Men's mascara? It will take a magic wand

James Wallman
Monday January 22, 2007

Mascara for men is now on the high street. H&M stock its own £3.99 brand. In the men's section. For men. Not hidden in a corner, but next to the V-necked jumpers and polo shirts. Seeing it last week, my reaction was like vertigo. I knew I shouldn't go nearer, but felt somehow compelled. My wife said, "You've worn makeup before. Don't you remember that wedding last summer? You moaned about looking pasty so I put bronzer on you."The male cosmetics market in the UK is driven by men wanting to look younger and smell nicer, according to research company Mintel. Mascara's recent rise, though, comes from the punk/goth revival, agree trends expert Martin Raymond at The Future Laboratory and Aly Hazlewood, Russell Brand's makeup artist.
I bought some. One. A packet. A bottle. I don't know what you call it. It's tough putting on mascara. It doesn't come with instructions. But if women can put it on in front of a carriage full of people on the move, surely I could manage it standing still at home, alone? I soon resembled Rambo in war-paint. You have to use both hands, hold steady and brush up. You can't do it with your mouth shut. It's like applying glue to your eyes. That's why women flutter their eyelids. If they don't, their eyes will get stuck shut.
After half an hour and using most of a toilet roll to clear my face of unwanted black stuff, I went to work. And no one noticed the difference. It was like carrying around a dirty secret. I whispered it to a colleague. "If," said Piers loudly, "I'd even noticed that you looked different - which I didn't - mascara is the last thing that would enter my head."
A crowd gathered to see the office car crash. Did anyone else want to try it? A colleague called Steve piped up: "There's no way you're putting that on me."
So what made H&M sell mascara? The company's Jenni Tapper-Hoel told me: "Customers were asking for it in stores." Which customers, I asked. She couldn't say. Steve wears something from H&M most days of the week. I wonder if he mentioned it at the till.

Fonte: http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/fashion/story/0,,1995814,00.html#article_continue - 22/01/07

The chin job: Britain's latest must-have cosmetic surgery is the new jawline

By Jonathan Thompson

First it was breasts; then hips, lips and buttocks. Now Britain's seemingly insatiable appetite for cosmetic curves has seized upon yet another part of the body: the chin. Plastic surgeons are reporting a sharp increase in the number of patients signing up for the latest must-have procedure.
Disillusioned with weak jawlines or unbecoming jowls, and enamoured with the strong, confident profiles of celebrities such as Claudia Schiffer and Sarah Jessica Parker, or Brad Pitt and Daniel Craig, growing numbers of Britons are deciding to part with thousands of pounds in order to augment their chins.
Britain's leading surgeons are reporting an increase of up to a 35 per cent in the number of patients, both male and female, booking in for surgical chin enhancement. Across Europe, the rise is even higher, with Dr Javier de Benito, a leading Spanish surgeon and president elect of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (Isaps), estimating it to be nearer 50 per cent.
The procedure - unlike genioplasty, which entails the breaking and resetting of the jaw - involves the insertion of a permanent, usually silicon, implant through an incision made inside the mouth. The effect, although only pushing the chin forward by a few millimetres, is said to dramatically improve the balance and contours of the face. It typically costs about £3,500.
Simon Withey, a consultant surgeon at London Plastic Surgery Associates, said many of those now undergoing chin augmentation had initially been considering rhinoplasty. "A lot of people come in to have their noses operated on, but then realise the problem is a recessive chin which makes their nose look proportionately larger."
Emma Hunt, 29, had a chin implant before her wedding in 2005. Two years later and now happily married, she is overjoyed with the results. "I'm thrilled to bits with it and so is my husband; the results are very good," she said.

Fonte: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article2152455.ece - 14/01/07

Anti-ageing creams: What really works?

Women are prepared to spend a fortune on anti-ageing creams with hi-tech ingredients. But new research shows the cheap stuff may do the job better

