Athlete’s foot got its name because the fungus that causes it is prevalent in locker rooms, pool-changing areas and other places that the sports-inclined among us tend to frequent. But the reality is fungus is everywhere in the environment and whether you get it is a matter of your individual susceptibility—not your athletic prowess. In fact, one in three people have some form of foot fungus—and most are completely unaware they have this condition.
If you have dry heels accompanied by white, moist scaling between the toes, chances are you have a fungal infection and will need to use a topical antifungal cream or spray you can get over the counter at the drugstore or through your doctor. To prevent reappearance, it’s important to stay vigilant even after you’ve cleared the infection. Continue to use anti-fungal cream or spray daily, wear flip-flops in public showers and make sure to dry your feet thoroughly after showering. You may also want to pare away the dead skin with a high-glide, oil-free micro-dermabrasion paste. This gentle exfoliation will allow moisturizers and medicines to better penetrate while also improving the tone and texture of your feet.
It’s also important to treat all your shoes, as they can carry remnants of fungus long after the infection may have cleared from your skin. We suggest sprinkling some Zeasorb-AF, available in most drugstores, in every pair to kill the spores.
Taking care of your tootsies is no small feat. But if you show them the love they deserve, you’ll be putting your best foot forward whether you’re wearing hiking boots on a mountain trail or strappy sandals at an outdoor party.
If you think adding an extra layer of makeup will make you look extra desirable, you might want to think again.
A study published in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology found that women who decide to wear a “full face” of makeup to make themselves more attractive might be achieving just the opposite result.
Researchers at Bangor University and Aberdeen University in the United Kingdom gave 44 women “a range of best-selling” foundation, lipstick, blush and mascara products and told them to put on makeup like they were preparing for a night on the town. The women were photographed with freshly scrubbed faces and also after they had put on makeup. The researchers then altered the photographs so they had 21 images of the women wearing various amounts of makeup. They showed the altered images to 44 Bangor University students, who were instructed to select the photo they thought was most attractive, the photo they thought women would like best and the photo men would like best.
It turns out that women and men alike favored the images of the models wearing 40% less makeup than they initially put on. Another intriguing finding: each participant assumed men would like the models with more makeup on than the women would, but in reality the women were the ones who liked the images of the models wearing slightly more makeup.
The researchers said the results “suggest that women are likely wearing cosmetics to appeal to the mistaken preferences of others.”
We all have the desire to be desirable, but instead of layering on the makeup, our focus should be on achieving a healthy, natural complexion. The “foundation” for great skin starts with the right skincare products to address your skin concerns. By identifying your primary skin concerns and incorporating clinically proven skincare products and healthy habits into your daily routine, you can feel confident with “less” face and look as good as you feel today and every day.
With Rodan+Fields you can uncover the skin on your face and go naked! Message me for more information and your free sample!
Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields are thrilled to live in the epicenter of new technology—the San Francisco Bay Area. Right now, the buzz is about the wearable computing device Google Glass. Google has even teamed up with Ray-Ban and other high-end brands to make “smart” eyeglasses. With all eyes on this new technology, tune into the latest webisode of Skinpact News, “Google Glass,” to learn from Dr. Rodan and Dr. Fields how you can make sure your peepers are prepared for this future meets fashionista moment.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that prevents rickets in children, maintains bone density in adults, may inhibit certain cancers such as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and possibly lessens the risk of diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
There is an ongoing debate in the medical community that daily sun exposure is critical for production of adequate vitamin D. It is true that sunlight stimulates the production of vitamin D; however, the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that you get your daily value of vitamin D from non-sun sources, such as vitamin D–fortified milk, orange juice, salmon and other fatty fishes or a multivitamin containing at least 1000 international units of vitamin D3daily.
