Skin Care News

Cold Weather = Dry Skin

Posted on October 19, 2009 with 5 Comments

For many of us it only took a matter of a few days as we saw temperatures drop from the mid-60’s to the mid-30’s as colder, drier weather hit us fast.  Chicago, Buffalo, and Philadelphia are being hit with the earliest snow falls on record (even New England played football in the snow this weekend!), and the cold, dry air is drying-out skin just as fast.

With that said, here is a short primer on why our skin gets dry when fall and winter hits.  Well, for one, colder air is

Moisturizing Dry Skin

less dense than warm air.  Therefore, it is unable to hold as much moisture or water molecules.  Cold air - as in “canadian fronts” - often brings with it wind that “wisks” away moisture and tends to dry-out tissue - causing oils and water vapor to evaporate more quickly.

An interesting observation for those who have swimming pools or jaccuzis…as with many folks we know, we cover our pool during the winter.  We keep the pump and filter going, but cover the entire pool with a floating plastic sheet.  I assumed this was to keep the leaves and debris out of the pool and the cleaner.  Well this is in-part true, but I was informed by our local “pool expert” that the primary reason for the covers is to lessen evaporation.  He told me the cold, windy weather would cause as much, if not more, evaporation than the heat and sun during the summer.

Well, that is what happens to our skin!  So, what do what should you do?  Here are a couple of ideas our staff and consultants suggest:

1. Keep your skin moisturized.  While this may seem an obvious first note, it is difficult for most folks to do.  First, you start your day with a hot shower (which depletes oils and moisture), then you go out into the cold, dry air - often windy, too.  So, by the time you get to work or school, you face is tight, and the skin on your hands hurt or are notiably dry and flaking.  The best thing to do is pat dry following a shower and immediately apply a light moisturizing lotion.  We recommend those that contain ingredients like aloe, lanolin and/or emu oil.  Generally an emu oil lotion is not greasy, is absorbed deeply into the skin, and lasts much or most of the day.
2. Stay hydrated - Again, kind of an obvious issue, but for any of you who like to snow ski know, you can easily become dehydrated without knowing it because of the cooler temperatures.
3. Use vitamin supplements - There is a bit of debate as to whether most folks need a daily supplement for their ski, nails or hair.  Personally I think it is a good idea - and there is no evidence that it hurts - none that I know of, anyway.   I believe this especially holds true during the winter.  Our diets change, level of active outdoor activities decline, and our skin and hair are constantly exposed to a barrage of UV rays and cold air.  Help keep your skin elastic and healthy by boosting up on some supplements.

You know your skin best.  What you do during the winter generally has an impact as you enter the spring and summer.  Care should be taken now to avoid wrinkles, dry patches, skin rash, and flaking.  While careful care can be given to protect your skin, a little bit of prevention can help reduce the rate at which your skin ages and helps to keep your complexion smooth and soft.

Tips for Smoother Skin - Part II

Posted on June 15, 2009 with 4 Comments

In the first post on smoother skin, we talked about the “top 3″ of proper care - cleansing, hydrating (moisturizing), and treating.  Each are equally important to prevent enlarged pores, avoid rashes and keep your complexion soft and smooth.

Not to get to detailed, but we (the consuming public and manufacturers) can break down each of these areas and take a closer look at some things that work and some that don’t - and why.

There are a lot of skin care products for smoother skin - they come in a wide range of applications, mix of ingredients and a multitude of bases.  The market has been segmented to the extreme as everyone looks for the miracle product that will make us look younger.  Cream, abrasions, exfoliators and moisturizers all vie for the dollar you are going to spend. 

But do they work?…do they help?…really?  Well as a researcher, formulator and manufacturer, I would argue that it depends on the ingredients and what your goal is.  I’m ot trying to talk in circles, but that’s what it boils down to. 

For instance, moisturizers have been considered a regimen staple going back a long time.  I remember my Mom applying a mask every night.  The general purpose is to rehydrate the tissue.  Even years ago, we recognized dryness and tightening and believed re-hydration was good.  In fact, it was and is.  The cool thing now is we have so many more effective ingredients than 40 years ago.

In the past 10 years, the most popular ingredient for moisturizers has become Hyaluronic Acid.  It has found its was into wrinkle creams, solutions for skin rashes, burn treatments, and for chronic or acute drying.  It is naturally found in our cells and becomes increasingly depleted as we age. 

Many biologist and dermatologists believe it is the accumulated effects of free-radical damage that causes us to lose and produce less hyaluronic acid.  If so, it certainly is a convenient response to why tissue becomes thin, dry, and wrinkled as we continue to age.  So, to re-hydrate and moisturize look for creams or serums with Hyaluronic Acid.  The effects are almost immediate.

