03.01.09
Posted in yoga facial exercises and botox news at 11:44 pm by Administrator
The FDA gave its approval to Botox for cosmetic purposes in April, 2002, and global sales came to over 200 million in the first half of that year. It seems that everybody is doing it, and at younger and younger ages. It makes you wonder about the few hold-outs who are left–are we just too poor to join the crowd or are we just unnecessarily paranoid? Before undertaking this cosmetic procedure one should be as well-informed as possible, so let’s first take a realistic look at Botox.
What it is:
Cosmetic Botox is a purified form of Bootulinum Toxin Type A, a protein complex produced by Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium well-known for causinfg severe food poisoning and even death. The symptoms of botulism poisoning begin 6 hours to 2 weeks (commonly between 12 to 36 hours) after ingestion, and include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth and muscle weakness that descends through the body starting with the shoulders. Paralysis of the breathing muscles can cause a person to stop breathing and die.
How it works:
Botulinum toxins attach themselves to nerve endings, and when this happens the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, responsible for triggering muscle contractions, cannot be released.
Possible side effects:
Commonly experienced.
Headache
Upper respiratory tract infection
Flu syndrome
Nausea
Dysphasia If too much toxin is injected the patient can end up with a droopy eyelid or mouth that lasts around three weeks
Less frequent adverse reactions (experienced by less than 3% of patients) include pain in the face, redness around the injection site and muscle weakness.
Here are the side effects medical Luddites like myself speculate about:
Muscle atrophy–imagine you have a broken arm immobilized in a cast for 3 months. Remove it and you have a set of flaccid arm muscles you must exercise in order to recover tone and usefulness. If you get repeated Botox injections MAKE SURE you exercise in between, or you will suffer the same problems of atrophy.
The Botox face–wrinkles where you least expected them. Here is a latest finding that no one is talking about…yet. “The nerve endings usually grow new connections to the muscles at sites that have not been exposed to botulinum toxin. Therefore, treatment must be repeated as directed by your physician.”
Wow. We should know by now that Mother Nature, bless her heart, does not like to be thwarted. When nerve cells are blocked she starts to work immediately sending new dendrites into new areas so messaging can continue on its merry way. The upshot is that repeated Botox patients may start developing wrinkles in places they didn’t expect. MN (mother nature) is such a genius–all our efforts to limit the standard prmate facial repertoire (smiling, snarling, scowling) by paralyzing muscles may end up expanding it in ways we never could have imagined. Faces of the future–who knows?
Botox and facial exercise
Here’s my take on the whole Botox business. First of all, everyone wants to be attractive, it is a natural, healthy and wonderful part of being human. If you want to do a course of Botox because it works for you, then go for it. But do take two precautions:
1) exercise in between treatments to prevent atrophy
2) be on the lookout for side effects and if you experience any consult with your physician immediately.
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Posted in Facts About UV Protection, Safe Skin Care, Skin Aging Facts at 11:31 pm by Administrator
Titanium dioxide is regarded as an inert, non-toxic substance by many regulatory bodies such as the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) and others charged with the responsibility of safeguarding the health of occupational workers and public health. Yet watchdog groups like the EnvironmentalWorking Group (www.ewg.com) put titanium dioxide on their list of potential cancer causing substances. As near as I can tell they base their findings on a study showing that rats exposed to titanium dioxide dust develop lung tumors. I quote below from an article, Titanium Dioxide: Toxic or Safe? by Lori Stryker which appears in www.ezinearticles.com. (1)
“The NIOSH declaration of carcinogenicity in rats is based on a study by Lee, Trochimowicz & Reinhardt, “Pulmonary Response of Rats Exposed to Titanium Dioxide by Inhalation for Two Years” (1985). (2)The authors of this study found that rats chronically exposed to excessive dust loading of 250 mg/m cubed and impaired clearance mechanisms within the rat, for six hours per day, five days per week for two years, developed slight lung tumours. They also noted that the biological relevance of this data to lung tumours in humans is negligible. It is important to note that rats are known to be an extremely sensitive species for developing tumours in the lungs when overloaded with poorly soluble, low toxicity dust particles. Rat lungs process particles very differently compared to larger mammals such as dogs, primates or humans.” (Warheit, 2004).
Risk to humans from titanium dioxide
I’m going to quote again from the same source, as it seems to me author Stryker states the case very succinctly:
“Titanium dioxide is listed as a safe pigment, with no known adverse effects. It is not listed as a carcinogen, mutagen, teratogen, comedogen, toxin or as a trigger for contact dermatitis in any other safety regulatory publications beside the NIOSH (Antczak, 2001; Physical & Theoretical Chemical Laboratory, Oxford University respectively). It is reasonable to conclude then, that titanium dioxide is not a cancer-causing substance and is generally safe for use in foods, drugs, paints and cosmetics.
However, the story does not end there. While it has a long history of seemingly safe use and is not irritating, there are known disadvantages, including insufficient protection against long UVA rays, specifically in the 360 to 400 nm range. It may also help generate harmful free radicals via photocatalytic mechanism when exposed to sunlight. To increase protection and extend its range, titanium dioxide is usually combined with chemical UVB and UVA blockers and/or zinc oxide.
Zinc oxide vs Titanium Dioxide
When we look at the difference between zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, zinc oxide emerges as the clear winner.
Broad spectrum protection: Zinc oxide is the only mineral to provide complete UVB/UVA protection, up to 400 nm. Titanium dioxide protects partially in the UVA range, up to 350-360 nm (3)
Healing: ZnO has wonderful anti-inflammatory and healing properties. It is safe for use by people who have rosacea, both because it is anti-inflammatory and because it provides the protection they, more than most, so urgently need.
Photoreactivity: ZnO is inert, which means that, unlike titanium dioxide, it does not react in the presence of light. Titanium dioxide on the other hand does generates free radicals when exposed to light, and is even used by some industries as a free radical generator.
Micronized Titanium Dioxide
Attempts to stabilize titanium dioxide have given us new products which may offer a different set of problems, and controversy rages over the safety of one unique form of titanium dioxide. These are ultrafine or nano particles. As technology has advanced, so has its ability to take normal sized particles of minerals and reduce them to sizes never before imagined. While many are praising this new technology, others are warning of its inherent dangers to our bodies. A study by Churg et. al. at the University of British Columbia in their paper “Induction of Fibrogenic Mediators by Fine and Ultrafine Titanium Dioxide in Rat Tracheal Explants” (1999) found that ultrafine particles of the anatase form of titanium dioxide, which are less than 0.1 microns, are pathogenic or disease causing.” (4)
The Precautionary Principle and sunscreens
When it comes to titanium dioxide, most companies have had difficulty adopting the precautionary principle (if you don’t know what it does, don’t use it).
Since the public has not gravitated to titanium dioxide/zinc oxide creams because they find them heavy, greasy and too white, many companies have begun using “micronized” or nano-sized particles of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide in order to give a transparent look to their product.
