Pityrosporum orbiculare, the yeast that causes tinea versicolor, is present in small numbers on normal skin; regular washing rids the skin of dead skin cells as well as excess yeast. But it can grow in great amounts during the summer months when humidity sky-rockets or when a person’s immune system is weakened and interfere with the normal pigmentation of the skin; resulting in unsightly spots in both light and dark colors.

Teens and young adults, regardless of skin color, are the usual victims of tinea versicolor, and those with oily skin may be more prone to it than those with dry skin. In tropical countries, where humidity and temperature are persistently elevated, people of all ages can suffer from these spots all throughout the year.

What are the symptoms?

Flat spots that range in color from white to pink to tan and brown appear over the upper arms, chest, back, neck and face. They vary greatly in size, from as small as four to five millimeters in diameter to large areas of confluence. Scaling may not be readily evident, but scales may easily be obtained by scraping the affected areas. A mild itch may be present, particularly if a person is sweating or feels hot. When the spots involve the neck or face, it can be very disconcerting.

What can I do about it?

If you think you have white spots or any discolorations of the skin, see a dermatologist. The appearance of the skin is often all that is required to clinch a diagnosis, but microscopic examination of the fine scales can be performed if necessary. When viewed under a special light or chemical preparation, the presence of the yeast can be confirmed.

How it is treated?

Tinea versicolor responds to either topical or oral forms of treatment. Topical antifungal creams, ointments, or shampoos containing selenium sulfide, keteconazole, zinc-pyrithrone, imidazole, or other medications applied directly to affected areas once or twice daily have proven effective. Sulfur soap and salicyclic acid have also been used to rid skin of the yeast. Oral antifungals have been used to treat tinea versicolor resistant to topical applications. In both topical and oral forms of treatment, however, restoration of skin color should be expected several months after yeast has been destroyed. Consult your dermatologist before using any of these medications.

Recurrence is common and medicated cleansers may be needed to prevent relapses. Ask your dermatologist about them. To discourage overgrowth of fungus, keep skin dry and wear thin, loose clothing.

Anti-oxidant vitamins, like Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E are important to healthy skin because it is these vitamins that share in the responsibility of controlling the damage that free radicals, byproducts of energy production within the body and of environmental contaminants, produce. Collagen and elastin, which are fibers that support the skin, are damaged by these free radicals. As these are this damage occurs, wrinkles and a lack of that youthful elasticity begin to take place. Vitamin C is essential in the production of collagen, making it necessary to the look of the skin and its function. Recent studies have even found that the combination of Vitamins C and E can be used to help repair sun-damaged skin.

Small deficiencies of vitamin A can affect skins health and beauty. In addition to its anti-oxidant properties, vitamin A helps eliminate dryness and flakiness to the skin. This dryness makes lines and wrinkles in skin even more apparent than skin that is hydrated.

Vitamin As main use though is as a topical treatment for the reduction of lines and wrinkles and its been found effective against severe acne. Recent studies have found skin treatments that include the combination of Vitamin A and C can in some cases reverse the damage caused by aging and the sun.

Vitamin B deficiencies can lead to cracking, bleeding and even skin legions. These legions can be dangerous because they can allow bacteria, viruses and other contaminants to enter the body through the skin. Even a little shortage of Vitamin B can leave skin looking scaly and badly textured. Creams made with vitamin B have been found to hydrated skin cells, leaving firmer, healthier looking skin.

If youre plagued by dark circles under your eyes, vitamin K has been found to help. Some studies claim that creams made up of both Vitamin K and Vitamin A are more effective than those made with Vitamin K, but research is still being done on this combination.

The minerals Selenium, Copper and Zinc have also been found to improve the look and health of skin. Selenium can be used as a topical treatment or a dietary supplement in an effort to prevent skin cancer. While Zinc, copper and the addition of vitamin C work together to keep skin healthy and firm by forming elastin.

Used correctly by following standard guidelines, vitamins and minerals can be a great way to keep skin looking young and healthy. The key is to recognize that these are powerful substances and care should be taken to use the proper dosage. Not following guidelines could result in effects that can result in serious side effects. Used correctly though, vitamins and minerals can be a welcome addition to your beauty regime.

However, it is necessary to avoid using any body exfoliant on the skin on the face. The main reason for this precaution is that the facial tissue is more sensitive and finer than those tissues of the body.

Tip#2
Something you might not have considered to be beneficial to your skin, yet is key to maintain a healthy glow is drink lots of water. It is often said that the simplest way to clear and supple skin that is no longer dry is to drink plenty of water. Water has long been considered as the most effective natural treatment or an almost free treatment for any skin condition because of its being alkaline, with pH 7.3. It prevents dehydration which is capable of producing sebum or oil from the sebaceous glands. Your skin needs water in order for it to function best, thus doctors and nutritionists recommend that a daily intake of between 6 to 8 glasses of water per day is highly needed.

Tip#3
To maintain and achieve healthier skin you should also watch your diet. Nutrition plays a vital role in skin health too. Specific foods such as those acidic foods and dairy products are said to be potent in causing an allergic reaction in some people. Also, one of the widely debated topics in the area of nutrition today is chocolates. Some say that chocolate does affect the condition of the skin, while others say it doesn’t. Whatever the result may be, the best recommendation is just to follow a nutritious diet that has a number of fresh fruits and green-leafy veggies, as well as fiber.

In order to experience the most beneficial results from using this Revision product please follow these instructions. This product should be used in both your nighttime and morning skincare routines. Using upward strokes begin applying Nectifirm onto the dcolletage area moving your way up to the neck. It is highly recommended that if you are spending anytime outdoors while repairing your skin that you apply a high SPF sunscreen in order to prevent any sun damage to your skin.

The majority of women that have taken advantage of the very advanced technology contained in Revision Nectifirm have reported with regular use that in less the one month of regular use the have seen a drastic increase in the firmness of the skin around their neck area.

Consulting a health care professional is a great step to take before adding a new product to your skincare routine. By making an informed decision to become a user of this wonderful product, you will see for yourself the fantastic things that Revision Nectifirm can do for you and your skin.

Most spas offer a wide range of services, with some of the most common and popular being facials, saunas, massages, and various skin and body treatments. Some spas are devoted to a particular aspect of health, such as weight loss or the treatment of back pains.

When you choose a spa, you should make sure that you speak to other customers who have been there before. In common with much of the health industry, many spas can be somewhat disreputable, charging large amounts to stay and further large amounts for each treatment you take. Some spas take deceptive pricing a very long way, and will threaten you with legal action if you dont pay. This isnt to scare you away from health spas altogether, but simply to warn you to make sure to stick to ones that have a good reputation, where you know what youre getting for your money.

If you dont want to go to a full-blown health spa, though, there are plenty of alternatives. Most of the treatments offered at a health spa are offered by individual practitioners separately, and they are often better at what they do than the staff at a spa. Failing that, beauty salons can also be good places to go for many treatments.

For example, eating salad with a dressing containing fats increases the absorption of these phytonutrients. A study, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (and referenced in Gorgeous Skin by E Angyal) found that those who ate a salad with a low fat dressing had very little alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and lycopene in blood tests taken afterwards. Those who had a full fat dressing with the salad had noticeably higher levels of these carotenes and lycopene metabolites in their blood.

Fats also help produce and regulate hormones, reduce inflammation (the right fats anyway), and prevent eczema, psoriasis, and hair loss.

According to Erica Angyal, you need about 2tbsp, or 20 grams of fats per day so the skin can lubricate itself, and so enough vitamin A can be absorbed. Vitamin A prevents premature aging.

Erica Angyal recommends olive oil, flaxseed oil, walnut oil, pumpkin seed oil, coconut oil, mustard seed oil, avocado oil, soy oil, macadamia oil, and canola oil. She suggests using extra virgin, virgin, cold pressed oils where they are available, as these are always much better quality, and the way they are processed means unhealthy chemical changes to the oils are avoided. Of the oils here, the mono unsaturated oils are olive oil, avocado oil, macadamia oil, as well as the oil from cold water fish, like swordfish, mackerel and salmon. Mono unsaturated oils can reduce wrinkles. The polyunsaturated oils are flaxseed, walnut, pumpkin seed, and canola oil. For the reasons outlined below, I would not personally use these to gain the bulk of needed daily fats. Coconut oil is a saturated fat, but extremely good for you.

