Self-Help Natural Skin Care Basics From Dermatologists

Going to a dermatologist is always prudent whenever you have a severe, puzzling or persistent condition, but, regardless of what other treatment is recommended, there are a few self-help basics that will go a long way when it comes to preventing and treating skin conditions. Healthy skin starts with a good basic natural skin care program of the type recommended by most dermatologists. Here are a few helpful hints:

1. Reduce the temperature of your bath and shower water. Although it?s hard to imagine that sitting in a bathtub could dehydrate you, extremely hot water does dry the skin and cause moisture loss.

2. Switch to natural skin care soaps and cleansing products, and use less of them. Even the gentlest cleansers can cause dry skin.

3. Eat well. Cut down on sugar and processed foods, and eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Good nutrition is a basic in natural skin care. What?s happening inside our bodies is directly reflected in our skin.

4. Take vitamins. It?s hard to get everything we need from our diets these days. Vitamins A, B, C, D E, and K are particularly beneficial to the skin. Trace minerals, antioxidants and essential fatty acids are also vital.

5. Exercise. It improves and maintains circulation so your skin is well-nourished and healthy.

6. Wash you hair only as often as needed, and use natural products. The chemicals in hair products cause a number of scalp conditions, and when your hair brushes against your face the chemicals cause facial skin conditions as well.

7. Wear sunscreen. There are several natural products available that don?t contain harsh chemicals.

8. Cut down on cosmetics and use natural cosmetics whenever possible. If you?re currently using foundation, you may be able to avoid it by implementing natural skin care basics that will give you healthier, glowing skin.

9. Use a shielding lotion. It protects your skin against the harsh, harmful chemicals and pollutants in our environment, and in the products we use. Hundreds of doctors now recommend them.

If you?re still having skin problems after implementing these suggestions, see a dermatologist to help diagnose and treat your condition. However, you may be surprised at just how far you can get with at-home basic natural skin care. Give it a shot!

Author, Gloria MacTaggart, is a freelance writer who contributes articles on skin care for The National Skin Care Institute. For more information, visit http://www.skincarenet.org.

 

Acne - Dermatologists

Dermatologists are skin specialists who treat disorders of the skin. But they don't just treat skin problems: they treat health problems of the hair and nail as wells. They are full-fledged medical doctors trained to diagnose and treat diseases and disorders of the skin, hair and nails.

The most common skin disease that dermatologists treat is acne. Acne is a skin condition that nearly all people have to contend with at some point during their teen years. The cases of acne vary from mild (the occasional pimple or zit) all the way to very severe (which consists of deep acne lesions and often extensive scarring). Acne is caused by the overproduction of oil from the hair follicles sebaceous glands, which combines with dead cells to clog pores. This can lead to whiteheads, blackheads, pustules and papules, or in the most severe cases, cysts.

Most acne cases don't require the services of a dermatologist, as a healthy skin care regimen and over the counter medications can control it. But for those persistent, moderate to severe cases, a dermatologist is almost always needed. These doctors can prescribe stronger topical medications as well as oral antibiotics, to help get a handle on difficult cases. They can also provide the medical means by which acne scars are reduced or eliminated.

Dermatologists also diagnose and treat other skin disorders such as skin cancer. Doctors will examine suspected skin cancer sites on the body and if need be, perform a biopsy to verify cancer's presence. There are a variety of types of skin cancer of varying degrees of seriousness. Needless to say, a doctor should examine any person who suspects that he or she may have some form of skin cancer, immediately.

Psoriasis is another skin ailment treated by these skin doctors. This is a chronic red scaly, sometimes itchy rash that affects a fairly large segment of the population. It can range in severity from barely noticeable, to needing hospitalization. Aside from the skin rash, a person may experience some degree of pains in various joints - which can be debilitating. It is thought that the immune system is involved in causing psoriasis, though this is not certain. There does seem to be a genetic predisposition to this disease. While there is no cure for it there are effective treatments that a dermatologist can provide after diagnosis.

Dermatologists also treat warts. These rough skin tumor-like growths can appear anywhere (but usually on the hands and feet), and are caused by viruses. Some warts go away by themselves but others can persist for many years. Dermatologists can treat warts in several ways. One option is to wait and see if it goes away on it's own. Also, they can use salicylic acid in liquid form or patch. This often will gradually make the wart disappear. They can freeze it, gently, over a period of time. They can also employ surgery, lasers, and chemical cautery to get rid of them.

