7-minute read
Part 2 - Treatments That Improve Your Health Beyond Skin Health
In this article, I will continue to focus on the research over the last few decades showing how your life choices impact on your health in general and how this is reflected on your skin condition. This was beautifully summarized in the New Scientist article released on the 28th December 2024.
In this Part 2, I will cover some of the scientific evidence presented in the New Scientist article showing how skin care, ingredients, physical treatments and life practices work to reduce the environmental impact on the skin and ageing, as well as our physical and mental health.
It is absolutely amazing that the expression “you are what you think and eat” is absolutely on point.
What to Look For in Skincare?
Skincare marketing is a gigantic engine that continuously promotes new ingredients used in new supposedly game-changing products, launched by brands all over the world, each claiming to have something that is the latest and best possible elixir for skin rejuvenation, reverse ageing to defying the natural maturing processes in our skin, to plump, brighten, remove irregularities, peel the old layers away, get rid of every condition from dryness to excessive oil and acne ….. and the list goes on. This plethora of products can be overwhelming and foster the tendency to want something that is instant and simple to fix any ailment.
As many of know, at Azurlis we subscribe to a simple, but NOT instant solution, and this stems from the fact that cellular regeneration in the epidermis takes 28 – 30 days in young skin but slows down as we mature. Equally, the regeneration of structural proteins like collagen and elastin in the dermis is not instant and invariably improvements are only visible after continuous treatment for at least 3 – 6 months. Of course, you can use fillers to compensate for the disarray of the skin structure, but these fillers are not treatments to prevent oxidation and degradation of collagen and elastin, they are “fillers” to plug the areas in the dermis that have become “floppy” and lost elasticity and an organized scaffold, much like replacing the stuffing in an old flat pillow, with new springy foam.
Similarly, a Botox injection (using a toxin of the bacterium Botilunum) results in a reduction of face lines, by inhibiting contraction of the muscles where it has been applied.
So, despite the fact you will hear about claims on the benefits on retinol, ceramides, green tea and other extracts, plant-peptides, marine collagen, vitamins A, B and C, alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), gold particles, amongst so many others, the most important requirement for good and effective skincare is the use of these 3 types of products, daily:
o Cleanser – non-foaming, using a facecloth and plenty of water with gentle movements. Cleansing at nighttime should suffice, and definitely avoiding to over cleanse.
o Moisturiser – containing protective emollients to soften the skin and protect the natural skin barrier function. As well containing humectants such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin, these attract water from the dermis to the surface of the skin. This helps to keep the skin moist and reduce congestion which can manifest as puffiness.
o Sunscreen – to be applied over your moisturizer, preferably with an SPF-30, but you can have a lower SPF provided you use a hat. However, to maintain efficacious sun protection, the sunscreen has to be applied every 1 – 2 hours regardless of the SPF level.
The Big 4 Ingredient Groups
As the leading skincare chemist of the Chemist Confessions company, that helps consumers to understand skincare ingredients, there are 4 main groups of ingredients that are being promoted and demanded by the consumers and market.
These are:
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- Retinoids
- Vitamin C
- Niacinamide
- Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs)
So, what are their benefits?
Retinoids stimulate collagen synthesis and improve cell turnover. This is done through a process of sloughing off the flattened top layer of the epidermis, which then stimulates the basal cell layer at the bottom of the epidermis to proliferate and generate newer, plump cells that start migrating to the top of the skin, replacing what is sloughed off.
o However, use of retinoids can lead to dryness, itchy skin, sun sensitivity, and inflammation. You will need to avoid the sun while using the product, as retinoids are degraded by sunlight, rendering them inactive, and the treatments often are required to be used for over 12 weeks.
Vitamin C protects the cells from oxidation.
o However, Vitamin C, in the form of L-ascorbic acid is unstable in water and in the air. So, although in the controlled laboratory environment it works well to neutralize the damaging free-radical molecules that lead to oxidative damage, equivalent to “rusting the skin” , i.e., ageing, the Vitamin C products invariably have a short shelf-life. This means that what you apply to your skin may have a reduced protective activity. Besides, Vitamin C can also be a skin irritant and lead to sensitivity.
o If you really require a Vitamin C containing product, look for those that show the Sodium ascorbyl phosphate or ascorbyl glucoside on the ingredient listing.
