FitSugar

Irritated About Bumps on Your Arms?

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PDT

As long as I've known my best friend, she's been complaining about these tiny red bumps on the backs of her arms. She thought they were some kind of acne, like what you get on your back when you workout, so she went to her dermatologist to find out.

It turns out that it was a common condition called keratosis pilaris - a complicated name meaning bumpy skin. Actually 50% of people have it, so if you don't have it yourself, you probably know someone who does. It can be on the backs of your arms, your tush, and your thighs. The dead skin cells that are supposed to just flake off, get plugged up in the hair follicles. They look like tiny red or white pimples that have a dry, sandpaper feel. They don't hurt or itch, but they can make you feel self-conscious about baring your skin.

What can you do about these bumps? Use a good moisturizer twice a day - one containing salicylic acid, urea, or alphahydroxy might be your best bet. You can also take hot showers, let the skin soak a little, and then gently exfoliate using loofah gloves. A dermatologist can also prescribe a topical retinoid cream (made from vitamin A), which may help promote cell turnover and prevent the hair follicles from getting plugged in the first place. Whatever you do, I'm sorry to say that it takes constant maintenance - if you stop, the bumps will come back. Since they're harmless, I wouldn't worry about them too much.

Source

What We're Sweet on: an $11 Wrinkle Reducer

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:09:10 PST

Retinol is one of the few topicals that are incontrovertibly proven to reduce fine lines and improve skin texture. You can get prescription retinoids like Retin-A, but if you want a gentler, over-the-counter option, you'll find that not all serums are particularly effective. Which is why the retinol facial serum ($11) from Sally Beauty Supply is an amazing deal. It contains a huge dose of retinyl palmitate in a gentle base, so you get immediate results without any "adjustment" period for your skin, and it's so inexpensive that you don't have to feel guilty about using it on your décolleté, shoulders, or anywhere else that needs to get its glow back. Just don't forget to use sunscreen, since it does make your skin solar-sensitive.

8 Money-Saving Beauty Tips

OnSugar Blog — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 04:51:20 PST

In need of a few good tips? Check out this great story from OnSugar blog Beauty and the Budget:

Of course, we'd all love to have a major beauty stash, but sometimes we just don't have all of those cool tools at our disposal. When you're in need of a quick beauty fix, here are a few tips to get you through!

All of Your Most Common Acne Questions - Answered!

Jaime Richards — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:07:11 PDT

While 80 percent of teenagers will experience acne at some point or another, it's not uncommon for the condition to afflict women well into adulthood. "The good news is that we have really great treatments, and nobody has to suffer with it," says Dr. Linda Stein Gold, director of dermatology clinical research at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit.

That's why I asked Dr. Stein Gold some of the more pressing acne questions: all the things you want to talk to your dermatologist while you're visiting his office, but either don't have the time to fit in or simply forget to inquire about. So to see Dr. Stein Gold's top acne advice, just keep reading.

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

Link Time: Givenchy's Latest Fragrance Inspired by Liv Tyler

BellaSugar — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:03:00 PST

Givenchy's latest fragrance is inspired by Liv Tyler - FabSugar UK
Seven ways to wear the upcoming season's matte lip trend - Beauty High
Justin Bieber's hair sells for $40,668 on eBay - People StyleWatch
Behind the scenes at Milan Fashion Week - The Cut
Origins launches Plantscription serum, a "natural alternative" to retinoids - StyleList
Why Make Up For Ever's Aqua Smoky Lash should be in your makeup bag - College Candy
Wet 'n' Wild's new shadow palette had Karen at hello - Temptalia
Tool time: testing the newest beauty gadgets - Glo

DrSugar Answers: Acne Meds and Pregnancy?

DrSugar — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 04:30:35 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! And she's answering your health-related questions.

Dear DrSugar,
I have acne and after several years of tinkering, I've found the right combination of several prescription products daily to control it - benzoyl peroxide 6%, Solodyn, dapsone, Retin-A, clindamycin, and the list goes on. While I'm not pregnant now, I'd like to try and conceive in the next three years or so and I understand I shouldn't be using these products while pregnant or breastfeeding. Do you have any recommendations on what I should do? I was considering trying Accutane (prior to trying to get pregnant, of course), but I know it has serious side effects.
-Worried About Spots

As someone who's been trying to get pregnant, I've thoroughly researched this topic and am so glad you asked this question so I can share some knowledge with you! I'm glad that you’ve found a system that works for you in terms of your acne now. But since you’re interested in conceiving in the next few years, I will share with you information on Accutane as well as what is considered safe for acne treatment while pregnant, so keep on reading.