December 21, 2009
Remove Moles for Healthier Skin
Though harmless, moles can mar your appearance. Usually, removing a mole (or several moles) is a practical and, for the most part, uncomplicated, course of action.
Before you remove a mole, or have it removed professionally, ensure it is indeed a mole, or nevus, and some other growth, such as a wart, skin tag, or other skin disorder.
Moles are relatively small, dark bumps or growths that emerge somewhere on your skin. They can be extremely tiny, but some can grow to greater than an inch in diameter. The color can vary from any shade of brown to yellowish or pinkish tones. The texture can be smooth or coarse, like a wart.
Their shape can be round or irregular. Irregular, large, or multi-colored growths should always be examined by a dermatologist. A biopsy may be recommended to rule out cancer. Sudden changes in shape, color or size, bleeding, itchiness, swelling, any of these symptoms are warnings that should prompt you to make an appointment to see your doctor.
Even if you mole is benign, you may still want to have it removed for aesthetic reasons. An ugly mole in a highly visible part of your body can be a cause of distraction to others and embarrassment to yourself. If this is the case you have two options: you can have a professional remove it, or you can try doing it yourself using a safe home remedy.
Your doctor or dermatologist can choose any of the following options to remove your mole: deep excision, shave excision, punch biopsy, electrocautery, laser surgery, or radiosurgery. If the mole is benign, you may have to pay several hundred dollars, depending on how many moles you have removed, since most health insurance plans to not cover what is considered cosmetic surgery.
You may opt to remove moles yourself using natural mole removal remedies. Find out more about removing moles and other skin growths such as warts and skin tags safely, easily, and inexpensively.
November 3, 2009
Skin Tag Removal Choices
A skin tag is a very small, generally harmless, growth that looks like a raised or hanging bit of extra skin. These tiny growths are actually a combination of fibers, fat cells, ducts, and nerve cells surrounded by skin and attached to the body by a thin piece or stalk.
They appear in different shapes and flesh colors and may be tiny or large as grapes. Over time about half of all people develop skin tags, particularly in middle age.
It should be noted that skin tags are not symptoms of illness or disease. But because they are unsightly, and can cause discomfort, you might want to consider skin tag removal options.
Skin tags often appear in sensitive skin areas, where skin creases, such as the neck, armpits, eyelids, under the breasts, and groin area. Friction with undergarments and jewelry can irritate the area, causing pain. Careless shaving can also cause tearing and bleeding. Removing a skin tag on your eyelid or near your eye would best be performed by an ophthalmologist to ensure no harm is done to your eye.
Typically, dermatologists and family doctors can perform the following procedures in their offices:
- Cyrotherapy - freezing the skin tag with liquid nitrogen.
- Cauterization - using electric currents to burn off the skin tag.
- Excision - using a scissors or scalpel to cut off the skin tag.
Skin tag removal will not lead to more skin tags other than the ones you would develop anyway. Some people are more prone to developing skin tags than others.
Unusually shaped or large growths should be examined under a microscope by a pathologist to verify it is just a skin tag and to rule out cancer, which in extremely rare cases has been found in some abnormal skin tags.
In most instances, skin tag removal is considered a cosmetic procedure and is therefore not covered by medical insurance plans. That being said, always rule on the side of caution. During your annual visit to the dermatologist, make sure you point out any abnormal skin growths.
September 29, 2009
How to Remove Warts - You Have Choices
Warts are small virus-induced growths that can appear anywhere on the body, inside your mouth or even in the genital and rectal areas. Warts are small, hard, bumpy masses of thickened skin. They can be soft or rough feeling.
They can vary greatly in size, shape, and color, but are often some flesh-colored variation. They most often appear on fingers, hands, elbows, knees. Warts are generally harmless but can have a negative inpact on a person’s appearance and self-confidence.
Some can cause significant discomfort and pain, especially plantar warts (on the weight-bearing parts of feet), and genital warts (which can affect sexual activity).
Warts are highly contagious and are caused by the human papillomavirus (hpv) family of viruses. These hpv viruses can be transmitted from person to person and from one part of the body to another and can be carried in the human body for years without warts being manifested.
Basic good skin care can help make it more difficult for the hpv to infiltrate the body and spread. Healthy skin is better equipped to fight off the virus than damaged skin, which is often prone to drying and cracking.
