Special Issue - Exploring the Benefits of Healthshares for Physicians and Patients by topdoctormagazine

SPECIAL ISSUE JUNE 2021

Exploring the Benefits of Healthshares for Physicians and Patients Pg 01

True Health Begins with the Mind Pg 05

Meet The Godfather of Aesthetic Lasers Pg 14

Contents

14 18

01 Exploring the Benefits of Healthshares for Physicians and

14 Meet the Godfather of Aesthetic Lasers

Patients

05 True Health Begins with the Mind 09 Pain is No Match for this Doctor

18 Should You Really Wear that Beauty Mask?

20 Empowering People to be Healthy and Happy

WHAT'S INSIDE?

Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity. - Hippocrates

Exploring the Benefits of Healthshares for Physicians and Patients About Melissa Blatt At one point, Melissa, a New York University film graduate, was on her way to become a prominent filmmaker. After spending several years in Hollywood working on various films and TV shows, she decided to step into the world of business development and marketing, changing the course of her future. For more than two decades, she has had professional and personal experience in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and New York in business development and marketing for diverse industries. She managed to execute innovative marketing campaigns throughout her career, helped companies increase their customer base, and drive unprecedented growth. Quite different from the world of filmmaking, what led Melissa to launch her first start-up in healthcare?

The Emergence of an Affordable Healthcare Solution The capitalist world doesn’t treat millennials and Gen Z differently, and Melissa understands the tide is changing for self-employed professionals and independent contractors. Melissa left the competitive corporate world to make a difference in people’s lives. And this is where Melissa’s Indipop journey begins. Indipop, which stands for Independent Population, was launched from her own struggle to find affordable healthcare when she went out on her own.

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She was quoted as extremely high deductibles in traditional healthcare and with mediocre coverage. She knew she wasn’t alone; there are 57 million just like her who are challenged with finding affordable care and either pay higher rates or go without healthcare. She did find a solution; they are called health scares, a different approach to managing medical needs with fair medical pricing, concierge care, and typically an open network to see your favorite doctor or specialist. “Our goal is to save you time, money, and frustration. Indipop provides high-value plans that are researched and vetted, carefully identifying plans we would buy ourselves and entrust with our own health and wellbeing.” Says Melissa.

Healthshares: A Different Approach To Managing Medical Needs Health shares differ from traditional insurance in that instead of a premium and deductible; you become a member of a “community” or “pool” that shares the cost in a medical need. “At a low monthly rate, you can avail the services of a professional concierge team,” adds Melissa. Health shares come with a wide range of options for individuals to cater to fit their needs within a budget. As a member, you may choose your Member Responsibility Amount (MRA) or (IUA) Initial Unshareable Amount. This MRA/IUA depending on the health plan is the amount you are responsible for if a medical need occurs; they range from $1,000-$2,500 up to 3x’s per year. People can also opt for traditional copays in one of the indie pops plans offered as well.

COVID-19 and Rise of Telemedicine Amidst the peak COVID-19 pandemic crisis, nobody wanted to leave their house or wait in urgent care to seek medical help. “You had to find a more convenient, safe, and efficient way to communicate and interact with patients,” said Melissa – CEO and Founder of Indipop. Over the past year, we have found many of the members of indipop enjoy the ease of meeting with a doctor via telehealth. Healthshares typically work with a concierge team that leverages telehealth to help keep monthly memberships affordable and provide quality care.

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Healthshares: 24/7 Concierge Support Healthshares provide a “care team” to help guide you to the best route for your medical need. Your first call or action will be to use the phone or the healthshare app to discuss your medical need. The team then navigates the best care at the right cost. The concierge team is one of the perks with a heathshare and can help you save mountainous medical expenses throughout the year. For instance, if you want a medical opinion, you can reach out to the concierge team for 24/7 telehealth assistance. It is perfect for individuals who want a modern, diverse, and practical way to save medical costs.

