PAGE 7
Ii
and long-term outdoors participating in
changes in the work or recreation activi-
skin's structure,ties.
in addition to can-
cer. Those who To safeguard the skin,
have been take these measures:
10 a.m. and 4 p.m so limit
exposure during these
times. Try to do outdoor
activities in the early morn-
ing or in early evening when
the sun isn't so powerful
TheY can also be applied
topically to lower the
appearance of wrinkles and
skin discoloration
Retinol: This substance
exposed to the
is ,pure: vitamin,A. i It is
sun long-term Cover up - Search for TREATMENT
may experi- shade at every possible important in the structure
ence extrinsic occasion. Wear wide- There are many people of healthy skin and stimu-
aging, which is brimmed hats and firmlywho now wisely take carelatin 'fhe renewal of ker-
an early aging woven, loose-fitting, full- inthesun, but may have pre- atinocytes, which are the
caused by repeat-length clothing for addi- vious sun damage from cel!s: that synthesize ker-
ed exposure. The tionalprotection. Also, wear their youth or when theyatin.:Keratin is a protein
skin may show sunglasses that block 95 to were less informed. There
lines, wrinkling 100 percent of UV rays to are a range of treatments thatmakes up hair, skin and
and lose its elastic- protect the eyes. for sun damage which nails Retinol can .smooth
ity. In addition, age include nonprescriptive,and s fteiiskin.
or other forms of dis- Sunblock - Sun protec- prescriptive and cosmetic
Despite coloration marks may tion should be applied 20 options. Here's a look at the 2 Prescriptive: These
the warnings of appear, minutes prior to leaving the options:
experts, millions of people treatments are prescribed
house, whether indirect or
continue to go about their PREVENTION direct sun exposure is
days with little concern expected. The American
about sun damage. Taking active steps to Academy of Dermatology
:However, too much sun shield oneself from the sun recommends a product that
exposure can significantly is key to keeping skin offers an SPY of 15 or high-
damage human skin in vary, healthy Some people areer with broad-spectrum
degrees. Whether you more susceptible to sun UVA and UVB protection.
are walking the dog, head- damage than others, so they Areas to focus on include
!ng out to the car, sitting must be extra diligent in the face, ears, lips, neck and
mdoors by a window or their protection efforts, the scalp if hair is thinning.
1. Nonprescriptive:
These are typically appro-
priate if sun damage is very
minimal. Such treatments
can be purchased at a neigh-
borhood pharmacy
Alpha hydroxy acids
(AHAs): AHAs remove dead
skin cells from the surface
bya dermatologist based on
the severity of skin damage.
Tretinoin: This gel or
cream has been shown to
reverse sun damage 'and
smooth the skin in a num-
ber of weeks. It can also
:spendlng time outrode when These individuals include For extended exposure, and increase moisture lev- fade i brown spots and
is cloudy, you are being fair-skinned people; those reapply every few hours,els below to create a improve skin texture.
xposed to harmful UV who .take certain medica- smoother, more healthy
rays. skin tone.
Antioxidants, like vita-
mins C and E: These sub-
stances work from within to
stimulate the formation and
support of the skin, includ-
ing collagen production.
Don't substitute - Some
people think that indoor tan-
ning beds are safer than out-
door tanning. This is not the
case.
Watch the clock - The
sun is the strongest between
Hydroquinones: These
topical treatments reduce
the production of melanin,
the substance which colors
the skin and is responsible
for tanning. This treatment
helps remove overpigment-
tions such as antibiotics,
-: which may cause height-
The heat of the sun dries ened sensitivity to the sun;
: out areas of unprotected people who live close to the
i! :iskin and depletes the skin's equator or in higher eleva-
i i supply of natural lubricat- tions; those with a family
mg oils. In addition, UV history of skin cancer; and
radiation can cause burning those who spend a lot of time
ed cells while enhancing
skin tone and clarity.
3. Cosmetic: Cosmetic
procedures involve a trip to
the dermatologist or per-
haps aplastic surgeon
Chemical peels: A
chemical solution is applied
to the skin to remove the
outer layer. Redness and
irritation may occur, but as
the skin regenerates, the
results may be smoother
and softer skin.
Microdermabrasion:
The outer layer of skin is
gently scraped away to
encourage new growth.
Fine lines, discoloration and
texture can occur after mul-
tiple applications.
