TresSugar

Too Close For Comfort?

DearSugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:03:06 -0700

I know many couples that do it, but I can say with certainty that you'll never catch me popping anyone's pimples but my own! Call me squirmish if you will, but I happen to think some things should be maintained and taken care of solo, in the privacy of your own bathroom, and popping your zits is one of them. Clearly Rihanna and Chris Brown disagree, so tell me, are you and your significant other pimple poppers or do you prefer to take care of such personal matters alone?

Bauer-Griffin Online

Flashback! Not-So-Subtle Vibrator Ad

TresSugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:00:00 -0700

This $4.95 vibrator promised to help your complexion! Uh huh, sure.

Dude Hits On MILF

GiggleSugar — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 07:00:00 -0700

This dude thinks his BFF's mom has got it going on and he's not afraid to let her know it. Clearasil thinks his flawless complexion has something to do with his (over)confidence and that may be true, but even without the mark of puberty on his face, he still looks like he's pushing 14-- so this is just disturbing. (Thanks, Miss Chris!)

NAARP Protests Wendy's Logo

GiggleSugar — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 00:02:00 -0700

Improv Everywhere thought it would be funny to gather a gang of redheads, call them the National Association for the Advancement of Red-Haired People, and protest the Wendy's logo. Their stance was that the freakish looking little girl in the logo ("Wendy") unfairly depicts red-headed people as always freckled with chalky white complexions and funny pig tails. Ughh, guys...this isn't discrimination. I believe this is Dave Thomas's daughter you're dissing. Nice work.

Group Therpy: Bumpy Arms

Wed, 30 May 2007 16:11:22 -0700

Ok here I go....

Just to give you a little of my back round. I'm 29 weeeellll 30. I'm of mixed decent(black, Greek, italian, Cherokee& Blackfoot Indian) fair skinned, yellow complexion. A few years ago I started to develop these little bumps on the back of my arms. I started to treat this by exfoliating and moisturizing like crazy. Then I read in a magazine to try this stuff from Sephora but it didn't help. Any suggestion on getting rid of this? I really hate and it embarrasses me in the summer prime time for tanks, strapless and short sleeves.

Please help!!!!

[EDITOR'S NOTE: To be involved in more GROUP THERAPY, click here]

Is It Appropriate To Ask People If They Are Expecting?

DearSugar — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 15:29:07 -0800

Poor Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony. Or how about the thousands of other couples out there who are married and that are often asked, "So, when are you planning to have kids?"

It's such an awfully personal question to be asking so casually and I am sure that it's not something they wish to discuss in public.

Man, if I was hanging with J.Lo, I sure wouldn't be asking her about kids, the only question I'd be wondering about is how she achieves such a flawless complexion.

TEENAGER WITH SPIDER VEINS

DearSugar — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 10:18:19 -0700

Dear Sugar
I'm in high school and I have spider veins. I am definitely not overweight and I eat right, so why am I getting them so young? Because of my thin skin and fair complexion they're pretty noticeable and give my legs the appearance of a shriveled old woman. Is there anything I can do short of surgery (my mother refuses) to minimize their appearance? Veiny Janey

To see DEARSUGAR’S answer read more

Dear Veiny Janey
Unfortunately you are not alone, but don't panic. Studies from the University of Pennsylvania show that in the U.S. alone, more than 75% of women and 50% of men have varicose veins in their legs - and women are two to four times more likely to develop them then men.

Spider veins (aka a less serious form of Varicose veins) are caused by changes in the body's levels of female hormones (estrogen and progesterone). This is perhaps why you may have started developing them around the same time as puberty.

They also happen to be genetic. So if your parents have them, there is strong chance that heredity has preditermined the relationship between you and spider veins. But don't worry - there are two types of very effective treatments available.

Laser is great for minimizing or removing spider veins. Find a dermatologist that offers laser treatment. When you are calling around, make sure that the practitioner providing the service has been well trained since not every dermatologist treats spider veins.

Sclerotherapy is a technique that uses a very thin needle to inject a sclerosing agent into the veins to eliminate them. The sclerosing agent destroys the inner lining of the blood vessel ceasing blood flow without damaging the surrounding tissues.

Once you've had either of these treatments, here are some precautions you can take to try and prevent more spider/varicose veins from developing:

Try not to sit completely stationary for any more than three or four hours at a time.
Stop smoking
Lose weight. You are only straining your legs if you are over your reommended body weight by 20% or more.
Make sure you are drinking plenty of water so your bowel movements are fluid. Believe it or not - straining while you are on the potty puts pressure on your rectal veins which can travel to the veins in your legs.
Wear support hose.
Whenever possible, keep your legs elevated.

