Protect Your Skin From Scarring

Protect Your Skin From Scarring

by | Jul 30, 2021

6 Expert Ways to Protect Your Skin From Scarring, Injury and Blemishes

With the warm season here, you bare more skin. However, you want to keep your appearance glowing and blemish-free any time of year.

Your skin is your body’s largest organ, and many things can damage it. Here are six expert ways to protect your skin from scarring, injury and blemishes.

1. Leave New Pimples Alone

While sitting in your 8 a.m. chemistry class, you notice a bump on your chin that feels like a fresh blackhead. Your tendencies might scream, “pick at me!” Please try not to yield to the temptation. Picking at your skin can introduce new dirt and germs into pores, making existing acne worse. Trying to pop a newly erupted pimple can push bacteria and oil deeper into the infected pore, increasing swelling, pressure and redness. Icing such spots can reduce swelling and redness until they reach the point where you can perform an extraction.

2. But Treat Injuries Quickly

The old cliché may advise you to never trust a man who has no scars — but the originator of this saying spoke metaphorically. In reality, you want to practice proper wound care to prevent scarring.

If you get a cut or a burn, your first order of business is to thoroughly clean the wound to remove any debris. You also need to cool burns before applying any ointments that might seal heat inside your skin. Once you’ve cleansed and cooled the area, apply a dab of petroleum jelly to the affected area to keep the wound from drying out and forming a scab. You can also use silicone or hydrogel sheets for larger wounds.

Bruises fade in time, but they can distress you if you end up sporting purple and green blotches that contrast with your sleeveless pink bridesmaid’s gown at a summer wedding. Icing your bruise immediately after the bump occurs can help minimize discoloration. Please ensure that you use a fabric bugger between the ice pack and your skin to avoid making matters worse.

3. Use the Right Tool

Take heart, perfect skin seekers. You can still enjoy the gross-yet-satisfying sensation of popping your pimples if you wait until the right time and use the correct instrument.

It’s best if you use self-care techniques after a seasoned professional shows you the ropes. However, let’s keep it real — not everyone has the money for a dermatologist. You can buy comedone extractors such as those recommended by Dr. Pimple Popper and find instructional videos online if you can’t afford a trip.

4. Or Call a Professional

If you have the means, please see a professional for the best advice on protecting your skin from scarring, injuries and blemishes. Please don’t think this advice implies that you can’t learn how to take care of your skin at home.

However, your dermatologist can help you considerably in this endeavor by identifying your skin type and recommending products ideal for your unique DNA. You could potentially save money by not wasting countless pennies here and there trying various products that may work for others, but not you.

5. Wear Sunscreen

If you haven’t started wearing sunscreen each day yet, please get into the habit. Even if you adopt the mindset of, “early humans didn’t wear protection, and they survived” keep in mind that things have changed. Climate change means humans now experience more ground-level UVA radiation than past generations.

If you eschew commercial sunscreens because of the chemicals some brands contain, you can make DIY protection. All you need is some powdered zinc oxide and a carrier base that works well for your skin type. Coconut oil works wonders for dry skin, while argan oil won’t clog acne-prone pores.

6. Nourish Your Skin

Even if you try to be careful, you will eventually suffer life’s bumps and bruises. When you do, your body will heal itself — and recovery will go more quickly if you provide it with the right building blocks for doing so.

If you don’t follow a vegan diet, try to consume more fatty fish for the omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E. The omega-3’s reduce redness and inflammation from pimples, while vitamin E protects against damaging free radicals. Plant-based foods such as walnuts, sweet potatoes and red and yellow bell peppers likewise contain various antioxidants that help protect your skin cells from further damage and provide the materials they need to heal.

Protect Your Skin From Scarring, Injuries and Blemishes

Looking your best means taking care of your body’s largest organ. Protect your skin from scarring, injuries and blemishes to give it the best chance at longevity.

 

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8 Ways to Help Your Skin Age Well

8 Ways to Help Your Skin Age Well

by | Jul 15, 2021

Skincare has been all the rage in recent years, especially for the younger generation. Kids and teens are taking better care of their skin than ever before, and it definitely shows in the content and expertise that has emerged from millennials and gen z creators, as well as their products themselves. This means that in addition to the anti-aging methods and products already on the market, plenty of people are looking to treat aging before it even happens. This can be highly beneficial, as our skin actually begins to age as early as our 20’s.

With the rise of comprehensive sun protection and pre-aging skincare routines, there’s never been a better time to start caring for your skin so you age like fine wine! It’s never too early to get started. Here are eight tips to make sure your skin ages beautifully.

Moisturize

Yes, the proof is in the pudding. No matter how old you are and what your skin type is, you should still be moisturizing every day. In terms of anti-aging techniques, this holds true especially for those with dry and combination skin, as moisturizing can prevent wrinkles and protect the skin against damage.

Use an SPF

Many people will tell you that protecting your skin against the sun is one of the best ways to prevent rapid aging and skin damage, and those people would be right. Preventative, proactive maintenance tends to be more effective than reactive care. The sun can cause wrinkles and sun spots, and the sooner you start using an SPF, the more likely you’ll be to prevent those changes. Make sure you use a broad-spectrum SPF of 30 or higher for the very best protection.

Take Vitamins

Vitamins and minerals, in addition to a balanced diet, can grant your skin the elasticity and resilience it needs to age slowly and gracefully. Multivitamins and collagen supplements can often do the trick, in addition to amino acids, magnesium, iron and biotin, which you can supplement at your own discretion.

Stay Hydrated

You can never go wrong with drinking enough water every day, and staying hydrated is one of the best tips for skin health and longevity. It can help provide healthy skin resilience and protection, especially if you make it a habit.

Quit Smoking

While this one can be tough for people, smoking can have detrimental effects on the skin over time. Not only can smoking cause sagging, age spots and wrinkles, but it can also impact your overall health. While quitting can certainly be hard, it’s worth it to cut back or try to quit, both for your outer beauty and your internal health.

Use a Retinol

Retinol treatments are sometimes considered to be a magical fix for all sorts of skin concerns. Essentially, retinol helps skin cells regenerate themselves and heal properly from damage. In a sense, it’s a kind of exfoliator. This helps both skin clarity and helps to prevent aging, giving you the best of both worlds. Just make sure that you use your retinol at night and keep up with your sun protection routine, as retinol can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight.

Reduce Stress

Stress can cause the skin to age, just like other — arguably, more important — parts of the body. Too much stress can cause lines, wrinkles and other, more immediate problems like rashes, breakouts, acne scarring, bumps and other imperfections. Overall, if you’re looking to relax your skin, it can help to relax your life. While it isn’t always possible to zap all of your stress away, trying to reduce stress in little ways as much as possible can help reduce visible signs of aging.

Use a Chemical Exfoliator

We already talked about this a bit with the retinol, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Chemical exfoliators are far superior to their physical exfoliator counterparts. Not only are they gentler on the skin, but they also go deeper and help skin cell regeneration. Retinol, glycolic acid, AHA and BHA are all examples of chemical exfoliators.

Making Sure Your Skin Ages Well

Taking care of your skin has never been more popular, and for a good reason! The health of your face is a part of your overall health, and it’s never too late to start looking at longevity. Whether you’re opting for vitamins or a chemical exfoliator, you can take care of your skin and keep the wrinkles and creases away.

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Palm Springs: City of Night

Palm Springs: City of Night

by | Jul 9, 2021

Sun, Fun, and the Magic Nights

Palm Springs: City of Night

Fun Facts: Palm Springs has the largest concentration of midcentury modern residential architecture in the world, showcased every February during the Modernism Week celebration.

With more than 70,000 pools, Greater Palm Springs can boast that it has more pools per capita than anywhere else in the country.

Greater Palm Springs is the home of more than 100 golf courses, which is why many refer to us as the Golf Capital of the World.

Every city has its personality. Something to consider is whether or not that city is a city of night—or day? Los Angeles by day, is frankly an often unattractive attraction of template malls—especially if the background light is the opaque gray that haunts the the early summer. This has become a topical discussion in such masterworks as John Rechy’s City of Night and the Door’s L.A. Woman, which begged the question: ” Are you a lucky little lady in the City of Light? Or just another Lost Angel? City of Night”. Los Angeles by night actually has some glamor. Take a visit to the Griffith Observatory to see a panoramic view of the city with all its twinkling and a parade of heatwaves and enjoy. The daylight will reveal a sprawling endless scenery of freeways and buildings—hardly the stuff of Hollywood dreams.

As we head southeast to that cozy town of Palm Springs and its environs, we are treated to a different perspective: this is not a city you want to be in the daylight. In the summer the heat can settle in at 108 degrees and above. Barefoot walking not recommended for humans or animals. It is a perpetual Play Misty for me as the misters create a watery gloom of vapor that quickly evaporates in the mid-day sun. But then comes the night—The Palm Springs night, the night of the cashmere wind, the whispering hush of palms trees swaying—sounds poetic? It is. For at the close of the day, the lights come on, lines get drawn, the temperature dips, the rattling of cocktail stirrers begins—it’s time to party!

There is something unique about the desert night—there is little humidity in fact, Palms Springs with the exception of June 23, has not had any rain in 128 years, but there is a slight breeze and that makes everything sexy. This must be true as it explains the proliferation of bedroom mirrors that are everywhere in Palm Springs—closets, ceilings, walls, everywhere there are mirrors—which is surprising given that this is to a large extent an older community, weathered and worn by the perpetual and endless summer. There are also plastic surgery centers on nearly every block.

As with all good things, PS summers, despite the heat draws hordes of sun-seeking tourists willing to battle getting there—it’s actually the leaving that is difficult. But like that other “resort” town, Las Vegas, the key is in their being unique as cities—quite unlike any other cities in the US—and in this case, one best seen at night.

Book in advance (as in February).

An update: Things are changing in that region.

Palm Springs is known for its hot desert climate, but the region has been experiencing noticeable weather changes over the years. Here are some key facts about the changing weather in Palm Springs:

Increasing Summer Heat: Palm Springs has always been hot during summer, but temperatures are rising. In recent years, the number of days over 110°F (43°C) has increased, with some summers recording extreme heat waves pushing temperatures even higher.

Longer, More Intense Heat Waves: The duration and intensity of heat waves have also grown. Whereas heat spikes might have been a few days in the past, they now often last longer, putting more strain on people and infrastructure.

Warmer Nights: While daytime highs are getting hotter, nights are also warming up. The number of warm nights, where temperatures remain above 80°F (27°C), has increased, offering less relief from the desert heat.

Flash Flooding and Rainfall Variability: While Palm Springs is a desert with low annual rainfall, the area has seen an increase in extreme weather events, including flash floods. These are often caused by sudden, intense rainstorms or remnants of tropical storms. Flooding in typically dry riverbeds (washes) can happen more frequently.

Impact of Climate Change: These shifts are largely attributed to global climate change. Increased greenhouse gas emissions are intensifying weather patterns, making both the dry spells drier and the storms more intense.

Winter Temperature Fluctuations: Winters in Palm Springs are mild, but there have been reports of warmer-than-usual winter months. This warming trend might reduce the pleasant “cool” season, which is a major draw for tourists.

These changes are affecting not only daily life in the region but also tourism, agriculture, and the local environment.

