Lets Talk About skin Care, Beauty And Health Tips

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What Are the Treatments for Skin Discoloration?
By Sabrina Ashley, eHow Contributor

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There are many treatments for skin discolorations. Not all methods work for all people so it is a good idea to start with the inexpensive home remedies. If home remedies and over-the counter products are not effective, a dermatologist has several methods that can work, but they are more expensive. Skin discolorations are the result of scarring, aging and genetics. Some people are born with freckles while others get age spots from excessive sun exposure. Many find an uneven skin tone and skin discolorations to be unattractive. Fortunately, there are several treatments to fade these discolorations.

Home Remedies

The two least expensive ways to treat skin discolorations are with lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide. Both are popular bleaching agents used in skin care products and can be found in a supermarket.

You can squeeze the juice from fresh lemons or buy a bottle of the juice. Lemons contain citric acid and this natural ac id gently exfoliates the top layer of skin or the epidermis.

Hydrogen peroxide is a strong bleach so the Food and Drug Administration only allows a solution of 3 to 3.5 percent to be used topically or internally. With the lemon juice and the hydrogen peroxide, apply the liquid to the discolored areas several times a day for best results. The discoloration will fade in time.
Skin Lighteners

Also called fade creams, skin bleaches and skin whiteners, these products contain chemicals that bleach the epidermis. The most common chemical is hydroquinone. The FDA allows over-the-counter creams and lotions to contain 2 percent hydroquinone. It is effective in fading skin discolorations. The Mayo Clinic suggests looking for skin bleaches that contain glycolic acid, kojic acid or deoxyarbutin.
Chemical Peels

Chemical peels can be done at home, at a beauty salon or in a doctor's office. In this procedure, an acid is applied to the skin. The acid burns the epidermis, and as the old and discolored skin peels away, new skin appears. The new skin is less discolored. Glycolic acid is not only used as an ingredient in bleaching products, but it can also be used alone for a chemical peel. Another product used for chemical peels is lactic acid. Both are effective in fading skin discolorations and both are sold at beauty supply shops for personal at-home use. Salons and doctors are able to use higher concentrations of these acids. Doctors also have more chemicals to choose from for doing peels, including some that are only available to the medical community.
Prescription Drugs

For skin discolorations that don't respond to home remedies or over-the-counter products, a visit to a dermatologist or plastic surgeon may be necessary. A doctor can give you prescription strength hydroquinone. Other topical prescription drugs are retinoids such as Retin-A. In some cases a mild steroid may be prescribed. These prescription creams can fade skin discoloration over several months.
Laser Surgery

The doctor may also use laser surgery to remove the skin discolorations. Laser therapy is expensive and usually requires several treatments. "Laser therapy destroys the extra melanocytes that create the dark pigment without damaging the skin's surface," the Mayo Clinic notes. The skin discolorations gradually fade over weeks or months, depending on the individual.


Read more: What Are the Treatments for Skin Discoloration? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5251717_treatments-skin-discoloration_.html#ixzz1TpRI70bx

Is dry skin bad for acne?

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Hello. I can suggest you great article about dry skin. You can find there reasons of appearance, features of care, dry skin needs, basic care, enemies of dry skin etc. I think it will be useful for you!

I have a acne-prone skin and the skin care products that I'm currently using are not really helping me and that's why I'm planning on using different products.After I wash my face with the cleanser,my face tends to get itchy and I also have blackheads around my nose area.Skin care products that I'm using right now is a cleanser,exfoliants and moisturizers.But I read in an article,that it is not recommended for people that have sensitive skin to use exfoliants since it was too harsh and abrasive.Can you guys suggest to me any good products that could help with sensitive acne-prone skin?

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honestly, my skin cleared up when I STOPPED washing my face. I know that sounds gross, but I just rinse my face off really good in the shower (not with hot but with lukewarm water) then pat it dry gently with a clean towel. I also use that mineral foundation powder instead of the liquid foundation and my skin stopped acting up so much. When you go to bed, either wash your pillowcase every night or put a clean towel over your pillow. Sleeping on a dirty pillow can cause acne on your cheeks. Also wash your makeup brushes regularly. One more thing. Use NATURAL products on your skin. The chemicals in traditional drugstore cleansers are actually really bad for your skin. Who knows how they got approved.

