Who knew that when it comes to your skin and your appearance your diet could be one of the best makeovers ever? According to recent Los Angeles Times article from the March issue of the journal PLoS ONE is a study that finds that eating that a few extra fruits and vegetables — yes, mother was right — could give you a substantial boost in the attractiveness. Scientists have been well aware for a while that the same pigments that create color were fruits and vegetables —carotenoids — can gather in your skin and add color also. What remained a mystery was the quantity of fruits and vegetables a person needs to eat and for how long in order for others to notice the contrast in coloring? And what, if anything, will people make of the difference? The verdict: on average, a difference of about 2.9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day was enough for the students to discriminate on the basis of healthy appearance, with more servings associated with looking healthier. Similarly, about 3.3 servings a day was enough for them to discriminate on the basis of attractiveness — with more servings associated with better looks. (One weakness of the study is that most of the participants were Caucasians)The bottom line is that more fruits and vegetables will help to maintain a healthy and balanced body which in turn helps in the area of attractiveness. Dr. Kim explains to patients in their initial consultation that plastic surgery should be selected as an enhancement not as a total solution. Eating right will help to prolong (not replace) the recommendation for facial rejuvenation procedures including facelift, blepharoplasty, and brow lift.
