Everyday I get asked about what skincare products are best for acne, anti-aging, rosacea, dark spots… and the list goes on!

My answer is always “there isn’t one answer for everyone.” All skincare lines have great products. I have my favorites (a post for another day), but they may not be right for you. The key to finding great products is to look at the ingredients. If your product contains active ingredients that have been shown to improve the skin, you will see results (regardless of the brand).

The ingredient I am covering today is hyaluronic acid. From now on I will refer to hyaluronic acid as “HA.”

HA is the major glycosaminoglycan in the epidermis and dermis. Picture your epidermis and dermis as the foundation (like a foundation of a house) of your skin and hyaluronic acid is part of the concrete.

HA is key in maintaining the structure of the skin, improving skin hydration and maintaining the barrier function of the skin. It is really important stuff!

Unfortunately, the natural HA content of the skin decreases with age – which is why there are hundreds of serums and creams that contain HA, claiming to replete the HA that is lost during natural aging.

The question is- does topical application of HA actually improve skin quality?

Small studies have shown improvement in skin hydration and increases in both HA and collagen after topical application. There are also studies that have shown that topical HA can decrease sebum production resulting in less oily skin. But these are small studies and many are supported by the companies that make products with HA.

So are HA topicals worth it? I would say yes. Personally, a few of my favorite products contain HA (Skinceuticals Retexuring Activator and Neocutis Journee), however some highly concentrated HA products have caused me to have breakouts. So I look for HA in products, but usually not as the first ingredient.

My recommendation when buying any skincare product is to either try and get a sample or purchase from a retailer who has a good return policy (Sephora, Nordstrom). You shouldn’t return an anti aging product due to lack of results in a short time period (results take months), but you want a good return policy in case you have a bad reaction. These creams are expensive!

Hopefully this post will help you the next time you hit Sephora, Blue Mercury or Nordstrom. One word of caution when purchasing these products- buy from a licensed retailer to ensure you get a pure product.

I get it, washing your hair is time consuming and it removes color and other treatments faster. My color turns brassy much faster than it should and smoothing treatments NEVER last as long as they claim. And it’s my fault. I wash my hair every day. It needs washing every day. I am a “sweaty mess” when I work out and there is no way dry shampoo will cut it. If I skipped a day (or two or three) between washing my hair would smell and my scalp would start to itch and then start to get flaky. Once- on the recommendation of my hair dresser- I tried washing every other day. Shortly after, my husband (who doesn’t notice much about my appearance) asked why my hair smelled sweaty… back to washing daily for me.

Every day I see multiple people who complain about itchy and flaky scalp. For the minority, this is caused by dry scalp and washing makes it worse. For the MAJORITY, the condition worsens as they get further from wash day. In this situation I try to be gentle but honest that the condition will never improve unless the scalp is washed at least 3-4 times per week. I cannot help you if you wash every two weeks.

Notice I said “unless the scalp is washed.” You don’t have to wash all of your hair, just the scalp and the hair that is directly attached, this is where the yeast, oils and dead skin cells build up to create the flaking and itching.

So how does one wash the scalp and not the rest of the hair? I recommend coating the hair with a cheaper conditioner and then lathering shampoo on the scalp. When you rinse the shampoo the conditioner creates a barrier for the parts of the hair that is drier and more damaged.

Another recommendation- use a medicated or “naturally medicated” shampoo one to two times per week. Medicated shampoos that I recommend: Nizoral (1 percent or 2 percent), Selenium Sulfide (Selsun Blue and others), T-Sal. For those that prefer a more natural feeling shampoo: tea tree oil shampoos are awesome. My own kids use Jason brand tea tree oil shampoo for their dandruff prone hair. You can even add your own tea tree oil to your favorite shampoo (if you want a sulfate free or color safe option). If you add your own oil, start with a small amount and titrate up, some essential oils can be very strong and can burn the skin.

Hoping every day is a good hair day for you!

