AntiBacterial Soap Ban

All About the AntiBacterial Soap Ban

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If you haven’t heard by now, the American FDA is pulling certain soap products off the shelves that contain antibacterial ingredients. In a recent ruling, the FDA banned 19 specifically named ingredients to be removed by 2017. Those ingredients under question included triclosan, which is linked to allergies in children, and triclocarban, which causes an increase in hormone levels and low birth weights.

There is an estimated 2,000 products in the US have been affected by the anti bacterial soap ban. These products usually contain triclosan and/or triclocarban, but some manufacturers have already removed these ingredients when news of the FDA investigation and potential ban were imminent. According to the FDA, they don’t plan to stop at just soap as they’ve asked manufacturers of hand-sanitizers to provide evidence the benefit of the product outweigh any potential risk.

Currently, the FDA said there is no evidence the anti-bacterial products kill germs better than traditional soap and water and support the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) recommendations that washing your hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce germs.

Are you washing your hands correctly? There’s a science to washing hands. First, lather with soap on the back, front, between your fingers and under your nails, continue while singing (probably to yourself) one verse of Happy Birthday; then rinse and dry thoroughly.

Do you have questions about the antibacterial soap ban or the ingredients in your skin care products? Contact Vivia Center for a FREE personalized consultation and learn more about protecting your skin.

Vivia Center offers skin care treatments covering a wide range of needs utilizing the latest technologies, giving patients a superior service from a medical team they know and trust.

Enjoyed this blog? You may also be interested in https://viviacenter.com/how-to-fix-dry-hands/

The Best Foods for Healthy Skin

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Let’s face it, your skin health depends a lot on the food you consume. The nutrition components in your diet can deliver glowing skin and a slimmer waistline. So when they say, “You are what you eat”; it’s true. If you want youthful glow, consider trying these best foods for healthy skin.

Avocado

Suppling the skin with healthy fats and phytonutrients to hydrate from the inside out, avocados bring a healthy glow to skin.  Another benefit comes from their high oleic acid content; this monounsaturated fatty acid maintains moisture in the epidermal layer of your skin, helping to keep it soft and hydrated. When you eat avocados you are also giving your body a lot of skin protecting antioxidants, like beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E, to prevent wrinkles and slow down the visible signs of aging.

Tip: Make a basic guacamole and use it to fill eggs as you would deviled eggs!

Beets

This deep red vegetable stimulates the lymphatic system and removes waste from cells. Beets increase oxygen flow in the blood which in return gives the skin a bright and healthy glow. Drinking beet juice regularly may be beneficial in the prevention and cure of skin inflammation like that of acne. The juice also helps eliminate blemishes and promotes healthy skin and hair growth. Drink the juice raw because the most beneficial substances are lost when cooked.

Tip: Beet juice goes well with carrots, cucumber and celery.

Kale

An excellent source of the beauty-boosting vitamins A, C, and E, kale has all the potent anti-aging properties that helps promote healthy new cell growth. In addition, kale is packed with vitamin K, an anti-inflammatory which can prevent puffiness around the face.

Tip: Pair your kale with pumpkins seeds—they contain zinc, a mineral that supports eye and skin health, among other things.

Bottom line: if you want healthy skin, start with what you eat. Choose foods that offer a benefit to you and your health. Our recommendations for best foods for healthy skin are avocado, beets, and kale. If you would like to know more about healthy skin, contact Vivia Center for a personal consultation and learn how you can look your very best!

Vivia Center offers skin care treatments covering a wide range of needs utilizing the latest technologies, giving patients a superior service from a medical team they know and trust.