The Need for a Modern Healthcare Approach In a little over a year, there was a continuous spike in attraction towards healthshares. Many selfemployed professionals are searching for an affordable option with access to see their doctors and have additional benefits like discounted dental and vision programs. Heathshares

are

alternative

option

traditional insurance that many individuals, families, and small business owners are unaware of. But Melissa cautions not all heathshares are created equal, and there is not a one-size-fits-all. She advises, read the guidelines, explore the services, take time to understand how the healthshare works, what is included, and what you are responsible for when the expected and unexpected medical need occurs. Melissa notes that healthshares are getting mainstream “People

popularity

deserve

because

straightforward

works. and

affordable approach to take care of their monthly healthcare needs,” it also helps that it is always open enrollment 24/7 365 continues Melissa.

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Healthshares: Different Plans, Different Features When it comes to healthshare, it’s more than just about leveraging telemedicine. Interestingly, in all four plans offered through indipop, there are numerous unique features. For instance, a healthshare plan can serve as a health savings account and provide an electronic vault to store your medical records. There are other added benefits for mental health and dental and vision discounts as well. Melissa is focused on featuring plans that have stellar reviews and offer unique features in a healthshare.

Healthshares: Consideration of Your Key Requirements What’s more, is that it provides consistent and open support to people. You are more than an ID card, but a human needing medical care. For a majority of families, they save 20-50% annually, making a significant impact on their overall healthcare expenses. Each plan offers various services, which makes health sharing so practical for families and individuals who want to save on high medical costs. Melissa is tirelessly dedicated to helping self-employed people meet their healthcare needs responsibly and affordably. Whether you are a freelancer, solopreneur, gig worker, or own a small business, indie pop can help you find a healthshare plan that will work for you, your family, or your team.

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True Health Begins With The Mind By Oyalola M. Lateef We can measure health and wellness in multiple ways. They are usually broken down into various diagnoses that often fail to provide a picture of a healthy body and mind. While there is incredible lifesaving

progress

modern-day

western

medicine,

less

comprehensive approach to healthcare has been its greatest downfall. Western medicine generally believes that health and lifestyle are separate. It views every individual as patients needing a prescription and surgery rather than a complete being with a whole system that needs comprehensive care. Common medical approach ignores the root cause of health problems and focuses on symptoms. Western medicine’s persistent failure necessitates a holistic approach to healthcare. Holistic care views patients as individuals with a unique medical history, values, desires, social circumstances, family situations, and lifestyle, all of which impact their health conditions and diseases. A medical approach often sees these areas separately. However, they are interconnected and cannot be separated. Holistic care is defined as an approach that attempts to provide comprehensive care focusing on body, mind, and spirit, which also involves complementary medicines that can overlap with modernday western medicine. Ultimately, holistic health experts believe that the human body is made up of interdependent parts that must work optimally at all times. When one part fails, all the remaining parts will be affected. Imbalance in any area of a patient's life – emotional, physical, or spiritual – can trigger a negative impact on their overall health.

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In an interview with Top Doctor Magazine, Dr. Ivan Edwards, told us "Medicine has taken a trend where we are treating disease when they occur because we ignored the preventative measures in treating them before they occur." Dr. Edwards believes that medical treatments need to embody a holistic approach in treating the human body.

Dr. Ivan Edwards is board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and a veteran serving his country as a USAF Reserve Flight Surgeon. Dr. Edwards explained further, "So, we need to include a non-medicinal approach for treating disease." The physician urges healthcare providers to act proactively while talking about issues related to diet and exercise. "…we all know it works, but we know people will not comply because people are going to eat what they want to eat." Dr. Edwards, the CEO of JOVANA Rehabilitation Medicine in San Antonio, stated further, "We have to take a bold step and dictate what is right for the patients, not just give them medications." He also explained that this would require a fee, and patients might be charged. "…but they will get the holistic treatment they need and not give them one drug after another. That wasted medicine has to change. We must change that perspective. Yes, medication does have a role, and I am not downplaying that role, but let's look at a holistic approach to treating people. Let's include meditation, appropriate diet, exercise, medications, and probably injections if they need one. The military uses multiple pronged approaches by employing the air force, army, and navy. Still, in medicine, we fixate on medication, and if it doesn't work, we recommend surgery," Dr. Edwards complained. While responding to questions during the interview, Dr. Edwards further exposed the flaws in our medical industry and told us, "There is no magic pill that will cure you. You only have to look at the outcomes." He reiterated that he is not downplaying the use of medications. "…but what I am stressing is the need for a holistic approach. Medications have been on the frontier, and apparently, it's PAGE

not doing well overall. Let's have people do other things." Dr. Edwards said sternly. Even though people frowned at different therapies, the reality is apparent. "I have traveled extensively and found that some practices and most modalities do work if used in conjunction with what we call traditional western medicine. Sadly, we are quick in dismissing some as wacky. Yes, it's wacky but let's look at the outcomes. Why do people who meditate, exercise, and take good care of themselves fare and feel better? Why do people who do whatever they want to do and eat what they want to eat but take the pills don't get better?" Dr. Edwards asked. For example, Dr. Edwards continued, "one of my nurses approached me and said she was on sleeping pills because she was stressed, and she told me she doesn't know how to go about it. I told her to tell her doctor to stop the pills and told her to try not to eat before bed and walk 15 minutes after dinner. She said she would walk 20 minutes after dinner, and she did. She got off the sleeping pills and told me she is sleeping better, and after a few weeks, she told me her health condition has improved. I told her she doesn't need the pill. Because she felt anxious doesn't mean she needs pills. You have to check the underlying issues. When you do not live the quality of life, you can't feel good. Our job is to find that out." Health and wellness begin with your mindset. Your mindset is the totality of attitudes and ideas that shape your perspective about the world. Living a healthy life starts with a healthy mindset. To transform yourself, you need to deal with your thoughts, beliefs, excuses, and self-sabotaging

paradigm.

Since

most

health

problems

are

interrelated, Dr. Edwards suggests that it is crucial to address the mindset through meditation. "…people who meditate sleep better, think better and cultivate good habits and stick to them. They gain serenity and calmness." After overcoming this integral part of the journey, "…then we go to the diet. Diets are ingested, exercise induces sleep, works against insomnia, and increases circulation, breathing, and overall good health. That leads to the next stage, which is medication. We might give one if needed."

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While discussing diets and their benefits, Dr. Edwards revealed that inflammatory foods are the biggest threat to our health, and it's important to stop consuming inflammatory foods in order to have a healthier America. According to a study, one can of soda in a woman increases the risk of a stroke, "…people never hear about that. It does in a man too, but it's even worse in a woman." This result did not hit the mainstream because the soda companies obscured the truth. "The soda study was killed because soda has to sell. But it is affecting low-income communities. The truth is a can of soda increases the risk of stroke." Dr. Edwards said. The idea of meditation is that people have to affirm that they are going to do better. There is a lot of stress happening, and stress causes diseases. We have to get rid of stress because it attacks the mind first, and if the mind is stressed, the body is not going to do well. So, the idea of meditation has to be internalized, and we have to get better. That in itself is hope. Exuberance and confidence have to take root in us, and we have to know this is the first step in the right direction. Someone who is depressed must be treated for depression first. The mind has to fall in place. When it does, the body does the same thing.

