I don’t know whether to attribute it to the new products I’ve been trying, stress, hormones or diet.  When I get stressed, I don’t eat right. And hell, at 43, much like at 16, I have absolutely no clue what these hormones are doing.

Of course, with all this playing out all too obviously across my face, I appreciated the timing of Paula Begoun’s recently released report on acne.  Apparently, I am not alone.  Acne affects an estimated 95 percent of the population, regardless of skin color or type.  The report says that yes, my breakouts are probably due to all of the above, and tells me how to fight the flaw, and not let the flaw win.

It is most interesting to note, however, that every natural instinct we have for eradicating those complexion killers is just wrong, wrong, wrong.  And contrary to popular belief, none of it makes them disappear any faster.  You can’t squeeze them or scrub them gone.  The report discourages harsh skin care products.  Astringents like witch hazel won’t dry up that little geyser any quicker, and in fact, if the skin gets dried out, it can’t heal.  Dry skin is also a breeding ground for the bacteria that grow pimples.  Who knew?  Similarly, don’t use products, such as bar soap on your face or waxy styling products on hair that will touch your forehead. These will leave a residue that will clog pores and clogged pores are part of what started this whole mess in the first place.

If acne is a serious issue for you, you need to get Begoun’s report (anyone who is serious about skin care at all should be on her mailing list), because treatment is very individual, depending on your skin type and lifestyle.  Her extensive recommendations include products with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, but she encourages a regular, gentle cleansing routine as the best approach.  Alternatives such as Tea Tree Oil treatments or the use of sulphur are discussed and the report is a must-have before making a decision with your dermatologist about prescription methods.  All the latest on new treatments such as Dapsone, updates on the use of antibiotics, vitamin supplements and other topicals are covered in her report.

Fortunately, my face cleared up in a few weeks, so I was able to give up re-living my pizza face years.  Now if I could find a routine to clear up my social life as easily…

Laser skin resurfacing is a popular way of rejuvenating wrinkled or scarred skin, but the first step in the procedure has to be understanding all the words being tossed around. Ablative. Non-ablative. Fractional. Erbium. CO2. Oy.

According to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, more than 500,000 laser resurfacing treatments were done in 2009, and nearly 73 percent were non-ablative, such as Fraxel Restore.  Non-ablative resurfacing means the laser heats the layers of skin below the surface to stimulate collagen and promote new cell turnover.  (Trade names include Fraxel Restore, Laser Genesis, Lux 1540.)

Ablative skin rejuvenation procedures “remove” that top layer of skin, burning it away so it is replaced with fresh new skin.  Another term often used is “vaporize.” If it sounds painful and drastic, it is.  It can take three weeks for the oozing and crusting to subside, and three months for the redness to go away.  (Laser names include Fraxel Repair, Active FX, SmartXide DOT)

Lasers involved will either be CO2 – carbon dioxide – based or erbium-based.  According to WebMD.com, CO2 lasers have been used for many years to treat a variety of skin issues.  This type of laser penetrates more deeply than erbium lasers, and the heat can also affect the surrounding area.  The erbium lasers are recommended for people with darker skin tones because they don’t penetrate as deeply and there is less chance of burning surrounding tissue.

The procedure now referred to as the gold standard is fractional ablative laser resurfacing, which is described as “(drilling) tiny holes deep into the skin” in this WebMD.com video.  Doctors have found that by making a number of smaller penetrations with a CO2 laser over an area of scarred or wrinkled facial tissue, the number of treatments and amount of down time are greatly reduced.

Often, non-ablative laser treatments require several appointments.  Patients opting for fractional ablative resurfacing report results after one treatment.  There is a lower risk of infection and little or no crusting and oozing afterward.  According to RealSelf.com reviewers, though, it is still a painful treatment.  And the cost for any laser facial skin resurfacing ranges from $500 to $5,000.

• Here’s another good explanation of ablative, non-ablative, fractional comparison. 

