Men's Health and Wellness Blog and Resources

Become the power couple you always dreamed about by improving your physical strength together. Exercising with your partner is one of the best things you can do for your relationship. Elevating your heart rate and sweating together has a number of positive benefits for you and your partner.  Fostering a shared goal of healthy living can improve connection and attraction in your day-to-day life. Along with healthy eating habits, regular exercise has been shown to improve quality of life and longevity. Building these habits with a romantic partner can help support a long, happy, and healthy lifestyle. We’ve outlined five reasons below why you should start exercising with your partner today. Improve your emotional connection Build routines together Magnify attraction Expand your workout options Release tension and stress Improve your emotional connection Working out with your partner not only improves your physical health but also your emotional connection. Whether it’s going for a run, lifting weights, playing tennis, etc., these activities foster opportunities for growth and connection. Working out together gives you the opportunity to spend quality time together while you improve your individual health. Research has shown that couples who workout together are more satisfied in their relationships. A relationship expert at The Eternity Rose explains, “Exercise has been proven to make us happier as individuals thanks to the endorphins it produces. When you work out with your partner, you’ll experience that happiness together. When you push and motivate each other and then experience the results, you’ll bond over your joint positivity.” The pursuit of a similar goal can help couples feel more united. As you support each other in your exercise goals, you will feel an added measure of support in other areas of your relationship. Overcoming mental blocks or physical challenges together helps establish a pattern of resilience as you encounter future hardships.  Dr. Dan Sneider-Cotter, a writer for choosingtherapy.com, further explains the connection between emotional closeness and exercising together. He says, “You also get the added benefit of seeing each other working hard, sweating, breathing heavily, and working towards a shared goal. These are powerful primal signals that cue attachment, intimacy, and desire.” However gross it may seem at first, sweating together connects you emotionally to your partner. When you exercise together, you have the opportunity to bond over shared experiences and work towards a common goal. Over time, your relationship will become stronger and more resilient to outside influences.  Build routines together Fitting in time to exercise can feel like an impossible task. Some couples have children they need to look after. Long hours at work or school can also interfere with your plans to exercise. However, when you make a goal to exercise with your partner, you can plan together weekly to figure out a time that works best for both of you. This may mean working out at home some nights if you still need to watch the kids, or waking up early before the workday starts. These sacrifices will become easier as you build a consistent schedule.  Working out with your partner also helps you stay accountable to your fitness goals. Whether your goals include weight loss, increased physical strength, increased endurance, etc, you can encourage and motivate each other to stick to your workout routine. If you work out together in the morning, you won’t have to struggle to get out of bed before your partner. Working out can be an activity where you look forward to spending time together and improving your health.  A reviewer for P90x highlighted her positive experience while working out with her husband. She found that the home workout series P90x was the perfect solution to their busy schedules.  Customer Review: Alyssa “Great purchase. You see results especially if you stay committed. My husband and I love working out together doing P90x. We can fit it into our crazy schedules and we actually look forward to doing it because we know it works.” A consistent pattern of regular exercise has long-term benefits on your physical and mental health. You may experience improved sleep and increased daily energy levels. Having an accountability partner can help you follow through on your long-term fitness goals resulting in lasting health benefits.  Magnify attraction Attraction is a key ingredient to a happy and healthy relationship. Couples can keep the passion alive by working on their physical and emotional attractiveness. Intense cardio and strength training exercise releases endorphins that improve your overall mood and happiness. Sharing this time with your partner helps your brain associate your significant other with positive experiences. These endorphins continue to support positive emotions even hours after your workout. Exercising with your partner will help you to be a happier and more attractive person.  Joe Hargraves, co-founder of Spouzal, comments on the benefit of observing your partner in settings outside of the home: “Attraction is something that needs to be nurtured, and there are several ways to help strengthen this throughout a relationship. Both backed by research, working out together and hanging out with other couples enhances attraction. In both situations, you’re able to see your spouse outside of how you normally interact with them helping to boost attraction for you both.”  The increased attraction you feel will also improve your sexual relationship. Women who feel emotionally close to their partner are more likely to initiate and participate in sexual intimacy. Men can also feel increased attraction from observing their partner work to become physically fit.  Expand your workout options Recruiting a workout buddy expands your exercise options. Partner workouts are a great way to change up your exercise routine. You can increase your weight at the gym with a partner to spot you. You might even want to think of your significant other as your personal trainer. He or she holds you responsible for finishing a tough workout further motivating you to reach your goals.  Take time to watch, spot, and provide feedback to one another as you improve your athletic abilities. Don't get discouraged if you are on different fitness levels. You can still workout together while accomplishing different goals. Seek to find shared hobbies that get you up and moving. You don’t have to go to the gym and lift weights to start working out together. You might try new sports like tennis, racketball, pickleball, basketball, yoga, etc. A little bit of healthy competition may be the perfect solution to get your mind off of daily stressors.  Matt Kite, Director of Education and CPT at D1 Training, offers some fun partner workout suggestions to try with your significant other: Partner Ab Exercises Plank Claps — Planks are one of the best ab exercises you can do. For the starting position, get in a straight arm plank position facing your partner (who is doing the same). Make sure you’re an arms width apart and your feet are in a wide stance. Then, simply alternate hand claps with each other. Sit Up & Pass — Sit in front of one another with the front of your feet touching in sit-up position. One partner grabs a medicine ball. Both partners lower, both partners crunch up. At the top, pass the medicine ball to the other partner. Partner Leg Exercises Lunge Battles (each leg) —This can be done side to side or facing each other since all that really matters is that you have space to stationary lunge. One of you will start out with doing five lunges while the other holds the down lunge position. Once the lunger has completed five reps, they will now be the one to hold the down lunge position while the other partner does their set of five lunges. Repeat until you’ve both completed 20 lunges, then do the same thing on the other leg. Double Crab Walk — With your backs against each other, both partners lower into a wide squat position. Crab walk from one wall to the other all while keeping your back together. Partner Cardio Exercises: Guided Pace Run — A fun way to shake up your traditional run, pace runs guide you through a run with varying speeds from jogging to short sprints. The challenge will get your heart rate up and partners can help push one another to keep going. It’s always fun to end on a high note and race for the last stretch.  Release tension and stress Most people deal with stress on a daily basis. Whether that stress stems from work, health, family, relationships, world events, politics, etc., prolonged physiological arousal can take a heavy toll on your mental health and relationships. Unresolved stress can lead to tension in your romantic relationships that hinders the happiness and fulfillment you feel with your partner. This year has been especially difficult for those dealing with the widespread effects of the pandemic.  The increased dopamine after exercising is scientifically proven to reduce stress and lower depression. Staci Hargraves, co-founder of Spouzal, suggests that you should, “Do yourself and your partner a favor and blow off some steam in a productive way. Exercise is a great way to improve your fitness and mood while keeping the stresses of everyday life from impacting your relationship.”  We are often inclined to put off exercising in fear that we don’t have enough time to accomplish our other tasks. However, we don’t have time to go without exercise. Consistent exercise positively impacts our mental and physical stamina. Practicing these self-care routines with your significant other will help you prioritize your well-being. Even if your workout can’t always be as long as you want it to be, simply taking 30 minutes a day to get your heart rate up will improve your performance in all areas of your life.  Find your workout partner Are you in search of the perfect workout companion? For singles seeking a relationship, check out our list of the top online dating sites. Find the perfect online dating app based on your interests, budget, and time.  Best Online Dating Sites Learn more about popular online dating sites by viewing top-rated companies and their offerings. Learn More

