In the past, most cosmetic surgeons wouldn’t blink an eye if one of their patients admitted to being a smoker while scheduling a surgical procedure. Now, many refuse to perform surgery that requires skin to be shifted — for example, a face lift, tummy tuck or breast lift — on a smoker.

“Nicotine causes the tiny blood vessels in the skin to clamp down or constrict, which reduces blood supply to the skin,” said Dr. Darshan Shah, a plastic surgeon in Bakersfield, California. The lack of blood supply can cause poor healing, infection, bruising and scarring.

If you are interested in cosmetic surgery, Dr. Samaha is a qualified plastic surgeon in Boston. During your consultation, he will discuss your medical history. If you are a smoker, check out this government website that provides tips on how to quit smoking.

Four things to remember in avoiding the sun’s harmful rays:

1. Wear Sunblock
2. Stay out of the sun when it is most harmful - between 10 am and 4 pm
3. Check the UV index each day and be especially careful outdoors on higher numbered days
4. Remember that beach sand, water and snow reflect the sun’s rays and increase radiation. Clouds only block about 20% of UV radiation, and being in the water does not offer protection since UV radiation can pass right through it.

The summer season inevitably brings trips to the beach, lying by the pool, working in the garden, riding bikes, and walking the dog. We need to remember the dangers of exposure to the sun without skin protection against both UVA and UVB rays. Telling patients to stay out of the sun is often advice not heeded, especially after a long, cold, New England winter. Wearing a hat and long sleeved clothing is also not always possible or desired. The use of sunblocks is a great and an effective compromise.

Most people have a basic understanding of sun protection factors (SPF). These provide a measurement of the UVB sunlight needed to produce redness on sunscreen product-protected skin as compared to unprotected skin. Higher SPF numbers are better. Newer to the market are sunblocks which block UV radiation of the skin by reflecting the rays, not allowing absorption. These physical blockers include titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

Since the effects of sunlight on the skin include premature skin aging, skin cancer, and other skin disorders, we recommend using skin care products which contain sunblocks. These can be found in the makeup, skin care products, and sunblocks which we carry. By adding sunblocks to your daily skin care regimen, you protect your skin, keep its appearance more youthful, and avoid exposure to cancer-causing UV radiation.

Boston Plastic Surgery carries a full range of medical-grade skin care products, including Allergan, Avene, Boiron, Glytone, Kinerase, Neostrata, Nia24, Obagi, Person & Covey, and Vitamedica, plus Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup. Many of these products incorporate the sunblock components of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, thus providing the best protection available against UV rays. We also carry sunless tanning products in liquid and pad-infused forms, to help you get that healthy glow without subjecting your skin to sun damage.

If you are careful and safe when out in the sun, you will look beautiful for years to come.
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Boston Plastic Surgery is pleased to announce the arrival of Jane Iredale skin care makeup. Jane Iredale’s Skin Care Makeup combines the most up-to-date colors with skin-care benefits that conventional makeup can only envy.

Better known as The Skin Care Makeup, the Jane Iredale line is so safe and beneficial to use that it is recommended by Plastic Surgeons and Dermatologists throughout the world.

Skin care treatments and make-overs are rejuvenating, especially when they are designed to meet your specific needs. Our experienced estheticians will evaluate your skin and create a customized plan to provide maximum benefits to your skin’s health and well being-today and in the future.

If you call for a Jane Iredale make-over before February 16, 2007 and buy two Jane Iredale products, your make-over will be complementary.

Please call today for an appointment with one of our two estheticians:
Kathy Suppa-Antonowicz and Laura Whyte

Boston Plastic Surgery-781-331-3222

Please join Boston Plastic Surgery in welcoming Laura J. Whyte to our staff. Laura is a Massachusetts-licensed Medical Esthetician, and an experienced Massage Therapist.

Our patients wil benefit from Laura’s knowledge and experience with all aspects of skin care. Her caring manner and gentle touch have already won over many of our patients and staff members. Laura also brings extensive expertise in make-up artistry to our practice.

Laura provides a complimentary skin care evaluation to define your skin type and help you choose the best treatment and products tailored to your individual needs.

Some of the services Laura will be providing are:

Therapeutic facials including gentlemen’s, Rosacea, ultrasonic, antioxidant, Thermal, layered, acne, and back facials.

Exfoliative chemical and natural peels.
Mineral Make-up Application.
Lymphatic Massage and Relaxing Massage Treatments.

Laura is offering $10.00 off your first facial treatment for the month of December.

As always, gift certificates are also available.

Fouad J. Samaha, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Boston Plastic Surgery
www.bostonplastic.com

Obagi ELASTIderm Night Eye Cream is the first skincare product for the eye area clinically proven to help replenish both elastin and boost collagen production, and give the wrinkles around the eye area the ability to bounce back so that the skin looks feels and acts younger.

Elastin is a protein in your skin that holds it firmly in place. In fact, it is the loss of elastin that is directly related to the formation of wrinkles. Most anti-aging products claim to build collagen, but without replenishing elastin the skin lacks the support needed to stay firmly in place. Obagi ELASTIderm helps replenish both elastin and collagen to provide lift, snap and resilience.

Unlike other anti-aging products, Obagi Elastiderm Night Cream uses a unique, patent-pending revolutionary bi-mineral complex combined with malonic acid and rich emollients to replenish elastin and boost collagen production while the skin naturally repairs itself at night. Also contains Blueberry extract which provides antioxidants that help eliminate free radicals.

Obagi ELASTIderm Night Eye Cream is clinically proven to reduce wrinkles in as little as two weeks with long-lasting results.

Obagi ELASTIderm Night Eye Cream is specially formulated to use as a nightly, stand alone product, or for use within the Obagi Nu-Derm System or the Obagi-C Rx System.

While supplies last, we are excited to announce the new addition to the Obagi system portfolio. For the month of December we are offering a gift pack for the Holidays including Obagi black wristlets to go along with the Obagi ELASTIderm or a compact with lip balm for only $85.00. Contact Maureen for further information or call us at (781) 331-3222.