According to Dr. Miriam H. Rafailovich “scientific evidence demonstrates that the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 partcles causes damage to DNA. (5)
Friends of the Earth has joined other industry watch dog groups in suggesting that these nanoparticles may be photoactive, producing free radicals and possibly causing DNA damage. (There is one other caveat to add the mix, namely, that the smaller the particle, the less effective the protection, particularly in the UV A range.) They have called for a moratorium on their use, but this has not met with much positive response.
The cosmetic industry typically rushes to market in lieu of rushing to testing. These days, part of the problem lies in the fact that companies are beginning to use technologies sophisticated beyond their ability to develop adequate testing models. For example, the Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD) test currently in use to track UV A protection efficacy in sunscreen could be replaced by a much simpler quantitative test. Nanotechnology expert Dr. Jay L. Nadeau, professor of Bio-Medical Engineering at McGill University, suggests that “absorbance spectroscopy and fluorescence-based assays can also quantify UVA absorption.” (7)
PPD is a relatively crude test, but it underlines a problem even large companies with well-staffed research departments presently face. They are simply not equipped to perform the sophisticated testing the new technology requires. Unfortunately, the public still leaves it up to sel-interested industry to talk the talk without having to walk the walk–with the consumer suffering the consequences.
REFERENCES:
1) Stryker, Lori: “Titanium Dioxide, Toxic or Safe?”
2) Lee, Trochimowicz & Reinhardt, “Pulmonary Response of Rats Exposed to Titanium Dioxide by Inhalation for Two Years” (1985)
3) Howard, Dr. Diana, “Ingredient Technology 2002: Fact vs Fiction”, white paper
4) Churg, et al, “Induction of Fibrogenic Mediators by Fine and Ultrafine Titanium Dioxide in Rat Tracheal Explants” , University of Britis Columbia
5) Rafailovich, Dr. Miriam H., “Sunscreen enhancement of UV-induces oxygen species in the skin” , Chemical Communications
6) Friends of the Earth,
http://www.foe.org/new/releases/may2006/nanorelease5162006.html
7)Nadeau, Dr, Jay L., “Interactions Between Semiconductor Nanoparticles and Biomembranes and DNA”, McGill University
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Posted in Facts About UV Protection, Safe Skin Care, Skin Aging Facts at 11:22 pm by Administrator
1) UVA is relatively more constant throughout the year, even penetrating glass, and subjecting us to exposure at home, work, and in the car. Scientists believe that 90% of perceived skin aging–including wrinkles, roughness, mottled pigmentation and loss of skin tone–is due to broad-spectrum ultraviolet damage.
2) Recently, scientists have proven that ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation is a major culprit in photoaging and skin cancers. Unfortunately, most sunscreens don’t protect against long-wave UVA. UVA rays, which penetrate deep into skin, are responsible for elastic tissue damage and photoaging, and are thought to be important in causing more aggressive skin cancers, including deadly melanomas.
3) One study involving the irradiation of human skin shows that it takes only eight modest doses of UVA exposure to cause photoaging and that these changes occur before any sunburn or tanning is evident. In this study, a modest dose was defined as 1 hour of summer midday sun. Thus, if the sunscreen [has a high SPF rating] but does not include a UVA protector, you will be exposed to even more UVA damage–and without ever burning!
4) Today, most sunscreen products provide UVB and partial UVA protection. Common UVB sunscreen ingredients include octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), octocrylene, octyl salicylate (OCS), octyl dimethyl paba (PABA). The most common short-wave UVA ingredient is oxybenzone (benzophenone-3). Titanium dioxide primarily provides protection against UVB and short-wave UVA, but not long-wave UVA.
5) Only two sunscreen ingredients available in the United States–a chemical ingredient, avobenzone, and the physical ingredient, zinc oxide–provide protection against long UVA rays. But only one–zinc oxide–provides comprehensive protection against UVB and both short and long UVA radiation.
6) Avobenzone, also known as Parsol 1789, is a chemical sunscreen agent that is absorbed through the epidermis. One recently published in vitro study shows that avobenzone degrades in the presence of sunlight and is rendered ineffective within just 1 hour. Avobenzone also has been shown to degrade other sunscreen ingredients, with which it is combined, including the most common UVB ingredient, OMC, and a common short UVA block, oxybenzone.
7) Patients often think that zinc oxide and titanium dioxide provide equally good photoprotection, but this is not true. Although both agents are inorganic sunscreens that have now been produced in microfine form, they provide different levels of photoprotection. Microfine titanium dioxide effectively attenuates UVB and short-wave UVA; however, it is much less effective than zinc oxide in protecting against long-wave UVA. In addition, titanium dioxide has a higher refractive index in visible light than zinc oxide. Therefore, titanium dioxide is whiter and more difficult to incorporate into transparent products.
Zinc oxide is the closest thing to a total sunblock on the market today. It uniformly covers from 290 to 400 nm, thus protecting against the UVB and UVA spectrum. No other sunscreen ingredient provides broader protection. And unlike many chemical sunscreen agents, zinc oxide is never irritating. In fact, it is recognized by the Food and Drug Administration as a Category I skin protectant, meaning that it is safe for compromised or environmentally challenged skin. Zinc oxide has over a 300-year history of safety, with no known adverse reactions (which is why it is often used to treat babies). Now, in its microfine form, it is ideal for use in sunscreens and daily moisturizers.
9) The gold standard for protection against UVB and both short- and long-wave UVA is microfine zinc oxide, which is now available in both daily wear and beach products. Because current federal regulations allow sunscreens and daily moisturizers with sun protection to be labeled “broad spectrum” even if they provide only partial UVA protection, consumers must look for zinc oxide as a key active ingredient. Higher concentrations of microfine zinc oxide offer greater protection, so consumers should also determine the percentage of microfine zinc oxide in the product. (see “Microns, Nanoparticles and Products Specs)
10) New evidence also indicates that topical vitamin C is a useful adjunct to sunscreens. This powerful anti-oxidant naturally protects skin by neutralizing damaging free radicals. When applied topically in a concentrated, stable form that the body can use (L-ascorbic acid), it is possible to target vitamin C directly to the skin, thereby providing additional protection against UVB, UVA and pollutants.
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Posted in Hormone Disruption, Skin Aging Facts at 11:05 pm by Administrator
While all components of the skin are affected by age without exception, some segments are more vulnerable than others. It is well accepted that components of the skin age at different rates and in different degrees. This is because of individual genetic variations, which are superimposed upon variable external factors and influences such as sun exposure, diet and pollution. For example, the skin under the eyes may appear wrinkled and aged compared to the skin on the cheeks.
The skin is the largest organ in the body covering an area on average of about 1.49 square meters. Its main aim is to protect the body from insults originating from the external world. Another function is to provide sensory information about temperature, touch, pain and vibration signals. Finally, the skin is also a secretory organ which eliminates toxins through perspiration.
Components of the skin
The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin which protects the skin against insults or injuries. When it comes to treatment, the problem is that it may be difficult for nutrients and pharmaceutical agents to penetrate the epidermis, and reach the inner parts of the skin. Scientists have invested a great deal of research in finding effective ways of delivering nutrients where it matters, deep into the skin. Liposomes are one such way, making use of tiny particles surrounded by lipid molecules which are able to penetrate the outer layers of the skin, carrying the nutrient or other chemical with them.
The main constituents of the dermis, (the inner layer of skin) are collagen and elastin. The collagen and elastin infrastructure keeps the skin resilient, elastic and firm. Collagen fibres are strong protein molecules which form a scaffolding to support other skin structures. Elastin fibres also form a mesh or net allowing the skin to maintain its elasticity and firmness. These two types of molecules can be considerably weakened by age-related processes such as glycosylation and oxidation. Photo-damage, i.e. damage caused by the ultraviolet (UV) radiation of the sun is also a major cause of collagen and elastin destruction.
Apart from the collage/elastin network, other components of the dermis are cells (such as fibroblasts), fatty tissue, nerves, blood vessels, sweat glands, hair follicles and sensory structures. A major component is the intracellular matrix. This is formed by proteoglycans, a mixture of protein/carbohydrate molecules surrounded by water. The main functions of the intracellular matrix are to facilitate the nutrition of the various skin components and to protect the skin against external insults. The fluid nature of the intracellular matrix gives the skin its plump, youthful and rounded appearance. Within the matrix, moisture is retained by various substances such as sodium pyrolidone carboxylic acid (NaPCA), a natural moisturiser. The problem is, the concentration of NaPCA diminishes with age and this causes progressive loss of moisture from the skin. However, the aging of the skin is a complicated process involving several interrelated factors.
How age affects the skin
Strictly speaking, there are two types of skin aging. The intrinsic (chronological) aging accounts for about 10% of all skin aging and is characterised by thinning of the skin, loss of elasticity and a decreased metabolic activity. The other 90% of skin aging happens as a result of photoaging which causes damage to the skin followed by an exaggerated repair reaction resulting in collagen and elastin degeneration, dilatation of the small vascular vessels, deposition of abnormal elastin and collagen, and increased skin pigmentation. Intrinsic skin aging is due to genetic factors and endogenous influences such as oxidation and glycosylation, whereas extrinsic aging is due to external factors such as UV radiation, stress, pollution, and other environmental insults.
Free radicals are the main culprits commonly implicated in causing skin aging. Oxygen and nitrogen free radicals are produced by cigarette smoking, environmental pollution, less than adequate nutrition, pesticides and other chemicals in the food, and most importantly, from the UV action upon the skin. When UV radiation interacts with the skin, it produces an excessive amount of free radicals which destroy collagen, elastin and other proteins in the skin. UV radiation also interacts with the DNA inside skin cells causing further damage by allowing faulty DNA to replicate. In this way, imperfect DNA transcription and defective protein formation is perpetuated.
Chromophore skin cells are specialised cells which absorb much of the UV radiation (4) but, with age, their activities diminish resulting in more UV radiation reaching the inner parts of the skin. The result, following years of this process, is that the skin looses its moisture and support, appearing less shiny, wrinkly, droopy and with other imperfections. The risk of skin cancer is also considerably increased.
Skin glycosylation
When glucose or aldehyde molecules interact with skin proteins they may form glycosylated proteins, which are generally more susceptible to damage caused by free radicals. A glycosylated protein may interact with another glycosylated unit causing cross-linking, which is an irreversible union between two molecules. In this way neither of the molecules is free to perform its ordinary functions, and this contributes to the overall damage. An additional problem is that the cross-linked unit may then interact with other oxidised molecules, (following action by free radicals) resulting in large and harmful molecules called AGEs (Advanced Glycosylation End-products). These perpetuate the damage to the skin collagen, elastin and intracellular matrix, and increase the death rate of the fibroblasts through apoptosis.
AGEs are very potent stimulators of apoptotic pathways resulting in cell death. Apoptosis is a process of orderly cell suicide, which normally aims to eliminate damaged and useless cells, and leave space for new and healthy cells to develop. However, apoptosis may be accelerated by a wide number of factors, and AGEs is one of them. AGEs stimulate several pathways leading to the formation of digestive proteins, (caspases) which attack healthy proteins within the cells and decompose them. As a result, the cell becomes irreversibly committed to die. Normal rates of apoptosis are useful in organs with a high turnover of cells such as skin, liver and bowel, but not so useful in organs with a low cell turnover such as the brain, muscle and bone. But aging causes increased rates of apoptosis, (and one mechanism is via the production of AGEs mentioned above), so it is necessary to control and modulate the apoptotic rates otherwise too many cells will die and the skin structure will be compromised.
Glycosylation may also be caused by other toxic by-products such as malondialdehyde and methylglyoxal. These are involved in lipid peroxidation, the destruction of healthy lipids by free radicals. In addition to the above, glycosylation is connected with various inflammatory pathways. For example, glycosylated material interferes with mitochondrial function which, in turn, stimulates production of inflammatory chemicals such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and nuclear factor kappa b (NFkB). These inflammatory agents attack other skin cell material resulting in chronic skin micro-inflammation, which not only makes the skin appear red, rough and itchy but contributes to wrinkles and skin blemishes. So, the combined action of oxidation, glycosylation and chronic inflammation results in the visible signs of skin aging such as wrinkles and rough skin.
Other age-related changes to the skin include:
* The formation of age-spots, which are the result of lipofuscin accumulation.
* Increased likelihood of skin cancer such as melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
* Thin and easily fragile skin, with easy bruising, deformed capillaries and varicosities.
Apart from the visible sings of aging, there are other less visible changes. For example, the sweat and sensory elements of the skin become affected with age. Sweating becomes more problematic and less effective. As a consequence, elimination of toxins from the skin declines, and toxins may thus accumulate in the body. An exception to this is the increased sweating sometimes experience by menopausal women, which is hormone-related. The sensory organs of the skin become less sensitive, and information about outside temperature, touch, pain and stretching becomes less reliable.
Preventing and Treating skin aging
In order to prevent or even reverse free radical skin injury, there has been considerable research into the effects of topically applied antioxidants. The skin has several quite effective protection mechanisms aimed at preventing externally-produced free radicals. The epidermis is covered in a layer of sebum mixed with lipids forming a complex structure known as SSL (Sink Surface Lipids). These protect the underlying skin against free radicals attaching to the skin from the outside. Research shows that the composition of SSL changes with age. Mature adults have a higher concentration of branched mono-unsaturated fatty acids compared to older people, meaning that the healthy concentration of protective fatty acids is compromised in old age. In addition, the concentration of antioxidants within the lipid barrier also changes with age. Antioxidants such as vitamin E, squalene, and co-enzyme Q10 significantly decrease in older individuals.
Coenzyme Q10 and Idebenone
Studies show that co-enzyme Q10 applied directly on the skin helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. It also promotes repair of fibroblasts. But after the age of 30-35 the body becomes less able to create enough co-enzyme Q10 to meet its energy needs. This is made worse by bad eating habits, stress, infection or certain drugs. Co-enzyme Q10 can significantly suppress the expression of collagenase, an enzyme which destroys collagen. In addition, it can penetrate the outer layers of the skin and exert antioxidant benefits deep in the dermis.
Idebenone has a chemical structure similar to that of co-enzyme Q10 but it is believed to be a more effective and stronger variant. Idebenone is an effective antioxidant, 400 times stronger than vitamin E and it has been used not only as a skin rejuvenator but also as a brain protector and heart nutrient. Combining topical co-enzyme Q10 with other known antioxidants such as vitamin E together with RNA extracts, (which help maintain the skin’s own DNA) is an effective way of assuring an all round skin protection.
Vitamin E and pycnogenol
These have good antioxidant actions, help improve the immunity of the skin, and aid the repair and regeneration skin process. Pycnogenol is the extract of Maritime Pine bark. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and capillary stimulation effects. Due to its molecular structure it can penetrate easily through the epidermis and reach the deeper dermis. Sometimes these antioxidants are combined with ginkgo biloba, which is the extract of the Maidenhair tree. Ginkgo improves microcirculation, prevents vascular imperfections and acts as an antioxidant.
Aminoguanidine
Due to the important role of glycosylation and cross-linking in causing skin aging, researchers are interested in agents which can inhibit, modulate and control glycosylation. One such agent is aminoguanidine. It helps prevent glycosylation-related collagen destruction and it is used in order to protect against skin roughness, age-spots, wrinkles and other blemishes.
Specifically, aminoguanidine works by blocking the expression of metalloproteinases. These are digestive enzymes which destroy the components of the matrix, resulting not only in skin aging but also in arterial and kidney disease. Metalloproteinases are induced by UV radiation and their action depends on the nitric oxide radical (NO). Scientists from the Division of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul, have shown that when aminoguanidine is added to a solution containing metalloproteinases, it significantly reduces their activity.
Carnosine
Carnosine has been thoroughly investigated in terms of wound healing. It possesses several healing properties as an antioxidant, metal chelator and inflammation regulator. During wound healing there is an increased production of good quality collagen and proliferation of healthy fibroblasts. The balance between adequate and excessive formation is quite delicate and, if disturbed, it may result in excessive scarring. Carnosine can modulate the production of factors which regulate the equilibrium, thus preventing scar formation. The same is true for age-related skin damage where there is an attempt by the body to increase the formation of collagen and fibroblasts to replace those elements which had perished through lysis or though apoptosis respectively. Carnosine is an essential nutrient in this respect. In addition, carnosine can protect against UV radiation so it can come in useful in individuals who despite using sun screening lotions are still liable to skin damage.
Centrophenoxine
Although Centrophenoxine is a known brain booster, it also has benefits to skin. Centrophenoxine dissolves and removes deposits of lipofuscin, which is the inert material left over after normal metabolic reactions have taken place in the body. Lipofuscin is responsible for age spots, the raised, brownish patches commonly seen on the back of the hands and elsewhere on the skin. Regular use of Centrophenoxine can help reduce or prevent age spots by reducing the amount of lipofuscin.
DHEA
A natural molecule, Dehydroepiandrosterone plays an important role against aging in general and against skin aging in particular. Taken in tablet form or applied topically, DHEA increases the immune resistance of the skin, which in turn prevents inflammation-induced skin damage. It also stimulates the production of collagen and elastin and improves skin cell metabolism.
In a classic experiment, 280 healthy volunteers aged 60-79 years were treated with 50 mg DHEA or placebo (in tablet form), daily for a year in a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The results showed that there was a restoration of the age-related decline of DHEA concentration back to youthful levels. In addition, there was a small increase of testosterone and estradiol, especially in women patients. In the patients who were given the active treatment, the skin exhibited significant improvement particularly in relation to hydration, epidermal thickness, sebum production, and abnormal discoloration. No side effects were reported. This demonstrates the promising effects of DHEA used specifically for skin health.
Topical estrogens
Menopausal or post-menopausal women find that regular use of estrogen-containing creams helps their skin appear smooth, young and healthy. Loss of ovarian estrogen secretion which is encountered during the menopause is responsible for, among other problems, thinning of the skin, loss of hair, cellulite and loss of skin tone. A new medical discipline, called aesthetic endocrinology, is a study of how hormones can be used topically to help prevent age-related skin problems. Aesthetic endocrinologists have suggested that estrogen creams play a pivotal role in this respect, but research in the benefits of topical estrogen continues. Coincidentally, estrogen cream does not only have effects locally, but it is absorbed and goes on to produce the well-known systemic benefits (prevention of osteoporosis, control of menopausal problems etc.).
To summarize, oxidation, glycosylation and chronic inflammation, together with hormonal deficiencies cause aging of the skin. Excessive sun exposure, pollution, stress and other environmental factors may accelerate this process resulting in signs of premature skin aging. A combination of hormonal, nutritional and pharmacological approaches may retard or reverse this process.
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Posted in Safe Skin Care, Skin Aging Facts at 10:55 pm by Administrator
It is a truism in natural circles that your body does its best job fighting off disease and healing itself when it has the nutritional wherewithal to do so. This notion has even more applicability when it comes to treating your skin. Here are some ideas about how to give your skin, regardless of what skin type you are, the building blocks it needs to heal and repair itself. First let’s look at the all-important role played by lipids.
Oily Skin and Lipids
If you look at the structure of skin, you will see that surrounding every skin cell is a layer of fat-like substances. These substances are termed ‘lipids,’ of which there are many types. Lipids form the epidermal water barrier and, in the stratum corneum (the uppermost layer of skin) this barrier is called the ‘lipid barrier’.
The two sources of lipids in the skin are:
• Sebaceous lipids (Sebum)
• Epidermal lipids
Sebaceous Lipids
If you are a teenager plagued by breakouts that seem to be the result of suddenly oilier skin the culprit may indeed be sebaceous lipids, known collectively as sebum. Sebum is excreted by the sebaceous gland, and includes major classes of lipids like triglycerides, wax esters and squalene. (1) Children produce very little or no sebum, and now some skin experts are saying that sebum no longer plays an important role in the human body since we have very little hair to lubricate. (2) Sebaceous glands may be like the appendix or the muscles governing ear-wiggling; whatever their original purpose, these days we seem to manage quite well without them. Some of you would probably be just as happy to see your sebaceous glands go the way of the mastodon.
In defense of sebum, sebaceous lipids are supposed to keep the skin supple and pliable as well as provide mild anti-microbial activity. When all is working as it should this is probably what happens, because during the passage through the sebaceous duct of the sebaceous lipids the triglycerides are enzymatically transformed into free fatty acids which are then incorporated into the lipid barrier of the stratum corneum. In their free fatty acid form lipids assist in reducing trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) or the evaporative loss of water from skin.
Though fatty acid deficiencies in skin have long been implicated in causing dry skin and more severe skin conditions, not much attention has been paid to how these same deficiencies also contribute to breakouts. Yet it’s a simple story–instead of a smooth passage from sebaceous duct to stratum corneum the thick, waxy sebum hardens in the sebaceous duct, where it collects bacteria and becomes inflamed. Topical applications of fatty acids help alleviate breakouts in two ways: first, by restabilizing the lipid barrier, thus restoring anti-microbial activity on the skin’s surface, and second, by breaking up congestion at the source, because lipids dissolve lipids.
Treating oily skin with oils may seem counter-intuitive to you at first, and may even go against everything you have been taught, but the methodology bears some thinking about. Scrubs, harsh soaps and other drastic treatments that strip off your topmost lipid barrier do a number of things that may actually aggravate breakout problems: 1) stripping away your protective barrier makes your skin more vulnerable to P. acneens, the common bacteria which causes acne vulgaris, 2) squeezing, picking and too-vigorous scrubbing may drive the infection deeper, or spread the bacteria to new sites, 3) oil-stripping prompts your skin to produce more oil, but it may be producing more of the sebaceous lipids you are trying to bring under control, resulting in more clogged pores and an aggravation of the problem.
Dry Skin and Lipids
When the lipid barrier is compromised moisture loss increases (increase of trans-epidermal water loss, or TEWL) which leads to dry, scaly or even cracked skin. Further damage occurs by moisture loss from the skin cells in the lower layers of the epidermis, which affects the health of these cells. Dehydrated cells function poorly and the immune system of the skin becomes weakened. Exposure to UV and harsh climates in addition to the use of soaps and detergents leads to pronounced loss of lipids from the skin. This damage occurs on a daily basis, requiring a continuous input of lipids to the skin to maintain an effective lipid barrier.
All of this suggests to us that the solution for both too-dry and too-oily skin types may be to apply topical oils that will replenish the top layer of skin to optimize barrier function. Latest research studies indicate that this is not such a bad supposition.
Epidermal Lipids
One researcher has demonstrated that a mixture of three lipids (cholesterol, palmitic acid and ceramide) repaired the lipid barrier in skin where lipids were intentionally removed by the use of acetone. The symptoms were relieved with linoleic acid (an Omega-6 fatty acid) applied topically. Indications are that topical application may be beneficial to people with essential fatty acid deficiency syndrome (EFAD).
If applying the correct lipids assists in maintaining the structure of the lipid barrier and improving the health and beauty of the skin, the obvious question becomes:which lipids are critical to barrier function and should be part of a “lipid mix”?
Lipid research in the cosmetic field is very new, how ever, we do know this:
1) The composition of lipids compromising the extracellular matrix are 50% ceramides, 25% cholesterol and 15% free fatty acids.
2) Essential fatty acid deficiencies have been identified as resulting in abnormalities in stratum corneum function.
Essential fatty acids in the form of parent Omega 3’s and 6s can be found in a number of wonderful oils. The following oils are high in a-linolenic acid (Omega 3 fatty acid):
• Kiwi seed
• Flax seed
• Sea buckthorn
These oils are high in a-linoleic acid (Omega-6 fatty acid)
• Sunflower oil
• Hemp seed oil
• Coconut oil
• Rice bran oil
• Sesame oil
Certain oils contain a wonderfully healing and nourishing blend of Omega 3, 6 and 9 essential fatty acids:
• Emu oil
• Krill oil
• Red raspberry seed
• Cranberry seed
Conclusion: Topical applications of oil blends containing a judicious mix of EFA-rich oils is the best way to hydrate and moisturize dry skin and keep oily skin balanced and blemish-free.
Sun Protection
There are numerous discussions on my blog about the role UVA exposure plays in accelerating aging of the skin. There is yet one more reason why applying a sunblock containing zinc oxide over an oil-blend layer in the morning is your best bet if you want to moisturize and protect your skin while delaying the aging process, and it is this: lipids are not immune to the environment. When in contact with sunlight (specifically UV light) or air, lipids will undergo what is known as peroxidation. These peroxidized lipids lose their barrier ability and gaps occur in the lipid matrix. Applications of sunblock keep the lipid barrier intact by limiting UV exposure, which in turn prevents peroxidation.
A Skin Protection Routine
The following morning routine ensures that you are protecting your skin using advanced state-of-the art solutions in combination with a healthy dose of just plain common sense.
1) Cleanse (but not too much): Studies show that people who wash their faces with soaps in the morning are about 50% less protected when they go out in the sun (strips the lipid barrier). Dry skin–wash with tepid water only. Oily skin-if your skin is very oily or you have an excess of sebum, wash with a mild cleanser. Avoid detergent or oil-stripping type cleansers.
2) Huydrate: Dry skin–Apply an oil blend that contains a balanced mix of linoleic and linolenic acids (the Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids). Oily skin—Lavender essential oil makes a good addition to an oil blend containing a balanced mix of linoleic and linolenic acids (the Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids). Lavender essential oil cleans out hair follicles.
3) Protect: Dry skin–Apply a nanoparticle-free sunblock containing zinc oxide over the oil layer to block UV/UVB rays and guard against lipid peroxidation. Oily skin–Look for a sunblock that uses zinc oxide as its active ingredient and contains no nanoparticles. In addition to effectively blocking UV rays, zinc oxide is an excellent anti-inflammatory that helps to control breakouts. Wax-free sunscreens containing zinc oxide are the best bet for the blemish-prone.
To determine which sunscreen might work for you, a place to start may be with our {cms_selflink page=’sun-screen-specs’ text=’Sunscreen Specs Table.’}
1) N. Nicolaides, Lipids, membranes and the Human Epidermis. The Epidermis, W. Montagna and W. C. Lobitz, Jr., New York: Academic Press p. 511 (1964).
2) A.M. Kligman, The Uses of Sebum, Brit. J. Dematol., 75: 307-319 (1963)
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Posted in Facts About UV Protection, Safe Skin Care, skin care news at 10:40 pm by Administrator
We’ve talked a lot about the different wave-lengths of UV light, in particular UVA and UVB and how they affect the skin: UVB=burning, UVA=aging.
The discussion hasn’t touched on UVC for two reasons; 1) UVC rays are prevented from reaching the earth by the ozone layer, for the most part, and 2) I don’t want to be the one to sound alarm bells. However, so much misinformation abounds surrounding the complicated topic of sun protection that I feel I must take up the torch once again. This time the discussion will be around UV light and its relationship to skin cancer.
UVB: The UVB rays are the burning rays. They:
Penetrate the epidermis
Are present from 10AM to 4 PM
Reflect off shiny surfaces
are linked to squamous and basal cell carcinomas, damage DNA
are 1000x stronger than UVA
stimulate melanin biosynthesis and keratinocyte production
UVA: The long wavelength, low energy UVA rays are the aging rays. They:
penetrate glass and clouds, penetrate to the dermis (Only 10% of UVB rays reach the dermis, about 50% of UVA rays do)
present from sun up to sundown
cross-link collagen and elastin
damage DNA, carcinogenic (though the least associated with skin cancer)
destroy langerhans cells and immune function
turn melanin darker
1000x more prevalent than UVB
cause hyper-hypo-pigmentation and broken capillaries
UVC: The short wavelength, high energy UVC rays. They are:
the most carcinogenic
sterilizing rays used to kill small organisms
mostly absorbed by the ozone layer, sunscreens provide NO protection
Skin cancer facts
When it comes to skin cancer, we know that more than 90% are the result of sun exposure, with over 1 million new cases being reported each year. One of three fair-skinned people will develop a skin cancer, and one out of five of the general population will do the same. However, while the link between the UVB rays (and to a lesser extent UVA rays) and squamous and basal cell carcinomas has been established, the link between deadly melanomas and sun exposure is less sure. Knowing the facts will help you make an informed choice about the degree of protection you want for yourself. Here are some things to look at before coming to a decision:
Cosmetic
If you want to avoid premature wrinkling or sunspots use full-spectrum UVA/UVB protection. Recommended: Zinc oxide at 20% concentration.
