Finally corneotherapy is making its name and principles known in the skin care industry. I've been preaching this philosophy to my clients for years! Please read the article in Associated Skin Care Professional's Skin Deep July/August 2014 Issue.
BY KATHRYN MAZIERSKI Understanding the skin barrier is essential for an esthetician. Supporting this important system is the first step in correcting any inflammatory skin condition: acne, rosacea, and a host of others. An amazing body of scientific discovery on the topic of corneobiology—the study of the skin barrier—has been produced by researchers such as Peter Elias, Richard Gallo, Albert Kligman, Hans Lautenschläger, Lars Norlén, and others. One of the things this research reveals is that dermatologists, estheticians, and other skin care professionals may unwittingly be recreating the inflammatory processes they are trying to treat. We routinely strip away the skin’s first line of defense, the acid mantle, as a side effect of our treatments and, too often, we do not pay enough attention to restoring it. Any time you see redness in the skin, it is a sign that the skin barrier has been compromised. The Skin’s Barrier Functions The role of the stratum corneum (the skin’s outer layer) is to protect us against environmental hazards while preventing water loss from the skin. It contains an entire set of defenses—Kligman counted 16 separate types of barrier function operating within this skin layer. All are interconnected, co-regulated, and interdependent. If one barrier function is compromised, others will also be affected. The barrier function that most estheticians are familar with is the permeability barrier, which prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and, in the other direction, prevents allergens, irritants, microbes, and pathogens from entering the body through the skin. To understand how we can support this permeability barrier and repair it when it becomes damaged, we need to know a little about three lipids that are found in the stratum corneum. THREE VITAL LIPIDS Under a microscope, the stratum corneum looks similar to a brick wall. The corneocytes are the “bricks,” embedded in “mortar” that is made up of multiple sheets of lamellar membranes. These membranes are the permeability barrier, and they are made of a mixture of three different lipids: ceramides, cholesterol, and long-chain free fatty acids. These three lipids account for up to 10 percent of the dry weight of the stratum corneum, and they work together to waterproof the skin. The proportion of the lipids is vital for correct skin barrier function. All three must be present, and normal skin requires a ratio of 1:1:1 (in other words, each of the three is present in the same amount). If the epidermis overproduces or underproduces one of the lipids, a good permeability barrier cannot form. Skin problems are the result. An example is atopic dermatitis, a chronic inflammatory skin condition in which ceramides are not produced in sufficient quantities. Clients with atopic dermatitis need more ceramides, so a 3:1:1 ratio is used in products aimed at these clients. Although ceramides are a popular ingredient, the well-informed esthetician must realize that ceramides on their own are not the key to skin barrier repair, because all three key species of lipids within the permeability barrier are equally important. All three lipids must be present in sufficient amounts, and in the correct ratio, for the condition being treated. The Acid Mantle The stratum corneum’s first line of barrier defense is the acid mantle on the surface of the skin. The acid mantle has many tasks. It contains trans-urocanic acid, our natural defense against ultraviolet (UV) radiation—this acid is responsible for filtering out around 70 percent of the UV-B rays that we are exposed to. Deeper within the skin, a key protein called filaggrin is metabolized (broken down) to provide essential barrier components. On the skin surface, these components are further degraded to produce what is known as “natural moisturizing factor,” which plays a role in keeping the epidermis hydrated and overall barrier function. Maintaining the skin’s surface at its natural, acidic pH level is critical for proper skin barrier function. When we strip away the acid mantle, the consequences include increased TEWL, chronic dry skin, various inflammatory conditions, and even an increased risk of skin cancer. What else happens when the acid mantle is removed? First, the skin’s pH rises, making it alkaline instead of acidic. In