Everybody wants to be beautiful. And having a healthy skin is one of the requirements for being labeled as beautiful. To acquire one, many of us practice a strict regimen ; cleansing twice a day, frequent moisturizing, applying toner, getting regular facials, and gulping down liters of H20. Yet, even after all that, people will tell you that they’re still plagued with dark spots - pockets of discolored skin that remain even after pimples or skin bumps have disappeared.
So, in order for us to be enlightened, here are the frequently asked skin questions that might help us not just beautiful but look and live healthier.
What are all those brown spots that appear on the face and sun-exposed areas?
There is a whole spectrum of answers to this question. Most frequently encountered brown spots are freckles, moles, lentigo, and lentigines, melasma, and hyperpigmentation (skin darkening) brought by inflammatory healing - when the skin is recovering from another skin disorder such as an allergic reaction to a topically applied product.
Are these spots age-related?
Many of them are, such as lentigo (liver spot) which appears on the face,arms, and sun-exposed areas of elderly persons. The older people, however, also have a greater tendency to use cosmetic products on the face that may give rise to hyperpigmented patches. The cumulative effect of age, a lifetime of prolonged exposure, and the tendency to use this products may cause allergic and irritant reactions.
Can brown spots be prevented and treated?
The most effective way is to avoid these brown spots, no matter their nature and cause, is to use a reliable sunscreen that offers protection for all wavelengths of the ultraviolet spectrum that reach the earth, that is, a sunscreen that protects both UVA and UVB.
What about white discolorations? What causes them?
There are as many types of white spots as there of brown spots. Probably the most commonly encountered are: tinea versicolor, pityriasis alba, vitiligo and post-inflammatory hypopigmentation.
Is there a specific treatment for whitish discolorations?
Yes, there is. Leave it to your dermatologist to make the correct diagnosis and do refrain from self-medication. Tinea versicolor is treated with antifungals for a sufficient amount of time. Vitiligo is usually managed with topical photosensitizer to induce browning of the skin. Responses to treatment depend on the nature of the disease its extent and duration, as well as patient factors that may adversely or favorably affect the outcome.
It is a common mistake to buy skin care products based on age. Treating older or younger skin with products supposedly aimed with dealing with specific age ranges does not make sense because not everyone with older or younger skin has the same needs. Yet, it’s a trap many women fall into.
As much as we crave for the sun this summer, we should still not forget to take good care of our skin, lest the harmful elements of the sun rays that damage it.
As the sun radiates light down to earth, it likewise emanates invisible UV rays that could bring irreversible damage to your skin. Experts claim that sunlight contains three types of UV rays that are quite dangerous to humans;
UVA (long-wave UV)
UVB (sunburn UV)
UVC ( short-wave UV)
It is said that UV rays are the most dangerous of the three, however, since they are blocked by the earth’s ozone layers, they do not hit your skin as you engage in various outdoor activities, although this might happen eventually as the environmentalists are predicting the effects of global warming.
UVA and UVB are the two culprits you should watch out as they cause the most life-threatening skin cancers. The word cancer is already a term that brings the chills, but these examples of skin cancers seem common and easy to treat but in reality, they can suck the life out of us.
1. Melanoma - The most dangerous form of skin cancer is thought to be associated with severe UVB sunburns that occur before the age of 20. Most UVB rays are enough to cause serious skin damage already. It begins in the skin cells called melanin, which is responsible for skin pigmentation. Though it is a serious skin illness, it is curable, provided it is detected and treated early. In women, melanoma develops on the lower legs, but it can appear under the fingernails, toenails, palms or soles. Experts cited that the chance of developing melanoma increases with age, but it affects all age groups just the same.
2. Squamous cell cancer - This occurs most frequently on the parts of the skin that are exposed to sunlight over long periods of time. Usually the forehead, cheeks, nose, lower lip, and the top ears are the parts that get affected the most. Skin experts say that blemishes develop into rough, scaly patches with small areas open wound that do not heal. They eventually grow into larger wounds with crusts. Again, early detection and treatment is the key.
3. Basal cell cancer - Usually found in the areas of skin exposed to sunlight but sometimes occur in sunlight-deprived areas as well. This type of skin cancer appears as a raised, hard, red or red-gray, pearly wound often found on the forehead, eyelids, cheeks, nose or lips. Again, according to medical literatures, early prevention followed by immediate treatment is the key.
As always, you should consult a medical specialist should you feel discomfort or any sign of unusual reaction of your skin under the sun.