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Pain Is No Match For This Doctor By Ionuț Raicea and Brianna Connors

Ever-growing societies ask for role models, for people who, as Plato would say, divert their vision from their own pond towards the larger world, who can instill hope in our souls, help us get through the day, and dream of a brighter tomorrow. In other words, all of us are looking for modern superheroes, whose heroic acts transpire through little daily deeds, always giving and asking nothing in return. And who is better to play this capeless part than mothers, who give birth, nurture, and watch us grow and prosper, and whose happiness is equivalent to ours? This is why our Top Doctor Magazine team wishes to dedicate this article to mothers, our capeless heroes, on this most special of days. As a token of appreciation, we would like to bring to the light the story of a true hero mother, whose drive, determination, and dedication to her objective let her reach unimaginable peaks in anesthesiology and

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pain management medicine, bringing sustainable solutions to the Hawaii community of pain management patients. As Dr. Dawn Sparks, a Case Western Reserve University, OH alumnus trained at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic, told us during her interview, "If you really want something and you really put your mind to it, and you really put your heart and soul in it, you can pretty much produce anything that you want."

Dr. Sparks’ Early Steps into Medicine Starting from a young age, Dr. Sparks has sealed her connection with medicine. Following in her father's footsteps, who performed the first lung transplant in the state of Ohio at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Sparks immersed herself in the noble field of medicine and joined Case Western Reserve University, OH. Right from the start, she had to face people who saw only roadblocks down her path because she brought a miracle into the world at such a young age: "I had my daughter when I was still nineteen, and I had her on a Friday night and went back to school Monday morning." But where others saw impediments, Dr. Sparks saw her destined path: "I had this goal of becoming a doctor, and everybody said, this was going to stop me. And I was like, no, this is just part of my path."

Taking the Pain Management Path Looking back to those college years, Dr. Sparks still can't believe how she managed to attend medical school, work a demanding job, and raise her daughter at such a fragile age. "And then, during that time, I never stopped or thought that I wouldn't get into medical school or stop the pursuit." Her efforts were never in vain; she joined the anesthesiology department at the Cleveland Clinic, where Dr. John, one of her mentors, gifted the book called "Pain: The Fifth Vital Sign" to her. PAGE

Inside, a message written in a dedication note was about to open her horizon towards a deeper understanding of pain: "Pain is the experience; suffering is the interpretation." Dr. Sparks shares with Top Doctor Magazine the way she understood those words: "And I just remember thinking, that was so profound because pain is super subjective and nobody understands it. So, many doctors just blow it off and just want to give it medication. I remember thinking there was a faulty issue with how we treated pain even early on and why weren't we addressing the source of it. We weren't treating the source. We weren't investigating why people had their pain and where the sources of pain were actually derived from. For that reason, Dr. Sparks took it upon herself to "solve that piece of the puzzle."

Being on the Patient’s Side It wasn't only mentorship but also her own life experience that shaped Dr. Sparks' towards pain management. She was involved in a terrible car accident before her daughter was born, out of which she miraculously escaped alive: "I was in a coma for four days. I was in the ICU. I had multiple surgeries. I broke all the bones from the left side of my face, both my wrists and my hands. I had to have my trachea resected, and my chin sewed to my chest." By means of this experience, Dr. Sparks learned how out-of-touch physicians were concerning pain medicine since they would prescribe fentanyl lollipops, something unimaginable to us, and other longacting drugs that, without surprise, drove patients towards addiction and crime. She even shared a story about a doctor in Minnesota who was killed by a pain medicine addict. "It's like, they're addicted, right? It's their drug; they go crazy." Unwilling to risk her and her daughter's safety over this matter, Dr. Sparks chose to roll with the Aloha spirit and relocate to Hawaii, where she has been living since 2015.

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Using the Aloha Spirit to Perfect Pain Management But the stories about endless pain management drug prescriptions are far past fentanyl lollipops. Today's technological advancements are seeing such a constant and speedy process that pain management can be "managed" through electronic devices. Nowadays, Dr. Sparks is an active promoter of neuromodulators, which she calls "pacemakers for pain." These devices intervene between the nerve signals and the brain, forbidding the former from ever reaching the latter. Dr. Sparks is more than grateful for being able to not only identify the source of pain but also see "what's going on psychologically, what's going on with your physical wellbeing and your energy levels and cause all of those things to contribute to pain." With both expertise and compassionate care, she performs true miracles on her patients, relieving them of pain while psychologically bringing them on their own two feet. "They're off their medication; they're able to move around, they're getting full-time jobs. You know, some of them had horrible foot pain, they couldn't even put on socks and shoes, some of them were in wheelchairs, and now they're walking!"

