Saturday, May 21, 2011

Hyperpigmentation Treatment for Melasma & Other Hyperpigmentation Problems


One of the most common skin conditions associated with older skin is age spots. There are two reasons that men and women can develop age spots: too much melanin due to sun exposure or fluctuations in hormone levels. These discoloration problems are known as hyperpigmentation (due to prolonged sun exposure) and melasma (due to hormonal fluctuations or sun exposure).

HYPERPIGMENTATION

Hyperpigmentation is defined as a surplus of melanin relative to the surrounding skin. This can be the result of either an abnormally high concentration of melanocytes (or the pigment-producing cells) producing the melanin, or hyperactive melanocytes in a specific site. Undoubtedly, the cumulative effects of sun exposure play an important part in hyperpigmentation as it stimulates the darkening of the melanocytes.

MELASMA

It is thought that melasma is the result of the stimulation of melanocytes by estrogen and progesterone to produce more melanin when the sun is exposed to sunlight. Women that have light brown skin and live in regions with intense sunlight are more especially susceptible to developing this problem.

It is very common for melasma to appear during pregnancy or with the use of contraceptive pills. Therefore, a direct relationship with female hormonal activity appears to cause melanocytes to produce and deposit excess pigments. Moreover, this type of pigmentation problem is more common among women than men.

Other factors that have been linked to melasma are mild ovarian or thyroid dysfunction, certain cosmetics and photosensitizing medications.

Genetic predisposition is also a major factor in determining whether someone will develop melasma. Over 30% of patients have a family history of melasm. Identical twins have been reported to develop melasma, while other siblings under similar conditions did not.

Another major factor is exposure to sunlight. Ultraviolet radiation leads to the peroxidation of the lipids in cell membranes which leads to the generation of free radicals and the production of more melanin. Sunscreens that protect against UVB radiation are not sufficient protection because longer wavelengths make melanocytes produce more melanin.

DEALING WITH HYPERPIGMENTATION AND MELASMA

Aging skin care should take into consideration both a melasma and hyperpigmentation treatment. In both case, excess pigmentation is a gradual process which makes their resolution an equally gradual process.

Hyperpigmentation products are basically aimed at bleaching the skin to reduce the amount of pigment. There are natural products that can be used for this purpose. But, the leading active-substance for bleaching the skin is hydroquinone.

Unfortunately, if hydroquinone is used for extended periods of time it can lead to severe side effects. This means that only a limited amount of hydroquinone can be added to skin care products. Furthermore, hydroquinone causes permanent de pigmentation and, therefore, increase photosensitivity to UV radiation.

Even though they may take longer to produce similar effects, hyperpigmentation creams derived from natural origins have become popular for the treatment of melasma and hyperpigmentation. These types of creams contain arbutin, licorice extract, Vitamin C and kokic acid.

Treat melasma and hyperpigmentation using Bioskinrejuvenation, one of our naturalhyperpigmentation creams. It contains natural ingredients that help restore the skin’s natural physiology and help speed up skin renewal. Go to our website to find extra information about hyperpigmentation problems and melasma treatments.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

What causes dark circles?

If we lived in a fair world dark circles would be a punishment for stopping out too late and partying into the early hours.

But life just isn’t like that – no matter how much of an early to bed kind of person you are – panda eyes can still greet you in the morning mirror. If you are prone to getting them you probably hate the way they make you look more tired and much older than you really are.

So what causes under eye circles and is there anything we can do to prevent them?

Dark circles are present in most people to a degree.

The skin under our eyes is the thinnest in the whole of our bodies allowing the blood flowing through the capillaries to show as a bluish dark color. But some people are more likely to get under eye circles and these are the most common causes:

1. Genes – your DNA, heredity – call it what you want but the transparency and thinness of your skin is inherited. The thinner and more transparent the skin on your face the more likely it is you’ll have eye circles. Genes are also responsible for the strength of your capillaries – the tiny blood vessels that carry blood under your skin.

Weakened capillary walls make the under eye area darker just as they cause varicose veins or spider veins in your legs. So – if you have the ‘dark circle gene’ there isn’t much you can do about it – you’re just more likely to get them.

2. Bone structure – if you have deep set eyes, shadowing will contribute to the overall impression of darkness under your eyes making the circles look much worse. Bone structure is also inherited so again this is something you are stuck with.

3. Anemia - anemia is quite common and is caused by iron deficiency or a lack of balanced nutrients in the body. Much worse for women especially in pregnancy or during menstruation.

Anemia doesn’t cause under eye circles but it will make your skin very pale and so the dark area under your eyes will be much more obvious. You can improve your diet – iron rich foods include green vegetables, lean meat and brown whole meal breads – or you can take anti aging supplements to make sure iron deficiency isn’t a problem.

4. Sun damage – this is something you CAN control. Hyperpigmentation results in higher levels of melanin in the delicate skin around the eyes which darkens unattractively. To avoid making dark circles worse – wear a high factor UV protection and proper sunglasses which fully shade the eye area.

5. Age – unfortunately as we get older collagen levels decline and skin becomes thinner and less resilient allowing the blood vessels to show through. Capillary strength also declines which is a bit of a double whammy as far as eye circles is concerned.

