Natural Skin Care with Green Tea

What is Tea?

The beneficial properties of tea are attributed to polyphenols. The polyphenols found in tea mainly belong to the subtype called catechins. Polyphenols or catechins are better known as antioxidants that fight free radicals. Free radicals are damaging to skin and body by attacking healthy cells. Green tea has more catechins than black tea; white tea is almost as rich in catechins as green tea but is different in composition and less well studied.

So How Is Green Tea Good For My Skin?

There have been number studies of skin benefits of green tea. One of these studies show protection from skin cancer by demonstrating topical green tea formulations can reduce sun damage.(1) Another fascinating study in 2003 was conducted by Dr. Stephen Hsu of the Medical College of Georgia Department of Oral Biology. His findings determined green tea was able to rejuvenate old skin cells at the end of their life cycle.

A quote from Dr. Hsu’s paper explained, “…we report here for the first time, that at certain concentrations, EGCG or a mixture of the major green tea polyphenols stimulated aged keratinocytes to generate biological energy and to synthesize DNA, possibly for renewed cell division.

Therefore, green tea constituents may be useful topically for promoting skin regeneration, wound healing, or treatment of certain epithelial conditions such as aphthous ulcers, psoriasis, rosacea, and actinic keratoses.” (2) Dr. Hsu went on to comment he was “so surprised” to discover EGCG actually reactivated cells that had migrated toward the surface of the skin to ‘die’.

Green tea appears to manipulate sun damage protection by fighting free radicals and reducing inflammation rather than by blocking UV rays. Therefore, green tea enhances sun protection when used in addition to a sunscreen. To boost sun protection, apply a green tea formula under your sunscreen to elevate the level of sun protection. It is best to combine green tea with zinc oxide-based sunscreens because zinc oxide is chemically inert and should not react with green tea (which some chemical sunscreens might do, especially in sunlight). You can also look for green tea in natural soaps, and other facial cleansers.

Topical green tea is also very beneficial for sensitive skin types by reducing inflammation and irritation in the skin. Wrinkles, skin sag and other signs of aging have been shown to benefit from Green tea. The tea’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory polyphenols slow down signs of premature of aging

Green Tea and Pimples

A green tea and pimples study suggests it to be as good as benzoyl peroxide cream in treating acne conditions with fewer side effects. Scientific research has shown that green tea fights bacteria, inflammation and reduces stress. Perhaps it would be an excellent candidate for treating acne?

In the study, conducted by Dr. Jennifer Gan-Wong from the Memorial Medical Center in the Philippines, 108 participants were divided into two groups. One applied benzoyl peroxide cream and the other green tea extract cream twice daily for 12 weeks. Subjects were examined and photographed each week by dermatologists. The researchers noted the green tea cream seemed to lighten patients’ skin color and improve the overall appearance of their complexion.

The preliminary data suggests that green tea cream causes fewer side effects than benzoyl peroxide. Patients in the green tea group reported fewer cases of dry skin, itching and allergic responses.

Use green tea at home to boost your skins health, appearance and reduce signs of aging by freezing freshly brewed green tea as ice cubes and use them as a toner. Let them start thawing first before applying directly to the face to avoid irritation. You can also drink green tea or take green tea extract in capsules to benefit from the anti oxidant properties. The polyphenols will reach your skin via the bloodstream in sufficient amounts.

Using green tea in your skincare routine has definite proven benefits to slow skin aging, reduce acne and protect your skin from cancer among many others. Just be aware of the products you choose. Like most antioxidants, green tea polyphenols are oxidized and can lose their active constituents when exposed to air.

By Tiffany Oney and Rachelle Dupree

References:

(1) Green Tea Polyphenol Treatment to Human Skin Prevents Formation of Ultraviolet Light B-induced Pyrimidine Dimers in DNA (2000). Santosh K. Katiyar, Anaibelith Perez and Hasan Mukhtar. Clinical Cancer Research Vol. 6, 3864-3869, October 2000.

