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How a Maple Leaf Can Help the Skin

Study finds that maple leaf extract may help with wrinkles, freckles, age spots Health Tip: Things to Remember About Acne In a new study, researchers found that certain compounds in maple leaves block the release of an enzyme called elastase, which breaks down a protein called elastin as people age. Elastin helps maintain skin elasticity.MONDAY, Aug. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- A maple leaf extract may help prevent wrinkles, scientists say. Previous work by the same University of Rhode Island researchers found that these same compounds in maple leaves might help protect skin from inflammation and lighten dark spots, such as freckles or age spots. "You could imagine that these extracts might tighten up human skin like a plant-based Botox, though they would be a topical application, not an injected toxin," principal investigator Navindra Seeram said in an American Chemical Society (ACS) news release. Such products would provide a new option for people who want natural, plant-based skincare products, and also might provide economic benefits in the United States and Canada, the researchers said. "Many botanical ingredients traditionally come from China, India and the Mediterranean, but the sugar maple and the red maple only grow in eastern North America," Seeram said. Woodlot owners who currently only harvest sap from the maple trees could use the leaves as an additional source of income. The process would be sustainable because the leaves could be collected during normal pruning or when they fall from the trees in autumn, Seeram said. The team's research is continuing, and it's also formulating the findings into a patent-pending product. The study findings are scheduled for presentation Monday at the annual meeting of the ACS, in Boston. Research presented at meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. -- Robert Preidt Copyright © 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. CONTINUE SCROLLING FOR NEXT NEWS ARTICLE SOURCE: American Chemical Society, news release, Aug. 20, 2018 Health Tip: Achieve Healthier Hair (HealthDay News) -- Want your hair to look healthier? The American Academy of Dermatology suggests how to achieve healthier locks: Wash oily hair more frequently. Wash chemically treated hair less often. As you age, your scalp should make less oil, so you may not need to shampoo as often. Watch for flakes -- which may indicate dandruff or another scalp condition. Concentrate shampoo on the scalp instead of washing the entire length of hair. Use conditioner after every shampoo, or use a 2-in-1 product that cleans and conditions. Apply conditioner on the tips of hair. Choose a shampoo and conditioner formulated for your hair type. When swimming, wet and condition hair beforehand, or wear a tight-fitting cap. Use a specially formulated swimmer's shampoo and deep conditioner after swimming to replace lost moisture. t Newsletters! CONTINUE SCROLLING FOR NEXT NEWS ARTICLE Cosmetic Procedures Boost Well-Being, Poll Shows By Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- People who choose minimally invasive cosmetic procedures do so because they want to feel good, not just look good, a new survey finds. For the study, researchers polled roughly 500 U.S. adult patients, most of whom were white women, aged 45 and up. All had undergone some type of relatively non-invasive cosmetic procedure between 2016 and 2017. The results revealed that nearly seven in 10 chose the procedure to improve their psychological well-being. More than half also wanted to protect their health, boost their confidence levels in a social setting, or look "professional" at work. "Patients' motivations for cosmetic procedures are not trivial," said study author Dr. Murad Alam. "People who get such treatments are sensible, normal people who are not just obsessed with their appearance. They have a range of motivations." Alam is vice chair of dermatology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago. Cosmetic treatments used to mean "getting traditional plastic surgery, like a face lift or tummy tuck," he said. "These required general anesthesia, cutting and sewing the skin, significant risk of scarring, and days to weeks of recovery time." But, Alam explained, "More recently, dermatologists have pioneered non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures, which provide many of the same benefits as traditional plastic surgery without the risk, scars, and downtime." And the procedures -- which range from laser treatments for brown spots to wrinkle reduction, liposuction and tattoo removal -- "have become more popular than traditional cosmetic surgery," he said. In fact, these newer procedures accounted for the majority of the more than 7 million aesthetic services performed by U.S. dermatologists in 2016, the researchers reported. "Interestingly and surprisingly, we found that in many cases, patients' reasons for getting something done were different than just improving physical appearance, and more complex," Alam added. A personal desire "to feel happier and more confident in themselves, with overall better quality