“I see beautiful people who are in a mess because they get suckered into ruining what they have,” says Dr.Debra Jaliman, an American Academy of Dermatology spokesperson and the author of the Skin and Hair chapter in “Women’s Health for Life.” Here, we run down some potentially counterproductive beauty treatments out there — and tell you how to avoid unattractive outcomes.

Latisse Eyelash-Lengthening Solution
The TV ads for Latisse feature glowing actresses with impossibly full lashes. But for a small percentage of people, eyelash-lengthening products mean red-rimmed raccoon eyes. Latisse, a prescription solution that promises lush lashes, has some unpleasant side effects, including reversible eyelid darkening, permanent brown pigmentation in the colored part of the eye and hair growth on the skin that Latisse frequently touches. While Jaliman feels that Latisse is generally safe, she disagrees with the product’s directions. “The company says to use it before you go to bed, but when you sleep, you rub your eyes, you’re on a pillow, maybe you sweat,” she says. “I think people get dark when the product gets onto your lower lid when you’re sleeping.” Instead, she recommends applying the gel to the lash line during the day. And those who get red or swollen eyes should stop using Latisse completely.

Artificial Nails
“Acrylic nails are a total disaster,” says Jaliman, who has seen her fair share of bacterial infections caused by artificial nails. A gap can develop between the natural nail and the acrylic nail, creating a warm, moist environment that acts as “a heat sink for bacteria,” according to Jaliman. Other times, the acrylic prevents the nail from breathing, thereby trapping fungus inside. Women may experience redness, swelling and pain from acrylic resins. Worse, if the nail root is damaged, the natural nail is also damaged. “If you wear these things on a regular basis, you end up destroying the nail beneath, so it never grows back again,” says Jaliman, who saw a woman confined to the hospital for six weeks with a bone infection of the hand after an initial infection from acrylic nails was misdiagnosed. “Some patients have these nubbins of destroyed nails, and then they’re forced to wear acrylic nails all the time.” Instead, Jaliman encourages patients to take the B vitamin complex Biotin to strengthen their natural nails.

Laser Hair Removal
Laser treatments for hair removal can be effective — as long as you pick a knowledgeable, well-trained practitioner. People with dark skin must be especially careful, because traditional lasers are designed to target the pigment in the hair shaft; when the laser is used by a technician or doctor unfamiliar with the nuances of treating skin of color, the beam can mistake melanin pigment in the skin for pigment in the hair shaft, thereby damaging the epidermis. People with dark skin are also at higher risk for blisters. “I have an Indian client who went for laser hair removal at a spa, and they ruined her coloring,” says Jaliman, who’s working to correct the problem. “She’s a stunningly beautiful girl with these splotches on her chin.” Though more than one-third of Americans are nonwhite, many cosmetic dermatologists and spa technicians are not properly trained to work on people of color, who require more cooling gels and particular wavelengths and light colors. The good news: New lasers that are more effective and safer for dark skin have been recently developed. “To find out if a doctor or technician is experienced with dark skin, I would get recommendations from friends with dark skin and find out which lasers are certified for dark complexions,” says Jaliman, who adds that the Medlite Laser works well for skin of color

False Eyelashes and Eyelash Extensions
False eyelashes, which are applied to the lid, and eyelash extensions, which are bonded to the lash, became a fad because they make lashes appear darker, thicker and longer. Both can look glamorous, but optometrists have reminded women that eyelashes, while pretty, are not merely decorative: They’re meant [to] protect eyes from dirt, sun and dust. And extensions and synthetic add-ons don’t help keep your eyes healthy. Instead, like weaves, they can cause traction alopecia by putting so much pressure on your natural lashes that they pull them out. “If you rip out your lashes on a regular basis, you can ruin the root and they won’t grow back,” says Jaliman. Some women can also have an allergic reaction to the bonding solution used to secure extensions, breaking out and experiencing dry, itchy skin. “Women should stay away from false eyelashes and extensions, and only use them for special occasions like proms and weddings,” says Jaliman.

sorry if I rained on your beauty treatments parade! I hate being the bearer of bad news..but hey someone had to do it. To make up for it…I’ll give you all of today to enter in the contest to win the adorable necklace and earrings You can find the details of how to enter at the end of my last video I posted.  And keep your beautiful questions coming to askabigail@dearabigail.net

Remember we can’t do it alone,

Ladies,

I write to you with my hand full of $5.00 Rompers and $10.00 sweaters…breaking news? I think so. Urban Outfitters has 50% off the clearance right now, which only happens about twice a year. Select stores/select cities…but boy is it worth picking up that phone and calling your local store to see if they are participating. Bad news…I just discovered two more stores in my area that are hosting the sale! Somebody stop me…!

