Encouraging Health

Facial

It’s been awhile since you’ve seen a warm, inviting sun, so here to help is Annabelle Robertson, from WebMD and ouise Chang, MD.

Skin Care Myth No. 1: Tanning booths are safe as long as they don’t contain UVB rays.

Skin Care Myth No. 2: The higher the SPF, the better the protection.

Skin Care Myth No. 3: You don’t need sunscreen on a cloudy day.

Still following those old wives tales? Here are three more myth-busting facts.

Skin Care Myth No. 4: Scrubbing your face with soap will keep your skin healthy and acne free

Skin Care Myth No. 5: It’s better to get the pus out of a pimple by popping it.

Skin Care Myth No. 6: Facials and microdermabrasion are good for your skin care routine.

SkSkin Care Myth No. 7: Expensive skin care products work best.

Spending a small fortune on anti-aging products and procedures? Here are two more myths they bust.

Skin Care Myth No. 8: Antiaging products (or “wrinkle creams”) can erase wrinkles.

Skin Care Myth No. 9: Lasers can make me look 20 years younger.

Simple skin care will go much further than complicated or expensive creams, lotions or procedures. By following some simple rules, your skin will look and feel much better.

1. Keep your face shielded from the Sun by wearing a hat.
2. Wash your face with simple soaps, like Dove or Ivory.
3. Water, water, water. Drink your 8-10 oz glasses of water each and every day. Your skin and body is made more of water than anything. Replenish your skin.
4. Get your required 6-8 hours sleep each night.
5. Use a simple, over-the-counter skin lotion or cream.

Pillows

Sleep time is optimum for cellular repair because there are more hours for products to sink in and fewer environmental stressors to prevent absorption, says Tina Alster, M.D., a dermatologist in Washington, D.C.

If you have dry to normal skin, after cleansing, apply a dime-sized blob of Vaseline to slightly damp skin. Rub it in until it becomes less greasy (within 30 seconds — we promise!). The petrolatum creates a seal, so moisture penetrates and plumps skin rather than evaporates.

If you have oily skin, opt for a serum that’s noncomedogenic to keep from clogging pores. Try one that has skin-strengthening peptides, too, such as Kinerase C6 Peptide Intensive Treatment, $77.

Deflate puffy, tired eyes
To awaken looking rested, treat eyes before you snooze with a generous dose of a caffeine-packed eye cream (a good one: 100% Pure Caffeine Eye Cream, $19).

Make drab hair dazzle
Use your downtime to get less frizzy hair with an ultra-conditioning mask. Look for products that say overnight on the label (SELF likes new L’Oréal Professionnel Liss Ultime Nuit Treatment, $35); they are less messy than an in-the-shower mask. Apply to towel-dried hair (it will slide off if hair is too wet), then help the mask penetrate by covering it with a shower cap.

There are countless ways to help your body mend itself, that doesn’t cost much. Number one is drink plenty of water. Since the body is made mostly of water, replenish, replenish, replenish! Use moisturising cream on your face and body. Don’t eat processed foods: go natural! Finally, get your beauty sleep.

skin treatment

Some creams, ointments and treatments actually do reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, experts claim, via allure magazine. “No one I know uses creams or ointments”, people say, but I do notice how intently they listen.

To reiterate, nothing beats beauty treatment for skin like drinking your 8-10 oz glasses of water a day!

Here are the skin creams and the results:

Olay Professional Pro-X Age Repair Lotion With SPF 30, Deep Wrinkle Treatment, and Wrinkle Smoothing Cream. Does it work? After 24 weeks, the company reports in its own studies, subjects saw a 25 percent reduction in the appearance of the length and depth of wrinkles, the same percent as among those who used Renova. (Allure was unable to see the final clinical study results because they had not been fully evaluated by press time.)

Epionce Lytic Lotion and Renewal Facial Cream: Does it work? Allure saw the company’s internal study comparing Renova and Epionce, in which women reported almost equal improvements in some measures; in others roughness, clarity, fine lines, and wrinkles — Epionce beat Renova by a slim margin.

ZO Skin Health Ossential Radical Night Repair: Does it work? The company did not test the product against any form of Retin-A, but in studies by an independent lab, subjects reported seeing a 75 percent decrease in their fine lines and wrinkles, as well as visible improvement in firmness, after four weeks; 62 percent saw a reduction in deep wrinkles. (The lab declined to release the study to Allure.)
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Ever wish you had the smooth complexion of ’50s screen stars like Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck? Here’s a Mediterranean-style moisturizer that can make it happen.

