Again, one day is the ideal. A maximum of four days is a good metric to follow, advises Dr. Peterson Pierre, a board-certified dermatologist in California.

“You can go about three to four days in your sweats or loungewear before washing them,” Pierre says. “Any longer than that, and oils, bacteria, dander, and sweat can accumulate, leading to itchy skin and even an acne flare. It’s important to wash your favorites about twice a week even if you’re not leaving the house.”

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If you’ve ever run a long distance, taken an intense hot yoga class, come down with the flu, or, ahem, woken up with a hangover, you’ve likely reached for an electrolyte drink. That’s because the electrolytes in that bottle of Gatorade can supply your body with essential minerals that retain water and rehydrate you.

Now, imagine if there was a hydrating helper like that but for your skin! Pipe dream? Nope–very much a reality. Introducing electrolyte skin care, the newest beauty trend that’s all about applying electrolytes topically to reap similar benefits for your skin.

All electrolytes, whether from coconut water or coconut water-based moisturizer, work the same. Electrolytes–including magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium, chloride, and phosphate–conduct electricity when mixed with water, says Peterson Pierre, M.D., a dermatologist at Pierre Skin Institute in Thousand Oaks, California. If you’re thinking electricity in the body sounds futuristic (or dangerous), have no fear. Electrical currents are naturally present in the body and electrolytes are essential to the functions of cells and organs.

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Retinol and alpha and beta hydroxy acids (aka AHAs and BHAs) are probably the MVPs of your skin care regimen, since they work overtime to keep fine lines and discoloration at bay. But can they be mixed?

“These ingredients on their own can be very beneficial, but using them together is a no-no,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Peterson Pierre, MD. “You significantly increase your chances of irritation, redness, flaking without providing any additional benefit.”

To avoid any adverse reactions, Dr. Pierre advises introducing one product at a time to assess tolerability. Once that is established, you can then use your AHA/BHA product in the morning, and your retinol in the evening.

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If you’re noticing that your skin is on the drier side, and you feel your eyes are dry and unable to produce tears, then beware of a vitamin A deficiency. “Difficulty seeing in dim light (also known as night blindness) is another issue,” says Dr. Peterson Pierre, MD, a cosmetic dermatologist based in California. He suggests adding meats, dairy, eggs, as well as red, yellow, orange, and green plant foods to your diet.

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As store shelves keep getting cleared out due to coronavirus fears, some people are taking sanitizing concerns into their own hands. What are the best DIY hand sanitizer options, and what do the experts want you to know about these homemade recipes? In general, you’ll want to save that bottle of Absolut for your drinks, not your cleaning products.

When making your own, “your sanitizer must be at least 70% alcohol to be effective,” dermatologist Peterson Pierre, M.D., of the Pierre Skin Care Institute tells Romper. Honestly, making the stuff on your own can be a bit tricky. “Though it might be tempting, as hand sanitizer has become unavailable in many stores and pharmacies as consumers rushed in to stock up, it’s not as easy to make an effective hand sanitizer as it sounds,” Dr. Gabriella Baki, Ph.D., Pharm.D., assistant professor of pharmaceutics at the University of Toledo, tells Romper. Not all DIY sanitizer recipes are equally effective at killing off microbes.

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It seems to depend on who you ask. Cleaning expert and national spokesperson for the American Cleaning Institute, Brian Sansoni, says that the idea that homemade sanitizers can effectively protect against illness is “highly suspect.” He continues, “The producers who make these products follow formulas. If you’re at home, nothing guarantees that you’ll get the product formulation just right.” Dermatologist Peterson Pierre, MD agrees, saying, “If you have a choice, you are better off buying sanitizer from a store because they’ve been made in large volumes, they’re reliable companies, they’ve been doing this for a long time, they have the right formula, and it’s consistent.”

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Generally, a third washing is okay, but only if you’ve “just come from a sporting event where you sweat a lot, or if you’re wearing a lot of makeup [ahead of going to the gym] and would prefer not to deal with that while working out,” says Dr. Peterson Pierre, MD, a dermatologist in Thousand Oaks, California.

Apparently, overwashing your face is a thing — but your skin will likely let you know if you’re doing this via breakouts, dryness or irritation.

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The coronavirus scare has many people on edge, but overreacting and not doing simple things is your biggest enemy according to Dr. Peterson Pierre, M.D. of the Pierre Skin Care Institute in Thousand Oaks, California.

