Know your skin.

I have over 20 years of experience as a physician and a mom as well as being a 3rd generation female physician.

My practical approach to skincare takes into consideration the role your skin plays as a dynamic organ as a part of your body and interacts with the world around it.

About Me

Skincare by concern...

Textiles & Skincare

Entrepreneur

Physician Entrepreneurship

Products

Discover the world of skincare products & makeup options

Skincare

Acne

Hair & Hair Loss

Nails

Procedures

Skin procedures

Rashes

Sun Protection

Sun protection

Anti-Aging

Anti-aging

Foods & Skin

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Dec 2
2 min

Dermatology

Astaxanthin in Skincare

The antioxidant effect of astaxanthin is as much as 1000 times higher than coenzyme Q10. It is thought to help as a supplement for...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Dec 2
4 min

Dermatology

Chin hair

Some women report the development of chin hair as early as puberty while many women note these hairs poking out by their mid-30s....

Self Tanners | Step-by-step guide for sunless tanners

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Nov 24
4 min

Dermatology

Self Tanners | Step-by-step guide for sunless tanners

Self-tanners, or sunless tanners, provide pigmentation without the need for UV exposure. Self-tanners contain dihydroxyacetone to add...

Shea Butter | Does it really offer sun protection?

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Nov 22
2 min

Dermatology

Shea Butter | Does it really offer sun protection?

Shea butter has been shown to increase the sun or UV protection offered by products. One study showed that the use of shea butter...

Scalp | Your Complete Guide to Scalp Health

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Nov 19
9 min

Dermatology

Scalp | Your Complete Guide to Scalp Health

The best way to understand scalp health and its impact on hair growth is to think of your scalp as a farm. Your scalp is the soil and the...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Nov 12
4 min

Dermatology

Moisturizers | Ingredients to look for

When looking for a moisturizer, consider looking for these ingredients to see if some of these are present to help your skin look and...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Nov 9
5 min

Dermatology

How to shop for retinol

If you are just starting on a retinol product, I recommend starting with brands found at the drugstore. The reason is simple. These...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Nov 6
3 min

Dermatology

Nicotinamide | Vitamin B3 & Skin cancer

Nicotinamide is a form of Vitamin B3, also known as niacin or nicotinic acid. Nicotinamide has been shown to play an important role in...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Nov 4
5 min

Skincare

Night Creams | How to choose a Retinol

Nighttime is the best opportunity to help your skin repair itself from the damage it sees during the day from UV rays and free radicals...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Nov 3
4 min

Dermatology

What's in your clothing | Phthalates

Clothing can serve as a means for exposure through phthalates directly or indirectly. Phthalates may be used in clothing, especially...

What's in your clothing | Antimicrobial textiles

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Oct 31
5 min

Dermatology

What's in your clothing | Antimicrobial textiles

Antimicrobial textiles are textiles that are manufactured with nanoparticles, natural antimicrobial agents, and/or have actual...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Oct 30
3 min

Dermatology

Green Tea in Skincare

Green tea has been a staple of diets in Asian cultures and increasing in popularity in Western countries. The consumption of green tea...

Retinol | What's in your anti-aging products

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Oct 29
8 min

Dermatology

Retinol | What's in your anti-aging products

Retinol gets a lot of love in the over-the-counter anti-aging skincare product world. Retinol itself is a form of vitamin A found in...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Oct 26
3 min

Dermatology

What's in your clothing | Metals

We tend to think of textiles as made up of fibers we are familiar with such as cotton, silk, wool, polyester, and nylon, but did you...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Oct 21
2 min

Dermatology

Flame Retardants & Pajamas

There is a long history behind flame retardants and pajamas. In 1953, the Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA) was passed to regulate highly...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Oct 21
3 min

Dermatology

Antioxidants in Photoprotection

In some ways, you can think about safe sun protection similar to sex education. In other words, abstinence or avoiding the sun and photo...