What is finasteride and what is it used for? Finasteride, also known by the brand name Propecia®, is a medicine for hair loss taken in pill form. As many as two in three men will experience hair loss in some form during their lifetime, and finasteride is a popular medicine that can help treat it.  Male pattern baldness or hereditary hair loss are such common problems because of a hormone in men called DHT that binds to men’s hair follicles and damages them. Unlike shampoos and hair growth vitamins, finasteride gets to the root of the problem, literally. Finasteride targets the DHT hormone directly and saves men’s hair follicles — preventing hair loss altogether or helping damaged follicles start regrowing hair.  Finasteride is a common medication for male pattern baldness and is one of the main ingredients in Keeps hair loss solutions for men. Finasteride can also be used to treat prostate issues, such an enlarged prostate, in higher doses. Between finasteride as a hair loss solution and as a prostate medication, the difference is just the amount you take. Men taking finasteride to fix prostate problems take 5 mg, while finasteride for hair loss is only 1 mg per day.  How does it work? Finasteride works by blocking DHT (dihydrotestosterone) — a hormone that binds to men’s hair follicles and damages them. This damage results in the hair follicles not being able to grow new hair, which means that many men’s hair starts thinning, hairlines receding, and bald spots forming. Finasteride stops further hair loss by preventing your body from converting testosterone into DHT. Customer Review: Alex from Milwaukee, WI "I was losing my hair so drastically at 25, I was so defeated. After starting with Keeps, I have a full head of hair and receive compliments from friends and my hair stylist!" Since finasteride blocks a type of testosterone, women and children should not take it in any form. Additionally, women who are pregnant should not handle crushed or broken finasteride tablets as it could affect the proper development of an unborn male child. How long does it take to work? It may take at least four to six months of daily and consistent use of finasteride before you start to notice a visible improvement in your hair loss. That may seem like a long time, but the slow and steady process will surprise you. After starting to take finasteride, your hair follicles are slowly starting to heal. Regrowing hair also takes time, but look closely at your scalp after a few weeks, and you may start to see those baby hairs growing. Customer Review: David from New York, NY "Keeps, as well as its main product, Finasteride, have been an incredible boost in my life! After over a year of use, my hair is thicker than ever before, and Keeps makes it easy to maintain this new boost in self-confidence." Since so many men start experiencing hair loss as young as their twenties, even stopping your hairline from receding can be a huge win. Even if you don’t have a full head of thick hair, having a bald spot is much worse than having thinner hair than you used to. If it doesn’t seem like finasteride is working, it may just be preventing you from losing even more hair.  Are there any side effects? Like any prescription medication, side effects are possible. During clinical trials, 3.8 percent of men taking finasteride noticed some of these side effects:  dizziness weakness feeling like you might pass out headache runny nose rash swelling in your hands or feet swelling or tenderness in your breasts impotence decreased sex drive decreased semen volume depression To contrast, 2.1 percent of men taking a placebo during clinical trials (a sugar pill instead of the real medication) had side effects as well. Comparing the placebo to the finasteride medication, the numbers are very similar. It’s important to be aware of possible side effects, but that being said, your chance of having them is really low.  A good way to see how finasteride is working for real men is to check out customer reviews. All of the Keeps reviews on our site have 5 stars, and no men mention having any side effects.  Customer Review: Evan from Van Nuys, CA "So far so good--I love that it gets delivered and I don't have to go somewhere to pick up a prescription. I like that it's a reasonable price. And I like that the pills are small and manageable. I haven't had any side effects. I've been taking pictures, and it does seem like it has at the very least prevented more hair loss and possibly grew some back after a year or so. Other friends and family SWEAR there's been significant regrowth, so that's a plus! People have even commented on my hair looking fuller who didn't know I was on anything. Recommended." Does finasteride cause E.D. (erectile dysfunction)? There’s one specific finasteride side effect that you may be worried about: E.D. or erectile dysfunction. Even though finasteride is a hormonal medication, it only blocks a specific type of testosterone hormone, DHT, that binds to hair follicles.  Studies on finasteride as a treatment for male pattern baldness have shown that a small percentage of men experienced side effects related to sexual health, but those side effects most often stopped when the participants stopped taking finasteride. Even better though, the side effects also often went away after time when participants kept taking finasteride. So even if you’re part of the small (less than five) percent of men who experience sexual health side effects, waiting it out while still taking finasteride or stopping treatment right away are both good options to get whatever side effects you have back to normal.  With or without taking finasteride, many men experience E.D. at some point in their lives. There are many men’s health companies that specialize in sexual health that can help solve conditions like E.D.  Where can you buy finasteride? The easiest way to buy finasteride is through companies that provide men’s hair loss solutions. You don’t even have to visit your doctor — companies like Keeps have doctors that give you the prescription and get you started with finasteride 1mg right away.  Customer Review: Jasonsilber33 from Vacaville, CA "I have been using Keeps for almost 2 years. It has been an extremely simple and effective process for not only maintaining but regrowing my hair. I recommend any man who is concerned about their hairline give it a try. For about a dollar a day I have hair again!" Since all of the Keeps reviews on our website have five stars, with so many customers mentioning excellent customer service, a streamlined treatment process, and great results, we recommend looking into Keeps for finasteride men’s hair loss solutions. Keeps Reviews Learn more about Keeps hair loss products and read reviews from real customers. Learn More