(2) Green Tea Polyphenols Induce Differentiation and Proliferation in Epidermal Keratinocytes (2003). Stephen Hsu, Wendy B. Bollag, Jill Lewis, Qin Huang,Baldev Singh, Mohamed Sharawy, Tetsuya Yamamoto, and George Schuster. Journal of Pharmacology And Experimental Therapeutics. First published on March 27, 2003; DOI: 10.1124/jpet.103.049734

Popular Herbs Used in Skin Care and Their Benefits

Popular Herbs Used in Skin Care and Their Benefits: Chamomile, Aloe Vera, Lavender and Rosemary

Today skin care and cosmetics are increasingly going natural. You may have heard that herbs and oils are commonly used in skin care and cosmetics; but, you may not know why or what purpose they serve. why, and what do the do? Four very common and popular herbs that are used in the form of oil or gels are chamomile, Aloe Vera, lavender, and rosemary. All provide unique benefits for the skin and body.

The benefits of chamomile for the skin and body range from calming effects to healing. Recent and on-going research has identified chamomile’s specific benefits as

chamomile herb

anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-allergenic. Chamomile is most often recognized as an herbal tea; however, chamomile is present in many skin care products. Chamomile’s active ingredients extracted from the flower are essential oils and flavonoids. Essential oils help to calm and relax irritated skin. Essential oils have also been found to be beneficial to treat and sooth acne prone skin. Flavonoids – or plant metabolites- are rich in anti oxidants that help the body repair and heal damaged skin, as well as fight free radicals, which create damage to bodily cells. Chamomile has few side effects and is effective and beneficial to the skin topically or if ingested.

Aloe Vera contains numerous, minerals, vitamin, enzymes, and natural sugars that help with inflammation. Aloe Vera is commonly known for its healing properties, which explains its popular use in skin care. Aloe Vera aids in the healing of skin burns and cuts and moisturizes and softens skin. Aloe Vera is used in skin care products to help with dry sensitive skin as the plant has unique healing and soothing properties. Taken internally, Aloe Vera has been found to regulate digestion, which in turn builds healthy skin from the inside out. Aloe Vera is available as a gel, spray, lotion, juice, cream and in the form of a capsule. Aloe Vera is most commonly found in soaps, cleansers, facial masks, skin care gels or creams.

Lavender has many uses in skin care that include aiding skin repair, stimulating cell growth, reducing inflammation, preventing scarring and pigmentation, regulating oil production, and reducing pain. Lavender also works as antiseptic or antibacterial agent and is considered an essential oil. Due to its extensive benefits to the skin, lavender is often found in soaps, cleaners, or facial masks formulated to treat acne prone skin.

Rosemary can be used as an essential oil just like chamomile and lavender. Rosemary and lavender are actually found in the same herbal family. Rosemary tones

rosemary herb

the skin, helping to even out skin tone and texture, while reliving dryness. Rosemary strengthens capillaries and is good to use on aging skin. Rosemary is found in skin care cleansers, soaps, face masks, toners and creams.

There are many other herbs used in skin care and cosmetics today-most in the form of essential oils or extracts- and all can have different or positive effects on the skin and body. Herbs and oils have been used to heal for many centuries and now are being utilized for safe, natural ways to treat skin conditions and maintain a healthy complexion.

by Tiffany Oney

Understanding Hormones and Your Skin

“How to achieve beautiful, supple and young-looking skin”. You almost can’t avoid it - splashed on magazine covers, reported in newspapers and marketed on television and radio, the message to improve our skin would appear paramount to how we and others view our looks.
How does our skin age?  Skin aging is influenced by:

* Genetic differences
* Hormonal changes, e.g. estrogen and thyroxin
* Chronic sun exposure
* Wind, pollution

Blame it on hormones

Hormones are mostly to blame for skin changes as we age. Hormones are chemical messengers produced in organs such as the ovaries, adrenal glands, and thyroid glands, and all have an effect on other tissues.

