Helpful and Random Information

15 places kids should see by age 15

(Budget Travel) -- It took us hours of heated debate, weeks of research, and years of experience to whittle down America's monuments to a definitive list of 15 musts for anyone under 15. Not only are these attractions fun and (shhhh) educational, they're especially magical through the eyes of a child.

Two years ago, Budget Travel picked 15 American landmarks every kid should see, from Ellis Island to Redwood National Park. The new and improved 2011 lineup takes that challenge even further, by highlighting how our country's top sights cater to kids' abbreviated attention spans. From roasting marshmallows around a campfire to playing dress-up at Monticello, these cool, interactive activities ensure that the younger set will enjoy these must-see spots as much as their parents do.

Grand Canyon - Arizona

During the day, stroll the 4-year-old Skywalk, a U-shaped, glass-bottom observation deck that juts 70 feet over the canyon's West Rim and sits 4,000 feet above the Colorado River. Come sunset, hit Grand Canyon Apache Stables, where, for $25.50 per person, you can hitch a one-hour ride on a horse-drawn wagon that ends around a campfire. Tip: BYO marshmallows and hot dogs so you can cook up a nighttime snack. Skywalk Package including mandatory Legacy pass. Kids 3--11, $57.49; Adults, $73. grandcanyonskywalk.com Grand Canyon Apache Stables: $25.50, kids 8 and up, apachestables.com/

Redwood National Park - California

Ancient, sky-high sequoias aren't the only attraction in this lush California locale -- there's cool aquatic life, too. Take a guided tide pool tour, where budding biologists can scramble between the coastal forest's rocks while hunting for underwater creatures such as orange and purple ochre sea stars and sprawling, green anemones. Free tide pool tours are offered during the summer through Redwood National Park; check website for exact schedule. nps.gov

Monticello - Virginia

The dreaded "look but don't touch" rule means nothing at the Griffin Discovery Room, which opened on the grounds of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello estate in 2009. Nothing is off-limits in the space, which features replicas of the third president's possessions, from his alcove bed to his polygraph machine. Even his closet is fair game: Kids can try on clothes modeled after his 18th-century wardrobe. The Griffin Discovery Room is part of Monticello's House and Grounds tour. Adults, $17 (low season), $22 (high season); Kids 6-11, $8 (year-round). monticello.org

The Freedom Trail - Massachusetts

Who needs a social studies book when you can learn about Colonial history from an 18th-century ship captain while parading around Boston's waterfront? The 90-minute Pirates and Patriots tour, led by an actor in 1770s naval garb, focuses on maritime history and introduces the scrappy, ship-raiding characters that inhabited the city's North End during the Revolutionary era.

Stops include the aptly named Long Wharf, once the longest in the world and the epicenter of Boston's colonial shipping industry, and Griffin's Wharf, site of the 1773 Boston Tea Party. Bonus: Some tour guides are known to hand out vintage goodies, so you might walk away with a fistful of colonial money or musket balls. The Freedom Trail's Pirates & Patriots Tour runs from June to Nov. Adults, $12; kids 6--12, $7. thefreedomtrail.org

Niagara Falls - New York

Sure, your grandparents honeymooned there, but the majestic waterfalls straddling the U.S.-Canada border are worth a 21st-century trip. Ever wonder what it's like to be a rubber ducky in a massive bathtub? Sign up for the Cave of the Winds tour, which begins after you change into a complimentary yellow poncho and sandals (trust us, you'll need 'em).

After riding an elevator 175 feet down into the Niagara Gorge, you'll stand on the Hurricane Deck, where you'll be drenched by the tropical-storm-like spray from the 181-foot Bridal Veil Falls, where the water falls at a rate of up to 68 mph. Cave of the Winds operates May 1--Oct. 25. Adults, $11; kids 6--12, $8; 5 and under, free. niagarafallsstatepark.com

The National Mall - Washington, D.C.

Riding the streets of Washington, D.C., in a boat on wheels might sound cheesy, but cruising the Potomac River in one is pretty sweet. Set in a WWII-era amphibious vehicle, the 90-minute D.C. duck tour covers both land and sea.

