Skincare Clinic

[GentsLLC Shaving-Skincare]

Thought it might be interesting to start a thread to dispel some common skin myths: 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.

[Relayer]

I did not ask what exactly it entails. It's complimentary service from a new spa in my office park.

I have to admit that I'm a little anxious to see what it does for me, or how it feels when finished. I have no idea what to expect.

Ordinarily, the charge is $90.00. I was wondering how much of an tip I should give the lady.

[Aus_MD]

Thought it might be interesting to start a thread to dispel some common skin myths: 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.

Generally speaking one's hair follicles do not become clogged with cells and oils except when they are diseased eg folliculitis (pimples), comedones (blackheads). I would be interested to see evidence that shows that 'cleansing' the skin has any beneficial effects. Since sebum (hair follicle oil) is thought to contribute to the skin's protective barrier function, theoretically its removal may be deleterious.


Aus

[GentsLLC Shaving-Skincare]

You should be asked to fill out an intake form ( a modified version of what you can expect at the doctor.) Allergies, diabetes and other issues as well as your own goals should govern how the esthetician proceeds. Generally, you can expect a facial cleanse, the use of a steamer to soften the skin, some type of exfoliation (to remove dead skin), possibly extractions (removing blackheads) although I personally am not in favor of this, possibly a mask (to hydrate the skin for example) as well as some facial massage and application of a moisturizer and sunscreen. She will probably write up a regimen recommending products for home usage. It's quite relaxing and the esthetician should be explaining the procedures as she goes along. I personally preferred that clients not shave that morning to avoid any possible irritation during the exfoliation process - I would check with the spa. I hope that removed a little bit of the mystery. Concerning a gratuity, I would follow whatever would be customary in terms of tipping in a restaurant. Here in Manhattan, a good therapist can expect between 15-20% . Let us know how it goes!

[GentsLLC Shaving-Skincare]

Aus - let me clarify. In terms of cleansing the skin, my recommendation would be a mild vegetal cleansing agent (decyl glucoside) for example, in the evening, to remove any debris arising from touching the face, cell phone up against the skin, pollution, etc. This should not "strip" the skin of its protective barrier the way some harsh detergents/surfactants do. Your point about maintaining the barrier function of the skin is quite true. So many people are over exfoliating and it is certainly having a deleterious effect. My point was to debunk the idea that you are cleaning out your pores (hair follicles) with steam. Obviously if there was a skin condition, as you mention, there are specific oil soluble ingredients that would work to reduce sebaceous follicle blockage.

[UptownTopRanking]

Gents,

just curious -- do you recommend using the pore cleansing strips? Or if you don't recommend them, are they at least safe to use and/or effective?

[Relayer]

Well, the facial was done this morning. I had shave a couple of hours before. Next time I will not do that. She applied some liquid (I think she said it was acid something or other). She said it might tingle. Wowser!.. For about 5 seconds after each swipe it felt like a hundred litle needles piercing my face. But it did not last too long, and I didn't mind, too much.

Before she atarted she did ask if I had any allergies. I was surprised that the treatment included some very nice (and fairly extensive) massage on shoulders, neck, arms, hands, some upper back, legs from just below the knee, and feet.

After massaging my hands she placed them in elbow-high thin plastic covers, then in long heated 'mittens'. She then did basically the same thing for my feet.

She applied about 4 different concoctions to my face (naming all of the steps you mentioned, GentsLLC, as she went). No extraction.

Overall, it was a very relaxing eperience. The esthetician was quite pleasant. All talk was in a measured, very calm manner. No hard push of their products.

I may try to put this in my routine, but probably not every 4 weeks as she suggested.

The entire process took almost exactly one hour. I tipped her $20.00.

[GentsLLC Shaving-Skincare]

Did she possibly mention "glycolic acid?" - sounds like it. In any case, you want to make sure to have sun protection on after this and no more exfoliating at home for at least a wk. I'm not a big fan of acids myself, most actually do damage to the skin in order to "initiate repair." That said, a facial is a very nice way to decompress. I read a cute little blurb once likening a mans first facial to a bride from 1950 on her wedding nite. "I didn't know what to expect. I thought it would hurt. Decided to try it and I think I'll do it again" Most men I find avg about one every 8 wks. Keep in mind that you have 60x/mo to take care of your skin at home and so I would definitely place more emphasis on your homecare regimen in terms of maintaining the integrity of your skin. Glad you enjoyed it!

[GentsLLC Shaving-Skincare]

Concerning the safety of the pore strips in terms of ingredients, I would need to know w/c brand in order to find out what is in there. I personally do not favor them simply b/c it's best to avoid physically manipulating the skin. Some clients who have tried them complain of redness and/or irritation and some get stuck on the skin to the point where you need water to dislodge the strip. You should avoid stretching the skin whenever possible whether it's with strips, leaning your face into your hands or beleiving that facial excercise movement are good for you in terms of antiaging. The whole idea behind Botox (not that I favor it) is to relax the muscles and hence relax the skin. What exactly are you trying to achieve - remove blackheads, excess oil???

