News
VAIL, Colorado — t's awards season in Hollywood. A time of red carpet glamour where actors are analyzed from head to toe. There will be articles written about how they prepared so that we too may use the same thing and be red carpet ready.
Every beauty consultant has their own opinion of the best way to take care of our skin. They often contrast with each other, much like the votes for best film of the year.
Every movie has its leading roll. Contrary to popular belief, in skin care, that leading roll does not belong to products. The award for leading roll goes to … drum roll please … your health.
That old phrase — you are what you eat — plays true here. We have all been warned that chocolate will cause acne. I am not sure it gets the villain role it has so often been cast in, but there is some truth to that statement. Sugars and saturated fats do play havoc with skin of all ages. They can clog the skin, creating a dull appearance and blemishes, and even speed up aging by a mechanism called glycation.
On the other hand, fresh fruits and vegetables enhance skin's appearance and health. Key nutrients found in these foods are omega oils, selenium and zinc. They also provide antioxidants that protect our skin from the environment. Anti-oxidants help preserve skin's integrity and clarity against aging, acne, dry skin, skin cancer and many other conditions.
Now it is the time to consider the supporting actors. Here is where the cosmetic industry comes into play. A few years ago the top dermatologists in the country discussed what they use to maintain healthy skin. Three products were used by all of them: daily sunscreen, topical anti-oxidants and vitamin A. These three things can treat and help prevent many of the skin conditions we battle with daily.
You might think, that is great, but there are hundreds of products on the market that fit into these categories. This is where a trained expert can come in helpful to help you tailor skin care for your needs. For example, if you are acne prone, you want to make sure your sunscreen is non-comedogenic — that means it doesn't clog your pores. On the other hand, if your skin is more mature and needs more moisturizing, there are many sunscreens that combine moisture with sun protection.
Lastly, it is important to be aware of any chemicals you are exposed to in your environment, including ones that are going on your skin. These chemicals are like extras in a movie — they move around and fill up space.
The FDA only restricts the use of 10 chemical ingredients in the products distributed in the United States. This is in contrast to the 1100 chemicals banned by the European Union. If you are curious about the health of your products, here is a Web site that rates cosmetics and the ingredients in them according to potential health hazards — www.safecosmetics.org.
To keep your skin worthy of an academy award, eat healthy and use a few basic skin care products that are free of chemicals and tested to be effective.
Kerry Ferguson is a board certified naturopathic physician specializing in dermatology and chronic illness. Following the completion of her residency in integrative dermatology, she has joined Deborah Wiancek at Riverwalk Natural Health Clinic.
Every beauty consultant has their own opinion of the best way to take care of our skin. They often contrast with each other, much like the votes for best film of the year.
Every movie has its leading roll. Contrary to popular belief, in skin care, that leading roll does not belong to products. The award for leading roll goes to … drum roll please … your health.
That old phrase — you are what you eat — plays true here. We have all been warned that chocolate will cause acne. I am not sure it gets the villain role it has so often been cast in, but there is some truth to that statement. Sugars and saturated fats do play havoc with skin of all ages. They can clog the skin, creating a dull appearance and blemishes, and even speed up aging by a mechanism called glycation.
On the other hand, fresh fruits and vegetables enhance skin's appearance and health. Key nutrients found in these foods are omega oils, selenium and zinc. They also provide antioxidants that protect our skin from the environment. Anti-oxidants help preserve skin's integrity and clarity against aging, acne, dry skin, skin cancer and many other conditions.
Now it is the time to consider the supporting actors. Here is where the cosmetic industry comes into play. A few years ago the top dermatologists in the country discussed what they use to maintain healthy skin. Three products were used by all of them: daily sunscreen, topical anti-oxidants and vitamin A. These three things can treat and help prevent many of the skin conditions we battle with daily.
You might think, that is great, but there are hundreds of products on the market that fit into these categories. This is where a trained expert can come in helpful to help you tailor skin care for your needs. For example, if you are acne prone, you want to make sure your sunscreen is non-comedogenic — that means it doesn't clog your pores. On the other hand, if your skin is more mature and needs more moisturizing, there are many sunscreens that combine moisture with sun protection.
Lastly, it is important to be aware of any chemicals you are exposed to in your environment, including ones that are going on your skin. These chemicals are like extras in a movie — they move around and fill up space.
The FDA only restricts the use of 10 chemical ingredients in the products distributed in the United States. This is in contrast to the 1100 chemicals banned by the European Union. If you are curious about the health of your products, here is a Web site that rates cosmetics and the ingredients in them according to potential health hazards — www.safecosmetics.org.
To keep your skin worthy of an academy award, eat healthy and use a few basic skin care products that are free of chemicals and tested to be effective.
Kerry Ferguson is a board certified naturopathic physician specializing in dermatology and chronic illness. Following the completion of her residency in integrative dermatology, she has joined Deborah Wiancek at Riverwalk Natural Health Clinic.