Fortunately, no one has to put up with warts. There are numerous choices for how to remove warts. Please note, the first four options require a dermatologist or skin care professional.
- Excision - dermatologist uses a scalpel to cut out the wart.
- Curettage - dermatologist uses a curette, or sharp-edged spoon-like instrument to scoop out the wart.
- Electrosurgery – dermatologist cuts out the wart using a curette and then cauterizes the surrounding tissue.
- Cryotherapy – dermatologist uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart and cause it to fall off.
- Chemical treatment – dermatologist uses caustic or acid to break down the infected skin, causing it to peel off.
- Topical treatments – over-the-counter treatments that use solutions containing concentrated salicylic acid to remove warts over the course of several weeks.
- Natural wart removal treatments – Click here to read about how to remove warts yourself safely and cheaply in your own home.
September 22, 2009
Tips for Preventing Wrinkles
First you need to accept that some wrinkles and fine lines will etch your face as you get older. That doesn’t necessarily mean your skin can’t look beautiful and healthy! Some aging of one’s facial features, within reason, can add a certain beauty all its own.
You can prevent unsightly wrinkles by having the right mindset and following a sound approach. If you already have some wrinkles, take common sense steps to reduce their appearance.
Skin is extremely resilient and there are ways to renew and rejuvenate your skin by practicing good skin care.
The following guidelines will help you to limit and prevent wrinkles from appearing on your face:
- Limit your unprotected exposure to the sun to about 15 minutes per day. Use sun screen if you will be in the sun for longer than that. Land that has been exposed to the sun for too long will dry and crack. So will your face.
- Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water throughout the day (land that has been watered will look… well, you get the idea).
- Exercise every day to stimulate healthy blood circulation. Healthy blood flow will bring essential nutrients to every part of your body, especially your skin cells.
- Get sufficient sleep. Plenty of rest allows your body to function and repair itself more efficiently.
- Eat a good diet, with plenty of foods rich in omega-3 (salmon and other fish are good choices). Soy products, fruits and vegetables are all winners.
Don’t smoking and don’t consume too much alcohol, unless you like that dry, wrinkled look. - Speaking of dry, use a good skin moisturizer. Experiment to see which ones are best for your skin type and condition.
- If you can manage it, sleep on your back to avoid deepening naturally emerging lines or folds in your skin.
- Refrain from making exaggerated facial expressions to prevent deepening of existing facial creases. (Same logic as previous tip.)
- Choose to be happy. You have free will. Make it a goal to reduce or avoid the stresses in your life. It will make you look and feel younger.
- And while you’re at it, choose to help others be happy. Choose to be pleasant, kind, and understanding. You’ll be surprised (or not) to find how happy this will make you.
And being happy makes being healthy easier, and being healthier makes having better skin and preventing wrinkles easier.
September 15, 2009
Essential Advice for How to Get Rid of Dark Circles Under Eyes
Dark circles under the eyes produce an unhealthy, unkempt appearance, making sufferers look much older than they are. Others look at you but see someone that is not you. They may judge you unfairly to be stressed out, unattractive, and maybe even a heavy drinker.
That's the bad news. The good news is that you don’t have to put up with it. Getting rid of dark circles under eyes is really not all that difficult. We'd like to share with you several useful tips to help you get rid of those dark circles under the eyes.
First off, you need to understand the underlying causes of this condition. Blood from small capillaries can collect and pool in the skin where it is especially thin, such as under the eyes, producing a bruise-like color.
Various factors can produce dark circles under the eyes:
- A poor diet, with its lack of vitamins and antioxidants.
- Not drinking enough pure drinking water to keep your body hydrated throughout the day, and drinking too much coffee, which dehydrates.
- Not getting enough rest and sleep, which hurts cell regeneration and leads to damaged skin cells.
- Sleeping face down so that blood pools under the eyes causing a bruise-like effect.
- Not getting sufficient exercise, which leads to poor circulation, fatigue, and a weaker immune system.
- A stress-filled life, which leads to poor eating and sleeping habits, not enough exercise, and resulting fatigue.
- Respiratory ailments and allergies, which lead to weakened immune system, skin reactions, and fatigue.
September 10, 2009
Reducing Wrinkles - Rejuvenate Aging Skin!
Today you hear a lot about medical treatments performed by skin care professionals or dermatologists in medical facilities and even health spas. You have your choice of botox injections, wrinkle fillers, chemical peels, and other treatments such as laser and dermabrasion.
