Finding Skin Creams That Work

While any good skin care treatment will help dryness, only a few can actually renew your complexion.

    Walk through any drugstore or department store aisle, and you’ll see dozens of skin cream options that promise to erase wrinkles, eliminate dryness, and bring back that youthful glow. Some creams are highly specialized, while others focus on treating a specific issue.

Simple Acne Treatment Tips

Gentle acne treatment can prevent your pimples from worsening and reduce future breakouts.

    If you have acne, you're among more than 70 million people in the United States who have suffered from this skin condition at some time in their lives. It is so common that acne affects about 80 percent of Americans 20 to 30 years old. During the teenage years, acne is more common in boys than in girls, but in adults it's more common in women.

The Dry Skin Diet

A diet rich in omega-3s and other healthy fats may help keep skin supple and hydrated.

    If you have dry skin, you know that lotions and moisturizers help. But can certain dietary choices combat dry, itchy, scaly skin?

"The most important part of the skin barrier is lipids, including phospholipids, free fatty acids, cholesterol, and ceramides," says Amy Newburger, MD, an attending physician in the Dermatology Department at St. Luke's Roosevelt Medical Center. "Skin without enough fat in it has a protein predominance and is kind of like a mess made just of twigs with no glue between them." Water easily escapes through a barrier without lipids, allowing skin to become dehydrated.

Choosing the Right Skin Care for You

Understanding the differences between over-the-counter, maximum, and prescription-strength skin-care products.

    Selecting skin-care products can be a daunting task, what with all the choices filling pharmacy aisles. You'll find dozens of over-the-counter products with such labels as "maximum strength," "clinical strength," and "original prescription strength" - plus seemingly identical products that are available only by prescription. What do all these labels mean, and how do you know which product is the best one for you? Here are some answers.

Dos and Don'ts of Proper Suncare

Preventing sun damage is much more than just a cosmetic issue - protecting your skin could save your life.

    More than one million cases of skin cancer were diagnosed in the United States in 2007, according to the American Cancer Society. Many of those cases might have been avoided, however, with proper preventive care.

Sunscreen is key, but effective coverage requires more effort than just slopping some lotion on when you arrive at the beach. Follow these tips to keep your skin healthy and sunburn-free: