Treatments For Your Skin

Trialling skin products and treatments with honest and fair reviews.

Archive for January, 2010

Retinol Skin Cream

January 27th, 2010

If your skin type is dry, pigmented and prone to wrinkles then you can use Retinol skin creams to minimize wrinkles. You can use over the counter cosmetics or Retin-A in prescription formulations. Both have the effect of preventing collagen breakdown (main contributor in aging) and increasing cell renewal.

Pros and Cons of Retinol Skin Cream:

Most nonprescription products with retinol do not contain sufficient concentrations to deal with all the spots and wrinkles.
Retinol is unstable and if the product is exposed to light or air in the packing or manufacturing process it will become ineffective. Aluminium tubes are used to protect the product from light.
A retinol product offered in a clear bottle or jar is inactive.
If you are just starting to see wrinkles come up or are starting young as a preventative measure then over the counter retinol skin creams may be right for you. However, if you already have many wrinles and fine lines you may need to graduate to prescription strength products.

Retinol Effects on Skin

A study conducted by the University of Michigan Health System on elderley patients demonstarted that daily topical use of retinol creams did increase collagen production and reduce wrinkles.

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Posted in dry skin, Wrinkles

Lotion For Dry Skin

January 27th, 2010

Water continually evaporates through the skin at a rate of approximately 600ml a day. For skin to look healthy and normal, the water content in the the epidermis should be above 10%. The evaporation of the water from your skin could be due to genetics, age and climate. The outer layer of the skin can dry out when water is lost faster than the underlying tissue can replace it.

Dry skin can fell itchy and tight and appears dull and flaky - be sure to drink plenty of water and apply lotions for dry skin.

Lotions and Moisturizers for Dry Skin

If you like me have very dry skin then you need to moisturize as much as possible. Using the right moisturizers for your face will benefit your skin greatly. Make sure you choose different moisturizes for day and night as night time lotions could be too greasy for use during the day (causing your make-up to not spread properly).

Daytime Lotion For Dry Skin:

These are listed from the cheapest to the most expensive:

Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer SPF15
Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF15
Dove Essential Nutrients Day Cream SPF15
Nivea Sun Age Defense Moisturizing Facial Sunscreen SPF15
Jurilique Day Care Face Cream
Laura Mercier Mega Moisturizer with SPF15
SkinCeuticals Daily Sun Defense SPF20
Topix Glycolix Elite Sunscreen SPF30
Elemis Absolute Day Cream SPF7
Orlane Soleil Vitamins Face Cream SPF30

Nightime Lotion For Dry Skin:

These are listed from the cheapest to the most expensive:

Avene Eau Thermale Skin recovery Cream
Dove Sensitive Essential Night Cream
Nivea Cream
Aesop Camellia Nut Facial Hydrating Cream
Atopalm MLE Face Cream
Burt's Bees Evening Primrose Overnight Creme
Clarins Multi-Active Night Cream
D.R. Harris Almond Oil Skinfood
Elizabeth Arden Good Night's Restoring Cream
Jurilique Wrinkle Softner Beauty Cream
Laura Mercier Night Nutrition Renewal Creme
Creme de la Mer
Ren Calendula Omega 3/7 Hydra-Calm Moisturizer (not for acne)
Sisley Botanical Moisturizer with Cucumber

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Posted in dry skin

Tags: dry skin lotions moisturizers

Cream For Skin

January 27th, 2010

In order to maintain our skin supple, soft, beautiful and healthy we need to use cosmetic creams. Along with knowing your skin type and what types of creams you should be using for your skin it is essential to know how to apply the creams correctly. All the different parts of our bodies require different attention and methods for applying the creams (whether its for moisturixing, reducing wrinkles or lifting the skin)

Let's take a look at how we should be applying our lotions and creams:

After taking a shower:

Always start applying moisturizing cream from your feet working your way up to your neck using circular motions.

Face Creams:

Any moisturizing, anti-aging or skin nourishing creams need to be applied with your flat hand using the palms of your hands, spreading the creams over your face covering the cheekbones, chin and your forehead.

Face Serums:

Apply face serums at least once a week as they are very important when it comes to sealing the skin hydrating benefits from the toner deep into your skin. Apply the serum after the toner and allow your skin to full absorb it before you add your moisturizer.

Eye Creams:

The skin around your eyes is super sensitive and it is essential that you take good care of it tomaintain it in a good condition.When you apply cream to this area always use your ring finger. When applying cream to your eyelida in oreder to avoid eyelid sagging it is essential to start from the bottom of your eye lid and move your way up until you reach your brow bone.

Apply moisturizing creams over your body to keep skin supple, smooth and preserve elasticity.

Neck and Chest Creams:

The neck and chest area of your body has poor sebaceous glands and not enough muscular support as the rest of your body so it need special care to avoid wrinkle rings around this neck and cheat part. Apply the same creams that you do for your face in this area. Use circular motions starting from the neck and moving your way up, never apply the cream using a horizontal motion. Try not to pull your chin down to stopsagging in this area of your body. If you have started to notice wrinkles forming in this part of your body, immediately start applying skin nourishing creams day and night to help keep skin toned and smooth.

Slimming Gels and Anti-Cellulite Creams:

Always apply these gels and creams following a hot shower. Work the cream into the skin in circular motions, let it dry for a few minutes before putting clothes on.

Body Oils:

Body oils are a superb way of keeping out skin elastic and soft and preventing dryness. After a shower apply some oil between your hands and rub it all over your body. use a clean towel to pat your skin dry and you will immediately notice how soft your skin is.

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Posted in Face Creams

Tags: body oils cellulite decolletage eye cream face cream Face Serums

Keloid Scar Treatment

January 23rd, 2010

Keloids are scars that become firm and raised. Keloid scars are usually itchy and painful throughout the healing process as opposed to staying soft and flat like other scars. Keloid formation begins to occur between 4 to 8 weeks after any type of skin injury or if reacting to skin diseases such as acne where much inflammation of the skin takes place.

Keloids can appear anywhere on your body but are more prominent in the chest area, the upper back and over the shoulders. Keloids are affected by age, the risk of developing keloids increases around the age of 12 to 13 and continues to rise through the teens and into your twenties. The risk of developing keloids begin to decrease again in your thirties. But there are some unlucky few who will be prone to keloids all their lives.

It is important to note that keloids scar treatment is more effective when keloids are caught earlier as opposed to ones that have been present for a long time.

Keloid Scar Treatments:

Reexcising and then trying to prevent recurrence
Injections of potent anti-inflammatory drugs into the scar
Laser Treatments
Using tape or silicone gel on the scar

We need your help!

We can all help each other out by detailing the type of keloid scars we have and what treatments we have used on them. What has worked for you what hasn't. Please leave your experience with keloids scar treatment in the comments section below. Your help is appreciated.

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Posted in Keloids

Tags: acne skin Keloids Scars

Laser Acne Treatments

January 20th, 2010

The field of laser surgery has changed the horizon for many skin disorders especially acne. Scientist are constantly working on new laser acne treatments to deal with all types of acne prone skin from mild to severe.

Here is the summary of a study conducted by the Unit of Dermatology in the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine in London. Which trials different color laser lights in the treatment of acne.

Summary of Laser Acne Treatments:

In this study we have evaluated the use of blue light (peak at 415 nm) and a mixed blue and red
light (peaks at 415 and 660 nm) in the treatment of acne vulgaris. One hundred and seven patients
with mild to moderate acne vulgaris were randomized into four treatment groups: blue light, mixed
blue and red light, cool white light and 5% benzoyl peroxide cream. Subjects in the phototherapy
groups used portable light sources and irradiation was carried out daily for 15 min. Comparative
assessment between the three light sources was made in an observer-blinded fashion, but this could
not be achieved for the use of benzoyl peroxide. Assessments were performed every 4 weeks. After
12 weeks of active treatment a mean improvement of 76% (95% confidence interval 66±87) in
inflammatory lesions was achieved by the combined blue±red light phototherapy; this was
significantly superior to that achieved by blue light (at weeks 4 and 8 but not week 12), benzoyl
peroxide (at weeks 8 and 12) or white light (at each assessment). The final mean improvement in
comedones by using blue±red light was 58% (95% confidence interval 45±71), again better than
that achieved by the other active treatments used, although the differences did not reach significant
levels. We have found that phototherapy with mixed blue±red light, probably by combining
antibacterial and anti-inflammatory action, is an effective means of treating acne vulgaris of mild to
moderate severity, with no significant short-term adverse effects.