:Clear Skin Blog

According to a recent study at the University of Southern California, increased UV exposure lowers the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) by enhancing your cell’s immune responses and increasing levels of vitamin D. Those of you who have read this blog in the past may know that I’m an opponent of the scare tactics often used by those who blow the risk of skin cancer way out of proportion (perhaps to sell more sunscreen), warning people not to go outside without the SPF-15. The truth is that most people today need more sun exposure, not less.

The key factor here seems to be vitamin D, as if often the case. An earlier study had found that women who took vitamin D supplements were 40% less likely to develop MS. Multiple sclerosis is among the most common neurological diseases today, affecting around two million people worldwide. MS can have many symptoms, including visual problems, muscle weakness, depression, and impaired mobility. In the study, researchers looked at 79 pairs of identical twins with the same genetic risk of developing MS. It was found that those twins which spent more hours outdoors were up to 57% less likely to develop MS.

MS is but one of the serious medical conditions that can potentially result from a lack of sun exposure. Most of these conditions are far more serious (sometimes deadly) and far more common than skin cancer which can result from over-exposure to UV rays. To be sure, there is such as thing as too much sun, and you shouldn’t be outside burning your skin to a crisp every day. However, the fact remains that most of us are at a much greater risk of getting too little sun. So get outside! And unless you’re going to be soaking up UV rays for several hours, just leave the sunscreen at home.

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We all know that vitamin C is an extremely helpful vitamin to have around. It’s one of the most widely-used antioxidants throughout the body, promoting countless positive functions, including skin care. Vitamin C is also known for its beneficial effects when taken with other vitamins. For instance, the combination of vitamin C and vitamin B5 is known to have a considerable effect in speeding the healing process. Taking about 400 mg of vitamin C daily is recommended by many nutritionalists. However, as if you don’t have enough decisions to worry about when buying vitamins these days (tablets, capsules, liquid, time-released, etc…), it’s become quite common to see vitamin C packed with an ingredient you’ve probably never heard of: bioflavonoids.

So what are bioflavonoids? The term “bioflavonoids” refers to a class of plant secondary metabolites. Bioflavonoids are natural pigments, producing the colors in many flowers and providing protection for these plants against microbes and some insects. In nutrition, they are most commonly known for their antioxidant properties. Vitamin C and bioflavonoids are often found in many of the same foods, and researchers believe that some of the benefits previously attributed to vitamin C are in fact the work of the bioflavonoids. These include many of the benefits attributed to citrus fruits and even red wines.

Bioflavonoids exhibit fairly low levels of toxicity, making them generally safe for human consumption. Besides the standard boosts to the immune system that most antioxidants provide, there is evidence that bioflavonoids possess a number of other health benefits. They have been found to aid in blood clotting and the maintenance of cell capillaries. Some researchers refer to them as “nature’s biological response modifiers” thanks to their ability to enhance the body’s reaction to allergens, viruses, and carcinogens. Experimental evidence has shown bioflavonoids to show anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-cancer activity. While there is not yet sufficient clinical evidence to confirm all these properties, recent interest in bioflavonoids has led to a number of clinical studies, with more sure to follow. If, as some scientists assume, some of the benefits previously attributed to various vitamins and minerals may actually the work of bioflavonoids, it would mean a bit of a shake up in current nutritional science.

In any case, with vitamin C and bioflavonoids so commonly found together in nature, it’s no surprise that these two ingredients work well with one another. Some reports have claimed that vitamin C and citrus bioflavonoids require each other in order to produce the beneficial effects they have on the immune system. Bioflavonoids help protect vitamin C from oxidation, ensuring your body is able maximize its use of the vitamin. This may be why bioflavonoids have been shown to increase intracellular levels of vitamin C. While some of their benefits may still be questioned, there’s little doubt that bioflavonoids share a synergistic relationship with vitamin C, so that supplement that says “with bioflavonoids” is probably worth it.

