Category Archives: Anti-Aging Medicine

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Between all the different beauty products, finding the right anti-aging solution can be super overwhelming for you and your skin. Whether youre using a new serum or moisturizer, it can often be a hit or miss and usually costly.

However, while the search may be frustrating, there is one option on Amazon that many shoppers have turned to and its definitely worth considering. Not only is the skincare hero budget friendly, but dermatologists even highly approve of it.

Costing only $17, the RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Cream can help visibly reduce the appearance of deep wrinkles and expression lines, according to its product description. Oil-free and fit for wearing at night, its also non-comedogenic, meaning it wont clog your pores. Additionally, the brand claims that after just four weeks, radiant skin is more apparent.

So what do dermatologists think? After speaking with six of them, The Strategist explained that the RoC cream was the overall best option. Particularly, dermatologist Carlos A. Charles, founder of Derma di Colore said, in the over-the-counter world, RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream can be used for those who prefer a milder retinol formulation.

One five-star reviewer explained, Heals aging lines, fade scars, brown spots and deep bruises. Strong medicine that will give you lasting results. My undereye lines are disappearing. Fades old surgery scars and deeps bruises.

Love it! Wouldnt use anything else, mentioned another shopper. I love this face cream! I have very sensitive skin and breakout easily. This cream has never made my skin break out and leaves my face feeling soft, silky and hydrated without feeling oily. I have used this product for over a year now after trying many, many high priced creams. I will never switch back. I highly recommend this product!

And with an amazing product comes amazing options. If you have sensitive skin, you can shop the creams sensitive night version and if you're looking to hide deep wrinkles, there is a filler option. You can even shop RoCs retinol eye cream on Amazon that dermatologists similarly approve of.

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People love this $17 wrinkle cream on Amazon: 'My undereye lines are disappearing' - AOL

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (PRWEB) February 15, 2020

RR Aesthetics, a premier medical spa in Beverly Hills, has announced it will begin offering the exclusive Lamelabo product line by the Faith Group of Osaka, Japan.

Faith Group, a technology-focused skincare company headquartered in Osaka, Japan, has a 32-year history of creating breakthrough products that improve skin from the inside out. As a research-based company, they invented the worlds most powerful collagen delivery system that relies on nano-capsules to penetrate the surface of the skin.

Faith Groups newest product line is Lamelabo, which they have developed exclusively for medical professionals.

The Lamelabo series integrates Faiths patented nano-capsule fresh collagen delivery system with MC2X, its innovative double-capsule ingredient mechanism. Together, these two technologies work to create stronger, healthier, and more radiant skin.

Collagen, a structural protein that acts as the scaffolding of skin, is abundant in younger people, but weakens as we age. However, it is possible to add fresh collagen to repair and strengthen the stratum corneum layer of skin. The Lamelabo products provide new collagen as a strong foundation to optimize the MC2X delivery of ingredients that moisturize, tone, and firm the skin.

This two-capsule technology enables hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, glycoside, and disodium adenosine to improve the skin on a superficial level, as well as to penetrate below the surface to continue providing structural benefits. The larger capsule bursts on the surface of the skin, which allows the smaller capsule to deliver ingredients below the surface to better moisturize, tone, and firm the skin.

At RR Aesthetics, we believe in offering our clients the most effective anti-aging solutions, said Rand Rusher, RN, CANS, founder of RR Aesthetics. The Lamelabo products have undergone rigorous testing to ensure their efficacy, and thats why we feel they meet our high standards for products we recommend to people who want to look younger without resorting to surgery.

The Lamelabo product line includes the following innovative products:

Clay Wash Gel Cleanse Essence Serum Moisture Gel Enrich Moisture Lotion Moisture Gel Light

To purchase these products, visit RR Aesthetics in Beverly Hills at 9735 Wilshire Blvd. Penthouse.

About Faith GroupFor 31 years, Faith Group has been committed to developing clean, safe, and effective skincare and cosmetics in Japan. Their products are always free of parabens, surfactants, mineral oils, dyes, ethanol, phenoxyethanol, and fragrances.

