Posted by Reporter on Saturday
What’s the secret to amazing summer skin? Celebs, models and socialites seem to know. Even though you may not have the paparazzi following you around this summer, you deserve to look like a star and can do so with a few simple, cost-effective steps.
“Women in the know have made econo-chic the hot trend in skin care,” said Celeste Hilling, host of the popular internet radio show ‘Skin Health TODAY’ and founder of the must-have skin care line Skin Authority. “Today’s busy woman is demanding products that are convenient, cost-effective and have multiple uses. The seven skin care secrets capitalize on the econo-chic trend and will help you look radiant at the beach, pool or ballpark, while also protecting your skin for summers to come.”
Hilling has spent more than 15 years researching and designing products in the quest to help people build and maintain radiant skin. She’s tried out all of the skin care secrets and passes on her best advice to you:
1. Get Below the Surface - To get your skin summer ready, it’s very important to exfoliate. Your body accumulates dead skin cells every day. If you don’t get rid of them, your skin will look so dull and dry that lotion won’t make a difference. Skin Authority offers two AHA-based cleansers for the face that offer proper exfoliating and resurfacing action. The Daily Cleanser incorporates glycolic acid to stimulate resurfacing, plus it is lightweight and excellent at removing make-up. The Exfoliating Cleanser, with three percent glycolic acid and micro-fine pumice offers additional gentle exfoliation. For the body, Skin Authority offers its Purifying Energy Stimulation Scrub which combines bamboo with crushed almond and corn husk for an all-over exfoliating experience
2. Calming Cellulite - With itty-bitty bikinis in your future, you’ll want to smooth those bumpy patches. The appearance of cellulite can be reduced by using a body scrub with large exfoliators such as ground coffee beans, pumice or bamboo shoots to stimulate circulation. It’s also smart to use a scrub that incorporates caffeine to detoxify or release water from the surface layers of fat to make cellulite look smoother
3. Safe Summer Glow - Glow safely this summer without the unsafe and aging worries that come along with the sun or tanning beds. Look for a fragrance free (for a better smell) self-tanner formulation that incorporates an AHA for better penetration. For face, alternate your regular moisturizer and a self-tanner every other night for a natural glow. For the body, be careful to avoid elbows, knees and heels so you look natural and the tanner doesn’t darken the folds. There’s a video in Skin Authority’s Knowledge Center (www.skinauthority.com/knowledge-center) to help you have the best self-tanner experience
4. Last Season’s Sunscreen is so Passé - The active ingredients in sunscreens deteriorate over time, so purchase a new one. Reapply every one to two hours that you are in the sun to ensure a summer full of safe, sun fun. Make sure you have full UVA and UVB protection. That means you need more than an SPF of 15, which only measures UVB protection
5. When it Comes to Sunscreen, Look for the Stars - A four-star rating system isn’t just for the movies. The Food and Drug Administration will soon use stars to rate sunscreens. We are proud that Skin Authority’s Sunscreen Moisturizer SPF 30 UVA 4-Stars (www.skinauthority.com/sunscreen-moisturizer-spf-30) is the first sun protection product to achieve the highest FDA-recommended four-star rating. The rating pertains to ultraviolet A rays (UVA), which are associated with serious, long-term skin damage
6. Fancy Feet - Even if you are strutting in Louboutins, no one will know that you saved money by getting a pedicure at a local beauty school or by giving yourself one at home. Apply a 20 percent concentration of glycolic acid nightly to get rid of those calluses or deep layers of dead skin. While in the shower, scrub your feet three times a week with a pumice stone to keep the skin soft
7. Great Skin Care on the GO! - From the ballpark to the beach, you will be on the go a lot this summer. Skin Authority’s new GO! Gorgeous Kit (www.skinauthority.com/go-gorgeous-kit) makes a great skin care routine available for less than your daily cup of coffee. The kit contains everything you need to cleanse, treat, hydrate and protect your skin daily. The GO! Gorgeous Kit is available on www.skinauthority.com and from more than 70 spa partners across the United States
About Celeste Hilling
With more than 15 years in the beauty and wellness industries, Celeste Hilling is the host of the syndicated internet radio show “Skin Health TODAY” and the Founder and CEO of Skin Authority. As a highly-sought-after expert on skin care, beauty, health and self-esteem, Hilling has made numerous television appearances and has been quoted in leading business publications including The New York Times, Forbes and BusinessWeek.
