Sun Protection Factors
March 6, 2012 | 
Author: Skinstation
So the long winter nights are on their way out, spring is in the air and as we look forward to the clocks changing forward, we should also be thinking about our skin protection too!
With a decrease in the thickness of the ozone layer, UV ray intensity has dramatically increased all year round and therefore it has never been so important to protect your skin against the harmful rays and photo aging.
There are 2 types of UV radiation that can damage the skin, UVA and UVB. Both are associated with burning, wrinkling, leathering and other effects of photo aging. For many health reasons, it is vital that you do not let your skin burn in the sun. Not only is sun damage associated with types of skin cancer but burnt skin tends to thicken as it heals and can lead to premature skin aging and that leather look that we all should avoid!
By using a broad range SPF daily all year round you can safely enjoy being in the sun whether you’re tanning by the pool, skiing or even just out and about.
SPF or sun protection factor is a measure of a sunscreens ability to prevent skin from sun damage. If it takes 20 minutes for your skin to turn red without sun protection, by using an SPF 15 it means it prevents skin reddening for 15 times longer. Sunscreens contain chemicals that absorb UV light and stop it penetrating the skin and also contain particles that reflect UV light meaning that the amount of damaging UV rays that get to the skin is minimised.
Sunscreen should be applied daily and even in winter or on cloudy days but, particularly on warm and sunny days, it should be applied regularly throughout the day. Make sure after swimming or showing that you remember to reapply. It’s always advisable to try and stay in the shade during the hottest part of the day or when your shadow appears shorter than you. Remember that most SPF’s have an expiry date. Last year’s bottle of sandy sun cream is not going to offer you the same strength of protection this year! Another great tip for keeping the sun off your face is to wear a glamorous big floppy hat. Sun protection doesn’t mean we can’t look fabulous too!
When investing in a sunscreen, it’s worth spending a little extra as the higher priced sunscreens tend to be more effective than some of the cheaper ones. Last year Obagi launched their Sun Shield SPF 50. Sun Shield SPF 50 is a seriously high protection sunscreen lotion for those who really care about their skin. It combines high UVB absorption and dynamic UVA blockage in an elegant, matte finish. It is non-whitening, PABA-free and fragrance-free for all skin types. This product is not only great for days in the sun but also as a daily use product. The light and silky texture of this product means it’s great to apply daily onto cleansed skin and before applying your make up. Definitely an office favourite here at Skinstation!
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Now you C!
February 15, 2012 | Author: Skinstation
We all know that Vitamin C is a great tool in fighting off colds, flu and helping boost the immune system but did you know that you can use this wonderful tool to help your skin?
But before you dash to your local supermarket to buy the biggest bunch of oranges you can find, unfortunately food alone will not increase your level of Vitamin C in your skin. However topical lotions and creams containing vitamin C have shown to have a good absorption rate. Topical application can deliver 20 times more Vitamin C to the skin than our bodies can obtain from food.
Vitamin C (also known as L-Ascorbic Acid) is an essential nutrient for all humans. In living organisms, it acts as an antioxidant against oxidative stress. It is needed to perform numerous functions in the body, including the synthesis of Collagen.
Collagen is a protein that aids cell growth and gives skin firmness and strength and also helps skin repair itself so for those that want to help their skin keep healthy and youthful looking the idea of boosting our collagen levels is a key factor.
As well as promoting the production of collagen, Vitamin C is a real multi-tasker! It has been found to:
Protect cells and supportive structure from UV damage
improve the appearance of sun damaged skin
strengthen the skins natural barrier
reduce inflammation
help enhance the results from peels and microdermabrasion
lessen hyperpigmentation
boost the efficiency of good sunscreens.
It has also been found that Vitamin C slows the rate of free radicle damage to the skin. Free radicals are molecules that are unstable and can damage collagen. Damaged collagen in the skin can cause dry skin and fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin C neutralises free radicles and has been shown to even reverse DNA damage! More than 20 years ago a scholar of the Duke University found that L-ascorbic acid was able to reduce the UVB damage when applied to the backs of pigs. Since this revolutionary paper was published, furthermore research has been conducted and shown the positive effects vitamin C really has on the skin.