Best Food & Drink

1. The Tropicale Palm Springs

A chic and sophisticated décor provides the setting for our distinctive “world cuisine”, a provocative mix of zesty influences that creates a delightful dining experience in Palm Springs, California. Plush high-backed semicircular banquettes surround our dining room and offer comfortable and private seating. The cuisine has a light, exotic feel with an emphasis on Pacific Rim specialties, from Chilean Sea Bass baked in Banana Leaves or Kahlua-Barbecued Pork Chops to all sorts of tasty tapas, salads, wood-fired pizzas, and desserts. The Coral Seas Lounge, a hip mid-century style bar is lined with sexy black leather bar-stools and is reminiscent of the upbeat lounges of old Palm Springs. It wraps around the dining room and leads outside to a lush, tropical, 2000 square foot dining patio where a variety of specialty cocktails and old-school favorites are mixed – an ideal place where friends gather and martinis are sipped under the starlit desert sky.. Map

Best Places to Stay

1 Korakia Pensione

257 S. Patencio Rd., Palm Springs, California 92262, United States

This Mediterranean style bed and breakfast bills itself as a retreat. In the heart of downtown Palm Springs, the Korakia Pensione (the name translates to “Crow Hotel”) is a magnificent oasis made up of multiple buildings spread across an acre and a half. The heavy stone, almost tiki look, exterior spreads from the outside to the rooms and villas inside.

 

HOTEL INFO

Phones: 760-864–6411
Website: www.korakia.com

. Map

2. Sparrow

Originally built as Castle’s Red Barn in 1952 by MGM actor Don Castle and his wife Zetta, it was one of the original resort getaways for Hollywood elite. Legend has it that iconic actress Elizabeth Montgomery had her first marriage at the Red Barn. The property also has had incarnations as Catalina Palms, El Rancho Lodge and now Sparrows Lodge. The Lodge was fully restored in 2013 and many of the original buildings are still in use with modern updates retaining the charm of the original Red Barn.

THE LODGE:

Sparrows Lodge is a completely restored 1950s retreat. You will be welcomed roadside with a simple hand-painted sign with two Sparrows. The Lodge has a modern rustic vibe that carries through to our rooms, communal barn, outdoor fire pit and vegetable garden, accented by a collection of fine art including works by Ruscha, Kelly, Katz & Baldessari. The 20 rooms feature exposed beam ceilings, russet red walls, concrete floors with inlaid pebbles and butterfly chairs. Swiss army blankets top plush mattresses, and instead of closets you’ll find a metal footlocker along with hooks and hangers. Our bathrooms feature rain showers, and many include horse troughs as bathtubs. Most rooms have private patios. All rooms have AC/Heat and ceiling fans. With no televisions or phones in the rooms, there is an environment of ease and simplicity.

Sparrows Lodge
1330 East Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92264
tel. 760 327 2300

 

3. Old Ranch Inn

220 S. Patencio Road
Palm Springs, CA 92262

Day 1

RELAX, JUST DO IT

Time to chill, get some sun, take in the fresh air and relax. There are more pools per capita in Palm Springs than the entire United States—enjoy one, you’ll like it.

Day 2

THE PLANE, THE PLANE!

The Palm Springs Air Museum is home to one of the world’s largest collections of flyable WWII aircraft and from Korea and Vietnam; and unlike many other museums, our air-conditioned hangars have no ropes to keep you from interacting with our exhibits. In addition to our aircraft, exhibits and activities allow visitors of all ages to gain a fresh perspective of World War II — the unparalleled event that shaped the world we live in. A new hangar opened May of 2017 holds exhibits and aircraft from the Korea and Vietnam Wars. 

 

Day 3

RISE ABOVE IT ALL

Leave the city, the heat and the margaritas behind an head on up the mountain in the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway—the world’s largest rotating tram car—travels over two-and-one-half miles along the breathtaking cliffs of Chino Canyon, transporting riders to the pristine wilderness of the Mt. San Jacinto State Park. During your approximately ten-minute journey, tram cars rotate slowly, offering picturesque and spectacular vistas of the valley floor below. Once you reach the Mountain Station—elevation 8,516 feet—enjoy two restaurants, observation decks, natural history museum, two documentary theaters, gift shop and over 50 miles of hiking trails.

Download Full Itinerary Details

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7 Ways to Manage Your Family’s Health This Summer

7 Ways to Manage Your Family’s Health This Summer

by | Jul 3, 2021

Most parents know to keep healthy snacks, sunscreen and yard games around during the summer months. However, there are so many other things parents can do to ensure their kids have a safe, healthy summer. While these habits and lifestyle changes may be small, they’ll ultimately change your perspective on wellness and help you discover better ways to keep your kids healthy and happy. 

