Total Skin Solutions

While the scientific jury is supposedly still out on the benefits of herbal skin cleansing, the proof is in its history.  Going back to the times of the Egyptians and Romans, herbs used to clean the skin has been the proper method.  Natural herbs are long reported to be the best to use against acne, dry skin and other skin problem.  If you’re a skeptic of herbal medicine, try it for a week and see how it treats you.

A pregnancy can bring tremendous joy to most mothers to be.  But with that joy comes some unwanted skin conditions.  Using all natural skin care products while you’re with child may reduce any skin problems that occur during your pregnancy. 

Most of these conditions will usually disappear after delivery, but these tips may help reduce or treat common skin problems that occur during pregnancy and help the mother-to-be feel more comfortable:

Skin care: Skin cleansing is the best way to avoid or treat acne breakouts. Wash your face with a mild cleanser two or three times a day. Don’t wash too often or the skin may become dry, aggravating the problem. A shielding lotion can minimize the loss of moisture and it won’t wash off.

Make-up: Cover-up and foundation can help hide dark streaks or spots on the skin. Avoid make-ups that contain mercury.

Sun protection: Your skin is the most sensitive during pregnancy. Good sun protection is very important at this time. Sunlight can darken pigment changes in your skin and increase your chances of getting “mask of pregnancy.” Use a good sun block, cover up, and wear a hat when outside. Limit the time you spend outdoors between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Stretch marks: You won’t be able to avoid stretch marks entirely. It will help if you gain only the recommended amount of weight (usually 25 to 35 pounds), and do so slowly. Stretch marks usually fade and become less noticeable after delivery.

Moisturizers: Moisturize your belly and your breasts to reduce itchiness and dry skin. To avoid skin irritation, use an unscented high-quality shielding lotion that won’t wash off and can protect against environmental irritants and air pollution. Use a mild soap when washing. Avoid hot showers or baths. They can dry out the skin.

If you find that you have severely oily skin and you’re using the top skin care products, you might want to consider that your diet is throwing something off.  Here are some dietary tips to follow:

• Eat foods that are high in B vitamins. A slight B-vitamin deficiency can cause oily skin, so eat a diet rich in whole grains, legumes, nuts, and organ meats.  Or you can take one to two tablespoons of brewer’s yeast a day, which is also good for your immune system and eczema.

• Go vegetarian.  Just as those suffering from dry skin should eat more fats, those suffering from oily skin should consume fewer fats. You can do this by simply upping the veggies and grains and cutting meat from your diet two or three days a week.  Have two vegetables with a meal (salad and broccoli, or squash and asparagus) and instead of making a pasta-dish with ground hamburger, try making it with black beans.  These are easy ways to cut down the amount of fat you consume to keep your skin from overproducing oil, but it’s equally important to stock up on quality products that will sop up the oil and refine your pores.

There are several contradictory reports of going to a tanning salon versus tanning in the sun.  Obviously because we are burdened with something like weather, it’s not possible to tan year round unless you do visit a salon.  But as summer is fast approaching, this post should also serve as a reminder that you need to use sunscreen before you hit the beach and the outdoors in general.

If you go outside to tan without skin protection, it will have an adverse effect on skin rejuvenation, and instead cause early aging.  In addition to using a sunblock, you may want to also wear a hat and keep your shoulders covered with a light shirt.

The best skin care products can only get you so far.  You need to give some thought and consideration to the type of makeup you use. And be sure to clean your tools regularly.  Things such as cosmetic brushes get dirty and can carry bacteria and germs and may cause skin irritations and breaking out.  One of the leading cosmetic authorities suggests that cosmetic brushes be thoroughly cleaned at least twice a month.  A good way is to soak brushes for about 10 minutes in a dish of warm, soapy water using mild liquid detergent or baby shampoo.  Rinse and blot excess moisture with a towel and stand the brushes, handle end down, in a tall glass until they are thoroughly dry.

Excessive alcohol consumption damages skin in two primary ways. One, alcohol will dilate the blood vessels, leading to chronic dilation of the capillaries, and a flush of the face. Under increased pressure, the stretched vessels may break, appearing as broken capillaries on the face. It may also be noted that it is known that alcohol consumption aggravates symptoms of patients with rosacea.

Two, alcohol interferes with the body’s processing of vitamin A.  The consumption of alcohol leads to a reduced absorption of vitamin A from the diet. Because vitamin A is a known antioxidant with anti-aging properties, decreasing its absorption may lead to advanced aging.

No studies to date have been done investigating the efficacy and toxicity of topical retinoids in combination with alcohol consumption, so ask your dermatologist if you are concerned.

The best skin care products will have the strangest compounds in them that actually help.  For example, caffeine is a great agent against cellulite.  Caffeine will reduce fat and will tighten blood vessels; it will also reduce some edema and give the appearance that the skin is smoother.

The key is that you can’t get rid of cellulite, but you certainly can temper its effects on your body.

Using an anti-aging Argireline product on acne scars will help enormously.  Argireline is proven to be useful with day-to-day wrinkles and many of the same principles will apply.  Though the ingredient won’t completely remove an acne scar by itself (as diet and general care would also dictate the health of your skin), it will make it less noticeable over time.

One of the best anti-aging tips I can give is, if you’re a smoker, stop smoking.

Daily moisturizing and using premium natural skin care products can do wonders for those wrinkles, but your efforts will all be for naught if you can’t give up the nicotine habit.

Smoking expedites the aging process and contributes to wrinkles by narrowing the blood vessels in your skin, which robs said skin of oxygen and nutrients.

There are numerous ways to quit smoking such as nicotine patches and substituting cigarettes for chewing gum, that is, if you suffer from an oral fixation.  The important thing is that if your goal is to have healthy skin, the best you can do, outside of a skin regiment, is to drop that cigarette.

A recent study that was published this month in Neurology, a medical journal, claims that a large number of people who suffered from migraines also suffered painfully sensitive skin.

Sixty-Eight percent of those who had chronic migraines and 63% who suffered from episodic migraines were found to have sensitive skin, attributed to their headaches.

In addition to those skin care products, it may not be such a bad idea to get a lawn chair and sit in the sun for a bit; at least you  (hopefully) will find yourself without having to resort to popping aspirin like candy.