What every woman needs to know about breast health

by Dr. Lara Devgan

Featured on Mind Body Green, a boutique online health and wellness magazine that has been featured in The New York Times and Vogue.

Image credit Shutterstock

Breasts are part of girlhood and womanhood. They give us happiness, anxiety, pleasure, and discomfort. They make us feel sexy or athletic or insecure. Or maybe we don't think about them at all.

Regardless of your relationship with your breasts, one thing is certain: they cannot be ignored.

More than 1 in 8 American women will get breast cancer over the course of their lives. Statistically, this means that someone in your group of friends from high school or college is likely to battle breast cancer, so it's useful to educate yourself on the facts and myths surrounding this challenging disease.

THE MYTHS

Breast cancer is just an "old woman's" disease.

In my practice, I've treated women as young as their 20s who had breast lumps and masses.

It's just a Caucasian disease.

In fact, many minority women are under-diagnosed and under-treated for breast cancer. It is not just a familial disease; even if your mom and sisters are healthy, you may still develop breast cancer.

It's just a woman's disease.

Even men can develop breast cancer.

THE FACTS

Here is what breast cancer IS: it's a treatable, survivable condition for many people. Breast cancer treatments have improved dramatically, and breast reconstruction looks more beautiful and natural than ever. Breast conditions are real medical problems, and they're covered by health insurance. Breast cancer is a hurdle that can be climbed, but if it is ignored, it can kill you.

THE TIPS

What can you do to "be your breast self?"

1. Perform monthly breast self-exams.

According to Johns Hopkins Medical Centers, 40% of diagnosed breast cancers are first picked up by women who feel a lump, so doing regular breast self exams is extremely important. To do a breast self-exam, take off your shirt and bra, and use the pads of your fingers to feel every portion of your breast, first in a standing position, then in a lying down position.

Use a circular motion to press on your entire breast, including your collarbone, armpit, nipples, and the breast itself. Move from the top down, and from the outside to the inside, pressing with soft, medium, and firm pressure. Squeeze the nipple. If you notice any type of lump, swelling, dimpling, skin changes, nipple discharge, or new pain that doesn't go away, see a doctor who specializes in breasts.

2. Get screening mammograms.

In 2009, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommended that all women get screening mammograms starting at age 50 and every 2 years thereafter. Some doctors want their patients tested earlier, at age 40. If you have a mother or sister with breast cancer, doctors generally recommend you get screened 10 years before that person developed breast cancer. The guidelines for mammograms can be confusing, so my best advice is to discuss this with your doctor.

3. Consider giving back to charities that support women's health.

Even if it's just a few dollars a year or a few hours spent volunteering, giving back to breast cancer charities supports breast cancer research and education.

4. See a breast specialist.

When in doubt, see a doctor or surgeon who specializes in the breasts. No question or concern is too trivial. Your health is too important to ignore subtle signals your body may be sending you. As breast cancer advocates often say, you only have two breasts and one life.

5. Share the wealth.

Don't be embarrassed to talk openly about breast cancer and breast health. Encourage the women in your life to educate themselves about screening, warning signs, and treatment. If you share this with eight women, chances are that you may help one of them battle breast cancer.

Click to read Dr. Devgan's piece on Mind Body Green

Dr. Devgan is featured on Mind Body Green- Keep Your Hands Beautiful

Dr. Devgan is featured on MindBodyGreen, a boutique online health and wellness magazine that has been featured in The New York Times and Vogue. She shares her tips on how to keep your hands naturally beautiful.

Click to read Dr. Devgan's piece "5 Ways to Keep Your Hands Naturally Beautiful"

5 Ways to Keep Your Hands Naturally Beautiful

By Dr. Lara Devgan

 Whether you're writing in your journal, introducing yourself, telling an animated story, or pressing your fingers into a yoga mat—many of life's best activities intimately involve your hands.

Your hands tell the world how healthy you are (pitted or cracked nails can be a sign of disease), how old you are (prominent veins and brown age spots reveal that), and how well you take care of yourself (bitten nails, hangnails, and rough scaly skin hint that you are neglecting yourself).

With all your hands do for you, here are a few things you can do for them:

1. Skip the manicure.

As indulgent and fun as they are, manicures can be abrasive to your nails. They stain the keratin of the nail plate itself, abrade the top protective surface of the nail, and make you more prone to paronychia, an infection of the soft tissues around the nail. Try to limit yourself to no more than two manicures a month. Opt instead for a polish change, without having your cuticles trimmed or pushed back. Or skip it altogether.

2. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.

The glabrous skin of the palms is unique and doesn't absorb regular moisturizer the way your arms and legs do. Instead, try a heavy immolient moisturizer made especially for the hands. Vaseline or other gooey salves work best. Slather your hands before bed to allow 8 full hours for the moisturizer to penetrate your skin surfaces.

3. Stay out of the sun.

Don't forget your hands when applying your daily sunscreen. The backs of your hands (the dorsal surfaces) see a lot of sun exposure over the course of the day, and if you neglect them, you'll notice brown spots, freckles, and fine lines popping up. This is the reason why the easiest way to tell someone's age is to look at their hands (and the thin skin around their eyes).

4. Keep your nails short and well-trimmed to avoid collecting dirt and bacteria on their undersurfaces.

A nail clipper is much less traumatic than a nail file, which can put tension on weak areas of the nails. Avoid acrylic nails, permanent gel manicures, and nail jewels, which rely on caustic adhesives that damage the structural integrity of the nail.

5. If you notice anything unusual on your hands or nails, see a hand specialist.

Skin cancers can show up as pigmented streaks in your nail beds. A new lump can mean a tumor like a mucous cyst. Pitted or cracked nails can be signs of autoimmune or inflammatory diseases. Cuts from cooking and car accidents can damage the delicate network of tendons, nerves, and vessels that powers your hands — so don't ignore these signs.

Use these five tips to wave goodbye to your hand troubles!

Dr. Devgan is featured on Mind Body Green- How to be a Natural Beauty

Dr. Devgan is featured on MindBodyGreen, a boutique online health and wellness magazine that has been featured in The New York Times and Vogue. She shares her tips on how to look your best-- naturally.

Click to read Dr. Devgan's piece "Look Your Best Naturally: A Plastic Surgeon Shares Her 5 Top Tips"

Look Your Best Naturally: A Plastic Surgeon Shares Her 5 Top Tips

by Dr. Lara Devgan

Whether you're in your 30s or your 70s, we've all had days when we look and feel tired, haggard, or upset. As a plastic surgeon, I can attest to the fact that medical treatments do work. But Botox and facelifts are not for everyone, and many people prefer simpler, less invasive approaches.

Here are a few ways you can perk up your look without ever setting foot in a plastic surgeon's office: 

1. Give some love to your eyebrows. 

The eyebrows frame the eyes and serve as a visual centerpiece of the face. Well-proportioned brows can help a face achieve aesthetic harmony. For a woman, classically attractive, youthful eyebrows share some important features: they are positioned slightly above the brow bone, they are a bit thicker than you might think, and they're arched above the lateral third of the eye. 

For a man, the ideal brows sit lower, right on the brow bone, and they have only the slightest hint of an arch. Consider growing in or thickening your eyebrows with a brow pencil. Take a close look at where they arch, and make sure that point is above the lateral third of the eye. Also keep in mind that the ideal color of an eyebrow is about half a shade darker than the hair.

2. Hair: hold the highlights. 

Highlights are fun in your twenties, but as you age, they can make hair appear more brittle and dry. The most youthful hair looks for women in their thirties and beyond are generally even, lustrous shades that complement your skin tone. Using an oil-based serum can smooth the hair shaft and keep hair looking silky. Of course, much about your hair depends on your personal style, genetics, and coloring, but many women find that wearing their hair slightly longer and darker helps maintain a fresher look.

3. Be vigilant about sunscreen. 

There are literally thousands of sunscreens on the market, and even for the savviest shoppers, making the right choice can be overwhelming. Plastic surgeons believe that the best sunscreens contain both zinc and titanium — metal pigments that physically block UVA and UVB rays from damaging your skin. I wear SPF 50, which blocks 98% of the sun's rays from hitting your skin, every day, rain or shine, and I recommend that my patients do the same. There is no need to splurge on expensive department store brands — just carefully check the labels at the drug store.

4. Choose skincare products wisely. 

I'm a big fan of skin care products with retinols, which increase the rate of cell turnover and improve the skin's texture. Many over-the-counter products contain retinols, but higher strength retinols require a prescription. If you decide to use a retinol to improve your skin, remember that they are not safe for pregnant or lactating women. They also make your skin extra-sensitive to the sun, so you should always wear sunscreen.

5. Remember your mom's advice. 

Some of the best ways to keep a youthful glow are the tried and true long-term ones that our parents have been telling us about since we were kids: getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of water, and eating a balanced diet rich in leafy green vegetables. It turns out that Mom was right, and these strategies are excellent long-term ones.