Tan without aging your skin?

In ancient times, fair complexion was associated with wealth and prosperity. That's probably because the rich didn't have to work in the fields that much. This view still exists today in some traditional societies. In many developed countries nowadays, however, the reverse is true, probably because the rich can afford to travel or sunbathe on the beach and the poor have to work indoors. Excessive ultraviolet from sunshine ages your skin more quickly. You may be prone to develop wrinkles, brown or black spots and plaques, spider veins, and skin cancers including malignant melanoma (very aggressive). High-number sunblocks are important but I don't recommend sunbathe or go to salons for tanning. I think tanning lotion is a much better alternative. Or you may wish to rebel against the faddy view on skin color. You can take some vitamin D to prevent its deficiency. For adults, 5000 IU vitamin D per day is considered safe but no more than that. Multiple vitamins usually contains up to 1000 IU vitamin D. If you have kidney failure you need a different type of vitamin D. Ask your nephrologist.

Aesthetic medicine

Aesthetic medicine is a field that helps you achieve better looks with medical means. It involves surgery or medications. Chin or breast augmentation or reduction, tummy tuck, liposuction, rhinoplasty, face lift, vein-stripping, other plastic procedures, and laser surgeries are available. Medications include botulinum toxin A and fillers. Medical laser has many systems and configurations that vary in function and mechanism. In general, newer generations of laser technology offer better and safer treatment. Laser can be used for spider veins, acne, hyperpigmentation, tattoo removal, scar reduction or elimination, hair removal or reduction, skin rejuvenation, and cellulite, etc. The most popular brand for botulinum toxin A in the US is Botox. Botox can relax wrinkles on the forehead, around the eyes, on the eye lids, lips, cheeks, nasolabial folds, chin and neck. Currently popular fillers in the US include Restylane, Juvederm and Radiesse. The fillers are used to augment your lips, cheeks and chin. They can also reduce or eliminate groves or scars. Other modalities such as dermoabrasion and chemical peels are also available. In general I do not recommend sandpaper-type abrasion or strong chemicals because of possible side-effects and significant down time. Sclerotherapy is used for veins larger than spider veins but smaller than surgically removable ones. Hair transplant en block or individually (newer and better technique) is mainly for eyebrows, sideburns and scalp. In any event, some of the treatments are permanent, while others are temporary or semi-permanent.

Anti-aging

The concept of anti-aging is not new. Since ancient times, people have been trying to find ways to delay aging or even rejuvenate. Modern medicine offers some strategies. Diet, exercise, sleep, relaxation, avoidance of harmful substances or habits, health maintenance, disease prevention, hormonal balance, early diagnosis and treatment, convalescence, and aesthetic procedures. It seems that DNA is responsible for aging. It degenerates gradually and after an X number of replications it stops functioning. Then the cell dies in a biological process called apoptosis (programmed cell death). With the current genome research, it may be possible one day to slow down the aging process by maintaining DNA health as long as possible. Turtles must have better longevity genes than dogs since turtles live much longer. Some trees can live over a millennium and they must have excellent longevity genes.

Hormonal imbalance

Symptoms are overlapping for many hormonal imbalances. One theory for this phenomenon is that nature has its own "insurance". If one hormone is out of balance, another hormone may somehow compensate for its function. The symptoms are many and can be vague such as chronic fatigue, sleep disturbance, decreased libido, depression, anxiety, poor concentration, lack of motivation or ambition, body ache or fibromyalgia, headache, immune compromise, exercise inefficiency, weight loss or gain, decreased or increased appetite, dry skin/hair/nails, etc. The best way to find out what hormonal imbalance you have is through blood tests. Other tests may not be as reliable. Full hormone panel is recommended for fast and definitive diagnosis. If your primary doctor or endocrinologist are unfamiliar with or reluctant to order the tests for you, try to find a local doctor knowledgeable in bio-identical hormone replacement. Search the Web for www.BioIdenticalHormoneSociety.com and ask for a referral. You should expect to see improvement in 6 to 12 weeks once on treatment.

Bio-identical hormone replacement

Hormones are made to serve as messengers to cells so that the cells may function properly. Around age 20 many hormones reach their peak levels and gradually decline afterwards. Many people experience hormonal imbalance around age 35 especially around age 45. Some popular synthetic hormones may have severe long-term side-effects as studies have shown. In the last several years, bio-identical or natural hormones have gain traction in hormone therapy. Natural hormones have no or minimal side-effects if used appropriately. Synthetic hormones are usually dispensed from standard pharmacies. Natural hormones are usually made in compounding pharmacies. If you're on any hormone replacement therapy, make sure to ask your doctor you're using natural hormones. Sex hormones (testosterone, estrogen and progesterone), thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), insulin, cortisol, growth hormone, etc. are known to be beneficial when balanced.

The ideal primary doctor!

The ideal primary doctor should be knowledgeable in medicine and health. S/he should feel comfortable gathering comprehensive medical history, doing a comprehensive physical examination, making a working diagnosis (if final diagnosis is not available), and managing the the issue at hand. The doctor should feel comfortable doing common office procedures when indicated. S/he should refer the patient promptly if the problem is not diagnosed after two attempts or out of the scope of practice. Your primary doctor should invite you to participate in decision making whenever possible. S/he should respect and honor your wishes when appropriate medically, morally and legally. Your doctor should accommodate the same day appointment and urgent care. S/he should speak with you directly for important medical consultations. Your doctor should inform you of your test results whether normal or not.

How to search for a doctor?

First you should look for a primary doctor. Your primary doctor is responsible for your overall medical care and coordination of your care. For adults, your primary doctor should be a family physician or internist who practices primary care. For children, the primary doctor should be a pediatrician or family physician who does primary care. If you need care from other specialists, your primary doctor can refer you. Primary care should not be obtained from other specialists, however. Some urgent care facilities may also provide primary care if they choose to do so and are staffed with family physicians, internists or pediatricians. You can find a primary doctor through family members, friends, colleagues, neighbors, etc. Your last resort will be phonebooks, the Internet, other media, or a hospital referral operator.

When do I need a doctor?

It sounds like a silly question, but it's not. When you're sick with something you can't take care of yourself, you need a doctor. When you're healthy, you need to see a doctor once a year in general to go over your health maintenance issues. Before you travel to high-altitude regions or foreign countries, you also need medical advice. When you're planning to become pregnant or when you're already pregnant, you need see a obstetrician, or a family physician with an obstetric practice. When you're about to have a baby, your baby will need a pediatrician or a family physician who takes care of babies. If you're a student, athlete, commercial driver or pilot, etc., you may be required to have a physical on a regular basis.

Do I need a doctor?

I'm healthy. Do I need a doctor? You may ask yourself from time to time. Yes, of course. Even if you're a doctor yourself, you still need another doctor to take care of you sometimes. Different from ancient times, a modern doctor is responsible for not only diagnosis and treatment but also prevention. You may read the Internet and try to be your own doctor. You still need professional help since the medical information is very complicated with full of pitfalls. Besides, your doctor would have more independent judgment than yourself.