By Jane Feinmann

Another year, another wrinkle; inevitably you wonder how much money you can afford to throw at the problem you see in the mirror every morning.
L'Oréal's advertising slogan, "Because You're Worth It", has seeped into the national consciousness. Youthful, glowing skin has a price tag that's well into three figures - if you care about yourself, that is.
Of course, we all know that the promise of a miracle in a pot of cream, however expensive, is unrealistic. Experts point to the "coincidence" that astronomical "cosmaceutical" prices have followed the visible success of today's invasive treatments, with sales pitches claiming that products are "better than Botox" or "achieving the same results as a peel".
The latest scientific study to debunk beauty-counter prices comes from Consumer Reports, the US version of Which? Scientists used a "high-tech optical device" to monitor changes in wrinkle depth and skin roughness achieved by 10 of the best-selling anti-ageing creams on a group of women, aged 30 to 70, over 12 weeks. As the team reported in the January issue of its magazine, the price of products was unrelated to efficacy.
The best performer was one of the cheapest: at £16 for 30ml, Olay Regenerist achieved slightly better results than its more expensive rivals. The La Prairie Cellular range, costing up to £229 for a 30ml pot, was among the least effective, as was StriVectin-SD, costing £67 for a 6oz tube. Other luxury products such as Lancôme Renergie and Roc Retin-Ox were also less effective than Olay.
The message, however, was unequivocal: you may be worth it, but most anti-ageing face creams aren't. "Even the best creams reduced the average depth of wrinkles by less than 10 per cent, a magnitude of change that was barely visible to the naked eye," according to Consumer Reports.
Such reports, however, are unlikely to dent the profits of the multi-million-pound industry. It's not just vain hope: what Jennifer Aniston calls "the science bit" convincingly persuades us to spend money on making the most of our largest organ.
The upmarket botanical beauty company, Sisley, claims that it took 20 years to develop Essential Day Care Anti-Ageing Shield (£152 for 50ml). We may decide to take this with a pinch of a salt - along with its "unique combination" of apple skin, sesame and rice extracts. But palmitoyl pentapeptide, the protein molecule that is claimed to achieve "dramatic results without the celebrity price-tag" in Olay Regenerist, has a good evidence base. Creams containing Vitamins A, C and E all have substantial scientific basis as do AHA products, which work like a gentler version of Retin-A. Some women swear that hormones keep them looking young - and a handful of studies even underpin claims for copper and Q10 as important ingredients.
Credible research has also been devoted to ensuring that these ingredients hit the spot: peeling away roughness and age spots, and stimulating rejuvenating collagen and elastin. So why are clinical trials of products containing these ingredients consistently disappointing?
Partly the reason is that wrinkles are like scar tissue: once they're formed, as a result of non-elastic skin being stretched and then hardening into furrows, they can only be removed by surgery. There are numerous ways to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, however - depending on the problem. But treatments that work are not on sale in beauty counters. "For a start, creams that are strong enough to make a difference are also likely to have side effects," explains Michelle Irving, director of Cheshire Image Clinic in Chester. "Companies cannot take the risk that their products will cause reddening or irritation and so they sell products with low levels of active ingredients."
Product ranges from companies such as Environ, NeoStrata, Dermalogica and SkinCeuticals are only available from cosmetic clinics, staffed by therapists with either a medical or nursing qualification or the proven skills and expertise to provide tailored advice that takes account of medical history.
Irving is a registered nurse and a member of the steering committee of the Royal College of Nursing's Aesthetic Nurses' Forum, an organisation set up three years ago to achieve minimum standards of expertise, training and safety in cosmetic medicine - and which already has 300 qualified members. "I have patients, not customers," she says. "They're healthy patients but they need just as much individualised attention and follow-up as people on ordinary drugs." Sally Penfold, education manager of the International Dermal Institute, which also trains beauty therapists, says there is little point in getting anti-ageing treatments without a thorough examination of the face under a magnifying lamp.
"The therapist needs to know about any dryness, secretions or rough patches before deciding which creams will help," she says. "Touching the skin all over the face is the best way to diagnose problems. Yet a beauty counter assistant with no training has to make confident a diagnosis by glancing at someone who is often wearing full make-up."
