Skin Problems Solved

Acnegenic ingredients to avoid in your skin care

You may have heard of comedogenic ingredients that cause or promote comedones in skin. You may not be as familiar with acnegenic ingredients – those that cause or exacerbate acne. These common ingredients can be hiding within acne treatment products, causing ineffective treatment of your breakouts. Here’s what to look for:

Lanolin: Derived from the words “lana” for wool and “oleum” for oil, Lanolin is a fatty substance obtained from the sheep’s wool.  While it’s a known emollient with moisturizing properties, it can have skin-clogging capabilities, triggering the cycle of breakouts.

Fragrance: Artificial fragrances can increase acne infection, skin sensitization and photosensitivity.

D & C red pigments: Some of these dyes, which are coal tar derivatives, have exhibited highly comedogenic and acnegenic properties.

Mineral Oil: Mineral Oil is an occlusive (something that physically blocks water loss in the Stratum corneum).  It’s used in many products, however, has been shown to cause and exacerbate acne.
Speak with your professional skin therapist at Renaissance about products free of comedogenic and acnegenic ingredients, and that contain known botanical extracts that help inhibit the growth of acnegenic bacteria.

Is your STRESS written all over your face?

Famous for making necks tight, heads ache and stomachs upset, stress is becoming a recognised trigger to redness, itching, burning and flare-ups commonly classified as skin sensitization.  And it’s a growing phenomenon: the American Academy of Dermatology reports up to 50% of the U.S. polpulation experience some form of sensitive skin.

What happens on the surface is stemming from a biological reaction in the body: inflammation.  Inflammation is the immune system’s (Immunogenic) response to infection and foreigh invadors.  Just as irritating chemicals and excess exfoliation can trigger inflammation and red, stinging, itching skin, researchers recognise neurogenic inflammation (stemming from the nervous system) is also triggered by emptional and physical stress.  It yields the same red, stinging, itching response, and could even be responsible for severe skin disorders including psoriasis, rosacea and atopic dermatitis.

COOL DOWN

Stress casues a litany of health issues, and now you know even skin can be affected.  When your blood pressure rises along with your temper, try these simple techniques to fend off stress – and a potential skin flare up!

• Regain your focus – simply shutting your eyes takes your source of frustraion out of sight.
• Walk it off – physically burning through the adrenaline can prevent stress from manifesting into tension in your neck, mind or skin.
• Drop it – are your shoulders up around your ears?  Is your jaw clenched?  Roll your shoulders back down your spine and drop your jaw; just focusing on correcting these things can smooth out your thoughts.
• Don’t be shallow – stress causes short, shallow breaths from the chest.  take some deep breaths to bring adrenal levels down; sit down, put your hand on you belly, breathe in through your nose and feel your belly rise before exhaling.

There’s nothing quite like the great British weather – one minute it’s sunny, the next it’s chucking it down with rain, but now that the temperature has dropped again it’s time to think about the effects that this harsh weather has on our skin.

“Exposure to the Winter elements can cause a range of unwelcome skin concerns from dehydration, dryness and flaky patches through to sensitisation and extreme chapping.  The primary triggers for this skin sensitisation is extremes of weather and climate, including cold and humidity changes.” explains Sally Penford, Education Manager UK and Eire for The International Dermal Institute.

“It’s important to understand the differences between dry and dehydrated skin, ” adds Elaine Bryant, Training Manager for YonKa UK.  “Dehydrated skin is caused by a lack of moisture and dry skin is a lack of sebum or oil.”  As temperatures drop, so does humidity, meaning that there is less moisture in the air.  Add to this the drying-out effects of centeral heating and the skin’s natural barriers will prevent it from functioning properly, leading to tautness, sensitivity and flakiness.

Crystal Clear’s MD Sharon Hilditch, MBE, goes on to explain; ” During cold weather when temperatures and humidity are low, the skin is stripped of its natural lipid layer.  The purpose of the natural lipid layer is to prevent the skin from drying out, a decrease in moisture from your skin can cause the inevitable tight, dry, flaky, peeling and generally uncomfortable skin conditions.  Dry air from fires and other heating sources also suck the moisture out of the skin.

If the skin temperature falls during periods of cold weather, the surface blood vessels dilate (get wider) rather than constrict which can actually cause damage to surface capillaries in the skin leading to sore, red cheeks and nose.  To help keep skin soft and supple, the aim is not to add moisture to skin, but to keep moisture in.  The use of a humidifier in the home is very beneficial as they tend to moistusie the air, which is likely being dried out by central heating or fires.” adds Sharon.

Says Sally, “The first step to breaking the cycle of sensitisation is removing as many triggers from the contact-sphere as possible.  Lifestyle choices which are under our control are an obvious place to start, such as drinking more water, avoiding great changes in temperature, hot baths, saunas and the like and making good product choices.”