After a pimple goes away, it always leaves a dark spot on my skin that stays around for ages. Why is that?

Dr. Yaz says:
For some reason, more melanin is produced by the skin when it is damaged. As a result, a pimple, rash, burn and other types of inflammation/damage lead to an over-production of melanin, which causes those dark spots. This type of skin discolouration is known as Post-inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH), and is generally worse for those with darker skin.

But don’t worry, it’s usually not dangerous though your complexion may be adversely affected. In most cases, although it might take a few weeks, those spots will eventually go away. However, you can try cosmetic treatments like microdermabrasion or a chemical peel if you’d prefer to speed up the process or if they are permanent.

For some time now, there has been talk about stem cells and their remarkable ability to grow into fat, bone or cartilage of a desirable shape. Because they are not a “foreign” object that is inserted into the body, and with an ability to maintain their shape as well as prevent some level of scarring, stem cells could be the next big thing to revolutionize the field of cosmetic surgery.

Thus far, it seems like breast augmentation may be the first cosmetic surgical procedure to benefit. In a technique developed by a Japanese surgeon, fat is removed from one part of the body so that half can be processed for the removal of stem cells. These stem cells are then combined with the other half of the fat, and then injected into the breasts. The desired results do not appear instantaneously – it takes a series of treatments over a period of time for results to gradually appear. Unfortunately, the increase in size is far less than what can be achieved by typical breast augmentation with saline or silicone implants.

While stem cells for breast augmentation have been used in Japan for a couple of years now, it remains experimental in North America. Research and studies continue to improve effectiveness, safety and stability.

Got an oily nose? For those of us with that problematic T-zone, it can be harder to handle in the winter, when the rest of your face is dry. To deal with excessive grease in the chin, nose and forehead area, try using an alcohol-free toner in those problem areas, followed by the application of a good moisturizer to the whole face. The type of moisturizer to use should be one that is in lotion form, since it’s lighter than a cream, and is absolutely oil-free. Also, it’s probably best to avoid washing your face more than twice a day, because it will dry out the already dry parts and irritate the oily parts, triggering more oil production.

Keeping a supply of blotting paper (with powder) and/or applying a mineral based powder that doesn’t clog pores can also help.

An attractive face relies on each of its features to cooperate harmoniously with the others. When one part of your face demands more attention than the other, that pleasant harmony is upset.

So when your nose demands more attention than it deserves, it can become a great source of embarrassment and shame - which is why rhinoplasty is one of the most common cosmetic surgical procedures in North America.

Who is rhinoplasty for?
Rhinplasty is designed for those who are dissatisfied with the shape or size of their nose and would like to make it more aesthetically pleasing. This is typically achieved by creating a nose that is harmoniously balanced with the rest of the face.

The nose may be straightened, widened or narrowed or the shape of the bridge or tip altered. Rhinoplasty may even change the shape/size of the nostrils or modify the angle at which the nose and upper lip meet.

Like all cosmetic procedures, ideal patients are those with realistic expectations and are in good mental and physical health. It is recommended that complete growth has been achieved before undergoing the procedure.

Anesthesia
Rhinoplasty is usually performed under general anesthesia.

The Procedure
What is involved in the nose job procedure depends on what type of problem the patient aims to correct. During the consultative process, your cosmetic surgeon will detail what is involved during your procedure so that you can be mentally prepared.

A variety of things may be done. For example, if a bump on the bridge is to be removed, the skin is separated from cartilage and bone, and the unappealing bump is filed or chiseled down before reattaching the skin. For a bulbous tip, cartilage may be trimmed to make it smaller. Wide nostrils may be sutured to make them more narrow. Whatever the technique, any external incisions made are quite small and placed in discreet locations.

Depending on what the procedure entails, a nose job may take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours, or even longer.

After the Procedure
Dressing will be applied to protect the nose and help it heal. Some level of discomfort may be felt once the anesthesia wears off, which may be eased with prescribed medication. During recovery, it is recommended that the patient sleep on their back with the head elevated.

In the days and weeks following the procedure, bandages/gauze and any undissolvable sutures will be removed.

The true results of rhinoplasty will gradually appear in the months following surgery. It may take up to a year.

Side Effects
Aside from discomfort, swelling and bruising, which are all considered common and temporary effects of rhinoplasty, other side effects may include difficulty breathing through the nose due to swelling and hardened drainage. This is also considered temporary.

More serious complications include injury to the nerves in the nose and permanent numbness.

If you’ve got a penchant for sweets, you may be harming more than your waistline and your teeth.

Glycation is a bodily process that impedes healthy activity and damages structures due to the binding of protein molecules to glucose molecules, resulting in the formation of harmful and damaged molecules known as “advanced glycation end products” (AGE). Some scientists have found that by eating too much sugar, the rate of glycation becomes higher.

The formation of wrinkles has been linked to glycation because the building block of healthy skin, collagen, is comprised of protein molecules which become AGE’s through glycation.

While we all know that too much sugar is bad for you anyway, this may be another reason to cut down on those treats. Unfortunately.

February was a cold, snowy month – probably the worst month this winter. But it’s finally over, and spring is on the way. While those extra pounds some of us gained over these past few months may have helped to keep us warm, there’s no better time than now to start shedding that extra accumulated weight. We definitely won’t need it as the weather gets warmer!

I’d also like to take this time to congratulate the two winners of our Love to Surf Contest. Everyone at Toronto Cosmetic Clinic wishes them bon voyage as they pick up their prizes for an all-inclusive trip for two to The Bahamas! While the contest is now over, we’ll be running yet another contest in the near future. Watch out for it on the Contest page of the TCClinic website.

Enjoy TCC’s March newsletter!