The Future of Pain Management Looking towards the future, Dr. Sparks brings the true pain management enthusiast that she is to the stage to bless us with her optimism. "The future is super bright, and I think because we have people in the world like Elon Musk and thinkers that are always striving to improve

the

realm

pain

management."

With

technology advancement promoters like Elon Musk's Neuralink, insurance programs such as Medicare ready to reimburse patients for neuromodulators, and a close pack of 5,500 pain management physicians in the U.S. alone, the sun will surely shine bright on pain management's horizon. In the meantime, as a parting reminder, Dr. Sparks would like to thank from the bottom of her heart all the physicians and medical personnel who braved the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic one step at a time, encouraging them to stay resilient and keep up the hard work in this never-ending battle against the virus. "I think it's been a really hard time to be a physician

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and I just want to tell people, 'Don't give up, never ever give up.'" The Fates are not kind to every one of us, and some of us are constantly tested, constantly forced to break our own barriers to fulfill our purpose, our calling in life. And one of these people is Dr. Dawn Sparks, whose story truly deserves to stand as a model and an inexhaustible well of hope for those who recognize themselves in her story but require help to keep pushing forward. However, Dr. Sparks would not have become the accomplished model of today had she taken heed of all those negative voices that couldn't understand the beauty in being a young mother. Instead of being an overwhelming burden, her daughter always stood as her primary source of inspiration, or courage, of motivation, the one who always understood her struggles and comforted her in a time of need. Even today, Dr. Sparks' daughter, who works by her mother's side, uses small gestures to help her mother start her day on the right foot: "Now, she's working out of my office, and she'll put little notes sometimes on my computer when I'm having a really busy day, that'll say, 'You can do it.' 'You're doing a great job.' 'I love you.' 'I'm so proud of you,' little things like that make me realize now that she probably understands in a different way all of the stuff that I endured." If you would like to learn more about Dr. Sparks and her mission, make sure that you check out her website.

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Research Made Better. Boston BioLife is dedicated to helping medical professionals achieve their goals through educational training programs and resources.

Earn 20 CME credits and get access to 32 million publications, articles, and papers! Learn More

Meet the Godfather of Aesthetic Lasers CEO Jim Hobart co-founded Sciton, Inc. over twenty years ago. The company’s reputation for pushing the envelope in modern medicine with their innovative laser technology systems is well known to countless forward-thinking physicians, including the country’s leading Plastic Surgeons, Dermatologists, Gynecologists, Medi-Spas, and Cosmetic Surgeons. This success is a consequence of the Sciton company culture perfectly summed up in the company motto: “Because Results Matter.” Still, he is adamant about not taking full credit for Sciton’s success, “We ALWAYS work as a team - this is not a one-man show.” In his interview with Top Doctor Magazine, Jim Hobart describes being at the literal bleeding edge of medical laser technology since he graduated from the University of Michigan with a Ph.D. in Physics in 1963. His obsession with constantly pushing medicine forward with laser-based technology has always been paired with delivering excellent results to clinicians and patients. The company’s groundbreaking laser and lightbased technology and innovatively verifiable return on investment for clinics that use their systems have won Sciton’s long-term business with the leading clinicians in the most competitive markets in the country.

