Celebrity Beauty “Secrets” — Good Genes Or Great Skincare

I kept being asked, “How do the celebs look so flawless day in and day out?” my answer is simple and realistic it takes a village to perfect a red carpet look. Most celebs work with a team of people dedicated to helping them look flawless — aestheticians, dermatologists, makeup artists, and photographers. I speak from professional experience when I say that the stars are just like everyone else: They experience dark circles, cystic acne, blackheads, and brown spots. But, since their physical appearance is an important and integral part of their careers, they spend a lot of time and money doing whatever they need to put their best face forward.

Myth Busted: “Celebs have Good Genes”

While good genes definitely play a role in certain skin conditions like oiliness, skin color, and skin thickness, you might be surprised to learn that approximately 30% of aging can be attributed to genetics and 70% to personal habits. This fact is clinically proven by studies that evaluated how identical-twins age. If it were all left to genetics, it would make sense for twins to age in the same manner and at the same rate, but research has shown us that lifestyle factors play a huge role. For example, if one person smokes or works in a profession that forces them to have more exposure to UV rays, one is bound to age faster than the other non-smoking twin who is rarely exposed to harmful UV rays. 

Most skin experts agree on the fact that good genes definitely play a role in how skin looks and acts, but, ultimately, it's how you take care of your skin on a daily basis that's a reflection of your age.

Real “Secrets” Of Celeb Skincare

Celebs do have a few tricks up their sleeves, which help them keep their skin flawless. Here’re a few cardinals rules that you can adopt to give your self an edge on the rest of the nescient populace.

Understand Your Skin Type And Stay Loyal To Your Skincare Routine

The first and most important rule to achieve good skin is: understanding your skin type — normal, dry, oily, pigmented, sensitive or a mix. Second rule to be on your way to achieve skin perfection is: using products created for your specific skin type only. If people with oily skin will use products for dry skin only a disaster and an acne flare can come out of that. If you are unable to match your correct skin type to your skincare routine get professional help and see a dermatologist. Once you find the winning formula stick to it don’t change for the heck of changing. If your skin is changing, then and only then is it time for a change. In your daily skincare routine look for products with active ingredients like retinol, vitamin C, peptides, and salicylic acid, find a well-formulated moisturizer with sunscreen and apply it generously to the face and neck 365 days a year. Sunscreen is absolutely the most effective anti-aging product available.

Professional Skincare Treatments

Chemical peels, oxygen treatments, bio-brasion, ultrasonic exfoliation, Mesotherapy, LED light, micro-current, RF facials Ultrasound facials…they do it all, oftentimes on a weekly basis. Of course, for a lot of us, this isn't realistic — or affordable — but good skin maintenance is something we can all manage. And, if you can't make it into a med spa or dermatologist’s office for monthly treatments, look for at-home treatments that can boost your skin similarly.

Stay Out Of Sun

Number one cause of wrinkles and skin pigmentations is UV rays from the sun, wearing an SPF moisturizer on the face and neck, 365 days a year, rain or shine, inside or outside is imperative. And, whenever possible (and assuming you’re interested in avoiding premature wrinkles), limit your time in the sun. Your skin will thank you and you’ll keep a smooth, healthy-looking, and even-toned texture.

Don’t be a starry-eyed fool next time you see a celebrity in a magazine. Their beauty routine is likely anything but easy and effortless.

Acne 101 — Take Your First Step Towards Unblemished Beauty

Acne is a very common and pesky skin affliction that affects most people with combination to oily skin at some point in their life. In most cases acne usually debuts early in life (around puberty) and we call it teenage acne, but in some cases it appears later in life (past 20 years of age) and we call it adult/hormonal acne. Acne causes spots to develop on the skin, usually on the face, back and chest. These spots or blemishes can range from papules, black heads and white heads — which are often mild — to deep, inflamed, pus-filled pustules and cysts, which can be severe and long-lasting and lead to scarring.

Why Do You Get Acne?

Acne is linked to your genetics and known to run in families. If both your mother and father had acne, it is likely that you will also have acne. It is most commonly linked to the changes in hormone levels during puberty, but can start at any age.

Acne affects the oil-producing glands next to the hair follicles in the skin. Certain hormones cause these glands to produce larger amounts of oil  (sebum). This abnormal sebum changes the activity of a usually harmless skin bacterium called P. acnes, which becomes more aggressive and causes inflammation and pus. The hormones also thicken the inner lining of the hair follicle, causing blockage of the pores (opening of the hair follicles). Hormonal changes, such as those that occur during the menstrual cycle or pregnancy, can also lead to episodes of acne in women.

