FitSugar

Anatomy of a Tattoo

FitSugar — Wed, 16 May 2007 03:30:00 PDT

I am ever curious about how the human body works, and recently I pondered the permanence of tattoos. Skin is always shedding layers of dead cells (especially if you exfoliate), so how can a tattoo remain year after year?

Let's start at the beginning with how a tattoo is created. Tattoos are made by inserting pigment into the skin with an electrically powered solid needle that punctures the skin between 50 and 3,000 times per minute (makes me think of a sewing machine - yikes!!). The needle penetrates the skin by about a millimeter and deposits a drop of insoluble ink into the skin with each puncture.

When you look at a person's tattoo, you're seeing the ink through the epidermis - the outer layer of skin. The ink resides in the dermis - the second layer of skin, just below the epidermis. Dermis cells are far more stable than the cells of the epidermis, so the tattoo's ink will stay in place, with only minor fading and dispersion (spreading out), for a person's entire life!

Fit's Tips: FYI - tattoo parlors are NOT regulated by the FDA and not ALL states require tattoo parlors to be licensed. If I were you, I'd go to a place that is licensed and inspected by the state. The licensed places will definitely follow all the correct sterilization and sanitation procedures. Since tattoos involve needles and blood, you want to make sure there is little risk for the transmission of diseases such as hepatitis, tuberculosis, and STIs. These regulations may make tattoos safer, but it sure won't make those needles hurt any less!

Want to see some interesting tattoos? Then

View 6 Photos ›

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5 Easy-to-Make Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Skin

Miriam Lacey — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:27:40 PST

It's an almost-universal experience: your complexion has been fine for a while, and then one day, almost out of nowhere, you're in breakout city and your skin looks worn out and defeated overnight. You're cleansing and using a daily regimen, so what could be wrong? Well, if it's not stress or hormones, it could very easily be one of several smaller, less obvious culprits. See a list of the usual suspects below.

Why Exfoliating Before Cleansing Might Work For You

Jaime Richards — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 06:00:00 PST

Most skin care lines will have you cleansing first, exfoliating second, and then moisturizing and sunblocking to top things off. But celebrity dermatologist Dr. Harold Lancer, creator of the unique, step-reversing Skin Revival system, says that exfoliating at the beginning might get you better results.

"If you are thinking about the top layer of the skin, with all the pollution and debris, if you just use a cleanser first, the majority of that debris is not removed," he explains. That's why he advises using a polish first to blast the skin's surface. "The polish ingredients are linked directly to prime the skin for the cleansing step. Then there is a epidermis that is ready to soak up the nutrients, antioxidants, and minerals," he adds. And that's when the nourish - aka hydrating - step comes into play. It's a method that goes against the status quo, but next time you're standing over the bathroom sink, give it a try. You might just become a cleansing-second convert.

Oversensitive Tots: 8 Products to Soothe Sensitive Skin

LilSugar — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:01:07 PDT

Stop scratching! Kids with sensitive skin - and their parents - know that dry, itchy, or painful skin is no joke. There's no one cause of sensitive skin. It can be hereditary, caused by harsh products, or simply from spending time outside in the cold Winter or the hot Summer. Oversensitive kiddos aren't doomed to a season full of scratching. These products will help soothe their irritated epidermis, leaving everyone (and everything) a lot calmer.

Clockwise from top left:

Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Chamomile & Argan Oil Baby Head-to-Toe Ointment ($10): A good rule of thumb when looking for a kids' moisturizer is the greasier the better. Ointments are better than creams, which are better than lotions. Part of SheaMoisture's Organic Raw Shea Butter Baby Collection, this ointment combines the hydrating properties of shea butter with argan oil, which is naturally high in skin-softening Vitamin E. This is an amazingly multitasking product; it works great on baby's chapped lips, cheeks, hands, arms, and legs.
Dr. Sears Baby Wipes ($3): Developed by everyone's favorite cosleeping enthusiast, Dr. Sears, these wipes are made with biodegradable, ultrasoft bamboo fabric, an incredibly gentle way to clean babies' delicate bum.
Gentle Naturals Eczema Baby Wash ($5): Eczema is an extremely common, and uncomfortable skin ailment, for which there's no known cure. It's essentially a really bad, itchy rash, which can be red, rough, scaly, and oozing. It can't be cured, but there are ways to treat and prevent eczema flareups. It's especially important to use a mild cleanser, like this baby wash by Gentle Naturals - made with aloe, calendula, jojoba, and vitamins A, D, and E to gently cleanse, moisturize, and soothe itchy skin.
C.O. Bigelow Lotio Mentholus No. 002 ($25): Seriously itchy kids will get real relief from this nonprescription medicated cream - not recommended for kids under 2 years old.
Dr. Smith's Premium Blend Diaper Ointment ($13): Diaper rash is the most common skin ailment suffered by infants, and it can get bad. Applying a generous layer of a good, thick diaper cream like Dr. Smith's will create a barrier between baby's tender bum and the offending, rash-causing moisture
Earth's Best TenderCare Chlorine Free Diapers: One of the first recommendations doctors make when a baby has diaper rash is to try switching to a different brand of diapers. Made with soft, cloth-like, chlorine-free materials, these Earth's Best diapers are free of any latex, dyes, and perfumes, which can all cause major irritation.
Madii & Dyl Luxe Cleansing Flannels ($15): Specifically formulated for tots with skin issues, these cleansing flannels are super soft. The air spun cloth is made from eco friendly materials.
Carter's Sensitive Skin Baby Shampoo + Body Wash Duo ($8): Classic kiddie brand Carters recently launched a line of baby bath and body products - all chemical free and hypoallergenic. This moisturizing cleanser is made without any dyes or fragrances, leaving babies clean, moisturized, and comfortable.