These medical approaches to reducing wrinkles have varying degrees of success for some people but have their own set of drawbacks and are often quite expensive.
Topical treatments in various skin care products offer another option. These contain blends of different vitamins, antioxidants, and other substances, some natural, some synthetic, which can be offered in prescription form or
over-the-counter. Many of these treatments have shown varying degrees of success in reducing wrinkles.
The success of any of the above approaches often depends on the individual, her or his skin type, life style, health, skin sensitivities, and so on. Not all treatments or skin care products are suitable for everyone. Discretion and common sense should be paramount when considering any skin care treament or product.
If considering professional treatments, take the time to research the professional and treatment facility. Take advantage of any free consultations, if available.
If you are considering any of the many available topical treatments for reducing wrinkles, see if you can get a free sample to test on a small area of your skin to see how your skin responds or reacts to the skin care product.
All that being said, there are a few things you can try right now that won’t cost you a penny. Click here for seven easy and safe tips you can try now for reducing wrinkles.
September 7, 2009
Are Natural Skin Care Products with Parabens Safe?
The truth is, not all natural skin care products are going to give you the results you are looking for. Some may cause you more harm than good.
A good natural skin care product will contain vitamins, extracts, and antioxidants. It will be free of any of the toxic chemicals found in some commercial cosmetic products. These toxins actually accelerate the aging process of your skin and nullify your efforts of achieving better skin.
Make it a habit to review the ingredients list on the product’s label.
It's important to understand that natural skin care products don't always contain 100% natural ingredients, however. This doesn’t always mean that all non-natural ingredients are bad for you.
An example is parabens, synthetic preservatives found in most skin care products. Parabens like methylparaben and propylparaben are used in many cosmetics and natural skin care products. They serve to protect the product against microbial growth and to maintain the product's integrity.
Are parabens used in natural skin care products safe?
Citing the conclusions of several studies, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has determined there is presently no reason for consumers to worry about the use of cosmetics (or natural skin care products) containing parabens.
Click here for more details about Natural Skin Care Products and Parabens.
September 1, 2009
Natural Beauty Recipes Are Fun!
One of the great things about natural beauty recipes is that they are very easy to make at home. They cost a lot less than commercial cosmetic products, they have no toxic chemicals to seep through your pores into your blood.
Because these recipes are made only with natural products, they are more skin-friendly and effective than their artificial counterparts.
Have you ever worn a papaya enzyme facial mask? Why would you do that? Because it will nourish your skin and make it feel wonderful.
Before applying the facial mask wash your face with a gentle cleanser and pat it dry.
Now you're ready to go for it!
Gather up and and throughly mix the following ingredients into a large bowl:
- a teaspoon of honey
- a half cup of mashed papaya
- one whipped egg white
- if you have sensitive skin, include one tablespoon of plain yogurt
When it's ready, apply the mask to your face and neck and leave it on for about eight minutes.
Now relax.
Lie down or sit comfortably while the papaya enzymes work to exfoliate your skin.
When the 8 minutes are up, rinse off the mixture, first with warm water, then with cool water, for a refreshing feeling. Pat your skin dry gently and enjoy the sensation! Click here for more natural beauty recipes.
August 31, 2009
How to Reduce Wrinkles and Fine Lines!
Like the rest of our organs and body, skin ages and becomes drier. Production of collagen (a structural protein that helps keep your skin healthy and supple) declines, resulting in more and deeper wrinkles.
But the skin is resilient and will become more youthful from the inside out first. For this to begin to happen, your body must be biochemically balanced. That means you need to eat a well balanced diet with lots of high fiber foods such as green leafy vegetables. Drink lots of pure, clean, non-caffeinated water every day to rejuvenate and hydrate skin cells. Regular exercise will allow the body to sweat more efficiently, flushing out toxins and allowing nutrients to enter through your pores into your bloodstream.
You may want to invest in a juicer and drink raw juices every day for healthier, younger-looking skin. Avoid refined sugars and flours, fried foods, and foods high in saturated fats, which can increase the amount of oil and bacteria beneath the skin. More on how to reduce wrinkles and fine lines.
August 27, 2009
Are Professional Skin Care Products for You?
One of the main benefits of using professional skin care products rather than products off the supermarket or drug store shelf is the quality and quantity of ingredients used.