It’s olive oil — great on salads and pasta but possibly even better on your skin. RealAge experts Mehmet Oz, MD, and Michael Roizen, MD, especially recommend rubbing some into extra-dry areas like elbows, feet, and legs.

More Uses for Olive Oil
But don’t stop there. Your scalp, hair, nails, and lips might seem unlikely candidates for a moisturizer, but they can also benefit from this smoothing stuff. “Olive oil should find its way into makeup and skin creams, since it has been shown to decrease UVB damage to the skin.”

The Smart Approach
Be picky when you shop; extra-virgin olive oil works best for skin. But because a small segment of the population can be sensitive to it, first rub a drop on your wrist to see how your skin reacts. If you’re good to go, try making your own skin-soothing Roman-bath experience by adding a quarter cup of olive oil and a few drops of lavender or peppermint oil to a warm soak. Top off the experience with some beauty sleep.

3 Proven Skin Care Ingredients

Just because it’s pricey and comes in a pretty jar, it doesn’t necessarily mean a product has more effective skin care ingredients.

Often, “lower-priced products may work better than their more expensive counterparts,” says Arthur W. Perry, MD, author of the book Straight Talk About Cosmetic Surgery. Whether it’s $9 or $99, here are three key ingredients to consider…

3 Proven Ingredients
According to Dr. Perry, vitamin C (also known as L-ascorbic acid), alpha-hydroxy acids (also known as AHAs, fruit acids, and glycolic acid), and retinoids or retinol-like compounds (tretinoin, retinol, etc.) are a few of the handful of skin product ingredients backed by strong scientific evidence that they boost skin health and appearance.

Ointment helped ease psoriasis with fewer side effects, small study found

Indigo naturalis, a dark blue plant used in traditional Chinese medicine, appears to be effective in treating psoriasis, a study in Taiwan has found.

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease for which no cure is known, though some therapies bring about a remission. It causes red scaly patches, or plaques, which take on a silvery-white appearance and often occur on the arms, elbows, knees and legs.

A study of the findings of a clinical trial involving 42 patients who had had the condition for at least two years was published in the latest issue of Archives of Dermatology.

The researchers found that indigo naturalis in the form of an ointment was safe and effective in treating psoriasis.

“Current steroid-based medication may cause side effects like thinning of the skin, but this (indigo naturalis) has much less side effects,” lead researcher Yin-Ku Lin of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University in Taoyuan, Taiwan, told Reuters by telephone.

None of the patients in the trial had serious adverse effects, though some experienced a mild skin allergy.

They applied indigo naturalis ointment on one side of their bodies and a placebo, or non-medicated, ointment on the other.

Doctors checked on their condition at the start of the treatment and after two, four, six, eight, 10 and 12 weeks.

“The indigo naturalis ointment-treated lesions showed an 81 percent improvement, the (non-medicated) ointment-treated lesions showed a 26 percent improvement,” the authors wrote.

For 25 of the patients, plaques that were treated with the indigo were completely or nearly completely cleared.

Indigo naturalis has long been used, externally or ingested, to treat various infections and inflammatory diseases in China and Taiwan, such as mumps, pharyngitis and eczema.

Long-term systemic use has been linked to irritation of the gastrointestinal tract and liver problems, the researchers said. They called for more studies on ways of improving absorption of the ointment.

What skin care product makes your skin look fresher and younger almost instantly, can cost under $10 a pop, and takes just 2 minutes to use?

Emollients – Their job is to fill in the tiny crevices between surface cells that are almost ready to be shed, so skin stays smooth, soft, and pliable.
Trade names: On the ingredients list, look for one or more of these words: lanolin, jojoba oil, isopropyl palmitate, propylene glycol linoleate, squalene, and glycerol stearates.

Humectants – Their job is to draw water to the outermost layer of your skin, which gives it a healthy, dewy glow.
Trade names: On the ingredients list, look for one or more of these words: hyaluronic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, sorbitol, glycerin, propylene glycerol, urea, and sodium lactate.
One other must-have on the label: a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30, says Dr. Amy. If your favorite moisturizer doesn’t come in an SPF 30 version, slather on sunscreen separately every day — and enjoy watching your skin stay young.

What are the causes of dry, scaly skin?
Dry, scaly skin may be due to:

Dry air e.g. low winter humidity
Exposure to the wind
Over-washing
Reduction in production of natural moisturisers (sebum) in old age
Diuretic medications
Underactive thyroid gland
Inherited factors

A skin condition such as atopic dermatitis (eczema), psoriasis or ichthyosis, Any combination of these.

How does dry skin arise?