Finding out that your wife or girlfriend is pregnant is a big deal. Whether you were hoping to get pregnant or not, you are going to become a parent. In addition to being one of life’s stepping stones, this exciting stage will also change your life as you knew it.  This article will discuss what you should know about pregnancy, including what will change, how you can help, and what is happening to your partner that is causing her hormones to ebb and flow.  What will change? Pregnancy can be one of the most joyful and one of the most difficult physical challenges that one can face. After getting a positive test result, many future parents feel overwhelmed, excited, terrified, etc. During the first few weeks of pregnancy, be advised that a number of things will soon change in your life, with or without your consent.  Steve Hoyles, a British weightlifting coach and fitness blogger with Fitness Savvy, says, “Your partner is about to become the victim of changes she didn’t expect. She will be hormonally stressed, physically tired, and sick.” Though no two pregnancies are the same, the American Pregnancy Association claims that up to 70 percent of expectant mothers will get sick and experience nausea at some point during pregnancy. The reality of this data point is felt by women around the world every day who find themselves rushing to a toilet, garbage can, or even the side of the road when they are overcome by sickness.  As your partner may be struggling physically, mentally, or emotionally during this pregnancy, it is important to understand the role that you play. Liz Brown, Certified Sleep Coach and founder of SleepingLucid, suggests, “Partners are expected to help soothe and make the pregnancy easier for women, whether it’s by helping them move from time to time, assisting with their diet, or simply being their shoulder to cry on.”  Though it may not sound appealing, logical, or fair to you, your ability to successfully help your partner through this pregnancy is directly related to your willingness to continually adjust, being hard to offend, and never giving up. Michael Smit, Senior SEO Analyst and Owner of Blue Cabin SEO, suggests that the majority of your personal needs will be put on the back burner, though this can be frustrating, Smit feels that is something that you need to accept and celebrate as your partner will soon be devoting much of her “you” time to your child.  What should I know about pregnancy? First and foremost, you need to realize that you simply don’t know what being pregnant is like. “This is not like being sick, overweight, exhausted,” says Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C and Director of the Baltimore Therapy Center. Though it has a little bit of all of those rolled in, you have never experienced another human growing inside of you.  Dr. Sashini, General Practitioner of medicine at DoctorOnCall, urges that you remember that pregnancy is hard. She says “Women sacrifice a lot during this period. Their bodies undergo a number of changes including weight gain/loss, skin health and appearance, and hair health. It is important to know these and appreciate them more.” The more that you know about pregnancy before it begins, the better you will be able to understand your partner and appreciate the mental, emotional, and physical struggles that she is experiencing.  What about pregnancy hormones?  If you have never been around a pregnant woman, you may have heard stories of the emotions that come with pregnancy. Though it may seem a bit dramatic at first, as you become more educated on what is happening in a woman’s body during pregnancy, these emotions will begin to make more sense. If you find that you are struggling to understand some of her emotions, Hoyles recommends that you read as much as you can about hormones during pregnancy. The more you read and listen to her, the better you will be able to understand her.  “During pregnancy, women experience rapid and sudden increases in the hormones estrogen and progesterone,” says Dr. Don Grant, MB, ChB, DRCOG, MRCGP, of The Independent Pharmacy. These changes are necessary as they help with the development of the fetus, formation of blood vessels, and circulation of vital nutrients around the body. If a woman is already tired, stressed, experiencing changes in metabolism, etc., her mood swings may be exacerbated. The best thing that you can do to help her through this is to be patient with her and help to ease her stress whenever possible.  Heads up: Though it is common for women to experience mood swings during pregnancy, it is not uncommon for these to continue postpartum and/or while breastfeeding. Jessica Small, Marriage and Family Therapist with Growing Self, warns that you be thoughtful in how you talk about these hormone changes and that whatever you do, you don’t blame any of her feelings on hormones.  What should I be doing for my partner?  Knowing what you can and should be doing to help and support your partner during pregnancy can be difficult. As you prepare to welcome the newest member of your family, Charlotte Edun, a Positive Birth Movement facilitator with The Good Birth Practice, urges you to consider the following: “Your job is to protect and serve. Right now, she is going to lead and she needs you to follow.”  Brown reminds fathers and partners that the simplest things become very hard to do for women that are pregnant. This could include sleeping, moving around, or controlling emotions. Remembering this as you look for ways to serve your partner will make your service much more meaningful and appreciated.  We've outlined some ways that you can serve your partner below:  Listening intently and acknowledge If you find that you are driven by a “logic” mind, Smit suggests that you set it aside for the time being. When your partner wants to talk to you, listen. Though all of what she says may not be pertinent to your specific circumstance, it is very relevant to hers. You may notice over time that some things will continue to come up over and over again. These are likely challenges, topics, or issues that are important to her. Identifying these topics will help you to know how you can best help her feel heard.  Bonus tip: Don’t be afraid of repeating yourself. Your partner may seek answers to the same question or acknowledgement about the same things a number of times. Don’t remind her that you have already responded to this before; just respond again in the most loving way you can.  Get your hands dirty Even if you work full time, go to the gym every day, and have other obligations, you need to remember that your partner is feeling hormonal and sick. If she feels unable to do much around the house, it is not an excuse to get you to help out. It simply means that she does not feel well and is in need of your help.  During pregnancy, you should plan to take on more of the household chores. It may feel burdensome, but don’t let it feel that way. Marcus Anwar, cofounder of OhMy, recommends being willing to be flexible with your gym time or other activities to make sure that you don’t leave the household chores for her. It may feel like you are sacrificing a lot, but remember, your partner is the one carrying your child. You can at least do this in return.  Bonus tip: Dr. Grant suggests that you keep things extra clean. Many women are extra sensitive to smells while pregnant. Air out rooms often and shower daily. Take the garbage out regularly. The cleaner your home is, the less likely the smells in it will add to her morning or evening sickness.   Assume nothing If you are unsure about what your partner needs, just ask her, suggests Small. Though it may seem easier to just assume what she may need from you, there is a lot to be said for being willing to ask her what she needs and then following through with her request.  Bonus tip: Say things like "How can I help?” says Mara Watts, M.S., M, Ed, and Therapist with Postpartum Support Virginia. Even though you may not know exactly what she is going through, you can still acknowledge and appreciate all that she is doing.  Have her back Pregnancy can feel burdensome, and women may feel lonely and helpless. Shannon Serpette, Chief Editor of Mom Loves Best, counsels you to remind your partner from time to time that you are on her side and that you have her back. The more of your support that she feels, the more loved and cherished she will feel.  Bonus tip: One of the ways that you can show her that you are there for her is going to doctor visits with her. Jack Burke, Community Outreach Coordinator for Hims, suggests that this shows your commitment while solidifying your new relationship as parents. As a perk, you will also be able to see and hear your baby’s heart beating for the first time during an ultrasound/sonogram.  Be involved There is so much that will be going on around your home during pregnancy. Rick Musson, father of four with a fifth on the way and a consultant for LifeInsuranceTypes.com, recommends that you participate in as much of it as possible. Whether you are helping to clean out, paint, furnish, and decorate the nursery, or shopping for some of the “must-haves,” your partner will be grateful for your participation.  Bonus tip: Embrace change. During this entire process it is likely that your spouse or partner will change her mind many times. If you have painted the nursery green and she decides that it needs to be gray or blue, paint it again.  What happens after pregnancy?  Once you have made it through delivery and you are the proud parents of a brand new baby, you will begin to experience a number of additional changes in your life. Musson offers the following suggestions to help you in your preparation for this new life.  Expect your one-on-one time with your spouse to decrease. Know that your ability to do things spontaneously will be more difficult. When traveling, plan to stop often for food, bathroom breaks, etc. Plan on traveling taking longer than you anticipate, ALWAYS. Either you, your partner, or a paid caregiver needs to care for you child, so budget accordingly. Normal activities may be replaced with new interests that are more kid-friendly. Be prepared for your life to be filled with an immense amount of joy.

