Troubleshooting Lip Problems

Here’s a checklist of list problems. Answers Yes or No to each.

1. Do you a lot of time outdoors?
2. Do you lick your lips?
3. Are you lips so chapped that they’re cracked?
4. Do you always have trouble getting your lipstick to go on evenly?
5. Does your lipstick bleed?
6. Do you dislike your lips line?
7. Have you ever tried a lip pencil and found that it made a mess?
8. Does your lipstick fade?
9. Do you bite your lips?
10. Do your lips problems refuse to improve or go away?

Interpreting your answers

1. If you answered Yes to any of these question, here are some solution to your problems.
2. Use a sunscreen to protect your lips from sun damage.
3. This is an indication that your lips are too dry. Moisturize with a lip balm a medicated lip balm and apply a drop of water first.
4. You need a medicated lip balm with sunscreen.
5. Apply a lip conditioner, then a foundation base. This will help your lipstick go on evenly.
6. Use a lip pencil to define the line.
7. Get out that lip pencil again. Use it to make minor improvement in your lip line.
8. The pencil was probably too soft. When you shop for a lip pencil, try it out on the back of your hand first before you buy it.
9. Chances are you’re not applying it often enough. It’s important to find a lip product with a “feel” you like. That way, you’ll have no problems reapplying it often, especially after meals, before going outside and at bedtime.
10. Stop! Biting your lips is even worse than licking them. It removes protective skin.
11. Time for a visit to your dermatologist. Persistent. Persistent problems may require medical care.

SPOT THAT WARRANT MORE THAN A GLANCE

Age spots are harmless, but you want to make sure you don’t confuse a possibly cancerous skin problems with a sun spot, says Joseph G Morelli, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology and pediatrics at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. For a suspected age spots-or any-spot or growth, for that matter-use the ABCD test, answering each question Yes or No.

1. Shape: Is the spot asymmetrical?
2. Borders: Are the borders irregularly shaped?
3. Color: Is the spot multicolored?
4. Diameter: Is the spot larger than the end of a pencil eraser?

Interprenting your Anwers

1. Skins tumors, or melanoma, are often asymmetrical. They’re also often raised with irregular surface. Age spots are flat, and the surface of the skin is normal, except for the discoloration.
2. The border or perimeter of a skin tumor is irregular, raised and clearly defined, as opposed to the flat, often poorly defined border of an age spot.
3. Melanomas are usually multicolored. Age spots are light to darker brown.
4. Melanomas are usually 7 to 10 millimeter in diameter, or about one-fourth to one-third of an inch. Age spots vary in size; some are larger than this ,and some are smaller.

If you had any yes answers, schedule an immediate appointment with a dermatologist to have your spot checked out. Melanomas are fast –moving form skins cancer that can be fatal, so don’t’ delay.

IS YOUR HAIR GROWTH NORMAL?

Some facial hair growth in women is normal-particularly in women of Mediterranean descent. Too much, however, could indicate a hormonal imbalance or other health problems, says Jerald Skral, M.D., a dermatologist at the Dallas Associated Dermatologist at Baylor University Medical Center.

Women have certain amount of androgens-“male” hormones that include testosterone and androstenedione. Too much can cause masculine hair patterns that include baldness or hair on the face and body. This can be caused by a malfunction or tumor in the adrenal glands of ovaries. Certain drugs, such as prednisone, minoxidil, or cyclospirin A, can also spur hair growth.

How much hair growth is too much? Because hair patterns vary from woman to woman, there ‘s no pat answers. But to help you make a determination, check off any of the following conditions that apply to you.

• A change in menstrual cycle, including irregular periods
• Body and facial hair that becomes thicker and coarser
• Body hair that begins to appear in unusual areas such as the stomach or chest
• A previous diagnosis of polycystic ovary disease
• Unintentional increase in muscle mass, unrelated to resistance training
• A deepening voice

INTERPRETING YOUR ANSWERS

If you have checked off any of these conditions, make an appointment with your physician or an endocrinologist. Some problems can be treated simply with hormones or with spironolactone, a drug that counteract the side effect of excessive androgen.

ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP?

Everyone suffers an occasional restless night. So how can you tell if lack of sleep is not merely an annoyance but a real problem? To help find out, answers the following questions yes or no.

• Is disturbed sleep affecting your mood or job performance?
• Do you fall asleep easily at inappropriate moments during the day or while sitting at your desk, the dinner table or a movie?
• Do you suffer from daytime sleepiness, lack of energy, tiredness and fatigue?
• Do you routinely find it difficult to fall asleep at night?
• Do you snore, or are you restless during sleep?

Interpreting your answers
If the answers is yes to any of these question, you’ll want to try the tips described in this chapter. But if your wakefulness is caused by arthritis pain, shortness of breath, heartburn, leg cramps, angina or other physical symptoms, see you doctor abut these condition. Also, if your bed partner tells you that you are snoring deeply and having irregular breathing patterns during the night, you may have sleep apnea, which can cause daytime drowsiness, decreased deep sleep and even serious cardiac problems. See you doctor.