If you have large pores, you want to know how to shrink them. Not only can they change the appearance of your face, but they can also be breeding grounds for acne and breakouts. However, many people with large pores are born that way – which leads some to believe that you can’t do anything about them. This is misled thinking. With just a few simple steps, you can help reduce the size of your pores or cover them up from those who are looking.

Keeping things clean

One of the best ways to start controlling enlarged pores is to make sure that they don’t look bigger than they need do. Often, larger pores are caused by an accumulation of dirt and oil – sometimes spouting up as blackheads or whiteheads. When you take the time to remove the dirt and oil from your face, you can lessen the overall size of your pores, though temporarily. Try to wash your face one to two times each day with a gentler cleanser. The trick is to buy something that’s gentle so that you’re not irritating the skin and causing more reasons for your pores to expand. Soap free products are good as are products that contain mild astringents (you could find these in the acne section). Simply lather up your face with the cleanser, rinse completely off and you’re allowing your skin to stay clean.

But wait…there’s more

The next thing you will want to do when you have enlarged pores is follow up with an astringent or toner. This can be a certain brand from a store or just simple witch hazel. By placing this on a cotton pad or ball and rubbing it on your face after you wash, you will help the pores constrict, leading to a smaller appearance. The only problem is that you don’t want to use that too much as you can also dry out the skin. Be sure to follow with a water-based moisturizer to prevent this from happening.

Do pore shrinking products really work?

The thing that you will want to remember about enlarged pores is that much of their size is determined by heredity, so you’re only going to be able to reduce their size temporarily with these products. If you’re heading out for a night on the town, this can be the perfect solution for making your makeup look its best. In the long run, however, your pores can only be minimized and not reduced permanently.

…Makeup trick

The key with creating a pore-free appearance to your skin is to use a foundation or a tinted moisturizer that’s suited to your skin type. When you use something that’s too oily or too drying, you will call attention to your pores. Try to determine the skin type that you are before shopping for a foundation. Another idea is to stick with a foundation that’s a cream and a powder in one. These tend to provide ample coverage for your pores, but also not be as heavy as liquid foundations. Make sure to apply a light dusting of powder when you’re done for a movie star appearance.

Everyone knows about the dangers of skin cancer. But not everyone understands that skin cancer is often payment for the sins of our youth. Cancer that appears on your skin is normally something that has been in the making for many years. It is an end result of a mixture of genes and behaviors that is peculiar to each person and the risk of getting skin cancer is directly proportional to certain risk factors that increase the odds.

Skin Cancer Risk Factors

• Heredity (genes)
• Frequency of unprotected exposure to sun
• Smoking
• Type of skin – fair skin has highest degree of risk
• Sunburns we got as a child
• Use of sunlamps and tanning beds

Cancer on the skin is a group of malignant mutated cells on the outer layers of the skin. A melanoma is the more severe form, because it can go below the outer layer. This makes it more probable, that if left undetected, it could spread into the body. The good news is that if caught early, any kind of skin cancer is curable. Detecting skin cancer is not difficult. It just takes diligence. The American Academy of Dermatology created the ABCDE rule to make it easy to remember what to look for on your skin.

Learn Your ABC’s – by ‘The American Academy of Dermatology’

A – look for an asymmetrical mole or a mole that is not the same on both sides
B – look for moles with an irregular border
C – look for moles that are an uneven color
D – look for moles that are larger than 6 millimeters (approx .25 inches)
E – look for moles that are elevated above the skin

If you discover any mole that looks suspicious, it is important to see a doctor right away. Like any cancer, early detection is the key to eliminating the skin cancer and preventing its spread.

Preventive Measures

Like most problems, preventing the problem in the first place is the best strategy. Though skin type and genes are major skin cancer determinants, there are things anyone can do to minimize the risk.

