What's "good" in smoking for our skin?

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Looking beautifully, young and attractive, having a healthy complexion is essential for almost every woman. We are constantly looking for and testing new cosmetics and if it was possible we would spend enormous amounts of money to improve the way we look, to have ideal skin and complexion.

What difference does it make, however, if many of these women still smoke cigarettes?

If you smoke, all the beautifying treatments you spend so much time and money on, have little or no effect at all. None of the treatments are able to cure the damage which is caused by smoking. If we choose smoking, we choose action which is contradictory to our efforts aiming at remaining healthy, young and beautiful for a long time.

From the outside, we try to supply our skin with the best nutritional components while at the same time we destroy the skin’s texture from the inside by smoking cigarettes. It is not possible to find good resolution to our skin problems if we concentrate on fighting the harmful effects without removing the negative cause first. Cosmetics have influence on the outer parts of skin mainly and their active components cannot reach the deepest layers of inner skin where the most serious damage caused by smoking takes place. In consequence, the negative effects of this damage can be seen on the outside of skin.

I am aware, of course, that after reading my article it hardly probable that many people decide to quit smoking immediately and the aim of my article is not to preach my readers, either. I only would like to make fully aware of the true consequences of smoking all these young women who decide to smoke cigarettes. It has been told and written so much in different media about bad influence of smoking on human health that there is no need to repeat these thing once more. I am interested mainly in giving the basic facts concerning the influence of smoking on appearance and functioning of our skin.

The threat of cancer or heart diseases is not enough reason for young people to stop smoking. They are convinced that these problems are the problems of older people not theirs. However, negative aspects of smoking can become visible outside much faster than it seems. In time the way our complexion looks is getting worse and worse. This problem concerns both men and women, although in women negative changes are noticeable sooner because they occur faster. This may be the crucial argument for all women who want to smoke.

It seems very advantageous for us that recently it has been written and told a lot about the negative aspects of solar radiation, for example UVA or UVB on our skin. On the other hand, smoking is as much harmful, if not more, to our skin as sunbathing without the use of UVA/UVB creams. Clinical tests which have been made for many recent years, have proved that the skin of a smoker is getting older faster than that of a non-smoking person. It has been shown, for instance, that the skin of forty-year-old people who have been smoking for years, may be as much destroyed as the skin of seventy-year-old non-smokers. Doctors call the type of changes that undergo inside human skin as "tobacco face" syndrome.

First of all, during the process of smoking there are produces huge amounts of so-called free radicals. They are very active elements which attack and destroy skin cells and this smoking causes wrinkles, but there are also other reasons to quit smoking ciragerettes. In every article, I have written, I tried to emphasize the idea of the sun protection, not only during the summertime but through the whole year round. The solar radiation may cause premature skin ageing because it generates the producing of free radicals to large extent. It is useless, though, to protect our skin with the help of UVA/UVB creams or antioxidants while, in the meantime, we continue smoking. In such case, smoking becomes even more treacherous than our exposure to the sunlight without any protection.

Follow: Health Problems and Skin Diseases Caused by Smoking Cigarettes

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Peliculas Online

Taking care of dry skin

Some of us experience dry skin during the winter months, particularly if we live in a dry climate, but there are others who suffer with dry skin throughout the year. Characterized by a fine texture with very small pores, dry skin look lovely when you’re young, but not taking care of it as you age can lead to premature wrinkles, deep expression lines and flaky or irritated skin. Caring for dry skin doesn’t have to be difficult, however. Here are a few tips on how to take care of dry skin.

Basic care should still include washing the face twice a day; once in the morning and once before you go to bed. Avoid soap, as it can dry out the skin; try a very gentle cleanser formulated for dry skin. Also, avoid using very hot water, both for washing your face and in the shower, as hot water can also dry out the skin.

If you use a toner, be sure that it doesn’t contain any alcohol, as alcohol can also irritate your skin and cause it to be dryer. Moisturizer is also an important part of your skin care routine. You’ll need a rich moisturizer to help keep your skin hydrated and you may wish to try a richer moisturizer in the winter and a lighter moisturizer in the summer.

Exfoliating helps promote healthy cell regeneration by removing the dead skin cells, which helps the healthy skin breathe better, although those with dry skin should only do this once a week in order to avoid irritating the skin. Be sure to use an exfoliant that is gentle and always apply moisturizer or a moisturizing mask afterwards.

