Five Skin-Care Myths and Miracles :: Beauty

Five Skin-Care Myths and Miracles
by author Sonya Bass, CH

Five Myths of Skin Care

Myth 1: Sunscreen stops skin cancer

Sunscreens give a false sense of security. Designed to block sunrays for short periods of time to prevent burning, they cannot extend the duration of your exposure to the sun. Protecting the skin from burns inflicted by the sun takes more than just sunscreen. Hats and light shirts are common sense precautions, as is staying out of the sun, especially when UV levels are at their highest between 11 am and 3 pm. Use sunscreens with discretion and check the ingredients.

Myth 2: Soap is the best skin cleanser

Washing your face with soap and water morning, noon, and night can wash away skin’s natural protective barrier, which shields us from germs and infections. So wash dry skin only once a day: wash oily skin no more than twice a day. Look for a natural skin cleanser with a pH similar to that of skin, around 4.8 to 5.2.

Myth 3: Acne only happens to teenagers

One important fact of life that confirms you are truly a teenager is the appearance of acne. Important days in your life, such as grad night or a first date, guarantee those spots will pop up. Touch or squeeze a pimple and it turns into a seemingly massive red blotch. Hope lingers that the “A” word will disappear from your vocabulary as soon as you leave your teen years. This simply isn’t true. For women-fluctuating hormones while on the birth control pill and during pregnancy and monthly cycles all trigger acne. No matter how young or old you are, when stress bubbles up inside, spots and pimples will appear to add to your misery. Take them as a sign to de-stress.

Myth 4: The more you pay the better the product

Yes, in some ways we do get what we pay for. Unfortunately, what we pay for when we buy expensive skin creams is a huge budget for advertising and promotion, lavish packaging, and fancy jars that look good in the bathroom. Simple home remedies are often equally effective.

Myth 5: Wrinkles are hereditary

Lifestyle dictates the number of wrinkles we accumulate over the years, not heredity. While smoking gives us a good headstart, sunburn embeds wrinkles even deeper. Poor diet and dehydrating drinks of coffee, alcohol, and pop all ensure our skin will look like leather. Don’t blame your grandmother. Wrinkles aren’t in our family genes, but in our lifestyle choices.

Five Miracles of Skin Care

Miracle 1: The healing gel

Aloe vera is a lopsided, spiny succulent that holds a natural pharmacy of skin-care nutrients. The soothing gel scooped from aloe vera leaves will bring almost instant relief from sunburn, radiation burns, household burns, and scrapes.

It is an amazing healer, anti-inflammatory and cell-growth promoting herb. Aloe vera contains an alphabet of vitamins, including B₁₂, which is rarely found in plants. Aloe vera also provides 20 of the 22 amino acids and seven of the eight amino acids the body requires. It is a traditional healing herb in India, Hawaii, and all countries where it is indigenous. Anecdotal tales of the health benefits of aloe date back to pre-Egyptian times. Modern-day studies continue to reveal the healing power of this gelatinous wonder.

Miracle 2: Petal soft and soothing

Stress and the pollutants we encounter every day are causes of fine lines and wrinkles. Chamomile creams, rich in levomenol, help to improve skin texture and reduce these signs of aging. Chamomile soothes and heals rashes, scrapes, and wounds. The volatile oil of chamomile reduces inflammation, stimulates tissue healing, moisturizes, and refreshes. As an effective antiseptic it should be included in every home first-aid kit. How such a pretty, yet insignificant, little plant can offer such a range of healing power is one of nature’s miracles. Chamomile-even the name is gentle.

Miracle 3: Australia’s gift to skin care

Tea tree oil is the skin-care lotion for troubled times. Traditionally used by the aboriginal tribes of Australia, this plant has seemingly endless properties: antiseptic, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory-the list goes on. Tea tree oil helps heal broken skin, it fights the germs of an infection, and it encourages healing by forming new tissue. Dry, cracked lips respond readily to lip salve containing tea tree oil. More healing powers of this incredible tree are gradually being discovered.

Miracle 4: Exfoliating foods

Apples, grapes, milk, and yogurt are not only the ingredients for a healthy breakfast, they are the source of Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs). These food-based acids are the skin cleansers of the cosmetic industry, used in many skin creams, lotions, and masques. AHAs safely and gently remove dead cells from the surface of the skin revealing a fresh healthy complexion. Dead cells give the skin a greyish, tired look. When these are removed, fresh new cells form the skin’s surface. AHAs are miracle rejuvenators. Following a weekly or every-other-week exfoliation with AHAs, the skin is very susceptible to sunburn: a sunscreen should be used even on a cloudy day.

Miracle 5: Silica for smooth silky skin

Horsetail is never welcomed by gardeners, but don’t expect to get rid of it soon. This plant is a member of the Equisetaceae family, which formed the primitive forests that covered the earth millions of years ago. Horsetail is one of the plants richest in silicon that is essential for strong cell structure. Collagen supplements containing horsetail bring strength and elasticity to skin tissue. Silica is available as a liquid supplement and in tablet form. As silica is difficult to absorb, shampoos and moisturizers containing silica are not very effective.

References available upon request. Sonya Bass is a chartered herbalist who has worked in the natural health industry for the past 17 years. She lives in White Rock, BC. E-mail: sonyabass@telus.net. We welcome your feedback at editorial@alive.com.

Source: alive #252, October 2003

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