If you don’t care about any of these issues (and many men I have encountered fall in this category though few women, what a surprise) then wear a hat to protect your bald spot and put sunblock on your nose at the beach to protect against basal cell lesions and you’ll probably be fine.
Safety
Squamous and basal cell carcinoma risks are reduced with full-spectrum UVA/UVB protection. Zinc oxide at 20% concentration is your best protection. At least be aware of UVC risks, and if you are in Australia limit your sun exposure. During peak burning hours ANYWHERE where burning is a problem, at high altitudes, at the beach, in the water or skiing, you are better off to stay in the shade as much as possible.
Children
Children are looking at 100 years of sun exposure, and these days also at 100 years of exposure to ingredients in sunscreens. You have to balance for yourself which is ultimately more lethal. But here is my take on it.
For the first five years you can depend on a child’s natural protection to do the job for the most part. At the beach wear hats, clothing and slather them with diaper cream or 20% zinc oxide from a safe product. At other times, and if your child burns easily, look at using Vitamin C directly on the skin. Wet it with green tea to get more natural protection. Overture also contains astaxanthin to protect against burning naturally. Neither of these will interfere with Vitamin D synthesis. My recommendations for children 5 and under:
1) Vitamin C
2) Astaxanthin
3) For serious sun, zinc oxide from diaper rash cream
REFERENCES:
Howard, Dr. Diana L, “Ingredient Technology 2002: Fact vs. Fiction” white paper
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Posted in Facts About UV Protection, Safe Skin Care, Skin Aging Facts, nanotechnology at 10:18 pm by Administrator
Sun protection has become a more complicated affair than simply smearing on the stuff made famous by a pig-tailed little girl. In fact, our then-adorable beach baby could probably be a poster model today, only now her leathery, wrinkled skin dotted with precancerous lesions would serve as a warning to us all of the long-term effects of too much sun-time. Being tan used to equate with being healthy, but this perception is gradually changing as we learn more about the consequences of too much bronzing. So, especially for those of us who are interested in preserving our skins against the ravages of time, any outdoor activity isn’t the same care-free pleasure it used to be. An overview of that day at the beach from the perspective of UV exposure will help us understand just why this is so.
Ultra Violet Light
The sun emits light at all different wavelengths, including x rays and radio waves, but 99% of its output is in the form of ultraviolet (UV), visible and infrared (IR) light. Of this 99%, approximately 46% is visible, 49% IR and 5% UV. The UV range is responsible for skin changes and aging.
Though some ultraviolet waves from the sun penetrate earth’s atmosphere, most of them, especially the short-length UVC rays, are blocked from entering by various gases like ozone. UV penetration fluctuates on a daily basis, with more ultraviolet waves getting through our atmosphere on some days than others. However, as the ozone layer thins we can count on more frequent and prolonged penetration of UVC rays.
The ABC’s of UV
UV C rays are the shortest, highest energy ultra violet light and are the closest to x rays on the scale (moving left). These are sterilizing rays that kill small organisms and are the most carcinogenic. Sunscreens provide no protection.
UV B rays are the burning rays, which penetrate to the epidermis and are present from 10 AM to 4PM. They are 1000 times stronger than UVA, stimulate melanin biosynthesis, and are linked to squamous cell carcinomas. They cause all the nasty symptoms of sunburn; edema, redness, and itching. They can also contribute to cataracts.
UVA, the long wave, low energy waves, are present from sunrise to sunset, enter the dermis and are 1000 times more prevalent than UVB rays. For low-energy waves they have a long list of inimical effects: they cross-link collagen and elastin, damage DNA, destroy langerhans cells and immune function, turn melanin darker and cause hyper, hypo-pigmentation and broken capillaries.
A good mnemonic is UVA = aging, UVB = burning and UVC = carcinoma
Aging Rays
Up until the present, more attention has been paid to the shorter wave-lengths, the UVB rays which measure from 290 to 320 nm. The reason for this is simply because their effects are rapidly obvious. When we are over-exposed we burn. Most sunscreens on the market concern themselves with protection in this range, and in fact, an SPF rating is an indication of how much protection you are getting, over a duration of time, from the burning rays. So an SPF rating of 2 would indicate that, if you can stay out in the sun for ten minutes without burning, you would be able to stay out for 20 minutes without burning wearing your SPF 2 protection. The testing for SPF is simply a matter of measuring duration of non-burning time on human skin, where the parameters are known.
This is a relatively easy test to perform, and one can understand why FDA requirements vis a vis testing are only concerned with UVB protection. However, an aging population has begun to pay attention to the UVA part of the spectrum, and for an overwhelmingly obvious reason. The UVA rays are the aging rays, responsible for hyperpigmentation, sun spots, redness and (shudder) wrinkles. UVA rays are different from UVB rays in other ways—they penetrate to the dermis rather than the epidermis where they may do longer-lasting damage, they are present from sun-up to sun-down and they go through clouds and glass. Because their effects are insidious damage testing is not as easy as it is with UVB–with UVA one doesn’t burn, one ages.
Unfortunately it is not safe to make the assumption that because one is wearing a sunscreen with a high SPF rating one is automatically protected against UVA rays. Remember, an SPF rating refers only to the UVB range. Indeed, the typical sunscreen which contains the most commonly used chemicals does NOT protect against UVA rays. For example, benzophenone -3 protects from 290-360 nm, while octyl methoxycinnimate protects in the 290 to 320 range.
Three ingredients commonly used by sunscreen manufacturers provide protection for the longer UV wave-lengths: Avobenzone, 310-400 nm, Titanium dioxide, 290 to 360 nm, and Zinc oxide, 290-400 nm. Avobenzone looks like a good bet, but unfortunately it degrades after 30 minutes in the sun, so sunscreens including avobenzone as an active ingredient must be applied very frequently if one is to receive adequate protection.
This leaves zinc oxide, an excellent choice as it is inert, anti-inflammatory and provides superior, full-spectrum protection. However, it has not been popular with the public as it tends to leave a white, greasy film on the skin. Since UVA protection is an everyday affair (this means EVERY day, not just when it’s sunny, but even on those cloudy days when you don’t plan on going outside) sunscreen formulation has become more and more the purlieu of the cosmetic chemist, who is faced with the challenge of formulating a product that is both protective and light enough for people to wear.
Nanotechnology
Many companies have turned to nanotechnology for a solution. “Micronized” (micronization is a process whereby particles are reduced to 50 microns or less in size, and are referred to as nanoparticles) zinc oxide and titanium dioxide particles are absorbed into the skin, leaving no trace.