Cultivate healthy habits now by using these smart tips all summer long. 

1. Reapply Sunscreen

You already know that sunburns can increase your risk of developing cancer. That fact alone is enough to spray the kids with sunscreen. However, one application likely won’t be enough to protect your family if you’ll be outside for a few hours. 

Reapply sunscreen every two hours, especially after swimming or sweating. Choose one with an SPF of at least 60 and wear protective clothing if the UV index is extra high. These additional precautions will prevent burns and subsequent skin damage. 

2. Manage Portions 

You serve all the right food groups so your kids have healthy options at mealtime. But are you paying attention to portion size? Generally, you should choose foods every day from the following :

  • Two to three cups of vegetables
  • One and a half to two cups of fruit
  • Five to eight cups of grains
  • Three cups of dairy
  • Five to six ounces of protein foods 
  • Five to seven teaspoons of fats and oils 

So, if you’re serving more macaroni and cheese than fruits and vegetables or your little ones are sneaking extra portions of the former, it’s time to focus on improving your plating. 

3. Take Care of Your Gut 

Good health starts in your stomach, and the same goes for your kids. That’s because your gut is home to millions of bacteria that form a microbiome. This group of microorganisms holds the key to digesting and utilizing food, a process that can affect your entire body. 

Therefore, it’s important that you care for your gut by eating fermented foods like Greek yogurt, sauerkraut and pickles. If your kids are picky eaters, try probiotic and prebiotic supplements instead. Regardless of how you go about boosting those good bacteria, you’ll surely experience a plethora of health benefits once you start prioritizing gut health. 

4. Stick to a Bedtime 

Most parents let their kids stay up late into the night during the summer months. However, children still need eight to 13 hours of sleep each night, depending on their age — and regardless of whether school is in session. 

Establish a bedtime for yourself and your kids and try to stick to it by developing a nighttime ritual. Waking up at the same time every morning may help, too. By the time this new schedule becomes routine, everyone will already be experiencing better sleep and happier, healthier outlooks. 

5. Don’t Forget to Floss 

While you’re at it, make flossing part of your family’s nightly routine. This simple yet oft-forgotten habit is crucial to your dental health and hygiene as it protects against plaque buildup and subsequent tooth decay. 

Teach your kids how to floss by modeling the behavior yourself. Younger kids might need extra help as they develop their fine motor skills. However, if you want to boost their independence, try having them use y-shaped floss picks. With a little practice and patience, they’ll soon be flossing their teeth all on their own. 

6. Try Mind-Body Exercises

Whether your family works out together or not, it’s important to incorporate mind-body exercises into your lives. These exercises will help you use your thoughts to gain influence over your body’s physical responses. With practice, your whole family may experience better sleep, less stress and a heightened sense of well-being. 

Try a few deep breathing exercises or meditate for a few minutes to develop and deepen this mind-body connection. Yoga, tai-chi and other similar traditions can be beneficial as well. Plus, they’re easy for kids to learn and practice. The more often and consistently they participate, the more apt you’ll be to see positive results. 

7. Take a Proactive Stance 

With more vaccines rolling out every day, now’s the perfect time to schedule your kids’ annual wellness check. This appointment will clue you into any underlying health issues so you can help your children make healthier life choices. 

Ask your pediatrician about routine inoculations and whether or not they recommend the COVID-19 vaccine. Remember to schedule any routine appointments afterward to get ahead of the wellness curve and take a more proactive stance on health care. 

Lead By Example 

The devil’s in the details and, if you want your family to stay healthy and active, you must take the lead. Your kids — and maybe even your spouse — often look to you for direction, so take charge and lead by example. Once they see you prioritizing sunscreen, sleep, gut health and the like, they’ll likely follow suit. With some practice and a little bit of luck, these healthy habits will stick with your little ones well into adulthood.

 

For more information: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/news/Pages/AAP-Supports-Childhood-Sleep-Guidelines.aspx

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