The first leg hits the history-packed National Mall -- look for the 19-foot-tall Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol building, and the Smithsonian museums -- and then switches to a scenic river trip. Highlight: The boat pauses at Gravelly Point, a park located just a few hundred feet from the runway at D.C.'s Reagan National Airport, so you can watch roaring planes take off and land. D.C. duck tours cost $31.50 for adults, and $16.20 for kids 11 and under. trustedtours.com

Williamsburg - Virginia

Everyone in this living-history site likes to play dress-up, and visitors are no exception. At the Great Hopes Plantation -- a re-creation of the town's original 1700s farm -- a stash of old-timey accessories await, from tricorne (three-pointed) hats for boys and shifts and mop caps (bonnets) for girls.

The costumes come in handy in the field, where kids can perform 18th-century household chores, such as picking bugs off potato crops, fetching water from the well, or hoeing the soil, that are likely to make clearing the dinner dishes seem like a breeze by comparison. Great Hopes Plantation can be accessed through regular admission tickets. Spring prices: adults, $37.95; kids 6--17, $18.95; 5 and under, free. history.org

Walt Disney World Resort - Florida

Taking a family vacation to the world's largest, most popular theme park is a no-brainer, and just-opened exhibits give even more reasons to visit Mickey & Co. Our pick: the Wild Africa Trek, a private, three-hour safari featuring live Nile crocs, statuesque giraffes, and lazy hippos.

Strap into a harness and you can even dangle 10 feet above the crocodiles' heads. (The attraction is open to kids 8 and up.) Mid-jungle trek, the safari car (imagine an open-air Jeep that allows for standing) will stop on the trail for a traditional African lunch. Wild Africa Treks begin at $189 per person, including lunch, but not including admission to Disney's Animal Kingdom. disneyworld.disney.go.com

Independence Hall - Pennsylvania

Acquaint yourself with the spirits of America's founding fathers on Philadelphia's Ghost Tour, a 90-minute, candle-lit stroll that winds past landmarks like Independence Hall, where the Constitution was adopted; the Powel House, which hosted George and Martha Washington's 20th wedding anniversary celebration; and the 238-year-old City Tavern, John Adams's former watering hole.

A cape-wearing, lantern-carrying guide points out "haunted" graveyards (St. Peter's Cemetery) and reports sightings of Benjamin Franklin, who's said to roam the city's streets. The best part: All the ghost stories are based on documented accounts, which makes them all the more spooky. Ghost Tour of Philadelphia, adults, $17; kids 4 and up, $8. ghosttour.com

Alcatraz Island - California

Shiv collections and cramped jail cells don't exactly sound kid-friendly, but they offer a glimpse into America's most notorious island prison -- and the National Park Service is all for bringing younger ones for a visit. Hop a ferry from San Francisco's Pier 33 and stroll the damp, gray halls of the maximum-security pen, which housed criminals like Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly from 1934 to 1963. (You can even get behind bars in one of the cells, if you dare.)

Don't miss the audio tour, which was updated in 2007 when former inmates and guards recorded their memories of doing time at "the Rock." If you're feeling brave, take the night tour, which lets you roam the prison after dark. Alcatraz Cruises is the official carrier for tours to Alcatraz Island. Adults 12--61, $26; kids 5--11, $16, 4 and under, free. alcatrazcruises.com

Ellis Island - New York

Between 1892 and 1924, more than 17 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island; today, their descendants account for 40% of Americans. Go on a hunt for your ancestors at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, where for $5 you can search through millions of records to find the exact date your relatives sailed into the Port of New York, as well as which ship they were on and whether they traveled with other family members. (Bonus: copies of the documents are yours to keep.)

