Skin Problems (Undereye Circles)-1

Causes Undereye Circles 
                      Oh if only we could take a magic pill to cause the blue veins under our eyes to recede back into our heads, or the dark circles under our eyes to magically lighten to match the rest of our skin.
Unfortunately, there is no magic pill to combat dark, undereye circles, which you were likely born with. Yes, it's true. Your parents are to blame for your dark undereye circles, according to dermatologist David J. Leffell of Yale School of Medicine, in "O" magazine.
So, now that we have them, is there any way to get rid of them? 

Three Types of Undereye Circles

There are basically three types of undereye circles: 

1. Hyperpigmentation.
                                          Hyperpigmented undereye circles can be dark circles often found in women with darker skin tones (African, East Indian or Latin descent). This is caused by the over-abundance of melanin in skin. 

2. Blue-ish veins.
                                  As we age, the skin around our eyes thins out, causing the veins underneath to show. This is typical in women with lighter skin. 

3. Poor circulation. 
                                       These undereye circles tend to be puffy or baggy. This is usually caused by poor blood flow or water retention under the eye. Large bags that don't recede in time are hereditary.
To determine the cause of your undereye circles, press your thumb on the shadows. If the shadows momentarily lighten, the cause is poor circulation. If they don't lighten, the cause is hyperpigmentation, according to dermatologist Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas of Yale University in the November, 2007, issue of Elle Magazine.

How to Treat Undereye Circles

Dark circles from hyperpigmentation can be treated with lasers in a doctor's office. However, Alexiades-Armenakas warns that lasers don't always work well on darker skin. "The laser may turn on melanocytes to produce more pigment," she says in Elle Magazine. For dark skin, she prefers topical solutions made with kojic acid, such as Skinceuticals Phyto+ gel. Creams with hydroquinone are also commonly used to treat undereye circles. Both kojic acid and hydroquinone brighten hyperpigmented skin, according to "Getting Gorgeous," a book by the editors of InStyle magazine.
If you suffer from puffy eye bags, sleep on your back with your head propped up. You can also treat puffiness with black tea bags. Chill steeped tea bags in the fridge first. Place chilled bags over the eyes. The tannins in black tea help reduce bloat, according to "Confessions of a Beauty Editor," a book written by the editors of Allure magazine.
If bags are constant and never go away, see a doctor for treatment options.

Camouflage Undereye Circles With Makeup

 

To cosmetically camouflage dark undereye circles, use eye creams that contain mica or other light-diffusing particles. For darker circles, you'll want to use a creamy concealer.
To apply concealer, first prep eye with an eye gel. Dot concealer over the blue veins or dark circles and tap, never rub, concealer into the area surrounding the eye.

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Skin Problems (Adult Acne)

If you noticed the acne you had when you were 15 has returned in your 30s, rest assured, you're in good company. One in five women between the ages of 25 and 40 suffer from adult acne. Here are a few facts about adult acne and how to rid your skin of it:

 Fact #1: Acne usually begins with blackheads 
                      Blackheads are not dirt, they're actually the result of oil and dead cells getting trapped in a pore where they block the duct and mix with bacteria. They then turn black when exposed to air. Red pimples develop when blackheads become inflamed and they spread when touched with dirty hands. When the pimple becomes infected, it develops a whitehead or pustule. These can break and cause scars. So how to banish blackheads? Gently, according to San Francisco Seth Matarasso to InStyle Magazine. People tend to scrub too hard which causes inflammation, he says. Instead of a grainy scrub, Matarasso suggests trying an exfoliant with alpha-hydroxy acids. You can also use a salicylic acid cleanser . These chemical products clean out pores better than scrubs. For a great quick fix.

 Fact #2: There are several causes of adult acne                     
                      These are: Stress, bad cosmetics, hormones and birth control pills. Stress causes your oil glands to overcompensate. Bad cosmetics lead to bacteria-laden pores. Hormones cause the sebacuous glands to overact and birth control pills with androgen in them can cause breakouts. To keep breakouts at bay, look for oil-free, non-acnegenic products

 Fact #3: Cheese and chocolate have nothing to do with your acne 
                            Your skin, however, WILL benefit from a good facial. Why? Because acne is not a disease, rather it is a condition of the skin and a good facialist knows exactly what your skin needs: Sulfur, zinc and camphor masks, exfoliation, blackhead extractions and at-home follow-up.

