Archive for June, 2010.
Aging is an inevitable process all creations go through. In fact, the aging process is considered natural cycle that everything and everyone must face. But the signs of aging can be delayed or can be hidden through proper skin care.
The skin is the most affected area when a person ages. When a person ages, the skin loses its elasticity that is why wrinkles and fine lines start to appear especially on the face, neck, and hands. Today, the most common solution people find is by developing healthy skin care regimen and through the use of anti-aging products that can minimizeif not eliminatethe signs of aging. These anti-aging products are marketed and advertised to encourage people to control the early signs of aging such as wrinkles, crow’s feet, and other visible fine lines.
External Factors That Affect Aging
Before finally deciding whether to use these products or not, you must first know the external factors that greatly contribute to aging in order to avoid them. Here are the major external factors that cause aging and skin aging, it is up to you how to avoid these in order to maintain a young looking and vibrant skin.
1. The sun. This is the major external factor that caused aging. Experts say that aging caused by overexposure to the sun’s ultra violet rays is called “photo-aging.” In this process, the sun’s rays breaks down the collagen and elastin in the person’s skin that lead to the development of premature wrinkles and other facial lines. You can protect yourself from the harmful rays of the sun by applying sun blocks and sun screens that has high SPF content. You can also wear proper articles of clothing that help protect your skin from the damaging rays and by lessening the time you spent outdoors especially when the sun is its peak hours.
2. The gravity. Science tells us that gravity pulls everything towards the earth. As people age, the effect of gravity becomes visible on the skin and affects its elasticity a lot.
3. Excessive smoking. Nicotine indeed plays a big role in skin’s aging. Studies show that smokers form lines and wrinkles sooner compared to those who do not smoke. Skin is affected by nicotine because it narrows the blood vessels in the outer layers of the person’s skin that is responsible for the reduction of blood and nutrients flow.
4. Several facial expressions. People have a lot of facial expressions. These expressions are quite inevitable depending on the situation they are in. Since facial muscles are used when people make facial expressions, this can lead to the formation of lines in the face and neck.
5. The sleeping position. Although it may sound absurd, improper sleeping position contributes a lot to aging of the skin because it results to the visibility of wrinkles. A good skin care habit should include adopting a sleeping position that can veer you away from forming lines on the face or even on your body.
More and more these days are neglecting proper skin care due to busy schedules. In fact, good skin care habits are not the only ones affected by their overall health as well. Because of busy schedule, many people resort to alternatives means of skin care well in fact, all they could do to maintain healthy skin is to eat well.
Experts say that eating healthy foods is one of the major keys in combating unhealthy skin caused by toxicity that modern life brings. This is because it makes people aware that they should be more careful in watching their total health and well-being. It also reminds people that nothing beats the advantages of going back to basics.
These days, with the growing numbers of people who suffer from different skin problems, people should be more vigilant in keeping up with a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy foods. This is very important not only to ensure good skin but also to maintain overall health.
Good Food To Good Skin
Time and again, nutrition experts say that there are two major keys that lead to good skinthese include eating the right amount of food depending on the persons need and lifestyle and eating a range of foods to ensure that the person gets balanced diet.
And since food and eating properly contribute so much to a healthy diet, people should focus more on considering the food their body needs especially on a diet. Experts remind that diet foods should contain the necessary vitamins and minerals that are quite essential for weight control and metabolism. These diet foods should include Vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6, Vitamin C, choline, inositol, chromium, manganese, and zinc.
Studies show that the perfect foods that help people achieve healthy skin should include a wide range of fruits. Aside from being an all-natural product, fruits are low in calories, rich in dietary fiber that helps boosts satiety, and satisfies a persons sweet tooth without worrying about weight gain. Containing all the nutrients and vitamins it has, fruits are an ideal diet food for those who are into losing weight or weight reduction and those who are striving to maintain their weight. Other nutritional benefits of fruit include the prevention of vitamin deficiency, a rich source of dietary fiber and rich in folate.