The Best Supplements For Your Skin

Prevention — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:27:00 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Skin Health
By the Editors of Prevention

Your birthday suit is pretty good at taking care of itself, but this process changes over time. Through natural exfoliation, your skin sheds dead cells as younger ones, generated deep in the epidermis (skin's top layer), migrate upward to replace them. In young, healthy skin, cells take about 28 days to reach the surface and flake off 12 days later, but as you age, renewal slows; new cells aren't produced as quickly, and old ones hang on longer.

Your skin also loses its luster over time as free radicals - generated from things like stress, cigarette smoke, and the skin's top enemy, the sun--cause cell damage that leads to discoloration and even cancer. Your body starts producing collagen, a protein that helps keep your skin plump and elastic, more slowly, causing the outer skin to become more prone to creasing and wrinkling. Cells also tend to lose moisture faster, due to hormonal changes, so skin becomes drier and less glowy.

Lifestyle factors, like avoiding excess sun exposure and wearing sunscreen when you head outdoors, getting plenty of sleep, washing and moisturizing your face at night, combating stress, and getting plenty of exercise, can all keep your skin healthy and youthful longer. And certain vitamins and supplements can help fight wrinkles, discoloration, and other signs of aging, too. But a key distinction here is that most of them work best when applied topically, not through pills or diet.

11 Foods That Give You Beautifully Radiant Skin

Best supplements

Omega-3s: These supplements aren't just making headlines for heart health - dermatologists also recommend them to help prevent dry skin and problems like psoriasis and eczema. These fats are a key component of the lubricating layer that keeps skin supple, and they aid in the production of hormones that improve skin texture and help combat the inflammatory damage wrought by free radicals--one of the causes of wrinkles and blotchiness. To get enough omega-3s in your diet, supplements are often recommended in addition to eating fish, walnuts, and other food sources.

Topical nutrients

You can get these from food or multivitamins, but for optimal skin health, use products that contain them too.

Vitamin A: Derivatives of this vitamin are known as retinoids, and you can find them in OTC or prescription products. They're proven--through more than 700 studies! - to reduce wrinkles, fade brown spots, and smooth roughness. The downside to their effectiveness is potential side effects. Retinoids can cause redness, scaling, and flaking that can last for weeks or more; OTC products tend to be milder than Rx ones.

More About Retinoids and Products That Contain Them

Vitamin B3: This B vitamin, commonly known as niacinamide, helps boost production of the compounds that comprise your skin's outer barrier, which helps it lock in moisture better. The ingredient is also shown to help reduce redness in rosacea patients and is especially helpful if you have dry or sensitive skin.

Vitamin C: Proven to mop up the free radicals that trigger wrinkling, sagging, and other aging changes, vitamin C also helps smooth and firm skin and fade brown spots. In one study, women who treated sun-damaged skin with a C cream for 6 months saw significant improvement in fine lines and discoloration. Though the benefits of retinoids and vitamin C sound similar, using both delivers more complexion perfection.

Vitamin E: This powerful vitamin eases dry skin (by helping skin retain its natural moisturizers) and bolsters UV defense. A slew of skin care studies document its superstar status. In one, E significantly reduced the number of skin-damaging free radicals created after exposure to cigarette smoke. Others show that when it's used before UV exposure, skin is less red, swollen, and dry, which is why the ingredient is often included in sunscreens.

See 7 More Doctor-Proven Beauty-Boosting Supplements

The Best Supplements For Your Skin