Sunday, December 20, 2009

Sun Exposure and Skin Care

A little sunshine is needed to achieve optimum overall health and wellbeing. Medical studies show that as much as 15 minutes in the sun may one day help the body to produce vitamin D which is important for preventing osteoporosis, hypertension, cancer and other autoimmune diseases. Vitamin D is a Lipophilicity vitamin found in some foods but is produced in the body by means of ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. This type of vitamin is important for maintaining the right level of phosphorus and calcium in the blood. Vitamin D, combined with other vitamins, minerals, hormones and other substances in order to maintain strong and healthy bones that will not easily break or become brittle.

However, prolonged exposure can cause many skin problems such as early wrinkles and skin cancer. Other factors such as pollution and ozone depletion have made additional threats to the skin. Too much sun can damage the textured and weaken the elastic properties of the skin. The outer layer of skin called the epidermis can become rough and wrinkled as a result of overexposure. Sun-induced skin damage can cause wrinkles, furrows, easy bruising, or brown spots. In the long term overexposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays can lead to cancer. But, as this skin condition is cumulative, it is never too late to make adjustments in order to protect himself from the sun's harmful effects.

The advent of various skin care products that sunscreens are designed to protect against the sun's harmful effects. Many types of sunscreens are on the market that contain many ingredients that work by scattering, or steer properly absorb the sun's rays. Sunscreens are available as lotions, creams, sprays, lip balm, and many more. These products can be purchased over the counter without a doctor's approval. In addition to these products, foods rich in selenium, beta carotene, vitamins A, C and E can alleviate the harmful effects of the sun.


Like other forms of medication, side effects can be developed with the help of skincare products. Here are some of the side effects that may develop with sunscreen use.

acne
burning, itching or tingling of the skin
redness or swelling of skin
rash, with or without blisters that ooze and become Crusted
pain in hairy parts of the body
pus in hair follicles
Individuals who decide to use sunscreens and other skincare products will require approval by a healthcare professional. Although most of these products can be purchased over the counter. They may still pose a health risk. A physician's approval is necessary to clarify side effects and interactions that can occur when using sunscreen.

Skin care these days is an important part of a healthy regimen because of the abundance of environmental degradation, global warming and ozone depletion. Without taking care of skin, individuals can increase the risk of developing skin diseases like psoriasis, skin cancer and other skin conditions. Understanding the correct use of skincare products and maintain adequate sun is important to maintain healthy skin.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Skin Care Treatment In Your Refrigerator

Regarding skin treatment, there are few things more satisfying than a delicious pamper your face. A face mask can help you to relax and recharge their batteries at the end of the day, or may mark the transition from a busy week of activity for a weekend filled with joy. However, a facial skin treatment at an exclusive spa costing up to one hundred U.S. dollars, and are concerned about the impact on your wallet can take relaxing right out of a facial. Fortunately, it is possible to whip up your own moisturizing facial mask at home with ingredients you probably have in your kitchen right now. Make your own skin treatment at home can help you get a sense of upscale luxury without paying top dollar.

The simplest and perhaps most classic skin treatment involves a single, skin nourishing ingredient: pure honey. To open the pores, drape a warm towel over your face for about thirty seconds, then apply a thin layer of honey on the surface of your cheeks, chin, forehead, and all the other places that could benefit from an additional infusion of revitalizing moisture. Lie down and relax in ten to fifteen minutes while the honey penetrates the skin and fill it with water and then gently wipe off honey with warm water and a washcloth. Splash your face with cold water to flip your pores shut, then pat your face dry gently to seal in moisture. This simple skin treatment, you can put your best face forward, and can help you make an average day a very special feeling.

Oatmeal makes for another simple skin treatment is ideal for skin problems. If you suffer from pimples and sometimes difficult to control an oily gloss, an oatmeal mask can help draw the excess oil from your face without drying out the skin. This mask gives you a good, dull complexion, which will certainly leave you smiling. Simply mix a little water into clean flakes to create a thick, moist paste. To open the pores before applying the mask, fill a bowl with warm water and tilt the face with a towel draped over the back of the head to create a kind of steam tent. For an extra luxurious fragrance, add a tablespoon of your favorite herb, as peppermint or rosemary in the water. Breathe deeply for five to ten minutes, so that the steam to penetrate the surface of your face. Then wipe off the moisture in your face with your towel and using your fingertips, gently apply a thin layer of pudding paste all over your face. Wait for the oatmeal to dry and harden, a process that usually takes between ten and fifteen minutes, then wipe with a damp, warm washcloth. Pat your face dry and enjoy the results of your delicious homemade skin treatment.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

All about Facial skin care

'Facial skin care' is more a matter of discipline than anything else. A facial skin care routine is what you need (and you must follow the facial skin care routine with complete seriousness). So let's see what comprises an effective facial skin care routine. Well, quite simply, a facial skin care continually follow the following 4 steps:
* Cleaning
* Gradient
* Exfoliating
* Moisturizing

Cleaning is the first in facial skin care routine. Cleaning helps to remove dust, pollutants, grease and extra oil from your skin, thereby preventing damage to the skin. Just place your face and neck with a good cleansing lotion or cream and gently massage it into skin with upward strokes. Use a soft face tissue or cotton to wipe his face in a soft clap way (do not rub). Cleaning should be done at least twice daily, for example, tomorrow (as part of the whole facial skin care routine) and evening (on standalone basis). Water-soluble cleaning is the best for inclusion in your facial skin care routine.

Toning is the next in a facial skin care routine. However, this is the voluntary part of the facial skin care routine. Mostly can be thoroughly cleaned up for a fade. Toning helps remove all traces of dirt, grease and excess detergent. Instead of making it part of your daily facial skin care routine, you can use facial water occasionally ie when you have been exposed to the very difficult environment / pollution.

Peeling Again, kind, optional step in everyday life for facial skincare. However, exfoliation is necessary at least once a week (or twice, depending on skin type and environmental conditions). Exfoliation finds its place in facial skin care routine because of the natural evolution of the skin to replenish the skin cells every 3 or 4 weeks. As a facial skin care technique helps in exfoliation removing dead skin cells that block pores, which facilitated the skin of the natural process. In contrast, excessive or harsh exfoliation can cause damage to the skin, so you have to balance it out.

Next thing in facial skin care is moisturizing. In fact, moisturizing is the most important part of facial skin care routine. Moisturizing prevents skin from becoming dry. Dry skin is really undesirable since it causes the top layer skin to break, leading to dead skin cells. Again, use light upward dash make effective moisturizer. Moisturizing works best when applied on warm and moist skin. So do not try to remove all the moisture in the earlier stages of facial skin care routine.

Besides the normal facial skin care routine, you should exercise the following for facial skin care:

* Use proper make-up remover instead of just washing it away
* Pay heed to your skin type and the environment when choosing facial skin care products.
* Before using a new facial skin care product, test it by applying it to a short piece of skin, such as ear lobes.
* Never rub your skin too hard.
* Use sunscreen lotions for protection against the sun.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Do Skin Tighteners and Skin Creams Really Help to Reduce Wrinkles?

You've probably tried everything you can think of to get rid of those annoying wrinkles. Line erasers, anti-wrinkle eye creams, wrinkle erasers, skin creams, Botox - you may have even tried yelling into the mirror, "Be gone, ugly wrinkles!" But when that didn't work, maybe you gave up. Maybe you feel there's no hope in seeing those wrinkles disappear. Well, don't give up. Here's why...

There are several things you can do to help reduce wrinkles. There's no one magical formula, but it's a combination of things - lifestyle, food and drink, amount of sun exposure, vitamins, facial rejuvenation creams, and even the position of your body while sleeping! It sounds like a lot of work, but most of these involve simple things you can do each day to help reduce and prevent wrinkles. Here are some brief pointers.

Daily Lifestyle and Wrinkles

Several things you do in your daily life could be causing excessive wrinkles to appear. For instance, if you are under continuous stress, expect more wrinkles. You should do whatever it takes to reduce stress - even change jobs if necessary. It's not worth losing your health or good appearance! Another important factor is your intake of liquids, particularly water, throughout the day. Drink water every day to help hydrate your body and skin. Dried-out skin will wrinkle more easily.

Eat a healthy diet abundant with fruits and vegetables, and schedule your meals and exercise each day. Staying on schedule with healthy eating and exercise has been proven in studies to reduce stress.

Also, try to get a good night's sleep every night. While sleeping, lie on your back instead of on your face. Wrinkles can form overnight as you sleep! Also, avoid smoking, alcohol, and excessive sun exposure. If you work outdoors, wear strong, protective sunscreen on your face and hands.

Anti-wrinkle Creams

There are many facial rejuvenation creams, anti-wrinkle eye creams, line erasers and wrinkle erasers on the market today. There are even affordable Botox alternatives that work just as well. These can help to reduce wrinkles if they contain the right combination of vitamins to help revitalize your skin. A number of studies have shown that applying vitamins to the skin may significantly reduce wrinkles and help repair skin damage.

The key vitamins to look for in a skin cream are Vitamins A, C, E, and K. One reason is because these contain antioxidants, which help to eliminate toxins from your body and reduce signs of aging. Antioxidants rid your body and skin of free radicals. Free radicals can cause aging, cellular damage, and even skin cancer in some cases.

Vitamin K can lessen the look of aging lines on the skin by building up the skin around the lines or wrinkles, causing them to disappear. Vitamins K and E are also good for scars and stretch marks.

When choosing an anti-wrinkle eye cream, skin cream, or wrinkle eraser, look for products with all of these vitamins combined for the best results.

As you can see, wrinkles don't have to control your life (or your face). You can reduce wrinkles significantly by combining a healthy lifestyle with vitamin-rich skin creams and wrinkle erasers. Start turning back the clock today!


Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Brighten Up Dull & Tired Skin

As we grow older and are constantly exposed to the UV rays of the sun our skin starts to appear dry and dull. This is the result of the outside layer of the skin getting excessive build up and is not exfoliated on a regular basis. Build-up is especially noticed after we have spent the summer in the sun. It’s more apparent to women since we realize that our make-up doesn't look as fresh and our foundation begins to fade within a couple of hours. Our make-up and foundation is actually being absorbed into the accumulated dead skin cells, which gives a very tired and unhealthy look to the skin.

To keep your skin vibrant and healthy on a regular basis, you must have a regimen that incorporates exfoliation and nourishing the skin. Your regular skin care program does not have to be a department store or drug store solution. You can prepare an all nature skin care program right from your kitchen table and manage to get the same results if not better results that your store bought product promises.

Exfoliation:

You should exfoliate at least 2-3 times per week (daily is even better) to keep the skin’s healthy glow. One solution for exfoliating the skin in an in expensive way is to use sugar. Yes, Sugar! Glycolic acid which is found in most AHA (alpha hydroxyl acid) products is from sugar cane. You can benefit from glycolic acid by using sugar for exfoliation.

Simply mix ฝ to 1 teaspoon of sugar in with a small amount of your favorite skin cleanser. Wet your face and massage the cleanser/sugar mixture over your face for 1-2 minutes. Rinse your face with lukewarm water to remove this mixture and you will instantly feel a difference in your skin.

Nourish:

Give your skin a refreshing drink with a simple nourishing facial mask. The ingredients are powerful and can be found in your kitchen. Combine one or more main ingredient with a liquid ingredient for to make a wonderful facial mask. Base your ingredient choices on the health properties of each item.

Base Ingredient:

Honey – It is a humectant (which draws in moisture) and it has antibacterial qualities that also stimulates and smoothes the skin.

Mango - Provides natural fruit enzymes which also exfoliates the skin and the oil in mangos help moisturize.

Avocado - A naturally rich moisturizer has essential fats and oils.

Oatmeal – Moisturizing and slightly exfoliating

Liquid Ingredient:

Milk – Enzymes and Lactose acid to exfoliate and milk fat to condition the skin.

Aloe Vera Gel – Healing and softening.

Egg White – tightening and conditioning.

You will want to follow your treatments with your favorite hypoallergenic moisturizer. For best results, these treatments can be done 2-3 times a week to help keep your skin youthful and vibrant.


Saturday, October 10, 2009

Acne Skin Care - How To Clear Up Those Embarrasing Blemishes

People of all races and ages get acne. It is most common in adolescents and young adults. Around 85 percent of people between the ages of 12 and 24 develop the disorder. Nearly 17 million people in the United States have acne, making it the most common skin disease.

For most people, acne tends to diminish by the time they reach their thirties; however, some people in their forties and fifties continue to have this skin problem.
I remember when I used to get acne myself. Was that annoying. And it sure ruined my social life, that's for sure. There is nothing more embarrasing than going out in public with acne all over your face. You know people are staring at you. You know they don’t want to get near you because of those ugly marks on your face. I think they think it’s contagious, which is not true at all. It’s a good way to lose friends quickly.
So, how did I get rid of my acne ? Well, before you can clear up your skin, you should know exactly who the enemy is and what you’re up against. Here’s a summary for you and some real honest to goodness solutions. It worked for me and it will work for you too.

What is Acne?

Acne is a disorder resulting from the action of hormones on the skin's oil glands (sebaceous glands), which leads to plugged pores and outbreaks of lesions commonly called pimples or zits. Acne lesions usually occur on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders.
Although heredity may be a cause of this problem, it is more associated with hormonal levels and how you care for your skin (e.g. rubbing your skin too much will cause it). Chocolate and greasy foods are often blamed, but foods seem to have little effect on the development and course of acne in most people. In addition, dirty skin does not cause acne and neither does stress.
How Is Acne Treated?

You can buy over the counter medicine (OTC), see your family doctor, or a dermatologist (skin doctor).
Over-the-counter(OTC) Medicines

Benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid, and sulfur are the most common topical OTC medicines used to treat acne. Topical OTC medications are available in many forms, such as gel, lotion, cream, soap, or pad.

Prescription Topical Medicines

Several types of prescription topical medicines include benzoyl peroxide, tretinoin, adapalene, and azelaic acid.

Some people develop side effects from using prescription topical medicines including stinging, burning, redness, peeling, scaling, or discoloration of the skin.
Prescription Oral Medicines

Oral antibiotics are thought to help control acne by curbing the growth of bacteria and reducing inflammation. Examples are clindamycin, erythromycin, sulfur, or isotretinoin. Some people experience side effects when taking these antibiotics, such as an increased tendency to sunburn, upset stomach, dizziness or lightheadedness, changes in skin color, and dry skin.

Other treatments

There are lazer treatments for rare serious cases and there are safe and natural herbal medications that work like over the counter medications, but often with less side effects.
How Should People With Acne Care for Their Skin?

* Clean Skin Gently with a mild cleanser 3 or 4 times a day.
* Avoid Frequent Handling of the Skin.
* Shave Carefully.
* Avoid a Sunburn or Suntan.
* Use Non-Oily Cosmetics.
In summary, there are many treatments out there for acne skin problems. Talk to your doctor if you’re unsure what to do. Try some of the suggestions mentioned here. In no time at all, you’ll look better, feel better, and you’ll be back out there enjoying your social life, your friends, and your family much more.


Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Anti Aging Skin Care - 7 Tips On Looking Younger

Do you want to look younger? Let’s face it, nowadays, who doesn't? Once it was just celebrities and those in the public eye who worried about looking older everyone else grew old gracefully! Now 40 is the new 30 and men as well as women care about their appearance, there is even a trend in society to discriminate against the older generation.

What can you do to stay looking younger? There is no Anti Aging Magic Potion that will clear your wrinkles overnight, but with discipline and a good Anti Aging Skin Care routine in place you will be on your way to looking younger for longer.

There are many drastic solutions available for anti aging skin care to help you look younger, from the traditional cosmetic face lift to injecting chemicals like Botox into the skin to provide a temporary wrinkle smoothing effect. Not everyone is willing, or financially able to go to these extremes. So what can you do on a day to day basis that will help you feel and look younger? By following the 7 steps below, you will be on your way to a more youthful appearance for longer. And remember it is never too late (or too early!) to start a good anti aging routine.

Seven tips on looking after your body and mind:

1. Drink plenty of water every day - most doctors recommend 7 to 10 glasses a day. Water flushes out toxins, keeping your body and skin clean. Also your skin will look clearer and plumper if it is not dry. Definitely the first step for "anti aging skin care" to look younger.

2. Eat a healthy balanced diet, include something from all the major food groups each day in your diet. Eat plenty of fibre and fresh fruit and vegetables. The UK government recommends five portions of fruit and vegetables are eaten daily, however this should be the minimum amount you eat. Fruit and vegetables contain many essential vitamins and minerals that help maintain and repair the skin and cells. Not only will your skin look younger but your body will age better and you will be less prone to many common diseases of old age. The prefect "anti aging skin care solution" Also avoid eating fatty and oily foods which increase your weight but do not give you anything nutritionally. Overweight people generally look and feel much older than they are.

3. Aim to lead a stress free, calm existence. If you are stressed the body releases chemicals which years ago would have helped you to deal with the problem with "fight" or "flight". Since these are not a solution to most of life today’s problems, the chemicals will stay in your body and cause you to become mentally or physically ill. Ensure that you sleep well and exercise regularly. Use whichever techniques help you to relax - taking a long warm bath, massage or aroma therapy are just a few to try. Remember, extreme stress will just cause your hair to go white and your face to look tired and lined. Enjoy life!

4. Regular exercise, taken at least 3 times a week and daily if possible, will work wonders in helping you look and feel younger. Ensure the exercise is vigorous enough to make you break out in a sweat and your skin will look younger as toxins are flushed out. Remember to contact your doctor before drastically changing your exercise regime.

5. Avoid UV radiation as it is the major cause of premature skin aging and wrinkles. Ensure you always have adequate sun protection for the climate and your skin type. Buy facial moisturisers which contain UV protection for daily use. Use of a good quality high factor sun cream should be part of your daily routine. A tan might look good for a while but you will age and wrinkle quickly and be more prone to skin diseases such as cancers.

6. Try to cut out nicotine and alcohol consumption. Smoking will age you as chemicals in the smoke are aging to the skin and will reverse your anti aging skin care process. Additionally, if you are forever squinting through smoke, crow’s lines around the eyes will appear all too quickly. Alcoholic drinks contain many toxins which are harmful to your health. Excessive drinking will mean your liver no longer copes with ridding your body of these toxins.

7. Look for skin care products which are anti aging (those containing the ingredients Vitamin C, retinol and ceramides are very good). Try different anti aging skin care products to see which works best for you and moisturise daily. Remember, if you feel good about yourself, you will look good.