Tanuj Nakra, MD As the days get shorter, and temperatures drop, most of us in North America are busy enjoying the holiday season indoors with family and friends. Warm sweaters, falling snow, fireplaces, deliciously rich food and fun social gatherings ring in the season. The cooler weather leads to a double whammy for our skin: the cold temperatures outside are accompanied by low humidity levels, and heating systems indoors further strip water molecules from indoor air. Under normal circumstances, our skin’s ongoing evaporation is limited by the barrier function of our skin. When humidity levels are low, our skin has...
Tanuj Nakra MD Darker skin is, well, darker than lighter skin. But, why? What is the science behind skin color and why do humans display a wide spectrum of skin tones? It all comes down to genetics and how, over the course of history, humans responded to sun exposure. This response can be explained through the concept of natural selection - the process by which how organisms respond to their environment over time. Natural selection is often described as “survival of the fittest”; those traits that aid plants and animals to survive their environment, get passed on to...
Brett Kotlus MD NYC Cosmetic and Oculofacial Plastic Surgery The first signs of facial aging are subtle but definite. Aging usually starts around the eyes because your eyelid skin is very thin and constantly moving. You may notice that the smile lines or “crow’s feet” radiating from the outer corners of your eyes are just barely noticeable even when you’re not smiling, as if they were faintly etched in your skin. Sun exposure further accelerates these early changes but it also creates increased pigmentation which can be uneven and unwanted. At some point in your life, you will probably feel...
Throughout human history, the Sun has been a source of reverence. Our Sun beams life-giving energy to Earth that nourishes the plant and animal kingdoms. Animals (including humans) eat both plants and as well as other plant-eating animals. We also absorb the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum to fuel internal production of Vitamin D- an essential nutrient required for life. On the other hand, UV can damage the collagen and elastin molecules that make up youthful skin turgor and UV can also inflict injury to the DNA in our cells, producing skin cancer. Our skin has evolved to embrace and protect this delicate relationship with the...