Here at Skinstation we love the powerful anti-oxidant action of Obagi Professional- C serum as it neutralises free radicals before they can cause damage to the skin’s epidermal cells. It penetrates to the epidermis and dermis, to protect skin cells and stimulate collagen production. Obagi Professional C Serums use advanced scientific formulas developed and tested by leading Vitamin C experts. It offers the maximum daily antioxidant protection and greater penetration than other Vitamin C products. The greater the penetration, the greater the antioxidant benefit to your skin.
Jeepers Creepers Look at Those Peepers!
February 8, 2012 | Author: Skinstation
Monday morning is never going to be the most popular time of the week but even after we drag ourselves out of bed to get ready for work, a quick glance in the mirror and your eyes reveal the weekend’s secrets! The late nights, the cocktails, everything!
Unfortunately for us this is no surprise. The skin round your eyes is very delicate and sensitive. It’s thin and doesn’t produce its own natural oils. Your eyes are actually one of the most active and expressive parts of your face and this means that it’s one of the first areas to show signs of premature aging like fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles and puffiness.
It’s about time we showed our gentle peepers some TLC, after all they are the windows to our soul.
Many beauty products can be too harsh for the delicate eye area and could cause further damage. You need to find a product especially suited to the eye area that’s delicate enough but with active ingredients to stimulate and tackle the signs of aging.
Eye creams come in many shapes and variations so it can be a bit of a minefield trying to find one that suits you. Typically a day eye cream will be used to tackle the dark circles and puffiness that can be associated with lack of sleep and dehydration. A night eye cream will usually focus on the fine lines and wrinkles.
If using a day cream, try keeping it in the fridge. The coolness when you apply the cream will aid reducing the puffiness as well as help you wake up.
Vitamin C is great for tackling fine lines and wrinkles. Obagi Professional C Serum 5% is designed for the delicate eye area and helps increase collagen production to plump out those fine lines and wrinkles and as an added bonus, will also protect you against free radical damage, reduce discolouration and is packed with antioxidants.
Another great product from Obagi is Elastiderm. They offer both an eye cream and a gel. The Elastiderm Eye Treatment is designed to “put the snap back into your eyes”. By using a revolutionary bi-mineral complex called Copper Zinc Malonate, it works to help restore the elasticity around your eyes and reduce the appearance of visible fine lines and wrinkles.
For those of you who want to tackle assigns of aging around the eyes with a punch, there’s always the retinol! Zo Skin Health Olluminate™ Intense Eye Repair has stabilised retinol and advanced peptides to strengthen the skin and decrease fine lines and wrinkles, plus optical diffusers to reduce dark circles. Retinol is known well for its anti-aging properties and increases cell turnover stimulating production of collagen and elastin production.
Whichever cream you decide to use remember how you apply your chosen cream is just as important. Starting below the eye in the corner; gently dab your cream outwards until it is absorbed. By patting the cream in, you minimise the amount of pull on the skin around the eye.
Repeat for the upper eye and remember to be gentle.
Anti-Ageing’s Best Kept Secret!
January 26, 2012 | Author: Skinstation
The Obagi Nu-Derm System has quite the following in the USA but here in the UK, it seems to be one of the best kept secrets in fighting anti-aging, uneven skin tone and even pigmentation and acne!
It’s a system that will transform, rejuvenate and even re-train your skin so it produces healthy skin cells. Basically it makes your skin act younger!
The Obagi Nu-Derm System is a prescription strength system that really works. There are a number of creams involved in the whole regime which can be daunting at first however these creams are all designed to work together and the whole system is really worth sticking to.
In the first 1-18 weeks you will start on an intensive regime. This is the stage where your skin clears out the old dead cells. This system is not for wimps though! You can expect to peel in the first 6 weeks as this is all the damaged and dead cells sloughing away to make room for fresh healthy ones. But don’t fret; you can still wear a light make up during this stage.
You will start seeing a noticeable change after just 12 weeks on the Nu-Derm System. Its works deep in the skin to regulate cell function, keeping the new skin cells healthy and therefore as the new healthy cells reach the skins surface, your skin looks radiant, younger and blemish and discolouration free.
After your initial 18 weeks, you can then move onto a long-term maintenance regime where (as the name suggests) you maintain your results and only need use some of the creams 2-3 times a week.
All the products in the Nu-Derm System have their own role to play in your regime and you can choose from 2 system types to suit your skin, normal to oily or normal to dry system.
