15 Surprising Ways to Prevent Colds and Flu

Go for a fist bump

The next time someone approaches you with palm outstretched, try a fist bump or air kiss instead. “Shaking hands may be a social expectation, but it is also an excellent method of transferring germs from one person to another,” says J.D. Zipkin, MD, at GoHealth Urgent Care. That’s why Harvard Medical School alternately suggests a fist bump, which in a study transferred 90 percent fewer germs than a handshake.”While avoiding a handshake is not always socially feasible, hand-washing afterward will kill any germs you picked up,” Dr. Zipkin says. In addition, if you can’t avoid the handshake, don’t touch your face afterward to prevent germs on your hands from migrating to your nose and mouth. Find out the clear signs a cold is coming.

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The Best Anti-Aging Secrets Dermatologists Won’t Tell You for Free

Your best weapon to fight aging skin is sunscreen

Sure, you know you need to wear sunscreen to prevent skin cancer, but sunscreen is also the number one way to keep your skin looking younger and healthier. “The sun emits ultraviolet radiation that damage skin, both the overlying epidermis and the underlying dermis,” explains Jerome Garden, director of the Physicians Laser and Dermatology Institute in Chicago. “In addition to increasing your risk of skin cancer, the sun causes brown spots, red spots, and wrinkles.” Find out the sunscreens that top dermatologists love so much they use on themselves.

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13 Things Plastic Surgeons Won’t Tell You

I had a patient who wanted a brow lift because she thought she looked grumpy all the time

I sent her for a brow wax instead. It took 15 minutes, she looked great, and she saved herself $5,000. I’ve also seen patients get results similar to eyelid lifts with over-the-counter firming serums and eyelid-lift creams. The results are temporary, but they do work to reduce lines and puffiness. Don’t miss these weird plastic surgery procedures you had no idea existed.

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Ways to Lose Weight: 42 Fast, Easy Tips

The Best Way to Part Your Hair for Your Face Shape

Round

Visually lengthen your face by drawing more attention to the center with curtain bangs, suggests Kerastase hair stylist Matt Fugate. The bangs are parted in the center and angle down to get longer toward your jawline. By leaving a bit of forehead exposed and tapering to your jaw, the eye focuses on the middle of your face instead of the round sides. “Instantly you change the [face] shape to more of a diamond,” says Fugate. If bangs aren’t your thing, try a deep side part, says Mackenzie Day, stylist and owner of The Artist Haus. Creating more volume at the top of your head will make your face seem longer. Find out the best haircut for your face shape.

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11 Lung Exercises That Can Build Up Your Lung Power

Practice deep breathing

You breathe in and out 12 to 15 times every minute while resting, so take advantage of these breaths by performing some deep breathing lung exercises throughout the day. Simply relax your face, inhale through your nose as deeply as you can, and exhale out through your mouth. “If you want a nice pair of lungs, you want to develop a tidal volume, a fancy word for the total amount of air that you can actually breathe,” says Pamela Peeke, MD, author of FIT To LIVE and spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine. Deep breathing opens your chest cavity and allows your lungs to distribute oxygen evenly throughout the body and remove carbon dioxide waste, a gas that can be detrimental to your organs if it’s not removed properly. Take a few more deep breaths after you get out of bed in the morning or before you go to sleep at night to relax your mind and de-stress your body. These energizing yoga stretches are a great way to start your day.

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10 Golden Beauty Rules for Combination Skin

Treat different areas differently

If you have an oily T-zone and dry cheeks, it’s nearly impossible to find one product that works for your entire face. When it comes to moisturizers, your best bet is to use an anti-acne cream for acne-prone areas and an oil-free moisturizer everywhere else. Many beauty companies will make dual products specifically designed for combination skin; these packs include a mattifying moisturizer for the T-zone and a hydrating moisturizer for the cheek area. These are the best facial moisturizers for different skin types.

 

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12 Proven Tricks for How to Stay Awake (with Less Than 5 Hours of Sleep)

Turn on a bright light

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night—and although we should aim for that, it doesn’t always happen. A sick kid, deadlines on a work project, or even insomnia can cause us to get too little shut-eye. But how to stay awake when that happens? Besides taking a nap, which isn’t usually possible when we have to face the day, here’s what you can do: Reset your internal clock with the help of light. “Light therapy delivered for 20 minutes upon awakening or at particular times of day can be very effective,” says sleep expert Michael Breus, PhD, author of The Power of When. “There are special [blue spectrum] bulbs that are commercially available that can help a person wake up—I use them in my bathroom.” A study from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that bright light at the end of a night shift was effective in increasing alertness. If you can’t sleep, one of these 10 medical conditions could be why.

