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Wednesday, December 19, 2007

What is Natural Skin Care?

Natural skin care is taking care of your skin from the outside by using homemade lotions, masks, and soaps or manufactured products with only natural ingredients - not products containing man-made chemicals. Natural skin care is also taking care of your skin by taking care of your whole body with a good diet, exercise and avoiding excess of things like alcohol and processed foods.

Natural skin care uses naturally-derived ingredients such as roots, herbs, essential oils and flowers combined with naturally occurring carrier agents, preservatives, humectants, surfactants and emulsifiers. The typical definition of natural skin care is based on using botanically sourced ingredients now existing in or formed by nature, without the use of synthetic chemicals. Natural skin care products are produced in such a way to preserve the integrity of the ingredients. People who use natural skin care products are less concerned with artificial beauty enhancements, as they feel that natural beauty is healthy beauty.

Natural skin care products include a wide array natural skin care ingredients that are normally extracted not only from florals but also from the other sources of nature such as the sea. Some examples of natural skin care ingredients include jojoba, vitamin e, safflower oil, sea salts, olive oil, grape seed extract, shea butter, beeswax, witch hazel, aloe vera, tea tree oil, and chamomile. Natural skin care ingredients contain the necessary nutrients, vitamins and fatty acids that will keep your skin looking soft.

Aloe vera is one of the most popular and effective natural skin care remedies nature has to offer, and is found in everything from skin care products to cosmetics. Aloe Vera is renowned for its healing and hydrating properties.

To view the rest of this article on natural skin care, go to Better-Skin-Care.com

Keratosis pilaris – What can you do to treat it?

Keratosis pilaris may be a harmless skin problem but it affects an estimated 40% or more of the adult population. Keratosis pilaris is a genetic follicular disorder characterized by small rough bumps on the skin. It usually occurs on the back and outer sides of the upper arms; although, Keratosis pilaris can also appear on the thighs, buttocks or flanks.

Also called “chicken skin”, Keratosis pilaris occurs when a hair follicle becomes plugged with excess keratin, which is a natural protein in the skin. These plugged follicles result in small red bumps and/or rough patches sometimes becoming inflamed and irritated in the more severe cases. KP is not acne even though it looks very similar. Acne is a result of sebum (oil) blocking the pores not keratin. Keratosis pilaris is also different from acne in that is can be worse in people with drier skin or in a colder, drier environment. Kp bumps can prevent the hair from growing out of the affected follicle resulting in an ingrown hair.

Usually more common in woman than men, keratosis pilaris comes in three different varieties:

1) Keratosis pilaris rubra – a more red and inflamed type
2) Keratosis pilaris rubra faceii – a reddish rash on the cheeks
3) Keratosis pilaris alba – bumps without the inflammation or irritation (most common)

The bad news is that keratosis pilaris is not curable – only treatable. Being a hereditary disorder, the best a sufferer can hope for is to alleviate the symptoms. The good news is that this is very possible.

The key to treating keratosis pilaris is to soften the keratin deposits in the skin. Keeping the keratin soft and exfoliating the affected areas will help keep hair follicles from becoming plugged with keratin. Self care measures will work for most people in at least improving skin’s appearance and the amount of bumps seen.

Self care measures that are helpful are:

Don’t over scrub the problem areas. This can aggravate the condition and make the bumps worse.

Don’t over dry your skin after bathing. Pat dry and allow moisture to remain.

Apply an over-the-counter lotion with lactic acid (AmLactin 12%). For areas other than the face, at least a 12% concentration is recommended. A lactic acid lotion will soften keratin, exfoliate dead skin cells and provide moisturization. Lactic acid is a naturally occurring humectant for the skin.

Use a humidifier if the air inside your home is dry.

Apply lotions to your skin while the skin is still moist from bathing.

Try not to scratch or pick at the bumps.

If your keratosis pilaris is more severe, there are prescription medications that can help.

The prescription medications used to soften keratin include:

Lac-Hydrin (ammonium lactate) – a 12% lactic acid lotion to soften keratin and promote cell turnover

Topical retinoids – (Tretinoin, Avita, Tazorac) – promotes cell turnover preventing the follicle from becoming plugged – retinoids may cause skin irritation

Carmol or Keralac ( urea moisturizers) – loosens dead skin cells and softens dry skin

Topical corticosteroids – usually prescribed as a short term treatment because of the potential side effects, corticosteroid ointments are anti-inflammatory

See your doctor for further information on prescription medications.