Our forums have a lot of chatter about this virus making the news. He shared exclusive wellness tips and advice for our readers who may have concerns about shortages and staying well.

The CDC even used a popular TV series, The Walking Dead, as advice to people to observe habits to ward off any exposure.

“Everyone is panicked about the current coronavirus scare. Most people who get infected will recover without any medical intervention. Many will be affected but have no symptoms. A minority, typically the elderly and those with other medical conditions, may become very sick and a certain number will die, similar to what happens with the regular flu that we face every year.”

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Whether internal or topical, Pierre said that medications can be another sneaky culprit behind your skin care woes. Certain medications, he explained, can cause irritation to your skin, making it important to talk to your doctor (or dermatologist) if this is of concern.

“Certain medications can stimulate oil production and acne, while others can cause rashes and red, dry, irritated skin,” he said. “This may require an adjustment to those medications, and certainly a change in the products you use.”

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Dr. Pierre recommends slapping on those body lotions as soon as you get out of the shower. “The best time to apply your moisturizer is right after the bath or shower,” he says. “Pat the skin dry, then immediately apply your chosen product to seal in as much moisture as possible.”

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Long story short: traditional deodorants contain a couple “no-no” ingredients that have consumers worried. This is because any topical ingredient we put on our skin is inevitably absorbed into the body.

Let’s dissect the three ingredients that have generated the most concern: parabens, phthalates, and aluminum.

“Parabens have estrogen-like qualities, but no study to date has linked them with breast cancer. They are, [however], known to cause allergic reactions and many people are sensitive to them. For that reason, you should probably avoid them,” says Dr. Peterson Pierre, a board-certified dermatologist based in Thousand Oaks, Calif. “As for phthalates, they have garnered a lot of attention because of their potential link to various diseases such as asthma, ADHD, breast cancer, autism spectrum disorders as well as male fertility issues. The studies have shown inconsistent findings here, as well.”

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Although natural plant-based active ingredients (think essential oils, botanical extracts, etc.) are currently used in many skincare products, Peterson Pierre, M.D., says that these plants take up a lot of valuable farmland, water, and energy to produce. Biotechnology successfully addresses this problem, he adds, saying that lab-produced skincare ingredients usually don’t have the carbon footprint associated with their plant-derived ingredients.

Unlike natural resources, which are often more expensive and subjective to variabilities such as seasonal changes (crop rate and global market pricing index), Dr. Hu says biotech ingredients are produced at a lower cost. Similarly, she adds that biotechnology’s genetic process can harvest an ingredient at a higher rate and higher consistency when compared to the traditional extraction process, reducing biotech skincare ingredients’ carbon footprint as a whole.

Finally, biotech skincare ingredients also have the advantage of being free of unwanted irritants and pesticides, as a 2011 study points out that many field-grown plants can be contaminated with pesticides and heavy metals. This makes tech-powered ingredients a potentially safer alternative for those looking for cleaner cosmetic products.

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You’ve probably heard a great deal about the health risks associated with formaldehyde, since it’s a well-known carcinogen. Peterson Pierre, M.D., explains that formaldehyde can be found in many cosmetic products, and that formaldehyde-containing products can also cause irritation and redness to the skin.

The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, which gives ingredients a toxicology score depending on how hazardous they find it to be, gave formaldehyde a score of 8-10 out of 10.

While it’s true that many beauty brands may not be forthcoming about including formaldehyde as a product ingredient, Dr. Pierre adds that you’ll also want to be on the lookout for formaldehyde-releasing ingredients–quaternium-15, DMDM-hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, and Diazolidinyl urea.

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Cleansing, without a doubt, is an integral part of maintaining good hygiene. A 2011 study published in the Indian Journal Of Dermatology suggests that cleansing products have been used for centuries to treat a variety of dermatological disorders, such as acne, rosacea and atopic dermatitis.

And since there are many factors that can influence your skin health (including stress, weather and hormones), board-certified dermatologist Peterson Pierre does see some positives associated with the situational cleansing method, especially since it can help address skin concerns at a particular time.

“Situational cleansing refers to switching cleansers based on different life circumstances,” Pierre told HuffPost. “This can be very beneficial because there are times when your skin will be dry (or oily, red and irritated), so this gives you the flexibility to properly address your skin’s needs at the appropriate time.”

