Well Past 50: The Weblog of Boomerful.com

Thinning Hair? Maximize the Hair Line

by Contributing Editor Melina Papadakis

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Many men address the issue of severe hair loss by simply shaving their heads. Michael Jordan, Bruce Willis, Andre Agassi and other celebrities have made male baldness not only acceptable, but fashionable and attractive.

Women are not so lucky. They rarely want to go the cue ball route when they experience hair loss. The hair restoration experts at Bosley (www.bosley.com) offer a solution: hair line recreation.

Many people do not know that hair transplantation can be very localized. This is particularly true for women who experience widening parts or bald spots behind the frontal hair line. Restoration of the hair line around the face has maximum impact and benefit for most people.

According to Bosley experts, hair line transplantation involves a high level of artistry, since it isn't really a line at all, but a zone in which subtle gradations exist of fine to thicker hairs. "A physician who practices hair transplantation must know the classical rules of facial dimensions," explained Ken Washenik, M.D., Ph.D., Medical Director of Bosley. "He or she must develop a sculptor’s keen sense of balance and proportion and a portrait painter’s sense of refinement in blending and shading."

Dr. Washenik explained how the process is achieved. "To give a soft, natural look, 'donor hair' is removed from the donor site at the back and along the sides of the head where permanent lifetime hairs are found in good supply," he said. "Very fine hairs can be taken from the donor area closest to the temple. We harvest this hair in such a way that grafts of only one, two or three hairs are placed into tiny openings in the scalp along the hair line.  Fine hairs are placed strategically in the front – just the way nature does it – to create a completely natural look."
 

Dr. Washenik added that most hair transplant patients return to work within a few days. After about three months, the hair begins to grow at the normal rate of half an inch per month so that visible results will appear slowly over time. The average hairline procedure can run $6,000-$8,000, depending upon the number of grafts required.

Would you consider hair transplantation if your hair started to thin? Give us your thoughts on this procedure.

For more interesting articles and news you can use, visit our main Web page, www.Boomerful.com.

Brush Up on Your Makeup Hygiene

Contributing editor Melina Papadakis finds out how to give germy makeup the brush-off...

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Germs are probably the last things that come to mind when thinking about your makeup brushes. But if brushes are not cared for properly, they can become magnets for bacteria that will lead to poor makeup application and irritated skin. Caring for your brushes will save you time, money - and your face. 

Shana King, a professional makeup artist and founder of adesign Brushes - www.adesignbrushes.com - recommends these easy tips to clean, maintain and store your favorite beauty tools.

Storage: Store brushes in their custom pouches to assure that the bristles will not be crushed.

Cleaning: Once a month, use mild soap or shampoo and water. Gently work soap or shampoo through the bristles. Swirl the brush in circles in the palm of your hand and rinse under water, until the water is clear. 

Drying: If possible, hang up the brushes, bristles downward, so they can drip-dry.

Quick Cleanings: As needed, use an alcohol-free swab to remove access makeup in between big washes.

Just follow these tips to keep your brushes germ-free and in top condition.

Do you have any personal beauty tips that you'd like to share with your friends here at Boomerful.com?

Be sure to visit our main Web page, www.Boomerful.com, for interesting articles and news you can use!

Burning Question for January 2008

Have You Had a Cosmetic Procedure and If So, How Did It Go?

If you go to the Video page of Boomerful.com - http://www.boomerful.com/vseries.html - you will see that I have undergone some cosmetic procedures over the years. I'm not shy about talking about my own experiences - now it's your turn, ladies! Have you had a cosmetic procedure, and if so, how did it go? Are you pleased with the results? Is there anything you'd have done differently, once it was all said and done?

Women and Self-Confidence: Can Plastic Surgery Make the Difference?

What do actress Gwyneth Paltrow and reality-show star Heidi Montag have in common? Shunning previous stigmas, they are part of the increasing number of women who view plastic surgery as an acceptable way to improve self-confidence:

"It's not like, 'Oh let's do this for fun.' My breasts...really bothered me, [and were something] that I'd been living with and really insecure about my whole life. Now I'm happy and I'm good. No more surgery for me." – Heidi Montag, Us Weekly

"I think women who have breastfed understand what I'm saying…Everybody should do what makes them feel good and happy as long as they are not starving themselves to death. But if you can eat in a healthy way and keep exercising and get a little something done here and there, why not? I'm sure when the time comes, I'll be in there doing something." – Gwyneth Paltrow, Allure

Gwyneth and Heidi are only two of the many women openly speaking about plastic surgery, whether it’s breast reshaping, lifting or augmenting. Breast augmentation surgery surpassed liposuction as the number one surgical cosmetic procedure for women in 2006, with more than 380,000 procedures performed. According to a recent survey from the National Women's Health Resource Center:

- 53 percent of women say they are more accepting of breast augmentation than they used to be.