Just like fruits, vegetables are also considered perfect foods especially for those who are having problems in maintaining good skin care regimen. Aside from being low in calorie-content, high in dietary fiber, and full of dietary nutrients that help maintain efficient metabolism, veggiesin various preparationsalso make good and appetizing snacks. Aside from being a rich source of important vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B-complex micronutrients, vitamins C, E and K that combat vitamin deficiency, vegetables are also excellent sources of the protective plant micronutrient called phytochemicals.
Having vegetables as diet food also lowers the risk of heart disease, cancers, and high blood pressure while protecting the body from having illnesses caused by muscle degeneration.
Aging is an inevitable process all creations go through. In fact, the aging process is considered natural cycle that everything and everyone must face. But the signs of aging can be delayed or can be hidden through proper skin care.
The skin is the most affected area when a person ages. When a person ages, the skin loses its elasticity that is why wrinkles and fine lines start to appear especially on the face, neck, and hands. Today, the most common solution people find is by developing healthy skin care regimen and through the use of anti-aging products that can minimizeif not eliminatethe signs of aging. These anti-aging products are marketed and advertised to encourage people to control the early signs of aging such as wrinkles, crow’s feet, and other visible fine lines.
External Factors That Affect Aging
Before finally deciding whether to use these products or not, you must first know the external factors that greatly contribute to aging in order to avoid them. Here are the major external factors that cause aging and skin aging, it is up to you how to avoid these in order to maintain a young looking and vibrant skin.
1. The sun. This is the major external factor that caused aging. Experts say that aging caused by overexposure to the sun’s ultra violet rays is called “photo-aging.” In this process, the sun’s rays breaks down the collagen and elastin in the person’s skin that lead to the development of premature wrinkles and other facial lines. You can protect yourself from the harmful rays of the sun by applying sun blocks and sun screens that has high SPF content. You can also wear proper articles of clothing that help protect your skin from the damaging rays and by lessening the time you spent outdoors especially when the sun is its peak hours.
2. The gravity. Science tells us that gravity pulls everything towards the earth. As people age, the effect of gravity becomes visible on the skin and affects its elasticity a lot.
3. Excessive smoking. Nicotine indeed plays a big role in skin’s aging. Studies show that smokers form lines and wrinkles sooner compared to those who do not smoke. Skin is affected by nicotine because it narrows the blood vessels in the outer layers of the person’s skin that is responsible for the reduction of blood and nutrients flow.
4. Several facial expressions. People have a lot of facial expressions. These expressions are quite inevitable depending on the situation they are in. Since facial muscles are used when people make facial expressions, this can lead to the formation of lines in the face and neck.
5. The sleeping position. Although it may sound absurd, improper sleeping position contributes a lot to aging of the skin because it results to the visibility of wrinkles. A good skin care habit should include adopting a sleeping position that can veer you away from forming lines on the face or even on your body.
With the growing popularity of different skin care products out there, people who have skin problems endlessly search for skin care products to relieve them. But then, due to lack of knowledge and information, more and more people are misled to use products and avail of treatments without consulting a dermatologist or a physician resulting to a more devastating situation.
To avoid mistakes in choosing skin care products and treatments, it is very important to have the knowledge about general causes of skin problemsits types, the age of the patient, current status or conditionso you know what are the products appropriate for each kind.
Developing Healthy Habits Helps A Lot!
Aside from skin problems, experts say that aging greatly contributes to unhealthy skin. In fact, some people feel that aging or growing old is like paying for something they havent consumed. But, if aginglike skin problemsis understood properly, preventive measures can done to avoid seeing aging as a torture or a punishment. The following are just some of the simple skin care strategies that you can practice to your daily life.
1. Watch your weight. Do everything you can to maintain a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight that corresponds to your height is one of the best ways to avoid early signs of aging and ugly skin. By having a healthy weight, you can also avoid various coronary heart diseases and other conditions that can be linked with obesity. By keeping your weight in check, you can be able to achieve a healthy skin that can veer you away from the early signs of aging. Keeping a healthy weight can be possible by eat fruits and vegetables, limiting fat and calories intake, and with regular work out and exercise.
