No doubt about it -- exercise helps circulation and can give you a healthy glow. But for your skin's sake, you ought to walk for exercise and not run.

When you pound the pavement, the force of your body jostling can cause collagen to break down, which can lead to sagging skin, says dermatologist Dennis Gross of NYC. Hey, running is not so great for your knees either. I guess walking is the way to go -- although I don't plan to abandon the run just yet. How about you?

(via In Style magazine, August 2008)

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Here I thought Cosmo was all about sex, seduction, and giving men what they really want. Not so. The magazine also dishes out a lesson or two on health. Right now on its website is a whole how-to piece on giving your skin a monthly once-over in the name of cancer prevention.

In addition to an annual dermatologist screening, you should be following these simple steps. Find something suspicious? Report it to your doc right away.

• Start at the bottoms of your feet and work your way up your legs, torso, back, and arms. Carefully examine every mole and mark. Don't forget to look at your nails and hair. Look underneath every strand of hair. If you need to, use a blow-dryer to part the hair.
• Look for ABCD – asymmetry (one side doesn't match the other), a jagged border, a color that is not brown or contains more than one color within one mark, and/or a diameter larger than a quarter inch.
  
• Document the description of any spot and its location so you can tell your doctor.

My two cents: Have a partner check out hard-to-see areas and consider using a digital camera to capture your spots. Save them on your computer and compare each month's photos.

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What you put inside your body eventually shows on the outside, reports Reader's Digest. Just ask the 100 dermatologists who analyzed the skin of 4,000 women ages 40 to 74. What they found is that eating habits, weight, history of sun exposure, and menopausal status all affect the skin. Specific to diet, though, the good doctors discovered the following.

• Women with higher vitamin C intake had significantly fewer wrinkles. Makes sense since vitamin C is key in the formation of collagen, which protects the skin from damage and keeps it strong and elastic. For best results, be sure to get vitamin C not through a supplement but in its natural form -- think orange juice, citrus fruits, and tomatoes.
  

• Those who ate plenty of the nutrient linoleic acid had skin that was less dry and fragile. Known to keep skin moist, this stuff can be found in green leafy veggies, nuts, and plant-based oils.

• Women who ate more carbs and fat had more wrinkles.

It makes sense than that we put in our bodies what is truly good for us, on the inside and out. Check out the following gallery for 11 healthy -- and antioxidant-rich -- goodies.

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Did your dermatologist ever tell you that chocolate causes acne or that vitamin E helps wounds heal? If so, your doc was wrong. Dr. Debra Wattenberg clears up these two myths -- and highlights four other skin tips -- for MSNBC.com. Here's what she reveals.

Chocolate doesn't cause acne, but milk might
There are very few studies linking food and acne. It's not chocolate or greasy foods that clog pores. It's skin cells and bacteria that do the damage. Milk might be damaging too -- recent studies show that milk and other dairy products may stimulate the glands causing acne. Dr. Wattenberg recommends limiting but not eliminating dairy.

Vitamin E prevents wounds from healing
Most people think vitamin E heals wounds. It doesn't. It's an antioxidant that will help prevent oxidative damage to the skin, but it may actually slow healing.

Antiperspirants are more effective if applied at night
Apply your antiperspirant to a dry underarm just before heading to bed and then again in the morning and they may work better during the day.

Flat moles can be skin cancer
Raised moles are not the only moles you should worry about. Flat moles can be cancerous too. Consider the ABCD's of skin cancer for all moles -- determine if your lesions are Asymmetrical (one half doesn't match the other), have an irregular Border or irregular Color, or have a Diameter greater than the size of a pencil eraser (5 mm).

Acne medications should be applied to the entire face, not just to pimples
Most medications are designed to prevent tomorrow's breakout, not just dry up today's pimple. Apply to the whole face, not just the stubborn spot.

Covered wounds heal faster than open ones
Don't uncover your wound to "let it dry out." Studies show that wound healing is more effective in a moist environment. Apply an antibiotic ointment like Bacitracin or Neosporin and keep it covered with a Band-Aid until it is completely healed.

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This winter, 81 percent of Americans will deal with dry skin. In the January 2008 issue of Reader's Digest, a few medical professionals weigh in on how to treat this flaky condition.

Two cents from a dermatologist: After a shower or bath, pat your skin dry and immediately apply a moisturizer containing dimethicone, cyclomethicone, collagen, or shea butter to seal in the product. Reapply at night.

The lowdown from an allergist: If your dry skin is itchy and looks and feels worse on the inside of your elbows, the back of your neck or knees, or your cheeks or hands, you may have eczema. Moisturizers may help but topical steroids may need to be prescribed. Look into allergies to lotions, foods, and other irritants too.