It has been going positive for me at work these past week. My colleagues seem to be waking up from their work hiatus and lucky for them they were given the chances to improve their performance. No one was absent but yet there were still occurences of half-days so it’s a baby step, I suppose.
Meanwhile, I think I am running out of muses to actually think of new initiatives. My creative juices are running out in a slow yet frustrating way. But I think I can get them back after a good weekend that is ahead, having to attend my cousins wedding.
We all love our parents, right? We even idolize them and see them as perfect human beings when we are kids until we grow up. But there are also certain things that are just really meant to be alone and are if not irritating but are just kind of disgusting to see.
Was inspired by Ellen’s episode with Jessica Alba on the most embarassing moments one can catch their parents doing and added some more.
1. Making out
This might be the most embarassing and “eewww” moment we can experience. Especially if you suddenly caught them doing it around the house but not in the bedroom or just heard them doing it. I mean, making out is a good thing, but there’s something awkward about it when we see our folks doing it.
2. Telling a lie
This is especially awkward for us when we were kids because we idolize them so much. But when we become older, we tend to understand why they lie, especially if the lies were just trivial.
3. Walking naked or almost naked in the house
This might be as worse as catching them making out. Ok, it’s their house, but, there’s just something off when we see the ones we love dearly roaming naked. And sometimes, the sight does not actually qualify as pleasing.
As much as we care and love them dearly, there are just some things that are not meant to be seen or heard, for that matter. These are some of the things that are better left unseen.
In lieu of Father’s day being just a few days away, I decided to ride into the wave of dedicating posts to our beloved fathers. It seems that they are being overshadowed in some ways. Not that I’m undermining the mothers. But this time, let’s put dear,old daddy in the limelight. As a woman in the marrying age, with all my peers and friends joining the married bandwagon, I sometimes can’t help but feel wishful and hoping more than usual that one day I’ll be with the best guy who will not only be the best husband but the best father for my children. So, as I am not yet on that path, have come up with a list of movie dads that I wish my future husband will look up to.
1. DESMOND DOYLE in Evelyn
Played by Pierce Brosnan in 2003, this movie was about a father who had to fight the Church and the state to gain custody of his children after his wife left them on Christmas day. It is a different road from his James Bond days but I can’t complain. The father that he portrayed is true example that there is no difference between a mother’s and a father’s love.
2. SONNY KOUFAX in Big Daddy
Although Adam Sandler had a few good Daddy roles, his role as a guy who adopts his bestfriend’s son to get back to his girlfriend is heartwarming to watch. Though the original intention was off and somewhat shallow, but in the end, he comes to love the boy as his own and even fought for custody minus the girlfriend.
3. GIL BUCKMAN in The Parenthood
OK, this father has rather an unconventional and funny way of how a dad raises his kids is what makes this Steve Martin’s performance an unusually good trait to emulate. The movie conveys that there must be a balance between strictness and fun in the family.
4. JOHN QUINCY ARCHIBALD in John Q
Now, who wouldn’t be heartbroken in this story of a dad who has a sick son but can’t afford to have him treated? One cannot help but feel pitiful and yet amazed on what odds a father will do just to save his child’s life, which in this movie portrays, that he took a hospital hostage just to make them operate his son’s enlarged heart.
5. MARLIN in Finding Nemo
Ok, he’s a fish. But we can learn a lot from what he did to find his son. The lesson that one should not give up is trait all fathers should emulate.
6. JIM’s DAD in American Pie
He is one of the most unconventional dads around, giving his son sex lessons and tolerate his sex life. One may doubt his values but what can be drawn is his ability to make the awkward subject understandable. And I think it’s better that the sex talk should come from the parents, instead of children learning it from other people.
7. BENJAMIN MARTIN in The Patriot
The once war hero turned farmer is forced to go back to his army days as his son was killed in front of him by the enemy. It is a heartwarming and tragic story of how a father can go back to a bloody past to avenge his son and in turn save his country.
Well, I’m not a boss..yet. But this thought has been bugging me ever since my boss who was my former teacher suddenly decided to be do some small talk with me yesterday. It was about a coworker who has been doing below mediocre work ever since he got divorced from his wife of 5 years. When she relayed that to me, I realized why he was almost always absent.
My boss said that she was on the verge of firing the guy because he has frequent absences and his work was always of poor quality for the past 2 months.
In this century?!Although, this still works regardless of race and culture and time, still there are men out there who now prefer a more straightforward conversation. It’s like: You-like-me?-I-like-you-let’-together!-Why- play-bull-with-me-when-you’re-also-attracted-to-me sort of thing.