- 63 percent agree that women who have breast augmentation surgery are the kind of women who know what they want and aren’t afraid to get it.

- 50 percent of women know someone who has had breast augmentation surgery.

While attitudes about breast augmentation have never been more positive, all women should do their homework before undergoing any procedure. To help women sort out the facts on breast augmentation, a non-branded Web resource called www.breastimplantanswers.com has been launched, developed in partnership with a group of independent experts and members of academia and Allergan. The Breast Implant Resource Team, who helped create content for the site, have expertise in topics ranging from diagnostics and toxicology to psychology and consumer advocacy.

BreastImplantAnswers.com includes these features:

- The technological developments and makeup of silicone gel-filled breast implants.

- The history, science and safety of silicone and silicone gel-filled breast implants.

- A video highlighting the manufacturing process of silicone gel-filled breast implants.

- Useful questions women considering breast surgery may want to ask a surgeon.

- A link to help women find a board-certified physician in their area.

To find out more about other cosmetic procedures, I encourage women to visit the Boomerful.com Video page – http://www.boomerful.com/vseries.html. There you will find informative videos on a variety of cosmetic procedures.

What do you think about the connection between plastic surgery and self-confidence? Would you feel better about your appearance if you "had some work done," as people often say about plastic surgery? If so, what kind of work would that be?

Which Feature Would You Change?

If money were no object, which feature of your appearance would you change, and why?

I'm asking this question because I have a good friend who is half-Greek and he once mentioned that his Greek mother absolutely hated her own nose. He said she would somehow manage to blame every problem in her life on that large, high nose of hers. She was absolutely fixated on it. But she never had a nose job because the expense was prohibitive.

I asked my friend: If she'd been able to afford the surgery, would she have been happy after the nose-job? He laughed and said, "Oh no, she'd have found something else to complain about!"

Green Beauty

The most fashionable color in makeup this spring is green, but that shouldn't limit you to wearing it on your eyelids.

The makeup and beauty industry is seeing growth in "green beauty," or environmentally friendly beauty products that are not only good for your skin, but good for the earth too.

In addition to consumer demand, what's driving much of of green beauty growth are new-product areas, one of the biggest being mineral-based foundations. The trend of crushed mineral, powder-like foundations started with the rapidly growing niche company Bare Escentuals. That brand, once sold only on home shopping television networks, has seen competitors, such as Urban Decay, Laura Mercier and others rush to the market with similar products.

Beyond minerals, natural-ingredient positioned toiletries, which became popular in the 1970s and the re-emerged in the 1990s with the relaunch of Clairol Herbal Essences, have seen a resurgence, especially in skin care, and color cosmetics.

Some even link the trend to not just clear, healthy skin but actually green marketing and environmental issues. "Green beauty is reflecting changing world beliefs," says Karen Grant, senior beauty analyst at the NPD Group. "The recent popularity of mineral makeup illustrates that natural ingredients are resonating with consumers and have broad appeal. We see natural ingredients as being part of a lifestyle rather than just a trend ... this is just the tip of the iceberg."

Cosmetic companies that put a little green into not only their products, but their production and corporate philosophy, are creating the ultimate environmentally friendly product by transforming their brick and mortar stores into a green haven.

Origins Natural Resources, a division of Estee Lauder, has a new fleet of stores that will feature low-emission paints, low-energy lighting, more live plants in the store for purification, poured concrete sinks and wood veneer from managed forests.

Between department stores and retail stores, about three dozen more of the new concept shops are planned this year, adding to the 65 already open. Older stores are in the process of updating paints and lighting.

A unique example of an ultimate environmentally friendly beauty product is Cargo's PlantLove lipstick. It is contained in a tube made not of plastic but of a corn-based polymer called PLA. One ear of corn will make 12 lipstick cases, says the company, and each case biodegrades in as little as 47 days if composted.

The lipsticks themselves also use an environmentally friendly recipe: meadow-foam seed oil, jojoba and shea butter and no mineral oils or petroleums. The outer packaging of the lipstick box is embedded with seeds, so if you plant the paper, you can grow wildflowers.

