News

Our skin is more than a covering — it is a working organ that defends, senses and repairs. One thin but powerful part of that defence is the acid mantle. If you are in your forties or older you may notice changes in how your skin feels, how it tolerates products and how quickly it

Many people who spend time outdoors or take vitamin D supplements still find their blood tests show low levels. One hidden reason can be body composition: vitamin D is fat soluble, which means it dissolves in and is stored by body fat rather than staying freely circulating in the blood. That storage behaviour can make

When a large Australian prospective study reported that people with higher dietary vitamin D had substantially lower rates of melanoma (a type of skin cancer that starts in pigment-producing cells called melanocytes), it grabbed attention. The headline suggests diet might halve risk. The study found a notable reduction in risk among those who ate more

Living in Australia means becoming familiar with two truths: the sun is a powerful source of ultraviolet radiation and our bodies use some of that sunlight to make an important nutrient called vitamin D. Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays are the band of invisible radiation that triggers a chemical change in skin which leads to vitamin

Sunlight and vitamin D provoke a lot of questions, especially for Australians in their 40s and beyond who are mindful of bone health and skin cancer risk. The truth is reassuring but nuanced: your skin has a natural way of limiting vitamin D production from sunlight, so you cannot overdose from casual sun exposure. Oral

Many Australians over 40 worry about vitamin D and their skin. It makes sense: as we age we think about bone strength, energy and reducing cancer risk while also wanting to protect our skin from sun damage. Vitamin D is important, but the truth isn’t that more is always better. There is a practical “Goldilocks”

Noticing a sudden blue-grey patch on a baby can be disconcerting. In many cases what you are seeing is lumbosacral dermal melanocytosis (a benign blue-grey birthmark that appears on the lower back or buttocks). These marks have been called Mongolian spots historically. They often look like a bruise at first glance, but they behave quite

When we hear the word albinism many of us picture very pale skin or white hair. That visible difference is real, but it is only one part of a genetic condition that affects how pigment is made in the body and how the eyes develop. For Australians aged 40 and over, who know how relentless

If you have red hair and fair skin you probably recognise how quickly the skin reddens in the sun, even when you take precautions. That pattern is not just bad luck — it comes down to the pigments your skin makes and how they respond to ultraviolet light. Understanding the chemistry behind that vulnerability helps