My Blog
My Blog
An ongoing series of informative entries
An ongoing series of informative entries
Protect your skin from sun damage
Protect your skin from sun damage
Short-term sun damage presents as a sunburn. Long-term, unprotected exposure causes gradual damage to skin known as sun damage or photoaging, and accounts for about 90% of the signs of skin aging. The two main types of damaging rays are UVB and UVA. They damage skin cells and their DNA, leading to fine lines, wrinkles, irregular pigmentation, visible vessels, thinned skin, loss of elasticity and skin cancer (including melanoma). This damage occurs directly by the incoming UV photons and indirectly by free radicals that are generated by these rays.
UVA rays (320-400nm) can pass through glass and clouds and are present every day of the year at equal intensity during all daylight hours. They account for 95% of UV rays that reach the earth. They are able to penetrate into the deeper skin layers (dermis) affecting collagen, elastin and blood vessels. UVA plays a major role in photoaging. It can also damage skin cells in the basal layer of the epidermis where most skin cancers arise (e.g. basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma). UVA light is used in tanning booths, causing the same skin and eye damage as natural sunlight.
UVB rays (290-320nm) are the main cause of tan and sunburn because they damage the skin’s more superficial epidermal layers. UVB rays play a big part in the development of skin cancer, and a contributory role in photoaging and tanning. UVB rays account for 5% of the sun’s rays and vary according to season and weather conditions; they are more intense in the summer and at high altitudes.
A tan results from injury to the skin’s DNA. The skin darkens into a tan as a flawed attempt to protect itself and prevent further DNA damage. However, these flaws or mutations can lead to skin cancer over time. Remember: There is no such thing as a safe tan because a tan equals sun damage.
How to find a good sunscreen? The most important item to look for on a sunscreen label is the term “broad spectrum”, signifying coverage against both UVA and UVB rays. The SPF should be 30 or higher. An SPF of 30 blocks 96.7% of UV rays so that only 3.3% will get through, compared with an SPF of 15 which blocks 93.3% of UV rays and lets through 6.7% – twice as much. Choose physical sunscreens not chemical. Physical suncreen filters sit on the skin's surface, the light is largely reflected and scattered from the skin, while chemical sunscreens absorb and deactivate UV rays changing the light energy to heat. Many studies in the last decade have examinated the potential hazards of small molecule sunsreen chemicals, which include irritation or allergy, hormone disruption and skin damage that occurs when sunlight interacts with sunscreen chemicals. Many chemicals (like oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene) are known or suspected hormone disruptors, allergens and carcinogens.
A good sunscreen is also a must for protecting the skin from free radicals. Topical antioxidants have been shown to protect skin from damaging free radicals caused by UV rays.
SUN SAFETY TIPS:
- Limit your sun exposure. Stay out of the sun when it is strongest, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Find shade under a tree or an umbrella.
- Cover up. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and light-colored long-sleeve shirts and pants. Find sunglasses that protect against UVA and UVB rays.
- Use sunscreen correctly. Use enough sunscreen (1/4 tsp for your face, 1 oz for your body). Wear sunscreen every day; if you’re outside for extended periods, reapply every 2-3 hours and after swimming, washing, towel drying or heavy perspiring.
- Use physical sunsreens, packed with different types of antioxidants for a full range of protection (Alumier MD sunscreen range)
- Never use tanning beds!
Vitamin C and Vitamin A (Retinol)-great for everything
17 April 2020
The basic for our skin and for all skin types
Just need to be introduced with caution for very sensitive skin and rosacea.
But why they are so so important for our skin? I like to call them magic ingredients, as they really work for everything and are able to help with many skin conditions.
Vitamin C-always apply in the morning.
It is a normal skin constituent that is found at high levels in both the dermis and epidermis. Aging, however, causes a decline in vitamin C content in the skin. In addition, exposure to oxidative stress via UV radiation, pollution and smoking can further lower vitamin C content. That is why we need vit. C in our daily skin care products!
Clinical studies showed that applying vitamin C to the skin can be 20 times more effective then taking it orally!
Vitamin C is a master antioxidant. It protects the skin from oxidative stress by sequentially donating electrons to neutralize free radicals. When used in physical susncreen Vitamin C does not absorb UV light but rather exerts a UV-protective effect by neutralizing free radicals.
ONLY topical L-ascorbic acid ( form of vit.C) in concetration between 5-15% has anti ageing effect, by inducing production of collagen type 1 and 3. Topical collagen has never been proven to stimulate natural collagen production. ONLY L-ASCORBIC ACID IN THE CORRECT PERCENTAGE CAN DO THAT.
This great ingredient can also suppres the pigment by downregulation of melanogenesis, and can nicely bright the skin. A clinical study that examined the effect of a topical formulation containing 5% vitamin C and a penetration enhancer reported a significant decrease in pigmentation caused by melasma after 16 weeks.