Once diagnosed, a good therapist will take a long-term, holistic view of treatment. "We would very rarely start someone on a full-strength cream," says Marie Duckett, co-director of Fiona & Marie Aesthetics in Harley Street. "People want to get the strongest treatment straight away. But it can be far more effective to start off on a mild dose and gradually work upwards. We encourage people to call up if they're worried and to come back regularly, so that we keep an eye on their skin," she says.
While beauty therapists are widely seen as catering for the super-rich, this doesn't necessarily apply when it comes to dispensing creams. Go and see Duckett at her Harley Street practice, staffed by two qualified nurses, and the chances are you'll pay substantially less than at an Oxford Street department store. "We offer a free half-hour initial consultation and most people leave with a bag of samples to try out to make sure you're using the right cream."
Once identified, a combination of facial cleansers and creams are likely to leave plenty of change from £100. Her advice is to stick to the simplest products if you want to buy over-the-counter. But an appointment with an expert is a must for anyone with delicate, sun-damaged or problem skin or who just wants to make sure their skin is as good as it can be.
Behind the labels
* PEPTIDES
Found in: Olay Regenerist, £16. Strivectin SD, £120 for 6oz
These short-chain amino acids are small enough to be able to penetrate the epidermis and can be synthesized to perform specific functions such as stimulating the healing process and turning on the fibroblasts responsible for producing collagen and elastin. "There are a lot of different types of peptides, all of which have different impact," says Sally Penfold. "They are expensive, so don't expect much from a low-cost product." If you're going for over-the-counter, go for simple, says Marie Duckett. "Olay is unlikely to do any harm. It's pleasant to use though it's unlikely to change the skin's structure."
* FRUIT ACIDS OR ALPHA-HYDROXY ACIDS (AHAs)
Found in: NeoStrata Smoothing Cream (Glycolic Formulation) £35
Glycolic acid improves the smoothness and feel of the skin. At effective levels, they need to be dispensed by a physician because they can cause irritation. "Over-the-counter creams containing AHAs are not particularly effective," says Irving.
* ANTIOXIDANTS
Found in: SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic. Crème de la Mer, Clinique CX
Vitamins C and E products can counteract sun damage and promote rejuvenation. "To us, it makes far more sense to build up the skin with effective antioxidants than to strip it down with Retin-A products or AHAs," says Duckett. Vitamins in over-the-counter products are often unstable, however, and are unlikely to penetrate the skin effectively. Crème de la Mer is too rich for most skins, says Duckett. "Because of the price, an element of Emperor's New Clothes can creep in. Women feel that they look better because they've paid so much for a pot of cream."
* COENZYME Q10
Found in: Nivea Visage Anti-wrinkle Q10 Plus Night Cream, £5.99
Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like substance thought to have antioxidant free radical-quenching properties. "There is some evidence that in products such as Eucerin or Nivea, it can help in skin protection," says Dr Lowe.
* RETIN-A
Found in: ROC Retinox Correction, Sisley Global Anti-Age
This Vitamin A derivative, used since the Sixties to treat acne, is also a beauty treatment. In high doses, it causes dryness and flaking. Lower-strength creams can reverse skin ageing, says Dr Lowe "by increasing cell production, shedding dark pigment and increasing collagen formation".
What really works?
* Use a sunscreen every day. "The biggest cause of skin ageing is free radical damage caused by exposure to UV rays," says Sally Penfold, of the International Dermal Institute. "Best to use a sunscreen that also works as a moisturiser."
* Avoid white sugar, chocolate, sweets and processed food - this prevents acne, which ages the skin.
* Avoid crash dieting - wrinkles can be caused by a loss of supportive fat under the skin. "Even popular diets such as the Atkins can have this effect by producing rapid weight loss," says dermatologist Dr Nick Lowe in his book Away With Wrinkles (Kyle Cathie, £14.99)
* Reduce intake of saturated and trans fats: instead eat regular, moderate amounts of oily varities of fish, which help to mop up free radicals and reduce the rate at which skin ages, according to Dr Lowe. Also, consume more essential fatty acids, found in oils, nuts and cereals.
* Exfoliation will help the skin to appear smoother and fresher, but there's no need to buy special products. Anything mildly abrasive, such as a warm flannel, will help to slough away dead skin cells.
* Include in your diet plenty of slow-release complex carbohydrates, a wide range of fresh fruit and veg as well as protein, "which plays a vital role in the formation of collagen and elastin".
* Cut out smoking and reduce alcohol and stress.

