Tag Archives: SPF

January 25, 2013 · 10:59 am

Don’t Let Chapped Lips Crack Your Smile

Today’s Question: Is the weather the only cause of my chapped lips right now? They are driving me crazy! Cassidy, Claypool

A. Cassidy, as if the winter wasn’t enough of a bummer with the dreary sky and long cold days, add in cracked, dry and painful lips and it’s enough to make you hibernate! While this time of year finds many of us suffering from chapped lips due to the chilly temperatures and bitter winds, the weather is not the only cause of chapped lips. Below I have listed just a few of the many causes of dry lips. In certain cases, persistent chapped lips may need the consultation from a dermatologist.

1. Lack of Protection: Chapped lips are most often associated with the winter months, but you can just as easily get chapped lips on Spring Break or during the summer from the sun. Protect your lips year-round with a petroleum-free lip balm that contains an SPF such as jane iredale’s LipDrink. Not only will you keep them hydrated, but also protected from the elements including the sun’s damaging rays. During the wintertime, try adding a scarf over your mouth, Cassidy, for an extra layer of protection from the wind and cold.

2. Licking Your Lips: Whether due to stress, nerves or just habit, licking your lips will cause them to dry out. While they temporarily may look and feel hydrated, the saliva will quickly evaporate leaving them dryer than when you started. Then, you lick them again and so begins a vicious cycle. Habits like this are hard to break, but staying far away from those flavored lip balms may help you from treating your lips like an ice cream cone.

3. Dehydration: When we are dehydrated, it makes our skin look dull, can cause headaches and chap your lips. Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water will not only keep your lips kissable, but you will feel better overall.

4. Allergies: Did you know there are ingredients in toothpaste that can irritate your lips and dry them out? Certain lipsticks can also bother your lips and dry them out as well. I’m not suggesting you stop brushing your teeth, Cassidy, or stop wearing lipstick. Just be aware that if your lips are irritated and chapped, it doesn’t hurt to check the ingredients and see if that may a contributing culprit.

So, Cassidy, get crackin’ on what’s cracking your lips and they will start to feel better in plenty of time for that special Valentine. If you have any questions about your skin care, be sure to talk with a medical professional.

Jennifer Kauffman is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner, practicing in Warsaw and Ft. Wayne. She is a sought after speaker at medical conferences such as the American Academy of Plastic Surgeons. Jennifer is a member of American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and Coalition of Advance Practice Nurses of Indiana. She received her Nursing and Nurse Practitioner degrees from Goshen College, and Indiana Wesleyan University. Jennifer is a Clinical Instructor nationally to physicians and nurses on sclerotherapy.

Do you have a question for Jennifer, about this article or another cosmetic skin care issue? Please call Vein Institute & Medical Spa at 574-267-1900 to have your questions answered and considered for future columns. Questions can also be submitted online at www.veinmedicalspa.com.

Are Chemical Peels Safe In The Summer?

Today’s Question: Is it okay to have a chemical peel in the summertime? Kylie, Winona Lake

Kylie, I’m so glad you asked this question! It’s a question I hear on a daily basis at my practice. Not only are chemical peels safe in the summer, they are recommended as long as you are faithful with sun protection when you are outside. No one expects you to be a hermit this summer, we just expect you to be smart! With summer comes class reunions, family picnics and parties that you want to look your best for and have healthy, tighter, glowing skin. However, with summer also comes increased oil production, sun damage, brown spots and increased environmental pollutants clogging up your skin which makes chemical peels as much of a summer staple as strawberry shortcake!

I live on a lake and am outside all summer long in my flower garden and on my pontoon. I also have a chemical peel every four weeks. I am diligent to reapply a broad spectrum sunscreen every two hours when I am outside along with wearing a cute wide-brimmed hat. Regardless of whether you have a chemical peel or not, these rules for sun protection stay the same. I recommend wearing a zinc-based sunscreen as it provides a physical barrier on your skin blocking out the harmful UVA and UVB rays. After a chemical peel, the fresh, new exposed skin is more sensitive to the sun, so it is extra important to keep it protected, Kylie.

