When sunscreen isn't enough...

Much like the Skin Cancer Foundation, we at Cosmopolitan Skin Care Solutions are all about sunscreen usage, ALL.year.long.

However, as the Skin Cancer Foundation constantly tries to remind us; even though sunscreen application is incredibly important, it is not enough to completely protect us from the risk of skin cancer.

Read on for the Skin Cancer Foundation's full list of skin cancer prevention tips:

• Seek the shade, especially between 10 AM and 4 PM.

• Do not burn.
• Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths.
• Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
• Use a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day. (For extended outdoor activity, use a water-resistant, broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.)
• Apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming, or excessive sweating.
• Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens should only be used on babies over the age of six months.

• Examine your skin head-to-toe every month.
• See your physician every year for a professional skin exam.

Winning! Solise Sun Wash and the doctor

As previously mentioned, Dr. Sobel is wonderful when it comes to taking care of other people's skin, yet never took the time to do anything for himself... 

...until now. 

Solise Sun Wash is a body-wash that you use as normal in the shower, but once you've toweled off-- you're left with a physical sunblock of SPF 15. As a devoted father, Dr. Sobel was happy to take this fresh-smelling body-wash home for his family to benefit from, and after putting it in the shower... he inadvertently found himself using it as well. (As an absolute sunscreen fanatic, this was a personal coup for yours truly.)

Suddenly finding himself covered head-to-toe in sunscreen everyday, Dr. Sobel was surprised at how nice the experience was...

Sunscreen for bath-time?

Honestly, for those that are fastidious about SPF application, or for those that never take the time-- Solise Sun Wash is hands-down the easiest way to get your initial sun protection: in the shower (or bath)!

Solise Sun Wash is a soap that contains a built-in SPF 15, so once you are done washing with it and have dried off-- all clean areas are now protected by a physical sunblock of SPF 15!

Hypoallergenic, FDA approved, PABA free, safe for kids, moisturizing, non-greasy, recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation, inexpensive, and smells good-- Solise Sun Wash has all the components of a dream sunscreen, not even including it's unique application process.

But, it's really that simple: wash yourself as regular with Solise Sun Wash, dry off, and you're protected!

Should the #1 Prom accessory be banned?

In the full midst of prom season, this is the busiest time of year when it comes to dress shopping. Many of those bodies wriggling into pastel-colored beaded gowns haven't seen the sun since last summer, and while beautiful porcelain skin is the rage right now amongst celebrities (picture Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, Jennifer Lawrence, Amanda Seyfried, just to name a few!), some teenagers still envision a tan as the perfect, finishing touch to their black-tie attire. 

Recently banned in the United Kingdom, tanning bed usage before the age of 35 has been shown to raise risk of deadly melanoma by 75%, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation.

In the United States, there are currently 12 states that are working on laws that restrict teenagers from using tanning beds. 

If being tan is a must-- the only safe glow is one that comes from a bottle. St. Tropez makes great, user-friendly options that can be applied right in the privacy of your own home, or you could search for local spray-tan businesses and for a special occasion-- such as prom-- employ an expert to perfectly bronze you.

What do you think-- should teenagers that have the right to smoke, vote, and drive, not have the decision to tan?

Is tanning the real culprit behind Britney's beauty fade?

I love Britney Spears, and despite her tabloid drama, there is no questioning that she is undeniably talented. (Whether you like her genre of music or not, her albums are consistently financially successful.) 

Breaking onto the scene as a fresh-faced teenager with the release of "Baby, One More Time," Britney immediately established herself as a sex-symbol. With a pretty face, perfect body, scant clothing, and enticing dance moves, she had both the boys and girls crushing on her. (Her charm knew no sexual boundaries, a hetero girl-friend from college was almost as obsessed with the boys of AEPi as she was with Ms. Spears, and a homo-sexual male has been one of her biggest supporters.) 

When she combined her genetically blessed appearance with a clever costume designer; Britney ingrained herself into pop-culture with numerous unforgettable looks:

And then, after a couple years worth of wear and tear, this happened to our Britney (isn't it crazy to think that such drastic changes occurred in a little over 5 years?!): 

Yes, drinking, drugging, smoking, and taking horrible care of herself certainly all contributed to her beauty demise, but I think the biggest factor in Britney's sudden, rapid-fire aging, has been her devotion to tanning. 

Never one to hide this obsession, from the very beginning Britney admitted to having a tanning bed on her "Baby One More Time" tour bus, and during all of the shaving head/Kevin Federline/mental break-down drama, the first thing Britney allegedly did after having her children taken away from her-- was go tanning.