Even though this skin condition does not have any long term health repercussions, it can be a real bother to the people who have it. The real key to dealing with keratosis pilaris is consistency. You must constantly treat the affected area to keep the bumps away. If you stop treating - the bumps will return. It is as simple as that.


For more skin care advice, visit http://www.better-skin-care.com

Broccoli Sprout Extract Defends Skin Cells against UV Sun Damage

Scientists from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, are reporting that sulforaphane, a chemical extracted from broccoli sprouts, can help protect skin cells from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation when applied topically. Sulforaphane has been shown to counteract the carcinogenic reaction to UV rays.

The researches dosed mice with a UV light equivalent to a person sunbathing twice a week for 20 weeks. After the UV exposure, broccoli sprout extract was applied to some of the mice, in differing doses, for five days a week for an eleven week period. Some mice were not treated as a control group. At the end of the study, the mice treated with broccoli sprout extract, had a much lower incident of cancer growth. Where all of the control group of mice developed signs of cancer.

The sulforaphane was also tested by Dr Paul Talalay of Johns Hopkins University and his group on 6 healthy volunteers. At the highest doses, the sulforaphane decreased UV-induced redness and inflammation by 37 % on average.
“This is not a sunscreen,” Talalay said. Instead, the extract helped fortify skin cells to fight the effects of UV radiation. Dr. Talalay also said, “This is the first demonstration that a human tissue can be protected directly against a known human carcinogen”.

Sunscreens provide a physical barrier by absorbing and blocking UV rays, but broccoli sprout extract helps increase the production of protective enzymes that guard against UV damage. The effect of sulforaphane continues to work even after applications have stopped. Dr Talalay remarked, “Two days after we stopped treatment, there was still an effect.”

These findings are promising and paving the way for one of the first after-sun treatments that is proven to reverse sun damage. It may also be helpful to people with suppressed immune systems that are at a higher risk for skin cancer.
With skin cancer on the rise, affecting more than 1 million Americans each year, the simple broccoli sprout may hold the key to preventing needless deaths from skin cancer and may also lead to better anti-aging skin care ingredients for us all.

For more skin care information, visit http://www.better-skin-care.com

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Hyperpigmentation - How to get rid of those ugly brown spots.


Hyperpigmentation - Those Ugly Brown Spots!




What causes these skin discolorations and more importantly, what gets rid of the ugly brown spots that make us look old?

The brown spots we get on our skin happen from an irregular distribution of melanin. Either this can result in melasma, which is an uneven production of melanocytes causing light brown spots; or in lentigos (age spots) which are an uneven accumulation of melanocytes in the epidermis resulting in brown spots.

The melanocyte cells are located in the basal cell skin layer. These cells control the making of melanin, which gives each person their coloring. The rate of melanin production differs between each person being greater in dark skinned individuals.


Outside factors also affect the production of melanin, which may cause brown spots:

  • Sun exposure
  • Certain medications & chemicals
  • Hormones – pregnancy, menopause, birth control pills
  • Underlying health problems – nervous disorders
  • Acne

Melasma produces irregular, pale brown blotches that usually appear on the nose, cheeks, forehead, and upper chest. On darker skin, the blotches show up lighter than the surrounding skin.

Melasma is common during pregnancy, menopause and in woman taking oral contraceptives. Sun exposure will make the brown spots worse.



Lentigos, also known as age or liver spots, are flat, light reddish-brown spots that appear on the face, throat, chest, back of hands, upper back and shoulders. Lentigos typically show up on skin, which is repeatedly exposed to sunlight. The ultraviolet sunlight causes overstimulation of the melanocyte cells in the skin. The cells clump together and show up as age spots.


Lentigos spots can vary in size from small to a couple of inches in width. They happen more often on light-skinned people and can start to be noticeable as early as the age of 30.

Even though both of these melanin-produced spots are harmless, they are unattractive to most people. So what gets rid of them?