- The Foaming Gel or Gentle Cleanser cleans and prepares your skin for the other creams in the system.
- The toner gently restores the skins natural ph.
- The Exfoderm or Exfoderm Forte exfoliates dead surface cells off and prevent skin debris which can clog pores and cause blemishes.
- Clear treats any unwanted pigmentation and promotes a balanced and radiant complexion.
- The Blender and Tretinoin (the stuff that makes you peel) should be mixed together before applying to your face. The Blender carries the molecules in the Tretinoin to a deeper skin layer so that the Tretinoin can work from deep within the epidermis.
Tretinoin is one of the active ingredients that stimulates cell turnover and the production of healthy cells. It is an acidic form of vitamin A and the most studied Retinoid in the treatment of photo aging.
- The sunfader helps protect your skin from UV damage as well as working to treat any brown spots or pigmentation from sun damage.
You must apply a really good SPF daily, even in winter! Exposure to UV rays, no matter how minimal, can cause skin damage and set back your skins rejuvenation. Also with the active ingredients in the Nu-Derm Systems, your skin can become more photosensitive so it’s a good idea to protect it daily.
For those thinking you will only need some of the creams in the system, think again! By using just a selection of the Obagi Nu-Derm products you simply will not get the results you want as the products are all designed to complement and work together in treating your skin disorders.
Sweet Dreams and Night Creams.
January 18, 2012 | Author: Skinstation
Sometimes things just don’t go as planned. There are extra bills to pay, the family is driving you crazy and after Christmas you have managed to gain a little holiday weight…. You’re stressed!
And it shows in your skin!
Too much stress takes away your ‘Joie de Vivre’ and so you’re more likely to use those facial muscles to frown or scowl inducing more wrinkles. According to Psychodermatologists, stress will also make any existing skin problems like acne, rosacea and eczema worse as these are disorders that can be related to your thoughts and feelings.
When you feel stressed it triggers the body to release a hormone called Cortisol. This hormone reduces the skins ability to retain water in the cells. When you’re stressed your breathing changes to shallower and quicker and this type of breathing take in less oxygen into the body and therefore lessen the amount of oxygen getting to your skin cells. The result is a dull, dry skin complexion that lacks radiance and glow.
You can’t always take care of all the problems but you can take care of yourself.
A little pampering can make you feel a thousand times better and make you feel like you can take on the world. To help ease the stresses of life and those frown and worry lines, ensure you treat your skin to a great night cream such as a retinol, 30 minutes before bed. ZO Skin Health range has two great retinols that are perfect for the job, Ossential™ Growth Factor Serum and Ossential™ Radical Night Repair Plus.
Ossential Growth Factor Serum is your one-two punch to fight aging. Two powerful proprietary peptides, retinol and amino acids boost collagen and stimulate cellular function. You can reduce collagen degradation, restore skin elasticity – translation: you’ll lose the lines and wrinkles and look younger!
Ossential™ Radical Night Repair Plus features a potent concentration of retinol. After it has penetrated our skin, retinol reacts with natural enzymes to convert to trans-retinoic acid, which is a usable form of Vitamin A. Skin can then generate new cells and produce more collagen. This activity makes older cells rise to the surface and exfoliate. As new skin cells emerge, skin appears younger, healthier, more even-toned and radiant.
Restylane (yes the dermal filler people) have also launched a skin care range that uses the same ingredient as their dermal fillers. The stabilised Hyaluronic Acid and a retinol 0.4% in Restylane® Night Serum increases the water-retaining skin barrier and visibly reduces signs of photo-damaged skin such as fine wrinkles, pigment spots and loss of elasticity.
While your sleeping, your body is hard at work restoring and repairing any damaged cells so give your skin cells that little boost with a great night cream.
For the day time remember to cleanse and exfoliate your skin, drink plenty of water and don’t stump on the SPF’s -those UV rays will never help you reduce the frown lines and wrinkles!
PIP IMPLANTS. THE BLAME GAME
January 16, 2012 | Author: Skinstation
I woke up this morning feeling uneasy. I had been dreaming about those poor souls who were unfortunate enough to have PIP implants in the private sector and now feel abandoned and confused. Conflicting messages from the media about the relative risk, help offered in one country and not another and the shuffling of responsibility has heightened the distress possibly more than necessary.
