Skin care

Skin; care; pimple; teenager; youth; young; people; cream; moisturiser; tonic;sunscreen; zits; sunbeds; solarium; pregnant; pregnancy; UV; UVA; U.V.; U.V.A; cigarettes; smoking; tobacco ;

Contents

• I want to have beautiful skin!
• Do you get what you pay for?
• Other tips for a healthy skin
• Resources
• References

Is it fate? Is it punishment for that oh so scrummy chocolate bar that you ate? Why is it that just before going on that special date or when preparing for that important job interview a seeminly huge pimple appears prominently on your forehead? You're not alone. We all have these volcanic type pimply eruptions. And what do we all want instead? We all want to have great looking, glowing skin. This topic looks at inexpensive ways of looking after your skin.

I want to have beautiful skin!

Everybody wants to have clear, glowing skin like the models they see in magazines. What you may not realise is that these models often have skin problems too. These are usually hidden by thick 'pancake' make up, or are 'brushed out' when the photographs are developed.

The truth is that you are born with either 'good' skin or 'bad' skin, and you usually inherit your skin type from your parents. Some people will be lucky enough to have smooth clear skin no matter how they treat it. Others will have problems like pimples, dry scaly patches, or really shiny, oily skin even if they look after their skin really well.

Although you cannot change the type of skin you have, there are some things you can do to make sure that your skin looks its very best. The best news is that looking after your skin does not have to cost you a fortune.

Do you get what you pay for?

Millions of dollars are spent on advertising, trying to make you believe that 'secret ingredients' in skin care products will magically 'cure' your skin problems. These claims are exaggerated, and these special ingredients (such as collagen and elastin, etc) are not able to get into the skin's living layers and change the quality of the skin in any permanent way.

Many people also believe that the more expensive a product is, the better it has to be. The truth is that the costs of advertising, and the costs of fancy packaging, are added on to the price of the product. You also pay more for the prestige of using a certain label or brand name. These costs can make up more of the price than the cost of the product itself. Low cost products often work just as well as the more expensive brands.

People tell us that if we want to have great skin, we must follow a beauty routine which includes cleansing, toning, moisturising, night creams, masks and scrubs and any number of expensive products.

If these beauty products don't live up to their promises, what do they actually do? How can you look after your skin without spending more than you can afford? Let's take a look at what these products actually do and other ways you can achieve the same results.

Cleansers

• Having clean skin can give some protection from pimples but don't go overboard.  Too much cleansing, more than twice a day, can actually damage your skin.
• Careful cleansing will remove some impurities and excess skin oils that can block pores and cause pimples and blemishes.
• However, for most people plain old soap and water will do the same job as the most expensive cleanser on the market. Soap and water will also remove most forms of make-up. 
• If your skin is very dry, or sensitive to soap, you may prefer to use low cost sorbolene. 

Toners

• Toners are also called astringents, and clarifying lotions. These are claimed to tighten skin pores, reduce the size of enlarged pores, and 'balance' the production of oil in the skin.
• Research shows that these claims are untrue! Most of these products are made of alcohol or natural 'astringents' that can actually be quite harsh on the skin.
• The alcohol can make the skin feel 'refreshed' or tight and clean (just like men's after shave lotions, which are also alcohol based), but they do this by removing the oils from the skin, not by changing the size of the skin's pores.
• People with dry skin actually need the skin's natural oils and can damage their skin by using toners or astringents.

Toners can be useful for removing excess oils left by cleansers, but again, soap and water will do the same thing. If you like the way toners make your skin feel, it probably won't hurt to keep using them (unless they are too harsh and actually irritate the skin). You can usually get the same benefits from low cost products as you would from the more expensive brands.

Moisturisers

• Even though there is not a lot of scientific evidence that moisturisers make a difference, they can make the skin supple and therefore more resilient.  There is some evidence that some ingredients in some moisturisers can protect skin.  Read the directions before using them.
• Most people do not need 'moisturising' because the skin has its own way of keeping its moisture levels 'balanced'. But, if you like the way moisturiser makes your skin feel, go ahead and use it. Remember, you don't need to pay a fortune for a fancy product.

Other tips for a healthy skin

Sun protection

If you are serious about looking after your skin, and want to stay looking young, there is one thing that you must do - protect your skin from the sun. Exposure to the sun is the single biggest cause of damage to the skin's outer layers, and early 'aging' of the skin. 

• Try to protect your skin from the sun wherever possible, by staying out of the sun if you can, wearing a sunhat and clothes that cover your skin (and sunglasses).
• If you are outside, use a 30+ sunscreen which is "broad spectrum" (this cuts out UVA and UVB rays). Remember to follow the instructions on the sunscreen, and to reapply the sunscreen regularly throughout the day and after swimming. Many people do not apply enough sunscreen. For example, you need at least one full finger length amount of cream for each arm.

Cigarettes and Alcohol

• Drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes can dull the complexion and damage the quality of the skin.  This is because the nicotine in the tobacco smoke narrows the blood vessels taking oxygen to the skin via the blood stream.
• The skin with less oxygen takes on a greyish tinge. 
• Fine lines and wrinkles appear because the skin is dry and less elastic. 
• The tar in tobacco smoke also stains your teeth and fingers (turns them yellow). Read further about smoking in our topics Cigarettes and smoking and Passive smoking.  See also the OxyGen web site http://www.oxygen.org.au  

Healthy Eating/ Physical Activity.

Eating healthy food and getting regular exercise will help keep your whole body healthy. If your body is healthy and working properly, this will be reflected in the quality of your skin and the clearness and 'glow' of your complexion.

Warnings about solariums

 All UV light, including UVA, causes premature aging and wrinkling, and all forms of UV light contribute to the development of skin cancer. No solarium can give a safe tan.

For more information have a look at the topic 'Solariums (tanning salons)'.

Resources

South Australia

• If you are concerned about skin problems or skin care, you should talk to either your local doctor or chemist for information about possible treatments.
• See the Cancer Council of South Australia for more information about skin protection.
  www.cancersa.org.au 

References

Cancer Council of South Australia for more information about skin protection.
www.cancersa.org.au 

Cooke, K. 'Real Gorgeous' Allen & Unwin , 1994.

The information on this site should not be used as an alternative to professional care. If you have a particular problem, see a doctor, or ring the Youth Healthline on 1300 13 17 19 (local call cost from anywhere in South Australia).