Healthy Skin Expert Dermatology Advice

Thirst Quenchers - The winds blow, the frost bites, and suddenly your face is parched. Its time to rehydrate.

Ah, winter: pale blue skies, crusty snow underfoot, flaky puffs of white and the dry warmth of a cozy fireplace. It’s ironic that these same words describe the fate of my face. A few weeks in, and I’m dealing with parched cheeks, chapped lips, a dull complexion and one very scarlet nose. And while the red lip is au courant this season, that ruby hue isn’t so becoming on the area directly north of the mouth.

According to Dr. Lisa Kellett, dermatologist at DLK On Avenue in Toronto, the bleak state of our skin in the winter can be attributed to three factors: the drop in humidity, cold temperatures and wind. This triple treat causes water loss in the skin’s superficial layers, rendering it as scaly as a snakeskin purse. As if that wasn’t vexing enough, forced heat indoors takes things from bad to worse - skin absorbs moisture from its surroundings, so if your home is as arid as the Sahara, there is no oasis in your immediate future.

That said, we don’t have to just surrender to this biological imperative. In addition to keeping a humidifier at close quarters while you slumber, and opting for tepid water in the shower instead of hot, your most crucial mantra is “moisturize, moisturize, moisturize” - and make sure to pay particular attention to the vulnerable areas around the eyes and lips. While the skin itself does function as a protective barrier, we need to top up its defenses at this time of year.

Unless you wear a ski mask around town, your face is destined to contend with harsh conditions. Thankfully, skin is equipped with its own biological arsenal to face winter. Its natural oils (sebum and lipids) not only lubricate, they also trap moisture in the skin by forming a protective barrier. However, those living in climates with fluctuating humidity can become dehydrated and produce fewer lipids, which compromises skins protection and increases water loss, notes Holly Sherrard, education manager for the International Dermal Institute.

Before you crack open your moisturizer, ensure you aren’t stripping your skins when you cleanse. Opt for a creamy face wash and skip harsh toners, advises Dr. Mark Lupin, a dermatologist at Cosmedica Laser Center in Victoria. Oilier types can maintain their keep-shine-at-bay routine.

Now for your main ally. Moisturizers range from oil-based creams for dry skin to water-based lotions, and gels for combination and oily skin, and contain various concentrations of active ingredients. They work to integrate moisture into the skin and trap it there by forming a protective barrier.

Often, people with oily skin think it becomes dry in the winter, but it’s actually dehydrated, explains Sherrard. There is a difference - what they are experiencing is water loss; dry skin lacks moisture. To rehydrate, oily skin requires a formula that is slightly thicker - but still oil-free - that will boost the lipids needed to retain moisture. Dr. Kellett suggests sticking with a gel-based moisturizer but applying it more often.

Meanwhile, normal skin is best comforted with a cream moisturizer. “Most gels and lotions have water as their first ingredient. As you get to heavier products, you’ll notice more of the plant-based oils toward the top of the list,” explains Sherrard. Look for ingredients like shea butter, evening primrose oil and grapeseed to help rebuild the lipid barrier.

For positively parched skin deficient in oil, boost your plan of attack with a serum composed of active humectants that attract moisture to the skin to the skin-such as hyaluronic acid, which holds 1,000 times its weight in water. Follow-up with a heavyweight moisturizer to seal the skin with a mesh like-like barrier, advices Sherrard. Apply to damp skin a half-hour before venturing outside, to lock in those precious droplets. And while turtlenecks and scarves protect the neck, it’s a judicious move to slather the area with whatever you’re using on your face.

As for the red nose with its cracked skin (brought on by colds and dryness), Dr. Lupin recommends using specialty products on irritated areas. He points to Vaseline or a barrier cream - a heavier moisturizer that seals little cracks. For chapped trouble spots such as cheeks, face balms – often used by skiers - add a shield of lipid protection.

Then, lest we forget, there’s the sun. Even in the winter, we are exposed to UV rays through clouds, snow glare and even car and office windows. Dr. Kellett advocates daily application of an SPF 30 sunscreen under (yes, under) your moisturizer.