Proven over and over again to be the #1 controllable factor when it comes to aging, the popularity of tanning has been extremely detrimental to the health of our society. A "tan" indicates that sun damage was occurring to your skin, and your skin changed color as a result of trying to protect itself. Years of this practice leads to thick, wrinkled, leathery looking skin, and significantly increases the odds of contracting potentially fatal skin cancer. 

Decades of fake and bake has certainly taken it's toll on Britney Spear's once enviable countenance. As she finds herself approaching her 30's at the same time she is poised for another smash album release, she looks far older than her physical age. Repeated hit songs do not occur by accident, and I wish that the people managing her could look at her as more than just a cash cow, and recommend good practices for her personal life too. Namely; stop tanning, put on a hat, always wear sunscreen, and for gods sake-- hire Nannies that will do the same for your children!

Taking care of a manly-man's skin

He may be annoyed that I am revealing his trade secrets here, but Dr. Sobel does so many Botox injections that he has developed an entire comedy routine around the procedure, which he has finessed to the point that it can be easily altered depending on the mood of the patient. However, despite mastering the art of "Vitamin B" injections, Dr. Sobel himself has lines across his forehead when he raises his eyebrows. 

Even though he is insistent that his young daughters use as many SPF-rich products as possible, he goes on 75-mile bike rides without a stitch of sunscreen on his body. 

When it comes to skin care, Dr. Sobel is a perfect case of "practice what I preach, not what I do." Excellent at advising skin care plans for others, he is incredibly remiss in the way he takes care of his own skin. (Being genetically blessed with an eternal baby face has allowed him a lot of slack in this area... so far.) 

As frustrating as this might be (for me especially), Dr. Sobel represents a whole sub-group of men: for every one well-publicized man that embraces taking care of themselves and following a good skin care regimen, there is another man that abjectly rejects any notion of pampering him-self. 

If you're dealing with this sort of rugged, dogged, type of man, a little intervention can go a long way... by making teeny little changes to the inventory of his bathroom, he can go on with a very simple routine while protecting and nourishing his skin.

Problem: He washes his face with whatever hand-soap is closest. 

Solution: Place a facial cleanser within easy reach, that is packaged very simply (bright colors and flowers are not going to make this an easy transition) and make sure that the face-wash contains ingredients that provide the biggest bang for the buck. 

Depending on his skin-type, look for something that will solve as many issues as possible. If he has oily/acne-prone skin, find a cleanser with glycolic-acid-- it will help prevent ingrown hairs, and promote the natural exfoliating process. If he has dry skin, look for a "gentle" wash that will clean the skin without overly drying it. Spend time finding the right product, because if he doesn't like how it makes his skin feel or look, he's going to revert back to his old habits.

Problem: He hates using sunscreen. 

Solution: Swap the bar of soap in the shower, with a bottle of Solise Sun Wash. A body-wash with SPF built-in to it, while washing himself he will be protecting every inch of his body from sun damage without even thinking about it. Solise is safe enough to also use on the face, this non-greasy, hypoallergenic body-wash makes daily sun protection a no-brainer. (Plus, it has a light, fresh smell to it, so if he also hates cologne... this helps out with making him smell nice too.) 

Problem: He won't get Botox. 

Solution: Solicit every patient to ask him before a treatment, "Umm, so why don't you get Botox?" until he get's the message... (Just kidding!)

When it comes to things like Botox that are done purely for aesthetic reasons, not wanting to partake is a personal decision that can be 100% respected. Not using sunscreen however, which is paramount to future health and livelihood, is a completely different scenario that is worthy of a little manipulation. 

A manly man is not going to convert his ways easily, but with a little well-planned help from you, he can be encouraged to do the barest minimum to get the biggest return.

Laser skin resurfacing with Fraxel: strange to see MY answers coming out of someone else's mouth

It is definitely weird to hear the same exact answers I would give (except for the pricing, we're less), coming out of a person who is very much NOT me.

The recent interview on Good Morning America shared great information about Fraxel laser skin resurfacing, and in a few minutes, they covered all the most important facts: what kind of results to expect for acne scarring, surgical scars, wrinkles, melasma, etc., how the device is being utilized for people in their teens, versus people in the 50's, and how Fraxel treatments can actually help prevent skin cancer. 
 
Kudos to Dr. Rohksar, definitely one of the best Fraxel videos I've seen:

Wealthy women at biggest risk for melanoma

What slice of the population would you guess is at the highest risk for contracting skin cancer? 

Obviously, as the title of this article would indicate, we know the answer to the question... but before you read this, who would you have guessed is at the highest risk? 

