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Longevity, the anti aging trend

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Recently there has been much development in the so-called “Scientific Associations for Research into Antiaging”. They advocate bringing together all the knowledge and methods available for delaying the advance of old-age and death. ANTIAGING centres have arrived in Europe.

Over the past two years, Europe has formed part of a widespread and important antiaging movement that brings together various specialities, amongst which are endocrinology, preventive medicine, gynaecology, plastic surgery and aesthetic surgery. This year there have been many more medical conventions about this subject and professional organizations have been set up to guarantee the responsibility of doctors wishing to include this discipline in their practice (the Spanish Association of Antiaging Medicine).

What exactly is Antiaging?

When we say that a clinic is an antiaging centre we mean that its work is aimed at offering a series of advanced techniques of diagnosis that are able to determine the real biological age of each patient, combining these with treatment that determines the way to delay the effects of aging and to optimize the longevity and quality of life.

Through blood and urine analyses, and also samples of saliva and skin and a genetic analysis, we can work out a complete case study of the condition of a patient and at the same time obtain a potential outcome of how he is going to age, maintaining good health. At the same time, we will also find out his risk levels with regard to contracting certain illnesses and we will have some idea of his physical condition.

What is an ANTI-AGING UNIT?

In recent years, medical science has become extremely interested in the field of ANTIAGING research, trying to increase life expectancy and above all to improve the quality of life itself. The aging process does not affect everyone in the same way. Why is this? you might ask. Basically, there are two different kinds of aging: faster aging (known as pathological pathological aging) and the other kind that is slower (physiological aging).

Throughout the history of humanity and medicine, we have seen how people have searched for the way to conserve their youth as a direct way of prolonging their life. With this in mind, from the Egyptians with the beautiful Nefertiti, who bathed in asses’ milk to keep her skin young, to the Alchemists who tried to find the “elixir of life and the fountain of eternal youth” sadly without success, until the present time, when technology has been able to investigate more deeply into this necessary and interesting field in which it has been possible to discover with certain precision the variables that, directly or indirectly, influence the aging process.

All of this is not directed only towards the aspect of appearance, in which you usually hear that “Youth is Beauty”, but youth is also health, and health is the best quality of life, both present and future.

There is, therefore, a medical record that, apart from showing the functional and biological aspects, also indicates the therapeutic procedures to be followed in order to correct pathological aging and to convert it into physiological aging.

We mentioned before that not everyone ages the same way: you are sure to have seen people who are 60 and look as if they are 80, but there are also people who are 80 and have the “physical and mental appearance” of a 60 year old.

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So we do not only refer to the physical aspect or the appearance of people, but also to the functional condition of their organs and systems, or in other words, their HEALTH.

As we grow older, we start developing certain

changes such as:

  • Tissue hypoxia (reduction in the amount of oxygen in the body tissues)
  • Tendency towards the degenerative process of some tissues.
  • Reduction and alteration of the immune system Pathological functioning of some organs and systems.

Increase of toxins in the connective tissue (this is the tissue that binds the body together). All this does not take into account “CHRONIC DEGENERATIVE DISEASES” that are generally associated with aging, especially pathological aging.

What solutions can be offered?

Once a certain number of parameters are worked out, associated to statistical reports, it is possible to conclusively evaluate the following aspects:

  • The level of “oxidative stress” of the patient, in other words the “suffering” level of the blood cells due to the presence of free radicals. In this case it is recommended to take a series of antioxih dant vitamins together with anti-free radicals.
  • The level of allergy resistance. Depending on the results, it is possible to follow a programme of desensibilization, especially if there are cases of food allergies.
  • The phenomena of chronic skeletal or organic inflammation that appear suddenly. Thanks to a sophisticated piece of equipment that works by using groups of biological waves, it is possible to find a solution to the problem before it worsens and starts to cause irreparable damage.
  • A hormone study related to the state of activity of sexual, growth and gonadotropic hormones etc.. Depending on the case, it is possible to recommend a replacement treatment, in collaboration with an endocrinologist and a gynaecologist.
  • Special attention must be paid to alimentary deficiencies, excesses or errors, recommending a diet that is designed and adapted to each individual.
  • The requirements of each patient with regard to his physical activity must be set out following the advice of specialists in the subject.

To sum up, Antiaging is a new an integrated attitude to health, that is based more on prevention than on cure. In this case, as in all the initiatives related to aging, it very important not to dehumanize the relationship with our environment and everything that surrounds us. We are not simply machines, we should not look only for performance. We should make the most of the scope offered to us by medical science, allowing us to keep our body and soul in increasingly better health, and in that way our environment can benefit from greater human qualities.