And don't miss the construction of the Peopling of America Center, which cost $20 million to build and is slated to open in 2012. The new space focuses on U.S. immigration from 1955 (when Ellis Island closed) to the present, and houses interactive multimedia exhibits, like a touch screen that reflects demographic changes in American cities over time. Ellis Island admission prices as of March 18: adults, $37.95; children, $18.95; children under 5, free. ellisisland.org

Yellowstone National Park - Wyoming, Montana and Idaho

Snag a Young Scientist Toolkit stocked with magnifying glasses, rock samples, and stopwatches to time geyser eruptions at the Old Faithful Visitor Center and hit the great outdoors for some investigating. The coolest toy: an infrared-thermometer gun that takes readings of thermal pools when pointed at the water. And there's lots of H20: The 3,472-square-mile park is home to more geothermal features (geysers, hot springs, mud spots) than any place on earth. The Young Scientist activity booklet and toolkit costs $5 (toolkit must be returned after use). Park entrance fee starts at $12. nps.gov

Fenway Park - Massachusetts

Even die-hard Yankees fans have to admit that visiting Major League Baseball's oldest stadium is an exercise in Americanism: Babe Ruth pitched there! Ted Williams hit a 502-foot home run! Boston's Fenway turns 100 next year, but its features are still intact. Check them out for yourself on a guided 50-minute tour, where hands-on exploration is encouraged: You can touch the Green Monster (the park's 37-foot-tall left-field wall), peek into the dugout, poke around inside the press box, and even walk across the baseball diamond, depending on how friendly the grounds crew is feeling that day. Fenway Park tours, adults, $12; kids 3--15, $10; seniors, $11. mlb.mlb.com

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve - Idaho

The National Park Service calls this Idaho preserve "the only officially weird park" in the country. And for good reason: The jagged, black landscape -- formed by volcanic eruptions up to 15,000 years ago -- boasts a 618-square-mile lava field, the biggest in the U.S. (The rocky surface is so moonlike that Apollo 14 astronauts trained at the site in 1969.) The park's most awe-inspiring feature is its lava tubes, underground passageways created by hardened molten rock.

Grab a flashlight and head to Indian Tunnel, which, at 30 feet high and 50 feet wide, allows for comfortable exploring. Craving an even more intense experience? Exit the cave at the far end, a feat that requires mounting a big rock pile and squeezing through a small opening. Park entrance fee is $8 per vehicle; bike or foot entrance starts at $4; age 14 below is free. nps.gov

San Diego Zoo - California

With more than 4,000 rare and endangered animals representing 800-plus species and subspecies, the San Diego Zoo is one of the most diverse in America. But its coolest attraction -- literally -- is the Polar Bear Plunge, which reopened last March after a $1 million makeover.

Aside from permanent polar residents Kalluk, Chinook, and Tatqiq, new features include a snow den you can burrow into (the snug space mimics where female bears birth their cubs); a helicopter used on actual Arctic explorations that invites climbers into the cockpit; and the Experience Wall, where zookeepers open the glass panels surrounding the bears' habitat, letting them sniff at visitors through wire mesh. Ages 12 and up, $40; 3--11, $30. sandiegozoo.org

Copyright © 2010 Newsweek Budget Travel, Inc., all rights reserved.

‘Exergaming' is good for kids

By Paul Eng, Consumer Reports
Tue, Mar 15, 2011

Kids and video games might not be all that bad, says a new study. That is, if they're the right kind of video games.

Games that require players to physically move and interact, such as Dance Dance Revolution and Nintendo Wii's Boxing, can lead to "a high level of energy expenditure," according to a study released online today in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Researchers at Brigham Young University in Salt Lake City and the University of Massachusetts in Boston tested six active video games with 39 boys and girls. Playing these so-called "exergames" for 10 minutes produced a workout that, depending on the game, nearly equaled or greatly exceeded that produced by spending an equal amount of time walking three miles an hour on a treadmill. What's more, overweight kids and those at-risk of becoming overweight enjoyed exergaming more than children who weren't overweight.

(To determine if you or your child is overweight, use our BMI calculator.)

The study seems to match what Consumer Reports previously found: that the latest video-game systems such as Microsoft Kinect and Sony Move are intuitive enough that consumers of nearly any age or game-playing experience can enjoy. (See our video-game system buying advice for help on determining which video game console may be right for your needs.)

Still, the researchers note that while exergaming might be a positive tool for helping kids stay more active, video games aren't a quick fix for curing childhood obesity. Further studies examining how exergaming directly compares to other physical activities need to be done, say other researchers.

