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...

Face of a 20 year old, body of a 60 year old?

The 80/20 rule is used all the time, and seems like a universal ratio that (somehow) can be used to attribute a mathematical equation to almost every relationship in the world. 

For example, in business they say things like 80% of your time is spent on 20% of your clients, and 80% of your profit comes from 20% of your clients. In social media, they say that 80% of your comments/interactions will come from 20% of your fan-base, and the equation can applied to such trivialities as 80% of the time you are wearing the same 20% of your wardrobe, etc., etc, etc. 

Since it is the 80/20 rule that is heard over and over, it was almost jarring to recently hear of the phenomenon called the 20/60 rule. 

At first I thought it must have been a typo, but then I read on to discover that the 20/60 situation is something actually occurring ALL the time. "20/60" refers to people-- female or male-- that have young, wrinkle-free faces, with bodies (hands, necks, and chests) that make them look decades older-- so that overall the face of someone in their 20s is on a body that looks at least 60. Certainly not a desirable combination...

It is great to be applying sunscreen daily to your face, but while your face is protected from the premature aging that comes with sun exposure, the rest of your body is left exposed. Skin experts across the world agree that it is vital to be diligent about applying sunscreen to the neck, hands, and any other body part that might be exposed to the sun throughout your daily activities (even for things as mundane as driving or a quick walk).

For easy all-over protection, Solise Sun Wash is a soap used in the shower that leaves behind a physical sunblock of SPF 15, or Eucerin makes a light-weight SPF 30 lotion called "Everyday Protection" that can be applied after the shower, is absorbed quickly. (Take advantage of current Solise special, and use coupon code 73483 to get 10% off all online orders.)

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!

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.

70 years of sun damage, undone in 2 minutes

Granted it will take a few weeks for the skin to finish healing and look perfect, but this video encapsulates the entire treatment time needed to removed every last speck of sun-damage off this guy's weathered hands. (A die-hard golf enthusiast, these hands have spent at least 6 hours in the sun, every weekend day, for the past 70+ years. Much to my extreme disapproval, no sunscreen has been used, ever.) 

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.

The 5 factors (YOU CAN CONTROL) that cause unhealthy skin

Genetics aside, there are many aspects that you do have control over when it comes to the appearance of your skin.

The following list details daily changes you can make to your lifestyle to help ensure the clearest, youngest, healthiest looking skin possible, and yes-- you can do them all!

1. Sun Damage

The TOP skin offender, the sun is a major contributor to unhealthy skin. "Repeated sun exposure depletes collagen and elastin from within [the skin], making the skin less elastic, and thinner, which leads to premature wrinkles," says Dr. Callahan, a Florida based dermatologist.
The sun is a known contributor of dark-colored spots and leathery, wrinkled skin-- an obvious sign of unhealthy, aged skin. 

"The effects of the sun begin as soon as we are exposed to it at an early age. Years later, we start to see the brown spots, red spots, and wrinkles, and, if there is extreme damage, precancerous patches and skin cancer can also occur" shares NY dermatologist Dr. Michael Kurzman.

In addition to premature aging, the sun can also worsen acne-prone skin. As the surface of the skin becomes inflamed in response to the sun's rays, your skin is unable to properly shed and exfoliate itself, leading to debris trapped within pores. While a tan might momentarily even out your skin tone to camouflage the presence of acne, in the long run sun exposure makes problematic skin that much worse. 

To prevent against all forms of sun damage, a sunscreen should worn daily. (Solise, a new bodywash with sunscreen built-in, is a great solution, as it covers every body part you would wash in the shower or bath, leaving you protected without the application time.) 

2. Smoking Cigarettes

As you've undoubtedly been told for years, smoking is extremely bad for you in many aspects-- although we are just going to concentrate on the skin related side-effects here. 

Smoking is the antithesis to skin-care, as it depletes the body of Vitamin C and accelerates the break-down of collagen and elastin. In addition to breaking down the skin from the inside out, the chemicals in cigarettes also suck the moisture out of your skin, leaving it feeling and feeling dry. 

The solution sounds easier in theory than it probably is in practice: quit smoking. 

