herald - Carolina Weekly Newspapers

50 SEPTEMBER 19, 2008 THE HERALDCROSSWORDSee Super Crossword answers on Page 11.Windows to yoursoul need cleaning?It has been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Yet, whenwe hold a mirror to our eyes to look at those windows ourselves, we arenot always pleased with the image we see. Not necessarily the soul, butthe eyes themselves.Sometimes puffy bags under the eyes, wrinkles or dark circles arewhat we see. Chances are, that’s what others see as well. We struggleSKINCAREKARENSIMPSONE X P E R T Sover how we can turn back this sign of aging. Thegood news is that there really are remedies thatcan help the puffiness, fine lines and the dark circles.But first, you should understand what causesthese problems. Knowing the causes could help youdecide what where to turn for help.Morning puffiness or bags are a not-so-gentlereminder of aging. Often, genetics plays a role inthose conditions. Allergies are also common culprits.However, it’s also important to know thatsometimes puffy eyes can be caused by other serioushealth issues. The puffiness is usually worsein the morning. That’s because as you sleep, excessfluid or water accumulates under the eye. Thisfluid collects and creates the bags or puffiness wesee when you wake up. Diets too rich in sodium, lack of sleep and evenalcohol can make the problem worse.Eye products containing caffeine can help deflate this inflammatoryappearance. Chilling them can help even more. A wet, chilled tea bagallowed to rest on the eyes periodically can help reduce the appearanceof puffiness. A more practical solution may be use of a daily eye serumcontaining a vasoconstrictor, such as caffeine or green tea, used in themorning. Keep the serum in the refrigerator to add to the effectiveness.If your problem is severe, you may want to seek the help of a physician.Severe puffiness may be treated by surgical intervention, calledblepharoplasty, which removes the excess skin and tightens up thesurface. However, before resorting to surgical methods, it’s a good ideato investigate the cause of the puffiness and try to determine if thepuffiness related to heredity, diet or even underlying health problems.Crow’s feet — those laugh lines that seem to permanently frame theoutside edges of our eyes — are really the result of frequent exposureto cigarette smoke or constant exposure to the sun without protection.The loss of collagen and elastin keeps the skin from bouncing backto its once youthful tightness. Stimulation of elastin and collagen byintense pulsed light (IPL) treatments and peels are two ways to helpminimize the problem and even begin to correct the damage. Anotheralternative is Botox, which, when injected below the eye helps by relaxingthe muscles and serves to diminish the appearance of crow’s feet forseveral months between treatments. Also, a daily regimen of prescription-strengthantioxidants, such as vitamin C, and peptides during theday followed by Vitamin A during the evening can stimulate new collagengrowth to aide in repair of the damaged skin.Dark circles may be the easiest problem to fix. As the skin ages,it thins and loses volume and hydration. The dark circles appear asthe veins and pooling blood become more visible. Serums containingvitamin K and hydrating aides help minimize the dark circles. Thevitamin K stimulates the movement of blood and diminishes the darkappearance, and the hydrating products help plump up the volume.Additionally, a well-matched concealer will minimize attention to thedarkened area and may help mask the problem while you are treatingit.Your eyes are the first thing others notice about you. It’s importantto look your best and have others see you at your best — looking youthfuland vivacious rather than tired and withered. Beauty begins withyour eyes. As Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “the eye is the jewel ofthe body.”Karen Simpson is the owner and general manager of AgelessRemedies Medical Skincare & Apothecary located in RegencyVillage at the intersection of West Catawba Avenue and Sam FurrRoad. Reach her at 704-896-FACE (3223) or on the Web at www.agelessremedies.com.C O R N E R