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Foods With Vitamin D

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Known to many as the sunshine vitamin, the natural source of vitamin D is the sun. We need vitamin D to prevent diseases like cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis and numerous others that are linked to a vitamin D deficiency. The sunshine vitamin is also necessary for calcium absorption into the body for strong bones and teeth. We create 90% of our vitamin D naturally from sunlight exposure to skin, specifically from ultraviolet B exposure, which coverts cholesterol in the skin to vitamin D3 to aid in the absorption of calcium. With the sun as our primary source of D, studies reveal that even in sunny months, Americans aren’t getting the recommended levels (600 IU daily.) If you can’t get outside, consider adding these foods with Vitamin D to your diet that provide a powerful dose of vitamin D, like salmon, dairy and mushrooms.

Salmon

The absolute best source for vitamin D besides the sun is a 3 ounce serving of salmon. It can deliver nearly a full day supply of D that is stored in your body’s fat, so it’s not necessary to eat fish every day.

Dairy

Since the 1930’s, U.S. milk manufacturers added vitamin D to reduce the occurrence of rickets, a bone disease affecting children. Since then, the fortification of milk provides about 20% of the daily vitamin D recommendation.

Mushrooms

Like humans, mushrooms create vitamin D when exposed to direct sunlight. By exposing one cup of raw mushrooms to midday sunlight, studies have shown vitamin D levels can increase from 25-100% of the daily recommendation (results may vary based on mushroom species and length of time left in the sun.)

Are you interested in learning more about vitamin D absorption through the skin, or maybe you would like recommendations for improving your skin? Contact or visit Vivia Center and arrange for a FREE skin consultation and learn what your skin may be lacking. Summer is just around the corner – is your skin ready?

What are your favorite foods with Vitamin D? Comment them below!

Vivia Center offers skin care treatments covering a wide range of needs utilizing the latest technologies, giving patients a superior service from a medical team they know and trust.

Enjoyed this blog? You may also be interested in https://viviacenter.com/best-foods-for-healthy-skin/

How To Soothe Dry Skin

How To Soothe Dry Skin

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How To Soothe Dry Skin: Our Favorite Skincare Tips

Judging by the vast array of cosmeceuticals available, many women are searching for ways to treat their skin problems. Dry and chapped skin is one of the most common complaints. And though sufferers may have to deal with dry skin throughout the year, it’s usually during the winter months when dry and cold air sweeps in that the problem gets even worse.  Fortunately there are simple ways to give your dry skin the loving care it deserves all year round.

1. Drink plenty of water. Drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day will help keep your skin soft and supple. Some experts claim that filtered water is better than tap water so use filtered water if possible. Water is essential for replenishing moisture and also flushes away harmful toxins that attach to your skin from the environment.  The result is your skin appears clear and lustrous. If it’s hard for you to get your eight glasses in each day try to make a habit of keeping a glass of water within reach all the time.

2. Include skin-supporting nutrients in your diet.  Even if you’re careful about what you eat, it’s still possible your skin isn’t getting enough of the specific nutrients it needs. These nutrients are essential for vibrant skin health. If you want your skin to be as beautiful and healthy looking as it can be make sure you supplement your diet with these nutrients everyday.

Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant that provides skin protection against free radical damage caused by ultraviolet light. As you probably know, exposure to ultraviolet light is a chief contributor to premature aging of your skin.

Vitamin C is a building block for collagen and elastin and is the most abundant antioxidant in your skin. Vitamin C is necessary for maintaining strong and supple skin.

Vitamin E protects the upper and lower layers of your skin. It reduces sun damage and wrinkles in the epidermis and improves your skin’s texture. In the dermis Vitamin E combats free radical damage.

3. Don’t skimp on the moisturizer.

No doubt, hydrating your skin from the inside is a crucial step for healthy and glowing skin. But drinking plenty of water alone won’t do the trick. You also have to hydrate from the outside, too. This is why you need a quality moisturizer. Once you find the right one, you’ll often see obvious results. Fine lines and wrinkles are smoothed and the skin is plumped. In addition, the right moisturizer can nourish and protect your skin making it battle ready against free radical damage.