response, the stratum corneum releases inflammatory cytokines in an attempt to trigger more lipid production. Normally, this would be a good thing and would help return the whole system to a healthy state. However, if this cytokine cascade is continual, chronic inflammation sets in. The result is a very thin, leaky, and permeable skin barrier. In other situations, increased skin pH may release serine proteases, which block lipid production. In this case, lipids stay trapped within the corneocytes instead of forming the permeability barrier. The result is complete failure of the skin barrier system. Raising the pH of the skin for sustained periods of time can bring on or heighten the symptoms of acne, atopic dermatitis, rosacea, photodamage, and other conditions—not only affecting the epidermis, but also the dermis. Keep the skin acidic! Corneotherapy: Restoring the Skin Barrier When the skin barrier has been compromised, simply using anti-inflammatory ingredients is not enough to restore it. We must pursue treatments that return the barrier to its natural state of balance. This area of skin care is known as corneotherapy or skin barrier therapy. An important goal of corneotherapy is to generate the three lipids that form the permeability barrier. When we provide these to the skin in the correct ratio using topical corneotherapeutic products, the synthesized lipids make their way through the stratum corneum to be processed along with those that were generated within the skin, forming the lamellar membranes that make up the permeability barrier. The lipids in corneotherapeutic products must always be chemically identical to those within the stratum corneum. Restoring the acid mantle (in other words, getting the skin back to an acidic pH) is the first step in restoring barrier function. This will: • Turn off inflammatory processes within the epidermis. • Allow the permeability barrier to start reforming. • Improve the skin’s antimicrobial defenses, decreasing penetration of allergens and pathogens. Do Barrier Repair Creams Work? As the terms barrier repair and corneotherapy become more widely known, they have started to show up more often in product marketing. Many manufacturers who use these terms do not provide any supporting data that their products do what they claim. On closer inspection, many so-called barrier repair products do not contain the ingredients needed to get results. They may even cause more harm to the skin barrier. Here are the most common reasons why a barrier repair product does not work: • It does not contain all three of the necessary lipids: ceramides, cholesterol, and long-chain free fatty acids. • It does not contain the correct ratio of those lipids. • It has an incorrect pH. Poor formulations often use silicones or other occlusive ingredients in an attempt to “block up the gaps” and prevent further TEWL. These substances impede the natural functionality of the skin barrier instead of restoring it. This means some products touted as barrier repair products actually have the opposite effect—a situation that should be of great concern to any skin care professional. Getting it Right With all this in mind, what are the basics you need to know in order to practice effective corneotherapy? Here are the key points: • Respect the integrity of the epidermis, starting with the first lines of barrier defense. • Keep the skin’s surface pH acidic. • Restore the antimicrobial barrier and natural UV-B filters. • When looking for a barrier repair product, use only those that provide ceramides, cholesterol, and long-chain free fatty acids in the 1:1:1 or 3:1:1 ratio. At the same time, these are the things to avoid: • Any procedure or product that decreases hydration. • Mineral oils and other petroleum-based products. • Products that contain emulsifiers. These have the side effect of destroying the lipid structures within the permeability barrier. • Products that contain fragrance. • Products that contain preservatives. With a better understanding of the structure and function of the skin barrier, estheticians will recognize the importance of treating it with the respect it deserves. Overexfoliating, harsh or incorrect modalities, and incorrect product formulations all work together to create an inflammatory situation for your client. The key to success in treating skin starts with a full assessment of the health of the skin barrier and the correct strategies to begin the repair process. Once the barrier is restored, wonderful and lasting results can be achieved for your client.
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by Corporate Educator, Daniel Clary
(Osmosis Our Medical Skin Care) Niacinamide, one of the powerhouse ingredients seen throughout the Osmosis line, effectively increases the skin's metabolism, allowing your cells to properly communicate with each other for repair, support barrier function, and to regulate desquamation. That's right, when your skin's metabolic rate is performing at its most optimum level via Niacinamide application - cells naturally exfoliate, UV damage and oxidative stress is repaired, and your skin's first line of defense, your barrier, is intact and ready to defend your largest organ. Unfortunately, like all biological systems, our skin metabolism slows down as we age - this is the reason we begin to form fine lines and wrinkles, and we tend to pack on that weight a bit easier! The metabolic rate can slow even further by extrinsic and intrinsic factors, such as sun exposure, smoking and poor sugar rich diets. Fret not though, Niacinamide is here to the rescue. Niacinamide is the active form of Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and is by far one of the most important components of proper cellular function, acting as a precursor in over 300 chemical and enzymatic reactions in the skin and body. It has several medicinal applications including anti-inflammation, reversal of photo immunosuppression and an increase in cellular lipid synthesis. Topically, our patented liposomal Niacinamide will increase ceramide production for improved barrier function, repair photo aged skin, regulate unwanted pigmentation, decrease sebum production, and return your cellular turnover rate to normal. Systemically, it's involvement in the energy cycle of your cells, will allow free fatty acids and glucose to be more efficiently used and burned as fuel, versus being stored as fat, all while increasing your own native energy without artificial central nervous system stimulation. A win on both ends! Did you know that the average skincare product provides less than 5% penetration. It is important to use products that offer a high penetration rate. The fact is skincare products should have a good delivery system in place. Your products should be formulated to help rebuild, repair, remodel and preserve the epidermal layers of the skin while building collagen and strengthening elasticity. A liposome delivery system is key to product penetration. Liposomes are microscopic spheres that are so tiny making the absorption almost perfect which solves many problems for special nutrient deficiencies within the skin. Products which are poorly absorbed or which have a normal molecular size inhibit efficient absorption providing very little nutrient value for our skin cells. Normal absorption is in the 3-5 percent range, liposomal absorption is 90 plus percent! Does your skincare products have this system in place. I have the perfect solution. I can help you get that healthy radiant skin you have always wanted without using harsh ingredients, chemicals or causing inflammation. As we adopt healthy choices by adding exercise to our daily activities, we need to be mindful of the 32 individual muscles in our face. Instead of injecting toxins and chemicals, ask yourself WHY NOT exercise those muscles naturally. Microcurrent treatment is completely natural, safe, and non-invasive, and allows your facial muscles to tone, rejuvenate, heal, and rebuild themselves.
Like CIT, Microcurrent is another natural, non-invasive, and holistic approach to facial treatment. Visible results are evident after a single pain free treatment. Subsequent treatments have a cumulative effect and provide remarkable results that challenge both dermal fillers and laser technology. TAMA Microcurrent is a form of electrical massage that allows your face to attain better health naturally. This non-invasive, holistic modality is closest to the body’s own healing state, promoting homeostasis through rebalancing of ionic transport in the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous layers of the skin. TAMA's unique Multi-Mode Waveform stimulation provides simultaneous muscle toning and re-education, thus providing both short- and long-term benefits. Again like CIT, no other aesthetic service can come close to these proven results. Microcurrent treatment has been proven to: • Diminish appearance of fine lines and wrinkles • Improve circulation • Clear up/ reduce acne • Improve muscle tone in face, neck, and hands • Lift jowls and eyebrows • Calm rosacea • Drain lymphatic nodes • Treat sun damage • Improve skin pigmentation • Facilitate product penetration • Tighten large pores, resulting in smoother and firmer skin • Revitalize the skin • Improve elasticity Ask about TAMA’s Microcurrent facial rejuvenator and start your journey to a newer you!! For appointments click here. For pricing click here. Osmosis Pur Medical Skin Care The Bees Knees of Skin Care! Purely Holistic Medical Effectiveness Organic Skincare About Osmosis SkincareThe Future is Here. Osmosis Skin Care offers a collection of facial products that are safe to use on even the most sensitive skin because they are infused with nutrients that are highly efficacious and yet non-inflammatory. For decades most skincare companies have been using irritating ingredients that work by inflaming the skin. This has to change if we want to reverse aging skin. Most skincare companies also struggle to get adequate penetration (2-5% on average) and they have failed to address the lack of skin nutrition needed to feed the repair process. This has resulted in poor outcomes throughout the world. Osmosis achieves remarkable results by addressing every aspect of skin damage; collagen/elastin production, scar tissue build-up, loss of skin nutrition and growth factors, and DNA damage. In addition, Osmosis Skincare avoids ingredients and strategies that weaken and inflame the skin. Finally, Osmosis Skincare differentiates itself by using the most advanced ingredients in the world. We are the first to offer DNA repair strategies using Zinc Finger Technology™. We are the first to offer liposomally delivered stem cell growth factors. We have over 17 patents pending for ingredients that have the unique ability to improve the skin without damaging or interfering with its proper function. Osmosis Skincare is the first company discussing increasing skin nutrition and offering multiple modalities to achieve that goal. No skincare line in the world has a more complete approach to skin health than Osmosis Skincare. Your results will reflect that. Is a Sugar Free Diet a Natural Facelift?
