Natural Facial Masks as Sun Protectors

Facial masks are among the best skin care regime types that are most commonly used. Such masks are used for cleansing the skin, exfoliating it and toning it. These masks are every where and can be used by all skin types. If you are looking for a perfect skin treatment which is easy to use and effective then these are the best things.

In addition to such masks, you can use a number of other facial products that are available in the market. All these natural products are very effective in use and provide wonderful results. A good thing about these items is that they do not have any kind of side effects. This implies that if you are having a very sensitive skin then you can use herbal products with great ease without any fear of adverse reactions. These products can effectively be used for curing all kinds of sun related problems. They act as natural sun protectors that help in battling out occurrence of sun burns, lines and spots on skin.

Baking soda, lemon and tomato are some natural ingredients that can be used to cure sunburn. Another most common natural herb used as best skin treatment for sun burn is Sandalwood powder. This provides amazing benefits due to its anti inflammatory properties and cooling effect which avoid tanning of the skin. The best way to cure sun-affected areas is to apply a mixture of milk with sandalwood. This will help in cooling that area and the milk added will act as a bleaching agent. Before applying this mask, it would be better if you clean your face with a mild cleanser.

There are other natural ingredients as well that can be used to fight varied skin problems. These are herbs and products that are totally free from side effects. Due to their amazing skin results, you can use these products for having a sparkling skin like never before.

All About Facial Masks!

Facial masks are an amusing way to indulge in facial skincare. Not only amusing, facial masks are energizing ways to treat the skin of all its ailments. They lend a relaxing feeling to the person. Facial masks may also be used by those who enjoy a fairly beautiful skin to sustain the quality of skin.

Facial masks are fun to prepare at home. Mashed bananas can be worn as a mask to fight age lines. Citrus fruits, grapes, strawberry, papaya, avocados and blueberries are normally used as facial masks. Butter, yogurt and milk also add smoothness and moisture to dry skin. Oatmeal and clay are common homemade ways to make drooping skin appear taut. These are essentially mixed with essential plant and herbal oils to add radiance to otherwise lifeless skin. Fruit peels are also common.

The store shelves are teeming with a variety of facial masks. The facial mask that you choose must be one that gels easily with your skin tone and complexion. There are specific facial masks that tackle specific problems. It is important for you to ensure whether the mix of constituents you pick up is equipped with the quality to deal with your problem or not.

As proposed by beauty experts, facial masks must be worn at least once in 10 days. The mask must stay as it is for about half an hour or so. Thereafter the mask may be peeled off or washed off as the mask permits. Beauty experts hold that one must indulge in facial steam before applying the facial mask. This would allow the hitherto clogged pores to unclog and benefit from the mask. After the application of mask you may lie down or just roam about here and there to while away time. Avoid excessive moving around. You see a miraculous improvement in your skin. Be sure to post your findings!

Treating and Preventing Sunburn and Acne Scars

Playing in the sun is not fun if you have to deal with sunburn afterward.  On long, hot summer days, we are all tempted to spend the day relaxing
poolside or at the beach, and most of us have suffered the consequences of too much sun exposure.  The desire for the perfect golden tan can sometimes lead to sunburns, which is very harmful for the skin.  If you suffer from acne, a sunburn can further damage your skin and cause permanent scarring.

Sunburn is a delayed inflammatory reaction when the skin is exposed to excessive ultraviolet radiation.  Symptoms of mild sunburn, including redness,
tenderness and pain, often occur a few hours after exposure, and can last for several days.  The pain, itching and peeling is the skin’s reaction to excessive UVA and UVB ray exposure.  Although the skin needs time to heal, there are some remedies and treatments available to help the skin repair itself.

Get out of the sun

It may sound simple enough, but we often do not realize we are sunburned until it is too late. Since it is a delayed reaction, the full extent and severity
of the burn may not appear until up to 12 hours after exposure.   Stop your sun exposure by seeking shade from trees, umbrellas, hats, etc.  Drink lots
of water, since sunburn causes dehydration.  Get some immediate relief for the pain by adding baking soda to a cool bath, and wear loose clothing that
does not stick to the body.