50 Ways to Shade | Polypodium leucotomos

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Oct 21
2 min

Dermatology

50 Ways to Shade | Polypodium leucotomos

There are phenolic compounds in polypodium leucotomos that can work by inhibiting the production of nitric oxide induced by UV exposure...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Oct 12
4 min

Dermatology

Chafing

Chafing is a term applied to the changes that occur in the skin due to moisture and friction related to skin against skin or skin against...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Oct 2
3 min

Dermatology

Botox During Pregnancy

Botox has many medical and cosmetic uses. With the current data available, Botox is considered category C during pregnancy. The...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Oct 2
4 min

Dermatology

Breast Cancer | Effects on Skin, Hair, & Nails

Some studies have shown that over 90% of patients undergoing breast cancer treatment had skin complaints while undergoing treatment. Read...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Oct 2
5 min

Dermatology

What’s in your clothing | Textile Dyes

Most textiles will have some sort of textile dye to impart a color to the garment and yes, this may trigger some skin issues that it's...

Photocarcinogenesis | Light-induced cancer development

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Oct 2
4 min

Dermatology

Photocarcinogenesis | Light-induced cancer development

Breaking down this word is “photo” meaning light-induced, “carcino-” meaning cancer, and “genesis” meaning origin or development. ...

Turmeric | 8 Health Benefits, including if it's good for skin care

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Sep 18
4 min

Dermatology

Turmeric | 8 Health Benefits, including if it's good for skin care

Turmeric is a spice that serves as a source of curcumin, a polyphenol. Curcumin has several health benefits and has been used in skin...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Sep 12
5 min

Dermatology

Hats | Best Sun Hats for UV Protection

To get sun protection from a hat, it has to cover your head and provide shade for the face and scalp. Read more... Topics Do all hats...

Dandruff | 8 Drugstore Products & How they work

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Sep 11
5 min

Dermatology

Dandruff | 8 Drugstore Products & How they work

Dandruff is a term that generally applies to a constellation of flaking and itching of the scalp along with possible dryness and...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Sep 5
1 min

Dermatology

Vitamin A | Spinach Salad as a part of your Skin care Diet

Vitamin A plays a significant role in skin health with many anti-acne and anti-aging supplements including Vitamin A as a key ingredient....

Infant Bathing | The role of bathing in your infant's skin care routine

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Sep 1
3 min

Dermatology

Infant Bathing | The role of bathing in your infant's skin care routine

It can be scary and exciting to start giving your baby a bath. When it comes to an infant bathing schedule it’s important to understand...

Droopy Eyelids | Anti-aging for Dermatochalasis of the upper eyelid

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Aug 29
4 min

Dermatology

Droopy Eyelids | Anti-aging for Dermatochalasis of the upper eyelid

Droopy eyelids, also referred to as heavy eyelids or dermatochalasis of the upper eyelid, is a common change to see in the eyelid skin as...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Aug 23
4 min

Dermatology

PREGNANCY BUMP SKIN CARE

During pregnancy, the skin is actively stretching with changes noted week to week as the baby develops. Although this may seem obvious...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Aug 22
4 min

Dermatology

Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is technically not cleaning your hair in this traditional sense. Since water is not used with dry shampoo, these products...

Towels & Skincare | How to choose a towel with skin in mind

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Aug 21
5 min

Dermatology

Towels & Skincare | How to choose a towel with skin in mind

The ideal bath towels for skincare quickly absorb moisture, are soft against the skin while still retaining a texture to provide a...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Aug 14
2 min

Dermatology

Moisturizing Hand Soap

Moisturizing and soap in the same name can seem like an oxymoron since soap is cleaning away buildup on the skin while moisturizing...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Aug 13
4 min

Dermatology

Forehead | Pigment, wrinkles, inflammation, dryness, pores & laxity

A lot can go on with the forehead. Some of the changes our forehead experiences as we age are anticipated, while others did not have to...

