Skin Care
Skin Color Gives Clues to Health
Researchers from the universities of Bristol and St. Andrews in the United Kingdom have found that the color of a person's skin affects how healthy and therefore attractive they appear; They've found that diet may be crucial to achieving the most desirable complexion.
The research will be published in the December issue of Springer's International Journal of Primatology.
Using special computer software, a total of 54 Caucasian participants of both sexes were asked to manipulate the skin color of male and female Caucasian faces to make them look as healthy as possible. They chose to increase the rosiness, yellowness and brightness of the skin.
Most previous work on faces has focused on the shape of the face or the texture of the skin, but one of the most variable characteristics of the face is skin color. "We knew from our previous work that people who have more blood and more oxygen color in their skins looked healthy, and so we decided to see what other colors affect health perceptions. This has given us some clues as to what other skin pigments may relate to a healthy appearance." explained the researchers.
Skin that is slightly flushed with blood and full of oxygen suggests a strong heart and lungs, supporting the study's findings that rosier skin appeared healthy. Smokers and people with diabetes or heart disease have fewer blood vessels in their skin, and so skin would appear less rosy.
The preference for more golden or yellow-toned skin as healthier might be explained by the "carotenoid pigments" that we get from the fruit and vegetables in our diet. These plant pigments are powerful antioxidants that soak up dangerous compounds produced when the body combats disease. They are also important for our immune and reproductive systems and may help prevent cancer.
Interestingly, they are the same dietary pigments that brightly colored birds and fish use to show off their healthiness and attract mates, and the researchers think that similar biological mechanisms may be at work in humans.
"In the West we often think that sun tanning is the best way to improve the color of your skin, but our study suggests that living a healthy lifestyle with a good diet might actually be better." said the head of the Perception Lab at the University of St. Andrews, where the research took place.
Melanin, the pigment that causes the tan color when skin is exposed to the sun makes the skin darker and more yellow, but participants in the study chose to make skin lighter and more yellow to make it look healthier.
What we eat and not just how much we eat appears to be important for a healthy appearance. The only natural way in which we can make our skin lighter and more yellow is to eat a more healthy diet high in fruit and vegetables.
Reference: Facial skin coloration affects perceived health of human faces. International Journal of Primatology
Tomato-Nutrient Lycopene Boosts Skin Carotenoid Levels...
Oral Intake of Lycopene May Boost Skin Levels of Lycopene & Beta-Carotene. A New Study Examines How Antioxidants-Carotenoids Are Beneficial For Helping Support Skin Health.
The increase in beta-carotene levels in the skin was proposed to be due to the carotenoids acting as protective chains in the skin, state the researchers in the European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics. The research work is an important foundation in increasing the knowledge and level of confidence of carotenoids' benefits for the nourishment of skin and its valuable protective properties.
"Accumulation of lycopene and beta-carotene in the skin provides protection against UVA and UVB radiation and is effective for a full day's protection," explained the researchers.
As an antioxidant, lycopene has been shown to have heart, blood pressure, prostate, osteoporosis, skin and other benefits and it has been recently received extensive media attention for its value in nutritional healthcare.
A research team from the Berlin-based "C.R.O" the Clinical Research Center for Hair and Skin Science, performed a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized study with 25 volunteers (average age of 25-26 years.) The subjects followed a lycopene-deprived diet for four weeks prior to the study and then until the end of the study, and were given either LYCOPENE 25 mg supplement or placebo for a further 12 weeks.
Using Raman spectroscopy technology to measure the nutrient levels, the researchers noted people in the lycopene supplement group experienced significant increases in lycopene and, interestingly, beta-carotene levels in the skin.
"Thus, oral supplementation with lycopene led to an enrichment of beta-carotene in human skin, possibly due to the fact that carotenoids act in the skin as protection chains, with a natural protection against free radicals," they wrote.
When comparing blood with skin levels, the researchers noted that skin levels of lycopene were less sensitive to oral supplementation. The researchers said that this was "the first study proving the ability to monitor skin carotenoid levels using resonance Raman spectroscopy as a fast noninvasive diagnostic tool".
Building The Science of "Beauty Nutrients"
The study adds to previous research published in the same journal, which reported that skin Lycopene levels were correlated with skin roughness, a measure of skin aging. (Eur. J. Pharm. BioPharm., Vol. 69, pp. 943-947)
"Increasing dietary levels of Lycopene through daily supplementation with nutritive tomato lycopene is an easy way to insure the continued presence of high skin levels of these protective antioxidants and to help protect the skin from photo-damage and environmental pollutants, and to preserve the skin's smoothness," emphasized the researchers.
Source: European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics
The Healthy Resources Below Have Agreed to Connect With Kat's Herbs.
- Aloe Vera Ultra Soothe Gel
Ultra-Rich Botanical Blend For Revitalizing Skin All Over
http://katsvitaminherbs.com/aloeveragel.php
- Acne Treatment
Acne Treatment Site offers acne information on acne medicine, treatments, medications and adult acne scar cures and products.
http://www.acne-site.com/
- Anti Wrinkle Cream
Reduce the appearance of dimples and bumps on your thighs, legs, and stomach caused by cellulite.
http://www.thewrinklereport.com
- Anti Cellulite Cream
Eliminate wrinkles, fine lines and ages spots with break through anti aging ingredients.
http://www.thecellulitereport.com
Select a Book about Skin Care
Winter Skin Care Survival Guide
Cold winter air is far less humid than warm air, which means skin will be drier in the winter months. Harsh winds make conditions worse by causing moisture to evaporate more quickly from the skin.
According to dermatologists, indoor conditions in the winter can be just as bad for complexion. Indoor heating is abusive for the skin. It pulls the moisture out of the air, which is dehydrating.
The older one gets, the drier the skin gets. The glands in skin get smaller and begin vanishing. This diminishes their ability to hydrate. The consequence is drier skin. Using nutrient-rich moisturizing cream is the most important remedy for winter-beaten skin.
To reduce the appearance of existing fine lines and wrinkles while evening out natural skin tones to have a smoother, softer, younger looking, more radiant complexion, apply your moisturizing creams three times a day.
You should also include the following beneficial skin-pampering techniques:
- Humidify. When the heat is on, replace lost indoor moisture by running a humidifier in the house.
- Use steam rather than sauna. At the gym or spa, instead of the dry-and-drying-sauna, use the steam room. Before steaming, apply a thin layer of Vitamin E oil. Your skin will come out radiant and amazingly soft.
- Pamper fingers and toes. Don’t forget these extremities, which take a particularly harsh beating in bitter climates. To bring them back to smoothness, soak feet and hands in warm water mixed with lemon juice and Vitamin E oil. Afterwards, rub on Aloe Ultra Moisture Cream.
- Eat goods fats. Food like fish and flaxseed that are loaded with nutritious omega-3 fatty acids can revitalize skin.
- Be gentle. Some say exfoliants (scrubs) are too harsh to use on already chapped skin – but if you must use one, the gentler, the better.
- Wear cotton. For clothing that goes next to your skin, avoid fabrics like wool; they abuse skin with friction and can dry it out.
- Drink water frequently. Hydration from the inside, by drinking water is one of the most important things you can do for skin, say dermatologists, in cold weather as well as hot.
- Protect. Don’t forget that the sun puts out damaging rays even during the winter months, so use your daily sunscreen.
