The Tyra Banks Show: Treatment for Top Skin Issues Archives

Dermatologist Dr. Amy Wechsler gives you the facts on the most common skin issues, and how to deal with them.

Tyra

PROBLEM: DARK SPOTS ON THE FACE AND BODY
WHAT CAUSES THEM?
It’s not only sun exposure, a small pimple or a slight scratch can heal and cause PIH, post inflammatory hyper pigmentations of the skin. The darker you are the more likely you are to heal darker.

WHAT’S THE TREATMENT?
Bleaching creams (hydroquinone) are available over the counter in 2% options. Philosophy makes one with a great name, “A Pigment of Your Imagination,” for $30. Porcelana Serum is only $6.29 and it’s also a 2% option. For better, faster results you need a higher concentration of at least 4%, which is only available by prescription. The HUGE thing is to use sunscreen anytime you go outside while treating your skin. One day in the sun will kill all the work you’ve done bleaching the spots out, and they’ll come back darker than before.

PROBLEM: STRETCH MARKS
WHAT’S THE CAUSE?
Personally, I think that 50% is genetics and the rest is a result of losing and gaining weight/mass rapidly. You’re most susceptible after you’ve had a baby, when you’re a teenager and growing, and if you’re weight training. These marks are created because you have thinned the skin in these areas, resulting in a loss of skin and pigment.

WHAT’S THE TREATMENT?
You only have a fighting chance to treat them when the marks are red or purple. In the office the fix is a laser treatment. With one treatment you will see results in a few weeks, but generally people need two or three follow-up treatments to get rid of them. When stretch marks turn white there isn’t a lot you can do. Doctors and plastic surgeons talk a lot about treatments that help create skin, neo collagen. However, I think it’s a lot of B.S. and I haven’t seen any good results. Tanning does not help because stretch marks won’t tan like the rest of your other skin, but they’ll take a self- tanner. I strongly believe in Dermablend makeup. It’s waterproof and intended for full coverage, and they will custom match a color to your skin color.

PROBLE: HAIR BUMPS
WHAT CAUSES THESE?
The bump is a reaction to an ingrown hair. I’ve seen women that have them not only on their bikini line, but also on their neck because they’ve shaved the area.

WHAT’S THE TREATMENT?
People use a pin or a needle and sometimes tweezers to dig at the hair. Stop! It makes it worse, not better because you are not skilled at removal. The pin needs to enter the skin parallel to the surface; please save this for a professional. Prevention is key. Don’t use multi blade razors. It’s a marketing ploy. They are not good for sensitive areas because they are actually pulling the hair from under the surface making it more likely to bend and curl under the surface. Shave with a single blade and only go over the area once. I know it’s not popular but I truly recommend using scissors and trimming very close to the skin, but not under it. You will have to do it more than shaving, but you’ll minimize the potential for these curling hairs to do their damage under the skin. If you have scarring, Curad Scar Therapy Clear Pads are only $17 and work well when applied daily for eight weeks. They are silicone sheets that you cut to size and stick on. They’re not good for active inflamed areas, but good for a scar over time. If it’s an area people can see, wear them at night and sleep with them on.

PROBLEM: DRY, ITCHY, ASHY SKIN
WHAT PREDOMINATELY CAUSES THIS?
Surprisingly, water and soap are often the problem, not the solution! People are in the bath or the shower WAY too long and use way too much soap. People also over exfoliate with their shower puff!

WHAT’S THE TREATMENT?
Re-evaluate your routine. I recommend ten-minute showers with warm water, not scalding hot, and only use soap at the end of the shower and not all over your body! Contrary to what ads tell you, you do not have to be squeaky clean to be clean. It’s a ploy so you’ll buy more soap! If you are, you’re basically stripping your body of its natural oils. Your arms and legs don’t get dirty on a daily basis unless you’re rolling around in dirt. Soap your under arm, groin, neck, chest, feet. I like cheap fragrance-free soaps, like Dove for sensitive skin, Purpose, and Lever 2000. The fancy soaps that smell nice are VERY drying. Also do NOT use a facecloth unless you’re using a fresh one every day, and who does that? I’m not a fan of exfoliating puffs if you have dry skin. You don’t need to exfoliate every day, because you’re not just removing dead skin, you’re also removing the live skin. You should moisturize twice daily and I love Cetaphil in the tub, not the pump. There are prescription ointments for excessively dry skin, but good skin starts with good habits.

ARE EXPENSIVE MOISTURIZERS BETTER? (I.E. LA MER?)
No. People equate cost with worth and goodness. If you paid a lot for something you want it to work, and in your mind you will make it work because you’ve just spent all this money. The problem is these creams are not regulated. Manufacturers don’t have to put percentages on the label, therefore you have no real way of knowing what’s in the expensive cream other than a lot of marketing.