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So how do you do it? Follow these simple steps provided by Dr. Peterson Pierre of the Pierre Skin Care Institute in Thousand Oaks, California, to achieve the safest outcome possible:

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“As we age, our brains shrink in volume, particularly the frontal cortex and hippocampus, areas involved in higher cognitive function and encoding new memories,” says Peterson Pierre, MD, a dermatologist in Thousand Oaks, California, and founder of the Pierre Skin Care Institute.

The Remedy Rx: “It’s important to keep the mind stimulated, and one of the best ways to do that is with the brain training app Lumosity,” says Pierre. “This app is personalized and trains key areas of your brain. Just a few minutes a day can help your mind stay sharp and can even help you improve in certain areas.”

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Peterson Pierre, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in California who specializes in cosmetic dermatology, calls it the “golden standard of anti-aging” for its unmatched ability to reduce collagen breakdown and accelerate skin cell turnover.

Odds are, if you haven’t been using retinol in your routine yet and are looking for an anti-aging product, you may want to start.

But with retinol products now so readily available in so many different forms, it’s become difficult to find the best retinol cream for you. Luckily, these retinols come recommended from the pros. Just keep in mind that all of these creams and serums are powerful, so it’s best to use them at night when your skin is in the regenerating process, and follow them up with a moisturizer to avoid dryness, a common side effect when starting retinols. Also, you’ll want to start by using twice a week, and slowly working your way up to a nightly routine to avoid irritation.

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So many women take care of their bodies but forget about their brains. “As we age, our brains shrink in volume, particularly the frontal cortex and hippocampus, areas involved in higher cognitive function and encoding new memories. Myelin (a conduit sheath around nerves) is also thought to shrink with age resulting in slow processing and reduced cognitive function,” Peterson Pierre, MD, board-certified dermatologist, and founder of the Pierre Skin Care Institute, explains.

The Remedy Rx: Dr. Pierre points out studies show that regular physical exercise can reverse the signs of aging in the brain with dancing having the most profound effect. “It’s also important to keep the mind stimulated,” he explains. “No matter your age or skill level, just a few minutes a day can help your mind stay sharp and can even help you improve in certain areas. You exercise your body regularly; don’t neglect your brain!”

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I’m going to be honest and admit that I only heard about the acid mantle recently. I know it’s my job to stay current with wellness trends, but frankly, I thought it was a drug thing. In case, like me, you’ve been out of the loop, an acid mantle is the protective oily film that coats the skin and supposedly protects not just the skin, but the whole immune system. Before you sprain a muscle with your side eye, here’s what dermatologists say about the function of this mystical, invisible barrier.

“The acid mantle is a thin layer on the skin composed of a mixture of free fatty acids secreted from the oil glands mixed with lactic acid and amino acids from sweat,” says Peterson Pierre, a California-based dermatologist. That’s a lot of complicated science words, so for liberal arts grads, it’s the slight film you feel on the surface of your skin most of the time, says Rachel Liverman, an esthetician and co-founder of Glowbar, a skin treatment boutique in NYC.

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As we give our skin some extra TLC during the winter, it’s important to remember that our scalp could also use that same kind of special attention, especially since everyone knows that healthy hair always starts with a healthy scalp.

Marina Perkovic, the resident scalp treatment expert at Eliut Salon, points out that just like our face and body, our scalp is made up of skin, meaning it definitely needs the same amount of hydration (plus exfoliation!) your complexion does during the wintertime. And while you may think that a simple clarifying shampoo can help keep your scalp under control, board-certified hair restoration physician Alan Bauman, M.D., suggests that scalp care has definitely advanced for the better, and there are many new treatments available that can improve the health of your follicles.

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“In the eternal quest to lose weight, this symptom may be viewed as a blessing rather than a potential warning sign,” says Peterson Pierre, MD, a dermatologist in Thousand Oaks, California. “But this can be a problem, especially if accompanied by loss of appetite or changes in bowel habits. A number of cancers can present this way, including cancers of the esophagus, liver, colon and pancreas, as well as leukemia or lymphoma.”

The Remedy Rx: “It’s important to report these changes to your doctor as soon as possible to maximize your quality of life, treatment options and survival,” says Pierre.

