In this blog, we take a look at how stress ages your skin and what you can do to help manage it. Your body and skin will thank you—inside and out!

Stress and Skin Aging

An important player in whether or not your body feels stressed is the hormone cortisol, a naturally occurring steroid. Sound familiar? That’s because cortisol is produced in response to stress and activates our “fight or flight” instincts. According to the Mayo Clinic, cortisol also “curbs functions that would be nonessential or harmful in a fight-or-flight situation.” Unfortunately, this includes lowering your body’s natural production of hyaluronic acid and collagen, key substances for keeping the skin plump and hydrated. Without an adequate supply of them, your skin thins and appears to age faster. Furthermore, high cortisol levels limit your body’s ability to fight internal inflammation and heal itself.

High cortisol levels limit your body’s ability to fight internal inflammation and heal itself.

Studies have shown that chronic stress may additionally lead to the development of insulin resistance, which can then cause higher levels of blood sugar that then contributes to glycation. Glycation can hinder your skin’s elasticity, thus contributing to wrinkles and premature aging.

The good news? There are some proven ways to manage stress that can be done anywhere and cost nothing!

3 every-day tips for managing stress

Lowering stress might seem like an impossible task in a world that can often feel out of control. However, a great amount of the stress that we feel is not caused by the stressor itself, but how we deal with that stressor. Doing yoga in the morning won’t end the world’s problems, but it will help you have the energy and health to be present for yourself and those around you.

Here are three ways to lower stress in your life, which can lead to healthier skin and a healthier you:

1. Exercise

Exercise increases antioxidants and lowers those damaging cortisol levels. Medical professionals everywhere recommend 30 minutes to an hour of exercise per day.

The Mayo Clinic heartily acknowledges the stress-reducing effects of exercise. With regular exercise you get an increase in endorphins, which helps your body learn to manage the fight or flight response, while also improving your overall physical and mental health.

2. Mindfully relax

Meditation has a myriad of beneficial effects to help you reduce and control stress. A 2019 study on college students found that “adopting a mindfulness practice for as little as once per week may reduce stress and anxiety.” And a 2020 study found that older adults who had consistent physical exercise and mental training (such as meditation) routines experienced better health and a higher quality of life.

Looking specifically at potential benefits for skin, a 2021 overview of mind/body therapies as dermatologic treatment strategies found that options including meditation “have been evaluated in the treatment of skin disease and have shown some benefits.”

Not into formal meditation? Instead, you can just mindfully breathe! Research from Harvard Medical School shows that taking slow, deep breaths triggers our relaxation response—which can help our bodies stop releasing cortisol and blocking the physical functions we need to keep our skin healthy and young.

The Swan Center’s Nurse Injector Jordan Dupree, BSN is a big fan of taking a little “me time” every single day. As a busy, working mother of two, she wants to remind us all it’s okay to take care of yourself, especially in times of stress. She offered a great tip for those short on time: your daily skincare routine can become a meditation. Make it a time to peacefully set all other thoughts aside, and focus on breathing deeply and lovingly caring for your appearance. As you cleanse and apply products to your skin, use gentle, consistent motions that feel soothing and impart a feeling of relaxation.

Nurse Injector Jordan Dupree, BSN offered a great tip for those short on time: your daily skincare routine can become a meditation.

3. Don’t check your email after work hours

For many of us, work/life balance has suffered in recent years—the accessibility of email on our phones, working from home, and other factors can make it a struggle to define the end of the work day. Yet it is important to guard your personal time and get a definitive break from the stress of work. According to Science Daily, “those who have greater ‘boundary control’ over their work and personal lives were better at creating a stress buffer that helped protect them from falling into a negative-rumination trap.”

Working after hours can even affect the health of those around you: a 2018 study found that after-hour email expectations had a negative effect on employees and their spouse’s well-being. It’s an urgent enough health issue that certain European countries have implemented policies to protect citizens from overwork, supporting a human “right to disconnect.” Germany imposed guidelines in 2013, France took action in 2017, and Portugal passed measures in 2021 to help improve the mental and physical health of working people—all of which discourage bosses from contacting their employees after work hours.