As I try to mentally compartmentalize the study described below, part of me wants to say that I would have guessed lower class Caucasians-- both male and female-- as being at the highest risk.  This is based purely on assumption, but I would peg them to not be educated correctly about the important benefits of sunscreen, nor would I think that they have the expendable income to spend on something like sunscreen, which doesn't deliver a benefit that can be immediately seen. (Lower-income families of any other ethnicity most likely have darker skin-tones, which naturally provides a better defense against the sun.) 

My second guess would have been wealthier Caucasians, again-- male or female-- because of the outdoor leisure activities extra-wealth would allow them to do, combined with the fragility of pale skin. (Plus, the have the money and desire to invest in indoor tanning, in order to succumb to the "tan" peer-pressure.) 

Interestingly enough, it is my second hunch that is the accurate one, with occurrences of melanoma being much higher in affluent Caucasian women than men. 

Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, killed an estimated 8,700 Americans in 2010 alone. Unfortunately, according to new research just published by the Archives of Dermatology, being a wealthy white female indicates a higher risk for contracting the deadly cancer...  

Researchers discovered that Caucasian females living in the most affluent California neighborhoods were almost six times more likely to be diagnosed with the disease than those living in the poorest California neighborhoods. 

The amount of ultraviolet radiation each geographical location received was also taken into consideration. Even then-- the females with the higher socioeconomic status were 73% more likely to develop melanoma than the poorer women living in areas that received equally high amounts of ultraviolet rays.

Previous studies suggest several possibilities for these findings, which neatly coincide with exactly what you would expect: greater access to outdoor recreational activities increases the risk of melanoma.

“Affluent women have been reported to have more leisure time, during which they may pursue outdoor activities such as gardening, playing sports, or walking,” noted the researchers. Visits to indoor-tanning salons, and tropical vacations are also leisure activities that well-off white women may be partaking in that potentially could increase their risk of melanoma. (It is speculated that melanoma occurrence is higher in women than men, because affluent men are usually working indoors during the day.)

Despite a woman's economic status, data shows that all females had significant increases in melanoma incidence. Between 1980 and 2004, the occurrence of melanoma amongst young American women increased by 50 percent!

  

Everyone, regardless of wealth, location, age or skin color, needs to take precautions to help protect themselves and their loved ones from melanoma. 

• To learn more about your risk of skin cancer, take The Skin Cancer Foundation's Fitzpatrick Skin Type Quiz to find out your skin type.
  
• For information on how to protect your skin every day, see The Skin Cancer Foundation's Prevention Guidelines.

The skin type most likely to die from skin cancer

It seems almost morbid to pose the question, but... which of the two cutie-pies featured here do you think is more likely to die from skin cancer? 

Since the answer seems like it would be obvious, you're probably guessing this is a trick question. 

It is. 

Even though your first guess would most likely be to pick the redheaded baby (after all, redheads are known for extremely delicate skin), it is actually in fact the African American baby that is most likely to suffer from a fatal case of skin cancer.

Pale skin inherently has less natural defense against the sun, as opposed to the already melanin rich skin of a person of darker color. (It is estimated that an African American's darker skin provides them with a natural SPF of about 13.) However, with the advent of sunscreen, smart marketing has directed the importance of sun safety primarily to those that need it the most-- Caucasians-- which has left those with darker skin under the impression that they don't need to worry as much about sun protection. Due to this type of thinking, Latinos, African Americans, Asians, etc., are unknowingly exposing themselves to the deadly UV rays of the sun on a daily basis. Which, leads us to the startling reality: African Americans, Latinos, and Asians, are much more likely to die from skin cancer than a Caucasian.

The problem stems from multiple causes. Firstly, darker-skinned people are under the false impression that they don't need to be as vigilant as sunscreen, which is true... but protection is still needed. The issue is compounded by the fact that since they don't view skin cancer as a risk, they are less likely to check themselves out for suspicious moles or lesions, and even less likely to go to a doctor regarding a suspicious spot. (To their defense, cancerous lesions can be difficult to spot on darker skin.) Because skin cancer on darker skin is usually diagnosed on the late side-- they statistically experience a much lower survival rate than their pale, early detecting counter-parts.

While it is true that those with darker-skin have a lower risk overall of getting skin cancer, sun safe practices (such as wearing sunscreen, or even bathing with a Sun Wash) and annual skin exams should still not be ignored because the fact remains-- nobody is immune to skin cancer.

The premature aging that is occurring during your manicure...

Despite having to engage in activities that wreck my nails all day long, I love getting manicures. It's such a pleasure to sit back, and let someone else take care of you. 