Using wrong skin or hair products (comedogenic) can exacerbate acne.

Some medications also cause acne.

Friction or rubbing the skin (helmet, hat, tarha/scarf) can also cause acne

There is some evidence that stress and diet also play a strong role in acne.

What Can You Do If You Have Acne?

Keeping your skin clean is important, but will not prevent new spots from developing. Wash the affected area twice a day with a mild soap or cleanser, but do not scrub the skin too hard to avoid irritating it. If your skin is dry, use a moisturizer. While choosing your emollient make sure the product is dermatologically tested and labeled oil-free and non-comedogenic, so it doesn't cause spots.

Sad fact about acne is that it can't be cured permanently, it can be controlled with treatments and proper skincare. Several creams, lotions and gels for treating spots are available at pharmacies.

If you suffer at the hands of acne, it's a good idea to speak to your dermatologist for skincare advice and prevention. Products containing a low concentration of benzoyl peroxide or retinoic acid may be recommended (be careful as these can cause skin irritation and bleach clothing).

If your acne is severe, is leaving behind PIH and scarring or appears on your chest and back, it may need to be treated with antibiotics or stronger treatments that are only available on prescription.

My Acne Prescription

As we have already established there is no cure for acne but it can be controlled by judicious use of skincare and medications here’s my advise on how to keep your skin unblemished and clear even if your gene

For severe and cystic acne that affects the face as well as body and leaves behind scarring you better see a dermatologist as soon as possible before any permanent damage to your skin happen.

If you have acne, you will probably have to treat it for a long period of time — not just during an acne breakout. Work with a dermatologist to determine the most appropriate treatment for your acne, and how long you should follow the treatment regimen. It's important not to stop acne treatment before your doctor says it's okay — otherwise, you run the risk of having another acne breakout just when your skin starts to clear.

Lets Get You Leg Flashing Attire & Calf Sandals Ready

Des jambes sexy as the French say it, or the quintessential slim, contoured and sexy supermodel gams that shine in every attire and are ever so flattering with gladiator sandals “Are” and “Will Always Remain” the iconoclastic beauty asset that females across the board covert. The math in today’s lean and lanky leg obsessed world is very straightforward — all women want them and all men admire them.

In terms of claiming bragging rights most people think either you are born with them or you have to work really hard to achieve them — which by the way is not entirely true. Here’re some insider secrets that can fast track you on your way to getting a leg up in the gracile world of “Beautiful leg Goddesses”.

No Knife No Needles — Energy based Devises: Thunder thighs, cellulite as well as smaller pockets of fat like inner knees, ankles and calves can be difficult to reduce and sometimes diet and exercise are not enough to make a noticeable difference. Now, dermatologists & cosmetic surgeons are finding that the introduction of non-invasive fat removal technologies is opening the doors for more people who are not candidates for liposuction to remove stubborn fat, safely and effectively.

Radiofrequency & Cryotherapy Technologies Fat cells are by nature very different than other cells, particularly in how they respond to stimuli such as temperature. Most of the new technologies recently introduced for fat removal have been developed based on this knowledge and, as a result, can target specific areas of body fat using energy delivered as either heat or cold. Clinical cases and studies have proven that that these technologies deliver consistent results with very little side effects.

Ultrasound Technologies: Ultrasonic energy can be delivered in two different forms: Focused and Non Focused. Non-focused delivery can bring about scattered damage in fat cells with a minimal amount of the energy reaching the fat cells, focused on the other hand is the ideal method in terms of achieving lipolysis and skin tightening.

Laser Liposuction: Lipoplasty over time has become a popular cosmetic procedure for sculpting the thigh, ankle and calf regions, and though classic liposuction may also be efficient for this indication, in experienced hands, laser liposuction is more precise and can result in much superior aesthetic outcomes.

Liposuction is a technique that allows cosmetic surgeons to remove stubborn layers of fat that cannot be handled with diet and exercise. It works by painlessly melting the fat, which is later removed by a device called a cannula (a hollow tube attached to a suction machine that removes the fat through a tiny pinhole incision). The procedure involves making multiple small incisions and injecting a special tumescent anesthesia under the skin to numb the area. Then a small laser fiber is inserted under the skin to break down fat as well as stimulate skin tightening. Unwanted pockets of fat are then sucked out using small vacuum controlled cannulas. A compression garment is applied at the end of the procedure, which has to be worn for 2-3 months post procedure. The treated areas feel sore and bruised for few days, but with the use of laser during liposuction the recovery is much faster compared to the traditional liposuction.