Often physicians are consulted during the product development process. Consequently, you will more likely get what you are paying for. Professional skin care products will, more often than not, provide the correct blend of the right ingredients in the right amounts, strengths, and ratios. Too frequently that is not the case with cheaper products.
Large numbers of baby boomers heading into the retirement years coupled with the scientific advances made in the area of longevity and the prolonging of human life, have combined to create an unprecedented demand for products that can make you look and feel much younger than your years. Strides in the area of skin care, in particular, have been significant.
Currently, sixty percent of skin care product sales occur in drug stores, convenience stores and supermarkets. Recently, however, more people are purchasing and using professional skin care products, finding that the ineffectiveness of some of the cheaper skin care products is costing them more in the long run.
If you're dissatisfied with the results you are getting using inferior products, you might want to make a change. More on whether professional skin care products are right for you.
August 26, 2009
Treating Skin Disorders
Thousands of skin disorders and diseases have been described. Most of these conditions are rare and account for a tiny percentage of skin disorders. The most common skin disorders - Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis, Rosacea, Skin Rash, Wrinkles, Age Spots, Pressure Sores, Moles, Warts, Skin Tags, Dandruff - affect millions throughout the world.
The fact is that an imbalance in your body's hormonal and biochemical makeup will cause your skin to rebel, to flare up, swell, itch, wrinkle, form masses, and have extreme reactions to infections and injuries. Its color, texture, and elasticity will be altered.
Your skin will reflect the imbalance inside your body (e.g., not enough sleep, bad diet, lack of exercise, illness...). It can also reflect the stress, tension and anxiety inside your brain.
As difficult as skin disorders may seem to be to control, they all can be treated and, in some cases, eliminated. There is much evidence to support the idea that people suffering from skin disorders need not suffer a diminishment of quality of life. More on skin disorders and their treaments.
August 24, 2009
What Is the Secret to All Natural Beauty?
Many women go to great lengths and expense in their desire for all natural beauty. Their efforts may end in surgical procedures that often produce undesireable results and fail to render those perfect features we've come to associate with faces on magazine covers.
Women may try a variety of beauty products to beautify their skin and hair.
Some of these products can be helpful in improving your appearance, but you need to be careful. Remember that what you put on your skin finds its way into your bloodstream. Even some so-called natural products may contain harmful chemicals that can damage your skin and hair.
Just as what you put on the outside of your body can affect you on the inside, so too does what you have inside you affect the outside of your body. And we're not just talking about nutrition.
Yes, of course, a good nutritious diet loaded with antioxidents is going to make your skin, hair and body look and feel younger. But all natural beauty is a quality that has more to do with the type of person you choose to be.
You can choose to be kind, compassionate, generous, happy. You can choose to smile and be a ray of sunshine to everyone you encounter. You can also choose to do what it takes in a practical sense by practicing all natural skin care techniques to make your skin beautiful.
August 20, 2009
Remedies for Common Skin Complaints
The advantage of having healthy, beautiful skin is unquestionable. With great skin, even the most average-looking person can become highly attractive. On the other hand, bad or damaged skin can make otherwise attractive persons look homely.
Your skin is the largest organ in your body, about 16% of your total weight. It covers and protects your body. Some skin disorders make it easy for bacteria, germs, and viruses to enter your blood stream.
The best thing you can do to minimize skin complaints is to take good care of yourself.
Eat a nutritious diet, exercise regularly, get sufficient rest, drink lots of pure water, reduce stress and exposure to environmental pollutants, and avoid too much sun exposure.
These suggestions may sound obvious to some, but it's amazing to me how many people nod their heads yes, yes, we know, but somehow cannot, or will not, put them into practice.
If you really do want better skin, do your part. Common sense and practicing good skin care daily is the best way to keep your skin radiant with health and youthfulness.
Granted, heredity may predispose some individuals to various skin disorders. However, the most common skin complaints can be addressed and treated successfully. Here are 8 remedies to get you started addressing those skin complaints.
August 19, 2009
Sensitive Skin Care Tips
Better skin, more beautiful and youthful skin, is within the reach of most women, men and youg people. Whether you suffer from dry or oily skin, or any other number of skin disorders or skin conditions, there are all natural skin care measures you can take to improve your condition dramatically.
If overly sensitive skin is your problem, and you are prone to redness, rashes, irritation, itchiness, swelling, tightness of skin, and/or blotchiness – healthy, resilient and attractive skin can sometimes seem like something other people are blessed with.