Dry skin results from lack of water in the stratum corneum, the outer, compacted layer of non-living cells that covers the entire body like a layer of cling film. When it becomes dehydrated this layer loses its flexibility and becomes cracked and scaly. The stratum corneum contains natural water-holding substances that retain water seeping up from the deeper layers of the skin. Water is also retained in the stratum corneum by a surface film of natural oil (sebum) and broken-down skin cells, which slows down evaporation (trans-epidermal water loss or TEWL.)
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Think chocolate is one of the worst things for your skin? Think again.

RealAge skin expert, Dr. Amy Wechsler, has a recipe for hot chocolate that can make your skin glow.

Dark Is Key
In one study, just 6 weeks of a daily dose of cocoa made skin smoother, better hydrated, and less sun sensitive. And 12 weeks did even more. All thanks to the skin-boosting antioxidants in cocoa, called flavonols. But it’s got to be dark chocolate, according to Wechsler. “Skip cocoa mixes, which don’t have the same flavonol levels, and go for the real thing: dark, unadulterated cacao powder that contains 70 percent or more cacao,” she writes in her new book, The Mind-Beauty Connection. Here’s her to-die-for recipe (actually, it’s her husband Harry’s!):

Harry’s Super Simple, Healthy Hot Cocoa
The secret to this easy recipe? Heat it slowly. Slow heat helps release the antioxidants.

Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder with 70% or more cacao (such as Scharffen Berger natural cocoa powder or Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa)
2 teaspoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup skim or low-fat milk

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently (do not let it boil), stirring frequently, until cocoa is just beginning to steam. Pour into a mug and enjoy.

Erase wrinkles NO, look younger YES
Studies show that what you eat, or don’t eat, has a definite effect on the health of your skin. As the outermost barrier of the body and your largest organ, the skin is continuously exposed to various sources of stress, including many environmental factors. So, although a new diet won’t clear away all your wrinkles or halt skin aging, nutrition can make a huge difference not only in how you look, but also how you feel. This in turn will influence how young or old you may appear to be.

Food fight… against aging
Researchers are just beginning to explore the extent of diet’s role in the skin aging process. One recent study revealed that people whose diets are rich in vegetables, beans, olive oil, nuts, and multigrain breads are less likely to wrinkle than those who feast on red meat, butter, and sugary foods.

Experts suspect that antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E and the minerals zinc and selenium may keep wrinkles at bay by reducing the amount of potentially damaging free radicals produced by skin cells. One study revealed that a supplement that included a combination of these antioxidant vitamins helped protect the skin from aging due to solar UV exposure.

Another study suggests that for light-skinned people, consuming a diet rich in carotenoids offers similar UV protection and also may contribute to healthy skin coloring.

To achieve a healthy, youthful glow, turn away from the sun and turn to carotenoid-rich foods such as cantaloupe, apricots, carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and other fruits and vegetables that have deep green, yellow, orange, and red hues. A multivitamin may provide your skin further protection against aging.

Tired of skin products that sound too good to be true — and are? Then check out the only proven wrinkle reducer on the market: retinoids.

Retinoids can do amazing things, according to Dr. Amy Wechsler, dermatologist, psychiatrist, and author of RealAge’s new skin-care book, The Mind-Beauty Connection.

Beauty in a Bottle
Better skin can come in a bottle — well, actually, a tube. But it’s a tube your doctor has to prescribe. Wechsler recommends two kinds of retinoids in particular — tretinoin (Retin-A, Avita, Renova) and tazarotene (Tazorac, Avage). “These are FDA-approved, rub-on treatments that rank high on my list of skin-renewal candidates,” writes Wechsler in her new book. “Prescription retinoids can transform your skin, smoothing wrinkles, unclogging pores, lightening superficial brown spots, and improving the texture of the skin. It takes several weeks to start seeing results, but it’s so worth it.” (Learn more about our new RealAge skin-care expert.)

Ask your dermatologist if retinoids are right for you.

Did You Know?
Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives, and vitamin A can help your skin from the inside out as well as the outside in. Sweet potatoes are a great source of this skin-friendly vitamin. Here is one more antiwrinkle food to stock up on:

Chocolate:

The Truth About Chocolate and Your Skin

Here’s a formula for sensational skin: cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen, and . . . chocolate?

You heard right. When eaten, flavanol-rich cocoa, the main ingredient in dark chocolate, improves skin’s texture, thickness, hydration, and blood flow. It may even boost your skin’s defense against the sun by up to 25 percent! How? It packs serious antioxidant power. Just don’t overdo it — chocolate is high in fat and calories, too. And you still need to wear sunscreen every day.

Chocolate’s good for your skin? It’s true! Antioxidant compounds in cocoa, called flavanols, improve artery health by boosting blood flow, and that boost may be good for your skin, too.

