In young skin, the collagen framework is intact and the skin remains moisturized and
elastic. It's resilient to the many facial expressions we adopt as well as everyday
environmental exposure. Over time, the support structure weakens and the skin loses its
elasticity. The skin begins to lose its tone as the collagen support wears down. Every
time you smile, frown or squint, you put stress on the collagen in your skin. The effect
of these facial expressions is cumulative and facial lines begin to appear.
Our largest organ, the skin, goes through many different phases as we age. Women tend to
age faster then men, due to the various hormonal changes they experience starting with
puberty, then through pregnancy, and ending with menopause. Once menopause sets in, many
women start to notice numerous changes with their complexions, such as, a decrease in
sebum (oil) production, loss of elasticity, and a reduction in the rejuvenation process.
How fast and to what extent the skin ages depend on three factors: your age, genetics,
and lifestyle.
Forget about aging gracefully, in a sense that is giving in. Fight it all the way. You are
never too young or too old to combat the signs of aging. By living and maintaining a healthy
lifestyle throughout your years, you increase your chances of overall balance ---- especially
when it comes to your skin. All of us will have aging skin at some point in our lives, but
with proper care, anyone can have a vibrant complexion and look beautiful at any age.
Basic skin care
(Courtesy of WebMD Medical Reference in collaboration with The Cleveland Clinic)
Your skin reflects your health. It's your body's canvas and one of its most valuable assets.
For good skin care, start developing healthy habits that guard your valued possession from
outer (and inner) forces. It's the only skin you'll ever get, so your daily habits mean
everything. Here are some basic skin care tips:
- Drink plenty of water. The suggested daily water intake is 32 to 48 ounces.
-
Clean and moisturize your skin daily. Wash your face twice daily - once in the morning
and once at night before going to bed. After you cleanse your skin, follow with a toner
and moisturizer. Toners help to remove fine traces of oil, dirt and make-up that you may
have missed when cleansing. Moisturizing is necessary even for people with oily skin.
Buy a moisturizer that is best suited for your skin type (dry, normal or oily).
-
Block the sun. Over time, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun causes many
changes in the skin, including wrinkles, discoloration, freckles or age spots, benign
(non-cancerous) growths such as moles, and pre-cancerous or cancerous growths such as basal
cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. In fact, most skin cancers are related
to sun exposure. Always wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or greater.
-
Seek professional help for skin problems. Skin's not going to be perfect. It can be dry or
oily; it can develop rashes and acne, among many other issues. Address the problem with a
professional skin expert, either a skin aesthetician at your local salon or a dermatologist
for more severe skin problems.
- Eat a balanced diet. Eat a healthy and balanced diet. Avoid fried and greasy foods.
-
Self screening. Over the course of your life, you should pay attention to all parts of your skin.
Familiarize yourself with it, so you'll notice any changes that might occur, such as different
moles or patches that might indicate skin cancer. Whenever you have a question or concern,
make sure you see your doctor.
Main causes of aging skin
-
Free Radicals are loose electrons which freely move around in the body and bounce off of healthy
cells. This causes damage to the cells resulting in inflammation.
-
Skin wounding results from the free radicals attacking the outer layer of the cell structure.
This causes an actual wound to the skin.
-
Inflammation is one of the strongest reasons that skin appears to age. It causes redness, swelling
and a general unhealthy look to skin.
-
Poor hydration comes from the inability of the skin to absorb and retain its natural water content
due to the damage from the above causes.
-
Sun damage results from the increased absorption of the sun's UVA and UVB rays. Because of the
increased strength of the sun's rays, the skin's natural protection is no longer adequate for
natural protection.
med|3 answer to aging skin
med|3's exclusive ingredients are uniquely designed to address all of the
above conditions which lead to the appearance of aging. Every ingredient we use is designed to combat
one of the above causes of aging skin.
For the issue of Free Radicals, we have added anti-oxidants which actually eliminate free radicals and
inhibit other oxidative reactions. These ingredients include Collagen, Algae, Amino Acids, Crithmum
Maritimum, Green Tea Extract and Vitamin E.
To address the issue of skin wounding, we use ingredients that actually help with scar improvement as
well. These ingredients include Collagen, Aloe Vera Gel, Copper Gluconate, Dimethicone Copolyl,
Hydrocotal Extract and Pantethenol (Vitamin B)
To help combat the inflammation that comes from aging, med|3 has added Aloe Vera Gel
Poor hydration is an issue med|3 addresses by using Collagen, Algae, Aloe Vera Gel,
Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone Copolyl, Hyluronic Acid and Pantethenol (Vitamin B)
To provide relief from general irritation, med|3 uses Aloe Vera Gel and Allantoin.
To keep skin pH at an optimum, med|3 uses Triethanolamine.
The last group of ingredients were chosen for their ability to help with skin cell regeneration. These
ingredients include Collagen, Vitamin A, Allantoin and Hyluronic Acid.
Hope in a jar: Do skin creams work?
New antiaging skin creams claim to do as much as a medical procedure -- but can they? Doctor's explain.
By Colette Bouchez
WebMD Feature Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD
You've seen the antiaging skin care claims, in newspapers, magazines, and even online: ominous photos of
hypodermic needles posed along side innocuous, even innocent-looking jars of cream.