About RR AestheticsRand Rusher, RN, CANS, is a registered nurse with more than two decades of experience in all specialties relating to surgical and dermatologic medicine. At RR Aesthetics, he leads a team of sought-after and highly experienced skincare professionals who are devoted to the art and science of cosmetic medicine. They use their skills and extensive training in skincare and injectable products to ensure all their clients look natural and feel self-confident.

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RR Aesthetics Announces the Addition of Lamelabo by Faith Anti-Aging Skincare Products to Offerings - PR Web

Every year, HelloGiggles publishes the Beauty Crush Awardsa list of the best skincare, makeup, nail, and hair products on the market. With so many creams and hairsprays and eyeshadows out there, how do we determine whats really the best? Well, for starters, we tap the minds of some of the most highly respected experts out there to make sure our product picks are top-notch.

For this years Beauty Crush Awards, we interviewed dermatologists, makeup artists, celebrity hairstylists, HelloGiggles columnists, and several beauty editors from some of our sister brands. Heres whos who.

Dendy Engelman, M.D., is a board-certified dermatologist and nationally acclaimed surgeon and dermatologist. She is widely celebrated for her expertise in neurotoxins, injectable fillers, and chemical peels, and she provides a wide range of treatments including fat removal, mole excision, Ohs surgery, and skin cancer treatment. Dr. Engelmans educational background includes a double major in psychology and French from Wofford College in South Carolina, and as a student at the Medical University of South Carolina, she earned the Presidential Scholar award and the Humanism in Medicine Scholarship for her efforts in establishing and running free medical care clinics in Charleston and Haiti.

Kavita Mariwalla, M.D., is a nationally recognized leader in dermatology and dermatologic surgery, whose expertise is in the areas of anti-aging procedures and skin cancer treatment. Prior to starting her own private practice, Dr. Mariwalla was the Director of Cutaneous Oncology at St. LukesRoosevelt and Beth Israel Medical Centers in New York. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Womens Dermatologic Society and American Society for Dermatologic Surgery in the past and is a three-time recipient of the ASDS Presidents Award for outstanding contributions to the field of dermatologic surgery. Dr. Mariwalla earned her degree in medicine at the Yale School of Medicine where she also completed her dermatology residency and fellowship training.

Tiffany J. Libby, M.D., FAAD FACMS is a board-certified dermatologist and dual fellowship-trained Mohs micrographic surgeon and cosmetic dermatologic surgeon at Brown University. Dr. Libby specializes in skin cancer, Mohs micrographic surgery, and cosmetic dermatology. She completed an accelerated 7-year combined B.S./M.D. program with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (formerly UMDNJ) and graduated with top academic honors. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), American Society of Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS), and American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS).

Deanne Mraz Robinson, M.D., FAAD is a board-certified dermatologist with award-winning experience in medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology. Along with her extensive experience in dermatology, Dr. Robinson is active in academia and clinical researchshe was an investigator in research trials for Latisse and Kybella. She received her BAS and M.D. from The University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and went on to complete her dermatology residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Most recently Dr. Mraz Robinson served as Director of the Body Sculpting Center at Connecticut Dermatology Group.

With nearly 15 years of beauty know-how under his belt, Kendall Dorseys background in hair instruction sets him apart in all aspects of his artistry. His hair-cutting techniques, color application, and wig care have struck a chord with the public and beauty world, making him one of the most sought after hairdressers in his field. With clients such as Solange, Lizzo, Usher, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj and nearly every It girl on the scene, Dorsey has captivated the industry.

Patrick Kyle began his career in hair at an early age when his mom asked him to french braid her hair. After receiving a Bachelor in Fine Arts from The University of Oklahoma, he began focusing on his career in hair in NYC. His pursuits led him to his first salon job with Serge Normant at John Frieda and assisting celebrity stylist Mark Townsend. Currently, he styles at his studio and regularly works with celebrities such as Rachel Brosnahan, Chloe Bennet, Margaret Qualley, Zara Larsson, and Kim Petras.

Mika Robinson is an NYC-based writer and HelloGiggles columnist who has a passion for sharing hard-hitting stories, sometimes with a bit of comedic relief. Her monthly column, Shades of Melanin, unpacks some of the many issues that women of color experience in the beauty community, such as why many retailers dont sell dark foundation shades in-store.