In an hour, a 100-pound person walking at 3 mph will burn 223 calories. Here are how many calories a person of the same weight will burn playing five active video games:

·         Wii Boxing: 191

·         Dance Dance Revolution: 245

·         Cybex Trazer: 268

·         Light space: 291

·         Xavix: 318

·         Sportwall: 323

How to Save for Retirement Without a 401(k)

by Emily Brandon

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Only about half of the workforce participates in a pension, 401(k), or similar type of retirement account at work. When you don't have help from your employer, you have to save and invest for retirement completely on your own. Here's how to build a nest egg without any help from your company.

Take advantage of tax breaks. You can contribute up to $5,000, or $6,000 if you are age 50 or older, to an IRA, Roth IRA, or combination of the two accounts. Traditional IRAs give you a tax break in the year you make a contribution to the account, but you'll have to pay income taxes on that money and the earnings upon withdrawal. You contribute after-tax dollars to a Roth IRA and distributions that are made after age 59Â½ from accounts that are at least five years old are tax-free. To decide which type of retirement account is better for you, compare your current income tax rate to what you expect your tax rate will be in retirement. If you expect to be in a higher tax bracket than you are now when you reach retirement, it's often best to pay the taxes upfront using a Roth account. But if you expect your tax rate to drop in retirement, consider saving in a traditional IRA and taking the tax break now. Investing in both types of retirement accounts can allow you to hedge your bets against future tax increases.

Consider flexibility. Traditional IRA account owners are required to take distributions from their retirement accounts and pay the resulting income tax each year after age 70Â½. Those who fail to withdraw the correct amount must pay a 50 percent tax penalty on the amount that should have been withdrawn. Roth IRA account owners are not required to take annual distributions, which gives them more flexibility to time withdrawals or pass on tax-free money to heirs. Roth IRAs also give you easier access to your money before retirement. While traditional IRAs levy a 10 percent penalty on distributions before age 59Â½, the early withdrawal penalty on Roth IRA distributions applies only to the portion of the withdrawal that comes from earnings. Penalty-free early withdrawals are also allowed from both types of accounts for a variety of reasons, including first-time homeownership costs, health insurance premiums after losing your job, significant unreimbursed medical expenses, and college costs.

Set up automatic deposits. Just because you don't have a 401(k) doesn't mean you can't set up a direct deposit from your paychecks to an IRA. "By segregating those dollars into an IRA, you are less likely to use them for short-term needs since there are some penalties associated with early withdrawals," says James Miller, a certified financial planner and president of Woodward Financial Advisors in Chapel Hill, N.C. Once you have maxed out your IRA contributions, consider redirecting a portion of each paycheck into an investment or brokerage account.

Hold equities outside of your IRA. Regular income tax is due on withdrawals from traditional IRAs, but equities held outside of retirement accounts can be taxed at the typically lower long-term capital gains tax rate. To minimize taxes on your savings, consider holding equities outside of your IRA and investments that are taxed at regular income tax rates inside your IRA. "Things like bond funds or investments that would pay out on a regular basis, you want to put those inside the IRA, and funds that don't have cash distributions or low cash distributions should be in a brokerage account," says John Deyeso, a certified financial planner for Financial Filosophy in New York, N.Y.

Aim for low costs. While you can't control the return you will get on your investments, you do have some control over how much you pay in fees. Make sure you compare the expense ratios of similar funds before selecting a long-term investment. "We've gone the rout of using ETFs as opposed to actively managed mutual funds because you can cut the fees dramatically by doing this," says Chip Addis, a certified financial planner for Addis and Hill Financial Advisors in Wayne, Penn. "A 1 percent difference in fees can add up to tens of thousands of dollars more that you will have when you retire."

Maximize Social Security. Almost all Americans are saving for retirement through the Social Security program. The amount you get is calculated based on your 35 highest earning years in the workforce, and it varies based on the age you first sign up. "In general, you are better off waiting because every year you wait past your full retirement age you get about an 8 percent bump in your benefit by waiting to collect," says Miller. "If you can wait until age 70, you can get a pretty significant bump." After age 70, there is no additional advantage to further delaying claiming your benefits.

