Radiesse

          Radiesse is a safe, next generation cosmetic filler that sets a new standard for the correction of facial wrinkles, folds, depressions, and facial contouring. Clinical studies show that Radiesse lasts longer than former leading fillers like Restylane. Radiesse can last a year or more, which means less trips to the doctor.

            Radiesse is the first dermal filler with concurrent FDA approvals for both nasolabial folds and fat loss in the face. It can also be used by a trained physician to augment cheeks and chin, fill unwanted facial depressions, correct jowls and jaw lines, perform nasal contouring, rejuvenate hands, and reconstruct nipples.

            Radiesse is composed of calcium hydroxylappetite microspheres in a gel carrier. Calcium hydroxylappetite is natural to the human body, and is present in our bones in more concentrated amounts.  The gel and microspheres provide an immediate result, then stimulate the patient’s tissue to form new collagen in-growth. Radiesse breaks down into calcium and phosphate ions which are resorbed into the body through natural metabolic processes.

            In recent studies, at 9 months 79% of patients with Radiesse still had improvement verses 43% of patients with Restylane. Patients with Radiesse also had greater improvement at every time point.

            Radiesse can be used to volumize the face. As we age, we lose or drop the fat pads in the face causing cheeks to flatten and skin to sag.  Radiesse can fill features to give the face a fuller look and a resultant lifted look to the skin and features.

            A unique use of Radiesse is hand sculpting and rejuvenation. Aging hands may become bony looking with pronounced veins. Radiesse can be injected into the back of the hands to provide a smooth, fleshy look that makes bones and veins less prominent.

            The nose can be re-contoured without surgery. Radiesse can be added to the tip to give the nose a lifted or a turned up look. It can fill irregularities to give the nose a straighter appearance. Radiesse can also augment or lift the chin.

            Injection of Radiesse has minimal discomfort. New techniques using dilution with lidocaine make this injection the most comfortable of the fillers.  

            Radiesse has fewer nodules and zero granulomas compared to other fillers. It is not permanent so you get lasting results without the risk of permanent implants. Radiesse is not currently recommended for use in the lips.

            

 

             

 

           

Human Growth Hormone and Testosterone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sly Stallone, in his last Rambo film, was as physical and dynamic as ever. In contrast, the last Indiana Jones movie disappointed me with the shuffling, slurring, grumpy old man that used to be Indy. My 17 year old dubbed Ford an old man, but pegged Stallone as in his 40’s.  Playing action figures, both men are in their 60’s. What’s the difference? Growth hormone and testosterone.

 

When Rambo came out in January 2008, Stallone publicly admitted to using growth hormone and testosterone. “HGH (human growth hormone) is nothing,” the 61-year-old actor told Time magazine in its Feb. 4 issue. “Anyone who calls it a steroid is grossly misinformed. Testosterone to me is so important for a sense of well-being when you get older,” he says. “Everyone over 40 years old would be wise to investigate it because it increases the quality of your life. Mark my words. In 10 years it will be over the counter.”

Thank goodness a prominent male celebrity has the guts to talk about hormone health for men!

Sly is right! Growth hormone is not a steroid and testosterone and growth hormone are very important to quality of life in men over 40. Both growth hormone and testosterone get a bad rap due to sports figures over-using them to gain unfair advantage. We are not talking about abuse with synthetic, liver-toxic poisons sold in the back rooms of gyms. We are talking about molecularly bioidentical growth hormone and testosterone native to the human body given in healthy physiologic amounts.

With age, men steadily lose both these hormones starting at about age 30. By the time a man is 60, he may have only ¼ the testosterone and growth hormone of a 25 year old man. This is nature’s way of shutting us down, except we stay alive due to our living conditions and disease-oriented medicine. You may have normal hormone levels for a 60 year old, but this is not optimal for health. The healthiest adults are in their 20’s, who have optimal levels of testosterone and growth hormone.

Human growth hormone is biosynthetic and has the exact same molecular structure as in the human body. It is responsible for growth, healing, immune function, increased muscle mass, minimizing body fat, controlling cholesterol, maintaining sexual energy, and increasing bone strength. It improves heart function and cognitive ability including memory, alertness, motivation, work capacity, speed of information processing and sociability. Growth hormone replacement at physiologic levels does not cause cancer. Growth hormone acts synergistically with testosterone in that their beneficial effects together are greater than either one alone. Growth hormone is approved for use in Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency, which is a common occurrence in adults over 40 years old.

Decreased testosterone in men results in increased aging of the heart and circulation including increased heart attacks and strokes. There is increased brain aging with decreased memory, decreased intelligence, increased dementia, and increased Alzheimer’s. Men lose their drive and competitive edge.  They get stiffness and pain in muscles and joints, decreased effectiveness in workouts, and a falling level of fitness. In addition they get more fat and less muscle, osteoporosis (yes, like women), and anemia. Fatigue, depression, mood changes and irritability (grumpy old man syndrome) are common. And of course, there is reduced libido and potency. Testosterone does not cause prostate cancer.

These declines in men happen more gradually than menopause and often become accepted as “just getting old”.  Sadly, some men perceive hormone loss as a matter of ego instead of health. Remember, we may get old, but do not need to feel old!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Testosterone in Women

 

 Testosterone is an anabolic steroid produced by both men and women. Anabolic simply means it helps to build you up. Although women have testosterone levels that are only one-tenth to one twelfth the levels of men, it is an important hormone for women.

 

Testosterone is usually the first hormone to decrease in women in the pre-menopause and may start to decline in your thirties even before progesterone and estrogen decline.

 

Testosterone has many beneficial effects in women. Its most well-known effect is restoring libido and improving the ability to orgasm. It can increase the size and sensitivity of the clitoris.

 

Other important benefits are improving mood, reducing depression, and increasing energy. It may help to reduce panic attacks.

 

Testosterone increases physical strength by building muscle and improving muscle tone. This is an important effect since many women lose upper body strength with age. It also reduces fat and cellulite and increases fat-free mass.

 

It can reduce aches, pains, and fibromyalgia. It also helps fight fatigue.

 

Testosterone increases the bone mineral density of the hip and spine preserving bone mass. It improves osteoporosis.

 

Testosterone is a controlled prescription medication and must be administered as a cream or gel through the skin because oral testosterone can be toxic to the liver. Testosterone should not be taken by women in the absence of adequate estrogen levels because it may increase heart disease.

 

Testosterone applied to the clitoris can improve sexual sensitivity. Estriol and testosterone applied to the vaginal area can improve tissue quality and treat urinary leakage. Taking hormones transdermally can help urinary leakage as well.

 

As with all other bio-identical hormone treatments, the effects of testosterone must be monitored by a physician. Signs of too much testosterone are oily skin, acne, over-developed muscles, excess body odor, greasy hair, exaggerated aggression, and disruptive sexual desire.

 

When I first started testosterone, I got two speeding tickets in one month. At that point I stopped using it for a few weeks and started again at a lower dose. I have found testosterone to be helpful in overcoming panic attacks and fears (Is this why men are brave?) and helps increase emotional shield.

 

Testosterone has a place in all balance hormone replacement programs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Estrogen-Natural Bioidentical Hormone Replacement

    

You need to think about starting natural estrogen bioidentical hormone replacement therapy when approaching menopause in your late 40’s and early 50’s. Why? Well, for relief of symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and low libido among others, nothing works better than estrogen.  Long term benefits of estrogen bioidentical replacement therapy include prevention of memory loss, maintenance of heart health, prevention of heart disease, bone production (prevention of osteoporosis), prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, prevention of cataracts and macular degeneration, maintenance of mood and prevention of depression, and quality and youthfulness of your genital tissues and skin. Vitamins and herbs cannot do all these things (although they may temporarily improve some symptoms like hot flashes). Quite simply, estrogen keeps women’s cells healthy. Only estrogen in women can prevent disease and improve quality of life…and only bioidentical transdermal estrogen!

 

 

 

 

Testosterone in Men

There has been a lot of buzz about women’s hormones, but you hear very little about men. To make it worse, men do not seek or share this information as women do. How many men do you know who go out for coffee with their buddies and talk about their hormones? Few people appreciate the pervasive effects of testosterone on men’s general health.  

 

The fact is that as men age, they lose their testosterone. The loss of youthful levels of testosterone with the onset of its associated symptoms is sometimes called andropause. It is the natural diminution (or pause) in production of male hormone (an androgen) as men age.

 

Testosterone loss in men is a gradual process. Testosterone decline starts around age 30, and may drop 1% to 3 % per year depending on genetics and lifestyle. That means that men can sustain a 20% drop in testosterone by age 50, and a 50% drop by age 80. Each man may experience the symptoms of a decline in testosterone differently depending on what his normal was at his hormonal peak.  Often the symptoms are ignored or rationalized away until the resultant decreased functioning becomes a way of life.

 

The most obvious and disturbing changes for men are those of sexual function, but equally troubling symptoms of low testosterone may manifest as a decline in mental functions, musculoskeletal conditions, and metabolic or physical diseases.

 

Changes in mental functioning may manifest as spells of mental fatigue and inability to concentrate, feeling burned out, low energy, tiredness or sleepiness in the afternoon or evening, decrease in mental sharpness, attention, and wit, or a change in creativity like getting spontaneous new ideas. There may be a decrease in desire to start new projects, or a decreased interest in past hobbies or new work-related activities.  Competitiveness may diminish and irritability increase. Memory functions may become impaired with increased forgetfulness. Men can experience a sense of depression with a sense that work, marriage, or recreational activities have lost their significance.

 

Musculoskeletal symptoms may appear as sore-body syndrome with aches and joint and muscle pains. A decline in flexibility and mobility may be noticed with increased stiffness. Muscle size, tone, and strength may decrease. Physical stamina and athletic performance may decline. Some men experience back pain, neck pain, or a tendency to pull muscles or get leg cramps. Some develop osteoporosis or inflammatory arthritis.

 

Low testosterone levels correlate with more risk factors of heart disease than any other individual factor in the male body. Cardiovascular risk factors increase in men as testosterone decreases.  Cholesterol and triglyceride levels increase, coronary and major arteries constrict leading to a greater risk of cardiac events, and blood pressure rises. Insulin resistance increases with obesity, adult diabetes, and increased cortisol levels. There is increased central abdominal fat with increased waist to hip ratio. Estrogen levels associated with higher stroke and heart attack rates (and increased fat in the breast and hip area) increase. Another increase associated with decreased testosterone is in lipoprotein A and fibrinogen, which correlate with cardiac events. Also, human growth hormone output decreases leading to a decline in energy, strength, stamina, and heart muscle mass and output. Low testosterone levels are associated with increased incidence of death even after researchers adjust for age, medical problems, and variables.

 

Although not all signs and symptoms of aging are due to hormonal decline, many correlate well with a decline in hormones and can be alleviated by hormone adjustment.

 

Treatment of low testosterone should be administered by a doctor trained in hormone therapy after a full history, examination, and laboratory testing. Regular follow-up is important to control symptoms, prevent side effects, and to make sure hormone levels are optimal.

 

 

 

Dr. Candice Lane is a physician specializing in hormone replacement therapy. She is a diplomate and fellow of the American Academy for Anti-aging and Regenerative Medicine. Her practice is at 1250 La Venta Drive, Ste. 206, Westlake Village, Ca 91361.      805-496-7869     .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suzanne Somers’ New Book “Breakthrough”

     I must admit, I have always been a big fan of Suzanne Somers! I watched her religiously on “Three’s Company” as she delighted viewers with her comic talent and endeared herself to America. She was sorely missed when no longer on the show, and I for one, didn’t continue watching without her. Suzanne continued to be loved by her fans, and make greater contributions. She alone among celebrities has had the intelligence and courage to step up and openly question current healthcare and advocate for a better way.  

     It’s more than that for me. Quite  honestly, Suzanne saved my life! Retired with insomnia, fatigue, pain, depression, chronic sinusitis, and you-name-it, I didn’t want to live another 30+ years feeling that way. My docotr said, “You’re healthy, you’re just getting old!”, but I couldn’t accept that. I had heard about Suzanne’s health books and picked up a copy of “The Sexy Years”, and my life was transformed. I started taking and studying biodentical hormones and nutritional supplements and began a new life!