The perils of smoking are well known and the effects of cigarettes on our appearance are all too obvious in the advanced wrinkles that plague smokers from a younger age than is normal, but sugar is a less publicized culprit of premature aging. Sugar, once only an occasional addition to our diet, over the last few decades our consumption of sugar has increased dramatically and with it is has the incidence of insulin resistance syndrome, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In 1700, the average person consumed only four pounds of sugar per year, by 1900 this had risen to 90 pounds of sugar per year and by 2009 the average American consumed 180 pounds of sugar every year, or to put it another way, half a pound of sugar every single day. Unfortunately this sugar craze does more to human health than give us tooth decay – it can also cause inflammation, damage our immune system and accelerate the aging process of the skin. How Sugar Harms Your Skin When you consume sugar it breaks down and attaches itself to proteins or lipid fats that then form into harmful molecules called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). Normally the metabolic functioning of molecules is controlled by enzymes but in the case of AGEs, this doesn’t occur and they have nothing to regulate them. They then set about damaging proteins nearby, including the two main structural proteins of the skin, collagen and elastin. Glycation adversely affects the properties of collagen, making it more brittle and it discolors collagen and elastin, weakening them and damaging DNA so that your skin can’t regenerate itself as easily. The altered proteins normally keep your skin firm, giving you a youthful complexion, but after their disablement by AGEs you may find your skin becoming more saggy, less defined and you might notice the early appearance of wrinkles. Dermatologist Cheryl Karcher MD, says “Number one, the glucose makes the cells abnormal; and number two, it creates free radicals. So you get a double whammy when it comes to aging.” Of course, sugar is present in most foods, even in fruits, vegetables and grains and it cannot entirely be avoided (glycation happens after consumption of these products too, but there are fewer AGEs in natural foods). Sugar is also necessary for energy, can boost your endurance, is good for your muscles and can help you burn fat more effectively during exercise. The problem lies with refining the sugar so that it is quite far removed from its natural state, consuming sugar in processed foods and the sheer amount of sugar that we eat. Our diet and the way we live our lives has a direct impact on how severely we are affected by glycation. Highly processed foods like white bread, white rice and foods loaded with white sugar or high-frustose corn syrup spread the glycation process like oxygen spreads fire. Will a Sugar-Free Diet Benefit Me? Avoiding dietary AGEs has been shown in research studies to delay chronic diseases and aging in animals and possibly also in human beings. Foods with the highest amount of dietary AGEs are cookies, potato chips, crackers and other items with high sugar content like cake. They are also present in margarine, white bread rolls or bagels, cheese, eggs and other dairy products and even in meats. Following a sugar-free or reduced sugar diet may benefit you by reducing the amount of AGEs you are exposed to and therefore potentially avoiding some of the damage to your collagen and elastin, helping you to maintain a younger appearance for longer than your coffee and cake loving friend. The way you cook your food can also determine how many glycation end products are present. For instance, frying grilling or roasting your meat will produce more AGEs within the meat than if you boiled or steamed it. You can eliminate some of them by marinating the meat in lemon juice or vinegar. Beef marinated in either of these acidic solutions for one hour formed less than half the amount of AGEs compared with beef that wasn’t marinated. People who reduce or cut out their ‘junk’ foods and sweet and sugary drinks, eat less meat, cook moist heated foods (like stew) and eat lots of different vegetables could only be consuming half the AGEs that people eating a traditional ‘western’ diet. So the secret to younger looking skin is avoidance of sugar and junk foods, eating a more natural plant based diet, cooking without the use of oils, limiting meat consumption and if you want to give your skin a boost with collagen induction therapy, with un-glycated collagen, this will give you the edge compared with those using diet alone. With a few easy changes, you can get back your youthful glow. by Claire Hazel