We’ve seen it already this summer.  June brides who tried something new to look special on their big day, only the special look they ended up with was especially a bummer.  So for the rest of you summer brides, (and this goes for mothers and grooms as well) before you say “I do,” there are some don’ts that you should keep in mind:

Of course you want your skin to be bright and glowing, but don’t schedule a facial treatment close to the big day.  If you’re considering a facial or any sort of peel, you have to make sure you give your skin plenty of time to recover, a minimum of a week.  Facials draw out impurities and can lead to breakouts, and if it has been over a year since you had one, or maybe you’ve never had one at all, you must expect some type of skin reaction.  And depending on the level of the peel, the new skin it unveils will be red for several days to 2 weeks.  Make sure there’s time to heal before you walk down the aisle.

Give the same consideration to any facial waxing.  If you’ve never waxed before, just prior to your wedding is not the time to start – at least not with regard to your face.  I regularly wax my chin and eyebrows … and I regularly break out a couple of days later.  Plan accordingly.

Even if your color theme includes orange, it doesn’t apply to your skin unless you are one of Willie Wonka’s Oompa Loompas.  Don’t go overboard tanning, especially if you’re wearing white (and/or strapless).  Fake tans — spray-on or otherwise acquired — are not fixable and they will still be very obviously fake decades later, regardless of how good your photographer is.  Spend the money to try a couple different techniques a month before the wedding, then choose.

Most importantly, don’t go crazy with your makeup, and if you are using a professional, have a makeup rehearsal weeks before the event.  You want to be a blushing bride because you’re excited and glowing, not because you’re over-painted.  Too often, we see brides who go for the extra eyeliner or lipstick or blush because they think the pictures will look better. If you’re taking the stage at the community theater or running off to join the circus, you can make an argument for changing the way you wear your makeup.  But you’re getting married because somebody loves the way you look every day.  “Something blue” should not be your eye shadow.  If you don’t normally wear blush or magenta lipstick, don’t do it for your wedding.  Whether you hire a professional, put your face in the hands of a friend or do it yourself, accentuate the positive.  Enhance what you have, don’t hide it under layers of cosmetics.

When it comes to your wedding day, if you only remember one thing, remember that those pictures you shelled out thousands for are going to be passed down through generations.  Make sure they look like you.

• More don’ts can be found on TheKnot.com.
• Sacremento Magazine has a good list of Do’s.
• WebMD.com features “The Perfect Bridal Beauty Guide.”

“If you’re going to get a bikini wax,” she said, “you might as well get a Brazilian.”

That first rrrrr-iiii-ppppp of the wax-removal material was, let’s say, a wake-up call.  My idea of a Brazilian and the actuality of it were two entirely different things and in my brain that realization was apparently on a 30-second delay.  After the initial “Oh … my … god,” it was all pretty funny, I couldn’t really do anything but roll with it (visualize stopping half-way through – not an option).

A recent article from WebMD was geared toward people contemplating a bikini wax or Brazilian, full of things to keep in mind.  Usually a pretty thorough researcher, I was kind of naïve when it came to waxing anything other than my face, but I can honestly say that if I knew then what I know now, I’d still do it, I’d just make sure the esthetician and I are on the same page.  If you want a bikini wax, it’s kind of like edging the lawn.  The Brazilian is roto-tilling the whole garden.

That summer, my legs never looked better.  They were smooth and soft and sleek for weeks.  There weren’t any “strays” poking their coarse little heads out.  I could wear as much or as little as I wanted without a second thought.  And while I was, um, startled by the process at first, I can’t say it was really painful for me, which was especially surprising because of the extreme sensitivity of my face when it comes to waxing.  There was some initial discomfort, but it wore off quickly.

I’d do it again in a heartbeat, but there have been awkward days at the beach – standing waist-deep in body-numbing water for hours because of a really unfortunate 5 o’clock shadow or grasping for something inflatable or damp with which to cover myself because my garden had not recently been weeded – when I wonder why I didn’t make that waxing appointment.

There are alternatives to waxing, of course.  The most obvious is shaving, because most of us do that already.  It’s just a matter of kicking it up a notch.  Gillette, Schick and even Noxema offer bikini-area trimmers.  And while you can’t use it for extremely personal places, I do like the Smooth Away for my upper thighs.

In terms of results, though, none of those comes close to waxing.  Just remember:  If you want a so-called “landing strip” or “racing stripe,” you have to let the waxer know.  Otherwise, it’s quite an eye-opener.

