Tuesday, July 2, 2013

REPOST: Unhealthy lifestyles 'age a woman's skin by 10 years'

An international study says that having an unhealthy lifestyle can age a woman's skin by more than 10 years.  Read this article from The Telegraph for details:

 

The true damage caused by sun beds, smoking and a lack of fruit and moisturisation in accelerating the ageing process emerged following research by a team of top skincare experts.
The study, which involved 585 women in the UK, China and Spain, showed the factors influencing their skin were the same even taking into account the backgrounds and skin type of the women involved.
It also emerged 'lifestyle choices' often account for as much as 33 per cent of how old a woman looks.
Dr Andrew Mayes, a scientist for Simple skincare which pioneered the research, said: "We already knew genetics accounted for about 50 per cent of how old people look, but we didn't know how much would be accounted for by their lifestyles.
 
Image Source: Telegraph.co.uk
"Even we were surprised by just how much it was; both in terms of the number of years and the percentage."
The study which was carried out over the last eight years involved women aged 45 to 75 in the UK, 30 to 70 in Spain and 25 to 70 in China.
Study sites with controlled laboratory conditions were established in Bedford in the UK, Madrid in Spain and Shanghai in China.
Those who took part were asked a string of questions about their lifestyles including whether or not they like to sun tan and if they were smokers or non-smokers.
Other questions included how often they moisturise, whether they eat fruit and veg, whether they brush their teeth, and have all their own teeth.
The research team also took digital images of the women which were then assessed for how old they looked to identify their perceived age and whether they looked younger or older than their actual age.
The research team, led by Dr Mayes, then compared the perceived ages of those with good versus bad lifestyles.
They concluded the difference was 10.4 years.
Dr Mayes added: "The number of years difference was most staggering – we had just seen some data out of a group of plastic surgeons in the US and Canada suggesting that a face and neck lift (together with eyelid and forehead modifications) could take an average of about 8.5 years off your facial age.
"Then we got our data through demonstrating a saving of over 10 years. It's fair to say at first we couldn't quite believe it.
"But the evidence was there in front of us – women with a healthy lifestyle looked much younger than those with an unhealthy lifestyle.
"Simply put; good skin health is about more than fancy creams and lotions – it's about how we live our lives and how we treat our bodies and the steps we need to take do not need to be extreme.
"They can be small and steady and the effects will be seen over time without the need for plastic surgery."
In direct response, Dr Mayes has helped create Simple Sense, a skincare tool which takes lifestyle as well as skincare products into consideration to provide personalised tips to help women so they don't feel the need to turn to plastic surgery.
A spokeswoman for Simple skincare said: "We've taken this valuable insight and combined it with over 50 years experience caring for sensitive skin to develop this unique online tool called Simple Sense."

The team behind Lift and Glow Pro emphasizes that living a healthy lifestyle contributes to a youthful and healthy glow.  Access this Facebook page for more materials about skin care.

 

Monday, July 1, 2013

Sun protection explained

Most people do not get adequate sun protection, but the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends using broad-spectrum SPF 30, which blocks 97 percent of the sun’s rays.


However, proper protection doesn’t stop there. Using products with the highest SPF protection has raised confusion among consumers. Below are some of the things that sun protection users should be aware of:  


The highest SPF
Bruce Katz, MD, a dermatologist in New York City, says that SPF 50 should be enough to be considered a good number for maximum sun protection. When the products say SPF 80+, this would most likely be a marketing strategy.  


 
Image Source: Bellafloria.files.wordpress.com



Protecting the hair
 While some hair protective products can be put to good use, they’re not an assurance of protecting the scalp as well. An effective way of covering the scalp from the sun’s harmful effects is by wearing a hat and applying sunblock all over it.






Image Source: Standup2cancer.org



The right way to apply sunscreen
To maximize protection, the product should be applied properly. Sunscreen should be applied 20 minutes before sun exposure. One application is not enough throughout the day. The product should be reapplied every two hours, especially when the person is out swimming. The amount of product to use has to be an ounce for creams, a 0.002 mm layer for liquids, or a 30-second application for sprays.


Image Source: Unoriginal123.tumblr.com



With the help of the US Food and Drug Administration, which has issued a new regulation on sunscreen distribution and use, the protective properties of a product can now be easily spotted on labels, the level of SPF included.  


Lift and Glow Pro is one with various health organizations in advocating healthy skin for all. This Twitter page provides resources on how to prevent different skin maladies.

REPOST: The Surprising Secret to Perfect Skin

What is the role of ethnicity in the overall condition of your skin? This Cosmopolitan article reveals the secret.


The latest research shows that the key to attaining an awesome complexion may be linked to your ethnic background.

You know that many factors can affect your skin: the weather, your menstrual cycle, your cleansing routine, the Pill, and yes, your diet. But there's one factor you don't hear much about: your ethnic background. At the latest American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting, several research dermatologists spoke about the role ethnicity plays in the overall condition of your skin. Here, top skin docs offer insights that'll help you score and maintain a gorgeous complexion based on those revelations.

Fair 


Image Source: cosmopolitan.com
If you have a pale skin tone that's between porcelain and bisque, this is your group. Most fair-skinned people are Caucasian, but they can also be light-skinned Asians and Latinas.

Basic Characteristics

Fair skin can range from being extremely dry to very greasy, but the most common denominator is a susceptibility to irritation, sensitivity, and damage caused by UV exposure. The good news is that your relative lack of pigmentation means you have the easiest time scoring a uniform complexion. Even when your coloration is slightly off in places (from sun exposure, a breakout, a scratch, or whatever), getting back to normal usually doesn't take the amount of time and effort often required of people with deeper skin tones.

