance of dimpled skin. It contains 15 percent glycolic compound and can be used twice daily.
4. Add to your hand products — Consider utilizing a cuticle oil during colder weather months. Sometimes your daily hand cream doesn’t remedy white and hardened nail cuticles.
5. Invest in a heavy lip salve — Keep lips protected against whipping winds and dry conditions with a conditioner/moisturizer. VIVITE Defining Lip Plumper, though not a moisturizer, does help improve the appearance of lip volume while minimizing fine lines. Ingredients include soothing botanicals.
6. Drink water — It’s important for your health but will keep your skin clear and hydrated in addition to using topical applications.

For a listing of all of Your Laser Skin Care’s available products, click here. If you have concerns about your skin and are curious about our skin rejuvenation services, call the Los Angeles office of Your Laser Skin Care at (323) 525-1516 for a free consultation.

Botox is a well-known drug used to treat fine lines and wrinkles as well as certain muscular conditions and severe underarm sweating with great success. OnabotulinumtoxinA (OBA) injections help to paralyze certain muscles or block nerves temporarily. As it relates to wrinkle treatment, Botox improves skin’s overall appearance by affecting facial nerves and relaxing muscles.

According to a new study published in May in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, Botox potentially has another appropriate use: treating depression. The study supports an already tested idea that facial expressions (i.e. frowning), aided by Botox injections, affect levels of depression. When the muscles that control frowning are impaired, patients with major depression report improved conditions.

The study conducted was a randomized, double blind and placebo-controlled trial. Seventy-four subjects involved in the study had DSM-IV major depression and either received one Botox injection or one saline injection, the latter of which acted as the placebo. The injections focused on the corrugator and procerus frown muscles. Subjects were rated at their screening and at three and six weeks after their injections. The study was conducted in an outpatient clinical research center.

The study revealed that over 50 percent of individuals suffering from moderate to severe depression improved their symptoms with a Botox injection, which inhibited frowning. A single treatment of OBA seemed to create a significant and prolonged antidepressant effect. Of those who received a Botox injection, 47 percent showed improvements versus only 21 percent of those injected with the placebo.

It also confirmed that patients with exaggerated frown lines suffered more intense sadness. Thus, facial expressions, and how they are controlled, greatly affect the way someone feels. Botox was able to correct frown lines and give patients a more relaxed feeling in the face. It improved their feelings of happiness and wellbeing. The study suggests Botox may work as a stand alone treatment for depression.

Another study, published in August, suggest a similar conclusion regarding Botox and major depressive disorder (MDD). OnabotulinumtoxinA injection in the skin between the eyebrows and above the nose, or glabellar region, improved depressive symptoms and is considered a possible treatment for MDD.

This is all good news, as an estimated one in 10 US adults suffer from depression. Individuals suffering from major depression usually are age 45-64, women, have little education, were previously married, are unable to work or unemployed or do not have health insurance.

Botox continues to be explored as a solution with little risks for both cosmetic and medical conditions. To learn more about Your Laser Skin Care’s Botox injections services in Los Angeles, call our office at (323) 525-1516 or visit us online at www.yourlaserskincare.com to schedule a free consultation.

Hairlessness has become a popular beauty trend, ushered speedily along by the media’s overt definitions of sexiness and femininity, in Western culture. Most women shave, wax or receive laser hair treatment for partial or full pubic hair removal. And according to a new study, it’s a widespread preference that crosses racial and ethnic divides.

Even though full pubic hair removal was previously thought to be solely preferred among white college-aged females, the AJOG.org study titled “Complications Related to Pubic Hair Removal” found that pubic hair removal is quite popular for women no matter what race or ethnicity. Women claim to feel sexier and cleaner with shaved vaginal regions. Over half of the women surveyed in the study said they completely removed their pubic hair. This is done commonly for aesthetic or sexual reasons.

The study’s purpose was to explore the popularity of pubic hair removal in minorities as well as examine pubic hair removal practices and the number of complications associated with it. As hairlessness has increased in popularity, so, too, have the number of health complications.

The study explored the anonymous survey responses of 333 low-income, racially diverse women ages 16 to 40. The women received care at two publicly funded reproductive health clinics at the University of Texas Medical Branch from April to June 2012.

Survey results noted that 87 percent of the women said they currently remove some of their pubic hair. The remainder said had previously removed the hair. Sixty percent of the women had experienced at least one complication from hair removal along their bikini line. The most common problems included ingrown hairs and epidermal abrasion, i.e. superficial skin scrapes.

Other problems can include genital burns if you wax. Or there is risk of folliculitis, vulvitis, vaginal irritation and infection.

The study found that shaving with a razor blade is still the most common way to remove pubic hair. Almost 90 percent of women surveyed said they used a razor to shave their vaginal region. They attributed the popularity of razors to being a low-cost method that can be done at home.

And of those who experienced some complications with removing pubic hair, 90.7 percent had shaved with a razor blade.

Minor complications are common when pubic hair is removed. And a blade can easily cause stubble, bumps and ingrown hairs. And the risk of infection is greater with razors, especially if they’re dull. If women insist on using razors, they should use a new disposable blade with every shaving. Razors left in the shower or bathroom can develop bacteria as a result of the moist environment and humidity.