Conserving our health is the best way to treat illness.

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Editorial: Dr. Pier Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Albrecht,

Dr. Pier Jean Albrecht, Dr. Pierre F. Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Frank Albrecht,

Dr. P. Frank Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Frank Albrecht, Marbella Clinic

The seduction of the female breast

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It is a demonstrated fact that a woman’s breasts are one of her most important weapons of seduction. They are undoubtedly one of the most basic elements of femininity.

An attractive bustline does not remain perfect indefinitely, only for around ten years in most cases, then after the first pregnancy it usually gives the impression of being empty and drooping. In cases where the breasts are small and underdeveloped, the need to feel completely feminine, confident and seductive begins to arise towards the end of the teens. The pressure created by advertising that bombards young girls daily with images of supermodels only goes to strengthen the belief that there is a real need to resort to surgery to correct the physical injustice of Mother Nature. With maturity the body goes through the unpleasant changes brought about by the passing of time, a woman’s breasts become her greatest concern when trying to delay the effects of ageing.

DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR HAVING AN ATTRACTIVE BUSTLINE Breast augmentation is a surgical operation that increases volume by inserting breast implants, thus obtaining beautiful and natural-looking breasts in accordance with the characteristics and the expectations of each patient.

As in any kind of aesthetic operation involving surgery, the first consultation with the plastic surgeon is an essential stage, as at this point a relationship of mutual confidence is formed, in which the patient is provided with complete information and all the details and steps of the operation are explained, along with those for the choice of prosthesis. It is also a stage in which we check that the implants will be tolerated and whether the patient’s health and medical history are suitable for this type of operation.

Once these points have been checked then the choice can be made as to which kind of implant is to be used as there are several types, for example, liquid silicone with a smooth or textured surface, of hydrogel, or anatomical implants of cohesive or semicohesive gel. For inserting these implants, there are several techniques by which to gain access: from the armpit, from under the areola, under the breast and the umbilicus, amongst others, which leaves scars that are practically invisible.

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The kind of implant chosen will determine the final result. Anatomical implants are less likely to lose their shape, although they leave a larger scar. It is possible to make use of the edges of the areolas if they are large enough to insert small anatomical implants, and also the fold under the breast to insert larger anatomical implants.

Nowadays the most reliable prostheses are made of silicone soft cohesive gel with a textured surface because they offer the greatest consistency and give a more natural result as regards shape and feel. Within this category there are several different types, which in specific circumstances “reconstruct” the breast, giving it the desired shape. I do not recommend those made of saline solution as they can deflate and do not provide natural shape for the breast. Investigations have proved that women with breast implants do not suffer from cancer or immunological diseases any more than women who do not have them, they can get pregnant and breastfeed their baby in the natural way. It has not been proved that silicone passes to the milk. One problem that can arise is the so-called “capsular contracture”; although fortunately, during the course of my experience, I can say that this only occurs on very rare occasions. Some factors that give rise to a tendency for this hard scarring around the prosthesis: bruising, bacterial contamination, etc, that are treated with oral antibiotic prophylaxis.

At present there are many high-precision techniques to determine the shape and the dimensions of the anatomical implants. In our Clinic our preference is to use local anaesthetic with sedation, although it is possible to use other methods. The operating time varies between one and half and two hours. The operation can take place as outpatient surgery meaning that the patient can leave the clinic on the same day, with a compression bandage, which will be removed the next day. The post-operative followup is carefully monitored in our Clinic.

The results are immediate, during the first 3 or 4 days it is advised to rest; after this period the patient can usually drive a car and return to work. But she must avoid excessive force or lifting heavy weight for the next 15 days. It is evident that this is one of the operations that most contributes to restoring a woman’s self-esteem, helping her to feel more feminine and confident in herself.

In the majority of cases, surgery and breast implants provide a new commodity for women, increasing their confidence in themselves and in their power of seduction.

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Editorial: Dr. Pier Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Albrecht,

Dr. Pier Jean Albrecht, Dr. Pierre F. Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Frank Albrecht,

Dr. P. Frank Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Frank Albrecht, Marbella Clinic

Beauty and Perfection, two different things.

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Beauty and perfection should go together? This is the most mistaken idea that we come across in our speciality of Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Treatment.

For that reason there is a risk of people ending up looking like each other. It is sad to see faces with forced curves, noses that are straight but rigid, big lips that look swollen, exaggerated cheekbones, etc. The idea of perfection comes from the fact that many people imagine themselves like a car, with parts that are interchangeable with those from other types of car.

