Acne & Psychological Impact 

Fun apart , acne can cause considerable damage to one’s self-esteem, depression & anxiety.

Emotional stress may give rise to acne & in turn, acne can cause the above-mentioned problems in a lot of individuals. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

A relationship between psychological factors & skin disorders has long been associated. Psychodermatology addresses the interaction between skin & mind. Psychological factors have an important role in the causation of acne in several ways.  It is important to know that the effect of acne on psychological & emotional problems is similar to the effects of back pain, diabetes & arthritis. Acne gives rise to self-isolation. Moreover, it affects personality, emotions, self-image & impairs interpersonal relationships.

Now consider this news item from the U.S.

Squish Beauty is a  cosmetic brand founded on the principle of celebrating diversity and beauty quirks. The brand, launched by Howard, an author, model, and activist, features a range of playful beauty products including a cherry-shaped eye and cheek mask, floral acne patches, and jelly lip gloss. The acne patches are disguised as flowers, designed to be worn overnight to gently absorb the fluid. Young people and brands such as Squish are leading a movement towards the acceptance of acne, a skin condition that has long been steeped in stigma. 

When you compare these two opposite views on acne one can get a sigh of relief, at least Gen Z Is not afraid of these blemishes.

I   remember  a saying by Khalil Jibran

 

         BEAUTY IS NOT IN THE FACE, BEAUTY IS A LIGHT IN THE HEART

 

 Acne & Psychological Impact 

Fun apart , acne can cause considerable damage to one’s self-esteem, depression & anxiety.

Emotional stress may give rise to acne & in turn, acne can cause the above-mentioned problems in a lot of individuals. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

A relationship between psychological factors & skin disorders has long been associated. Psychodermatology addresses the interaction between skin & mind. Psychological factors have an important role in the causation of acne in several ways.  It is important to know that the effect of acne on psychological & emotional problems is similar to the effects of back pain, diabetes & arthritis. Acne gives rise to self-isolation. Moreover, it affects personality, emotions, self-image & impairs interpersonal relationships.

Now consider this news item from the U.S.

Squish Beauty is a  cosmetic brand founded on the principle of celebrating diversity and beauty quirks. The brand, launched by Howard, an author, model, and activist, features a range of playful beauty products including a cherry-shaped eye and cheek mask, floral acne patches, and jelly lip gloss. The acne patches are disguised as flowers, designed to be worn overnight to gently absorb the fluid. Young people and brands such as Squish are leading a movement towards the acceptance of acne, a skin condition that has long been steeped in stigma. 

When you compare these two opposite views on acne one can get a sigh of relief, at least Gen Z Is not afraid of these blemishes.

I   remember  a saying by Khalil Jibran

 

         BEAUTY IS NOT IN THE FACE, BEAUTY IS A LIGHT IN THE HEART

 

Age Spots & Hyper Pigmentation

 Age spots, also called  sun spots are light brown to black pigmented lesions of various sizes that typically develop in chronically sun-exposed skin. It is well known that age spots are strongly related to chronic sun exposure and are associated with photodamage and an increased risk for skin cancer,

High levels of traffic-related air pollution and air pollution-associated gases may increase risk of developing facial brown spots, new research suggests. The most pronounced changes were observed on the cheeks of Asian women aged 50 and older.  Overall, an increase of 10 µg/m3 in NO2 concentration was associated with approximately 25 percent more dark spots, the study showed. 

The photoaging of human skin is primarily due to chronic exposure to ultraviolet radiation. This premature aging in the appearance and function of the skin is cumulative over time and is dependent on the degree and intensity of exposure to the sun along with the skin’s natural pigment. Photoaged skin is characterized by various clinical manifestations, including coarseness; wrinkling; irregular pigmentation; laxity;  lentigines; atrophy; purpura;. Uneven pigmentation is often a prominent feature in sun-exposed skin. Dyspigmentation can cause considerable aesthetic 

 Different natural products mulberry, licorice extracts,, kojic acid, niacinamide, arbutin, green tea, turmeric, soy, and ascorbic acid. are used for hyperpigmentation with promising results.   The use of OTC lightening agents is widespread among those patients with hyperpigmentation disorders who reside in the United States. Those with melasma and PIH were more likely to use an OTC lightening cream. The majority of patients believed that OTC creams were safe to use without physician supervision. In those who had also tried prescription products,

Parabens are used as preservatives in some cosmetic products, but so-called “long-chained” parabens can act as estrogens and disrupt hormone signaling. A recent study (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3855500/) by scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health linked one type of paraben to impaired fertility in women.   Johnson & Johnson agreed to stop using most parabens in 2012, but they can still be found in numerous cosmetics.  Read the labels carefully to spot products that contain parabens, especially the long-chained varieties—propylparaben, isopropyl paraben, butylparaben, and isobutylparaben. 

