Itchy bottom? Moist Toilet Tissues Can Cause A Rash

Itchy butts are part of my everyday. It shouldn’t be part of yours.

Itching on your bottom is usually a minor annoyance, but it can be debilitating. A patient of mine was unable to work because his derrière itching was so intense. A common cause of itching bottom, called pruritus ani, is allergic contact dermatitis.

Places where your skin transitions from outside to inside, such as lips or anus, are susceptible to dermatitis because your skin’s barrier is limited in these locations. Without a thick layer of keratin, irritants on the outside easily get into your skin. Moist toilet tissues, such as baby wipes or towelettes, might seem to get you cleaner than old-fashioned toilet paper, but chemicals in the wipes cause a rash in some people.

Preservatives such as methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) or kathon CG are often used in packaged toilet wipes and are a common cause of allergic contact dermatitis. Many patients who have itching on their behinds fear that they are unclean, use more cleaning wipes, worsening their dermatitis. It becomes a vicious cycle. Avoiding all commercial wipes or towelettes usually resolves the rash and itching. If not, then see your dermatologist before you find yourself on extended medical leave.

Have you ever had an itch so bad that you thought you’d go mad?

Photo: RLHyde

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10 Tips to Get The Most From Your Dermatology Visit

Having a high quality doctor’s visit takes effort on my part and on yours. Here are 10 tips to get the most out of your next dermatology visit with me or any other dermatologist.

1. Write down all the questions you have and things you want to discuss with me. Be sure to list any spots you’d like me to check or any moles that have changed. Have a loved one lightly mark spots on your skin they are concerned about.

2. Know your family history: Has anyone in your family had skin cancer? What type? Patients often have no idea if their parents have had melanoma. It matters. If possible, ask before seeing me.

3. Know your history well: Have you had skin cancer? What type? If you have had melanoma, then bring the detailed information about your cancer. Your prognosis depends on how serious the melanoma was, that is its stage, 1-4. You need to know how it was treated, if it had spread, and how deep it was. The answers to these questions determines the risk of your melanoma returning.

4. If you have a rash, there are a few things I’ll need to know: Have you changed any of your medications? Soaps? Moisturizers? Cosmetics? Do you have a history of eczema? Asthma? Hayfever? Does anyone in your family have a skin disease? Take a picture of your rash at its worst with your phone; the rash might be improved by the time you see me.

5. If you are seeing me for acne, come prepared. Keep a journal of when your acne is worse. Is it around your period? When you are stressed? In summer or winter? What products or cosmetics are you using? What treatments have you tried? Have you had dryness or burning with previous treatments?

6. If you are seeing me for hair loss, then collect your hairs that fall out and count how many you lose in one day. It’s normal to lose 100-150 hairs per day. Make a list of other symptoms or health problems that you think might be related to your hair loss.

7. Always be honest with me. I’ll never judge you even if you are an avid tanner or a picker. I’m here to help, and I can only help if I know the whole story.

8. Have you read something online that you’d like to discuss with me? Print it and bring it. Sometimes patients will tell me they saw something about their disease on the web; without knowing the source, I cannot say if the information is valid or helpful.

9. Am I leaving too soon? Stop me. My time with you is yours. If you see me heading for the door, then tell me that you still have things you’d like to cover. If we are out of time, then ask me if you can set up a follow-up appointment to continue the visit.

10. Don’t leave empty handed — I’m not talking about the freebie hand lotion or drug samples. For every doctor’s visit, you should leave with printed or written instructions about what we discussed and what you should do next. Patients who receive hand-outs from their doctor are more likely to have positive outcomes.

Have you had an excellent or not-so-excellent dermatology visit you’d like to share? Do you have any tips for us?

Photo: Maggie Osterberg

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Where Are You More Likely To Sunburn: Beach Or Mountains?

While vacationing in Idaho and Montana last week (blissfully off the grid), I experienced something beautiful: altitude. At 6,260 feet Stanley, Idaho is a mile higher than my home in San Diego. The skies there were a brilliant blue. There was daylight well after 10 PM. The mornings were a chilly 35 degrees. And I got sunburned.
How can this be? Montana is over 1,000 miles north of San Diego. Shouldn’t the sun be stronger down here?
Several things determine the sun’s intensity. The closer to the equator you are, the more intense the sun’s rays. But also, the higher up you are, the more intense the sun’s rays. Your UV exposure increases by 10% for every 3,280 feet in altitude; at 6,000 to 8,000 feet in elevation, you’re exposed to 25% more ultraviolet radiation than at sea level.
Also, snow (which fell during our mid-June trip) is an efficient reflector of sunlight. When skiing or hiking in snow, 80-90% of UV light is reflected at you, dramatically increasing your sun exposure. Grass in comparison reflects only about 3% of sunlight.

