By Joy Stephenson-Laws, JD, Founder

Looks can be deceiving. You never want to judge the status of a person’s health by their appearance only. A woman with glowing skin who looks great in a two-piece swimsuit may not be healthy. She may have underlying health concerns such as digestive or cardiovascular issues. And another woman may appear to be a bit chubby but maintains a healthy weight without metabolic or other health issues.

Notwithstanding our desire to feel good, it is equally important for many of us to look good as well. Many of us desire fit bodies and, perhaps most of all, healthy-looking beautiful skin. Our skin, after all, is our bodies’ largest and fastest-growing organ. It is our body’s coat. So wouldn’t you want to have the best looking coat in town? I know I do!

But for many people over the age of 30, having great looking skin may be a challenge. The skin may start to sag and have wrinkles. Fat deposits may be unevenly distributed causing the skin to appear uneven. And this may all just be a natural part of aging. Usually, wrinkles and uneven and sagging skin from aging are not life-threatening health concerns. But it does not mean that we cannot be proactive about combatting the effects of our aging skin so that we look good while we enjoy our healthy lives.

We have already discussed how avoiding smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation (if you do drink), wearing sunscreen and protective sun gear, drinking plenty of water and eating a nutrient-rich diet with plenty of whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables are great ways to be proactive about delaying the aging of your skin.

But let’s explore some other proactive methods I recently became familiar with and from which I have obtained great results.

• Cold Therapy

One form of cold therapy is Cryoskin. It is a non-invasive form of treatment which utilizes cold temperature to stimulate collagen production (we lose collagen as we age) and destroy fat cells (our bodies accumulate more fat as we age). Apparently, the cold temperature (which can be as cold as -8°), may prevent the formation of collagenase, an enzyme which plays a role in the breakdown of collagen.

Reportedly, cryoskin is a 34 minute treatment and is used for “slimming, cellulite reduction, and toning. It utilizes the science behind cryolipolysis. Cryolipolysis is used to destroy fat cells directly under the skin’s surface (subcutaneous fat cells) by freezing within the temperature range of +8 to -8 degrees C. The cold treatment causes apoptosis, or cell death, of subcutaneous fat tissues. The killed fat cells will drain through the lymphatic system and then flushed out through the kidneys and urine.”

According to a 2018 study in the Journal of Obesity, “local cooling of abdominal fatty tissue significantly reduced the measures of obesity, including waist circumference, body weight, BMI, and fat content.”

The primary observations were “that (i) repeat procedures at short timescales produce progressive losses of AT [adipose tissue], a finding inconsistent with “cryolipolysis” that is inferred to require weeks or longer between sequential treatments; (ii) blood profiling after the tissue cooling procedure gave no evidence of markers of inflammation or cell disruption; and (iii) calculated weight loss through thermogenesis alone was substantially consistent with estimates of heat extracted versus compensatory heat generation through enhanced tissue metabolism and thermogenesis.”

The study went on to conclude as follows:

“Our findings indicate that cold-induced thermogenesis (cryothermogenesis) rather than adipose tissue disruption is likely to underlie the observed reductions in measures of obesity following local tissue cooling.”

An earlier study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2015 also discussed the effect of focused cold therapy (FCT) on forehead wrinkles. This is basically a general term for a local application of low temperatures. The results showed that the subjects who received the treatment had at least a 1-point improvement in forehead line severity at 30 days after treatment, and 70% had at least a 2-point improvement. The procedure is non-invasive, non-toxic and did not appear to cause any adverse side effects.

There are also cryoskin facials, which are said to widen blood vessels and improve blood flow. Additional benefits of this facial may include increasing oxygen supply, boosting collagen production, reducing the look of wrinkles and pores and improving the skin’s elasticity (which we naturally lose with age).

Some celebrities, like Kim Kardashian, have shared their positive experiences with a good cryoskin facial. Whether you like Kim K or not, she does appear to have nice skin! My only experience with cryoskin facials have been positive as well. My face feels firmer and appears more sculpted. I also have no wrinkles.

• Surgical body contouring

Clearly, it is a relief to know that we have non-invasive ways to make our skin look younger.  But for those who prefer surgery, there is surgical body contouring.

Now this is more invasive and requires anesthesia. It is usually recommended for people who have a lot of excess skin from dramatic weight loss. So it’s not necessarily an anti-aging method, however, having excess skin, whether you are younger or older, can make you look older than you actually are. For a full explanation of what it entails, watch this video here.

The good news is the recovery is only around two weeks, and the results are life-long if you lead a healthy lifestyle. Read here on how to recover faster after surgery.

So there are many things you can do to look good while you enjoy your healthy life. But, as always, consult a competent healthcare professional before you try surgical interventions. It’s not all about looks, but the truth is: when we look good, we feel good.

And we want you feeling your best while you enjoy your healthy life!

(You can recieve cryoskin and cryotherapy services here). 

Enjoy your healthy life!

The pH professional health care team includes recognized experts from a variety of health care and related disciplines, including physicians, attorneys, nutritionists, nurses and certified fitness instructors. This team also includes the members of the pH Medical Advisory Board, which constantly monitors all pH programs, products and services. To learn more about the pH Medical Advisory Board, click here.