[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-

[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.

[upstarter]

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.

Which brings me to a question Nicole:

What should we look for in a sunscreen???? I'm SOOOOO confused about UVA and UVB protection. What product(s), including yours i assume, protect against these rays (and others?)?

I have heard good things about this product:

http://www.colorescience.com./1024x768/flash/index.html

It's a powder sun block. Any recommendations?

Thanks,

Upstarter

[GentsLLC Shaving-Skincare]

UVA rays are long wave rays that penetrate deeper into the skin. They cause damage associated with aging and tanning. They penetrate glass (dermatologists see more aging on the left side of a person who drives for example b/c the rays are coming through the glass.) UVA rays are also primarily responsible for causing Melanoma. UVB rays are short wave rays (w/c are filtered by window glass) that are responsible for most of the redness and sunburn. Both UVA and UVB have peak intensities at midday (10-3), significant UVA intensity extends into the other hours of the day as well. UVB rays are stronger at high altitudes and near the equator while UVA is relatively unaffected by altitude and atmospheric conditions. About 72% of the yearly UVB dose is recd during the summer, while about only 48% of the yearly UVA dose is recd during the summer. The SPF that you see marked on a traditional sunscreen is an indication of the protection only from the specific UVB wavelength. Sunscreens that offer partial protection against UVA rays are sometimes referred to as "Broad Spectrum" while products that protect against all UVA rays are called "Full Spectrum." Generally active sunscreen ingredients are either "organic" (containing organic chemical compounds w/c absorb ultraviolet light) or "inorganic" (generally ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium oxide) w/c reflect sunlight. Although "organic" may sound appealing from a marketing perspective, a number of the organic chemical compounds such as octyl methoxycinnamate, oxybenzone, etc. have been found to accumulate in the body and to influence the hormonal system as well as cause cellular toxicity. Also, just to clarify, I do not brand any products. I basically cherry-pick items for their ingredients and effectiveness. I am interested in the product that you mentioned about, however, one of the main active ingredients is titanium dioxide, w/c if absorbed into the skin, has been shown to have negative effects on our DNA. I'm hoping to get info from the company to determine whether or not the titanium actually gets absorbed. Another area of controversy right now is nanotechnology which creates extremely small particles for ingredients (this is why you don't turn white anymore when applying most zinc oxide products.) This technology is used by both Colorscience and UV Natural (the sunscreen w/c I currently offer.) I am currently gathering info to ascertain that there is no apparent problem with the nanoparticles used in either of these 2 products and I feel that either one would be your safest bet at the moment over the chemical sunscreen products. Get 15 min. of incidental sun exposure outside of the most intense hours as mentioned above, as the body needs this to synthesize vitamin D and the sun has proven beneficial in protecting against other cancers. Don't consider anything over SPF30 since it barely affords any more protection given the amount of additional chemicals that have to be added to the formula. Make sure to reapply based on the particular instructions for the product you choose. I hope that I haven't totally confused you. There's just a lot going on in this regard and I couldn't fairly answer you without laying out the whole deck.

[upstarter]

UVA rays are long wave rays that penetrate deeper into the skin. They cause damage associated with aging and tanning. They penetrate glass (dermatologists see more aging on the left side of a person who drives for example b/c the rays are coming through the glass.) UVA rays are also primarily responsible for causing Melanoma. UVB rays are short wave rays (w/c are filtered by window glass) that are responsible for most of the redness and sunburn. Both UVA and UVB have peak intensities at midday (10-3), significant UVA intensity extends into the other hours of the day as well. UVB rays are stronger at high altitudes and near the equator while UVA is relatively unaffected by altitude and atmospheric conditions. About 72% of the yearly UVB dose is recd during the summer, while about only 48% of the yearly UVA dose is recd during the summer. The SPF that you see marked on a traditional sunscreen is an indication of the protection only from the specific UVB wavelength. Sunscreens that offer partial protection against UVA rays are sometimes referred to as "Broad Spectrum" while products that protect against all UVA rays are called "Full Spectrum." Generally active sunscreen ingredients are either "organic" (containing organic chemical compounds w/c absorb ultraviolet light) or "inorganic" (generally ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium oxide) w/c reflect sunlight. Although "organic" may sound appealing from a marketing perspective, a number of the organic chemical compounds such as octyl methoxycinnamate, oxybenzone, etc. have been found to accumulate in the body and to influence the hormonal system as well as cause cellular toxicity. Also, just to clarify, I do not brand any products. I basically cherry-pick items for their ingredients and effectiveness. I am interested in the product that you mentioned about, however, one of the main active ingredients is titanium dioxide, w/c if absorbed into the skin, has been shown to have negative effects on our DNA. I'm hoping to get info from the company to determine whether or not the titanium actually gets absorbed. Another area of controversy right now is nanotechnology which creates extremely small particles for ingredients (this is why you don't turn white anymore when applying most zinc oxide products.) This technology is used by both Colorscience and UV Natural (the sunscreen w/c I currently offer.) I am currently gathering info to ascertain that there is no apparent problem with the nanoparticles used in either of these 2 products and I feel that either one would be your safest bet at the moment over the chemical sunscreen products. Get 15 min. of incidental sun exposure outside of the most intense hours as mentioned above, as the body needs this to synthesize vitamin D and the sun has proven beneficial in protecting against other cancers. Don't consider anything over SPF30 since it barely affords any more protection given the amount of additional chemicals that have to be added to the formula. Make sure to reapply based on the particular instructions for the product you choose. I hope that I haven't totally confused you. There's just a lot going on in this regard and I couldn't fairly answer you without laying out the whole deck.

