Let Yourself Glow Once Again

By Author: DNA India
Total Articles: 1
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The stage was set with four accomplished physicians, radiant in their good knowledge and great health, teaming up to educate the city's enthusiasts on frequently hushed-up topics like Skin Pigmentation, Hair Removal, Body Contouring, Laser Technology and vital lifestyle tips. dna-Alma Lasers' rally of health workshops, in and around the city, achieved a new high when ace dermatologists and aesthetic medical practitioners Dr Rekha Sheth, Dr Jaishree Sharad, Dr Simple Aher and Dr Kiran Hebbalkar left their Juhu audience ecstatic with tips and gifts (that's right!) galore.

Looking into lifestyle
With the audience in high spirits, the doctors decided to cut short preachy lectures and get interactive in a two-way exchange. Dr Sharad started the afternoon on an interactive note, speaking and inviting questions on lifestyle and anti-ageing. "We start ageing the day we are born. Think about it — our nanis and dadis made sure that as babies we enjoyed besan leps, oil maalish and constant protection from the sun. So why is it that when they left us on our own as grown-ups, we stopped taking care of ourselves?" she wondered. ...
... Dr Sharad pointed out the usual culprits of junk food, excessive stress, unhealthy fad diets, inadequate sleep and lack of exercise as the areas where we need to start implementing some major rehauls. "The skin craves moisture, hydration and protection from sun," she explained, adding that high pollution and hormones gone haywire with age can wreck havoc on the same. The good part — "Lifestyle changes begin within us. Eat healthy, take the stairs instead of the elevators, always remove your make-up, moisturize daily, go for exfoliation and microdermabrasion once in a while — most importantly, make sunscreen your life partner and happiness your best friend," were her surprisingly easy-to-adopt mantras. Oh, and those above 25 — the doctor's asked you to keep your vitamins handy.

A lowdown on lasers; plus...
In the true spirit of free interaction, the doctors clarified a barrel of lifestyle and health related queries, busting myths and reiterating basics that we forget in our daily hustle. While Dr Sheth explained that rejuvenation facials help mostly in destressing and temporary brightening of the skin, something as complex as anti-ageing can be achieved only through the high technology of lasers. Dr Sharad insisted that lasers are both preventive and curative, i.e., undergoing the right laser treatments before the signs of ageing start manifesting is wise, but there's all the hope for those who fail to start early. Additionally, the "down time" or recovery period being almost zero in case of lasers, one can plan a hair removing or body contouring session one day and be right on time at work the next! Of course, the treatments have to be complemented by the right food and lifestyle choices; "no smoking, no excess sugar, limited alcohol," would sum up the holistic body system required to turn back the clock by "5, 7, even 10 years", reckoned the doctors.

Hair and now
Dr Simple Aher approach to her audience was hands-on. Quite literally so, as she stepped off her podium and among the eclectic crowd, rousing them to put a show of hands as she threw at them general knowledge questions on skin, hair, lasers, to give away vouchers for each correct answer. It was a tough call, as youngsters, middle-aged women, men, even grandmothers chorused in unison whenever they could recall the answers. Dr Simple Aher stressed on the need for expert consultation (with certified physicians) and FDA-approved laser machines (Alma being a pioneer) while going for laser hair removal. After all, up to 80 per cent hair reduction, while technically not amounting to 'removal', is still the safest, most painless gift of lasers to mankind, isn't it? "Laser is a concentrated beam of light that penetrates the skin to destroy hair follicle. For a regular person with no hormonal imbalance, it might take anything between 6-10 sessions, while those with a genetic predisposition to hair growth or hormone issues may require some more," she clarified. To the query of a 12-year-old with self-esteem issues related to upper hair lip, she recommended psychological counselling along with professionally supervised laser treatment starting 3 years post "the age of menarchy (when a female begins menstruating)".