In a kind of anti-aging transfusion, the Selphyl System uses ingredients from a patient’s own blood as an injectable facial filler to smooth wrinkles around the mouth and nose, fill in hollow cheeks and pock marks and lessen acne scars.

During the procedure, a doctor (plastic surgeon, dermatologist) draws a vial of blood from the patient.  It is placed in a centrifuge, where the platelets and fibrin are separated from red and white blood cells. It is the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-rich fibrin matrix (PRFM) that are injected back into the patient.  The PRFM doesn’t plump the area, but stimulates new cell growth and collagen production.  Sort of like regenerating yourself.  Anti-aging.org says that it can be used on any area of the body, too.

Using self-made substances as filler isn’t new.  Autologous fat transfers, in which fat is liposuctioned from one area and injected into another, are used to plump everything from lips and face, hands or areas of the body that need contouring. Fat transfers have been problematic, however.  Fat sometimes gets lumpy when relocated, and there is no predicting the absorption rate. Injecting one’s own stem cells  to promote cell growth and stimulate collagen is new and holds great promise, especially if the transfer continues to heal itself.

In the new world of stem cell transfer, however, Selphyl is unique in that it uses blood.  According to various websites, you see results in about three weeks.  How long they last isn’t exactly clear.  Some claim a year to as long as 18 months, but considering this procedure was introduced in 2009, we’re not quite ready to take that as gospel.

The upside of these autologous transfers is that there is no chance of having an allergic reaction since the cells were produced by you.  It is also a fairly quick procedure, taking about 20 minutes.  Anti-aging.com says the PRFM/PRP stays fluid under the skin and doesn’t form lumps.  It also says risks are low and problems are rare, but Realself.com doctors answering a question about autologous platelet transfers cite an article that suggests clots could form in a facial vein.

The cost estimate we found was $1,100 for one treatment, a bit higher than traditional injections, but of course, they are doing more work.  Despite the pros associated with the Selphyl System, many remarking on RealSelf.com are just not ready to try it, and are sticking to old fashioned fillers like Restalyne.  We tend to agree, it needs more testing.  We’re all for trying something new and different, but we just don’t want to be the first when it comes to our faces.

The study was done on mice who, as it turns out, have similar sex-based fat distribution pattern to humans.  But there were some definite surprises in the data, particularly for the men.

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First, fat tissue is completely different between men and women.  “”We found that out of about 40,000 mouse genes, only 138 are commonly found in both male and female fat cells,” said Dr. Deborah Clegg, assistant professor of internal medicine at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and senior author of the study.  Since the substance of fat is so different between the genders, the treatment must be different as well, and in that way, women have the advantage.  “Fat on the hips, thighs and butt is subcutaneous and therefore treatable with liposuction. However, belly fat in men is typically visceral and too deep to be treated with liposuction. The only way to reduce this kind of fat, which is considered a health risk, is with diet and exercise,” New Beauty reports.  Get on those bikes, boys!

But women got some bad news in the study as well, and dang, we knew this all along, too.  “In the female mice whose ovaries had been removed — a condition similar to human menopause — put on the high fat diet, weight gain was greater and more likely to be in the belly,” UPI reports.  So women’s fat cells relocate!  Just when we think we’ve got a solution to our “problem area,” it changes neighborhoods!

But Dr. Clegg gives us some hope.  “Although our new findings don’t explain why women begin storing fat in their bellies after menopause, the results do bring us a step closer to understanding the mechanisms behind the unwanted shift.”

Thanks, Dr. Clegg.  But at the risk of sounding vindictive, I’d feel better if those guys had some kinda “shift,” too.  Just once I’d like to see a man whose fat gut slipped to his backside.  But every woman knows – that ain’t going to happen.  It’s in our genes.

The next day was all about clothes. “We were ushered into Saks Fifth Ave. to the upper level exclusive dressing rooms. There we met our stylists and spent the day trying on shoes, dresses, pants, blouses, Spanx … and we were all given a bra fitting and new undergarments. (Wa-Hoo!!)”

