Skincare Clinic

[GentsLLC Shaving/Skincare]

Thought it might be interesting to start a thread to dispel some common skin myths: Myth #1 SAUNAS AND PERSPIRATION THROUGH EXERCISE CLEAN THE SKIN - Dirt, impurities and clogged pores occur in the hair follicle. They are the result of a mixture produced by the oil and cells present in the hair follicle. Cleansing the skin means eliminating impurities from these pores. Perspiration is not a cleanser. At best, it may help clean the tiny opening of the SWEAT pores, but perspiration will not cleanse the pore made by the hair follicle, the pores through which oil is secreted.

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Nicole Sommers
www.gentsllc.com
nicole@gentsllc.com

[mantic]

[GentsLLC Shaving/Skincare]

Mark, the skin after exercise for example, is warm and moist. Once the hair gets softened from the moisture, it's weaker and is about 70% easier to cut - same reason why you want to optimally shave after the shower. This has nothing to do with the warmth cleaning out your pores. I hope that answers your question.

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Nicole Sommers
www.gentsllc.com
nicole@gentsllc.com

[khari]

I heard this myth mentioned many times and I had assumed it was true. Thanks for clearing it up.

[GentsLLC Shaving/Skincare]

You're most welcome. Stay tuned for "The Skin Breathes," posting tomorrow.

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Nicole Sommers
www.gentsllc.com
nicole@gentsllc.com

[GentsLLC Shaving/Skincare]

Put your hand over your mouth and your nose and see how long you can do this. We breathe air into our lungs w/c is then circulated about the body by the blood stream. The skin does respire - it uses some oxygen from the blood stream and does create some carbon dioxide, but only on the inside! The skin in fact uses very little oxygen compared to the other organs and prefers to do its metabolic thing w/o the help of oxygen (anaerobic metabolism.) Many clients have expressed their hesitancy about using a nite cream (if they tend to be dry for example,) because their skin has to breathe. Now that we have debunked this idea, go ahead and apply as the skin loses more moisture at nite. The supposed means of getting air into the skin is through the pores and we'll be addressing these mysterious little openings in the skin in the next post.

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Nicole Sommers
www.gentsllc.com
nicole@gentsllc.com

[Red Bob]

Nicole! Welcome to SMF

After contacting Nicole of Gents, LLC, she graciously answered all of my questions and let me just say: she knows stuff, gang!

PLUS, after I contacted her, she generously offered to send me samples of several products, including the shea butter shave cream, which I'm interested in sampling. I will post an update/review of the products once I get them in the mail.

I highly recommend seeking the advice and expertise of this knowledgeable and classy lady.

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“When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves.” Viktor Frankl

[GentsLLC Shaving/Skincare]

A question that certainly begs a diagram http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/anatomy/skin/ - scroll down a bit on that page. Skin pores are actually openings in the top of the skin that hook onto just two structures inside the skin, sweat glands and sebaceous (oil) glands. THEY NEVER GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SKIN, as some people believe. They are merely little pipes that let things out of the skin, not into the skin. (Though some materials applied to the skin may travel along the sides of these pipes down to the glands, air is not one of these materials.) We are also born with a pore size which is determined by genetics. If the pores become enlarged, they cannot be reduced to a size w/c is any smaller than the diameter of the genetic pore. If the pores become enlarged, they cannot be reduced to a size w/c is any smaller than the diameter of the genetic pore. This is not a typo and it would certainly behoove those who are "pore obsessed" to reread this statement and repeat before bedtime Certain pores are the openings for hair follicles, each of which has a muscle attached to it, an erector pilli muscle. It is the contraction of this muscle that gives us goosebumps! In relation to shaving, massaging in the cream or shaving soap plumps up the erector pilli muscle, which serves to push the facial hairs up for the cut. Have a great holiday all-

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Nicole Sommers
www.gentsllc.com
nicole@gentsllc.com

[Sam]

Nicolle: Interesting on the erector pilli. Tell me any tips you may have for when we have gotten most of the beard but we have say "problem" spots, be they where we get irritated, or like me, areas that just still have stubble remaining, say under the jaw line at the chin, and then the hollows of the neck at the adams apple and adjacent thereto.

Sam

[Red Bob]

Gang,

See my review of some of Nicole's products here:

Gents, LLC product review

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“When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves.” Viktor Frankl

[GentsLLC Shaving/Skincare]

Concerning the sauna followed by cold water/snow, I believe that this is done to invigorate the circulation and encourage blood flow in the body in general. This can be put into practice during a facial massage, alternating dipping the hands in hot and cold water. I wanted to dismiss the idea that you can "sweat out" impurities from your pores. I hope that I have clarified that.