If you have experienced some type of hair loss, it is safe to say that it was not a very positive experience for you. Men’s hair loss is not just the loss of hair, but for many it is the loss of confidence. In this article, we will explain men’s hair loss and discuss the non-surgical ways that it can be treated. For more information about the companies that are discussed in this article, see here.  Men’s hair loss Hair loss can present itself in a variety of ways. Some common ways include rapid shedding, shedding in atypical patterns, hair breakage, etc. Side effects that may accompany this type of irregular hair loss include itching, skin irritation, redness, scaling, pain, etc. If you have experienced any of these things, it would be good to meet with a medical professional.  There are two main types of hair loss experienced by men. Alopecia is used to describe male baldness and androgenetic alopecia is used to describe male hair loss. As men look for treatments for their hair loss, it is important to know what types of solutions are available as well as which ones have been FDA approved and have been proven through studies.  Hair loss medications Only two hair loss medications have been approved by the FDA for regular use. They are Minoxidil (Rogaine) and Finasteride (Propecia). Though other medications or surgical solutions are available, we will only focus on the medications that have been FDA approved in this article.  Minoxidil (Rogaine) — This over-the-counter (nonprescription) medication has been approved for use by men and women. Typically, it will come in a liquid form (sometimes converted to foam) and is best used by rubbing directly into your scalp each day. When you first start using this solution, it is not uncommon to lose a little bit of hair as your body adjusts to the treatment. This medication is best used over long periods of time and for many it is only effective as it is used continually. It is important to note that some users have experienced side effects including scalp irritation, unwanted hair growth on other parts of the body, and rapid heart rates. Finasteride (Propecia) — Finasteride is a prescription drug that has been approved for treating men’s hair loss. It is taken in the form of a pill each day. This drug has been known to slow hair loss and help jumpstart the growth of new hair. In order to retain the benefits of this drug, you will need to continue taking it. Some side effects that have been identified include diminished sex drive and sexual function as well as increased risk of prostate cancer.  Hair loss industry leaders A number of companies have released men’s hair loss products during recent years. For a list of some that we have highlighted, see here. Companies on this list offer services ranging from hair loss, surgical hair restoration, sexual health, daily health, etc. Make sure that you research all of the details of each company to ensure that you find the right services for you.  Highlight: Keeps Information provided by the Keeps team As you look for the best solution to help with your hair loss or hair thinning, finding a company that focuses wholly on the health of your hair can be greatly advantageous. Many companies in this industry have started producing and selling a number of other products to treat other health concerns as well. Keeps has been able to maintain a unique image due to its complete focus on hair care, retention, and regrowth.  Keeps is a full-service healthcare company that brings FDA-approved solutions to consumers through virtual doctor appointments and diagnosis. It recognizes that about 66 percent of men struggle from hair thinning and/or male pattern baldness by the age of 35. It strives to help many of them stop losing their hair and maintain the hair they currently have sooner rather than later.  Keeps uses a smart supply chain with direct, digital-first relationships to best provide customers with affordable treatments. Though many of its competitors offer other health solutions (e.g. skin care, acne, and sexual health products), Keeps has no intention of becoming a “lifestyle brand” now or in the future. Company overviews and reviews Have you ever wondered what hair loss provider offers you the best solutions for you? Here are some other companies that we have highlighted on BestCompany.com with some recent customer reviews. There is an option for everyone.  Roman Roman has been a name in the men’s hair industry since the later part of 2017. It is known for being a telemedicine practice and pharmacy that is able to provide men with medications for a number of personal health concerns including hair loss, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, cold sores, and herpes.  This hair loss provider offers men access to Finasteride and Minoxidil. Though the company recognizes that these medications do not work perfectly for every individual, many customers have seen significant regrowth over time.  Pricing for Roman hair loss products Finasteride — starts at $20.00 per month  Minoxidil — starts at $16.00 per month Note: Shipping and billing takes place quarterly. Roman reviews Erin Miller is a writer and developer for MensPrimp.com. He began using Roman when he noticed that his hair was thinning and took advantage of the free online consultation. He started his treatment with the Minoxidil (Rogaine) solution and found that within a month he was seeing new hair growth.  Hims After its founding in 2017 by Andrew Dudum and Jack Abraham, Hims has quickly become one of the leading men’s health and wellness providers in the industry. It offers solutions for hair loss, skin care and acne, male enhancement, and sexual health. During the final months of 2019, it announced partnerships with Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez as well as the Louisiana-based Ochsner Health System, all with hopes to make Hims products more easily accessible to consumers.  Hims offers a number of products to help men struggling with male pattern baldness or general hair thinning, including the following: Finasteride, Minoxidil, Shampoo+, Conditioner, and Biotin gummies. Each of these products is made with ingredients that either help strengthen existing hair, facilitate growth of new hair, block DHT on your scalp, and/or slow the loss of your current hair.  Pricing for Hims hair loss products Finasteride — $28.50 per month supply Minoxidil — $15.00 per month supply Biotin gummies — $16.00 per 60 units Shampoo+ — $19.00 per bottle (6.4 fluid ounces) Conditioner — $22.00 per bottle (6.4 fluid ounces) Hims reviews Erin Miller has used both the Shampoo+ and the Conditioner offered by Hims to help with his hair loss. He uses these products in conjunction with Minoxidil and feels that his hair has become thicker and healthier than it used to be. Though he doesn’t believe that these products will completely reverse your hair loss, he has seen them work effectively over time.  Taylor Kelly signed up for monthly delivery of the Finasteride tablets, the Biotin gummies, and the Shampoo+ back in the early stages of 2019. After a couple months of use, he started noticing regrowth. This was particularly noticeable in areas in the front that after dramatic thinning were now fostering new hair growth. He feels that one of the most important ingredients to Hims products is the DHT blockers found in the Hims Shampoo+.  Rogaine Rogaine first offered hair loss products to customers in 1988. It has become known for its use of topical Minoxidil (which is now called Rogaine). After thorough testing proved the Minoxidil could help regrow hair over an extended period of time, Rogaine became one of the most trusted hair loss prevention brands in the hair industry.  Rogaine sells Minoxidil in two different forms. The Minoxidil solution is a liquid that is applied with a dropper directly onto the scalp. After application, it should be massaged into the scalp for best results. The Minoxidil foam regrowth treatment is also a topical solution that should begin working upon contact. Both treatments should be used twice daily.  Pricing for Rogaine hair loss products Minoxidil solution — $27.49 per month Minoxidil foam regrowth treatment — $27.49 per month Rogaine reviews Jeremy Lindy, Marketing Manager for Tani USA, has used Rogaine foam since 2016. During his time using this product, he has found it to function successfully when used consistently. He stopped using it for a time and found that the results were not completely retained. Lindy suggests that Rogaine works well to help avoid future hair loss and regrow healthy new hair as long as used regularly.   Stella Samuel is a team manager with Brandnic.com and has used the women’s version of Rogaine since 2017. Though she did not see results after two months (as was suggested by the provider), she did start seeing results after just over three months. Samuel doesn’t feel that Rogaine is some miraculous solution, but she has found it effective. She did not experience any side effects and would recommend it to any woman who is starting to experience hair thinning. 