3. Dehydration

When the body is dehydrated, your organs become dehydrated too-- and as your body's largest organ, your skin is no exception. If your body is dehydrated, your skin will feel very dry and inflexible, your overall skin color will be flat, and fine lines and wrinkles may be prevalent than normal. 

Drinking plenty of water is the best way to keep the body hydrated. (If you don't like the taste of plain water, add some lemon or cranberry juice to it-- which will improve the taste, while giving you the extra benefit of some anti-oxidants.)

4. Poor Diet

The skin is essentially a mirror for the overall health of your body, and because your skin is so sensitive to internal functionings-- if you are putting bad stuff into your body, it will show on the outside. Since the skin is a functioning organ, when not enough vitamins and minerals are ingested, the skin suffers.

Try to frequently eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, or if your lifestyle absolutely cannot support a healthy diet-- at least incorporate some Vitamins into your daily routine.

5. Lack of exercise

Similarly to how smoking negatively affects multiple aspects of your health, exercise has multi-fold benefits. In addition to keeping your heart and lungs healthy, you are also stimulating the lymphatic system which keeps everything moving in your body-- including your blood. Proper blood flow is crucial as it provides a healthy glow to the skin, while also giving your underlying cells the fuel it needs to function properly. 

It goes without saying that you should try to exercise as much as possible, but in regards to your skin-- make sure to wash your face as soon as you can afterward to prevent any sweat-induced break-outs.

Is your acne treatment causing premature aging?

Every new acne patient invariably leaves our office with the follow products: a great face wash, a great sunscreen, and... a bottle of Benzoyl Peroxide.

Our acne sufferers adhere to their prescribed skincare regimen so devoutly, that we often find ourselves shipping our products to them across the globe. However, it's easy to understand why-- after trying everything else to fix their acne, they want to stick with what works.

BZP (my Benzoyl Peroxide abbreviation) devotion is not unusual-- in fact it is the single most commonly prescribed ingredient for all acne treatments. However, the reason it is so effective at curtailing acne is because of it's innate drying capabilities. BZP dries acne out by reducing the amount of oxygen in the skin, which thereby reduces the acne causing bacteria and infections. 

It is this amazing drying capability that has earned BZP it's reputation as the ultimate acne fighting cream, however some doctors are starting to wonder about a possible darker side to BZP's magic. With all of this excessive drying taking place, is BZP inadvertently causing pre-mature aging? 

The rule of aging usually goes like something like this; anything that dries the skin out, usually causes the appearance of more fine lines and wrinkles, thereby making the skin look older. Since BZP is by nature drying out the skin, reason lends that it would therefore be prematurely aging the skin. 

However, if BZP is being applied properly*, the uncomfortable, tight, dry, burning feeling shouldn't occur. Even anti-BZP California dermatologist Debra Luftman, MD admits that if the right moisturizer (i.e. a formula appropriate for your skin type) is used regularly, the skin will bounce right back to normal. 

BZP is now available in all sorts of strengths and formulas, so no matter what your skin is like-- there is a formula to help keep your skin pristine and clear. 

The one BZP precaution you do want to take to prevent premature aging is the avoidance of sun exposure. (We recommend all of our patients use their BZP at night so as to bypass this complication all together.) The light and heat of the sun amplify Benzoyl Peroxide's drying effects and can leave you with severely dried out, sun damaged skin. (Some experts even think that BZP cancels out the effect of SPF, which lends more reason to skip BZP application during the day.)

When used correctly, Benzoyl Peroxide is a must have in your anti-acne arsenal (if you look at the ingredients of the products you are currently using, you may be surprised to see you are already employing the benefits of this hard-working pimple buster.) Make sure to moisturize your skin properly, and enjoy your clearer skin-- Benzoyl Peroxide is not causing any premature aging. 

If you have any Benzoyl Peroxide experiences or questions you would like to share, please let me know. I'm always happy to hear skin related thoughts, inquiries, and stories.

* Benzoyl Peroxide should be applied in the thinnest layer possible, evenly covering the entire face, before bed. If you can see it on your skin, you've applied too much. Do not attempt to load-up an area for spot-treating, excessive drying (with peeling and flaking) is likely to occur.

