Dr. Ian Stephen and colleagues at The University of Nottingham conducted research earlier this year that showed that eating a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables gives you a healthy glow that mimics that of the sun. But even better, they claim that eating lots of fruit and vegetables is actually more effective. Their paper was published in the Journal Evolution and Human Behaviour.

Here’s what they found…

Those who eat more portions of high-level carotenoid fruit and vegetables each day have a more of a naturally golden skin color. Carotenoids are antioxidants, which are important for our immune systems, combatting those damaging compounds produced by the stress, strain, and disease. How do you know if what you’re eating has carotenoids? Color. If it’s red, orange or yellow, it’s just the glow-getter you’re looking for!

The researchers report that when test subjects compared suntanned skin and carotenoid-colored skin, they preferred the natural glow of the carotenoid-colored skin. Their conclusion? “… if you want a healthier and more attractive skin colour, you are better off eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables than lying in the sun.”

Who it’s for:The IPL procedure is safe, effective and gentle on all skin types and conditions and is performed as an in-office treatment in about 20 minutes. Pain is minimal (you may experience a slight stinging sensation).

“Although Julia Roberts has a larger upper lip [and pulls it off!], it’s generally an unnatural proportion and will result in an unnatural looking lip,” says Dr. Few.

2. Enhance your natural lip definition.

“Don’t just make your lips bigger. This is a common mistake that creates those unnaturally protruding ‘duck lips’.”

3. Don’t expect to erase all your lip and mouth ridges and folds.

“If you inject too much filler, the skin will stretch and create what we call ‘sausage lips’.”

4. Maintain your filler. (Restylane lasts approximately 6 months.)

“Regular maintenance of your lips will create a more natural look, so don’t wait until it disappears to get a refill.”

5. Avoid permanent fillers in the lips.

“While the idea of a permanent filler is appealing, if you don’t like your result, you’ll have to have it surgically removed. As we like to say in the industry, permanent fillers, permanent problems.”

Almost every skin expert will tell you, if you’re over 40 you should be using a retinol. A retinol is a derivative of vitamin A that speeds up cell turnover to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and even out the skin.

While your dermatologist can prescribe a power-punched retinoid (such as Retin-A), over-the-counter versions (such as our very own JF Aesthetic) are also available. While prescription-strength retinoids deliver results in as little as 4 weeks, they also tend to be more harsh, often resulting in dry, easily irritated skin. Non-prescriptions retinols, on the other hand, take up to three times longer to get results, but are significantly milder and more appropriate for intolerant skin.

5 Retinol Dos and Don’ts

Whether you go the prescription or non-prescription route, there are several points that will ensure your experience with retinol products is a good one:

1. Do Start Slow

Because retinols can irritate the skin, begin by using them every other night so your skin can adjust. Also, apply only a pea-sized amount. More does not equal better results in this case.

2. Do Use At Night

Because retinols can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, apply at night only.

3. Don’t Forget Your Sunblock

Yes, your skin will be more sensitive to the sun, so now more than ever be sure to wear a daily SPF. Increased skin sensitivity also makes waxing a no-no.

4. Do Use a Good Moisturizer

Retinol acts to increase skin cell turnover, so your skin may dry out, flake off or peel. The key to comfort? Keep it moist!

5. Don’t Use if You’re Pregnant

Or breastfeeding, for that matter. Studies have demonstrated skeletal deformities in the offspring of pregnant rats who were treated with retinoids.

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul… They indicate if we’re happy or sad; they sparkle with excitement and cry with laughter. But as we age, the eyes can also misrepresent how we feel. Heavy upper lids can make us look angry. Puffy and wrinkled lower lids can make us look tired… and, well, old.