Guest Post by Robyn Flint Depression knows no boundaries. It can occur in anyone due to a number of precipitating factors like predisposition, a life-changing diagnosis or illness, the loss of a loved one, or seasonality.  Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is depression brought on by the colder days and longer nights typically associated with late fall and early winter. SAD affects women more often than men, but it certainly doesn’t discriminate.  Men typically don’t seek treatment for mental health issues as often as women. Men may feel a sense of shame in seeking treatment, but there is no shame in seeking help for depression. There are mental health services available for men who may be experiencing SAD or other mental health issues. If you are unclear about the symptoms of SAD, here are a few warning signs and suggestions for overcoming them:   Loss of interest in things you normally like If you find yourself losing interest or avoiding the things you once loved (e.g. outdoor recreational activites), this may be a tell-tale sign of SAD or other forms of depression.  If you find yourself unable to pull out of the slump, it may be time to seek professional help. To avoid losing interest in normal activities, make a conscious effort to stay active during the winter. Instead of taking a run outside, join a gym during the colder months. Go with friends and make it a regularly scheduled activity. Consider a vacation to help your mental health. Spend time doing the things you love even if you have to tweak the specifics to accommodate the colder weather.  For example, you may not be able to play football with friends, but you can certainly watch it with them. Make a plan to watch one game together each week at a set time and day, alternating the place you watch. This is a great way to stay active and enjoy the things and people you love.  Changes in your sleeping habits If you have experienced changes in your sleep habits (sleeping all the time or having trouble sleeping), this may be a sign of SAD. By itself, this is a symptom of other potential health issues. But when it’s paired with other symptoms, it could be due to seasonal depression.  A great suggestion for combatting a sleep issue is to establish a nightly routine. If you stay active during the day instead of becoming a hermit, this will help diminish your need to fill the time with sleep.  When boredom sets in, so do the urges to sleep. Keep yourself from getting bored. Schedule a bedtime and turn it into a habit. At least one hour before your bedtime, start a routine to prepare your body for sleep.  Take a warm shower and follow it up with a caffeine-free beverage and a good book. Turn off the TV as some shows may evoke feelings that make it difficult to sleep and the light is scientifically proven to keep you awake. Instead, listen to soothing music, meditate, read, or do another activity that helps you wind down. No working before bed, you workaholics! Overeating and weight gain during those colder months Boredom in the winter wreaks havoc on our bodies. When we get bored, we eat, we watch TV, we snack, and we have nothing to do outside, so we bake. You may not be the chef in your house, but chances are you are one of many taste testers. It’s really a double-edged sword. We eat because we are bored, and we are bored because there is nothing to do, except eat.  Put the beer and chips away. Get off the couch and do some crunches. This goes back up to the first point about staying active. If that fails, then take an interest in healthy cooking. Use the long nights to learn how to become a gourmet chef. The point is to do something healthy instead of vegging out and eating junk all evening. And gentlemen, if you didn’t know, being able to cook is a very attractive quality in a man.  Other warning signs of SAD Here are additional signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder: Mood changes (sadness, irritability, and anger) Feeling tired and lethargic Feeling generally depressed Changes in concentration Feelings of guilt and hopelessness There is relief available for Seasonal Affective Disorder and singing the winter blues. Recognize these changes and be proactive with your mental health. If you are experiencing these symptoms, get some professional help by consulting your physician or mental health provider.  Robyn Flint writes for CompareLifeInsurance.com and has an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Her experience in the field of mental health includes counseling children and families through outpatient counseling, program management, clinical supervision, and therapeutic foster care. Robyn is also a freelance writer and published author.