Reduce the pain

Anti-inflammatory medicine such as Advil or Ibuprofen can help relieve the redness and pain associated with sunburn.  Aloe vera is a popular treatment
for sunburn thanks to its ability to moisturize and repair the skin.  Apply a moisturizing cream containing Aloe vera, and if possible, apply the gel from
the actual plant to the affected areas.  Once the burn heals, the skin will begin to peel and may become itchy.  Fight the temptation to pick and
scratch, which can irritate the skin a slow the healing process.  Instead, keep the skin moisturized by applying a moisturizing lotion, which can reduce
itching.

Prevent sunburn

The best way to deal with sunburn is to not get one.   Sunburn may only seem harmless and temporary, but can have lasting effects on the skin and
overall health.  Serious sunburn can cause blisters, shock, lead to cancer and even death if left untreated.  Protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays
by applying sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside.  Wear loose, protective clothing and avoid staying outside for too long during peak
hours (10am to 4pm), when sunrays are harsh.  Choose a sunscreen with SPF of at least 30, and use sun-protection products that contain zinc oxide,
an inorganic ingredient that can deflect UVA rays.  Try Vivoderm’s zinc cream, a natural product that can be used as a nontoxic sunscreen.

By Van Le

Van Le is a staff writer for the CSU Daily Titan and writing intern for Vivoderm Laboratories in Los Angeles, California. She is currently pursuing a Journalism degree at California State University, Fullerton.

For the latest findings on natural skincare, you can also link to http://bestorganicnaturalskincare.com

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

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

What Is In Your Sunscreen?

There is more to sunscreens that meets the eye. Here are a few points you should keep in mind when selecting one:

1. Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is not the only way to judge sunscreen. SPF gives an indication of how well a sunscreen will protect your skin from ultraviolet-B light (which causes sunburn and skin cancer. See www.SkinCancerGuide.ca ) but tells you nothing about a sunscreen’s ability to protect you from ultraviolet-A light (which causes wrinkles, and also contributes to skin cancer). If you want protection against UV-A, be sure that your sunscreen includes avobenzone (Parsol-1789), Mexoryl®, titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide.

2. Some sunscreens last longer than others. UV light causes some sun screening agents to break down and lose their sun screening ability. Mexoryl®, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide do not break down when exposed to UV light, and so keep on protecting you from UV throughout the day.
3. Some sun screening agents stay on the skin better than others, and this is important if you will be sweating heavily or swimming. In general, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide stay on the skin longer that most other sun screening agents. To reduce the chance that titanium or zinc based sunscreens will look pale or white on the skin, choose products containing “ultramicronized” titanium or zinc, which is so fine that it is transparent to visible light but still does a good job of absorbing and reflecting ultraviolet light.

4. Sunscreens are available as creams, gels, and sprays. Creams are best for use on smooth skin, and some creams are prepared using water-resistant formulas so that the product will stay on the skin longer if you are sweating or enjoying water sports. Gels and sprays are preferred by some people, and in particular can be easier to apply than creams on hairy areas and on the scalp.

When choosing sunscreens for yourself, your family and your workers it is important to consider the cosmetic acceptability of the sunscreen, because if someone does not LIKE the sunscreen they will not use it. Thus, a nice sunscreen with an SPF of 30 which you are happy to apply daily will give you more actual sun protection than a higher SPF product which is too greasy or too white for your taste so is not used on a regular basis.

If you get into the habit of applying a sunscreen (or a sunscreen-containing prescription product like Retisol-A 0.01% cream) every morning, you can really slow the clock down, and even reverse some of the sun damage you have accumulated over the years.

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About the author: By Kevin C. Smith MD FACP FRCPC
Dr. Kevin Smith is a dermatologist in Niagara Falls, Ontario with a particular interest in protecting the skin and in correcting skin problems resulting from aging, rosacea and sun damage. He is an expert in the use of Botox®, fillers, lasers and intense pulsed light to maintain and enhance the appearance of the skin, and have lectured on those subjects across North America, and in Europe, Asia and Mexico. Read more at www.smithlaser.com

Age Spots? Sun Spots? Skin Cancer?

What is that Spot?

