Purely Personal Skin Care

In our last article we promised to introduce you to vitamins that are good for skin nutrition.  So here we go.  Vitamins C, E, A, K and B complex can all help improve skin health.  Here is how they contribute:

Vitamins C and E.  New dermatologic discoveries have uncovered the power of vitamins in countering the effects of sun exposure.  Vitamin C in the form of a cream or lotion can prevent the consequences of hours in the sun, which can lead to skin cancer.  Supplementing with natural vitamin E (about 400 mg per day) can reduce damage from the sun, wrinkles, and improve skin texture. Recent studies have found that people who take vitamins C and E for a period of time can reduce their sunburns from exposure to UVB radiation.  In addition, researchers have found a reduction of factors linked to DNA damage to the skin cells, which led them to conclude that antioxidant vitamins help protect against DNA damage.

Vitamins C and E help protect against free radicals, which are harmful byproducts of sun exposure, smoke and pollution.  Free radicals destroy collagen and elastin, the fibers that keep our skin full and flexible.  Thus, they cause wrinkles and other signs of aging.  When these two vitamins are together in a cream or lotion, they are a dynamic duo fighting against sun damage – and winning!  PLEASE, don’t take this to mean that as long as you swallow vitamins or slather on lotion that you can safely fry yourself in the sun.  There is no question that there is a link between sun tanning and skin cancer.  Always protect your skin with at least SPF 26 and try to stay out of the sun between 10 and 3.

Some foods to explore for ingesting vitamin C include citrus fruits and vegetables such as bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and leafy greens.  You can actually lose vitamins through the skin and these foods can help replace that loss.  You can also supplement with 500 to 1,000 milligrams a day of Vitamin C.  If you are using a cream make sure the Vitamin C is in the form of L-ascorbic acid so it is in the form that can penetrate the skin.

Vitamin E appears in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, olives, spinach and asparagus.  It’s harder to get Vitamin E from food than it is Vitamin C.  So, often people take a supplement.  Beware of taking too much Vitamin E, it can be harmful to your health.  Stick with no more than 400 mgs per day or less. Creams, lotions and/or serums containing Vitamin E can soothe dry, rough skin.

More Vitamin and Mineral information to come.

Yes.  The latest in the beauty community suggests that vitamins, minerals and other nutrients can give skin a more radiant, healthy and youthful glow.  Does that mean the vitamins and minerals in foods, supplements or in creams and lotions?  All of the above.  Vitamins and minerals in all forms contribute to the health of your body and your skin.  I’m sure you’ve heard the old adage “you are what you eat”.  Well, that is proving to be substantiated with clinical studies.  Feeding your skin from the inside and outside has to be a benefit to you.

Important new research shows the tremendous power antioxidants and some specific nutrients have on the way your skin looks and feels and even how well it ages.  “When combined with a good diet, the right dietary supplements can help keep your skin looking not only healthy, but also years younger.”

So, let’s take a look at which nutrients you need to keep your skin healthy and looking great.  According to experts interviewed plus information from the American Academy of Dermatology, the following vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients nourish your skin.  You can take them in the form of supplements, apply them directly to your skin or eat the proper foods.  We’ll discuss these in our next few blogs.

For now, suffice it say that anti-aging or pro-aging depending on how you look at it, can definitely be affected by the foods you eat, the supplements you take and the creams and lotions you apply.

Let’s start by reiterating a common theme – do not use soap on your face.  Soap is alkaline and therefore not good for your facial skin.  It removes the natural moisture and dries your face.  Facial skin cleansers vary and serve different purposes.  You may choose one at one time and another later.  Try not to cleanse your facial skin more than twice a day as even the water contains elements that dry the skin.

That said, ask yourself what you want to achieve when cleansing your skin.  Are you interested in removing facial make-up, flaky dead skin or just  cleansing and gently adding moisture to your facial skin?  When choosing a facial cleanser, look for ingredients that accomplish the goal you want to achieve.

For example, Chamomile, Peptides and Botanicals combine to cleanse, gently exfoliate and moisturize all at the same time.  A facial cleanser containing Lavender, Vitamin E and Aloe is excellent for removing make-up while gently removing impurities and adding moisture to your skin.  The results include smooth and silky skin with a protected moisture level.  Salycylic acid is an excellent ingredient for exfoliating.  The maximum allowed without a prescription is 2%.  If exfoliating is your aim, find a cleanser with a good concentration of salycylic acid.  Then apply a rich, natural moisturizer to get that healthy glow we all want to achieve.

Healthy skin care products combine natural ingredients, in combinations to achieve different results.  You should probably have several different cleansers using each for its intended purpose at alternate applications.

