Dr Janet Prystowsky, president of Livad Skin Care in New York, is a leading dermatologist.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If skin is your priority, you really should skip the face paint part of your costume altogether.<\/p>\n
But if it is essential, Dr Prystowsky has some cardinal rules for you to abide by.<\/p>\n
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If skin is your priority, you really should skip the face paint part of your costume altogether but there are ways to look after your face if it is really essential<\/p>\n
WHAT IS IN FACE PAINT?<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n First, and most importantly: ‘Never use makeup with formaldehyde in it.<\/p>\n ‘Many inexpensive costume makeups contain ingredients, like preservatives, dyes, and other chemicals that can cause allergic reactions or rashes.’\u00a0<\/p>\n Formaldehyde is the most concerning of makeup chemicals.\u00a0<\/p>\n A colorless, flammable gas, it\u00a0can be found in another of products, including medicines, dishwasher tablets, and cosmetics – including\u00a0nail polishes, nail hardeners, eyelash glues, hair gels, and, makeup.<\/p>\n It can cause irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, and throat.\u00a0<\/p>\n High levels of exposure may cause some types of cancers, according to the FDA’s 2010 volume of Contact Dermatitis.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \n IF YOU MUST, HOW SHOULD YOU WEAR FACE PAINT?<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n ‘If you want to be safe and wear makeup, opt for high-quality theater makeup and test it out first,’ Dr Prystowsky says.<\/p>\n ‘Test a swab of makeup on the back of your hand the day before you plan to wear it. If there isn\u2019t any irritation, then you\u2019re probably safe.<\/p>\n ‘On the day of, make sure to wash your makeup off as soon as you\u2019re done with it.\u00a0<\/p>\n ‘Even if your makeup is safe, you can irritate your skin or clog your pores by leaving it on overnight.’\u00a0<\/p>\n 2. COSTUMES<\/span><\/p>\n ALLERGIC REACTIONS TO MATERIAL<\/span><\/p>\n Dr Prystowsky also has some dermatological advice on how clothes can affect your entire body.\u00a0<\/p>\n ‘Avoid costumes with metal pieces if you may have a Nickel allergy. Avoid masks and prosthetics if you may have a latex allergy.\u00a0<\/p>\n ‘Don\u2019t use old clothing that\u2019s been in storage without thoroughly cleaning it. Dust, mites, and mold can cause allergic reactions.’<\/p>\n ROMPERS<\/span><\/p>\n All-in-one costumes are popular on Halloween.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n However, the effort of removing it to go to the toilet may seem like too much, especially when it’s cold.<\/p>\n Urinating when you have the urge is essential to avoid bladder infections, yeast infections, or urinary tract infections, which could develop to a more serious kidney infection.\u00a0<\/p>\n For anyone that is thinking of squeezing into a particularly tight number, it may be worth thinking about the fabric – and whether it is just a bit too small<\/p>\n TIGHT, SKIMPY COSTUMES\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is not true for everyone – men, women, boys, and girls wear all manner of costumes.<\/p>\n But there is no denying that Halloween has something of a reputation for skimpy outfits.<\/p>\n As Lindsay Lohan’s character said in Mean Girls: ‘In the regular world, Halloween is when children dress up in costumes and beg for candy. In Girl World, Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.’<\/p>\n And so, for anyone that is thinking of squeezing into a particularly tight number, it may be worth thinking about the fabric – and whether it is just a bit too small. \u00a0<\/p>\n Last year a study famously warned trousers that are too tight can cause health problems, triggering ‘compartment syndrome’, causing damage to the nerves and muscles in the legs.\u00a0<\/p>\n That is in extreme cases.<\/p>\n However, tight lycra costumes commonly cause skin reactions. The tightness can also cause you to sweat more, increasing your risk of fungal or hair follicle infections.<\/p>\n To avoid any of these health issues, try to opt for a more forgiving dress size.<\/p>\n Doctors also advise against squatting too much, so as not to put pressure on the nerves in your legs. \u00a0<\/p>\n HIGH HEELS\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It’s a love-hate relationship – women and heels.<\/p>\n They can be a key addition to a Halloween costume.\u00a0But they come with a plethora of health issues.<\/p>\n From burning feet and damaged nails to twisted ankles and back pain, most of us simply accept the bitter side effects.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n New York City-based foot doctor Dr Suzanne Levine has a few key tips to avoid the pain.<\/p>\n First, make sure you are physically fit, particularly your core and your ankles.\u00a0<\/p>\n ‘You need to tighten your stomach,’ Dr Levine explained. ‘I do Pilates every week. You need to do abdominal exercises.’<\/p>\n Second, get some cushioning.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n Dr Levine recommends a cushioning insert called Pillows For Your Feet, which acts like a gel pad.<\/p>\n ‘The key is adding some cushioning to the external part of the shoe.<\/p>\n ‘It’s hard to find that in a high fashion shoe.’