Guest Post by Dan Chojnacki The health and wellness industry continues to have a significant impact on society. Figuring out how and what we should eat is the subject of endless debate. You've probably heard of the keto diet, the macro diet, the Mediterranean diet, or the South Beach diet — they all promise better health. How does a person decide what diet will work for them? Is it the best diet for them, or would another one be better? Will it give them the results they’re looking for? Breaking news: You don’t have to diet to be healthy or reach your goals! People dealing with a medical condition may need to follow a specific diet to maintain their health. For those of us not under a doctor’s care, however, our best bet is to try healthy eating. “Healthy” is a term that can mean different things for different people. Our bodies are all unique in their exact needs, so what is healthy for one person might not be healthy for another. Despite this, we all share many common needs when it comes to nutrition. So let’s take a look at some of the obvious (and not so obvious) choices we can make to eat well, sans diet. Cut out the junk No one’s going to be shocked to learn that pizza, burgers, and fried foods won’t make the list of today’s best diets. For those trying to improve their health without a specific diet, there’s no excuse for junk food. Whether you’re following a plan or not, the first step toward eating well is to remove or cut back on the foods we know are unhealthy. Of course you can indulge in your favorite foods on occasion. Don’t be that guy who gets bummed when there’s no cauliflower pizza at the kid’s birthday party. At the same time, don’t be the guy making junk food a part of your daily menu. That will lead to many problems. Most people know which foods they should avoid when trying to eat well. For those with questions, there are plenty of resources available to help you make the decision. When in doubt, ask yourself if this food will benefit your body, or just satisfy a craving. Figure out your daily needs It’s not a universal rule that everyone needs to count calories. However, knowing the number of calories your body requires will help you be mindful of what you’re eating. You don’t have to keep an exact log all day, every day. But it’s important to be aware of whether you are overeating or undereating to stay healthy. Calorie counting can also help you decide what types of foods you want to eat. For example, if you know that three slices of pizza will take up 800 of the 1,800 calories your body needs in a day, you might rethink your decision and opt for something healthier. People’s specific calorie needs vary due to several factors. You can find dozens of calorie calculators online to give you a rough estimate of what you need in a day. If you’re looking for something more exact, consider seeing a dietician. Keep your portions under control Portion control is one area of eating well that can’t be stressed enough. Even healthy food can be unhealthy for our bodies if we eat too much of it. Let’s use almonds, for example. They contain healthy fats that are good for our hearts. However, a handful of almonds can contain around 200 calories. It’s easy to overindulge quickly when you don’t know things like that. Here are two tips I like to give my clients when thinking about portion control and healthy eating:  Use a smaller plate when eating meals. Most of us fill our plates to the max when we see delicious food. If there is less room on the plate, then our portion size is automatically smaller (as long as you don’t go back for seconds or thirds). Try to stick to one helping of a meal. There is a delay between our brain and our stomach when it comes to feeling full. We might be full after our first helping, but our brain hasn’t received that signal yet. Try waiting 10–15 minutes after your first helping before deciding if you need to go for seconds. Plan your meals in advance Now before you start to think this is beginning to sound like a diet, I promise you it’s not. Many diets do ask you to plan or prepare your meals in advance. But these diets usually have specific meals for you to follow. Knowing what you’re going to eat in advance helps you avoid giving into cravings or taking an easy way out when it comes to cooking a meal. This is not a specific diet. It’s simply a plan for your meals to contain the foods of your choice. This is also a great way to save time. Many of our poor eating choices happen when we’re in a hurry. We feel like we don’t have time to even think of what we should make to eat, let alone cook it. So mapping out your meals and having them ready eliminates your excuse to make an unhealthy choice because of time. Yes, you can eat healthy without dieting The word “diet” has a bad reputation, and often leaves a bad taste in our mouths. It conjures up thoughts of carb-cutting, kale salads, and day after day of boneless, skinless chicken breast. Newsflash: the word “diet” can simply refer to what you’re eating. Everything you eat is part of your diet. For that reason, you can eat nutritiously without giving your diet a specific name. By focusing on healthy foods, calorie needs, and portion sizes, you’ll be well on your way to cleaning up your diet without being on one. Dan Chojnacki writes for QuickQuote.com and has been a certified personal trainer (NETA) for nearly a decade. He currently trains in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he is also a group fitness director. In his free time, he enjoys running, swimming, playing tennis, and coaching youth softball.

Guest Post by Dan Chojnacki New year, new you. It’s an annual phrase used by many to signal a change. The new year is a time when many people want to either hit the reset button and return to previous goals or decide to turn a part of their life in a different direction. Goals motivate us to keep moving forward, but what happens when they seem so far out of reach that we want to give up? Making a lasting change, especially changes to your health, takes more than a few days to accomplish, which makes the first couple of months of the year vital. The key to achieving your resolutions is staying consistent during the beginning portion of the year. This way, you stick to your plan long enough to form a habit. Once you develop these habits as part of a routine, you’ll be well on your way to accomplishing your goals. Write out your plan Success and motivation go together like peanut butter and jelly. Motivation leads to success, success leads to more motivation to continue forward, and so on. If you have small successes along the way, you’ll continue to be motivated to reach your long-term goals. So many people get caught up focusing on the destination that they forget to take notice of what’s happening along the journey. But if you set smaller goals for yourself as steps to lead to your ultimate goal, every time you reach one of your smaller milestones, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment that will drive you forward to the next one. This could be something like losing one or two pounds per week on the way to a larger weight loss goal. Each time you lose even a small amount of weight, you’ll be motivated to continue toward your end goal. Write down your health resolution and then write down the small steps or milestones it will take to get there. Writing down your resolution serves two purposes. First, it makes it tangible. It is no longer just a thought in your head. You have taken the time to put it out there to be seen. Being able to see your goal visually makes it more concrete and more likely that you will follow through. Second, it serves as a reminder whenever motivation lags. Rather than trying to remember why you want this goal or what steps you decided to take to reach it, you have a place where you can look to restore your drive. Find a friend to hold you accountable Many of us are built with a desire to not let other people down. There are certainly times in which this can be a negative trait, but when it comes to resolutions, it can be a useful tool to keep you on track. Of course, we first and foremost want to accomplish our goals because they are important to us. However, if you take the time to share your resolution with someone important in your life, there is a good chance they will help you stick to it. Friends who know what you’re trying to accomplish can motivate you and lift your spirits when you feel like you should give up. They may even join you in your goals. You could start running together, shopping for healthy foods together, or preparing meals for the week together. It also provides motivation for you, knowing that if you decide to stop pursuing your resolution, you will have to face your friend. With any luck, your friend may be able to persuade you to reconsider. Put your goals in your schedule There are so many possible excuses, especially with health goals, that can hold you back. The excuse used most often centers on time. “I don’t have time to work out.” “I don’t have time to meal prep.” We all have 24 hours in a day and we need to make the most of them. You can make the best use of your time by scheduling the tasks that will help you accomplish your goals. If it’s a fitness resolution, scheduling your workout times in advance can help keep your week organized. And scheduling time on Sundays to prepare your snacks and meals for the week will actually save you time during the week. Whatever your goal is, planning it out to make it a part of your daily and weekly calendar will help you develop a routine. When this routine becomes a habit, the habit will lead to success. The next step You’ve made your resolution. It’s all mapped out. You have your end goal written down and you’ve made note of the smaller steps along the way that will help you feel successful and motivated. You found a friend to share your health resolution with. That friend is providing you with motivation and has even decided to join you because of the drive you showed. Now you are working together for the same goal. Every workout is written on your calendar. Your meals are planned and prepared in advance. Just like that, you’ve reached your goal. You’ve utilized these tips to stay consistent, form habits, and meet your resolution. Now what? New year, new you. Time to start again. Dan Chojnacki writes for EffortlessInsurance.com and has been a certified personal trainer (NETA) for nearly a decade. He currently trains in Green Bay, Wisconsin where he is also a group fitness director. In his free time, he enjoys running, swimming, playing tennis, and coaching youth softball.