Jessica L. Yarbrough is a beauty writer based in Savannah, GA and a monthly columnist for HelloGiggles. Her column, Clean, Green, and In Between explores green beauty, eco-friendly beauty, clean beauty, and natural beauty.Her work focuses on natural, holistic, and sustainable skincare and has appeared in Vogue, BAZAAR, New York Magazines The Cut, Fashionista.com, and more.

Blake Newby is the author behind HelloGiggles monthly column The Curl Corner. In it, she celebrates the versatility of textured tresses and covers everything from how to properly style your coils to how to protect them, and includes tons of expert input on curl patterns of all types. Her work also appears in The Zoe Report and The Revelist.

Tanya Tee Chavez is a NYC-based makeup artist who comes from a long lineage of performers and artist. She spent lots of time backstage as a kid in the 1980s, where she was enamored by all the glamour and bright colors. Her experience in color, make up, and aesthetics run the gamut from the studio to the runway with such luxury brands as Chanel, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown, and Tom Ford.

Meredith Barafs approach to makeup derives from her simple belief that beauty precedes innovation. As an artist, she is a favorite among celebrities, models, fashion houses and photographers, not only for her gentle and generous nature, but for her inspired ability to reveal each of her subjects unique beauty while expressing mood and meaning in their eyes.

Kayla Greaves is an award-winning journalist who currently holds the position of Senior Beauty Editor at InStyle.com. She was previously the Fashion & Beauty Features editor at Bustle and a Lifestyle Editor at The Huffington Post. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Teen Vogue, ELLE, and more. She received a Bachelor of Arts in communications from McMaster University and graduated with honors.

Lisa DeSantis is the Deputy Beauty Director of Real Simple and Health magazines. She has also held positions at FITNESS and Allure, and has over six years of experience in the beauty industry. DeSantisreceived a Bachelor of Science in design and merchandising from Drexel University.

With over 22 years of experience under her belt, Ursula Carranza has made a name for herself in the Latinx community as a beauty expert. She is currently theFashion and Beauty Director of People en Espaol magazine and makes regular television appearances on the brands People VIP segment. Carranza received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Boston University and her Master of Science in journalism from Columbia University and Universitat de Barcelona.

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We would trust these skin care, hair, and makeup pros with our lives - Yahoo Lifestyle

Dr. Fulton is providing his patients with high-quality carefor more than 20 years, and he mainly focuses on the Anti-Aging Medicine,Hormone Replacement Therapy for both men & women, Aesthetic Services etc.at the SKINovative situated in the Gilbert of Arizona. Also, he has acquiredmassive experience in assisting and treating his patients with a wide range ofseveral health issues.

Dr. Fulton is very dedicated to providing all his patientswith excellent care. Also, he emphasizes utilizing the most efficient healthtactics to ensure that his patients are in a good position to find solutionsfor their health issues. Besides, he is an expert in several medical fields. Inaddition to this, he is a Diplomate of the American Academy of the Anti-AgingMedicine, along with the American Board of Phlebology and a broad-certified inEmergency Medicine.

He said that he had a passion for searching newer ways toaid people to feel better, and thats what drew him to become a doctor andcontinued to drive him. He also said that his mission was to deliver the bestcare utilizing the most upgraded technology and techniques to provide every clientwith the best possible result.

Since adding Simpatras BHRT and technology services to hispractice, Dr. Fulton has been able to provide his patients with some moreoptions to alleviate their health issues. The addition of SimpatrasTMTechnology suite to his practice has allowed him to go extra miles to make surethat all of his patients are getting the highest quality care.

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Dr. Fulton is providing High-Quality Care for His Patients for Over 20 years - BossyNews

Photographer: Craig McDeanStylist: Alex White

In Asia, we believe that when it comes to skin care, you must challenge the skin and muscles in order to train them, strengthen them and keep them remaining toned. Westerners do this with their body muscles but often ignore the face.