Your skin is so much more than the outer layer of your body. It’s a shield of protection from toxins and is one of the first indicators of a healthy body. Incorporating these three tips into your daily routine will nourish and nurture your skin so it can continue to take care of you.

Vivia Center has a collection of products that can help your dry skin return to a smooth and supple texture and glow. Our Obagi skin care product line includes specialized formulations perfect for treating dry skin. Not sure if it’s right for you? Request a free skin consultation today and one of our skincare experts will point you in the right direction.

Have more tips on how to soothe dry skin? Share them in the comments below!

Vivia Center offers skin care treatments covering a wide range of needs utilizing the latest technologies, giving patients a superior service from a medical team they know and trust.

Enjoyed this blog? You may also be interested in https://viviacenter.com/how-to-fix-dry-hands/

Skin Cancer in Children on the Rise

Skin Cancer in Children on the Rise

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Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. Usually found in adults, medical experts are reporting that it is currently on the rise in children. Melanoma now comprises about 3 percent of all pediatric cancers. The rate of melanoma in children in the United States increased about 2 percent per year from 1973 to 2009, according to a study published in the print issue of the May 2013, issue of Pediatrics. Skin cancer in children is becoming a serious issue.

The study, led by Jeannette Wong of the U.S. National Cancer Institute, examined 1,317 children diagnosed with melanoma within a specific time frame. Of those, 1,230 were white. Because children of other racial and ethnic backgrounds represented just a tiny fraction of the number of children with melanoma, the study analysis focused on the white children. Other risk factors for melanoma included light hair, fair skin, light colored eyes, a history of sunburn, and family history of melanoma.

The researchers found that the greatest increase in melanoma rates was seen in teens between the ages of 15 and 19. The majority of those teens were girls. The study found that boys tended to develop melanoma on their faces or trunks, but that the cancer developed more often on the hips and lower legs in girls.  The increased use of tanning beds, or habitually lying in bright sunlight in order to tan, is one likely cause of the increased melanoma rate within the white teen population.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in a 2011 survey that 29 percent of white high school girls use tanning beds. The American Academy of Dermatology and the World Health Organization report that the use of tanning beds increases the risk of developing melanoma by 59 percent. Tanning beds deliver 10 to 15 times the dose of UV Radiation as that found in the midday sun.  The World Health Organization classifies all UV radiation as a carcinogen.

Children and adolescents, especially those who are white, should be examined regularly for the tell tale signs of melanoma. These include moles that have irregular or asymmetrical borders and uneven color.  Be suspicious of moles that are larger than a pencil eraser, or moles and skin discolorations that appear to be changing or evolving. Itching or bleeding moles should also be closely examined.

One of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of melanoma and skin cancer in children and teens is to restrict exposure to sun or tanning beds. Regular use of sunscreens that block both UVA and UVB radiation is important. Floppy hats and UV protective swimwear and clothing are readily available and should be worn outside by at-risk individuals.

Melanoma can be treated and cured if caught early. Vigilant caregivers and regular skin examinations are some of the best defenses for this deadly serious problem.

Vivia Center offers skin care treatments covering a wide range of needs utilizing the latest technologies, giving patients a superior service from a medical team they know and trust.

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What Is SPF?

What Is SPF?

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The summer sunshine has finally arrived! For many of us, that means spending a lot more time outdoors, maybe at the pool or at the beach. Even if your summer sun exposure is limited to mowing the lawn or washing the car, however, skin protection is critical.

Today there are more skin protection products available than ever before.  More choices can mean more confusion. What is SPF? What do the SPF numbers mean and how important are they? What is the difference between UVA rays and UVB rays? Are spray products better than lotions? How often should I apply sunscreen anyway?

Why We Need Sunscreen

Understanding sunscreen products starts with understanding why we need them. Sunshine that makes it through the ozone layer contains two types of radiation we need to be concerned about. Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays can age the skin. These rays penetrate deep into the skin’s layers causing damage that may show up years later as wrinkles, age spots, and leathered skin. UVA rays can damage skin all year round, even in cloudy weather. Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays are most responsible for skin burns. While even winter skiers can get sunburns, most sunburns occur in the summer months. Both UVA and UVB rays have been implicated as causes of skin cancer.