In the event that there are potential risks associated with nanoparticle use, Friends of the Earth has recently begun a campaign advising the public to avoid using products that contain them. (1) Their argument is that since the physics of nanoparticles is different we can’t predict their behaviour. They quote a 2004 report by the United Kingdom’s Royal Society, which recommends that “ingredients in the form of nanoparticles should undergo a full safety assessment by the relevant scientific advisory body before they are permitted for use in products.” (2) FOE points out that many companies continue to use nanoparticles, in the absence of independent safety testing, and advise a moratorium on their use until studies can demonstrate their safety.
Companies use nanoparticles for different reasons. Many are using them as delivery systems in anti-aging creams, arguing that nanoparticles will drive other anti-aging ingredients (specifically anti-oxidants) into the dermis where they will promote collagen production and prevent cell damage. FOE points out, and rightly, that if they do indeed drive other ingredients into the skin then the risk of doing damage would correlate to how many harmful ingredients contained in the product are also being carried to the dermis, notably parabens, other preservatives and fragrances. However, as we do not really know whether nanoparticles penetrate intact skin, or whether they act as uptake for other ingredients, it’s at best an academic argument and at worst unduly alarmist. As an anti-aging mechanism nanoparticles show promise, but we are a long way from knowing whether they are creating more damage than they are delivering benefits.
Many companies are adding micronized mineral particles to their sunscreens, and FOE adds a caveat about this practice: “Nanoparticles of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide—used in large numbers of cosmetics, sunscreens and personal care products—have been shown to be photoactive, producing free radicals and causing DNA damage to skin cells when exposed to UV light.” (3) This is a large claim, and while perhaps sounding a warning klaxon a bit on the side of shrill, it does underline the crying need for more testing of this new technology.
UVA Protection—What to do?
Aside from the question of whether nanoparticles generate free radicals, there is another problem associated with micronized sun protection products that we can state unequivocally: the smaller the particle, the less effective the UVA protection. This is because mineral sunblocks work differently than chemical sunscreens, which absorb UV rays, lowering energy levels and releasing energy as heat. Mineral sunblocks reflect or scatter energy rays, and for this reason are non-irritating, unlike chemical sunscreens which may irritate skin, especially at higher concentrations. Micronized minerals are not as efficient at the physical process of scattering rays, so the question arises–we may have a product that disappears on the skin that people will wear, but how much protection are they actually getting?
The temporary answer, at least until such time as we know more about the effects of nanoparticles, lies in using a product that contains a high concentration of non-micronized zinc oxide. FOE lists companies that do not use nanoparticles in their sunscreens/blocks, and there are other small companies not listed that also do not use nanoparticles, eg., Marie-Veronique Skin Therapy. There are also several good diaper rash creams on the market that contain high concentrations of zinc oxide in all-natural formulas. You may mix them with your daily sunscreen to ensure that you are getting adequate protection.
Footnotes
1) Nano-ingredients Pose Big Risks in Beauty Products : Friends of the Earth press release, May 16, 2006
http://www.foe.org/new/releases/may2006/nanorelease5162006.html
2) ibid.
3) ibid
4) Seite S, Moyal D, Richard S, et al. Mexoryl SX: a broad absorption UVA filter protects human skin from the effects of repeated suberythemal doses of UVA. J Photochem Photobiol B. 1998;44:69-76.
5) ibid
SIDEBAR: What about Vitamin D?
Vitamin D deficiency can result from a combination of inadequate dietary intake and inadequate UVB exposure, which is necessary for vitamin D synthesis. The good news is that only a small amount of sun exposure is necessary for adequate vitamin D synthesis. For a fair-skinned individual 5 minutes’ exposure of the face, dorsal hands, and forearms 3 times per week, 6 months per year is sufficient. Also bear in mind that too much cleansing can destroy the good effects of sunbathing. Your skin needs a chance to synthesize Vitamin D, so don’t leap into a shower and scrub away all those good oils after a day in the sun. A shower in just plain water, no soap, is your best bet.
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Posted in Facts About UV Protection, Safe Skin Care, Skin Aging Facts, nanotechnology, skin care news at 5:16 pm by Administrator
This quote is taken from an article written by Laurel Naverson Geraghty which appeared in the February, 2009 issue of Allure magazine.
“According to this 2006 study from the University of California, Riverside, certain sunscreen ingredients may cause more free radicals to form than no sunscreen at all. If the findings are confirmed, the implications will be enormous — and sobering, given that women have been told for decades that regular sunscreen use is one of the best ways to minimize aging and the risk of skin cancer. The whispers started back in 2006, but they’re beginning to grow louder now; it took two years for news of the study to reach the public consciousness, because some doctors have been shying away from discussing the findings, loath to cause panic when the study was neither double blind, randomized, nor conducted on humans — nor has it been repeated. (In other words, don’t toss your sunscreen.)” I recommend reading the entire article, which is posted on my blog (or go to http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28796417/ ). It is well worth your time.
Now, she offers up some items for consideration that have been nagging me for a very long time. I am so glad to see that research studies are beginning to raise the very issues that have been of concern to me.
Here is the first one I’d like to consider:
Item 1: ”according to this UC Riverside study, helmed by lead author Kerry Hanson, three commonly used, FDA approved sunscreen filters — octyl methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, and benzophenone-3, which is also known as oxybenzone — can boost the number of free radicals over time when they break down and are absorbed into the skin. “
Here is why this is the case. Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing UV rays, lowering energy levels by breaking bonds (creating free radicals) and releasing energy as heat. Avobenzone, which they didn’t study, is one of the most reactive. This is one of the reasons for the two-hour reapplication rule–when the sunscreen starts breaking down in UV light you end up with two sources of free radical generation–from UV directly and from chemical sunscreens breaking down in the presence of light. If you are using a product containing avobenzone you should probably be reapplying every hour.
Item 2: “It seems that any sunscreen has the potential to create free radicals — including even the newer, more photostable versions and the purely physical blocks zinc and titanium dioxide, according to Hanson — but further study is needed. “We don’t have enough data yet to judge which sunscreens do not generate free radicals,” Hanson says.”
Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are physical blocks, not chemical absorbers. They work by scattering or reflecting energy rays. However, titanium dioxide is also highly photoreactive, so photoreactive in fact that it is used to make solar cells. Various means of creating photostable sunscreens include nanoencapsulating avobenzone with octyl methoxycinnimate and titanium dioxide. This introduces the chemical factor into the physical sunblock equation, and in addition, OMC has been implicated in estrogenicity studies.
It also brings up the issue of nanoparticles in sunscreens. As it has become increasingly apparent to researchers in the industry that mineral sunscreens are the answer to safety issues posed by chemicals more and more “safe” sunscreens containing titanium dioxide and zinc oxide have appeared on the market. However, cosmetic considerations have led to the development of nano-sized particles of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Micronized or nanosized versions leave less of a whitish cast and are more popular with the public.
However the potential risks of nanosized particles have not been sufficiently investigated, and other environmentally concerned groups are joining Friends of the Earth and the British Royal Society in calling for a moratorium on their use until their impact on public health and the environment have been thoroughly studied.
The clear winner to emerge from the controversy so far is non nanosized zinc oxide. In sizes of 50-100 microns zinc oxide:
1) is inert (not photoreactive)
2) unlike TiO2, ZnO protects across the entire UVB/UVA spectrum, that is, up to 400 nm. TiO2 protects up to 360 nm while Mexoryl, the chemical publicized as protecting in the UVA range, protects up to about 380 nm.