Much of the reason why our skin begins to suffer is primarily due to hormones — and there is a massive industry manufacturing products to try to alleviate the results of these hormonal changes, notably as women reach menopause in their 40s and 50s.

As menopause occurs, estrogen is reduced and while it has a direct effect on thinning bones, it also creates significant changes in the skin. Women find:

* their skin becomes drier with increased wrinkles
* skin becomes more fragile, loses some of its elasticity, and is looser because the production of collagen is reduced
* older skin appears paler as the lack of estrogen reduces the number of blood vessels in the skin
* menopause also causes a reduction in the level of testosterone but not as significant a drop as in estrogen

Hormones and dry skin

Another hormone we have is thyroxin, produced by the thyroid gland, which influences skin appearance. Too much thyroxin shows a warm, smooth, sweaty, flushed skin. Under-activity of thyroxin produces a dry, coarse thickening of skin with reduced ability to sweat.

Hormones affect acne

The oil glands of the skin are in part controlled by the level and activity of the hormone testosterone in the skin. Testosterone is required to produce acne. This outcome can be seen in conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, which produce some elevation in testosterone, which in turn causes increased facial hair, irregular periods and acne. It has also been found that some birth control pills can block testosterone skin reactors to improve some of the consequences of increasing hormone levels. (See Acne Guide for more acne information)
Thinning hair

Hair will thin after menopause. In some women, genetic factors produce significant thinning. Abnormalities in the level of a thyroid hormone, in addition to the amount of iron stored in the body, can influence the volume of hair.

Estrogen encourages hair to stay in its growing phase (Anagen hair). This is seen in the significant thickening of hair towards the end of pregnancy. After menopause, however, the lower estrogen amount allows the scalp hair to grow towards the falling out stage (Telogen hair).
HRT and skin

Post menopausal women will notice that unlike their scalp, facial hairs increase. This is thought to be because estrogen — which opposes the effect of testosterone — drops relatively more after menopause than testosterone.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been used over the last 20 years to combat the signs of aging. HRT can promote a fuller-looking skin because the skin then becomes thicker with less loss of subcutaneous fat. Thinning and drying of vaginal surfaces is also minimized. This can also be achieved by using topical estrogen. The use of estrogen creams has been shown to maintain the elasticity and fullness of skin after menopause, although at this time it is not used extensively because of concerns about side effects and the variability of absorption into the body.

See your doctor or dermatologist to determine which solutions best suits your experience with aging skin.
By Richard Thomas, MD

What Happens When We Age?

With time, certain changes are inevitable. No one can stop the hands of time, but we can slow down the visible effects of aging. The skin is one of the first organs to show signs of aging. Although aging is genetically determined, it is also environmentally modulated, meaning you have control over how you age. Your everyday simple decisions shape how healthy you and your skin will be - it is that simple. In the famous words of George Burns “You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.”

Our cells divide more slowly, and the dermis, or the inner layer of skin grows thin. Fat cells beneath the dermis begin to shrink and skin’s ability to repair itself decreases with age. Wounds heal more slowly and skin becomes vulnerable to injuries and damage. The deeper layers of skin begin to lose their elasticity and ability to stretch. Older skin sags and forms furrows. Because sweat and oil-secreting glands start to waste away, the skin is left without a protective layer of water and fat. The skin is unable to stay as moisturized so it becomes dry and scaly.

Frown lines-which are lines between the eyebrows-and crow’s feet, spread from the corners of the eyes, develop because of permanent small muscle contractions. Gravity does not help the situation, by further contributing to sagging and droopiness. In our modern society, wrinkles have a profound impact on self-esteem, as evidenced by the $12 billion Americans spend each year on cosmetics to hide the signs of aging. The bottom line is that our society greatly values youthfulness.

What are some factors that help expedite the aging process?

Although we have no control over intrinsic factors of aging, such as genetics, you are largely in control of the extrinsic factors. This is where we can make life-altering choices.

