When dermatologists are questioned about wrinkle creams, they are likely to say that the price of a cream doesn’t make it work any better.  And that all creams bought without a prescription from $5 - $700 are not guaranteed to make your skin less wrinkled.

Dermatologists recommend using a drugstore brand like Neutrogena, Oil of Olay or Cetaphil, and applying the cream immediately after washing so that the maximum moisture is locked into your skin.  Further, they say you must use it every day, 2 times a day, plus a sunscreen of minimum 30spf.

When you buy high priced creams a large portion of the cost is for advertising and packaging.  The brands containing rare ingredients cost more because of the complexity of obtaining and preparing these substances. But that doesn’t mean that rare or exotic ingredients will make your skin more beautiful than Oil Of Oly and similar brands.

For a cream that actually has a dramatic affect on your skins appearance, you need a prescription: Retin A and similar creams usually contain 12% alpha hydroxyl acid. Store brands can only contain 6% tops.  This ingredient actually does cause your skin to shed cells and grow a new layer.  When this happens, the new layer of skin looks more dewy, smoother and more evenly colored.

If you are serious about improving your skin, go to a specialist authorized to give you an Rx:  It will be worth it even if your insurance doesn’t cover the cost of the product.

Our skin is the largest organ of our entire body.  You may have heard the joke the professor in sex ed class made:

“What is the most sensitive organ of the body?”

“No, wrong kids, its your skin.”

Since it is the largest and most sensitive part of your body,  it sure makes sense to pay attention to it, and be knowledgeable about the latest skin care methods and news.  Here are some sites to help you get started.

1. Skincarenet.org:

Ad free and in depth medical information about the skin, including a complete encyclopedia and dictionary, sections linking to forums, books and education, all medically based

2. Skin Care Resource Center:

Many links to independent consumer reports which rate top products, tips for how to use products

3. MenScience.com/skincare-grooming:

Especially for men, focusing on not just products, but what makes your skin unhealthy and how to change it.  Teaches men how to care for their skin, special section on shaving issues

4. TheDermBlog.com:

Scientific information about everything from skin cancer to self tanning, skin bacteria and skin infections

5. DermatologistSkinCare.com:

A product purchasing site organized by brand, skin type, application area, product type.  Products are along the lines of what a doctor would prescribe or advise you to use. Few or no department store or drug store brands.

6. The Cosmetic Surgery Directory Blog:

Has a form you can complete, and a cosmetic surgeon in your area will contact you. Includes large directory of cosmetic surgery articles.  Full descriptions of each type of cosmetic surgery with risks to consider before undergoing a procedure

7. Saffron Rouge:

Blog author is certified in herbal medicine, evaluates every ingredient in skin care products, supports organic, and fair trade products.  Sells only organic products

8. Skin Care Talk:

Community forum to talk with other consumers, upload content, take poles.  Its free to join

Feeding your Skin

Fast foods are readily available, but we can’t build healthy skin and nails with junk food! You should eat more fruits and vegetables, drink green drinks, instead of sugary drinks. Flaxseed oil and olive oil are also very helpful in keeping the skin moist and pliable. Vitamin C with bioflavonoids tightens the connective tissue of the skin and prevents varicose veins. Dark green leafy vegetables are excellent foods to help cleanse and purify the skin. Raw nuts and seeds provide wonderful oils for the skin.

Caring for Your Skin

As well as eating healthy, we must also get plenty of fresh air, exercise and wear natural fiber clothing to keep our skin healthy. Synthetic fibers keep the skin from getting air and therefore proper circulation. Do not use soaps, cosmetics or lotions that are loaded with chemicals. Also avoid deodorants that contain aluminum. You can shop at a health food or all natural store and find soaps, oils, lotions and deodorant that are made with natural ingredients.
Your skin can become very toxic from years of applying chemicals to it or wearing synthetic clothing.

Skin Brushing

Skin brushing is also one of the finest ways to detoxify the skin and promote proper circulation. Skin brushing is so important to the health of our skin and our bodies. Remember the skin is an entire organ so brushing the skin of the body can help clear up acne on the face.

You should only brush your skin with a brush made from all natural vegetable fibers before we take our showers or baths. Do not use a brush made from nylon or other synthetic materials because they can inflame the skin. Your body brush should be about the size of your hand and have a long handle so you can reach all the areas of your body.

Brushing your skin when it’s dry rather than wet is very important because it does a much better job of eliminating toxins and dead skin cells. Uric acid crystals and other acids are better eliminated when the top layer of dead skin cells have been removed. Brushing the skin allows your pours to stay open so the metabolic wastes can be released.

Tips for Skin Brushing

Women who suffer from excessive facial hair (or hirsutism) can feel extremely self-conscious, but the condition is not uncommon and affects up to 15% of women. Excessive facial hair can be embarrassing, but there are plenty of ways to remove it, either temporarily or on a more permanent basis.

Unwanted facial hair is not just an embarrassing problem for many women, it can also be an indicator of an underlying endocrine disorder, according to doctors in the United Kingdom.

Hirsutism, involves the growth of coarse hair in females in a male-like pattern. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a hormone disorder, is the most common cause in many cases, and 70 to 80 per cent of women with hirsutism suffer from the disorder.

Studies also showed that majority of women suffering from this disturbing condition are not willing to consult a doctor. In particular, it is upsetting for younger women when going through the emotional and psychosocial upheaval of adulthood.

Depending on the cause, there are a number of ways to manage this condition. Lifestyle changes are recommend, as well as cosmetic, physical and medical treatments. It has been said that mild cases can be treated cosmetically, but in moderate to severe cases, weight loss and hormone therapy, such as the oral contraceptive pill, have both been shown to work effectively in the reduction of excessive unwanted facial hair.

Excess hair is a  distressing problem that affects millions of women worldwide. The condition causes hair to grow on women’s upper lip, chin, chest and belly. The effect that excess hair can have on a woman’s self-esteem and how she views herself as a woman - and therefore her quality of life.

Treatment

Vaniqa is a topical solution that when applied to the areas above the lips and on the chin can slow the hair growth significantly in those areas. Women will have to continue to use their normal hair removal system, but over time you will discover that hair removal will become less and less necessary, as the hair growth dramatically slows.

• Spring time allergy symptoms are most often caused by tree pollens, as it’s peak of presence in the air is from mid-May through the later parts of June typically and fades as the summer progresses. Most common forms of allergic medication and treatments will treat this form of allergic reaction very promptly and last for a long time.

• Mid Summer Allergies are caused most often by grass and weed pollens and is typically some of the allergies that set in very quickly and fade just as rapidly. These allergies are just as easy to treat as the other seasonal allergies as the causes of the inflammation and the irritation are often the same.

• Late Summer and Fall Allergic Reactions are typically due to and allergy to ragweed. Those allergic to ragweed will be recommended to under go the same allergic treatments using common medications as others suffering from different forms of seasonal allergies.

• Year round allergy sufferers are typically allergic to things like dust-mites, pet dander and mold. These can be triggered year round if the particles exist in the air and are often treated in the short-term the same as seasonal allergy sufferers while for a long-term solution will most often be treated with allergy shots to build their immunities to the allergens causing the adverse reactions in their bodies.

To treat allergies there are nasal sprays, pills, and eye drops. To find out which one is best for, you should consult your primary care physician. The prescription medication nasal sprays available for allergy treatment are: Nasacort AQ, Nasonex, and Flonase.

Other forms of allergies exist such as being allergic to certain medications or specific chemicals inside the medications. Also food is a big allergic-trigger for people, often limiting what they eat, and at times eliminating complete food-groups due to their bodies chemically-induced inability to either digest or process the chemicals and nutrients in it properly. Those with medical or food-related allergic reactions are often just advised to stay away from the foods or medications that cause the reactions are the symptoms will go away. Symptoms of medical and food allergies can be from as mild as an itchy or sore throat to severe cases of it which can lead to death.

Flonase working the way it does makes it incredibly flexible for different forms and causes of allergies, and typically will work in anyone 4-years of age or older. People can develop allergies to almost anything, if your allergic to airborne allergens such as pollen, pet dander or mold-spores than Flonase should be more than adequate to keep you away from taking a series of allergy shots, and should keep your allergy symptoms at bay. Flonase is to be taken daily for full-day relief of both seasonal and year-round allergies caused by the typically ‘allergic’ reaction most people experience either in the late spring through early fall, or when exposed to certain kinds of animals or mold-spores.