Vitamin C has also anti-inflammatory activity and can be used in conditions such as acne, rosacea and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
AlumierMD vitamin C products are specifically formulated to maximize their efficacy and stability delivering pure USP grade L-ascorbic acid to the skin. L-Ascorbic Acid 15% you can find in EverActive C&E and Vitamin Rich Smoother serums. There are other forms of vit.C used in Alumier MD products and you can find them in sunscreens, toner (Bright&Clear Solution) and Alumience A.G.E.
Now, lets talk a little about our lovely Retinol (Vitamin A derivative).
To make it clear, there are several forms of Vitamin A found in serums or creams and it is sometimes very confusing really what is what. Mostly you will see a Retinal Esther in high street face creams, advertising as a real vitamin A. But actually it is only a storage of Vit. A, antioxidant only, much weaker form, with no antiageing properties at all, acting only on the top of your skin.
The most bioavailable and powerful form of vit. A is Retinoic Acid.
Retinoic acid is the strongest retinoid followed by retinaldehyde and retinol. But you will never find this in any high street creams, as this is prescription only medication, mainly prescribed to treat severe forms of acne. Prescription retinoid products such as tretinoin (Retin-A, Retin-A Micro, Renova), aldapalene (Differin) and tazarotene (Tazorac) are more potent than retinol, but have a higher chance of irritation.
Retinol is a vitamin A derivative and part of the retinoid family along with retinaldehyde (retinal), retinyl palmitate and retinal acetate. It is the strongest form of vit.A available without prescription. Retinol, which is used in Alumier MD resurfacing serums is considered to be 20 times less potent then prescription tretinoin since it's time released. It is delivered to epidermal-dermal junction in encapsulated form, thanks to it's gently and slowly released, over the period of hours, minimizing the irritation commonly associated with retinols. This pure retinol converts in skin to retinoid 0.01%-so, in fact Alumier MD uses retinoid acid 0.01%!!!
What makes retinol such a desirable ingredient? As I mentioned before it's just good for everything. And every aesthetic practitioner will confirm that, admitting they use retinol every night. And if you hear from someone, that they cannot use retinol because of allergy reaction, that actually totally not true... Redness and peeling is action but NOT allergy reaction. We need to build up new vit. A receptors in our skin first. Redness is typical to appear if first time use, therefore it needs to be introduced very slowly! So, never give up if you see these kind of redness on your skin. Just ask your practitiner for advice and you will always find a way to work it out.
Retinol boosts collagen, increases cell turnover and normalises keratinisation, creating smoother and more even-toned skin. It also inhibits melanin transfer from melanocytes to skin cells and enhances the penetration of other pigment-blocking products. Retinol reduces the appearance fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. In addition, retinol targets acne-prone skin by unclogging pores. So, overall retinol is just great for wrinkles, pigmenation, acne, acne scarring, rosacea. BUT always: start low and go slow ( low doses and introduce gradually).
And also rememeber: NEVER use retinol during a day! Always at night time and use sunscreen min.SPF 30 in the morning. Stay away from any cream with 'retinol' stated to be used as a daily cream! National Toxicology Program (USA) study has shown that retinyl palmitate ( a storage form of vit. A) may speed up the development of skin tumors when applied to skin in the presence of sunlight. Retinol is a great antioxidant but it is photosensitive.
Retinol is also containdicated for pregnant woman, when planning a baby or breastfeeding.
Make sure these two vitamins are number 1 in your daily home skin regime. But make sure you use a correct doses and pure ingredients. Choose cosmecuticuals not just simple cosmetics.
What makes a differenece between these products and why it's worth it to invest a little bit more money, but having that peace if mind, that we are actually doing a right THING for our skin?
Cosmeceuticals are intermediate products between prescription medication and cosmetics. Recently, they' ve became very popular providing another management strategy for long term skin diseases. Cosmeceuticals are based on highly active principles, contain ingredients that can penetrate the skin, even up to epidermal-dermal junction, but due to their composition are not classified as a drug, having milder effect on the skin in comparison to the stronger medical products. The active ingredients in cosmeceuticals may be in a stand alone product or incorporated into product with another purpose.
To conclude, cosmeceuticals have a lot of important benefits for maintaining a good skin condition, helping to reduce the ageing signs and also are able cure some certain skin conditions without using a prescribed medication. However, a proper therapeutic dosage is required to achieve a good outcome.
On the other side, we have a basic skin care products, which are these types of products that change only the properties of the skin surface, at the epidermal stratum corneum ( so very outer layer of our skin). They indirectly affect skin appearance and DO NOT enhance the function of skin cells. The examples of such products include simple cleansers, toners or moisturisers. They are only beneficial in keeping the skin in a good condition. They also protect, clean, perfume and change skin’s appearance but because they do not contain any active ingredients, they are not able to penetrate deeper to the skin and modify it. Therefore, these skin products cannot be used in treatment of certain skin conditions.
So, if you really want to treat your skin the way it should be OR have some certain skin concerns you should look for cosmeceuticals instead of wasting money on basic skincare products.
Remember: correct type of product, medical grade ingredients, correct therapeutic dosage of active ingredients, clean chemistry, targeting certain skin condition. This is what makes cosmeceuticals above other simple skincare products.