No nonsense advice from a nutritionist: Diet is definitely part of the dry-skin equation. Stay hydrated with water and water-based foods (women need 72 ounces of fluid per day; men need 100), limit caffeine and alcohol, consume enough good fats, and take in some olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fish too.

Are you the kind of person who always wears a full face of make-up everyday without fail because you'd feel naked without it? Or are you somone who just applies a little here or there to enhance certain features and cover little spots and shadows? Maybe you're one of the lucky ones who has fantastic skin and only ever applies lip balm with an occasional bit of mascara and blush for special occasion?

Whatever your particular make-up style is, it's important to have an idea of what it is you're putting on your face. But for those not in the know, it may be tough to tell what all of the big, technical words mean, or which stories you hear about make-up are fact and which are fiction.

If you've ever wondered what exactly it means for a product to be perfume-free or been puzzled about the difference between cosmetic and cosmeceutical, take a look at this piece which offers information from dermatologists on some basic cosmetic-related queries.

For example, did you know that natural and non-allergenic are not the same thing? According to the article, products that contain all natural ingredients may still irritate your skin. Watch out for anything containing chamomile, lavender, rosemary and tea-tree oil as these may trigger a reaction. If you're unsure, it's a good idea to do a spot test on a small patch of skin before applying a new product all over your face. For even more info -- as well as the answers to the perfume-free and cosmetic vs cosmeceutical questions, take a look at the full piece here.

Has anyone else ever heard the rumor about the woman who died after rubbing too many perfume samples onto her skin? Turns out it is, unsurprisingly, just one of those persistent Internet hoaxes. Apparently there are a number of other cosmetic-related rumors going around, and this article sets out to debunk, or at least explain them.

To be honest, I haven't actually heard of many of the other myths listed but I can imagine they'd all be pretty troubling for those who were unsure if they were true. For instance, according to the piece, there is a rumor going around that sunscreen can cause blindness in children. I know if I were about to apply a new sunscreen to my kid's face I'd probably think twice before getting it anywhere near their eyes without getting more information first. The piece explains that, while there is no truth to this rumor, it is important to use caution when applying sunscreen to your child's face. As far as sprays or foams are concerned, it's best to put them to your hands first so you can better control how they are applied.

The piece also discusses whether there is really lead in lipstick and if there's any evidence that hair dye causes Alzheimer's, plus it offers a number of make-up tips and tricks to ensure that the products you're using aren't going to cause you any harm. Make-up can definitely be a great way to enhance your look or give you a confidence boost, but it's also important to know what to use, when to throw products out, how to keep things bacteria-free and more.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi there. I'm a 32 year old male and recently my girlfriend has (repeatedly) suggested that I start moisturizing my skin. I've always considered the whole moisturizing market to be a bit of a scam, right up there with "anti-wrinkle" creams. So come on, level with me, is there really any (proven or otherwise) benefit to moisturizing? Thanks and Regards,Dan

A. Hey Dan. Your letter made me giggle, cause my husband gives me the same response when I encourage him to address skin care. I frankly don't even think the man even washes his face every night. Weird to me, but fine for him he says. In fact, when I first began dating him...he had these tremendous calluses on his palms from weight-lifting. I'd beg him to wear weightlifting gloves and moisturize, but he refused because the calluses "reminded him of his Dad. "

Rob adores his father who's been a builder all of his life and has apparently always had rough 'man hands'. That was enough for Rob to think scratchy skin was cool. UNTIL! Last year Poppi (Rob's dad) came for a visit and started bragging about this lotion he was using to make his hands amazingly soft. He was ecstatic! He even suggested that the other girls in the family and I should use it on our faces. I wasn't sure whether I should take that as an insult, or a thoughtful suggestion. Either way...he loved the dramatic results of his , and my honey's hands are now smooth enough to for touching me.

Look Dan. There are a lot of things very different about men and women. One of the things we do have in common though, is the fact that we all have skin. Many products on the market legitimately do what they advertise. Even the anti-wrinkle creams. Check out this article on skin care, and decide what your skin care needs are. At minimum, it would be nice for you to apply a lotion with sun protection each day.

Sounds like your girlfriend cares a lot about you, and is just trying to share some of the knowledge she's come to appreciate. You're going to wear that skin of yours for a very long time, so you might as well take care of it! Fitz

Q. Hi Fitz. The school my daughter attends will be hosting a parent education seminar, and one of the topics is about providing healthy foods. My concern is that this presentation is being made by another mother who has absolutely no official health or fitness education. I think she's an accountant or something. Should I even bother going? How can I trust her? Rebbecca

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Glowing, youthful skin tends to rate pretty high on the list of beauty must-haves for a lot of women. So you drink as much water as you can stomach and you pay for expensive moisturizers, but you've still got pimples and all that H2O means you're spending the greater part of your life in the toilet.

