St. Patrick’s Day, celebrated on March 17, 2015, is steep in traditions and clichés, but buried within the folklore may lie some very salient beauty advice, experts tell Plastic Surgery Practice.
Here’s what they had to say:
Go Green Go
Lucky four leaf clovers may be hard to come by, but green tea extract is popping up in cosmetics, cosmeceuticals, and anti-aging creams, largely because its antioxidants may help offset inflammation and stave off skin cancer.
And that’s not the only “green” skin care option.
Green juices and smoothies are all the rage. They are packed with antioxidant-rich dark green, leafy veggies such as kale, spinach, and broccoli. Kale is rich in vitamin C, one of the building blocks of collagen. Check out our St Patrick’s Day Pinterest board for some recommendations on skin for some ideas.
Go for the Gold?
We’ve all heard that a pot of gold is waiting at the end of the rainbow, but it can also be found in cosmetics and skin care products. Yes, glittering gold particles may cool inflammation and prevent some of the visible signs of aging, but a study published in the journal Nanotoxicology casts some doubt on this theory. The study showed that gold nanoparticles actually accelerate the aging process and can cause wrinkles. It may be safer to follow the rainbow.
The Eyes Have It!
Irish or green eyes may not be within everyone’s reach, but anyone can make their eyes smile, says Sun City West, Arizona-based cosmetic surgeon Emilio M. Justo, MD. He uses the Ultrapulse CO2 laser to remove fatty pouches in the upper and lower eyelids as part of blepharoplasty procedures. “A little fractional CO2 laser around the eyes smoothes the fine lines and sun damage, and gives some gentle tightening to the skin.”
Fair Thee Well?
If you are Irish, don’t forget to use sunscreen judiciously and practice sun safety. Ireland is home to many fair-skinned individuals (think of the proverbial Leprechaun), and as a result, skin cancer risk is elevated in this population.
Kiss Me…
And what about those “Kiss me I’m Irish” lips? “There are fillers such as Juvéderm or Belotero that can that can help you achieve the ‘puckered’ look,” explains Jennifer Walden, MD, a plastic surgeon in Austin, Texas. Restylane Silk is the newest lip-plumping, wrinkle
And even if you ignore all of this sage advice, there always the luck of the Irish, quips Joe Niamtu, II, DMD, a cosmetic surgeon in Richmond, Virginia. “St Paddy’s Day usually involves mass consumption of green beer, and given that, by 5 PM, everyone looks beautiful.”
