Eyebrow Loss

Eyebrows frame the face. Your entire appearance can change if you lose your beautiful brows. Have you been told that you lost your eyebrows because you over-plucked? While over-plucking may certainly lead to diminished growth of the brows, did you know there are a variety of conditions that can result in the temporary or permanent loss of eyebrows? Hair will be lost by a variety of situations that affect its growth cycle, or the area from which it grows. Should you take medication that stops hair growth, such as chemotherapy, you can lose hair. Or if you have a skin condition...

Skin Bleaching

Everyone wants to have an even, smooth skin tone. Being plagued by dark spots - whether large or small, is a definite cosmetic no-no. But bleaching and whitening options have become so complicated it practically takes a degree to understand how to make the proper selection and arrange them into an effective routine. Here's what you can do to reclaim a clear, glowing complexion. Why Do I Have Skin Discoloration? There's more than one cause of skin discoloration. Fortunately, bleaching remains the same regardless of source of the darkness. The aftermath of skin inflammation is one common source of discoloration. Skin trauma, no...

Litmus Test: A Balancing Act

We’ve all been told by beauty magazines and blogs that we want to achieve “balanced” skin; but what does that mean exactly? Understanding what balanced skin means and how to achieve it is a basic lesson in chemistry. It has to do with pH levels – a measuring system for comparing the strength of acids and bases. A scale from 1 to 14 was created to gauge these properties. Pure water is neutral (neither acidic nor alkaline), so it was assigned the midway point on the scale: 7. Anything below 7 is categorized as an acid; those above, a base. So how...

The Eyes Have It

People have always complimented me on my big, brown eyes, and I’ve always considered them my greatest feature – yet in the past couple years, the passing of time and the stress of life with a job and two kids has left my once vibrant peepers looking tired and sagged, the skin around them showing the beginnings of “crow’s feet” and dark circles appearing under them. It’s amazing how the signs of aging seem to attack the eyes first and how much it can impact one’s entire face. I may be a tired, aging mom, but that doesn’t mean I want...

POREfection

Do you ever look closely in the mirror at your face and feel like you are staring into the craters of the moon? Enlarged pores can be as annoying and embarrassing as the blackheads and acne that can show up too. No matter how much makeup you put on, they just can’t be covered up – in fact, caking on the makeup can often make them look even larger. You can’t help wonder if anyone else notices them as much as you do. Pores aren’t really our enemies though. Without them we’d have nowhere for hair to grow out of, or...

Deep Clean & Fight Wrinkles at the Same Time

If you’ve had professional facials, chances are you’ve heard of glycolic acid. This miracle skincare ingredient is medically recognized as the superior alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) option for removing skin impurities and improving the appearance of maturing skin. Using a cleanser with Glycolic Acid means you can deeply cleanse your skin of dirt, oil and environmental impurities while simultaneously fighting the visible signs of aging. DERMAdoctor offers a superior line of glycolic acid cleansers called Wrinkle Revenge, available in three levels of AHA tolerance. I have been using the Wrinkle Revenge 1 antioxidant enhanced glycolic acid facial cleanser, which is a...

An Ode to Retinol, A Woman’s Best Friend

By now it’s no beauty secret that as we age, retinol becomes a woman’s best friend and greatest weapon against wrinkles and the ravages of time. Retinol, a pure, topical form of Vitamin A, helps increase skin’s thickness and collagen production, firming and refining the complexion and restoring its vibrancy – a literal fountain of youth. Some retinol products, however, can be irritating, causing redness and peeling of the skin people often associate with the high-potency vitamin A prescription acne treatment Retin-A. So how can you get your maximum dose of age-fighting retinol without traumatizing your skin? I have found the best...

Dealing With Adult Acne

While most people think of acne as an issue for hormonal teenagers, there are a great many people in their 20s, 30s and even 40s who suffer from acne flare ups. In fact, 25 percent of all adult men and 50 percent of adult women will deal with acne at some point, and a third of them will experience acne on their body as well as their face. Many factors can come into play to cause adult acne, including of course hormones, but also stress, use of cosmetics and an increase in resistant bacteria. Many adult women also notice premenstrual or...

Seeing Spots: Dealing with Skin Discolorations

Skin discolorations and so-called "age spots" can be troubling, especially if you haven't had them before – making you wish you had a magic skin "eraser" to just wipe them away. The skin goes through many changes as it ages, due to both genetics and external factors such as sun exposure, and various patches, spots, scars or discolorations can appear and deepen over time. Like wrinkles, they are simply a fact of life as we grow older. Most skin discolorations, freckles and age or "liver" spots are harmless, even though they can be annoying. But you should always err or on...

Tease Zone for Skin That's Perfect to a T

I have what you'd call "combination skin." While my cheeks get dry, I tend to get oily in that notorious problem area known as the "T-Zone," which sweeps across the forehead and down the nose to the chin. The T-Zone has caused many teenagers (and plenty of adults) sleepless nights as the focus of breakouts, whiteheads, redness and that embarrassing “shiny” look. So what’s with the T-Zone's greasy nature? This area simply has more oil glands than other parts of the face. The weather can affect it as well – making you feel like an oil slick on warm, humid...

Keratosis Pilaris & Kids

At some point or another, nearly everyone has experienced those tiny, hard bumps of extremely rough, dry skin that can emerge on the upper arms, thighs, buttocks and other areas of the body – especially in the cold winter months; and those who have children may be surprised to find this condition on their babies or kids as well. These annoying bumpy patches, commonly referred to as “chicken skin,” are caused by an actual condition called keratosis pilaris (KP). KP is extremely common – it affects nearly 50 percent of the world’s population – and even more so in kids, with...

