Saturday, September 24, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Does Sleeping On Your Back Cause Less Wrinkles On Your Face?
By now you must know that various factors come into play to form wrinkles. Wrinkles manifest as the result of the natural aging process, but they can develop earlier following a poor skin regimen, poor dietary and lifestyle habits, and prolonged exposure to the sun. Accordingly, sleeping on your face and constantly slurping can also produce more wrinkles than necessary.
Honestly, I was a bit surprised when I came across the idea that sleeping on your back can cause wrinkles. But it looks like this isn't just any old wives' tale after all.
Why Sleeping On Your Face Can Cause Wrinkles
There is, apparently, what experts call "sleeping position-induced wrinkles". These wrinkles are of the type that develops when one sleeps face-down every day. What exactly happens is that when your muscles are pressed on to something for a long time (such as when you are sleeping with your face on a pillow or mattress), they contract or stretch. Normally, the muscles return to their pre-contracted state. Aging skin, however, does not have this capability anymore, and so instead of returning to their normal position, the muscles form lines that eventually develop into wrinkles.
So now that you know that sleeping on your face can cause wrinkles, you just have to make it a habit to sleep on your back, then. This may prove to be easier said than done especially if you have been used to sleeping on your face for so long. And of course, keep in mind that sleeping on your face is only one of the many things that can accelerate wrinkle-formation. Sleeping on your back alone will not have a great impact if you are not mindful or conscious of the other things that cause or prevent skin aging, as well.
Delaying Wrinkle-Formation
Aside from sleeping on your back, there are other measures that can delay the formation of wrinkles, just like:
Having a good skin care regimen. Take very good care of your skin. Keep it young-looking by:
* Washing your face with a mild, non-comedogenic cleanser that works on your skin type. This helps to keep bacteria at bay.
* Exfoliating at least once a week. As they say, "out with the old, in with the new". Dead skin cells have to be sloughed off to reveal new and younger skin.
* Moisturizing. Dry skin makes the skin less elastic, and when it is less elastic the skin tends to be more vulnerable to cuts, blemishes, and sagging.
* Avoiding exposure to toxins, environmental and otherwise. Toxins are our skin's worst enemies. They can accelerate aging by folds! The problem is we are exposed to toxins everyday. They are present in the cosmetics we use, as well as in other everyday products. If we cannot avoid toxins altogether, we will just have to learn to fight them or neutralize their effects with antioxidants. Using products with powerful antioxidants is always a good idea, and so is eating raw vegetables and fruits that have high levels of antioxidants.
* Using sun protection. The sun's harmful rays can be damaging to the skin. When going out, make sure to slather generous amounts of sun screen.
* Avoiding smoking and other vices. Smoking, while it serves to satisfy one's cravings for nicotine, can never make you healthy or even look younger. What it actually does is that it strips your skin of all the essential nutrients.
* Drinking water. One of the best well-kept secrets to staying young is water. Water cleanses the body and helps flush out toxins that get inside our body in one way or another. The recommended intake should be no less than 8 glasses of water every day.
* Sleeping early. Your skin cells need a rest, too. Get to bed early, and make sure to sleep on your back, not on your face.
Honestly, I was a bit surprised when I came across the idea that sleeping on your back can cause wrinkles. But it looks like this isn't just any old wives' tale after all.
Why Sleeping On Your Face Can Cause Wrinkles
There is, apparently, what experts call "sleeping position-induced wrinkles". These wrinkles are of the type that develops when one sleeps face-down every day. What exactly happens is that when your muscles are pressed on to something for a long time (such as when you are sleeping with your face on a pillow or mattress), they contract or stretch. Normally, the muscles return to their pre-contracted state. Aging skin, however, does not have this capability anymore, and so instead of returning to their normal position, the muscles form lines that eventually develop into wrinkles.
So now that you know that sleeping on your face can cause wrinkles, you just have to make it a habit to sleep on your back, then. This may prove to be easier said than done especially if you have been used to sleeping on your face for so long. And of course, keep in mind that sleeping on your face is only one of the many things that can accelerate wrinkle-formation. Sleeping on your back alone will not have a great impact if you are not mindful or conscious of the other things that cause or prevent skin aging, as well.
Delaying Wrinkle-Formation
Aside from sleeping on your back, there are other measures that can delay the formation of wrinkles, just like:
Having a good skin care regimen. Take very good care of your skin. Keep it young-looking by:
* Washing your face with a mild, non-comedogenic cleanser that works on your skin type. This helps to keep bacteria at bay.
* Exfoliating at least once a week. As they say, "out with the old, in with the new". Dead skin cells have to be sloughed off to reveal new and younger skin.
* Moisturizing. Dry skin makes the skin less elastic, and when it is less elastic the skin tends to be more vulnerable to cuts, blemishes, and sagging.
* Avoiding exposure to toxins, environmental and otherwise. Toxins are our skin's worst enemies. They can accelerate aging by folds! The problem is we are exposed to toxins everyday. They are present in the cosmetics we use, as well as in other everyday products. If we cannot avoid toxins altogether, we will just have to learn to fight them or neutralize their effects with antioxidants. Using products with powerful antioxidants is always a good idea, and so is eating raw vegetables and fruits that have high levels of antioxidants.
* Using sun protection. The sun's harmful rays can be damaging to the skin. When going out, make sure to slather generous amounts of sun screen.
* Avoiding smoking and other vices. Smoking, while it serves to satisfy one's cravings for nicotine, can never make you healthy or even look younger. What it actually does is that it strips your skin of all the essential nutrients.