The Mayo Clinic suggests setting boundaries to keep a good work-life balance which includes not checking your work email in the evenings or over the weekend. Your schedule may differ, but the takeaway here is to define hours that you are not available for work matters, allowing yourself time to decompress.

Has stress taken control of your skin health, Atlanta? We’re here to help!

Reducing stress is a critical part of a healthy life, but sometimes you need a little boost to refresh yourself. Many of our Atlanta medspa patients find regular skin treatments to be a relaxing way to get in a dose of “me time” with the added boost of renewed confidence.

Our expert medical spa team at The Swan Center in Atlanta can help complement your existing wellness and skin health routine with a variety of beneficial non-surgical cosmetic treatments such as microneedling and HydraFacial. Find a treatment perfect for your skin by scheduling a consultation with us or by calling us at (770) 667-0904.

For Cultural Immersion

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is an architectural wonder—a traditional Asian temple in the heart of Atlanta suburbs, it showcases more than 34,000 pieces of exquisite hand-carved limestone, marble and sandstones from around the world. It is used as a place of worship by the city’s Hindu community and visited by tourists and locals looking for beauty, peace and calm, or to learn about the world’s oldest living faith. Visitors must have shoulders and knees covered (don’t worry—wraps are provided). Aim to visit in the middle of the day to witness the offering ceremony, and be sure to leave time to check out the bookstore, gift shop, and vegetarian cafe. Photography or video may be taken from the ground level exterior of the Mandir only—and respect is important—but trust us, this is still a choice spot for capturing breathtaking images.

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Or check out these old favorites, especially if you can go early or late in the day:

• The High Museum of Art
• The Millennium Gate Museum
• The Swan Coach House
• The Fernback Museum of Natural History

For Urban Streetscapes & Skylines

Looking to add some more color and edge to your feed? You’ll love the murals along the BeltLine Eastside Trail. This area contains dozens of funky, abstract and psychedelic murals from acclaimed local artists like Greg Mike, Hense, and the Tiny Doors ATL project. Check out this interactive map to track down the coolest murals in the area.

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Or stop by these old favorites, remembering that the early morning can be a great time to get gorgeous light without crowds!:

• The Rainbow Crosswalk
• The Tree of Life Mural
• Disco Ball Mural
• Jackson Street Bridge

For An Epic Dining Experience

If you want to add some elegance and greenery to your Instagram feed, make sure that you check out The Garden Room, an immersive outdoor bar and restaurant open for dinner or brunch (yay!). This Buckhead bar, which opened in 2020, is an urban oasis with romantic features including lanterns hanging from trees, crystal chandeliers, wooden statues, and floral decor which are all ideal vignettes for a beautiful photo. And of course their craft cocktails are photo-worthy as well!

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You’ll also love these old favorites—and go early on a quieter weeknight to avoid crowds:

• The Yard Milkshake Bar
• Buena Vida Tapas & Sol
• The Little Tart Bakeshop
• Tropicale

For Nature & the Outdoors

The Old Fourth Ward Park is home to a picture-perfect reflective pond that contrasts the iconic Atlanta skyline and its soaring skyscrapers against crystal clear water and a luscious backdrop of trees. Be sure to bring a friend so you can take turns snapping photos of yourselves walking across the bridge with the reflection of the buildings in the background!

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You’ll also enjoy these more popular places, but we recommend you use Google to identify these attraction’s off-hours when you can expect less crowds:

• The Georgia Aquarium
• The Atlanta Botanical Gardens
• SkyView Ferris Wheel
• Piedmont Park

Have any other great Instagrammable spots to share? We’d love to hear from you!

Ready for your close-up?

With all of these amazing Instagrammable locations, you’re going to want your most photo-ready face to show off. Let The Swan Center in Atlanta’s expert staff of licensed aestheticians and board certified plastic surgeons help you put together the perfect treatment plan or skincare regimen to meet your aesthetic goals! Contact us today to schedule your consultation with us online or by phone: (770) 667-0904. You can also purchase your favorite premium skincare brands from the comfort of your own home in our online store.