Don't Assume Credit Is Doomed: Steps to Boost Your Credit Score

by Ray Martin
Hi Ray, I am a fan of yours I think you do an amazing job in your line of work. My question is if a person has weak credit and is planning on making his/her credit stronger, how could they do so? Should they apply for a credit card (unsecured or secured)? Or, should they wait to apply for more credit until they finish with their existing debt? The reason why I'm asking is because I went back to school but I work full-time. So I figure when I'm done with school, I will have nothing but my student loan left over to pay off. Do you have any advice? Oh and I would like to purchase a home in about a year.

-- Rene from CTHi Rene, thanks for the kind comment and your great question. There are several things folks can do to improve or boost your credit score. The secret to a great credit score is to have a long history of making all payments on time at all times.
But what if you have a few late payments or other negative information on your credit report? Don't assume your credit score is doomed. There are steps you can take that can boost your credit score. Some of these steps can increase your score by 20 points or more in a single month. And best of all is that you don't need to hire some credit repair shop to do it.
Pay recent past-dues: The first thing to do is to pay the past due payments on the accounts that recently fell a month or two behind. That's because the more recent the late payment, the more it will lower your score.
Request good faith adjustment: After bringing past due accounts current, contact the creditors who report late payments on your credit report and ask them to make a good faith adjustment to remove the late payment information from your credit report files. No all creditors will do this but if you ask politely and remind them that you will continue to be a good customer, you may find a few that will work with you.
Pay collections that agree to vanish: Pay off accounts where the collection agencies agree to remove all references to the accounts from the credit bureau files. Make this a requirement of your offer to pay off the account.

Spread debt evenly: Evenly spread your balances over your cards with the lowest interest rates and the highest credit limits. The objective is to have not more than 50 percent of the credit limit used on any one card. That's because having one credit account nearly maxed out can severely reduce your credit score. You can also request the creditors to increase your credit limits on your accounts which may help as well.
Report credit limits: Some of your credit accounts may not report the credit limit to the credit bureaus. This reduces your score because when that information is missing, the score counts the account as being maxed out. Ask the creditor to provide this information to the credit bureaus. If they refuse, transfer the account balance to another account that reports credit limits and ask to increase the credit limit.
Keep the right credit: Major bank credit cards, held for a long time, with good payment histories help boost your credit score. Also, don't close down your cards that have the longest history and the highest credit limits available because these help boost your score. Instead, close down those department store charge cards. Revolving department store cards have the lowest credit limits and when used will have a higher debt to limit ratio, which detracts from your score.
Limit new credit accounts: Many people open new department store credit accounts during holiday shopping seasons, lured by offers for an additional 10 percent off. Just be aware that opening these new credit accounts hurts your credit score two ways: It raises your debt usage and lowers your average credit account age. After you use the card to get the discounts, promptly pay these off and close them.
Chat boards and websites are filled with tricks and gimmicks to improve your credit score. Most of these are simply just that: tricks and gimmicks.
One such is the practice called "piggybacking," which is where another person is paid a fee to agree to add you as an approved user on one of their credit accounts, preferably an account with a great history and lots of available credit. This allows their credit account and history to be added to your credit report which increases your score. In some cases the increase can be dramatic. This amounts to buying another person's good reputation and posing that it is your own. It is being dishonest to the creditors who in good faith offer you credit based on what they believe to be your credit history. While I am sympathetic to the folks who feel they have no other option but to resort to this, in my judgment this is simply wrong

Stain-busters that really work

At home or on the go, these products will help you get the spot out.

Bleach Pen

Problem: There's a spot on your white shirt, but you don't want to douse it with bleach and risk damaging the garment.  
Solution: The new Clorox Bleach Pen lets you pinpoint stains with a fine-point applicator. (Bonus: It works on mildewed tile, too.)  
To buy: $3, at supermarkets, Costco, Target, and Wal-Mart.