Year-round allergy sufferers aren’t due to allergies at all, but instead a nasal-condition that causes allergy-like conditions such as congestion, runny nose and irritation of the nasal-region of the head, including but not limited to headaches, dry and itchy eyes and sensitivity to light in some cases. Flonase is effective at treating these forms of allergies as well as it still inhibits the ability of the bodies systems to attack mistakenly identified particles or patterns.

Flonase is available only via a prescription, and gives a 50MCG dose with each actuation of the pump. You are to administer 1 pump to each nostril for a total of 100mcg of medication per dose. Doses are to be taken daily, and if are stopped can have some very mild side-effects such as headaches, dry mouth and in the worst of cases a flare-up of allergy like symptoms. You should disclose with your physician if you are on any other medications and he should be fully aware of any other medical conditions as the nature of this medication can be effected very diversely by different conditions and only your physician can make the call as to whether Flonase is the solution for your seasonal allergies, or your year-round allergy symptoms.

Flonase has been proven to be successful in over 90% of those who have used it correctly and has a terrific track record of not building a tolerance to the medications in it and sustaining it’s relief of allergy conditions over long periods of time.

Skin Care For Teenagers

If you ask any random person on the street when they first became self-conscious about skin care they will always answer when they were a teenager. Teenage skin -as with every part of their body- is under a constantly unpredictable onslaught of changes, abuses and growth. Typically teenage skin is the ‘best’ skin. Small-pores, ample moisture and smooth appearance is what defines good skin. Unfortunately for teenagers this is a very unbelievable answer, they always find problems with their skin, and with good reason.

The same things that make teenage skin so pristine and nice also cause it some of the most irritations and skin conditions. The smaller pores means they are clogged more easily, the smooth moist  cells often over-compensate the extremes of dryness or excess moisture by causing the other. If a teenagers skin produces to much moisture -or the teenager causes it with skin care treatments, or acne medications- it will shutdown moisture production often resulting in a worsening of the dry-skin and typically causing adverse skin conditions such as acne and Rosacea. Rosacea has been known to be suppressed by a prescribed medication named Metrogel.

When the skin is to dry it will over moisten and cause acne from the abundance of moisture catching molecules and them getting caught in the small pores. Another problem for teenagers is the unavoidable swings in hormonal balances that can cause anything from mild flushing of the skin to severe acne outbreaks requiring a visit to their dermatologist. Teenagers always abuse their skin, either by under-protecting it from the sun, washing to vigorously, or using the wrong kinds of make-up/cleansers on their faces. As a teenager you are exposed to the first real feelings of self-identity and respecting your appearance, this typically leads to far to much make-up, or over washing of the face, both can quickly become a source of acne outbreaks and rashes.

Luckily there is just a bit of useful information that can either reduce or completely eliminate many of the skin conditions that frequent teenage skin. When washing your face you should never push hard, use a soft cloth, and moisturizing cleansers will help reduce the chances of acne. Covering your face in SPF 15 sunblock anytime your bare skin is exposed to the sun will reduce the chances of Rosacea, acne, wrinkles and skin-cancer. When applying make-up be sure to use a moisturizing foundation so that the make-up on top does not dry out your skin to the point of irritating it and generating skin problems.

Every skin condition that teenagers face has it’s matching skin treatment, acne treatment or conditioner to help alleviate the problem, but if you follow the few basic guidelines above, and keep a healthy diet you shouldn’t have to many skin conditions pop-up. The best thing of all about the above information is that it technically applies to all ages, these are merely the top teenage reasons for acne, irritation and other skin conditions.

Keep in mind at all times healthy skin is clean, moisturized and never unprotected in direct sunlight. Here are a few natural skin care tips to help you keep your skin as healthy and smooth as possible.

1.    Food-Based Facials
You may feel a little funny at first with carrots or pineapple spread all over your face with honey, but believe it or not the nutrients in these foods that are good for you to eat, are also good for you to wear. Facials give your skin much needed moisturizers and also provide many minerals and nutrients that are vital in maintaining clear skin.

2.    Keeping Your Diet in Check
Watching what you eat is very crucial in keeping your skin clear and smooth. Most skin care plans and recommendations on labels always suggest you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and avoid overly fatty meats. Fatty meats are not only bad because of the fat, they also cause your skins oils to contain small amounts of congestive material that can lean to adverse skin conditions.

