Let’s talk about stress. It can be difficult to get through a day without the feeling of being overwhelmed or anxious about some aspect of our very busy lives. Stress can affect you in many different ways, both mind and body, and particularly in the appearance of your skin. When you are stressed, your body releases a set of hormones, including cortisol. Chronically high cortisol levels have a number of known health effects (including lower immune function, increased weight gain, risk for depression, interfering with memory, etc.), but it also has additional effects on the skin, including dryness, aging, overactive oil production, and redness.  Dryness The release of cortisol causes skin dryness by diminishing the skin’s ability to retain water, so your skin can become dull and dehydrated when under constant stress. This lack of moisture is why your psoriasis and eczema may worsen during periods of heavy stress. Aging High … Continue reading →

Summer hikes, trips to the beach, morning and evening runs, days spent at the pool…summer is full of opportunities to stay active! As beneficial as it is to shake up your fitness routine year-round, it probably happens much more during the summer- there’s nothing like the idea of being in a bikini tomorrow to get you to the gym today! Many take advantage of the warmer months to head outdoors for more workouts, which can be a great way to get fresh air and switch it up, but can also lead to a multitude of skin problems. We’re addressing common fitness and skin concerns that are particularly important during the summer. Skin Hygiene and Fitness Before and immediately after participating in a sweaty activity, wash your face with a gentle, pH balancing cleanser. This goes for men and women! You skin may be feeling oilier or more hydrated than usual because exercise promotes … Continue reading →

Have you ever noticed that people who eat a lot of sugar and processed foods tend to look older? Or how people with antioxidant depleting habits (like smoking and tanning) seem to age faster? Lifestyle habits have a huge effect on your skin and it goes much further than how consistently you wash your face or how often you do a mask. How does sugar make our skin older? If there is an excess of sugar in the body, protein molecules and sugar molecules cross-link and create aging by-products. Your body produces antibodies in reaction to the by-products, causing inflammation. Free radicals are produced, causing further damage to your cells. There are three types of collagen in your skin. When glucose cross-links with type 3 (strongest) collagen, it transforms it into type I (weakest) and becomes rigid and inflexible. This makes it more likely your skin will develop wrinkles at … Continue reading →

Can you believe it’s already mid-June? Summer officially starts next weekend, but don’t let that send you running to get your “base tan” before the pool parties, barbeques, and summer get-togethers begin. A tan is bad news, whether it is “real” from laying out at the beach or from “fake baking” in a tanning bed. The FDA recently mandated label changes on tanning beds, now requiring a black box label, their strongest warning. In 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Health Organization) raised tanning devices that emit UV rays into the highest cancer risk category “carcinogenic to humans.” The more research that is done, the more dangerous we are realizing that these tanning beds are. So why are millions of people, particularly teenagers and young adults, still using them every day? What They Say With all of the information out there about the dangers … Continue reading →

June is Men’s Health Awareness Month. Skin is the largest organ in the body, but men’s skin health in particular needs more attention. Melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, is one of only three cancers with an increasing mortality rate for men. Within melanoma cases, young men account for 40 percent of cases, but more than 60 percent of deaths. In fact, from ages 15-39, men are 55 percent more likely to die of melanoma than women in the same age group. According to a study done by the Skin Cancer Foundation, nearly 1 in 2 men surveyed said they had not applied sunscreen in the past 12 months, and only 32 percent considered themselves very knowledgeable on how to properly use it. Skin health isn’t just about protecting against skin cancers, it is also about getting your skin as fit as you can. Give your skin a workout with … Continue reading →