Treat the delicate skin around your eyes carefully and use a good general eye cream day and night. Or even better – rather than a general cream you might want to go for an eye cream for dark circles which will be specifically formulated to deal with the problem.

6. Medication – some forms of medication can cause increased dilation of blood vessels. If you have started a course of medication recently you may find that your under eye circles appear worse or even show for the first time if you never had them before – but don’t worry the change should be temporary.

7. Dehydration – circles under your eyes can be a sign the body is lacking water. Keep your hydration levels up especially in the heat or when taking exercise.

8. Lack of sleep – actually lack of sleep doesn’t cause dark circles under the eyes but too little sleep will make you look pale and so the dark area will show up more. The answer is simple and obvious – get to bed in good time and give your mind and body a good night’s sleep – regularly.

The causes of eye circles may be outside our control but cosmetic science is coming up with answers – eye creams and gels are getting better and better at targeting the problem. And of course – if you want to disguise the problem – you can buy an excellent light reflecting under eye concealer.

So if you want the best possible answer to your dark circles – combine effective under eye skin care and make up with a good diet, careful sun protection, plenty of water and lots of rest.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Skin Care Tips For A Beautiful Face

Taking care of your facial skin is important since this is the first feature that people notice. Even before they notice the color on your nails and the color of you clothes, they look at your face. It is therefore important that you not only keep your skin clean, but also need to maintain its moisture and keep it looking healthy and supple. Here are a few simple ideas that will bring your skin back on its track

Try and keep your skin clean at all time, since dirt and grime are often attracted to your skin, it can clog facial pores. Cleaning your skin will ensure that the dirt and grime are washed off regularly. Make sure you buy yourself a good cleanser that is not too harsh on your skin as harsh ones only take away essential skin oils. Wash it twice a day, before you sleep and after you wake up.

A good moisturizer will ensure that your skin stays supple, hydrated and always fresh.
However it is important to choose the right moisturizer, and since there are several available in the market choosing one that suits your skin type is essential for e.g for oily skin choose a moisturiser that is not oily.

Yellow pea flour (besan) is a great cleansing agent. Washing your skin it will ensure that dirt and grime is gotten rid of completely. Since it is natural, you can be assured that it will not harm your skin. This is a great way to make your skin glow without having to go to a beauty parlour.

Wear enough sunscreen as this will protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Choose a sunscreen lotion that has a minimum of 30 + SPF. Reapply your sunscreen every two hours if you are out in the sun for a long time
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Natural mineral makeup is made up of natural minerals that is great for your skin. It not only lasts for long but it also replenishes your skin with natural health ingredients that are found in these minerals. The presence of titanium oxide and zinc in your mineral makeup will leave your skin looking young, refreshed and very supple, something that no other makeup will give. However mineral makeup is very expensive and not everyone can afford it.

A good nights sleep for at least 8 hours reflects on your face. Sleep deprivation can leave your face with dark circles under your eyes, and ugly looking bags with a lot of puffiness. Good sleep will ensure that all of this is avoided and that you look young and refreshed all the time.

Apart from this it is also essential to keep yourself healthy from within. This is possible only if you eat plenty of vegetables and fruits as they are good mineral and vitamin sources that are good for your skin
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Sunday, May 15, 2011

Anti Aging Skin Care, How to Look Younger

If you are like me, you probably have begun to notice wrinkles and lines appearing more often in your skin. It is inevitable that as we age, the quality of our skin will decrease unless we use some type of anti aging skin caretreatment. Believe it or not, many people are turning to medical procedures to improve the appearance of their skin. This makes no sense to me since it does nothing to address the underlying needs of aging skin.

Many of these companies fail to mention that they produce these anti aging skin care products with little regard to the effectiveness of the ingredients. Instead these choose to hide these ineffective ingredients with fragrances and fillers to mask the inability of these skincare creams to produce measurable results.

If you’re over 30 and are anxious about your aging skin, consider yourself lucky. Despite the heightening environmental aggressions against our skin, as well as the type of synthetic substances added on to skin careproducts, science is continuing its efforts to provide women of the 21st century with the best anti-aging skin caretreatments. No need to argue about it, a beautiful face (minus the blemishes) can take you anywhere and is probably one of your best assets.

The regular use of anti-aging skin care products is becoming normal these days; the growth in popularity is due in no small part to the fact that we are all living and working longer. The skin care industry uses beauty products that increase the synthesis of the protein collagen, the main protein in skin which becomes less elastic as we age; approximately one quarter of the protein contained in skin is collagen. Collagen is a member of another family of substances that aid in reducing the signs of aging. known as antioxidants, they are the body’s method of slowing down the aging process.


An effective anti aging skin care product will address the major causes of an aged appearance. Those causes include decreased production of new cells and elastic fibers, low levels of hyaluronic acid and free radical damage. Of the three, free radical damage is arguably the largest cause, but the other factors are important, too.

In today’s society, anti aging skin care products are no longer only for women. Recent studies show that more and more men are just as concerned about signs of aging and their appearance as women are. Both females and males want to maintain youth and look young for as long as possible. There are anti aging skin care products made specifically for men but it is important for them to find reliable advice and understand their options before starting an anti aging skin care program.