NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. – Women who had a longer exposure to estradiol before menopause had a significantly lower risk of developing depression during the menopausal transition.
Dr. Wendy Marsh of the University of Massachusetts, Worcester, and her colleagues reviewed data from 1,282 women participating in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a multisite, long-term epidemiologic study of women during midlife and through the menopausal transition. The women were premenopausal when they entered the study. Each additional year of premenopausal estradiol exposure conveyed a 15% reduction in risk of experiencing depression during menopause (hazard ratio, 0.85) after confounding factors including premenopausal depression, baseline age, smoking status, education, antidepressant use, ethnicity, and length of time in the study were controlled for. The average duration of estradiol exposure was 36 years. Longer exposure was significantly associated with a lower risk of having a score of 16 or higher on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale.
“Additional analyses will further qualify and quantify other variables related to estrogen exposure, including use of oral contraceptives, pregnancies, and lactation,” Dr. Marsh said.
The study is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institute of Nursing Research, and the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health. Dr. Marsh reported having no relevant financial disclosures.
From the Annual Meeting of the North American Menopause Society
PII: S0029-7437(12)70035-6
With all of the products and services being advertised to you it is hard to know what is the right thing to do when it comes to your skin care routine.
One major mistake is too much scrubbing or using the wrong type of skin care product to exfoliate your skin. Any product with shells or nuts can be jagged and leave microscopic cuts in the skins surface allowing bacteria to form and create a blemish.
The next common misconception is using alcohol or harsh astringents to clean the skin daily. These products are very drying and cause the outer layer of your skin to get rough and flaky. When the outer layer of your skin is tough then the sebum or oils get trapped and cause painfull blemishes that are very hard to get out and tend to leave a scar.
The last mistake that many people make is not enough moisturizing or using the wrong type of moisturizer. Your face is the most unprotected aea of your body because it is never covered. Moisturizers will help to form a barrier of protection for your skin. If you have oily skin then look for hydrators than are water based to avoid a greasy feel.
There are so many different skin rejuvination and skin care procedures. We can help you decide which is best for you.
The Holidays are here and with that, cold winter months (Even in Florida) your skin might start experiencing more dehydration, itchiness and flakiness and in some cases a cracked appearance.
During the winter two factors are fighting against your skin cold air and warm dry air. As you move between the outdoors and indoors this causes your skin to experience extremes in temperature.
As your skin barrier is compromised you will begin to chap and develop small fissures releasing more moisture. The use of the right moisturizer is the best way to deal with this condition also complimenting the skin with potent serums and treatment masks will help you protect your and make less susceptible to the damage the winter cold can cause in your skin.
For a complete skin analysis and an evaluation of your home care regimen you should visit a medical spa. The medical grade skin care care products carry a higher percentage of active ingredients to help sheild your skin from harsh weather and free radicals.

- All lasers are not created equal. It is very important to understand that there are many different types of lasers all claiming to be able to perform laser hair removal. This is not the whole truth especially when dealing with ethnic skin. You must be sure that the facility that you decide to get treatment at is familiar with all skin types and all lasers so as not to damage your skin or waste your money.
- IPL was originally created as flash lamps to treat other skin conditions (such as skin rejuvenation and thread vein treatment) and doctors and patients observed hair loss as a result. Therapeutic lasers were specifically developed to deliver premium hair reduction results. This is not ideal for darker pigmented skin.
- SPL is another recently released hair removal technique and stands for Square Pulsed Light - it's from the same family of devices as IPL or Intense Pulsed Light, but an SPL pulse lasts a fraction of a second longer. The light wavelength isn't as intense, meaning it does the same job but your skin is less likely to be overheated and results may take longer.
- In theory, laser hair removal, IPL and SPL all work in very much the same way. Both emit light to target the melanin (or colour) within the hair and kill the follicle. What characterizes laser and IPL is the light source and how it is distributed.
- Lasers are single wavelength devices, meaning that the light source is focused and can target individual hairs. IPL on the other hand, emits a spectrum of various wavelengths meaning that the light source is scattered and not as targeted. Unlike authentic lasers, IPL is unable to use what is known as 'selective photothermolysis' (precise rapid heating of a select structure and surrounding areas ).
- So, what does this mean for you? The spectrum of wavelengths emitted by IPL & SPL means many clients are needlessly exposed to unnecessary and or/ineffective radiation compared with the single wavelength from laser hair removal.

Contrary to popular belief not all facials are created equal. Maybe, while on vacation going to an upscale resort spa is sufficient. If you have perfect skin with no concerns then a day spa might work for you. But, if you want results it is imperative that you go to a medical spa and here is why. At a medical spa we are able to utilize products containing a higher percentage of active ingredients.
Our staff is medically trained and therefore able to perform treatments not available at other facilities.
- We are allowed to go below the surface of the skin to target the source of the problem.
- We are allowed to use lasers and medical grade peels to optimize your treatments.
- We can prescribe medications if necessary.
- The products we sell here cannot be purchased over the counter, in a department store, or regular spa due to the higher level of active ingredients.
At OMC we are committed to taking care of the whole you all of our advanced medical treatments required a pre consultation designed to find any history or contraindication that might have an adverse reaction on your skin. We want to make sure that the treatment you are getting fits your health and lifestyle.

1. Chemical Peels Offer More Than a Pretty Face
A chemical peel can improve the face, neck and hands in several ways. It can reduce fine lines and wrinkles. You can also minimize mild scarring and treat some kinds of acne. The peels may also eradicate precancerous cells that appear as scaly patches, and multiple peels might stave off the reoccurrence of the cells. Peels also reduce dark spots, freckles and discoloration due to age. It's a good way to bring a shine back to skin that is dull.
2. The Cost of Perfection
The cost of chemical peels depends on a variety of factors such as what type and who administers it. Be careful about who you let apply a peel to your face. Some doctors have a qualified esthetician in their office, and this is cheaper than having the doctor do it. Spas have estheticians who perform chemical peels, but make certain they have the proper training. States regulate the potency of chemical peels. Over-the-counter peels are the weakest, so results will be less dramatic. The state allows spas with certified estheticians a bit more room, but a doctor's office is where you will find the most potency. Compare prices among the three options, and you may be surprised to find that the kit in the store that is not nearly as potent costs almost as much as using an esthetician at a spa or doctor's office.
3. The Strongest of Chemical Peels
Sunscreen is a must every day for the rest of your life after a phenol chemical peel. The procedure can take over an hour and recovery could take months. The good news is the results are more dramatic than with other peels and last longer.
4. A Chemical Peel for Dark-Skinned Beauties
Darker-skinned people may prefer the trichlororacetic (TCA) peel. This peel only takes 10 to 15 minutes, and your professional can adjust the strength of the peel for your needs. The recovery time for medium chemical peels is much less than a phenol peel or stronger TCA peel. Maintenance peels may be necessary to maintain results with a TCA peel. A sunscreen is necessary for a few months. But why not use one daily? After all, you don't want the sun to damage what you just repaired.
5. A Chemical Peel for Everyone
Chemical peels with alphahydroxy acids (AHA) are the weakest, and you will need to repeat them periodically. AHA is what you will find in home chemical peel kits. Other than some redness for a few hours, there is no downtime. This peel only takes 10 to 15 minutes.

1
A facial is more than just washing your face. While so many skin care companies promote the “do it yourself” trend, one must be very careful when selecting skin care products. Some scrubs contain shells and nuts which can irritate the skin and cause microscopic cuts letting in bacteria.
2
Over the counter products often give false claims that they can repair damage or stop the aging process. The truth is that if the product is being sold to the public they can not legally put enough of the ingredient needed to make a noticeable difference in your appearance.
3
Getting a facial at a medical spa by a licensed Esthetician includes many benefits such as a deep analysis of the condition of the skin, a selection of medical grade products that will work for your skin type, and a recommended plan of action on how to take care of your skin.
4
Loss of elasticity, acne, hyperpigmentation and dehydration are some of the most common skin conditions and each of them will require different types of products or treatments.
5
The averages stores carry over 20 different lines all claiming to be the best. Medical Spas overseen by a licensed physician can prescribe medi-grade products with enough percentage of the necessary ingredients to actually see a difference in your skin. Therefore having a professional skin specialist find the products that will target your skin conditions or concerns, not only will you see better results but you will spend your money wisely.
When choosing how to better take care of your skin, consider the many advantages that you can obtain by visiting a medical spa. When it comes to the health of your skin, saving a few dollars today may cost much more in the future. If you would like to speak to a licensed professional about your skin care concerns please click below. " facials"
The best treatment for facial pigmentation is the one that removes the underlying cause responsible for the marks. Once you identify and treat the cause, you can proceed to the next step. The next step is the treatment that works effectively in removing these skin blemishes without any further damage or side effects. So if you have facial pigmentation stert by looking for the cause.
1. Causes
Skin
pigmentationmay be due to many factors. But following are the most common ones.
- A reaction of the skin to any of the cosmetics or creams you are using. If this is so discontinue use of this cosmetic or replace it with one does not irritate your skin.