2. Quit smoking. Smoking is truly dangerous not only to your health, to the health of those people surrounding you, and most especially to your skin. If you can, you must start developing a routine in order to quit smoking. When you stop smoking, you can achieve a healthier skin and can reduce the risk of having heart diseases and lung diseases such as cancer.
3. Shield yourself from the sun’s damaging rays. Protecting yourself from the sun’s deadly rays is one of the best skin care strategies out there. Since exposure to the sun is one of the major causes of skin aging, lesser exposure to it can help you reduce the risk factor of skin cancer. To protect your skin further, avoid long sun exposure 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and always apply sun block the skin when you’re staying outdoors.
4. Drink plenty of water. Hydrating your skin is also one of the best skin care strategies out there. Make sure that you provide your body enough supply of water and not with fluids that can damage organs in the body and weaken the immune system such as alcohol.
5. Stay happy. Most people would agree that staying happy is the best skin care strategy out there because it gives the person a positive outlook in life that makes him or her stay young in body, mind and soul. Laughing when your happy is also a good exercise to the skin, especially to the face.
Many people often ignore that the key to having healthy and good skin is oftentimes missing out on basic skin care regimen that you should know about and practice.
It is oftentimes understandable how people often tend to neglect the idea that skin care should also be part of their regular routine due to the daily grind of everyday work and living, however, many people deny the fact that this should still be a part of their regular routines.
Basic skin care should form part of a persons way of life, since having healthy skin is also a good way to ensure healthy living, which also contributes to ensuring preventive measures against health threatening conditions like skin cancer and other skin related diseases.
First skin care regiment to consider would be cleansing.
There are a lot of skin cleansers available in the market, especially drugstores and skin care centers, however, awareness should also be the responsibility of everyone before even going through this process.
Take for example the importance of knowing your skin type, which is key to also knowing which type of skin cleansers to use.
This is practically important since there are a variety of skin types that can be appropriate for specific skin cleansers as well, since using the wrong type of cleanser for the wrong skin type could cause more harm than good.
Among the most common skin types are oily or dry skin, for which varying levels also apply, which are often effects secretions of the skins sebaceous glands.
When in doubt about determining your skin type and what cleansers to use, you may seek the advise of a dermatologist to make you more confident about the cleansing regimen you are going to pursue.
Next would be exfoliation, which is the process by which dead skin is scraped off or removed from the outer surface, intended to clear the outer layer of the skin from prolonged exposure to dead skin cells that could impede the regeneration of healthy skin.
Among the most common exfoliation methods include, microdermabrasion, retinoids or chemical peels.
Microdermabrasion usually involves using scrubs, for which most believe should be done once weekly. But make sure to use scrubs composed of tiny grains, since coarse grains could scar the outer layer instead of just removing dead skin cells.
Retinoids on the other hand works by removing the top layer of skin cells, especially dead cells, and at the same time, promote the regeneration of collagen in the skin and works by preventing the rapid breakdown of the skins structural fiber causing fine lines and large pores as we grow older.
Last is chemical peel, which is a process supervised and administered by a dermatologist or licensed skin therapist, which provides better results compared to over the- counter chemical peel treatment kits.
Chemical peels usually take an hour or so, but can achieve maximum results of making the skin look younger and shave as much as five years off your face.
Lastly, always make sure to apply sunscreen, especially when you are constantly exposed to the sun.
This is mainly so because the sun can add years and even cause the skin to dry rapidly, causing wrinkles and can even bombard the skin of dangerous doses of ultraviolet rays that can cause skin cancer.
It is important to be aware of these basic steps since skin care is more than just leasing the eye with aesthetics, but essentially so since basic skin care you should know about is also a key contributor to a healthy and productive way of life.