No doubt about it, the eyes are the focal point on the face, and as such, it’s no wonder eye rejuvenation surgery (blepharoplasty) was the third most performed cosmetic surgical procedure last year, according to statistics published by the American Society of Plastic Surgery. Blepharoplasty, a surgical procedure that can repair these signs of aging, can be performed on healthy individuals under local anesthesia, right in the TFI office-accredited surgery suite. Dr. Few is a worldwide expert on eyelid surgery and has received special, advanced training in this field. If you are unhappy with the appearance of your eyes and would like a natural-looking correction, schedule an appointment with Dr. Few to determine what cosmetic options may be available to you.

At the end of every summer, each of us has some (be it a little or a lot of) sun damage to show for it. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun breaks down collagen and elastin fibers, which over time causes the skin to lose its strength and flexibility, leading to deep wrinkles and sagging skin.

While the sun is the primary culprit of premature aging, there is good news. Here’s 5 things you can do to repair that sun damaged skin:

1. Topical Treatments JW Aesthetic Kojilac-C Serum treats hyperpigmentation (sun spots) and JF Aesthetic Retinol 50 Serum is used to reduce those fine lines and wrinkles. Alternating these products every night can lead to a noticeably brighter and more youthful-looking face. Products available in the TFI/SkinSuite offices.

2. Laser Resurfacing Intense pulsed light (IPL) noninvasive laser treatment can reduce age spots and sun damage. Used on the face, neck, hands and chest, this high-tech tool will restore and rejuvenate your skin.

3. Chemical Peels These topical treatments will have you waving “bye-bye” to dry, dull skin and “hello” to an even skin tone and brightened complexion. Try our our Glo Therapeutics Salicylic Acid 30% Chemical Peel or our GLO Therapeutics Modified Jessner 14% Chemical Peel.

4. Hydrate Use a hydrating moisturizer daily. The sun can leave your skin feeling and looking dry. Try TFI Aesthetic Moisturiche, www.TFIskinsuite.com

5. Protect Prevention is Key! Once you’ve treated sun damage, be sure to prevent it from returning. Wear sunscreen year round (yes, even in the winter months!). Apply at least a 15 SPF everyday and reapply when necessary.

No, this isn’t the tag line for the latest in decadent destination spas, but what A-listers seem to think they can achieve with a supplement form of a yellow mountain daisy that grow in Europe: Arnica montana (leopard’s bane). A recent story published in the New York Times suggests that arnica has become the latest celebrity pill-popping “must” to keep the skin clear, reduce bloating and minimize bruising and inflammation. All that in a pill? Sounds like a modern miracle. Question is, is it just trendy tenor or does this seemingly biased bite of natural remedies really have teeth?

It’s a Fact…

Plastic surgeons often prescribe arnica to reduce the chance that you’ll bruise with injectables (Botox, soft tissue fillers). And arnica has a legitimate history as a natural remedy for bruising and inflammation (though the results are admittedly mild).

As for the entire list of claims (to slim you down, clear up your skin, prevent muscle soreness, relieve strained muscles, minimize bruising, prevent swelling, decrease inflammation, prevent cramps, minimize symptoms of vertigo, and, yes, even to reduce hair loss), it’s probably safe to say that any of these related to inflammation just might see some relief with arnica. (Hair loss? Not so sure…)

The idea of taking it regularly as a supplement?

That may not be such a good idea, say the experts. Arnica contains the toxin helenalin which can be poisonous. (Contact with the plant can also cause skin irritation.) If enough of the arnica plant is ingested, the helenalin produces severe gastroenteritis and internal bleeding of the digestive tract. It’s also associated with uterine stimulation, so it’s a definite no-no if you’re pregnant.

But before you start the next Facebook Friend chain post that proclaims the horrors of this homeopathic remedy, the toxic results with arnica are usually a result of eating large amounts of the plant itself. Minor doses of arnica are unlikely to exert any adverse reactions because of the minimal amount ingested (homeopathic forms of Arnica 24X or more are not toxic as they contain very little arnica after dilution). Taking a supplement three days after trauma (injections, an intense workout, you get the idea…) is generally safe. But it’s probably not a good idea to take it everyday, week after week, as toxicity can build over time.