Have you ever met someone you thought was ten years younger than they actually are? Healthy skin keeps you looking younger for longer and genes undoubtedly play a part in determining whether you have good skin and at what age you start to develop wrinkles and lines, but there are also environmental influences that can accentuate the aging process, particularly in people prone to earlier aging. Your lifestyle choices and how you treat your skin can have a drastic impact on your appearance. Are you having a Love Affair with Sugar? In the 21st century most people are consuming large quantities of processed foods. The days of growing, preparing and cooking our own food from recipes are long behind us and although making meals from scratch is experiencing a revival, the majority of us still enjoy the freedom of being able to go to a supermarket, pick a ready-made item from the shelves and avoid having to spend hours in the kitchen. The amount of sugar-filled products available to the public dramatically increased with the arrival of convenience foods and there is sugar in all kinds of consumables. A lot of it goes unnoticed by the consumer. While many people monitor the amount of fat they are eating, unless they are diabetic they don’t pay the same attention to sugar. Unfortunately, glucose can enhance inflammation in your body and there is new scientific research linking it to complications of diabetes and the development of cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic degenerative diseases of aging. It also affects your skin and slows down wound healing. The sugar in your blood stream attaches to proteins and forms advanced glycation end products. These end products are harmful and can damage other proteins nearby, including collagen and elastin – protein fibers that keep skin looking young and firm. The more sugar you eat, the more advanced glycation end products you accumulate and the more damage is done to your collagen and elastin, making you age more quickly than your friend who eats less sugar than you do. Can’t go out Without Your Make-Up? It is understandable that you may want to plaster your face in make-up at the first sign of a wrinkle, especially if you normally feel naked leaving the house without your make-up, but using it too much can actually age you faster. According to the organization, Skin Deep, the average woman uses 12 cosmetic products a day and contain a total of 168 ingredients. Some of these are toxic to the skin. Eye make-up even contains mercury as a preservative. Not surprisingly, an increasing number of older women are developing eczema on their eyelids after years of application. To maintain clear looking skin and avoid dermatological conditions, you should only use a thin layer of make-up or go without it altogether. Are you on your Computer all Day? People generally get less exercise and are exposed to more radiation than previous generations. Most office workers spend large amounts of their day sitting at a computer and some use the computer after work to frequent social media sites like Facebook and Twitter or keep in touch with relatives who live away from home. Now, cosmetic surgeon Dr. Michael Prager from the UK says that computers are causing premature aging in female office workers, including frown lines from squinting at the computer screen and saggy jowls from sitting in the same position for too long. He says that younger women who are now in their 20s have grown up with computers from birth may have even more pronounced signs of aging by the time they are only 30. If you can, try to limit your screen time. Would you Rather Watch TV than Swim? If you’re the type who’d rather snuggle in front of the TV instead of going for a run or a swim, you could age faster than your sportier neighbor. Getting enough exercise can delay the signs of aging, firstly, through reducing your stress levels (sustained levels of stress can result in premature lines and wrinkles) and also by increasing the blood flow to your face. The extra blood flow carries with it the essential vitamins and nutrients your skin needs to stay healthy. That’s why people who have been exercising are often described as having a ‘healthy glow’. Exercise also helps your skin to excrete dead cells and debris, assisting you in detoxing and preventing blackheads, acne and other unsightly skin problems. In addition, it will keep you lean, which in itself will keep you younger and fresher. Being overweight or obese is another reason why you might age faster, as a bigger body mass index is correlated with damage to the DNA that is present on the end of chromosomes. These are called Telomeres and their job is to protect the chromosomes. As people age, the telomeres shorten, becoming less effective. Oxidative stress caused by junk foods, lack of exercise, radiation and pollution can also shorten