RED Light: Rosacea
Rosacea is a skin condition that affects millions of men and women throughout the world. For many years not much was known about rosacea, it was originally thought that it was a form of acne and given the name ‘acne rosacea’. It is only now, years later, that research has shown that it is not a form of acne whatsoever.
Rosacea is a progressive vascular disorder which has 4 very strong characteristics: reddening of the skin or a blushing effect, red bumps (papules), red skin blemished with white heads (pustules) and dilated blood vessels on the face (telangiectasia).
These characteristics usually affect the face only, but in rare cases can affect the neck chest and scalp. In men, if the condition becomes severe it can progress into a condition called phymatous rosacea where the skin thickens in the nose and swells and becomes bulbous (rhinophyma).
It affects all ethnicity's but more often in Caucasians of European descent. This led to the nickname “The curse of the Celts” by people from UK and Ireland. It mainly affects women but is often presents more severe cases in men.
Although there is no known cause of rosacea, there are many well-known factors which can trigger a flare up. These include:
- Stress
- Extreme temperatures
- Exercise
- Alcohol
- Spicy food
- Acidic fruit and vegetable’s
- Sun exposure/UV exposure
- Smoking
- Dairy products
- Wind
- Medication
- Menopause
- Caffeine
- Humidity
- Niacin
- Cold weather
- Cosmetic products
Cosmetic products often contain ingredients which flare up rosacea so it is important to scrutinise what you are using and keep away from using products with ingredients like:
- Alcohol
- Menthol
- Peppermint
- Hydroxy Acids
- Artificial Fragrance
- Soap
- Some Chemical Sunscreens
There are many other triggers that can cause rosacea to flare up. It does differ from person to person.
Most people who suffer with rosacea only have mild symptoms and are never formally diagnosed with the condition.
Rosacea impacts people in different ways and can cause embarrassment, unhappiness, low self-esteem and withdrawal from social relationships. If you suspect you may have rosacea then it is always best to visit your GP to find out.
There is no known cure for rosacea but there are many options to treat rosacea and improve it.
Firstly keep a ‘blushing diary’ and note down what you have eaten that day, what activities you have done and the times when the blushing and reddening becomes more apparent. Cross-reference it with the diary and see what triggers the flare ups.
Once you have identified the triggers, you can then start to cut things out of your life. For example, if eating certain foods cause flare ups then you have to decide whether eating them is worth it.
Visit a massage therapist as rosacea can be flared by stress. Massage is well-known for its relaxing and
de-stressing benefits and just this alone can reduce the tension in your body and the redness too.
A skin therapist can offer a skin treatment for you that will calm and cool the skin with anti-inflammatory products. They could include the use of galvanic current that will cause the blood vessels to close up (vaso-constriction). The use of cold marble stones in the treatment can be hugely beneficial as the coldness calms the skin instantly and can reduce redness.
Things you can do at home to improve the redness are the use of cold compresses and the use products with the following ingredients:
- Aloe
- Allantoin
- Arnica
- Avena Sativa (Oats)
- Camelia
- Canadian Willowherb
- Ceramides
- Chamomile
- Green tea
- Liquorice
- Mallow
- Peptides
- Physical Sunscreens (Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide)
- Red Raspberry
- Sea Buckhorn
Rosacea can be a terrible condition for the many people that have to endure and suffer with it. But, by working out the things that flare it up and avoiding them, it can be reduced somewhat.
Monday, May 09, 2011 |
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Skin Conditions
The skins condition is how the skin is behaving as well as working. As well as the primary skin type that we all have, the skins condition can greatly the skin and cause many problems.....
These are the different skin conditions:
- Dehydrated Skin
- Touch Sensitive Skin
- Allergic Sensitive Skin
- Sensitized Skin
- Hyper-Pigmented Skin
Dehydrated Skin: This condition is where the skin lacks water content in the outer layers of the epidermis. Any skin type can become dehydrated including oily and blemish-prone skin.
See Dehydration for a comprehensive article on this condition.
Touch Sensitive Skin: This is the 'TRUE' sensitive skin condition that many people often mistake themselves to have. It is caused by a genetic predisposition and usually affects people with Northern European ancestry.
A person with a true touch sensitive skin condition will experience many characteristics which include: skin 'flare ups', the skin becoming red (erythema) and very sore, hives can also appear on the skin .
Any pressure on the skin will flare up the skin, even the lightest of touches.
This skin condition can flare up due to the use of water and many cosmetic products, fragrances and air fresheners. The changing of a washing detergent, slight temperature increases and the wearing of clothes that are too close to the body can cause flare ups.
People with this skin condition are more likely experience hay fever, asthma and eczema.
Allergic Sensitive Skin: This type of sensitive skin that is different from 'true' sensitive skin.
It has the same type of flare ups as above which are brought about by allergies to certain things.
Ingredients in cosmetic products, ingredients in foods or certain types of fruit and vegetables, allergies to animals and allergies to pollen can all cause the skin to flare up and become sensitive.
This sensitivity can flare up when allergies occur and subside when the allergy has passed.
