Caring For Your Skin this Summer

Sunshine, although essential for health and well being, is certainly a hazard for the skin. For many people it feels good to spend time outdoors and this makes it difficult to avoid excessive exposure to the sun. Most of the sun exposure we accumulate throughout our lives, is thought to be the effect of multiple short periods of time outside. If the ozone depletion continues this may also increase our lifetime exposure.

Sun damage of the skin, also known as photo damage can be either acute, as in a sunburn or more commonly, chronic, seen as gradual changes in the skin caused by an accumulation of sun exposure throughout one’s life. Chronic photo damage results in either a cosmetic change in the skin’s appearance called photo aging, or changes that are of medical and health concerns such as pre-cancerous lesions and skin cancers. Look for more information on www.SkinCancerGuide.ca The evidence is very strong that ultra-violet light is the cause of most of the changes that we consider to be associated with aging of the skin.

As time goes on, we start to notice brown spots and freckles — “souvenirs of Florida” — on the backs of our hands and on other sun exposed areas like the upper chest and face. At first these brown spots are small and light colored, but eventually they become a cosmetic problem — an obvious sign of premature aging of the skin because of ultraviolet damage from sun exposure or from tanning beds. Read More…

As we age, the skin droops and develops wrinkles, lines and furrows. Depending on your skin type, you may find your skin to be pre-disposed to wrinkling. But thanks to diligent research and new advances, there are a number of solutions to combat facial lines.

Melasma is a common increase of pigmentation that occurs exclusively in sun-exposed areas, in particular on the face. Melasma usually causes three different patterns of symmetrical pigmentation on the face, affecting most commonly the central face (cheeks, forehead, upper lip, nose, and chin); or less commonly the cheeks and nose, or the cheeks and jaw line. Melasma also can cause patches of pigmentation on the forearms, but this is rare.

Most people have freckles, birthmarks, or moles, but any irregularities or a change in the shape, edge, colour or size can be warning signs of skin cancer. Skin cancer can take 20 years or more to develop. Many forms grow slowly, but some melanomas may grow quickly. If found in the early stages it’s very treatable, and the way to find it early is by doing a self-exam every three to six months. This should take no more than 5 or 10 minutes, 10 minutes that could save your life.

For complete information about caring for your skin, click on www.SkinCareGuide.ca

Acne and Retin-A

Anti-acne drugs are medicines that help clear up pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, and more severe forms of acne. Benzoyl peroxide is found in many over-the-counter acne products that are applied to the skin, such as Benoxyl, Clear By Design, Neutrogena Acne, PanOxyl, and some formulations of Clean & Clear, Clearasil, and Oxy. Some benzoyl peroxide products are available without a physician’s prescription; others require a prescription. Tretinoin (Retin-A) is available only with a physician’s prescription and comes in liquid, cream, and gel forms, which are applied to the skin. Isotretinoin (Accutane), which is taken by mouth in capsule form, is available only with a physician’s prescription. Only physicians who have experience in diagnosing and treating severe acne, such as dermatologists, should prescribe isotretinoin.

Acne is a skin disorder that leads to an outbreak of lesions called pimples or “zits.” The most common form of the disease in adolescents is called acne vulgaris. Antiacne drugs are the medicines that help clear up the pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, and more severe forms of lesions that occur when a teen has acne.

Different types of antiacne drugs are used for different treatment purposes, depending on the severity of the condition. For example, lotions, soaps, gels, and creams containing substances called benzoyl peroxide or tretinoin may be used to clear up mild to moderately severe acne. Isotretinoin (Accutane) is an oral drug that is prescribed only for very severe, disfiguring acne.

Acne cannot be cured, but antiacne drugs can help clear the skin and reduce the chance of scarring. The goal of treating moderate acne is to decrease inflammation and prevent new comedones from forming. Benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin work by mildly irritating the skin. This encourages skin cells to slough off, which helps open blocked pores. Benzoyl peroxide also kills bacteria, which helps prevent whiteheads and blackheads from turning into pimples. Isotretinoin shrinks the glands that produce sebum. It is used for severe acne lesions and must be carefully monitored because of its side effects. Antibiotics also may be prescribed to kill bacteria and reduce inflammation.

General Use

Benzoyl peroxide is found in many over-the-counter acne products that are applied to the skin, such as Benoxyl, Neutrogena Acne, PanOxyl, and some formulations of Clean & Clear, Clearasil, and Oxy. Some benzoyl peroxide products are available without a physician’s prescription; others require a prescription. Acne treatments that can dry the skin should be used with caution by people with skin of color.

Tretinoin (Retin-A) is available only with a physician’s prescription. It comes in liquid, cream, and gel forms, which are applied to the skin. Isotretinoin (Accutane), which is taken by mouth in capsule form, is available only with a physician’s prescription. Only physicians experienced in diagnosing and treating severe acne, such as dermatologists, should prescribe isotretinoin.