    Suzanne Somers has always been on the cutting edge of healthcare! She has a tremendous grasp of the subject, but her truly great gift is being able to transmit that knowledge in an easy to understand fashion. Her latest book, “Breakthrough” continues that tradition, while greatly expanding on important health information. 

    This book is the most advanced book Suzanne has written yet because she is keeping up with a rapidly advancing field. She adeptly covers every aspect of anti-aging medicine and features expert mentors at the forefront of the field including giants like Dr. Ron Rothenberg, Dr. Thirerry Hertoghe, Dr. Eric Braverman and Dr. Jonathan Wright. These doctors have years of experience in addition to basing all their practice on information in current medical studies published in peer-reviewed medical literature.

     A very useful aspect of the book is that Ms. Somers organizes the information into eight steps to wellness and then elaborates on each one. She tells you exactly what it takes and what you have to do to maintain vibrant health! Then she goes beyond this information to give additional insurance for longevity like stem cell banking. As she elaborates on each step, she uses interviews with the experts in this field. I have attended many lectures by many of these doctors and continue to be impressed with their knowledge, integrity, and scientific approach to the subject.

    It is very valuable that Suzanne represents wellness as a group of things you have to do on a consistent basis instead of a quick fix. We are too oriented to taking a pharmaceutical that will cure all our problems. Health is a process and a journey that requires a set of consistent actions and attention. It is telling that bioidentical hormone replacement (BHRT) is her first step, because it is basic to all good health by telling our cells what to do and keeping them healthy.

     The information in this book is advanced medical knowledge that is not commonly know by the usual medical practitioner. Most of the information in this book is not taught in medical school and must be sought out by the medical practitioner who currently barely has time to see patients. Remember most of modern medical practice is disease based, so if you do not have a disease, but do not feel well, there is nothing your doctor knows to do for you. If you have a disease, medicine has tunnel vision of treating only the disorder without regards to the underlying cause or healthy options.  Thank goodness for the medical vanguard in this book who are leading the way to a new concept of health and wellness. 

     If you are experiencing symptoms of hormone loss and aging or just want to maintain the best health you can, then “Breakthrough” is essential information to be read carefully and completely.

 

    

      

 

Progesterone Deficiency

 

Although the traditional definition of menopause is 12 months without a period, hormone loss can start 10-15 years before this happens. Testosterone starts declining first, and then progesterone. Estrogen is the last to go and is often signaled by the infamous “hot flash” we’ve all heard about.

Most women start feeling differently from their younger selves in their 40’s when progesterone starts declining. But even young women can have decreased progesterone which can manifest as PMS (premenstrual syndrome), often associated with stress or hormonal birth control. The most common symptoms of decreased progesterone include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Mood swings
• Osteoporosis
• Pain and inflammation (aching joints, back)
• Increasing HDL cholesterol
• Excessive menstruation
• Weight gain or inability to lose weight.
• Fibroids
• Fibrocystic disease of the breast
• Breast tenderness
• Bloating
• Indigestion
• Gas
• Snoring
• Migraine headaches

There are other causes of decreased progesterone besides decreased production. These include:

• Stress
• Antidepressants
• Sugar
• Saturated fats
• Deficiency of vitamins A, B6, C, and Zinc
• Decreased thyroid hormone
• Taking progestins (a synthetic progesterone) in birth control pills and birth control devices, or in Prempro (synthetic hormone replacement)

Natural bioidentical (same molecular structure as in the human body) progesterone

has many beneficial effects including:

• A calming effect
• Helps sleep
• Balances estrogen
• Lowers blood pressure
• Helps the body metabolize fats
• Lowers cholesterol
• Increases scalp hair
• Is a natural diuretic
• Is a natural antidepressant
• Increases metabolic rate

 

If are experiencing the symptoms of progesterone deficiency, it is important to be tested by a knowledgeable physician to see if you need replacement. Natural bioidentical progesterone replacement may be all you need to start feeling yourself again.