STORY BYYou're a fashion aficionado. You don't dare go outside without this season's pink-shaded sunglasses. You have no fear of your upcoming chemical peel. And no matter how much those flattering four-inch stiletto heels cramp your style, you wouldn't wear any other shoe to that party.
But, before you utter the words 'no pain, no gain,' beware. Amid the high-chic lurk dangers of the medical sort. Many women pay a high price for beauty. But at what cost to their bodies?
If you're thinking about getting a chemical peel - a common cosmetic procedure - you need to know what you're getting into before you shed your skin.
With a deep chemical peel, a layer of skin is destroyed, creating an open wound that eventually results in a scab, sometimes with a Capital 'S'.
After a couple of weeks, the scab peels away to unveil a new layer of blemish-free skin. It's effective for treatment of fine wrinkles and facial skin abnormalities, such as dark spots from excessive sun exposure. It's most effective in people with fair skin. The depth of a chemical peel varies with the type of chemical used.
"Your skin can get burned or scarred if the procedure is not done properly," says Asra Ali, M.D., an assistant professor of dermatology at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. "Even superficial peels done at beauty salons are not without some risk.
"Another important side effect following a chemical peel is that the skin is more sensitive to the sun because you're peeling off the top layer of your skin," she adds. "Therefore, patients should be cautious of excessive sun exposure without sun protection."
Ali says infections can occur after the treatment if the skin isn't cleansed properly. People with a history of herpes simplex virus, Type I (cold sores) who are new to the treatment may actually see their herpes reappear, sometimes worse than ever before - unless they are treated with antiviral medications prior to the procedure.
You'll be hard-pressed to find a dermatologist to recommend tanning beds. Fake sun or real sun, it's all the same to your skin.
Excessive ultraviolet sun exposure can lead to skin cancer and premature aging. Ali cautions that many people are still not aware that skin cancer is a result of overexposure to the sun's harsh rays that are made up of two wavelengths of ultraviolet rays: UVAs and UVBs. Nor are they aware that the light source from sun beds and sunlamps can damage skin and unprotected eyes, since they contain the same UV rays as the sun.
"It's best to avoid artificial sources of UV light altogether," Ali says. "If you are exposed to direct sunlight, always use a sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 30 to block UV radiation."
People who use tanning beds double their chances of getting basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer than people who forego the treatment.
Because people tend to overexpose their bodies to the sun, you can still enjoy your time in the sun without exposing yourself to UV radiation by wearing sunscreen.
Avoid the midday sun, when the rays are the strongest, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Recent research though does suggest that a few minutes a day of partial body exposure to the sun will ramp up Vitamin D production that is necessary for calcium absorption.
Believe it or not, your cosmetics can harm you. "Makeup can be a haven for bacteria, which can develop in lipstick, mascara or foundation. It's best to throw old makeup away," says Ali. "You don't want to keep mascara for more than six months and about a year for foundation and lipstick."
And that's only if you are vigilant about fighting cross-contamination. Each time you dip your finger into your liquid foundation or reuse a makeup sponge, you are introducing new microorganisms into a moist, closed container.
And if you're prone to eye infections such as conjunctivitis (pink eye) or styes, switch to a less expensive mascara: you should be throwing out eye makeup with each eye infection. In fact, recurrent eye infections may be coming from contaminated mascara, wet eye-liner, or eye makeup brushes.
Ali recommends washing makeup sponges and brushes at least once a month in warm water and mild soap to rid them of bacteria. If your foundation makeup has been exposed to water, has changed texture, or has a foul odor, it's time to toss it.
Just because your sunglasses are dark does not mean they protect you from the sun. In fact, they can be attracting harmful UV rays instead of repelling them.
Known as "fashion" sunglasses, these seemingly protective and trendy shades do not bear the sticker that promises special coating protection. As with clothes, dark colors absorb light and heat.
Photokeratitis - sunburn of the eye - can hurt, making the eyes red and light sensitive. In most cases, symptoms clear up and cause no permanent damage.
"Even the most expensive fashion eyewear can leave your eyes and your face wide open to UV rays and can lead to irreversible cataracts and retina damage," says Ali. "Plus, no matter how dark the lenses are, it doesn't mean they'll protect against UV rays, unless the lenses specify UV protection."
Ali recommends that you buy sunglasses that provide at least 99 percent UVA and UVB protection. Check the label when buying sunglasses. If the label says they "block 100 percent of ultraviolet rays," buy them. If you wear prescription eyeglasses, your optician can use your prescription for safe sunglasses.
Wearing today's pointy-toed pump is a beautiful thing, but it can wreak havoc on your feet. Foot problems like bunions, calluses, neuromas and ingrown toenails are often caused by pressure on a woman's forefoot – and it hurts.
"The boney prominence of the feet rubbing against shoes can create irritation and redness, causing the body to create more skin to try to pad the area," says Ali. "Not only does it cause build-up, but it can also be painful."
This Season's Most Trendy Fashion Dangers
UPDATED: 6-24-2004
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Dr. Asra Ali is an assistant professor of dermatology at the UT Medical School.
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Microwaves and 'Erupted Hot Water Phenomena'
Hot-water eruption can occur if you use a microwave oven to super-heat water in a clean cup. ("Super-heated" means the water is hot beyond boiling temperature, although it shows no signs of boiling.)
A slight disturbance or movement may cause the water to violently explode out of the cup. There have been reports of serious skin burns or scalding injuries around people's hands and faces as a result of this phenomenon.
Adding materials such as instant coffee or sugar to the water before heating greatly reduces the risk of hot-water eruption. Also, follow the precautions and recommendations found in microwave oven instruction manuals; specifically the heating time.