Item 3: “We looked at vitamins C and E, and they really do a great job of quenching the free radicals,” says Hanson. “Personally, I look for a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or above and antioxidants high up on the ingredient list.” (The higher up, the more there are.) And they do not have to be in your sunscreen to work, adds Pinnell, who’s studied the free radical fighters extensively. “Once absorbed into the skin, antioxidants can last about four days. So even if you forget to put them on one morning, they’re still in there working for you.” Baumann herself isn’t as relaxed about her own routine: “I always put on a layer of antioxidants first and then a sunscreen also containing them afterward.”
Topical water-soluble Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a crucial addition to the skin protection picture, especially in conjunction with fat-soluble Vitamin E, since in conjunction they stop free-radical chain reactions. The method of application is important when we are working with such a powerful anti-oxidant as Vitamin C. Because it oxidizes rapidly bear in mind the three rules of Vitamin C use. It must be:
1) L-ascorbic acid
2) fresh (not in liquid form, powder form is best)
3) in concentrations of 10% or higher.
The conclusion I would like everyone to take away from this article is that sun protection is a crucial part of one’s anti-aging strategy (not to mention sunscreens do provide some defense against basal cell carcinoma)–but be very careful about what protection you employ. This is especially true for children.
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02.06.09
Posted in Outside the Box, Safe Skin Care at 10:13 pm by Administrator
Feel the urge to detox? Been told this is the answer to your problems? The best way to lose weight, clear your skin, cure your arthritis or take years off your life?
I think we’ve all heard the detox litany from all sorts of sources, and I notice that despite the unpleasant ramifications of it all, ranging from dietary deprivation to discomfort from upper colonics, the whole process is acquiring more and more fans.
Not being a doctor I am not equipped to plunge into the controversy from a medical perspective, however, a quote from Dr. Peter Pressman, an internist from the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, FL says it well: “There is absolutely no scientific basis for the assertion that the regimens popularly defined as “detox” will augment the body’s own capacity for identifying and eliminating your metabolic wastes or doing the same for environmental toxins…these detox programs amount to a large quantity of excrement, both literally and figuratively.”*
Indeed, there is nothing in the scientific literature to suggest that detox isn’t just another niche in a faith-healing establishment already over-populated by quacks and charlatans. Too enthusiastic participation may carry real risks as well. As I understand it, upper colonics can introduce bacteria into the upper intestine that can lead to serious medical consequences.
If I had a dollar for every person who has said to me: “I have been on a detox diet to take care of my skin problems, which have gotten worse. I know it’s just because my body is getting rid of all the poisons, but when can I expect it to get better?” I could have retired to my mud hut on the puszta years ago. Funny thing is, my answer isn’t earning me any dollars either, but here it is anyway. If a detox diet just means eating sensibly, getting rid of the junk foods and replacing them with whole grains, fruits and veggies and protein sources that may include meat (yes, meat) then great, wonderful. If, on the other hand, it means a regimen of nasty foods, deprivation and shoving irrigation equipment up your rectum don’t be too surprised if your skin doesn’t continue to express righteous indignation by persistently breaking out. Your skin is actually an organ that communicates with you pretty directly and bluntly, and you should take rashes and breakouts as signalling that all is not right in your internal world. If your skin problems persist even after you’ve switched to a nourishing diet try consulting a dermatologist.
My skepticism around the whole detox issue arises from what I can see firsthand in my little corner of the world, for certainly the weird notion that deprivation yields beautiful results has invaded skin care realms. There are detox facials designed to “draw out toxins” and purify the pores. There are acid peels galore that strip off layers of skin to get at “healthier” layers underneath. There are treatment protocols that allow you to burn your skin at the stake, flay it with scalpels, poke it with needles or paralyze it with neurotoxins. The underlying idea seems to be that the more you take away the “healthier” you, or your skin, becomes.
In the bad old days we mortified the flesh to purify the soul. Detox strikes me as a secular version of the same Puritanical nuttiness that made our lives miserable four hundred years ago. Religious fervor has given way to a search for the holy grail of perfect health, but we’re still not that far removed from Torquemada’s day when we couldn’t imagine that hedonism (read sin) would go unpunished. The difference this time is that the twin plagues are obesity and wrinkles.
My modest proposal is pretty simple. Bon appetit, as the French would say. Your body responds to delicious, well-prepared and nutritious food, and guess what, your skin responds beautifully to the same treatment. Here are two things you can do to feed your face, gourmet-style:
1) The stratum corneum (the top layer of your epidermis) is made of lipids and it loves nothing better than a gentle massage using the same oils that constitute its surface. Some good oils are flax seed, evening primrose, sunflower. Coconut oil and sesame oil are also good for some folks, but you are advised to stay away from them if you have a tendency to breakouts.
2) Feeding your skin with a yogurt, avocado or honey facial is a good start to a healthy skin regimen. Be creative, a little bit of whatever you are preparing for dinner can usually go on your skin. Seriously. Just let it cool off a bit first.
An old saying out of beauty school was: “looking good is always better than feeling good.” It was a joke (I think) but the obverse is literally true: you will only look as good as you feel. So, if you want to look good remember that a moderate amount of hedonism goes a long way. Enjoy.
* Flush Those Toxins! Eh, Not So Fast, by Abby Ellin, New York Times, January 22, 2009
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01.14.09
Posted in Outside the Box, Safe Skin Care, Uncategorized, hyperpigmentation, yoga facial exercises and botox news at 4:15 pm by Administrator
Recently the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gathered a panel of experts to discuss possible safety concerns regarding the use of dermal fillers. Originally approved by the FDA to fill in lines along the nasolabial fold (the so-called marionette lines) they are now being used in many other areas of the face to increase volume, including the lips. The extensive use of fillers is coming under FDA scrutiny as the use of fillers spreads, not only across faces but across populations. Fillers originally tested on fair-skinned people, for example, may present hyperpigmentation problems when used on darker-skins.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Sherrell Aston had this to say about the increasing popularity of this cosmetic technique: “Fillers are being overdone. People are being told they need volume replacement when they haven’t lost volume. Some people are having fillers to the point of looking odd with faces that are just too big for their body, and contour problems like lumps and bumps becoming noticeable. Does it seem logical that one can repetitively put foreign substances in the delicate facial tissues and not have problems later?”
More information is coming out about the potential risks associated with the use of Botox (see Return of the Zombies in my blog) and I am glad to see other cosmetic procedures enjoying a bit of the spotlight. In addition to potential safety issues there is also, lest we forget, an aesthetic downside. Refashioning the lips so that they occupy one third of the face and stick out past one’s nose just looks silly. A balloon face floating down the street is probably not going to inspire wolf whistles. And a face devoid of expression deformed by random lumps and outsized lips is not going to get one in a beauty pageant line-up, at least I hope not.
A bit of ancient Greek wisdom we might do well to remember, “Everything in moderation,” certainly applies to cosmetic procedures such as Botox and dermal fillers.
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