The Aesthetics Advisor

Are you consuming a “one a day” type supplement? For many people, the taking of a multivitamin/multimineral (MM) supplement is to “cover all the bases,” trying to make sure no significant vitamin or mineral deficiencies occur among the vitamins and minerals commonly considered to be the most important.   This is a perfectly reasonable goal, especially for the individual without the money, time, or motivation to take a wide array of more highly-dosed supplements and nutrients throughout the day. By the same token, achieving such a “lack of deficiency” should not lead you to think that a given vitamin, mineral, or other nutrient is being optimally supplemented. Are You Expecting Too Much From Your Doctor? Sadly, many health care providers consider MM supplements, as well as supplementation in general, to be a complete waste of money, so don’t count on receiving clear-cut guidelines or support from your doctor or even from friends you may have in the health care industry. As with so many

On Feb. 18, 2023, popular Hollywood movie star Tom Sizemore died suddenly from a brain (cerebral) aneurysm, arousing great attention and fond memories from movie fans. How to prevent and reduce the risk of aneurysms has also become a much-talked-about subject. Actor Tom Sizemore arrives at the premiere of "The Expendables 3" in Los Angeles on Aug. 11, 2014. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) According to  statistics  from the American Brain Aneurysm Foundation, nearly 500,000 people worldwide die from brain aneurysms every year, and half are under 50. In the United States, 6.7 million people have an unruptured cerebral aneurysm, or 1 in 50 people, and about 30,000 people experience a ruptured cerebral aneurysm each year—an average of one rupture every 18 minutes. The male-to-female ratio is 2:3, that is, women are more likely to suffer from cerebral aneurysms than men. Brain Aneurysm Decoded A  brain aneurysm  is  not a kind of tumor but a frail link or weak point on the brain arte

Ah, TikTok, home of makeup tutorials, lip-syncing tunes, cute animal content and—earwax removal videos? Yes, it’s true: That goopy amber stuff on your For You page is coming out of someone’s ear canal. And if you find that you’re weirdly into it, you’re not alone. Earwax removal content is soaring in popularity on TikTok; the hashtag #earwax has racked up thousands of videos, collectively reaching 8.1 billion views (graphic material at that link). The content ranges from in-office extractions performed by ear, nose, and throat doctors to at-home videos of people using various tools to get the sticky stuff out. But it’s more than just a fad.  According to a report on hearing by the World Health Organization , some 10 percent of children and 5 percent of adults have impacted earwax. And over 50 percent of older adults may be affected. Impacted earwax can affect hearing, and it’s even more pronounced in those who may be experiencing other forms of hearing loss. All of this adds up to a b

Without experimentation, there would be no progress, and that’s especially the case when it comes to science. The FDA first allowed the study of botulinum toxin’s effect on health conditions more than 50 years ago. Decades later, it was studied, then approved, as a treatment for wrinkles; today, Botox is possibly the most popular aesthetic procedure worldwide. It takes significant time to understand what innovative treatments are capable of and even longer to get them regulated and approved as an actual therapy. So when the FDA issued a warning letter against exosome treatment —one of today’s buzziest procedures—many aesthetic providers took it with a grain of salt. Here, with the help of exosome experts, we’re breaking down exactly why this treatment is being referred to as “the wave of the future.” What are exosomes? To get an understanding of exosomes, let’s break down platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy , which some providers are swapping out in favor of exosome treatment. PRP is p

Zinc is a powerful immune nutrient known for its benefits for providing immune health support and inflammation reduction as well as for improving cold and respiratory symptoms, wound healing, acne reduction, and lowering the risk of age-related diseases. Research on atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus suggests that zinc deficiency may contribute to low-grade systemic inflammation. In a  ConsumerLab survey  of 9,647 people who use dietary supplements shows that the supplements which experienced the greatest growth in popularity in 2020 were those being promoted to prevent or treat infection with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Zinc supplements achieved the highest growth with 13.5% points. Types of Zinc There are several types of zinc supplements. Some, such as zinc picolinate, may be better absorbed, while zinc acetate may be more effective at shortening the duration of the common cold ( Source ,  Source ). Supplements contain several forms of zinc, including zinc g

A new study examining the link between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the gut microbiome links an imbalance in microbiota, known as dysbiosis, with mild, moderate, or severe apnea. (E+/Getty Images) Our body depends on its microbiota—the bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live symbiotically in and on the body—for several functions, including an effective immune response. Earlier research shows shifting bacteria levels can ease or exacerbate systemic inflammation and create  symptoms  that go hand-in-hand with sleep apnea. Similar shifts in bacteria levels can also lead to inflammation.  Research from 2018 found that this happens  when an overgrowth of some gut bacteria begins to damage the intestinal mucosal barrier, allowing the translocation of microbiota in the body. This inflammatory response can drive symptoms such as high insulin, hypertension, fatigue, and inattention. The new study, published in  Scientific Reports  (Nature) in January 2023, was conducted with 48 Chinese subj