What you should know about skin care after 40!                                 

Skin aging is a result of programmed events, which are represented by modifications at the cellular and molecular level.  Major external and internal changes affect tremendously the aging process. One of the major external factors is sun exposure.  UV rays can irreversibly induced wrinkles and skin damage.  A change in hormonal balance is one of the major internal factors. Due to menopausal hormonal changes, women’s skin looses its elasticity and firmness, becoming wrinkled. There are also changes in the skin’s barrier function, sebum (a mixture of waxes, free cholesterol, free fatty acids and other lipids) production and facial contour.  

   In this particular period of life a special skin care routine has to be developed to keep the skin protected and well moisturized. Sunscreen moisturizer creams are highly recommended at this stage to keep the skin protected. Vitamin C and Vitamin E are natural anti-oxidants with great sunscreen capabilities. Vitamin C has an important role in the elimination of free radicals from the skin, while vitamin E protects against free radicals. Moisturizer’s humectants are also of great importance in keeping the skin hydrated and smooth. Important natural humectants are: glycerin, honey, gelatin, some vitamins and proteins.

   Aged skin is fragile, dry, and sensitive. Therefore, mild cleanser and no astringent skin care products should be used.  You should be very careful in using chemical peelings especially those using trichloracetic acid or phenol, which are very strong and require long time healing. In addition, UV rays can damage irreversible your new skin layers.

Special care should be taken in the selection of light and heavy foundation make-up.  Thicker facial foundation, which can cover the skin’s color abnormalities, only accentuates the deep wrinkles. Sometimes, avoiding heavy foundation makes you look younger and healthier.

Several rejuvenation products are now available on the market.

Among the rejuvenation products, creams containing hormones (progesterone and estrogen) are widely used. The progesterone and estrogen creams can decrease wrinkles, increase the sebum synthesis and improve skin elasticity. It is important to know that topical progesterone and estrogen are quickly absorbed and transported into the circulatory system.  Concern may arise in using synthetic hormone creams, since the surplus remains in the system for up to two weeks and can trigger different ailments, such as cancer.  Unlike synthetic hormones, plant hormones (phyto-hormones) are metabolized and easily eliminated from the body. They mimic the effect of human hormones and are similar with hormone therapy.

Collagen creams are also available on the market as rejuvenation products. The collagen is supposed to nourish the skin and reverse the signs of aging. But the collagen molecule is too large to be adsorbed into the skin. Thus, what do you possibly feel onto the skin is the effect of other ingredients from the same formulation. You can try injections with collagen instead, which are efficient to soften wrinkles.  However, the effect last between 3-12 months and after that you have to repeat the procedure. You might also develop allergies related to different types of collagen.

Extreme rejuvenation therapies are also available.

Dermabrasion, is a type of plastic surgery that is meant to refinish your skin by replacing the abraded skin with new collagen and epidermis. However, Dermabrasion requires undergoing major surgery and in every major surgery there are risks involved. There is also a possibility of scaring infection and permanent change in the skin’s pigmentation.

Microdermabrasion involves blasting the surface of the skin with a mist of crystals under pressure to remove dead and damaged layers of the skin. Using this procedure the skin becomes smoother and less wrinkled. The procedure should be repeated every 2-4 weeks, sometimes combined with a chemical peeling. Persons with skin ailments, such as rosacea, are not recommended to use this extreme rejuvenation procedure. And of course persons with diabetes should not attempt to use any of these extreme rejuvenation procedures. The skin healing may never be achieved.

In conclusion:

You cannot reverse the aging process but you can delay it by proper skin care, which does not have to be extreme. You have to know that if you start an extreme rejuvenation procedure you have to stick with it for the reminder of your life, which sometimes is not a convenient alternative.

Natural ways of delaying the aging process, with a proper skin balance of valuable micronutrients and natural hormones, are a long lasting and healthier alternative.

   Protect The Barrier Function Of Your Skin!                      

   The selectively permeable skin barrier is the top most layer of the skin (so called “dead skin layer”), which has a tremendous role in protection against dehydration and variable environmental changes.

This layer contains cells without nuclei comprised of keratin filaments sank in a lipid milieu of free cholesterol, cholesterol ionic (sulfate cholesterol), ceramide, and other free fatty acids. The role of each of the constituents of this layer is still an open question.

 One thing is certain! Any modification in the skin barrier’s equilibrium may trigger different skin conditions such a dryness, itchiness or dermatitis.