Basic Care

Start your routine off with a gentle cleanser suited for your skin type (dry, oily, or combo), but dermatologists emphasize that selecting moisturizers that'll help protect your fair skin from UV damage is key. During the day, use a broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen laced with antioxidants. At night, opt for a cream that contains alpha-hydroxy acids or retinol to help speed up cell turnover. Another must: Get an annual total-body check from a derm. In between, look for moles and bumps that change shape or color or that hurt.

Common Problems

Hate to break it to you, but you're the first to show signs of sun damage (wrinkles, dark splotches, roughness). To speed up the sloughing off of damaged surface skin and reveal the fresher, sexier layer underneath, check out one of the new at-home acid peels or microdermabrasion kits. A good buy: L'Oréal ReFinish Micro-Dermabrasion Kit, $25.

Your relative paleness also makes redness look more pronounced. If irritation is causing your skin to appear ruddy, try a "calming cream" containing chamomile or other soothing botanicals. Color-corrective concealers, foundations, and powders, often tinted a light green, can cancel out the red of pimples and broken blood vessels (your lack of natural UV protection makes you especially prone to these).

Medium 


Image Source: cosmopolitan.com
This spectrum spans skin tones from light beige to olive or deep tan. More likely than not, you're in this category if you're of East Asian, Latin, Mediterranean, or Middle Eastern descent.

Basic Characteristics

Having more melanin-rich skin gives you some natural UV protection — not enough that you can ditch the SPF, but premature aging shouldn't be a huge concern. Also, your skin tends to be relatively thick, which often means fewer lines and wrinkles. But because it can also contain more oil glands, your skin may have enlarged pores and be prone to breakouts.

Basic Care

A salicylic-acid wash can help keep both oil and breakouts at bay. We like Benefit Wooosh!, $18. Also — unlike powder, which can sit in and exaggerate pores — blotting papers are a great temporary fix. Try Clean and Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets, $5. Another trick: Use a mattifyer under your sunscreen and makeup. One cult favorite: Peter Thomas Roth Max Anti-Shine Mattifying Gel, $35.

Common Problems

Skin with a decent amount of melanin is predisposed to produce even more melanin at the slightest provocation. Derms report that hyperpigmentation, such as marks that outlive whatever caused them in the first place (like a bug bite or scratch) and melasma (masklike facial blotchiness), are the biggest concerns. Hydroquinone-spiked fading creams reduce the production of new melanin and help to whisk away existing spots. Try DDF Fade Gel 4, $42. Newer fading formulas use botanicals purported to help disperse existing pigment clusters into less noticeable particles.

Because thick skin tends to have high concentrations of hair follicles, you may also have to wrestle with extra facial and body hair. Consider adding a hair-inhibiting lotion, such as Aveeno Positively Smooth Facial Moisturizer, $14, to your routine. Also, be aware that hyperpigmentation can be triggered by waxing burns, so if you let it rip at home, don't overheat the wax. If you go to a pro waxer, be up-front about your skin's sensitivity. For facial hair, try threading, a safe, time-tested alternative technique that tugs on skin less than waxing or tweezing.

Dark 


Image Source: cosmopolitan.com
Skin tones in this category can range from café au lait to ebony and usually include African-Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, and women from India, Sri Lanka, and other areas of South Asia.

Basic Characteristics

The lucky news: Your skin is the best-protected against UV damage — not so much so that you can forget sunscreen (ever!) — but enough that you're likely to look a few years younger than your lighter-skinned contemporaries. Your pigmentation also provides camouflage against redness and even cellulite. On the other hand, hyperpigmentation can be a big issue — the skin pros point out that acne scars are a particular bummer.

Basic Care

Wage a war against pimple scars by making your cleansing routine about acne avoidance: Use a pore-cleansing salicylic-acid wash once or twice a day. We like Bioré Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser, $6. But because you can't ensure against breakouts one hundred percent of the time, consider applying a cream that contains both salicylic acid as well as a brown spot-fighting ingredient. Try Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Acne Mark Fading Peel, $15.

Common Problems

Keeping your b-day suit free of any ashy patches of dry skin is challenging because the contrast between dead, grayish cells and your rich dark skin tone can be obvious. Go for rich lotions and creams, and moisturize as often and as thoroughly as possible, especially when your skin is still damp after a shower. And stick with gentle cleansers versus drying soaps. Try Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash, $4.50. For stubborn ashiness, keep a humidifier on while you sleep.

You may also be plagued with ingrowns. The culprit: a combo of coarse hair and curved follicles. Simply put, the hair has a hard time breaking through the surface of your skin. And as tempting as picking and excavating may be, just say no. At best, you'll invite hyperpigmentation...at worst, infection. Instead, opt for exfoliating and/or antiinflammatory products that coax trapped hairs out. Try Completely Bare Bikini Bump Blaster, $35, or Tend Skin, $20.

African-American Skin Alert

No matter where you fall on the spectrum of dark skin, the most important thing to remember is that sun-induced skin cancer poses a particular risk. Cancerous growths are usually caught at a later (and more dangerous) stage in dark-skinned patients than in others. It's not that questionable spots are trickier to spot on dark skin than they are on light skin; rather, says Dr. Downie, "there's a lack of awareness among women of color that cancer could even be a problem for them." Plus, a lot of doctors aren't being sufficiently trained in skin of color. So you need to be especially vigilant about self-monitoring.

Here are all the classic patterns of potential cancerous growths to look out for: moles and bumps that change shape or color, or that bleed or hurt, or that don't heal. Pay special attention to your palms, soles, and the skin under your nails, areas where there is a higher incidence of melanoma among African-Americans. So remember: Wear SPF 30 (yes, 30!), get an annual skin exam and self-monitor in between those visits.

Learn how to take care of your skin by following this Twitter page for Lift and Glow Pro.