You can also keep your skin healthy by drinking plenty of water to keep your body hydrated and follow a healthy diet with plenty of fresh foods to get plenty of nutrients and vitamins. Foods that are rich in Omega-3, like salmon and flax seeds, may help improve your skin.

Summary of beauty tips for dry skin type:

Wash your face: twice a day without soap (morning/evening),Avoid hot water: when washing face and during showers,Skin cleansers: use very gentle cleansers special for dry skin type,Skin toners: if used, avoid skin toners that contain alcohol,Skin moisturizers: use rich moisturizers in winter time and lighter in summer, check how to choose moisturizers,Skin exfoliators: maximum once per week and only gentle exfoliators, follow with moisturizers,Drink plenty of water: to keep your body hydrated,Healthy diet: with plenty of fresh foods, rich in Omega-3 (salmon and flax seeds).

 

Wrinkles

Once thought of as an indicator of wisdom, today most of us do everything we can to avoid or get rid of wrinkles. Although there are some factors that we cannot control, there are some steps you can take to help protect your skin and prevent the onset of wrinkles. In this article, we’ll take a look at what factors promote wrinkles and how you can lessen your chances of developing them in the future.

As we age, our skin ages all over our bodies, but none so much as the places that are exposed to the sun the most – our faces, hands, or arms. Sun damage, or photoaging, can bring about changes such as dryness or roughness of the skin, skin growths such as keratoses (also known as liver spots), sagginess and wrinkles. Wrinkles can appear in either deep furrows or fine surface lines that are easier to remove with wrinkle creams and treatments.

Unfortunately, there are some factors that determine if we’ll have wrinkles that are out of our control. There are genetic factors, as some families simply wrinkle more than others, while those with fair skin and blue eyes are more likely to suffer from sun damage which can promote wrinkles. This doesn’t mean, however, that those with darker complexions are less likely to have wrinkles, however.

Those that spend long hours in the sun, whether because of work or a love of outdoor activities such as golf, sailing, or sun bathing, are equally susceptible to sun damage. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as "safe tanning", so sun worshippers are likely to run the risk of developing wrinkles wherever they expose their skin to the sun. Smoking can also damage the skin and lead to wrinkles.

The best way to avoid getting wrinkles in the future is to avoid as much sun damage as possible and avoid smoking, two main causes of wrinkles. Always use a sun screen with an SPF factor of at least 15 when you are outside. It’s a good idea to use sun screen or a moisturizer with sun screen on your face everyday. Protecting your skin from the sun is the best defense against developing wrinkles as you age.

To summarize, causes of wrinkles are:

excessive suntanning and sun exposurecigarette smoking: it's a bad habit and not only because it causes wrinkles. Each cigarette contains so many harmful substances that it's hard to imagine. It's also very hard to quit smoking but it's worth trying, you can find some books to help you quit smoking and maybe it's good to try electronic cigarettes, much better solution than normal cigarettes.genetics - we can't do nothing about it

How to prevent wrinkles formation:

use moisturizer with sunscreen - at least SPF 15 when you are outsideuse moisturizer + sunscreen on your face on daily basis

 

Sunscreen in the Winter – The Sun Shines All Year!

Everyone should use sunscreen in the winter for the simple reason the sun shines all year long. It doesn’t matter if the temperature is colder or there are more cloudy days. The fact is the sun’s ultraviolet rays bombard the earth throughout the year and can penetrate many cloud covers. That means the skin is continually exposed to the sun’s rays.

It doesn’t matter that more clothes are worn during winter, because unless you completely cover yourself from head to toe, there will always be skin exposed.

The most vulnerable places on your body during the winter are the face and hands. In the winter, the sun’s heat is less due to the angle of sunlight, but the ultraviolet A and B rays are still strong enough to cause skin damage. When your skin is exposed to these rays it doesn’t matter what time of year it is. The ultraviolet rays can cause permanent skin damage.

Using sunscreen in the winter is important for a lot of reasons. Even if you don’t develop skin cancer, there are a host of other sun related skin problems the sun can cause. The sun dries the skin out and can cause premature aging.

People who have spent a lot of time in the sun without sunscreen protection are usually easy to spot. They have deep wrinkles in their skin. The sun can also cause brown aging spots and skin rashes.

In the winter, even after you bundle up in warm clothes, the face, ears and hands are still exposed to the sun. Everyone should use a winter moisturizer that also contains sunscreen. The damage done to the skin by the sun is cumulative.

