1: Resolve to Smile More
Sure, smiling and being nice to people is all good and well, but what does it get you? How about the possibility that your impression as a warm and friendly person gets strengthened? People do tend to respond differently (you don’t want to be an “energy vampire”), and there just may be a perpetuating cycle of more kindness coming your way as well!
Smiling also rejuvenates our faces by shifting volume up in the cheeks and tightening the jawline. We all know how much work can go maintaining a youthful appearance, so how about just tossing out a bright smile? It is free, easy, infectious, and genuine.
So what if you feel your face betrays you, and the heavy lines make you feel like a frowning Grinch when you are really smiling on the inside? Botox and a little volume may be your answer. Did you know that clinically depressed patients had a SIGNIFICANT reduction in symptoms after Botox? You know the old saying from SNL, “It is better to look good than to feel good.” Well, maybe looking good helps you to feel even better!
2: Resolve to Be More Active
It seems counter-intuitive, but the more energy you use during the day, the more energy you have. The first source of energy is caloric burn of course, but the later is exuberance. Life’s just more fun when you are being active. And when you’re active you’re fitter, trimmer, and stronger, which all lead to happier feelings.
Well, people are usually trimmer and firmer when more fit, or at least it should be that way, right? What about those few troublesome spots? You know the ones where we “store dessert”: the love handles, thighs, and tummy bulges. Wherever you keep your extra stash of fat that you can’t seem to run, lift, bike, swim or shake off, we can help.
CoolSculpting is a quick, non-surgical treatment that can reduce unwanted fat around your abdomen, thighs, arms, and even under the chin. If it is too much for our magic machine, never fear, because we can offer a whole slew of surgical solutions.
3: Resolve to Wear Sunscreen Every Day
I guess another option might be just staying indoors. One of the two, you choose. Staying inside is much easier to do these days than any time in the past. Amazon can ship any product to your door, there are apps for delivering groceries, and Face Time helps avoid that pesky real human interaction. You can totally avoid the sun and preserve the natural beauty and radiance of your skin. Save it from damaging UV rays and dramatically decrease the risk for skin cancers too! I can honestly say that I have never met a creature of the night requesting laser rejuvenation or a biopsy of a suspicious lesion, so it must work, right?
The alternative of just putting on some sunscreen when you head out the door like a normal person seems more reasonable. Sunshine feels truly wonderful and can even help make us healthier and less depressed. Why live like a recluse when all you need to do is reapply your sunscreen every 2 hours? You can even make your sun protection a cool fashion statement with a great hat, and everyone wants to share shade under my umbrella at hot Lacrosse games! If you need help finding great products with great ingredients, be sure to drop us a line.
4: Resolve to Have Better Sex
If you want to smile more, be more active, and have a reason not to go outside, maybe you could try having more sex! Maybe if you smile more, are more active, and feel pretty, you might just even have better sex.
It is easy to want it, but not always possible to achieve it. At the root we have emotional, hormonal, and mechanical issues that all come into play. The emotional side for women is huge, and there are rows of books at Barnes and Noble dedicated to this topic. Thank God you can just download now, right? Stress, fatigue, busy schedules, communication problems, kids, trust issues, resentment, guilt…the list is truly endless. The physical side can also be very complex due to fluctuations in hormone levels as well as tissue changes down there including stretching from delivery, loss of elasticity with age, dryness, and even pain. Only you can work on the emotional stuff (plus your partner and maybe a professional), and get advice and treatment for hormone issues from your OB GYN. Now, we have ThermiVa!
After ThermiVa treatments, patients reported looking tighter externally, feeling tighter internally, having more natural lubrication, having improved sensation, and have reported achieving orgasm more quickly and frequently. ThermiVa is not surgical and there’s no downtime (you could have fun that night!). Three treatments are recommended, though some women report satisfaction with results after one treatment. The initial study results were amazing, and the results of a large IRB study will be released soon. Rumor has it they too were very good!
5: Resolve to Glow
If you have committed the previous resolutions, then you are well on your way. Radiating happiness, warmth, invigoration, and love is what beauty is all about! Sometimes your skin just needs a little help to recapture that special of glow. As we age, the outer layers of our skin thicken, and it looks more dull and irregular. Exfoliation, adding moisture, improving hyperpigmentation, and smoothing the texture all work together to create light reflection and brightness.
Once you have started on a good skin care regime, consider treating yourself with a Halo Laser (fabulous and pretty easy as lasers go), Forever Young BBL, or a Microneedling facial.
We are ready to help you love 2016! Wishing you all the best for a tremendous new year!
Stacey Folk MD and Staff