Plus-- no matter how hard I try, it is impossible to ever get my nails to look as perfect as the professionals.

I enjoy every moment of the actual manicure process, the color choosing, the gossip, the hand massage, but despite all the extra frills, obviously the point of going for a manicure is to attain nice looking nails-- and to that effect I try to be as compliant as possible to the nail drying rules. 

If they tell me to put my hands under the drying UV fan for three sessions, even if I'm bored out of my mind and jumping out of my skin with pent-up energy-- I keep my fingers exactly where they're supposed to be for the recommended time-span. 

Three cycles? No problem. As soon as the one session ends, I dutifully tap the restart buttons, and wait until I can leave with my perfect, completely dry nails. 

And then, a horrifying thought occurred to me... what's the difference between the UV rays I willingly expose my hands to under the nail dryer, and those that I daily try to protect myself against from the sun? According to some experts-- none. 

Hands are the number #1 victims of premature aging, because unlike the face, they are not constantly being covered in makeup that has an SPF in it, or, if you are one of those that does take the time to sunscreen your hands year-round, chances are that you don't reapply after each time you wash your hands throughout the day. Because of this, the skin on the backs of your hands are extremely vulnerable to the environmental damages they are constantly exposed to, and are usually the body-parts that show the most signs of aging; with brown-spots, wrinkles, and rough, leathery looking skin.

Willingly subjecting your hands to 20 minutes of direct UV rays during a manicure just adds insult to injury... However, instead of giving up your self-indulgent self-maintenance (because I know I'm not!), the prevention against this abuse is easy-peasy: click off the UV light and only use the fan to dry your nails.

Another very easy way to protect your hands from future sun damage is by using Solise Sun Wash. It's the first of it's kind, and combines a moisturizing hand-wash with an SPF. By using this product, you're coating your hands in an FDA approved, non-greasy, hypo-allergenic, nice smelling sunscreen, every single time you wash your hands. Makes your life a lot easier, and will help keep your hands looking as pretty as your nails. (Use coupon code #73483 at check-out to receive 10% off purchase.)

The life-saving, smile inducing lip balm...

Despite the variety of amazing smelling choices, such as Sweet Mint and Summer Fruit, Dr. Sobel recently hand-picked the lemon variety of EOS's lip balms for his brood of young daughters at home-- because unlike the others, Lemon Drop has an SPF 15.

His youngest daughter, Chloe, is 8, and came home from the school the next day, all atwitter because of her new lip-balm, and in fact--credits the lip-balm with saving her life. 

"Really Chloe," he asked her bemusedly,"The lip-balm saved your life?!"
"Yes Dad." This was serious. "On the playground, my lips were so dry. It. Saved. My. Life." 

And that's the thing about EOS. Aside from the fact that their packaging and marketing is the cutest thing ever, the product itself is really good, and can be appreciated by any age, or sex.

The ergonomically designed packaging fits easily in a pocket, keeps the lid in place, it cannot get twisted up too high and crushed in it's own cap, and since you don't need to stick your fingers in it-- you're not spreading germs everywhere. (An extra bonus when dealing with kids.)

Like the little bursts of sunshine they resemble, the Lemon Drop flavored EOS lip balms are the only ones of the EOS line-up with an SPF 15. At first hesitant at the idea of covering my own lips in a lemon scented balm (was nervous my mouth would smell like a kitchen cleaning product), the fragrance was much more delicate than expected; almost like the smell of a lemon-chiffon cake, and despite the sweetness it remains a product that a heterosexual male could also use...

...which is the perfect segue for Dr. Sobel to make another appearance in this little lip-balm story. A self-respected "man's man" that bicycles from the suburbs into the city on any day where the weather is permissible, and wakes up at 5am to work-out before coming to work, this is a lip balm that does in fact make me smile-- every time I walk by his office-- and see the sunny little yellow orb of EOS lip balm sitting prominently on his desk, right where he needs for it any life-threatening, dry-lip situations.

Cleanliness vs. sunscreen? It's a wash!

Time and time again skin care experts extol the importance of applying daily sunscreen to your hands. The rationale is easy to understand; your hands are consistently exposed to environmental damage, and after years and years of exposure the fragile skin of your hands can look years older than the skin on your face. (Especially with the new trend of SPF makeup formulas, sun protection of the face is much more prevalent than hand or decolletage protection.) 

For those that do take the time to sunscreen their hands everyday(such as myself), the simple act of hand-washing becomes a more time consuming ordeal. Especially in a job industry where frequent hand-washes are required (medical, food, or small children related, to name a few...), washing your hands, and reapplying sunscreen 15x a day easily becomes a burden too time and product-consuming to maintain. 