- Facial pigmentation may be due to melasma. This becomes further aggravated by over exposure to the sun. So if you have melasma try to avoid being outside during the day without a hat and start using a good SPF.
- Pigmentation on the delicate skin of the face may be due to allergic reaction to some antibiotics that you are taking. If this is so ask your doctor to change the medicine or wait till your course of medicine is over to start treating your skin condition.
- Sometimes when certain skin conditions like acne heal they leave behind unsightly pigmentation marks. Once these skin problems are effectively treated you can start treating the pigmentation marks.
- Age spots are other factors that cause facial pigmentation. Age spots are also due to over exposure of the skin to the sun and natural aging process. If age spot is the cause of facial pigmentation you need to avoid being in the sun without proper and adequate protection of the skin.
2. TreatmentsThe best treatment for facial pigmentation involves exfoliating the damaged outer layer of the skin. The type of exfoliation your skin needs depends on the extent to which the pigmentation has spread. If it is on the outer layer of the skin mild exfoliation will effectively treat the condition. Otherwise you may need some strong treatment like laser resurfacing,
chemical peels or microdermabrasion.
The final step is to apply product to lighten the skin tone to remove any remaining blemishes from the skin. For both exfoliation and skin lightening there are many skin care products that help in effectively treating facial pigmentation.
Today the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance have released a free app designed to help women learn more about the signs, risks, and symptoms of ovarian cancer, the app also tells you whether you should go and see a doctor.
The Ovarian Cancer Symptom Diary App allows women to learn more about the disease, answer risk factor questions, including use of hormone replacement and family history of cancer, as well as keeping a daily record of any ovarian cancer symptoms experienced, which include:Abdominal pressure, bloating, swelling or fullness Loss of appetite or feeling full quickly
Pelvic/abdominal discomfort or pain Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)If any of these symptoms are recorded for 14 days in any given month, the app will send an email to prompt the user to visit a doctor and be tested for the disease.
Karen Orloff Kaplan, CEO of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance explains:
"The symptoms of ovarian cancer are often mistaken for other, less serious diseases. As a result, women are usually diagnosed when their disease is advanced and the odds of surviving are the lowest. We hope this app will encourage women to see their physicians as soon as possible if they experience symptoms that might indicate ovarian cancer."
In a video that demonstrates the features of the app, Board President and ovarian cancer survivor Annette Leal Mattern says:
"I know how busy women are, it's hard to take time for your health when you are working and caring for your family and home. That's why the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance created a symptom diary app. You can download and use the diary on your phone to record the symptoms of ovarian cancer whenever you feel them."
Every 37 minutes a women dies from ovarian cancer. The disease is the main cause of gynecologic cancer deaths, and the 5th leading cause of cancer deaths among women. If the disease is diagnosed early, the risk of survival is much greater, although, no reliable early detection test for the disease is available. By being aware of the symptoms, women can know when to seek medical attention.
If you're a middle-aged woman with Restless Legs Syndrome, you may have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, according to new research reported in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.
RLS is a common yet under-recognized sensory motor disorder characterized by intense, unpleasant leg sensations, and an irresistible urge to move the legs. RLS symptoms can lead to poor sleep and daytime drowsiness. It affects as many as 15 percent of the adult population.
Researchers found that women who reported:
Five to 14 incidences of RLS each month had a 26 percent prevalence of high blood pressure.
More than 15 incidences of RLS had a 33 percent prevalence of high blood pressure.
No RLS symptoms had a 21.4 percent prevalence of high blood pressure.
"If future prospective research confirms this association, then early diagnosis and treatment of RLS might help prevent hypertension," said Salma Batool-Anwar, M.D., M.P.H., the study's first author, and a researcher in the Sleep Medicine Division at Brigham and Women's Hospital and an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass. "In some cases the treatment of RLS is as simple as prescribing iron supplements, therefore, women who have symptoms suggestive of RLS should talk to their physicians."
In 2005, researchers asked 97,642 women participating in the Nurses Health Study II about their RLS symptoms and hypertension status. More than 80 percent of the participants responded. The average age was 50.4 years.
Specifically, they asked about unusual crawling sensations, or pain combined with motor restlessness and an urge to move. The questions were based on the international restless legs study group criteria.
Researchers found there was a significant relationship between RLS severity and blood pressure, and greater frequency of RLS symptoms was associated with higher concurrent systolic and diastolic blood pressures. This association was independent of other potential covariates such as age, body mass index, smoking status, and presence of stroke or heart attack.
Previous studies in men have suggested a link between frequency of RLS symptoms and the prevalence of high blood pressure.