\u00a0<\/p>\n Third, walk correctly.<\/p>\n ‘Keep your the shoulders back when walking.\u00a0Walk with a wide step.\u00a0Making sure your alignment and posture are good.\u00a0Making sure that your landing on your heel, the outer part of your heel.’\u00a0<\/p>\n \n 3. COLORFUL CONTACT LENSES<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The CDC has issued a warning to costume-lovers: do not wear colorful contact lenses.<\/p>\n We have all seen the electric blue, ebony black, green, and red lenses that people buy to elevate their costume.\u00a0<\/p>\n But health officials warn they carry a plethora of health problems.\u00a0<\/p>\n ‘Decorative contact lenses are medical devices like other contact lenses,’ the warning, released on Thursday, said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The CDC has issued a warning to costume-lovers: do not wear colorful contact lenses<\/p>\n ‘Wearing decorative contact lenses without being properly fitted by an eye care provider can lead to serious problems \u2013 ulcers (open sores), scratches, infection, and vision loss\u2014and haunt you long after October 31.’\u00a0<\/p>\n If you absolutely must wear them, here are three cardinal rules to abide by:<\/p>\n 1. GET A PRESCRIPTION: Contact lenses acquired without wear and care education and a prescription are illegal and could lead to serious eye injury or infection.<\/p>\n 2. CHECK YOUR BUYING SOURCE: Decorative contact lenses purchased from costume shops, online stores, beauty salons, drug stores, flea markets, or anywhere not issued by an eye doctor will not properly fit.<\/p>\n 3. PROTECT YOUR EYES: One night is not worth your eye health. The best way to protect your eyes from potential complications is to talk to your eye doctor and learn about healthy contact lens wear and care habits.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n 4. HOW TO COPE WITH FEAR – AND WHY IT IS DANGEROUS<\/span><\/p>\n Dr Katherine Brownlowe, chief of the Division of Neurobehavioural Health at Ohio State University Medical School, has dedicated much of her research to fear.<\/p>\n In her own research, and working with patients, Dr Brownlowe has explored what fear is, why it affects us, what it does to our bodies, and how to overcome it.<\/p>\n WHAT DOES FEAR DO TO OUR BODY?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ‘If somebody enters a haunted house, your heart races, your breathing increases, and you feel a scared emotion in your brain and your body is on alert,’ Dr Brownlowe says.<\/p>\n ‘It’s fight or flight – is this a threat that I need to respond to?’\u00a0<\/p>\n Your body triggers the release of hormones that alert your entire body to danger.<\/p>\n This is what gives people adrenaline and sometimes a seemingly super-human kind of strength in dangerous situations (e.g.: people have been known to run on broken legs in the face of danger).<\/p>\n HEART RATE<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n First, you feel hot as your heart rate rises to around five times its normal pace. This is preparing your body and your muscles to have the energy to fight.<\/p>\n SWEATING<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n Adrenaline pushes this pumping blood to the surface of your skin. That causes your pores to open, and sweat to pour out.\u00a0<\/p>\n BOWELS<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n This physical reaction can also provoke other side effects, like diarrhea and the urge to urinate.\u00a0<\/p>\n That is partly due to your body’s functions going into overdrive.<\/p>\n It is also partly driven by your body’s urge to lighten itself. \u00a0<\/p>\n Your body triggers the release of hormones that alert your entire body to danger<\/p>\n HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?<\/span><\/p>\n There are two brain systems involved with fear, Dr Brownlowe explains.\u00a0<\/p>\n One we share with animals – a preserved evolutionary function.<\/p>\n One is unique to humans.<\/p>\n This unique system is called the amygdala, located in the temporal lobe. That’s the part of the brain that prompts the fear response.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \n ‘As humans, we have the amygdala which helps us to rationalize that we are in a haunted house. The scary man in the mask probably isn’t going to kill you, he’s in character…\u00a0<\/p>\n ‘It can quickly calm down your body’s reactions, making it a more enjoyable experience.’<\/p>\n There is a downside, though. This unique human reaction can also make us more scared. We can overthink things – building up the prospect of a conversation in our minds, making it seem like a much bigger situation than it is.\u00a0<\/p>\n Even though it may be nothing, the fear in our brains produces a physical fight-or-flight reaction.<\/p>\n WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE MORE FEARFUL THAN OTHERS?<\/span><\/p>\n ‘We are all born with different temperaments,’ Dr Brownlowe explains.<\/p>\n ‘Some of us are introverts, some of us are extroverts, and there is one kind of person that we refer to as sensation seekers.<\/p>\n People who are high on sensation seeking love the risk and danger of, say, a haunted house. For them, the situation is rationalized to an extent that their body does not tense up, fearing death.\u00a0<\/p>\n Others, however, are more sensitive to these triggers, and have a more physical reaction to fear.