If you have hyperhidrosis or excessively sweaty feet, you’re not alone.  Millions in our country have it.  And speaking of millions, did you know you have somewhere between 2 and 4 million sweat glands under the lower part of your skin?  They have a job to do.  They know how to control your body temperature by causing a watery secretion which then evaporates and cools your body.  That’s sweating – we all do it.  When you do it in excess, you have hyperhidrosis – and then, the glands turn that problem over to you.  This problem can be most disconcerting when it happens in your feet – your shoes can slip or slap or worse, fall off – especially shoes with no back.

Thankfully there are products that can help, especially when sweaty feet are the problem.  There are absorbent insoles, both regular and fragrant.  The fragrant ones not only absorb that excess sweat but also turn it into something that smells divine.  Sweet smelling sweaty feet – nice notion.

Summer is upon us.  Shopping for absorbent insoles should be a priority.  Some are more effective than others and stick really well to the shoes – they don’t come out when your feet do.  They’re a personal skin care product you don’t want to miss.  Make your sweaty feet happy with soft, absorbent, scented insoles.

When choosing skin care products, it helps to know what ingredients to look for when anti-aging is your thrust.  The following elements are known to reduce wrinkles.  Dermatologist-formulated skin care products contain a higher concentration of these key ingredients than most over-the-counter skin care products.  This has to do with FDA regulations.

Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs).  AHAs may induce collagen production as well as wipe away the top layer of dead skin cells, thereby reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Retinoids (including Redtin A).  Retinols are Vitamin A derivitives and act as antioxidant and exfoliant agents.  The FDA has only approved tretinoin (Retin A) as a topical treatment for wrinkles.   The term cosmeceutical bridges the gap between a cosmetic and a pharmaceutical.  Retin A is a cosmeceutical and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  However, it can cause skin irritation and make the skin photosensitive.  Be sure to use an excellent sun screen containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide which are both physical rather than chemical agents.  Chemical agents absorb ultraviolet rays while physical agents deflect UV rays from the skin’s surface.  The physical agents are gentler on the skin while they block more of the long-wavelength UV rays.

Vitamin C/Ascorbic Acid:  Oral Vitamin C has long been thought of as an antioxidant.  However, more Vitamin C is absorbed when it is topical or concentrated ON the skin.  The verdict is still out on the effectiveness in wrinkle-reduction by topical Vitamin C but when combined with a good sun screen it can reduce the damage from the sun’s rays.  Vitamin C has a short shelf-life so buy it in small quantities and store in a cool place.

Glycolic Acid:  (Ammonium or sodium glycolate)  Here’s an exfoliating skin rejuvenator – a very popular anti-aging ingredient.

Hyaluronic Acid (sodium hyalurmate)  This chemical occurs naturally in the skin and also in some skin care products.  Instead of exfoliating, it plumps up the skin as an effective moisturizing ingredient.  Combine it with glycolic acid for a good combination for wrinkle reduction.

Neuropeptides:  Often referred to as topical Botox because they act on the sort of facial lines and furrows that usually are treatable with Botox Cosmetic injections.  For some people, neuropeptides can help lessen the appearance of dynamic lines.  Be sure the product you buy has a high concentration of neuropeptides in order to achieve results.  Theses ingredients can be very pricey.  Topical neuropeptides can be very effective for younger people – younger than 40 who want to take preventive measures against the formation of wrinkles.

These are but a few ingredients to look for when anti-aging is your goal.  Don’t forget a good moisturizer and always the best sun screen.  Here’s to your healthy, happy skin!

Most of us whether we’re 35 or 65 are constantly seeking ways to reduce wrinkles.  We tend to think this is a losing battle but with today’s technologies and formulations, the glow of youth doesn’t necessarily have to wane.  Here are a few things you can do, without a visit to the dermatologist:

1.  Avoid the sun as much as possible and be certain to protect with a good sun block when you can’t.  Studies have shown that sun exposure is more important than heredity when it comes to the skin’s condition – and it isn’t a positive influence.

2.  Do not smoke.  It is widely believed that cigarette smoke breaks down the collagen and elastin in the skin which is a definite cause of aging.  Smoker’s skin is generally more wrinkled and thinner than that of non-smokers.

3.  Get enough sleep.  When you don’t get enough sleep the body produces an excess of a hormone that breaks down skin cells.  However, when you get enough rest you’ll produce more human growth hormone which helps the skin to remain thick, more elastic and less likely to wrinkle.

4.  If possible, sleep on your back.  When you put your face on a pillow there is a pull on the skin.  Also, purchase pillow cases with a very high thread count as they are smoother and less damaging.

