Aesthetics & Beauty Guide (ABG) is the first aesthetics magazine from Singapore to bridge the information gap between medical professionals and the layman. In every issue, you will find detailed treatment reviews , the lowdown on the latest aesthetic treatments available and profiles of qualified medical professionals – basically, your go-to guide for all things aesthetics.

I started ReviewAntiAging.com last year in my personal pursuit to look for the best aesthetic treatments for myself. My partnership with ABG has allowed me to share my vast experience with a wider pool of women (and men!).  In the name of “work”, I’ve reviewed almost 20 treatments and looking at my skin now – smooth, radiant and taut, I’m definitely a big believer that aesthetic treatments can help you get better skin and maintain your complexion for many years to come.

In this inaugural issue of ABG, you’ll get a crash course in Aesthetics 101, reviews of the latest and most effective aesthetic treatments, hear from Dr Georgia Lee as she talks about her new skincare range, get all your acne questions answered by renown dermatologist, Dr Joyce Lim, get the skinny on the newest slimming treatments to get rid of your wobbly bits, and many more health and beauty tips.

ABG is available at all major newstands and bookstores, get your copy before it’s sold out (I hear that Kino and Borders have had to replenish and copies are being stolen from doctors’ clinics)!

Today’s post is going to be different as I am not going to talk about beauty treatments. Instead, I am going to share with you another method of staying and looking young – do fun and exciting things that make you happy!

I’ve recently started gymnastics class and can feel myself growing younger after every class! Each class is a rollicking good time set in a giant playground replete with every child’s fantasy – beams, trampoline and lots of big, padded things all designed for one thing – FUN!

All thoughts and worries fly out of my head as soon as class starts as I have to concentrate 110% on the trainer’s instructions as he/she guides us through cartwheels, forward rolls, back flips, trampoline and balancing beam tricks as well as an assortment of super-intensive conditioning exercises.

I had to get over my initial fear of breaking my limbs or twisting my neck, and just go for it, trusting my body and mind to coordinate to achieve its goal.  The feeling I get from pulling off a new gym stunt is nothing short of exhilarating! It’s a natural high – endorphins flood my body, my face glows and my eyes are shining. Now, who needs creme de la mer?

True, expensive creams and aesthetic treatments can help you achieve great skin. But what is great skin if your eyes are dead and you have no zest for life? So, go ahead and sign up for that cooking class, Spanish lesson or martial arts course you’ve been eyeing (next up on my agenda!). The fountain of youth is within you –  you just have to find the key to unlock it!

*BTW, have you seen my top 5 beauty must-haves? Check it out here: http://www.reviewantiaging.com/

SlimLine POD

It looks like a cross between a cocoon and a time-travel machine and is touted as the latest, most technologically-advanced weight loss machine.

The SlimLine POD is a personal spa environment capsule that incorporates heat, oxygen, vibratory massage amd LED light into a powerful system that provides a “Metabolic Solution” to complement your exercise programme to help you lose weight and keep it off.

Regular use of the  SlimLine POD is said to:

- Promote weight loss

- Burn excessive calories

- Reduce cellulite

- Increase metabolic rate

- Reduce water retention

Intrigued? So am I. Watch out for my review next week

Ulthera - latest anti aging breakthrough!

Ulthera is a revolution in the field of skin tightening treatments. It is the first ever aesthetic treatment that incorporates ultrasound imaging for the visualisation of tissue beneath the skin’s surface. Guided by the ultrasound scan of the skin’s different layers, doctors can, for the first time ever in the history of aesthetic treatments, deliver focused energy at prescribed depths within the skin. The energy enables a significant lifting of skin tissue while leaving superficial layers completely intact.

The energy triggers a healing response which makes skin more elastic and more radiant. Skin forms new and improved collagen, which gradually tightens and lifts the skin from within. Collagen and elastin fibers are the main supportive structures within the skin against gravitational effects. Forget two weeks downtime, this procedure involves absolutely no recovery time as there is no breakage of skin. 

Ulthera is suitable for everyone – no matter what race and age. With over 1000 patients treated worldwide, Ultherapy (skin-tightening with Ulthera) has been shown to produce significant lifting of lax skin. In the pivotal trial, noticeable improvement occurred in nearly 9 out of 10 patients (89 percent) resulting in less hooding or skin laxity on the upper eyelid and a more open, refreshed appearance overall. Study patients noted lifting, tightening and firming in other areas of the face and neck as well, such as the cheeks and along the jawline. Results developed gradually over a 90-day period following treatment and results can last up to four years!

