Natural Skin Care
Natural Skin Care As usual, there is Good News and Bad News. I like to begin with the bad news to save the best for last. So, here we go: We are all aging! You just can't get around that. Our skin responds to natural changes AND we may have done things in our past that really speeds those changes. The Good News: There are things we can do to protect, prevent and even roll back the hands of time! Some involve harsh chemicals and yet others are natural and healing. Let's begin to heal with Natural Skin Care!
Natural Skin Care
Skin damage secondary to the sun's damaging UV radiation is called photoaging. We don't need a fancy name to know that it isn't a good thing! I know I had never heard that word when I was in my 20s, but I'm not sure I would've listened if I did. I'm listening now, though! Photoaging causes wrinkles, dark spots and makes us look older in general. It also can lead to some serious conditions like rosacea and pre-cancer (and cancer) lesions. Will my skin age if I protect it from the sun? Sadly, yes, but there is a positive side. The changes we see in our skin because of the time we spent in the sun without protection is different than what happens naturally as we age. We will all get some sagging skin, expression lines and thin wrinkles. Also, our genetics has something to do with how we'll look, also. I had some friends in Hawaii of Japanese descent. I'm not sure I ever saw a wrinkle or fine line or even any sagging in my friend who retired at the age of 64. Got good genes AND take good care of your skin? You'll be the envy of the Sun Worshipers for sure! (If you smoke, even good genes and skin care may not preserve your youthful appearance.) Can the Tanning Bed Age my Skin? Well, let's take a look at the kind of radiation we are exposed to. UVA rays are thought to be most responsible for our aging skin. These rays are longer and penetrate the skin deeper. UVB rays are more superficial and are responsible for the sunburn and tan. You get both of these from the sun AND tanning beds. So, the answer is yes- tanning beds can do the same harm to your skin that the sun can. Sorry, the news isn't better. What can I put on my skin to make it all better-in other words-make me look YOUNG again? Some of the sun damage can be corrected with diligent and persistant care. Naturally aging skin will happen, and of course there are things we can do to slow that progress down a bit with natural skin care.
Natural Skin Care You are in luck! Cosmeceuticals (big word for cosmetics with medicinal properties) are on the way! But, first let's talk about what you can do without ever opening a jar of miracle cream. Beauty begins on the inside! If your skin looks old, it may because your insides are aging also. Nothing pretty about that. 6 Natural Steps to Beautiful skin
Natural Skin Care
Natural Skin Care and Retin-A Have you heard of Retin-A? Retin-A actually cause the structure of your skin to change while it removes the top skin layers and forms new collagen and blood vessels. The results: your skin looks healthier because wrinkles are diminished, dark spots are lighter, pore size is smaller and skin tone and smoothness are improved. Retin A products are derivatives of vitamin A. Does that mean if I can just take a pill with vitamin A for my wrinkles? Some people take vitamin A supplements, but it can accumulate and become toxic in your body. Even though(Retin-A) is a vitamin A derivative, that doesn't mean that pure vitamin A will work. Research on the subject doesn't show that Vitamin A really helps, but it is an antioxidant, which means that it might work. Do you take a daily multivitamin (MVI)? Your daily MVI probably has about 5,000 units. Just don't take more than 10,000 units of vitamin A daily. You may have heard of beta-carotene which works like an antioxidant and protects cells from UV radiation damage. There is even some evidence that people who are sun sensitive and who take betacarotene supplements have less redness after being in the sun. Does is reduce wrinkles or other signs of sun damage? It doesn't look like it so far. Take too much(more than 30mg a day)on a regular basis and your skin could turn yellowish orange. If you smoke, don't even try beta-carotene. There is a link with increased risk of lung and prostate cancer in people who smoke and took 20mg or more of beta-carotene daily. 
Natural Skin Care and Exfoliators There is a lot of buzz out there about exfoliating. It kind of gives us hope, doesn't it? Let's see... Some exfoliators are scrubs. There are a variety of them and most are either sugar or sea salt. They physically remove dead skin from the surface of your skin and then usually leaves an oily base behind which acts like a protective barrier. Some are even moisturizing. A lot of people really see great results. There isn't strong research to support the use, but it probably isn't real harmful so long as you don't scrub too hard or too often. Follow the directions. Natural Skin Care and Alpha-Hydroxy Acids Many scrubs have alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) in them. There are three different concentrations and the most concentrated (70%) are by prescription only. Trained cosmetologists can use the medium strength ones (20-30%) and the kind for home purposes is usually 10% or less. I've tried the medium and low strength types and really like the results. It isn't cheap to have a exfoliation/facial by a professional, however it really does wonders for the skin. I know some people who get an exfoliation/peel/facial every 2 months or less. I try to get one done at least every 3-6 months, but I would go more often if I could. The costs are about $75-150$ depending on what you have done and where you live. What about the alpha-hydroxy acids in cosmetic creams, lotions and solutions? Do they work miracles? Good news: they are generally safe and most people do well with them for the short term. More good news: They seem to be moderately effective toward our goal of improving the look of our skin-including those wrinkles. Best news: It doesn't seem like the more expensive creams are any better than some of the less expensive ones. Try for yourself and see what you think. We are all unique and so what works for your neighboor may not work the same for you. Are fruit extracts or mixed fruit extracts the same as alpha-hydroxy acids? You've probably seen these if you've ever cruised the cosmetic isles or taken a look online at the plethora (TONS!) of products out there. Some people are sure they've gotten good results. I'm one of them! Really good studies of these products aren't easy to come by. Once again, you'll just have to see for yourself!
Natural Skin Care and DHEA Hormone
Natural Skin Care and Antioxidants: What are Antioxidants again? 
Natural Skin Care and Sunscreen It is no accident that I saved the best for last. Prevention is the best, of course, although it might be too late for those of us who damaged our skin during our Sun Goddess stage of life. Still, using sun screen and avoiding direct strong, prolonged sunshine now will help to avoid continued damage. Use SPF 15 sunscreen and up to 30 SPF if you have sensitive skin. Some sun is important for Vitamin D. Avoid the strong, mid-day sun, though. You can benefit from 10-15 minutes in the morning or later afternoon. This can help reduce your chances of osteoporosis. How long will that Sunscreen last? Waterproof or Water Resistant: The SPF (Sun Protective Factor) is maintained for about 80 minutes of moderate activity. If you swim, it will last about 40 minutes. Other factors have alot to do with how well your sunscreen will work. Some of these factors are season, latitude, altitude and reflection of the UV rays off sand, water, snow... Remember that the sunscreens can evaporate, also. Best to apply more often than not often enough. How about a Natural Skin Care Summary Prevention is always the best, but if you've got some tired aging skin in need of attention, in addition to diligent daily, kind care,it looks like alpha-hydroxy acids are safe and effective. Supplements may be helpful, since beauty begins on the inside, but there isn't a lot of research to tell us this. I personally don't need to wait for the research. If I'm healthier on the inside, that is good enough. If my skin looks great too-that is a BONUS! Choose products made by reliable, earth friendly companies that don't use animals for testing.
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