Thuyen Nguyen, A-list celebrity facialist (Cindy Crawford, Katy Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Michelle Williams and Natalie Portman are clients) has a point. You may be able to recall the last set of strenuous leg lifts you did earlier this week, but when did you last dedicate some time to toning up your jawline with some facial exercises? Many reputable aestheticians have begun incorporating skin massages and facial exercises into their clients treatments, especially in the last few years. Nguyen takes those skin principles and ups the ante a few notches by also implementing the time-honored Eastern traditions of face cupping, with lymphatic drainage as well as his unique set of Vietnamese facial exercises (an estimated 12,000 strokes per skin session) to keep his bevy of clientele pleased. In town for the Oscars (he is performing facials at Dr. Kevin Brenners office in Beverly Hills this weekend exclusively), he spoke with W about the ins and outs of holistic skin care and the importance of an overall routine that promotes good muscle tone.

Facial massages have been on the up; people are noticing the practice maintains skin elasticity and firmness. When did you personally realize the connection?

Early in my career when I was in the medical field, I volunteered massage therapy for paralyzed patients in hospitals. Because of their condition, they required massage therapy on a regular basis to prevent the damage of muscle atrophy and skin deterioration. Within a couple of weeks, I quickly noticed improvements of muscle tone, skin health and elasticity. Thats when I realized massage is also anti-aging.

There are so many avenues of wellness that your background of Eastern medicine can take you. What exactly inspired you to be an aesthetician?

My background helped me realize the disconnect, and ask, why do we use exercise to maintain health, vitality and youthfulness for our bodies, but not for the muscles and skin of the neck and face? So, I started studying more intensely Eastern holistic care and also the cosmetic benefits of massage therapy, then I pioneered it into my signature Skin fitness within skin care approach. Thus healthy, instant results led me to a client list primarily built on word-of-mouth.

How did you get your big break professionally?

My first public platform came when I was scouted to be the creative director of the Greenwich Hotels spa back in 2006, where I debuted my unique body and facial services. My skin-care line Thuyen Skin Care also launched for the first time there, beyond my private practice. Thats when I was first tagged as the well-kept secret of the Greenwich Hotel. From that project, I decided to venture independently to open my own locations in the Hamptons and Tribeca.

You are known for your signature InstaLiftFacial Sculpting Facial. What makes it so impactful?

Like anything in wellness or holistic medicine, our skin requires a combination of multiple parts to deliver a synergistic host of benefits.So, within the InstantLift Sculpting Facial massage session, the face and the necks skin and muscles go through an intense process of lymphatic drainage, detoxing of all three dermal layers, relaxing of muscle fascia tension, rapid cellular regeneration and metabolism, pore decongestion, and improved elasticity of the skin matrix. All this occurs simultaneously while my millipede fingers thoroughly work in multiple layers of myprofessional-grade line of organic elixirs and serums. Manually, my fingers run unusually fast and have been clocked at an average of over 12,000 strokes per session. Thats how I got the nickname The Maestro from beauty editors.

How does aVietnamese Sculpting Massage differ? Is this theFaceXercisethat you perform on your clients?

FaceXercise is my skin fitness philosophy and features my signature InstantLift Sculpting Facial, which originated from my Vietnamese roots. The significant difference with the Vietnamese approach to professional skin care is that a rigorous facial massage is the main featurewhich is more holistically beneficial and cosmetically enhancing than the slower-paced, lighter-pressure facial massages typical of Western facials that rely more on pampering and product application.

At what point during the facial is the lymphaticdrainage incorporatedinto the massage?

The first part of the 60-minute InstantLift Facial process is a thorough drainage of the lymphatic system which is basically our garbage disposer carrying an excess fluid made up of white blood cells, bacteria and cellular waste. This is such an important functioning system of our body and skin that is parallel to our circulatory system. However, it relies on exercise and daily muscle movements to maintain our health and immunity.

How does cupping benefit the complexion? I am curious, doesnt one risk any acnecoming to the surfaceafterfacecupping since cupping is known to remove toxins?