Fonte: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article2138031.ece - 09/01/07

Alisar ou não alisar

Laura Ming

Depois dos 60, a mulher que faz plástica,Botox e preenchimento corre sério riscode ficar com cara de quem fez plástica,Botox e preenchimento

Praticamente toda mulher, dada a opção, prefere adiar quanto pode a manifestação de rugas, manchas, cabelos brancos, flacidez e quaisquer outras evidências de que está envelhecendo. A caixa de ferramentas antiidade, que não pára de se expandir, começa com cremes, Botox, laser, Botox, ácidos e mais Botox, com eventuais passagens pela mesa de lipoaspiração – este, um procedimento de maior risco, que exige internação e anestesia. Chega a hora, porém, em que a vaidosa militante tem de encarar a inevitável primeira cirurgia plástica, e aí mora o perigo. Seguem-se a segunda, a terceira, injeções de ácidos para inflar áreas muito esticadas, mais Botox, que é de praxe, e de repente a mulher ganhou outra cara e nem percebe. Ou alguém reconhece de pronto na plastificada loira acima a bela atriz Faye Dunaway, estrela de Bonnie e Clyde e de Chinatown, hoje com 65 anos? "Trata-se de um problema que atinge principalmente mulheres com mais de 60 anos e diversas plásticas no currículo", diz o cirurgião Pedro Vital, de São Paulo. "Há casos em que a pessoa está tão deformada que não tenho como mexer. Mando para casa."
Há um limite numérico para tratamentos e cirurgias estéticas? Em termos, dizem os médicos. O problema, segundo eles, não está no procedimento em si, que se for bem feito pode ser repetido sem problema. O que marca, em geral de forma indelével, é o exagero. Das cirurgias de rejuvenescimento facial, a mais comum é o lifting, que, como indica o nome em inglês, "levanta" o rosto ao puxar a pele, cortar o excesso e recosturá-la em pontos escondidos, geralmente atrás da orelha. Feito da maneira certa, rejuvenesce sem que se note a diferença. "Ao operar, o médico tem de ter sempre em mente a idade da paciente. Não faz sentido dar a quem tem 50 anos um rosto de 25. Um pouco de pé-de-galinha não faz mal a ninguém", ensina o cirurgião Juarez Avelar, ex-presidente da Sociedade Brasileira de Cirurgia Plástica em São Paulo. Perfeito na teoria, difícil de aceitar na prática. "Já tive pacientes que, quando as amigas não perceberam que tinham sido operadas, ficaram chateadas. Precisei mostrar as fotos de antes para que elas conferissem as melhoras e saíssem satisfeitas", diz o cirurgião carioca José de Gervais. Como exageros são recorrentes, considera-se que até três liftings, a intervalos de no mínimo dez anos, são aceitáveis (veja o quadro). Mais do que isso, é grande o risco de a pessoa ficar (toc, toc, toc) com cara de quem fez plástica. É melhor, no caso, apelar para tratamentos temporários, como Botox (que alisa, paralisando os músculos) e preenchimentos (que inflam, com substâncias variadas, áreas murchas como maçãs do rosto e lábios). Mais uma vez: basta um pequeno erro de proporção para que a pessoa fique (de novo: toc, toc, toc) com cara de quem pôs Botox ou fez preenchimento. "O preenchimento pode ser tanto uma dádiva quanto um pecado", alerta Aristóteles Bersou Júnior, cirurgião plástico de São Paulo. "O mais importante é que seja feito com substâncias que o corpo absorva com o tempo. Assim, um eventual exagero pode mais tarde ser corrigido."
Inevitavelmente, quanto mais a mulher (e o homem, diga-se de passagem) se empenha em rejuvenescer, maior a certeza de que, em dado momento, vai extrapolar. Umas extrapolam mais, outras menos. A apresentadora de TV Hebe Camargo (pela própria contabilidade, duas plásticas de mamas, duas lipos, dois liftings) está conservadíssima para seus 77 anos, não obstante os zigomas mais estufados do que o bom senso recomenda. "Com tantos recursos, por que não ficar melhor?", pergunta. E reitera: "Nunca fico doente. Só vou a hospital para cirurgia plástica". Já Faye Dunaway é vítima notória da dupla maçãs e lábios hiperestufados (no seu caso, assessorados por dentes milimetricamente perfeitos), excessos que também afetam Suzanne Somers, 60 anos, a loirinha dos seriados Three's Company, megassucesso da TV americana nos anos 70, e, mais recentemente, Step by Step, exibido no Brasil pela TV a cabo, que fez a primeira e muito comentada plástica ainda "menina", aos 55, e saiu da cirurgia outra pessoa, de olhos quase amendoados e lábios triplicados. Entre as brasileiras de pele lisíssima, a atriz Rosamaria Murtinho, que passou dos 70 e vamos mudar de assunto, fez dois liftings e está criando coragem para operar o pescoço, usa Botox entre as sobrancelhas "para não ficar com cara de brava" e tem planos de ganhar uns 2 quilos e, na seqüência, lipoaspirar a barriga. "Acho que as pessoas na minha idade ficam mais bonitas com mais peso e não quero que vá tudo para a barriga. Mas ao mesmo tempo me questiono se nessa idade vale a pena", diz, muito sensata. De fato, lipo sob a pele envelhecida é prática arriscada: uma vez removida a camada de gordura, a área externa, sem elasticidade, tende a ficar ondulada. Sabendo-se portanto que depois dos 60 lipo ondula, lifting estica demais, Botox paralisa e preenchimentos inflam em excesso, conclui-se que fórmula perfeita para o bem envelhecer não há. Ou melhor, há, só que é privilégio de pouquíssimas – quem diz que Suzana Vieira, capaz de tirar de letra cenas de tórrida paixão em novelas, tem 64 anos? Ou então é questão de encarar a passagem do tempo da melhor forma possível, exibindo rugas e cabelos brancos com pose e altivez, como faz, aos 80 anos, a rainha Elizabeth da Inglaterra – provavelmente a única milionária do planeta que jamais se submeteu a uma cirurgia plástica.