_________________
Nicole Sommers
www.gentsllc.com
nicole@gentsllc.com

[GentsLLC Shaving/Skincare]

Sam-Some problem spots might be where the whiskers are toughest, like the moutache and chin. In general, it is recommended to shave the chin next to last and the moustache last since the shave cream will have had a chance to remain on these areas for a longer period of time to soften the hairs. I would use this same idea for the areas where you are having problems. I would also reapply cream for additional passes to avoid irritation. Also, try leaving the cream on longer (say 3-5 min.) before you even begin to shave. Hope that helps.

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Nicole Sommers
www.gentsllc.com
nicole@gentsllc.com

[GentsLLC Shaving/Skincare]

Your skin is the first barrier against immunological aggressors, thanks to the Langerhans cells. These cells are formed in your bone marrow and migrate to the skin. As the major immune cell of the skin, their job is to engulf foreign bodies, carrying them to the lymphatic system for process and elimination. They are extemely important in maintaining the body's integrity and may also play a role in locating and eliminating abnormal growths. Unfortunately, they are ultraviolet radiation (UVR) sensitive, and are easily harmed by UVR. So next time you're thinking about applying sunscreen to either avoid a sunburn or for antiaging purposes (the sun is responsible for about 70%), think about protecting your immunity, as the Langerhans cells are the key sentinel on your skin.

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Nicole Sommers
www.gentsllc.com
nicole@gentsllc.com

[GentsLLC Shaving/Skincare]

Aging can be broken down into two primary causes: genetic aging and environmental aging. Genetic aging occurs when our skin's cells begin to degenerate, and the time it takes for these cells to begin to wear out is determined by our DNA. Unfortunately, we can do little to change our inheritance; the good news is that it only accounts for about 30% of our skin's aging. Environmental aging factors are sun, wind, airborn pollutants, medications, smoking, alcohol, poor diet choices and more. Environmental aging accounts for nearly 70% of the aging process and the good news is that this is where we have the most control. So, here's the best ways to fight back in a top 10 countdown, David Letterman-style:

10: Don't skip your home care. You have 60 opportunities a month to nourish, hydrate and protect your skin against environmental damage. Make use of it.

9: Get regular facials. Don't miss out on the more intensive therapy of professional treatments. A deep facial massage every 6 weeks will not only help release deeply embedded toxins, it will also flood skin tissues with fresh, re-oxygenated blood that will bring a metabolic boost to the skin's cell renewal. The treatment is also a great way to decompress and is an opportunity for early detection of skin abnormalities and skin cancer.

8: Manage and reduce stress. The skin acts as a virtual mirror of our inner turmoil, thus accelerating the aging process. Regarding the facial above, facial masage that incorporates digital acupressure is especially impt b/c it affects our body's parasympathetic nervous system, w/c goes "out of whack" when we are overly stressed.

7: Stop overexfoliating. We love it a bit too much. The skin sheds when an irritating acid or chemical is applied and because of this, there is a certain amount of irritation that comes with exfoliation. More is not better. You must allow for "rest periods" between treatments.

6: Counteract inflammation. When the skin is injured in any way, be it through sunburns, the assault of constant exfoliation or any of a long list of other things, the inflammation cascade weakens our skin, breaks down it's defense mechanisms, accelerates aging and free-radical damage and impairs the skin from being able to repair and regenerate itself. The answer to this problem is to minimize exposure to inflammation. The biggest inflammatory aggressors against skin are UV exposure, free radicals and the overuse of harsh acidic and irritating products.

5: Minimize glycation. Glycation is a process that occurs throughout our bodies and increases with age. A sugar molecule bonds with a protein molecule and the protein becomes a "glycated protein," and it becomes weak, brittle or even fractured, making it extremely vulnerable to a free-radical attack. If your diet is high in sugar, it increases the level of glycation throughtout the body and skin. Proteins in our skin, mainly collegen (the skin's foundation,) becomes glycated and very vulnerable to the attack of aging free radicals.

4: Consume vitamins and antioxidants daily. Topically and internally. The skin is nourished to a certain extent by the circulatory system but it's not enough. Internal organs get "first dibs" on ingested vitamins. Make sure that your skincare has nutrients like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

3:Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Much of our skin's aging process is simply caused by our cells losing moisture. W/o moisture, cellular metabolism cannot occur. Unfortunately, as we age, more and more water evaporates from the skin and because of the slowdown of cell renewal as we age, we produce less and less natural moisture.