The treatment options for erasing brown spots are-


Over the counter products include:


Bleaching (depigmenting) products which include-

Hydroquinone (use only on fair to light skin tones – possibly irritating)
Kojic Acid (an alternative for darker skin tones)
Azelaic Acid
Arbutin
Ellagic Acid


Retinoids (Retinoic Acid)
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Alpha Hydroxy Acids

Other ingredients with skin lightening effects:

Bearberry Extract
Licorice Extract
Mulberry Extract

Treatments available through a professional:

Laser Treatments (less damaging to skin)
Chemical Face Peels (irritating but faster than over the counter products)
Freezing the area with liquid nitrogen (may cause white spots)


Bleaching products work by inhibiting the production of the enzyme tyrosinase, which in turn reduces melanin. Using a bleaching product will fade brown spots. Depending on how strong the active ingredient is, it can take from 6 weeks to 6 months to fade out the spots.

Since these products are not really bleaching your skin, but stopping the over production of melanin; bleaching products will not lighten skin beyond its’ own natural color. So do not worry about losing your natural skin color.

Retinoids, Vitamin C, and Alpha Hydroxy Acids can slowly fade brown spots on their own. However, they are best used in conjunction with bleaching products since they will boost the overall effectiveness of the treatment.

So if you do not wish to seek professional help, here is what you need to do to fade your brown spots:


1) choose a bleaching product based on your skin's sensitivity and coloring.
fair to light/medium skin can use hydroquinone
medium/ darker skin should use kojic acid, arbutin, azeliac acid, ellegic acid
sensitive skin should use hydroquinone with caution - test skin first

2) If you wish, you may speed up results by adding an AHA or BHA to your regime. This will help exfoliate the pigmented skin cells fading the spot quicker.

3) Adding Vitamin C and a retinoid product will also hasten your results, BUT all these products used together may cause skin irritation. Consider starting with a bleaching product for a week, then start to add in the other products week by week. This will allow your skin to adjust and cause less irritation.

4) Apply products in this order:
Vitamin C serum (apply morning and night)
Bleaching Product (apply morning and night - make sure to cover the area completely)
AHA or BHA (apply morning only)
Retinoid (apply night only)
Sunscreen (apply morning and as needed)

If you are not using all these products, just leave out what you are not using and apply the rest as shown.

Always use adequate sun protection when using any of these ingredients.
Your skin will be extra sensitive to the sun. In addition, if you are using a hydroquinone product, it will be rendered useless if you do not use sunscreen.

http://www.better-skin-care.com/

Your complete online guide for all things skin!

Friday, September 14, 2007

Skin Care Product Labels - Learn how to read the ingredient list.


The ingredient list has lots of good information about what’s in the skin care product. It is a waste of time and money if the product you are using has nothing in it in a quantity that can help your skin.


The best feature about the ingredient list is that US federal regulations require ingredients to be listed beginning with the largest concentration down to the smallest concentration. One problem though - the FDA requires there be no distinction made between active and inactive ingredients on the label.


Active ingredient: is the substance in a skin care product
that is pharmaceutically active. In other words, what makes the product work.




Don’t expect most active ingredients to top the list or even be second.
Most of the time the first ingredient will be water (aqua), oil, or whatever base is being used to produce the product.
This is OK. Active ingredients don’t need to be first to work.
They just need to have sufficient concentration which will vary quite a bit between ingredients.



The position of the ingredient on the list can at least give you a good idea if the concentration is in its’ active range. Another option is to email or phone the company who makes the product you are interested in and ask about the concentration of active ingredients.

An example of how to compare ingredient lists for active products:



If you are looking for a product that has retinol, and are down to a couple different choices -
First count how many total ingredients are listed on each product.
If the total is close – say one has 12 ingredients and the other has 14, this is good for comparison. Then count down from the first ingredient until you reach retinol.
If you find retinol listed as # 6 on one product and #10 on the other product, then the # 6 listed is the product contains more active retinol.

Product Labels and the Rule of Thirds

Another way to think about product labels is to do it in thirds.
The top third of ingredients listed generally consist of around 80 to 90% of the entire product.
The middle third represents around 5 to 8% of the product.
The bottom third rounds out the rest of the ingredients at 1 to 3%.


A few more ingredient tips:

  • Any ingredients with concentrations below 1% may be listed in any order. After 1%, the FDA is not that particular about the order.
  • Fragrances and color additives are usually listed last not considering concentrations. Although their concentrations are usually low.
  • When checking ingredients, make sure they are compatible with your skin. Avoid ingredients you think you might be sensitive to or test a small skin area first.

For a complete guide to skin care -

check out http://www.better-skin-care.com