Skin Care Blog

SUN DAMAGE                                         Fitzpatrick Classification Scale

UV Radiation and Wrinkles
Both UVA and UVB radiation cause wrinkles by breaking down collagen, creating free radicals, and inhibiting the natural repair mechanisms of the skin. Wrinkles are often due to the effect of sun and UV exposure over many years.

Sunscreen Ingredients
Sunscreens ingredients can be divided into compounds that  physically block radiation or compounds that absorb radiation. The radiation blockers are very effective at reducing the exposure of the skin to both UVA and UVB radiation.  However, a newer formulation of micronized titanium dioxide provides excellent protection.

 Picking the Proper Sunscreen
The SPF measures the amount of UVB absorption, but there is no method of reporting the UVA absorption. The only way to determine if a sunscreen protects against UVA and UVB radiation is to look at the ingredients. A good broad-spectrum sunscreen should have an SPF of at least 15 and contain  titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide. Daily Sunscreen
Sunscreen should be applied daily. The daily use of a low-SPF sunscreen (15 -20) has been shown to be more effective in preventing skin damage than the intermittent use of a higher SPF (30-50) sunscreen.

Treating Wrinkles with Alpha Hydroxy Acids

With increasing research into what causes  wrinkles and the  effects of photo aging, alpha hydroxy acids have increased greatly in popularity. Alpha hydroxy acids have been used for thousands of years as a skin-rejuvenating product. Cleopatra is reported to have bathed in sour mild (lactic acid) to improve her complexion. Now hydroxy acids are a common additive to numerous skin care products including moisturizers, cleanser, toners, and masks.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids Defined
Alpha hydroxy acids are derived from fruit and milk sugars. The most commonly used alpha hydroxy acids are glycolic acid and lactic acid because they have a special ability to penetrate the skin. They also have the most scientific data on their effectiveness and side effects.

• ACNE Clean your skin gently with a mild soap or cleanser twice a day once in the morning and once at night. You should also gently clean the skin after heavy exercise. Avoid strong soaps and rough scrub pads. Harsh scrubbing of the skin may make acne worse. Wash your entire face from under the jaw to the hairline and rinse thoroughly. Remove make-up gently with a mild soap and water.
•  Avoid being sunburned. Many medicines used to treat acne can make you more prone to sunburn. Many people think that the sun helps acne, because the redness from sunburn may make acne lesions less visible. However, too much sun can also increase your risk of skin cancer and early aging of the skin. When you are going to be outside, use sunscreen of at least SPF 15. Also, try to stay in the shade as much as you can.

Wrinkles     As a person ages the epidermal cells become thinner and less sticky. The thinner cells make the skin look noticeably thinner. The decreased stickiness of the cells decreases the effectiveness of the barrier function allowing moisture to be released instead of being kept in the skin. This causes dryness. The number of epidermal cells decreases by 10% per decade and they divide more slowly as we age making the skin less able to repair itself quickly.

The effects of aging on the dermal layer are significant. Not only does the dermal layer thin, but also less collagen may be produced, and the elastin fibers that provide elasticity wear out. These changes in the scaffolding of the skin cause the skin to wrinkle and sag.  In addition, sebaceous glands get bigger but produce less sebum, and the number of sweat glands decreases. Both of these changes lead to skin dryness.

The rete-ridges of the dermal-epidermal junction flatten out, making the skin more fragile and making it easier for the skin to shear. This process also decreases the amount of nutrients available to the epidermis by decreasing the surface area in contact with the dermis, also interfering with the skin’s normal repair process.

In the subcutaneous layer, the fat cells get smaller with age. This leads to wrinkles that are more noticeable and sagging, as the fat cells cannot “fill in” the damage from the other layers. Daily moisturizing and sun block will help.

ACNE  is a disorder that causes outbreaks of skin lesions commonly called pimples. It is caused by the skin’s oil glands making too much sebum, an oily substance, which leads to plugged pores. It can also be caused by the rapid production of a bacteria. Regular exfoliation can help to prevent blocked pores.

Acne lesions occur mostly on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. It is the most common skin disease. Although acne is not a serious health threat, severe acne can lead to disfiguring and permanent scarring.

Most young women and men will have at least a few pimples over the course of their lives. However, acne seems to affect men and women in different ways. Young men are more likely to have a more serious form of acne. Acne in young women tends to be more random and linked to hormone changes, such as the menstrual cycle.

As women get older, acne often gets better. However, some women have acne for many years. Some women even get acne for the first time at age 30 or 40.

For many women, acne can be an upsetting illness. Women may have feelings of depression, poor body image, or low self-esteem. However, you do not have to wait to outgrow acne or to let it run its course. Today, almost every case of acne can be resolved.

• Comedo (whiteheads or blackheads) or papules. The comedo is the basic acne lesion, which is a plugged pore. If the plugged pore stays under the skin, it’s called a closed comedo and forms a white bump or whitehead. Blackheads are comedos that open up and appear blackish on the surface of the skin. This black color is not due to dirt, but because the air reacts with the excess oil. Exfoliation can help this problem.