Collagen injections:
Injections fill out wrinkles
or scarring caused by sun
damage Regular injections
may be necessary.
Laser resurfacing: A
laser essentially removes
the outer layers of skin to
improve appearance.
Alcohol and drug addic- across the country.
:,tion plagues thousands of According tothe
. people because it knows no Department of Health and
boundaries of social or eco- Human Services, almost
nomic class. Today, sub- one in 10 Americans is
: stance abuse is on the rise addicted to alcohol, cocaine
or methamphetamines.
Since addiction is a wide-
spread concern, there are
few families who haven't
been touched by stories of
drug and alcohol abuse
Prescriptions
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"Compounding pharmacists provide valuable
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Open Daily: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
St.- Manchester - 846-2123
Sabrina (last name with-
held) is just one of many
addiction stories. When a
violent tornado leveled her
home, Sabrina was severe-
ly injured and suffered per-
manent nerve damage. In
an effort to self-medicate,
Sabrina turned to alcohol
and marijuana to ease her
suffering. She eventually
moved on to "harder" drugs
like methamphetamine
(crystal meth), and by age
16 she was hooked on the
drug. In the next year,
Sabrina temporarily quit
meth when she became
pregnant, but quickly
resumed old habits after
her baby was born.
Eventually her drug addic-
tion and inability to care for
her child caused her to lose
custody of her son. Soon her
determination to get her son
back outweighed her desire
for meth, further giving
Sabrina the motivation she
needed to get clean. Sabrina
participated in five differ-
ent drug-treatment pro-
grams, none of which
helped her to achieve long-
term sobriety.
"I just wasn't able to get
sober and stay sober,"
Sabrina admits.
The National Institutes
of HealtlI and National
Institute on Drug Abuse has
reported that substance
dependence is a complex
disease, and the best out-
comes are believed to be
derived from an approach
that addresses the physical
aspects of dependence as
well asthe psychological
and social components.
Further medical research
shows that addiction is a
chronic medical disease
associated with biochemi-
cal changes in the brain
These changes in brain
chemistry play a significant
role in the physical symp-
toms of substance depend-
ence, including cravings
and withdrawal.
The treatment of indi-
viduals suffering from
addiction and substance
abuse has long been one of
the most significant unmet
needs in the healthcare
industry. In response to this,
Terren S. Peizer founded
Hythiam Inc a healthcare
services management com-
pany devoted to under-
standing addiction, devel-
oping licensing and com-
mercializing innovative
treatment protocols to
improve the treatment of
alcoholism and drug addic-
tion.
"Addiction is a multi-fac-
torial disease with a histor-
ical emphasis on the behav-
ioral component," said
Peizer. "To date, our focus
has been on building a
national footprint to make
our protocols accessible to
as many people suffering
from alcoholism or sub-
stance dependence as pos-
sible."
my experience, otherwise
not even have made it past
the acute withdrawal phase,
much less into the recovery
phase. With Prometa as a
tool, a physician can more
rapidly address the psycho-
logical and physiological
comorbidities that underlie
this complex disease."
The medically super-
vised Prometa treatment
for alcohol, cocaine and
methamphetamine depend-
ence begins with two to
three visits to a physician
who administers prescrip-
tion medications and nutri-
tional supplements. For
cocaine and methampheta-
mine dependence, a second
medically supervised treat-
ment requiring two addi-
tional out-patient visits
takes place three weeks
after the initial treatment.
The Prometa treatment also
includes one month of pre-
scription medications and
nutritional supplements. In
addition, a limited amount
of p/'ofessional counseling
is offered.
Clinical studies are
PrometaTM, Hythiam's
patent-pending treatmentunderway to evaluate
for use in treating addic- Prometa and to confirm
tion, is designed to target reports from physicians
the adverse changes in who are currently treating
brain chemistry that occur patients with Prometa.
with alcohol, cocaine or
Doctors have witnessed
methamphetamine depend-
ence. optimistic outcomes that
have helped some of their
"I have pel:sonally patients begin to take their
observed Prometa's effects lives back from the grips of
in combating my patients' addiction Sabrinahas expe-
cravings. We seek to enable
patients to enter recovery rienced positive results
without having to battle.with the treatment, and has
constant cravings and anx- since returned to college
iety," said Dr. Matthew and is working to regain
Torrington. "Prometa hascustody of her son.
allowed me to treat many
individuals who would, in
