Skin Care Excerpt: 'You: Being Beautiful'

Your Skin: What Else Can Go Wrong

As the primary part of your body exposed to external threats, your skin is not only your -body's greatest protector but also extremely vulnerable to the outside world.

Of course, -we're most concerned with cancerous growths. Keep an eye out for precancerous growths by self--exam with the help of a partner (have your spouse or a close friend look at all the areas you -can't see and photograph your total skin surface), and have anything new or different evaluated by a dermatologist. You can even use your cell phone camera to record pictures that your dermatologist can use to compare yearly changes. Put a dime next to any growths that you photograph to provide an estimate of size. By the way, in case you think -you're safe just because you stay out of the sun, realize that skin--damaging ozone levels increase in the afternoon, which can affect skin whether -it's sunny or not. That underscores the point that you need to try to keep your skin healthy even if you have the best sun--protecting habits. Following are some other health issues that have beauty implications. These are irritating conditions that can influence your appearance and self--confidence.

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Acne and Rosacea: While people often like to think that things like chocolate are responsible for pimples, -there's no proof that what pops up on your dessert plate influences what pops up on your nose the night before a big presentation. What we do know is that 80 percent of U.S. teens and 40 percent of U.S. adults complain of pimples. But in Papua, New Guinea, the figure is nearly 0 percent, so -it's a fair guess that something is going on with our lifestyle. One culprit is inadequate intake of omega--3 fatty acids (as opposed to saturated or trans fats or omega--6 fats from corn and soybean oils). Get adequate amounts of these good fats by consuming walnuts, avocados, freshly ground flaxseed, canola oil, fish oils, or DHA supplements from algae. Another culprit? Stress. In studies of college kids during exams, researchers found them to have many more bouts of acne while under pressure. Paradoxically, the steroid medication triamcinolone can be injected to calm a severe form of pimples called cystic acne, but -there's a cost—it also thins the skin, often leaving a depression months later.

And -don't squeeze—you'll damage the skin by increasing inflammation and risk spreading the infection. Instead, wash your face with a coarse washcloth and mild soap to break open any pimples. Salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, and vitamin A creams or gels are all simple and effective methods for reducing acne. You can also try an ancient Chinese remedy—seabuchthorn oil, which has been used for a few millennia in China for a variety of medicinal benefits. More recently, the rich fatty acid mixture has been used topically as a natural treatment for acne and rosacea. Try the soap form. For rosacea—a form of adult acne -that's a fairly common problem—certain antibiotics tend to work not only because they kill bacteria but because of their anti--inflammatory effect. Our recommendation: Ask your doc if an ointment that combines antibiotics and a low--potency steroid cream such as hydrocortisone is right for you. Lasers that target the visible capillaries can have a dramatic immediate effect, and daily topical vitamin C and twice daily topical niacin more subtly reduce the redness in about a month.