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Comments
· July 8, 2007 12:58 PM by
Colleen Shirazi
· July 8, 2007 5:58 PM by
Audrey_H
· July 8, 2007 6:10 PM by
Dain
· July 8, 2007 7:19 PM by
Colleen Shirazi
· July 9, 2007 9:19 PM by
Colleen Shirazi
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Posted by Dain, Sunday, July 08, 2007 3:36 AM (Eastern)
The easiest way to define skin type is by how much oil it produces. Oily skin produces too much, dry skin produces too little, normal skin is just right. Most people have patches of oiler and drier skin, the classic combination skin type. As we age, skin tends to produce less and less oil, which is perhaps why oily skins will age less readily. Hot, humid climates encourage oil, while dry, cold ones discourage it. Hormones make a huge difference. Genetics, above all, is the defining factor in skin. That is pretty much all you need to know about oil, but regulating it is tricky business. Oil is very good for you, but you want a healthy amount, neither too much or too little.
The other quality of skin is its regeneration rate, which decreases with age. This is why mature skin lacks the luster of young skin, because it has lost its ability to heal itself as quickly. There is, unfortunately, nothing you can do about this, save help nature: plenty of fluids and rest, adequate raw materials (a balanced diet with plenty of vitamins and minerals), avoiding further destruction via sunblocks and antioxidants. Nothing reverses time, honey; anti-aging is a myth, and further, one intended to exploit insecurities. It is important to take care of your skin, through careful maintenance and smart treatment, but it is far more important to learn to live in your skin. Americans particularly adore youth, but that's because we are such a profit-driven society, and it is the most profitable age. Perhaps if we valued less the image and more the personality...
Regeneration rate is also important for yet another insecurity-laden issue: acne. While aging is largely concerned with the production of new cells, acne contends with getting rid of old ones. Simply put, the cause of clogged pores: the accumulation of dead cells. The cause of inflammation: infection by bacteria of clogged pores. It is a chain reaction. Cut it off with regular exfoliation and anti-bacterial treatments, and it also often helps to regulate oil production, as sebum is often what makes dead skin cells stick together. Acne can be persistent, which is to say that sometimes there is no solution. But that is what Accutane is for, a drastic measure.
Special needs: acne (as addressed), aging (as addressed), hypersensitivity, and hyperpigmentation (sometimes associated with aging). Suprisingly few people have hypersensitivity, in the form of rosacea or reactive skin (allergic reactions, contact dermatitus), but many would identify themselves as sensitive. In my opinion, any good skincare line ought to be gentle enough for "sensitive" skin to use, and shouldn't require a separate line, just one very healing treatment for flare ups. As for hyperpigmentation, I have very little experience with it, except in the form of dark undereye circles, which I usually address with concealer.
Labels: alchemist's apprentice, beauty notes, skin
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July 8, 2007 12:58 PM,
Oil production can be related to diet. I think our food itself has changed. We went from being 3 billion people in the world, to being 6 billion. Everyone has to eat...our food has become produced differently. The short version is that the food is not as nutritious as it was before.
I've been taking a fish oil supplement...my skin and hair became noticeably less oily. Hence I feel this new proliferation of women with oily skin, has at least something to do with something missing in their food.
As far as acne...mostly, you have to treat it from within. You have to find out what triggers the acne. We're exposed to a plethora of chemicals now, we seem to have more food allergies than before... We are a profit-driven society, it's true; no one wants to cure acne if they can sell treatments for it.
July 8, 2007 5:58 PM,
I agree, all (or most) skincare should be gentle enough for sensitive skin. I think a lot of the treatments out there can do more harm than good - especially all the acids. Whatever happened to simple skincare? Cleansing & moisturising? I guess it all comes to - as you mentioned - the desperate longing for eternal youth / youthful skin. Where I live, facelifts etc aren't that common - most people are not afraid of wrinkles. I'm glad!
July 8, 2007 6:10 PM,
Hmm... I think it's safe to say that everyone has a different issue with acne. I don't really have hormonal acne, for example, it's more an issue of keeping things clean. I don't think it's the same for everyone, but I agree that diet and especially hormones in your diet is important. Doesn't help you with developing skincare, though, as they are exclusively external.
July 8, 2007 7:19 PM,
It's just been...weird. Adults didn't have acne when I was a kid. I do not remember seeing one single adult with acne. A few adults had scars from their teenage acne...that's it.
My gut tells me that most of the adult acne you see today, is from consumption of growth hormone in food...or over-consumption of antibiotics. Antibiotics could explain a sort of super-bacteria. The hormones...no one has really tested what happens when you consume them over time.
I've just been trying to avoid them as much as possible. Remember EdinaMonsoon? She said something on LP years ago, about buying milk from health food stores. She was afraid of her daughter consuming hormones in food.
There is no simple solution, I also believe it goes beyond food. We live in a complex world, we have high expectations of our lives...we all want computers, we all want cars, we all want to live comfortably. We have six billion people who want to do that, they want to have a better life.
In terms of skincare...I do think it's important to determine if you are allergic to specific ingredients in your skincare. In fact the more I think about it, the allergist will be more like the dermatologist, in the future.
July 9, 2007 9:19 PM,
Yeah...I'm not much into anti-aging, myself. It's lucrative, no doubt about it, which imo is one of the main reasons it's being pushed here. And part of it probably has to do with our extreme sun-worshipping culture of the 70's.
But...at the end of the day, I don't mind looking my age.
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