Every time you get a sunburn, changes are happening in the very cell structure of the skin. Over time, the damage becomes permanent or irreversible. Using sunscreen is a simple and highly effective way to prevent the sun from damaging skin including during the winter months.

 

Stretch Marks: Home Remedies to Remove & Reduce Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are very common among women, while men are also capable of developing stretch marks (a.k.a. striae). Stretch marks are widely associated with pregnancy, and are created when your body experiences hormonal changes due to puberty or menopause; you can also develop striae when you’re losing or gaining weight.

Going further, the reason these annoying lesions appear on your skin is due to the breakdown of collagen and damaged elastic fibers below the epidermis layer of your skin. Now that we’ve covered the basic causes of stretch marks, let’s move a little deeper into the subject and also talk about how you can treat them.

Common reasons why stretch marks form are due to:

pregnancy,losing weight too quickly,gaining weight rapidly,hormonal imbalances/changes,puberty,growth spurts,bodybuilding.

Stretch marks are visible linear scars that pop up on your body where the skin is too thin due to the aforementioned breakdown of collagen and elastic fibers damage. The skin cells are no longer able to bounce back from extreme stretching, thus causing the dermal layer of skin to develop tears that appear as scars on your skin.

The areas of the body that are most affected by stretch marks include the thighs, abdomen, arms, hips, breasts, back, buttocks and the area around belly button. When striae firsts begins to form, it usually appears red, and then turns white over time.

There are topical creams, ointments, and oils that claim to remove stretch marks or reduce their appearance; however, these products can cost quite a bit, and hardly deliver on the promises. There are also laser treatments available, but this too is very expensive.

Because stretch marks are scars, there is little chance of getting rid of them completely. So you should avoid wasting money on products that claim to eradicate stretch marks completely, and have realistic expectations when it comes to topical treatments. Using topical treatments requires discipline, and they may even need to be applied more than once a day. But they do have the potential to improve stretch marks’ appearance.

Treating only the symptoms associated with stretch marks or scars will not help lessen the appearance of striae. Furthermore, dry skin can sometimes appear around area of stretch marks; however, dry skin isn’t the cause of stretch marks. It’s also worth mentioning that moisture is good for your skin, but it won’t make a dent in the removal of stretch marks since the marks start deep within the skin’s layers.

Dermabrasion, or laser treatments for stretch marks, only affects the surface of the skin. This is not enough to penetrate deep into the dermis, where the tears have formed in elastic fibers. These treatments may be able to improve the appearance of stretch marks, but the side effects are redness (erythema) and/or scaling on the skin.

One stretch mark treatment that’s overlooked is eating better/keeping a healthy lifestyle. It’s never too late to begin a healthy lifestyle, and there are hundreds of benefits to eating better, including keeping stretch marks at a minimum.

Along with a healthy diet, you should be drinking plenty of water. Keeping your body hydrated will allow your body to function properly, meaning your skin cells are more likely rebuild areas that need repaired. The minimum amount of water needed to stay hydrated is five to eight 8 oz. glasses a day. An easy way to maintain a healthy diet is to eat one cup of fruit or vegetables with a glass of water before each meal. This helps reassure that you are getting healthy nutrients into your body while staying fully hydrated.

Be sure to supply your body with plenty of vitamin A, C and E, as well as zinc since these nutrients help your skin flourish. You’ll be able to find these vitamins and minerals in raw fruits and vegetables, in addition to fish liver oils, leafy greens, eggs, beans, nuts, seeds and fish. By adding more of these things to your diet, you’ll increase your skin’s ability to heal itself.

In some cases, if you’re taking medication such as oral contraceptives, you could be lacking essential nutrients needed to keep your body healthy; consult your doctor about any concerns here. Physicians will be able to prescribe or suggest dietary supplements to counterbalance the nutrients you may be losing to the medications.

Homemade stretch mark creams can be used to treat scars, and are also great for other areas of your body that need special attention. You can use these recipes to make extra hydrating lotions that can be applied to stretch marks, dry elbows, knees, hands and/or feet.

One of the most effective ingredients in improving the appearance of skin is cocoa butter. This is the main ingredient in the following skin cream for treating stretch marks. Using this homemade cocoa butter and oil skin cream will make your skin moist, soft and supple. Here is what you’ll need to make the cocoa butter and oil stretch mark cream:

1/2 cup cocoa butter1 Tablespoon wheat germ oil1 Teaspoon apricot kernel oil1 Teaspoon Vitamin E oil2 Teaspoons grated beeswax

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium sauce pan, and use medium heat to melt the beeswax. Once the beeswax has melted, remove it from the heat, and pour it into an airtight container. Store the cream in the refrigerator, and use after showering, and throughout the day until you have the desired results.

