Total Skin Solutions

As we’ve stressed time over time in this blog, your diet can dictate how great your skin looks.  You’ll want to use the top skin care products, but you should also have a balanced diet.  One of the factors that most people seem to forget about is fiber.

Fiber, a non-digestible form of carbohydrate found in certain plans, cannot be digested or absorbed by the body, making it beneficial for a host of whole-body health concerns. Dietary fibers absorb water, stabilize blood sugar levels, lower blood cholesterol and remove certain toxic heavy metals from the body. 

Fiber is also useful for alleviating constipation, contributing to our bowel health and regularity, and certain forms of fiber may help rid the body of fat and curb the appetite, thus making them useful to dieters. Because blemished skin may be linked to an improperly functioning digestive system, an adequate intake of fiber can help support healthy and clear complexion. 

You probably know that excessive exposure to the sun is dangerous for skin — or at least, you should! UV light causes environmental damage, fine lines, wrinkles, dryness and spots. Knowing this, you might be surprised to learn that a certain light therapy can actually be good for skin! Read on for more about LED therapy and how it works as an anti-aging method.

LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, use near-infrared light which penetrates and is absorbed by skin. While lasers produce heat, LEDs only produce light, which the skin turns into energy. This light energy then affects the mitochondria, responsible for powering cells. Plus, light allows cells to carry out chemical activities more quickly.

LED uses red and blue light to provide different benefits. Red light raises circulation, boosts collagen formation and promotes healing. Blue light destroys bacteria.

Skin problems that LED treats

• Few of us can honestly say that we are completely satisfied with our skin and no matter whom you ask, chances are they suffer some skin woe. The good news? LED treatments can improve many skin ailments:

• Collagen produced by red LED light plumps up wrinkles and fills out lines. It also firms and tones skin.

• Can you play connect-the-dots with your age spots? LED light may help lighten them.

• Irritated, dry, flaky skin will be eased with red LED light.

• Precancerous damage can be taken away using red light, says Dr. David Goldberg, who directs the Skin Laser and Surgery Specialists of New York and New Jersey.

• If breakouts and blemishes are your concern, blue light is proving to be an effective way to treat acne.

Having skin, you’re susceptible to the elements and your skin may be more sensitive than others.  Using all natural skin care products is a great start, but you also may consider your diet and what you take in as well.  For one thing, by periodically drinking wheatgrass you can benefit from the antioxidants, which in turn will help with conditions like eczema. 

Wheatgrass is something that can be purchased at any healthy juice bar.  Ideally, you’ll want to take a shot and follow it with water as the taste of wheatgrass is something left to be desired.  Give it a try and, bitter taste aside, you’ll find that you’ll be in better health.  

Vitamin C is typically recommended to fend off colds and sickness, but it’s also great for your skin.  Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that not only stimulates collagen production but contains the skin damaging activities of free radicals.

Consequently, citric acid can actually improve the health of skin cells which in turn promotes healing and the ability of the skin to protect itself against harmful environmental factors.  Vitamin C is an active ingredient in AHA, which is present in several anti-aging products.

Over the last few posts, we’ve mentioned the dire effects of alcohol, excessive tanning and smoking on your skin.  But there is something that you already may be doing that will help keep your skin looking youthful.

One of the best anti-aging methods is to use creams that use Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA).  You can also find these in some foods (such as yams).  By having a skin care regimen and diet that contains AHA, you can continue with your youthful look.

During colder weather, people can suffer from severe chapped lips. Dry, cracked or sore lips can interfere with many daily activities, such as smiling, kissing, eating and talking.
Lips may become chapped for a variety of reasons, such as:

• Exposure to wind, sun, and cold, dry air

• Obstructed breathing, such as in allergic rhinitis, which can force you to breathe through your mouth

• Contact dermatitis due to irritants or allergens in cosmetics or skin-care products

• Certain medications, such as those used to treat acne

• A habit of frequently licking your lips

• Dehydration

To treat or prevent chapped lips, consider these tips:

• Use an oil-based lubricating cream, such as lip balm containing petrolatum or beeswax.

