I Confess: I Used To Be A Tanner

I Confess: I Used To Be A Tanner! 

I can’t believe how many people I saw tanning in central park this weekend.  They are nuts!  I am sure they aren’t thinking about all the wrinkles those UV rays are going to give them in the future.  I guess it’s somewhat hypocritical for me to say that though.  I have to confess, not that long ago I was one of them.  I used to be bikini clad in the park, sans sunscreen.


Knowing what I know today about sun damage, I have been converted.  I haven’t worn a tank top in at least three years.  It’s crew neck T’s all the way for me to protect my skin.  I think that leather looks better as Chanel on my shoulder than it does on my chest.


I never really got into the whole spray tan thing.  I know they’re safe, but there is just something about getting my body painted that I am not into.


So for me, pale is the new tan.  And for all you tanners out there, I hope you will see the light soon too!

I Confess: I Love Laser Hair Removal!

I Confess: I Love Laser Hair Removal!

How is it possible that I am no better at shaving today than I was as a teenager? Years of experience clearly didn't improve my technique.  I somehow always ended up covering myself in band-aids, which may be fun for my son to use but are not so sexy on my legs.

Waxing is no better. Besides pain when you have it done, you always end up with bumps and ingrown hairs afterwards.  A sweet woman with a big smile greets you at the salon.  But she's not smiling because she is friendly.  She knows just how much pain she is about to inflict on you. Yet, every month you find yourself come back for more torture.

So what’s a girl to do for smooth skin?  The most amazing invention ever: Laser Hair Removal!

John Mellencamp had it right when he sang, “It hurts so good.”  I admit shedding a few tears, but with each zap of the laser I knew that those pesky hairs were being destroyed forever!  It definitely hurts as much as waxing, but after a few sessions you are done.  I never imagined a day where shaving and waxing would be a thing of the past.   

Summer has arrived.  No more nicks and band-aids. No more ingrown hairs. Bikini, here i come.

I Confess: I Love Topical Retinoids!

I Confess:  I Love Topical Retinoids!

I still get blackheads on my chin and nose, and I hate them! Yet, for some reason I love looking at them in larger-than-life perspective with my magnifying mirror.  My husband used to tell me to throw the mirror away.  I told him I did, but to be honest, it really has been hiding in a drawer and comes out for special occasions.  He told me that the key to getting rid of the blackheads is to use topical retinoids.  I didn’t believe it could really work but decided to give it a shot.

Using a topical retinoid was not an easy task for me.  You need to use them the right way, which was a challenge since I don’t always follow directions the way I should.   I was instructed to use only a pea sized amount every other night to get my skin used to it.  But how could such a small amount do anything?  If a little could work, then a lot must work better, right? Why put it on every other night, if applying it every night might clear my skin up even quicker?

Well, what a disaster my theories turned out to be!  I guess I should have listened to the dermatologist, even if I was married to him.  My face became irritated, and my skin started to peel all over.  This wasn’t even the worst part.  My husband saw my red face and gave me that “I told you so” look and started laughing.  

So I held off for a while to let my face cool down.  After a few weeks I decided to restart my retinoid adventure. This time, I promised myself (and my husband) that I would follow the rules like a good girl.  And I did.  A year (and four different progressively stronger retinoids) later, I can’t believe that my chin is almost perfect.  My nose isn’t quite there yet, but I can definitely see a big improvement.  Apparently your nose has one of the highest concentration of oil glands on your body, and it’s a really tough place to clear up.   

I love my topical retinoid and have faith that one day my nose will look as good as my chin. But while I wait, occasionally I still find myself secretly pulling out the magnifying mirror to obsess!

I Confess: I Love Skin Cream Samples!

I Confess: I Love Skin Cream Samples!

Never in my life did I ever expect to become skin obsessed...  When I was a teenager, I didn't really pay much attention to my skin and was lucky not to have much acne.  As fate would have it, I married a dermatologist which is the equivalent of eating the forbidden apple for skin.  I now know a lot more about the skin and aging than I'd ever expect to.  I find myself infatuated with all things related to beauty and anti-aging.  I am constantly on the look out for the next best moisturizer,sunscreen, cleanser, and cure-all for my aging face.  (In my 30’s, I am unfortunately seeing age taking its toll on my face.) So I decided to start blogging about it. I hope to share with all of you out there in cyber-land my experiences and my true confessions in the life of a dermatologist's wife.