I must admit that I have been CNN Free for nearly tens years. Really!  I find myself working at looking at the world through positive lenses.  I have found that watching things out of my control affects my overall health.  This is not an “ignorance is bliss” approach to living as much as it is a focus on what I can effect, affect and control.

For some time now, I have been afflicted with the belief that much of our health is not about doctors, prescription or even prevention.  As I have studied, for my own life, I have found that health and specifically skin health, are directly relates to changing behaviors and realizing that it is not just about what we put into or on our body, it is how we do it and exercising the critical systems of the body.  Simply, just eating right and going to the gym are minor things and pale in comparison to focusing on our physical, mental and endocrine body balance.
My research may or may not be leading to a new book, but one thing for sure is that I believe that much of our skin health has been too focused on the negative aspects of just a few chemicals when how we live our skin health is far more important.

I have been working on a skin health regime that involves changing lifestyle and is almost devoid of talking about products in favor of changing behaviors.  Mehmet Oz (aka Dr. Oz) inspired me to look at a holistic approach to skin health.  Indeed I have began to write this “book” and will publish excerpts here as they become more real to me.  My hope is to take a part of a well deserved holiday and, at least, write a definitive blog article that one could call a book draft outline.

As I have studied, I realized that we have all be overly influenced by blog articles, public lobbying by NGO’s (non governmental organizations) like FOE, NPA, EWG et al.  Life should be about balance and I struggled to find a single source that I can reference that would offer a positive approach to skin conditions, skin disorders and skin health.  I was chatting with a fellow researcher involved at the Human Microbiome Project. (https://commonfund.nih.gov/hmp/) and asked her if she knew of a resource.  She laughed at me and said, “how about next door.”   I have to admit that I had one of those V8 moments as I slapped my forehead.  What she meant by next door is the National Libraryof Medicine sponsored by our tax paying support of the National Institutes of Health.  The group is called MedlinePlus and is an online resource that is amazing.

I obviously believe in the Skin Deep database, the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, The Breast Cancer Fund and all the positive work that goes on.  Said, these people take an approach of “don’t use this or that,”  “these things will hurt you” and “don’t do this” without offering many reasons or solutions.  MedlinePlus makes all of the information from all these “Bad News” agencies pale in comparison.  The best analogy I have is that if information was water, all of the NGO resources add up to a thimble of water into an Olympic pool that is MedlinePlus.

So, here are just a few articles that focus just on the skin, nails and hair on the MedlinePlus database.  My hope is that they will offer you positive solutions to help your skin and feed your positive spirit at the same time.

Update!  Our friends at The Babble Out (www.thebabbleout.com) approached our customer service to look at an eczema article they wrote.   It is quite good and worth reading.  Here is the link to Everything About Eczema.

Note:  When our customer service leader forwarded the article from Zoey at Babble Out to me, it caused me to read the article for value here, but it also reminded me that innovation is constant and articles like mine or from Babble Out are not dynamic unless we stay on top to make these article real-time.  Next to impossible, we will try to be more diligent in staying current with new technologies.

Coming from the computer industry where you either innovate or die, our world has begun to adopt the rapid innovations cycle.  Anything where people are helping people is both responsibility and serving.

For example, there is amazing work being done in Canada in Vernon at a spa where they expose eczema suffers to decreasing temperatures where the skin is blast-chilled.   Results have been remarkable and worth Googling “Eczema Cryotherapy.”

• Acne
• Acne Rosacea see Rosacea
• Actinic Keratosis see Skin Cancer; Sun Exposure
• Aging Skin see Skin Aging
• Alopecia see Hair Loss

