Articles Related to Skincare:
- The Importance of Topical Vitamin C
- The Importance of Cleansing and Toning.
- About Acne Scars and Their Treatment
The Importance of Tropical Vitamin C
On an almost daily basis our skin is exposed to such damaging forces as stress, sunlight, cigarette smoke and pollution. Such exposure can damage the skin and lead to the presence of free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause cells to function poorly or die and thus can help lead to premature aging of the skin. Exercise, proper nutrition and enough sleep can help minimize these effects to some extent, but there are other things that can and should be done.
Current research indicates that using topical products containing vitamin c (L-Ascorbic Acid) on the skin can be an effective tool to enhance its health and vitality. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, which means it can help inhibit free radical activity and therefore minimize their associated effects as mentioned above.
Vitamin C can also help maintain and promote the production of collagen in the skin. Collagen is an important protein that helps keep your skin firm and toned. As we age, our skin loses essential collagen, causing our skin to sag, droop and wrinkle. On the contrary, younger people with plenty of Collagen tend to have firmer, smoother looking skin.
With the popularity of Vitamin C skincare products, there is no surprise how many companies are selling Vitamin C Serums, creams and ointments. And why not? Professional strength Vitamin C can be very effective in providing your skin superior protection, helping fight off the onset of fine lines and wrinkles, making the skin appear brighter and more even, and promoting the production of Collagen in the skin. Buyers should beware though. Not all of these products are effective. It is important that the Vitamin C in the product one uses is in the form of stabilized ascorbic acid. Non stabilized Vitamin C will deteriorate quickly and won’t be properly absorbed by the skin.
Make sure that you include application of a good professional topical Vitamin C product in your daily routine. It is every bit as important as vitamins, exercise and proper nutrition.
The Importance of Cleansing and Toning
Why should you include cleansing and toning as part of your daily facial skincare regime? Cleansing and toning are one of the least expensive yet most effective ways to help maintain healthy, vibrant skin.
CLEANSING: Cleansing is perhaps the easiest most important element of maintaining healthy skin. It is the basis for a healthy skincare regime. Cleansing removes excess oil and impurities from your skin and helps improve its health and radiance. Cleansing also helps prepare your skin for the other steps in your skincare program. You should consider using a professional facial cleansing product. Most of these products are designed to be gentle on your face’s delicate skin yet powerful enough to remove debris and impurities effectively. On the other hand, many all purpose soaps will end up being too harsh for your face, leaving the skin dry or irritated.
TONING: Toning is an important second step that completes the cleansing process yet many people choose to leave this step out. In reality, toning should be considered part of the cleansing process. A good toner will remove any remaining bits of oil, dirt and debris left behind by the cleanser. More importantly, toner will help soothe, nourish and hydrate the skin while restoring its delicate pH balance.
Cleansing and toning should be done twice daily for optimum results, however once a day is better than not at all. Cleansers and toners are relatively inexpensive and the cleansing/toning process takes only a few minutes. It makes sense to clean your skin daily just like you do your teeth and your hair. Doing so will help keep your skin looking good longer. And good looking skin will help make you feel better about yourself, which has the potential to benefit you in many other areas in life.
About Acne Scars and Their Treatment.
As if dealing with the stress and discomfort of acne weren’t enough, those with serious acne are also faced with the reality of unsightly scarring. According to the Acne Resource Center Online (www.acne-resource.org), some 60 million Americans have active acne and some 20 million have it badly enough to cause some form of scarring.
If you have been following our previous articles, you are aware that scarring is the body’s natural response to trauma to the skin. In the case of acne scarring, there are two general types, those caused by increased tissue and those caused by tissue loss.
Scars caused by increased tissue are known as Keloid or Hypertrophic scars. These are enlarged skin overgrowths associated with the body’s overproduction of Collagen in response to skin injury. The excess Collagen builds up and forms firm, irregularly shaped raised scars.
Scars caused by loss of tissue are commonly referred to as Ice Pick Scars and are very similar to scars associated with Chicken Pox. These are scars that form an indentation or pit in the skin that may be quite deep or very shallow depending on the severity of the trauma to the skin. These Ice Pick scars are much more commonly caused by Acne than are Keloid or Hypertrophic scars.
There are several possible treatments for Acne scars. One should study the options carefully and discuss them with a qualified physician prior to making a decision. The best option for one person may not be the best option for the next person. Below I will briefly describe some of the more common treatements.
* Soft Tissue Fillers – Involves injecting either collagen or fat under the skin and or into the scar to fill them out and make them less noticeable. Results from this procedure are temporary and would therefore need to be repeated periodically to maintain the desired appearance.
* Laser Treatment – Involves the use of a YAG or CO2 laser to destroy the outer layers of skin. As the wound heals, new skin forms. After several treatments, the scars should appear less noticeable.
* Dermabrasion – Involves the use of a rapidly rotating wire brush to remove the top layer of skin. Surface scars may be erased using this procedure and deeper scars may be made less noticeable.
* Microdermabrasion – Involves the use of a device that blows crystals onto the scar. The crystals break down the scar. A vacuum that is part of the device then removes the crystals and skin cells. Results from this procedure are generally subtle and the scar may still be noticeable.
* Chemical Peels – Involve the application of a chemical cream or lotion on the affected area. After a period of time the chemical is removed and the old skin cells flake off. This allows the skin to regenerate and repair itself.
* Punch Grafts – Involves cutting the scar with a round sharp cookie cutter like tool. The tool comes in various sizes to treat different sized scars. Once the scar is cut out the surgeon will either pull the edges of the skin together and stitch it, or in some cases might take a skin graft and place it in the void left by the removed scar.
* Topical Treatments – Involves the application of a cream, gel or sheet to help shrink the size of the scar. This is only effective on raised Keloid or Hypertrophic scars. There is solid evidence that silicone based topical products can help reduce the size and intensity of raised scars. It is important to note that these types of products are generally only useful on newer, active scars. For more information on topical scar treatments visit www.scarfade.com.
The treatments listed above are by no means the only options available. It is always a good idea to enlist the advice of a qualified professional prior to making a decision. And it may be wise to speak with two or more such professionals in some cases.
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