Good facial wash for sensitive skin?

I have acne prone skin. When taken care of my skin glows beautifully. My skin rejects alot of those products out there. The slightest thing and I get an annoying breakout. Anyone know of a good face wash?

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tips on how to properly care for your skin, from the right way to wash your face, to the best moisturizers and UV protection.

The Basic 4-Step Skincare Regimen

* Step 1: Cleansing Simple is key here. You need to find a good cleanser that your skin responds well to, and stick with it. (I list the best cleansers for skin types in this article ).

Avoid bar soaps as they tend to dry out the skin. According to Rona Berg, in her book, "Beauty," a French cosmetics executive once told her "soap should only ever touch your skin from the neck down." We agree. According to Berg, most cleansers contain oil, water and "surfactants." The oil dissolves oil on your face, surfactants dissolve dirt and makeup and the water washes it all away. The secret is finding the right mix of oil. (Makes sense to us). Too much on your skin will clog pores, while too little will dry it out. This is why you need to know your skin type.

Be careful not to cleanse too often. Washing at night should do you. While some skincare experts swear you should cleanse skin with creamy cleansers that you wipe off with a tissue, never letting water touch your skin (some hard waters are especially hard on skin), we prefer the water method. In the morning, a splash of lukewarm water is all you need (we find it's great for removing excess oils from your nightly moisturizing). Never wash your face with hot or cold water (both can cause broken capillaries). Also be careful about overcleansing skin.

Here's the best way to wash your face: Use warm water to loosen dirt and clogged pores. Use a dime-sized bit of cleanser, then rinse with cool or lukewarm water. You'll also want to take off your makeup with a proper makeup remover.

* Step 2: Exfoliate Exfoliation is the step most people skip in their weekly skincare routine. But trust me, if you start properly exfoliating your skin, you will notice an almost immediate difference. According to Berg, one of the reasons men's skin looks more youthful than women's is because men tend to exfoliate daily when they shave. There are several ways to exfoliate skin: Microdermabrasion, chemical peels and retinoids.

Scrubs work by removing the top layer of dead skin cells that tend to dull your complexion. We find exfoliating skin once a week with a microdermabrasion kit keeps skin glowing year-round. Make sure you use a gentle scrub with tiny grains. Big grains in cheap scrubs can tear skin and cause more harm than good. My favorite microdermabrasion kit is made by Lancome.

In the hour it takes to get a chemical peel, you can take off five years from your face. Can't afford the pricetag for a monthly peel? Try some over-the-counter peels that work over the course of a month. I prefer MD Skincare's.

Retinoids (such as Retin-A) also work by removing the top layer of dead skin cells while also generating collagen in the skin. "Collagen is the skin's structural fiber," dermatologist Dennis Gross said in the October 2005 issue of O Magazine. "As we get older, it breaks down, creating lines and large pores." Skincare experts disagree on all sorts of things, but most of them consider retinoids to be a miracle skin saver.

Should you use a toner? Some people swear by toners, but many beauty experts do not (I once read a skincare expert claim, 'toners are only for copy machines'). Toners are meant to remove all remaining traces of oil, makeup and dirt, but a good cleanser should do this. I firmly believe it's up to you. If you like the way your skin feels with a toner. Buy it. Use it. Enjoy it.

* Step 3: Moisturize While I know of at least one famous beauty editor who swore skin doesn't need moisturizer, basically everyone else I've read disagrees and is an adamant believer in it. A basic law of beauty is that everyone, no matter her skin type, should moisturize. Even if your skin is oily, it will benefit from moisturizers. (The only exception is those with acne). Why? Moisturizers seal moisture into skin (Berg calls this the 'Saran Wrap effect'). So how much should you moisturize? Your skin will tell you. When your skin is tight, it's crying out for moisture. Be careful not to overmoisturize -- this can cause clogged pores. For the skinny on great moisturizers for your skin type, check out this article.