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. (Learn more about Sun Damage)

By using modern high-SPF sunscreens like Ombrelle-60™ or Anthelios-60™ we can safely enjoy outdoor activities like gardening, golf and boating, and greatly reduce the rate at which our skin deteriorates. Patients who get into the habit of applying Retisol-A 0.01% cream (a prescription product which combines a retinoid and an SPF-15 sunscreen) to their faces every morning will usually see a considerable improvement in the appearance of their skin after 1-2 years, and if treatment is continued long-term patients will notice that their skin ages more slowly.

Hats and sun protective clothing can also slow down the rate at which “age spots” appear – and also reduce the chance that we will develop skin cancer. You can learn more about how to prevent sun damage, learn about the early warning signs of skin cancer and see photos of typical skin cancers at Skin Cancer Guide.ca.

The early warning signs of skin cancer include:

• new and unusual growths on the skin
• moles and freckles which have unusual colors or mixtures of colors
• moles and freckles with irregular borders
• growths on the skin which bleed, or which form an open sore which does not heal within a few weeks.

It is not too late for those of us who already have sun spots and age spots. I have seen many patients who had sun damage improve gradually over a period of 3-5 years simply in response to daily sun protection. For those who want more rapid and complete improvement in their sun damaged skin, one or two treatments with the Medlite™ laser can fade or eliminate brown “age spots” on the face, chest and hands within a few weeks.

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatments, for example with the Cutera Xeo-600, can be used in cases where there is a background of tiny freckles and brown discoloration – sometimes erasing 20 years of irregular pigment with a series of 20 minute treatments! Where there is severe sun damage or when a person wishes the most rapid improvement (for example, if a daughter is getting married in two months) a medicine called Levulan™ is applied to the skin for one hour before treatment with the Cutera Xeo-600. Levulan™ is absorbed by cells in the skin which are misbehaving, and then is activated by light from the Xeo-600. The abnormal cells are shed from the skin over a period of 1-2 weeks, revealing fresher, healthier skin – and giving the patient a “fresh start”.

What ever the type of spot – if you have concerns, or if you see changes in its appearance, it is important that you have it inspected by your family physician or dermatologist.

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About the author:
Dr. Kevin Smith is a dermatologist in Niagara Falls, Ontario with a particular interest in protecting the skin and in correcting skin problems resulting from aging, rosacea and sun damage. He is an expert in the use of Botox®, fillers, lasers and intense pulsed light to maintain and enhance the appearance of the skin, and have lectured on those subjects across North America, and in Europe, Asia and Mexico. Read more at www.smithlaser.com

Benefits and Dangers of Sunlight

For a long time we have been told to beware of the sun-rays and protect ourselves from the impact of sun rays upon our skin. The truth is probably not as bad and simple. Sunlight gives both benefits, and effects harm by exaggerated exposure.

The effects of sunlight upon the skin are due to the ultra-violet light. These light rays are generally divided in three kinds according to wavelength, UVA with longest wavelength and lest energy in each light quantum, UVB of shorter wavelength, and UVC of shortest wavelength and highest energy.

THE BENEFITS OF THE SUN-RAYS

If the exposure to sun light is moderate, the benefits outnumber the dangers. First of all sunshine has a good effect upon the mental health and well-being, both due to the visible light and to the warming effect.

The UVA rays in the sunlight stimulate the skin to produce vitamin D. This vitamin is necessary for the normal composition, growth and regeneration of bone tissue. By too low levels of vitamin D in the body, the bones tend to loose calcium and get thinner and weaker. Newer findings suggest that many people do not get enough of this vitamin through the diet or do not absorb enough from the intestines, and need this stimulation to get good enough levels of vitamin D.

Newer findings also suggest that moderate amount of sunshine does not promote the occurrence of skin cancer. On the contrary, in moderate amounts, exposure to sunshine seems to help prevent cancers of several types, especially breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer.

The browning effect is the benefit that most people go for when engaging in sun bath. This effect comes from the UVA rays stimulating the melanocytes in the skin to produce more of the brown pigment - melanin. The increased amount of melanin will protect the skin against the harms of sun-rays, and make you tolerate greater amounts of sun before harmful effects occur. The sun rays also stimulate the upper layer of the skin to grow thicker, and this makes the skin more robust against damage. As long as this thickening is moderate, the thickening is a good effect.

