Seven out of 10 people are allergic to poison ivy, making this the world’s most common allergy. People who have the allergy are sensitive to urushiol, an irritating resin that’s found in poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. If you so much as brush one of these plants, urushiol can get on your skin. Within as little as two hours, you’ll develop an itchy rash that will have … [Read more...] about Natural Home Remedies for Poison Ivy to Make the Itch Stop
Skin Care
Natural Home Remedies for Calluses and Corns That Could Save You a Pedicure
When your body tries to defend itself from injury, it sometimes creates strange armor. The outermost layer of skin piles up a thick fortress of dead cells whenever it’s rubbed too much or too often. That’s what happens when an ill-fitting shoe keeps rubbing the same toe, or a metal-handled rake puts friction on the inside of your thumb. The epidermis gradually builds up a … [Read more...] about Natural Home Remedies for Calluses and Corns That Could Save You a Pedicure
Natural Home Remedies for Bruises to Fade Them Fast
What causes a bruise? You’ve had a bump, blow, or knock to your body that was hard enough to damage small blood vessels under your skin. Blood leaks out of these blood vessels, called capillaries, and seeps into the surrounding tissue. For a while you see the traditional black-and-blue colors, which are the trademark of most bruises. As the pooled blood gradually breaks down, … [Read more...] about Natural Home Remedies for Bruises to Fade Them Fast
Natural Home Remedies for Chapped Lips You’ll Be Glad You Tried
It’s one of the few flaws in our otherwise almost-perfect design: Our lips, so exposed to sun, wind, and other irritants, don’t have oil glands to keep them soft and moist. Nor do they contain much melanin, the pigment in our skin that turns us tan and offers some protection from the sun. It’s no wonder that lips can get as parched and cracked as old shoe leather. If you want … [Read more...] about Natural Home Remedies for Chapped Lips You’ll Be Glad You Tried
Natural Home Remedies for Athlete’s Foot to Just Make It Go Away
Your feet have been attacked by tinea pedis. This stealthy intruder, which targets the nails, skin and hair, causes skin to redden, crack, burn, scale and itch. When the fungus invades the area between your toes, the classic symptom is itchy, flaking skin. Sometimes tinea stays between the toes. But it may also appear on the soles and sides of the feet and even spread to your … [Read more...] about Natural Home Remedies for Athlete’s Foot to Just Make It Go Away
Natural Home Remedies for Blisters to Heal Skin Quickly
You’ve most likely rubbed your skin the wrong way... literally. The most frequent cause of blisters is excessive friction on moist skin. As a blister forms, clear fluid accumulates in a pocket between the layers of the skin. Sometimes a small blood vessel in the area is damaged, and the fluid in the blister becomes tinged with blood. These types of blisters are generally found … [Read more...] about Natural Home Remedies for Blisters to Heal Skin Quickly
Natural Home Remedies for Acne Your Derm Forgot to Tell You
If scientists can decipher the human genome, you’d think they could find a way to eradicate acne. No such luck. It’s up to you to deal with the outbreaks that can damage your pride of appearance long after teenage angst is past. When a pimple rears its ugly black, white, or red head, over-the-counter products can help. But so can simple remedies from Mother Nature’s medicine … [Read more...] about Natural Home Remedies for Acne Your Derm Forgot to Tell You
How to Treat a Bee Sting: 5 Steps to Take ASAP
1. Remove stinger (with caution) As quickly as you can, remove the stinger. Scrape it out as close to the skin as possible with a fingernail, credit card or knife. Don’t squeeze, use tweezers, or pull it out, because you’ll just release more venom. 2. Tenderize to reduce pain from venom If you have meat tenderizers in the kitchen, make a past with ice water and apply … [Read more...] about How to Treat a Bee Sting: 5 Steps to Take ASAP
Itchy, Flaky Skin? Get Relief For Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease that can start at any age, most commonly in young adulthood; once it appears, it often means a lifetime of flaking and itching skin, sometimes to the extent that people feel imprisoned in their own body. The red patches of psoriasis, covered in silvery flakes or scales, are often maddeningly itchy. They can be cracked and sore, and … [Read more...] about Itchy, Flaky Skin? Get Relief For Psoriasis
Do You Know What Skin Cancer Looks Like?
Know the Signs of Skin Cancer You’ve likely been told to look out for moles that change color or size, but many more common types of skin cancer don't look like moles at all, but red sores, wart-like bumps or scaly patches. “We tell people to look for anything new, or anything that doesn’t heal after a while,” explains Cheryl Rosen, MD, a dermatologist at Toronto Western … [Read more...] about Do You Know What Skin Cancer Looks Like?