Additionally, $2 from the sale of every lipstick goes to St. Jude's Children's Hospital. The company says its mission is not only to give back to the Earth, but also the future of children.

Other companies, such as Aveda and The Body Shop, have a good reputation for their environmentally friendly practices, offering the option to refill lotions and cosmetics in store, or get a discount for bringing a container back in to recycle.

More resources:

Great green beauty products from MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18182093/

The Naked Truth http://www.thenakedtruthproject.org/index.php

Winterize Your Makeup: Look Hot Even When It's Cold

If you live in a cold winter climate, you know that warm works best for nearly everything at this time of year. This even includes makeup. Our friends at LHJ.com shared some tips that will help us look 'hot' even in the coldest clime. 

• Check your foundation. That shade you chose for summer might be too dark for winter skin.  You may want to go a shade lighter.
• Brighten your blush.  Pick a lively color but remember to apply lightly.  The color will brighten you up without being too intense.
• Deepen your lip color. Pick a red or warm brown shade for winter.
• But, keep it light. The warmer lip color is good but you may want to use the gloss form rather than a heavy matte.
• Line your eyes. To make your eyes stand out in the winter, chose a chocolate brown or charcoal liner along your upper lashes.
• Darken nails.  Blackberry and copper polish are great for winter but keep your nails short - just to fingertips - for these darker colors.
• Make it matte. Take the shine off your face with an oil-free foundation and set it with a translucent powder.
• Leave the frost on the ground.  Using super-shimmery eye shadow on dry winter skin can make for a harsh look.  Mattes work better for your eyes, too, at this time of year.
• Define eye creases.  Sweep along the creases of your eyelids  - from outer to inner corners - with a medium-tone shadow.  It will add a nice finish to your makeup.
• Pick a colored mascara.  Darker colors such as navy, auburn or burgundy will give depth to your lashes and these colors are subtle enough not to look obvious.

Add a few tricks to take it from day to night...

• Wet your liner. Instead of using a darker harsh liquid liner, wet your eyeliner brush and dip it into a black or charcoal shadow.  Apply along your lash lines.
• Sparkle.  Shimmery face powder brushed lightly on your cheekbones will add nighttime glamour to your skin.
• Brighten your evening blush.  Just like a bright blush will give you color in winter months, it will also add zip to your evening look. Apply more intense shades lightly.
• Drop in some lashes.  You can add individual false lashes to fill in your own for a great look.
• Keep your polish.  If you like a deep shade of polish for evening and your current polish is in good shape, no need to remove it.   Use it as a base coat for the new shade and paint over it. 
• Gloss with gold.  Add a bit of gold gloss over your lipstick. Rub your lips together to blend and you will shine.
• Brighten your eyes.  To give your eyes that wide awake and sexy look, apply shimmery white shadow or pencil on the inner corners.
• Brush your lips with color.  When wearing a bright or deep lipstick shade, it's important that it be applied neatly to avoid a sloppy look.  For this you will need a good lipstick brush.
• Forget the powder.  The matte look is fine for daytime but can make your skin appear pale in evening light.  Apply your foundation and let your natural shine come through.
• Glitter your nails.  To really sparkle, use clear polish infused with glitter.  Paint it over bare or polished nails. 

How to Look Perfectly Plump for New Years Eve

The holidays are a time when everyone wants to look their best, so make sure you have ammunition built up into that beauty arsenal of wrinkle-zapping-line-filling cremes and fillers.

If you are into the industry hype and the new wave of skin plumping products that will make your skin look as dewy and fresh as it did ten years ago, you are somewhat prepared for the sticker shock of youth in a bottle. However if you find yourself the day of the party with nowhere to turn, here are a few things you can do to "plump up" so you can ring in the New Year radiantly.

Cosmetic Fillers:
Viscontour - Here's the important part of Viscontour: it's NON INVASIVE. Viscontour are ampoules of hyaluronic acid which create a slick ingredient that easily penetrates your pores. Apply after a shower and your skin will plump as much as 30%. Read more at Realself.com.