• Avoid direct sun exposure, especially between 10 AM and 3 PM
• Never use tanning beds and sun lamps
• Use sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15
• Wear protective clothing, including hats and sunglasses

A tan is actually damaged skin cells. It is the mutation of the cells caused by UVA and UVB rays (ultraviolet A and B) that creates cancerous moles. Ultraviolet rays are radiation, whether you get the rays from a tanning bed or the sun. Sunscreen lotions should be used regularly, but most importantly, they should be used all your life, from infancy to old age. If you get one or more severe sunburns as a child, it significantly increases the odds of getting skin cancer after 50 years old.

The sunscreens today are nothing like the greasy ointment-like lotions that used to be sold. Lotions today have important UV ray protection and moisturizers, and most are non-greasy. They are easy to apply and don’t stain clothes so all the excuses for not wearing sunscreen have been eliminated. There is a wide selection of sunscreen products for skin, lips and face. The best news is there are now effect self-tanning lotions available on the market. So if it is important that you have a tan, you can get one today without exposing yourself to dangerous skin damaging rays.

It seems that acne likes to pop up at the worst times – a blind date, a wedding, etc. Thankfully, there are many things that you can do to tame the blemish that wants to ruin your face. But there are also ways to make it much worse. To help solve all your blemish woes, here are the ways that you can put your best face forward.

If you have a few days

If you notice a blemish on your face a few days before an important event, you have plenty of time to do something about it. In most cases, a pimple will resolve itself in that time, and with a proper cleansing routine, you won’t have any others to worry about. But if you’d like to speed up the process, it’s time to get out that tube of pimple cream and start putting it on whenever you have the chance. Make sure to limit the coverage ONLY to the blemish as you don’t want to irritate your skin any more than it already is.

If you have twenty four hours

Notice a blemish right before a big day? First of all, don’t panic. What you’ll want to do is look at the blemish to see how red it is. If it’s red, you’ll want to apply an ice pack to the area to reduce the swelling and then apply a pimple cream. If there’s a raised head to the blemish, you can do more, but this isn’t something that you want to make routine. Take a thin needle and dip it in alcohol or through a flame to sterilize it. Place the needle at the base of the pimple and push into the skin slowly. You don’t have to go all the way through the skin, just enough to puncture it.

Now, DON’T squeeze. What you’ll want to do is get out a warm compress – a warm washcloth will do. Place a tip of the washcloth on the affected area for a few minutes. You are helping to draw out the dirt and the oil, hopefully reducing the need to squeeze. After a few minutes, check the size of the pimple, it should have gone down at this point. If not, gently squeeze the pimple with the warm washcloth – push toward the size and not to the top of the blemish. When you’re done, dry off and place a small amount of acne cream on top of the area.

If you have no time

If you have a last minute blemish, you’ll want to employ coverage techniques. Choose a concealer that’s the same color as your skin – not lighter as many magazines will indicate. You want to make sure that it’s not apparent that anything is wrong with that section of your skin. Softly dab the concealer on and pat to blend with your ring finger (it produces less pressure). Then apply foundation as usual and be sure to powder your face to set the makeup. Next, stop and breathe – no one will notice the blemish.

There is a reason why they are called birthmarks. They are colored marks on the skin of newborns. Ranging in color from pale pink to dark browns and reds, birthmarks can be small spots that are barely noticeable. But they can also be areas of discoloration that cover a large area. Most birthmarks are harmless. The personal problems that arise are most often in the areas of self-awareness. A large birthmark, especially on the face, can make a person very self-conscious. There are several different kinds of birthmarks.

Angel Kiss

Birthmarks are new blood vessels that are clumped together on the skin. A birthmark exists at birth, but can grow darker or larger over the first few months. The types of birthmarks are as follows.

Strawberry birthmarks are bright red, thus the name. They are immature blood vessels. Near the surface of the skin, most of the time, the mark disappears by the age of nine as the vessels slowly mature. A strawberry mark in between a newborn’s eyebrows is often called an “angel kiss”. There is a deep hamangioma that is beneath the epidermis called the Cavernous. These types of birthmarks do not go away. There are also compound birthmarks, having the characteristics of a strawberry and a cavernous birthmark. The port wine stain is level with the outer skin. Normally, it is found on the face or neck. Port wine stains can be very large sometimes, covering a major part of the face. The dark maroon color occurs, because the stain is created by blood vessels that did not form properly during gestation.