What kind of sunscreen should I look for?

To prevent damage from both UVA and UVB rays, look for a sunscreen that is marked “Broad Spectrum” on the label. The SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, on the label is a measure of UVB protection, or the degree of protection against sunburn. For instance, according to WebMD, an SPF of 15 blocks about 94 percent of UVB rays, an SPF of 30 blocks 97 percent, and an SPF of 45 blocks 98 percent. Higher SPF numbers are better, but after 50 the degree of extra protection is negligible.

The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) no longer allows sunscreens to advertise that they are “waterproof” or “sweat proof”.  Water dilutes the power of all sunscreens. Instead, new labeling rules require manufacturers to specify how long the sunscreen will remain “water resistant”. This information can be used to help consumers know how often the sunscreen should be reapplied.

Lotion or spray?

Whether you use a lotion or a spray, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s directions about how and when to apply the sunscreen. Many dermatologists recommend that sunscreen should be used during the winter, on cloudy days, and even while driving as UVA rays can penetrate the glass of a car’s windshield. Sunscreen should be reapplied according the manufacturer’s recommendations, more often if a person is swimming or sweating profusely.

Sunscreen generally should be applied about 30 minutes before going out into the sun. The average adult should apply about one ounce, or a shot-glass full, of sunscreen from head to toe for proper protection.  Bald heads, or heads with sparse hair need sunscreen. Don’t forget the feet. Sunburn and skin cancer can occur anywhere on the body and feet are often missed when sunscreen is applied.

If you have questions about what sunscreen to use, ask your dermatologist or skin care specialist what they recommend and what SPF is. Careful protection now can have a great bearing on your skin’s health in the future. You can also request your free skin consultation at Vivia Center where our skincare specialists will match you with products that are right for your skin.

Vivia Center offers skin care treatments covering a wide range of needs utilizing the latest technologies, giving patients a superior service from a medical team they know and trust.

Enjoyed this blog? You may also be interested in https://viviacenter.com/summer-skincare-tips/

How To Have Healthy Skin

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Keep your skin healthy and youthful by following these important steps!

Who doesn’t want to have younger looking skin? Women especially are prone to pin their hopes on ‘magic’ lotions and potions in an attempt to turn back the years. And though there are some great products that can make you look younger than you are, remember nothing lasts forever.  That’s one reason why when it comes to retaining a youthful glow as long as you can, skin care vigilance is key.

Here are some important steps you can take to keep your skin looking healthy for a long time.

Protect Your Skin From The Sun

You’ve heard it countless times before but it bears repeating. Sunlight damages your skin. The ultraviolet rays of the sun affect collagen production, which leads to sagging. Sunlight has a drying effect, which leads to even more wrinkling. If it’s hard for you to limit your amount of time in the sun, you simply must be vigilant about applying sunscreen.

Get Off The Yo-Yo Dieting Wheel

Here’s something you may haven’t thought about before. Yo-yo dieting can make you look older! A constant variation in weight stretches and contracts the skin. This happens in your face as well as other parts of your body. So, in order to maintain a youthful appearance keep your body weight steady.

If You Smoke, Quit

No doubt, you’ve heard this countless times before, as well, but if you smoke, stop. Smoking reduces the amount of nutrients and oxygen your skin receives because it inhibits the blood flow to your skin. You’ve probably seen smokers who look decades older than they are. So if you need another incentive, other than your health, to stop smoking think about how it ages your appearance.

Watch Your Sleep Position

If you’ve ever woken up with indentations on your face that weren’t there when you went to bed, you can understand how your sleep position can lead to wrinkling.  If you lie on one side more than the other, you’ll see little lines etched on that side of your face as you grow older.  The best way to avoid this is to sleep on your back.

