The Health Benefits of Using a Humidifier

Skin dryness often develops as a result of the winter environment. The skin has a harder time holding on to the moisture in the winter. Sejal Shah, M.D. a board-certified dermatologist in New York, recommends using a humidifier through the winter months to save the moisture-sapped skin. 

Besides the skin, the humidifier can be helpful for people with sinus problems. According to Roheen Raithatha, M.D., an ear, nose, and throat doctor, the warm, dry air during the winter can dry out the mucus in the nose and lead to crusting. Also, sleeping in super-dry air can cause nose bleeds. Raithatha also adds that a humidifier can moisturize the air we breathe in reducing the dryness in the nose and allowing the nose to easily clear the mucus. 

The problem with the humidifier, however, is the necessity to keep them clean. Bacteria or fungus can grow in them and be sprayed into the air if the humidifiers are not cleaned properly. According to Raithatha, bacteria or fungus going into the air can trigger allergies and asthma symptoms, as well as lung infections. 

A person can simply change the water daily and follow the manufacturer's cleaning instructions. 

Some Ways of Fighting Wrinkles

A person can get overwhelmed by the various procedures and products in existence for fighting wrinkles. Many of them carry costly price tags, but some treatments are worth the hard-earned dollars. 

Retinol and Antioxidants

According to Doris Day, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist specializing in laser, cosmetic, surgical, and aesthetic dermatology, retinol builds a thicker collagen layer making the skin looking smoother and younger. Many skin doctors swear by this ingredient. A derivative of vitamin A, retinol is commonly used to give the skin a healthy boost. It minimizes fine lines and wrinkles, smooths texture, and diminishes hyperpigmentation and dark spots. Besides retinol, other antioxidants such as peptides, stabilized vitamin C, copper, and growth factors work well. 

Nutraceuticals

The beauty supplements containing antioxidants and minerals help the skin rejuvenate and anti-wrinkle from the inside. These beauty supplements really do have results rooted in science. The idea is to support the skin with certain nutrients giving it the fuel it needs to replenish more effectively. As good as these beauty supplements are, a person has to take the supplement consistently to get smoother skin. Instead, Day recommends a nutraceutical regimen.

Sunscreen

Simply wearing sunscreen all year round will help prevent wrinkles and also will heal fine lines by protecting and allowing the skin to naturally repair itself, according to Day. It is important to use the proper formula. Apply an SPF of 30 or more every morning to the face and neck for adequate protection.

Laser Resurfacing

Laser resurfacing is a treatment used to erase the sun damage that creates lines and wrinkles, as well as pigmentation and scars. Also, laser resurfacing will help decrease the appearance of pores. For best results, a series of sessions spaced a few weeks apart may be needed. Typically, treatments have around three to four days of recovery. 

Botox. Dysport, and Xeomin

These three are neuromodulators, they are injected directly into wrinkles. These three injectables help block muscular nerve signals. This, in turn, weakens and prevents the muscle from contracting. It results in a relaxation of wrinkles into smooth skin. According to David E. Bank, MD, board-certified dermatologist in Westchester County, New York, botox is the leading minimally invasive procedure for wrinkles. Results will last between three to four months before another session is needed. 

Voluma

In contrast to neuromodulators, Voluma is injected into cheeks to restore volume and lift skin back into place. This causes wrinkles produced from sagging to disappear. The main ingredient found in Voluma is hyaluronic acid. It provides the elasticity and fullness we lose with age. According to Bank, the results are almost instantaneous and little recovery time is needed. The benefits last for up to two years. 

An Explanation About Milia

What is Milia?

Seeing small white bumps on the face a person might think he/she has whiteheads. However, the tiny white bumps that are typically found on the face around the eyes, nose, or cheeks might be milia. 

As dermatologists have explained, milia cysts are not a form of acne or even related to acne. Milia cysts are tiny white bumps that contain built-up keratin just beneath the skin. They occur most commonly on the face around the eyes, nose, or cheeks due to the fact our face has a higher proportion of oil glands and people often apply many skin products and makeup. 

Milia is considered to be harmless and does not cause long-term complications such as infection or inflammation. Just do not pick at them. In some cases, milia will go away on its own. The length of time it stays on a person's face will depend on the person. 

As for treatment, a person can wait for it to go away or visit a dermatologist who can extract the milia. Doing it without a dermatologist can risk damaging the skin. 

A person can prevent having milia by just making some lifestyle changes. Replace skincare ingredients that might clog the pores. If a person experiences milia around the eyes, use a lighter, oil-free, and non-comedogenic eye cream. Also, try to avoid oily eye makeup removers. One option is to use a piece of fabric that can wipe away the entire makeup with only water. 

In any case, visit a dermatologist to be certain of what you have and to be certain of what best to do in order to get rid of them. 

Over 40 Adults and Preventive Statins

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends adults as young as 40 to consider taking a low to a moderate-dose statin for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events or mortality, even without a history of CVD. Statins are drugs that lower the amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood. Currently, in the United States, seven statin drugs are available. Statin drugs can lower the risk of CVD for those between the age of 40 and 75, having at least one risk factor for CVD, and a ten percent or greater risk of a heart attack or stroke over a ten-year period. Risk factors for CVD include diabetes, hypertension, smoking, or dyslipidemia. Identification of dyslipidemia and calculation of ten-year CVD event risk requires universal lipids screening in adults aged 40 to 75 years. 

The recommendation on the use of statins is based on analyses of existing data from 18 randomized controlled trials, which compare statin use among people without previous heart attacks and strokes to people taking dummy pills or nothing at all. Adults using statin had a 17% reduced risk of death from any cause and a 36% reduced risk of death from CVD compared to adults not using statin drugs. Also, according to the data adults taking statins were 37% less likely to have heart attacks, 28% less likely to have strokes, and 31% less likely to have other cardiovascular problems. 

The USPSTF recommendations are in line with prevention guidelines released by the American Heart Associate (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in 2013. 

The guidelines by AHA and ACC recommend people taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs who have a 7.5% or higher risk for a heart attack or stroke within the next ten years. Changes in recommendations have been made over the years. In 2002, the recommendation was for people's risk exceeding 20% in a 10-year period. Also, it was only considered a person's risk for heart disease, stroke was not included. 

AHA and ACC provide information about which groups exceed the 7.5% risk threshold and therefore benefit from statin therapy.