Fonte: http://veja.abril.com.br/100107/p_092.html - 07/01/2007

Teeth-whitening products flood shoppers with choices

By Susan Jenks, Florida Today

Once confined to a small section of the grocery store or pharmacy, teeth-whitening products are so numerous today, they occupy the "dental aisle of confusion," according to many dentists.
Consumers face an array of over-the-counter whitening gels; toothpaste with whitener in them; and even an oral mouthwash or two, which claim to whiten your teeth as you swish.
"It's a huge market," says Dr. Kimberly Harms, a private-practice dentist in Farmington, Minn., and a consumer spokeswoman for the American Dental Association in Chicago.
"So many people are bleaching their teeth today, we had to adjust our shade guides upward recently" to reflect the demand for brighter, whiter teeth, she says.
Another dental group, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, which represents dentists who specialize in cosmetic treatments, estimates the demand for tooth whitening has risen 300% in the past decade. Millions of Americans buy whitening products over the counter, or turn to dentists for a brighter, more dazzling smile.
"Bleaching is the No. 1 dental procedure requested by patients under 20, and in those 30 to 50 years of age, as well," says Dr. Bert Chodorov, a dentist who is an accredited-Academy member and runs the Center for Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry in Melbourne, Fla. "Older individuals also want this. White and bright is beautiful."
Chodorov cautions that, while some people want "white, white, white," his personal preference is for a more natural look, which sometimes is the only realistic option.
"You don't want the first thing that comes into the room to be your teeth," he jokes.
Dentist Dr. Lisa Goff describes the tooth-whitening demand as "absolutely huge" with costs that range from $300 to $550. Although there are two in-office dental whitening procedures available, neither is covered by insurance.
The lowest price tag is for standard whitening, which involves creating a customized plastic model of the mouth for in-home bleaching. Typically, individuals wear customized mouth "trays" containing a whitening solution for several hours a day or overnight, for two weeks, after a proper fitting.
"In about two weeks, you're usually set," Goff says, with the trays reusable for touch-ups, whenever necessary.
Plus, because they slide snugly into the mouth, the solution "doesn't gush out everywhere," as so often is the case with an over-the-counter product, she says — thus providing a higher concentration of bleach where you want it.
Light treatment whitening
The alternative, a more expensive whitening procedure, uses a light to accelerate the bleaching process during a one- to two-hour visit to the dentist's office. The best known system is called the "Zoom."
What makes it so much more expensive is the chair time, Goff says, although "the Zoom gives you a great jump-start" on whitening, and there is less gum irritation and sensitivity than with the trays.
Cindy Ville, an Indialantic, Fla., resident who recently underwent the procedure at Goff's office, says she is happy with the results, seeing an immediate difference in her teeth in the "before" and "after" photos.
"It was a long time to sit in the chair," she concedes. "But, from what I understand, you use the Zoom just once and then maintain with the trays and the (whitening) gel."
Still, the American Dental Association's Harms calls the light treatment "an accessory" at this point.
"The question is: Does it matter if you use the light or not?" she asks. "Does it actually accelerate the whitening process? The results, so far, vary, so we aren't sure."
But, no matter which treatment individuals choose, the at-home tray approach or the light-based treatment, Harms stressed, the teeth get bleached by the concentrated hydrogen peroxide solution that is a part of each.
"You are getting your teeth bleached in a few hours," she said. "And, for some patients who can't stand the trays, this is the way to go."
Dr. Ronald Richardson also emphasized the convenience of the Zoom, especially for the busy businessman or — woman who want whiter-looking teeth in a hurry.
He says he combines the light-based treatment with a backup tray, so whitening is easily touched up later at home — a practice commonly followed.
Offerings vary
As to the difference with over-the-counter products, Richardson, like his colleagues, cites several:
Most over-the-counter whitening products tend to have weaker bleaching solutions, and while many of them work, the process tends to take longer to whiten the teeth.
"It takes so long, many consumers get discouraged," Richardson says. "Dentists use prescription-grade products," with a hydrogen-peroxide strength of 20% or more, compared with less than 10% in most over-the-counter products.
Some over-the-counter whiteners, especially strips, are difficult to position, except on the front teeth, so you may get whitening in front, but the side teeth stay yellow, according to several dentists. Dentists treat the whole mouth to ensure a totally white smile, they say. How white is white enough, and at what point does too much whitening erode enamel? Although not clearly defined, with over-the-counter whiteners, Chodorov says, consumers make these judgments themselves, and that's "the biggest problem."
Moreover, "if they think it will whiten the crowns or fillings, they are wasting their money," he says. Office-based whitening will not do this, either, the dental group's Harms says, as bleach does not whiten porcelain, "and if you have a lot of fillings, they don't bleach."
"This is for natural teeth," she says.
Some individuals who need a new crown in front can have their natural teeth whitened to match it first, she says, and if that fails to work, there are other options available to spruce up a smile, such as bonding or creating veneers.
Ultimately, "the biggest thing (with whitening) is what you're comfortable with" — whether it's custom-made trays, a quick zap with the Zoom or a whitening product found in a drugstore.
In this latter case, however, she advises, read the labels.
Those carrying the American Dental Association's seal of approval, "at least shows there has been some independent evaluation of the product," she says.