Find out how you can win this revolutionary treatment here:

http://www.facebook.com/aestheticmakeovers

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ll know who Dr Georgia Lee is. She is Singapore’s undisputed anti aging queen and celebrities flock to her in droves to maintain their looks. The first doctor to break news about the latest face-lifting machine, Ulthera (on my anti aging website, ReviewAntiAging.com) as well as purchase the $250,000 dream machine, patients of this doyenne can count on her to always be on the forefront of anti aging treatments.

Besides work, Dr Lee is also a doctor who sure knows how to have a good time! Whether it is attending the most stylish party in town or hosting her own shindig, you can count on her to show up looking spectacular. Not one to shy from fashion trends, be it D&G pyjamas or Balenciaga’s Bladerunner-esque tights, she wears them all with panache.

Ok, my mind is blank this week, hence this mundane post…

Fat loss with LipoSelection

Women in Singapore are obsessed about losing weight.  Case in point: all the ads in the papers are from slimming centres (or bust enhancement places!). A recent survey with my readers of ReviewAntiAging.com also reveal that weight loss is a popular topic. That is why my editorial in January for ReviewAntiAging.com will be about body sculpting and fat loss. A very apt topic for now, me thinks, what with the end of the festive season and before Chinese New Year.

Here are some interesting facts about fats:

We are born with 10 billion fat cells. According to researchers from the University of California who studied about 180 infants for 15 years, this number of fat cells then grows through late childhood and early puberty after which it is pretty much set. A person at a healthy weight may have 30 to 40 billion fat cells, while an obese person can have up to 100 billion fat cells! Women generally inherit more fat cells at 35 billion compared to 26 billion in men. Fat cells increase in size, but not in number when we gain weight as adults.

It was found that the number of fat cells you have stays constant in adulthood and this number is largely determined during the teenage years. “When you are a teenager, the number as well volume of fat cells can increase with excess food intake. This is why it is vitally important for a teenager not to overeat. Fat teens have more fat cells and bigger fat cells that they will find difficult to get rid of in adulthood. This explains why some adults can eat mountains of fried food and not put on weight, while others seem to balloon just looking at their favourite nasi lemak,” explains Dr Kevin Teh, medical director of Singapore Lipo, Body & Face Centre. So if life seems unfair, perhaps it was something you ate in your teens!

My Body Sculpting special will feature a fat loss expert who will answer questions from readers. Questions like:

1. What exercises are best for weight loss?
2. I would like to lose 5 kilos by next month for my wedding, what are the best options?
3. What is the difference between liposuction and LipoSelection?
4. How much fat can be removed and what happens to my excess skin?
5. And more…

The Body Sculpting special will also feature a Vaser LipoSelection treatment review and I will need a candidate for this. If you are keen, join my Facebook Fan Page on the upper-right hand column and post “I want to try out LipoSelection” on the wall.

For more information about LipoSelection, go here:

http://www.reviewantiaging.com/liposelection-liposuction-alternative.html

How to flatten your tummy

I teach Pilates on the side and I know all women want a nice, flat tummy without any love-handles and pooch.  The good news is, this can be done with just a few key exercises. The most important abdominal muscle you want to target for that is the Transverse Abdominal muscle which runs across the abdomen and performs abdominal compression.It draws the belly inward and narrows the waist, getting rid of the dreaded belly ring or belly fat. Fitness trainers refer to this muscle as the body’s “internal girdle.”

Imagine yourself wearing a girdle, that’s what the transverse abdominal muscle does to your tummy.  The transverse abdominal muscle is the body’s most important core stabilizer. To do this, you need to train your abs to pull back in toward your spine during exertion.

Here’s a 5-minute exercise specifically developed for this essential skill:

- First, stand up tall, then think about drawing your belly button towards your spine.

- You are not sucking in your breath, you are using your abs to do this. Once your belly button is drawn it, it automatically activates your transverse abdominal muscle.

- Try to keep your belly button in as you breathe normally. Practice a few times until it becomes comfortable.

I use this exercise myself to keep my own tummy flat. The best part about this exercise is that you can do it anytime, everyday. I do it when I am walking, shopping and standing on escalators.

If you are impatient and want quicker results, these weight loss treatments will help you:

http://www.reviewantiaging.com/ion-magnum-cellulite-and-weight-loss-treatment.html

http://www.reviewantiaging.com/3-step-figure-transform-weight-loss-treatment.html