Skin Stuff: Petechia

It's okay if you can't pronounce that word. I can barely pronounce it. But here's what it means...

petechia or the plural, petechiae: red or purple spots on the body caused by minor busted capillary blood vessels.

Basically it is bleeding under the skin, which in turn causes the skin to appear red or purple. It looks like a rash, but is flat to the touch and doesn't change color when your press on it. But don't freak out. It is usually not life threatening.

You know what I'm talking about now? So what causes it you ask?

Well...

Petechia is usually caused by some distress to the skin. Things like:

• crying
• coughing
• vomiting
• weightlifting 
• even childbirth

But sometimes medicine can cause petechia. 

• Aspirin
• Atropine
• Carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Tegretol, others)
• Chloral hydrate (Somnote)
• Cimetidine (Tagamet)
• Desipramine (Norpramin)
• Indomethacin (Indocin)
• Morphine (Avinza, Ms Contin, others)
• Naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn)
• Nitrofurantoin (Furadantin, Macrobid, Macrodantin)
• Penicillin
• Quinine (Qualaquin)

There are times that petechia can be a sign of a larger illness, like leukemia or mononucleosis. If you develop widespread or unexplained petechia, it is time to see a doctor. 

But unless you have some underlying problem, don't worry, petechia will go away in a couple of days. Leaving no traces behind. 

Info from Mayo Clinic.

What is Keratosis Pilaris?

Sounds scary right? But don't worry...keratosis pilaris is something that lots of people deal with and it's not life threatening.

Wikipedia describes it as:

a common, autosomal dominant, genetic follicular condition that is manifested by the appearance of rough, slightly red, bumps on the skin. It most often appears on the back and outer sides of the arm

Simply put, it's those little red bumps that some people get on their arms. Somewhere around 40% of the population suffer from it.  

What happens is, the body produces too much keratin. You know keratin, it's a natural protein found in your skin and hair. So this extra protein has no where to go, so it surronds the hair follicles in the pore, producing little bumps. A lot of times, this causes ingrown hairs to form. 

So what do you do if you have it?

Well, there has been some research the links a deficiency in Vitamin A to keratosis pilaris. So make sure your getting some Vitamin A. 

You also will want to exfoliate the area, to help out with those ingrowns. 

And of course, moisturize. 

How To Tuesday: Do Your Own Waxing

I preface today's tutorial with this:

Yes, you can in fact rip that strip off yourself, leaving in you in large amounts of pain. You can do it! If I got over it, you can too.

You'll need:

• wax, obviously
• large popsicle sticks
• wax strips, cut in half hamburger style

Step 1: gather the wax 

You want to do it quickly. Because otherwise it will dry, and then it hurts worse.

Step 2: apply the wax

When applying, you want to go with the grain. Go in the direction of the hair. The wax should be not too thin, not too thick.

Step 3: press and rip!

Press it down very well. Gather your courage, and pull it off against the grain!

Step 4: repeat. a lot.

You can use the same wax strip over a couple of times even though it was wax and hair on it. But only 2-3 times. Then grab a new one.

Also, don't put wax on the parts of your skin that you've already waxed. That's fresh skin under there. It can stand to be pulled off again.

Be brave.

Check out our post of the do's and don'ts of waxing before you do this at home yourself!

The Top 10 Posts of 2012

I figured I needed my own "top of 2012" list. Let's take a look back at the most viewed posts of 2012.


10. How-to Tuesday: Headband Curls

9. #myboyfrienddoesmymakeup

8. How-to Tuesday: Tattoo Coverup

7. 3 Ways to Feel More Confident Instantly

6. Too Much Protein Can be Bad For Your Hair

5. Clip-In Extensions 

4. Nioxin/Rogaine: Does it Really Work?

3. Long Hair Upkeep

2. How-to Tuesday: Jimmy Neutron 

1. How-to Tuesday: Braided Mowhawk

There you have it! The top 10 posts of 2012. Did your favorite make the list?

Winter Chill

I've talk about winter on this blog before, or more specially, your hair care routine in winter. But when I looked down at my hands this morning, in the 46º weather mind you, and silently screamed at what I saw. Okay, maybe it wasn't so silent.

The cold weather was reeking havoc on my skin. My poor hands were dry and cold and lonely. So after I rubbed them together, let them be friends for a bit, I decided I needed to take better care of my skin in this dry winter weather.

And since I assume that all you lovely readers have the same problems I do, obviously I'm going to share some tips.


Try a hand or body scrub. Scrubs are super fantastic. I used one while I was on vacation on my hands, and they felt super soft for days after. Not only will a scrub exfoliate your skin, but it will also leave you feeling silky smooth after it's rinsed off.


Moisturizer. Obviously. Find yourself a really good one. I love Aveda's Hand Relief. It penetrates deep down and really leaves your skin moisturized. Put one everywhere. In your purse. At your desk. By your bed. I promise, your hands will thank you later.

Are You Washing Your Face Properly?

I know what you're thinking. How hard is it to wash your face? Well, not that hard. But like most things, there is a right and...less right way to wash your face.

You really want to get in there and get those pores clean. Washing your face can be just a mindless task, but do your pores a favor and treat 'em right.

First though, you don't want to just grab any old soap. You really need to find the right product for your face. It might take some trial and error, or a chat with a skin care professional, but either way, make sure your using the right product.

1. You want to wet your face with warm water. Not hot. Not cold. Warm water opens up the pores and lets your cleanser really get in and clean.
2. Don't overload your face with product. It doesn't take a lot of cleanser to do your whole face. Try a dime or nickel size amount. 
3. Use circular motions all over your face. You want to spend a good amount of time cleansing. Somewhere between 30-60 seconds. Don't just slap it on, rinse it off, and except it to have cleaned.
4. Rinse your face with the same warm water you used to wet it to begin with.
5. Pat dry.
6. Moisturize and any other product you use. but moisturizer is the most important.  

Do you already wash your face this way? Or have you been just throwing it on and going?