With much genius, Solise has come up with an elegant solution. Intent on figuring out a way to safely protect his young children from sun damage, at each seeming dead-end Dale Lillard reminded himself of Thomas Edison's famous quote "I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that don't work."

Finally teaming up with an inventor/engineer neighbor, a product that could clean and provide simultaneous sun protection was born. 

Solise is available as either a hand wash or a body wash. It won't clog pores, is hypoallergenic, moisturizing, anti-aging, never tested on animals, and non-greasy. After you wash your hands or body with Solise, your hands/body are protected with an SPF 15 sunscreen. Gentle enough to use on your face, or on children, your first defense against sun damage is now as easy as washing your hands, or taking a shower. (Imagine if after every morning bath, your baby was automatically covered in SPF 15, and every time you washed your hands-- you were protecting yourself?)  

Since Solise only provides an SPF of 15, they classify themselves as your "first step against sun damage," meaning that if you are going to be spending time outdoors additional sun protection will be needed. However, for the kids playing outdoors during the winter, or the adults that spend a lot of time driving, or a million other applicable situations, Solise seems like a perfect time-saving skin-saver. (Not to mention it won the 2010 Skin Cancer Foundation's most prestigious Seal of Recommendation award.)

Does it sound like I'm hyped about this product? Currently only available on the West Coast, Solise will be hitting Philadelphia shelves very shortly, and at about $15 per 8 oz., it is a steal considering it is a body/hand wash AND a sunscreen. (Or, if purchased online at www.Solise.com, use coupon code 73483 to save 10% off any purchase.)

The hidden ways you incur sun damage

"But, I always use sunscreen!" she exclaimed.

However, the smattering of freckles covering her chest, shoulders, backs, arms, and face told a very different story.

"The moment I get to the beach, on goes the SPF 50. Every time!"

I asked how frequently she reapplied.

"Well, it's SPF 50, so... I figure it protects me all day." False.

Then I asked about her sunscreen application during the winter.

"There's SPF 15 in my make-up, but I'm never outdoors-- I go straight from my house, to my car, to my office, and back again. The sun never even touches me." Again, false.

This perky 25 year old girl-- who was covered in sun spots and freckles-- innocently thought that she was protecting herself from the sun. However, it is easy to under-estimate the far-reaching effects of the wiliest of skin foes...

For years, dermatologists have been telling patients to wear sunscreen in order to prevent against premature aging and skin cancer. However, this advice is often not 100% followed, for a multitude of reasons. 

First, the negative effects of the sun don't occur immediately, so it is easy to shirk the responsibilities of proper sun protection. Especially considering that we live with an ever present cultural message that dictates a tan equals beautiful, it is understandable why young people bypass the exact steps needed to protect themselves against the sun. 

Secondly, sunscreens can be confusing! Even people with good intentions of protecting themselves from the sun are often mislead by sunscreen labels. Those that wear sunscreen, usually only apply when they are actively sunbathing, thereby ignoring the sun damage incurred on a day-to-day basis. Also, sunscreen is usually applied too sparingly, and not reapplied frequently enough to provide continuous protection.

The allure of sunscreens with a high SPF can also be misleading. While those in the industry know that there is no significant benefit to using anything over an SPF 30, consumers often assume that the higher the SPF-- the more protection they are getting, for a longer time period. Because of this, those using higher SPFs also do not usually reapply as often as needed. 

Lastly, people are often unaware that they are being exposed to UVA rays even when they are indoors, or inside a car. UVA rays can penetrate windows... even some tinted ones. 

Bottom line: regardless of the season, or where you are, if there is sunlight hitting your skin, you are incurring sun damage. (Just a quick refresher course; sun damage is the #1 cause of premature aging, including deep wrinkles, furrows, coarsening of the skin's texture, skin discoloration, sun spots, and the potentially fatal effects of skin cancer.) 

Applying and reapplying sunscreen all year long might seem like a pain, but freckles are only cute to a certain age, and then you just look... old. Fortunately, you have a choice in how you handle the biggest, most damaging foe to your skin-- hopefully you make the most of it.

A cheeky way to prove seriousness of sun damage

Take a good, hard look at this image. Can you determine which derriere belongs to a 25, 35, 45, 55, and 65 year old? 

Now take a look at this image. Can you identify which face belongs to that of a 25, 35, 45, 55, and 65 year old?