Whether it’s your own fat, synthetic fillers, or both for your facial rejuvenation goals, the same adage applies: One size does not fit all

Despite the aesthetic industry’s evolving attitude toward fat as functional facial filler over the past several years—from cynical to skeptical to accepting—Dr. Few has been fat grafting for more than 12 years. Today, no doubt about it, fat is fabulous. (Who’d have predicted that?)

Fat, says Dr. Few, may be uniquely “green” (a great way to recycle that unwanted collection from the waistline, no doubt), and offer a nice, long-term facial result, but, he points out, it isn’t a filler that completely transcends the overall filler category. In other words, just as certain synthetic fillers are indicated for specific components of facial rejuvenation, (ie, hyaluronic acids are used to fill lines, plump lips, put the apple back in your cheek), fat too has it’s strengths. Unfortunately, that doesn’t include filling fine lines.

“Fat is only good for volume, not superficial wrinkles,” says Dr. Few, a fact he often points out to counter the misconception among his filler patients.

While fat is routinely used for cheeks, chin and jawline, if you’ve got fine lines to fill, those are best left to the HA fillers (Restylane, Juvéderm, Perlane). In Dr. Few’s hands, it’s Restylane. And if fat just isn’t your thing (or if you simply don’t have the tissue to spare—ahem, nice problem to have!), Dr. Few says you can opt for Restylane all the way.

Side by side, here’s generally how fat and Restylane stack up (all that’s left is to decide is, which one is right for you?):

Fat vs Restylane

*75% patients won’t need another filler for several years; 25% patients will need another round of fat in 3 to 12 months.

When it comes to the perfect pout, what do your lips say?

While we used to frequently encounter that so-called “trout pout” of the last decade, today there’s definitely a backlash against any enhancement that looks obvious and “overdone.”

“It’s about enhancing your natural lip contours,” says Dr. Few. “If you try to change the shape, you could have a very unnatural-looking result.”

But how do you know? Dr. Few offers up 5 lip tips that will wipe the pout off your lips and leave you all smiles:

The upper lip shouldn’t be larger than the lower lip. “Although Julia Roberts has a larger upper lip [and pulls it off!], it’s generally an unnatural proportion and will result in an unnatural looking lip,” says Dr. Few.

Enhance your natural lip definition. “Don’t just make your lips bigger. This is a common mistake that creates those unnaturally protruding ‘duck lips’.”

Don’t expect to erase all your lip and mouth ridges and folds.“If you inject too much filler, the skin will stretch and create what we call ‘sausage lips’.”

Maintain your filler. (Restylane lasts approximately 6 months.) “Regular maintenance of your lips will create a more natural look, so don’t wait until it disappears to get a refill.”

Avoid permanent fillers in the lips. “While the idea of a permanent filler is appealing, if you don’t like your result, you’ll have to have it surgically removed. As we like to say in the industry, permanent fillers, permanent problems.”

But there’s good news for all of us who may be scalpel shy (or just don’t want that tell-tale “done” look of decades past): Today’s surgeons are getting smarter about how they approach the aging face. Instead of a cookie-cutter approach that delivers facelifts all around, they’re developing insightful and strategic ways to evaluate and treat each face individually.

Case in point, when Dr. Few talks about the anatomy of the aging face, he does so in terms of 3 general categories: Skin damage, volume loss, and drooping—his self-described “holy trinity” of changes in the face that contribute to making a person look older.

As Dr. Few explains, “When you evaluate any given face in terms of these three, you can actually customize your approach. For example, if a patient has wrinkles and sun spots and minimal volume loss with no drooping, you can get a great result with skin resurfacing and a few well-placed injections. You don’t need a sledgehammer.”

(Ladies, you just may be able to cross that facelift you thought you needed off your list!)

Of course, there eventually will come a time when tissues droop such that the scalpel is the only way to pick them back up. But until then, here’s the gospel truth: One size certainly does not fit all.