So, have come up with a list of good thing about playing hard to get so that one might see:
1. It give you an air of mystery - Some men find it a challenge. You hold a man’s attention far longer since he wants to figure you out.
2. It means that you’re not cheap - You’re not easy to get, someone who’s an eager hop-in-the bed type. Most men never go beyond introductions. But, if they found a woman who’s easy to get, it is considered as safe since she’s not into a serious relationship, there are no complications and easy to drop. But if you play hardball, you give them the clear message that you’re not the playing-field type.
3. It gives you distance to better assess the situation - To know if it’s just a fling or not. You will not be led blindly, groping with him in the dark while he takes pleasure in it and eventually, left in the air hanging even before you’re aware of it.
4. It gains you respect from them - Men would think twice before taking advantage of you. But if they caught you off-guard and use that opportunity, you’ll never let them get away either.
Relationships nowadays could be easily formed regardless if they’re shallow or not - only through exchanging text messages and e-mails,chatting or just by hanging together with friends or strangers.
The disturbing news that a 78-year old man who got hit and run in the middle of a crowded street in Hartford, Connecticut is all over the media and hearing about it is not only disturbing but also annoying. It was broad daylight and the poor man was not only hit by a reckless driver but none, as in none of the many pedestrians didn’t bother to help the old man. No one bothered to call 911 or even took a closer look at the man.
I mean, maybe if it was dog someone would be concerned as we are so absorbed in saving the animals. That is a noble thing but in this situation, it was a man, an old man who was innocently crossing the street when some driver just mindlessly drove and hit the old man.
Right now, Angel Torres is in critical condition in the hospital. What is the world coming into? Are we too engrossed in ourselves that we have set aside the basic universal responsibility of helping those who are in need? Here’s the video and hope we will all learn from it.
Our life, if you still haven’t noticed is one big game. Mixed with different kind of board games, our financial investment decisions would be like those in Rich Dad Poor Dad board game. You get to have every opportunity but sometimes, you get a bad one or you pass. In the Game Of Life, it is more focused on the job you will have and the kid you will raise. In Monopoly, it teaches you to do business by monopolizing.
There are only a few differences here. In life, you do not wait for others to roll the dice. You just roll one turn after the other and every once in a while, you roll and go to the jail, get a “Doodad” or meet a financial crisis. Also, we do not get to choose to play the best board game. We only play what life gives us whether it is orange or lemons. The game is only over when we think the game is over.
In life, you can improve and control your own life. How about in games? What if we improve them by ourselves? Here are some add-ons you would like!
New Chance Cards
Are you tired of getting the same “get out of jail free” card or getting a tax refund? Well, here are some improvements you can have now! Of course, it is retro-fitted to our generation now. Ask ladies and a majority of them knows about Melanoma. How about the man to man marriage issue?
New Community Chest Cards
In our present justice system, we depend on our lawyers AND our money. Money makes the world go around and money is a better talker than our lawyer. This is a cliché when in sales. I’ve heard several stories of them sleeping with their clients just to bag the sales. No comments about the hooker part though.
New Boxes
Also, here are some new boxes to improve the board. Who really here computes the income tax box? I for one always would rather to pay the $200 than compute my 10% worth. Of course, this is only applied in the game and not in real life!
Paris Hilton Special Edition Monopoly
This one here is a limited edition Paris Hilton Mono-opoly! Notice the star box? I do not even think she has to buy any properties because they already own a handful of them!
Monopoly Money Dress
In real life, it is easy to flaunt your wealth. Buy expensive cars, jewelries or yachts. But in Monopoly the game, you can’t but, now, you can! With this Monopoly dress, make sure that everyone playing the game knows who the riches person is! One risk here though, everyone would like to defeat you to bankruptcy!
A few years back, a professor told me a story. One student who took a test came in late but managed to finish the test on time. He thought that the two written questions on the blackboard was a bonus. He answered one but can’t answer the second. The next day, the professor told him that, because he was late, he never heard that those two are unsolvable questions. He was just like the bumble bee, scientist say that their bodies are too large for their wings to lift them. But they fly anyway.
And I though things are going to be good. Boy, was I wrong. My coworkers had the consciences to go to work. So, I thought things would be better and that I don’t have to go back to doing their tasks. But, as I glanced me inbox, there was NOTHING from them. It is just so frustrating to trust and then just to be let down again.
My happy post-vacation mood is now ruined. I went on a 3-day leave to go to the doctor and to relax a bit in a place away from the city. And then, this. I am so in the edge of just going to their desks and confronting but then in the end I would be the one who’ll be put in a bad light. Hopefully, this week will be better.