of life" was the most prevalent motivation, Alam said. "Even spouses did not influence their behavior in this regard, and they did not generally get procedures to please a spouse or significant other," he said. Dr. Jeffrey Janis, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, said the survey "reinforces much of what plastic surgeons have learned from patients over the years." Janis, who also serves as executive vice chairman of the department of plastic surgery at Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center, said that "physical and mental well-being are strong motivating factors, as is the desire to ward off the signs of aging or delay the agingprocess." Those polled had undergone a wide range of non-invasive procedures, including laser and light treatments for brown spots, blood vessels, wrinkle reduction, scar treatment and hair removal; chemical peels; non-surgical skin tightening and fat reduction with radiofrequency energy, cold treatment, or ultrasound. Alam said these treatments "do not even break the skin, and are applied on top of the skin." Minimally invasive procedures may break the skin, but just barely, he added. Those include filler and neuro-modulator injections "to fill out the sagging aging face while reducing lines and wrinkles," alongside liposuction through tiny openings to suck out excess fat. Age did have an impact on a patient's choice, the poll results suggested. For example, "older patients were interested in treating the visible signs of aging that had already occurred," Alam said. "On the other hand, patients younger than 45 were interested in being proactive to avoid or slow aging." Dr. Samuel Lam, a facial plastic and hair restoration surgeon in Plano, Texas, didn't find the poll results surprising. Minimally invasive procedures "can truly make someone look amazingly and naturally youthful and beautiful," he said. Yet, Lam cautioned, "as a surgeon, it is important to know what would be helpful with minimally invasive procedures, and which ones would not help at all or at times make things worse." Alam and his colleagues published their findings online Aug. 15 in JAMA Dermatology. Copyright © 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. CONTINUE SCROLLING FOR NEXT NEWS ARTICLE SOURCES: Murad Alam, M.D., MSCI, MBA, vice-chair and professor of dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago; Jeffrey E. Janis, M.D., FACS, president, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and professor, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, neurology, and surgery, and chief, plastic surgery, University Hospitals, and professor and executive vice chairman, department of plastic surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus; Samuel M. Lam, M.D., FACS, facial plastic and hair restoration surgeon, Plano, Texas; Aug. 15, 2018, JAMA Dermatology, online Health Tip: Identify Bug Bites (HealthDay News) -- Hot summer weather and long days spent outside are the perfect combination for bug bites. Newsletters! But it may be difficult to figure out which type of bug was responsible. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers this primer: Mosquitoes are typically found near water and are attracted to bright colors and sweat. When a mosquito bites, the tell-tale sign is a small, red, itchy mound with a tiny puncture mark near the center. Flies typically are found near food, garbage and animal waste. When a fly bites, it causes a painful, itchy bump that may turn into a small blister. Fleas are commonly found in floors, on rugs and in homes with pets. Their bites are usually identified by multiple small bumps clustered together, often where clothes fit tightly (such as the waist or buttocks). Bedbugs tend to be found in cracks in walls or floors, crevices of furniture and bedding. Their bites are typically itchy red bumps. Bites are more likely to occur at night and in warmer weather. Bees and wasps are usually found near flowers, shrubs, picnic areas or beaches. A sting results in immediate pain and rapid swelling. Some people have severe reactions to bee stings. Ticks are found in wooded areas and may be hidden in hair or on skin. Once a tick bites, it needs to be removed carefully with tweezers. Copyright © 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. CONTINUE SCROLLING FOR NEXT NEWS ARTICLE Health Tip: Things to Remember About Acne (HealthDay News) -- Acne tends to form on the face, neck, back, chest and shoulders. The agency also says:The U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says although acne isn't usually a serious health concern, it can be embarrassing and lead to permanent scars. Doctors don't know a surefire way to prevent acne, but taking care of your skin can help stop an outbreak from becoming worse. Anyone can get acne, although it's most common during the teen and young adult years. Hormone changes during puberty, before a woman's menstrual period or after starting or stopping birth control can trigger an acne outbreak. If you have severe acne, you may need to see a dermatologist. To reduce the risk of scarring. do not squeeze or pick at pimples. Copyright © 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved.