Anti-Aging & Beauty
Learn about the best anti-aging and beauty solutions, from skin tightening to removing spider veins.
I can choose the Invisalign tray for upper teeth only, correct? My bottom teeth are fine.
Amanda Seay, Mount Pleasant, SC
“It truly is case dependent. If your bite(occlusion) is acceptable and you are only correcting minor tooth position then it should be fine to only treat one dental arch and not both. But...the new teeth positions must be in harmony with the lower teeth to give you a balanced bite.” Read more
Steven Glassman, New York, NY
“Usually it's best to to use Invisalign on both arches. We chew dynamically (in motion) not Static. So even though the esthetic complain is on the upper arch, by straightening them they may knock into the lower and not fit together properly when biting and chewing. It generally also takes...” Read more
Carolyn Van Buskirk, New York, NY
“While it is theoretically possible to only treat one arch, this is by far the exception. A better result is usually achieved if both arches are treated. Even if it may appear to you that "the lower teeth are fine", usually some movement of the lower teeth is necessary to provide the leeway for...” Read more
Irena Vaksman, San Francisco, CA
“Invisalign is typically done for both upper and lower teeth, even if you are only actively treating one arch. It is best to control the bite while moving the teeth, thus it is recommended to wear both upper and lowers aligners throughout treatment. ” Read more
Steven Bader, Newton Centre, MA
“It sounds like you are asking if you can choose to have Invisalign treatment for your upper teeth only. Absolutely! An evaluation with an Invisalign certified dentist will show you whether it may help to make some changes to your lower teeth to allow your upper teeth to look better. Most...” Read more
Les Latner, Los Angeles, CA
“Generally, when moving teeth in one arch (the upper arch in this case), then the teeth might not bite together properly unless the teeth on the lower arch are moved. Each patient's situation is different and needs to be evaluated by your dentist.
Les Latner, DDS, MAGD
drles@ucla.edu
” Read more
Michael Apa, New York, NY
“Most cases will require some minor movement of the bottom teeth at the same time, however it is possible to use an upper tray only.” Read more
Marlen Martirossian, River Edge, NJ
“For the most part you do have to wear the lower Invisalign retainer for some minor bite correction.” Read more
I want to reduce the horizontal wrinkles across my forehead.
Ah, forehead wrinkles. Their very designation as "frown lines" is misleading, since they actually form vertically between the eyebrows and across the forehead. While it's commonly assumed that wrinkles are primarily stress-induced (explaining the aforementioned misnomer), these features are in fact the combined product of not only anxiety but, more likely, sun exposure and muscle movement.
Wrinkling is caused by the lack of collagen, the protein that makes up 80% of the skin and accounts for its ability to stay hydrated and elastic. As collagen is damaged by the sun and by aging, your skin is left thinner, weaker, and less capable of returning to a smooth, taut state after contorting your forehead. Wrinkles will appear whenever muscles move in your forehead - for example, when you squint. Worse yet, the wrinkles will eventually just settle in permanently, appearing even when you're relaxed.
Zeltiq (CoolSculpting)
Newly FDA-approved Zeltiq (it was approved in 2010) is already piquing the public's interest with its ability to reduce fat by way of "freezing" it. Zeltiq, also known as CoolSculpting, is a method of literally freezing fat away. It's not magic, it's science!
When cooled, fat cells die at a lower temperature than skin cells, a fact which Zeltiq takes advantage of. It uses a contained suction device to cool the skin and the fat beneath it from the outside, getting it cold enough (to about 40 degrees) so that fat cells are damaged but skin cells aren't.
Zeltiq Aesthetics is actually the name of the treatment's manufacturer - the fat freezer is marketed under the brand name CoolSculpting. It's no replacement for liposuction, though it too is best used on those stubborn pockets of fat that resist diet and exercise.
Teeth whitening (bleaching)
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A white, bright smile is an important accessory for any face. Teeth bleaching uses either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to break down stains and make teeth whiter. While most toothpastes include particles of silica or aluminum oxide to grind away surface stains, these ingredients can't clear up long-term, persistent staining.
Most bleaching procedures - whether self-administered at home or performed by a dentist - contain about 10% hydrogen peroxide or a higher concentration (about 20%) of its slightly weaker derivative, carbamide peroxide, an oxidizing agent which breaks up the stain-causing molecules on the teeth.
Sunless tanning
Tanning can give the skin an attractive golden glow. But UVA and UVB rays from the sun can also wrinkle your skin (through breaking down elastin and collagen) and increase the likelihood of developing melanomas and other skin cancers.
The solution, for many, is sunless tanning. A sunless tan can be achieved in one of many ways and most commonly involves the application of reactive chemicals (DHA and/or erythrulos—more on them later) to the skin to give it the appearance of a suntan without actually spending time in the sun.
It's possible to temporarily color the face without chemicals - through the use of cosmetic bronzers, which are tinted powders or creams - but if you're looking for an overall glow that won't wash off right away, sunless tanning is the way to go. Keep in mind that sunless tanning does not provide any protection from the sun - it's not a "base tan."
Sunless tanners come in two main forms: lotions and spray tans. You can apply these lotions and…