 The facial treatment regimen studied, known by the acronym GRASS, refers to growth factors, retinol, anti-oxidants, specialty products, and sunscreen.

Age Spots & Hyper Pigmentation

 Age spots, also called  sun spots are light brown to black pigmented lesions of various sizes that typically develop in chronically sun-exposed skin. It is well known that age spots are strongly related to chronic sun exposure and are associated with photodamage and an increased risk for skin cancer,

High levels of traffic-related air pollution and air pollution-associated gases may increase risk of developing facial brown spots, new research suggests. The most pronounced changes were observed on the cheeks of Asian women aged 50 and older.  Overall, an increase of 10 µg/m3 in NO2 concentration was associated with approximately 25 percent more dark spots, the study showed. 

The photoaging of human skin is primarily due to chronic exposure to ultraviolet radiation. This premature aging in the appearance and function of the skin is cumulative over time and is dependent on the degree and intensity of exposure to the sun along with the skin’s natural pigment. Photoaged skin is characterized by various clinical manifestations, including coarseness; wrinkling; irregular pigmentation; laxity;  lentigines; atrophy; purpura;. Uneven pigmentation is often a prominent feature in sun-exposed skin. Dyspigmentation can cause considerable aesthetic 

 Different natural products mulberry, licorice extracts,, kojic acid, niacinamide, arbutin, green tea, turmeric, soy, and ascorbic acid. are used for hyperpigmentation with promising results.   The use of OTC lightening agents is widespread among those patients with hyperpigmentation disorders who reside in the United States. Those with melasma and PIH were more likely to use an OTC lightening cream. The majority of patients believed that OTC creams were safe to use without physician supervision. In those who had also tried prescription products,

Parabens are used as preservatives in some cosmetic products, but so-called “long-chained” parabens can act as estrogens and disrupt hormone signaling. A recent study (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3855500/) by scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health linked one type of paraben to impaired fertility in women.   Johnson & Johnson agreed to stop using most parabens in 2012, but they can still be found in numerous cosmetics.  Read the labels carefully to spot products that contain parabens, especially the long-chained varieties—propylparaben, isopropyl paraben, butylparaben, and isobutylparaben. 

 The facial treatment regimen studied, known by the acronym GRASS, refers to growth factors, retinol, anti-oxidants, specialty products, and sunscreen.

SPF-SUN PROTECTION FACTOR: IS IT A MYTH?

 

Sun screen, sunblock, sunburn cream, sun cream are the various names given  is a lotion, spray, gel, foam, stick or other topical product that absorbs or reflects some of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation and thus helps protect against sunburn.

 

It decreases your risk of developing skin cancer.

It keeps you looking young.

Sunscreen keeps your skin tone even.

The ozone layer is depleting.

The occurrence of skin cancer is more in European countries mainly in Scandinavian countries. Comparatively  the prevalence of skin cancer in India is on a lower scale due to presence of Eumelanin , which acts as a protective mechanism in Indian population.[found in dark skin].Eumelanin is one of the constituents of which melanin is made up of.

 

Benefits like it keeps you looking young & keeps skin tone even are important from aesthetic point of view. Especially the UV rays cause the major damage to your skin. The ozone acts as a sun shield for the earth by absorbing harmful UVB rays before they reach the ground. As the ozone layer depletes, your body needs added protection from these harmful rays which sunscreen may provide.

