Sunglass Eye Protection

As another summer season approaches, the issue of sunglasses once again resurfaces. Eye care specialists are frequently asked questions whether sunglasses are necessary, and is there really a difference between the cheap ones and the expensive types? The short answer is YES to both questions.Light, in general and, sunlight in particular is comprised of many units called wavelengths. Each wavelength has a different level of energy ranging from low energy at the red end of the spectrum, to high energy at the blue end. The ubiquitous UV light we hear so much about is situated next to the blue light, and has the highest and most dangerous amount of energy. It is this wavelength of light that we are most concerned with in regard to damage to the eyes.When this high energy light enters the eye, it is absorbed into the ocular tissues. This energy then acts as a catalyst for an increase in tissue metabolism, and that is when the trouble begins. Individuals with a genetic predisposition toward Macular Degeneration can expect a dramatic increase in the severity of the condition, and a substantially earlier onset of the disease. Systemic disorders such as Diabetes will also put an individual at risk for this disorder. The natural lens in the eye is comprised of Alpha proteins; which are clear. When exposed to UV light, they undergo a chemical change that transforms them into Beta proteins which are yellow. This process is called cataractogenesis and results in cataract formation.UV light is also absorbed into the outer layers of the eye, and will result in Pinguecula and Pterygiua. These are the yellowish bumps that form near the cornea, on the white part of the eye and the whitish growth on the cornea, respectively. Both are caused by UV exposure. These anomalies are more often found in individuals living close to the equator who are exposed to much higher amounts of UV light then northerners.Last, but certainly not least is skin cancer. The tissue around the eyes is very thin and highly vascularized (many blood vessels) making it a perfect location for cancer. Both Basal Cell Carcinoma, and Squamous Cell Carcinoma are the result of overexposure to high amounts of UV light.The best protection for UV light is GOOD quality sunglasses. Good being defined as one that absorbs all the harmful rays of the sun, and covers both the eyes and surrounding areas. While many cheap sunglasses claim to absorb 100% of UV light, the fact is that these do not give the maximum amount of protection that is possible. They do absorb some, but not enough of what will ultimately damage our eyes. Sunglasses bought on the street for $10 will do nothing except increase exposure to UV light. By that I mean; the tint in the lens will dilate the pupil letting in more of the damaging UV light .The least expensive of the good quality sunglasses are the Ray Bans. They will afford maximum, efficacious protection. At the other end of the cost spectrum is Maui Jim. There are 7 layers of laminates which filter all bad light out, and give perfectly clear vision. All other sunglasses have fewer layers of laminates, but still will give good quality. Other good brands include but are not limited to Oakley, Revo, Vuarnet, Corning, Serengetti, and too many more to list. All prescription sunglasses should include an ophthalmic quality lens and UV coatings. This will make them good sunglasses as well.When it comes to sunglasses you do get what you pay for. Years of UV light exposure will cause permanent damage to the eyes, and surrounding tissues. It would be most prudent to put aside economics, in favor of competent protection. In the long run, protection is a wise investment.

Common Medical Procedures for Age Spots

Age spots, or liver spots as some call them, are flat spots found on sun-exposed skin particularly the hands, face, shoulders, arms and forehead. The color of these spots range from light brown to black and can appear on nearly all skin types. Age spots increase with age and with increased UV exposure. From the age of 40 onwards, the skin is less able to regenerate from sun exposure and liver spots become more prominent.Many people seek cosmetic treatments for these unsightly skin blotches. There are many over-the-counter skin creams that promise to reduce the appearance of age spots, but many are ineffective. New advanced treatments from doctors %26 plastic surgeons seem to be the most effective. These treatments include laser %26 light based treatments %26 chemical peels.Many doctors, cosmetic professional and medspa around the country have been using chemical peels to effectively treat age spot %26 other skin problems. In a typical chemical peel procedure, a chemical solution is applied to the skin, which causes it to “blister” and eventually peel off. While this sounds harsh, it is typically an effective means to gradually remove skin discolorations and age spots. The most popular chemical peel treatments for age spots include the “TCA” chemical peel, the Glycolic Acid Peel %26 the Jessner Peel.Some doctors are offering laser treatments for age %26 liver spots. Today’s laser technology can treat everything from acne scars to spider veins, and are especially effective in treating age spots. The Medlite C6 laser is the most commonly used laser for removing brown age spots, “liver spots”, freckles and many brown birthmarks like café au lait patches.Laser based treatments such as photo facials act similarly to lasers and are equally effective in treating age spots. For example, the Palomar RejuveLux system is a pulsed light system that eliminates pigmented lesions (sunspots or age spots) by delivering a pulse of intense light which passes harmlessly through the skin and is absorbed by the pigment in the lesion. Other photo facial systems such as the Solar Genesis skin therapy system and the StarLux system also can reduce the appearance of age spots.As you can see, there are many options to remove age spots. Consult your doctor or cosmetic professional for more details.