Women looking to reduce their risks for infection should explore laser hair removal, like the services Your Laser Skin Care offers in Los Angeles. Laser hair treatment also is the most permanent of the available pubic hair removal options. It also improves the condition of skin by shrinking pore size over time.

Lasers used during hair removal treatments must be sterilized, usually with hospital-grade bacteria-fighting agents. Make sure to ask your spa or dermatology office how they sanitize their lasers and what protocols are followed.

For more information about Your Laser Skin Care’s laser hair removal in Los Angeles, visit us at www.yourlaserskincare.com. Call the office at (323) 525-1516 or click here to schedule a free consultation.

Your Laser Skin Care sees hundreds of patients seeking Botox treatments for their fine lines and wrinkles. It’s clear to us that Botox is no longer considered a facial aesthetic service for women. “Brotox” isn’t a term that’s needed for males to feel better about receiving injections.

At Your Laser Skin Care, women outnumber men 2 to 1, but their numbers are increasing. Since the Recession, more men have taken advantage of Botox to give them a competitive edge during job searches and in the workplace. Of course, many just want to improve their appearance, reducing wrinkles acquired over the years due to sun damage and the loss of skin elasticity.

According to a St. Louis University Hospital facial plastics and reconstructive surgeon, number of men getting Botox is increasing by 10 percent every year. Ages for men receiving Botox range from about 25 to 60, the surgeon said.

The quick and non-invasive treatments are an appealing alternative to surgical procedures such as facelifts. And consumers are more choosy these days when it comes to their facial aesthetic care, as there are a plethora of options available. Most are looking for good quality Botulinum Toxin Type A and excellent service accompanied by decent prices.

Botox was marketed commercially beginning in 1997. It is used to treat everything from wrinkles to hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating. According to a 2012 article, the global Botox market is expected to touch $2.9 billion by 2018; additionally, facial aesthetics should reach $4.7 billion by 2018.

To learn more about our Botox treatments, visit our website for more facts and post-injection recommendations. We offer free skin consultations, as well. Call us at (323) 525-1516 to see how our Botox injections in Los Angeles can benefit you.

New research suggests that it just may. Scientists studying the vagus nerve, or the nerve connecting the digestive system with the brain, found that applying Botox to stomach cancer can slow tumor growth and make tumors more amenable to chemotherapy. Cutting the nerve also has the same effect, according to a study published in Science Translational Medicine.

Botox is a well-known product that helps restore a more youthful appearance by relaxing muscles and evening out wrinkles. Your Laser Skin Care’s Botox treatments can erase 10 or more years from your appearance.

But it is interesting that the product is being looked at as a possible future treatment for stomach cancer. Scientists at New York’s Columbia University Medical Center and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology that the research is in its very early stages, and Botox shouldn’t be considered a cure or treatment for stomach cancer. However, it does look like it improves the efficiency of current and future treatments when used in conjunction with chemotherapy.

“Tumors have the ability to out-evolve any single agent,” said Dr. Timothy Wang, who was quoted by the BBC.

Though scientists remain cautious, Dr. Wang believes it has potential to amount to something within 10 or so years. Some trials on humans who need surgery to remove stomach cancer have begun. The research shows that nerves may also play a role in the development of prostate cancer.

Your Laser Skin Care provides a number of services with regard to Botox injections. Dr. Ella Fedonenko, a board-certified dermatologist and YLSC’s medical director, provides the latest and most creative solutions using Botox in Los Angeles for your skin ailments.

To learn more about our Botox treatments, click here, or call us at 323-525-1516. For general questions related to Botox, click here. Learn more about what to do following your Botox treatment here.

What are some of the first things we do in the morning? We shower, brush our teeth and, for many people, apply makeup. Beauty is a $55 billion industry, and its roots are deep.

Ancient Egyptians and Cleopatra created cosmetics from rocks, minerals and plants. The cosmetic applications were both practical — dark pigments lining the eye helped protect against bright sunlight — and aesthetically pleasing. One of the earliest eye shadows created in Egypt was a bright green made from mineral malachite. Cleopatra used a deep blue eye shadow made from ground lapis lazuli (a bright blue gemstone flecked with pyrite). Black kohl was used to darken eyelashes. Lipstick and blush was made from red ochre, and henna was used for nail polish.

But with the recent and growing interest in organic products, the cosmetic industry is now in the spotlight. And there are concerns over possible toxic ingredients present in beauty products.

A FoxNews.com article notes that environmental safety groups warn consumers against purchasing products with parabens, utilized as a preservative, and phalates, which have been linked to cancer and birth defects. However, there are others who disagree with the claims.
“The studies that I’ve seen that claim things like parabens are harmful or cause breast cancer, there’s nothing substantiated from those,” Dr. Doris Day, a clinical associate professor of dermatology at the New York University Langone Medical Center, told the news site.

Yet others insist on the need to be mindful of what is being put on skin, our largest organ. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate cosmetics and their ingredients. However, cosmetics are tested regularly. The cosmetic Ingredient Review, or CIR, is a nonprofit that works with the FDA and provides safety records. Experts like toxicologists, chemists and medical researchers test cosmetics and their ingredients for safety. They are checked for lead, arsenic and mercury levels, among other toxins, to make sure their levels remain safe.

For more information about our treatments and how we can help with your skin rejuvenation, visit us at www.yourlaserskicare.com, or call to make an appointment with our board-certified physician in Los Angeles at (323) 525-1516.