I first realized I had acne when I was 11-years old, and my skin looked more, um, colorful than the other girls in my class. Back then, I had no idea how to treat acne and I was even worse at hiding it. People would point and laugh at giant cystic pimples on my cheeks, ask to touch my forehead, and call me a long-list of nicknames that callously described what was happening on my face.

As I got older, I got better at hiding the acne, but not necessarily taking care of it. I would spend hours at beauty counters begging the professionals to try anything on my skin so that my red bumps didn’t show up in photos or become the first impression when I met people. Makeup became my new best friend, but really, it became my skin’s biggest enemy.

I tried every kind of concealer, foundation, airbrush makeup machine, and even once, started using Band-aids on an unruly pimple that I just didn’t feel like worrying about all day. But while it may have boosted my confidence to cover my face in a layer of makeup, it was likely doing me more harm than good.

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When looking for an effective anti-aging supplement, it can be difficult to discern which products are the most effective and can actually help you look younger. According to Dr. Peterson Pierre, board-certified specialist in dermatology and cosmetic dermatology at the Pierre Skin Care Institute in Thousand Oaks, CA, one of the best anti-aging supplements you should add to your routine for younger looking skin is Bubs Natural Collagen Peptides

Read on for why Bubs Natural Collagen Peptides tops his list as one of the best anti-aging supplement to take for a more youthful appearance.

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If you’re new to Botox, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Manish Shah, shares that Botox is a cosmetic treatment that’s typically used to treat dynamic wrinkles, which are lines and folds that occur as a result of repeated facial expressions including smiling, frowning, or laughing.

Dynamic wrinkles can be difficult to treat with other cosmetic treatments, but Dr. Shah suggests that Botox can effectively and safely soften or make them disappear altogether. But before you discuss Botox with your dermatologist, there are a couple of things to keep in mind, from side effects to downtime.

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Herbs have played a major role in beauty and wellness for literally ages, with rosemary being one of the most popular (lavender, eucalyptus, and chamomile are pretty high on the list, too). When we talk about rosemary’s usage in skincare, we’re typically talking about an essential oil that’s been extracted from either the flowering top of the plant or the thick and aromatic stems.

Rosemary Oil Benefits

Rosemary oil has loads of skincare applications because of its anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, antioxidant, and pain-relieving properties. “For example, its anti-inflammatory action allows it to soothe and even treat dry skin and dry scalp, [and it can also help soothe and treat] eczema and acne,” says Dr. Peterson Pierre, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist. “Also, rosemary oil is known to stimulate hair growth and can also condition the hair to help it look and feel healthy.

Because of its versatility, it’s found in a handful of different products ranging from cleansers and toners to shampoos and face creams. It’s particularly useful for those with dry or itchy skin (including their scalp), acne issues, eczema, and oily skin types. If you’re curious to try a product with rosemary essential oil, we pulled some good ones for you below.

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Dr. Peterson Pierre, a board-certified dermatologist with the Pierre Skin Care Institute in California, notes that dermatology is “a very visual field” that demands an ability to accurately interpret the visible symptoms of an illness. “You have to be able to process information just by looking at it,” he says.

Pierre adds that dermatologists need both a compassionate disposition, so that they can provide comfort to patients in distress, and “an inquisitive mind” that helps them solve medical mysteries.

“A lot of times you have to try to figure out the puzzle,” he says. “The patient presents with certain symptoms. You have to figure out what’s going on there.”

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We’ve all heard a great deal about blue light’s harmful effect on eye health, as blue light glasses have become more mainstream in 2019, and it’s definitely for good reason. However, you probably didn’t know that this same form of visible light can also have an impact on your skin health, especially since we are constantly exposed to it (through our smartphones, computer monitors, and LED televisions) all day long.

If you aren’t sure what blue light is, dermatologist Laura McGevna, M.D., explained to HelloGiggles that it is part of the visible light spectrum, and it’s present, along with ultraviolet light, when outdoors in the daytime. But, since most humans are constantly exposed to this kind of light for many hours of the day, McGevna says that it can have a negative influence on your skin.

Dermatologist Peterson Pierre, M.D., suggested that skincare products containing antioxidants can also be extremely helpful in correcting damage caused by blue light.”Antioxidants are critical in fighting free radicals,” he told HelloGiggles. “They are DNA-repair enzymes are a powerful weapon to help correct the damage that has already occurred.” Similarly, he explained that nighttime antioxidants are also very helpful in repairing any damage that has occurred during the daytime. These include antioxidants include vitamin E, green tea, and ferric acid, he added.

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If you start your microneedling research with an Instagram or Google image search, you’ll probably be scared off. The photos are alarming — that’s because the procedure involves puncturing the skin with tiny needles that draw blood. Sticking a bunch of needles into your face may not sound like a good idea, but the process sets off a rejuvenation reaction that leaves many people raving about the results.

You’ll likely see results from microneedling almost immediately, Shah says. “As soon as the microwounds are created within the skin, the body’s wound-healing processes respond to heal them,” he says. Peterson Pierre, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Thousand Oaks, California, says your skin may look plump and radiant for up to two weeks following the treatment. The best results, however, can take six to eight weeks to appear. That’s when the increased collagen effects become evident, Dr. Pierre says.

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One of the best times to apply the moisturizer is just after bathing, while the skin is still moist, dermatologist Dr. Peterson Pierre, founder of the Pierre Skincare Institute, tells us. The expert suggests drying the skin with the towel and sealing the remaining moisture in the skin with a moisturizer.

When we wake up in the morning and when we go to bed at night, there are also two key moments to use this product.

“In the morning, the focus of the moisturizer should be protection,” says Pierre. It is very important to prepare, moisturize and protect the skin to face the day and the innumerable environmental and irritating factors that we will encounter.