Dermatologists can also treat patients to remove scars. They can use lasers of varying types to reduce, or completely get rid of scars. The types of scars that can be treated are those that result from injury, acne scars, keloids, and hypertrophic scars. With today's modern lasers, scarring can be reduced to a degree that it never could be before.

These are but a few of the many conditions dermatologists can treat. This is a field of many different specialties and areas of expertise and it is the state of the art in medicine.

Stephanie McIntyre and Wendell Bryant are Internet developers. Visit their site at http://acnesolutionsuniverse.com/acne-treatment/

The Hottest Anti-Aging Skin Care Treatment Used By Dermatologists - TCA Skin Peels

Aging skin is something we all either have or will have. Its a fact of life. The skin starts to lose its elasticity, sun damage takes a toll, wrinkles and lines develop. Cuts and scratches don't heal as fast and scar easily. The skin is dry and can even become brittle. It literally thins out.

This is because we have not cared for it. I heard on the radio today that 90% of Americans know more about their car engine and take better care of their car then themself. We take our cars for oil changes every 3-4,000 miles, rotate tires, buy better gas and use gas additives, high tech waxes, etc... Then we eat junk, fatty foods, don't drink enough water, don't eat regular balanced meals, forget our vitamins, etc... It's no wonder that Our skin ages amongst other things. We have the careless attitude that if it isn't broke don't fix it. We procrastinate with our bodies until they start to fail.

What we don't realize is that our skin is an organ just like our heart, lungs, etc... the skin takes in oxygen, vitamin D, protects against bacteria, accidents, etc... In the old days people were tarred and feathered as punishment. This tarring sealed the skin and if the affected individual didn't have the tar removed in a few hours they would die - why? Because their skin couldn't breathe and they overheated and died. So the skin helps us regulate our body temperature like a radiator.

Well, just like a radiator, we must care for our skin to get optimum protection and use from it. We must hydrate ourselves properly. Thats not just having a little water here and there. 90% of all Americans are improperly hydrated. An easy way to tell is to pinch and pull the skin between the thumb and forefinger. Does it go right back and feel supple or does it hold , feel dry, and very slowly go back (improper hydration). It is now known that we must drink 8-12 glasses of water a day and abstain from too much alcohol as it will further dry us out.

We must take multivitamins and eat proper, well balanced meals for healthy skin. The skin, just like finger nails is a early warning system. Problems with your skin and fingernails can foreshadow or warn of future or iminent problems and diseases, many of which can be avoided. There are whole books on this inate ability to hint of heart ailments, blood ailmaents, etc... We must eat right, hydrate right and take proper vitamins to keep our skin from aging. It is highly recommended to eat plenty of antioxidants to ward off the aging process. Eat blue berries, black berries, and have a glass of red wine daily. They are rich with antioxidants. Also omega 3 fatty acids and fish oils have been proven to retard skin aging (they have also been proven to increase brain function over 50% in all areas - ever had deep strange dreams after eating salmon? Salmon is very rich in omega 3's)

We can also help our skin along. Skin peels have been proven to increase our skins ability to regenerate, create higher levels of collagen, and increase hydration and pliability in our skin. They can basically reverse a lot of the effects of the aging process. Of these skin peels glycolic, lactic, salicylic and the 'fruit' peels are minor and will help, but need to be reapplied more often and will not help with deep wrinkles, lines, age spots, etc... The number one treatment plastic surgeons and dermatologists use to reverse the aging process outside of a face lift is the TCA peel. Tca peels are a medium strength peel and have been proven to efectively treat more skin problems than any other treatment. It is also the safest, easiest to apply, and, by far, the most effective of all the skin peels. TCA peels can turn back the clock 10 years or more. TCA peels can treat and cure acne, wrinkles, lines, scars, etc... The results last up to 1 year so you only need to have it done once or twice a year. And the best part is they are now available for home use.

So, to keep your skin younger and healthier, drink plenty of water, eat right, take omega 3 supplements (fish oil pills are great for this as is salmon) and use proven science (TCA peels) to better care for your skin. Copper peptide creams (around $60) do show an increase in the skins ability to heal itself, but so does Neosporin for $3. In double blind tests there was no difference between the two in healingand scar repair. Remember your skin does a lot and is very important so take good care of it. To find TCA peels contact the author below or look it up on the internet.

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: http://www.bestskinpeel.com or by visiting or http://www.mdwholesale.com.