IS SUNSCREEN OVERRATED?
You should always wear sunscreen! Even some foundations come with sunscreen added, so there’s no excuse. Keep an eye out for Anthelios SX from L'Oreal, available this fall. L'Oreal has FDA approval to market a this new over the counter sunscreen, which is the first sunscreen product in America to contain a chemical called ecamsule that has the ability to block both UVA and UVB rays.

For more information about Dr. Amy Wechsler, visit www.dramywechsler.com

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Posted by: ro248ck | August 17, 2007 2:27 AM

Hello Tyra:

First of all, "Very Good Show!" Second, I would like to know if you have done any stories on "Men Who have been battered by Women." It is a very sensitive subject to speak of and many men will not come forward. A lot of information is on www.batteredmen.com I am happily married now but I myself went through Domestic Violence by my former wife. It is often hard to prove and even when proven our legal system is not adjusted to this and often law enforcement is insincere. I consider myself very masculine but I was taught to treat a woman with respect however there are some women who have never been taught to treat not just men but others with respect. Anyway, thank you for your time and bless...

Posted by: Charles | August 15, 2007 3:08 PM

Posted by: Charles | August 15, 2007 3:04 PM

hi tyra i have marks in my skin like pimles marks in my back n in my arms n i dnt kno wat 2 do im 14 2 young 2 have bad skin

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Posted by: ro734ck | August 11, 2007 3:21 AM

Hey Tyra,
I just want to say first off i love your show. I think it's like built for for girls. Every topic on the show sparks my interest. im about to be 17 and I dont have huge acne problems but I do have scarring from them. The scars make it look like Im constantly breaking out. I was wondering if you had any tips about getting rid of them or covering them up. Thanks so much!

Posted by: Cortes | August 10, 2007 9:05 PM

hi miss. tyra my name is kayla thomas and i live in chelsea, alabama and i am 15 years old, and i'm a sophmore at chlsea high school. i watch your show every single night!!! but i know that you get alot of mail from people from all over the world who really ask for things and need it but im asking you, i will be16 nextyear and i want a wonderful celebration. when i was five years old i was diagnosed with kowosoki disease but i was cured from it luckily you could lose you hair skin and use of your body, and it very rare but deadly. i really want to do something for my birthday that helps go for kids or family's that need help. i don't have the worst life in the world, but i have been through some things, and i just love if would please help me have a sweet 16 for me and to help other people, my grandfather is a bishop and some times we have to give up finicially sometimes for our church, but i know we will be blessed, and they really want to have me a 16 birthday but i know you have a life too but i really luv u like a momma, my family doesn't know that im writing this but i see them work sooo hard especially my grandmother and my mom is ending a divorce with three kids so sometimes i look for someone to talk to but i just turn on my t.v. and take in from what you say. well stay blessed and i pray that i'll hear back from you and i love you, and don't let anyone bring you down, because people always say your beautiful, but you have a great heart too and it shows!!!

~kay~

Posted by: kayla | August 10, 2007 5:17 PM

Posted by: kayla | August 10, 2007 5:15 PM

Hey Tyra,

I was born with a port wine stain birthmark. The problem is that it's on my face for everyone to see, its around my right eye. Ever since I was little I've gone through teasing. Then when I was in middle school and now that I'm in my last year of high school I try covering it with concealers. Everything that I use looks like its caked on but thats the only way I can cover it completely . I want to wear my hair away from my face in a pony tail sometimes but I feel like everyones looking at me when I do. I've gone for laser surgery around 4 times to minimize how dark my birthmark looks. It's a little lighter now and I was just wondering if you would happen to know of any makeup that covers port wine stain birth barks?
Thanks much, Stacie
WPG. MB. Canada

Posted by: Stacie | August 10, 2007 11:21 AM

Posted by: Stacie | August 10, 2007 11:17 AM

HI Tyra,
I was researching on the internet about how to cure scars on my face in about two weeks because I was about to go to New York to see my family in my home town of Rochester. So I found out you can put honey directly on top of a scar. My mothers a cosmetologist so she had told me that honey can be a natural anti-bacterial treatment. So I tested it, I put honey on my scars for about 2-3 hours a day for five days and it worked very fast but then I had thought, pimples are caused by bacteria mixed into your pores with natural body semen so I just had my mother wax my forehead (problem area ) completely so all of the nasty junk was taken out for easy cleansing and in a week and a half my face looked really clear.

Posted by: Johnathon | August 9, 2007 10:18 PM

Posted by: Johnathon | August 9, 2007 10:15 PM

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