* Drinking water. One of the best well-kept secrets to staying young is water. Water cleanses the body and helps flush out toxins that get inside our body in one way or another. The recommended intake should be no less than 8 glasses of water every day.
* Sleeping early. Your skin cells need a rest, too. Get to bed early, and make sure to sleep on your back, not on your face.
The Right Treatment for Microtia
Atresia is a congenital condition where a body cavity or passage is deficient or abnormally closed. It is widespread because it can take many forms such as esophageal atresia, duodenal, biliary or aural atresia and others. The last one is probably the most common and it refers to the absence or incomplete formation of an external ear canal which means that both the external and middle ear may be malformed, but the inner ear and auditory nerve are usually normal. The external auditory canal and structures in the middle ear fail to develop completely and therefore, there might be varying degrees of severity of this condition. In its most severe form, there is no identifiable ear canal and the middle ear and ossicles may be absent or show significant underdevelopment.
Aural atresia most commonly effects just one ear but sometimes it can occur in both ears and it is often accompanied by microtia, which virtually represents the incomplete development of the auricle. Most of the time, the condition is isolated, but in some rare cases, it can be a symptom of a larger syndrome, such as Treacher Collins, Goldenhar, Crouzon's, Alpert's, Pfeiffer, Klippel-Feil, BOR (Branchio-Oto-Renal) also known as Melnick-Fraser, 18-q chromosome, as well as Hemifacial Microsomia.
The effect of atresia depends on whether one or both ears are affected. Obviously, if just one ear is affected, the hearing in the other ear is quite normal, thus the person concerned is able to develop a normal speech. Yet, it is important to evaluate unilateral atresia early and treat it accordingly in order to prevent unilateral hearing loss. When it comes to bilateral aural atresia, thins are more complicated because the effect usually consists in moderately severe conductive hearing loss- aproximately 50-60dB. When a child is born with atresia, he should be fitted with a bone conduction hearing aid as soon as possible.
Aural atresia and microtia represent surgical reconstructive challenge which involve a deep understanding of the evaluation and management of the patients with CAA steams with significant advancements. When it comes to these congenital conditions, there are two main options: auricular reconstruction to restore the visual appearance and form of the outer ear and repair of atresia or application of a Bone Conduction Hearing Solution (BAHA) to restore hearing. The goal of this kind of surgery is to create a normal sized ear canal or a stenotic canal. It is very important to have an efficient communication between the otologist and the facial plastic surgeon, based on a comprehensive understanding of child's needs, in order to establish not only the adequate treatment, but also the right timing of the treatment.
Nowadays, doctors skilled in this area of reconstructive surgery usually use skin grafts and cartilage or bone from other parts of the body to effectively build a natural-looking, correctly-sized ear for both children and adults living with microtia. Usually doctors do not perform such surgeries if the child is under the age of 6 because the reconstruction is a complicated surgery that takes careful planning and may require several surgeries before a final result is achieved. Although a reconstruction is considered to be the optimal and most natural-looking solution, there are other options available which include prosthetic ones that can be glued or snapped on, or artificial implants, which unfortunately, come with the risk of rejection of the artificial part. However, the most important aspect is that nowadays, due to the numerous advancements, patients with aural atresia have the chance of hearing restoration, long-term stability of hearing and a natural-looking ears.
Aural atresia most commonly effects just one ear but sometimes it can occur in both ears and it is often accompanied by microtia, which virtually represents the incomplete development of the auricle. Most of the time, the condition is isolated, but in some rare cases, it can be a symptom of a larger syndrome, such as Treacher Collins, Goldenhar, Crouzon's, Alpert's, Pfeiffer, Klippel-Feil, BOR (Branchio-Oto-Renal) also known as Melnick-Fraser, 18-q chromosome, as well as Hemifacial Microsomia.
The effect of atresia depends on whether one or both ears are affected. Obviously, if just one ear is affected, the hearing in the other ear is quite normal, thus the person concerned is able to develop a normal speech. Yet, it is important to evaluate unilateral atresia early and treat it accordingly in order to prevent unilateral hearing loss. When it comes to bilateral aural atresia, thins are more complicated because the effect usually consists in moderately severe conductive hearing loss- aproximately 50-60dB. When a child is born with atresia, he should be fitted with a bone conduction hearing aid as soon as possible.
Aural atresia and microtia represent surgical reconstructive challenge which involve a deep understanding of the evaluation and management of the patients with CAA steams with significant advancements. When it comes to these congenital conditions, there are two main options: auricular reconstruction to restore the visual appearance and form of the outer ear and repair of atresia or application of a Bone Conduction Hearing Solution (BAHA) to restore hearing. The goal of this kind of surgery is to create a normal sized ear canal or a stenotic canal. It is very important to have an efficient communication between the otologist and the facial plastic surgeon, based on a comprehensive understanding of child's needs, in order to establish not only the adequate treatment, but also the right timing of the treatment.
Nowadays, doctors skilled in this area of reconstructive surgery usually use skin grafts and cartilage or bone from other parts of the body to effectively build a natural-looking, correctly-sized ear for both children and adults living with microtia. Usually doctors do not perform such surgeries if the child is under the age of 6 because the reconstruction is a complicated surgery that takes careful planning and may require several surgeries before a final result is achieved. Although a reconstruction is considered to be the optimal and most natural-looking solution, there are other options available which include prosthetic ones that can be glued or snapped on, or artificial implants, which unfortunately, come with the risk of rejection of the artificial part. However, the most important aspect is that nowadays, due to the numerous advancements, patients with aural atresia have the chance of hearing restoration, long-term stability of hearing and a natural-looking ears.
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