1. Prepare like a pro

The first secret to gorgeous results is having a productive, in-depth personal consultation with your plastic surgeon. And you’ll get the most out of that meeting if you prepare ahead: read about others’ breast augmentation experiences, look at before and after photos of patients who look like you in the ‘before’ images, and get a basic understanding of breast implant and surgical options.

Take notes, save examples, and write down the questions you want to ask. This will empower you to ask more detailed questions and help you receive personally relevant information. Patients who have prepared for their consultation are better able to clearly communicate their goals, helping them to get on the same page with their surgeon more easily.

As you research breast implants, take notes, save photos, and write down the questions you want to ask your plastic surgeon.

2. Pay attention to the details

Your surgical plan has a big impact on your results. Whether you want a subtle boost or notably bigger breasts, my goal is to create a volumetric look that perfectly suits your frame. Here are 3 key elements of the plan that I am thinking about when I meet with you:

• Breast implant options: There are a range of breast implant options, with variations in size/volume, profile, and material. During the consultation, you will have the chance to try on sizers and feel implant options for yourself. We’ll recommend a range of sizes and profiles of implants that we know will look good on you, and help you narrow down your options from there.
• Breast lifts: If your breasts sag, you may need a breast lift in combination with your breast augmentation. This is not always the case, as a little visible “lift” can be achieved with implants. But if your breast sagging is more than just mild, we may have to incorporate a lift in order to achieve your vision.
• Add-on procedures: You may desire add-on procedures (such as liposuction) to get ideal, comprehensive results.

Excellent surgeons customize the procedure for your anatomy, and discuss the details of the surgery with you. The best surgical outcomes happen when the surgeon and patient are collaborating—you bring your expertise about your body and goals, and I bring my expertise about breast surgery.

3. Optimize your health for a smooth recovery

The secret to an optimal recovery? It starts well ahead of surgery! Go ahead and start investing in your health to support your body’s ability to heal during recovery:

• Strictly abstain from smoking and vaping.
• Fuel a healthy recovery by eating a nutrient-rich diet full of protein, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats like nuts and seeds, and whole-grain carbohydrates.
• After breast augmentation, you will need to sleep on your back. So that you’ll be comfortable getting quality rest in this position after surgery, practice ahead of time! You may want to place pillows along your sides to support this position at first.

After recovery, follow these tips that are a key part of the secret to gorgeous results:

• Continue to refrain from smoking—and, ideally, don’t pick it back up! Smoking ages your skin prematurely, and therefore contributes to breast sagging.
• Continue to eat a nutrient-rich diet.
• Don’t do too much, too soon after surgery. Embrace this chance to rest and allow your body to do the work of healing!
• Wear soft, supportive surgical bras—no underwires until your surgeon gives you the OK.
• Sleep on your back.
• Take care of your incisions per the scar care instructions that we provide.
• Avoid the sun, which will darken your healing scars and contribute to early skin aging.

4. Do it for the right reasons

Breast augmentation is one of most genuinely confidence-boosting procedures available. Yet choosing breast implants is a personal decision, and the happiest patients we see post-op decide to have this procedure to feel like a stronger, more confident version of themselves—not to please someone else. Check in with yourself before booking your consultation to make sure that you are seeking breast augmentation as a gift of confidence to yourself rather than to make others happy.

Breast augmentation should be a gift of confidence you give yourself—not something you do to make others happy.

5. Choose a qualified plastic surgeon who gets you

Good rapport with your plastic surgeon may be the most important secret to your results. Look for someone who listens to you and works with you during the consultation to make sure they 100% understand what you want out of surgery. Find a surgeon who is board certified, has years of experience, has glowing reviews, and shows you stellar before-and-after results that resemble the look you’re going for. Trust your intuition, and if you don’t feel that your plastic surgeon gets you, get a second opinion!

Schedule your consultation with Dr. Cat at Swan Center in Atlanta

Female board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Cristen Catignani wants her Atlanta breast augmentation patients to feel empowered, safe, and listened to every step of the way. If you are ready to schedule your consultation and learn what breast augmentation with Dr. Cat can do for you, call 770-667-0904 or contact our practice online.