Coconut Oil

I love this stuff. Not only does it have a beautiful aroma when it is good quality, cold pressed coconut oil, but it has amazing health benefits that go beyond great looking skin. Aging, including aging of the brain and skin, is associated with a process called ‘peroxidation’. This simply means that free radicals remove an oxygen electron from the fats (lipids) in our cellular membranes. Ultraviolet light, from the sun, causes peroxidation in unsaturated fats, both in the laboratory and in your skin. This increases the rate at which wrinkles form.

And unsaturated fats, like regular vegetable oils, decrease the metabolic rate. Unsaturated fats suppress the response of the body’s tissues to thyroid hormone. Unsaturated fats inhibit the protein digestive enzyme that forms thyroid hormone, as well as damaging the mitochondria in cells, which relates to cellular energy production. Coconut oil counteracts these unwelcome effects of unsaturated fats.

Coconut oil is incredibly versatile. Because it is so stable, it can be used in cooking without becoming hydrogenated. And it doesn’t change the flavor of the food, despite its strong aroma. Coconut oil contains medium chain fatty acids. These are not stored in the cells like other fats but go directly to the liver which converts them into energy. The shorter chain length allows them to bypass the metabolic pathway that other longer chain fats need to use. Coconut oil is the only saturated fat that is good for the body.

Interestingly, Dr Mercola’s website quotes an article by Dr Ray Peat in which he mentions that when so called essential fatty acids were used in patients fed intravenously, their immune systems were suppressed. Consequently, coconut oil is used instead. The only exceptions are in cases where immunosuppression is needed, such as in organ transplant patients. The essential fatty acids are the omega 3 and omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Examples are flaxseed oil, the oils of cold water fish like salmon, evening primrose oil, and sunflower oil.

References:
1. http://www.mercola.com/2001/mar/24/coconut_oil.htm
2. Erica Angyal, Gorgeous Skin In 30 Days (Lothian Books, 2005)

Although there are many reasons for women to have breast augmentation done, some women just do not want big and heavy breasts to deal with. This is the best way to handle this problem. By having this very common procedure done, you can feel confident knowing that you are gong to look and feel better about your body and the way that other people see you.

After having children, womens bodies can change a lot and make them feel very uncomfortable in their own skin. This is the perfect opportunity for women to have a breast augmentation done so that they can get on with their lives and feel sexy and vibrant again. The procedure is there to help these women and these kinds of problems. It may take more than just exercise to get your pre baby body back and with the breast augmentation surgery; women have more options to do just that.

Another form of breast augmentation for women who want to lessen their bra size is reconstructive surgery. Sometimes after childbirth or even with age, a womans breast may start to change the way that it looks in appearance. This could affect the size of the breast and the way that it looks. Having reconstructive surgery will help to restore the look that the breast once had so that women of any size can feel sexy and secure again.

Most forms of breast reductions are done for a medical reason. There are a lot of women who complain of a sore back and bad headaches because they have a larger chest. When this is the case, it is so important for the women to think about doing something about it. With a breast augmentation that reduces the size of the breast, the women will feel like a load as been lifted, literally. They will be able to stand up correctly and have better posture. Not only will they have less back and neck pain, they will also find a new sense of self-confidence that will make them feel better about themselves.

Harmful Ingredients Commonly Found in Skin Care Products and Cosmetics
The following are just some of the synthetic chemicals that have been identified by scientific studies to be harmful to our health.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS)
Often described as being “derived from coconut” to disguise their toxic nature, these chemicals are commonly used in shampoos, toothpaste, foaming facial and body cleansers and bubble bath. SLS and ALS can cause severe skin irritation, and are easily absorbed into the body, building up in the brain, heart, lungs and liver, leading to potential long term health problems. SLS and ALS may also cause cataracts, and prevent children’s eyes from developing properly.