My uneasiness is born out of being a doctor and the collective guilt we feel as a profession when patients are disappointed with the level of care or, more importantly, the level of caring they perceive. Whose fault is it? Well let’s get one thing straight. It is not the patient’s fault, no matter what glib and often disparaging comments about vanity and ‘serves them right attitude’ you may hear from those with a poor understanding of the reasons why people undergo this type of surgery.
I can understand the anger some of my colleagues feel towards the authorities for allowing CE mark approval for the device. As medics we will ask what due diligence did our colleagues undertake to satisfy themselves independently that these implants were fit for purpose and had the device fulfilled legitimate criteria elsewhere such as in the US. I can understand the anger the authorities feel towards the manufacturer and in turn ask what due diligence did they undertake to ensure safety criteria were meet. No doubt litigation will follow along these channels.
But what about the patients. As a doctor there is one overriding contract with the patient and that is the ‘duty of care’. That care should be without prejudice to finance, which is merely a tool we employ to allow us to live and practice medicine. We carry insurance demanded by the regulator so that, when we err, patients can be compensated and helped to cope with life after the event. In the case of PIP, even though there may be a legitimate onward claim against the regulator, in the absence of insurance we still have a duty of care to restore and protect the health of the patient to the best of our ability. No matter how hard it is to swallow, money should have nothing to do with it.
Dr John Curran
Lead physician
Aesthetic Skin Clinics
Exfoliating vs Moisturising
January 10, 2012 | Author: Skinstation
The age old beauty regime of cleanse, tone and moisturise may just be a thing of the past! Experts such as Dr Zein Obagi now promote regimes where the main aim is to exfoliate!
Exfoliation is the process of removing old, dead skin cells from the outer layers of the skin and therefore making room for lovely new, fresh and healthy skin cells to be created and pushed towards the skins surface.
Dr Zein Obagi believes that moisturisers accelerate the aging process. A moisturiser applied to the cells in the epidermis tells the deeper layers of skin cells to become lazy and stop collecting water from food and drink within the body and therefore your skin becomes dependant on moisturisers allowing the skin to become thin, dry and less elastic.
However there is a time and a place for moisturisers:
- After a medical procedure where your skin needs a boost with hydration
- If you are traveling to arid climates where the air is dryer than what your skin is accustomed to
- When you are flying where the air in the cabin can really dehydrate your skin.
Most moisturisers will only work on the surface of the skin and for people to want to fight anti-aging hard; you need to get to the deeper layers to really help rejuvenation. The key is to activate and stimulate the skin cells by exfoliating. This will promote cell turnover and increase collagen production therefore giving us tighter and firmer skin!
Unfortunately for us the aging process naturally slows down cell turnover at the age of 30 and your skin cells start to pile up on the surface making it dry, rough and dull in appearance. By exfoliating regularly, you slough off these dead dry cells to reveal fresher, healthier skin cells.
Regular exfoliation is not only for those looking for anti-aging, exfoliating is essential for Acne sufferers! Acne causes more dead skin cells than usual and the skin finds it difficult to shed these off efficiently. This cell debris in the subcutaneous pores and excess oils forms these unwanted blemishes. By using a good exfoliator regularly, this will help slough off the dead cells and reduce excess oil helping to reduce the frequency of blemishes.
Luckily for us, Dr Zein Obagi has developed a beautiful Zo Health Skin Offects Exfoliating Polish. This is a super exfoliating product that contains round magnesium crystals to exfoliate those unwanted dead skin cells, increase epidermal turnover and create a clearer, smoother and more toned complexion. It even includes vitamins A, C, and E for that extra added skin protection.
Get Lashed!
December 13, 2011 | Author: Skinstation
Eyelash enhancers are the new beauty buzz. Big beautiful lashes are in! Latisse is a new innovation in lash enhancing technology from Allergan, the company that gave us Botox, and Obagi have launched their new product called Elastilash, which is a peptide based enhancer.
Stateside, people are going crazy for Latisse, which was launched in 2009 and is the only FDA approved prescription only product for eyelash enhancement. It targets the eyelash follicle increasing lash growth, extending the lash cycle and delaying the cycle of lash loss.
