Do Tattoos Pose Health Risks?
What was once a rare occurrence is now very common – tattoos are everywhere. But could getting a tattoo pose long-term consequences for your health? According to a new study, it could.
Tag: skin
Sun Exposure: How to Protect your Kids
Photo by Nikola Radojcic on Unsplash Summer is just around the corner – that means more time outdoors, barbecues, the beach, and of course, a lot more exposure to the sun. The sun has some great health benefits, like boosting your Vitamin D levels, mood, …
You Could Be Sharing More Than Just Make Up!
Photo by Glow Repose on Unsplash
When you were a kid, your parents always told you to share. And if you have a younger sibling, you are not new to sharing everything – from clothing to food. But what about sharing your makeup?
Pink Eye
Beauty and skin care expert Laurie Polis, MD, says, “When it comes to bad make up sharing habits, the eyes rank as the most dangerous. The most common viral infection of the eye is pinkeye which is extremely contagious. People don’t always know they’re brewing it.”
Herpes
Women do it all the time – take a bathroom break and ask a friend to borrow some lipstick. But Polis also explains that sharing lip stick or lip gloss “could be risky if your friend has herpes labialis, an infection caused by contagious herpes simplex virus. That’s the virus that causes small painful blisters known as cold sores or fever blisters on the mouth. Your friend may be “shedding the virus’ and not realize she’s getting a cold sore.”
Staph Infections
In a recent news story first reported in the Daily Mail, a 27-year old woman from Australia is now confined to a wheel chair after borrowing
a makeup brush from a friend. Jo Gilchrist caught a staph infection that attacked her spine when all she wanted to do was cover up a blemish. Dermatologist Dr. Seth Forman sees staph infections on a regular basis and reports that they are highly contagious. He states, “You can get it from a door handle at a mall, from a menu at a restaurant or from picking your children up at school. It is all over. It usually starts with a cut that gets infected by bacteria. A lot of men get it on their chest, some woman get it on their legs. It happens where people have a high density of hair follicles.”
Forman warns others to always wash your hands to lower the chances of spreading infection and to never share razors, towels or nail clippers. Laurie Polis advises that if you can’t avoid sharing makeup, “Wipe off the top layer of the product after a friend uses it or when you’re at a makeup counter in a store. If it’s a liner pencil, sharpen it. If it’s a lipstick or eyeshadow, swipe the tip or compact with a tissue.”
Protect yourself from infection – stop sharing your makeup. It is better (and safer) to go without lipstick for a few hours than to introduce an infection into your body.
Source: WebMD.com, abc15.com and Dailymail.co.uk
5 Basic Steps for Healthy Skin
Photo by Autumn Goodman on Unsplash We all want our skin to look healthy and youthful for as long as possible. Of course, our internal clocks and genetics play a major role as far as when and how well our skin will age – but …
Can Smiling A Lot Really Cause Wrinkles?
Nobody wants to frown all day, but can it actually be better for your skin long-term? Whether you’re talking, frowning or smiling, a crease forms on your skin the moment you move one of your facial muscles. When it comes to your smile, the largest …
Skin Care: Natural Remedies for Summer Skin
Summer can be a rough time for your skin – bug bites, sunburn, poison ivy and other irritating skin problems are at their peak this time of the year. Unfortunately, sometimes the cure is just as bad as the problem. Many anti-itch creams and other lotions are full of chemicals and preservatives, which don’t do your skin or the rest of your body any good at all. [Read: The Dirt on Skin Care Products By Dr. Mariesette Zeyl] What’s more, since the skin is the body’s largest organ, anything you rub into your skin goes directly into your blood stream and can potentially have an effect on your entire body.
Here are a few natural remedies for some of summer’s most bothersome skin problems.
Chlorine Burn
We’ve all been there. You spend the whole day in the pool relaxing, only to find later that your skin has dried out and is turning into a painful, orange, peeling mess. A chlorine burn is usually only on the top layer of skin, but it can be itchy and start to sting as it cracks. The quicker you nourish your skin, the faster your skin will heal.
Sunburn
Aloe Vera lotion is a great, chemical-free remedy for minor sunburns. Try a natural Aloe Vera lotion, or take a fresh Aloe leaf, slit it open and allow the juice to settle onto your sunburn. If your sunburn is more severe and lasts more than a few days, try coconut oil. Thanks to its hydrating lipids, coconut oil can be very helpful for healing and preventing itching, swelling and irritation. Wait a few days after you get a sunburn to use coconut oil – it also can create a protective barrier and trap heat. Mix it with a few drops of pure lavender essential oil or Aloe Vera for extra pain relief.
Nourish Skin From the Inside Out with Collagen, by Nicole Crane, B.S., NTP
Bug Bites
Mosquito and other insect bites can cause inflammation, redness, swelling, tenderness, and serious itching. Many anti-itch creams can provide relief, but they tend to be loaded with chemicals. Fresh basil leaves can be used to make a paste that will instantly soothe bug bites. Basil is a natural source of camphor and thymol, two compounds that relieve both itching and irritation. Take some basil (use organic basil to avoid pesticides), crush them into a paste and apply it directly to the bug bite.
Poison Ivy
Skin care information by Alison Menor of InVite Health
Poison ivy comes along with swelling, blisters, itching and pain that lasts for several days. Try using baking soda to alleviate some of the bothersome itch. Add about ½ a cup of baking soda to a warm bath, or mix a small amount with water and apply to the affected area. To help pull out the toxins, mix up some apple cider vinegar with water, soak a thin towel in the mixture, and apply it to the affected areas. It’s believed that apple cider vinegar induces a toxin-releasing effect that helps your skin heal faster.
Source: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/08/06/natural-remedies-for-summer-skin-troubles/