Fonte: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-01-06-teeth_x.htm - 05/01/07

The Cosmetics Restriction Diet

By NATASHA SINGER

DR. FRAN E. COOK-BOLDEN, a dermatologist in Manhattan, is an advocate of skin-care minimalism. When a patient recently arrived for an appointment toting 20 different products she was using regularly — including an eye cream, a vitamin C cream, a wrinkle serum, a pigmentation cream, a mask, a peel, a scrub and “some sort of special oxygen detoxifying cream” — Dr. Cook-Bolden said she confiscated all but three.“It gave me a headache just to look at all of those products,” Dr. Cook-Bolden said. “Just two products, a gentle cleanser and a good sunscreen, are enough daily skin care for most people, and you can buy those at a drugstore or a grocery store.” Dr. Cook-Bolden is part of a back-to-basics movement among dermatologists. At a time when beauty companies are introducing an increasing number of products marketed for specific body parts —including necks, creases around the mouth and eyelids — or for apocryphal maladies like visible pores or cellulite, these doctors are putting their patients on cosmetics restriction diets. They are prescribing simplified skin-care routines requiring at most three steps: soap; sunscreen every day, no matter the weather or the season; and, if necessary, a product tailored to specific skin needs, whether a cream for pimples or pigmented spots, or a vitamin-enriched moisturizer for aging skin. Each product, they say, can be bought at drugstores for $30 or less. Among those doctors who have become experts at uncluttering their patients’ vanity tables and medicine cabinets is Dr. Sarah Boyce Sawyer, an assistant professor of dermatology at the School of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “My New Year’s beauty resolution for patients is: cut down on skin-care products and cut your skin-care budget,” Dr. Sawyer said. “Cut down on those $100 potions.” For some doctors, simplifying skin-care routines is a way to make patients follow a regimen or a means to soothe irritated skin. But some dermatologists are also suggesting patients use fewer, less expensive products because they believe there is little scientific research to justify buying an armload of pricey cosmetics, Dr. Sawyer said. “We have good medical evidence on prescription products,” she said. “But the science is fuzzy with a lot of cosmetics.” Unlike drugs, cosmetics are not required to prove their efficacy. Prescription medications like Accutane for acne and over-the-counter drugs such as sunscreen ingredients must undergo rigorous clinical testing before they gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration. But cosmetics are not subject to the agency’s scrutiny before they go on sale. The F.D.A. defines cosmetics as topical products that do not alter the structure or function of the skin. Dr. William P. Coleman III, the vice president of the American Academy of Dermatology, said consumers should view moisturizers and wrinkle creams as no more than superficial treatments. “You have to think of cosmetics as decorative and hygienic, not as things that are going to change your skin,” said Dr. Coleman, who is a clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. “A $200 cream may have better perfume or packaging, but as far as it moisturizing your skin better than a $10 cream, it probably won’t.” According to F.D.A. regulations, beauty manufacturers are responsible for the safety of their cosmetics and for their own marketing claims. Although many beauty companies perform studies on their products, they are not required to conduct clinical trials on the level of medical research or to make their proprietary research available to the public. Dr. Mary Ellen Brademas, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center, said the paucity of rigorous published science on cosmetics makes it difficult to determine how well creams work, whether they cost $10, $100 or $1,000. “People are spending $450 on a jar of cream just because it is made out of something exotic like salmon eggs or cocoons,” Dr. Brademas said. “But the cheapest products work just as well as the more expensive ones.” A study of wrinkle creams published last month by Consumer Reports concluded that there was no correlation between price and effectiveness. The study, which tested nine brands of wrinkle creams over 12 weeks, also concluded that none of the products reduced the depth of wrinkles by more than 10 percent, an amount “barely visible to the naked eye.” The Consumer Reports study found, for example, that a three-step regimen of Olay Regenerist products costing $57 was slightly more effective at reducing the appearance of wrinkles than a $135 tube of StriVectin-SD or a $335 combination of two La Prairie Cellular lotions. “I am seduced by fancy packaging as much as the next person,” Dr. Brademas said. “But I have a theory that all these skin-care things come out of the same vat in New Jersey.”“It gave me a headache just to look at all of those products,” Dr. Cook-Bolden said. “Just two products, a gentle cleanser and a good sunscreen, are enough daily skin care for most people, and you can buy those at a drugstore or a grocery store.” Dr. Cook-Bolden is part of a back-to-basics movement among dermatologists. At a time when beauty companies are introducing an increasing number of products marketed for specific body parts —including necks, creases around the mouth and eyelids — or for apocryphal maladies like visible pores or cellulite, these doctors are putting their patients on cosmetics restriction diets. They are prescribing simplified skin-care routines requiring at most three steps: soap; sunscreen every day, no matter the weather or the season; and, if necessary, a product tailored to specific skin needs, whether a cream for pimples or pigmented spots, or a vitamin-enriched moisturizer for aging skin. Each product, they say, can be bought at drugstores for $30 or less. Among those doctors who have become experts at uncluttering their patients’ vanity tables and medicine cabinets is Dr. Sarah Boyce Sawyer, an assistant professor of dermatology at the School of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “My New Year’s beauty resolution for patients is: cut down on skin-care products and cut your skin-care budget,” Dr. Sawyer said. “Cut down on those $100 potions.” For some doctors, simplifying skin-care routines is a way to make patients follow a regimen or a means to soothe irritated skin. But some dermatologists are also suggesting patients use fewer, less expensive products because they believe there is little scientific research to justify buying an armload of pricey cosmetics, Dr. Sawyer said. “We have good medical evidence on prescription products,” she said. “But the science is fuzzy with a lot of cosmetics.” Unlike drugs, cosmetics are not required to prove their