Inspired to become a dermatologist after dealing with her own skin blemishes; Dr. Keira Barr is now a dual board-certified dermatologist and menopause specialist. Her passion is empowering women with simple advice to build resilience and age gracefully. She recognizes how tempting it is to cover up your imperfections but inspires you to investigate their causes so they don’t develop into a lifelong struggle.    Your skin is a reflection of your overall health so those blemishes are an SOS from your body!    Dr. Keira Barr encourages you to be your own advocate when shopping for products because there are so many deceptive labels claiming to be healthy. While Dr. Barr advocates for a simple skin care routine, she shares what sunscreens are essential and what products to absolutely avoid. If you are seeking to limit your exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals this episode is going to be worth listening to.    Takeaways: [3:10] When your hormones are out of balance it can disrupt your cycle, skin and overall health. [5:00] Most women use 12 products that have been shown to negatively affect hormonal health [6:50] Products claiming to be natural can still often contain harmful ingredients [7:10] Titanium dioxide and Zinc oxide are the only ingredients recognized as safe in sunscreen. [8:00] The Skin Care and Supplement industry are not regulated as thoroughly as Food and Drugs [10:00] Use the Environmental Working Group’s “Skin Deep” App to research products while you shop [11:42] Your skin tells the story of your life [13:20] You can look better in your 60’s than you did in your 20’s [15:30] When you see a blemish arise it is a sign from your body to take action not cover up [17:50] What you eat will directly affect your skin health: Tomato paste can reduce risk of melanoma  [18:45] Sleep is so important because it is when your skin rejuvenates  [20:00] Managing your stress hormones has a direct effect on your skin's ability to repair itself [20:50] You should also wear sunscreen indoors because UVA rays can penetrate your glass windows [22:30] Skin Cancer is the most prevalent cancer around the world [23:30] You probably are not using enough sunscreen or reapplying it often enough [24:10]  Tighter woven clothing, including work out and synthetic fabrics, are the best sun protection [25:40] Stress suppresses our immune system   Twitter: “Even products that are labeled as clean or natural doesn't always mean that they are safer for you.”  [6:52]   “90% of visible signs of aging come from UV exposure.” [7:00]   “You have to be your own advocate and know what it is that you’re putting on your skin because ,it is, the onus is on us, to take the best care of ourselves that we can and do our research.” [8:53]   “The fewer products the better! Keep it simple.” [10:40] “When you buy a sunscreen you have to make sure it says broad spectrum coverage, so that you know that you’re getting coverage from UVA and UVB.”   [23:20]     Podcast Disclaimer:  https://resources.thespadr.com/the-womans-doctor/#disclaimer