Much like “organic” and “all-natural”, “paraben-free” is one of those phrases you’ll see displayed prominently on increasing numbers of skincare and beauty products. What are parabens, what health effects do they have, and should you be avoiding them? Here’s the science behind the marketing. (I’ve written a much simpler rundown of parabens here, if you want a quicker overview.) What …
The popular prescription acne treatment Differin is now available over-the-counter without a prescription in the US. Here’s what you need to know about whether or not you should consider it… (Note: This isn’t intended to be medical advice. Please seek professional advice if there’s anything you’re unsure about!) What is Differin? Differin is the brand name for adapalene, a chemical …
Summer is here in the Southern hemisphere, which makes me both excited and worried because (i) warm weather and (ii) holidays, but (a) hay fever and (b) mosquitoes. I am a magnet for mosquitoes. There have been times when people who usually get bitten by mosquitoes thank me afterwards because I’ve been their sacrificial bait! Unfortunately, as well as getting …
Vitamin D is a vital nutrient in your body, and one of the main sources of vitamin D for humans is exposure to UVB radiation from the sun. However, UV also causes skin cancer and skin aging, so sun protection (sunscreen, protective hats, protective clothing) is important. How should we balance the two? This is a very controversial topic and …
Today I want to talk about something awkward but necessary: sexual wellbeing. Sexual wellbeing is an extremely important but taboo and under-discussed aspect of physical and psychological health. If you know me in real life, you may want to stop reading around here and detour to the safer waters of sunscreen quantities or exfoliating or hair protectants instead. Or not, …
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that hand and body washes containing certain antibacterial ingredients can no longer be widely sold (the final rule can be found here, and the consumer update is here). Why have they been banned? The Banned Antibacterial Ingredients In high enough concentrations, antibacterial ingredients kill bacteria either by rupturing their membranes (their …
Biotin, also known as vitamin B7 or vitamin H, pops up in every supplement marketed for strengthening hair and nails. Do biotin supplements actually work for brittle nails? The answer is – it depends. Gah! Read on for the gory details… Are you getting enough biotin in your diet? Nutritional supplements generally only make a difference if you’re not getting …
The news broke recently that nail polish can harm your health (again!). This time, it’s triphenyl phosphate, a chemical used in nail polish to increase flexibility – it’s also used as a fire retardant. It’s a potential endocrine disruptor (“it could make you fat!”), and was found to be increased around seven-fold – or so it was reported. In particular, …