 

My patients often tell me that their friends make fun of them for being so diligent about sun-protection, and to those that don't know-- I suppose applying SPF 50 all winter long can seem silly? However, to brilliantly demonstrate the subversive effects that sun damage has on our skin, day-in and day-out, Julie Kenner, M.D., PhD recently constructed a very simple experiment that was published in Cosmetic Dermatology. 

The "Cheek Quiz" consisted of five women, each in different decades of life (20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's) that agreed to have both their faces and their bare buttocks photographed. 

The sets of pictures were randomly mixed, and then 50 participants were asked to look at the pictures, and identify which picture went with which age. 

Whereas over 75% of the participants were able to correctly identify the women's age group based on their facial pictures, less than 5% were able to guess the women's age based off the appearance of their buttocks. (Can you? Answers are at very bottom.)

The organizers of this experiment were pleased with their findings, because it provided such a clear example of the importance of sun protection. The faces, which are exposed to UVA and UVB radiation all year long, showed the distinct passage of time, whereas the skin of the rear-ends look almost indistinguishable from each other, despite the chronological age, because that skin is always covered up and protected from the sun's damaging rays. (The presence of cellulite provides the only clue about the age of the rear-ends.)

This goes to show that the signs of aging are mostly caused by sun damage, and it is a unique concept to think that we'd all be better off if our face's looked more like our buttocks... 


It probably goes without saying, but daily sun protection is vital-- whether it is winter and you are in the office all day, or it is summer and you're spending time at the beach. Your skin is being exposed to harmful UVA and UVB rays all the time, whether you're cognizant of it or not. It is in your best interest from both a health and aesthetic stand-point to nip the danger in the bud(dock?) and simply protect your skin. Solise sun-wash is a body wash with built in SPF, (so that once you're dried off from the shower or bath, you're already covered in a mineral based physical sun block) that makes your first step towards sun protection something you barely even think about, and SkinCeuticals makes an array of wonderful sunscreens that can be used year-round with no greasy/shiny/bad-smelling after-effects.

Age of buttocks, clockwise: 45, 65, 55, 25, 35

Age of faces, clockwise: 35, 25, 55, 45, 65

Denise Richards has made at least ONE excellent life decision...

Over the weekend, I actually have the time to be exposed to all sorts of miscellaneous media... and since I'm in a more relaxed state, the chances are good that I might actually absorb some of the random bits I learn.

One such noteworthy fun fact comes courtesy of a recent US magazine "25 Things you don't know about me," written by Denise Richards. Her name is a familiar one on the tabloid scene, but usually mentioned in regards to drama, scandal, and poor life decisions. It was refreshing to read about some light-hearted insights into her life, and inspiring to hear about one in particular...

#19 on the list of 25 reveals that Denise Richards has worn sunscreen on her face, everyday since she was 15. This surely has a lot to do with the fact that she could still pass for a decade younger than her real age of 39. While some of her past decisions can be considered questionable at best, her dedication to protecting her skin from such a young age is extremely commendable. 

My guess is that she must have had a very good agent at the time that impressed upon her the importance of maintaining a youthful look in regards to maintaining a successful career as an actress, otherwise no teenager would take such anti-sun precautions-- especially almost 25 years ago when tanning wasn't close to the taboo it is now. Whoever it was that made such a convincing argument that swayed her from doing what all of her friends were surely doing, deserves an award. Teenagers are not known for the most yielding bunch... 

Hopefully Denise will use her skin wisdom wisely, and pass her knowledge down to her two daughters so that they all can stay as optimally beautiful for as long as possible.

Tanning pill?

For most physical discomforts, our society has been trained to think that "popping" the appropriate pill will fix just about anything. Headache, menstrual cramps, indigestion, allergies, etc., a quick survey of a local drugstore shows that there is a quick-fix immediately available for many of the prevalent, daily maladies. 

Whereas the old saying "better living through chemistry" used to be reserved for situations regarding serious ailments where human lives were really benefited from outside chemicals and medications (i.e. anti-depressants, chemo-therapy, insulin), it now has come to a point where "better living" encompasses just about every kind of health experience a person can have. For instance, the latest medical foray currently in production is a medication for tanning.

This little pill is supposed to deliver a safe tan, and provide extra protection against skin cancer. Better living indeed...

Although not important in the grand scheme of things, the subject of a tan is a frustrating one. Most people do look (and feel) better when they are tan, and yet-- the tan that boosts their self-confidence today is the #1 cause of premature aging and skin cancer tomorrow.  The informed, self-willed people (*ahem*) put their SPF 50 on every morning year-round, and yet look longingly at the beautifully tanned models and celebrities featured everywhere... 