Have you not exactly been thrilled with the performance of the instant wrinkle removers that you’ve tried? Healing wrinkles is a booming business nowadays, but you can’t always believe all of the claims that you see. These products will continue to disappoint you if you do. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but there are no such things as instant wrinkle removers. Although the product may contain some astringent features which will temporarily tighten up your skin it will just as easily wear off leaving you in the same state that you were in before. The truth is that healing wrinkles is not an immediately gratifying process. It takes time for you to make your skin younger looking, and it is a matter of weeks and not days. You have to figure that it took you literally years for your skin to begin to look the way that it does, so the process of fixing it is not going to work overnight. It is just good marketing that allows instant wrinkle removers to sell the way that they do. The cosmetics companies know that people want immediate gratification, so they try to convince people that they can look younger as easily as flipping a light switch. That’s just not the way that it works. In order to be effective at healing wrinkles your product has to address the three areas that are at the root of aging skin. These areas are the decline in production of collagen and elastin, the loss of hyaluronic acid due to enzymes that break the acid down, and oxidation from UV exposure. There aren’t any instant wrinkle removers that are capable of addressing these three key issues. There is however an anti aging skin treatment that does. The things that this cream is capable of doing are unheard of in the cosmetics industry. What we have here is a line of creams for healing wrinkles that will force your body to increase its production of both collagen and elastin. This act will go a long way towards fixing the problem of wrinkles and lines on your skin, giving you back a much more youthful look. You also will find no instant wrinkle removers that contain ingredients that will deactivate the enzymes that have been causing your skin to lose its hyaluronic acid content throughout the years. This product will allow for you to raise your hyaluronic acid level to that of a much younger person. The art of healing wrinkles would not be complete without destroying the harmful free radicals that have left your skin looking older than it should. Through the use of powerful antioxidants such as Cynergy TK, New Zealand active Manuka honey, Natural vitamin E, and CoenzymeQ10, your skin will be made radically younger looking. There are no instant wrinkle removers, but as you can see there are anti aging products that can offer you a more permanent solution to your problems if you will only have the patience to allow them to work. Laurel is a dedicated researcher of skin care health and products. She shares her research on her website http://www.beautiful-skin-site.com. If you have unwanted wrinkles, fine lines and damaged skin, visit now to learn about the skin care line Laurel personally recommends.

Indoor Tanning Tips

Do you live in Buffalo, craving a Winter tan that says “I just got back from Cancun”? Or perhaps it’s Summer in Phoenix and thirty minutes of sunless tanning beats an afternoon baking by the pool. For these and many other reasons indoor tanning may be for you.

What is Indoor Tanning?

Indoor or Sunless Tanning refers to either ultraviolet (UV) light or a spray system that gives your skin that coveted golden glow. The most common way to tan with UV light is with a home or commercial tanning bed. The best spray systems are found at commercial tanning salons. However, there are some excellent lotions and sprays that can be purchased over the counter. Most experts agree that UV light provided by the sun or a tanning bed delivers a more natural result. Therefore, the rest of this article will be focused on how to achieve the best results from a tanning bed.

Tanning Salons Versus Home Tanning

If you have the budget (and the space) home tanning is a viable option. Excellent commercial-quality beds are produced by Solar Storm, SunQuest, and ESB. Expect to spend close to $2000 for a model with 16 lamps, meter, and high-powered reflectors. Home tanning beds typically operate on 120V electricity, but please check before you buy and have to install another circuit or unplug your washing machine to get a tan.Your local commercial salon will likely have 220v Wolff or SunQuest beds with 24 lamps, ready to turbocharge your tan with some quick safety tips:

1) Build a base tan by limiting your tanning bed time to 20 or 30 minutes for starters, no more than 5 times a week;

2) Continue this schedule for 4 weeks during the base phase;

3) To maintain your tan, 2 or 3 sessions a week will do the trick;

4) For safety’s sake, always wear tanning goggles while using the bed and make sure to check with your doctor is there are any conditions that may contraindicate UV exposure for you.

