Problems Brewing Under Your Skin?

In some ways, skin care is like life. Just when you think you've crossed one hurdle (or zit and ingrown hair), another one comes along (like crow's-feet, for example). We asked Danie Jung, an aesthetician for Gwell Med Spa in Los Angeles, California, about the eleven most common skin problems and their easiest solutions.

1. Ingrown hairs: Ever had an angry red bump surface a day or two after shaving? It's probably an ingrown hair. An easy fix is to put a warm compress on the affected area. Let the heat therapy relax the hair, and it will work itself out.

2. Spider veins: Broken capillaries around the nose and chin can blossom into unsightly red lines as weather and stress take their toll. A temporary solution is using makeup specially designed to cover redness. For a more permanent fix, ask your dermatologist about laser treatment and photoderm technology. Both are fairly painless and take about 30 minutes.

3. Crow's-feet: There's no way to avoid crow's-feet — unless you are willing to forgo smiling or laughing for the rest of your life. Since that's not an option for most of us, remember that hydration is the key or, for an inexpensive treatment that really works, try patting olive oil around your eyes at night.

4. Large pores: You can minimize pore appearance, says Jung, even if you can't change what's genetically predetermined. Gentle cleansers with exfoliant properties, and moisturizers with retinols, will keep oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells from clogging your pores — and might even tighten them up over time.

5. Bumpy skin: Unsightly bumps under your skin — usually around the chin and jaw — might be ingrown hairs. If the bumps aren't red and inflamed, but do feel tender, it's likely you've got a flare-up of cystic acne going on deep under the dermis. An over-the-counter acne medication should help; if not, visit your dermatologist.

6. Whiteheads: This is a sign that your body is fighting an under-the-skin bacterial infection. If you're prone to whiteheads, use a penetrating sulfur mask to draw the infection up and out. The proactive treatments will minimize whitehead eruptions.

7. Rosacea: A catchall phrase that can cover many skin conditions, rosacea generally applies to any complexion prone to flushing and redness. Sufferers usually have extremely sensitive skin that reacts even to the mildest chemicals in cleansers and moisturizers. Find an all-natural skin-care line that doesn't have any man-made ingredients and see how your complexion reacts, Jung says.

8. Oily skin: It's a blessing in disguise because oily skin tends to wrinkle and age at a slower rate than dry skin. Don't use harsh products in an attempt to scrub away the oil, but don't skimp on moisturizer. Use an emollient cleanser and very light moisturizer.

9. Dry skin: Adjust your water temperature, says Jung. Showering and washing in hot water is a surefire way to rob your complexion of much-needed moisture. Stick to tepid water, and gently pat skin dry. Apply moisturizer while your skin is still damp.

10. Sun spots/old scars: They're very different skin problems, but the treatment is the same: retinoid creams like Retin-A, alpha hydroxy lotions to clarify complexions, and, in severe cases, chemical peels under the supervision of a dermatologist, says Jung.

11. Wrinkles: Everything slides downhill as we age, and our skin is no exception. Prevention is the best medicine, says Jung. A healthy diet, lots of water, regular exercise, and daily use of sunscreen will keep wrinkles at bay for a long time. If you smoke, quit immediately. When the time comes for more aggressive steps, consider dermatological treatments like chemical peels, laser resurfacing, photo facials, and microdermabrasion.

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