 

SPF: SPF measures sunscreen protection from UVB rays, the kind that cause sunburn and contribute to skin cancer. SPF does not measure how well a sunscreen will protect from UVA rays, which are also damaging and dangerous. Many studies have found that people are misled by the claims on high-SPF sunscreen bottles. They are more likely to use high-SPF products improperly and as a result may expose themselves to more harmful ultraviolet radiation than do people who rely on products with lower SPF values. People using sun screen often assume they get twice as much protection from SPF 100 sunscreen as from SPF 50. But the extra protection is negligible. Properly applied SPF 50 sunscreen blocks 98 percent of UVB rays; SPF 100 blocks 99 percent. When used correctly, sunscreen with SPF values between 30 and 50 offers adequate sunburn protection, even for people most sensitive to sunburn. [EWG-Washington]

 

SAFE INGREDIENTS: U.S.F.D.A. considers “generally recognized as safe and effective,” or GRASE.  12 ingredients which include some of the most commonly used UV filters, including oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and avobenzone,zinc oxide & titanium dioxide.

SKIN IS THE FIRST BUSINESS CARD IN A HUMAN'S SOCIAL LIFE

EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS AGING IS A NATURAL  & INEVITABLE PROCESS. BUT FEW CAN EMBRACE IT GRACEFULLY. THE FEAR OF LOOKING OLD SOMETIMES IS SO OVERWHELMING THAT SOME PEOPLE FALL PRAY TO WRONG ADVICE  &  LAND UP IN PROBLEMS.
 

Broadly speaking anti-aging treatments fall under 4 categories. 
1. Invasive 
2.Noninvasive 
3. Cosmetics
4. Lifestyle changes

The most popular category could be cosmetics which are within reach of the majority population. The market is flooded with newer & newer anti-aging cosmetics luring individuals to use them. The promise of making you a younger-looking person is so exciting that people fall prey to these instant remedies. In most of the cases, the results are not as per the promises made or at times an individual lands up in a soup.

The gold benchmark for anti-aging cosmetics is laid down by Dr.Kligman by posing 3 questions.

• 1.      Can the active ingredient penetrate the upper layer of skin and be delivered in sufficient                 concentrations to its intended target in the skin?
• 2.       Does the active ingredient has a known specific biochemical mechanism of action in the               tissue   in  human skin?
• 3.      Are there published, statistically significant, clinical trials to substantiate the efficacy claims?

Now let us understand which cosmetics ingredients when used are measuring up to the expectations of   Dr.Kligman.

1. Retinoids: shows skin penetration which is useful for the treatment of anti-aging.

2. Niacinamide: Studies demonstrate significant penetration into human skin.

3. Soy flavones Results showed that soy can penetrate through the upper layer of the skin and            can  reach the middle level of the skin.    

The practical benefits for the individuals are       

Retinoids:      decrease fine lines & wrinkles

Niacinamide: Decreases yellowing of skin, decreases blotchiness decreases wrinkles & fine lines,                                 hyperpigmentation.

Soy flavones:  increases collagen synthesis,

Green Tea:       Decreases collagen breakdown,   Antioxidant effects inhibit harmful UV rays.                                      

Sebum & it's implications in Acne

The normal function of sebaceous glands is to produce and secrete sebum, a group of complex oils including triglycerides and fatty acid breakdown products, wax esters, squalene, cholesterol esters, and cholesterol. Sebum lubricates the skin to protect against friction and makes it more impervious to moisture.

Sebaceous hyperplasia causes small bumps to appear on the skin when sebaceous glands become enlarged. ... Too much sebum can contribute to several problems, including acne, oily skin, or an oily scalp. Sebum can also become trapped inside the gland, causing it to swell and form a bump under the skin.

Sebaceous hyperplasia[PROLIFERATION OF CELLS] causes small bumps to appear on the skin when sebaceous glands become enlarged.

Hyperseborrhoea[HYPERSECRETION OF SEBUM] has been considered as a major aetiopathogenetic factor of acne. However, changes in sebaceous gland activity not only correlate with seborrhoea but also with alterations in sebum fatty acid composition. Current findings indicate that sebum lipid fractions with proinflammatory properties and inflammatory tissue cascades are associated in the process of the development of acne lesions. The oxidant/antioxidant ratio of the skin surface lipids and alterations of lipid composition are the main players in the induction of acne inflammation. Nutrition may influence the development of seborrhoea, the fractions of sebum lipids, and acne. Acne is an inflammatory disease probably triggered, among others, by proinflammatory sebum lipid fractions.