• Apply lip cream, balm or lipstick before going out in cold, dry weather. Reapply several times while outside.

• Choose a lip cream or balm that contains sunscreen. Sun exposure contributes to chapped lips.

• Avoid licking your lips. Saliva evaporates quickly, leaving lips drier than before you licked them.

• Avoid using a flavored lip balm, which can tempt you to lick your lips.

• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. Dehydration can contribute to chapped lips.

• Use a humidifier at home to keep air moist.

Most skin care products shouldn’t interfere with lip care. If chapping is severe and self-care measures don’t seem to help, consult your doctor. Rarely, persistent chapped lips may indicate an underlying problem, such as dermatitis.

Last month, I received the AdvanSkin Ultimate Treatment Serum as a birthday gift.  Honestly, I was a bit reluctant, but having tried it for the last three weeks, I can say that it’s probably the best product that I’ve ever used.  My skin now has a healthy glow and it reduced the bags around my eyes.  Even though I’m nowhere close to running out, I may buy another one just so I don’t forget.

 Skin rejuvenation is any cosmetic or medical procedure used to increase or restore the appearance of a younger age to human face. The specific term, however, refers to a set of surgical procedures which try to restore facial geometry and skin appearance which are typical of youth, by using a combination of brow lift, elimination of eye bags, eyelids lift, elimination of senile spots, skin aging, facial sagging and wrinkles by face lift and rhytidectomy and physical or chemical peeling, chin lift (reduction of double chin), restoration of facial hairline, etc. These procedures are usually successful and in some cases achieve striking results.

A mole is a small, dark spot on the skin. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the majority of moles appear during the first two decades of a person’s life while about one in every 100 babies are born with moles. Acquired moles are a form of benign neoplasm, while congenital moles are considered a minor malformation or hamartoma. A mole can be either subdermal or a pigmented growth on the skin. The high concentration of the body’s pigmenting agent, melanin, is responsible for their dark color.

Some scientists suspect that overexposure to ultraviolet light (UV), including excessive sunlight, may play a role in the formation of acquired moles. UV radiation from the sun causes premature aging of the skin and skin damage that can lead to melanoma. However, more research is needed to determine the complicated relationship between one’s heredity and overall exposure to ultraviolet light. A strong indication that this is so (but falling short of proof), is the relative lack of moles on the buttocks of people with dysplastic nevi. Another is that freckles (spots of melanin on the skin, and distinct from moles) are known to be influenced by sunlight.

Studies have found that sunburns and too much time in the sun can increase the risk factors for melanoma. This is in addition to those who have dysplastic nevi being at higher risk of this cancer. (The uncertainty is in regard to acquiring benign moles.) To prevent and reduce the risk of melanoma caused by UV radiation, the American Academy of Dermatology and the National Cancer Institute recommends staying out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.. The National Cancer Institute also recommends wearing long sleeves and pants, hats with a wide brim, sunscreens, and sunglasses that have UV-absorbing lenses.

These fact regarding moles should aid when considering your anti-aging regimen.

It’s summertime and now’s a great time to review what kind of care you need to take for your children.  Start getting some of those skin care products and take note of how to pick the proper sunscreen:

• SPF. Choose a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.

• Waterproof. Even if your kids won’t be swimming, a summer play day might include running through the sprinklers, playing in the mud and constant hand washing.

• UVA/UVB protection or broad spectrum protection.

• PABA and paraben free.

• Safe for sensitive skin. If you don’t want the hassle of buying a separate sunblock for you and your child, purchase an adult sunblock that’s also kid-friendly.

• Infants. Never apply sunscreen on an infant less than six months old; if your little one has to go outside, choose protective clothing, including a wide-brimmed hat, light-weight cotton clothing that covers the arms and legs and something to provide shade. For older infants, it’s wise to see a dermatologist or pediatrician to ensure that a formula is safe for your child.

• Application. Make sure you and your kids apply sunscreen 30 minutes before heading outdoors. Reapply every two to three hours. Come rain or shine, hot or cold weather, you and your children should wear sunscreen every day.