 Preservation of the qualities of the skin barrier became a necessity these days when we encounter so many pollution sources around us. In order to maintain a healthy and active skin barrier you should moisturize your skin on a daily basis. There are many important qualities that a moisturizer has to achieve in order to protect the skin barrier.

 One of the important qualities of a moisturizer is to bring moisture and keep it there. For this purpose every moisturizer has to contain humectants, preferable natural, such as vegetable glycerine.  The glycerine can attract water and trigger the elasticity of the skin.

  Fatty acids on the other hand, have a major role in retaining the moisture in. However, a high concentration of fatty acids without any humectant in a skin care formulation increases the sensitivity of the skin barrier to different chemicals. For example sodium lauryl sulfate, one of the major ingredients in synthetic cleansers can easily penetrate the skin barrier in the above conditions, leading to cell damage.

  To strengthen the barrier function some fatty acids are more important than other. For example linoleic and gamma linoleic acids, induce the biosynthesis of  ceramide , a skin barrier  constituent , which improves radically the barrier function.

 Another quality  for a well  formulated moisturizer is sunscreen protection. Antioxidants such as vitamin C, Vitamin E or Coenzyme Q have an important role in UV protection. However for a photoaging damaged skin these only ingredients are not sufficient to stop or reverse the aging process. Vitamin A is also required to enhance the biosynthesis of the new skin cells.  On the other hand too high concentration of vitamin A can induce wrinkles.

  To activate the skin barrier process of regeneration the most upper layer of the cells has to be removed periodically. The removal of the cells can be rapidly obtained by peeling procedure.  The stronger the peeling procedure you choose the longer time is needed for the skin barrier to regenerate. By using mild peeling procedure the removal of the cells is limited to some extent to those cells ready to be shed.  In this case, the regeneration is naturally occurred, is not induced or forced, this keeping the upper skin layer protected.

 In conclusion:

 Don’t rush for a moisturizer, which claims to contain one extraordinary active ingredient! 

 One or even two active ingredients are not enough to provide a healthy skin and protective skin barrier.    The active ingredients have to be as many as they can maintain all the skin needs for hydration, regeneration, rejuvenation and protection. The potential active ingredients have to interact with each other in a complete synergy to provide the maximum strengths and a high quality skin care product.  .

 Don’t rush for an extreme peeling alternative. Look for a less aggressive, more natural way of improving your skin and strengthening your skin’s barrier function.

After all, your skin has to be prepared not for a moment of nice pretence it has to remain healthy for your entire life.

Natural Approaches To Reduce Cellulite
 

Cellulite can be characterized by an uneven bumpy skin texture over the upper outer tights, buttocks, breasts and upper arms.

Different theories characterize cellulite as a vascular, structural or inflammatory process. For example cellulite can be explained as a degradation process initiated by the loss of the capillary network and inability to restore the tissue damage. Cellulite can also appear in the presence of larger fat lobules attachments under the skin.
The collagen breakdown which usually appears during puberty and menstruation in the dermis, can be an important factor in cellulite formation. In the same time, cellulite becomes accentuated during pregnancy, nursing and estrogen therapy.

An unbalanced diet with excessive intake of fat, carbohydrates, salt may also aggravate this condition.
A poor fiber diet decreases tissue oxygenation and increases the formation of radicals and toxins under the skin.
Emotional stress induces the increase in adrenaline and noradrenaline which stimulates the reactions of fat synthesis (lipogenesis).
Finally, a sedentary life decreases the muscle mass in the favor of the fat mass.

The complexity of the factors for the cellulite condition requires multilevel approaches and treatments.

There are several options which might have a positive impact on the cellulite treatment such as silicon, retinol and different herbal therapies.

Herbs which stimulate peripheral circulation such as rosemary, cayenne, dandelion, nettle may be very beneficial in the treatment of cellulite. Compounds which naturally induce collagen synthesis (vitamin C, gamma linoleic acid) may help with the restoration of the damaged skin due to cellulite.
By removing the toxins embedded in the fat lobules tissue oxygenation is improved. Saunas, massages, fast absorbing compounds such as clays are also beneficial.

Mild sport activities improve muscle tone helping restore the muscle mass.

Conclusion: Cellulite is not a disease. Cellulite is a result of hormonal activities and life style. Theoretically every woman has cellulite. Cellulite can be less pronounced or completely undetectable if you have a healthy life style and use whenever necessary different topical approaches to reduce it.