Enter scientists from L'Oreal and Nestle (weird pairing, I know) to the rescue... eventually. Currently hard at work on a "tanning pill" (perhaps it tastes like chocolate?), the supplement dubbed "Inneov Sun Sensitivity" combines lycopene and beta-carotene — the red and orange substances in tomatoes and carrots — with a probiotic that is thought to increase the skin's resistance to UV light. Together, it is thought that these ingredients will darken your skin, while reducing your ability to sun-burn.

While this product has already released to European and South American markets, it is still being evaluated in the United States to determine whether or not it can deliver what it promises. Inneov labs, the laboratories where this pill was designed and made, also ran the testing-- which is considered poor practice in the medical world. Because they have so much to gain financially from their findings, the results are considered tainted no matter what they show... and what they show is inconclusive anyway.

In theory, a "tanning pill" would be a great addition to the pharma-umbrella that helps shelter our lives from so much unnecessary unpleasantness. A pill that could grant the safe tan everyone wants, and protect against skin-cancer would be the biggest medication coup since Botox and Viagra combined! 

Despite the respectable, proven, in-depth studies that have shown the correlation between sun exposure, wrinkles, and cancer, the tanning industry remains alive and well. The money available in this market will likely keep the tests going until a "tanning pill" actually does exist... but lets hope that when this happens, they come up with a much kickier name. For such a guaranteed blockbuster product, "Inneov Sun Sensitivity" has no ring to it, whatsoever. (Burn!)

New skin care "a-peel" from SkinCeuticals

With people like Oprah, Kim K., J.Lo, and Gwynnie singing their praises + a slew of beauty awards, it is easy to say that SkinCeuticals has cultivated a highly respectable name for themselves in the skin-care industry. 

And for a good reason: their products work. 

From non-pore clogging SPF 50 sunscreens, to antioxidants that are proven to prevent skin cancer, to under-eye creams that people swear work better than products 5x more expensive, SkinCeuticals has covered all of the skin-care needs beautifully.

While they are mostly known for their at-home products, that is-- skin care that people can administer to themselves; such as face wash, moisturizer, and sunscreen-- they have recently developed a line of medical grade Chemical Peels that can only be received in medical offices. With a peel for anti-aging, acne, or hyperpigmentation; they have created a quick, in-office treatment that can benefit a wide variety of people. 

Having only just signed-up to be a part of this Chemical Peel roll-out, everyday boxes and boxes from SkinCeuticals  are arriving on my door-step. Some of the included pieces are puzzling for now (lug nuts? Other misc hardware pieces?), and some are intimidating (razor blades for derma-planing), and some just look comical amongst my skin care stock (mixing bowls and thermoses).

Out of the three medical grade peels, we are currently only doing one (Pigment Balancing Masque) and need a professional SkinCeuticals instructor to come and educate us on the two new ones (Micropeel and Micropeel Plus). 

On the upcoming SkinCeuticals Chemical Peel menu, specifically:

Pigment Balancing Masque (We've been doing these already for about the past year, and I can't keep the product in stock, my patients--especially African Americans-- LOVE the results from this!)

• Improves uneven skin tone and helps get rid of sun damage, brown spots, and other forms of hyperpigmentation
• This peel is a one step process that uses a very strong chemical exfoliation, and  high-performance skin brightening agents

Micropeel (We have never done these before, and I am so excited to learn how! Before I can start though, a professional SkinCeuticals instructor has to come and spend a whole day here, going over all the ins-and-outs of cryogenics and derma-planing.)

• Helps reduce the primary signs of aging, including fine line and wrinkles, dullness, and visible skin imperfections.
• This peel involves three steps, and includes manual exfoliation, chemical exfoliation, and cryogenic therapy

Micropeel Plus (Again, need the instructor to teach this to me, but I am intrigued that this chemical peel is only one step, and yet is considered an advancement to the plain old "Micropeel"?)

• Helps reduce acne and keeps problematic skin clear of breakouts.
• This peel consists of a one-step chemical exfoliation with salicylic acid procedure

As I learn more, I will certainly keep you posted. In the meantime, it's fun opening my supply closets and daydreaming about all of the miraculous things I will soon be able to add to my skin perfecting repertoire. :)

See how to give yourself a perfect spray tan... at home!

 If Snookie can do it... I can do it. Right?!

Applying self-tanner is a tricky quest at best, and although I practice, practice, practice, (and frankly feel pretty comfortable with my self-tanning-lotions-and-mousse skills) I was intrigued, yet intimidated about using St. Tropez's at home spray tan. 