My skin hates yogurt. I used to eat yogurt every day for breakfast. I thought Greek yogurt was the perfect food. High in protein and I could add a dab of honey to the plain variety and it tasted like dessert. But my skin didn’t like it. It took me years to figure it out. My skin wasn’t horrible, but I always had a few rosacea bumps and my nose was a little too pink. When I figured it out and changed my breakfast routine, my skin cleared up (with the continued daily medicated creams and gentle products).

Every day people ask whether their skin condition is caused by something they are eating. Everyone (myself included) wants to cut out one food and their skin will magically clear up. It isn’t that easy. I wish it was. Skin conditions (such as acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis) are usually not caused by specific foods but they can be triggered or exacerbated by foods. The challenge is figuring out which foods are triggers for you.

My rosacea is not caused by eating specific foods. My rosacea (and yours) is a complex condition caused by genetics, hormones, environment, stress AND nutrition, leading to skin that can be sensitive, reactive and breakout prone.

Nutrition can play an integral role in helping keep your skin healthy and vibrant. In general, healthy diets (whatever that means for you) will result in better skin. But there is not one answer for everyone. A vegan diet may be helpful for one person and cause breakouts or worsening of psoriasis for another. It takes time and an awareness of your skin and body to develop a nutritional regimen that works for your skin. While I never did this myself, sometimes it can be helpful to keep a food diary to determine what foods your skin responds to- positively or negatively.

Some foods that I have found increase inflammation and lead to breakouts for me:

• Red wine (I switched to white and it was all good)
• Yogurt (this was a bummer)
• Too much peanut butter (I can have a little but not too much)
• Asian food at restaurants- I have not figured out what ingredient it is-. This one is hard living in Seattle with so many great restaurants
• Too many nuts

This is a list I have compiled over almost 20 years of having acne-rosacea prone skin. I know there are probably additional trigger foods (coffee or chocolate would kill me) and my body is constantly changing. I don’t always avoid these foods. If friends are going out for Thai food- I join them. But knowing I might have a bad skin day is empowering- if I know that my skin is going to be reactive and bumpy the next day and I can be (mentally) prepared.

Hopefully this post will help you optimize your nutrition so that every day is a great skin day. Please post comments of foods that are good and bad for your skin condition so others (myself included) can learn more.

Life has been busy and I am behind on posts (so many ideas and too little time). I was asked to post cosmetic specials on my blog and I am late on this one!

Birthday botox special May 12 and 13 (Thursday and Friday) 2016.  $12/unit (regular is $15/unit). Most people need 16 units or more.

Polyclinic Madison Center, 904 7th Ave Seattle WA

206-860-4605

Stop by for a cupcake or just to say hello!

Everyone gets a zit once in awhile, even dermatologists. I seem to get a nice one on my chin (and it is always on the chin) every 1-2 months. Sometimes I try to hide it or use spot treatment- either benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid cream (available without a prescription at the drugstore), but when my six year old starts asking about my new mole I know it is time to bring out the big guns. A kenalog injection,  also known as a steroid injection. Now this is not the type of steroid injection that bodybuilders use, it is a VERY dilute and tiny amount of corticosteroid  which quickly takes that monsterous zit from a mountain to a molehill in mere hours. It sounds too good to be true, right? It’s not, the very small amount of steroid puts out the inflammation under your skin causing that nasty bump.  For most people, kenalog is a magic zit eraser. There is a small risk that the injection will cause atrophy (a small divet in the skin), but  it is temporary (resolves in a couple months) and not very noticeable (I know from experience). Afraid of shots? I don’t like them either, but it is virtually painless and MUCH less painful than the zit on my chin. So keep your dermatologist on speed dial for the next time you wake up with huge pimple. Below,  for your viewing pleasure, my own photo journal of a zit succombing to kenalog.

Day zero. Zit happens. Good thing I have easy access to kenalog.

24 Hours after the emergency kenalog session. No makeup.

48 hours after kenalog. No makeup. I can show my face at work.