The Blue Ocean Sciton is always looking for ‘The Blue Ocean’ or the newest and latest innovations in medicine that are ripe for breakthroughs for laser technology. This has been a theme of sorts in Jim Hobart’s life. In the late 1960s, Mr. Hobart was involved with the earliest applications of Ruby Lasers with the Office of Naval Research. Shortly afterward, he would help develop the Ion Laser, which proved to be one of the first highly profitable laser ventures for his part in a previous organization, Coherent Radiation, Inc. That success attracted two professors of Ophthalmology from Stanford to inquire if the Ion laser technology could be used to treat eye diseases. In collaboration with others, the revolutionary minimallyinvasive laser photocoagulation treatment was born thanks to this application, which according to Hobart, has saved tens of millions of people from blindness. In the dermatology field, his team’s inventions PAGE

have even been used to treat tragic burn victim Kim Phuc from the famous “Napalm Girl” photo, an unforgettable symbol of the horrors of the Vietnam War. Her still-painful scar tissue was treated at Miami Dermatology and Laser Institute with the Erbium Resurfacing technology developed by Hobart’s team at Sciton. And, Hobart’s collaboration with visionaries from the field of Women’s Health resulted in breakthrough treatment options for Genital Lichen Sclerosus, an itchy and painful issue for women that completely devastates vaginal health and intimate relationships. The doctors that approach Sciton for new solutions range from Dermatologists, Plastic Surgeons, Sports Medicine experts, or in one case, even the spouse of a doctor that was an aerospace engineer with some ideas for laser application. “We have close relationships with a number of doctors, and in many cases, have discussions with them weekly. We’ll talk to anyone looking for new devices or with conditions that we could treat.”

Growth During a Pandemic and BroadBand Light (BBL) HERO

Surprisingly, the pandemic has done nothing to slow down the rollout of Sciton’s latest upgrades to its leading Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), the BroadBand Light (BBL) system. In fact, the latest offerings have been in such demand that it’s been one of the most profitable years ever for the company. Hobart tells Top Doctor Magazine that BroadBand Light (BBL) is the world’s most powerful IPL device on the market. He goes on to say that despite the downturn in the economy, many clinics and MedSpas were still very keen to invest in the latest iteration of BBL. Using BBL HERO (High Energy Rapid Output), clinicians can treat sun damage, acne, pigmented lesions, rosacea, skin health and countless other applications using the BBL’s increased power, faster cooling rate, and higher speed. It functions like a high-powered swiss army knife for aesthetic clinicians. “Treatments that used to take over an hour on large areas like the back and legs can now be done in three to five minutes with even better results,” Hobart states.

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It functions like a high-powered swiss army knife for aesthetic clinicians. “Treatments that used to take over an hour on large areas like the back and legs can now be done in three to five minutes with even better results,” Hobart boasts.

Dual Effect: Saving Clinicians Time and Money With Data Analytics based Return on Investment Hobart recognizes that these laser systems are a significant investment for the working clinician. The JOULE and mJOULE platforms were designed to be upgradeable so that practitioners could always stay ahead and be profitable in highly competitive markets. Remarkably, 95% of all Sciton systems ever sold in the past decade remain in service today, thanks to its built-in-the-USA design and manufacturing quality. What excites many doctors using the platform is the treatment data (not patient data) tracking system, Sciton iQ, which is a more verifiable assessment of what your practice is doing, and how much money it’s making. Sciton iQ can collect the type of treatments being used and correlate that information into a wide variety of data sets. This rare level of transparency has led to several clinicians buying multiple systems, more than doubling their return on investment. “We can show you how much money you’re making so that you can put that money in your pocket.” Critical real-time data, increased productivity, and profitability are why clinics around the country are investing in their future with a long-term relationship with Sciton.

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Women’s Health Sciton also has an innovative laser option designed specifically for Women’s Health called diVa. diVa uses ablative and non-ablative wavelengths, which are considered ideal for gynecological and urological medicine during excision, incision, ablation, vaporization, and soft tissue coagulation. Also a part of the JOULE platform, it’s the only device that includes High Precision Automation (HPA) to ensure optimal outcomes for patients and gives the device operator unseen levels of predictability. Many markets are noticing these services are very ontrend in the aesthetic and medical application of lasers. Hobart even mentions that his lasers have the power to save marriages. How? Gynecological health issues like Genital Lichen Sclerosus are often misdiagnosed and mistreated, resulting in the affected tissue being irreparably scarred due to medical and technological ignorance, but not when you’re using Sciton. Urogynecologists have started looking to Hobart and his team’s lasers as potentially offering a solution for this devastating disease.

