ASK A DERMATOLOGIST

Is it bad if a birthmark turns into a scab?

It totally depends; sometimes this could mean something relatively harmless, like you knocked or scratched it without realising, or that you’ve developed a skin condition on top of the birthmark. On the other hand, if it is a changing mole, it could be a sign of something more serious. If it is something lasting more than a few weeks, a doctor should check it out and give you a diagnosis so that you know what is causing this change.

I am in my mid-20s, and I noticed there are lines that are becoming more prominent directly underneath my lower lash line. Is this part of aging, and if so, can it be fixed by derma fillers?

Fine lines can be a sign of early wrinkles forming or of dehydrated skin. Around the mid-20s, we start losing some of the collagen in our skin, which gives it its youthful bounce. The skin around the eyes is thin, sensitive, and we make lots of expressions with it, so it's prone to wrinkling. Before rushing into fillers or Botox, it is important to get the basics right. Make sure to have your eyes checked so you are keeping squinting to a minimum. Wear sunscreen and sunglasses to protect yourself from UV rays; that’s the number one cause of skin aging. Try to avoid rubbing the eye area, moisturize it, and treat it gently. Finally, a gentle retinol cream can help rebuild some collagen.

I struggle with super-dried-out lips all the time. I’ve done everything: masks, scrubs, chap stick, hydration, plus more water in my body. It was suggested it might be an imbalance in my lip flora. What can I do to rebalance, or what can I try to finally hydrate these babies?

Chronic dried lips is a medical condition known as cheilitis. There are tons of things that could be contributing here, like over-licking as a subconscious habit, irritation or allergy from lip products or skincare products, sun exposure, or having an underlying skin condition like eczema. A lot of people are allergic to beeswax, and that is in a lot of lip balms. If it looks really crusty, a doctor should take a swab to see what’s growing and might prescribe antibiotics. We would avoid scrubs and just use something like Vaseline in the evenings and sunscreen balms in the day. If it persists, you should definitely see a dermatologist, who can do allergy testing if needed.

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