the telomeres and put your aging process on fast forward. Do you Love that Tanned Complexion? If you regularly sun bathe outdoors or if you use sunbeds, think again! Excessive UV light can cause premature aging and wrinkles because it damages DNA and skin cells and damages collagen and the connective tissue underneath the top layer of skin. Small amounts of UV exposure are good for you and provide you with vitamin D that can help you fight bone diseases and the flu, so it’s okay to have a few minutes sun each day, but you should consider using a non-toxic, natural sunscreen after that – particularly on the facial area where it will protect your face from damage by the sun. Skin disorders and Conditions Where Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT) Shows Excellent Results11/17/2013 A list of common skin disorders and conditions where Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT) (aka: Dermal Needling or Micro-needling) shows excellent results:
· Wrinkles · Thin Skin · Hyperpigmentation · Rosacea · Loss of adhesion & resiliency · Premature ageing · Scars · Epidermal density & strength · Lax skin · UV damage · Stretch Marks · Hair restoration How CIT improves… Lax Skin and Wrinkles What went wrong? · Keratinocyte damage = impaired signals to fibloblasts · Deterioration of collagen & elastin fibrils · Loss of structural integrity · Increased levels of elastin (actinic elastosis) · Loss of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) · Loss of adhesion (dermal-epidermal junction) What are some causes? · Chronological and mitochondrial aging · Cellular senescence · Glycation – sugar molecules (fructose or glucose) bond to proteins or lipids without the controlling action of an enzyme, leading to advanced glycation end products (AGE’s), which cause inflammation. Abnormal cross-linking results in damage to the collagen and elastin. Glycation CANNOT be reversed! · UV irradiation · Oxidative stress (radical exposure), which causes lipid peroxidation · Repeated mechanical stress (frowning) · Rapid weight loss · Connective tissue disorders How does CIT correct lax skin and wrinkles? Increases the availability of cell nutrients and the triggering of the wound healing cascade brings platelets, fibroblasts, epithelial, and immune cells together to facilitate wound healing. A complex signaling system, made up of predominately of growth factors and the cytokines released by them, exists between these cells. Rapid re-epithelialization leads to earlier restoration of normal cell-to-cell communication, especially between keratinocytes and fibroblasts; thus, negating the inflammatory cascades abd allowing fibroblasts differentiation that produces a physiological process of increased GAG production, and consequently more collagen. In addition, myofibroblasts produce a tightening effect through myofibril contraction using a mechanism similar to that in smooth muscle cells. Source: The Concise Guide to Dermal Needling - Expanded Medical Edition by Dr. Lance Setterfield, M/D., 2013, pages 50-51. by Claire Hazel
Aging of the skin occurs because the body cannot fully repair damage to your DNA. Molecules that make young skin firm and elastic are gradually altered by free radicals (molecules that devour electrons – known as atoms) and as they pull electrons from each molecule they encounter, they change its structure and its function. This has the effect of zapping collagen from the dermis (a thick layer of skin below the top layer) and making elastin looser. Elastin helps give our skin the elasticity it needs and becomes less effective as we age. The free radicals responsible for the aging process are caused mainly by UV radiation from the sun. Glucose can also cause damage. Although it is a sugar that we use for energy, it can bind with proteins and form a molecule with the appearance of plastic that makes the skin saggy and wrinkled. Glucose is always assisted by free radicals in its fusion with proteins, so the synergy between glucose and free radicals helps skin to age. Other causes are pollution, lack of a good quality diet and smoking. While the aging process is inevitable and happens to all of us, there are things we can do to slow it down and stay looking younger for longer. Be Sensible about Your Sun Exposure If you live in an area that gets intense sun, try to avoid going out in peak sunshine hours, pick shady areas to sit in or wear loose fitting clothing that covers your main areas of skin. You can also wear sunglasses that filter UV light. If you are taking any medication, check with your doctor about its side-effects. Some medications can increase your susceptibility to UV rays. Don’t use tanning beds – these are ‘hot beds’ for skin cancer and can age you by damaging your skin. Tans