 Fact #4: Don't treat adult acne like the teen kind           
              The products you used as a teenager won't work on adult skin. Here's a 2-step program for cleansing and treating your blemished skin: Step 1: Pick the right cleanser. Look for medicated cleansers with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Step 2: Exfoliate with a salicylic acid treatment, which will clean out pores. Just don't exfoliate too much or scrub too hard (see the blackhead section above). Two to 3 times a week is perfect.

 Fact #5: Treatment systems have completely cleared up skin on many people
                               Proactiv Solution 3-step System ($40 at proactiv.com) is a classic kit that has worked wonders on many. L'Oreal Acne Response Daily Adult Acne Regimen is a 3-step program that is highly recommended.

 Fact #6: The dermatologist will clear your skin up fast
                                   Too many women wait to see a doctor for their skin problems. If you have basic acne, over-the-counter treatments with salicylic acid (there's that magic word again) to unclog pores and benzoyl peroxide to reduce bacteria on skin should do you, but for serious acne, a dermatologist has an arsenal of products to clear up your skin. Retinoids, antibiotics, azelaic acid and birth control pills are all options usually covered by insurance. You might consider laser treatments, but these are more costly (about $500-$2,400). Severe cases are best cleared up by Accutane, which is a 5-month course that is considered the most effective treatment available. It can, however, cause serious birth defects if taken during pregnancy. 

 Fact #7: Yes, those new machines that target acne do work  
                        We were surprised to hear this as well, but the reports are out on machines like Zeno Acne Clearing Device and they are good. They won't help blackheads or deep cystic acne, but they do work for your general run-of-the-mill pimples, according to the April, 2006, issue of Glamour. So how do they work? The Zeno, which is a handheld machine that looks like an iPod, works by driving heat through a pimple. The heat kills the bacteria and supposedly improves blood circulation to the affected area so it heals faster. Clinical trials show 90% of pimples treated with Zeno disappeared or were significantly reduced within 24 hours. 

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Skin Problems (back acne)

‘Bacne’ is another term for back acne or body acne. It tends to form on the back and the buttocks and can take several forms: pimples, blackheads, pustules and cysts, which are painful and form deep under the skin's surface. 

What Causes Bacne? 

 

There is no scientific evidence for what causes back acne.
According to an article on the Acne Resource Center back acne tends to occur around puberty when the sebaceous glands, which produce sebum, start functioning. When too much sebum is produced pores and hair follicles can become clogged attracting bacteria. This can lead to acne.
Stress, oily or fatty foods, excessive sweating and even heredity do not seem to play a role in the causes of back acne, according to the Acne Resource Center. There is also no proof back acne is developed from tight clothing, excessive sweating and heavy backpacks (although it is possible 'bacne' is exacerbated by this).

How to Treat Back acne?

For milder versions of back or body acne a topical 10 percent benzoyl peroxide cream or gel will suffice. Cysts should be treated by a dermatologist.
To treat mild back acne: 

Step 1 
            Wash the back with an anti-bacterial cleanser formulated for the face, Stay away from regular soap. Let skin dry.
Step 2 
            Follow with a 10 percent benzoyl peroxide gel or cream. Let dry.
Step 3 (optional) 
                             Some experts suggest using the benzoyl peroxide in tandem with an alpha hydroxy treatment such as Alpha Hydrox Enhanced Lotion is optimal.
For severe back acne, consult a dermatologist for prescription treatment. Cysts can be treated in the office.

How to Prevent Back Acne

Exfoliation is a great way to get rid of dead skin cells that tend to build up on the back, buttocks and back of the arms. Use a sugar scrub (milder than salt scrubs) in the shower on a weekly basis.

