Do anti-aging skin care patches really work? $80: These patches are scary when you first see them, and my husband made fun of me for looking like a Vulcan while I was wearing them. Regardless, I was pretty impressed with my first trial, and am planning to finish a month’s treatment. These patches are heavy duty, and feel like stiff, stretchy fabric. You’re supposed to wear one for 30 minutes once a week. Each patch contains hyaluronic acid, okra plant extract, argireline and madagascan herbal extract — all of which the company says are wrinkle relaxers. They also have vitamin B3 for skin brightening and vitamin C, which serves as a powerful antioxidant. This patch felt a little tingly to me, and there are some indentations on the sticky side of the mask, which temporarily left indentations on my forehead when I removed it. But I could visibly see improvement an hour later. Again, I can’t say if they will do anything for my skin long-term, but I’m definitely finishing up my box.
There is a version for eyes, as well. $195: This high-end Korean skin care brand is known for its amazing combination of natural and high-tech active ingredients, and this product is the perfect example. Like the StriVectin Labs product, this is also a two-part system that’s specifically designed for smile lines. You apply the cream, which contains the now-familiar hyaluronic acid; red ginseng, used to promote collagen production; and lotus flower seed, which helps prevent degeneration of skin cells. You then apply a patch over the cream, which you can wear overnight twice a week. The patch is really thin and I barely noticed it was there. As with the other two patches, my fine lines seemed slightly finer after I removed the patch. My suspicion is that these patches really push the hyaluronic acid — which is already a good wrinkle filler on its own — to the next level. $62: This is a two-part system. First you apply the gel patches to any place on your face where you want targeted wrinkle reduction.
They’re paisley-shaped, so they work under your eyes, on your smile lines or on your forehead. (I chose my smile lines.) The patches are a bit, well, gel-y, but they’re cooling and it wasn’t a problem to keep them on for the recommended 15 minutes. Each contains StriVectin’s proprietary skin care technology, NIA-114, which was originally developed to decrease stretch marks and which the company has since parlayed into anti-aging treatments. They also contain a whopping dose of hyaluronic acid, which moisturizes and helps fill in wrinkles temporarily. After you remove the patches, you follow up with a balm that contains even more NIA-114. During my trial run, I found that my skin looked smoother — even the next morning — and it definitely felt softer. Skin care companies are perpetually seeking new ways to stand out on today's crowded cosmetics shelf. The best way to do that, it turns out, is to offer a product that really works. One of the biggest challenges that skin care manufacturers face is how to get ingredients to actually penetrate your skin - no mean task, given that your skin is designed to protect you and keep chemicals (even those helpful anti-aging ones) out.
Recently, skin care companies have been turning to skin patches, a treatment method that's been in vogue with the medical community for many years. These new skin patches are different from Frownies, those "as seen on TV" anti-wrinkle forehead stickers that claim to stretch your skin and help smooth wrinkles. (And which also don't do anything, a 2009 medical study demonstrated.) Rather, the new breed of patches acts as a delivery system rather than a physical wrinkle eradicator, much like nicotine or pain-control patches. But do they work? "Yes, patch systems are effective delivery systems," Ni'kita Wilson, CEO and director of innovation at Catalyst Cosmetic Development, tells us. "I have seen studies where incorporating a patch increases the penetration of the ingredients." One review article, published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutical Research & Allied Scienceslast year, found that patches create tension in various directions on the skin, thereby increasing its permeability.
This fall, a slew of new products incorporating patch technology hit our desks, to which we submitted to our increasingly (and increasingly worrisome) fine-lined face. We've already mentioned Lancome's posh new eye cream, which includes weekly patches, but these new products - from StriVectin, Sulwhasoo and Biobliss - target other areas, including your forehead and smile lines. Click through for reviews of each, and please note that I can't discuss the long-term effects of the products, since I only used them for a few weeks.More from Fashionista:Bonobos to launch women's line with former Madewell designerRebecca Minkoff isn't launching a beauty line -- yetMarios Schwab might be ghost-designing Margiela How Alexander Wang is balancing Balenciaga with his own label Pay no interest until May 2018 with this card 2 cards charging 0% interest for 21 months The highest paying cash back card is here The Jury Is In on Exercising While Pregnant Scientists Find Potential New Use for Spider Venom Trump Delivers Warning Ahead of Health-Care Vote Eva Mendes looks amazing in first public appearance in six months Meghan Markle 'ready to be done with 'Suits
,'' source says Jenny McCarthy's most embarrassing fashion moment was in this dress -- Get the scoop Start the 6-Week Spring Fitness Challenge Today! 4 Celebrity Secrets to Sculpting a Red Carpet-Ready Body 10 Easy Drink Swaps to Cut Down on Sugar 16 new tv shows that have already been renewed The 15 best self-help books for improving your life Dc universe: your guide to all of dc’s planned movies If you owe less than $300k, use Obama's once-in-a-lifetime mortgage relief program Pay off your house at a furious pace if you owe less than $625k Congress gives American homeowners who owe less than $300-625k a once in a lifetime mortgage bailout Okra is considered a comfort food by all who love it. Although okra or Abelmoschus esculentus (sometimes referred to as “lady fingers”,”bamia” or “bhindi”) is often served fried and battered, it is quite the healthy food and boasts many health benefits when prepared without a beer-battering and deep-frying. I discussed the 10 health benefits of okra in the past and briefly talked about research linking okra consumption to improvements with diabetes.
