If you live in a hot climate, or are planning a winter vacation in the sun, think twice before stocking up on flip-flops at Walmart.

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MRSA is the scourge of hospitals, but now the discovery in France of a volcanic clay with miraculous healing properties raises the prospect of a cure for it, and to other dangerous superbugs

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It is said that Cleopatra bathed in milk, honey, and essential oils followed by gentle abrasion with fine white sand. How did we get from such a wholesome and luxurious cleansing ritual to today’s bar soaps that bubble with toxic and irritating substances, including petroleum-based ingredients? I don’t know, I just can’t picture Cleopatra cleaning herself with crude oil. [Read more →]

Acne is a very common disease of the tiny fat glands at the base of hair follicles. The purpose of these follicular glands, most prevalent on the face, is to keep the skin moisturized. Common bacteria can irritate the hair follicles, which ultimately causes the fat gland to rupture and impact the pore. This can lead to blackheads, whiteheads, or the more serious “zits” which are inflamed and pus-filled pores. Deep acne can create permanent scars. While stress and genetics are certainly contributing factors in acne, diet plays a major role. Another key factor is excess androgen (testosterone) production which increases the size and activity of the fat glands in the hair follicles. Concentrated minerals and vitamins can help improve your biochemistry and promote clear, healthy skin.

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High-intensity “cool” (blue) laser is being used increasingly to kill superficial bacterial infections. A company called Lumenis has a division of “aesthetic” products including a high-intensity blue laser called “ClearLight” which dermatologists are using to kill the propionic and cornybacterium which are the primary cause of acne. The company claims there are no side effects to the treatments, which generally last about 15 minutes and are painless.

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The medical term for stretch marks is “striae atrophica” which Tabor’s Medical Dictionary describes as “fine pinkish-white or grey lines, usually 14 cm in length, seen in parts of the body where skin has been stretched. Commonly seen on thighs, abdomen, and breasts of women who are or have been pregnant, in persons whose skin has been stretch by obesity, tumor, or dropsy (swelling); or in persons who have taken [steroids] for a prolonged period.” This is different from cellulite, which is a dimpling of the skin caused by a thin upper layer of the skin with large, irregular fat cells below. Stretch marks are, however, somewhat related to cellulite in that women are much more susceptible than men due to skin anatomy. Women have more subcutaneous fat, which has less of a cohesive cellular structure, and also tend to have thinner top layer of skin which makes the superficial skin more prone to damage of all kinds.

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