Stain Eliminator

Problem: Fruitless attempts at stain removal make your garments pucker.  
Solution: Tide Buzz, created by Tide and Black & Decker, is a kind of Water Pik for clothes. It's equipped with an electrically charged wand that injects the stain with cleaning fluid.  
To buy: $30, amazon.com.

Powder Bleach

Problem: You've got a striped shirt with a stain on the white part―but you can't add bleach to a washer full of multicolored clothes.  
Solution: Biz is a color-safe powder bleach that can be used with detergent or on its own as a pre-soak. It noticeably reduces stains and improves overall whiteness.  
To buy: $9, at supermarkets.

Spot-Remover Towelettes
Problem: You get a splotch on your business-trip suit when you're half a world away from your dry cleaner.  
Solution: Madame Paulette's Professional Stain Removal Kit is a purse-friendly stash of stain-lifting towelettes.  
To buy: $50 for 5 kits, madamepaulette.com.

11 no-fail ways to get glowing, flawless skin

No one has completely perfect skin, but you don't need a staff of people or celebrity money to win your battle over blemishes, push back the signs of aging, and feel absolutely gorgeous. Here's how to put your best face (and shoulders and neck) forward.

1. Drink enough water
We know, we know. You've heard this a million times, but staying hydrated remains one of the most significant things you can do to improve your complexion. "This tip is so easy, but it's also the first thing I tell women to do to take better care of their skin," says medical esthetician Peggi Sobota. "Because the skin is one of the last organs to get hydrated when you drink water, it really shows if you have or haven't been drinking enough water."

Conventional wisdom says eight glasses of water a day are plenty, but Sobota recommends a new formula: taking your body weight and dividing that number in half to get the number of ounces of water you should be drinking each day (for example, a 150-pound woman should consume 75 ounces daily). Although you might not see instant results, Sobota says many women see a difference in just a few short days.

2. Microdermabrasion is a truly effective exfoliator—most other scrubs should be trashed.
"When we're young, our skin cells turn over about every 28 days," Sobota explains. "But as we age, cells turn over 35, 40, or even every 50 days. What you need are products and treatments [like microdermabrasion] that prompt skin to turnover and essentially trick it into thinking it is younger."

Microdermabrasion is a skin-buffing treatment that can cost $75 to $200 per session in a reputable medical spa. Even if you're on a budget, one session could give your skin a big boost. However, regular treatments, whether every three weeks or every eight, are best for most people's skin concerns, she says.

"One time will make you feel better," Sobota notes. "But like working out, once is better than nothing, but doing it regularly will make a much bigger impact."

She also suggests steering clear of drugstore facial and body scrubs.

"Apricot seed scrubs can cause microscopic tears and synthetic ball scrubs actually don't do much for your skin. Using these products actually may cause more problems than you already have with your skin. You really can't get comparable exfoliation to microdermabrasion over the counter."

3. You need sunscreen, but not tons of it.
Both dermatologist Dr. Eric Schweiger and Sobota agree that using sunscreen daily is one of the very first changes you should make to improve your skin.

"Those signs of aging many women heading toward 40 see -- little mouth lines, sun spots, crow's feet -- are not things you should biologically see until your 60s. If you see them before that, you did that to yourself. You can't erase the damage that's been done, but you can stop it from progressing rapidly," Sobota points out.

Dr. Schweiger recommends using a moisturizer-sunscreen combination, while Sobota reminds women that they don't need to slather on a ton of sunscreen to get its full effects.

"You only need a shot glass-size amount to cover the entire body, which means the amount that goes on your face is about the size of a quarter," she says.

4. Protect yourself against the sun, even when you're inside.
Even if you're sitting in a cubicle all day, you could be getting exposure to sunlight that can damage and age your skin. "If you sit near a window, UVA rays can come through and take a toll on your skin," Sobota warns. "There's even some evidence that fluorescent lighting can have an impact. Most of us are cautious outside, but you really need to touch up your sunscreen just like you powder your nose."

How do you do this without stripping off your makeup and starting your beauty regimen over or adding goopy sprays over your foundation? Sobota recommends powder sunscreens (like this product she uses) that you can dab on.