For some reason, the idea of an aerosol spray self-tanner gave me anxiety. Despite the rave reviews, and the promised ease of use, the lack of control I felt I had with a spray, versus a lotion, was stressful. But I was determined to master it, because honestly, if Snookie can do it-- I better be able to!

Luckily for me, in today's age of don't-know-something-then-Google-it, there was plenty of support to bolster my spray tan adventurousness. After watching this video from St. Tropez (it's GREAT!) and the video below, I felt very well prepared to strip down and spray myself.

After an evening of spray tan experimentation, I write this with natural looking, bronzed fingers (that match my wrists, and face!) clicking away on the keyboard, and a smile on my face. With an extremely strong penchant for healthy skin, this allows me to easily have the tan color I crave and the healthy skin I strive for.

For the month of October 2010, all St. Tropez self-tanning products 

are on special at Cosmopolitan Skin Care! 

We will ship anywhere, call now while supplies last!

Connect the dots: the REAL attribute that makes you look old

Think fast: When you think of signs of physical aging, what is the first thing that comes to mind? 

 If this was Family Feud, the person who slammed the buzzer quickest and blurted out "wrinkles" would certainly be the winner. “Gray hair” might be next on the list, followed by perhaps “glasses”, and then maybe “balding”, with possibly a “cane” or “dentures” coming in last. 

What was your first mental association with aging?

Because of society’s deeply ingrained notion of what “old age” looks like-- a combination of wrinkles, glasses, and gray hair-- it comes as a surprise to learn that a recent study done in Austria proved that NONE of the above things are the leading cause of an aged appearance. Any revised guesses on what the culprit might be?

For the Austrian study, photographs of middle-aged women were photo-shopped into two distinct sets: one version with extremely uneven skin tone, and one version with an abundance of deep wrinkles. Both sets of pictures were then showed to a group of people who had to rate the attractiveness and youthfulness of the women's faces. Across the board, it was the women with the uneven skin tone that were voted less attractive and older than their wrinkled versions. The consensus of this study: brown spots age you even more than wrinkles.

Brown spots, age spots, sun spots, (previously also called  “liver spots”) all refer to the same thing, and that speckled discoloration is the skin’s natural response to long-term sun exposure. The spots you see today didn’t occur from your sun exposure this past summer; instead, they are the result of skin being exposed to too much UV rays over the course of years and years. (On average, it takes about 10 years for sun damaged areas to pigment and manifest as “brown spots”.) The fairer the skin, the more susceptible you are to visible brown spots, but even those with darker skin need to be wary of damaging UV rays too. According to Dr. Susan Taylor, director of the Skin of Color Center at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York City, EVERY skin tone is susceptible to UV-induced discoloration, which is why sunscreen is a must, no matter how dark your skin color is. “In fairer skin, you get freckles or sun spots, and in darker complexions, an uneven skin tone,” she says. 

Thankfully, today’s science enables us to be able to prevent future damage (with proper diligence) and get rid of the unwanted marks currently showing. 

A high SPF is very important when trying to prevent future sun damage. Skin experts across the board pretty much agree that a broad-spectrum physical block sunscreen provides better protection than the chemical versions. Whereas chemical sunscreens have to be reapplied often, the titanium and zinc oxide in a physical blocking sunscreen actually sit on the surface of your skin and deflect UV rays until they are washed off. (SkinCeuticals makes a version that our entire office, AND Oprah, love!) 

When dealing with pre-existing pigmentation, different treatments are recommended for different skin colors. The fairer your skin, the more receptive it is to laser treatments, whereas the darker your skin is; the greater the risk of burning, darkening, or hypo-pigmentation (spot bleaching). Asian skin is especially tricky, as it can look pale, despite there being a lot of underlying pigment that risk discoloration during laser treatments. (To prevent against unwanted side effects, darker skin usually has to be pre-treated for up to two months before laser treatments.)  

Photorejuvenation laser treatments target the areas of concentrated pigment in your skin, and destroy it. After treatment, the brown spots darken and shrivel up, before sloughing completely off your skin. Once the healing process is complete, the skin has returned to it's original state: clear and pristine.

The only way to prevent more sun spots though, is to make sure your skin is constantly protected (i.e. sunscreen!) regardless of the season, temperature, or current weather. (UV rays are present even while it's cloudy or raining, and can affect your skin even while you're indoors through windows or driving.) Make sure to always cover your face, and apply a dab or two into the backs of your hands. 

Taking a few extra minutes in the morning to make sure your skin is safe can end up saving years from your appearance. (Not to mention, help prevent against skin cancer!)