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The case frequently arises when someone comes with one or more magazines and tells the doctor “I want this mouth, doctor, I’d like to have this nose, these breasts,” etc. And in the end what do we have? An image that is fabricated out of identical parts that are used by many others, an image that looks unnatural, in which the human being who is hidden behind it has been lost.

What is left of Michael Jackson on the outside? and what is left of Michael Jackson on the inside?

I always feel that the victims of this kind of image have lost their common sense. Don’t they realize that it is obvious to everyone? Even their best friends laugh when they are with other people, otherwise ask their hairdressers, who are experts in camouflaging so many scars produced by the face-lifts of which there are more and more every day.

We have come to the point of thinking that a pretty face can be the sum of a number of pretty features : lips, nose, eyes, chin, cheekbones… But this is not necessarily so. Nowadays I often hear in my surgery that people prefer perfection rather than beauty, in the same way as people prefer respect rather than love. Perfection can be worked on, in the same way as respect, it can be developed starting with standardized and normal things until it responds to defined scientific rules. I think we could even say that perfection is something that is measured by the immobility of statues. Perfection is rigid and boring, it is not in favour of contrasts.

Beauty, like love, is something that cannot be easily controlled, it is something mysterious that is perceived and is related to the world of art, a world whose rules are unknown to us and that has to be understood with the intellect of the heart rather than with the intellect of the brain. It is also related to intuition. It is possible to be handsome with a long or short nose, with large or small eyes, with irregularly shaped lips. Latin beauty is not the same as Scandinavian beauty, for example. Beauty and perfection should go together. This is the most mistaken idea that we come across in our speciality of Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Treatment.

Beauty, like love, is something that cannot be easily controlled, it is something mysterious that is perceived and is related to the world of art, a world whose rules are unknown to us and that has to be understood with the intellect of the heart rather than with the intellect of the brain. It is also related to intuition. It is possible to be handsome with a long or short nose, with large or small eyes, with irregularly shaped lips. Latin beauty is not the same as Scandinavian beauty, for example. Beauty is something that is measured by the movement of real life. An expression, a smile, even certain movements that are almost imperceptible in the muscles of the face and body, can give an impression of beauty and seduction…..or the complete opposite. Yes, natural beauty is movement and life, it does not allow room for boredom because it changes with the circumstances.

Not long ago I saw a photo of a wellknown English singer from the 80’s on the cover of a magazine. She must have been around 50. I could see she had undergone a deep phenol skin peel. The truth is that her face had no wrinkles, nor marks nor flabby skin, but I could see that this woman must have been over 45 by looking at her eyes. The upper part of her eyes, just below the eyebrows, was very hollow, you could see perfectly what we call the skeletonization of a face…this is when the bones start to protrude…a sign of aging. Her face looked as if it were made of porcelain. It certainly did not look very inviting to kiss it. This is a typical example of a face that is perfect, but not beautiful, nor young.

In natural beauty a face can be slightly assymetrical, with imperceptible movements of the curves that are a result of human nature. Many people have an idea of ideal beauty as in a sculpture. But a live human face has greater value than a sculpted face.

Beauty, youth and maturity In this aspect there is a difference between men and women. As in the animal kingdom, men want their women to be beautiful because in this way, through a strong sexual attraction, they can reproduce and improve the species. And in most cases, a woman’s beauty in linked to her youth, which is the ideal moment for reproduction. Age, with its wrinkles and flabby skin, relates women to the ravages of time and tiredness, and men do not want the object of their desire to be ravaged and tired.

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The woman turns into a mother, and men are not keen to make love to a mother. These statements are generalities, obviously, but it becomes a global tendency, a more animal and instinctive way of seeing others. The problem is that today’s society is more in favour of this more superficial and physical way of seeing other people than through deeper and more sentimental values. This situation has always existed, but nowadays even more so.

With men it’s a different matter. Women find men to be more attractive when they are older, with wrinkles, showing signs of experience, strength and maturity. This is because women are subconsciously searching for the best father for their children and the maximum security. As in the animal kingdom, men with more experience, wisdom and strength are considered to be the most appropriate. So whilst men consider age to be detrimental with regard to women, women take it as a sign of improvement in the case of men.

In conclusion, for women we associate beauty with youth, while for men, beauty is associated with maturity.