About Skin Authority
Skin Authority is the leading skin care lifestyle company. Through professional guidance and coaching, powerful and pure products, and profound professional treatment experiences, Skin Authority helps individuals make healthy choices daily to ensure a lifetime of youthful, radiant skin. Read more on www.skinauthority.com.
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People of African, Asian, Latin and Native American backgrounds know that their skin, hair and nails are subject to conditions that do not affect lighter skinned people. “While most of these are not serious, they may be disturbing, troubling or unsightly,” says Joshua Fox, MD, a leading dermatologist, founder of Advanced Dermatology and an official spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery.
“Fortunately, your dermatologist is well acquainted with these conditions and can help people with dark skin to diagnose and treat their concerns early and quickly,” says Dr. Fox. He offers the following listing of the top skin conditions faced by people of color and how it differs from lighter-skinned individuals.
1. Acne - Many dark skinned women suffer from acne vulgaris, sometimes combined with hyper pigmentation, or skin darkening in spots or patches, which occurs in response to the outbreak of acne. Unlike fairer-skinned individuals, the discoloration plays an integral role in treatment. Surprisingly, these patients are more bothered by the discoloration than the acne itself. Treatments may include topical skin lightening creams for dark spots, sunscreen and topical, prescription acne medications.
2. Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra - These brown or black raised spots, which commonly affect African American women and people of Asian descent, may look like moles or flattened warts. They are always benign, never lead to skin cancer and are not harmful. However, some people do have them removed for cosmetic reasons. Typically, up to 50 percent of Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra patients have a family history of the condition, and up to 35 percent of adult blacks in the United States have it. They are easily removed with minimal to no marks.
3. Eczema - Very common among those with brown skin, eczema is an itchy, irritating rash that can occur in skin of any type or color. However, according to the National Eczema Society, it is found twice as often in black skin. When it does occur, differences in the structure of black from Caucasian skin can cause related problems including excessive pigmentation and a thickening of the skin that can also cause changes in skin color. “Because eczema is harder to identify in dark skin, and is often confused with psoriasis or fungal infections, getting the right diagnosis and treatment can be difficult,” Dr. Fox says. “Once the correct diagnosis has been made, topical medicines are quite helpful.”
4. Keloids - Scar tissue caused by abnormal healing of the skin occurs frequently in individuals with brown skin. Any time dark skin is injured, the risk of keloids is dramatically increased. According to Skin & Aging magazine, up to 16% of black and Asian people suffer from keloids. Keloids can develop immediately following an injury or take a long time to grow. Sometimes they itch, are painful and burning or feel tender to the touch. Treatments include cortisone and other injections, radiation therapy, pressure dressings, silicone gel applications and several types of lasers are extremely helpful. Keloids can also be removed via traditional or laser surgery.
5. Traction Alopecia - This hair loss condition is caused by damage to the hair follicle from constant pulling or tension over a long period of time. It is most common in African Americans who braid their hair tightly, but can also be caused by over processing of the hair through dyes, bleaches or straighteners. According to the National Institutes of Health, some 17% of African-American schoolgirls (6-21 years) and more than 30% of women (18-86 years) suffer from traction alopecia. While this condition can be reversed if diagnosed early, it can lead to permanent hair loss if it is undetected for a long period. These people - mainly women - should change to looser, gentler hair styles and should see a dermatologist. Unfortunately, no medical treatment is available to reverse late-stage traction alopecia; hair grafts, transplants or wigs have been identified as the only practical solution.
