After the stork fairy blessed me with two hassle-free bundles (Deborah in 1988 and Alexandra in 1998), I took it for granted that my oven cooked to perfection. I got (and stayed) pregnant on the first and second months of trying, consecutively. I was a natural at baby making. Oblivious to what the fates had in store for me, I decided in Y2K to complete my family with number three. In July of 2000, at age 35, I embarked on my quest; in September, the second line on the pregnancy test turned pink.

Myth 1: I paid a lot of money for a wrinkle cream that has collagen and elastin in it to get rid of my wrinkles.

This is called succumbing to the power of marketing. At best, most antiaging creams will temporarily plump up the top layer of skin to give the appearance of fewer wrinkles. In reality, the claim that a collagen cream can erase or fill lines and turn back the clock is completely false. We lose elasticity and tone as we age but spending upwards of $500 for 2 ounces of a collagen cream, even if the claim is that it is a “bio-available” form, is a huge waste of money. The collagen molecule itself is too large to penetrate the skin barrier so, if you really want a quick fix, go to your cosmetic dermatologist or surgeon and spend that money on a syringe of injectable collagen to plump up your wrinkles. Otherwise, in order to be effective, a topical product must contain ingredients such as Retin-A and a stable form of vitamin C to truly be effective at stimulating your own skin’s collagen production.

What’s the coolest fitness-related investment you can make as we head into the DC metro region’s infamously sizzling summer months? Not a cute tennis mini or the latest pair of Asics running kicks. Your best ally for working out safely – and effectively – is strapped right to your wrist and chest, in the form of a heart-rate monitor.

It’s summer. We are told to slather on the sunscreen, don summer hats and stay indoors on those dreaded black flag days, not only because we don’t want to burn or advance the aging process but also to avoid melanoma. Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that is sadly becoming more common in the U.S. with nearly 70,000 new cases being identified just last year. Fortunately, most cases of melanoma require nothing more than to have the affected area excised, although there were almost 9,000 deaths attributed to this cancer last year.

Makeup is truly a girl’s best friend. It hides, corrects and livens aspects of the most frequently observed part of the body, your face. At some point, everyone needs or desires to receive eye contact and a well made up face can help draw this attention. Even if you have flawless skin, makeup can magically make subtle enhancements to your natural beauty.

The good news is that there are so many makeup options to choose from; the bad news is there are so many makeup options to choose from. So, what if you were going on a trip and could only carry a small makeup pouch with just a few items, what should you include?

Since the largest organ of the human body is the skin, it is not surprising that skin cancer is the most prevalent of all types of cancers, affecting approximately 1 million Americans every year.

There are three main types of skin cancer:

Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) frequently appears on the head, neck and hands as a small, fleshy bump, nodule or red patch. Untreated, the cancer may begin to bleed, crust over, heal and repeat the cycle. BCC can extend below the skin to the bone and nerves, causing considerable local damage. As with many diseases, BCC culminates from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, with the majority of impact occurring during childhood and adolescence. Overexposure to UV radiation from the sun is a major factor and has a cumulative effect. Other contributing factors include therapeutic radiation, chemical toxins and immunosuppressant medications.

Here are a few natural ways for families to cope with or prevent allergies from Nova Medical & Urgent Care Center, Inc Naturopathic Doctor Teerawong Kasiolarn:

• To keep nasal sinuses clean and clear from any allergens in the air, try using a Neti Pot. Originating in India , you simply mix warm water with non-iodized salt in the pot and pour the mixture into one of your nostrils. Excess mucus and debris in the nasal passages will be flushed out to the other nostril, thereby keeping sinuses clean and reducing allergy symptoms. When using this product, be sure that your head is tilted and parallel to the ground to prevent the mixture from going down the throat. Neti Pot is available at local health food stores and is also sold at The Medical Spa at Nova.

Last time we discussed how to get volume for hair, now let’s see how to achieve those loose beachy waves: