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Be wise using skin care product

Posted by admin in Healthy Skin on Apr 1st, 2010 | 0 comments

Our outer being is determined by our skin. Healthy skin is important since people typically first notice a persons appearance. You can show how you care for yourself by having healthy skin. The importance of skin care is known by everyone. Since there are a variety of skin care products on the market everyone is bound to find a product that works for them.

There are many benefits to having good skin. Your self esteem will be boosted through good skin and this will help your ability to interact with other people. In addition, good skin will improve your daily activities and help you feel refreshed, relaxed and clean. By not taking care of your skin you will often look more mature than your real age and your appearance may be dull and lifeless. Since many don’t want this to happen it is important to develop a skin care routine and take special care to maintain good skin.

In addition, those around you will be effected by your liveliness so other people will also benefit from your good skin. With good skin you are often friendlier to the people around you which helps you gain more respect from other individuals. You may even be approached by people who want to know what skin products you use. Then you can determine whether or not your want to share your skin care secrets with them.

Healthy and beautiful skin is a great confidence booster. Some people have natural beauty and do not tend to use any skin care cosmetics, whereas there are others who just do not use skin care cosmetics due to a number of reasons. Some people feel that skin care cosmetics can harm their skin, and therefore choose not to use then. Can the use of skin care cosmetics be helpful, or can they be harmful to us? Opinions seem divided, but one thing is for sure, looking beautiful and healthy is surely nice and very desirable. On the other hand, too much skin care cosmetics can surely be harmful (as such, excess of almost anything is harmful).

The Causes of and Possible Solutions to Acne Vulgaris

Posted by admin in Healthy Skin on Mar 17th, 2010 | 0 comments

Acne is the term for plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads), pimples, and even deeper lumps (cysts or nodules) that occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and even the upper arms.  Acne affects most teenagers to some extent.  However, the disease is not restricted to any age group; adults in their 20s – even into their 40s – can get acne.  While not a life threatening condition, acne can be upsetting and disfiguring.  When severe, acne can lead to serious and permanent scarring.  Even less severe cases can lead to scarring. Why does acne happen?

- An inflamed spot occurs due to the release of inflammatory fatty acids by a particular bacterium known as p.acnes, which causes the body’s defence systems to respond.
- You would however not get p.acnes colonisation of the hair follicle duct without a plug forming.
- The plug forms due to an increase in skin cell turnover, increased keratin deposition narrowing the opening of the hair follicle duct, combined with increased sebum production, which mixes with the debris to cause a blockage and a plug to form.
- The increased sebum, keratin and cell turnover would not happen if linoleic acid levels in the skin had reduced dramatically.
- Linoleic acid levels reduced due to the development of sensitivity to the hormone DHT.
- DHT is formed from testosterone. The chemical reaction naturally happens throughout the body and the conversion of testosterone to DHT is assisted and promoted by the enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. (All chemical reactions in the body are controlled and accelerated by enzymes).

<b>Possible solutions to the underlying causes of acne:</b>

1)    Stop hormonal fluctuations. This is impossible although people do try by taking plant hormones, HRT and royal jelly. But basically it is best not to mess with our natural hormonal balance.

2)    Use Roaccutane. This will affect the conversion of testosterone to DHT, but this will occur all over the body and DHT plays a role in a number of body functions and suppressing it leads to a number of possible side effects.

3)    Reduce DHT levels in the hair follicle and in sebaceous gland area only, known as the pilo-sebaceous unit. If it were possible to prevent testosterone from converting to DHT in the acne area of the skin but not stopping this conversion elsewhere in the body could reduce skin sensitisation and the resulting linoleic acid loss, but without affecting the conversion of testosterone to DHT in other parts of the body. This would be great in principle if one can alter the conditions in the pilosebaceous unit for an extended period of time so that DHT levels were reduced locally during the times in our lives when normal hormone levels were ‘out of sync’ with a topical preparation could lead to a reduction in the triggering of the acne process. Two products called tri-ethyl citrate and ethyl linoleate which are safe and release citric acid and linoleic acid can change conditions in the skin which slows down the enzyme 5-alpha reductase and hence testosterone conversion to DHT is slowed down locally. The testosterone conversion to DHT will still occur but just somewhere else in the body, meaning other bodily processes are not affected.

4)     If one could also replenish linoleic acid levels in the skin then this would lead to a slow down in oil production and skin cell turnover rates and keratin deposition, preventing the plug forming and the colonisation by p.acnes.

5)    One could take linoleic acid supplements and foods high in linoleic acid. However linoleic acid is used by many parts of the body and one would have to take possibly toxic levels to affect skin levels significantly enough through oral supplementation alone. Doing this without going to excess is probably however a good thing and it has been noticed that the Eskimos (the Inuit) did not suffer from acne until they were introduced to western diets. However if one can find a way to supplement skin linoleic acid levels using a topical preparation then this would also have an impact on the acne process.

6)    Getting linoleic acid into the skin is not easy but you can use special delivery technology using special molecular structures in creams such as Oleosomes and involving techniques with fancy names such as Drysyst technology to help this process. Also if one uses ethyl linoleate, then skin bacteria will help break this down and release linoleic acid into the skin (look for products containing ethyl linoleate.)

7)    One could normalise cell turnover to reduce skin thickening and also reduce keratin increases in skin cells. This would help to prevent blocking of the pilo-sebaceous duct. Retinol A based creams have been shown to normalise skin cell turnover rates. However a potential side effect of retinol products is increased sensitivity to UV and maybe increased skin cancer risk. So users of retinol based products are advised strongly to use a high SPF sunscreen while using retinol based products. There is a chemical called triethyl citrate which also normalises keratin deposition and skin cell turnover rates and without causing photo-sensitivity (please search for products containing triethyl citrate).

8)    Reduce oil levels on the skin. This is normally done by using detergents to keep surface oil levels down. Doing this on its own just leads to more oil production and one gets into a downward spiral with a ‘negative feedback loop’ leading to further increase (up regulation) of sebum (oil) production. However oil control is important and using mild detergents can help in controlling the acne process. Using a combination of triethyl citrate and ethyl linoleate has been shown in a clinical trial published in the British Journal of Dermatology at the end of 2007 which showed sebum production rates reduced by up to 68% with an average of 55%.

9)    Use exfoliants and detergents to help unblock ducts by dissolving and removing plugs and keeping skin debris levels down and also reducing skin thickening. This is effective and can help but if the skin is inflamed and sore then exfoliants can, make the skin more sensitive and sore. It maybe better to use chemical exfoliants rather than irritating physical skin exfoliants. Better still use those which have shown to affect sebum production rates such as Salicylic acid and Pyruvic acid which are both hydroxy acids (also known as fruit acids). These are the only two who have shown a sebo-static effect which means temporarily slowing oil production. Another common chemical exfoliant used is glycolic acid but this has not shown to have a sebo-static effect. Also salicylic acid has shown to help with skin thickening by loosening skin cells. See products containing Salicylic acid and Pyruvic acid).

10)    Even products with fruit acids may irritate some skins, and some acne sufferers such as younger skins can be very sensitive and actually don’t have excessive skin thickening. One could use a gentle non irritating cleansing agent containing products such as silicone and glucose based cleansers which are very skin friendly, and also contain triethyl citrate which will normalise skin thickening by addressing over active skin cell turnover, thereby addressing skin thickening from within the skin.

11)    Control p.acnes levels. Keeping hair follicle ducts open and oxygen rich is one way but blockages can still happen. So if you are going to control p.acnes than ideally do this without attacking skin staphylococci as discussed earlier due to MRSA development risks. One can use antibiotics to do this and they may be indicated in pustular scarring acne but for most we know that p.acnes releases enzymes to break down the plug to release nutritious fatty acids which also can cause an inflammatory response from the body. If you change conditions in the pilosebaceous unit so these enzymes don’t work as well you can slow down this process and reduce the amount of food and consequently reduce the growth of p.acnes without attacking good skin bacteria (staphs) (see an example of how this ca be achieved)

12)    Reduce inflammation. Using products to control bacteria will reduce inflammation but also anti-inflammatory’s used to reduce inflammation. Stopping the release of the inflammatory fatty acids is another way, but also mopping up the inflammatory free radicals produced is an additional way of controlling inflammation. Antioxidants are useful in this regard and the best antioxidants are probably skin soluble version of vitamin C such as ascorbic acid and others such as Ascorbyl Palmitate and especially Ascorbyl tetra-isopalmitate (see an example of a product containing these).

<b>In Summary</b>

If you have a product range which alters conditions to slow DHT production locally, increase linoleic acid levels in the skin, that normalise skin cell turnover, keratin deposits and sebum production while also having mild sebo static chemical exfoliants or silicone and glucose based cleansers. If this product also had, staph friendly antibacterials to control p.acnes, feeding and development combined with antioxidants to help control the inflammatory process, then you would have a highly effective product range which could be obtained with or without prescription and is supported by eminent dermatologists across the world, including the top dermatologist on acne in the UK who has had his independent trail published din the most respected dermatology journal in the world, then you would be onto a winner. If this product was incredibly reasonably priced you would think it would dominate the treatment options of acne.

Top 10 skin care tips

Posted by admin in Healthy Skin on Feb 5th, 2010 | 0 comments

Healthy skin is really one of the most important ingredients for beauty-enhancement. This article on skin care tips is an effort to bring the 10 best skin care tips to you.  The list of skin care tips has been restricted to 10 because anything more that that would not only be difficult to remember, but also shadow the more important skin care tips. So let’s see what these top ten skin care tips are:
* Knowing your skin type is one of the most important skin care tip. This is important because not every skin care product suits everyone. In fact, all the skin care products specify the type of skin they cater too.
* ‘Drink a lot of water’. This will not keep your skin moist but will help in overall upkeep of your health (and in turn your skin). It might seem a bit awkward to some, however, this is an important skin care tip.
* Cleanse your skin regularly (1-2 times everyday).  A very effective skin care tip that helps in getting rid of the dirt and other harsh elements from your skin. Cleansing is especially important when you have been out of your house (and hence exposed to pollutants, dust etc). This skin care tip also advocates the use of Luke warm water for cleansing (hot and cold water, both, cause damage to your skin)
* Be gentle, after all it’s your skin. Don’t scrub/exfoliate too hard or too often. Similarly, don’t apply too much or too many skin care products. A must-to-follow skin care tip.
* Keep your skin moist at all times. This is one of the most important skin care tip.  Don’t let your skin get dry. Dryness causes the outer layer of your skin to break, leading to a rough and unattractive appearance. Use moisturisers/ emollients. Moisturisers work best when applied while the skin is still damp.
* Avoid the use of soap on your face. Soap should only be used from below the neck. A small but important skin care tip.
* Use sunscreen to protect yourself from sun’s harmful UV radiations. You can use day-time moisturisers that have sunscreen built into them. Use them even when it’s cloudy. UV radiations are known to cause skin cancer, so follow this skin care tip without fail.
* A bit of exercise and good sleep are essential too, not just for skin care but for your health as a whole. Lack of sleep can lead to formation of wrinkles below your eyes and lack of exercise can cause your skin to slack. Moreover, exercise and sleep also help in beating stress.  So besides being a skin care tip, this is also a health care tip.
* Treat skin dilemmas with care.  This skin care tip is about not ignoring any skin dilemmas. Consult your dermatologist before you go on to use a skin care product (lest you do end up harming your skin even more).
* Beat the stress. The harmful effects of stress are known to everyone, however, sometimes stating the obvious is essential too (and hence this skin care tip found its place here). Yes, stress harms skin too. So, take a break or indulge in a warm bubble bath or just get good sleep.

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The Help for Your Crown Health

Posted by admin in Healthy Skin on Jan 27th, 2010 | 0 comments

Hair is the crown for every woman, but now hair is also the crown for guys. We can see lots of hair treatment advertisements every day in almost everywhere we are. Hair and its health now are getting more attention for the most of us because it’s important. There are many researches that we know that especially deal for hair health. Healthy hair is what we all want. The health so much depends on its scalp condition. Most of the hair problems take place on it.

Most general problematic of hair is the scalp itching. It can be due to many reasons. The cleanliness, the pollution, the way we eat, the working habits, or even the gene we got from our parents are often be the factors to determine the level of your scalp health. The itchy scalp is not only irritating, but it can be also the way to inform you that maybe your hair health is in dangerous. Maybe you are in such disease that can make you sick. More information of the hair and scalp health you can get by clicking on Scalp-health.com.

The faster you know the faster you prevent. The faster prevention can help you maintaining your hair health. Browsing it on the internet shares you more benefit than just doing nothing. So, don’t wait until the disease took your crown.

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3 Top Acne Skin Care Tips For A Healthier Skin

Posted by admin in Healthy Skin on Aug 25th, 2009 | 0 comments

When dealing with acne skin care, most of the medical professionals commonly suggest that people affected with acne must practice certain acne skin care methods that will help improve the condition of their skin.

Acne, as you may already know, is a very severe skin disorder that affects thousands of people from all over the world. It not only affects the surface of the skin but also the inner layers of the skin. Acne usually occurs on the face, neck, chest and back, and it starts during the adolescence period.

During the past several years, a good number of acne experts and skin care professionals have conducted many studies on how to prevent the formation of acne. And fortunately, these skin care specialists have come out with certain acne skin care tips that can be of great help for fighting acne. I have selected the three simpler yet most powerful acne skin care tips that you can follow in order to have a healthier skin. These are mentioned below:

Acne Skin Care Tip # 1: You Should Always Clean Your Skin Very Gently

First of all, personal hygiene is very necessary for fighting acne. So as what most experts usually suggest, you should gently clean your skin with a mild cleanser at least twice a day. This simple acne skin care step is deemed important for fighting acne since washing your face or the other affected areas will wipe away the acne-causing bacteria found on the skin. Also note that although you are sometimes told to scrub your face, scrubbing is not a good acne skin care move since it will just trigger the development of acne, worsening the condition. In addition to this acne skin care step, it is worth noting that astringents are not always suggested unless the skin is very oily. And, they must only be applied on the oily spots.

Acne Skin Care # 2: You Should Refrain from Frequently Holding Your Skin

Another helpful acne skin care tip is to avoid frequently handling of the skin. Don’t pinch, pick or squeeze your pimple since it will only worsen the condition. Many of the people have considered this acne skin care step as one of the most important acne skin care pointers knowing that it may only cause infection and scars formation. As this acne skin care tip holds, you should avoid rubbing and touching your skin lesions if possible.

Acne Skin Care # 3: Always Choose Cosmetics Carefully

This last acne skin care tip holds that people who are being treated for acne must change some of the cosmetics they use. Note that in order to avoid the onset or the development of acne, the cosmetics you plan on using like the foundation, blush, moisturizers, and eye shadow should be oil free. Aside from that, this acne skin care tip also holds that you must avoid oily hair products for they may cause closed comedones. Therefore, those products that are labeled as noncomedogenic should be applied.

It is a fact that many of us are very conscious of our skin condition. And as such, we are always wanting to have a fresh, good-looking skin as much as possible. Unfortunately, many of us also fail to come to the conclusion that simple steps are the best ways to accomplish this goal. We often are blind enough that we don’t see what’s really right or wrong for our skin. We often fall in so much frustration and desperation that make us go buy any high-priced beauty products that in the end just turn out to be a waste of time and money, and even worsen our acne. Hopefully, the above mentioned acne skin care tips will be a good start to help you enhance your skin condition.

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