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So What Causes Wrinkles?
As the skin ages, it becomes thinner and more easily damaged due to hormone changes and the decrease of skin cell shedding.
Intensifying this effect is the decreasing ability of skin to heal itself. Skin also receives less blood flow and lower gland activity so with age the skin naturally produces less oil and the Epidermis becomes dryer.
Collagen, elastin, and proteins that help keep the skin taut, begin to diminish in the underlying Dermis which causes the skin to sag, causing a wrinkled appearance and are more prominent in the face where facial muscle contractions have been repeated for over many years.
What is the best natural vitamin A -Retinol for the skin? Rosehip Seed Oil |
True or False ?
Are there any creams, lotions or moisturizers that can eliminate wrinkles? The answer: False
Because the skin is composed of water and fat molecules that limits penetration from the outside!
However you can do certain things to minimize, renew, and prevent further skin damage that can cause wrinkles and improve the overall appearance of your skin with out costly medical treatments by excelling the bodies own natural process of shedding old skin cells with Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids. See: Skin Treatments
Quick Links to this Page!
Skin Facts learn about your skin & how it works. Exfoliation of the Skin when you are young & why it is important. The Skins Natural Moisture and what Skin Cleansers Do. Vitamins and Nutrients for Healthy Skin Inside. Herbal Antioxidants & Detoxifiers for Promoting Healthy Skin Cells. Helpful Links to Beautiful Skin
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Learn About the Skin and How it Works see summary below
Skin is made up of two layers that cover a third fatty layer. The outer layer is called the epidermis ; it is a tough protective layer that contains melanin (which protects against the rays of the sun and gives the skin its color). The second layer (located under the epidermis) is called the dermis; it contains nerve endings, sweat glands, oil glands, and hair follicles. Under these two skin layers is a fatty layer of subcutaneous tissue (the word subcutaneous means "under the skin").
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Melanocyte - a cell in the epidermis that produces melanin (a dark-colored pigment that protects the skin from sunlight).
Sebaceous gland - a small, sack-shaped gland that releases oily (fatty) liquids onto the hair follicle (the oil lubricated and softens the skin). These glands are located in the dermis, usually next to hair follicles.
Sweat gland - (also called sudoriferous gland) a tube-shaped gland that produces perspiration (sweat). The gland is located in the epidermis; it releases sweat onto the skin.
Blood vessels -Tubes that carry blood as it circulates. Arteries bring oxygenated blood from the heart and lungs; veins return oxygen-depleted blood back to the heart and lungs.
Putting it all Together
Epidermis: The top layer, composed of water and fat molecules that limit penetration from the outside. This layer is the outer layer that you see. This is the part of your skin that beauty products are meant to work on. The Skin is as thin as a sheet of paper! The very top of the epidermis is formed by a layer of dead skin cells. As they fall off, the newer live skin cells than become exposed to the air, die off, and the cycle continues. When you are young, this layer replaces itself every 16 days or so, giving you fresh, healthy firm looking skin. By the time you hit the age 35 your skin begins to look more tired and worn because this layer is only replacing itself about every 30 to 35 days and continues depleting as we age!
See below, The Skin's natural moisture; in normal skin for more information .
Dermis: The next layer down is the dermis layer. The dermis also contains the elastin and collagen, forming the 'structure' of your skin. It is this layer that stays elastic or gets saggy, to cause wrinkles or firmness in your skin's look. If you get a tan too many times, you destroy that elasticity in your skin, and make's it look old and wrinkly. This layer also has blood vessels, which provide blood to that upper epidermis layer. The dermis is a permanent layer of skin that does not replenish and it can not be reached by lotions and creams! Those items only work their way in to the epidermis.
Hypodermis: The lower layer of your skin is the hypodermis. It is here that the main sweat glands, hair follicles, and main blood vessels of your skin layer lives. If you take hold of a hair with a tweezer and yank it out, that hair follicle you see at the end of your hair just came from your hypodermis.
