Dr. Zein Obagi
Happy Mother’s Day, Mediha Obagi
It was Mediha, my mother, who taught me that I needed to study, work hard, and get a good education. One of the last things she told me was, “Zein, you won’t be the tallest, and you won’t be the best looking. But you’ll be the smartest.”
My father, on the other hand, didn’t think education was important. He wanted me to drop out of school and work in a leather shop. My mother was the reason that I got a good education, and the reason I taught my own kids to study hard.
Unfortunately my mother died at a young age–she died before I graduated from medical school.
I still miss her today. I would like to show her how my passion, intelligence and stubborn determination–that she taught me–have defined my life. She was my role model–she became a lawyer in the 1940′s–which was practically unheard of in those days.
Thanks to Mediha, and mothers everywhere, for having confidence in your kids, for believing in them, and inspiring them to be the very best that they can be–no matter what it takes. Happy Mother’s Day.
ZO Skin Health
The Battle of the Sexes: When It Comes to Fighting Aging, Men Win.
If you’re thinking, “it’s just not fair”–you’re probably right. It’s a double-whammy.
We already suspected that men find it easier, and quicker, to lose unwanted pounds. But now we know women also age faster than men–meaning their skin loses collagen and elastin at a faster rate, and at an earlier age, than men. That helps explain why women spend more time and more money on cosmetic products, injections, and procedures. It’s not just vanity–it’s reality.
Lasers can now image the deeper layers of the skin–where collagen and elastin are produced. Studies conducted at the National Taiwan University in Taipei showed that collagen degenerates in women faster–causing more wrinkles, more skin laxity, and more uneven texture.
Women’s best revenge? Use topical products high in active Vitamin A (retinol or retinoids) and active Vitamin C. Build up your skin’s natural defense mechanisms to restore skin strength and resiliency–ZO Skin Health’s Radical Night Repair Plus is a good choice.
Life still won’t be fair, but at least your skin will be firm.
ZO Skin Health
Looking Younger = Living Longer
A Danish study which was recently published in the British medical journal BMJ concluded that people who look younger also live longer. The authors thought that the length of telomeres (which are a component of DNA, and protect the chromosome from destruction) affect lifespan: the longer the telomere, the younger the appearance, the longer the lifespan. That’s interesting; but there’s nothing I can do about the length of my (or anybody else’s) telomeres.
So let’s talk about what we can do to look younger and live longer–like environmental factors and diet and exercise.
Why is this so important? Because the condition of your skin is the most important factor which influences your appearance—more important than hair, posture, blood pressure, you name it. If you take good care of your skin, you’ll look younger. So let’s face the facts.
UV protection not only is important for your appearance, it’s important for your health. Wearing sunscreen (I like SPF of 30 or 35)every day will help you live longer. So is ZO Skin Health’s Oclipse SPF 30 Sunscreen a luxury or a necessity? I think it’s both. It’s possibly the first sunscreen that people actually enjoy wearing every day.