Skin Care For Oily Faces

DearSugar — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 12:16:27 -0700

Dear Sugar
I'm in search of a good skin care line. I have tried everything from Clinique and Proactive to Mario Badescu, etc... I have oily skin with frequent breakouts. I thought I would have outgrown this problem by now but it doesn't seem to be getting any better. Dear Acne Prone Andie

Dear Dear Acne Prone Andie
Your oil glands are working overtime. If your skin is shiny and your pores are clogged, causing blackheads, whiteheads, and zits then you need a plan. Try washing your face twice a day with a non-detergent cleanser.

I like Kiehls Foaming Non-Detergent Washable Cleanser. It's suitable for combination or oily skin. It's gentle enough not to irritate your skin, but strong enough to remove the nasty dirt and oil and from your face.

If you are really breaking out a lot, then you need a cleanser and lotion that contains salicylic acid to clear out those pores. Dermatalogica Anti-Bac Skin Wash is fantastic.

Dermatalogica's Oil Control Lotion is feather light. It contains mini micro-sponges to absorb oil throughout the day, reducing shine and providing a smooth, matte finish.

Another option is to try using a glycolic face wash/lotion. The glycolic acid gently exfoliates and works as a preventative agent to clear out your pores. Try Peter Thomas Roth's Glycolic 3% Facial Wash . I love his products.

Lastly, if you are taking all of these strides for clearer skin, then you don't want to slap on make up that's going to reverse the effects. Try
Almay's Clear Complexion Liquid Make Up . It's an oil free blemish healing make up foundation that also contains salicylic acid.

Have you gone to see a dermatologist to get a skin analysis? Sometimes we think we have oily skin and really is combination skin so you wind up buying products that aren't suited for your skin type. That may be a good idea before you start spending on all of these goodies.

Summer Bronzer Recommendations

DearSugar — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 01:35:32 -0700

Dear Sugar
What is the best bronzer for light and pinky skin tones? I hate looking orange, but in the summertime I definitely like to kick it up a notch and go 1 shade darker. What do you recommend? Fan Of The Tan

Dear Fan Of The Tan
Bobbi Brown's Bronzing Powder ($32.00) is my top pick on the market right now. Choose the "natural" shade for your light complexion and it will give you a healthy glow and balance out those pink undertones on your cheeks.

Other great runner ups are:
Nar's Bronzing Powder in Laguna. This bronzer has a little bit of shimmer to it adding just the right amount of warmth to the skin without looking glittery. The shade is also perfect for taking you from the beginning of summer when you are pale (use just a little bit) to the end of summer (pile it on) when you've got a tan.

and Guerlain's Terracotta Light Sheer Bronzing Powder. Guerlain just keeps reformulating their original bronzer to make it better and better each year. This is their latest creation made specifically for fair/light skin and comes in 2 shades: Blonde 01 - for lighter skin and Brunette 02 - for a deeper tan.

White Spots In My Pores

DearSugar — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 09:07:15 -0700

Dear Sugar
I've been having trouble with the pores on my nose for months now. There's little white bits in each pore that are visible, and they really stand out when I put on foundation or powder. I've tried exfoliating, pore strips, the works and nothing seems to change. Are they really clogged? What can I do to get them clear again? Wants Perfect Pores

Dear Wants Perfect Pores
As per Dermatologist Zoe Friedman, the white spots could be closed comedones or milia. Comedones are small, white or dark bumps that give skin a rough texture. The bumps are found at the opening of a pore. Essentially, they are whiteheads and you can use a topical acne medication to help with your complexion.

Milia are deeper seeded white bumps that form when skin cells become trapped rather than exfoliate naturally. They turn into tiny cysts that appear like white beads or bumps below the surface of the skin. Milia can occur on the skin or on mucous membranes like the inner surface of the cheek or the border of the lips and they are more common in children. They need to be extracted manually.

You should probably go get checked out by a dermatologist in your area in case the bumps are something else.

Try and keep sun exposure to your face limited and wear oil-free sunscreen such as DERMAdoctor Body Guard Exquisitely Light SPF 30 For Face & Body and using glycolic acid can help remove unwanted surface debris and cleanse the pores. Exfoliating cleanser options include: DERMAdoctor Wrinkle Revenge Antioxidant Enhanced Glycolic Acid Facial Cleanser 2 and Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Acid 3% Facial Wash .