But that doesn't have to be the case. Proper sensitive skin care can help even people with the most sensitive skin enjoy better skin, regardless of their age or condition.
The key is becoming more educated about our skin and avoiding the things that harm it. Healthy attractive skin begins with taking good care of your body, mind and spirit.
The right approach to sensitive skin care requires some knowledge and awareness. Here are 16 guidelines to help you improve your sensitive skin.
August 18, 2009
Oily Skin Care Tips
When the sebaceous glands in your skin produce more sebum (oil) than they should, you end up with oily, shiny skin. As with most skin disorders, there is usually a biochemical imbalance in your body that causes this to happen.
Oily skin, like many other skin disorders, is an inherited condition.
Other factors that lead to an over-production of sebum may include an improper diet, hormonal shifts, heat and humidity, certain cosmetics and, birth control pills.
The hormonal imbalances that occur in pregnant and menopausal women can stimulate the sebaceous glands into producing too much sebum, leading to an oily complexion. And though the production of sebum typically decreases as we age, many adults continue to experience oily skin.
Proper oily skin care helps you manage this disorder and improve the texture, health, and beauty of your skin. Effective oily skin care is not difficult to practice. Here are 12 oily skin care tips you can follow to improve your oily skin condition.
August 17, 2009
Dry Skin Care Tips
Then there are the usual suspects - smoking, environmental pollution, chemicals, and high stress. These factors all compromise dry skin and can accelerate the formation of wrinkles, especially around the eyes and mouth.
Your skin may react poorly to certain cosmetics.
(Tip: Ask manufacturer for free sample to try out if you are considering using a certain cosmetic - many manufacturers are happy to offer samples in the hope of securing a long term customer. This way you don't spend any money and you get to see if you like a product, and more iportantly, if it works well with your skin type or condition).
Eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, and seborrhea, as well as antihistamines, antispasmodics, and diuretics can also cause dry skin. Treating these skin disorders and avoiding these drugs will help alleviate your dry skin condition.
Educate yourself about what it takes to achieve and maintain healthy better skin. Avoid those things that will make you unhealthy on the inside and reduce the odds of developing unhealthy skin conditions.
Change isn't always easy. But in the long run, changing your daily habits may be the best thing that can happen to you. Effective dry skin care, that gives you the results you want, is within your reach. How do you want to look and feel in 6 months, a year, two years?
Yes you can improve how you look and feel. Commit yourself to helping yourself attain better skin and a higher quality of life. Here are 14 tips for fighting dry skin!
August 16, 2009
Good Skin Care Fundamentals
In addition, skin, being the largest organ of the body, must be nurtured just like your heart or lungs or any other organ in your body if it is to perform optimally. And though you may not care how your heart or lungs look – as long as they are healthy – you certainly do care how your skin looks.
So what are the best ways to protect and nurture your skin? Check out these 14 good skin care tips you can practice to get better skin!
August 15, 2009
All Natural Skin Care Ideas
But you may have noticed recently how many of our favorite celebrities have come down a notch after the development of high definition TV.
Yes, even the biggest stars can look a little imperfect, despite the makeup, botox injections, chemical peels, etc. All natural skin care provides a safer, much less costly approach to having better skin.
Fortunately, the human body possesses a remarkable ability to recover, regenerate, and renew itself. Of course, the aging process cannot be stopped, but it can be slowed considerably. Taking care of your skin will make you look and feel many years younger.
Do you have dry skin? Oily skin? Too many wrinkles? Enlarged pores? Check out this great list of all natural skin care ideas using foods you can buy at your local market or grocery store.
August 14, 2009
Enjoy Better Skin at Any Age!
People are willing to pay thousands of dollars for skin care products and skin care procedures to attain better skin. Who wouldn’t want to enjoy healthy and youthful skin? We envy the smooth faces of celebrities, sometimes forgetting that many of those flawless complexions are the result of extremely expensive botox injections, face lifts, chemical peels, and who knows what other costly, and at times, risky methods.
Fortunately, virtually anyone, regardless of age, income, or family history can take simple natural skin care steps to improve the look and feel of their skin. And these steps to attaining better skin will not cost you thousands of dollars.
The purpose of this blog's mother site, Enjoy Better Skin!, is to show the average woman and man all natural skin care methods and techniques to promote skin repair caused by sun exposure, aging, and poor diet, among other factors.
