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Beyond Beauty Blog: The Surgeon's Secrets

Diet and Supplements, Integrative Beauty

ALL you need to know about collagen supplements

What is collagen and why is it important?

  • Collagen is a peptide that is responsible for your skin’s strength and vigor.
  • ​A​ deficiency in dietary protein cause​s reduced cellular turnover, decreased DNA repair, fragmentation of collagen and elastin, and skin wrinkling and laxity.
  • ​Supplementation with hydrolyzed collagen was shown to stimulate collagen-producing cells in human​s.​
  • ​Daily oral ingestion with collagen hydrosylate of 2.5 grams or more per day, will statistically and significantly increase skin hydration and decrease skin wrinkles.
  • So, if firmer skin is your objective, incorporating collagen into your regimen is important.

How do you incorporate collagen into your skincare regimen?

The short answer is…in your diet! Because collagen is a large molecule, and because your skin’s main function is to act as a barrier, topical collagen is not well absorbed into the skin. Interestingly, your body can create collagen, if you consume (and absorb) a lot of proteins. But, according to the Centers for Disease Control, 33% of people over the age of 18 (and this number increases with advancing age and certain medical conditions) have difficulty absorbing nutrients even from a healthy and balanced diet. For these people, supplementation is important both to correct insufficiency and to bypass problems with absorption.

How do you select the right collagen supplement?

  • First, you need at least 2.5 grams of collagen hydrosylate, in powder form​, consisting of types I and I​I​I, per day.
  • Types I and III target the skin, hair and nails, while type II primarily target bones and joints.
  • ​C​ollagen powder should be given in the proper ratio with zinc, manganese and copper for optimal absorption.

While there are many collagen supplements on the market, only BeautyScoop (for youthful skin, lustrous hair and long, strong nails) and BeautyMe (for healthy, fresh skin on your period) are patented and clinically proven. Each contains 3.5 grams per serving of types I and III collagen (in powder form and in the proper ratio with zinc, manganese and copper for optimal absorption). BeautyScoop’s rapid results are unsurpassed and are clinically proven by ten years of rigorous scientific studies that were double blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, prospective and run by independent doctors. These clinical studies were published in the Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences.

Health and Wellness

Too Cool To JUUL?

It looks like a flash drive but it’s called a Juul. A type of e-cigarette, it delivers a powerful dose of nicotine via vaporized liquids, in doses higher than most other e-cigarettes, without the cloying smell and smoke or unpleasant taste of a typical cigarette. After a decade-long decline in teen smoking, vaping or juuling has become a growing (and concerning) trend with 18.5% of eighth graders using it in 2017, up 17.5% from the year prior. The vaping market is projected to reach $5.1 billion by the end of 2018, and all three major tobacco companies are involved.

Juuling has become a teen status symbol and it is often used in the bathroom during the few minutes before or even during classes. The starter kit contains the device, charger and four flavor pods, and retails for $50. Additional liquid pods are sold separately at roughly $4.25, less than the average retail price for a pack of cigarettes. One pod is comparable to one pack of cigarettes, or 200 puffs. With nicotine-free, sweet flavored vaping sauces like “Creme Brulee,” “Mango” and “Fruit Medley” pods are particularly attractive to teens. To make matters worse, juuling can also be done with marijuana.

Make no mistake about it; e-cigarettes and juuling are absolutely addictive even if teens are blissfully ignorant of the risk! According to the Journal of the American Medical Association – Pediatrics, a growing body of research is linking teen e-cigarette use to traditional cigarette use later in life. And, a recent study in Pediatrics measured toxic levels of acrolein and propylene oxide in teen e-cigarette users compared to non-users. Side effects of use also include impulsiveness, difficulty paying attention, gum disease, lung damage, bronchitis, wheezing, and high blood pressure. Dr. Yagoda’s advice? “Say no to Juuls and dare to be too cool to Juul!”

Professional Voice

Focus on this side NOTE🎼

Singers on tour or in a show, men and women of the cloak, radio and TV announcers, inspirational speakers and other professional voice users can get sick and run down, and be subject to seasonal allergies just like the rest of us common folk. But, the pressure to perform can be daunting and relying on hearsay and anecdotal tales of success with quick fixes can not only cloud good judgement but may lead to temporary or even permanent vocal damage.