Like back cupping in acupuncture, facial cupping is a preventative modality that is over 3000 years old, with proven benefits. The difference is when I do facial cupping, I have an application method that does not yield post-treatment cupping marks.Remember, detoxing is definitely a secondary benefit to utilizing it to manually exercise and tighten the pores with the various cup sizes while alternating with sculpting massage. Its rare that acne occurs since the alternating repetitions of lymphatic drainage and massage helps alleviate inflammation.One has a better chance of inflaming acne through invasive pore extractions or low-quality skin products, or even volatile foods. In fact, Ive done this facial on clients a few hours before the red carpet, and its calmed down inflamed cystic acne spots. Facial cupping, if done correctly, also prevents breakouts and recurring blackheads with regular facial maintenance.

How long do the resultsof your facial usually last?

With first-time clients, a facial session yields a more fresh, brighter and healthy glowing complexion fora couple of weeks.Like any exercise, the health and cosmetic benefits will build on top of the previous facial workout.Most of my devoted clients have been with me for years and view this as a necessary part of their fitness and healthy lifestyle so they tend to reflect clear, age-defying complexions at any age and find themselves relying on less makeup to cover flaws.

Does this help pigmentation in any way?

Absolutely.Hyperpigmentation is sometimes rooted in our immune system, which is why discoloration appears more as we age or even when someone is pregnant.Since the massage therapy raises our endorphins and boosts our immune system, this facial helps keep hyperpigmentation at bay and even enhances our skins natural ability to protect itself from harsher environmental factors.

Are you a fan of lasers and peels?

I am pretty organic and holistically inclined in my approach. But I also believe in moderation when it comes to cosmetic lasers or non-invasive peels.Building the skin from the internal to external is my best advice.

Lets discuss your workwithclients that will be walking down the red carpet on Sunday. While every person's skin is unique, whats the rule of thumb for facials before a big event? Do you recommend that your clients get a facial the day before, or the day of,a special event?

Keep in mind that most of my clients are devoted regulars so I have clients coming weekly, every other week to once a month minimum. However, with clients that have special events, public appearances or important photoshoots, they reserve me on the day directly before hair and makeup. Thats actually how my name got passed around the red carpet scene during awards season. Makeup artists like Angela Levin, (who Jennifer Aniston introduced me to eight years ago,) Hung Vanngo (we both work with Katy Perry, Cindy Crawford and Uma Thurman, who originally introduced us) witnessed my work on various clients's skin and generously referred me to others.My skin work helps make their work easier by ridding clients of puffiness and bringing out their sculpted cheekbones with an overall well-rested look.

In your professional opinion, what would be an ideal product to apply before makeup to keep the skin glowing in anticipation of foundation and the layers of makeup that go on?

I would say my Thuyen Skin Care Multivitamin Nourishing Serum massaged into freshly cleansed skin. It quickly revives with organic skin nutrients. Then, follow with theWrinkle & Frown Line Cream.Its a non-greasy skin barrier and a supple skin palette to apply makeup over while still protecting the skin during hours of hot lights and cameras.

Do youhave any particular advice for clients in terms of what to do to their skin or what to avoidthe evening beforeared carpet event, or any special event?

Often red carpet clients arrange to see me one or two days before the important event, then the day-of, since they come in town for more than one appearance and the first is usually to reset their complexion from the stresses and bloating of flying, or a hectic schedule of filming. I do encourage them to stock up on green organic juices and anti-inflammatory foods.But even if they dont have the time or discipline in social settings, I have miraculously delivered to many in a panicI can help them look like they slept for a week.

What skin productscan you not live without?

Honestly, I keep my skin regime simple. I get a body massage regularly and massage my face and neck rigorously daily for a minute while showering. Of course, I use my own results-proven line, but am adamant that without the internal workout, one cannot truly reach their skin goals with just topical.However, with this marathon of L.A. awards, my Hydrating & Tightening Travel Whip has been my secret, TSA-friendly travel companion on those flights.

Any skin supplements you think really help skin glow?

Im an avid organic green juicer, so for me its all about raw, live vitamins and minerals gained from fresh vegetables and fruits paired with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a whole lemon to alkaline.That daily dose gives me so much energy to last me throughout the day and helps keep the liver cleansed, which in turns shows in a clearer, brighter complexion. Also, I love and swear by the Skin, Hair & Nail Repair Supplement from Pure Essentials. I especially recommend it to my clients, since they are always on the go.