Dr. P. Albrecht M.D. Ph. D. – 952 816 981

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Editorial: Dr. Pier Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Albrecht,

Dr. Pier Jean Albrecht, Dr. Pierre F. Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Frank Albrecht,

Dr. P. Frank Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Frank Albrecht, Marbella Clinic

Aesthetic surgery – Legal requisite

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Aesthetic surgery legal requisites h a n d s o m e When you decide to have any treatment carried out on the face or body, you must make sure that you are dealing with an adequately qualified professional. The ONLY legal requisite for being a doctor of aesthetic medicine – surgery was to be a general practitioner (from 6 to 8 years of study in Europe) with a non-official training imparted by colleagues or through conventions or workshops. Things are changing.

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Spanish legislation has recently introduced changes to the effect that a Doctor who practices aesthetic medicine or “Cosmetic” surgery, may only handle skin and fat down to the level of the muscles. This means he can carry out all kind of injections, exfoliation treatments, laser treatments, diets, anti-aging programmes and limited liposuctions.

The surgical training of these doctors is probably incomplete, to ensure safer conditions for anything that goes beyond those treatments. Generally speaking, “cosmetic” basically means superficial. For this reason we gradually come to an international standardization of vocabulary, using the term Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, instead of Cosmetic Surgery, only for real specialists. A surgeon is entitled to the qualification of Specialist in Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery if he has received training for techniques in plastic surgery for a minimum of three years, or more, and with an average of between five and seven years of hospital practice (if he has studied the reconstruction of the face or hands after burning), and he must also have received training in plastic surgery, carried out in a hospital.

The fact of a surgeon belonging, or not, to a Scientific Association, is not a legal requisite. He MUST be registered in a Professional Doctors’ Association (for Malaga, El Ilustre Colegio de Medicos de Malaga).

The security provided by this aspect means that patients are guaranteed that the treatment is going to be carried out by a real specialist in a clinic that is registered. The European Community has set out a series of safety regulations and requisites that must be complied with for clinics to be able to obtain the licence required for aesthetic surgery to be performed within their facilities.

Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in this new millenium is undoubtedly based on technological progress. Photos are taken with a digital camera of full face, profile, etc, then these photos are stored on a computer using ultrapotent software that will evaluate the best strategic options for rejuvenation or the changes necessary for obtaining the face or body that is closest to the established standards of beauty.

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Then orders pass from the computer to mechanical “arms” to perform the operation under the supervision of the surgeon, but in a way that is more mechanized. This is not a dream, it is reality. It already exists in some fields of surgery, where operations are performed long-distance. Nevertheless, nowadays, surgery is still carried out for the most part completely manually (with two hands and ten fingers). The surgeon is the key element of the operation. He measures, draws, cuts and stitches. In short, he decides which is the most appropriate option and technique for his patient, according to his training, his experience and his own technical and artistic preferences.

Dr. P. Albrecht M.D. Ph. D. – 952 816 981

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Editorial: Dr. Pier Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Albrecht,

Dr. Pier Jean Albrecht, Dr. Pierre F. Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Frank Albrecht,

Dr. P. Frank Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Frank Albrecht, Marbella Clinic

Dr.Pier (pierjean pierre) Albrecht – BIOGRAPHY

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Dr. Pier (pierjean pierre) Albrecht, is a Doctor in Medicine and Surgery, specialising in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, registered at the General Medical Council of Malaga (Ilustre Colegio Oficial de medicos de Malaga) under number 29/07945. He also is an Expert Witness to the Court. He has been studying medicine and surgery, and working in Europe in the fields of Plastic-Aesthetic Surgery, Laser and Anti-Aging Pharmaceutical Research.

He was trained in France in the Medical Schools of the Louis Pasteur University in Strasbourg, Montpellier, Paris V and VI, and in Spain in the Department of Surgery in the School of Medicine of Salamanca University.

He  gave special attention to Rhinoplasty (nose surgery) in Guadalajara-Mexico with Professor Armando Gonzalez

Dr. Albrecht obtained the Superior Medical Degree for “Lasers and Plastic Surgery” from the Specialties Department of the School of Medicine RENE DESCARTES, of the Paris V University.

After he has been awarded a specialized studies title in “Advanced Surgery” by the “Department of Surgery” of the University of Salamanca, he published his six years research about “The Use of Lasers in Cutaneous Therapy and Plastic Aesthetic Surgery”.

He has been awarded the Ph.D. degree “Doctor in Medicine and Surgery” – Cum Laude – by the same University, that allowes him to teach and to carry out research programs.