\u00a0<\/p>\n This all boils down to the subtle differences in our biological makeup, that affect the amygdala and the temporal lobes.\u00a0<\/p>\n HOW TO DEAL WITH FEAR<\/span><\/p>\n Firstly, Dr Brownlowe says, we need to remember that fear is a useful instinct that we have for a reason.<\/p>\n It is ok if you don’t want to watch a scary movie.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, if all your friends are going to a haunted house and you want to join the fun, there are some things you can do.<\/p>\n Here are the top three techniques Dr Brownlowe suggests to her patients:\u00a0<\/p>\n GROUNDING<\/span><\/p>\n Check back into your surroundings, thinking very literally about what you are experiencing and why this scary thing – e.g.: a haunted house – is not real.<\/p>\n 5X5<\/span><\/p>\n Go through the five senses and list five things for each.<\/p>\n Think of five things you can see, five things you can hear, five things you can feel etc.<\/p>\n Taste, Dr Brownlowe concedes, doesn’t really work in this exercise – ‘but you get the idea’.\u00a0<\/p>\n 478 BREATHING\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This is Dr Brownlowe’s favorite. It’s one she used herself a couple of weeks ago when she was feeling upset about something – and she insists there is an instant, noticeable benefit.<\/p>\n ‘Try it when we’ve finished this interview – I guarantee you’ll notice a difference,’ she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The exercise forces you to focus on counting numbers, and is designed to have you exhaling longer than inhaling.\u00a0<\/p>\n How it works: breathe in for four counts, hold it for seven counts, then breathe out for eight counts. Repeat as much as you need.\u00a0<\/p>\n 5. EASY ON THE TRICK-OR-TREAT CANDY<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n A number of studies have found physical and emotional stress drives up your desire to eat fatty and sugary foods.\u00a0<\/p>\n It is not exactly clear why.<\/p>\n Some research suggested stress increases our cortisol and insulin levels, making our brain demand more sugar.\u00a0<\/p>\n Other studies showed stress forces us to release a hormone called ghrenlin, which is commonly known as the ‘hunger’ hormone. \u00a0<\/p>\n Physical and emotional stress drives up your desire to eat fatty and sugary foods<\/p>\n In theory, turning to trick-or-treat snacks during stress is not a bad idea. These comfort foods have been shown to dull down the stress parts of the brain.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, too much can be dangerous in many ways.<\/p>\n It can lead to weight gain, which can affect your inflammation levels.\u00a0<\/p>\n Eating excessive amounts of sugary food can also affect your skin, increasing acne.\u00a0<\/p>\n And it can cause sleeplessness. \u00a0So: everything in moderation.\u00a0<\/p>\n 6. EAT PUMPKIN<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Pumpkin is highly nutritious and a great seasonal autumn food, and can be enjoyed in a number of different ways.<\/p>\n Flesh, seeds and oil are all highly beneficial to our health for a host of different reasons.\u00a0<\/p>\n London-based nutritionist Cassandra Barns told MailOnline: ‘It contains a good amount of fiber too \u2013 around 3 grams per one-cup serving \u2013 so will help keep you fuller for longer.’<\/p>\n It is also good for your skin.\u00a0<\/p>\n Pumpkin, along with vegetables such as carrots, squash and sweet potatoes, contains high levels of beta carotene and other carotenoids.<\/p>\n These are responsible for its bright orange colouring.<\/p>\n Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A within the body, which is one of the most important nutrients for skin integrity.<\/p>\n This allows the skin to stay firm, resisting damage and allowing it heal quicker.<\/p>\n While the compound may also help to prevent free radical damage to our cells that can result in ageing, as it works as an antioxidant.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dr Marilyn Glenville, author of Natural Alternatives to Sugar, said: ‘The orange vegetables are delicious as a basis for stews and soups in the winter, or roasted with other vegetables such as peppers, red onions and beetroot.’<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \n \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Halloween weekend has arrived. Though the actual day – Hallow’s Eve – is on Monday, millions will be celebrating the pagan festival tonight and tomorrow.\u00a0 Whether you are trick-or-treating, partying, or just dressing up for no particular occasion: here are some tips on how to take care of your health while you’re at it. 1. Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-126645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=126645"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126645\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=126645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=126645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=126645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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Do YOU have high blood pressure? Have a protein shake:…<\/span>
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Revealed, the 7 reasons why you should eat pumpkin all year…<\/span>
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