Paraben Preservatives
Parabens are widely used in cosmetics, deodorants, skin care and baby products to prolong their shelf life. They are known to be highly toxic and have caused rashes and allergic reactions. Recent scientific studies in the UK found a strong link between the use of parabens and the increasing rate of breast cancer in women. Researchers found a high concentration of parabens in 90% of breast tumors tested.

Propylene Glycol
Found in many beauty creams, cosmetics and cleansers, Propylene Glycol can cause skin rashes and contact dermatitis, and has been shown to cause damage to the kidneys and liver.

Isopropyl Alcohol
Alcohol is used as a solvent in many skin care products. It causes skin irritation and strips the skin of its natural acid mantle, promoting the growth of bacteria, moulds and viruses. It may also cause premature ageing of skin.

DEA (Diethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine) and MEA (Monoethanolamine)
These substances are harsh solvents and detergents that are used in cosmetics and face and body creams as an emollient. They can cause allergic reactions, and long term use of DEA-based products (such as Cocamide DEA) have been linked to an increase in the incidence of liver and kidney cancer.

Aluminum
A common ingredient in antiperspirants, aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s Disease.

Mineral Oil
Derived from petroleum (crude oil), mineral oil is commonly found as a main ingredient of face and body creams and cosmetics. Baby oil is 100% mineral oil! It coats the skin like a plastic film, clogging pores and stopping the skin from eliminating toxins, which can lead to acne and other skin disorders. Other petroleum based ingredients include paraffin wax, paraffin oil and petrolatum.

Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)
Used as a thickener in skin care products and cosmetics, PEGs interfere with the skin’s natural moisture balance, causing an increase in ageing and leaving the skin vulnerable to bacteria.

Talc
Talc is a soft mineral used in talcum powders and cosmetic powders. Scientific studies have shown that routine application of talcum powder to the genital area is linked with a three-to-fourfold increase in the development of ovarian cancer. Inhaling cosmetic powders containing talc may also be harmful to long term health.

How To Avoid These Toxins
Examine the labels of your cosmetics and skin care products carefully, and learn to recognize ingredients that are harmful to your skin and to your health. Many web sites have lists of potentially harmful ingredients in addition to those shown above (e.g. Environmental Working Group).

Don’t be fooled by the words ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ on the front of the label. Many products contain at least one or two natural or organic ingredients, but they may also contain harmful synthetic chemicals as well.

Whenever possible, choose products with 100% natural ingredients such as essential oils and herbs. Your skin will love you for it!

Never before have personal-care products been so well-stacked against stink. And when it comes to fighting foul odor fast, natural products do the job just as well as those more dependent on chemical ingredients.

Here are some tips to protect against the most unpleasant of body odors using natural products.

* Shower power: A shower is a great pick-me-up that can make you smell and feel fabulous. Ingredients like rosemary, cucumber and peppermint will awaken the senses. Aveda’s Rosemary Mint Hand and Body Wash is a gentle yet effective way to “come clean” without drying out your skin.

* K.O. the B.O.: When it comes to deodorant, look for what is left out rather than what’s put in. Many deodorants contain aluminum chlorohydrate, an ingredient that is believed to clog underarm pores, and propylene glycol, which can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions. Try Nature’s Gate Organics Fruit Blend deodorants, which combine certified organic fruit, floral and herbal extracts with baking soda to neutralize odor.

* Hair affair: Ingredients like ammonium sulfate are harsh and can strip hair of its natural oils, making it dry and brittle. Use a light and fresh shampoo like The Body Shop’s Nettle Oil Balance Shampoo, which helps reduce excess oil with nettle leaf, a natural astringent. Locks end up luscious, soft and clean.

* “Scent-sible” scents: An all-day fragrance is one that’s subtle, not super strong. Fragrances that center around earth-inspired ingredients are enhancing without being overbearing. For hundreds of years, Acqua di Parma has offered a cologne that balances the natural sensuality of Sicilian citrus, lavender and Bulgarian rose.