Publications :

He has published articles about Plastic Surgery and about the relationship between anti-aging, antioxidants and the immune system, in French and international publications.Communications: Comparative use of Lasers in Cutaneous Therapy and Plastic-Aesthetic Surgery, These. Doc. Univ., Salamanca. 2001.· Alloplastic Malar Implants for Aesthtetic Purposes in zone 1. The transconjunctival route. (in press)span> Gliadin Films. I : Preparation in vitro evaluation as a carrier for controlled drug release. Internationnal Journal of Pharmaceutics. 117 – 121 .1995. Elsevier Mise en évidence des propriétés antioxydantes d’un L. M.F. dans des dermocosmétiques . Journ.de Pharm.Clinique. 1995· “Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery of the eyes and of the look” Plastic Surgery Symposium. Birkenwerder- Berlin. 2004· COngress of the French Society for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery: Closed Blepharoplasty, the U suture before incision. 2002· Chirurgie Plastique-Esthétique Faciale et Laser. Ecole de Chirugie de Guadalajara. 2001 · Alloplastic Malar Implants for Aesthtetic purposes in zone 1. The transconjunctival route. IMCAS. Paris 2002· Congress of the Rio de Janeiro Society for Aesthetic Medicine, and in more than 200 workshops, conferences and congresses about health, anti-aging, Lasers and Plastic-Aesthetic Surgery in Europe, USA, Canada and the Middle East:

Utilisation des immuncomplexes dans le vieillissement de la peau. Congrès de la Société de Chirurgie Esthétique de Rio De Janeiro, Brésil 1994

·Intérêt du L.M.F en clinique. Salon de Dermatologie Pratique.Paris 1995

Teaching:

He was an Invited. Profesor for the E.N.T. Specialists Academic Program in the Civil Hospital of Guadalajara in Mexico.

Scientific Societies:

He is an active member of the following Scientific Societies:

Former member of French Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (SOFCEP)

(AREDEP)Association for the Research in Aesthetic Dermatology and Plastic Surgery

(ESLAS). European SOciety for Laser Aesthetic Surgery.

(SEMAL). Spanish SOciety For Anti-ageing Medicine and Longevity.

(NYAS)New York Academy of Sciences

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Editorial: Dr. Pier Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Albrecht,

Dr. Pier Jean Albrecht, Dr. Pierre F. Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Frank Albrecht,

Dr. P. Frank Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Frank Albrecht, Marbella Clinic

Essential Marbella Award 2008 Marbella Clinic business of Excellence in Beauty/Aesthetic category

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Once more Marbella Clinic has been granted the “Essential Marbella Awards”. Marbella Clinic was chosen among 4 other clinics specialized in beauty and aesthetics by thousands of votes as the centre of excellence. This award confirms us 12 years of hard work and satisfied patients, offering the best techniques and treatments, with the famous artistic touch combined with passion for Plastic-Aesthetic surgery.

Dr. Pier Albrecht and his world-class staff will welcome you to the Marbella Clinic and make your time here educational and comfortable. Whatever your interest is, we will thoroughly detail the procedure, recovery time, risks and options to be sure that your expectations are realistic and desired results can be achieved. Thank you for all the votes

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Editorial: Dr. Pier Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Albrecht,

Dr. Pier Jean Albrecht, Dr. Pierre F. Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Frank Albrecht,

Dr. P. Frank Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Frank Albrecht, Marbella Clinic

Antiaging: Exomask

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By Dr. Pier Albrecht

The art of skin rejuvenation

Our facial skin is a magnificent organ being thick enough to protect our face from a lifetime of sun, wind and rain while in the meanwhile being flexible and delicate enough to express emotions and mimics in the unique way only a human being is able to do. After having undergone the changes of many seasons and the sum of emotions of a full life our skin starts to show the inevitable signs of ageing: Wrinkles, age spots, a thinning of the skin and an overall loss of elasticity.

Not long ago, any correction of these ageing effects was only accessible by more or less invasive plastic surgery procedures. But since a couple of years new treatments called Peelings are available which consist of a chemical or mechanical removal of the upper layers of the skin (Epidermis) followed by an assisted healing phase which allows for a regeneration of a new, immaculate skin.

It is very important to know that the exfoliative effect of a chemical peeling only is responsible for a part of its results, while the other part is the effects in the deeper layer of the skin (Dermis), where a deep chemical peel induces a hypertrophy and a retraction of the elastic fibres which results in the remarkable lifting effect of such a deep chemical peeling. Furthermore this lifting effect can be as well achieved in zones which are difficult to treat with classical surgical face lifting procedures (e.g. the area around the mouth and the lower eye lid area).

There are other peelings available which are targeted only on the exfoliative effect, that means they provide only the removal of old skin cells to enhance the appearance of the skin but have no lifting effect which can remove deeper creases and wrinkles. These superficial or medial depth peelings are for example the Fruit Acids peelings or the glycolic acid peelings which can not be considered as an alternative for surgical lifting procedures.