In the meantime…keep your comments coming in to enter for the giveaway! (Watch the video below for more details) I will pick a winner soon.

We can’t do it alone,

Dearest Ladies,

I don’t think I am alone in feeling helpless, deeply saddened, and confused regarding the recent tragedy in Haiti. I wanted to post a message to you girls, but I was simply at a loss for what to say. (Which doesn’t happen often as this mouth is always blabbering about something..but you already knew that).

I then met with Mark and Will from the Grammy award winning group Audio Adrenaline, (now Audio Unplugged). They founded an orphanage in Haiti called the hands and feet project about 5 years a go. Mark was in Haiti at the orphanage when the earthquake hit. And I can tell you that as intriguing as the conversation with them was, and as blood chilling as Mark’s account of the earthquake was, the most impressive part was what they didn’t say.

Here I was sitting with two Grammy award winning rockers, who have chosen to give their lives away in such a profound and meaningful way. Seeing the pictures of the children in their orphanage and hearing stories of the orphans praying in the midst of chaos, impacted me on a far deeper level than any singing melody or guitar note ever could. They have given of their time, finances, and ultimately lives for these children that they had never met in Haiti. They could have easily lived within the comfort of their success, but instead they opened an orphanage and risked their lives to ensure a better life for these children.

I hope that this tragedy can help us find perspective and gratitude for the blessings all around us that we take for granted every day. (”…To solve the smell problem, people would put toothpaste under their noses”) And I hope this can serve as a reminder to never underestimate the positive impact that we are capable of having over people’s lives. This selfless attitude that Mark and Will possess is one that I continue to strive for, and I welcome you on my journey.

Let’s come together and really support Will and Mark and hands and feet. www.handsandfeetproject.org. My hope is that this video will show you a tangible way to help donate to the relief effort in Haiti to an organization and to new friends that I couldn’t support and endorse anymore.

We can’t do it alone,

Abigail

So, here is the article, and I would love to hear your responses to the article.

Was the photoshopped Ralph Lauren model fired for being overweight?

– editor

photoshopdisasters.blogspot.com

“For over 42 years we have built a brand based on quality and integrity. After further investigation, we have learned that we are responsible for the poor imaging and retouching that resulted in a very distorted image of a woman’s body. We have addressed the problem and going forward will take every precaution to ensure that the caliber of our artwork represents our brand appropriately.”

Unfortunately,”addressing the problem” may have included firing the model, 23-year-old Filippa Hamilton. She is 5′10″ and weighs 120 pounds–clearly more full-bodied than the photoshopped girl we see in the advertisement. Though Hamilton has modeled for Ralph Lauren since she was 15, the company let her go “as a result of her inability to meet the obligations under her contract with us.” But the story gets worse: Hamilton says she was let go because she’d become too fat to model for them. “They fired me because they said I was overweight and I couldn’t fit in their clothes anymore,” she explained. “I was shocked to see that super skinny girl with my face…It’s very sad, I think, that Ralph Lauren could do something like that.”

Most of us know that a tall, young woman who weighs 120 pounds is not overweight. But Hamilton claims Ralph Lauren was dissatisfied with her body, and therefore fired her six months ago. However, the company continued to use her image, whittling down her arms, waist, thighs, and possibly several other body parts in the above ad. If they were so unhappy with how she looked, why not get another model for the campaign? Why use the photos and alter and distort them?

Today, Ralph Lauren himself is distancing himself from the ad, claiming, “The image in question was mistakenly released and used in a department store in Japan and was not the approved image which ran in the U.S.” So we’re confused. They say the photoshopping was an error, that Hamilton is “beautiful and healthy,” yet they allegedly fired her for her size? With all these apologies and statements it sounds like the brand still has yet to accept responsibility for their actions.

The truth is, models get fired or overlooked all the time for being what the industry considers overweight, we just rarely see or hear about it. Eating disorders are not only common among models, but they’re also common among the women and young girls who emulate them. We’re happy to see that Hamilton has come forward, and wish more models and celebrities would do the same. It’s awesome and empowering when stars admit they’ve been photoshopped for an ad or movie poster and say how dissatisfied they are about it. With foreign countries banning underweight models from their fashion weeks, and the increasing presence of “plus size” models in women’s magazines, we wish the unhealthy representation and falsified depiction of models—and women—would come to an end entirely. Do you think the day will ever come?