Archive for skin
Baby Skin Care Information
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Baby skin care is more about preventing diaper rash than preventing acne, but nonetheless, it's an important topic. People don't often think about the need to care for a baby's skin, perhaps because it's so perfect. Few things feel more soft and supple. Proper baby skin care can mean the difference between a happy baby and one that's constantly complaining.
Besides diaper and heat rash, babies can develop a condition called 'cradle cap'. Baby skin dries easily and it can even sunburn because melanin production is low. And because of the surge in hormones at the time of birth, babies can break out in acne, although baby skin is far less oily than an adult's.
General guidelines and tips on baby skin care
Start life off right by protecting your baby from ultraviolet exposure. Keep infants out of direct sunlight during the first few months. If you do go outside, be sure to cover the baby's skin with protective clothing, a hat and baby sunglasses. Turn that into a habit and teach your child the importance of doing so as he or she grows older. Sunscreen products shouldn't be applied until the baby is 6 months old, but after that, they're absolutely necessary. Take care when riding in cars and when out for a stroll.
As for baby skin care, it won't be hard to find products formulated especially for babies. Purchase these and use as directed. Adult skin care products are not recommended for babies. They're far too harsh. You may have to switch laundry detergents if you find the one you're using is irritating your baby's skin. Read More→
Skin Care For Aging and Wrinkles
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Skin aging and wrinkles are a person's two worst enemies. Although there is little one can do to prevent these tell-tale signs of aging, there are ways to delay their appearance. Skin begins the aging process almost from the moment you're born, so if you want to control skin aging and wrinkles, start early!
Causes of skin aging and wrinkles
Over time, the important skin components elastin and collagen start to break apart and skin begins to lose its elasticity, its underlying structure and its ability to spring back into shape. Cell reproduction slows with age causing fat cells and oil glands to atrophy. As this happens, production of emulsions designed to keep skin moist slows and skin starts to become dry. Add in the effects of gravity and soon the jowls, arms and eyelids begin to sag.
Several other environmental factors contribute to the onset of skin aging and wrinkles. Cigarette smoking, air pollution, laughing and frowning, and unprotected exposure to the sun all play a role. What's different about these environmental factors is that most are within a person's ability to control. So while there is no way (as of yet) to stop the aging process, the factors that contribute to its acceleration can be stopped.
Skin aging and wrinkling can be slowed by always protecting the skin from the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays. These rays can penetrate unprotected layers of skin. They produce radiation which can seriously and permanently damage the cells that form skin tissue. UVA rays are believed capable of releasing oxidants, unstable particles that cause extensive cell damage. Read More→
Skin Types: Oily Skin
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Of all the skin types, oily skin is often the most challenging. Oil production is completely natural and is the result of the sebaceous glands located in the dermis or middle layer of skin. These natural oils help keep skin moist and supple. But for some, the sebaceous glands produce too much oil, leading to the most dreaded of the skin types: oily skin.
How do I know I have oily skin?
Most teenagers have oily skin because this is the time when hormone production is in full swing. But if you've passed your teen years, there are other ways of determining whether or not you have oily skin. It's fairly easy to detect, so start by looking in the mirror. Do you notice a sheen on your skin, especially in your 'T-Zone?' The T-Zone starts at the point between your eyes and extends vertically down along your nose all the way to your chin. The zone also runs horizontally across the bridge of your nose, starting and ending at the center point below each eye.
You may or may not notice the sheen during the day, so check again first thing after waking. If there's a sheen, chances are good you have oily skin. While you're standing at the mirror, take a look at your hair. If it's oily, it's another indication you likely have oily skin. If you wear make-up, specifically foundation, and you find it fades or wears off after a couple of hours, that's yet another indication of oily skin. If you're constantly patting your face with powder or even a handkerchief it's probably because of oily skin. Read More→
Tips for Providing Maximum Sun Protection
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When applied according to the product's instructions, sun screens provide maximum protection from the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays. Always be sure to choose a SPF (sun protection factor) that offers the maximum protection for your skin type. But remember that no product will work if you fail to apply it every time you go outside.
The sun can reflect off many different surfaces including snow and cement and UV rays are present even on cloudy days. With these facts in mind, the best way to provide maximum sun protection is to develop a habit of applying your sun protection products whenever you go outside, reapplying them as often as necessary.
Sun protection: more than skin deep
One thing you'll realize about most sun protection products is that they're not formulated for all body parts. They're great at protecting the skin, but what about the eyes, lips and hair? The sun can cause serious damage to the eyes and has been associated with the development of cataracts. Read More→
Sensitive Skin Care: a medical condition?
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Contrary to what you might have heard, sensitive skin isn't considered a medical condition. When someone says he or she has sensitive skin, it typically means the skin has become irritated, red, swollen and/or itchy as a result of either an environmental condition or use of a certain product. The term is also used to describe changes to a person's skin in response to allergic reactions.