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Proper washing habits are important for maintaining clear skin, but many people unwittingly apply bacteria right back to their skin afterwards. The culprit: damp and dirty towels.

I was particularly reminded of this danger the other day while visiting a friend’s apartment. Like most bachelors, his bathroom was not exactly pristine. Now, I’m certainly not a neat freak myself, but when you’re using a visibly dirty towel to dry yourself off, you’re undoing much of the good that washing accomplishes. It’s natural for hand or shower towels to be left damp to let dry, but this, combined with the bacteria and oils that these cloths typically accumulate from your skin, makes for a perfect breeding ground for more bacteria. Yeah, the smell should give it away…

It doesn’t make sense to go through the trouble of washing with your expensive lineup of creams, cleansers and toners if you’re just going to swath a dirty towel across your face the next moment. Be smart and keep these towels clean by regularly washing and changing them. Little overlooked details like this can sometimes make a world of difference. Keep in mind the same logic applies to just about any fabric that is frequently in contact with your skin. For instance, if you suffer from body acne, you might want to look at your clothing habits and try to avoid wearing that same undershirt day after day - and when’s the last time you changed those bed sheets? Keeping your skin clean is a lot easier when the objects that actually touch your skin are less dirty.

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My mother has suffered from plaque psoriasis (dry, red or silvery-white scaly lesions on the skin) on her knees and elbows for years. She was recently hospitalized for an unrelated injury, and during her time at the hospital was given a zinc-based soothing skin cream. The cream was not marketed specifically as a psoriasis or dry skin treatment, but within a week it had worked wonders in reducing the dryness and itchiness, resulting in a clearly visible improvement in her skin condition.

Other “zinc for skin” treatments have been around for years, but many of these were discredited following a scandal in which some manufacturers actually included steroids in their over-the-counter formulations, bringing down the wrath of the FDA. Skin zinc products do continue to sell, but as many have basically been labeled snake oil treatments, there is plenty of skepticism. I was one of those skeptics myself until I saw this cream in action. My mom has tried dozens of mainstream treatments without luck, but the change this product brought on was fairly dramatic - it was certainly no placebo.

I did some research on the product and found a few notable differences between the ingredients used by this product and some others that are specifically marketed to psoriasis sufferers. For one thing, many of the typical products include an exfoliant, such as salicylic acid, which burns away the top layer of dead skin cells. The product my mother used included no strong exfoliants. The other big difference was the type of zinc used. Traditional “zinc for skin” products specifically use zinc pyrithione, while this product used zinc oxide.

Both zinc pyrithione and zinc oxide share the common benefits of zinc, such as its antioxidant and anti-fungal properties. However, while zinc pyrithione has long been a common ingredient in moisturizers and dandruff shampoos, zinc oxide has mainly been used in sun protection creams due to its properties of blocking UVA and UVB solar rays. Zinc oxide usually has the downside of leaving a white film on the skin due to its larger particles, but there are formulations available now which use new manufacturing processes to reduce the particle size, making the cream unnoticeable after being applied. The cream I observed did leave a white film and was fairly thick. It was not quickly absorbed by the skin, but it certainly was powerful.

There are no dangerous side effects reported from topical zinc applications, so if you or someone you know is suffering from a dry skin condition such as psoriasis, a zinc oxide topical cream may be worth looking into. There are a number of clinical tests out there as well, and while I could find no long-term double-blind studies, the evidence seems pretty clear that these products can be of help in many cases. The cream that the hospital provided used a 30% zinc oxide concentration, so I’d recommend finding something with a similar strength for best results.

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The Zeno acne clearing device is getting a lot of press these days, but is it the real solution for your skin? While the cost has fallen from its initial $250 price tag, Zeno is still a fairly big investment for the average acne sufferer (especially after replacement tips), and it’s always smart to do your homework about a new health product. Here’s a brief Zeno review that lays out some of the benefits and downsides of this popular acne gadget.