Not at all. Thanks for clearing everything up for me!!!!

Upstarter

[Aus_MD]

I agree with most of what Nicole has said but have the following observations / caveats:

1. There is no conclusive evidence that melanoma (the most dangerous skin cancer) is caused by UV light, as opposed to visible light or even IR light.

2. SPF only measures the ability of a sunscreen to prevent sun burn. The chemicals in many sunscreens have a very narrow absorption spectrum, and these narrow band sunscreens are most unlikely to protect the skin against all of the harmful effects of excessive light exposure. Indeed, in preventing burning, narrow spectrum sunscreens may allow individuals to become exposed to a greater dose of harmful solar radiation. A broad spectrum, preferably occlusive (ie zinc) sunscreen is theoretically safer.

Aus

[GentsLLC Shaving-Skincare]

1) Let me rephrase my statement on Melanoma and welcome anyone to do further research online. Increased exposure to sun is a risk factor for melanoma.

2) I believe, Aus, that you are echoing my point on the SPF factor as a measurement only for UVB. Concerning the occlusive zinc, I agree with you and in my opinion I feel that it is the safest alternative. Unfortunately, one needs to consider the application of such a product in an esthetic sense as well.

[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

[rtaylor61]

Nicole,

Great post! Can you expound on item #3? BTW, you've never seen my derriere!

Randy

[Opus One]

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.

Nicole,

Close shaving with a manual razor every day may lead to overexfoliation? As long as we use the right aftershave products, is it okay to shave closely with a manual razor daily? Because of the possible overexfoliation (and my laziness), I generally use an electric razor, but I also shave closely with a manual razor a few times a week. Do you think it's better for my skin if I stick with one method?

[GentsLLC Shaving-Skincare]

Randy, Thanks. Since we are about 70% water we really need to keep the water inside us, but our skin needs a little water to soften the protein that helps form the skin barrier. This special water is provided by the bloodstream in a slow, insensible transfer of water from the moist lower layers of the skin up to the top outer layers where it binds to tough protein to make it soft. This process is called TEWL (transepidermal water loss.) TEWL represents more and more water evaporation from the skin as we age. It is critical that the outer layer of the skin be healthy and intact in order to keep this water bound to the cells in the outer layer. Harsh detergents in many soaps and cleansers destroy the moisture holding lipids (fats) in this layer allowing water to escape faster. Secondly, NMF (natural moisturizing factor) refers to the amount of natural moisture our skin manufactures. Due to the slowdown of cell renewal in the epidermis (outer skin) as we age, we produce less and less natural moisture. Obviously, this is a bad combination - producing less moisture (NMF) while at the same time letting more evaporate(TEWL.) So, drink water, don't compromise your skins barrier by using harsh products and overexfoliating so that water will stay in and use a good moisturizer to slow down the water loss allowing more water to remain on the skin bound to your outermost cells. As far as the derriere, I'd stick with the pictures of your shave den

[GentsLLC Shaving-Skincare]

Regarding shaving, I think you should use whatever works best for you although it is my opinion that electric is "harder" on the skin. Do not exfoliate in connection with shaving and make sure to replenish moisture afterwards. I was referring mainly to chemical exfoliants and scrubs. The whole idea of preshave scrubs is ridiculous in my opinion. Would you "pre-sand" a piece of wood before sanding it??? I am going to do a post on exfoliation concentrating on alpha hydroxy acids (like glycolic) and scrubs as soon as I have some more time.

[rtaylor61]

Nicole,

Thanks for the information. And good decision on the "shave den"!

Randy

[Cleveland Brown]

For several days now I have been using Shave Deluxe shaving oil. Bought it at Whole Foods; it's a small tube about the size of a bottle of eyedrops.

So far (3-4 days) I really like this stuff. I use about 6 drops. It doesn't lather, but there's no chafing, scraping, or burning. So far I like it. Maybe after a month I'll feel differently, but we'll see.

[GentsLLC Shaving-Skincare]

I tried to google this product under "shave deluxe" and couldn't find anything. Who is the manufacturer exactly and do you have any contact info from the bottle/box?? Thanks for sharing your find.

[Cleveland Brown]

Nicole, they have a website at www.shavedeluxe.com, but it's pretty light on details. I don't know what are all of the ingredients--I'll have a look tonight. I did notice that they are in Cuero, Texas. I like their oil, which has a light cinnamon-minty scent.