TAKING PROPER CARE OF YOUR SKIN

“In a man’s middle years there is scarcely a part of the body he would hesitate to turn over to the proper authorities.”
~E.B. White.

How many of you have woken up in the morning only to see a stranger in the mirror looking back at you?  Years of good or bad choices can contribute to the quality of not only your body, but your largest organ - your skin.  The epidermis - or outer layer of skin- can be the first sign of how well you take care of yourself.  As the evidence of our lifestyle choices will eventually show up in far more than our skin, it behooves us all to take the best care of our body and skin that we can.

If your motivation for good skin care is to look more youthful, than taking proper care of your skin will have the added bonus of creating a healthier body.  If you wish to reduce acne breakouts, then a slight modification of diet might be necessary as well. Whatever your desired skin result, your overall health will be much improved by following a few easy steps.

Your everyday decisions shape how healthy you and your skin will be - it is that simple.

Here are some simple tips for basic skin care and a healthier body:

• Keep your skin clean so that it can breathe
• Give your skin plenty of moisture to keep it looking young and healthy
• Feed the skin key nutrients that it requires to rejuvenate and repair itself repeatedly
• Rid only the top layer of dead cells to promote rapid birth of new cells
• Protect against outside elements to prevent deterioration and/or damage
• Live a healthy life style

Skin is a living, breathing organ that regularly moves thousands of layers of skin cells each day. The skin is comprised of three layers - the subcutaneous layer  - where fat cells are produced;  the dermis - where you can find sweat glands, nerve endings and hair follicles, and the epidermis - the final outer layer of skin where pores and oil glands reside.

When new skin cells are ready, they start moving toward the epidermis. This trip takes about 2 weeks to a month. As newer cells continue to move up, older cells near the top die and rise to the surface of your skin.  So what you really see on the surface of your skin are dead skin cells.

Keeping your skin properly cleansed and moisturized is vital to healthy, glowing skin. It is the basic of all skincare routines. Be sure to choose a cleanser and moisturizer best suited for your skin type. If you aren’t sure what that is, ask your friendly pharmacist or dermatologist for help. You skin can be acne-prone, oily, dry or a combination of the two. There are hundreds of specialized products out there to suite every skin type.

Feeding the skin means feeding the body. A good skin care regime will always include a healthy diet full of nutrients and vitamins. Whole, organic foods are best if you can get them. Leafy greens, fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains will keep your skin in top shape. Try to avoid junk foods or processed foods as much as possible. These foods rarely contain any real nutrition and can actually overload your skin with sugars and toxins to process.

A weekly light-exfoliation or facial scrub will do much to slough off the top layer of dead skin cells and reveal newer, healthier skin underneath. You can use a soft facial brush found in cosmetic counters, a rough washcloth or a light scrubbing pad as well as pre-packaged facial scrubs or facial masks.

Avoid Excessive Sun Exposure: While some sun exposure is necessary to produce vital Vitamin D, excessive sun exposure is very harmful to the skin. Without protection from the sun’s rays, more than 10 minutes of exposure each day can cause freckles, age spots, and spider veins on the face, rough and leathery skin, loose skin, a blotchy complexion and even skin cancer. If you must go outside, be sure to wear a good UV-blocking sunscreen like Zinc Oxide or wear protective clothing such as hats and long sleeves.

LIVE A HEALTHY LIFE STYLE

Although you have no control over intrinsic factors of aging, such as genetics, you are largely in control of the extrinsic factors.  This is where you can make life-altering choices.

Don’t Smoke. You cannot have truly vital skin if you smoke, period.  Smoking depletes your body of essential vitamins, which means you can’t have a healthy body either. If you do smoke, try your best to quit. Plenty has been reported and verified on the dangers of smoking and there are now numerous programs, patches and nicotine replacement therapies that can help you quit.

Exercise: Exercise gives you vitality. If you want fresh and youthful skin, physical activity is a must. It not only tones your muscles, but it increases blood flow to all areas of your body, especially your skin. Regular exercise reduces your stress levels, increases levels of oxygen circulating throughout the body, promoting rejuvenation and repair.

Avoid or Moderate Alcohol: Overindulgence of alcohol causes a decrease in the body’s level of vitamin A. This is a very important antioxidant vitamin that supports body and skin health. Alcohol also dilates small blood vessels in the skin’s surface, creating blemishes and red blotches. Drinking too much alcohol can exacerbate acne-rosacea. Due to the dehydrating effects of alcohol, skin wrinkles can occur after an extended period of alcohol abuse because the water in the body and skin is continually evaporated.

Reduce Stress: A good skin care routine and way of life can include meditation, yoga, relaxation, saunas, regular steams, exercise and most importantly, self love.

Get Plenty of Rest:  Lack of sleep shows up on the face in forms of dark circles, baggy eyes, and saggy skin. Research has shown that most adults function best with eight to nine hours of sleep each night. While we sleep, our skin gets a chance to rest and rejuvenate. Your skin truly does need its “beauty sleep.”

You’ve only got ONE body. Healthy choices that you CAN make every day will have tremendous effect on the quality of your life and health. The body has amazing repair capabilities, and once you stop or reduce toxic behaviors, it will be better able to heal itself.  Taking good care of yourself is the most important step in your skincare routine.

Author: Rachelle Dupree
Vivoderm Natural Skincare

Winter Skin Moisturizing and Natural Moisturizers

What is “moisturizing” and what is the best one to use in the dry, winter months?  Moisturizing can be a complex mixture of chemical agents specially designed to make the skin softer by increasing the skins water content. This may be done with artificial or natural oils, humectants, emollients or lubricants. It may be part of the composition of commercial skin moisturizers or made from natural ingredients.

Although one can prepare a simple moisturizer using one or two common pharmacy ingredients creating your own homemade recipe, most prefer to have their moisturizers ready-made without all the time and hassle of making it themselves.

Reducing Tight, Dry Skin

A basic skin care tip to reduce dry skin is to moisturize after washing. Try to open up your pores letting in as much water as you can. Then seal in with your skin moisturizer.

Approximately 30% of the water in your outer layer of skin will be affected by external conditions.The other two thirds are affected by hormonal levels, toxins and disease (such as hyperkeratosis or acne) etc.

Moisturizes are among the most used and prescribed products for the skin. Unfortunately, the cosmetics industry claims for “miracle” treatments or reduced aging can be unsubstantiated when advertised in the extreme. No moisturizer can remove 20 years from your face or change broken capillaries. But it CAN reduce the appearance of wrinkles, remove fine, dry lines and give your face an overall more plump and thus, youthful appearance. When you combine your moisturizer with sunscreen, it can also reduce the future UV damage you may get from the sun and reduce skin aging even further.

Physicians, cosmeticians and consumers alike should be aware of the real science behind skin moisturization, and know what is possible to achieve and what is not. The addition of vitamins (A,B,C,D and E), nutritive agents and protein agents have been common in the industry recently, supposedly to add the capability to treat several skin conditions such ascellulitis, age and photo damage, loss of collagen, wrinkles, etc., sometimes with little or no scientific evidence for such. Of course, this has the effect of increasing the price tag of the product, although the basic and real effective components are very inexpensive. The bottom line is to be  smart consumer. Do your homework and know exactly what you are buying.

Adverse Affects

Despite claims to the contrary by the cosmetics industry, complex moisturizers may cause a number of adverse effects, including allergic reactions to some of its components, skin irritation, contact dermatitis, characterized by redness, itching, burning, and stinging sensations, or may actually increase dehydration. When used near sensitive spots, allergic reactions may be enhanced in some people. Use of plant extracts, some alcohols and proteins may increase the danger of adverse effects. Cosmetic and therapeutic moisturizers should be accompanied by the printed formula in order to inform consumers adequately, as well as physicians, in order to easily and quickly identify the offending component.

How Moisturizers Work:

The most external of the skin layers, the “corneal stratum” is largely formed by squamous cells. Natural skin care moisturizers work in these outer layers which are constantly being shed and replaced by the growth of new cells coming from the deeper layers of the skin. Most, if not all, agents present in moisturizers are unable to penetrate these deeper layers of skin. The water content in this outer layer of skin is proportional to the external relative humidity, and the thickness and flexibility of this outer layer of skin increase with added water content. Evaporative loss of water from the skin increase in certain circumstances, especially if relative air humidity is decreased (the winter months) thus producing dry, tight skin.

Keeping the skin moisturized is proven to be the best way to sustain that youthful and healthy glow. It is also your preventive measure to delay the effects of natural skin aging such as the formation of wrinkles and other fine lines. Going for natural products guarantees efficient and safe use, over the application of synthetic ones. But with the numerous options available, what are the top ingredients that should make up an effective moisturizer?

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a popular component of many moisturizing agents with its natural hydrating features, affordability and availability. This oil is extracted from the meat or core of the coconut fruit which has been dried out. It has several applications, mostly to hydrate not only the skin but also the hair. Its richness results in a soft and silky lather that is safe to use everyday.

Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is effective as an intense penetrating agent with rich moisturizing features. It is loaded with vitamins and minerals, specifically A, D and E. Avocado oil is rich with proteins that augment the skin’s collagen supply when applied topically on the skin. It is a rich source of vitamin E that naturally reverses the signs of skin aging. Avocado oil can be mixed with other whitening ingredients and fruit acids, and applied to fine to deep lines on the forehead.

Macadamia Extracts

Macadamia nuts, like other nuts such as almond and shea, are natural anti-oxidants that effectively combat free radicals that damage the skin. Macadamia, however, yields the most concentrated extract that contains about forty percent palmitoleic acid. Macadamia is the best choice to hydrate severely dried skin. It is a common ingredient among anti-aging products. Macadamia extracts quickly seep through the skin to moisturize irritated skin.

Cocoa Butter

Cocoa is a time tested ingredient among natural and home made moisturizers. For centuries, cocoa has been used in bathing, exfoliating and moisturizing. Its rich oil is effective in smoothing the damaging effects of the sun other external factors. Cocoa butter is safe for the use even of pregnant women to moisturize irritated skin.

Beeswax

Beeswax is one of nature’s valued moisturizers. Derived from the transparent fluid that is produced by a bee from its hexagonal booths, pure beeswax is safe and compatible to the human skin. It adds to the skin’s moisture by boosting the natural oil supply.

So follow the tips above through these dry, cold, winter months to nourish and truly moisturize your skin. Remember to replace your skin’s natural sebum each time you turn up the heat or lounge in a long hot bath to avoid drying, cracking flaking and redness.

Author: Rachelle Dupree
Vivoderm Marketing and Communications