One benefit of having chemical peels in the summer is that it will help keep your brown spots under control. If you stop having chemical peels during the middle of the summer, your pigment will get a lot worse and there will be more work in the fall to undo the damage. For the summer months, I recommend having a superficial peel instead of a medium-depth peel if you are going to be outside a lot. These peels use alphahydroxy acids (AHAs) such as glycolic, lactic and salicylic. These lighter chemical peels will help improve the texture of your skin, lighten brown spots, help with oil production and remove the dead, dull skin giving you a healthy glow with minimal to no peeling. Kylie, if you are planning a summer vacation to the beach, you will want to not have a chemical peel two weeks before or after your trip.

Don’t let summer scare you away from chemical peels, Kylie! As long as you are careful and conscientious about your sun protection, as you should already be, your skin will benefit from chemical peels all summer long. If you have any questions about your summer skin care, be sure to talk with your medical skin care professional.

Are You Making These Sunscreen Mistakes?

The first day of summer is less than two weeks away! As you find yourself spending more time outdoors on the lake, in your garden or at the ball diamond, be sure avoid the five most common sunscreen mistakes to keep you protected not just during the summer, but all year long.

1. Trying To Do Sunscreen Math

What do you get when you combine a moisturizer with an SPF 15, foundation with an SPF 20 and sunscreen with an SPF 35? I will give you a hint. It’s not 70. Mixing SPFs together does not give you a higher SPF. Your sun protection is the highest number SPF of the bunch or 35 in this example. By layering several SPF products, you may get a little bit of extra protection from the additional quantity applied, but the SPF factor will not increase. For sunscreen to be at its maximum SPF protection, you need to apply a broad spectrum sunscreen with the same thickness as you would frost a cake.

2. Only Applying It When It’s Sunny

Even if the sun is taking a break from shining brightly that day doesn’t mean you can take a break from your sunscreen. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation and the American Academy of Dermatology, “Up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays can penetrate through clouds and fog.” Keep wrinkles and cancer at bay by wearing your sunscreen every day. Applying sunscreen every morning to your face should be part of your morning routine, even if you are just going to work. You are exposed harmful to UV rays just from walking from the parking lot to your office or grocery store.

3. Not Applying It Soon Enough

Sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before heading outside. This will allow the ingredients to activate and attach to your skin. If you wait to apply it right before walking out the door or when you get to the beach, you will be not fully protected for the first half hour you’re out.

4. Using Expired Sunscreen

Be sure to check the bottle to see if your sunscreen has expired. It doesn’t offer you any protection if the active ingredients are no longer good. It could also mean that you’re not using enough sunscreen. If you are outside frequently and are still working on the same bottle of sunscreen from last year, although thrifty, it’s time to up the amount you’re using to ensure maximum protection.

5. Forgetting To Reapply

This may be the most common mistake of all. You’ve generously applied your new sunscreen 30 minutes before heading out the door, but then you get busy at the beach or working outside and four hours have passed. Unfortunately, those last two hours you were outside you were not protected. A sunscreen’s protection wears off after two hours, which is why it is necessary to reapply it every two hours when you are outside or after swimming or sweating. If you have trouble remembering to reapply your sunscreen, try setting an alarm on your phone to remind you. There are even apps you can download for your phone that will remind you when it’s time to reapply.

Sunscreen is not 100 percent protection from the sun, so don’t let it give you a false sense of security. However, by using it appropriately and eliminating these common mistakes you will be taking huge strides forward in protecting your skin from burns, cancer, wrinkles and brown spots. That’s no mistake. If you have any questions about sunscreen, be sure to talk to your medical skin care specialist.

Jennifer Kauffman is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner, practicing in Warsaw and Ft. Wayne. She is a sought after speaker at medical conferences such as the American Academy of Plastic Surgeons. Jennifer is a member of American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and Coalition of Advance Practice Nurses of Indiana. She received her Nursing and Nurse Practitioner degrees from Goshen College, and Indiana Wesleyan University. Jennifer is a Clinical Instructor nationally to physicians and nurses on sclerotherapy.

Tag Archives: SPF

Don’t Let Chapped Lips Crack Your Smile

Are Chemical Peels Safe In The Summer?

Are You Making These Sunscreen Mistakes?

Categories

Recent Posts

Follow Blog via Email

Archives

Twitter Updates

Follow “”