efficacy. Prescription medications like Accutane for acne and over-the-counter drugs such as sunscreen ingredients must undergo rigorous clinical testing before they gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration. But cosmetics are not subject to the agency’s scrutiny before they go on sale. The F.D.A. defines cosmetics as topical products that do not alter the structure or function of the skin. Dr. William P. Coleman III, the vice president of the American Academy of Dermatology, said consumers should view moisturizers and wrinkle creams as no more than superficial treatments. “You have to think of cosmetics as decorative and hygienic, not as things that are going to change your skin,” said Dr. Coleman, who is a clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. “A $200 cream may have better perfume or packaging, but as far as it moisturizing your skin better than a $10 cream, it probably won’t.” According to F.D.A. regulations, beauty manufacturers are responsible for the safety of their cosmetics and for their own marketing claims. Although many beauty companies perform studies on their products, they are not required to conduct clinical trials on the level of medical research or to make their proprietary research available to the public. Dr. Mary Ellen Brademas, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center, said the paucity of rigorous published science on cosmetics makes it difficult to determine how well creams work, whether they cost $10, $100 or $1,000. “People are spending $450 on a jar of cream just because it is made out of something exotic like salmon eggs or cocoons,” Dr. Brademas said. “But the cheapest products work just as well as the more expensive ones.” A study of wrinkle creams published last month by Consumer Reports concluded that there was no correlation between price and effectiveness. The study, which tested nine brands of wrinkle creams over 12 weeks, also concluded that none of the products reduced the depth of wrinkles by more than 10 percent, an amount “barely visible to the naked eye.” The Consumer Reports study found, for example, that a three-step regimen of Olay Regenerist products costing $57 was slightly more effective at reducing the appearance of wrinkles than a $135 tube of StriVectin-SD or a $335 combination of two La Prairie Cellular lotions. “I am seduced by fancy packaging as much as the next person,” Dr. Brademas said. “But I have a theory that all these skin-care things come out of the same vat in New Jersey.”John Bailey, the executive vice president for science of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, an industry trade group in Washington, said that skin care varies widely in price because of amounts spent on research and development of ingredients and product formulas, and the cost of manufacturing and packaging.But, he said, it is difficult to measure performance differences among products. “Cosmetics don’t have the same quantitative analysis as drugs, so you don’t have a set gauge you can use to determine perceived and actual benefits,” said Dr. Bailey, who has a Ph.D. in chemistry. “Ultimately, consumers will have to try products out and find what works best for them.” THE back-to-basics skin-care regimen is based on practicality rather than marketing claims. It does not rely on exotic ingredients grown on far-flung islands hand-picked by natives only under a full moon. Dr. Diane C. Madfes, a clinical instructor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, said that basic skin care requires washing one’s face to remove dirt, sweat and bacteria, and using sunscreen to impede sun damage. People who worry about wrinkles, pimples, dry spots or pores may want to add one or two treatment products, she said. Dr. Cook-Bolden, who has been a paid consultant for several mass-market cosmetics brands, suggested a mild liquid cleanser for the face. Instead of using toners, which may strip skin, or gritty exfoliation beads and microdermabrasion systems, which may irritate skin, she recommended using a washcloth to slough off dead skin cells. “If you have dry, sensitive skin, you just pat the washcloth on your face gently in a circular motion,” she said. “If you don’t have irritated skin, you can put more speed and pressure on the washcloth.” Dermatologists disagree whether a moisturizer is then needed. Dr. Brademas said it is superfluous. “Moisturizer is optional unless you are in the Arctic,” said Dr. Brademas, who favors Vaseline petroleum jelly for dry hands, feet, knees and elbows. “I’m not sure moisturizers do very much except for creating a smooth surface so that makeup can go on without drag.” Dr. Cook-Bolden took a more agnostic position. “If you need a moisturizer, moisturize,” she said. “If you want less moisture, use a lotion. If you want more, use a cream. And if you have acne-prone skin, use a gel or a spray.” Although the dermatologists interviewed for this article disagreed about moisturizer, they agreed on one point: the importance of sun protection, including hats, avoidance of midday sun and the use of an effective sunscreen. They recommended that consumers look for formulas that include ingredients — like zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or Mexoryl SX — that impede damage from the sun’s longer wavelength UVA rays, a protective effect that is not indicated by a product’s SPF rating. Beyond soap and sunscreen, Dr. Madfes said that one or two additional products might be added to personalize a skin-care routine. “People who see wrinkles around their eyes are going to reach for an eye cream,” Dr. Madfes said. “Someone who looks in the mirror and sees large pores may want to use a cleanser with salicylic acid, which can reduce clogged pores.” She is also a proponent of night creams that combine retinol, a form of vitamin A that may help speed up the turnover of skin cells, and antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E or lycopene that may help thwart environmental damage to the skin. People with skin conditions like severe acne or people interested in topical anti-wrinkle drugs should consult their doctors about prescription medications, she said. On an expedition last week to a CVS Pharmacy at Columbus Circle with a reporter, Dr. Madfes examined the product labels on skin-care items from a variety of mass-market brands and recommended a few basic products, including Cetaphil cleanser and La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX sunscreen. “Higher end, more expensive products may look better in the box and feel better on your face, but they don’t necessarily work better than less expensive products as long as you look for ingredients that are known for efficacy,” Dr. Madfes said. But she did see one benefit to splurging. “The thing is, when someone buys a $200 cream, they are going to use that cream,” Dr. Madfes said. “So, in the end, their skin may benefit.”