“If your feet are cardboard, your body construction paper and your face regular paper, then the skin around your eyes is tissue paper,” says Sherrard. Its delicate nature makes this area the most prone to inflammation, dehydration, fine lines, wrinkles and redness. And tears - whether they’re caused by frigid temperatures, the sniffles or the discovery of a new wrinkle - are slightly alkaline and can further dry out this sensitive zone. Treat it with kid gloves using extra-emollient eye cream for maximum protection. Be sure to guard the area from rubbing, snow glare and the sun - think of it as a good excuse to invest in those wrap around Chanel sunglasses.

No amount of lipstick or gloss is going to conceal a chapped mouth (due to a stuffy nose) leaves lips - already lacking in those much-needed oil glands - susceptible to dehydration. Buff lips with a gentle exfoliant, then coat them with a nourishing balm. Look for one with plant-based oils like cocoa butter and avocado, advises Sherrard.

“Always carry a lip balm” says Dr. Kellett - even better if it contains sunscreen, as sunburn is often mistaken for chapped lips. “You can also use it to ring around your eyes, on your lips and underneath your nose.”

From Fashion Magazine, Winter 2009 - Written by Nancy Davis

Pillow envy - The EnVy Anti-Aging/Wellness Pillow

This article is from the Windsor Star.  The enVy Pillow is now available at DLK on Avenue.

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How can this be so 'healthy'?

FIND YOUR COMFORT ZONE

- What: The EnVy Anti-Aging/Wellness Pillow

- Where: Exclusively at Esteem Medical Esthetics, 500 Manning Rd., Tecumseh, 519-979-2235

- Price: Suggested $199, with five-year guarantee from Young Innovations, the manufacturer.

I was hooked the minute I heard the name: The EnVy Anti-aging/Wellness Pillow.

Actually, the "wellness" part didn't even register when the pillow was reverently placed in my hands. I stroked the satiny fabric travel bag and gave the memory foam a squeeze.

The presentation was beautiful, but it was the anti-aging properties that caught my eye. And truth to tell, my eyes weren't looking so hot that day.

Years of sleeping on my side, my face mashed into all those fluffy feathers, were taking a toll.

The lines that used to disappear by the time I left for work? Still there at noon. The cheeks that liked to sink into the down as I drifted off to sleep? Sinking faster than the Titanic.

Here was a chance to set things right.

So I took home the Canadian-made EnVy pillow, which was invented by Kathy Young Keefe and Kim Renton, two registered nurses living in the Toronto area.

They'd come to the conclusion that all the Botox, injections and topical treatments in the world couldn't do their job if you were going to spend eight hours a night sleeping on your face.

It took two years to come up with a design that would accomplish both the anti-aging and wellness goals: A pillow that would protect the contours of your face while aligning your neck and spine to improve posture and take the pressure off your joints.

Chiropractors gave it their seal of approval because it helped realign the body to reduce muscle pain and headaches.

Those with TMJ and orthodontic appliances said it helped relieve chronic face and jaw pain. Those performing cosmetic procedures gave it the thumb's up for its therapeutic properties.

Now, I could go into all the ergonomic details and tell you about the sloped sides that cradle your head (it works whether you sleep on your side or back) and guides you into the perfect position based on the "V" design. But you can go to www.envypillow.com for more on that. You can even watch a video.

I'll just tell you that after four full months of using it, there's a definite difference. Would you notice? Maybe not.

But I've spent a lot of time scrutinizing the results, and from the first week I could see:

- Significantly reduced puffiness around the eyes.

- Less noticeable nasal labial folds from the nose to either side of the mouth.

- Fewer lines and less sagging on my neck.

- Better posture and less stiffness in the shoulders.

- More restful sleep, improved circulation and reduced snoring (even though I never snore.)

Perhaps the best endorsement came from a friend who said my face didn't look as "smunched" as it used to.

That was enough for me.

Now, you probably won't fall in love the minute you rest your head on the EnVy. It takes some getting used to. You'll have to wiggle around to find the best V slope that will tilt your head slightly up while repositioning your shoulders back.

But it doesn't take long to find the comfort zone. And once you've got that down pat, you won't leave home without it. Seriously.

When you do travel, take along that satiny travel bag.

OTHER FEATURES TO NOTE:

- The pillow case is made of 100 per cent bamboo, which is environmentally friendly, anti-allergenic, anti-bacterial and wicks away perspiration. The custom fit also keeps the case from creasing, which keeps you from creasing, too.

- The memory foam is made in Canada and relieves pressure points to help prevent sleep lines.