3.    Protect Your Digestive Tract
It’s widely accepted that you can look at someone and see how their digestive system is. Those with bad digestive problems such as constipation or diarrhea also suffer from a wide array of skin conditions such as acne, Rosacea and in more severe cases, skin cancer. Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and rids your body of certain wastes in your sweat. If your digestive tract is not working properly your skin will not be able to handle the excess waste. Your sweat will start to have an odd odor and various skin conditions can start to occur almost immediately.

4.    The Rules of Washing
Washing your face should be done at least twice a day with just pure water. Use a non-abrasive cloth and gentle movements when washing your face. Every ’soap’ on the market will cause your skin to dry and dry skin is the primary cause for both acne and wrinkles on faces. Use lukewarm water, and gentle-consistent movements when washing your face. Your skin cells are very sensitive and anything that irritates them has a chance of turning into something worse.

5.    Dry Brush Exfoliation
Dry brush exfoliation is a practice many people use and stand by when it comes to natural skin conditioning practices. Every morning before you get into the shower take a soft short-bristled brush and lightly run it over your skin. This will remove dead skin-cells, promote the maturing of the younger ones and keep your pores open prior to showering. Do not do this if you are not immediately taking a shower or a bath as it can have the reverse effects if done before doing something that heavy movement and sweating is involved in.

6.    Limit the Harmful Effects of the Sun
Any dermatologist will tell you that the sun is your skins worst enemy. The sun dries your skin, irritates it, and if exposed long enough without protection can cause skin cancer. The most natural way to avoid harmful effects of the sun is to cover your face with a light protective scarf or cloth, and keep your face moisturized when outdoors for long periods of time.

7.    Watch Your Sugar
Having too much sugar in your diet can cause different skin conditions depending on the amount of sugar your body contains on a steady basis. Excess sugar will break down, and basically attach itself to the collagen inside of your body. The collagen/sugar-molecule muck will cause wrinkles, especially when combined with dry-skin and a lot of sun exposure.

8.    Maintain Good Blood Circulation
Keeping good blood circulation isn’t just a necessity of life, it’s best for the skin! Typically poor blood circulation will lead to easily damaged skin since it cannot effectively heal itself. Routine exercise and keeping tabs on your blood pressure are the keys to this step.

9.    Avoid Petrochemicals
Many ‘natural’ skin car products do in fact contain some form of petroleum product. It may be the stabilizer, creaming agent, even secondary additives.. Almost all of them do… Why are petrochemicals so bad for your skin? They are one of the leading causes of skin-cancer other than the sun, almost all petrochemicals have either been proven to be carcinogenic, or are believed to be. No matter what, no petrochemicals!  Prescription medication such as Retin-A  for acne is considerred very safe and petrochemical free.

10.    Keep Stress Levels Low
Stress is always an issue with health. Your blood pressure, chemical balances and respiratory systems are all effected by stress, and they all effect your skin. Being exposed to prolonged stress is almost always accompanied by wrinkles, typically on your face. Stress levels can be lowered by many means, anything from a nice slow snack to exercise can lower them. Low stress is a skin care treatment in of itself.

Retin-A and Renova both contain the same active ingredients for treating acne and wrinkles. Retin-A is geared and formulated for younger skin and as a treatment for mild to severe acne, where as Renova is aimed particularly at reducing wrinkles and fine-lines in mature skin. Both products rely on the drug Tretinoin as the primary medication. Accompanied by both lubricants and anti-irritation medications due to the inherently rough nature of Tretinoin on your skin.

Retin-A is available as a cream, gel and liquid form, and is recommended for once a day, daily usage. If a dose is skipped do not double up the next day, merely resume your treatments on schedule the next time. It is highly recommended to accompany this medication with an SPF-15 or greater sunscreen and limit the amount of direct sunlight your face receives while on this medication. It typically makes your skin hyper-sensitive to the sun and can cause serious burning if sunscreen is not used and sunlight exposure is high. If you experience serious effects like burning, sever itching or hyper-sensitivity while on this drug immediately contact the doctor who wrote the prescription and notify them. They can either alter the dosages, or completely remove the drug from your acne treatment plan.

