Skin Problems Solved

The origin of Glycolic Acid

Glycolic acid belongs to a class of substances calles alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), commonly called “fruit acids”.  It occurs naturally in sugar cane.  The use of AHAs to improve the appearance of the skin dates back to Egyptian and Roman times.  In 1974 the eminent US medical researcher and dermatologist, Dr Eugene van Scott, published the first scientific paper about the benifitss of the AHAs in managing many common skin problems, such as those associated with ageing and acne.  Since that time, further research and clinical experience has confirmed the advantages for using AHAs for improving the condition of the skin.

Glycolic acid is thought to be the most effective AHA as it has the smallest molecular structure of any AHA and can therefore penetrate the surface of the skin.  It is glycolic acid which is now acceptted as being the leading AHA for use in cosmetic products.

Why is Glycolic Acid beneficial for the skin?

Many skin problems are associated with “hyperkeratinisation”, which is the accumulation of excess dead cells on the surface of the skin.  This in turn can contribute to the dull, course, rough, blotchy and dry appearance of ageing skin.

Glycolic acid helps to loosen the bonds between excess dead cells accumulating on the surface of the skin.  The loosening of the surface skin cells leads to a continuing microscopic exfoliation, reduction of hyperkeratinisation and ongoing improvement in the appearance of the skin.  Acne is associated with hyperkeratinisation around the hair follicles causing blockage of oil glands.  Reducing hyperkeratinisation helps to unblock pores and improve the appearance of acne-prone skin.

Glycolic acid is available in concentrated strength exfoliator solutions for use by skin care professionals and in lower concentrations for daily application at home.  With the use of glycolic acid products at home the skin will feel softer and smoother within a few weeks.  A more rapid improvement in the appearance of the skin is obtained by the combination of professional treatments with glycolic acid in the salon and daily application of glycolic acid products at home.  50% of the improvement in skin appearance from the glycolic acid programme results from the use of the products at home.

Glycolic acid products are effective on areas of the body where there is the appearance of skin ageing, excessive dryness, ingrown hairs or rough cuticles.  These areas are most commonly the face, neck, decolletage, arms, back of hands and legs.

Renaissance are happy to provide a complimentary skincare consultation if you have any specific concerns about your skin or about our Glycolic Acid Facial Peels.

8 Steps to deal with Overwhelm

1. Step Out

You can’t get away from feeling overwhelmed from a place of overwhelming confusion. You have to step away to be able to view your circumstances from a fresh perspective.

Move to a different room, get up from your desk, sit in a different chair, go out for a walk or go sit in a café.  Stepping out from the current situation and changing your physicality will help you gain clarity, and shift you away from the overwhelmed state of mind.

2. “What is Most Important?”

When we are feeling overwhelmed, our mind becomes clouded by the task at hand, and by the thoughts that cause us to feel stressed in the first place.  When you step out, ask yourself, what is the most important thing for me? How do I want to feel?

Many times, we get so caught up in the doing, that we forget why we are doing it.  Instead of being busy doing and then hoping that it will lead us to what we want, start with asking, “How do I want to feel?” And then focus on feeling that way. Then ask, “What is important to me?” And then focus on doing things that are important to you, instead of lots of unimportant tasks that overwhelm you.

For example, “Why am I working so hard at this job? So I can make lots of money. Why do I want to make lots of money? So I can provide for my family. Why do I want to provide for my family? Because I want to make them happy. Why do I want to make them happy? Because I love them and they are the most important people to me, etc.  In this example, maybe the discovery is that your family is the most important thing, and perhaps, there is another way to make them happy, like spending time with them and spending less time stressing about work.

3. Journaling

Whenever we are feeling overwhelmed, there is likely a lot going on inside our head. Ideas and thoughts swimming in our minds, cluttering up our mental space. The best thing to do is to dump these thoughts out through writing what’s on your mind.

Grab a pen and a piece of paper, or a notebook, and start jotting down everything that is in your mind. Write without editing, and write out every thought.  If you have a bunch of to-dos running in your head, list them out.  If you have an idea, brain storm on paper.

Remember to not worry about keeping things looking neat and perfect.  This will limit our freedom to dump whatever we want onto paper, both junk that’s keeping us feeling overwhelmed and helpful creative ideas.

4. Giving Up Control – The Quickest Way to Cure the Overwhelmed

We can try to do everything by ourselves, or we can do just the parts we enjoy and spend the rest of the time doing something important to us.

Accept that you can’t do everything perfectly.  Allow others to help you out, delegate at work, give the children little jobs to do.

5. Asking for Help and Allow Help

You’d be amazed at how many people are willing to help. Often, we are the problem that is disallowing help from happening through our limited.  We think they will say no, and so we don’t ask.

Just give it a try. Ask for help, and be prepared to be amazed at the generosity that others are willing to provide.

People are amazing. Just ask, and be open to receiving what others are willing to provide. You never know what will happen.  Just think, what’s the worst thing that can happen? They say no. Not a big deal.

6. Creating Boundaries

Time is our most precious commodity. It is the only resource that is un-renewable. So spend it wisely and consciously. Because we have a limited number of hours per week, per day … if you could  design your life (and you really can), how would you spend it in an ideal situation?

Start with what is most important to you and how you want to feel? Then figure out what activities will support those feelings and things of importance. How long and how much?  How much alone time do you need to re-charge? How much time do you want to spend with the kids, and doing what? How much do you want to engage in creative pursuits? Etc.

Once you’ve decided what’s important and how long you want to spend, create boundaries around important activities and do not budge with any incoming distractions. Do not allow unimportant noise and activities to creep in.

7. Shut Out Noise

When we feel overwhelmed, it feels comforting to do something mindless to unwind and relax, like watching TV, reading the news or browsing the Internet. I personally like to watch reality TV shows when I feel this way.   What we forget during this time is that the extra information that comes in becomes noise that further clusters our already overwhelmed state of mind.

The best thing we can do for ourselves when we come home feeling overwhelmed is to leave the TV and computer off.  Do something that slows our mind down. Consider reading something that expands our conciousness, or close our eyes for 30 minutes in silent meditation. Sit back and listen to some smoothing music, or engage in a creative project that is meaningful to you.

8. Bedtime Ritual

The state in which we go to sleep is the state in which we wake up.  Doing things that quiet your mind instead of cluttering it will help you sleep more settled and wake up feeling more refreshed.

Article taken from thinksimplenow.com

A true sensitive skin condition is caused by a genetic predisposition, commonly found in those who have very fair skin and usually of Northern European ancestry. This could be caused by the lower amount of pigment and a thinner epidermal skin layer (the epidermal layer is the top layer of skin we can see).
Sensitized skin can affect any person of any racial background or skin color. Symptoms for sensitive and sensitized skin do have a lot in common (itching, burning, redness, flushing and stinging), but in many cases, sensitized skin can’t be seen by the naked eye, as it resides much deeper. And, our microclimate, or the climate we are exposed to in our home, cars, offices and during air travel, changes daily; meaning our level of sensitization can vary.
Proper diagnosis of a sensitive or sensitized skin condition is critical to proper treatment. Consult a professional skin therapist to determine the source of your skin’s sensitivity.