Skin Types and Sunburn Treatments

Your skin type affects how easily you become sunburned. People with fair or freckled skin, blond or red hair, and blue eyes usually sunburn easily. Your age also affects how your skin reacts to the sun. The skin of children younger than 6 and adults older than 60 is more sensitive to sunlight.

You may get a more severe sunburn depending on:

• The time of day. You are more likely to get a sunburn between 10 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon, when the sun’s rays are the strongest. You might think the chance of getting a sunburn on cloudy days is less, but the sun’s damaging UV light can pass through clouds.
• Whether you are near reflective surfaces, such as water, white sand, concrete, snow, and ice. All of these reflect the sun’s rays and can cause sunburns.
• The season of the year. The position of the sun on summer days can cause a more severe sunburn.
• Altitude. It is easy to get sunburned at higher altitudes, because there is less of the earth’s atmosphere to block the sunlight. UV exposure increases about 4% for every 1000 ft gain in elevation.
• How close you are to the equator (latitude). The closer you are to the equator, the more direct sunlight passes through the atmosphere. For example, the southern United States gets 1.5 times more sunlight than the northern United States.
• The UV index of the day, which indicates the risk of getting a sunburn that day.

Preventive measures and home treatment are usually all that is needed to prevent or treat a sunburn.

• Protect your skin from the sun.
• Do not stay in the sun too long.
• Use sunscreens, and wear clothing that covers your skin.

If you have any health risks that may increase the seriousness of sun exposure, you should avoid being in the sun from 10 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon.

Home treatment measures may provide some relief from a mild sunburn.

* Use cool cloths on sunburned areas.
* Take frequent cool showers or baths.
* Apply soothing lotions that contain aloe vera to sunburned areas.

Topical steroids (such as 1% hydrocortisone cream) may also help with sunburn pain and swelling. Note: Do not use the cream on children younger than age 2 unless your doctor tells you to. Do not use in the rectal or vaginal area in children younger than age 12 unless your doctor tells you to.

A sunburn can cause a mild fever and a headache. Lie down in a cool, quiet room to relieve the headache. A headache may be caused by dehydration, so drinking fluids may help. There is little you can do to stop skin from peeling after a sunburn—it is part of the healing process. Lotion may help relieve the itching. Other home treatment measures, such as chamomile, may help relieve your sunburn symptoms.

Medicine you can buy without a prescription Try a nonprescription medicine to help treat your fever or pain:

* Acetaminophen, such as Tylenol
* Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs):
Ibuprofen, such as Advil or Motrin
Naproxen, such as Aleve or Naprosyn
* Aspirin (also a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug), such as Bayer or Bufferin

Melatonin and Anti-aging

Melatonin is a hormone involved with our daily sleep/wake cycle. It is made by the pineal gland located in the brain. Despite some claims to the contrary, melatonin production and release does not necessarily decrease with age. Instead, a number of factors, including light exposure and use of some common medications can affect melatonin secretion in people of any age.As with other hormones, melatonin is marketed as a dietary supplement. Consumers should look with caution at claims about melatonin supplements’ effects.

One claim for melatonin supplements is that they are an anti-aging remedy, but research on the anti-aging effects has been very limited and focused on animals, not humans. There are also claims that melatonin helps with sleep. Research findings have shown that melatonin supplements, in amounts ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 milligrams, can improve sleep in some cases; however, if taken at the wrong time, melatonin can actually disrupt the sleep/wake cycle. And, melatonin’s benefits as an antioxidant have been touted. Antioxidants protect the body from the harmful effects of by-products, known as free radicals, made when the body changes oxygen and food into energy. Early test-tube studies suggested that, in large doses, melatonin might be an effective antioxidant. More research is needed to know if using melatonin supplements as an antioxidant will decrease the amount of antioxidants cells produce naturally.

Side effects of melatonin supplements may include confusion, drowsiness, and headache. Animal studies suggest that melatonin may cause some blood vessels to constrict, a condition that could be dangerous for people with high blood pressure or other cardiovascular problems.

The usual dose of melatonin sold without a prescription in stores is 3 milligrams. This dose is much larger than the 0.1 to 0.5 milligrams of melatonin researchers used to study its effects on sleep. People who take these supplements may have a 10- to 40-times higher blood concentration of melatonin than normal. Long-term effects of such high concentrations of melatonin on the body are still unknown. Use caution when considering taking these supplements until researchers learn more.

For more information on health and aging, contact:

National Institute on Aging Information Center
P.O. Box 8057
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057
800-222-2225 (toll-free)
800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)
www.nia.nih.gov