What advice can you give our readers specifically in terms of prepping their skin at home for a night out?

Beyond a healthier meal program with daily green juicea few days beforeevent, I encourage my clients to get their facial passive exercise game on at least the night before any special event.Any minute or more of a daily self-facial massage you can give yourself is a must addition to your skin regimen, between your professional facial massage sessions. I guarantee you that its a fantastic booster when you need a quick recharge to look your best.Everyone has some sense of massage, so I guide clients to not try to be me and focus less on choreographing the massage, but rather rub vigorously the skin of their neck and face in all directions while finishing with upward strokes.The skin is a reactive organ, so the more you manually knead it, the more blood will surface to your dermal layers to deliver nutrients from your foods while removing toxins through your lymphatic system.And lastly, skin care is half psychology. Always view yourself kindly with positive thoughtsthose good vibes with proper rest will help you glow inside and out.

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The Red Carpet Skin Workout by Celebrity Facialist Thuyen Nguyen - W Magazine

From Esquire

Michael Bloomberg's plan was to parachute into the 2020 Democratic primary on Super Tuesday, ignoring Iowa and New Hampshire and the traditional Momentum Model that has dominated American political narratives for decades to focus on delegate-rich states like California and Texas. Like any sensible paratrooper, he hoped the ground would be softened up for him a bit with a $350-million ad blitz before he jumped out of the plane. Except events of the last week have forced him to crash-land into the primary conversation early, even as he blankets Instagram with an astroturfed campaign across the biggest meme-aggregation (read: meme-thieving) accounts. All together now, folks: FuckJerry!

You see, people keep posting tape of Bloomberg being racist. There was the clip where he essentially discussed black men between the ages of 16 and 25 as a criminal class. This was not just in defense of his stop-and-frisk policies as New York mayor, but of a more general policing regime where you flood black and brown neighborhoods with cops and lock people up on minor offenses like marijuana possession. A CNN person reacted to this by questioning the motives of the person who dug the clip up, despite the fact it's been on YouTube for years.

Then someone posted tape of Bloomberg suggesting that getting rid of redlininga policy wherein black Americans were denied the opportunity to buy homes in middle-class neighborhoods, a pillar of building wealth and getting a decent education in Americawas somehow responsible for the 2008 housing crisis and the resulting global financial meltdown. That's right: it's not Bloomberg's Wall Street buddies or the firms to which he sold Bloomberg terminals who are to blame, even if they engaged in reckless behavior and created an incentive structure that rewarded risky lending. It's the people who fought against racial discrimination in housing!

This is particularly gross considering the Great Recession decimated black wealth, in part because banks targeted black homeowners with predatory lending practices, to the point that the average white household now has 10 times the wealth of the average black household. That's worse than in 2007.

All this should serve to remind people that Bloomberg is essentially just a wealthy Republican in the mold of, say, Mitt Romney. He's disgusted by Trump's personal conduct, and by his inaction on the climate crisis and gun violence. (Romney, in fairness, doesn't give a shit about climate change. Bloomberg's record on that front is strong.) But Bloomberg basically thinks the system as presently constructed is working, that it is delivering fair and just results for our society, that the powerful people within it are nearly always right and deserve to be where they are, and that the powerless are where they are because of their personal failings. Also, as mayor of New York City, he had something of an authoritarian streak.

Photo credit: Brett Carlsen - Getty Images

Bloomberg would almost certainly be a better president than the current one, if only because he seems to have full access to his cognitive faculties and is not a two-bit grifter with shady financial connections that sprawl across the multinational underworld. (Full disclosure: I once interned in the mayor's office in 2012, while Bloomberg was mayor. I primarily worked on updating spreadsheets keeping track of the fire hydrants on Randall's Island. City government!) He's also receiving all this highly justified scrutiny because he has gained some serious ground in the polls. He's up to 14 percent nationally in the RealClearPolitics polling average, behind only Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. He may take a hit after this week's attention, particularly because he's actually been attracting quite a few black voters from Biden's faltering campaign. Then again, he's also getting plenty of endorsements from black Democratic leaders.