So far, so good, she and her companion sister were thinking as they arrived on Monday at Harpo Studios. “Before” shots were taken in the “frumpy” outfits they were told to bring from home, and then the process began in a temporary salon built behind Oprah’s main set. From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Goldie describes, she and eight other women were “bleached, plucked, polished and waxed” for their on-stage transformation. Each woman had her own producer who reevaluated the “dramatic change” every couple hours. One poor contestant had her hair dyed three times that day.

Goldie didn’t want to dye her hair. She comes from a family of “happy, white-haired women” and was quite proud of her locks. She used to joke that the only person who could get her to dye her hair was Oprah, and now that day had arrived.

“The head hair lady, Rita Hazen and her assistants, walked around me and stared at my hair. They felt it, took notes and then came back to give me ‘the talk.’ ‘We’ve decided that your best look is blond!’ Say what??, I sputtered!” But they insisted. “They said I wouldn’t notice the root grow-out as much as a blond … it would be ‘easy’ to keep up with this look, so, I became an Oprah Blond that day. My head was burned so much from the bleach that my scalp skin peeled off after I got home. NOT glamorous at all!!”

Tuesday morning she went back to Harpo for the taping, which was a lot of parading around on the set to the applause of a wishful audience. Directly afterwards they had a brief photo-op with Oprah and then the limo driver took them to the airport and it was all over – “except for the dang Oprah Blond sitting like shredded wheat on top of my head!”

“My blond hair looked good for the camera. My sister loved it. My husband loved it. I hated it. It was harsh. My hair was dry as straw and my poor scalp looked and felt like the Mojave Desert! My husband convinced me to keep it for a year. Reluctantly, I agreed and marked the date on my calendar. Exactly one year later I stopped and have never dyed my hair again.”

Goldie explained to LookinGood that this makeover routine had nothing to do with the person chosen: it’s all about TV drama. From her description, they choose people who will look good on camera, present well and can showcase new style and esthetic technique, then they gussy them up for one day on camera – and send them home. Goldie didn’t learn a thing from the specialists. “There was no advice for you to take home,” she laughed, “except maybe that jewel tones look good one everyone.”  Big help.

What she did learn was about the process and something about herself. She hated the chemicals and what it did to her scalp and is still a bit baffled that no one listened to her during the session. She hated the maintenance of color and trying to achieve the same result each time. She hated the expense. But the biggest reason was simple: “I felt less authentic,” she said.

In the end, maybe she did end up with a makeover of sorts after all.

Diana Lewis Jewell was Goldie’s inspiration for going back to her natural gray.  Jewell will appear on The Today Show, Wednesday, June 2, 2010.

I exaggerate of course, but hand rejuvenation is a new specialty among esthetic professionals for good reason.  While the skin of the face and neck may get all the attention in the fight against aging, the condition of our hands are, as my husband pointed out – a dead giveaway.  No matter how fat your butt is, older hands lose their fatty tissue and look bony and wrinkled.   Hands are often the first thing damaged by the sun, which results in freckles and age spots.  Because they are always in water and being wiped off, skin on your hands is often dry and itchy.  Even the veins stick out more as we age.  Remember the hands of the Wicked Witch of the East?

You get my point.  If hands are your issue, you are not alone.

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The solutions for regaining youthful hands are many.  Product-wise, Retin-A and glycolic acid can be applied to the hands topically, which cause age spots to fade over time, just like they do on the face.  Chemical peels and microdermabrasion are also prescribed for faster results, but will definitely keep you from doing dishes for a few days while your hands heal.  Retin-A products usually run about $60-$100 a tube; the skin resurfacing procedures cost $200-$500.

Processes like laser skin resurfacing for the hands are very popular in medical spas using Fraxel, Thermage, Refirme or IPL, which can remove spots and broken capillaries.  For larger blood vessels, physicians use the same technique they use for spider veins – sclerotherapy – during which a chemical is injected into the veins that causes them to shrink. Dermatologists are even using injectable fillers to temporarily plump bony hands.  Depending on the services you receive, expect to pay $1,500 to $5,000 for these types of treatments.

If you are VERY serious about your hands, you can also go in for soft tissue augmentation where fat cells are taken from other parts of your body and transplanted to your hands. Hand rejuvenation procedures like those usually take place under outpatient anesthesia and are upwards of $1,500-$5,000 as well.