Niacinamide has brightening properties as it contributes to dispersing melanin, so it thins out the hyper-pigmented areas of the skin.
o It also helps to regulate oil production, strengthens the skin’s ability to act as a barrier, and improves the outer skin layer defences, over time. This process is definitely not instant.
Alpha Hydroxy-Acids (AHAs) do not improve skin health. Instead, they increase the rate of skin turnover and sloughing off. Thia obviously results in decreasing the visibility of fine lines and some pigmentation.
o But… the claims that the collagen included in these products will lead to moisturizing and improved skin structure are highly unlikely as collagen is a very bulky protein that will not be able to penetrate the 5 epidermis cell layers to reach the target areas in the dermis where collagen is produced. See figure below.
Skin cross section
Besides, having Vitamin C and retinols together poses a few formulation challenges, because Vitamin C requires an acidic product environment, whereas retinoids work best in more neutral to alkaline conditions. So, it is unlikely that products with both ingredients will work effectively at all levels as claimed.
This blended product is similar to having a quick meal whereby you use a blender to mix a cup of vegetable soup, a plate of lamb stew and a bowl of Pavlova, all in one to save time… Enjoy!... No!
Retinol vs Bakuchiol
While we are covering retinol, I would like to point you to one of our previous articles - Retinol vs Bakuchiol where I discuss the advantages of Bakuchiol that can be summarized in a few sentences.
Unlike retinol which works by promoting the sloughing of the top epidermal layer, bakuchiol is an inhibitor of enzymes that degrades the extracellular fibrous matrix such as elastase, collagenase and some types of metalloproteases. It reduces inflammatory effects and provides similar efficacy to retinol, except with higher stability and tolerability. Bakuchiol has superior antioxidant power and also guarantees antibacterial and antifungal actions on the skin in addition to easing itching. Furthermore, bakuchiol is not UV sensitive, so it will not degrade when exposed to light. Bakuchiol comprises 2 - percent of the babchi oil that is extracted from the bachi plant ( Cullen corylifolium).
Also, our yet to be launched Luminous Bakuchiol Serum is nearing completion. As mentioned on our website, all orders until the product launch will receive a sample.
What About The Anti-Ageing Efficacy of The Wave-Based Treatments?
In the last 2 decades a number of physical, wave-based, treatments involving laser beams, radio frequency, ultra-sound, light therapy, intense pulsed light (IPL), and electrical vibration have been adapted to restore a youthful glow. These treatments were originally developed to promote wound healing and reduce scarring.
The working principle of these technologies relies on generating waves of energy which penetrate the outer layers of the skin, “heating” it from within, as the waves cross-over in the dermal layer. So, if “enough” heat is applied to the skin, the body increases production of collagen and elastin to repair the damage.
Images from - Life Tending Today.
Diagrammatic Representation of Types of Wave-Based Treatments
Diagrammatic Representation of Potential Reversing Skin Ageing Mechanism
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- Left Panel - deep wrinkles on the epidermis as the collagen and elastin scaffold is damaged.
- Center Panel - softened wrinkles as the collagen and elastin scaffold is repaired.
- Right Panel - younger looking skin - less or no wrinkles is the the ultimate goal of the therapies.
However, the difficulty lies in how to accurately target the skin structure and the cells that produce the collagen and elastin to activate them to produce more. In essence this form of therapy, as stated by the dermatology research group at Guy and St Thomas Hospital London, “we are playing with the ability of the body to repair itself”, and more clinical trials are needed to validate the claims.
Interestingly, a study run from Stanford University, California, involving 50 women using IPL, showed that the wrinkled skin improved. However, the researchers could not identify any activation of the known regenerative molecular components, such as collagen and elastin, but they did report finding an altered gene pattern expression that was more typical of young skin. So, we have a lot more to learn!
