The 3 P's of Skin Care!

A question that always gets asked is "Why do I need skin care?". There are three great reasons for skin care:
1. Protection: Skin care is vital to protect and nourish the skin. Skin is our largest and most neglected organ. It often takes second place to just about anything else. We take vitamins and supplements to protect and nourish our inner organs but our skin is taken for granted. The fact of the matter is that our skin is our main source of protection from environmental assault, free radicals, weather, and much more. Neglecting the skin in essence is neglecting ourselves. Our skin reflects many different ailments that occur in our body. In eastern medicine, doctors begin with the skin in order to make diagnosis. For example, heavy congestion on our foreheads often reflect digestive issues such as constipation. Heavy dark circles around the eyes may point to toxicity in the liver. A breakout around the mouth and chin area may reflects hormonal imbalances. I propose that a simple morning and night regimen may diminish the signs of these internal problems. Many only cleanse the skin once a day! A simple regimen only takes about 5 min. a day and within a couple of weeks a person can really see a difference. This regimen consists of quality products. Every morning and night cleanse the skin twice (once for removal of make up and dirt and the second time to clean the skin), moisturize (heavier moisturizer for the evening), and the daily use of sun protection. Please, never use soap on your skin! Soap may throw the pH level of your skin and cause problems.
2. Prevention: Aging is inevitable. We cannot set back the hands of time but we can fool it. Did you know that damage to the skin can take 20 years to become visible. There are studies that have found that most sun damage occurs from 0-18 years of age. We begin to see the damage in our 30's and if we are quick to tackle the problem, it may take a relative short amount of time to reverse the damage. If we do nothing, then by our 40's we have a much bigger problem with low probability of completely reversing the damage. That's not to say that nothing can be done. However, it will be a harder task. Prevention is key. Internal supplements such as vitamin E, C, & Omega are extremely helpful in the process of prevention. Topically, the previously outlined skin care regimen is advised. A monthly visit to a licensed professional is highly advisable hence they are able to use professional products and technology to tackle the problems. Always use sun protection.
3. Perception: Beauty is skin deep but healthy, nourished skin is complimentary and youthful. Let's face it if we look good, we feel better. Acneic, scarred, or sun damaged skin plays a role in the way we perceive ourselves and how other perceive us. I don't want to focus on how others perceive us because that should not be a determining factor of ourselves. But if we feel ugly, old, etc then it becomes a self esteem issue that needs to be addressed. More often than not, we look for "quick fixes" that unfortunately don't meet our expectations. Time, vigilance, consistency, and determination are the key factors in skin care. It took time to develop skin problems, it will take time to help it. I'm thankful for Botox, Face lifts, and other cosmetic procedures because they provide options. However, they come at a high price. They are painful, costly, and irritating. There are options. Micro current, for example, is known as the non-surgical face lift because it remodels the muscles which hold the face in place. As we age, we droop. We work out our bodies-micro current works out the face. Many celebrities use this and other modalities to fool us into believing they are younger than what they are-LED light therapy and microdermabrasion are other modalities that are natural, virtually painless, and we see over time real lasting results. How we perceive ourselves is important and proper skin care can help us perceive ourselves in a more positive light.


So, the answer to the eternal question of "Why do we need skin care?" is the 3 P's=protection, prevention, and perception.

Thank you for your time!

Fitzpatrick Skin Types & spf

It is important to understand the Skin Type in order to determine how to treat it. This scale has proven to be a very useful tool for me so I decided to share the knowledge with you. The scale is from 1-5 and depends on the amount of melanin in the skin. The Fitzpatrick Classification Scale was developed in 1975 by Harvard Medical School dermatologist, Thomas Fitzpatrick, MD, PhD. This scale classifies a person's complexion and their tolerance of sunlight. It is used by many practitioners to determine how someone will respond or react to facial treatments, and how likely they are to get skin cancer. It is just a guideline.



I
Pale white skin, blue/hazel eyes, blond/red hair
Always burns, does not tan
This phototype is extremely susceptible to skin damage and skin cancer. Wear at least 30 spf everyday!
II
Fair skin, blue eyes
Burns easily, tans poorly
This phototype is extremely susceptible to skin damage and skin cancer. Wear at least 30 spf everyday!
III
Darker white skin
Tans after initial burn
This phototype is moderately susceptible to skin damage and skin cancer. Wear at least 15 spf everyday!
IV
Light brown skin
Burns minimally, tans easily
This phototype is moderately susceptible to skin damage and skin cancer. Wear at least 15 spf everyday!
V
Brown skin
Rarely burns, tans darkly easily
This phototype is less likely to skin damage but moderately to skin cancer. Wear at least 15 spf everyday!
VI
Dark brown or black skin
Never burns, always tans darkly
This phototype is less likely to skin damage but moderately to skin cancer. Wear at least 15 spf everyday!

Rays today, Raisins tomorrow....

The most important product to use every single day is sun protection. The sun, unfortunately, is one of the leading causes of pre-mature aging. Do not underestimate the ravages of UV light. It is responsible for the break down of elastin and collogen. The sun causes overstimulation of melanin which leads to hyperpigmentation=sun spots and discoloration. It can cause sunburns and some forms of skin cancer. The sun can change the texture of your skin to look leathery and worn. Prevention is key. Use at least 30spf everyday. If your spend a lot of time in the sun, remember to re-apply every 70 minutes. Make sure to re-apply if you are physically active or swimming. Another important tip is to make sure the spf you will be using for your face is for face use. Often, the tendency is to use spf for the body on the face. This may cause your skin to become oily or greasy and inevitably breakout. In addition, make sure to use a "full spectrum" spf. This will protect you in two ways: deflecting the rays and to absorb the rays so that your skin has minimal exposure to the sun. Spf is the last product to be use on the skin before your make up. That's to say cleanse - moisturize- spf- make up. If your make up contains spf that's great!! Layering provides excellent protection!
I see the effects of the sun on a daily basis and most of the time it is not pretty.
So, don't forget your spf:)