Doctors can bundle the procedures to save you money, but hands down, cosmetic hand rejuvenation could turn into some serious ‘high fives’.

There are a thousand ways to do it, and truthfully, it really makes a person look better.  But there are some who can’t bleach their teeth or who need more than a simple Crest strip as a remedy.

WebMD says there’s a number of reasons a person shouldn’t bleach their teeth.  For one thing, no one under the age of 16 can do it because the nerve of the tooth is still enlarged at that age and easier to hit (yikes!).  Sensitive teeth or people allergic to peroxide are out, or if you have had any composites such as veneers, crowns or caps, you’re out because the material can’t be whitened.

Or, bleaching just plain doesn’t work.  Your teeth still have brown or white spots.  What now?

Just as you can even out skin tone with microdermabrasion, similarly, you can even out “tooth tone” with a process called microabrasion, during which a dentist uses a paste of acid and abrasive solution to treat white and brown spots.  Just like the facial treatment removes layers of skin, the tooth treatment removes a very fine top layer of enamel.  Dentists say it is both safe and effective, and in fact, this procedure is often done on children’s teeth, where bleaching is not.

The first step here is consulting with a dentist to make sure the brown spots aren’t significant tooth decay that needs to be treated in a different way.  There’s at least one dentist out there that uses microabrasion to remove mild decay rather than drilling, then fills the problem spot.

Of course, if neither whiteners nor microabrasion are effective for whitening your teeth, the next step is to consider those veneers we mentioned earlier, but that’s a whole other story.

Anybody tried this microabrasion technique?  Do you bleach your teeth?  Tell us your experience!

1)  It seems to me that more women are opting to let their hair go gray than say, 10 years ago.  Is that true, and if so, why?

Try five years ago!  Ten years ago, we had trailblazers. Now we have real women, from all walks of life, saying enough is enough. And it’s a global phenomenon. We have women in 84 countries logging into www.goinggraylookinggreat.com They’re not just aging boomers. Women are choosing this option in their early 30’s as well. They just don’t want the chemicals. When we did a survey on the site, we found out that women do this for a variety of reasons. The biggest one is authenticity – natural beauty is becoming a trend in its own right. Then we get into things like freedom from roots and scheduling hair appointments around their lives. Health and condition of the hair factors into it, too. Interestingly, the last reason was the high cost of coloring.

2)  Your book and website devote a lot time to transitioning.  What is the first piece of information you give to someone who has made the decision to stop coloring?

The first piece of advice always depends on the color of hair they start out with. Vibrant-to-dark redheads have a difficult transition. They have to soften the color, bring it down a notch. Brunettes and darker have a tough time with an obviously white skunk stripe. That’s when highlights help. The idea is always to reduce the contrast as much as possible. Natural blondes have an easier time of it, but not bleached blondes. Remember, all your hair doesn’t turn gray at once. You still might have dark roots, and the bleached blonde ends will oxidize and get brassy. So, yes, there are lots of strategies involved, including going cold turkey. Once some women are done with color, they’re done. Still, there are things to ease you through: toners, glazes, root touch ups, temporary rinses. After that, we move into hair styling. Layers work. Zigzag parts. Pulling your hair back at the sides to reveal the new growth. We discuss these daily on the site. Women are always looking for the speed bullet. Everyone wants a magic potion; so they’re fully colored one day, gray the next. Even your salon won’t do that. Maybe you can find one that will bleach your hair all the way out and apply a silver toner. But you’re still stuck on the color merry-go-round. Transitioning serves a purpose. If only to give yourself time to get used to the “new” you.

3) What is the most common problem with women who have decided to go gray?

That’s an easy one – Impatience! The first inch is truly exciting. The second and third, not so much. That’s when women begin to have doubts. Happens every time. They wonder what they’re doing; their friends wonder what they’re doing. The most important thing to know is that you can’t tell what “final” shade of silver you’ll end up with when you’re going through the calico stage. Because your “other” colors, real or not, reflect on your silvers. So whether you trim the ends off gradually, or go for the big whack, you have to get all that other color gone before your true shade emerges. If they can just get over this hump, they’re good to go.

There is a whole community of women on Diana’s website ready to share their observations as well:

www.goinggraylookinggreat.com/

You can buy her book there, too!