Allergic Sensitive Skin is similar to sensitized skin (see below).
Sensitized Skin: This skin condition is the most common form of sensitivity and the one form that most people mistake for the 'true' sensitive skin.
A person with generally healthy skin and no allergies can have their skin become sensitized. There are many of reasons why this happens but it is generally the result of something that has been done to that person's skin by them self.
The incorrect use of cosmetic products on the skin can cause sensitization especially abrasive ones that have stripped away the skin's barrier like soap and alcohol. Incorrectly using hydroxy acids in high amounts or the over-use of them can also impair the skins barrier function and lead to sensitization.
Poor diet, alcohol intake, stress and hormone imbalances can also lead to skin sensitization as can the environment that we live in today.
Like all skin types, sensitized skin can be treated but if the skin is left in its sensitized state then permanent damage can occur to the cells which will lead ultimately to premature ageing.
Hyper-Pigmented Skin: This skin condition is a darkening in area's of skin which is caused by melanin increasing in that area.
Its primary cause is due to sun damage and exposure to UVA rays. It can also be caused by skin disorders where the skin has inflamed over a long period of time and also if any injury has occured to the skin.
Hormone inbalances can cause hyper-pigmentation (melasma). This is usually caused by pregnancy or the use of birth control pills. This form of hyper-pigmentation has been known to disappear on its own once the hormones have balanced themselves out.
Age can also play a role in hyper-pigmentation. 'Liver spots' are usually noticed in the skin in the later years and are a form of hyper-pigmentation.
See Pigmentation for a comprehensive article on this condition.
Thursday, October 28, 2010 |
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Skin Types
Do you know your skin type, and more importantly do you know your skin type from your skin condition?
There are three main skin types and a fourth which includes at least two of them combined together:
- Oily Skin
- Dry (allipoid) Skin
- Normal Skin
- Combination Skin
Oily skin: This skin type is characterised primarily by a high shine on the skin's surface. It is also characterised by: blackheads (comedones), open pores and blemishes/spots (papules & pustules). The skin may look yellow or sallow due to the colour of the oil reflecting in the light.
A person with an oily skin type has over-active sebaceous glands. These glands secrete an oily matter (sebum) into our skin which keeps our skin and hair waterproof and lubricated.
In a person with oily skin, these glands secrete an excess of oil that builds up on the skin's surface and in the hair follicles. When the oil accumulates in the hair follicle it mixes with dead skin cells and becomes compacted, it then oxidizes at the surface and becomes a black colour (blackhead).
When the hair follicles get built up with even more sebum it mixes with bacteria and dead skin cells and can cause the skin to inflame and swell. The mixture in the follicle then mixes up together and turns to a pus consistency which pushes up to the surface and causes a blemish or spot (pustule).
In a person with highly over active sebaceous glands, these pustules appear frequently which is known as a condition called Acne Vulgaris.
The reason that sebaceous glands become over-active is due to hormone levels in the body. In the teenage years of your life the male hormone Testosterone is released into your body which causes the glands to over-work which is typically the time when people get blackheads and blemishes or spots.
Hormone levels change all the time throughout our lives and stress has a major impact on this. There is an ever-increasing number of adults suffering with very oily skin and an adult form of acne.
Oily skin can also be caused by diet changes, medication, the birth control pill and incorrect use of skin care products.
Dry (allipoid) Skin: This skin type is characterised by dull, rough skin that often flakes away, the pores will be un-noticable. The skin will have a tight feel, especially after cleansing or washing. It will be prone to red patches and often broken capillaries will be noticeable. The skin will most likely become dehydrated too.
This skin type is the complete opposite of oily skin. The sebaceous glands in this skin are under-active and produce little oil to lubricate the skin and hair. Any oil that is produced will be washed away with cleansing even if only water is used.
All skin types become genetically drier as we get older as the sebaceous glands slow down, so a person with an oily skin type in their teenage years may well become a person with a dry skin in later life.
A person with a dry skin condition when they are young will be likely to develop chronically dry skin when they get older.
With the skin cells not being lubricated by the needed oil (sebum) they start to shrivel up and detach from each other, this causes a flaking look on the skin. This also causes tiny cracks on the skin and water content evaporates from the skin, this is known as dehydration.
Skin cells can tend to clump together with its flaking action and sit upon the skins surface. Exfoliation is extremely important with this skin type.
A diet with no fat content can be a big cause of dry skin, this type of diet deprives the skin of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's). These fatty acids aid our body to circulate oxygen through the bloodstream to our skin and keep it healthy.
Winter weather has a very drying effect on our skin and winter wind especially dries it out. We tend to use central heating and heaters in the winter months and this artificial heat absorbs moisture from our skin like a sponge. Even people with oily skin types notice their skin tends to dry slightly in the winter months.
Normal Skin: This skin type is one that not too many people experience. It is well-balanced with oil production being at a level where the skin neither oily nor dry.
It has an even texture and skin tone and pores are sometimes visible when looked at up close but are not impacted with blackheads.
Normal skin is very low maintenance and stays in an optimum condition very easily.