An alternative to deep chemical peeling is the EXOmask which is only available at a few selected centres in Europe. Based on a special chemical formula which has been developed over 30 years through extensive testing on human tissue samples in the laboratory, EXOmask provides a deep lifting effect on the dermis without any destruction of the underlying pigment cells (Melanocytes), which are responsible for the skin colour and the natural sun protection through the tanning effect. Most of the other deep peelings currently available have an immanent risk of permanent depigmentation of the treated area, which results in an unsatisfying skin colour and the mandatory use of permanent sun protection.

The EXOmask treatment is carried out in only one session, mostly as an out-patient procedure, under local anaesthesia and in some case including a light sedation. After the peeling lotion has been applied, an elastic silicone mask seals the face for 24 hours allowing the solution to penetrate into the deeper part of the skin. This process is painless, the patient can in most cases go home with the mask and sleep normally. After 24 h the mask is removed and a special powder is applied on the skin. This powder enhances the regeneration process and serves as a dressing for 7 days until the new skin has grown completely.

After 7 days the results are instantaneous, the patient has a smooth and spotless skin and the lifting effect through the skin retraction is completed. Due to the ongoing regeneration process of the deep elastic fibres the new skin is widely vascularized and therefore shows a redness which will slowly fade during the next 8-10 weeks but can be covered up completely with make up.

In conclusion the EXOmask peeling is an attractive alternative for patients who have an overall ageing of the facial skin and want effective facial rejuvenation without undergoing classical surgery procedures.

The EXOmask treatment is carried out in only one session, mostly as an out-patient procedure, under local anaesthesia and in some case including a light sedation.

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Editorial: Dr. Pier Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Albrecht,

Dr. Pier Jean Albrecht, Dr. Pierre F. Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Frank Albrecht,

Dr. P. Frank Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Frank Albrecht, Marbella Clinic

The Quest for Happiness – 07

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By Dr. Pier Albrecht

After a couple has lived together for some time (from 18 to 36 months), the passion starts wearing off gradually. Shortly afterwards, they become comfortably accustomed to one another or the relationship becomes a heavy burden to both and, then, one of them drifts apart and opens up their heart and mind to a new adventure, trying to feel free and independent again. Although the other person may not be satisfied, he or she will often try to continue the relationship because he or she thinks that it will be impossible to find someone better or for fear of being alone. This is what happened in most of the cases I have come across. One gave up on the relationship before the other. However, after some time, both of them felt happier and more liberated. They acknowledge that the relationship was like being in jail -a sometimes nice prison, but a prison after all.

Therefore, some couples stay married almost all their lives, but they have to overcome crises to that effect. This is not the general case and there may be a secret to their success. Sometimes it is a moral or religious point of view, according to which one has to devote oneself to a single person in order to be happy or to give happiness. This sounds nice, ideal, something out of a fairy tale, and with some advantages to it. You are sharing your whole life with someone who will always be at your side, to support you and give you tenderness. In my opinion, this is not better or worse than the other solution. But only a few individuals can make it.

I have a different point of view in this regard. For me, human life is a developmental experience, an opportunity to learn from each other. When I was a kid, I always wanted my friends and I to share our experiences in order for us to gain a better understanding of life and to live a happier life. The same holds true for a couple. In my opinion, it is all about sharing experiences and helping each other. The personality and wisdom of our loved one should help us improve our awareness of life. Loving your partner is nothing but wishing that they find the greatest peace and happiness possible.

But in order to carry this relationship in happiness, both individuals need to clearly know that there is no use in making it last longer than necessary. I don’t see the point in going beyond all means to try to extend the good times. When you have given all you can give and taken all you can take, sometimes you have to be strong enough to acknowledge that it is time to move on to the next phase in your life. Both need to adopt a positive attitude about it, knowing for sure that it is not only the happy experiences but also the painful ones that teach us lessons in life. Your life is not over when a relationship comes to an end. Sometimes you may think: “I will never find someone like him or her, I will never fall in love again, and so on…” You need to ask yourself how many times you have said one of these phrases, how many boyfriends or girlfriends you have had after a painful break up. We should always remember the saying: “that which does not kill you makes you stronger.”

But I also believe that there is a certain person with whom we will share the last years of our lives. This may be the “love of our lives”, since it is the most mature and tolerant one.

Broken Heart

There’s a saying that goes: “You can’t really love unless you’ve been brokenhearted.” This is a profound truth, since our heart is like a nut, it is full of love and generally protected by a shell. The only way of letting it out is by breaking the shell. Unfortunately, most of the times, it is through suffering that the shell breaks open. It is hard to admit it but I know it’s true. We would all love to live our lives with no suffering, just full of pleasure and beautiful moments. We all try to avoid bad experiences and suffering. We hide, we ran away from any potentially painful obstacle we may find in our way.