Ever wondered just how true all of that info on how to get great skin is? Me too. So without further ado, may I present you with 5 common skin care myths:

• Vitamins make skin look healthy -- While taking vitamins may be great for your overall health, and while a healthy person usually has healthy-looking skin, just taking vitamins won't equal a gorgeous glow. A well-balanced diet is the way to go.
• 8 glasses of water is great, 15 is better -- 8 glasses of water a day will keep you hydrated so your skin will look its best, however you still have to eat well. You can drink all the water you want but it's not going to help if you eat greasy fast food at every meal.
• Expensive creams are the only way to go -- Spending a fortune on pricey skin creams does not equal healthy-looking skin. A doctor discussed in the article recommends Olay Regenerist and Provage, which you can get for about $20 at the drugstore.
• Acne is just for teens -- Acne and pimples don't just strike teenagers; women in their 20s are just as likely to get hit with a zit. If you're well past your teens and suddenly have begun to break out, talk to a dermatologist about how to deal with it.
• Lots of moisturizer makes skin look better-- Moisturizing all of the time can actually make your skin look worse if it's naturally oily, so avoid anything with the word oil in it. Talk to your dermatologist about what would work best for you.

What's one tip that is true? Wear a moisturizer with SPF to help prevent skin cancer and also wear a sunscreen to help prevent wrinkles. For more information, Take a look here.

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Okay, so you should grow old gracefully (it's just tacky to try to look 20 again), but to me gracefully means doing what you can to look as good as possible every step of the way. There's nothing wrong with putting up a little fight and giving those wrinkles a hard time of it.

There are many many things you can do to help slow the appearance and severity of natural aging, but according to this list by Clinique's dermatologist for iVillage, some of the first things on the list are to wear sunscreen diligently, wear sunglasses and avoid squinting, stop smoking (or don't ever start!), and eat a balanced nutritious diet. That's just the first 5 in a long list of tips, so see the article for 3 pages of just about everything else you can think of -- from getting enough sleep to exfoliating properly.

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If you have an important skin issue, like acne, an eczema flare-up, or even a suspicious-looking mole or freckle, good luck getting in to see a dermatologist. A recent experiment by researchers in California confirmed what many have suspected for years: there just aren't enough dermatologists available to meet the rising demand. The researchers called around to make appointments for a "changing mole," and in the vast majority of cases were given really long wait times -- upwards of one to two months. They attribute the shortage to a general increase in patients seeking care and treatment for skin issues (everything from skin cancer to Botox injections) as opposed to fewer dermatologists on the scene.

On the good side -- the health care field just keeps getting better and better as far as career opportunities go.

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My morning news promised today would be the last cold day of the season. Spring is officially upon us. Just as I was day dreaming about sunshine and short shorts I was reminded of the part of my body that tends to sustain the most neglect during the colder months: my skin.

While I know I should slather myself daily with SPF in the warmer months and stay super-moisturized, being no dermatologist, I am firmly aware that my perception of how well I take care of my skin is different than the reality. Turns out there is more to know about skin care than simply applying SPF. Think you know everything there is to know about proper skin care? Do you think stress has an impact on your skin? How about greasy food? Take this short quiz offered by the Mayo Clinic and find out. It should be noted this quiz is merely a jumping off point for facts about proper skin care.

Interestingly enough, I noted this quiz (on which I scored 7 out of 8!) was last updated in 2005. That could mean one of two things: either the quiz is indeed outdated or skincare concerns haven't changed much in the last few years. My hope is it's the latter of the two possibilities. Either way, online quizzes aside, now is the time to do another of those things I tell myself I ought to do but fail to follow through with every year: see the dermatologist. I know I'm not alone.

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When going through that certain stage of life when everyone's face starts showing signs of maturity, sometimes all you want to do is crawl into a dark cave and wait it out. Washing your face with soap won't always do the trick either, so it's no surprise that many people have opted for the controversial medicine called Accutane.

It's usually the last resort after alternative acne treatments have failed. As with most drugs of this nature, it can have some adverse affects (like drying of skin), and a new study is conveying that it could also raise your cholesterol.

About 14,000 people who were on the drug were tested, but the good news is that blood levels went back down to pretreatment levels in most after they got off it. Researchers are still trying to scope out the long-term affects though to see if there are any cardiovascular implications. As someone who has personally taken this medicine, I can say that I hope they find some good results in that area.

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