Olive oil shows up in almost every beauty remedy recipe because it’s loaded with moisturizing nutrients perfect for conditioning skin and hair. To use olive oil as a stretch mark treatment, simply pour the oil onto a cotton pad, and pat the oil onto your stretch marks. To make this treatment even more nourishing, follow these instructions:

1/2 cup virgin olive oil1/4 cup aloe vera gel6 vitamin E capsules4 vitamin A capsules

Take the six capsules of vitamin E, and the four capsules of vitamin A, and remove the liquid from the capsules into a bowl; then combine the other ingredients with the liquid from the capsules.

Blend the mixture well with a whisk, or by using a blender. This treatment can be applied to any area on your body where you have stretch marks such as the stomach, legs, arms, thighs or breasts.

Use olive oil in combination with aloe vera gel to treat your stretch marks. Aloe vera has been used widely to treat burns, but also provides positive results when used to treat stretch marks. Combine a small amount of aloe vera gel with an equal amount of olive oil, and continue to massage the mixture onto stretch marks. To get even more use out of aloe vera gel, use this recipe to prevent more stretch marks from occurring, and treat the ones that have already formed.

1/2 cup olive oil1/4 cup aloe vera gel4 vitamin E capsules2 vitamin A capsules

In a mixing bowl, combine the liquid from the vitamin E capsules, and the liquid from the vitamin A capsules. Mix the remaining ingredients with the vitamin liquids. Massage into your skin to improve the appearance of stretch marks.

Use natural white sugar to exfoliate the problem areas of your skin for 3-5 minutes daily. This will remove the dead skin cells, and encourage more skin cells to develop.

This works best if you exfoliate while in the shower. When you’ve finished your shower, take two vitamin C tablets and crush them as finely as you can. Use a small mixing bowl to combine your daily moisturizing lotion and the vitamin C tablets together. Apply the lotion and vitamin C mixture as usual, focusing mostly on your stretch marks. Now saturate a cotton pad or ball with olive oil, and dab onto your stretch marks.

By using this treatment and the previously mentioned ones, you’ll go a long way towards reducing the appearance of stretch marks.

 

Beauty and Ecumenicism

by: Robert Bruce Baird

There are many vantage points from which to find beauty. The side of the mountains overlooking Lake Louise on the grass of the hotel sipping champagne with your most cherished friend is a memory of beauty that will always overcome my consciousness. The purr of my friend and companion as he welcomed me home from a hard days work or the smile on the face of most any person who 'sees' what little part of life we can partake in to help each other. There are many beauties and no real evil.

Winter skin care

Winter skin care requires some changes in your normal skin care routine and product choices. In the winter the humidity drops meaning there’s less moisture in the air. In addition, winter weather usually means blustery and drying winds which are almost like direct attacks on the skin.

The result is dry skin and the development of a condition commonly called "winter skin itch". It can be a distressing and uncomfortable condition, but fortunately there are ways to deal with winter that sends the attackers into retreat.

Too many people buy one moisturizer and insist on using it year round. One of the first rules of winter skin care is to adapt your beauty care to recognize the change in weather conditions and when the winter comes, use winter moisturizer - instead of the one used in summer. Instead of the light water based conditioners, you should begin using an occlusive moisturizer. The occlusive moisturizer is one that is oil and cream based as opposed to an oil and water mixture. It’s thicker and able to trap moisture in the skin. To get the most benefit from your moisturizer it should also include vitamins and other ingredients which keep skin supple.

There are other steps you can take in conjunction with changing moisturizers in order to prevent dry skin in the winter. Winter skin care should include a routine that is religiously followed each day. The first rule of thumb is to not over wash your skin with hot drying water. Second, after a shower or bath, immediately apply the moisturizer in order to seal in the moisture just added to your skin and while the pores are opened. Third, it’s important to exfoliate your skin faithfully once a week in order to get rid of the flaking dry skin cells and uncover the newer skin which is in much better shape for dealing with the winter dry air.

Recommended winter skin care tips can help you avoid the uncomfortable, irritating and unsightly flaking skin dry air creates. With the right moisturizer, your skin can look as healthy in the winter months as it does the rest of the year.

To conclude, steps to follow in winter skin care routine:

Do not over wash your skin with hot waterAfter shower or bath - apply immediately moisturizerExfoliate your skin once a week