Fonte: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/04/fashion/04skin.html?pagewanted=1&ref=health - 04/01/07

Women are advised: Keep an eye on your makeup

By Liz Szabo

As an optometrist, Andrea Thau often advises her patients about preventing eye infections. And as a spokeswoman for the American Optometric Association, she frequently speaks about eye health on television.
But Thau says she learned one hygiene lesson the hard way: She developed a sty after a TV station artist did her makeup. Thau says she most likely developed the sty — a small lump on the eyelid near the lash line — because of bacteria from the makeup artist's hands or supplies.
Thau now brings her own makeup artist before going on the air.
Though few of her patients have to worry about TV appearances, Thau says many unknowingly expose themselves to germs while sampling products at department store makeup counters or undergoing makeovers from saleswomen.
Marguerite McDonald, an eye doctor and spokeswoman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, agrees. Consumers should never put their fingers into display products or use cosmetics that other customers may have touched.
McDonald, a former model, says she never has had a store makeover.
Pinkeye, which can make the eye red, swollen, tender and full of pus, is extremely contagious. Like colds and flu viruses, it's especially common this time of year.
Though there's no solid research exploring a link between makeup counters and eye infections, McDonald says she has treated many patients who developed pinkeye after visiting such counters at the shopping mall.
The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association says its members take safety seriously.
Clinique employees, for example, are told to sanitize their hands before touching clients, says Susan Kasziba, Clinique's executive director of global education development.
Product samples "should never touch a customer's skin," Kasziba says. "If someone has used it, we would throw out that tester and create a new one."
Thau says customers should use common sense, but they shouldn't worry about contracting a dangerous disease. Most eye infections clear up within a week or so, even without treatment.
"People have enough neuroses," she says. "They don't need to get totally crazed."


CLINIQUE PUTS CLEAN FACE ON SAMPLING PRODUCTS
Clinique's Susan Kasziba says the company instructs salespeople to follow basic rules when they are demonstrating products:Mascara. Cosmetics consultants should use a new, disposable brush for each customer. Eye shadow. Salespeople should scrape the pigment onto a tissue, then use a disposable wand to apply it to the eyelid. They should not place the applicator directly into the sample shadow.Eyeliner. Consultants should disinfect eyeliner pencils with alcohol, then sharpen them to pare away any surfaces that have come in contact with skin.

Fonte: www.usatoday.com - 03/01/07