Combination Skin: This generally refers to 'Classic combination skin' - people with an oily forehead and nose, and either normal or dry cheeks.
However, most people have some sort of a combination in their skin type, and it can combine any of the types above; they may have extreme dryness on part of their skin but the rest is normal or may be very oily but have a patch of dryness somewhere on them.
Its important to find a good balance of products with this skin type as you don't want to over-dry the skin with product for the oily parts, nor do you want to encourage oil production with products that are too emollient.
Thursday, October 28, 2010 |
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The Skin - Epidermis
The human skin is composed of three main layers. These layers have their very own physiology:
- Epidermis
- Dermis
- Hypodermis / Subcutaneous Layer
Epidermis:
This layer is composed of 5 sublayers:
- Stratum Corneum (Horny Layer) -
- Stratum Lucidum (Clear Layer) - (Only present on palms of the hand, and soles of the feet).
- Stratum Granulosum (Granular Layer)
- Stratum Spinosum (Prickle Cell layer)
- Stratum Basale / Stratum Germinativum (Germinating layer)
Cells of the Epidermis start in the Germinating Layer. The cells present here are Stem cells, Merkel cells and Melanocyte cells.
The Stem cells (Basal cells) constandly divide themselves through a process called Mitsosis, resluting in one daughter cell that will change form, and the other that will continue as a Stem cell and divide again. At this stage the cells have a nucleus (the brain of the cell).
Once the cells have divided, they start to push forwards and upwards. At this stage the cells are block like and robust.
The cells have now worked up to the Prickle Cell Layer. This layer has a high amount of protective Langerhan Cells, which are essential for fighting infection in the body.
There are many Desmosomes in this layer which give the prickly/spiney appearence. Desmosomes are crtical for attatching cells together.
Cells become flatter as they push up and reach the top of this layer. This layer is the biggest layer and approximately 3-6 layers thick
When the cells reach the Granular Layer, they start their dying process. The Nucleus of the cell begins to fail and the cell becomes much flatter. A protein called Keratin is now present in this layer and it mixes with the cells in a process called Keratinisation.
The Clear layer is only present on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet and is made up of clear cells which light can pass through. These area's of the body are known as 'Thick Skin' whereas the areas of the body which don't have the Clear layer present are classed as 'Thin Skin'.
The cells begin their final days in the Horny layer. Here they have become completely flat and scale like. They are often referred to as Cornfield Cells in this layer.
This layer is the major skin barrier, and protects us from enviromental assaults penetrating and from the loss of water and moisture escaping.
The SC cells have completely lost their nucleus now and are classed as dead cells.
The cells are joined together by a mortar like consistency called Lipid, this is a waterproof substance which regulates the amount of water in the top layer (to 10%). It stops the loss of excess water from the skin (Transepidermal Water loss - TEWL).
The Horny layer is divided into two sublayers; The Stratum Compactum where the cells are more densley packed and the Stratum Disjunctum where the cells finally shed from the body. The cells shed gradually and sporadically.
The whole process takes roughly 28 days in a younger person, but as we get older it slows down and can take upto 50 days.
Thursday, October 28, 2010 |
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Skin Dehydration
Oil and water content in the skin are two completely different things altogether. Skin dehydration occurs when the water content is lost from the cells of the outermost layer of the skin (stratum corneum).
The stratum corneum cells (of a healthy skin) hold 10% water content, when this percentage drops below it is then classed as dehydrated.
The skin's outermost layer acts as a barrier to our body, when functioning correctly it stops things escaping and also stops things penetrating into us. When the skin becomes dehydrated it causes tiny cracks and fissures in the barrier. The water then evaporates through these cracks, this is known as Trans Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL)
Things can then also penetrate the skin which can lead to irritation and infection.
There are many external factors that can cause the skin to loose its water content these include:
- Soap or other alkaline products
- Alcohol, (found in many harsh acne treatments)
- The use of very hot water
- Excessive exfoliation or too vigorous exfoliation
- Drinking alcohol in large amounts
- Central heating & air conditioning
- Extreme weather
The effects of dehydrated skin can include the following:
- Fine lines
- Wrinkles
- Premature ageing!!!
- Redness
- Soreness
- Irritation
- Infections
- Itchy skin
- Flaky skin
- Skin tightness
- Skin feels shrunken
The appearance of very fine lines running across your skin which 'kris-kross' when you move your skin with your finger. You may also notice fine age lines appear more pronounced.
You can prevent your skin becoming dehydrated by the following:
- Maintain a healthy diet and steer away from salts in food that absorb the water and dehydrate your system.
- Avoid harsh cosmetics and skin products that contain alcohol or soap as these strip the skin's barrier and lead to more dehydration.
- When using central heating, place bowls of water near to or on radiators as this adds moisture to the air and stops it being so dry and dehydrating. You can also get tubes that you fill with water and clip onto the radiator.
Use products containing Hyaluronic Acid because this clever ingredient holds up to a 1000 times its own weight in water and will saturate the outer skin cells with the hydration needed.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010 |
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