5. SPF makeup? It just doesn't cut it.
"It's a nice try, a good buffer, but the amount of SPF in makeup and what you get in sunscreen are not equal," Sobota says.

If you're prone to breakouts during summer months, Dr. Schweiger suggests using a tinted moisturizer—it's a great option for people with sensitive skin or those who want lighter-weight coverage for blemishes or acne scarring because it allows you to use fewer products.

6. Your chest, neck, and back need SPF love, too.
Spectacular skin isn't just about the face. Sobota says you shouldn't stop at your jawline when you're addressing blemishes, wrinkles, dryness, or other issues.

"Whatever sunscreen or moisturizer or cleanser you use on your face, you should use on your neck and chest," she advises. "If you have someone to help, also apply it to your back."

This is especially necessary during warmer months when shoulders are bare, backs are revealed, and necklines plunge a bit.

7. Morning eye puffiness? Here's an easy trick
Dr. Schweiger says the most simple remedy for lightening dark circles and decreasing puffiness under the eyes—two of her patients' most common complaints—is splashing cold water on your face first thing in the morning, which shrinks the blood vessels and decreases eye puffiness.

However, more serious under-eye circles may call for more aggressive treatment. Dark circles can be caused by sun damage or from genetically driven pigmentation; bluish-hued circles can stem from vascular issues. Also, as we age, we lose the fat underneath our eyes, which causes a gaunt or tired appearance. In these cases, Dr. Schweiger says Juvederm and other fillers can help plump up the area and provide a more youthful appearance.

In-office treatment isn't always necessary, however. Dr. Schweiger says there are some very effective lightening creams available at drug stores. The key is in finding a topical cream that is made up of hydroquinone in 2% concentration. He says most people notice an improvement in the skin around their eyes in about two weeks.

8. Apply Retinol carefully—more is actually worse
Retinol is a form of vitamin A that is used to combat acne as well as the signs of aging by spurring skin turnover and increasing collagen. It is available in prescription-strength formulas through a dermatologist, but can also be found in lower concentrations in cosmetics and creams. Although people might be tempted to apply it often, Dr. Schweiger says that will only irritate the skin more.

"People used to think that to get the benefits of Retinol, the skin had to really peel. But really, this is just a side effect of using it too much," he says. "Instead, I recommend to most patients to use it three times a week. They see fewer side effects and might avoid that redness and peeling we associate with it."

9. Workouts don't have to lead to breakouts.
If you're one of those people who feels great about exercising, but not so great about the breakouts you get from excessive sweating, you don't have to sacrifice your time on the treadmill for fabulous skin. Acne-prone exercisers might just find the solution in the gym locker room.

"Right after your workout, shower or wash your face right there at the gym. And since you're already there, take advantage of the gym's steam room for a few minutes. This will open up pores and reduce your chance of breaking out," Dr. Schweiger notes.

10. Get your vitamin C, and not just in your diet.
Eating lots of broccoli or adding orange juice to your morning meal may help your body ward off cardiovascular disease and boost your health, but to really see the benefits of Vitamin C on your skin, you have to apply it topically.

"Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant," Sobota says. "It fights free-radical damage, which makes it wonderful for anti-aging."

Over-the-counter products that contain vitamin C "won't accomplish your goal" of getting more beautiful skin, Sobota says. But prescription-strength products can make a big difference in keeping the skin looking young.

11. You don't need lots of products, you just need the right ones.
"Most patients I see have spent tons of money on a drawer full of insufficient products," Sobota says bluntly. "A visit to the drug store is just not going to cut it for most of us."

If you're really committed to boosting the health and appearance of your skin, you are far more likely to get results from products recommended or prescribed by a dermatologist, esthetician, or other medical skincare professional, she says. Although this might make some penny-pinchers cringe, she insists it will actually save people money in the long run.

"You should be using the correct products with the proper ingredients for your skin, your goals for how you want to look, and your health. Most of us don't need any more than three or four products total for great skin. If you're buying and using lots of things, even if you got them for a much lower price at the drug store, and you're not getting the results you need, then none of it's doing any good. It's a waste!"