• Anatomy
• Athlete’s Foot
• Atopic Dermatitis see Eczema
• Basal Cell Carcinoma see Skin Cancer
• Bedsores see Pressure Sores
• Bee Stings see Insect Bites and Stings
• Behcet’s Syndrome
• Birthmarks
• Body Art see Piercing and Tattoos
• Botox
• Botulinum Toxin see Botox
• Bruises
• Bullous Pemphigoid see Pemphigus
• Burns
• Calluses see Corns and Calluses
• Cellulitis
• Chickenpox
• Cicatrix see Scars
• Colorado Tick Fever see Tick Bites
• Contact Dermatitis see Rashes
• Contusions see Bruises
• Corns and Calluses
• Cosmetics
• Cryptococcosis see Fungal Infections
• Cutaneous Disorders see Skin Conditions
• Decubitus Ulcers see Pressure Sores
• Dermatitis see Eczema; Rashes
• Dermatology see Skin Conditions
• Diaper Rash see Rashes
• Eczema
• Ehrlichiosis see Tick Bites
• Erythema Infectiosum see Fifth Disease
• Fifth Disease
• Fingernails see Nail Diseases
• Flea Bites see Insect Bites and Stings
• Folliculitis see Hair Problems
• Fungal Infections
• German Measles see Rubella
• Germs and Hygiene
• Hair Loss
• Hair Problems
• Handwashing see Germs and Hygiene
• Head Lice
• Hemangioma see Birthmarks
• Herpes Zoster see Shingles
• Hidradenitis Suppurativa
• Hives
• Hyperhidrosis see Sweat
• Hyperpigmentation see Skin Pigmentation Disorders
• Hypopigmentation see Skin Pigmentation Disorders
• Impetigo
• Infections, Fungal see Fungal Infections
• Ingrown Nail see Nail Diseases
• Insect Bites and Stings
• Insect Repellents see Insect Bites and Stings
• Intraocular Melanoma see Melanoma
• Itching
• Jock Itch see Tinea Infections
• Kaposi’s Sarcoma
• Kawasaki Disease
• Keloids see Scars
• Lacerations see Wounds
• Leishmaniasis
• Lice see Head Lice
• Liver Spots see Skin Aging
• Makeup see Cosmetics
• Measles
• Melanoma
• Merkel Cell Cancer see Skin Cancer
• Moles
• Molluscum Contagiosum see Skin Infections
• Morphea see Scleroderma
• Mosquito Bites see Insect Bites and Stings
• Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome see Kawasaki Disease
• Mycoses see Fungal Infections
• Nail Diseases
• Nevus see Birthmarks; Moles
• Paronychia see Nail Diseases
• Pemphigoid see Pemphigus
• Pemphigus
• Perspiration see Sweat
• Piercing and Tattoos
• Pimples see Acne
• Plantar Warts see Warts
• Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac
• Poison Oak see Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac
• Poison Sumac see Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac
• Polymyalgia Rheumatica
• Porphyria
• Post-herpetic Neuralgia see Shingles
• Pressure Sores
• Pruritus see Itching
• Psoriasis
• Rashes
• Ringworm see Tinea Infections
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever see Tick Bites
• Rosacea
• Rubella
• Rubeola see Measles
• Scabies
• Scars
• Scleroderma
• Shingles
• Skin Aging
• Skin Cancer
• Skin Conditions
• Skin Infections
• Skin Pigmentation Disorders
• Skin Rash see Rashes
• Sun Exposure
• Sunburn see Sun Exposure
• Sweat
• Systemic Sclerosis see Scleroderma
• Tanning see Sun Exposure
• Tattoos see Piercing and Tattoos
• Three Day Measles see Rubella
• Tick Bites
• Tinea Infections
• Tinea Pedis see Athlete’s Foot
• Toenails see Nail Diseases
• Tularemia see Tick Bites
• Ultraviolet Rays see Sun Exposure
• Urticaria see Hives
• Varicella-Zoster Virus see Chickenpox
• Verruca see Warts
• Vitiligo
• Warts
• Wounds
• Wrinkles see Skin Aging
• Zits see Acne

Cosmetics

Also called: Makeup

 Cosmetics are products you apply to your body to clean it, make it more attractive or change the way it looks. They include

• Hair dyes
• Makeup
• Perfumes
• Skin-care creams

Products such as dandruff shampoo, fluoride toothpaste and antiperspirant deodorant are both cosmetics and drugs. A good way to tell if you’re buying a cosmetic that is also a drug is to see if the first ingredient listed is an “active ingredient.” The active ingredient is the chemical that makes the product effective, and the manufacturer must have proof that it’s safe for its intended use. To find out all the ingredients in a cosmetic you use, check the container. Manufacturers are required to list them. Labels such as “natural” and “hypoallergenic” have no official meaning. Companies can use them to mean whatever they want.

Food and Drug Administration

Get Cosmetics updates by email

What’s this?

 Start Here

• • Cosmetics(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Frequently Asked Questions about Cosmetics and Your Health(Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health) – PDF

 The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:Basics,Learn More, andMultimedia & Cool Tools.

For group Basics

• Overviews
• Latest News

For group Learn More

• Specific Conditions
• Related Issues

For group Multimedia & Cool Tools

• Health Check Tools
• Videos

The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:Research,Reference Shelf, andFor You.

 For group Research

• Journal Articles

For group Reference Shelf

• Organizations
• Law and Policy

For group For You

• Teenagers

Overviews

• • Cosmeceuticals(American Academy of Dermatology)
  • Household Products Database: Personal Care(National Library of Medicine)
  • How to Choose the Best Skin Care Products(American Society for Dermatologic Surgery)

• Latest News

  • Health Tip: Cosmetics May Have Side Effects(07/20/2011, HealthDay)

• Specific Conditions

  • Alpha Hydroxy Acids in Cosmetics(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Hair Dye and Hair Relaxers(Food and Drug Administration) – PDF
  • Also available in Spanish
  • How Safe Are Color Additives?(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Kohl, Kajal, Al-Kahl, or Surma: By Any Name, a Source of Lead Poisoning(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Lipstick and Lead: Questions and Answers(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Moisturizers: Options for Softer Skin(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Nail Care Products(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Novelty Makeup(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Organic Cosmetics(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Removing Hair Safely(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Sunless Tanners and Bronzers(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Tattoos and Permanent Makeup(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Use Eye Cosmetics Safely(Food and Drug Administration)

• Related Issues

  • Antiperspirants/Deodorants and Breast Cancer(National Cancer Institute)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Camouflage Cosmetics(Skin Cancer Foundation)
  • Contact Lenses and Cosmetics(American Optometric Association)
  • Is It Really FDA Approved?(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Your Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Return to top

• Health Check Tools

  • True or False: How Smart Are You about Cosmetics?(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Return to top

• Videos

  • Ensuring That Cosmetics Used in the United States Are Safe(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Identifying Recalled Products(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Reporting Problems to FDA(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Return to top

• Journal Articles

  References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

  • Article: Oral rinses, mouthwashes and sprays for improving recovery following tonsillectomy.
  • Article: Prevention of melanoma with regular sunscreen use.
  • Article: Take cover: shielding patients from skin cancer.
  • Cosmetics — see more articles
  • Return to top

• Organizations

  • American Academy of Dermatology
  • Food and Drug Administration
  • Return to top

• Law and Policy

  • Cosmetic Labeling & Label Claims(Food and Drug Administration)
  • FDA Authority Over Cosmetics(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Product and Ingredient Safety(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Return to top

• Teenagers

  • Makeup(Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health)
  • Return to top