Researchers discovered this chocolate benefit in a study of women who consumed half a cup of cocoa (containing 329 milligrams of flavanols per serving, the amount in a 3-½ ounce serving of dark chocolate) daily for 12 weeks. At the end of the study, the women experienced less skin dryness, scaling, and roughness compared to the beginning of the study. Also, their skin was thicker, exhibited improved blood flow, and was even more resistant to sun damage. Pretty amazing.

Still, don’t toss your sunscreen and indulge in mass quantities of chocolate. Consume the sweet in moderation and apply sunscreen every day when you’ll be outdoors for 20 minutes or more.

Don’t Fret Any Longer… Reviva Labs Has Products With Vitamin P That Can Help Them Be Treated!

In its ever increasing desire to answer specific skin problems, Reviva Labs, a natural line created for skin professionals’ demand for individualized formulas that meet specific needs, has found a way to help treat Spider Veins, Rosacea and Varicose Veins and with Vitamin P!

What is Vitamin P you ask? Many years ago a Hungarian scientist (Dr. Szent-Gyorgl) won a Nobel prize for his research on Vitamin C. Within that research, he discovered that rutin and citrus bioflavanoids (part of the Vitamin C complex) were able to uniquely strengthen capillaries, help improve their elasticity and decongest clogged capillaries. He named these bioflavanoids Vitamin P. Vitamin P’s benefits can help lighten Rosacea’s redness as it helps fight further capillary damage. The medical/pharmaceutical world has seemed to overlook Vitamin P in favor of drugs like “Metrogel.” But Reviva Labs contacts with the aesthetician world in Europe enlightened us to their success in treating Rosacea (as well as Facial Spider Veins and Varicose Veins) with Vitamin P, both externally and internally.

In the USA Varicose Veins are reported to affect 30%-40% of middle-age women. About 15% of men are also affected. Reviva’s Labs VARICOSE VEINS & DEEP SPIDER VEIN LOTION WITH VITAMIN P (SRP: $23.00 for 8 oz.) can not only strengthen vein walls, it helps boost circulation and can diminish the vein appearance. For the lotion, in addition to rutin, citrus bioflavanoids (Vitamin P) and grapeseed extract, potent hesperidin complex (a different form of Vitamin P) has been added. There is also special horse-chestnut extract very significant in promoting vein strength and integrity.

Reviva Labs has SPIDER VEIN & ROSACEA DAY CREAM WITH VITAMIN P (SRP: $19.00 for 1.5 oz.) which works continually to aid Rosacea and Facial Spider Veins by aiding capillary strength and function. Particularly when supported by the other elements in the formula.

If the cooler fall air has you reaching for your lip balm, flip it over and look at the label.

You might want to ditch it if you see this in the ingredient list: phenols. Why? These compounds actually strip the top layer off your lips, according to RealAge skin expert Dr. Amy Wechsler.

Peel Appeal?
Phenols are included in some lip balms (Blistex, for one) to help remove very dry, chapped skin off the surface of lips. But if you’re just trying to keep lips moist, the phenols can backfire by removing your lips’ natural protective layer. That may also explain why some people get addicted to them, Wechsler writes in her new book, The Mind-Beauty Connection — the stripping effect can leave lips feeling raw, so you reach for more balm.

Careful Lip Care
To break this vicious lip-balm cycle, Wechsler recommends opting for a good moisturizing lip balm instead. One of her personal favorites is pure, simple Vaseline petroleum jelly. (Use it at night, since it offers no sun protection.) If you need to slough a bit of dry skin from your lips, just brush them very gently with a soft, wet toothbrush.

Dry Skin

Dry skin results when there is not enough water in the stratum corneum for it to function properly. One way this can happen is when protective oils in the stratum corneum are lost and the water that is normally present in the skin is allowed to escape. Too much soapy water, exposure to harsh chemicals, the normal aging process and certain types of skin diseases are some of the causes of decreased amounts of protective skin oils. As the stratum corneum dries out it shrinks and, as it shrinks, small cracks can occur. This exposes the underlying living cells to irritating substances and germs in the environment.

Ointment moisturizers have the greatest ability to trap moisture in the skin, but they have the greasy consistency and feel of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. People often shy away from using them because of the greasy feel, but this can be minimized by applying a small amount and rubbing it into the skin well. Examples of effective ointment moisturizers include Aquaphor and plain Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. In addition to brand name moisturizers, some common household products, such as Crisco vegetable shortening, can be used as very inexpensive body moisturizers. Again, the key to using an ointment is to apply small amounts and rub it in well.