Just because your skin is aging doesn’t mean it can’t look healthy and beautiful. Wrinkles are a normal, natural part of life and give your face the character it didn’t have when you were younger.

To keep your skin healthy and youthful as it can be at any age, Vivia Center offers a complete range of services and products.  TNS Recovery Complex improves the health and appearance of sun damaged and aging skin. The biotechnology of skin rejuvenation has resulted in this remarkable formulation, the very first patented by-product of a tissue-engineered process, containing growth factors found in newborn skin. Contact us to order yours today.

If you have more tips on how to have healthy skin, share them in the comments below!

Vivia Center offers skin care treatments covering a wide range of needs utilizing the latest technologies, giving patients a superior service from a medical team they know and trust.

Enjoyed this blog? You may also be interested in https://viviacenter.com/best-foods-for-healthy-skin/

The Effects Of Sun Damage

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The Effects of Sun Damage – Paying a High Price for Sun-Kissed Skin

Not long ago, many body conscious people from Hollywood starlets to spring-breaking college students worshiped at the alter of the Sun.  Showcasing a bronzed, sun-kissed body was considered the epitome of sex appeal, youth and vitality.

Not so much anymore.

These days, especially in Hollywood, folks are coming to grips with the irony of tanning.  While the short-term effect of a golden tan does lend itself to a healthy glow, the long-term effects are far from healthy.  Sometimes there is a high price to pay for immediate gratification, and when it comes to tanning, this couldn’t be more true.  The future returns of sun damage are polar opposites of youth, health and beauty.

Over the years, when you’re overexposed to the sun’s harmful UV rays, the cumulative effective can range from a few cosmetic nuisances to more serious problems, such as cancer.

Here’s the ugly truth about sun damage – just a few ways too much sun can affect your appearance and most importantly, your health.

4 Damaging Effects of The Sun

1. Photoaging. Simply put, photoaging refers to early aging of the skin.  Unprotected sun exposure is a leading cause of this.  The result of premature aging is coarse, leathery looking skin, deep wrinkles, and saggy, bagging skin.  People with a fair complexion are at highest risk because they have less melanin pigment, which means easy burning and less tanning.  Regardless of your skin type, however, it’s a recipe for premature aging.

UVA rays of the sun are the biggest contributor to photoaging.   These rays aren’t filtered and absorbed by the ozone and can penetrate to the layer of the skin that supports elasticity and tone.  Once this layer is damaged, though you may not see the effects for years to come, the result is looking older than you really are.

2.  Unsightly blood vessels near the surface of the skin. The scientific name for this is telangiectases.   You’ve undoubtedly seen this condition.  It’s often referred to as spider veins which commonly appear on the face and legs.

Though telangiectasis from the sun causes no serious effect, it’s a cosmetic concern for many as it contributes to a fragile, older look.

3.  Epidermal pigmentation.  This is simply lighter or darker areas of skin that are the result of hypopigmentation (too little pigment) or hyperpigmentation (too much pigment).  When it comes to sun damage, usually the pigmentation shows up as unappealing darker patches of skin, especially on the face where it is easily noticed.

4.  Carcinogenesis. Though the above effects of the sun are detriments to a youthful appearance, the most serious consequence of unprotected sun exposure is skin cancer. And while it’s true that a predisposition to skin cancer can be hereditary, the most common cause is UV damage.  UV rays from the sun affect the DNA of skin cells to the extent that they become cancerous.

The three types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.  Melanoma is by far the most critical, yet can largely be avoided with smart strategies when enjoying sun and fun.  And don’t make the mistake of thinking tanning beds are an alternative to the sun.  Melanoma doesn’t discriminate between artificial rays and the real thing.

Strategies for Avoiding Sun Damage

Now that you know the effects of sun damage, the first line defense is to make sure you protect yourself with a sun block with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 when you’re outdoors.   This will give you sun protection for 300 minutes before you need to reapply.  In addition, avoid sunning between the hours of 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.  The sun’s rays are most dangerous during these hours.

