The FDA has approved a new topical medication for acne: dapsone gel.
New Acne Medication for 2008
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Tag Archives: Health and Beauty
Look Beautiful, Save Money
Save your money. Dermatologists agree, spending more money on a cream does not mean you will have better effects.
Despite the promises of many anti-aging products, don’t expect major changes from an over-the-counter cream—regardless of how much you spend on it.
I’m afraid it’s true. Companies such as Oil of Olay and Neutrogena have excellent over the counter products that work just as well as expensive, I’m-a-Beverly-Hills-Dermatologist designer creams. Sometimes the expensive brand is worth the money. Usually, it’s not. Here are five pointers to help you save your hard earned money:
- I have never seen an over the counter cream that actually eliminates wrinkles. Nope. Not a one.
- Any over the counter face cream, whether you pay $8 or $400, will hydrate your skin, improving the texture of your skin and making your wrinkles less noticeable.
- I have never seen a cream eliminate stretch marks. I am sorry — it’s the truth. Stretch marks are tears of the elastic fibers in the deep layers of the skin; creams simply cannot repair that. The good news is that all stretch marks improve with time — they become less pink and less noticeable. This is why people think that the product they used helped and why people swear by a whole range of products from cocoa butter to expensive department store creams.
- Try for yourself. Apply Eucerin Body Creme to the stretch marks on the right side of your body. Apply your expensive stretch-mark-eraser-cream of choice to the stretch marks on the left side of your body. Do this for a month. Ask yourself (honestly) and three other people if they can see a difference. They won’t be able to.
- There are hundreds of excellent products for your skin. If you have a question, then write to me at Dr (dot) Benabio (at) TheDermBlog (dot) com. Over time, I’ll tell you about the best possible products (and money savers) for your skin.
Pomegranates and Skin Care
The pomegranate has been used for medicinal purposes since the times of the ancient pharaohs of Egypt. The fruit was
mentioned in the Bible and the Koran, was used in ancient Ayurvedic medicine in India, and can today can be found even at Starbucks!
Pomegranate seed oil has been shown to be protective against skin cancer in a study of mice. This is probably due in part to the ellagic acid, a polyphenol antioxidant found in high quantities in pomegranates as well as strawberries and raspberries. Ellagic acid has been shown to inhibit the growth of skin and other cancers.
Pomegranate juice is said to have more antioxidant properties than comparable quantities of green tea or red wine. It is this antioxidant property that helps soak up damaging free radicals which cause fine lines, wrinkles, brown spots, and other signs of aging.
Most recently pomegranate fruit extract also seems to mediate ultraviolet light damage, enhancing sunscreens. Look for more skin products featuring this ancient fruit in the future. Until then, enjoy fresh ones on your salad while they are in season.
The Benabio Guaranteed* 2008 Acne Cure (*If You Use It, That Is)
Do you use Proactiv®? Many of my acne patients have tried it. Some felt it helped, others felt it didn’t. Proactiv was developed by two dermatologists; its success lies not in the actual product but in the way they have you use it.
It is an absolute truth that almost any acne treatment works and almost every acne treatment fails. It depends on one thing: Do you actually use it?
A Proper Shave
It is a truth universally acknowledged that women are in want of men with a close shave. To get that baby soft cheek you have to start with a proper shave.
First, determine the type of beard you have. Do you have fine, straight hair, or thick curly hair?
Most men with thick or curly hair should not shave against the grain. Doing so causes the hairs to be cut below the surface of the skin. When the hair regrows it becomes trapped and instead of growing out, curls back on itself and grows inward. This causes inflamed, red bumps (a condition called pseudofolliculitis barbae), that are further injured the next time you shave.
Men with fine, straight hair can shave against the grain, getting the closest shave possible.
- Wash your face with warm water and soap first. The best time to shave is after you shower; the warm soap and water will soften the hairs, making for a smoother, closer shave.
- Lather with a good thick shaving cream, massaging the hairs in a circular motion. If you have one (or hope to get one for Christmas) a badger shave brush helps to lift the hairs, soften them, and spread the shaving cream evenly. Use a quality shaving cream or gel — I like a Neutrogena Men’s Razor Defense, a gel for people prone to ingrown hairs; or, if all your suits are Armani, then you might prefer these excellent shave creams from John Varvatos or from The Art of Shaving (pictured above).
- With a clean razor, shave in the direction of the hair growth. Rinse the blade under warm water after each pass because hairs and shaving cream stuck in the blades will prevent the blade from cutting cleanly and can cause nicks. Look carefully at your beard, the hairs often grow in different directions at the sideburns, the middle of the cheeks, the chin and the neck. In some men, the hair on the neck actually grows in the complete opposite direction as on their face!
- If you have thick or curly hair, or if you are prone to razor bumps, then skip this step and go to number 5. If not, then reapply the shaving cream and shave again in the opposite direction. This will give you the closest possible shave but will pose the greatest risk for ingrown hairs.
- Rinse your face vigorously with cool water, carefully removing the residue from the shave cream, then pat dry.