2: Become a sunscreen zealot. There is no such thing as a safe suntan. If you think a taning bed is safe, it's actually worse than hitting the beach unprotected. Ever think about why your derriere has no wrinkles?

1: Accept the fact that prevention is easier and cheaper than correction later on.

Best-Nicole

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Nicole Sommers
www.gentsllc.com
nicole@gentsllc.com

[GentsLLC Shaving/Skincare]

Four reasons to avoid regular use of AHA's (like glycolic acid.)1) They are not physiologically compatible since the ph is too low for normal skin. They alter skin enzymes and denature other skin proteins.

2) They cause an inflammatory reaction in the skin by inducing damage to skin cells. It is the repair process induced by this damage that provides some apparent benefit to the skin, but continued use exhausts this process in many individuals.

3) While the skin must normally exfoliate (shed dead cells,) any excess exfoliation will induce an immature population of cells on the skin surface, cells which are not prepared to defend the skin against environmental dangers.

4) There are so many safer and more effective methods to exfoliate, such as natural enzymes, gentle washcloth, seaweed, etc. that IMO the use of AHAs are not justified.

Check to see if you are using too many products with actives like cleansers and moisturizers containing glycolic acid. I have even heard of cases where people are requesting glycolic peels before a microdermabrasion treatment at the spa - a recipe for disaster including the potential for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (spots.) I hope to do the next post on "diabetic skin."
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Nicole Sommers
www.gentsllc.com
nicole@gentsllc.com

[GentsLLC Shaving/Skincare]

Diabetes can affect every organ of the body, especially the body's largest one-the skin. As far as facials are concerned, diabetics generally benefit from facials designed for sensitive skin. Any facial treatment that improves the circulation, texture, hydrates and incorporates lymphatic drainage will encourage cellular turnover and repair. Try to drink plenty of water and avoid extreme temperatures when bathing the body and washing the face. Use caution if waxing any areas of the body since bruising is a common side effect in diabetics, who heal slowly due in part to the thinness of the skin. Since there is a lack of proper circulation and blood flow, there is generally an accumulation of dead or hardened skin cells. Insulin resistance affects the hair follicles as well, so diabetic's skin sporadically may be hairless. Gentle enzyme peels often help to remove excess dead skin cells (just make sure if using on the body to keep away from the injection site to avoid irritation) and I would caution the use of acid products due to the diabetic's photosensitivity and reactive and sensitive skin. Sunscreen should be used daily. To improve circulation, diabetic skin will benefit from stimulating ingredients like algae extracts, menthol and eucalyptus which increase blood flow by dilating the blood vessels just under the skin. Algae will also help to moisturize the skin in order to maintain the lipid barrier. This is extremely impt for diabetics since they are prone to skin infections due to severely dry and often cracked skin. Healing agents such as chamomile extract are good to use as well. Obviously, diet, exercise and medication are important. However, in order to prevent skin complications, it is crucial to maintain the skin's natural moisture barrier and healing function. This can be accomplished with dedicated care, using products containing a higher percentage of key ingredients to be effective for this specific skin condition

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Nicole Sommers
www.gentsllc.com
nicole@gentsllc.com

[Austin]

Nicole, as a diabetic I can appreciate this information on skincare. Luckily, my diabetes is under control and I do not suffer many of the ailments that afflict folks like me. Keep up the good work.

[GentsLLC Shaving/Skincare]

Thanks, Austin.

Just some news. Recently the FDA proposed a ban on over-the-counter sales of skin-lightening products. These products typically contain hydroquinone, a possible carcinogen also linked to a skin-disfiguring condition called ochronosis. Symptoms include darkening and thickening of the skin, tiny dome-shaped bumps and grayish-brown spots. Under the proposed FDA rule, all skin-bleaching products -prescription and over-the-counter would be considered new drugs. Manufacturers would have to get FDA approval to sell them , and only then with a doctor's note - FYI

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Nicole Sommers
www.gentsllc.com
nicole@gentsllc.com

[GentsLLC Shaving/Skincare]

A note on benzoyl peroxide as an ingredient:

While benzoyl peroxide does effectively kill the bacteria that are known to be part of acne, one of the side effects is an increased presence of oxygen free radicals, which may affect endogenous cells and lead to accelerated skin aging. Peroxides are not strictly selective for bacteria and so they can also alter other cells. If you insist on using benzoyl peroxide, please make sure to use it sparsely and exclusively on acne-prone areas. This is part of the reason why I could never understand the interest in oxygen treatments.
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Nicole Sommers
www.gentsllc.com
nicole@gentsllc.com

[jallen013]