Skin problems are the most common reasons why many people have ugly skin. Because of unhealthy habits, more and more people are not even aware that they have skin problems that greatly contribute to their deteriorating skin.
These days, many people are not aware that the normal pimplewhich has a life cycle of six to eight weekscan lead to a skin illness without serious treatment. What is worst is that they dont know that if the normal skin problem such as pimples can develop into a severe condition like acne that would require more time to heal and may cause pain due to heavy peeling and would eventually leave ugly and uneven acne scars.
Solving Simple Skin Problems Through Effective Products
If your skin problems such as pimples are taking too long to heal and are spreading all over your face and neck, then you should be visiting your dermatologist so he or she can give you effective skin care treatment products as early as now.
Pimples is only among the most common skin problems that peopleyoung and oldhave to deal with today. Being a skin disorder usually caused by irritated blackheads and whiteheads, the development of acne becomes more and more difficult to cure if the infection is neglected and left untreated. This neglect can even cause further irritation and may eventually lead to the production of abscess.
Since prevention is the best treatment to any impending injury or disaster, finding a good line of skin care products now can be an effective way to control your growing problem. Skin care treatment products that have antibiotics have been long known as effective solution in treating moderate to severe and persistent skin conditions like pimples. Oral treatments include products that contain tetracycline, erythromycin, minocycline and doxycycline can also be effective when used or administered properly.
Most people consider topical medication or treatments through creams and surgery as other option in treating skin problem. One of the most common acne skin care treatment products is cream because dermatologists recommend this as an effective treatment product since the skin quickly absorbs it. But, before you purchase any cream, consider these helpful tips:
- Choose creams that are derived from natural substances and sources because these can even help you get rid of skin problems without too much acne scarring.
- Always check the label. Make sure that the skin care cream that you plan to buy is hypoallergenic and can be used by children or pregnant women without enduring any pain or discomfort. Knowing the ingredients used in the product will ensure that the cream has balanced formulation to deliver effective results.
- Research. By doing a little research on how the formulation and content of these creams, you can help cure the skin infection faster.
- Observe. When you monitor how your skin reacts to the skin care treatment product carefully, you can ensure that you are using a safe product. It is ideal to do this after the initial application and take note of the visible changes so you can avoid possible side effects or allergies.
The 21st century paved the way to the emergence of so many skin care products and services. Since the effectivity of these products is not always 100 percent guaranteed, people should not use them until they have consulted a physician or a professional.
Although the market is now swarmed with so many skin care products, it doesnt mean that you can use and experiment around with these products because doing so can bring bigger disaster on your skin instead of bringing in solution. If you are thinking of using skin care products in order to lessen the effects of aging, it is a must that you conduct a research about the product you’re planning to use and its possible side effects.
Decide Wisely
In choosing what is the best skin care product for your skin, it is a must that you conduct a simple research in order to take a peek into various products available in the market that can help you. Here are some guidelines in choosing the best and right skin care products for you.
Also, Bear in mind that you must set up a routine of cleansing, toning and moisturizing your skin before using these anti aging products and make sure you use them as directed by the manufacturers’ instructions.
1. Know your skin type first. You can do this by consulting a dermatologist or by conducting a self-test. Knowing your skin type is very important in choosing any skin care product because this will determine what are the products, recommended brands, and ingredients that is safe for your skin.
2. Opt for skin care products that contain soluble Vitamin A, C, and E. When choosing any skin care product, it is best that they contain water-based Vitamin A, C, and E because these are the most effective ingredients that can help reduce the signs of aging such as wrinkles, crow’s feet and other fine lines.
3. Choose skin care products that have high concentrations of anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients. Consider choosing products that contain the antioxidants for the skin such as Ascorbyl Acid or Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A or beta carotene and Flavonoids because these can help you to achieve a firm and younger looking skin while nourishing, strengthening and moisturizing your aging skin or your problematic skin.