Pros:

- Zeno’s approach of heat treatment is fairly unique, so if you’re one of those who has had poor luck with typical acne treatments such as those using benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, this presents a more hopeful solution than simply trying another brand of cream or cleanser that still relies on the same active ingredient.

- When properly used, the heat-shock response that Zeno stimulates does kill p. acnes bacteria, which can effectively end many acne blemishes.

- Zeno regulates its temperature to your skin type, providing a safer treatment than most of its imitators or competitors (such as handheld laser acne devices).

- A built-in timer helps make Zeno more user-friendly, beeping every thirty seconds to let you know the device is active and how long you have been applying it.

Cons:

- Zeno needs to be applied for 2 & 1/2 minutes per pimple. This may not be that inconvenient if you only have very mild acne, but if your acne is more in the moderate-to-severe range, using the Zeno device can become a serious exercise in patience. More serious acne spots may also require multiple applications per day, making Zeno far more of a pain to use than standard topical creams or simply taking a pill.

- Currently, the standard Zeno tip is good for 60 uses, and then must be replaced at a cost of about $25. Again, for those with moderate or worse acne this can be equally or more expensive than typical acne treatments, even after the high initial price tag of the device.

- As a topical heat-based device, Zeno’s effectiveness decreases for deeper-lodged cystic acne blemishes, and prolonging the application to try and treat these cysts may result in damage to your skin.

- Zeno targets the p. acnes bacteria, but does nothing about the excess sebum that allows this bacteria to grow in the first place (p. acnes feeds off the sebum secreted by your glands). As such, Zeno does basically nothing to prevent future acne spots from forming.

Zeno is a good idea, and may certainly be a smart choice for those suffering from mild acne who have built up a resistance to treatments such as benzoyl peroxide (BP). However, Zeno definitely has some weaknesses for those with more substantial acne problems, and in practice provides very little benefit over BP-based creams which kill the same bacteria with less effort (and a lower investment) from the user. The lack of effective acne prevention also keeps Zeno from really competing with internal treatments such as vitamin B5 or Accutane.

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It’s been said that vitamin B5 promotes healthy circulation and speeds wound healing, but how does this occur? The healing process is fairly complex, but this should give you a better understanding of the role vitamin B5 plays in healing wounds to your skin.

If you’re seeking clear skin, it’s not always enough just to combat the underlying bacteria in acne. The eruption of acne lesions causes damage to your skin, resulting in inflammation and small wounds. Blood circulation plays a central role in wound healing, as different blood cells are required to clear dead tissue from the area and supply healthy, oxygenated cells to repair the damage. Poor circulation is the primary reason when wounds do not heal as quickly as they should, which is why wound healing can be especially difficult for those with circulatory problems such as diabetes.

There are ways you can enhance circulation to ensure speedy recovery from wounds. Some vitamins and minerals play an important role in this, such vitamin C, vitamin B5 and zinc. These can all affect the ability of your blood cells to quickly reach their destination with as little obstruction as possible, but here I’ll be focusing on vitamin B5.

For red blood cells and platelets to function optimally, they must have the right balance of fatty acids present in their membranes. Fatty acids help membranes maintain their shape and density, which in turn enables the cells to move more naturally in circulation with less resistance. A poor balance of fatty acids can result obstructive blood clotting that interferes with circulation and prevents cells from performing normal functions effectively.

What does this have to do with vitamin B5? Vitamin B5 is chemically converted into coenzyme-A, one the body’s most important catalysts. Among other roles, coenzyme-A is required for the regulation of fatty acids and plays a vital role in essential fatty acid chains. Thus, as vitamin B5 is required to produce coenzyme-A, B5 plays an indirect, but important role in promoting healthy circulation.

It’s speculated that vitamin B5 may aid wound healing in other ways as well, but the mechanisms by which this may occur are unknown. Studies have also found the combination of vitamin B5 and vitamin C to be especially effective in speeding recovery from wounds (as I mentioned in a previous post), so adding 500 mg of vitamin C for every 1,000 mg of B5 may help those who are desperate to repair skin damage as fast as possible.

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