The message: A new generation of topical cosmetic creams promises the same wrinkle-relaxing, age-defying
results as some pricey and maybe even some potentially dangerous medical procedures, including Botox and
collagen injections.
But can they? Well if you're skeptical about what you read, you're not alone. Not surprisingly, some
doctors also question the claims and the promises.
"The bottom line is that if these creams could accomplish the same thing as a medical procedure, they
would be drugs and not cosmetics -- and that's what you have to keep in mind when deciding whether to
try or buy," says Marsha Gordon, MD, vice chairman of dermatology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine in
New York City.
Much of the new antiaging treatment technology focuses on compounds called pentapeptides -- small groups
of long chain amino acids that function as chemical messengers throughout the body. Among the most
popular creams boasting the new technology include the Regenerist line by Olay, Strivectin-SD by Klein
Becker, Wrinkle Relax by DDF, and the Principal Secret "Reclaim" line. And while doctors say there are
no published medical studies showing they work, experts involved in product testing say there is ample
science behind the pentapeptide technology.
"It had a very strong pedigree going into the process -- we weren't just looking for the next hope in
the jar, we were really looking at medical science before we started down the path with these products,"
says Lauren Thaman Hodges, director of Beauty Science for Olay skin care products.
Initially, the research on pentapeptides was done in relation to wound healing. As part of the body's
natural response to help skin heal, published studies showed peptides are instrumental in increasing
cells in the skin to produce more collagen.
Collagen is Key
But collagen isn't just for healing boo-boos. It also plays an important role in how skin ages. Gordon
explains that collagen is the support structure that gives our skin a firm, young appearance. When levels
remain plentiful our skin looks young and fresh. When levels decline, we lose that support and wrinkles
begin to form. While collagen injections can temporarily put back some of what we lose, some researchers
believe that topically applying the peptides might have a similar effect -- without the needle.
Source
Basic health care
8 weeks to Optimum Health by Dr. Andrew Weil
1. "Start by going through your pantry and refrigerator to identify and discard common unhealthy foods.
Throw out all oils other than olive oil. Get rid of any margarine and solid vegetable shortenings, and
products (such as cookies and crackers) made with them. Throw out any artificial sweeteners such as
saccharin or aspartame, or any products made with them. Throw out any products containing artificial
coloring, indicated on the label by phrases like "color added" , "artificially colored" or the name of
a particular dye, such as FD&C red #3). Make a commitment to read the labels of all food products
you buy."
2. "Increase your intake of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. If you don't like fish, buy some flax seeds
at a health-food store, grind them, and sprinkle them over some of your food once or twice a week.
Flax is a good source of omega-3."
3. "Make a conscious effort to eat extra servings of fruits and vegetables with at least one meal.
Scientific evidence for the protective effects of vegetables on health is very strong."
4. "Try to walk. If you are already on a program of aerobic exercise, do the walking in addition. The
advantages are numerous. You do not have to learn how to do it. It does not require any equipment, except
a conformable pair of shoes. You can do it anywhere: in cities, parks and even indoors in shopping malls
if the weather is inclement. The chance of injuring yourself is small, in great contrast to running and
competitive sports. You can walk outdoors and enjoy the beauty of nature. You can also walk with friends
and enjoy the company."
5. "Find out where your drinking water comes from, if you don't know, and what impurities it might
contain. Stop drinking chlorinated water. If you don't already have a water-purification system for
your home, get information on one. In the meantime, buy bottled water."
6. "Buy some Japanese green tea and try it. If you drink coffee or black tea, try to substitute green
tea for some or all of your usual beverages. Recently, medical researchers have discovered a number of
health benefits of the tea having to so with its content of polyphenols (catechins). Green tea provides
more caechins than black tea’ĶCatechins lower cholesterol and improve lipid metabolism."
7. "Visit a park or some other favorite place in nature. Spend as much time as you can there, doing
nothing in particular, just feeling the energy of the place."
8. "Try a on-day "news fast". Do not read, watch or listen to any news for a day and see how you feel.
9. "Focus on breath observation for five minutes a day. Pay attention to your mental imagery and make a
few notes on the kinds of images that have a strong emotional impact on you. Think about how you might
adapt them for healing visualizations."
10. "Make a list of friends and acquaintances in whose company you feel more alive, happier, more
optimistic. Resolve to spend some time with one of them this week."
11. "Check your bed, mattress, and sleeping location. Is an uncomfortable bed or noisy bedroom interfering
with restful sleep? Or can you identify some other impediment to getting a good night's rest? If so,
consider making appropriate changes."
12. "Listen to a piece of music that you find inspirational and uplifting. Music has a special power to
influence consciousness’ĶOne of the highest purposes of music is to raise spiritual energy and get us
more in touch with the higher self. If the musical key to your higher self is "Home on the Range" or the
"Marine Hymn", go for it. As with food, one persons meat (or, better, salmon) is another's poison."
13. "Visit an art museum, or view some works of art, sculpture, or architecture that you find beautiful
and inspiring."
14. "Think of some kind of service work that you can do this week, such as volunteering for a few hours
at a hospital, or charitable organization, or helping someone you know who is disabled or shut-in - any
activity in which you give some of your time and energy to helping others."
15. "Reward yourself with especially beautiful flowers for completing this program. Why not also buy
some flowers for someone else?" | 