What’s Next? The Future of Lasers and Medicine Ever the innovative tinkerer, when asked if he has any game-changing technological projects underway Hobart laughingly shares with Top Doctor Magazine, “Only about 17 of them…some of them are really far out. You have to try a bunch of things.” It’s apparent that even if Sciton wasn’t at the forefront of medical laser technology that this type of technological problem solving would simply be his passion and hobby anyways. The spirit of innovation with results that matter defines the culture at Sciton. Even beyond that, Jim Hobart’s collaborative spirit with his valued employees and the curious minds from the medical field have changed how modern medicine and aesthetic clinics treat the face and body forever.

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Should You Really Wear That Beauty Mask? By Yuko Tabasa In this day and age, having a skincare routine is essential. As a “me-time” imperative, we have gone above and beyond to make sure we give our skin the best of the best. A recent study published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal shows COVID-19 has affected people’s interest in aesthetic interventions. According to the participants, seeing themselves more often in the mirror leads them to improve their appearance.

How Do Beauty Masks Work? Skincare can be as simple and as rigorous as you want it to be. However, for people with different skin conditions like acne, redness, and excess sebum production, an added skincare boost is never a bad idea. Beauty masks are the perfect regimen because they contain rich ingredients that either hydrate, moisturize, dry, or exfoliate your skin. The beauty mask’s film allows essential components to seep into the skin better in a short amount of time and offers a more concentrated and intense version of your regular skincare.

The Right Beauty Mask for You With the number of beauty masks available in the market, choosing the right mask for you can be pretty overwhelming. The first step to knowing the right beauty mask for you is to know your skin type. Consult your dermatologist and discuss the different needs your skin might have. Once you have your skin type sorted, you can now choose the right product that works best for you. There are three types of beauty masks:

● Overnight Masks These masks are hydrating, moisturizing, and may contain hyaluronic acid, ideal for dry or mature skin types.

● Clay Masks

Sulfur or mud masks soak up excess sebum and may give a slight exfoliation—ideal for oily skin types.

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● Sheet Masks These masks are the most common ones. They contain moisturizers and antioxidants, which are hydrating. They can be stored in the refrigerator for the added anti-inflammatory effect. Mixed in these beauty masks are vital ingredients that have a specifically targeted skin benefit:

● Salicylic Acid and Alpha-hydroxy acids: for acne ● Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Resveratrol, Retinoids, Hyaluronic Acid: for fine lines and wrinkles ● Niacinamide: for excess sebum, pigmentation, and redness ● Kojic acid, Vitamin C, Retinoids: Dark spots, and pigmentation

Should You Really Wear That Beauty Mask? After finding a mask that works for you, learn to integrate it into your routine. It should be used after a face serum before a moisturizer or a replacement to your nighttime moisturizer. As with anything in excess, it can be inadequate for you. Make sure not to overdo the use of beauty masks. They should only be used about once a week to prevent irritation. It’s essential to be wary of red flags when using a beauty mask. Some of the signs include breakouts, redness, pain, dry or peeling skin, and worst, a skin flare-up due to hives. Beauty Masks are not magic. They will not make your skin soft, supple, and beautiful overnight. Using beauty masks may not erase all your poor skincare habits after one use, but they can provide you with that extra skincare boost in your routine. These beauty masks can be an easy, effective, and inexpensive way to give your skin that extra tender loving care when used correctly. Having great skin still heavily relies on having a routine that works for you and staying hydrated. Know your skin type and what it needs. Stick to a skincare routine that cleanses, moisturizes, and protects your skin. And don’t forget that all skin types can benefit from a dab of gentle, non-drying cleanser and exfoliant and a smudge of broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect you from sun damage. PAGE

