Teens, these days, have the same acne problems as they’ve always had but today, there are so many more products to help teens. I remember when my mom took us to the dermatologist and he put us under a sun lamp. Do doctors still do this? Strangely, when I was growing up, my friends and I were always in the sun anyway; still, don’t know if it helped. Did your doctor put you under a sun lamp for acne or has anyone’s doctor done this recently? I’m wondering if it worked.

As much as I’ve been planning our move my husband’s friend in New York has been planning a move as well. He moves even more than my hubby and I. I think my husband has nicknamed him “mover NYC”. He always lived in New York but he moves all over. Can you imagine his moving costs? Still, he’s found a way to keep the costs down and his furniture and belongings safe.

I like pizza just as much as the next person…although not as much as my friend, Junior, that could eat pizza for every meal. Still, I found the best pizza and although I don’t want to eat it daily, it’s still pretty darn good. It has corn added to the traditional ingredients of ground beef, cheese, black olives, onions, (maybe) a few jalapeños, and salami. I don’t know what it is about the corn, maybe the added sweetness, but the addition of corn really makes for a great pizza! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

My dream has come true. I thought I’d been blessed when my hubby got me Adobe Illustrator CS3…but this is even better! Today, I proud to announce I now have Adobe Creative Suite Master Collection! Now…this is sweet! I’ll be up all night playing ;-)

What’s your opinion?

In the heat of the day I’m finding 3 things but me - a lot…sweating, mosquitoes, and those tiny little ants. I’m taking a poll…which do you dislike the most?

I think it’s pretty obvious that I’m not a sun lover anymore. So what do I do to look like I really live in the tropics? I have my tan airbrushed on. To airbrush on a tan is so easy and safe..and looks real. Years ago I used to spend an enormous amount of time each week going to the tanning beds but it took so much time, was so boring, and not healthy. Airbrushing ~much easier, less time consuming, and…not unhealthy. Very cool!

Good News! There are three anti-aging treatments are proven clinically effective:

1) the topical application of retinol;

2) carbon dioxide laser;

3) injection of hyaluronic acid, a moisture-retaining acid that occurs naturally in the skin.

Coming from a family and era of sun worshipers I’ve shied away from the sun over the past few years. Considering where my hubby and I’ve lived for the past eight years, it’s quite a contrast.

In my mid-30’s I tried Retin-A for about six months until I realized I was way too young to see any difference. Now…I’m not but I also don’t live in a climate where I can use something that makes me so sensitive to the sun so…I rely on Mother Nature, good genes (not jeans), and MacDaddy sun block. (This is what my friend, Sheri, calls SPF 75.)

What I’ve found from the Archives of Dermatology is that the hands, face, neck and upper chest all suffer more than unexposed skin, and light-pigmented people wrinkle more readily than others. This damage is essentially an accelerated version of chronological aging. And, ultraviolet radiation from tanning beds induces production of the same enzymes that degrade collagen with age.

Each anti-aging treatment depends on the same mechanism, the interaction of skin cells called fibroblasts with the collagen they produce.

Topical application of retinol, a form of vitamin A, was the first to be proved useful. Although the molecular pathways are not well understood, retinol causes new collagen to form in chronologically aged skin and in skin damaged by ultraviolet light.

Skin creams with retinol are available over the counter, but many do not indicate the concentration of the active ingredient.

Carbon dioxide laser resurfacing, the healing wound produces more collagen after the laser removes thin layers of skin without damaging surrounding tissue.

Injecting a form of hyaluronic acid, similar to a substance the skin normally produces, into the dermis that underlies the wrinkles is the third proven form of anti-aging treatment. This was originally designed as a space filler, with no intended physiological effect. But as the injection stretches the dermis, the fibroblasts respond by producing more collagen and less matrix metalloproteinase, or MMP. There have been studies that have demonstrated that increased collagen production is visible within a month after the injection. The benefit lasts about six months.

Do the benefits of these treatments outweigh the risks?

One of my fondest memories before my son was born was buying his baby bedding. Shopping for his baby bedding never felt rushed but relaxing, soft, and cuddly. I imagined him sleeping soundly in the softness. Of course, that was before I could shop online…by many years. Today, for my friends having babies I can go to baby bedding shops online…and relax.