Tanning bed popularity continues to grow in our busy society, and most people agree than a nice tan appears healthy and sexy. Just make sure to take the same precautions you would for being out in the Sun, being sure to tan and not burn. The good news is that tanning beds are generally accepted as being less risky than sun exposure because you can tan in much less time.

But if it’s February in Buffalo, you should still jump on than discount charter package to Mexico!

Courtesy http://TanningBedPro.com

As the title would suggest, there may be more reasons not use a tanning bed than there to use one. With all the recent debate about overexposure to UV-A and UV-B or just plain ultraviolet radiation, the discussion has focused on the wide use of tanning beds that are in many ways a pure UV environment. While many people are reaching for the sunscreen lotion and zinc oxide cream, many other are stripping down, donning the protective goggles and diving into the warm glow of a tanning bed. It would seem that humans are still conflicted over the issue of looking tanned on the one hand and flirting with the real potential of developing adverse skin conditions on the other. The basic design of tanning beds has not changed very much since first being introduced in the late nineteen seventies. For nearly ten years, no governmental agency had sought to regulate either the manufacturing or use of tanning beds and tanning salons sprang up, especially as an adjunct to existing hair and beauty salons. With degrees of regulation on such as setting limits on the maximum amount of exposure and attempts to standardize bed designs. The beds were touted as safe way to tan, mostly by the ability to control exposure times and intensity, which a tanner can not do when relying on the sun. Users often use creams and lotions designed to enhance the effects of tanning in a bed, and are very similar to garden variety suntan lotions.Much of the debate regarding the pros and cons of tanning in a bed centers around the amount of UV radiation the user is exposed to. Tanning beds can expose the user to a relatively large dose of UV radiation in a short period of time, which can be greater than the UV exposure received from the sun. In either case, there is strong medical evidence to suggest a link between overexposure to UV-A and UV-B radiation and the development of skin cancers. Another potential health issue concerns the immune system. Some research concludes that over exposure to UV radiation can suppress the immune system, leaving the body less able to fight off disease and infection. If the potential for skin cancer and a compromised immune system was not enough, there is issue of premature aging of the skin which is not necessarily a health hazard, but can adversely affect ones appearance and self-confidence.One interesting and disturbing problem with tanning bed use is one of psychological addiction. Just as with eating or body dysmorphic disorders, the user feels that the act of tanning is necessary to overcome a perceived physical flaw. In the case of over tanning, the person feels an overwhelming need to tan in order to achieve a certain physical appearance or in the belief that their skin is too pale. If there are any upsides to using a tanning bed it may be that exposure to UV-B radiation helps spur the bodies natural ability to create vitamin D at a much greater rate than that achieved without exposure to UV-B or with the aid of diet and supplements. The problem is that all of the vitamin D needed by the body can be gained by eating foods high in vitamin D like dairy products. Research indicates that some people are able to overcome the winter blues by basking in the warmth of a tanning bed, which is less expensive than a trip to warmer climates.Using a tanning bed boils down to a personal choice based on weighing the risks and the benefits. A qualified medical professional can provide more in-depth information about tanning and any potential health risks.

Having healthy skin doesn’t mean you should never go out in the sun, it just means you need to be responsible and protect your skin when you do. Many people still don’t properly understand the damaging effects the sun has on your skin (even on a cloudy day!).  Therefore it is vital that before leaving the house every morning, put on a moisturiser that contains an SPF of at least 25. Stay out of the midday sun (from 10 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon), which is the strongest sunlight. Find shade if you need to be outdoors. You can also calculate how much ultraviolet (UV) exposure you are getting by using the shadow rule: A shadow that is longer than you are means UV exposure is low; a shadow that is shorter than you are means the UV exposure is high. Apply sunscreen to all the skin that will be exposed to the sun, including the nose, ears, neck, scalp, and lips. Sunscreen needs to be applied evenly over the skin and in the amount recommended on the label. Most sunscreens are not completely effective because they are not applied correctly. It usually takes about 1 fl oz (30 mL) to cover an adult’s body. Apply sunscreen every 2 to 3 hours while in the sun and after swimming or sweating a lot. The SPF value decreases if a person sweats heavily or is in water, because water on the skin reduces the amount of protection the sunscreen provides. Sunscreen effectiveness is also affected by the wind, humidity, and altitude.