Stratum Corneum is the outermost layer of the epidermis and comprises the surface of the skin. It is composed mainly of dead cells that lack nuclei. As these dead cells slough off, they are continuously replaced by new cells from the stratum germinativum.
Stratum Germinativum or stratum basale is the layer of keratinocyte (which is the major cell type of the epidermis making up about 90% of epidermal cells.) that lies at the base of the epidermis immediately above the dermis. It consists of a single layer of tall cells lying on a basement membrane. These cells undergo rapid cell division to replenish the regular loss of skin by shedding from the surface.
Cells of the stratum corneum contain keratin, a protein that helps keep the skin hydrated by preventing water evaporation. In addition, these cells can also absorb water, further aiding in hydration and explaining why humans and other animals experience finger and toe wrinkling (colloquially called "pruning") when immersed in water for prolonged periods.
Without adequate retained moisture, skin can become dry and unhealthy. Under normal conditions up to 15% of the stratum corneum consists of water. This water is vital to enable the stratum corneum itself to work. The natural functions of the skin do not work as well when the stratum corneum contains less than 10% of water, and it becomes dry. Drinking Lots of Water through out the day keeps the skin healthy and younger looking!
* In normal skin, it takes about 30 days for a cell produced by the basal layer to move through the epidermis to the surface in an adult. The rate of movement is partly controlled by the rate at which the outer layer is being lost. When stratum corneum cells are being lost quickly-perhaps after sunburn-they are replaced more quickly from below. In skin that has been injured (grazed, for instance) the process speeds up dramatically. And artificially removing the outer layers by the cosmetic process of peeling (exfoliation) will also speed up replacement.
see:
Before and After Photo's
using AH & BH Acid daily
exfoliating kits
The lipids of the epidermis play a vital role in healthy normal skin, as they help the stratum corneum to regulate natural water loss. If they are removed by harsh skin cleansers, soaps, detergents, or by damage such as a burn, the skin loses some or all of its ability to retain water, becomes dry and will start to break down. The epidermis also contains natural enzymes, which are important for getting rid of old skin cells. Enzymes need moisture in which to work, so dryness of the stratum corneum worsens dry and unhealthy looking skin. Always use a low ph cleanser (non-alkaline) with out fragrance and other harsh ingredients to retain the moisture in your skin.
About Vitamins and Nutrients for Healthy Skin Inside
Our skin is the fingerprint of what is going on inside your body because it is one of the 4 exit doors for waste along with Bowel, Kidneys, and Lungs. Depending on your diet, age, exercise habits, sun exposure, and your personal habits of smoking, alcohol consumption and drug abuse everyone's skins needs vary's from person to person due to their health and life style. For example; if you are a smoker..., the cigarette smoke damages the appearance of the skin. The smoke and tar deprive the skin of the nutrients and oxygen it needs for good health, ultimately leaving it looking dull and lifeless. They lead to the formation of harmful free radicals and weakens the collagen and elastin fibres with the result that the skin becomes prematurely wrinkled. Therefore you would not want to go without taking a multi-vitamin supplement that contains B-3, A , E, C, DMAE, antioxidant supplement and a supplement for your Essential Fatty Acids, cleanse your body with an Internal Cleanser regularly, drink a lot of water, drink green tea instead of coffee, and eat any kind of dark fruits and vegetables to help your body cleanse its self of toxins and free radicals. You can also apply many of these supplements tropically.
see: Do-It Yourself Anti-Aging Serums. and the list below.
List of Vitamins and SupplementsFor The Skin
Your skin and Antioxidant Supplements: I always take an antioxidant supplement along with my multi-vitamin. I use a natural supplement based from fruits called Proleva. They are designed to keep free radicals from damaging cell walls and other cell structures, as well as cellular DNA, thus leading to pre-cancers and cancers. Free radicals are the result of oxygen molecules being oxidized, but they can also be created by exposure to various environmental factors, smoking and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Free radicals can also accelerate the aging process. See: Well-Being Products
An Internal Cleanser is your fist step to healthy skin and well being! I cleanse 2 or 3 times a year. Its very easy with the right product, and with this product you do not have to stay close to a bathroom or change your diet in any way! See: Internal Cleanser link below for the product I use.
About Internal Cleansers: I am not talking about a colon cleanser... they are completely different than an Internal Cleanser! See: Look 10 years Younger for the difference and to see a picture of toxic build-up within your system!
We all have heard that old saying; "you are what you eat" well believe me, its true! Just our food alone in today’s modern time is made with synthetic chemicals known as preservatives, thickeners, dies, artificial flavors, and sweeteners! Plus with our country's high food demand farmers are forced to use live stock hormones, pesticides, and feed their animals food filled with chemicals! We also are exposed to many unsafe chemicals & toxic ingredients we use every day from our personal hygiene, house-whole products, and lawn maintenance that are absorbed through our skin, or inhaled through our lungs which cannot pass through the liver for filtration! Our bodies cannot eliminate, or filter these toxins! Therefore these toxins accumulate in our bodies making us sick, and preventing us from absorbing our nutrients properly keeping us from feeling energized! Just like if you were exposed to Asbestos, or Agent-Orange which is a herbicide, you become very ill within years and or die! Cleanse your system for optimal health!
See: Internal Cleanser
Multi-vitamins: Look for a high quality profile of vitamins, herbs, superior B-complex, amino acids to support energy, green super-foods for high quality, digestible protein, chlorophyll, minerals,and enzymes that give you energy to specifically support your body's daytime and night-time energy cycle. See: Well Being Products for the vitamins I use and recommend!
Vitamin C: Taking 500 IU of vitamin C twice a day can help counteract the effects of sun exposure by reducing free-radical damage which can lead to wrinkles and cancer. Vitamin C and Vitamin E taken together have a greater effect than when they work separately. It is also important for the production of collagen within the skin. Available in supplements or in creams. See: 20% Vitamin C Serum
Vitamin E: Taking 400 IU of vitamin E daily can reduce wrinkles and improve skin texture by dehydrating the skin, damp down inflammation and speed up the healing process. It is an antioxidant, improves circulation, repairs tissue and prevents cell damage of free radicals. It retards aging and may prevent age spots. For additional sun protection, individuals may consider taking vitamin E supplements per day, it has been noted to reduce photodamage. Look for "natural" or "d-alpha tocopherol" on labels. Available in supplements or in creams.
DMAE: Another powerful antioxidant, this nutrient has one of the strongest appetites for free radicals. It works mostly by deactivating their power to harm skin cells. It also helps stabilize the membrane around the outside of each cell so that assaults from sun damage and cigarette smoke are reduced. According to research, DMAE also prevents the formation of lipofucsin, the brown pigment that becomes the basis for age spots. As with alpha-lipoic acid, DMAE is available in supplements and in topical creams.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid: A powerful antioxidant, hundreds of times more potent that either vitamin C or E, alpha-lipoic acid may turn out to be a super boost for aging skin. What makes it so special, say skin experts, is its ability to penetrate both oil and water, affecting skin cells from both the inside and the outside of the body. Most other antioxidants can do one but not both. More specifically, alpha-lipoic acid helps neutralize skin cell damage caused by free radicals, much like vitamins C and E do. In one study conducted at Yale University and published in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics in 1999, researchers found that alpha-lipoic acid protected proteins against damage by free radicals. It also helps other vitamins work more effectively to rebuild skin cells damaged by environmental assaults, such as smoke and pollution. Alpha-lipoic acid is available in supplements.