Guest Post by Billy Ferguson How can you stay motivated while training during the winter? With miserable weather day after day, maintaining motivation to stay fit can be a real challenge. Short days and long nights are filled with pitfalls that test your resolve and pull you back to the sofa. Most of us in the United States experience cold winters and miss the warm training weather. It may seem hard to justify why you continue your training, but maintaining and building your fitness throughout the winter and spring is important as you look to the summer.  1. Mix it up Trying to stick to a fixed routine can be a killer for your motivation. To avoid this, mix up your training with different types of exercise. Get out there and smash a 5K Saturday morning park run, go climbing, or try a spinning class. Find some activities that usually are not part of your fitness regimen and give them a go.  2. Make investments If you don't own a turbo trainer, now may be the right time to invest in one. A turbo trainer allows you to train indoors using your existing bike. Adding this to your training will allow you to have easy access to equipment to help get your heart rate into the training zone. 3. Set a plan With advice by Don Fink (an internationally known triathlon and running coach) on nearly every bookshelf of wannabe triathletes, it is no surprise that we are learning why it is so important to establish a plan. Whether you are training for a 5K or a marathon, a plan will help you succeed. Set out a plan that you can maintain. Use this plan as motivation to help you get out and accomplish your goal. 4. Set a specific goal Having a goal can always help you resist the temptation to hit that snooze button on a Sunday. When you set a goal, make sure that it is specific. A targeted goal will help you refine your training with the end in mind.  Note: If you are planning to participate in an event, whether it be a simple community run or a competitive race, don’t delay your registration until you feel "ready." Signing up and committing will help you push harder get ready and achieve your goal.  5. Build a support group Allow your loved one to help keep you going. If you let them in on your goal, they will be able to help push you to achieve it. As you bring them into your plan and invite them to feel a part of what you are doing, they will be more likely to help you get up on those cold mornings and stick to your plan.  For more tips on how to include others in your fitness goals, click here.  6. Find a training buddy Training is not only beneficial to your fitness, but it can be a great social outlet. You will find that your training becomes easier as you and your training partner push each other to do more and follow through with your commitments. If you can find a partner who is slightly better than you, you will be pushed to limits that you would not have achieved on your own.  7. Adopt a mantra Find a training mantra that is personal to you. For example, "No pain, no gain" might be a bit too corny for you, but you will find one that works for you. Once you have found the mantra that you would like to use, repeat it in your head while you are training. Let it become an empowering phrase that helps you to go a bit longer and a bit harder than you did the previous training session.  Bonus tip: If you struggle remembering to use this phrase as you train, print it out and take it with you to the gym, put it on your bike, tape it to your water bottle. The more that you see it, the more effective it will become. 8. Reward yourself We all love new things. Don’t be afraid to sneak in the odd purchase every so often. Whether it be a pair of socks, some shoes, or a shirt, something new may help you to get excited about getting up off the couch and going for a run. 9. Make it personal If every event that you decide to participate in is for charity, you will burn out sooner than later. If you are working hard towards a goal to become more fit or stay active during the winter, make sure that the events that you participate in help you to achieve this goal. If you do participate in charity events, evaluate your reasoning and make your ability to participate personal and meaningful. As you do this, you will feel a greater sense of accomplishment as you achieve your goals. Billy Ferguson is the Founder and CEO behind Trivelo and a triathlete for the past 10 years. Never a podium finisher, he still struggles to find the right mix of ingredients to ensure a successful winter base training regimen.

Guest Post by Sahara Rose De Vore When you think of self-care you probably think about going to the gym, joining a yoga class, spending an hour a day meditating, drinking a green juice, getting a massage, or trying out the newest health trend like testing out your Eskimo skills with cryotherapy or floating in a sensory deprivation tank. These are the typical self-care rituals that we commonly talk about.  Something that we turn to at different points in our life is travel. When we are feeling stressed out from work, we are dealing with a terrible breakup, there was a death in our life, when we need to shake up a relationship or strengthen the bond with a loved one, or we need to break out of our daily routine and feel something new, we turn to travel. We often do this without recognizing our deeper intent or reasoning. Travel is healing. It fulfills us in a way unlike any other.  Vacationing is a restorative behavior with an independent positive effect on health where the benefits can take effect before, during, and after a trip. Decades of research show the positive effects of travel on people’s overall health. Travel activities reinforce physical and mental activity, provide opportunities for human interaction, deepens relationships, aids in combating burnout, enables you to disconnect, and improves your self-awareness. Improves your mental health Resting the body and relaxing the mind are just two ways that travel helps improve your mental well-being. Being in new environments, having exciting new experiences, meeting interesting people, exercising your senses, increasing mindfulness, learning about yourself and what you want out of life, and being part of something bigger than yourself are a few ways that travel can positively change your mental state of mind.  Research by psychologists and neuroscientists has found that travel can affect mental change. According to a five-year study by the Wisconsin Medical Journal, “the odds of depression and tension were higher among women who took vacations only once in two years or once in six years compared to women who traveled two times or more each year” and “women who take vacations frequently are less likely to become tense, depressed, or tired.”  Traveling can help you take a breather to focus on yourself, explore your emotions, and realign with your inner self. The Wisconsin Medical Journal also states that “women who took vacations were much less likely to suffer from depression and other mental health issues, so they subsequently enjoyed a higher quality of life.” Traveling to warm climates, exposure to sunlight, and getting Vitamin D all have a positive effect on depression.  Travel increases our happiness hormones and keeps them flowing. "One of the enemies of happiness is adaptation,” says Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at Cornell University. Travel is the opposite of adaptation. Your environment is constantly changing, you hear different languages, you are faced with new decisions and problems to solve, and you are exposed to new foods, people, cultures, and ways of life. Like Matador Network says, “new experiences increase your cognitive flexibility and keeps your mind sharp”.  Decreases burnout  There continues to be a rising burnout epidemic in today’s workforce but studies show that the majority of companies are not prioritizing travel in their wellness programs. Research proves that travel is a key ingredient to combating burnout.  Taking time for yourself, doing something that makes you happy, checking things off of your bucketlist, being in nature, fulfilling your needs, and exercising the mind and body aids in lowering work-related fatigue and stress. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “a four-day ‘long weekend’ vacation had positive effects on well-being, recovery, strain, and perceived stress for as long as 45 days.” Benefits of travel are almost immediate. After only one or two days of vacation, 89 percent of respondents saw significant drops in stress according to the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies and the United States Travel Association. Although traveling can put your anxiety to the test, it can also teach you new ways to cope and learn about your limits.   