5.  Eat more fruits and vegetables.  They are frought with antioxidants which fight damage caused by free radicals.  The moisture content in fruits and vegetables is another positive factor.  Your body is largely composed of water and the water in fruits and vegetables absorbs into the body more efficiently than when you drink water.

6.  Eat fish.  Salmon is a great source of protein and a source of essential fatty acids know as omega-3’s.  Fatty acids feed the skin and keep it soft and youthful, which helps reduce wrinkles.

7.  Moisturize!  Replenish moisture lost to evaporation and the ravages of the environment.  Moist skin simply looks healthier and lessens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

8.  Avoid squinting.  If you need glasses, get them.  When you read provide adequate light.  When you go outside in the sun, wear sunglasses.  Squint long enough and you will develop ridges that turn into wrinkles.

9.  Use cleansers on your facial skin, not soap.  Also, don’t wash too often.  Tap water is not a friend to the skin.  After cleansing, toning and exfoliating – moisturize.

In Part 2 we’ll discuss some ingredients to look for in your skin care products.

The outer layer of the skin is called the stratum corneum and it acts to help retain moisture in the skin.  However, these cells are worn away and replaced with new cells our whole lives.  The process of “desquamation” is the wearing away of the dead skin.  We often do this on purpose when we exfoliate and we do it to speed up the process of cell replacement as we slough off dead skin cells.  The same thing happens with sun burn, the cells are replaced more rapidly than normally as the skin peels off.

The stratum corneum plays a key role in helping to contain moisture within the rest of the skin and in regulating the natural moisture flow out from the deeper layers to be lost eventually by evaporation from the skin surface.  Without retained moisture, the skin can become dry and unhealthy.  This is one reason we are careful not to use harsh soaps and why we moisturize daily.

In the outer layer of the skin the spaces between the cells are packed with fats, or lipids, made by the body.  One very important group of these lipds is the ceramides, which are a key ingredient in skin care products.  Lipid drops are also used to replace the loss of lipids and add to the smoothness of the skin.

Quite often we will find some worthwhile thoughts in a skin-care ad.  Yesterday a screaming headline suggesting a breakthrough in wrinkle treatments caught our eye.  We’re always interested in anti-aging.

Right under the headline was a picture of a beautiful customer and her testimonial praising the amazing results of the product.  Under it in very fine print “results not typical”.

In the copy this helpful comment:  “Collagen is the most powerful substance known to help skin stay young.  We know our products are great at collagen production in the skin.  Way down at the bottom this:  “For years consumers have only had expensive and ineffective alternatives to achieve younger looking skin”…followed by an offer for you to sign up for some free product, all you pay for is shipping.  BEWARE – small print also says that monthly thereafter the product will continue to arrive at a price of  $74.00.  Watch for the small print!

We should have mentioned…we do have to do some heavy digging to find something worth reporting to you.  Aren’t you glad we do?

No!  Ultraviolet rays don’t wait for the summer sun.  Those long wavelength ultraviolet rays are present in high concentration all winter long.  Photo aging, skin discoloration and skin cancer are all concerns when sun protection is lacking.

So promise your skin a treat.  Top off each of your skin care regimens, all year long, with sun protection…anywhere from 15 to 50 SPF, depending on your level of activity for the day.  Apply at least an hour before sun exposure and then re-apply after several hours of intense activity.  Otherwise, reapply twice a day.  Some sun blocks are greasy.  Look for sun screen with micronized zinc oxide, aloe vera to add moisture to the skin and plant peptides that help prevent the breakdown of collagen and elasticin.  Beta carotene, too, is a topical antioxidant that protects the skin.

We really must show respect for the “ultra” violent rays!  Shop carefully for your sun protection – all sun screens are not alike.  Invest in yourself and especially your face.  Dermatologist-formulated sun protectants contain the special ingredients your face needs to protect the skin but also moisturize and enhance it’s condition.

Why You Probably Don’t Put Lipid Drops on Your Shopping List

 Of course, maybe you do…do put lipid drops on your shopping list.  But many of us don’t because somebody might ask us “What is a lipid?” or “What do the drops do?”

Well, healthy young skin is full of lipids that act like a wrap to trap in moisture.  Both aging and the unkind threats of the environment will lessen the effect of skin lipids.  Lipid drops act as a moisturizer and make the skin feel smoother and look younger.

When you apply lipid drops, this serum mimics the lipid structure of the skin, resulting in an amazing improvement in skin texture, not quite like a baby’s…ear lobe, but close.

A small amount of lipid drops will cover your whole face.  A one ounce bottle will last for months.

When the club convenes and you are asked about your radiant skin, you can casually mention it is due to the application of these elements in the lipid drops:  sphing-o-lipids, cera-mides and cholesterol.

Lipids are good for your skin..and they can give your skin-care credibility a good boost, too.