Hyaluronic Acid: Made by the body, this nutrient's main job is to lubricate joints so that knees, elbows, fingers, and toes all move smoothly and easily. But Sullivan says research shows it also plays a role in skin cells, acting as a kind of glue that helps hold them together, keeping skin looking smoother and younger. Another plus is its ability to hold water, up to 1,000 times its weight, which means more moisture in each skin cell. Top skin care lines now include creams with hyaluronic acid. Sullivan says it is equally powerful taken in supplement form, though more research is needed to prove effectiveness. The nutrient isn't readily available in food. Available in supplements or in creams. See: 75% Hyaluronic Serum
Essential Fatty Acids (EFA), Omega 3 (Linolenic) and Omega 6 (Linoleic): If your skin is dry, you may be lacking essential fatty acids, nutrients that are crucial to the production of skin's natural oil barrier. Without an adequate supply of EFAs, the skin produces a more irritating form of sebum, or oil, which can result in problems. The solution, may be to balance two of the key EFAs, omega-3 and omega-6. While most folks get plenty of omega-6s (in baked goods, cooking oils, poultry, grains, and many other foods), omega-3s are often lacking! They're found mostly in cold-water fish, including salmon, sardines, and mackerel, flaxseed, and safflower oils. But most people just don't eat enough of these types of food, so by taking supplements, such as fish oil, evening primrose oil or Emu-Oil, will provide the (EFAs) your body needs. Available in supplements or in creams. See: Well-Being Products for the Omega's I use.
Selenium: The mineral selenium is necessary to the antioxidant glutathione peroxidase, which helps protect the body from cancers, including skin cancer caused by sun exposure. Selenium also preserves tissue elasticity, and slows down the aging and hardening of tissues through oxidation. The best dietary sources of selenium include whole grain cereals, seafood, garlic and eggs. When taken orally, in daily supplements of 50 to 200 micrograms, selenium has been show to offer protection from the damaging rays of the sun. Recent animal studies have found that when taken orally or applied topically in the form L-selenomethionine, selenium demonstrated protection against both daily and excessive UV damage, with less burning after exposure. These study also showed that there was a delay in the onset, and a decrease in the incidence of skin cancer in the animals. "The preliminary results of the use of selenium may be very promising in reducing the risk for several kinds of cancer."
Herbal Antioxidants, Detoxifier's and Promoting Healthy Skin
Ashwagandha: Not to many people have ever heard of this herb and it tones up the intire body! I t is easily the most potent tonic aphrodisiacs in the entire botanical kingdom. It is considered for all immuno-compromised diseases including TB and AIDS, chronic upper respiratory diseases, degenerative symptoms attendant to aging, juvenile mal-development and growth, chronic neurological diseases especially anxiety, nervousness, depression and insomnia, weak digestion, fluid retention caused by lowered body metabolism and last but certainly not least, for low sexual libido.
Bacopa Monniere: An antioxidant which has been used as Ayurvedic (science of life) system of medicine for centuries in India. In Addition to tonning up the entire system it has been used as a brain tonic to enhance memory development, learning and concentration. Main pharmacological active compound in Bacopa are alkaloids, saponins and sterols compound seem to provide Bacopa’s ability to enhance nerve impulse transmission enhancing the neurons activity, neuronal synthesis, and restoration of synaptic activities and ultimately the nerve impulse transmission it self.
Burdock Root Tea: Enhances the performance of many of the organs which purify the body and eliminate toxins or waste.
Proleva is a natural nutritional supplement which works at the cellular level to neutralizes Free Radical with natural antioxidants. According to recent Oxygen Radical Absorbent Capacity (ORAC) tests, you'd have to consume three-quarters of a kilogram of antioxidant-rich fruit to match the free radical-scavenging power of Proleva. See Proelva
Chickweed Tea: Purifies and builds the blood, carries out toxins and may even help with blood poisoning too. It also dissolves plaque in blood vessels, as well as possibly dissolving minor fatty tumors and substances then removing them from the body. Simular to Sage when used externaly, has healing properties. Helps with weight loss, working as an appetite depressant.