Microneedling
This technique involves the use of tiny needles to puncture the skin, creating micro-injuries and sometimes they also inject hyaluronic acid. However, the scarcity of large-scale scientifically well conducted and controlled studies in the field make it really difficult to assess the validity of the claims.
Vampire Facials
This involves the removal of blood from the arm, isolating the platelets (the blood components that promote blood clots), then injecting these in the appropriate areas where wrinkles need to be reduced. There is as yet no scientific evidence of how this works, but perhaps as a “filler”?
Connections Between Mental Health and Skin
There is definitely a connection a between the brain and the skin, with stress aggravating skin diseases. This is all due to our hormone responses to stress, mediated by molecules known as glucocorticoids. Evolutionarily, these molecules served to keep us alert to potential dangers and to protect our bodies from injury, but they sometimes this protection can get a bit out of hand, having negative impacts.
So, glucocorticoids affect the blood flow and heart rate, and of course the blood flow in our skin, locking in moisture, and changing the production of skin proteins that have anti-microbial properties in the skin. This often results in increased signs of inflammation and infections, break outs, dermatitis, eczema, and itching. These can also lead to more infections and inflammation, so the vicious cycle tightens and repeats. Also, sometimes we can get really sick as glucocorticoids can also weaken our natural immune defences.
This is enhanced by the fact that we have a complex microbiome on our skins, including bacteria, viruses and yeasts. These are normally quite well behaved co-habitants, but when the skin defences are lowered the temptation for the microbial flora to invade new territory cannot be avoided.
Interestingly, some of these bacteria in our skin microbiome that can turn nasty, are in most instances extremely helpful to stimulate subcutaneous sebum production which is vital to minimise water loss and increase the skin suppleness, what we call “skin being soft to touch”.
Also, some of these microbes produce the famous “ceramides” that maintain the integrity of the skin barrier.
In the skincare market nowadays there are a vast range of products to address the issues resulting from unbalances on the skin. These products often contain pre- and pro-biotics that appear to have promising results in ongoing human clinical trials.
But what this shows is that being sensible and disciplined about skin care is way, way, way more important than previously thought. So, being reasonable with cleansing, moisturising and sun protection in the long run is far better than spending loads of money to fix what might be preventable through a healthy lifestyle and diet. Of course, bearing in mind that sometimes unbalances happen that can only be fixed by medicated products rather than unproven market fads.
The Gut-Skin Axis
This is a really interesting angle of our physiology.
The saying “we are what we eat” appears to be quite valid because to healthily sustain our gut microbiome we need a diet with a good mixture of fruit, vegetables, fibre, proteins, carbohydrates and fats, with a good dose of antioxidants and nutrients. These will foster a healthy balance of the diversity of our microbiome to keep the pathogenic bacterial cousins under control - A no brainer and a very easy and cost-effective way to stay healthy and happy.
Quick Tips on How to Keep Your Skin Glowing
Keep your skin looking great every day regardless of the skin condition, age, gender and while you are waiting for some skin improvements.
I totally understand that you feel that your skin is betraying you while you are actively working to reduce lines, pigmentation or breakouts, especially as some approaches take time.
I’m going to show you in a video some very simple tricks that I use every day, to help my skin look glowing. I’m going to show you my face without make up, but extremely well moisturised.
Click the image below to watch the video.
I do this every morning. I do not use a mineral foundation or blusher. I do use a vegan-approved highly moisturising foundation. Sometimes I mix some of my moisturiser with my foundation to make it look as natural as possible, definitely not like stage make-up. And as nice as some of the internet models look, most of us are older and less made-up than this lovely girl.
I’m not being sponsored by any company, I just simply want to show you what you can do with a good hydrating foundation, a chocolate lipstick and some mascara.
By the way, even though I’m a female, these tips are absolutely genderless, but as you will see in my video …. blend, blend, blend!
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- Left Panel – No make-up;
- Centre Panel – Smiling after the Glowing tips;
- Right Panel – No expression = No Lines - Showing how moving our face muscles impacts the way we look.
Take Home Message
The way we look, the way we feel, and the way we live our lives makes a difference to our mental and physical health. Enjoy who you are regardless of your age.