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

The 5 steps all men need to follow for perfect skin

Sales-reps make "calls" on us ALL the time, and before they come out with their pitch, they like to ask us a bunch of questions about our business. 

This is advantageous to them for two reasons; one-- they get to try and butter us up by seeming so interested in our business, two-- through this they are able to glean info from us about which of their products/services we would be the most likely to buy.

Often the sales-reps will come in with inaccurate, pre-conceived notions about our business. The most glaring of these misconceptions is their idea of what our clientele's men to women ratio is. They just about fall out of their chairs when we tell them that our clientele is split almost 50/50 amongst the sexes. 

However, I don't know why it is so surprising to find out that men also care about their appearance? (Perhaps Philadelphia is the anomaly here, since we have a large population of proudly well-groomed men-- but somehow I think it is probably the same in any major city.) 

This got me thinking though-- just as the random sales reps under-estimate my male clientele, I think that I too have been under-serving my male population by often featuring women-centric posts here. (Men might care about their appearance, but it's doubtful they are interested in the hair trends of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills"...) 

To rectify my mistake, I want to show my loyal Philadelphia men some love by sharing the 5 steps they absolutely need to be taking everyday to ensure perfectly perfect, manly skin.

1- Wash your face

If you do nothing else-- cleansing is the single most important thing you can do for your face, and this should be the first thing you do every morning, and the last thing you do every night.

Washing your face is the basis of your skin care regimen, but that doesn’t mean rubbing the same bar of soap you use for your body, all over your face. (Those types of bar soaps are usually too drying for your facial skin.) Instead, you should use a face wash that is specific for your type of skin.

The intrinsic attributes of men's skin makes it especially important to wash appropriately. Men’s skin typically has large pores and very active oil producing glands. While these glands are critical for keeping the skin naturally moist, they can often produce too much sebum, leaving your skin feeling greasier than an oil slick. Neglecting to wash away the excess oil and dirt can clog pores, which leaves the skin prone to breakouts, blackheads, and all sorts of other nastiness.

A basic face wash can work just fine, but you should look for one that is made for your skin type (dry, normal, oily, etc.) and is strong enough to cut through the grease, while gentle (and affordable!) enough to be used twice a day.

2- Exfoliate

Sometimes cleaning the skin just isn’t enough...

Washing your face gets rid of the surface oil and dirt, but what about all that nasty stuff deep down in your pores?

Exfoliating is key because it helps dislodge debris that normal washing can’t touch. You should exfoliate a few times a week, and you can use either a good scrub, or even a rough towel. (Be wary of scrubs such as St. Ives "Apricot Scrub", as most are too rough and will cause microscopic tears in your skin. Vigorously drying your face with a rough towel is a safer way to help shed the top layers of dead skin.)

By regularly exfoliating, you will help smooth the skin and eliminate the dullness that results from normal pore clogging and dirt buildup. (Exfoliation also softens hair follicles for a closer, less-irritating shave, and keeps your pores clear so that in-grown hairs can be prevented. Plus, any skin products you use will be able to be absorbed into the skin easier.)

3- Moisturize

After washing (and possibly exfoliating) your face, moisturizer is the next critical component. Between constant facial expressions, environmental factors, and the annoying aging process, skin easily becomes drier and experiences a loss of elasticity.

Showering and shaving open up pores and allow precious water to escape, but a light moisturizer can fix everything. Facial moisturizers replenish the skin’s moisture content, and by allowing the skin to be more supple and moist, razor burn can also be prevented. (You can skip step 5 if you use a daily moisturizer with an SPF of 30 or higher.)

4- Protect your most delicate skin (eyes and lips)

There are two places on the face that men almost never pay attention to: the eyes and the lips. However, these are the two facial areas with the most delicate, fragile skin!

One of the first visible signs of aging comes from the skin around the eyes. The soft, thin layer of skin that surrounds the eye is especially prone to developing creases and crinkles long before other parts of the body begin to show their age. All of this can be prevented with regular use of an eye cream. To smooth and protect this skin, eye cream needs to be dabbed gently on the edge of the bone around the eye to maximize effectiveness and prevent irritation. It will slowly absorb and spread to the fragile areas that need it most.

 Because the lips lack both oil glands to keep them naturally moist and melanin to provide protection against harmful UV rays, they are easily prone to severe dryness, cracking, bleeding, and burning from exposure to the elements. Regular application of chap stick (even better if you use something with a hint of SPF!) once a day can help keep your lips healthy and soft.

5- Sunscreen

men traditionally spend less time caring for their skin than women do, despite the fact that they spend more time outdoors damaging their skin. The sun is in the sky, casting down it's dangerous UV rays all year long, and to protect your skin from it's #1 aging/cancer enemy a sunscreen needs to be used daily. (As previously mentioned, you can pair this step with #3 by using a moisturizer that has a SPF of 30 or higher.)

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.

Taking the sting out of dry-skin lotions

It's one of the most annoying/frustrating skin-care scenarios to find yourself in: dry, cold winter air leaves you with severely chapped skin, and when you apply some moisturizing lotion in an attempt to soothe the irritated skin-- Owwwww!!! The lotion stings your skin more than the dryness did!

(You know the scene in the Home Alone when young Kevin shaves his face, and then innocently applies some after-shave like he always sees his Dad do? Yeah, the dry-skin-lotion-sting can be expressed sorta like that...)

Salvationless salves...

Unfortunately, this is an all too familiar situation during the winter when skin is extra-dry and extra-sensitive. The salve you were hoping would provide some dry skin relief instead becomes the enemy you can't wait to wash off your skin. 

Despite the fact that winters are often brutal in Philadelphia, my patients continuously report of this uncomfortable burning sensation year after year, from all sorts of skin moisturizers.  The very high-end varieties all to the way to the most inexpensive drug store variety can cause the dry skin burn, because the key to a lotion that actually soothes isn't in the price-- but (as you've probably guessed by now) the ingredients. 

When trying to soothe irritated, dry skin, you should first and utmost avoid products that are alcohol based, and secondly, avoid fragranced lotions.

Alcohol free

Alcohol is an ingredient often used for disinfection, and is a chemical that exacerbates skin dryness. (Dry skin also often has tiny, microscopic cuts and tears in it, which alcohol further stings and irritates.) When shopping for a potential skin care lotion, make sure to check the ingredients. Although a popular ingredient, do not buy any product that lists alcohol as a main ingredient. A lotion that is primarily made of a drying agent is both oxy-moronic, and useless in your attempt to give your skin the sensitive kind of moisture it needs. 

Smell free

Another precaution to take is avoiding moisturizers with added fragrances. Sure, they might smell good in their containers, but once applied the chemicals creating those pleasant smells can be the cause of non-pleasant skin-irritations. 

Products like Cetaphil and Lubriderm are fragrance-free and specifically formulated for sensitive skin that is prone to reacting to irritants.

 

 

Recommendations for the sensitive

Even though the stinging and burning is a temporary situation that causes no long-lasting damage, it is in the best interest of your skin to not further aggravate active irritations. 

By seeking out lotions that are specifically made for "sensitive skin", you can heal your upset skin and actually get some relief. (If you can find a lotion that contains anti-inflammatory ingredients such as chamomile or aloe, it's even better!) 

Lubriderm, Vaseline Intensive Care, Aveeno, and Burt's Beeswax all make nice lotions that hydrate and nurture your skin, and once you find something that works for you, feel free to apply as often as needed.

Lastly-- I have also heard complaints about sunscreens that sting and irritate, too. (Yes, sunscreen is needed even during the winter!) In order to maintain the level of sun protection you need without sacrificing your comfort, look for "physical" sunblocks that contain zinc or titanium dioxide. (SkinCeuticals makes my favorite.) Because these ingredients sit on top of the skin and aren't absorbed, they tend to be much less irritating.

Comfortable despite the cold...
Armed with this winter skin-care knowledge-- NO alcohol, NO fragrances, "physical" sunscreens only-- you are on the way to happy, hydrated, pain-free skin. (Sorry, can't do anything about the freezing-cold aspect!)