It is a pity, because pain makes us better and stronger. I’m not saying that we should pursue a life of hardship and pain, but rather that we should not try to avoid it, since we would be missing the opportunity to break open the outer shell of our hearts that keeps our love locked in it.

There are different degrees of suffering, some more tolerable than others. A broken heart can sometimes kill you. The loss of loved ones, such as children, is a type of pain that is nearly impossible to overcome, and which will stay in our hearts forever. Studies were made not only of the loss of a relative, but also of emotional stress in general, with very interesting results.

Dr. Llan Wittstein, a cardiologist of the John Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, United States, directed a research team who studied 19 patients admitted to hospital with a left ventricular dysfunction after sudden emotional stress. All patients had a coronarography and repeat ECGs performed. Five of them underwent endomyocardial biopsy. Plasma catecholamine levels of 13 patients with myocardial dysfunction were compared with those in seven patients with Killip class III myocardial infarction. All the patients studied were women except for one, with a median age of 63, that is to say, postmenopausal women. According to Wittstein, the symptoms included chest pain, pulmonary edema, and cardiogenic shock, and had they not been treated, some of the patients would have died. In many cases, the patients had just been informed of the death of a relative.

A woman had been held at gunpoint during a bank robbery. Another one had experienced a great fright when 70 people shouted “surprise” at her during a party held in her honor. Unlike the other patients who suffered from real heart diseases, these patients were discharged after 2 or 3 days with their hearts in perfect condition.

Wittstein and Coll believes that stress following a great emotional shock may, depending on the family history, cause an exaggerated increase of some neurochemical components produced by the body, such as adrenaline and noradrenaline, which will reach the heart and sometimes kill you.

With the exception of these extreme cases, most of us survive emotional shocks. But they do affect us deeply and transform us every time they take place. In my opinion, every heart ache allows us to love better and become more compassionate.

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Editorial: Dr. Pier Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Albrecht,

Dr. Pier Jean Albrecht, Dr. Pierre F. Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Frank Albrecht,

Dr. P. Frank Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Frank Albrecht, Marbella Clinic

The Quest for Happiness – 06

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By Dr. Pier Albrecht

I will not try to rewrite a thesis about happiness; I will just share my experience and thoughts about some topics that are sometimes addressed at my practice.

The hope of finding true love, getting married and having a family is universal. Almost every culture and civilization has considered marriage to be one of the pillars of social stability, individual and community happiness.

Individually speaking, there are two individuals that love each other, long to share the same life and start a family. They want to share every aspect of their lives with their soul mate, have tenderness, support and guaranteed sex. Generation after generation, people fail to realize that their parents went through difficult times, sometimes unbearable, and want to reproduce the image of ideal family they have. In the best case scenario, those parents who have suffered throughout their marriage for ages hope that life will be better for their children. Otherwise, parents just want their children to move out so that they will not have to feed them any more.

Socially speaking, it is in the community interest that individuals live together to have a peaceful life and achieve development. Firstly, this may be due to economic reasons: Family favors wealth creation. Second, there may be reasons of civil peace and balance: If relationships are developed within a legal framework, men and women cannot exchange each other (theoretically speaking) at will, preventing conflict with high economic impact: When we are fighting, we do not work. Thirdly, there may be public health reasons: With steady relationships, sexually transmitted diseases are less likely to spread like a plague. Finally, there may be religious reasons: To prevent people from living in sin.

These schemes were discontinued at the end of the twentieth century. These days, couples start dating and split up so easily that marriage is not even justified. In other words, people keep on liking the idea of getting married; however, they are often conscious that it may not be for good.

Living together can be considered the paradox in a relationship, for it may lead to divorce or separation. I repeat that I am considering general ideas in this book, for I know perfectly well that there are exceptions. However, the evolution of the past few decades has provided us with extraordinary material to analyze many aspects of our lives.

When a couple lives apart and only shares some moments, it is like living for hours or days in a loving and happy bubble. Their working lives are left aside; they only share the best of themselves. They feel a burning desire. They have missed each other for a while. Each individual wants to project the best image. Every time they meet is like a having party.