4. Look for skin care products that contain fine crystals. Fine crystals or ingredients of the same properties can help exfoliate the skin while removing dead skin cells that contribute to the skin’s aging. Anti-aging products that have fine crystals can help remove dead skin cells that reduce the formation of lines. These anti-aging products may include wrinkle erasers, facial and body scrubs, toners, eye creams, various cleansers, hydrators, and moisturizers.
5. Buy skin care products that can be applied or used not only on the face but in other parts of the body as well. It is important that you choose anti-aging products that can do wonders for the neck and hands because these are the parts of the body where early signs of aging are visible.
People have this common belief that using a mishmash of skin products will automatically give them radiant-looking skin, and so when the skin remains as dull and problematic as they were before being treated with all sorts of creams and lotions, these same people end up disappointed. Theres absolutely nothing wrong with using skin products, but proper skin care goes beyond that. Whatever is put on the skin is as equally important as what is taken in. In other words, skin products cant, even in the age of advanced science, beautify the skin all on their own; taking care of skin health primarily starts with eating the right foods for skin care.
However, this elementary principle is all too often ignored, and the result is people stashing skin care items with little thought about what comes in their refrigerators. A good diet benefits the skin in more ways than one; and theres no substitute for it.
If youre one of those who tend to overlook your diet, its time to rethink. Good thing is, theres always a chance to make a good start. And you can do this by knowing what foods are exactly beneficial to the skin. Heres a quick rundown:
Omega-3 rich fish
This includes salmon, mackerel, tuna, and other oily fish. Other than benefiting the heart, omega-3 fatty acid is good for the skin. Omega-3 strengthens cell membranes, and consequently makes the cells hydrated and replenished. This results in appropriate level of moisture. When there is enough moisture, the skin remains smooth and supple, has improved elasticity, and has healthy pores.
Carrots
Carrots are a potent source of beta-carotene and vitamin C. Once absorbed by the body, beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A that helps in making skin cells and keeping them replenished and healthy. If there is not enough vitamin A, the skin is dry and flaky. Vitamin C, on the other hand, has potent antioxidant properties and helps in collagen formation. Sufficient amount of vitamin C in the body keeps the skin young-looking and fresh.
Sweet potatoes
Also an excellent source of vitamin C and beta-carotene, sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin E, another good antioxidant and anti-aging. Vitamin E works to regenerate vitamin C, therefore allowing it to work in its maximum potential.
Green Tea
Famous for its many benefits, green tea has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in calcium, zinc, magnesium, riboflavin, and vitamins C, D, and K. Green tea is also believed to protect the skin from the harmful effects of the suns UV rays, and so helps prevent cancer. But not only is green tea good for the skin, it is also good for the entire body.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are excellent source of B group vitamins. These are essential to the skin because they aid in replacing dead skin cells and developing new ones. They also naturally protect the skin from infections.
Now that you know some of the foods for skin care, it is only necessary to incorporate them in your daily diet. Remember that deficiency in some of the vitamins and minerals can lead to premature skin aging, dryness, and other skin problems such as eczema.
If you are a parent with adolescents or teenagers in the house, you need to understand and also be aware of skin care for your kids and what better way than to impart to them the simplest method of face washing as basic skin care for your teens.
Surprised? Actually it is by understanding the fact that as children enter adolescence, they still have sensitive skin that requires delicate and constant care for them to have healthy skin.
Many parents usually worry over the prospect of their teenagers having problems with acne or oily skin, however, it is best to know how to deal with each possible skin problem teenagers are likely to encounter.
Probably one of the most common factor that leads to parents worrying over their childrens skin problems is knowing that as teenagers, they are already independent of washing and bathing themselves, wherein parents no longer have the idea of how their kids go about their skin care routines.
Are they simply using water to wash their faces? Or probably using your facial skin toners or cleansers or use bar soaps to wash their faces?
These things need to be carefully considered and corrected since this could lead to more harm than good if the incorrect method is not corrected right away.
Out of the three mentioned routines earlier, washing the face with water is the safest process of all, while the remaining two could prove harmful to your teenager.