5 Things You Should Know About Organic Beauty Products

“All natural. Certified organic. Made from natural ingredients. Pure botanicals. Chemical free.”
You might guess I’m standing in the farmers market. Nope. I’m in the health and beauty aisle at Target. The ubiquitous all-things-natural trend has overtaken the cosmetic industry. How do you know what is real and what is marketing hype? Here are 5 things you should know about organic beauty product labels:
1 – Labels that say “natural ingredients” or “botanicals” are not certified organic. These statements are not regulated. Most natural ingredients used in beauty products are actually modified in a lab. Truly botanical ingredients, like you’d pick in your garden, are usually unstable and would spoil like food.
2 – Natural doesn’t always mean better. Would you buy: Poison Ivy Eye-Cream? Stinging Nettles Anti-Itch Gel? The most toxic and allergy-inducing ingredients are naturally occurring substances, not manufactured ones.
3 – There are many standards of “organic.” USDA Certified Organic is the gold standard. Products with this label must be at least 95% organic and must not contain toxic ingredients. Products that are less than 95% but at least 75% can be labelled “made with organic ingredients.” If your product is not certified by the USDA, then inquire who certified it — some businesses will certify a product for a fee, which some people find improper.
4 – Organic products can still contain non-organic ingredients that are harmful. Your shampoo might be mostly organic, but it can still contain preservatives or fragrances that can cause a rash.
5 – All natural and organic beauty products are not necessarily more effective. The most potent skin care ingredients are prescription products, which are not organic.
There is value to choosing beauty products that are labelled organic — they may be better for you, and they’re probably better for the planet. Ultimately, the choice is yours. So now that you know what “organic” means on a label, at least it will be an informed choice.
Which of your products are organic? Do you think they are better? Why?
Photo: Rick Harrison
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There Are No Toxins in Cellulite

Last week a popular TV talk show featuring a bunch of doctors (I’m not naming names) discussed how coffee grounds can improve cellulite. They explained how rubbing coffee grounds into your skin imparts caffeine into the cellulite thereby improving the circulation and drawing the toxins out.
This is a great tip except that rubbing coffee grounds on your skin does not impart any caffeine into it, and .
Cellulite is a normal secondary sex characteristic of women. It is the result of thin connective tissue in women’s skin. Massaging the cellulite (with coffee, tea, grapes, cream cheese, or chocolate frosting) pushes the fat back into the skin, temporarly improving the appearance. There is no science behind using coffee to treat this normal condition.
Scientific studies have shown, however, that carrying a wet coffee filter filled with grounds into your bathroom will burn more calories because you’ll spend 20 minutes later cleaning up the mess in your shower.

Mineral Foundation Makeup

WHAT IS IT?


...what exactly IS it, anyways?

is a loose powder version of makeup. It covers better than other types of makeup (liquid, stick, etc), while being natural and containing no irritating or pore-clogging ingredients. It stays smooth and creamy-looking all day,without settling into your lines and creases.

It can also come in pressed form and a few companies even have a liquid version. I prefer the loose powder version or an all-naturalform of the pressed version, if you can find one.

Normally applied with a kabuki brush for maximum coverage, this powder is easy and quick to apply, requiring no touchups throughout the day.

It is virtually water and sweat-proof, which is great for active people who swim, workout, dance, etc. Yes, it lasts even throughswimming.

It gives a very high sunscreen effect too.

Not to mention the price... the normal size jarof mineral foundation (10 grams by weight in a 30 gram jar

Acne Prone Skin Can Benefit From Mineral Makeup

Acne prone skin is embarrassing. It can be helped, though, and even covered completely with mineral makeup...
I know from personal experience the pain associated with acne.
I have had it since I was a child and it really affects your self-esteem.
You get up in the morning and discover yet another obnoxious red bulb on your face, staring back at you as if to say, "Whatcha gonna do about it, punk?"
UG.
You try acne cream, acne ointment, acne serum, acne masks, etc.
Nothing seems to help!
The good news is, there is hope.
Acne can be reduced and completely covered up so nobody sees it. YIPPEE!
Even guys can use mineral makeup to cover up acne, because it looks SO natural.
And there is nothing in mineral makeup that will aggravate your acne worse, so you don't have to worry about nasty ingredients breaking you out more. Thank GOD! :)
Check out our Mineral Foundation page and our Concealer/Corrector page to learn tips and tricks on choosing and applying mineral makeup for your skin type. Or you can go straight to our product site and purchase mineral foundation and mineral concealer.
Mineral foundation makeup is great for a smooth, all over coverage.
Mineral concealer is great for really severe acne, and/or to touch up specific acne spots. It usually gives thicker, fuller coverage than the foundation alone.
Experiment with both types to see which you prefer. I personally use both.
I like to start with mineral concealer just on the bad spots, then go all over with the mineral foundation.
And remember to do the basics for acne prone skin:
-eat healthy meals (checkout www.mercola.comfor info).