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The Best Products to Tackle Oily Skin for Good

Why go oil-free?

Face oils like Superfood by Elemis are a big beauty trend. But many oils and products that use them are comedogenic—they can clog pores and aggravate conditions like acne, according to Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, FAAD and the assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale-New Haven Hospital. “I recommend oil-free products to my patients who struggle with acne, rosacea, and other inflammatory skin conditions.” Still, you don’t want to skip hydration especially if you’re acne prone! “While acne-prone skin may appear oily, using a hydrating serum or lotion that leverages hyaluronic acid, and other hydrating ingredients from nature such as cucumber extract can actually help the skin to regulate its own oil production and improve acne flare-ups.”

If you’re not ready to go oil-free, at least make sure you’re using the best face oil for your skin type.

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12 Things You Should Never, Ever Do to Your Skin, According to Dermatologists

Never pop a pimple

When a pimple is big and red and gross and you want it gone ASAP, popping it can seem like a good idea. “It is so tempting to do,” says Boca Raton dermatologist Jeffrey Fromowitz, MD. “But whenever you create a disruption in the skin, it increases the chance of infection, worsening inflammation and even scarring.” Instead, if you have a really prominent pimple you want to pop, go see your dermatologist—or try this dermatologist-approved way to pop a pimple.

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8 Discreet Signs You’re Being Taken for Granted—and What to Do About It

He takes credit for something you did

If someone tries to steal your glory at work, that’s a sign he is taking advantage of your kind nature. “We all know the co-worker that accepts praise for the part of the project you did,” says Erika Martinez, PsyD, a licensed psychologist in Miami. “These behaviors communicate a sense of entitlement from the person that’s benefiting from the relationship.” Watch out for these signs that you can’t trust your co-worker.

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14 Beauty Trends That Are Downright Dangerous

The #KylieJennerChallenge

When Kylie Jenner, the youngest member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, denied the use of lip fillers to achieve her ever-expanding pout, and instead attributed her look to the use of suction cup-like devices, the social media world went haywire. Seemingly overnight, impressionable young teens eager to get lips like Kylie started the #KylieJennerChallenge, which involved artificially plumping their lips with the use of a shot glass or 2-liter soda bottleneck. While this method can, indeed, make the lips appear even twice the size, it’s seriously dangerous, according to experts. “The process can cause permanent tissue damage, broken blood vessels, and even numbness or loss of function around the mouth,” warns Melanie D. Palm, MD, San Diego-based dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon. “It may seem like a silly and fun prank, but it can have permanent and blatantly visible side effects on your face.”  Find out if lip-plumping products actually work.

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16 Signs Your Face Is Aging Faster Than You Are

You’ve got sun spots

Skin aging is going to happen—but lifestyle and environmental factors can make you appear older than you are. For example, you know the sun can harm your skin, but this damage can actually age your skin’s appearance with unsightly brown patches. “As we enter our 30s, we begin to see the cumulative impact of sun damage, including sun spots,” says dermatologist Whitney Bowe, MD, author of The Beauty of Dirty Skin. “Much of the damage that causes sun spots is UV-induced, but hormones can fuel spots and splotches too.” She advises addressing the dark spots with a serum containing botanical brighteners, like licorice, soy, arbutin, and niacinamide; or talk to your dermatologist about the prescription bleaching cream hydroquinone. Here are more weird ways the sun affects your body.

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The Surprising Depression Risk That’s Right on Your Face

Learn the clear signs your acne requires medical treatment—a primary one is that your self-image is taking a beating. Don’t dismiss your feelings: A new study suggests that acne can lead to major depression, and the risk is highest in the first year after acne has been diagnosed.

Published in The British Journal of Dermatology, the new research drew on data from nearly 1.9 million men and women over a 15-year period. (They were all part of The Health Improvement Network, a large primary care database in the United Kingdom, according to a press release.) The researchers compared the mental health of more than 134,000 people with acne to that of 1.7 million people who were blemish-free. After accounting for behaviors that can contribute to depression—things like smoking, drinking, weight, and income—the researchers discovered that the likelihood of developing major depression jumped by 63 percent in the year following an acne diagnosis, and it remained elevated for up to five years when compared to people who didn’t have acne.