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Skin Problems(Stretch Marks causes and treatment )

Stretch marks are at best, fine pink lines that appear around the fourth month of pregnancy. They can appear on the arms, thighs, buttocks, breasts and most commonly the abdomen. 

They occur in 50 to 90% of women for a variety of reason and can range from the silvery pink color mentioned above to bright red or purple lines.

*So what causes them to form in the first place? The weight gain is stretching the dermal collagen and elastin beyond breaking point and what you see are the scars formed as the fibres separate.
*As I mentioned above, stretch marks are forming deep within the skin, so massaging the skin with oils and creams will make you feel better, but unfortunately, you can't prevent them from occurring. 

How to get rid of stretch marks


Technically, no.  However, there are things you can do to greatly fade their appearance. 
 Ways to fade stretch marks:
 
+ Laser therapy 
                                    uses intense wavelengths of light to help grow collagen, elastin or melanin in your skin.

+ Tretinoin cream 
                                       (also called Retin-A, Renova, Avitaca) can help rebuild collagen and make the stretch marks look more like your normal skin. Just make sure you are treating the stretch marks early on, when they are still pinkish or purple.

+ Microdermabrasion 
                                               involves a device that blows tiny crystals onto your skin.  These crystals gently polish your skin’s surface.  This is an option for older stretch marks that have faded to white.
Are there natural ways to reduce their appearance?
Yes! But it’s not cocoa butter – even though it’s been commonly associated with getting rid of stretch marks, this study proved it’s ineffective in preventing and treating stretch marks.   Try vitamin E instead – this study showed that pregnant women who used a cream with a form of vitamin E in it developed fewer marks than those given a placebo. Here’s a great homemade recipe to reduce and prevent stretch marks:
 

DIY Stretch Mark Reducing Oil:

Ingredients:
2 tbsp vitamin E oil
½ cup jojoba oil
½ cup almond oil
¼ cup sugar
Instructions:
Pour oils into a container and shake vigorously.  Add sugar and gently massage over affected areas daily.  This works best for prevention or right after they develop!
Vitamin E promotes skin elasticity, jojoba oil is full of fatty acids that easily penetrate deeply into the pores, almond oil gives a big dose of moisture and sugar exfoliates. 

*Actually, the amount of stretch marks you will have is genetically decided for you. If your mother and grandmother had stretch marks, chances are, you will too. 

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Skin Problems(Cellulite causes and treatment)

what is it with getting older?

 Cottage cheese pops up first on the backs of thighs, shows up later on the arms and eventually even on the calves (we saw a picture a couple years ago in US Weekly of Uma Thurman's cellulite calves!). 

So what is cellulite and how to get rid of it?

Contrary to popular belief, cellulite is not caused by excess weight. It's all in your genes, which explains why even skinny women can have it (hello Uma!). Cellulite is caused by clumps of fat cells that push up against surrounding fibrous connective tissue. "The inherent thinning of skin's support structure makes fat cells more obvious," according to *David J. Goldberg, MD, in the September, 2007, issue of Elle Magazine. This is what gives you dimples and what appears to be clumps of fat under your skin.

So how to get rid of it? 
 Unfortunately, there's not much you can do ... for now. Much research is currently underway on laser therapies, but none of have proven completely viable (or we'd be lining up at our local dermatologists, with me heading up the line).
Until a "cure" is found, there are some options which some swear are minimally successful: 

1. Exercise.
                    Some personal trainers claim exercise can cut down on cellulite. Others suggest building up the muscles in the back of the leg and in the buttocks can mask cellulite. 

2. Caffeine.

                  Caffeine, the active ingredient in many cellulite creams, works by pushing water out of fat cells, temporarily reducing the appearance of dimples. 

3. Treatments.

                         Some people have found minimal success with Endermologie (not cheap at about $100 a session). This spa treatment rolls and suctions the skin breaking up fat tissue. The results can be significant, according to InStyle Magazine, but short-term. 

4. Camouflage. 
                             Hide dimples with a fake tan. Self tanner darkens skin, effectively camouflaging dimples. 

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