skin tags

Skin tags tend to be small growths of skin that start to hang off. It is thought that they are the result of a virus. They may be the same skin tone or slightly darker in color that the rest of the skin. Usually these tags are not dangerous to your health, but many people find them unsightly to look at. They can also hurt if they are in places where you shave regularly and scrape them during shaving. If skin tags are a problem, follow these steps and with patience you can get rid of skin tags.

1. Have your skin checked by a dermatologist. Before you start treating skin tags, have a doctor look at them. He or she will check for discoloration and any abnormalities. The doctor will also confirm which are skin tags and which (if any) are moles or other concerns.
2. Tie it off. Using a small piece of thread, tie a tight knot around the base of the tag where it meets your skin. Tie the knot tight enough that the thread stays on in the shower. After three or four days you should notice that the skin tag is turning colors and drying up because the knot you tied is cutting of blood supply to that area. Tighten the knot if possible. After a few days more, the tag and the thread should fall off.
3. Consider over-the-counter medications. There are several over-the-counter medications for removing skin tags. Some contain hydrogen peroxide and others contain anti-viral medications that dry the tag out and cause it to fall off the skin.
4. Have them cut off. One easy way to remove skin tags is by cutting them off with scissors or a scalpel. This can be done at home but the tag will bleed quite a lot and you face a risk of infection, especially if the scissors aren’t sterilized.
5. Try a topical oil.Tea tree oil is an option for drying out a skin tag for removal. Dab some oil on the tag four or five times each day. Let the oil dry before putting clothes on over the skin tag. Repeat until the skin tag is gone. This could take five days to two weeks.
6. Try letting your doctor freeze them off. Freezing is also called cryosurgery. It is a quick and mostly painless procedure that your doctor can perform in his office in just a few minutes.

If skin tags annoy you or get in your way, there are some simple ways to get rid of them. Follow these steps and you can either remove them yourself of have your dermatologist handle the effort.

By Marc Alexander

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Stop in to the Golden Goat to pick up a small roller bottle of tea tree oil to try this yourself. It generally takes one to two weeks of daily treatments to eliminate the tags, depending on size.

10 tips to stay healthy during the holidays

1) Brush your teeth often. If you get used to the feeling of a clean mouth, you will be less likely to want to put sugar and junk in it. That sugar teeth feeling is the worst! As an added bonus, you will have fresh breath at all those holiday gatherings.


2) Don't forget to eat. It's so easy to get so busy that we skip breakfast and lunch. I'm sure you can guess what happens... you head for the garbage cookies to give your blood sugar a boost. Make sure to eat every 3 hours so that the junk loses some of its allure.

Now, to make sure you do this, plan your snacks. Make them easy. Cheese, crackers, and apples. Toast or frozen waffles. Yes, those aren't the healthiest options in the world, but that brings us to the next point...


3) Avoid "all or nothing," AKA perfection mindset. We are all busy. Who has time to make steamed veggies with sesame oil every time they get hungry? NO ONE except Oprah and Martha Stewart.

If you are set on only eating healthy stuff, you are probably going to fail. And when you fail, it invites an avalanche of binging. "I can't stay on my holiday diet," you might say, "so I might as
well not try."

Give yourself permission to eat things that may not be the most nutrient-packed snacks and meals. Do the best you can in the time you're got. Aim for eating one veggie or fruit with
everything. So, mac and cheese with broccoli, PB&J with carrot, eggs with mushrooms. Hamburger, fries, and an orange.


4) Go ahead, eat the treats if you really want them! Just do something active to make up for them. Walk the dog or go to the park. It will burn a few extra calories, but more importantly -
it will make your body and mind feel good.


5) You know those stupid health "mantras" that you can never truly believe? Like, "I am thin, healthy and fit." Most people have never been able to make those work.

Try this "I am getting healthier every day." That is totally believable! Just eating a cracker instead of a cookie for less sugar and fat will make that come true. Take ten minutes to
stretch your aching legs and back before going to bed. Voila! You are getting healthier every day.

Try it - and when you fulfill that statement, you feel great about yourself.