THE DANGERS OF THE SUN-RAYS

The most visible danger of exaggerated sun exposure is the burning effect caused by the UVB rays. The effect is mostly due to immune cells in the skin releasing histamine. Histamine then causes blood vessels to dilate and also cause other symptoms of acute inflammation. Some cells will also be injured by the sunlight to such extend that they die, causing the upper layer of the skin to flake away.

Exaggerated exposure to sun can cause brown spots - liver-spots. Furthermore it can cause the cancer type called basal cell carcinoma. These effects are caused both from the UVA and UVB rays. This type of cancer looks like brown flakes or brown spots, and may be difficult to distinguish from liver-spots. However, this kind of cancer is little malignant, and is in many cases just a cosmetic problem.

But the UVA and UVB rays from too much sun exposure can also cause malignant melanoma. This cancer consists of melanocyte cells been transformed into cancer cell. Malignant melanoma often evolves from birth marks. This cancer can remain small for a long time, but can also spread and develop very rapidly and swiftly evolve into a serious disease. In its initial stages, the cancer looks like an irregularly shaped and abnormally or irregularly coloured birthmark. People having been exposed too much sun and often been sunburned form an early age, are in special risk for malignant melanoma.

Traditionally skin cancers were thought to be caused by the UVB rays, but newer findings suggest that the whole ultraviolet spectre participates in causing cancers. Therefore using solariums that gives off only UVA rays is not safe from cancer risk.

Too much sun exposure for a long time will increase the speed of skin aging and cause permanent changes in the skin, due to the effects of UVB rays. The wrinkles will multiply and aggravate. Also the blood vessels in the skin tend to become permanently dilated and areas of the skin will often get an abnormal or irregular thickness, some places too thin and other places too thick. Due to the widened blood vessels, the skin will be permanently red.

UVC rays are normally filtered out from by the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere. Nowadays this layer is wakened over certain areas in certain times. These rays are the most dangerous and easily cause cancer and other types of skin damage.

HOW TO AVOID THE DANGERS AND GET MOST OF THE BENEFITS

The best way to get just enough sun exposure to get the benefits, but not so much to suffer the harms caused by sun rays, is just to expose your skin for the sun some time, and then cover the skin by clothes.

The time recommended for naked exposure varies considerably. A person with brown skin can take much more than a pale person. The same is true about a person with thick skin. As you get used to the sun each year, you will gradually get browner and also tolerate more. If you take sunbath for the first time in the year, and you have not yet get used to the sun, 10-15 minutes may be enough.

However, often you want to expose your skin to the sun rays longer than an unprotected skin can tolerate, and then you have to use some topical sun protection. Sun balms are found with protection from 3 to 30. The protection factor is supposed to tell how many times longer you can be in the sunshine with the balm on, than without the balm. Be aware that the real protection factor may be less than that written on the bottle.

A balm with the factor 20 does not always really have that factor. If you know you can tolerate 0.5 hours exposure without protection, do not think that you really will tolerate 10 hours exposure with a balm of factor 20 on. The balm must also be renewed several times during the time you expose yourself for the sun. That is especially true if you take swims. The balm must neither be too old.

The face is the body part that it is most important to protect against the sun, since the face does not have any clothes on, and accordingly gets longest sun exposure.

Some kinds of nutrition seem to make the skin more robust against the impact from sun rays. It is for example wise to eat much fish and use olive oil in the diet. You should also attend to the news about the ozone layer, and always protect your skin in periods with weakened ozone layer.

Article Source: http://www.skincarearticledirectory.com; Knut Holt

Melanoma Rates Increase Among Younger Women

According to a July 2008 article published in the Washington Post, increasing numbers of younger women
continue to receive diagnoses of the most dangerous form of skin cancer even as the rate of new cases has
leveled off in younger men, federal health officials reported. Read more

Types and Uses of Facial Masks

A facial mask is a creamy mask applied to clean or smooth the face. It often contains minerals, vitamins and/or fruit extracts, such as pumpkin or cucumber. There are different kinds of masks for different purposes; some are deep cleansing for cleaning the pores. The perceived effect of a facial mask treatment can be revitalizing, rejuvenating or refreshing. Facial masks are most commonly used by women but are also increasingly used by men. Read more

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