Do remember that since adolescent skin is still sensitive, the appearance of acne does not conclusively indicate that your childs face is really dirty, but is just a result of their skins sensitivity.
Also, adult facial cleansing formulas could also be too harsh for their sensitive skin and should also be avoided.
Using acne removal treatments could only lead to aggravating the problem or even do more damage to your childs skin regeneration process.
Essentially, skin or face washing habits for adolescents should be limited to once a day since anything in excess of that can be damaging to their skin.
Parents, and teenagers as well, must be aware that adolescents should only be using gentle cleansers on their skin, for which the best choices are those made of natural or water based cleansers and cream-based cleansers that not only cleans but moisturizes skin as well.
Face cleansing should ideally be done once a day, as mentioned earlier, unless your teens are active in after school sport or outdoor activities, where intense sweating or exposure to dust and grime are part of the activity.
Also avoid letting your kids use body lotion on their faces, if they feel that their skin needs moisturizing, since the skin from the neck up is more sensitive and requires delicate attention, most especially since majority of body lotions available in the market contain certain ingredients that can cause reactions on facial skin.
It is a rare fact for teenagers to worry about moisturizing their skin, but if the skin starts to become extra dry, a gentle water-based moisturizer would do.
You can ask a dermatologist or a licensed skin care expert for products that can be helpful for skin teenagers skin conditions.
In a nutshell, skin care for adolescents should just be more of simply clearing the dirt or grime from the topmost layer of the skin and to ensure good skin care habits, like face washing as basic skin care for teens, is by instilling in them the responsibility and awareness of what needs to be done and what should not.
With the growing popularity of different skin care products out there, people who have skin problems endlessly search for skin care products to relieve them. But then, due to lack of knowledge and information, more and more people are misled to use products and avail of treatments without consulting a dermatologist or a physician resulting to a more devastating situation.
To avoid mistakes in choosing skin care products and treatments, it is very important to have the knowledge about general causes of skin problemsits types, the age of the patient, current status or conditionso you know what are the products appropriate for each kind.
Developing Healthy Habits Helps A Lot!
Aside from skin problems, experts say that aging greatly contributes to unhealthy skin. In fact, some people feel that aging or growing old is like paying for something they havent consumed. But, if aginglike skin problemsis understood properly, preventive measures can done to avoid seeing aging as a torture or a punishment. The following are just some of the simple skin care strategies that you can practice to your daily life.
1. Watch your weight. Do everything you can to maintain a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight that corresponds to your height is one of the best ways to avoid early signs of aging and ugly skin. By having a healthy weight, you can also avoid various coronary heart diseases and other conditions that can be linked with obesity. By keeping your weight in check, you can be able to achieve a healthy skin that can veer you away from the early signs of aging. Keeping a healthy weight can be possible by eat fruits and vegetables, limiting fat and calories intake, and with regular work out and exercise.
2. Quit smoking. Smoking is truly dangerous not only to your health, to the health of those people surrounding you, and most especially to your skin. If you can, you must start developing a routine in order to quit smoking. When you stop smoking, you can achieve a healthier skin and can reduce the risk of having heart diseases and lung diseases such as cancer.
3. Shield yourself from the sun’s damaging rays. Protecting yourself from the sun’s deadly rays is one of the best skin care strategies out there. Since exposure to the sun is one of the major causes of skin aging, lesser exposure to it can help you reduce the risk factor of skin cancer. To protect your skin further, avoid long sun exposure 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and always apply sun block the skin when you’re staying outdoors.
4. Drink plenty of water. Hydrating your skin is also one of the best skin care strategies out there. Make sure that you provide your body enough supply of water and not with fluids that can damage organs in the body and weaken the immune system such as alcohol.
5. Stay happy. Most people would agree that staying happy is the best skin care strategy out there because it gives the person a positive outlook in life that makes him or her stay young in body, mind and soul. Laughing when your happy is also a good exercise to the skin, especially to the face.