6) GET SLEEP. For some people, not enough sleep kills the immune system. Sleep is *so* important; it's how the body recovers from stress and repairs itself.

Don't sacrifice your sleep time for holiday business. It never, ever pays off. Delegate tasks. Hire or recruit people to help you. You will never enjoy your holiday if you're sick, get mouth sores, or feel tired and cranky all the time.

Should you use an oil free facial moisturizer?

Author: Victoria S. Pedersen is a long time user and passionate advocate of natural skin care products.

On the surface, it would seem to make sense to buy an oil free anti-aging facial moisturizer but the truth of the matter is these are not ideal for your face.

Let me explain.

When we think of oil based moisturizers we think we will necessarily be using products that will clog our pores up or give our skin a heavy, greasy feeling. And sometimes this is true. However, there are some natural oils that do not clog the pores whatsoever and absorb into your skin leaving no heaviness or oily feeling.

And some of these are absolutely crucial for the skin's health, not only fighting wrinkles but moisturizing the epidermis.

Let's also not forget your skin naturally contains oils in it and this oil balance is stripped out during the course of the day from stress, and environmental pollutants.

So why do people look for an oil free anti-aging facial moisturizer? My suspicion is because the most commonly used oil in moisturizing skin creams is mineral oil, which is absolutely terrible for the skin. Mineral oil does indeed clog the pores, and can lead to a lot of problems, like acne flare-ups (even if you're in your forties), it prevents the skin from eliminating toxins effectively, and can lead to other skin disorders.

Mineral oil is used for one reason only: it's cheap! {It is also petroleum based}

Now, if an oil free anti-aging facial moisturizer isn't ideal, what kinds of oils are actually good for the skin.

Here are a couple:

Babassu - is a light, natural wax, which softens and soothes your skin. It also creates an invisible barrier to retain moisture and keep out dirt and grime. It is made from Babassu oil, from the kernel of the fruit of the Babassu palm, which grows in the Amazon. Babassu oil is beneficial for both dry and oily complexions.

Grapeseed Oil - is a potent antioxidant and also creates an invisible film on your skin, which locks moisture in. It is especially effective for repairing the sensitive skin around the eyes; it's rich in linoleic acid and several other essential oils which are necessary for skin health.

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Here at the Golden Goat, we use only non pore clogging (non-comedogenic) oils. We use grapeseed oil as the primary oil in our moisturizers. We also add shea butter and cocoa butter for the richness and nutrients they provide your skin.

sentiment from Ali Brown

I just have to share something that ticked me off today...

This afternoon I was at the hair salon getting my monthly color touch-up (gotta keep up with those roots, ladies!), and next to me a stylist's client was loudly hemming and hawing about how "bad" things are getting with the economy.

And honestly I'm rolling my eyes while I'm quietly working on my computer, because here is a well-dressed woman dropping over $200 on her hair color and who valet parked her Mercedes out front.

"Bad" -- for most of this country -- means you have one less flat-screen TV, rent instead of own, and can't afford to buy your groceries at Whole Foods.

Now, let's put this into perspective folks... "Bad" in some other countries means you could be living every day in fear of dying through starvation, or being tortured or murdered. THAT is bad. WE don't have it bad.

Hello! Let's WAKE UP people...

Please, stop listening to American "news", whose job it is to make you feel like everything is going to hell in a hand basket. TV news is not a "public service". It's a business. Fear attracts ratings, and ratings sell ads. If they told you "all is well" you wouldn't have to watch anymore.

Listen closely... The only person/thing that determines the results in your life right now, as always, is YOU.

OUR world is still full of abundance, hope, and opportunities. And we live in the best country on earth for all of those. Circumstances may shift, as they always do. Tides rise and fall, and trends come and go. It's cyclical. Such is nature, and such is life. Self-corrections are made.


Love and Success,





Ali Brown
"Live Your Good Fortune™"
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown publishes the award-winning 'Highlights on Marketing & Success' weekly ezine with 36,000+ subscribers. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.AlexandriaBrown.com