Skin Conditions

What is premature skin aging?

Premature aging refers to the unnatural acceleration of the natural aging process, primarily due to the damage from daylight exposure and even an unhealthy life style (smoking, stress, or diet).

Most common factors of premature aging:

• Daylight exposure:
  Cumulative exposure to daylight can cause extensive damage.
  15 minute walks outside and occasional lunches outdoors can add up to a weakened collagen and elastin, even if you don’t see pink or red after being in the sun.
  
• Lack of sleep:
  Immediate effects of exhaustion are represented through dark circles under the eyes and sagging skin.
  
• Smoking:
  Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop wrinkled, leathery skin, as well as a yellowish hue in their complexion. Being around a smoker can still cause damage.
  

Unbalanced Pigmentation?

Pigmentation is a natural skin and hair colorant that absorbs UV radiation and protects the body from damage.

Most common factors:

• Sun damage:
  Sun damage is the most common and most easily prevented! Simply apply a daylight protection, avoiding peak sun times from 11 am to 4 pm and wearing protective clothing will do a lot to prevent the sun damage.
  
• Hormonal imbalance:
  Hormonal imbalance can occur during any time that the body’s natural hormone balance is disturbed: prolonged stress, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause, hormonally induced hyper pigmentation generally disappears when balance is restored to the body.
  
• Skin trauma or disease:
  Skin trauma such as cuts, wounds, and scrapes is difficult to prevent in the case of accidental damage to the skin. Picking at acne lesions will only exacerbate the pigmentation associated with the wound healing.
  

What is dry dehydrated skin?

Dry skin is lacking oil; dehydrated skin lacks moisture in the outer most layer of the skin.
Symptoms can be a feeling of tightness after showering, bathing, or swimming; the skin looks rough rather than smooth. Irritated, inflamed and itchy and generally worse in areas with few sebaceous (oil) glands such as arms, legs, torso, as well as the check and eye area.

Common Factors Dry Dehydrated Skin:

• Over cleansing/ Harsh soaps:
  Can dissolve (strip) the protective layer of sebum (oil).
  
• Cold weather/Low humidity:
  Can dry out your skin, depriving it of balanced level of sebum (oil) that keeps the skin lubricated. Without these oils, the skin becomes more prone to premature aging
  **This goes for forced air heating as well. Warm, dry air acts like a giant sponge, soaking up moisture from everything it comes in contact with.
  
• The sun:
  Prolonged exposure causes water to evaporate from the skin, which is why the skin requires more moisturizer in areas of exposure.
  
• Smoking:
  Inhibits the body’s ability to provide oxygen and nutrients to the skin.
  

Sensitive Skin/Sensitized Skin

Sensitive skin is caused by a genetic predisposition that predominantly affects very fair-skinned individuals, usually of Northern European ancestry. Prone to blushing, the skin may feel itching, burning, or stinging.

Sensitized skin is caused by environment or lifestyle and can affect any person of any racial background or skin color. Symptoms are common to sensitive skin but sensitized skin often is unable to be seen by the naked eyed

Most common factors for Sensitive Skin/Sensitized Skin:

• Environmental Assaults:
  Sun/Pollution/Cold Weather-Low Humidity-extensive exposure can contribute to the skin being deprived of balanced levels of sebum. With out the protection that these oils provide the skin is more prone to sensitivity as well as the integrity of the skin.
  
• Stress/Hormonal imbalance/Diet:
  Long periods of stress the body can have a chemical unbalance which can cause disruption in the immune system. Hormonal change during puberty, pregnancy or menopause can affect the skin. As well as a diet that includes alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods or dairy.
  
• Cosmetics/Over-Cleansing:
  Ingredients such as fragrances, D & C colors, Lanolin, and preservatives can sensitize the skin. Excessive cleansing, scrubbing, use of harsh soaps or over exfoliating can dissolve the protective layer of sebum (oil).
  

Always apply the correct moisturizer for the skin’s condition after cleansing, and whenever the skin feels tight or dry. Also avoid over-exfoliating your skin; if you notice redness or tightness that lasts more than a few hours, you should discontinue the use of exfoliant for a few days. Lastly, daylight protection is critical because sensitized skin is even more vulnerable to UV damage.

Rosacea vs. Sensitized Skin

Rosacea exhibits the same symptoms as skin sensitization – redness, blushing and tightness but it is a progressive inflammatory disorder that, if untreated can develop into additional complications such as burst capillaries, facial swelling and spots on the face that resemble acne breakouts. Rosacea is manageable; avoid trigger factors like that of sensitive/sensitized skin. Using a home care regimen prescribed by your skincare professional along with your dermatologist.

Acne & Breakouts in your 30’s or 40’s

Acne is a genetically inherited disease, which is the result of several factors occurring in the skin. Aside from excess oil secreted by the sebaceous glands, there is a proliferation of cells that clog the pores, trapping oil in the follicle.

Bacteria inhabit the follicle and digest the oils, generating waste products, which then cause the irritation to the skin. Oilier skin conditions tend to experience more acne breakouts because they provide more food for bacteria.

Adult Acne Breakouts primary catalyst is chronic stress: a heightened level of stress that throws adrenal glands into overdrive, which can boost sebum production, setting the stage for acne in our 30’s & 40’s.

Common factors that can trigger the development of acne along with stress:

• Overactive sebaceous glands-
  which is the production of too much oil, need to regulate
  
• Dead skin cell accumulation-
  promote exfoliation to help shed dead skin cells.
  
• Bacteria & Inflammation-
  kill bacteria and soothe the inflammation
  
• Comedogenic ingredients:
  In products can cause acne breakouts such as mica in eye shadow, pink, reds or blue dyes (D & C dyes), lanolin, isopropinol. Comedogenic ingredients can penetrate the hair follicle and cause irritation, which stimulates oil production.