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The Right Time to Begin a Skin Care Regimen

Angie Scott, Medical Aesthetician and Owner; FACES Corrective Skin Care and Permanent Cosmetics, Lambertville, Mich.

We hear so much about prevention when it comes to skin care, and for good reason: By taking care of our skin early on, we can help to preserve its youthful appearance for years to come.

Most skin aging starts at a young age. The sun can begin to degrade collagen in the early childhood years when sun exposure first begins. In fact, a smattering of freckles is often a child’s first visible sign of sun exposure.

The commitment to sun protection…

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Scarring After Surgery: Management and Treatment

The skin is amazingly self-sufficient. Though it requires lifelong care and protection, it has its own complex healing process to deal with trauma. Scar formation is a normal part of the skin’s natural healing after surgery, and with proper care and vigilance by both patient and doctor, this healing process can be monitored without damage to the skin.

My philosophy for scar management is three-fold: Use proper clinical…

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Travel-Friendly Skin Care

Planning a vacation this summer? Don’t slack on skin care while you’re away!

Instead, make your regimen travel-friendly by packing sample or travel sizes of your favorite products, or transfer your skin care products to mini plastic bottles (three ounces or less, per TSA regulations).

In flight, take steps to avoid dehydration,…

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What’s the Perfect Skin Care Dose?

In an effort to maximize the efficiency of skin care products, it’s often tempting to slather on creams and serums with abandon. But to achieve the best results from your skin care, how much is too much?

Often, the answer is quite simple: A little goes a long way. Clinical skin care products are typically formulated with high concentrations of potent ingredients like retinol, vitamin C and alpha hydroxy acids. When these…

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Smart Seasonal Skin Care

Benita Winters, Medical Aesthetician; Cincinnati Dermatology Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

Unless you’re lucky enough to live in a warm climate year-round, you most likely experience four distinct seasons—along with equally distinct seasonal responses in the skin.

The skin follows its own cyclical process of renewal. The epidermis is comprised of layers of cells known as keratinocytes. Beginning at the basal layer, these keratinocytes work their way up the epidermis, changing at every layer until they reach the uppermost layer called the stratum…

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411 on SPF: New FDA Sunscreen Regulations

Google “sunscreen” and you’ll find that it has been in the news rather frequently lately: Recent media reports debating the validity of sunscreen manufacturer’s claims prompted the American Academy of Dermatology to issue a response calling sunscreen “ … an important tool in the fight against skin cancer, including melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.”

New FDA regulations aim to eliminate common sunscreen misnomers and better protect consumers from sun-induced skin damage. These regulations impose new guidelines for all…

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The Importance of Mole Checks

Panos Vasiloudes, MD, PhD, FAAP, FAAD; Dermatologist, Academic Alliance in Dermatology, Tampa, Fla.

Skin cancer affects over 2 million people each year, making it the most common form of cancer. Accordingly, every patient should make mole checks a priority at least once a year. A mole can be more than just an aesthetic nuisance: Though often benign in nature, moles are a very specific type of lesion that may require medical assessment.

The term “mole” is used generically to describe many types of spots on the skin—freckles, beauty marks,…

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What are the Benefits of Mineral Makeup

NewBeauty magazine has called mineral makeup “makeup with meaning,” and I couldn’t describe it any better. With its numerous skin benefits, I consider mineral makeup to be an extension of skin care.

As a devoted mineral makeup user for nearly 20 years, I have seen its benefits not only in my own skin, but in hundreds of my patients. Working in a dermatology practice, I treat patients with various skin issues, from excessive sensitivity and acne to problems with uneven pigmentation. Many of these patients have experienced challenges with traditional makeup.…

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Choosing the Right Skin Care for Men

Kevin L. Smith, MD, FACS; Plastic Surgeon, Charlotte Plastic Surgery, Charlotte, NC

Men often don’t mind confessing to their age—or looking it, for that matter. But at any age, men want to appear vigorous and healthy, not run down and tired. That’s where a good skincare routine comes in.

Long gone is the stigma of women’s-only skin care—in fact, a recent NPD Men’s Grooming Consumer Report shows that nine out of ten men over the age of 18 use a grooming product (including facial and body skin care). And while a man’s…

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Skin Care Spring Cleaning: When to Toss Your Products

Spring cleaning is upon us—why not take a closer look at your skin care inventory? It may be time to replace old and expired products.

One clear sign that a skin care product has expired is the presence of strange odor, separation or discoloration. But there’s more to quality than meets the eye (or nose): Even if there are no changes in a product’s appearance, smell or consistency, it may still be past its prime.

As a general rule, most skin care products are formulated to maintain effectiveness for up to two years after opening. Air and…

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