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A new Toy Story movie. A new Taylor Swift album. A new British Prime Minister. There’s not a ton of superficial differences between 2010 and today. Yet in the last decade, scientists and doctors have made an incredible amount of discoveries and advances, finding new cures and treatments and tirelessly progressing medicine while researching areas like genes and stem cells. Before the dawn of the new decade, The Remedy asked the country’s top doctors to select the most impactful medical discoveries of the last one.

We’ve Developed Targeted Cancer Therapies

Melanoma is one of the deadliest skin cancers because it spreads aggressively, and metastatic melanoma has a poor prognosis, resisting chemotherapy. “Fortunately, the landmark discovery of activating mutations in the cancer gene called BRAF–present in up to half of all melanomas and responsible for unrestrained cell proliferation–has allowed the development of several targeted therapies specifically aimed at suppressing this mode of tumor growth,” says Peterson Pierre, MD, board-certified specialist in dermatology and cosmetic dermatology at the Pierre Skin Care Institute in Thousand Oaks, CA. “In addition, advances in immunotherapy–antibodies that are targeted directly at melanoma–have revolutionized the treatment landscape for metastatic, recurrent and late-stage melanoma. Similar discoveries are occurring for many different types of cancer.”

The Human Genome Project is Paying Off

“Scientists have completed sequencing of the human genome, meaning they have established the order of the more than three billion letters in all the genes that make up our DNA,” says Dr. Pierre. “Gene sequencing has helped researchers identify single genes that cause diseases which, in turn, leads to better treatments, such as curing sickle cell disease, building new skin for a patient with a connective tissue disorder, restoring sight in patients with eye diseases, and addressing hemophilia. Scientists are now working on the Human Microbiome Project to better understand the complex bacteria that live in and on our bodies.”

Stem Cell Research Advances

“There certainly has been a lot of potential promise in this area of medicine but also a lot of controversy and with good reason,” says Dr. Pierre. “The ability to cure diseases is quite fascinating, but the source of the stem cells raised moral and ethical concerns. Now that we have the ability to transform skin cells into embryonic-like stem cells, the moral dilemma has been somewhat addressed and we can focus on the possibility of regenerative medicine, the ability to grow new tissue to replace damaged or defective ones.”

We’ve Nearly Obliterated Polio

“In 2018, the World Health Organization announced that only 33 people worldwide are now afflicted with polio, an illness that mostly affects children,” says Dr. Pierre. “That’s quite an improvement over the 350,000 cases reported in 1988. Lots of work, however, remains to be done to completely eradicate the disease.”

Dry brushing, one of the latest skin crazes, sort of feels like a massage, it only takes a few minutes, and it reportedly provides a variety of significant benefits–everything from lymphatic drainage to improved circulation and cellular exfoliation, purportedly helping to make your skin glow–but for most people dry brushing remains a mystery. How does it work? How do you keep it from hurting? Will any old brush do? To demystify the process of dry brushing, we spoke with dermatologists who shared their wisdom, and techniques.

Among other benefits, dry brushing is a fantastic exfoliator. “Dry brushing, or when you use a large bristle brush to massage the skin while it’s dry, helps to exfoliate and increases blood flow,” says Dr. Sapna Palep of Spring Street Dermatology in New York City. While benefits aren’t clinically established, derms tend to regard it as a worthwhile practice.

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Dr. Peterson Pierre, a certified dermatology and cosmetic dermatology specialist at  the  ​Pierre Skin Care Institute​ , explains that UV nail lamps use the same mechanism as  sunbeds so they ​”can pose a risk to skin health “​ .  “Gel manicures use UVA radiation to harden nail polish and make it less likely to splinter.  Ultraviolet rays penetrate deep into the skin and damage collagen and elastin, two proteins  that keep our skin young. This can lead to signs of premature aging such as dark spots  and wrinkles. Cumulative DNA damage can lead to precancerous growths and eventually  skin cancers, “says Pierre.

However, there are several other factors involved. “First is the strength of the bulbs used  that emit different amounts of ultraviolet light. Second, the amount of exposure to that light
and thirdly, the frequency of exposure. Given that manicures are usually performed one or  Twice a month for a few minutes, the amount of exposure to ultraviolet light is relatively  low, especially when compared to sun exposure. Therefore, ​health risks are low, but not  zero,​ “he says.

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“The application of eyelash extensions is a meticulous and delicate work that requires experience, because the eye area is very sensitive,” says Dr. Peterson Pierre, a certified specialist in dermatology and cosmetic dermatology at the Pierre Skin Care Institute.

In addition, the expert advises:
Wash your hands and use clean and disinfected tweezers.

• Check the labels of all the products you use to make sure they do not contain chemical compounds to which you are allergic.
• The adhesive you use must be pharmaceutical grade and safe to use around the eyes.
• Rinse the area immediately after application to remove any adhesive residue.

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We all live for a detoxifying facial–there’s really nothing some extractions (our personal fave) and glycolic acid can’t fix. However, while a 30-minute facial treatment is always a treat for our pooped-out complexion, there’s no denying that getting facials on the regular can quickly add up. And sure, there are at-home devices that promise to cut down on pricey salon visits, but there hasn’t been a gadget on the market that claims to match the pore-cleansing treatments we get at the derm’s office, until now.

Thanks to industry giants like Rodan + Fields and DERMAFLASH, at-home extraction tools are now a thing. In just the past year, both brands have unveiled blackhead-removing tools that allegedly deep-cleanse your pores in minutes. While these gadgets can indeed cost just as much as (or even more than!) a medical-grade facial, the vice president of product development for Rodan + Fields, Sumita Butani, says they are cost-efficient in the long run, since they can spare you from costly dermatologist visits in the future.

But are they safe?

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