Empowering People to be Healthy and Happy By Victoria Cook

Eva Vennari is no stranger to ongoing health problems. As a little girl, she went to various doctors who would attempt to diagnose her properly, but to no avail. After experiencing a draining career that led to burnout, Vennari realized that she wanted no - needed real change. That place of burnout propelled Vennari to where she is today: a CEO and founder of The Elevate Institute,LLC, an organization focused on health and energization. Vennari is a certified Nutritional Counselor in Mineral Balancing and Hair Mineral Analysis

and

has

certifications

for

Personal

Nutrition, Chakra Healing, and Akashic Record Reading. Vennari's enlightenment came at 3 a.m. as she was fighting insomnia. She decided to look online for any illnesses that met her symptoms and came across an article on mineral balancing. Mineral balancing is about utilizing nutrition (minerals) to remove toxins from the body. On further research, Vennari decided to try mineral balancing on herself, and her symptoms were alleviated entirely. For the first time in a while, she felt better. PAGE

A Practitioner in Nutritional Health Her physical change inspired Vennari to become a practitioner in nutritional health. At first, she intended to provide help to herself and family, but the loss of someone close made her realize she could help people beyond her family. She began her business, The Elevate Institute, shortly after. Elevate offers education and a program for those wanting to pinpoint their nutritional imbalances. Different from bloodwork, Vennari

takes

hair

samples

analyze

the

relationships between minerals.

"I affectionately call the hair analysis report the trash report because it captures what is leftover at the end of the body's rejuvenation process," Vennari said. "We're just tapping into the body's natural healing processes by watching how it prioritizes what you eat, drink, and breathe in. And then it makes more you and spits out the rest into soft tissue, which is your hair." This analysis balanced with a holistic approach to pinpointing stresses helps Vennari walk her clients through a path of regaining their energy and living life to their fullest. PAGE

Lasting Change and Real Empowerment One such client was a father depressed, unable to work and be a partner in h is marriage. He was unable to eat, or enjoy anything and had severe anxiety. With the help of Vennari's program, he gradually came to a healthy place emotionally and physically. The change to his nutrition ultimately boosted his energy and restored his confidence along with establishing new boundaries. His wife and some of his children then also went through the program to reach a place of wellness. "When you start taking supplements, and you're paying attention to yourself, that is a form of self-love. Sometimes that's the only first step a person can afford to make in their emotional place," Vennari said. "When you give your body more energy, it frees your mind and emotional space to open up, and you're allowed to process things that you haven't been able to." Stress is one of the biggest inhibitors to people absorbing the minerals they need, so Vennari works with her clients to set healthy boundaries and meditative practices that help with mental and emotional health. Helping each client be aligned holistically is how Vennari empowers people to be happy and healthy. But Vennari recognizes that there is no cure-all for each person. Health, in many ways, is a process, and she, above all, encourages discernment and discipline in pursuing the answer to a healthy life. "The answer is unique to each of us just as our thumbprints," Eva Vennari said. "The foundation to knowing the secret of your life is that you have to put the work in to find out what makes you happy and then make sure you do it."

Want to know more about Eva Vennari? You can find The Elevate Institute here, and you can listen to her podcast "When Doctors Say 'We Don't Know'" here.

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Top Doctor Awards with Richard MacDonald Our annual Top Doctors Awards recognize and reward doctors who are outstanding in their field. To participate, you must be nominated in your category.

Why the Blind Faith Sculpture? Richard MacDonald's sculptures are known around the world for their elegance and craftsmanship. We've chosen his Blind Faith Sculpture to represent our prestigious awards given to Top Doctors around the nation each year to capture the delicate and heroic juggling act our doctors face each day to save lives and deliver better health and wellness.

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