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With all the scrubs, masks, creams and gels on the market that promise to transform dull, aging skin, it can be confusing to know what to reach for on drugstore shelves. But the road to healthy skin starts with what’s on your refrigerator’s shelves.

“Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals that are essential for skin health. Healthy fats are important as [they contain] anti-inflammatories that help maintain the skin’s integrity, as well as keep it soft, supple and moisturized,” explains Peterson Pierre, a board-certified dermatologist at Pierre Skin Care Institute in Thousand Oaks, California. “Skin care can be very effective, but treating the entire body from the inside is definitely more productive. There are many ingredients that simply cannot penetrate the skin but can be supplied through an effective and complete diet.” To eat your way to gorgeous skin, add these foods to your next grocery list.

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Since both your hair and scalp have different needs in the winter, choosing the right at-home products can make all the difference, according to Bauman. Not only does this include using sulfate-free shampoos and cleansers, but he also advises adding conditioning products (including leave-in-conditioner!) to your routine in order to provide moisture to damaged and dehydrated hair. However, board-certified dermatologist Peterson Pierre, M.D., suggests that there are certain ingredients to look out for when selecting such products, as products containing oil-based ingredients tend to deliver a big blast of moisture to your tresses: “Oil-based leave-in-conditioners are best during the winter, with moisturizing coconut oil being particularly effective because it reduces inflammation.”

And no winter hair routine is complete without a scalp oil, which Hill says is essential for enhancing circulation and decongesting your scalp. She recommends using peppermint, tea tree, and citrus-based oils to give yourself a DIY scalp massage (starting at the nape of your neck) every week before shampooing. “Spend three to five minutes massaging the appropriate oil into the scalp to soften skin cells, exfoliate, and remove debris to encourage blood flow,” Hill explains.

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We’ve proudly sung the praises of oats – yep, as in the breakfast food – once before, but today we’re doubling down on the many benefits of this skincare ingredient. Sure, it may not sound quite as sexy as vitamin C or hyaluronic acid, but oats can actually do wonders for your skin. Even Aveeno (the scientific name for the common oat) concocted an entire skincare line based on the stuff, and it’s incorporated into some of today’s trendiest products.

“The oats found in skincare products are very finely milled to a powder, known as colloidal oatmeal, which is processed with the whole bran and then boiled down to produce an extract,” says Dr. Peterson Pierre, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist. “This extract is full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, oil-replenishing lipids, as well as moisturizing beta-glucans that moisturize, soothe, and protect your skin.”

This oat extract also acts as a humectant, which means it draws water into your skin, and its lipid content means it also helps create a protective barrier across your skin. Dr. Pierre says it’s an especially legit miracle worker for those with sensitive skin – including those with acne, eczema, and psoriasis – and can help soothe itchiness, dryness, and inflammation.

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“Avoid talking on your cell phone or having it ring at any point during the encounter–from the second you walk in the door until the time you exit the office. It is very frustrating and disruptive on a busy clinic day when a physician walks into an exam room and their patient is talking on the phone. The scenario becomes even more intolerable when they put their finger or hand up to signal that they will only be a minute and worst of all, when the phone rings during the visit and they actually answer the call!” says Craig Tifford, MD, a Yale Medicine orthopedic surgeon.

The Remedy Rx: “Whether you’re on the phone, texting or emailing, put it away and give the doctor your undivided attention. You took time away from your life, drove to the office, paid your copay for some valuable information but you’re too busy to listen to what the doctor has to say? Respect your time and respect the doctor’s. I’ve had to walk out on patients who expected me to wait for them to finish their conversation. I have other patients waiting so I move on,” says dermatologist Dr. Peterson Pierre, of the Pierre Skin Care Institute in Thousand Oaks, CA.

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And then there is concern about test accuracy. That, according to board-certified dermatologist Peterson Pierre, is a gamble. Beauty-focused DNA tests, according to Pierre, contain up to a 40% false positive rate. He suggested building a solid skin care regimen with the help of a trained professional.

“When it comes to building an effective skin care routine that will deliver results, it’s best to leave that job to the experts, namely your board-certified dermatologist, who has access to the best science and the best products,” Pierre explained.

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For some, freckles can be a nuisance that re-emerges in full force as the summer months roll around. While they themselves are harmless, many want to know how to get rid of freckles and how to prevent them in the first place.

If you have freckles that you want to get rid of, read on to learn more about professional and at-home treatment options.

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