6. Melanoma — Those with brown skin often have a false sense of security when it comes to skin cancer. “While increased skin pigmentation offers some protection against the sun’s harmful UV rays,” Dr. Fox says, “melanoma can and does occur,” unlike in the lighter-skinned individual, it occurs especially on the palms, soles, fingers and toes, nails and mucous membranes (such as the mouth or nose). “A new dark mark or a mark that changes in size, shape or color in these areas should be seen by a dermatologist immediately. Even people with dark skin should always use a sunscreen when spending extensive time in the sun,” he says.
7. Pigmentation - Women with brown skin, particularly those of African and Latino descent, have a high incidence of hypertension, diabetes and heart disease and thus take medications for those medical problems. These, as well as other commonly used medications (LIST MEDICATIONS THAT CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS) can cause various types of allergic reactions that frequently lead to hyperpigmentation, or dark patches. While the dark spots can fade over time, women should seek treatment early. Procedures such as chemical peels and skin bleaching, designed to lighten the darkened areas, can help, as can diligent use of sunscreen. The new Fraxel™ is the first laser approved for treatment of melasma - a type of pigmentation disorder of the face.
8. Vitiligo - Skin gets its color from pigment cells. When those cells are damaged or destroyed, they no longer produce pigment, causing white or colorless spots to appear. The spots can grow larger over time and eventually blend together so that large portions of the skin have no color at all. While no one knows why this occurs, many suspect it is related to problems within the autoimmune system. Vitiligo also may be hereditary. While people of any skin color can develop Vitiligo, it is most obvious and therefore debilitating on dark skin. One common treatment is PUVA — a repigmentation therapy involving the drug psoralen combined with exposure to UV light. A simpler, newer and equally efficacious treatment is narrowband UVB light treatment. The newest laser treatment though is that of the Excimer laser 308nm which markedly shortens the number to treatments and spares unwanted streaks. This process help increase the amount of pigment cells at the skin’s surface. Other treatments include prescription-strength corticosteroid cream, light/laser treatments and, in rare instances, skin grafting.
Bio: Joshua L. Fox, M.D. is a leading authority in the field of dermatology with an expertise in skin cancer, cosmetic surgery, and laser procedures. As an official spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, Dr. Fox has been an expert resource on dermatologic topics for numerous television networks including ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, including local broadcasting television spotlights, Telemundo, talk shows, radio stations, newspapers and magazines. Dr. Fox has served on the board of the National Rosacea Foundation and has done clinical trials in both medical and laser therapy in Rosacea. He has received multiple research and clinical awards including recognition from Top Doctors, Who’s Who, Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology, Community Service Award from the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, the prestigious Husic Award as well as certificates of recognition for service from multiple hospitals, civic, educational and community organizations. Dr. Fox has authored and presented papers of his research on lasers, cosmetic procedures, stretch marks, scars, skin cancer, bug bites, photosensitivity and various rashes.
As founder and director of Advanced Dermatology and The Center for Laser and Cosmetic Surgery, Dr. Fox and his associates have expanded the practice into one of the largest in dermatology, laser & cosmetic surgery with more lasers than any hospital or university center on the eastern coast. Dr. Fox is a graduate of the New York University Medical Center -Skin and Cancer and has been on the advisory board of the Psoriasis Foundation and National Rosacea Foundation among others. He has also been a fellow of many societies including the International Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology, and the Society for Investigative Dermatology. Dr. Fox is the founder of the AAD Melanoma/Skin Cancer Prevention Program in Queens, New York since 1987. Dr. Fox has been Chief of Dermatology of several major teaching hospitals including Mt. Sinai Hospital of Queens and Jamaica Medical Center and is currently on the staff of ten NY area hospitals. Dr. Fox and Advanced Dermatology the Center for Laser & Cosmetic Surgery have been used as a resource center educating dermatologists, laser surgeons, & cosmetic surgeons and others about lasers, cancer and cosmetic surgery and has one of the few Laser & Cosmetic Surgery Fellowship programs in the country. Dr. Fox is also the founder of the non-profit New Age Skin Research Foundation which participates and provides many research activities on unique issues of the skin and their causes or cures.
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