If your voice has lost power or range, or you have significant vocal fatigue, nasal congestionor post-nasal drip, you likely have or are at risk for having vocal injury. It is important to see a laryngologist (ENT specializing in care of the professional voice) like Dr. Yagoda for preventive care, proper diagnosis and integrative treatment combining natural, alternative and traditional techniques. Your laryngologist should also coordinate your care with your vocal coach, singing teacher, speech pathologist, naturopath, acupuncturist, therapist, herbalist, and/or chiropractor to safely rehabilitate your voice while minimizing the risk of future injury.

Health and Wellness

Americans Add Sugar to EVERYTHING….

It’s no secret. Americans love sugar. That’s why sugar is in everything. Some say that it is the root cause of an epidemic sugar addiction.

Sugar is in everything. Take for example, beverages. Everyone knows that sugar is added to sparkling water to make soda. And, while black coffee may have its health benefits, a Starbucks’ Frappuccino, loaded with sugar, is not so healthy. Tropicana’s Premium Watermelon Juice contains even more sugar than watermelon!

Sugar is not only hidden in beverages. Did you know that those crispy, salty addictive potato chips, undoubtedly a savory snack, contain sugar? So does tomato sauce. Cough medicine. Teriyaki sauce. Soy milk. Low-fat and fat-free salad dressings. And, even most (vegan, too) frozen dinners. It might seem like there is no other place left for sugar to hide.

Alas, there is! Xlear nasal saline spray is marketed to alleviate congestion and relieve sinus pressure. But it contains xylitol, a sugar substitute. Why? Simple salt water is safe and effective. Sugar and its substitutes like Xylitol, provide energy to bacteria and as such could possibly result in a sinus infection. Xylitol and sugars should have no place in a sinus spray. Is a hint of sweetness on the tongue worth the risk of a possible sinus infection? Clearly, America is facing a new low in its endeavor to catch an ever-rising sugar high.

Health and Wellness

Go green! And, we don’t mean juice!


In today’s hectic, fast-paced world, pretty much anything can contribute to raising your stress levels. It is important to take steps to reduce stress as much as possible in order to improve overall health and wellness. Rx: go green! Yes, outside into the great green yonder, and here’s what will happen:

If you only have 5 minutes to spare: Exercising outdoors will not only elevate your mood, but your self-esteem as well, according to a report in Environmental Science and Technology.

Can you make it 10? Simply being outside will help you become more focused according to a study from the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago.

20 minutes is all it takes: According to researchers at the University of Rochester, if you spend 20 minutes outside daily, you will see your energy levels skyrocket.

A well-deserved 30. Spend 30 magical minutes outdoors and say good bye to depressing thoughts. Your blood pressure will drop and you’ll feel happier as well, according to research in Scientific Reports.

Health and Wellness

Importance of your Gut Microbiome for Optimal Health

Did You Know? …that your skin is not your body’s largest barrier.

While the skin is the body’s largest organ, and its main function is to act as a barrier, it is not your body’s largest barrier! The gut is. The intestines, measuring an average of 25 feet, serve as both a physical and functional barrier. They help the body to discriminate pathogens from benign microorganisms, and in doing so, educate the immune system.

While the structure of the intestinal barrier is formed early, by the end of the first trimester, its functional development continues into the postnatal period. By age 3, the gut microbiome has an adult-like profile.

Although mainly harmless, the microorganisms that live on and in our bodies provide benefits to the host, in priming the immune system, in contributing to metabolic functions, and in protecting the body against pathogens. The structure and function of the microbiome can vary depending on whether the host is in a healthy state or a specific diseased state, and many medical conditions may be caused by or related to changes in the microbiome. Your gut microbiome is important for optimal health.

Graphic Source Credit: Mercola.com

Face & Cheeks

6 Truths About Fillers You’ll Wish Your Dermatologist Told You….

According to a recent study by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, there were nearly 2 million hyaluronic acid filler injections performed in 2015. With immediate rejuvenating results and little-to-no downtime, why not have filler?

Here are 6 truths about fillers you’ll wish your dermatologist told you:

1. You can have too much of a good thing. So…it softened your nasolabial folds (the lines connecting the corner of your lips to the outside of your nostrils). It muted your marionette lines (the lines heading south from the corners of your mouth). Now, why not plump up your cheeks? Well, you can….sort of…. But just like a Hervé Léger bandage dress, you need to have the right underlying bone structure. If not, watch out or meet Ms. Bobblehead!

2. It’s not what you use, it’s how you use it! Juvederm? Restylane? Voluma? Does it really make a difference which hyaluronic acid filler you choose? While some docs prefer one or another, most will agree that it’s not which one is used, but how and where it is placed. For lips, filler should be injected where the pink part and white part connect, not in the pink, fleshy part causing unnatural lumps and bumps. For the nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and cheeks, filler placed too superficial will be visible through the skin, and filler put too deep will cause you to spend more and see less!