I also included okra as part of my list of 14 foods that can control type 2 diabetes. Okra packs a potassium punch, has many vitamins and minerals and is nearly calorie-free. Now, let’s take an in-depth look at the okra-diabetes connection, and learn more about how preparing okra in a specific way can help fight existing diabetes and stave off diabetes in those who have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic (also be aware of the 13 Early Warning Signs of Diabetes You Shouldn’t Ignore). Please note that all solid research to date has been conducted on animals, and although rat and rabbit studies may translate well to human applications, the human evidence for okra as an anti-diabetic treatment are limited to anecdotes at this time. Several research studies have shown that okra can help treat diabetes. One animal study published in the Journal of Pharmacy & BioAllied Sciences and performed by researchers from India used rats in which diabetes had been induced. This study found that the seeds and peel of okra have anti-diabetic properties which led the rats to stabilized blood glucose levels—the prime concern in all diabetic animals, including humans.
In this study the okra pods were soaked in water and one group of rats was given the solution, while the control group received a solution of Na-carboxymethylcellulose (CMC – cellulose gum; a cellulose derivative often used as a thickener). The results showed that okra helped to reduce the absorption of glucose and lowered blood sugar levels in rats. Similarly, a study performed by a team of researchers from the Vishwabharthi College of Pharmaceutical Sciences and published in the International Journal of Research in Pharmacy and Chemistry found that okra extract had anti-diabetic effects on rabbits. Over a ten-day time span, the okra level gradually reduced blood glucose levels among the experimental group of rabbits, comparable to the reduction caused by the popular diabetes drug, Metformin. Extracting the goodness of okra to treat diabetes is almost too simplistic to be believed—but it works! Some people claim that okra water, consumed daily, can help stave off the disease of diabetes and restore health in people struggling to keep their blood sugar levels normal.
Here’s how to prepare it: Do this once per day to reduce the effects of existing diabetes or to keep diabetes at bay as a pre-diabetic person (you can also combine it with these 7 steps to prevent diabetes). It takes almost no effort on your part and could potentially save you money in reducing the need for expensive treatments. Okra is an annual plant, meaning its seasonal availability (not to mention geographical availability across the globe) may be limited. Although part of the empirical research supporting okra as an anti-diabetic was conducted using parts of the fresh okra plant, canned okra (like this one) and freeze-dried okra (like this one) can also be used to create okra water for diabetes treatment. You can also combine the okra treatment with other diabetes management methods, such as a low-carbohydrate diet, intermittent fasting, and ingesting foods high in healthy fats such as nuts, olives, and avocados, all of which have their own health benefits. If you have been advised to attempt to control your diabetes using dietary restrictions, okra water consumption may be right for you.
However, if you are taking Metformin to control your diabetes, please be aware that okra water usage may interfere with Metformin’s ability to affect your blood sugar, and glucose levels may actually rise instead of falling when okra water is being used as a treatment while taking Metformin. Make sure to consult with your doctor before taking okra as a natural diabetes treatment. Also, don’t feel that okra’s amazing effects on blood sugar levels is a free pass to consume sugary, carbohydrate-ridden foods! Managing diabetes and using healthy and natural alternative treatments should always be part of a healthier lifestyle, and should never be used as a free pass to eat junk food and “get away with it.” Use okra water responsibly as a part of a healthy diet, and avoid the temptation to reach out to sugars when you find that okra water helps control your blood sugar levels. Read my other related posts: 1. The Amazing Health Benefits of Okra 2. 14 Foods to Control Type 2 Diabetes