Keeps you physically fit Travel can keep you physically fit both inside and out. Although some vacations may entail plenty of laying on the beach, many also involve plenty of walking and physical activities. Walking to explore new cities, going on hikes, dancing the night away, and snorkeling in the sea are some common physical activities during traveling that keep your body active and your heart strong. Being fit also means your internal well-being. Exposure to the salty sea air and eating local seafood and marine plants can increase your iodine levels which aids in boosting the immune system. The more that you travel to new environments with different foods, climates, flora, and fauna, the more you build antibodies, ultimately boosting your immune system.  If you suffer from sore muscles, achy joints, or arthritis, soaking in the salty sea or mineral-rich hot springs can help alleviate pain and stiffness. Places like the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, Turkish hot springs, and the Dead Sea in Israel and Jordan are prime destinations for this.  According to a study by The Framingham Heart, “men and women who traveled annually were less likely to suffer a heart attack or develop heart disease.” There is an association between infrequent vacationing and increased incidence of heart problems or death due to coronary causes during a 20-year follow up of women participants.  Traveling can increase your chance of living longer and having more fun doing it. It is a healthy way to keep your spirit youthful as you age. Multigenerational travel benefits both grandparents and grandchildren. According to the U.S Travel Association, grandparents “cite valuing the opportunity to travel with their grandchildren to help them feel and stay more youthful.”   New destinations can also make eating healthier easier. Asia and South America are saturated with local markets where you can buy vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables. You can try exotic new produce that would otherwise be expensive or non-existent where you live. Various fruits like sour sop, papaya, and persimmons are popular fruits known to have healing properties. Eastern healing practices like massages and yoga, homeopathic remedies, Chinese medicines, ancient herbals and teas, and meditation are more accessible and affordable when traveling to that region of the world. Traveling gives you the opportunity to align with your inner self and prioritize your self-care from the inside out.  Ignites your self-esteem Traveling also makes you an interesting storyteller. It can boost your confidence levels and self-awareness. Being challenged, trying new things, solving problems on your own, and navigating a foreign place ignites your self-esteem. Vacation offers the opportunity for freedom, intrinsic motivation, creativity, and self-determining factors, which ultimately results in psychological benefits. Studies have shown a connection between travel and creativity, a deeper sense of cultural awareness, and personal growth. When traveling, you expand your mind, adapt to new situations, learn new skills, exercise your thinking process, and become more globally and culturally aware. Travel sends you home with life-long memories to keep and stories to share. Are you putting travel in the forefront of your self-care regime? Ask yourself what truly drives you to get away and what kind of experience you need to have the wellness outcomes that you desire. Sahara Rose De Vore is an Intuitive Wellness Travel Coach who has traveled solo to 84 countries. Founder of The Travel Coach Network, she is on a mission to bring travel to the forefront of well-being both in and out of the workplace.

We all want clear skin: that’s a fact. Unfortunately, certain skin conditions make getting there a tough journey. From acne to eczema, to dark spots and wrinkles, everyone has some sort of concern they’re trying to treat. In an effort to achieve your clearest skin yet, we’ve created five skincare tips to help guide you toward a healthier complexion in 2021. 1. Pare down your skincare routine It might be tempting to hop on the bandwagon when it comes to popular skincare trends (like the 12-step K-beauty routine), but piling on multiple ingredients at once isn’t ideal for every skin type. Those experiencing specific skin concerns (like eczema or acne) might want to pare down their routine to just a few products for day and night. In fact, using too many ingredients at a time could actually make your eczema, acne or dry skin worse, rather than fix the issue. Plus, some ingredients don’t mix well together and might cancel each other out (including niacinamide and vitamin C), so it’s best to keep it simple, not excessive. By paring down your routine this year, you’ll be able to identify which products and ingredients might be making your specific skin concern worse—a helpful way to avoid a flare-up in the future. 2. Be cautious about “natural” products Just because a skincare product is natural, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you. Especially for those suffering from eczema, natural skincare products might not be your best option when treating inflammation. Not only are they not very effective in treating eczema-symptoms, but they also might actually cause a worse flare-up — natural products bring with them the risk of allergies and irritation.  It may help to think about “natural” in a new way. Rather than reaching for a 100 percent natural skincare product, look for products that work with the nature of your skin itself — especially formulations that help your skin’s microbiome thrive. Just like your gut, your skin needs a balance of good and bad bacteria in order to be healthy. And science has proven over and over again that an imbalance of the bacteria that live on your skin is an invisible trigger for eczema flare-ups. That’s why it’s so important to seek out products with ingredients found in mother nature.  For example, Peter Lio, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and Scientific Advisory Committee Member for the National Eczema Association describes a product that he feels meets this criteria: “Gladskin is really interesting to me because of its scientific approach in working with the nature of the skin. Their eczema cream is formulated with Micreobalance™, a smart protein that is clinically proven to reduce eczema itch and redness, while working to rebalance the skin bacteria and bring users harmony once and for all.” 3. Prioritize one skincare concern at a time Although many skincare products might advertise themselves as the perfect multitasker, ready to treat wrinkles, acne, and eczema all while offering a gorgeous glow, the reality is that one product can’t fix it all. The key to getting clear skin is to focus on the one skin concern that bothers you the most. If you’re someone who has eczema, you don’t need to be applying a trendy vitamin C serum formulated to treat dark spots. That pick might be the next cool thing, but it’s not made to treat your main skin issue. In 2021, look for products that were specifically created to help tackle your biggest skin concern and invest in those. 4. Consider topical treatments before antibiotics  Whether you’re dealing with acne, eczema, or another skin concern, antibiotics might seem like the easy way out, but they’re not always the best option for your health in the long-run. The more antibiotics we take for these skin conditions, the more we are risking that those medicines won’t work for us when we really need them. If you’re dealing with dry, itchy, eczema-prone skin, look for skincare products that specifically target an imbalanced skin microbiome. 5. Think prevention The key to achieving your clear skin goals lies in action steps toward prevention. If you’re someone who constantly deals with sunspots or melasma, don’t wait until the summer to apply sunscreen—make sure to apply a minimum of 30 SPF every single day, regardless of whether the sun is out or not. If you know the season when your eczema always flares up, don’t wait until that time of the year rolls around to actually treat your skin. Begin applying topical products before your skin starts to become inflamed. For those with acne, consider eliminating dairy from your diet to prevent future breakouts, and keep treating the areas where you’re usually prone to breakouts to prevent them from returning. Written by the Gladskin team. Gladskin was born from a discovery about the role of endolysin proteins in maintaining a balanced and healthy skin microbiome. This breakthrough was made by Professor Dr. Martin Loessner’s Department of Health Sciences and Technology Laboratory at the ETH Zurich University in Switzerland.