Restylane - Invasive, but it works, however it's best to do the day before your big party. Restylane is a filler made of hyaluronic acid injected underneath the skin around the eyes and mouth. The results last about 6 months. Watch Restylane in action on the Well Past 50 Video series >>

Beauty Products & Creams:
Freeze 24/7 Anti Wrinkle Cream - If hope lives in a jar, this just may be it. Freeze 24/7 claims 50 -90% reduction in wrinkles. The cream gives a plumper appearance within minutes and lasts about 24 hours. Hypo-allergenic and non-irritating, Freeze 24/7 has a good reputation across the cosmetic counters as well as women's faces. Find it at the Skin Store.com >>

GabaMed™ Instant Wrinkle Relaxer and Smoother - No injection necessary! These syringe-like doses are really a nutritious amino acid blend that nourishes your skin while making fine lines and wrinkles suddenly seem to vanish. Safe and comfortable, unlike Botox, which paralyzes facial muscles, GabaMed gently relaxes the tiny skin nerves that cause wrinkles for up to 10 hours. Check it out at SpaLook >>

Too Faced Lip Injection Mask - Who doesn't think plump pouty lips make you look younger? With this product, there's really no injecting involved. The plumping comes from Glycolic Humectants to provide moisture, Vitamins A and E to nourish and provide anti-aging action and Algae and Aloe Vera to condition lips. Vertical lip lines seem to disappear while the blood vessel dilating properties of this lip plumping miracle fill lips with a lasting and healthy rush of blood and oxygen to take your kisser to the extreme! Check it out at SpaLook >>

Dr. Perricone's Promises

Has anyone out there actually tried Dr. Perricone’s products or diet? I bought his first book and tried eating nothing but salmon and cantaloupe, washed down with 12 oz. of spring water, plus an additional 6 glasses of water, for three days to “restore the suppleness, radiance and youthful glow” to my skin.  Okay, I actually tried it for 2-1/3 days, at which time I had to move my desk closer to the restroom and remove the fish tank from the office.  I was beginning to feel like there was an actual live salmon swimming inside my stomach, and the office goldfish was adding to the wooziness it was causing.  It was hard to tell if any suppleness had been restored, as my face was firmly set in a starvation grimace.

Having said that, I am intrigued by the regular newsletter I receive from Dr. Perricone. His promise to jumpstart my cellular rejuvenation and give me a robust sex life by reading his latest book is provocative. And his vast array of products that not only improve the skin’s luminosity, but curb excess sebum production, make my cells quiver with anticipation. 

However, at $240 for the Neuropeptide Facial Contour Cream, I want to be darned sure my suppleness, luminosity and sebum production are going to improve dramatically before I write the check.  I need testimonials that offer positive proof that neuropeptides will infallibly reverse the aging process and make my face return to its 23 year old radiance for $240.

Do they work? Has anyone read the book, actually stuck with the diet, slathered Neuropeptides on her face, or taken Dr. Perricone’s (also-pricey) supplements that include a Polysaccharide Peptide Blend said to increase the energy in our cells (my cells are quivering again)?  The names alone weaken my resolve and make me want to place an order for everything he sells.  Is there a danger that if I read the book, go on the diet, apply the ointments and take the supplements all at the same time my cells will rejuvenate too fast? 

The man has sold a bizillion books, so there must be someone out there who has experimented with Neuropeptides or Polysaccharides or sebum production. Tell me – do I spend the $240, move my desk back near the restroom, start popping Polysaccharides or all of the above?

Hit the Snooze Button for Beauty!

Dr. Perricone's enewsletter just sent out information about a fascinating study conducted by researchers at London's Westminster University that found a physiological difference between people who wake early and those who wake later. The study looked at levels of cortisol, the body's main stress hormone, and discovered that the levels varied, depending upon rising times.

As we know, cortisol is a stress hormone, whose levels are controlled by the brain. Cortisol is essential for maintaining homeostasis during acute forms of stress, like fear, physical trauma and extreme physical exertion. But a problem arises when cortisol is present for long periods of time and in excess quantities.

High levels of cortisol will:
• Increase body fat
• Thin the skin
• Cause depression of the immune system
• Elevate blood sugar
• Cause bone loss
• Be toxic to brain cells
• Cause mental depression

The study examined cortisol levels in 42 healthy individuals at waking times that ranged from 5:22 a.m. to 10:37 a.m. over a two-day period. People who woke earlier tended to have higher concentrations of cortisol during the first 45 minutes of their day. This doesn’t mean we need to sleep until 11 AM, just 20 or 30 minutes more sleep in the morning will have the desired effect.

A little extra sleep in the morning can provide us with an antidote to the high stress levels we all experience, allowing us to go through our day in a much better state of mind.