Skin & Beauty Blog

The CDC recently released new guidelines on who should get the shingles vaccine. Previously the CDC recommended all people over 60 who have never had shingles get the vaccine. Now they are recommending that anyone over 60, regardless of whether they've had shingles, should get the vaccine.

Shingles is a burning, blistering rash cause by a reactivation of the same virus that causes chicken pox. One possible complication of shingles is a condition called post-herpetic neuralgia, which causes severe pain that can last months after the rash has gone away.

The shingles vaccine is made of weakened portions of the chicken pox virus and has been shown to prevent shingles from developing or lessen the severity of the symptoms. It also helps prevent post-herpetic neuralgia. Recent studies have shown that it helps prevent recurrences even in people who've had shingles in the past.

Soaps for the face are different than soaps for your body. Find out why your face deserves its own soap, and get help choosing the best soap for your face.

There's been a lot of research lately into ways to prevent children from getting atopic dermatitis. Studies have looked at the foods a breast-feeding mom eats, whether infants are breast or bottle fed, when babies start eating solid food, and feeding prebiotics or probiotics to babies to prevent or lessen the symptoms of atopic dermatitis. At best, these studies show further study is needed.

Along this line, recent studies presented at the International Symposium on Early Nutrition Programming found that bacteria in babies guts may be an area to focus on. These studies showed that babies who have a family history of atopic dermatitis have a higher chance of not developing it themselves if they have certain bacteria in their intestines.

It makes sense that the right balance of bacteria could be helpful. Soon after birth bacteria colonize babies' guts and their immune systems start to work developing what is known as gut immunity. Gut immunity is important because it's the first line of defense against absorption of substances that could trigger allergies.

The investigators are hoping that the risk of atopic dermatitis can be lessened by giving babies the right bacterial strains and prebiotic mixtures to boost their immune systems.

Indian spice tumeric is a popular alternative treatment for psoriasis. Unfortunately, researchers at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine recently conducted a prospective study that showed curcumin (the active ingredient) does not cause regression of psoriasis plaques. Any positive response to this substance is apparently placebo affect or the natural waning of the disease.

There are websites and alternative newspapers and newsletters that have published anecdotal reports of regression of psoriasis plaques in people who have ingested indian spice tumeric.

On a brighter note, 2 out of the 12 people in this study had an excellent response. While this may be placebo effect, it could also mean that a certain group of patients with psoriasis might respond to the treatment.

A task force of the National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board presented a review of recently published research on links between psoriasis and other medical conditions. This research showed that people with more severe psoriasis do have a higher chance of developing other serious medical conditions like:

• Psoriatic arthritis
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Depression
• Obesity

The task force recommends that people with psoriasis should have regular, comprehensive check-ups with their primary care provider and work on lifestyle changes such as losing weight, quitting smoking, exercising more, controlling cholesterol, reducing blood pressure, and maintaining emotional health.

A recent study compared a relatively simple procedure for straightening an ingrown toenail to removing a portion of the nail all the way back to the nail bed. The number of people who had recurrent ingrown toenails after 2 years was similar in both groups. However, the people who had the straightening procedure, termed orthonyxia, had less pain and bleeding after the procedure and were able to wear shoes sooner.

I think if I had an ingrown toenail, I'd pick the easier, less painful procedure in a heartbeat.

Cleansers are designed to remove dirt, sweat, sebum, and oils from the skin, however some cleansers can cause harm to the barrier function of the skin leading to redness, irritation, and dry skin. Learn more about how cleansers interact with the top layer of the skin.

If you've ever seen your doctor (primary care or dermatologist) recommend a skin care product based on your skin type? My guess is the answer is no. That's because there is not science behind the 3 different skin types. So why do you hear about it all the time? Find out more here.

The swelling on Amy Winehouse's left cheek has been all over the news lately. First Amy's spokesman said the troubled pop-star had been diagnosed with impetigo, a bacterial infection on the surface of the skin.

Recently, more of the story has been uncovered. According to a source at a London restaurant, Amy was asked to put out her cigarette because of a smoking ban. This source states that Amy put out the cigarette on her own cheek.

It is likely that a cigarette burn would become infected and the star would develop impetigo.

Light BioScience, LLC, the maker of the GentleWaves® LED Photomodulation System, announced they are the first company to receive an over-the-counter clearance from the FDA to use a light system to treat wrinkles around the eyes.

The GentleWaves system reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with pulsating amber-colored light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are designed to stimulate collagen production in the skin. This system is currently used in physician offices for skin rejuvenation, but with this new FDA clearance, the company will start working on an at-home version that will not require a trip to the doctor's office.

Studies have shown that exposing skin cells to certain wavelengths (colors) of LED light causes a small amount of damage to the cell. The skin cell responds by making more collagen to "repair" itself, which in turn can firm the skin up and reduce fine wrinkles. Because there is minimal damage to the cell, there is no immediate visible effect on the skin -- no need to worry anyone will see you had a treatment.

A similar process goes on with other light therapies like lasers and intense pulsed light (IPL). However, lasers and IPL do cause enough damage to cells in the dermis that the skin can look red and peel.