Every year women spend millions of pounds on mascara to exaggerate their eyelashes. Cosmetic companies advertise to women worldwide who want sexy and enticing eyes. Now there is a simple way to get the dramatic eyelashes you’ve always dreamed of without sticky false eyelashes or extensions. You can grow your own fluttery, flattering eyelashes with celebrity appeal. lash lengtheners are the new mascara.
Researchers are impressed with Latisse, according to the New York Times, Rory Gal says, “I think this is a fairly big deal. Its a new idea in a market that loves new ideas and frankly it works”.
For best results with both these products, apply one generous stroke to the upper lash line every night and you will see fuller, thicker lashes in as little as 4-6 weeks.
A Rosier Outlook for Rosacea!
November 18, 2011 | Author: Skinstation
What do Bill Clinton and Sir Alex Ferguson have in common? The answer: rosacea, a ruddy complexion that in some cases can mistakenly be attributed to a problem with alcohol. This is only one of the challenges facing those with the debilitating skin condition rosacea. Many have never heard of it and assume their red face and flushingis merely a sign of aging.While there are undoubtedly more sufferers over the age of 40, there are still others in their early 20s or 30s who have not been diagnosed - surprising given that it affects one in ten of those in the UK.
Signs include:
- Facial redness, most commonly covering the nose and cheeks.
- Acne-like spots.
- Red flash on face (butterfly shape over nose and cheeks)
- Broken veins on nose and cheeks.
- Swollen and tender skin.
- Extreme sensitivity to temperature changes.
- Flushing and blushing.
- Nearly 75% of sufferers reported that stress alone was responsible for flare-ups.
- Extremes of temperature are a key trigger. Cold weather leaves the skin feeling extremely tingly, as does wind for those with rosacea.
- Spicy food can trigger a flush response.
- Alcohol can exacerbate symptoms so badly that many with rosacea will avoid drinking alcohol in public.
- Caffeine is not a trigger. But the heat from a hot drink may irritate the skin and set off symptoms.
- 44% blamed foods, including tomatoes, cheese (except cottage), spinach, yogurt, plums, raisins, vinegar, yeast-containing foods, chocolate and marinated foods.
People who’ve always taken their good skin for granted perhaps can’t quite imagine what it’s like to wake up every day feeling flawed and not fit to face the world without a layer of disguising foundation. Psycho-dermatologists agree that the extent of a disease – whether acne, rosacea, vitiligo or psoriasis – is irrelevant to the impact it can have on self-esteem, self-confidence, relationships and one’s performance in the workplace. ‘Anything that involves the face,’ says Dr Bewley, ‘automatically has an effect on confidence. And if you talk to people who have arthritis, say, or a heart condition as well as a skin disorder, they will very often say that the latter causes them more unhappiness than the former.’ That’s why, he continues, ‘no good dermatologist should ever underestimate its psychological impact.’
Rosacea is a progressive problem with no cure. However rosacea can be controlled and skin maintained looking healthy and free of disease. In mild to moderate cases, Obagi Rosaclear® System helps to prevent the progression of the disease, reduce or prevent pustules and pimples, and reduce redness. The kit contains a cleanser, hydrator, and metronidazole. Sunscreen is sold separately. This system is designed to specifically treat rosacea!
Can A Dermaroller Make You Look Younger?
November 11, 2011 | Author: Skinstation
A Dermaroller looks like a mini instrument of torture -definitely not for the faint hearted! At about 2 inches across, it has a barrel covered in ultra-fine ‘microneedles’, spikes designed to pierce holes in the skin, a bit like aerating the lawn!
And why would you want to even contemplate this? Because, say aficionados, Dermaroller therapy stimulates the skin to repair itself, and can significantly improve the appearance of acne scars, ageing and sun-damaged skin, wrinkles and stretch marks.
The worse your skin is, the greater the results. It is an attractive thought.
Dermarollers work by producing thousands of microscopic needle holes in the dermis, which prompts the skin to produce new collagen and elastin and generate new cells.
The Home Use Genuine Dermarolleris excellent for tired skin, skin that is losing its smoothness and plumpness or becoming slack around the mouth and jaw,It is most effective on lower face, although it makes the whole area look smoother and much fresher, as the skin takes on a new vitality and looks brighter as well as firmer.
Use it in combination with the renowned Obagi C serum “Magic in a bottle” it delivers this potent antioxident deeper into the skin where it transforms the skin at a cellular level and combats the signs of premature ageing.