Being honest about getting older and "upping the ante"—that is, investing in a few clinical-grade productsrather than creams out of the bargain bin—will help older women hold on to a youthful glow. And taking skin protection seriously will help younger people develop healthy habits that could lead to a lifetime of smooth, supple skin.

7 Pains to never, ever ignore

Usually a headache is just a headache, and heartburn is nothing more than a sign that you rang the Taco Bell once too often. Except when they're not.

Pain is your body's way of telling you that something isn't quite right. More often than not, you have some idea of what's behind it. But when it comes on suddenly, lingers longer than usual, or just seems different, it calls for medical attention--and the sooner, the better. According to our experts, all of the following pain conditions should be considered red flags

1. Chest pain
“If patients were to become well versed in what I think of as the subtle language of the heart, many could avoid needless worry and expense,” notes Arthur Agatston, MD, a preventive cardiologist. "Studies have found that women experience a wider range of heart attack symptoms than men do." In Agatston's experience, there are three good indicators that something isn't right, and they can occur in either gender. They are chest pain that doesn't go away, varied shortness of breath, and any upper body pain that hasn't occurred before. If you experience any of these symptoms, he says, you should call your doctor or 911 immediately.

2. Severe head pain
Chances are, it's a migraine. But if it isn't accompanied by other migraine symptoms (such as a visual aura), sudden, severe head pain can signal a brain aneurysm. "A burst aneurysm can cause brain damage within minutes, so you need to call 911 immediately," advises Elsa-Grace Giardina, MD, a cardiologist and director of the Center for Women's Health at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.

3. A throbbing tooth
It's likely that the tooth's nerve has become damaged, probably because the surrounding pearly white enamel is cracked or rotting away. Unless you get it patched up quickly, bacteria in your mouth can invade the nerve. And you definitely don't want that breeding colony to spread throughout your body, says Kimberly Harms, DDS, a dentist outside St. Paul, Minnesota. If your tooth is already infected, you'll require a root canal, in which the tooth's bacteria-laden pulp is removed and replaced with plastic caulking material.

4. Sharp pain in your side
You may just need some Beano. But if you feel as if you're being skewered in your right side, and you're also nauseated and running a fever, you could have appendicitis. For women, another possibility is an ovarian cyst. Typically these fluid-filled sacs are harmless and disappear on their own. But if one twists or ruptures, it can cause terrible pain.

In both cases, you're looking at emergency surgery. “If you don't remove an inflamed appendix, it can burst," says Lin Chang, MD, a gastroenterologist and co-director of the Center for Neurovisceral Sciences and Women's Health at UCLA. A twisted cyst also needs to be removed right away, as it can block blood flow to the ovary within hours.

5. Abdominal discomfort with gas or bloating
For the past month, you've felt gassy and bloated more days than not, and it takes fewer slices of pizza to fill you up than it once did. If the symptoms are new, the worst-case scenario is ovarian cancer. In 2007, the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation released the first national consensus on early symptoms of this form of cancer: bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, and difficulty eating. If you start experiencing them almost daily for more than two or three weeks, consider it a red flag. Schedule an appointment with your ob-gyn to discuss your symptoms.

6. Back pain with tingling toes
If you've just helped your cousin move into her new fourth-floor apartment, anti-inflammatories should banish the pain. But if they don't work, hobble to an orthopedist. "One of your discs (the spongy rings that cushion the bones in your spine) could be pressing on the spinal nerve," says Letha Griffin, MD, an orthopedist and sports medicine specialist in Atlanta. Without proper attention, you risk permanent nerve damage.

7. Leg pain with swelling
Your calf is extremely tender in one location, noticeably swollen, and red or warm to the touch. You might have deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), commonly known as a blood clot. Resist the urge to massage the area or to try walking off the pain. If the clot breaks free, it can travel through your veins up to your lungs and cut off your oxygen supply. Instead, see your doctor right away. He or she will do a CT scan or ultrasound to check for a DVT. If that's what you have, you'll need to take blood thinners--sometimes for up to a year--to dissolve it, says Suzanne Steinbaum, MD, director of women and heart disease for the Heart and Vascular Institute at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

Enter supporting content here