Instant Skin Fixes

Back and Chest Breakouts

Hormones or simply being acne-prone can trigger blemishes on your back and chest. And warm temperatures can make you sweat, which may aggravate acne.

The Fix:

Clean the afflicted areas daily using a body wash containing either salicylic acid, which sloughs off dead skin cells to unplug pores, or benzoyl peroxide, which kills the bacteria that cause inflammation (try Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash or Oxy Body Wash, each $6, drugstore.com). Jacob also recommends taking a 2,000 mg to 4,000 mg daily supplement of DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids, which may keep acne at bay thanks to their anti-inflammatory abilities, according to a recent study. Just make sure you choose quality pills made with pure fish oil — trustworthy brands include AmeriSciences or Pharmanex. Still plagued by breakouts? Your derm may prescribe topical antibiotics, a retinoid cream that unclogs pores, or Spironolactone, a medication used to treat heart conditions that's prescribed off-label to treat acne (by lessening your body's oil production).

Spider Veins

These broken, dilated capillary veins just below the surface of the skin on your legs or face show up as fine blue, red, or purplish lines, most often in a tree-branch or weblike pattern. They're usually hereditary — and pregnancy, weight gain, and aging can also make you more susceptible.

The Fix:

One option is a procedure called sclerotherapy: Your doctor uses a fine needle to inject a solution into spider veins, causing the walls to collapse, release the blood, and close. A newer, faster, and less painful alternative: laser treatment. This can be more expensive, however, and many experts say it's not as effective as sclerotherapy. Both procedures require multiple sessions to banish spider veins and are not covered by insurance. Expect to pay between $300 and $400 for a sclerotherapy session and $300 or more per laser treatment.

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