Dealing with Melasma

Melasma, literally meaning dark skin, is most commonly known as the “mask of pregnancy,” an area of hyperpigmentation that shows up across the face of more than half of all pregnant women. But you don’t even have to be pregnant (or female) to develop this skin condition. Increased estrogen (from pregnancy, birth control pills, estrogen supplements or other hormone sensitivities) trigger pigment producing cells called melanocytes to produce too much melanin, resulting in patchy skin discolorations. If you develop melasma for whatever reason, the first thing to know is that it is very common and it is completely harmless. Six million...

White Tea Works Better Than Cucumbers For Puffy Eyes

Envision the endless images of women reclining with chilled cucumbers resting upon their eyelids.These chilled veggies’ ability to depuff undereye bags has reached mythical proportions.The reality; swelling diminishes slightly due to cold-induced vasoconstriction of swollen blood vessels and reduces fluid buildup. No chemical magic related to the cucumber itself.However, white tea is rich in EGCG, a powerful botanical renowned for its calming action.Incorporated into an eye balm such as DERMAdoctor Wrinkle Revenge rescue & protect eye balm, white tea quickly helps soothe and depuff delicate undereye tissue. If it is cold you...

White Tea Works Better Than Cucumbers For Puffy Eyes

Envision the endless images of women reclining with chilled cucumbers resting upon their eyelids.These chilled veggies’ ability to depuff undereye bags has reached mythical proportions.The reality; swelling diminishes slightly due to cold-induced vasoconstriction of swollen blood vessels and reduces fluid buildup. No chemical magic related to the cucumber itself.However, white tea is rich in EGCG, a powerful botanical renowned for its calming action.Incorporated into an eye balm such as DERMAdoctor Wrinkle Revenge rescue & protect eye balm, white tea quickly helps soothe and depuff delicate undereye tissue. If it is cold you...

White Tea Works Better Than Cucumbers For Puffy Eyes

Envision the endless images of women reclining with chilled cucumbers resting upon their eyelids. These chilled veggies’ ability to depuff undereye bags has reached mythical proportions. The reality; swelling diminishes slightly due to cold-induced vasoconstriction of swollen blood vessels and reduces fluid buildup. No chemical magic related to the cucumber itself. However, white tea is rich in EGCG, a powerful botanical renowned for its calming action. Incorporated into an eye balm such as DERMAdoctor Wrinkle Revenge rescue & protect eye balm, white tea quickly helps soothe and depuff delicate undereye tissue. If it is cold you want, keep your jar in...

Wrinkles Are Adorable on a Sharpei; Not on Me!

Sharpeis are so adorable. I think it’s those deep wrinkle folds that simply beg to be pinched.What makes a sharpei look, well, like a sharpei and not a pug?This breed of canine has a defect in the genetic make-up of their skin.A gene known as HAS2 responsible for producing dermal Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is faulty in the sharpei.In mature human skin, it’s simply less active.This deep tissue filler substance provides lift and volume to the skin.Without out it, skin sags and develops deep creases.On a sharpei...

Wrinkles Are Adorable on a Sharpei; Not on Me!

Sharpeis are so adorable. I think it’s those deep wrinkle folds that simply beg to be pinched.What makes a sharpei look, well, like a sharpei and not a pug?This breed of canine has a defect in the genetic make-up of their skin.A gene known as HAS2 responsible for producing dermal Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is faulty in the sharpei.In mature human skin, it’s simply less active.This deep tissue filler substance provides lift and volume to the skin.Without out it, skin sags and develops deep creases.On a sharpei...

Wrinkles Are Adorable on a Sharpei; Not on Me!

Sharpeis are so adorable. I think it’s those deep wrinkle folds that simply beg to be pinched. What makes a sharpei look, well, like a sharpei and not a pug? This breed of canine has a defect in the genetic make-up of their skin. A gene known as HAS2 responsible for producing dermal Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is faulty in the sharpei. In mature human skin, it’s simply less active. This deep tissue filler substance provides lift and volume to the skin. Without out it, skin sags and develops deep creases. On a sharpei it’s cute; on your face, not so...

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

May is Skin Cancer Awareness MonthSkin cancer is the most common of cancers, affecting an estimated 1.3 million Americans each year. With rates of newly diagnosed cases rising at a rate of 4 to 5 percent annually, skin cancer continues to be is a veritable epidemic.Wear sunscreen year round. Clouds do little to cut down on UV rays and may actually serve to reflect them and increase your UV exposure. Make sure it contains a broad spectrum SPF 30 such as DERMAdoctor Ain't Misbehavin' clarifying sunscreen spf 30 PA+++ or DERMAdoctor Body Guard spf 30 for face or body. Wear a...

J-E-L-L-O®

The dermis is like a Jello® mold strewn with pretzel sticks.Yes, a food analogy for the architecture of this all-important structural portion of our skin.The pretzel sticks represent collagen fibers. These strong little strands hold up the skin like a tent pole.As we age, the skin loses 1% of its collagen fibers each year after the age of 40.This is why fine wrinkle lines appear. Collagen fibers don’t exist in a vacuum, though.They live within the Jello® of the Jello® mold.Here, other important structures such as blood vessels, nerve endings...