Perleche (Angular Cheilitis) | Dry cracked corners of the mouth

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Aug 12
2 min

Dermatology

Perleche (Angular Cheilitis) | Dry cracked corners of the mouth

Patients will often describe how perleche feels as though the corners of their mouths almost crack as they open their mouths to yawn....

Sunscreen use during pregnancy | What you need to know

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Aug 7
4 min

Dermatology

Sunscreen use during pregnancy | What you need to know

Guidance for wearing sunscreen to reduce the risk of skin cancer holds true during pregnancy as well, but there are other reasons to keep...

Understanding Hair Loss | Telogen Effluvium, also known as Stress Hair Loss

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jul 23
5 min

Dermatology

Understanding Hair Loss | Telogen Effluvium, also known as Stress Hair Loss

Stress-related or stress induced hair loss, referred to medically as Telogen Effluvium, is a very common condition. Read more... Topics...

Natural vs Premature Aging of the Skin | What does "anti-aging" mean to you?

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jul 22
14 min

Dermatology

Natural vs Premature Aging of the Skin | What does "anti-aging" mean to you?

The conversation on the aging of the skin needs a little direction so that your roadmap for finding solutions will actually make a...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jul 17
5 min

Dermatology

Acne Face Map

It’s true that many of my patients will state that they always get acne in the "exact same spot!" They believe that the exact same...

5 Best Acne Cleansers | Where to start your acne routine

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jul 16
2 min

Dermatology

5 Best Acne Cleansers | Where to start your acne routine

Starting to get breakouts and cruising the aisles at your local drugstore grabbing any product that seems to promise it will clear your...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jul 16
4 min

Dermatology

Acne Cleansers | How to choose one

Acne cleansers are great because they do not stay in contact with your skin for too long making them effective without being too...

Dry Brushing | Is there a skincare benefit?

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jul 14
3 min

Dermatology

Dry Brushing | Is there a skincare benefit?

Dry brushing is often performed with a bristle brush that is brushed across the body. The method itself focuses on brushing ‘towards the...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jul 14
3 min

Dermatology

Jellyfish Stings

Jellyfish leave behind stingers called nematocysts or tentacles in the skin. There can be thousands of them. And, no, peeing on a...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jul 10
5 min

Dermatology

Hair Shedding vs Hair Loss vs Hair Fall

Can you spot the difference between these phrases: "hair shedding", "hair loss", and "hair fall"? As a Philosophy major, one of my...

Diapers | Choosing the right diaper as a part of a skincare routine

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jul 9
4 min

Dermatology

Diapers | Choosing the right diaper as a part of a skincare routine

For babies, infants, and toddlers with a tendency towards eczema or sensitive skin, one of the most important things to consider in...

Mosquito Repellents | A must-have skincare essential for summer

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jul 7
6 min

Dermatology

Mosquito Repellents | A must-have skincare essential for summer

Mosquito repellents work by making us less attractive to mosquitoes. They work by repelling insects, not killing them. There are a...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jul 5
3 min

Dermatology

Sulfur Soap

Although sulfur is not widely found in acne cleansers and soap, it actually addresses each aspect of acne from excess keratin and oil, to...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jul 3
3 min

Dermatology

Sunscreen That Won't Stain Clothes

Sunscreens can either stain your clothes or leave a residue behind depending on the type chosen. In general, it can be easier to lift a...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jul 1
4 min

Dermatology

Facial Cleansers | The Basics

Facial cleansers can play an important role in your basic skincare routine and are a little different from bar soap. Facial cleansers...

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jun 28
2 min

Dermatology

Peptides in Skincare

It is so hard to say if peptides in skincare are worth the cost simply because very few products disclose the precise peptides used and...

What is the meaning of a product that is "dermatologist tested”?

Dr. Erum Ilyas

Jun 25
2 min

Dermatology

What is the meaning of a product that is "dermatologist tested”?

There is not necessarily a specific criterion a product has to meet from a regulatory perspective to use the term “dermatologist tested”....

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