Achieving healthy, glowing skin takes patience, consistency, and—most importantly—quality skincare products. At The Swan Center, all of our physician-grade skincare products are carefully vetted by our staff members, with everyone from our Office Manager to our Licensed Aesthetician helping us sample and grade them. If you’re ready to upgrade your skincare routine, check out these 6 skincare products we can’t live without.

1. ZO® Exfoliating Polish

Our Office Manager, Wendy, can’t live without ZO’s Exfoliating Polish. This product is made out of ultra-fine magnesium crystals which roll onto the skin, removing dead cells and debris from the skin’s surface to aid in cellular renewal. It provides just the right amount of abrasion without being overly-aggressive and dissolves naturally, leaving behind clear, fresh skin! ZO’s Exfoliating Polish also contains vitamin C, a natural antioxidant that helps your body repair damaged skin cells, giving your skin an instantly more radiant look.

After using this exfoliating polish in the morning, Wendy says her skin is silky smooth and her makeup applies flawlessly. We can get behind those results!

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2. ZO® Skin Health’s Power Defense

Our licensed Aesthetician and skincare guru is obsessed with ZO’s Daily Power Defense. This product contains ceramides—moisturizing lipids that actively work to build & strengthen your skin’s barrier to protect it from environmental damage. Vitamin E provides antioxidants to combat the appearance of free radical damage and improve the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles.

She recommends ZO’s Daily Power Defense for all skin types because it’s light, non-greasy, and safe for frequent use (she recommends applying it twice daily).

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3. ZO® Skin Health’s Complexion Clearing Masque

Shelly, one of our licensed Nurse Injectors, swears by the power of ZO’s Complexion Clearing Masque. Applying a light layer of this product to the face creates a hydrating sulfur-based clay masque capable of purifying skin’s pores and absorbing excess oil. Hydrating glycerin moisturizes skin and restores the skin’s barrier, while bacteria-neutralizing sulfur calms irritation, removes dirt & other impurities from pores, and minimizes future breakouts.

Because this product both hydrates skin and removes excess oils, Shelly recommends using it as a purifying mask or to spot-treat stubborn blemishes.

4. Revision Skincare®’s C+ Correction Serum

Cherylyn does not let a day pass without reaching for her C+ Correction Serum from Revision Skincare. This powerful product contains a highly stable form of vitamin C to help brighten and smooth the skin. C+ Correction Serum’s non-comedogenic formula also contains prebiotic technology that supports the skin’s microbiome without clogging pores. The result from consistent use is protection from free radicals (including HEV/blue light damage) and brighter, glowing skin. There’s a reason Revision Skincare’s C+ Correction Serum won the 2021 Marie Claire: Editor’s Pick for Ultimate Skin Brightener!

We recommend Revision Skincare’s C+ Correction Serum for anyone with dry, oily, or combination skin types.

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5. Skinbetter Science®’s AlphaRet Overnight Cream

Skinbetter Science’s AlphaRet Overnight Cream is our Spa Director, Kelsey’s, go-to vitamin A skin cream. AlphaRet is a patented combination of retinoids and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) that reduces the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles and improves skin tone & texture, all with little-to-no irritation. Retinoids increase cellular turnover, a process that eliminates old, dead skin cells and replaces them with healthy new ones. (We think retinoids should be an essential part of everyone’s skincare routine, as cell turnover slows down drastically as we age.) Alpha hydroxy acids dissolve skin’s outermost layer and trigger skin cell repair, minimizing fine lines and fading blotches.

We recommend AlphaRet Overnight Cream for those with sensitive skin who can’t keep up with a regimen of tretinoins or retinols 7 days a week (let’s face it: they can be a lot of work!). It’s super-gentle yet powerful, and can be used year round!

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6. ZO® Skin Health’s Pigment Control Program + Hydroquinone

Nurse Injector Jordan is all about transformation, which is why she recommends ZO’s Pigment Control Kit to those struggling with stubborn pigment issues. This kit includes 6 products that work to virtually erase a range of pigmentation concerns, including hyperpigmentation, melasma, acne scars, severe texture damage, and sun damage. It also works to improve overall skin health!

