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What’s the Skinpact? By Dr. Kathy Fields
Social media is making it easier to be found and harder to hide from connections and social commitments. When connecting with Facebook online brings you “face to face” with old friends offline, don’t shy away from being seen…
What’s the Skinpact? By Dr. Kathy Fields
Last December, the FDA rolled out new regulations on sunscreen, designed to help consumers better understand how to buy and use SPF products…
What’s the Skinpact? By Dr. Kathy Fields
On February 24, Hollywood’s A-list actors will be walking the red carpet as they arrive for the 85th Academy Awards. Their glam looks may appear effortless, but preparation for those up close, HD-broadcasted interviews starts weeks in advance…
The Doctor is in …
Tanorexic or beautifully bronzed, as tans fade, our summer skin follies come into full view. It’s true that when the endless summer days finally come to an end, we’ll all have some reckoning to do, but some of us will have more skin sins to pay for than others.
Dark, lightly toasted, red or just rosy, all sun exposure is damage…
The Doctor is in …
By Dr. Kathy Fields
As a dermatologist, I learned early on that fun in the sun can translate to aging and skin cancer. But as a wife and mom, between family trips to the lake, hiking adventures and outdoor parties, summer is hands down my favorite time of year. I refuse to give up on the activities I love, but I won’t compromise my skin’s health either. Here’s how I’ve learned to enjoy the best of both worlds …
1. Be in the Know. Knowing what to look for when it comes to SPF and using products correctly is the most important thing you can do. Here’s what to watch out for:
- Use only “broad spectrum” sunscreens (that provide proportionate UVA and UVB protection … all R+F sunscreens fit the bill).
- Don’t get hosed by “waterproof” claims. (Even the best are only “water resistant,” so always reapply after getting wet).
- Stay inside the safety zone. Only an SPF of 15 to 50+ can lay claim to reducing the risks of sun exposure. And even when using SPF, don’t stay out longer than you would if unprotected.
2. Beat the Heat—Even on the Go. Be prepared sunup to sundown and do what I do: keep the following “Sun-Emergency Kit” on hand:
- ESSENTIALS Body Sunscreen
- ESSENTIALS Lip Shield
- ANTI-AGE Age Shield Hand Balm
- Your favorite R+F SPF
- Plus an extra pair of sunglasses, a broad-brimmed hat, a large lightweight scarf and an umbrella
- And two aspirin to take immediately if you do get a sunburn.
With the real facts about sunscreen usage and these items on board, you’ll be protected from the elements come rain or shine! So get sun-savvy and never leave home without your “Sun-Emergency Kit”—Doctor’s orders!
The Doctor is In … Skin Talk: Shedding Some Light on Exfoliation
By Dr. Kathy Fields
You don’t need an invite to a red carpet event for your skin to make a new debut. And you don’t have to be a celebrity to get a star-quality complexion. When it comes to flattery, years of experience at photo shoots, video shoots and trips to the Oscars have taught me it’s all about the lighting. Lighting is so important, that on professional shoots, grip trucks filled with thousands of dollars of sophisticated lighting equipment arrive hours before the hair and makeup artists and models ever even set foot in the studio.
But you don’t have to hire a lighting crew to see your skin in a better light. You can illuminate your own incandescence just by increasing the smoothness and evenness of your skin through regular removal of dulling dead skin cell buildup.
Not only does light reflect more evenly off of a smooth surface, freshly exfoliated skin gives you a glow that’s more than skin deep. That’s because when your skin looks better, younger and fresher, you feel better too, and genuine confidence is always an attractive quality.
To get the best results from your exfoliation efforts, know your skin and use products appropriate for your skin type. Contrary to popular belief, bigger, coarser particles have less of a smoothing effect, and in fact, can end up doing more harm than good.
When it comes to your face, neck and décolletage, look for exfoliation products that feature fine, smooth beads. Keep in mind that gentle, regular exfoliation is far more effective than when you make an occasional aggressive attack. If you want to increase results, don’t scrub harder, just rub a little longer and use more often so your skin’s stunning performance will get the rave reviews it deserves.
The Doctor is in … Mind the Gap
By Dr. Kathy Fields
Young urban hipsters have embraced with affectionate irony some of the most unfortunate trends of the seventies and eighties, and of these the moustache is perhaps the most surprising of all. I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for Tom Selleck as the moustachioed Magnum PI, but let’s face it, it’s not really the best look for most guys. And certainly not for us gals!
If you’re one of the many, and I mean MANY women who suffer from extra facial hair above the upper lip, you know all too well how unattractive this trend looks on ladies. And you’ve probably tried lots of methods for minimizing or completely clearing your unwanted “stache” with bleaches, waxing or even laser removal.
Even when they work, these approaches can have residual effects like redness, dryness and even cause increased sun sensitivity and, consequently, hyperpigmentation. And whether as a result of irritation or melasma, a darkening of the skin between the upper lip and bottom of the nose is even harder to hide than a hairy moustache.
The solution? Well, as they say in my husband’s home country, England, when referring to the space between the edge of the subway platform and the train, “mind the gap.” In the case of your face, let this phrase act as a reminder that paying special attention to this little area when it comes to sun protection can make a big difference.
It’s a tough area because whether or not you actually apply sunscreen above your lip, chances are you sweat or wipe it off during the day, especially during flu season when runny noses abound. Make sure to pay careful attention to this gap between your nose and lips and take the time to reapply your SPF there throughout the day.
So, next time you apply your balm and facial SPF, I hope you hear my voice in your head saying to you: “Mind the gap.” And as I walk down the streets of San Francisco and pass the plaid-shirted hipster in the oh-so-skinny jeans, I’ll hear my own voice in my head saying “you may have a moustache, but you’re no Tom Selleck!”
Derm RF
Dr. Kathy Fields
Dr. Katie Rodan
Mary Radford, RN
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