The first day of Chinese New Year is February 19, which is the year of the ram in 2015. Some speculate that 2015 is specifically the Green Sheep or Wooden Sheep year. San Francisco celebrates Chinese New Year with one of the world’s largest parades on March 7th at Market and Second Street. The parade began in 1860 to educate various communities of the Chinese culture and is the biggest celebration of Asian culture outside of Asia. During the parade floats, lions, and firecrackers fill Chinatown’s atmosphere. Many dancers and Chinese acrobats entertain the community as a team of 100 men and women work together to carry the 268 foot golden dragon “Gum Lung” through the city of San Francisco.

Many Chinese say goodbye to the previous year with sweet rice cake and animal sacrifices such as chicken, fish, duck or pork. The sacrifices are offered to a Buddhist alter in exchange for health and longevity as well as good luck for the New Year. Chinese dishes offered at dinnertime also represent longevity, reunion, perfection, good luck, health, diligence, satisfaction and promotion.

At the San Francisco Plastic Surgery & Laser Center we like to enhance the longevity of our health and beauty in the New Year with skin treatments. Dr. Usha Rajagopal offers the latest in chemical peels, mechanical peels, and a number of treatments to improve skin texture, acne issues, scarring, wrinkle reduction and melasma. Skin care products offered at the San Francisco Plastic Surgery & Laser Center include Obagi, which transforms skin at the cellular level to look and act youthful and healthier. Our skin care product, Refinity is an at home peel treatment used to improve skin color, texture and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Collagen and elastin can also be safeguarded with our skin care product, Neocutis from environmental aggression. Skin care treatments are a fantastic way to keep looking fresh, healthy and rejuvenated in the New Year!