Derm RF

Myth Busters

Myth: Lip Balms are Addictive  

The myth that lip balms are addictive is so misunderstood there’s actually a website called LipBalmAnonymous.com, but don’t call an interventionist just yet. While your lips may need some kind of restorative rehab due to dryness or irritation, they don’t need a twelve-step program.

The truth is, lip balms are not addictive. And while applying them constantly can become a habit, it’s a relatively harmless one. The secret to keeping your lips in good health starts like any relationship: setting good boundaries. In this case, we mean using products with ingredients that deliver a lasting moisture or boundary from the elements. Waxy products just contribute to a dry feeling and super slicking glosses evaporate too fast.

Instead, opt for a lip balm that protects against the environment with a proper balance of skin-healthy ingredients that provide just the right amount of soothing moisture and sealing protection and feature a broad spectrum SPF for daytime. Once you find your perfect solution, feel free to apply as often as you’d like.

February 17, 2012 at 12:31 am Derm RF Leave a comment

Myth Busters

Myth: a Pore Is a Door

Contrary to the popular teen myth, a splash of cold water cannot close your pores. Pores are not doors that can be opened or closed and their size doesn’t change. But their appearance can. Pores that are filled with dirt, debris and bacteria certainly look bigger because they’re more noticeable.

Minimizing the appearance of pores is best done with skincare containing hydroxy acids to stop dead cells from accumulating inside the pores, kaolin clay to tighten, and advanced peptides to maintain skin firmness.

February 1, 2012 at 2:09 am Derm RF

Myth Busters

Myth: 20 Plus 20 Equals 40

When it comes to SPF, traditional math doesn’t apply. The SPF 20 in your foundation layered with the SPF 20 in your sunscreen does not equal an SPF of 40. It’s more a matter of quality than quantity.

What layering does provide is accuracy. The truth is, most people don’t apply enough of their SPF to really deliver the SPF benefits and rarely apply it evenly on the first go-round. To get the promised benefits, multiple layers are essential and adding an SPF sunscreen on top of an SPF moisturizer and/or foundation is the best way to insure you’re truly covered.

So, do you layer up?

January 10, 2012 at 8:17 pm Derm RF 2 comments

Myth Busters

Myth: Late Nights = Dark Under Eye Circles

With so many demands on our time (holiday parties, gift wrapping, baking cookies for your neighbors, etc.) a good night of sleep can elude us during the holidays. And the result is staring back at us in the mirror every morning. We’re all too familiar with the look. Dark circles show up under your eyes. And these circles become more pronounced with alcohol or caffeine consumption due to greater water retention and even more pronounced as we age and skin slackens. The good news is that everyone doesn’t need to know you’re burning the midnight oil to pull off the perfect holiday. Sleep with your head propped up on a pillow to help with circulation and apply compresses /ice packs to your eyes to reduce swelling in the morning.

December 27, 2011 at 10:00 am Derm RF

Myth Busters

Myth: There aren’t any quick fixes when it comes to Skincare

Whether you’re hoping  for a kiss under the mistletoe or just getting camera-ready for holiday photos, there are small steps you can take weeks and days before the big moment to look your best.

If you have 12 days: Assume the worst and plan for the best. Meaning, if you have occasional sensitive skin peaks or the predictable acne valley, start your treatment regimen before your visual symptoms start. This will keep your skin happy and healthy looking.

If you have three days: Add in some gentle exfoliation to lighten and brighten skin. Keep skin moisturized and apply an eye cream daily with optical brighteners to keep the eye area bright and luminous.

And for an emergency pimple fix, here’s what we recommend:

1. Apply ice buffered by a napkin for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce redness and telltale swelling.
2. Cleanse and apply a treatment lotion containing sulfur, which can be purchased without a prescription. Sulfur helps to unplug pores and shrink swelling.
3. Follow with a product containing 1% hydrocortisone or benzoyl peroxide (both are available over the counter) to keep pores freer and cleaner.
4. Apply a thin layer of a medicated concealer.
5. If time permits, get a cortisone shot from your dermatologist. The results can be miraculous.

So, as the days tick down toward the big event, rest assured you’ll be able to handle any skincare emergency that comes  your way.

December 13, 2011 at 7:23 pm Derm RF

Myth Busters

Sensitivity is Only for the Fairest of Us All

Just because our fair-skinned friends blush and flush more visibly than the rest of us, doesn’t mean they have the corner on the sensitive skin market. Fortunately or unfortunately, sensitive skin picks no favorites and even when it doesn’t show, it tells and lets us know we have it in the form of stinging, burning, itching and general discomfort.

While redness is more visible in fair skinned complexions, sensitive skin is equally prevalent in all races, genders and ethnicities. And although differences in skin tone may mask the obvious signs, the solution for all is one and the same. Look for a regimen that shields against the biological and environmental aggressors that can trigger inflammation, helps fortify skin’s natural moisture barrier, calms visible redness, and reduces irritation so that you can take comfort in having a healthy-looking complexion every day.

November 24, 2011 at 10:03 am Derm RF

Myth Busters

UV Manicure Mania

A minute here.  A minute there. Drying your nails under a UV lamp is only a few minutes a couple of times a month … no harm done, right? Wrong. While your manicurist will assure you otherwise, the truth is, UV damage is cumulative, and whether from a UV lamp or the sun, damaging just the same. And you’ll find the effects on your skin and health will be even longer lasting than your favorite shellac.

But the good news is there are ways to safely indulge in the famous two-week manicure. Simply apply an effective UVA/UVB SPF to the tops of your hands before placing your hands in the UV dryer and enjoy your manicure guilt-free.

October 11, 2011 at 5:59 pm Derm RF

Muth Busters

Fading Away

If you think autumn means accepting a ghostlike pallor, don’t give up your glow. The end of summer doesn’t have to mean the fall of your tan. With modern advances in sunless tanners, it is possible to fake that healthy, vital glow you love about your skin all year long. As temperatures fall, apply a foaming sunless tanner for an even application whenever you feel the need to warm up your appearance and your attitude.

September 28, 2011 at 1:08 am Derm RF

Myth Busters

Myth: September Means I Can Put my Sunscreen Away

You may have used up your vacation days, but the sun hasn’t used up its damaging rays. Just because  summer has come and gone doesn’t mean you’re free to play or work unprotected. No matter the season, our world revolves around the sun 365 days a year and along with our orbit comes UVA rays responsible in large part for accelerated aging. And these UVA rays only get worse as fall approaches … they’re actually stronger on cloudy days.

Want proof? Take your UV sensitive silicone wristband out on a cloudy day; you’ll see it turn purple in no time. So make sure to apply a broad spectrum SPF daily for healthy skin year-round.

September 13, 2011 at 8:18 pm Derm RF