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Author Archives: Laura Pagliaroni

Is Your Skin Ready For Summer?

   Skin Care  Jun 09, 2015  Comments Off on Is Your Skin Ready For Summer?
Is Your Skin Ready For Summer?

As the weather warms and the beaches beckon, it’s natural to want to go outside and take advantage of the good weather. Whether this means donning that seldom-worn bikini or exchanging jeans for shorts, summer means that you’ll be showing a lot more skin than during other seasons in the year. Unfortunately, many times you encounter a barrier to your perfect outdoor summer: your skin just isn’t ready. Before you go outside, there are five questions to ask yourself to see if your skin is ready for summer:

  1. Do you suffer from acne?

Acne, or the presence of clogged pores that results in redness, blackheads, or pus-filled bumps, can often be a significant sign that your skin isn’t ready for you to show it off just yet. During summer, it is most commonly found on the back and upper arms, and results from the collection of sweat, dirt, and oil that accumulates due to increased heat. The solution is to shower often, exfoliate, and use a topical medication if necessary.

  1. Is your skin dry and flaky?

If you live in an area where it gets hot but not humid in the summer, you’ll need to apply a moisturizer cream to make sure that your skin doesn’t show signs of flakiness or cracking. This is most often found on the legs and arms, as well as on the face. Moisturizers come in many different varieties, but it helps to look for one specifically meant for dry and flaky skin.

  1. Is your skin dull and scaly?

Dull skin results from the accumulation of dead skin cells on the outer layer of skin, a problem that causes a scaly effect at times. To solve this problem, exfoliation, or the removal of dead cells and other matter through an abrasive movement, is key – you can use an exfoliating wash, or a tool such as a shower loofah, which rubs away the dead cells. Make sure to use moisturizer after exfoliating, to reduce the risk of dry skin.

  1. Are you at risk of sunburn?

Prolonged exposure to the sun, especially its ultraviolet radiation (which is stronger in the summer), can lead to sunburn and, in more serious cases, to skin cancers including melanoma. If you have fair skin, live in a hot and sunny climate, or have a family history of skin cancer, take precautions such as wearing a high-SPF sunscreen and covering up with long sleeves and hats.

  1. Do you get rashes or irritation?

This may be the result of allergens present in the air during spring and summer – anything from pollen to insects may cause allergic reactions that lead to redness, swelling, itching, and/or unsightly bumps. The first step to taking care of this is uncovering the source; from there, you can apply bug spray, anti-itch cream, or oral medication as necessary.

 

 

Does Waxing Cause Wrinkles?

   Waxing  Mar 12, 2015  Comments Off on Does Waxing Cause Wrinkles?

Waxing Cause WrinklesIt is no secret that from the time our titles change from young lady to woman, we start finding ways to make our skin look its best and avoid any signs of aging. Going to skin care clinics or spas become a weekly ritual rather than something to do once in a blue moon to treat ourselves. One of the concerns women have during the aging process is the appearance of wrinkles. We do our best to avoid getting wrinkles like spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars over the course of our lives on anti-aging products.

Among the many services we partake in weekly to upkeep ourselves is waxing. Many women prefer this method of hair removal because it is said to last longer than shaving and it avoids the possibility of growing a 5 o’clock shadow on your face which is emasculating. However, is it possible that waxing can cause wrinkles over time? There are many myths and blogs circling the internet that state that the pulling of hair from the skin may cause wrinkling over time. It’s even stated that waxing may remove the moisture from your lips when the wax is lifted from the skin. While it’s true that hydration plays a role in preserving your skin, it is not true that wax removes moisture from the skin.

Wrinkles are creases that generate on our skin over time as we age and they can begin to appear on our skin for numerous reasons. According to Medical News Today, the first wrinkles start to appear on our faces as a result of facial expressions, sun damage, smoking, dehydration, and even some medications. There are also a number of other factors that cause them to develop and while we can’t escape them, we can surely do our best to maintain our skin and do what we can to avoid them from appearing earlier than need be, like not smoking and keeping a healthy diet. For more information on what causes wrinkles, click here.

Although we can’t escape these unwanted lines from forming, there are also genetic factors which play a role into how soon they start to appear and how many form over time. Among the factors that exist about the cause of wrinkles, there is no scientific proof that waxing can also be one of the causes of wrinkles starting to appear on your skin. Waxing is one of the safest and most common forms of hair removal.

Are Carbohydrates Making You Look Old?

   Facial  Jan 06, 2015  Comments Off on Are Carbohydrates Making You Look Old?

Aging With GraceWe all know that too much of anything is bad. But, when it comes to the skin, there are some things you may have not considered.  As a woman starts to add some years to her life, she will wake up one day and realize that gravity started to take its toll. Looking in the mirror starts to become a little disheartening. The pink glow that she once had is now gone and the skin on the face does not have the volume that it one had. There are many reasons we begin to show signs of aging: lifestyle, sun exposure, and bad food. Believe it or not, but the amount of excess Carbohydrates that you eat is actually speeding the aging process along.

Simple Carbohydrate such as bread, potatoes, sugar, especially anything white and refined, are destroying the protein fibers in your skin. Proteins, Collagen and Elastin, are what hold the muscle and skin together. Carbohydrates leave a sticky substance that attaches to protein fibers, and cause them to weaken and eventually break. When these protein fibers begin to break, the result is saggy, old looking skin. This is commonly called Glycation.

Glycation is, also, visible on the skin noted by dry, dull, almost grey looking appearance. Despite the loss of volume, there is no pinkish glow which is found in youthful skin. The rate of metabolism slows and the body can no longer turn over the skin cells that contribute to that once youthful glow that we all seek. The worse part about Glycation, it will prevent any product that you may use on your skin from actually penetrating into the skins surface. Chemical Peels and Microdermabrasion are the most safe and effective way to remove this layer of cellular garbage. Proper washing of the skin helps tremendously, as well.

Changing the way you wash your face and being mindful about the foods that you consume is a way to begin combating the first signs of aging: it is never too late to start. Start by cooking your meats, slowly, and avoiding over cooked meat, as well. Supplements such as Vitamin C and E protect the protein and increase the turn- over of new skin cells. Substitute whole grains in bread and rice and eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables. You will see a definite improvement in your skin tone and texture with in a two week time frame. A lifetime of bad habits take some time to repair so be patient: your mirror will thank you!