Why can skin be sensitive?
Although there are several reasons why skin can be sensitive, the most common is that skin is reacting negatively to a certain product or possibly some combination of products. Think about your daily skin care regime, specifically the number of products you use. Soaps, cleansers, toners, blemish reducers, blemish concealers, foundation, blush, facial masks, after shave lotion ñ the list never ends! You probably use products that are made by a number of different manufacturers, too. While your intentions are good, some skin cannot tolerate such an assault. Read More→
Skin Disorders: Eczema
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Persistent, painful itching; that's how many patients describe eczema, a skin condition with many causes. To make it easier to understand eczema and the various symptoms and related treatments, eczema goes by a number of different names. Regardless of the underlying cause however, eczema always affects the epidermis, and it can affect any individual, regardless of genetics, racial background or age.
Classified into two broad categories, eczema that has no apparent trigger or cause is considered endogenous eczema. When eczema is the result of external triggers such as allergens, the eczema is classified as eczematous dermatitis.
Much still is unknown about eczema and one puzzling fact is that the available treatments for the various types of eczema aren't always effective for every individual. Read More→
Protecting yourself from the Sun: Tanning and Burning
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Tanning and burning are two intentional or unintentional consequences of being out in the sun. Most people willingly seek out the healthy glow that sun can produce. Yet two people, spending the same amount of time exposed to the same sun intensity often will come home with far different results. Why is it that one might come home in agony while other comes home looking sleek and glamorous?
The answer has a lot to do with a person's skin type. Other factors can influence the end result such as taking certain prescription medications and using certain types of skin care products, so let's take a closer look.
When skin is exposed to the sun without adequate sun protection, the exposure causes melanin, the pigment in the body that gives skin its color, to rise to the surface of the skin. One of the roles melanin plays is protecting skin from the sun. People with light or fair skin have less melanin whereas people with dark complexions obviously have more melanin. Since melanin protects the skin from the sun, it makes sense then that those with less melanin have less protection and vice versa. Darker-skinned individuals tan more often than they burn, but not always. Read More→
Skin Disorders: Psoriasis
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Affecting approximately one out of every 50 adults, psoriasis is a physical condition that can cause significant psychological distress. One of the most interesting discoveries related to psoriasis is that its onset is rooted in the body's immune system.
The symptoms associated with a flare-up of psoriasis include skin that is salmon-colored, scaly, flaky and irritated. With plaque psoriasis, the most common form, affected areas develop round-, oval- or irregularly-shaped patches of red that are covered with skin that's scaly and silver-colored. There is no consistency in the size or shape of the patchy areas and in fact, several small patches can merge together and appear as one big irregular shape of irritated skin. These areas are unsightly and sometimes they crack and cause bleeding.
Affected skin can be extremely itchy and frequently has a burning sensation. Like the shape, there is no consistency in how long a flare-up will last. It can last 20 days or it can last 120 days or longer. What's worse for those affected is that it's a chronic condition so recurring flare-ups can happen any time. Read More→
Skin conditions: Rosacea
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Skin flushing and redness when you're not embarrassed are symptoms associated with rosacea, a chronic skin disorder that affects millions of individuals, primarily women. The condition doesn't usually appear until women reach their 30's or even later. Rosacea is thought to result from the accumulation over time of excess acid in the body. This accumulation irritates the blood vessels and since the facial area has some of the highest concentrations of blood vessels, it's the area most affected by rosacea.
Symptoms of Rosacea
Rosacea affects the face therefore its symptoms are difficult to miss. The main areas affected include cheeks and nose, but the forehead and areas around the mouth can also be involved. These areas have a large concentration of blood-carrying arteries which is why some people blame the cause of rosacea on excess acids.
Symptoms are characterized by patches of red, flush skin that may burn or sting or itch. In some cases, the skin will also become inflamed. There is no consistency among patients as to where on the face the patches will develop and whether they'll appear on one or both sides simultaneously. Skin type can be characterized by dry and flaky, or normal or oily. Read More→
The big question: What is Skin?
Posted by: | CommentsSkin is the body's biggest organ. When people think of organs, most often the heart, lungs and brain come to mind but typically not the skin. Like these and other organs inside the body, skin is made up of different types of tissues and these tissues are made up of cells.
Much like the roof on a house, the skin plays an important role in protecting our bodies. It keeps bodily fluids inside while at the same time carefully controlling the release of waste product. It also helps keep our internal body parts safe from the potentially harmful effects of the environment including the sun, light and bacteria and also from injury.
Several different layers make up the skin, but perhaps because the underlying layers are not visible, they're not thought of very often. We spend much of our lives worrying about acne and wrinkles but don't realize that these types of skin issues have a lot to do with the workings of the layers below. Read More→