Bloomberg's rise is rooted in his astroturf strategy, a campaign which seems to exist only in the commercial blocs between television programming segments and in the corniest precincts of social media. In the latter case, part of his strategy seems to be to bait Donald Trump into personal back-and-forths, so that America can get what it truly deserves: two alleged New York billionairesonly Bloomberg's status is truly assured in that departmentarguing about their comparative heights, intelligence, and facial complexion in order to determine who should run the country. Thursday brought Exhibit Aor maybe J.

There's reason to believe that this strategy might just pay off for Bloomberg. First of all, people buy astroturf. It's like grass, but you don't have to water it! With Bloomberg, people might feel they won't have to pay attention to politics all the time anymore, which could appeal to professional-class coastal liberals who, like Bloomberg himself, generally like the economic status quo and are tired of being mad. (This impulse is understandable and also a huge part of why American democracy is in severe decay.) There is also reason to believe that a segment of the Democratic base is hungry for an Anti-Trump Superhero to do battle with the president on top of the Empire State Building or whatever. As our tangerine generalissimo has himself shown, the aesthetics of personal combat are powerful in American politics, if only because it feels like someone's doing the fighting for you.

For a while, the anti-Trump Resistance adopted Special Counsel Robert Mueller as their avatar, putting full and unflinching faith in the aging lawman to bring down a lawless scoundrel at high noon. It was approaching a messiah-complex situation, and even featured cartoon caricatures of the 74-year-old that, in the vein of the pro-Trump stuff, depicted him as a buff hyper-patriotic warrior. (You might call this Krassenstein's Monster.) Then Mueller bowed before a Justice Department rule against indicting the president, outlining obstruction-of-justice charges without calling them that, and he then testified before Congress in a performance that failed to produce the TV spectacle required to move the needle on anything in America. Meanwhile, the increasing sprawl of Trump's activities in West Asia, combined with the treachery of Mueller's eventual boss in Attorney General William Barr, raises questions about whether he really got to the bottom of what happened.

Photo credit: Brett Carlsen - Getty Images

Similarly, when Trump swept to power with a fully Republican Congress in 2016, there was no institutional bulwark against his renegade behavior except the free press. Democratic leadership in the House and Senate appeared particularly weak. And so we should have seen it coming when a brash, tough-talking young lawyer came on the scene representing a thorn in the Trumpian sideStephanie Clifford, d.b.a. Stormy Danielsand made himself into a Resistance Hero. Michael Avenatti was "everything Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats were not: aesthetically combative; dismissive of the when-they-go-low-we-go-high mentality of the previous election; and a budding rival to Donald Trump in his sheer ability to garner publicity." Or at least, that's what I wrote when the news broke that Avenatti had been arrested on a string of federal charges, including those related to an alleged attempted shakedown of Nike.

Back in the glorious present day, Bloomberg is positioning himself as the Anti-Trump Candidate now that Biden is really starting to slip. Unlike Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren or even fellow billionaire Tom Steyer, he is not running on the basis that much of anything outside the Oval Office is broken in this country. Only Amy Klobuchar has anything resembling his singular focus on Trump, and getting rid of El Jefe is the number-one concern for Democratic voters. It could work, particularly because Bloomberg is unlikely to meet the same fate as either of those onetime Anti-Trump Superheroes. He is not a gutter-brawling grifter in the Avenatti mold, and he seems a little more lively than Mueller did in those congressional hearings in which he so reluctantly participated.

He also has more money than God, and can keep the firehose of ads going regardless of how much negative coverage he gets in the press. This, of course, raises the question of whether Bloomberg merely represents a different kind of threat to American democracy than does Trump, who openly denies any legitimate power outside his own. If American oligarchs exist, Bloomberg is one. Certainly, he's a plutocrat. And he seems decently well-positioned to skip along the gold-brick road all the way to Oz, a state of affairs which would lead the Democratic Party towards Rockefeller Republicanism. Then the choice for the electorate would be between that and the modern Republican Party's reactionary ethno-nationalism. Where's your money on what working-class folks would choose four years later?

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Michael Bloombergs Anti-Trump Superhero Cosplay Will Only Go So FarRight? - Yahoo Lifestyle