The Sun: While some sun exposure is necessary to produce vital Vitamin D, excessive sun exposure is very harmful to the skin. Without protection from the sun’s rays, more than 10 minutes of exposure each day over the years can cause much damage. Freckles, age spots, spider veins on the face, rough and leathery skin, loose skin, a blotchy complexion, skin cancer and many other problems can all be traced to sun exposure.

“Photo aging” is the term used by dermatologists to describe aging caused by sun exposure. The amount of photo aging that develops depends on different factors such as a person’s skin color and their history of long-term or intense sun exposure. People with fair skin are more susceptible to photo aging than those with dark skin. This phenomenon occurs over a period of years. With repeated sun exposure, the skin loses the ability to repair itself, and the damage accumulates. Studies have shown that repeated ultraviolet (UV) exposure breaks down collagen and impairs the synthesis of new collagen. The sun also attacks our elastin causing the skin to become loose, wrinkled, and leathery.

Now, for some good news: how much sun damage you acquire is up to you. You must limit your exposure to the sun as much as possible. When outside, use sun protection products like Vivoderm Zinc cream on your skin to minimize sun damage.

Smoking: You cannot have truly vital skin if you smoke, period. Smoking cigarettes causes biochemical changes in our bodies that accelerate aging. As shown by research, a person who smokes 10 or more cigarettes a day for a minimum of 10 years is statistically more likely to develop deeply wrinkled, leathery skin than a non-smoker. Also, people who smoke for a number of years tend to develop an unhealthy yellowish complexion. Cigarette smoke has also been found to deplete your body of Vitamin C.

The good news is that these signs can be greatly diminished, and in some cases avoided, by quitting. Even people who have smoked for many years, or smoked heavily at a younger age, show fewer facial wrinkles and improved skin tone when they quit smoking. Our bodies have amazing repair capabilities, and once we stop our toxic behaviors, the body will be able to repair itself.

Exercise: Exercise gives you vitality. If you want fresh and youthful skin, physical activity is a must. It not only tones your muscles, but it increases blood flow to all areas of your body, especially your skin. Regular exercise reduces your stress levels, increases levels of oxygen circulating throughout the body, promoting rejuvenation and repair.

Alcohol use: Alcohol contributes to aging of skin by dilating small blood vessels in the skin’s surface. Over time, these blood vessels can become permanently damaged, creating a flushed appearance.

Stress: Not only does stress cause hormonal changes that negatively affect the skin, it also causes undesirable facial expressions that if repeated often enough, do not go away. Simply put, worry and stress cause frowning, and over time, the muscles in the face conform to that movement.

Being conscious of facial expressions can help, but it is more important to monitor your stress level. A good anti-aging skin care and way of life includes meditation, yoga, relaxation, exercise and most importantly, self love.

Lack of sleep: Too little sleep makes you look and feel tired.

Signs of lack of sleep show up on the face in forms of dark circles, baggy eyes, and saggy skin. Sleep deprivation is also a major factor in memory loss and can lead to symptoms of depression including low interest in daily activities and negative thinking.

Research has shown that most adults function best with eight to nine hours of sleep each night. Reduce your caffeine levels, avoid eating at least two hours before bedtime, and maintain a sleep routine that includes going to bed at the same time each night. While we sleep, our skin gets a chance to rest and rejuvenate. Your skin truly does need its “beauty sleep.”

To summarize, here are some very simple concepts for basic skincare:

• Keep your skin clean so that it can breathe

• Give your skin plenty of moisture to keep it looking young and healthy

• Feed the skin key nutrients that it requires to rejuvenate and repair itself repeatedly

• Rid only the top layer of dead cells to promote rapid birth of new cells

• Protect against outside elements to prevent deterioration and/or damage

• Live a healthy life style

In life, there are things we have no control over, such as genetics or the weather, but every day choices that we make have tremendous effect on the quality of our lives. We will all get older, but how we get old is our choice. Some signs of aging are inevitable, but there is so much you can do to look your best at any age. Taking good care of yourself is the most important step in your anti-aging program. Choose the right steps, and choose the right products for your skin.

For more information visit www.vivoderm.com