The lead author, Isabelle A. Vallerand, PhD, an epidemiologist at the University of Calgary, told the New York Times: “It appears that acne is a lot more than just skin deep. It can have a substantial impact on overall mental health.” She believes the link needs to be taken seriously. Health-care providers should track the mood of acne patients and be ready to address signs depression—or consult with a mental health professional.

Here is what else your acne may indicate about your general health.

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How I Cured My Cystic Acne in 3 Weeks

Let me preface this by saying that I’ve never really had that bad of skin. In fact, my skin was pretty clear most of my life all throughout puberty, middle school, high school, and even college. Sure, I’d get an occasional pimple, especially around my period, but never had to deal with the daily struggles of acne. Unfortunately, all of this changed when I turned 22 and graduated from college.

My mom, who owns a medical spa, taught me the importance of a good skin-care regimen. She initially attributed the painful cystic acne popping up around my chin, mouth, and jawline to environmental stresses associated with moving across the country and starting a new job. My gynecologist agreed and put me on a low-dose birth control pill to help stabilize my hormone levels.

While, the birth control pills certainly did help—I was experiencing fewer breakouts—it didn’t clear up my cystic acne entirely. I was left feeling embarrassed and defeated. I went from rarely ever wearing makeup to applying heavy foundation before leaving the house. I was also frustrated and confused because I took really good care of my skin. I washed my face morning and night, and applied my serums, moisturizers, and sunscreen religiously. But my acne remained.

My mom encouraged me to see a dermatologist in my new home to discuss oral antibiotics for my breakouts. A few weeks later, I saw Maryann Mikhail, MD, of Spring Street Dermatology in New York City. Dr. Mikhail looked at my skin under a giant magnifying class and explained to me that I was definitely experiencing hormonal acne as my pimples were located in the “beard area.” She prescribed me 20mg of spironolactone to be taken twice a day, along with a very simple skin-care regimen of a gentle cleanser followed by moisturizer morning and night and SPF in the morning. I stopped using all my serums, retinoid, and face masks completely.

A medication that’s been around since the 1950s, spironolactone is FDA-approved to treat high blood pressure, but dermatologists have been prescribing the medication for over two decades to treat adult hormonal acne.

“Spironolactone is an androgen blocker,” says Dr. Mikhail. “We know that women with hormonal acne either have too much androgen or are too sensitive to androgens, so blocking the androgens from hitting the skin clears the breakouts.”

While, spironolactone isn’t FDA-approved to treat hormonal acne, research proves it effective. A quick Google search will give you dozens of University studies that show how it’s cleared up hormonal acne for thousands of women. Here are a few reasons you might be breaking out.

“Good candidates for spironolactone are women who present with cyclical breakouts on the lower face (+/- chest and back) and who are not planning pregnancy,” says Dr. Mikhail. “Also, it is helpful for women whose acne returns after a course of antibiotics or Accutane. It is also helpful in controlling acne associated with PCOS.”

In just one week of taking the medication, I saw significant improvement. The cystic acne bumps that I had along my jawline began to disappear and no new pimples popped up. At about three weeks, my cystic acne cleared up almost entirely. I recently saw Dr. Mikhail for my follow-up, and he was very pleased at how fast my skin responded. I’ve been on the medication for a month now, and my skin is the best it’s been in about four years. My cystic acne has cleared up completely.

Next, find out what the acne on every part of your body is trying to tell you.

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These Science-Approved Facial Exercises Can Make You Look Years Younger

The science behind the moves

You may not need to run straight for the first Botox-filled needle at your dermatologist’s office, because a new study conducted by Northwestern University just revealed that 30 minutes a day of facial exercises, or at least a few times a week, results in a younger appearance with fuller and firmer upper and lower cheeks. That’s great news for people who are seriously committed to natural beauty and saving loads of cash on pricey beauty products.

Do face exercises work for the average woman, though? You’ll be pleased to know the women who took part in the study looked an average of three years younger after 20 weeks of exercise, as rated by dermatologists. If you’re eager to give face exercises a whirl at home, they’re pretty simple, and we spoke to Heidi Frederick, the founder of FaceLove, a beauty business specializing in facial fitness.

You’ll also want to check out these secrets on looking younger from top dermatologists.

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