Renova is available only as a cream, and is used in the reduction of fine-lines and wrinkles in mature skin. This is not a general skin treatment medication, and is available via prescription only. The recommended dosage is the same as Retin-A (once a day, daily), and the warnings are the same as well. They share a lot of the same medications and chemicals and vary primarily in the details and exact ratios of the chemicals involved. Renova will not help clear up deep-lines, scarring or “crows feet”, it is merely for small-lines and wrinkles. Sensitivities to wind, cold and other extreme elements are common, and covering the medicated areas of skin with protective clothing is recommended. If you experience any level of pain while on this medication immediately stop applying it and contact the doctor who prescribed it for you.

Results from these two medications will not be immediate and can take up to a couple of weeks to show signs of improvement in your acne/wrinkles. Some have noticed changes as soon as 5-days after beginning treatment while others have stated it took up to 3 months in improve their skin condition. As with any acne treatment be patient, follow the directions and pay attention to the changing state of your skin.

So when asking, ‘What is right for me, Retin-A or Renova’, it depends on what your wanting to accomplish with the medication. If your wanting a proven and effective acne-treatment then Retin-A is your medication. If you want a reduction in small wrinkles and skin imperfections then Renova will be what you’ll want to ask your dermatologist about.

1. Proper Hygiene
   Although this may seem like common sense, you’d be surprised at how often this can be the culprit of even your own Acne Outbreaks. Simply stopping two or three times a day to lightly wash your face with pure water can act effectively and quickly as an acne treatment.
2. Benzoyl Peroxide
   The most proven, recommended and reliable acne treatment medications, creams, pads and rubs all contain Benzoyl Peroxide as it’s primary acne-fighting ingredient. Whenever you purchase an over-the-counter acne medication or similarly related product always look for and require this to be one of the ingredients. It’s natural, safe, effective and quick, there is nothing better.
3. Tretinoin
   This medication is very prominent and widely accepted as one of the most powerful treatments for acne, so powerful in fact that it often causes irritations in the skin. If you have sensitive skin, are pregnant, seeking to be pregnant or suffer from other skin-related issues you should always seek advice from your physician before using anything with Tretinoin in it.
4. Medicated Scrub Pads
   Acne-curing scrub pads are the most popular and widely marketed acne treatments there are. They come by a variety of names, but almost always contain the same mixture of ingredients, that we’ve already covered. The downside to these scrub pads is that in the ’scrubbing’ process you often cause your skin to dry, thereby increasing the skins oil output continuing the breakout.
5. Medicated Acne Creams
   Creams, much like the scrub-pads mentioned above are very popular and typically you begin to see results within the first 2 or 3 weeks of usage. These creams are meant to be used with sunscreen whenever extended exposure to the sun is expected as they often treat the acne by drying out the natural oils in your skin.
6. Prescription Medications
   Your dermatologist or general-practice physician will often recommend a prescription if your acne is severe enough or you cannot find alleviation from typical over-the-counter acne remedies.  The prescription medications can be Metrogel or Retin-A.  The medications they can prescribe are often much more powerful and tailored a bit more specifically for you particular skin. If you have other existing skin conditions it’s always recommended to at least speak with your doctor before beginning any non-prescription acne treatment medication.
7. Natural Acne Treatments
   Although there are a lot of scientifically developed and marketed acne treatments on the market an increasing number of people suffering from severe acne are opting to go with all natural acne treatments. This includes some herbal-muds and ointments that are mixed in single-dose batches and applied immediately. Always pay attention to anything in ‘natural’ treatments and if you have any questions consult with your dermatologist before using them.
8. ProActiv
   Relying on the same base ingredient as most other acne-clearing systems (Benzoyl Peroxide), this system is a 3 part system, each gradually increasing the amount of the drug in the applications and providing general skin-care nutrients and medications along side it to prevent some of the common issues with irritation and dryness that people often get when using Benzoyl Peroxide.
9. Acne Spot Dry
   This is a treatment which involves putting a small dab on any pimples that already exist. It dries to a pink color so is suggested to be used before you goto bed in the evening to prevent it from attracting more attention to your pimple. It uses Salicylic Acid as the acne treating medication and has been known to increase the dryness and sensitivity of the medicated areas in some patients.
10. See a Dermatologist
    There is no substitute for the information you gain from a visit with your dermatologist, they can recommend the best skin treatment plan possible for you skin and will have more than a healthy dose of information on the possible cures, causes and steps for prevention for acne.