If you want to kick off the new year with a new look, there are plenty of ways to iron out wrinkles and suck out fat —  all without having to go under the knife.

Age, genetics and sun exposure play a role in how we look, says Cleveland Clinic’s Dr. Shilpi Khetarpal, a cosmetic dermatologist. Non-surgical options generally are divided into three categories: injectables, lasers and other procedures such as chemical peels.

While most non-surgical cosmetic procedures are fairly simple, she recommends using a physician for injections or laser treatments.

“I tell people there’s not on person out there who doesn’t want to look their best. They want to age gracefully,” Dr. Khetarpal says. Skin generally starts showing signs of aging when we’re in our 30s, and some procedures such as Botox injections can be done as soon as smile or brow lines begin to show.

When or if to begin treatment is a matter of personal preference. “Today I treated someone who is 25 and someone who is 91,” Dr. Khetarpal says.

Here’s what’s popular in Northeast Ohio:

Chemical Peels

Sure, you’re beautiful just the way you are. But even the finest artwork could use some polishing. Chemical peels are good for acne scarring, pigmentation issues, removing redness (for folks with rosacea), shrinking pores and anti-aging.

Local medical esthetician Andrea Fenda of Apex Dermatology says chemical peels tend to get an undeserved bad rap. “People think of chemical peels and they think bloody and oozy. But there are many different types and strengths. You would come in for a consult, and they see what’s best for you.”

Are they painful?

“You feel a tingly sensation, so you hold a fan to feel comfortable. You may be pink or red when you leave, but you can resume normal activity,” she says.

Farm Market Fresh

Summertime in a Basket

You can keep your chlorinated pools, air-conditioned resorts and jammed amusement parks.

For our money, the best place to spend a few hours in the summertime is at one of Northeast Ohio’s farmers markets.

Summer’s slog through our humid, hot weeks is almost perfectly measured through the colorful fruits and vegetables that show up in vendor booths each week.

The season starts with crisp greens, fresh flowers and strawberries in June, then moves to squash, raspberries and blueberries in July. August’s bounty comes in quick succession: tomatoes in odd and expected colors, zucchini, sweet corn, melons. Did I mention zucchini?

By September, we’re a bit jaded by summer’s plenty. That’s why it’s a perfect time for the season’s heavy hitters: fragrant, sweet grapes, bushels of apples and the look-at-me pumpkins and gourds with their crazy shapes and colors.

Careful observers, mindful of the season’s rainfall and temperatures, can guess within a week or so how far into summer we’ve gone and how close to autumn’s chill we’re getting.

If you’re not a seasoned farmers market shopper, we’ve got a few hints to get you started. An old hand? Consider checking out a different market or two in another community.

Despite its sprawling suburbs, network of highways and big time sports teams, Northeast Ohio remains, at its heart, farm country. Why not eat like it?

Your Guide for a Fruitful Farmers Market Visit

By Breanna Mona

Do you just squeeze the produce and hope for the best?

Wait, can you even touch the items at all? How do you know you’re picking the best? Is the professional shopper in the straw hat and yoga pants rushing you along?

Take a breather and take in these tips straight from the horse’s mouth — or should we say farmer’s?

Michael Stanley

There’s No Place Like Home

By Breanna Mona

First, a flashback:

Heavy smoke shoots from a fog machine and rolls over the hill at Blossom Music Center. A crowd filled with restless young fans, hair teased to wild heights, chants, “MSB! MSB! MSB!”

Michael Stanley and his band finally emerge from the smoke clouds, and they give the crowd what they want — music, and lots of it. Energetic rock that keeps fans on their feet. Quieter ballads. The fans know every word to every song. Hits such as “Lover,” “My Town” and “Falling in Love Again” gave the band a phenomenal fan base that built a cult-like obsession in Northeast Ohio.

MSB performed at Blossom 17 times over a six-year period, with an astounding four-night run in 1982 that drew a total attendance of 74,404 — still a record for that venue. The band not only reached regional fame, but also landed on Billboard’s Top 40 list twice. Their music video for “He Can’t Love You” played on MTV.

Musician, Grandfather

Stanley is still very much a performer and a celebrity in his hometown. Since the Blossom days of the ’80s, Stanley has worked with several bands and done solo work. He estimates he’s made more than 30 albums.

Today he performs in venues all over Northeast Ohio and — fittingly — is an afternoon drive host at the classic rock station 98.5 WNCX. He and his band The Resonators in April sold out the Akron Civic Theatre. He’s working on another album from his home studio.

At a recent photo shoot at the Agora Theater and Ballroom on Euclid Avenue, he caught up with a handful of people who stopped by to say hi.

Stanley is reflective and private. Anyone who hasn’t seen him since their college days in the ’70s or ’80s would immediately recognize him.

Arts

Concert & Festival Season

No Excuse to Stay Home

By Breanna Mona

Summer may just be getting started, but it’s already sizzling with these red hot shows and festivals.

Whether you prefer your outings big or small, your seasonal calendar just got a bit fuller. Check out these sensational headliners and something-for-everyone festivals — and good luck picking just one.

Star-Studded Lineup

Quicken Loans Arena is hosting a couple of major milestone performances this season. First up, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Neil Diamond celebrates the big 5-0 with his 50th anniversary 2017 world tour May 30. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers are on what may be their final tour, celebrating 40 years. Petty recently confessed to Rolling Stone Magazine, “I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was thinking this might be the last big one. We’re all on the backside of our 60s. I have a granddaughter now I’d like to see as much as I can. I don’t want to spend my life on the road.” They’re coming June 10.

Other concerts: It’s always hip to be square with Huey Lewis & The News. Check out their Hard Rock Rocksino performance June 10. Paul Simon’s 2017 tour proceeds will benefit the Half-Earth Project, an initiative of the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation. Be a part of the effort June 13 at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica.

Billy Joel knows how to fill a stadium, after breaking records with over 33 consecutive shows at Madison Square Garden. Perhaps the most anticipated show of the summer, Joel is up to bat at Progressive Field on July 14. Rod Stewart & Cyndi Lauper will make quite a pair at Blossom Music Center on July 28, right before James Taylor & Bonnie Raitt hit the same stage Aug.

Connections with a Click

Twitter. Facebook. Snapchat. Instagram.

On the surface, there’s nothing very social about social media. It’s just you — with a computer, smartphone, tablet, you name it — sitting around, poking at a screen.

While nothing can replace meeting for coffee or picking up the phone to chat, social media has been keeping folks connected for years, and its popularity keeps growing.

It’s fine to wait around to hear the weather report from your favorite meteorologist on TV, but keep in mind that same forecaster likely posted the information on Facebook hours earlier — and will keep updating it throughout the day.

News outlets announce breaking headlines on social media. Sports teams and businesses big, small, worldwide and local use social media to stay connected with their fans and customers.

If you feel awkward negotiating your way through the social media maze, you’ve got plenty of company. Some of the social media apps are confusing at first. The best advice? Download a few and start exploring.

Picture It

Not only is information shared the fastest on social media, but it’s also fun. With Snapchat, the photo-sharing app, you can take silly pictures and videos with the grandkids dressed as puppies or rabbits or astronauts (and lots more) thanks to Snapchat’s famous photo filters.

Snapchat tip: Press the screen when you point the camera to your face and swipe to try daily Snapchat themes. Go ahead and send it to a friend. The novelty feature is silly, unnecessary and addictive.

Like? Unlike?

If you’ve been sticking to your guns about avoiding the land of Facebook, you may want to reconsider. Sure, you don’t need Facebook to keep up with immediate friends and family you see face-to-face each day, but you could be losing touch with people you care about and not even realize it.