The Addictions of Tanning

It’s not news that the sun’s rays can cause serious damage to our skin if we spend too much time outside. In fact, even a little sun can still cause damage, and even cause early wrinkles, fine lines and pigment spots. However, my East Coast plastic surgery practice can easily reverse minor skin damage with skin resurfacing techniques such as chemical peels, dermabrasion, and microdermabrasion. On the other hand, what it can’t reverse is malignant melanoma, otherwise known as skin cancer.

Skin cancer is a very common kind of cancer, with 120,000 new cases being diagnosed each year. Why is this cancer steadily growing? Part of the reason is due to the increasing popularity of tanning beds. Despite all the warnings on the dangers of these beds, people continue to slather on the tanning oil and fake bake until they are golden brown. Statistically, anyone under 30 who uses a tanning bed ten times a year, are eight times more likely to develop skin cancer. And since far more than ten sessions a year is usually the norm, you can imagine why skin cancer is becoming a major issue.

So why are people continuing to use tanning beds?

It is hard to believe people would continue this risky behavior after all the studies and warnings. But a new study may now be able to explain why tanning is still such a popular trend. According to recent studies, people who are utilizing tanning beds experience similar brain activity and blood flow that a person addicted to alcohol or drugs experiences. While tanning, a person’s brain experiences a neurological reward-and-reinforcement trigger. In short, the tanning bed causes an addicting feeling, with their reward being their newly browned skin. That rewarding feeling transfers to a need of maintaining the original reward. Therefore, a vicious cycle can easily start.

Before hopping into a tanning bed, even one time, think about the consequences. Not only is melanoma more of a risk, but that “one time” could turn into even more sessions. If you truly are in need of browned skin, consider utilizing the sun’s real rays along with a healthy dose of SPF 30 or more slathered on all of your skin. Also consider tanning creams or spray tans. They are plenty of other ways, much more conducive to your health, that will give you a gorgeous glow and not risk your life.

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo

A Link Between Normal Aging and Progeria

Keeping fine lines, wrinkles, and skin spots to a minimum is very easy at my East Coast plastic surgery practice. Botox, Restylane, and other dermal fillers are usually the first choices of patients. For those who would rather steer clear of injections, some patients may choose a chemical peel or dermabrasion to resurface the skin. Of course, other patients would rather get the best results possible, usually leading them to opt for a facelift or a brow lift. This is the beauty of plastic surgery: so many options to suit your comfort level.

But why do we age?

It was previously thought that aging was caused by our cells wearing out. However, recent studies point to a different reason. These new studies have found a link between aging and the aging disease known as Progeria.

If you aren’t familiar with the disease, Progeria causes children to age seven times faster than normal human beings. Why? A toxic protein called progerin is produced in these children’s bodies in very high amounts. However, once thought as the reason why children suffer from this disease, new studies show that progerin is also produced in healthy human beings. The amounts are just much lower, causing us to age at a slower rate.

What does this mean?

This means that aging could be an active biological mechanism that is actually programmed into our bodies. If this is the case, this means that this program is tinkered with when it comes to children with Progeria, causing progerin to be produced in high amounts instead of the standard lower amounts.  With these things in mind, we are only getting closer to gaining an understanding of the aging process.

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo

The Skinny on Subcutaneous and Visceral Fats

If I were to ask you what exactly fat does, would you be able to answer correctly?

The correct answer is “E,” meaning fat is actually healthy for you to have on your body. However, this doesn’t mean that you should overindulge in ice cream, french fries, and mountains of chocolate. In fact, once your body has too much, some serious health risks can arise.

Many of my East Coast plastic surgery patients come in thinking liposuction will solve all their fat problems. But this is not the case. In fact, only one type of fat out of the two we store is affected by liposuction. It is only our subcutaneous fat, the fat right beneath our skin, that can be sucked out. As a bonus the sucked out fat from your thighs, hips and more can be transferred into other parts of your body such as a your cheeks or lips for a fuller and plumper appearance. Who ever said your flab is useless?

The eviler fat of the two is known as visceral fat. This is the belly fat that settles in your abdominal cavity. Settling around your organs, such as the liver, it can be deadly in high amounts. High amounts of visceral fat are also associated with diabetes, high cholesterol, cardiac disease, and hypertension.

The cause of visceral fat is due to a mixture of heredity and our own unhealthy habits. Those few extra beers can quickly cause visceral fat to run wild, forming a beer belly. It’s why high quantities of this fat have even been found in people at normal weights. Everyone is prone to visceral fat, not just the obese.

So how exactly can we rid our bodies of this particular fat?

If you suffer from obesity, Barriatric surgery is an option. There are also several medications on the market that can curb appetite or decrease fat absorption. But the real way to nix this problematic fat is through age old diet and exercise. Therefore, it is all up to you to get yourself healthy. Though at some point in the future there will most likely be a way to surgically remove visceral fat, until then it is entirely in your hands.

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo

Traffic And Your Skin

We all know that aging is a natural part of life, and that we can indeed age gracefully. That’s where my job as an East Coast plastic surgeon comes in. Botox, facelifts, blepharoplasties, and even skin resurfacing are just are few procedures and treatments that will make your skin appear youthful. But have you ever wondered if it’s not just life that is causing your skin to wrinkle and discolor?

Recent studies suggest a correlation between living near a busy highway and increased skin wrinkling and pigmented spots. In fact, airborne particles that are traffic related has now taken the top third spot as a cause of early skin aging. It falls right beneath ultraviolet radiation and tobacco smoke. Meaning, if you live in an heavily populated and busy area where a lot of traffic occurs, such as the city, your skin is more likely to age faster than someone’s skin that isn’t exposed to such things. Of course, UV rays and smoke must be factored in as well. But perhaps this is the reason why plastic surgery is more popular in city areas. 

This study only backs up previous data on the harmful effects of traffic related particles. Besides being terrible for your lungs, these airborne particles have been linked to cognitive failure in the elderly, and have also been linked to type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. 

Though it’s not easy to avoid all traffic-related airborne particles, especially if you live in a big city where traffic never stops, it may be a good idea to take extra care of your skin. Of course when all else fails, my East Coast plastic surgery practice can help keep your skin beautiful, rejuvenated and young.

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Joe Danyo

Less Botox But Same Great Results

Botox is one of the most popular procedures in plastic surgeon offices, including my East Coast plastic surgery one. This procedure is mainly popular due to it being minimally invasive, time efficient, usually taking only fifteen minutes, and simple. However, Botox injections are not a onetime thing, usually consisting of injections every three months.

This can be a slight turn off to some potential patients that may not want to shell out money four times a year. And it’s no surprise that Botox injections indefinitely with visit every three months can become costly, especially if a patient starts young as suggested by plastic surgeons.

But patients afraid of costs may soon find Botox more accessible due to a new study conducted at the Oregon Health and Science University’s Casey Eye Institute. The study found that patients receiving Botox treatments every four months for two years can then cut their Botox injections to every six months. Though best results are still more likely to be seen in treatment every three months, this new time line will get similar results in the least amount of time.

With these new results, Botox is more than likely to become even more popular. More people are prone to undergo Botox if visits of four a year can now be cut to three or two a year with great wrinkle reducing results. It’s never been easier.

Will you consider Botox now that visits don’t have to be as often? If you already get Botox, will you cut your visits down?

To your health and beauty,

Dr. Joseph Danyo