Comfrey Root Tea: Acts as a blood cleanser. (do not use for longer than 3 months at a time) Allantoin is the key ingredient found in abundance in comfrey. Allantoin helps cells to grow and grow together. Since this is precisely what is needed for ulcers, tumors, burns, broken skin, broken bones and perhaps even malignancy, it is little wonder that comfrey has a respect in folk lore and medical practice throughout the world. Leaves are to be used only tropically,crushes them into a paste, and apply. May be helpful with skin cancer.
Dandelion Tea: One of the best! Found in everyones lawn. An herb that cleanses the bloodstream, liver and increases production of bile. May aid in the prevention of age spots. However it is bitter. I use everything except for the flower. Cut roots in small portions, bring plant & root to a boil then simmer 20 min.
Flax Seed: A good source of omega-3s. Promotes strong nails, bones, teeth and healthy skin.
Grape Seed Extract: an excellent anti-oxidant and rich source of proanthocyanidins, a flavonoid type molecule that protects capillary walls and inhibits enzymes that breaks down collagen and elastin. Grape Seed extract helps Vitamin C enter the body's cells, thus strengthening the cell membranes, and protecting the cells from oxidative damage. Research has shown that proanthocyanidins (bioflavonoids) serve as major free radical scavengers. The proanthocyandins possess up to 50 times stronger antioxidant activity than Vitamin C & E, Beta-Carotene or Selenium. Proanthocyanidins also help promote tissue elasticity, restore collagen and improves peripheral circulation.
Green Tea: A strong antioxidant & helps with weight loss, a must have in everyones kitchen!
Hops Tea: A potent sedative and has hormonal as well as anti-bacterial effects. If you drink alcohol and you are trying to reduce intake, Hops helps decrease the desire for alcohol and it will help promote sleep.
Milk Thistle Tea: Contains some of the most potent liver protecting substance known. Prevents free radical damage by acting as an antioxidant. Stimulates the production of new liver cells and prevents formation of damaging leukotrienes. Also protects the kidneys.
Red Clover Tea : It is often used as an herbal remedy to treat and prevent sicnkness, it is a blood purifier, has moderate hormonal effects and will thin the blood in long use.
Sarsaparilla Tea: Considered to be a fine tonic and blood purifier that is said to attack and neutralize toxins (including environmental poisons) in the blood. In addition, the herb also promotes urination and sweating; and that action is believed to further rid the body of toxins through bodily secretions
Turmeric: An antioxidant & cancer fighting... You must See: Health tips I use this everyday!
Yellow Dock Tea: A blood purifier, a laxative, a tonic for rheumatism, jaundice and other liver ailments, digestive problems, acne and boils.
Any Kind of Dark Colored Fruit: An antioxidant, See Proelva
To buy Herbal Teas: Below is a website I use to buy most of my herbal teas, very good quality and price, about $3.00 a box. Shipping is good and I have had no problems, very happy! I also mix my teas together, about 3 different kinds, use for 1 week, 3 cups a day. Than I'll make a different batch up using three different teas cleansing my system and taking a total month to complete, doing this 2-3 times a year. But my main tea ingredients that I drink all the time and inbetween making one gallon is:
Remenber it is usally 1 tea bag to 6 oz. water
Helpful Links To Beautiful Skin
Try this site to buy healthy cooking oils, carrie oils, herbs, teas, waters, etc. Good quality & very good prices! I think you will like this site, I do... and check out their seeds to grow your own herbal plants!
http://www.mountainroseherbs.com
Make your own Anti-Aging Serums to save money and learn anti-aging ingredients to use for younger skin.
Do-It-Yourself Anti-Aging Serums and Ingredients.
Learn how to make natural Moisturizers, Easy essential oils & waters, Skin Tonics and Lighteners
Home Facials, Healthy Nails and Beauty Secrets.
Learn about Skin Treatments; chemical peels (Alpha & Beta Hydroxy Acids), Dermabrasion, Copper Peptides, Emu Oil, and Promoting New Skin Growth.
Learn about moisturizer and the secrets cosmetic companies don't want you to know before you spend your hard earned money on Hype.
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