Dr. Deb

Winter has finally arrived in the Tristate and so has Winter Itch. My son couldn’t sleep the other night because his skin was so itchy. He loves a hot shower for his 5:45am wake up but mixed with colder temperatures and low humidity his skin was quite dry. Constant central heating also removes water from the skin that leads to severe itchy skin. There is usually not much of a rash but scratching can lead to redness and painful cracks or fissures in the skin. Here are my tips to help you stop the scratch.

Dr. Deb’s Ditch the Winter Itch Tips

1. Keep it Cool.

Long hot showers remove the protective oils that keep water in our skin so you should takes short baths (<10 minutes) using warm, not hot water.  Colder showers not only save your skin but will also save your hair, protecting the cuticle as well as prolonging color treated hair.

2. Wash the Essentials

Harsh antibacterial soaps are not needed and contribute to the problem. Stick to mild soaps such as Dove, Oil of Olay or Neutrogena and don’t shower everyday. The essential bath (pits and privates) should get you through most off days. I love my hand sanitizer but nothing dries the skin out like the alcohols in them so use soap or a cleansing solution as often as possible.

3. Lube While Wet

When you get out of the shower, pat skin dry instead of rubbing and apply moisturizer to wet skin to seal in water. Might feel a little slippery for a few minutes but this will really help dry itchy skin. The thicker the moisturizer the better. I like Curel or Eucerin. You can mix a pea size drop of nonprescription OTC hydrocortisone cream with the lotion and apply to the itchy areas. If your skin in thick and hard, like on the bottom of your heals, then exfoliate first, so the lotion will absorb into the skin better.

4. Cycle the Heat

This tip will not only save your skin but will save you some money. Invest in a thermostat with a timer to keep your house cool and turn on the heat only when you need it. We set ours to turn on right before we wake up and turn off 45 minutes later. It will help the air from drying out but allow you to take a cooler shower as your body will be warm instead of freezing when you get out of bed. Adding a humidifier will provide even more relief.

 5. Use a Barrier

Sunscreen should not be forgotten in winter and use gloves to protect your skin not just from cold, but also from drying out.  My mom’s old fashion cure, Vaseline, makes a great barrier as well as moisturizer if you will be outside for an extended period of time. Drink plenty of water and eats lots of omega 3 fatty acids found in salmon or walnuts to keep the water and oil in your skin.

If no improvement in a few weeks then see your doctor and be sure to have your thyroid checked. Low thyroid, diabetes and high blood pressure medication may contribute to dry skin. They may also decide to prescribe a newly approved nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory cream such as MimyX and Atopiclair or even a stronger cream with steroids for severe cases.

Winter has arrived even if we have not have had enough snow to sled. Cool down and lube up to stop that Winter Itch.

Dr. Deb

I was part of the Hawaiian tropic, aluminum foil; it’s not Memorial Day unless I peel from sunburn club. Now I avoid the sun and make sure all of my kids are covered. Not only is skin cancer the most common cancer but now that I am in my forties, I see the wrinkles my early tanning has caused and no longer expose myself to the harmful sunrays.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, but the guidelines for sunscreens that may protect against skin cancer are outdated at over 30 years old. Finally, the FDA has taken first steps to improve recommendations with guidelines that go into effect summer 2012.

Dr Deb’s Sun Protection Recommendations

1. Use Broad spectrum with an SPF of 30 or higher

Broad Spectrum must protect from UVA and UVB, which are forms of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UVB radiation is made up of shortwave rays, which affect only the outer layer of the skin, causing sunburns. UVA radiation is made up of long-wave rays, which penetrate to deeper levels of the skin and contribute to cancer and aging.

Only sunscreens labeled as broad spectrum with an SPF of 15 or higher may state they reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging according to new FDA guidelines.

If it is not broad spectrum, you will still see an SPF but it is only rating UVB protection. On broad-spectrum sunscreens, higher SPF numbers mean more protection against UVB as well as more protection against UVA. The FDA plans to ban SPF values higher than 50. Many groups feel that sunscreens do not offer enough UVA protection, as 20% of all sunscreens in America could not be sold in Europe, which has a higher UVA protection requirement.

2. Water Resistant up to 80 minutes

The new FDA regulations say sunscreens will no longer be “waterproof” or “sweat proof” since they would all wash off.

Water resistant must still show SPF protection after swimming or sweating. It will be labeled as either 40 minutes or 80 minutes of protection.  Sunscreens that are not water resistant will have to say so in the “fact box” on the side or back of the package.

3. Reapply Sunscreen every 2 hours

Many people will put sunscreen when they go in the sun and think that one application is enough. Sunscreen should be applied at least every 2 hours even, if it is water resistant. Today when my kids packed up for camp I had them apply in the morning and packed some with their lunch so they would apply again for the afternoon.

4. Physical Barrier is the Best protection

Sunscreen cannot replace the protection that a wide brimmed hat or SPF clothing can give. There are so many options for shirted swimwear and heat guard that can provide protection from the sun while still keeping you cool.

The FDA guidelines apply to lotions and creams. What about cosmetics and sprays that make claims regarding sun protection?

Cosmetics will have to be tested and proven to be effective before they can claim SPF or broad range protection. The FDA is calling for more testing of sprays as they differ in their dosage and application before they can be labeled.

Some groups claim that the US sunscreens contain poisons. Are there certain ingredients that we should avoid?

Depends who you ask. The FDA claims that sunscreens have been safe for 30 years and while they continue to do testing, all of the ingredients are safe.

The Environmental Working Group feels that the FDA is doing too little too late and asking for ingredients like oxybenzone, retinyl palmitate and nanoparticles not be used.  These products are often found in spray on sunscreens and even the FDA is asking for more testing on spray products.

Minerals such as zinc or titanium are considered to be the preferred protection.  The FDA also plans to ban SPF values higher than 50. Several products on the market now claim to protect to SPF 100 or higher.

Applying sunscreen should become a daily ritual like brushing teeth to keep you and your family safe. Thankfully the FDA is making it easier to know which sunscreens are worth the money.

Happy Summer!

Dr. Deb

My shelves are full of anti-acne creams as my twin boys are 12 and just starting to struggle with the burden of blemishes. Many share in this rite of passage but some get severe acne, and that is when a nuisance becomes a risk factor for suicide.

A recent study showed teen girls with severe acne had twice the suicidal ideation compared to those with little acne and boys had 3xs that amount. They were also twice as likely to have no close friends, never to had a romantic relationship and not thrive at school.

Serious stuff starting from a little thing, so let’s first tackle the problem of treating the acne then go into warning signs for suicide.

Dr. Deb’s 6 steps in Acne Treatment

(more…)

“Spring Break 85’..We’re just here to have fun.” That was our motto and fun we had, spending most of our time frying on the beach. Sure I hit the tanning bed before I left so I wouldn’t burn, but burn I did. The tops of my hands blistered, yet I stayed out in the sun. Now I have freckles and scars on the tops of my hands to remind me of my youthful transgression but younger people are still not getting the message of the real dangers of tanning.

We now know that excess UV radiation causes wrinkles and skin cancer yet 30 million Americans visit tanning salons each year. Many will become extreme tanorexics or tan addicts. Paleness or a fading tan becomes the obsession. I recently witnessed this when I went to a salon and saw a very tan girl checking in. She said to the receptionist, “I wish that I could stop but I have a date this weekend so I have to tan.” Her whole psyche revolved around her tan. Some studies have shown that 26-53% of beach goers have a tanning dependency.

(more…)