MesoTherapy: Mesotherapy relies on repeated injections just under the skin using specific compounds to kill fat cells reducing the bulk of the area. The compounds injected depend upon what we are trying to achieve — treat cellulite OR reduce fat pockets. The treatment has been used in France for decades, but clinical studies are just beginning in the U.S (Kythera Biopharmaceuticals Inc. has recently won FDA approval for Kybella (deoxycholic acid) to be used for double chin reduction).

Botox®: For people looking for a milder form of calf reduction, Botox may be a good option. Botox works by partially paralyzing the over sized calf muscles reducing muscle activity and causing them to shrink in size. The effects of Botox are temporary, which gives you the opportunity to “sample” the shrinkage it provides. If you like the results, you can repeat the procedure every 6 months or later opt for a more permanent procedure like Radiofrequency based thermal destruction of nerves for the bulky calf muscles.

Beauty Ideals: Physiologists from the University of Liverpool back in 2006 meticulously researched the beauty of women’s legs. After screening the planet thoroughly to find a pair of most beautiful women’s legs on Earth, these scientists concluded that movie star Nicole Kidman happens to be blessed with the golden pins with perfect proportions. The length of Kidman’s legs makes up 1.4 meters of her body length, which according to the researchers is the ultimate correlation for women.

As far as the length of the legs is concerned it still stays very much within the domain of what God had bestowed upon you, but thanks to the creative handiwork of shoe artisans you can always make use of a well-heeled shoe to gain the illusion of legs that go on for days.

Sculpt a little and lift a little — now you can display your prized stems making the couture world your oyster.

Pre-wedding Skin Emergency Pearls

You can almost hear ‘em the proverbial wedding bells calling to your attention that hours and minutes are drawing near until its go time -- glam up and tie that binds, you are about to start a monumental chapter of your life and bang a plump angry looking heinous zit pops up smack in the center of your face now you can’t run and you certainly can’t hide -- Are you going to let it rain on your parade or would you rather have a disaster aversion plan. They say luck favors a prepared mind, so here’s a bit of dermatological wisdom to save your big day.

Lets Deal With That Dreaded Last Minute Blemish First

There isn't a bride who doesn't live in fear of an eleventh hour zit -- Think Zen and breathe easy there is a quick fix to that, go see your dermatologist she/he can give you a cortisone injection, and voila -- the pimple will be gone overnight. If you can't get in to see a doctor, apply hydrocortisone cream under a Band-Aid to reduce the inflammation. Taking Ibuprofen Tab 400mg every four hours will also help. Whatever you do, don't pick at it -- it will only irritate the surrounding skin and mess up your bridal makeup too. Most makeup artists would rather cover a bump than an irritated open wound. #AskNilo

Breaking Out In Nervous Hives

There are ways to prevent a nervous rash from creeping up -- If you're prone to blotchy skin, take an antihistamine like Claritin, Zyrtec, or Benadryl at bedtime starting a few nights before the wedding. Just be sure to give it a trial run two weeks in advance so you know how it will affect you.

Red Red Red Alert -- Waxing And Threading

Granted! you can’t get married sporting a fuzz face or hairy limbs, but what to do if your skin breaks out and gets blotchy after every hair removal experience. Simple fix, cleanse your skin immediately after the hair removal session with a skin-type appropriate cleanser, and apply Fucidin-H cream twice daily for two to three days to sterilize and calm your skin.

Experiment Early Not Just Before Your Big Day

Please don’t do anything one week away that you haven’t tried six months out, this includes everything from the makeup, self-tanner and nail polish you use (make sure none of them give you a rash!) to facials and procedures you get at your derm’s office (botox, fillers, laser treatments or chemical peels).

Facials – How Important Are They?

Everyone asks me are they a necessary pre-wedding indulgence? Like most dermatologists, I am not a huge fan of traditional facials. Physical extractions and pore cleansing with steam and instruments can actually cause significant breakouts, and they provide only temporary improvement. If you've never gotten a facial before, you certainly don't want to start in the days right before your wedding.

Bachelorette Botox Parties: Fun & Festive, Or Really Scary?

They're actually considered unsafe by all plastic surgery and dermatology professional academies. A party is for cake and drinks, not a medical procedure! You want an individualized approach to your treatment in a private, sterile medical setting. Same goes for doing any procedures at your saloon, keep all needles and sharpies limited to your doctors office, don’t accept any cheap medical treatments offered by your beautician.