7 Foods That Are Seriously Ruining Your Skin
Watch what you eat The influence of nutrition on the skin is really underestimated, says Alan Logan, a naturopathic doctor and author of The Clear Skin Diet (Cumberland House). “Over the long term [poor diet] can influence the production of inflammatory chemicals in the skin that could lead to acne and other skin conditions,” says Logan. “According to research, that could … [Read more...] about 7 Foods That Are Seriously Ruining Your Skin
How Exfoliation Helps Your Skin
Many of us know the benefits of exfoliation in whisking away complexion-dulling dead skin cells. But it does more than that, says Holly Sherrard, education manager for Dermalogica Canada. “Exfoliating increases cell turnover to reveal newer, healthier skin cells, plus it decreases blackheads, minimizes hyperpigmentation and fine lines, and imparts an all-over healthy glow.” It … [Read more...] about How Exfoliation Helps Your Skin
Is It Safe To Get A Base Tan?
While the tanning industry has long argued that a “base tan”—achieved gradually over time—will provide protection from sunburn, more and more evidence is finding that’s just not true. The World Health Organization argues that the UVA rays used in indoor tanning salons penetrate the skin deeper and can still contribute to skin cancer. There is also no evidence to support … [Read more...] about Is It Safe To Get A Base Tan?
4 Common Foods That Are Ruining Your Skin
Alcohol Stephen Mulholland, MD, a plastic surgeon in Toronto, says excessive alcohol consumption—more than one or two drinks a day—puts strain on the liver, and that can result in dilated pores, dilated and broken capillaries, as well as the overgrowth of sweat and oil glands. Unfortunately, this occurs most often in the face (particularly the nose), though other areas of the … [Read more...] about 4 Common Foods That Are Ruining Your Skin
Are Some People Really Allergic to the Sun?
A true sun allergy—called solar urticaria—is very rare, affecting an estimated 0.5 percent of people. We’re not talking sunburns here! “Some 10 percent of the world’s population might have a skin reaction when exposed to the sun,” says dermatologist Gordon Searles, MD. These reactions can be broken down into two types: sun allergy and sun sensitivity. “People with a sun … [Read more...] about Are Some People Really Allergic to the Sun?
Prevent Dry Skin: 6 Soothing Steps to Take This Winter
Exfoliate for softer skin • Give your skin a milk bath. The lactic acid in milk exfoliates dead skin cells and may also increase skin's ability to hold in moisture. Soak a washcloth in cold milk. Lay the cloth on any area of skin that is particularly dry or irritated. Leave the cloth there for five minutes, and when you rinse off the milk, do it gently, so some of the lactic … [Read more...] about Prevent Dry Skin: 6 Soothing Steps to Take This Winter
4 Things You Should Know About Psoriasis
Surprising Psoriasis Facts Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin condition that involves red elevated patches and flaking silvery scales. Lesions may be painful and itchy, and can appear anywhere on the body, but most commonly occur on the hands, knees, elbows and scalp, says dermatologist Melinda Gooderham, MD. Psoriasis lesions occur as a result of the skin … [Read more...] about 4 Things You Should Know About Psoriasis
The 5 Best Foods To Eat For Healthy, Glowing Skin
Eat for great skin You probably think about how nutrition affects your health and your weight, but eating the right foods can also improve the quality of your skin. “You can look at food as the raw materials for a factory,” says naturopathic doctor Ian Koo, ND. “The better the quality of the raw materials we have to start with, the greater the chance that we’ll end up with a … [Read more...] about The 5 Best Foods To Eat For Healthy, Glowing Skin
The 6 Best Tricks to Get Amazing, Soft Skin (and Keep It That Way)
Remedies for soft skin Whether you’re 25 or 65, the quest to maintain healthy, soft skin can be a daily battle. While there is no guaranteed method to permanently turn back the clock, there are several simple ways to slow it down and retain fresh skin. Dermatologist Benjamin Barankin, MD, says that help is available for even the most serious of skin cases, thanks to advances … [Read more...] about The 6 Best Tricks to Get Amazing, Soft Skin (and Keep It That Way)
5 Reasons Your Skin is Dry and Itchy (and How to Fix It)
Are you suffering from dry skin? It's safe to say no likes the itchy, inflamed feeling of dry skin. Unfortunately, it's a common problem that often affects the arms, thighs, lower legs, sides of the abdomen, even the lips. Dermatologist Peter Vignjevic, MD, shares the causes of dry skin and what you can do to make it better. … [Read more...] about 5 Reasons Your Skin is Dry and Itchy (and How to Fix It)