There are other names given to birthmarks, such as salmon patches and Café Au Lait spots, but the 3 types mentioned make up the majority of birthmarks. Birthmarks can be all shapes, sizes, forms, heights and colors. In other words, anything goes. Many people are not aware that birthmarks can also appear inside – on major organs. They are more serious when that happens and may require surgery. Several approaches are taken towards the care of skin that has a birthmark.

Hide and Seek

A person with a birthmark in a prominent place often tries to camouflage the discoloration. In other situations, where the birthmark is a large raised disfiguration, they resort to surgery. There are four approaches to hiding or eliminating a birthmark.

Surgery requires eliminating the malformed blood vessels. It is used in cases where the birthmark is formed by a grouping of blood vessels usually above and below the epidermis. Laser therapy, on the other hand, can be used on port wine stains and other shallower birthmarks. Cosmetics use foundations, concealers and fixing sprays to hide the birthmark. There are specially designed cosmetics for use on the skin after laser surgery. They keep the skin cool and moist and protect the treated skin area from the sun. There is a wide range of herbal cleansers and lotions that will ease the swelling and bruising that follows birthmark treatments.

There is research being done on birthmarks every day. New products and laser therapies are being developed constantly. If you have a birthmark, keep current of the most recent treatments and cosmetics. Like any other beauty issue, your skin deserves the best.

Dealing with wrinkles at any age

Everyone worries about wrinkles as they age. The loss of a youthful appearance is something that no one wants to experience. And science seems to be aware of this desire to maintain a youthful glow. With new ingredients and technology, you can take steps to improve the tone of your skin and even stop wrinkles in their tracks. While you can’t put them off forever, there are plenty of ways to help delay their appearance.

In your twenties

The best steps to take to prevent wrinkles when you’re in your twenties are to wear sunscreen, don’t smoke, and get plenty of exercise. When you protect your skin from the sun, you can help to reduce the incidence of sun damage and subsequent lines and wrinkles. Smoking also causing lines on your face from the smoke that’s exhaled and causes wrinkles from the toxins that are in cigarettes. Exercise helps to boost circulation in your skin as well as maintain overall muscle tone and elasticity.

In your thirties

When you get into your thirties, you will want to start thinking about correcting the damage that you’ve already done to your skin. You will want to look into products that contain vitamins A and C to help improve skin tone. You can also use lotions and creams with retinol ingredients that are showing great promise in reducing the overall look of lines and light wrinkles. Another good thing to keep in mind is that a well-rested body tends to show fewer wrinkles than one that is sleep-deprived.

In your forties

When you approach your forties, you may need stronger treatments to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles. These treatments can include ingredients like copper and collagen that will help to offset the body’s natural tendency to not produce as much collagen. Collagen is what keeps your skin tight and toned, so using these products can help to restore that appearance. You may also want to consider at home microdermabrasion to help lessen the appearance of softer lines around the eyes and mouth.

In your fifties and beyond

As you age, the wrinkles you do have can appear deeper and become harder to treat. You will want to look into prescriptions from your physician or dermatologist for higher concentrations of retinol and vitamins. You can also seek out stronger courses of dermabrasion that will again lessen the look of deeper lines. Even more drastic treatments include face lifts that can stretch the skin to give it a smoother appearance.

Covering them up

When all else fails, you can also look for ways to cover up your wrinkles instead of banishing them completely. There are a number of newly designed foundations that are able to do the job as well as illuminating creams that will offset the overall appearance of lines. Try to use a light hand when using these kinds of products and start with a light layer of lotion before you begin – dry skin tends to look like it has more wrinkles than it actually does.