HAPPINESS, LOVE & COUPLES

When they begin to learn more about each other, the desire to live together gradually appears. If they decide to take the step to live together, they discover new things about each other, things not related to desire or love but to the most practical aspects of their daily lives. One is too fast and the other too slow. One loves watching the news at the same time everyday, the other thinks it is a silly thing to do. One takes a one-hour-shower, the other only takes a five-minute-shower. One is stingy, the other throws the money away. One does the washing-up perfectly, the other leaves froth and soap. These details start to gradually affect the couple’s life until they both begin to think: “How can he live that way? I believe it is impossible, foolish or ridiculous”.

Those details mark the beginning of the deterioration of the relationship, but the end comes quickly when lovers begin to say: «You shouldn’t do this that way; I don’t like it that you are always following me, and so on.” Daily life commingles with feelings and the result is usually negative. Love dies little by little.

I always advise my friends not to forget the reasons why they have loved their partners. I further suggest them to try to imagine what would happen if they were to meet their couples again today: wouldn’t they love them again? Focus on the essential. You cannot expect your loved one to have all the qualities that made you fall in love with him/her and yet try to gradually change him/her to become more like yourself.

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Editorial: Dr. Pier Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Albrecht,

Dr. Pier Jean Albrecht, Dr. Pierre F. Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Frank Albrecht,

Dr. P. Frank Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Frank Albrecht, Marbella Clinic

The Quest for happiness – 04

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>>> Over my long years of professional experience I have come to see that my patients, by improving their appearance, hope to find happiness. Because of this, I have decided to write about this subject and present it, in chapters, to the readers of Transform Magazine.>>> Today we will analyze how to differentiate happiness from pleasure. I hope these lines will help you in your quest for happiness.

Happiness & satisfaction

From childhood we are aware of the tyranny of our desires. From the moment when we cry, asking for mother’s milk, and we are soothed when we are given it, we are aware of that feeling of satisfaction that causes us to confuse it with happiness.

To be able to achieve what we desire seems to alleviate our suffering and the tension that this produces. If we spend our life placating our desires, we will never achieve happiness. Quite simply because as soon as we satisfy the first desire, another one will appear in one form or another. It is a mistake to think that we will feel happy after obtaining something. We will only be temporarily comforted.

Happiness & pleasure

The very essence of pleasure is that it does not last. Pleasure is related to a beginning and an end. The strongest physical pleasure, an orgasm, is very short. It is the peak of tension, followed by deep relaxation. Any kind of pleasure can be defined as an outof- the-ordinary condition, with an increase of endorphins in the brain and sometimes more adrenalin in the body. Man tries to achieve the maximum moments of pleasure during the course of his, or her, life and often believes that the happiness level of his life is related to the number of moments of pleasure: how many orgasms, how many delicious meals, how many concerts, how many dances, how much travelling, etc…

We live in a time that is so centred on multiplying those moments that young people spend most of their time with earphones, listening to their favourite music. Many enter an unreal, digital world in front of a Playstation that permits them to live a virtual life that is not theirs. They spend the rest of the time sending text messages (SMS) on their mobile phone.

When they eat or drink, they prefer sweet, fizzy drinks like Coca Cola rather than water and soft food, like pasta, chips, hamburger buns, etc. It is obvious that the new generation is no happier than the previous one, quite the contrary.

The absence of motivation and ideals condemns the new generation to pay attention only to their pleasures and the way in which to achieve them, which usually means through money.

This is really the modern ideal. The modern western democracies have already attained all the freedom possible. They know that people can now think as they wish, speak, write, sing, film, criticize, dress and move as they wish. There is nothing more to fight for. The only thing remaining is what’s left once you have achieved all of the above : pleasure. The problem is that an excess of pleasure kills off the pleasure itself, and then more and more stimulation is needed in order to feel good.

Modern life consists of obtaining the maximum pleasure possible, whether physical, intellectual, emotional, in primitive or in higher forms. The fact is that daily life might seem to us to be easier, but the effort is not so much physical, but mental. People suffer from a mental overload that prevents them from being happy. Pleasure can be the enemy of happiness.

On the other hand, happiness is not the enemy of pleasure. Once we achieve a stable condition of happiness – based essentially on a feeling of internal peace and joy, and after several years of conscious efforts to attain this – we develop a capacity to be able to feel pleasure with a minimum of stimulation. Nature, the birds singing, contemplating the sky, the clouds, the sea, the children, these are situations that will bring us moments of intense pleasure and happiness. A dense, fluid pleasure that lives in the heart and in the flow of energy and emotion through our body.

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Editorial: Dr. Pier Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Albrecht,

Dr. Pier Jean Albrecht, Dr. Pierre F. Albrecht, Dr. Pierre Frank Albrecht,

Dr. P. Frank Albrecht, Dr. Pierjean Frank Albrecht, Marbella Clinic