are evidence of skin injury and if you consistently use sun beds or sit in full sunlight for long periods without sunscreen, you may get age related wrinkles much earlier. Get Enough Sleep This can be easier said than done if you have children, a career and housekeeping to juggle, but a persistent lack of sleep can leave you looking older than your years. Scientists at University Hospital’s Case Medical Center studied 60 women between the ages of 30 and 49. Around half of them had poor sleep quality. All the women had their skin evaluated by examination and by skin challenge tests like exposure to UV light. They also filled out a diary of their sleeping patterns. The differences between the two groups were significant with poor quality sleepers having an increased number of fine lines, sagging and uneven pigmentation. Recovery from skin stressors like sunburn was slower in the women having less sleep and inflammation in the skin remained for more than 72 hours. Try to get at least eight hours sleep a night and if you can’t, try power napping during the day to top up your ‘asleep’ time. Eat Plenty of Fruit and Vegetables Eat five portions of fruit and vegetables daily to get plenty of antioxidants. Antioxidants help prevent the damage done by free radicals. Strawberries are the best fruit because they contain a large amount of vitamin C and vitamin C assists with the production of collagen and helps prevent wrinkles and keep your skin young and elastic. Sweet potatoes contain 384% of your recommended amount of vitamin A in a 100g serving. Vitamin A maintains and repairs damaged skin and has reduced lines and wrinkles in clinical studies. Make sure your diet contains a varied amount of fruit and vegetables of different colors (colourful vegetables contain more nutrients). Stop Smoking Smoking is one of the biggest causes of premature aging. The nicotine found in cigarettes causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the top layer of your skin. This impairs blood flow and deprives the skin of the nutrients and oxygen it needs to be healthy and it is this that can cause the sagging and wrinkling often associated with smoking. Impaired blood flow will also compromise your skin’s ability to withstand the effects of sunlight and environmental pollution. In addition, cigarettes contain in excess of 4,000 poisonous chemicals that destroy collagen and elastin as well as putting you at greater risk of getting cancer, lung disease, heart disease and a whole host of serious and life limiting conditions. One of the greatest decisions you can make for your over-all health - and for your skin - is to quit cigarettes now. Get More Exercise Exercise is a wonderful anti-aging tonic. It boosts your circulation to increase oxygen and vital nutrients to your skin and to help you detox from pollution and ‘junk’ foods. Improved circulation also enhances your skin’s ability to renew skin cells, helping you to maintain a younger appearance. BUTTERNUT SQUASH
"Opt for foods that are rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that protects against UVB-induced redness in the skin," advises Dr. Annie Chiu, dermatologist and owner of The Derm Institute. This means, your skin will be able to tolerate a bit more sun exposure before turning pink. SALMON Look for omega 3 rich foods, like salmon, to minimize inflammation and decrease skin redness, says Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi, Co-Director of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery. LICORICE ROOT This anti-inflammatory herb contains glycyrrhizin and flavonoids, which protect against UV-induced reactions that damage skin and lead to redness” due to the fact that they contain glycyrrhizin and flavonoids, says Dr. Chiu. Try it brewed into a tea for an extra soothing treat. GOAT CHEESE Yes, we’re telling you to indulge in this creamy (and anti-inflammatory) treat! Not only is it a good source of protein, but it’s easy to digest and low-carb, which is key for any diet that aims to minimize skin redness, according to Dr. Tanzi. PINK GRAPEFRUIT Lycopenes have been proven to protect against sun-induced redness, says Dr. Chiu, and these refreshing fruits are full of them. Source: http://www.realbeauty.com/health/diet/five-foods-that-naturally-reduce-skin-redness#slide-1 For more tips, product updates & access to exclusive promos: |
Welcome...to dermagrace cosmetic rejuvenation blog and information center. If you're looking for dramatic and long lasting skin improvements…look no further. My goal is to provide the most authoritative skin care protocols, research and articles. Everyday I search for relevant and reliable information. I look forward to any comments or questions. Archives
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