Since ZO’s Pigment Control Kit contains hydroquinone, a skin-brightening agent that works best on fairer skin tones but may worsen hyperpigmentation in darker skin, we recommend getting a skincare consultation to make sure this kit will work for you. Overall, we find the results from the Pigment Control Kit to be absolutely amazing!

Schedule your Atlanta skincare consultation with The Swan Center

Let our expert staff of licensed aestheticians and board certified plastic surgeons help you put together the perfect skincare regimen for your skin type and goals! Schedule your Atlanta skincare consultation with us online or by phone: (770) 667-0904. You can also purchase your favorite premium skincare brands from the comfort of your own home with our shop link here. We look forward to helping you achieve healthy, glowing skin you’ll want to show off all the time!

Here at the Swan Center, we’ve helped thousands of Atlanta plastic surgery patients navigate the wide range of available treatments and procedures.

We put together the following guide to help you understand the level of invasiveness for various treatment types, and what effect they may have on your busy lifestyle.

What’s an invasive procedure?

The term invasive is typically used to describe surgical procedures that require incisions and appreciably alter skin or underlying tissues at the time of the procedure. As such, this class of procedures requires bed rest for a few days up to a few weeks. Surgical procedures usually include the option for general anesthesia or local anesthesia with IV sedation.

Examples of common invasive plastic surgery procedures:

• Rhinoplasty (nose enhancement or repair)
• Breast augmentation (placement of breast implants)
• Facelift surgery (improvement of sagging skin on lower face and neck)
• Liposuction (fat reduction)

Total healing time: Two to six months, depending on the procedure, with patient rest averaging one to two weeks.

Results: Varies between one to six months.

The risks involved with invasive plastic surgery procedures are usually greater than non-invasive options. However, these procedures are particularly effective at delivering results and are considered safe when performed by a board certified plastic surgeon.

So, what does minimally invasive mean?

Minimally invasive treatments require significantly less or no downtime and very little discomfort, but often involve a puncture or even a small incision. Minimally invasive procedures are considered less risky than other methods and do not require general anesthesia.

Examples of common minimally invasive options:

• Dysport®, Restylane®, and dermal fillers (injectable treatments)
• Skin procedures such as scar revision or dermaplaning
• Deep skin peels

Healing time: Zero to ten days, with patient returning to work immediately or within a few days.

Results: Varies between a few days to two weeks.

These cosmetic treatments are growing in popularity because patients can return to normal activities quickly, the risk of infection or complication is low, and the results can be impressive.

What about non-surgical options?

Non-surgical cosmetic treatments involve no needles, no punctures, and no anesthesia. Foreign objects do not enter your body at any time and the entire cosmetic treatment is done externally.

These types of treatments typically involve very little downtime, with patients being able to resume unrestricted normal activity very quickly after treatment. Non-surgical treatments may occasionally be considered invasive on some level, depending on how they affect both the treatment area and underlying tissues.

Examples of common non-surgical treatments:

• Laser treatments (such as fractional skin resurfacing or hair removal)
• Light chemical peels

Healing time: Anywhere between one day to two weeks, with patient typically feeling and looking back to normal within a few days.

Results: Varies between one week to three months.

Non-invasive treatments

Many skincare treatments are considered non-invasive because they do not puncture the skin or otherwise impact the underlying tissues. These treatments are quite comfortable and often relaxing. There is no downtime whatsoever.

Examples of common non-invasive treatments:

• Facials (to improve quality of skin through cleansing, exfoliation, & hydration)
• Medical-grade skincare (products used at home or applied professionally to improve skin)

Healing time: Usually minimal, with patient resuming normal activity immediately

Results: Typically, results can be seen immediately or within a few days

Non-invasive treatments are especially effective when used in conjunction with other procedures. Be sure to ask which treatment combinations are most appropriate for your skin type and goals.

How do I know what’s right for me?

We hope we’ve cleared up some of your questions here, but the best way to learn about effective cosmetic treatments is to talk to a trusted professional. Our board certified surgeons and skincare experts can guide you through the process and help you determine which treatments are a good fit for you.

The Swan Center offers private consultations for potential patients. We can answer all of your questions and develop a safe and effective treatment plan that suits your needs.