Total Skin Solutions

The pattern is well-defined; a blemish pops up, is hidden under layers of makeup, and leads to a worse situation tomorrow. Many steps can be taken to avoid this frustrating trap, including wearing mineral makeup, avoiding liquid foundation, and always priming with moisturizer. But perhaps the most important step is the most overlooked: washing your face at night.

It’s important to remove your makeup at night, and give your skin a chance to breathe. Skin cleansing solutions such as AdvanSkin AHA Cleanser are quick and gentle enough to use daily on any skin type, and provide essential vitamins to rejuvenate the skin while you sleep. So next time you think about going to bed without washing that perfectly painted face, think about what it could look like in the morning.

Your diet alone is not going to erase your wrinkles or completely put the brakes on the aging of your skin.  However, the old adage “you are what you eat” does apply, since your diet affects every organ in your body and the skin is one of them.   Every cell in your body needs nutrients and metabolites, some of which come must come from food—not even the best skin care products can completely replace them. When you take in food, its nutrients enter your bloodstream and delivery to the skin cells is unavoidable.   Good nutrition can slow the overall aging process, and nutrients and foods that benefit your skin also tend to improve your overall health.  Nutrients from topical skin cream will not magically penetrate your skin cells because the skin cream has been applied—the condition of your skin, the concentration of the skin cream’s ingredients, applicable manufacturing processes, and many other factors will determine the reliability of your skin cream’s effectiveness on the aging of your skin.  Skin aging combines the innate mechanisms of human physiological aging with environmental damage.  Limiting sun exposure and the use of sunblocks are absolutely necessary to affect this aspect of skin aging.  Nutritional supplements in pill form have proven ineffective thus far in the prevention of skin aging, their effects ranging from ineffective to unsafe.

In short, a balanced diet is important to promote and maintain skin health.  It may not provide skin rejuvenation on its own, but neglecting your diet will accelerate the skin’s natural aging process.  Certain vitamin and nutrient deficiencies can cause negative skin conditions such as dermatitis.  Mild deficiencies commonly go unnoticed, but can impair the skin’s ability to renew and heal itself.  Some nutrients taken in higher doses than the recommended daily requirement, but remaining in the safe range, may produce skin benefits beyond that of basic balanced nutrition.

Acne usually begins around puberty and tends to diminish in the 20s.  Some people do continue having acne outbreaks into middle age (much to their dismay).  Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin problem.  Any skin inflammation promotes aging by activating enzymes that break down the skin’s structural building blocks, such as collagen and elastin.  Apart from UV sun protection, one of the most effective anti-aging steps you can take toward skin health is to treat your acne.  The methods you choose to treat your acne are extremely important.  The overall number of inflamed facial acne lesions needs to be reduced for skin health, but any acne treatment that causes irritation or excessive dry skin should be used with caution.  Irritation promotes the aging of the skin and excessive dryness limits the skin’s ability to bounce back by healing itself.

Topical benzoyl peroxide is one of the most successful acne treatments, generating oxygen free radicals that kill acne-causing bacteria.  However, the very oxidizing strength that makes benzoyl peroxide so effective can also damage aging skin.  It is best to use the lowest concentration of benzoyl peroxide that will work for you–2.5% may be high enough, particularly if combined with other, gentler skin treatments.  Another popular acne treatment is topical retinoids, which are usually administered by prescription only.  Side effects of retinoids include skin irritation, dryness, and UV light sensitivity.  Skin must be protected from sunlight carefully when using this type of treatment.  One retinoid called Retin-A (tretinoin) is a rare FDA-approved anti-wrinkle agent.  When used properly, retinoids may reduce signs and mechanics of aging skin.  Exfoliation with alpha or beta-hydroxy acids is often a common component of acne treatment.  The effectiveness of exfoliation is debatable, though many argue it can improve the effects of other skin treatments.  Moderate exfoliation is thought to have some benefits for rejuvenation of facial skin.  Excessive use of any skin product can lead to chronic irritation, dryness, and sensitivity and ultimately accelerate the aging process.

The effects of tanning beds have long since been under debate, and the questions only increase with the growing number of beds emerging throughout the world: Are they safe? Do they increase the body’s production of vitamin D? Can overuse be linked to some forms of cancer?

People will disagree over some of these questions, but the bottom line is that overexposure to ultraviolet radiation – the type that tanning beds give off – is inherently harmful. They can damage skin cells and alter DNA structure, which can cause cancer and melanoma. The highest-risk group is women between the ages of 20 and 29, but everyone is equally susceptible. It’s recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology that regular users of tanning beds also use a healthy array of skin care products, such as anti-aging cream. Furthermore, the FDA and World Health Organization have denounced the use of tanning beds, citing cosmetic reasons as the basis for their claims.

That’s not to say tanning beds are solely bad news. Health benefits of regular use can include the reduction of muscle weakness and increase the body’s production of vitamin D. This can be especially beneficial for people who live in areas that don’t see as much sun throughout the year as others. Like everything else in life, moderation is the key when using tanning beds.

Your face has the most delicate skin on your body, and usually it is the part of the body that is exposed to the elements most frequently.  Exposure to the elements makes skin on the face the most vulnerable to aging, clogging of pores, and pigmentation.  Gentle but thorough skin cleansing at least once each day is recommended.

Skin cleansers emulsify and exfoliate, removing dirt, excess oils, bacteria, and cosmetics and allowing skin cells to breathe.  Toning and moisturizing in addition to cleaning is like taking vitamin and mineral supplements for the skin—these additional skin care steps can only benefit the skin.  Determine your skin type and use products formulated for that specific skin type.  Wash your hands thoroughly before cleansing the face to prevent the transfer of bacteria.  When you rinse your face after cleansing, use cool water—not too hot or cold—because either extreme in temperature can increase broken capillaries or result in flushing.