Skin Saving Top Tip

Don't neglect sun protection! If you're spending a lot of time outside, remember to apply sunscreen to all exposed areas of skin shoulders, arms, and chest in addition to your face. Steer clear of tanning salons before the wedding. Tanning causes premature aging and skin cancer -- it's really bad for your skin. Plus people with a little color in their skin can pigment unpredictably under the sun, so steer clear of unnecessary sun exposure.

Hope these tips help you navigate through any last minute skin woes before your special day, if you have any other scenarios that need a dermatologist’s perspective write back to me and I’d be more than happy to help. 

How To Look Skin-sational While Travelling?

During summer every one travels whether it be few scattered weekends spent on a beach resort or jet setting halfway across the world to exotic locations. One factor common between summer and travelling is that both take toll on the skin. There's no question summer heat is harsh on skin and traveling has it’s own way of being stressful on accounts of being outdoors. Trying to look good while you're traveling is pretty much on the top of everyone’s stress-o-meter these days. Here are some tried and tested tips to let you enjoy your summer escapades while looking fresh skinned and selfie-genic for your instagram travel diaries.

Hydrate Your Skin Before You Take Off

Apply intense moisturizer the night before you are going to travel. This will help increase hydration in your skin before you're exposed to the dehydrating effects of cabin pressure.

Skip Makeup

Omit foundation on the day of your trip, and instead wear only moisturizer. Before you land, add a tinted moisturizer for a fresh, healthy look. If you just can't leave the house without some foundation be sure to put on a primer first - a silicone-based liquid or cream that puts a layer of protection between skin and makeup. It will help foundation and blush last longer and help keep your skin from becoming dehydrated.

Refresh With Mineral Water

To refresh your makeup while traveling never glob on more foundation, powder or blush. Instead, use a mister of mineral water like Avene Thermal Spring Water spray and add a dab of moisturizer on top.

Blot Out Excess Oils

To keep oily skin from getting out of control while traveling, bring blotting papers or rice papers and dab the T-zone of face as often as necessary. This way you'll dab up the shine and excess oil without stripping out the moisture, so you'll arrive looking fresh faced instead of open pored and out of control shinny.

Be Generous With Your Lip Balm

You can further protect your kissers by packing a lip treatment in your carry-on bag and using it liberally while traveling. All airlines pack a intense lip balm in your flying "must have" first class gift bags because it doesn't rub the lipstick off and it keeps the lips hydrated while flying. The same principle applies on bus and train rides, where high heat or air conditioning can also cause lips to feel dehydrated. To nail the perfect duck-face and be the envy of all your cronies try AminoGenesis “Lips To love” and voila you’d have gorgeous pillowy lips that’d give Angelina Jolie a run for her puckers anytime.

Cool Down Puffy Eyes

To reduce under-eye puffiness after a long trip put crushed ice in a washcloth and apply it under the eyes. It's an automatic wake-up call that makes you look and feel immediately fresher.

Perk Up Your Peepers

Watching back-to-back in-flight movies, or reading that paperback novel cover to cover, can also cause you to arrive at your destination with red, watery, not-so-attractive eyes. To avoid it, use soothing hydrating eye-drops. They will lubricate and soothe eyes if you're reading or watching a movie, and refresh and wake up your eyes if you nap.

Keep Your Hands Off Your Face

To minimize breakouts while you're on vacation avoid touching your skin while you travel. You can pick up any number of unknown bacteria that can result in any number of skin problems after you arrive. If you're going to apply makeup while you're in transit, use an antibacterial hand wash on your hands first to further protect your skin.

Don’t Travel Without Your Cleanser

If you can only take one skin care item from home, let it be your cleanser. An abrupt change in cleansers can disrupt skin's acid balance and cause a vacation breakout.

Get Your Beauty Zzzz’s

If you're going to nap on the plane, dab some super-rich night cream around your eyes and don a sleep mask. Both will help you look fresher and more relaxed when you wake.

Don’t Neglect Your Hands

Never leave home without a tube of your favorite hand cream in your tote bag, and use it liberally throughout the trip. This will not only keep your hands from drying out but in the event you do need to wash them it can help counter the effects of harsh commercial-grade soaps found in public restrooms.