Also, wear a hat for extra protection of delicate areas such as the scalp and face.

If you’re living with sun-damaged skin right now, there is good news. Safe and effective solutions are available to transform your looks, starting today. Our Obagi products are a fantastic solution for photoaged skin. To find out more, simply visit Vivia Center to discover how you can “undo” much of the skin damage you may have right now.

Vivia Center offers skin care treatments covering a wide range of needs utilizing the latest technologies, giving patients a superior service from a medical team they know and trust.

Enjoyed this blog? You may also be interested in https://viviacenter.com/how-to-protect-your-skin-from-the-sun/

How To Protect Your Skin From the Sun

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How To Protect Your Skin From the Sun: Sun Damage Prevention and Treatment For Healthier Looking Skin

Most of us enjoy spending time in the sun, whether it’s a brisk walk in the park or a day of fun at the beach. It’s one of life’s simple pleasures.  And though exposure to sunshine is crucial for both emotional and physical health, it can also wreak havoc on your skin.  The problem is if left unchecked, it can really do a number on your skin.

Sun exposure is hard to avoid completely, nor would you even want to do that.  Most of the damage we receive occurs over time – it’s a cumulative effect of short bursts of time outdoors.  And because the ozone layer no longer protects us as it did in the past, the amount of sun exposure we receive increases as the years pass by.

So the question is, how can you prevent more damage to your skin –  and what can you do to treat the damage you already have?

Sun Damage Prevention

As the old saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” The best time to start minimizing sun damage is in childhood. Protective hats and clothes that are closely woven offer the most protection.  And though it’s tempting to forego the hats once we get older, if you’re concerned about your skin, it’s wise not to do so.

And of course, don’t forget the sunscreen.

Sunscreens have vastly improved over the years and you can’t discount their effectiveness.  They work by adding a layer of protection to your skin against the sun’s ultraviolet rays.  These rays, ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B, are the rays that cause sunburns and increase skin cancer risks.  So make sure you choose a sunscreen that protects against both.

Not only does the effective use of sunscreen (that means careful reapplication while you’re in the sun, too) prevent painful burning, the added advantage is it can help prevent photodamage – wrinkling and brown spots caused by the sun.  This is really important if you want to maintain healthy and youthful looking skin as you age.

But the most crucial reason to make sure you apply sunscreen is to significantly decrease your risks of certain skin cancers.

Sun Damage Treatment

If you’re like most people, your skin may be showing the effects of sun damage.  Deep wrinkles, a leathery appearance, and unsightly brown spots – these are the price to pay for unprotected time in the sun or lusting over a golden tan.  However, don’t despair.  There are treatments available to help reverse the damage and to some degree, turn back time.

Medical treatments in the form of creams or gels have been proven to reverse skin damage to some degree.  They work by smoothing and thickening skin layers as well as reducing brown spots.  Used over a period of many months there is a visible decrease in wrinkling.

Chemical peels are gaining in popularity as they safely and successfully treat sun-damaged skin revealing a more youthful appearance.  They work by gently removing, or peeling away, the upper layer of the skin.  Some peels actually go deeper than that.  A doctor or certified skin technician applies acids or other chemicals to the skin to remove dead skin cells.  Doing this also produces new skin cells so your appearance is much younger looking.

If you are concerned about how to protect your skin from the sun, we can help. Vivia Center helps people concerned about the telltale signs of photodamage. Our Obagi products help diminish blotchy skin and brown patches so you can recapture a healthy, youthful glow.  Find out more about what Obagi products can do for your appearance, then contact Vivia Center to order them.

Vivia Center offers skin care treatments covering a wide range of needs utilizing the latest technologies, giving patients a superior service from a medical team they know and trust.

Enjoyed this blog? You may also be interested in https://viviacenter.com/the-effects-of-sun-damage/