Understanding Hormones and Your Skin

If there is one skin condition we would all like to avoid, it’s the appearance of aging before its time. The signs of aging can appear as early as our 20s. While there is truly nothing we can do to slow the passage of time, there are measures we can take to minimize the appearance that time has passed. Here are the five places aging shows up first and what you can do to keep time from catching up with you.

Crow’s Feet

Nothing says “mature” like those telltale lines radiating out from the eye. The biggest cause of crow’s feet is sun exposure. The thin skin around the eyes has very little collagen and elastin to begin with. Every time you skip the sunscreen and run outside for “just a minute,” you put yourself at risk for these crinkly cretins. Protect yourself with an eye cream that contains retinoids, peptides or antioxidants and, of course, sunscreen. Newer Sunscreen products with Zinc provide the unsurpassed UVA protection of zinc oxide without the opaque “”white-out”" that has reduced zinc oxide’s appeal in the past.

Mouth Lines

Your mouth is one of the highlights of your face, so don’t let those fine lines get a foothold. Believe it or not, there was some truth when your mother warned you that your face could stick like that – puckering your lips, pursing them, smoking or even talking animatedly all take a toll on the sensitive skin around your mouth. Of course, sun exposure plays a big role here as well. The best preventative measures you can take are sunscreen and moisturizer. Like the skin around your eyes, the skin around your mouth can hold onto youth with the help of retinoids and peptides – and avoiding continued repetitive mouth movements.

Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation is a long word for a variety of skin color issues including brown spots, freckles and uneven dark patches. A recent study in The American Journal of Dermatology found that hyperpigmentation is the most recognized sign of age – above even fine lines and wrinkles themselves. There are a variety of causes of hyperpigmentation and not all of them can be avoided but, once again, sun exposure is the chief culprit. The sun can accentuate existing freckles and cause dark patches to emerge. Other causes include rising estrogen levels brought on by some birth control medications. To protect yourself, once again, it’s sunscreen to the rescue. For dark patches that have already shown up, hydroquinone has been shown to be an effective bleaching agent.

Dark Circles

Recent research has pointed to allergies as having more to do with dark circles than lack of sleep. Allergies can cause inflammation and dilated blood vessels under the eyes. If dark circles have reared their ugly head, try an over the counter allergy medication with an antihistamine. There are other causes of these dark circles as well – some of which you cannot control. There is a web of fine veins under your eyes that can add unwanted color in that area and iron oxide can also leak from the capillaries under the eyes – apparently from sinus inflammation. There is little you can do about the presence of these blood vessels, but you can keep them from getting worse. The skin is thin and the light trauma of even rubbing your eyes can cause damage and darken these circles.

Acne Prevention Tips

You can possibly prevent acne from affecting your skin or at the very least, moderate the outbreaks. Science has not yet discovered a fool-proof method that will work for everyone with an acne problem, but there are many things you can do to control it. Treating your acne outbreaks properly is something that must be done, especially if you are prone to suffer from severe cases.

Acne is a very common skin condition which produces whiteheads and blackheads on the face and upper torso. It affects people differently, being mild for some and quite debilitating for others. Acne untreated or treated improperly can cause permanent scarring which requires extensive time and expense to effectuate any level of cure.

Proper Cleansing

Acne is mainly caused by bacteria that get into the pores on your skin, and the first and most important thing you need to do is to prevent this from becoming a problem. Bacteria are everywhere, and while there is no way to keep them from getting on the skin of your face or other areas, you can remove them before they cause a problem. There are many good cleansing products on the market today that contain anti-bacterial elements to help you get rid of bacteria on your skin. No matter how thoroughly you think you are washing, in all likelihood bacteria still remain.

A second step you should take to prevent acne is to use an exfoliating product on your skin. The dead skin cells that are always present on your skin can often contribute to acne formation. They do this by blocking your pores. This leads to oil becoming blocked in the pores, also known as follicles, which is one of the major causes of acne. The dead cells are also used as a food source by the bacteria which furthers their breeding. Using an exfoliating product does a good job in removing these dead skin cells.

Both anti-bacterial cleansers and exfoliates can be found in just about any pharmacy or super store at very reasonable prices. There are usually several brands and price ranges from which to choose, so you should be able to find products that suit you.

What To Do When More Care and Treatment Are Needed

For many people, washing their face and skin properly and using exfoliates is enough to manage the acne blemishes they have. For others, however, these two methods do not contain the acne outbreaks. These people should see a dermatologist or some kind of skin specialist. This is the person who can prescribe whatever medication that is needed to get the condition under control.

When it comes to treating and preventing acne, there are many products on the market that can help some, or maybe most, people. When you are using facial/skin cleansers, exfoliating products or topical medications, it is very important that you follow the directions given for them. Most of them should be used regularly if you are to get any benefits.

In conclusion, not everyone can have a clear complexion, but many will find relief in these products for acne prevention and treatment.