Apply SPF Religiously

Whether you’re spending time on the beach, in a metropolis or at a mountain resort do not neglect your sunscreen. Use oil-free light textured lotion or gel with SPF 30 or higher and keep reapplying every 3-4 hours. Neglecting sun protection can lead to pigmentation anomalies in addition to collagen and elastin damage. In light skinned individuals risk of skin cancer can become very real.

Wish you all great happy adventures and safe travels.

Summer Skin S.O.S

With the triple threat of heat, humidity and the blazing sun, summer can take serious toll on your skin. Adding fuel to the fire Ramadan’s rich diet with fried sambosa’s, spring rolls and dates can spike your insulin levels leading to increased production of skin oils. Increased sweating and oil production both lead to blocked pores causing acne flare ups along with textural and pigment related skin issues. To keep our skin at its optimal during summer we all need to adjust our skincare routine along with adding some preventive measures to counter act the weather triggered changes.

Here’s your timely peek at what I recommend during my summer skincare consults in my derma practice.

Foremost Golden Tip -- Sunscreens and antioxidants should be a part of every one’s routine regardless of skin type. Actually in my opinion nothing is more important than wearing sunscreen (ideally, SPF 30) every day. In addition protective clothing, such as wide-brimmed hats that shield your face should be a part of your summer skin care routine. I also always recommend oil free products like Perfect Reflection from AminoGenesis, which are packed with antioxidants to counteract free radicals created by the UV rays. In addition to topical antioxidants, oral antioxidants such as Vitamin C, CoQ10, and foods high in antioxidants such as pomegranate and blueberries play a huge role in skin health. We now know that ingested antioxidants reduce inflammation, reduce free radicals and there is emerging data that they may even help stop pigmentation of the skin.

Daily Skincare -- People with normal & dry skin should avoid harsh foaming cleansers, which remove hydrating lipids from the skin. Hot water should also be avoided and humidifiers are often helpful when living in air-conditioned environment 24/7. I also recommend using a light moisturizer application, after every wash preferably ones containing ceramides, amino acids or humectants, which will pull water into the skin. Propylene glycol, urea, panthenol, lactic acid are all examples of humectants and amino acids are skin’s own natural moisturizing factors.

For people with oily skin, goal should be to reduce sebum production with retinoids such as Retin-A or Differin Gel and to unclog pores with retinoids, alpha and beta hydroxy acids. Oral contraceptives also come in handy to keep hormonal acne flare ups admixed with hot weather under control. Severe acne cases should see a dermatologist and inquire about Isotretinoin course.

To avoid permanent damage and scarring acne extractions should be avoided. Manipulating the skin to extract blemishes damages the skin, increases inflammation and increases the likelihood of scarring.

Hydrate Your Skin On The Go -- Spritz on thermal spring water like Avene Eau Thermale, it will hydrate and replenish the mineral loss due to sweating through your skin. Natural minerals in spring water keep the skin calm and make your skin look dewy too.

Exfoliation -- Can remove oil and debris from the surface of the skin and unclog pores.  This can help decrease the levels of Propionibacterium Acnes (bacteria that causes acne flares) on your skin. Trick to get maximum benefit from an exfoliation session is to keep your skin well moisturized afterwards along with use of antioxidants.

You can try at home exfoliation once or twice a week with Clarisonic or Braun exfoliation brushes or by using products with alpha or beta hydroxy acids. I recommend Gamma Hydroxy Cream from Skin Doctors to be used at night daily or 3 times a week if your skin is sensitive. Retin-A 0.25% cream also works well to rejuvenate and exfoliate if used 2-3 times per week at night.

Professional exfoliation as an in-office salicylic acid peel twice a month is my mainstay. It clears up dulling, dead skin cells, which not only helps even out any discoloration but also draws excess oil out of the pores and leaves skin less shiny. Alternatively if you have sensitive skin use a 30% Glycolic acid peel twice a month it also clears out the pores, kills bacteria inside, and slows oil production and tighten the look of the pores.

Prickly Heat -- In most cases heat rashes clear up on their own taking few days if the affected area is kept cool and dry. The effort required on your part should be to keep your body cool in an air-conditioned room or with use of a fan, alternatively take cool showers or baths and let your skin air-dry. Once the skin is cool and dry, don't use any type of oil-based product, which might block your sweat glands.

To help prevent heat rash, avoid situations that can lead to excessive sweating, such as hot, humid environments. Avoid strenuous exercise when it is very warm. In hot weather, stay indoors and stay cool. Wear lightweight, loose-fitting cotton clothes. Drink plenty of fluids to cool the body and to keep hydrated. Avoid using oils or heavy moisturizers on your skin that can lead to pore blockage.