Another couple of ingredients to loo for are Aloe and Emu Oil.  Aloe most of us are familiar with.  It makes a great base for a cream - especially serums.  Its widely used in beauty and anti-aging products - working well for facial and wrinkle solutions, especially as an eye smoother.

Emu oil is less well known, but has become a premier (and fairly expensive) ingredient for pitted acne scar treatment, burns, and stretchmarks.  I’ve put up a few posts regarding Emu Oil, and at the risk of oft repeating myself, it is great.  It has been used for years in Australia and New Zealand for wound healing.  It deep moisturizes, and clinical studies have shown it is super-effective at both repairing and improving the complexion.  A pretty good combo.

So, there are a few things you should look for when considering products for smoother skin. Each help soften, reduce enlarged pores, help retian moisture, and in some cases, help purify tissue to rid bacteria, oil and dirt.

Remedies for a Bad Sunburn

Posted on May 25, 2009 with 7 Comments

I just got back from 3 days at the beach, and as usual and am looking for remedies for a  bad sunburn on my nose. 

Finding relief for the burning and peeling go back to when I was a kid growing up in Orlando.  My Dad, who was a dentist, always had an Aloe plant in the backyard and sent us scrambling to peel open the leaves and wipe the gooey insides on our face.

It felt soothing and seemed to make everything OK until it started to dry - making our skin tight and dried-out.  Aloe and lidoocaine have since become popular ingredients helping soothe and cool sunburns all over the planet in OTC products.  And, while the healing effects have become widely known, we have found there are options to heal and treat you can consider, especially of the burn is severe (which mine is borderline!)

I have written several times about emu oil.  It is a ver popular remedy in Australia and somewhat in New Zealand.  It is one of the few oils used in skin care products that is considered a “carrier” oil - meaning it is capable and has properties to penetrate to the subcutameous layer of the skin.  While this may not seem too important, many creams and lotions do not have a carrier oil - primarily because of expense (it’s not cheap).  The benefits, as they say, out way the costs.  The ability to penetrate deep greatly improves it’s - and other ingredients its formulated with - efficacy or effectiveness.  Especially when considering sun burn remedies, getting to the lower layers of tissue is paramount.

With that said, emu oil, does several other things.  First it is widely used to treat burns in general.  It is a natural anti-bacterial, helping wounds to remain sterilized and fighting off infection, a primary concern to fight infection.  It is a natural moisturizer, antiseptic and promotes healthy skin cell and collagen renewal.  This helps prevent scars and improves elasticity and pliability of tissue.

If combined with vitamin e and menthol, as with my favorite remedy for bad sunburn, Dermal Em, you you get the soothing and cooling relief with the benefit of the healing power and regenerative qualities needed to avoid tightening, itchy or excessive peeling.

While there is plenty of discussion as to the difference between “bad” and “severe”, the fundamental premise of treatment is the same:

• Drink plenty of fluid to avoid dehydration and to maintain body fluids
• Provide no open wounds, keep the affected area moisturized, clean and sterilized, if possible
• To relieve pain, itchy and soreness, products based with with emu oil, lidocaine or menthol (peppermint, spearmint) can help with the “heat”.

The best remedies for a bad sunburn I have found combine emu oil, vitamin e and menthol.  The skin gets some relief with a light cooling sensation to burned tissue (I like the smell also), and the vitamin e and emu oil do a great job helping heal the burn.

Tips for Smoother Skin - Part I

Posted on April 14, 2009 with 1 Comment

I guess we have all been deluged with advice on keeping our complexion smooth and soft.  But here are a couple of ideas, in fact reminders, to increase softness while reducing premature aging and wrinkles.

1. Keep it Clean - Pores enlarge and become clogged when dirt and oil become trapped.  Microscopic bacteria and fungus can grow enlarging the pore’s size and compounding the problem.  Wash your face daily with an herbal-based cleanser that is not harsh on the skin.  Avoid makeup and cosmetics periodically.  My wife generally takes a day or two every few weeks not wearing makeup and she says it works great.
2. Moisturize - While this seems pretty obvious, moisturizers, especially at night, reclaim lost hydration.  Some creams can irritate and are fairly ineffective at reducing dry skin.  I’ll review several products in later posts.
3. Treatment - If you have chronically dry skin or have had excessive sun exposure, products with Hyaluronic Acid work very well at providing “instant” moisture - fighting skin rashes, dryness, and problems like rosacea and acne.

Pretty basic, uh?  The trick is consistency and adjusting your regimen to your skin type and any specific problems you might have.  I’ll make a few recommendations for enlarged pores and wrinkles later.