3. Cheek filler is like pregnancy. It lasts about 9-10 months. In injected cheeks, like an expecting belly, gravity continues to wreak havoc, and aging cheek skin (stretched with filler) continues to droop. Filler has limited hoisting potential so woe be the one who refuses surgery (when the time is right). There is a point of no return when no additional filler can do the trick.

4. You don’t need a facelift to get rid of early jowls. Good news! A bit of perfectly placed filler can eliminate jowls and return your jawline to its youthful, superhero vigor.

5. Filler here. Filler there. Filler, filler everywhere? Yes, filler can be used in the chin crease and even in the tear trough (the diagonal and indented pathway down which tears flow). However, fillers should not be injected in the “11” lines in the forehead, unless the area is first immobilized with Botox or Dysport, and, then, only if the line remains visible. If not, filler will tend to move with muscle motion and clump in a visible location.

6. Forego the facials and avoid a breakdown. While having a facial can be a great was to melt away stress and tension, extended facial massage (and radio frequency tightening treatments) can breakdown filler and make it go away faster. Tell your facialist about the location(s) of your filler to improve its life expectancy at the same time!

 

Health and Wellness

Laugh your —–SS off?

If you mentally filled in the blank with a synonym for derriere, we want you to know that that’s not what we were thinking! Because if laughing caused that, then comedienne Amy Schumer might quite literally be booty-less not booty-licious. Did you know that laughter actually reduces streSS?

According to the Mayo Clinic, laughter is the best medicine. It’s no joke: laughter increases your intake of oxygen, stimulating your heart, lungs and muscles. It releases endorphins to relieve stress and relax your body for up to 45 minutes. In fact, even the mere anticipation of laughter boosts health-protecting hormones. Go ahead, try it and make this a laughing matter!

Health and Wellness

Anti-Bacterial Soaps—Killing Germs or Us?

Many people believe that anti-bacterial soaps protect us.  This may be in part because consumers are inundated with information from organizations like the Personal Care Products Council, that urges us to believe “that banning anti-bacterial products would increase the level of risk and exposure of the general population to bacteria, leading to increased infection and disease, including 7.5 million cases of food-borne illness and $38 billion in health-care costs annually.” In addition, anti-bacterial soap manufacturers attempt to convince consumers that their anti-bacterial products are “safe and more effective than regular soap.” However, there have been no definitive studies to prove that anti-bacterial products are more beneficial than plain soap and water.

Environmental advocates and new research suggest that anti-bacterial products may be causing more harm than good, producing “superbugs that are resistant to the antibiotics long used to fight them.” Studies on one of the main chemicals in anti-bacterial products, Triclosan, show that “it [Triclosan] can interfere with hormones and cause changes in thyroid, reproductive-growth and developmental systems.” This recent evidence reinforces earlier beliefs that anti-bacterial soaps may not only be killing germs, but also harming us!

This fall, the Food and Drug Administration will review the data on anti-bacterial soaps, and make a final determination on whether they are safe, and whether they are more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illness. If the FDA determines that there are safety concerns, manufacturers may be forced to reformulate their products. Either way, the debate between cleaning-product makers, researchers, and environmental advocates may be finally put to rest.

Facial Plastic Surgery, Facial Plastics, Nose

Ho Ho Ho! Happy Holidays!

As the happiest time of the year approaches, there is one red-nosed reindeer that we all know by name….. Rudolph! Rudolph is an icon of Christmas who is allowed to have a plump, red nose: That is how he saved Christmas, after all!

However, in the beginning, even Rudolph was self conscious about his nose! If you find yourself in the same predicament, Dr. Yagoda offers a solution that can serve as the perfect holiday gift: tip rhinoplasty.

Tip rhinoplasty is a form of rhinoplasty that is done to narrow the tip of the nose; define and sculpt the tip; get rid of a bulbous tip; narrow the base of the nostrils (alar base reduction); and raise or lower the tip. And, that’s not even all! The tip can also be strengthened so that it doesn’t compress onto the upper lip when pressed upon. This option usually results in a more refined and perkier nose.

Tip rhinoplasty is a good option for those who really like — but don’t 100% love — their nose. It falls into the category of “finesse rhinoplasty,” which is defined as an enhancement to an otherwise attractive nose. If you are unhappy with your entire nose (feel it is crooked/large/etc or are having trouble breathing), then perhaps you should give yourself the gift of a full rhinoplasty. Either way, you will not be disappointed!