Sun Burn -- In case you were careless and got burnt by sun accidently first thing you need to remember is, it's all about getting the inflammation down as soon as possible to curb damage in the skin and to calm redness. To take the sting out of the burn soak a facecloth in a bowl of skimmed milk and ice and apply it to the area for five to ten minutes. Take aspirin or ibuprofen for pain and discomfort and apply hydrocortisone cream twice daily to reduce inflammation.

Globe Trotting During Summer -- Most people travel during summer and the altered skincare routines during travel can compound above mentioned skin related problems leading to out of control bad skin all summer long. Now that you’re wiser to the effects of hot weather on your skin revamp your skincare routine and sit pretty enjoying healthy skin all summer long.

Youthful Shakers — All Hands On Deck

Our hands are constantly on display greeting hellos, waving goodbyes, and conveying our expressions and sense of fashion. Hands are considered the second most important body part after face that people notice about us. In some cultures beauty of hands is considered almost as important as the face. Hands with long and slender fingers and small knuckles showcasing smooth textured skin showing no lines or wrinkles are considered an ideal of beauty. Chapped patchy skin with loss of tone and apparent veins are considered completely unacceptable. Sun spots or uneven pigmentation n the back of the hand or fingers are considered deal breakers too.

Looking At Aging Hands

Hands like any part of the body are affected by both intrinsic and extrinsic aging factors. Intrinsic factors lead to loss of collagen and elastin revealing thin skin with decreased in elasticity. Extrinsically sun and manual labor cause wear and tear and pigmentation irregularities. As a combined effect the soft tissues under the skin also gets damaged leading to lost of volume and the veins and tendons become more visible.

Make Sure You Put Your Faith In The Right Hands For Treatment

Hands can be difficult to treat; they can be trickier to treat than the face. Hands are very delicate, so a careful and gradual approach is needed. The dermis on the hands is thinner than the face and there are fewer adnexal structures and superficial dermal vessels making the healing reservoir more limited. During the course of healing process pigmentary changes occur more frequently because hands have less capacity to replace the epidermis. Hands can also swell and react with edema for months after being treated, so I urge all here to seek treatment only from highly experienced doctors and injectors.

Treatment Options

Popular treatments for rejuvenating the hands include: peels, resurfacing lasers, dermal fillers and fat grafting.

Volumization – To add volume and to camouflage visible veins and tendons dermal Fillers like: hyaluronic acid (Juvederm, Bolotero and Teosyal), calcium hydroxy apetite (Radiesse) and polycaprolactone (Ellanse) have all been used successfully with good safety records.

Autologous fat injections work amazingly too with very little down time and almost nil side effects.

Skin Texture Improvement

Low molecular weight non-cross linked hyaluronic acid based skin boosting meso-injections can be employed to improve hydration and elasticity in the skin.

PRP an acronym for platelet rich plasma has gained serious popularity in aesthetic circle as an excellent tool to boost hand rejuvenation practices.

Skin tightening and collagen remodeling can also be triggered with the judicious use of radiofrequency and ultrasound technologies.

Pigmentation problems in the skin surface of hands can be addressed by Lasers and intense pulse light devices alone or in conjunction with chemical or laser peels.

Seborrheic Keratosis or age spots can also be corrected by Cryotherapy where abnormal pigment producing cells are frozen to death and removed by skin healing processes.

Home care

All the above-mentioned treatments should be followed by a diligent use of sunscreen (SPF 30) and anti-pigmentary topical regimen.

Tretinoin and other Retinoid improve skin naturally and prevent further damage from intrinsic as well as extrinsic aging factors. Hydroquinone, kojic acid, arbutin and vitamin C are some of the commonly prescribed topical anti-pigmentary agents.

While washing hands gentle cleansers like Babe Oil Soap or Avene Gentle Milk Cleanser should be employed to prevent overt drying.

Skin hydrating moisturizers like AminoGenesis Cocoon Lotion or Avene Hand Cold Cream should be used multiple times during the day preferably after each hand wash.

Sun protection on hands is a given, but using protective gloves while driving, gardening, or outdoor sports buys you additional insurance against the environment. Skin protection with gloves while dish washing and detergent handling should be mandatory to prevent chemical damage and skin allergies.

I’d like to warn you here against aggressive manicures especially when it comes to cuticle trimming, another big ‘no no” is cleaning fingernails with sharp sticks. Both practices can lead to infections and nail problems.