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Sun Protection:  Separating The Myths From The FactsWE LOVE THE SUN.  That is why it has become more important than ever to get the "4-1-1" on sunscreens and UV protection.  So, before you and your kids hit the pool, beach, mountains, or tanning salon, chew on these recently released facts about UV and your skin:Fact:  Pediatric melanoma is on the rise -- increasing 3% per year.Fact:  Between 1973-2003, cutaneous melanoma (malignancy of melanin producing cells in the skin) increased by 81%.Fact:  Skin cancer is the 6th most common form of cancer in the U.S., and 65% of melanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to UV from the sun.Fact:  Blistering sunburns during childhood significantly increase the risk of developing skin cancer later in life.Now, if that isn't enough to get your attention, here are some common myths about UV and sun protection, and the truth that dispels them:Myth:  Getting a base tan will prevent burning before going on a vacation.Truth:  Any tan is a sca... read more »

How Proper Skin Caring Can Protect Your Child From Environmental Pollutants "I didn't inhale" Bill Clinton's famous remark is the perfect lead-in to the unseen dangers of toxins that don't have to be inhaled to cause biological damage to your child's body.  Chemicals, including heavy metals, in second-hand smoke, air pollution, car exhaust, industrial fumes, pesticides, as well as airborne microbes can penetrate the skin.For children, this can lead to a lowered immune response, and impair their ability to fight off diseases and illnesses throughout their lifetime.Where environmental pollutants are concerned, second-hand smoke ranks as one of the worst, followed by toxins, particulate matter, and ozone found in air pollution.Clinical studies show that cell death in the basal layer -- the deepest layer of the epidermis -- increases by 30% after the skin is exposed to tobacco smoke for only 15 minutes.  Necrosis (death of tissue in the body) provoked by this exposure is irreversible, a... read more »