6 Bad Habits That Can Seriously Wreck Your Skin
Skip these bad skin behaviors Sure, you know your skincare essentials: removing makeup, washing and moisturizing twice a day, eating well, and staying hydrated. Still, a few bad habits could be sabotaging your skin. Dermatologist Lisa Kellett, MD, shares her top picks for skincare practices to break, now. … [Read more...] about 6 Bad Habits That Can Seriously Wreck Your Skin
9 Key Body Parts You Forget To Protect With Sunscreen
Be sun smart You know the drill–don’t venture outdoors without a slathering of sunscreen. Still, there are a few key areas of your skin you might be leaving vulnerable to the sun's harmful rays. Each year in the U.S., nearly 5 million people are treated for skin cancer, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Not to mention, about 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers are … [Read more...] about 9 Key Body Parts You Forget To Protect With Sunscreen
8 Easy Things You Can Do For a Clearer Complexion
8 Bad Excuses to Not Wear Sunscreen That Put You at Risk
Ever find yourself using excuses to not wear sunscreen? You may hate how it feels or smells, but not applying SPF is an even bigger concern. Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer in the U.S. than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung, and colon, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Listen to this expert advice next time you start … [Read more...] about 8 Bad Excuses to Not Wear Sunscreen That Put You at Risk
3 Sunscreen Rules You Should Follow Every Day
Everything you already know about sunscreen is still true. You have to wear it; you have to reapply. Yet most of us are guilty of delinquent sunscreen behavior. Protecting your skin from damaging UV rays should be a no-brainer. A closer look at the hard facts reveals a few rules to live by. Consider antioxidants your second line of defense Sunscreen is most effective when … [Read more...] about 3 Sunscreen Rules You Should Follow Every Day
20 Tricks to Keep Your Skin Looking Young and Vibrant
1. Skip long, steamy showers and opt for shorter, cooler sprays. Long, hot showers strip skin of its moisture and wash away protective oils. Try to limit yourself to 10 minutes and keep the water cool. 2. Check the dryness of your skin by scratching a small area on your arm or leg with your fingernail. If it leaves a white mark, your skin is indeed dry and needs both moisture … [Read more...] about 20 Tricks to Keep Your Skin Looking Young and Vibrant
Natural Home Remedies for Dry Skin Your Dermatologist Forgot to Tell You
The outer layer of your skin works like a self-oiled machine, but sometimes oil production can't keep up with demand. Trouble occurs when you shower a lot, use skin-drying soap, or live in a house where the air is Saharan. What's the best refreshment for parched skin? Most moisturizers (which don't actually add moisture to the skin but serve to lock in moisture that's already … [Read more...] about Natural Home Remedies for Dry Skin Your Dermatologist Forgot to Tell You
Natural Home Remedies for Warts to Make Them Disappear
If you have a wart, it means the human papillomavirus (HPV) has invaded a tiny cut in your skin. HPV is really an umbrella term for many strains of a virus that can show up all over the body. Some types of warts are found singly, other times in clusters. Generally, the wart appears as a pale skin growth with a rough surface. What you can do for warts • Cover the wart with a … [Read more...] about Natural Home Remedies for Warts to Make Them Disappear
Natural Home Remedies for Insect and Spider Bites to Ease the Sting
If you live near a polar ice cap, you’ll never have to worry about mosquitoes, bees, wasps, or spiders. For the rest of us, confrontations with these pesky predators are as inevitable as the summer solstice. For some bugs, insect repellent is an effective deterrent. Others, however, seem eternally bold, and their bites are as bad as their buzz. Here are some natural ways to … [Read more...] about Natural Home Remedies for Insect and Spider Bites to Ease the Sting
Natural Home Remedies for Hives to Get Your Smooth Skin Back Again
As small as jujubes or as large as saucers, hives are an allergic reaction that take the form of itchy red bumps or welts on the skin. They are the result of cells releasing histamine, a chemical that makes blood vessels leak fluid into the deepest layers of skin. It’s not clear why some people get hives, while others don’t, and the “triggers” associated with hives are so … [Read more...] about Natural Home Remedies for Hives to Get Your Smooth Skin Back Again