- It retails for a suggested $199, but is guaranteed for five years.

- Available at Esteem Medical Esthetics, 500 Manning Rd., Tecumseh.

From the The Windsor Star, Publish on November 7, 2009 - Written by Karen Hall

thirtysomething and ignored…by the skin care industry

In her starch-white lab coat, a modern-day alchemist squeezes a drop of this and a squirt of that into her plastic cauldron of youth, and gives it a good stir with her wand.

Beside her, Rya Prozes lies with her eyes closed, patiently waiting to receive her monthly balm.

The alchemist is skin therapist Cynthia Whaley. The potion, a brew of botanical mixers, multi-vitamin and hydrating agents.

Prozes, a health and wellness specialist, is a 39-year-old woman trying to claw back the aging process while still in her 30s – an oft-forgotten demographic in the skin care market.

"The 30s mark changes physically and hormonally. For myself, I noticed slight wrinkles and smile lines in the eye area and furrow lines between the brows," Prozes said. "It was starting to become apparent that I was in my 30s."

The beauty industry can be divided into two clear markets: Harsh acne-fighting formulas for pimply teens and the rich emollient anti-wrinkle creams for the 40-and-up crowd.

Women in their 30s often get lost in the mix, forced to choose between moisture-stripping formulas and oily pore cloggers.

It's a common complaint Dr. Lisa Kellett, a Toronto dermatologist, fields from patients in their 30s. This demographic faces dual, competing demands: continuous breakouts and moisture loss, she said.

"It's frustrating for them. They say, `I'm getting crow's feet, but I also have acne. It's not fair.'"

That's because skin at 30 enters a transitional phase, straddling the tail end of youth and the cusp of age-related decline.

"In your 30s, you're starting to see the sins of your youth," said Dr. Julia Carroll, a dermatologist with the Meridia Medical Group.

"You're seeing sun damage, fine lines, and collagen isn't replaced as quickly as it was before. You also see volume loss. This continues as you get older."

A 20-year-lag also means the effects of childhood sunburns don't manifest themselves until we reach our 30s. Uneven pigmentation and brown spots – also known as liver and age spots – can likewise mar the 30s complexion, dulling the glow of youth and making it splotchy.

"What used to be cute as freckles, in time become age spots," Carroll said.

But the good news is that the aging process can be slowed if women take proactive measures during this pivotal stage, says Dr. Paul Cohen, a Toronto dermatologist.

"The 30s are an important time because there are a lot of little things you can do to prevent aging and make long-lasting changes. The trick is to take care of your skin in your 30s," he said.

For Prozes, the toughest part of her skin care regime is remembering to wash her face at night. Prozes, a petite woman with a mane of cascading dark waves, is a natural beauty, able to keep a relatively bare face: a few strokes of mascara, a light dusting of powder and a quick sweep of lip gloss are all it takes to face the world.

"Because I don't wear a lot of makeup, it wasn't a natural instinct to wash every night," she admits. "It just wasn't in my repertoire."

But experts advise it's important to wash "the city" off your faces nightly and give your skin all the help it can get.

That means amassing the right arsenal of skin care products: a good cleanser, an exfoliator containing a glycolic acid, a Vitamin A or retinol treatment and Vitamin C cream, and most important, a sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30.

"One of my biggest beefs is women who spend thousands of dollars on expensive skin care products, but who don't use sunscreen. They're not helping their skin at all," Kellett said.

Nor is it advisable to use rich, anti-wrinkle creams made for the over 40 crowd in a bid to pre-empt future wrinkles.

"These kinds of creams will clog pores and cause women to break out because they're too rich," Cohen said.

That's why Kellett developed her own line of gel-based, acne-fighting and anti-aging products, Clear Clinical.

After being "laughed at" by big pharma companies for daring to suggest they make acne-fighting formulas for women in their 30s – acne stops in the 20s, she was told condescendingly – Kellett came up with oil-free products targeted for women between the ages of 25 and 35 who struggle with the dual needs of this transitional period: Acne and wrinkle prevention.

"This is my big passion."

A common mistake Whaley sees among her clients in their 30s is confusing moisturization and hydration.

"You can have a lot of sebum but experience dehydration at the same time. Hydration is water, not moisturization," Whaley said.

Vertical lines for instance, are often the result of dehydration, not aging, Whaley said, and can be eliminated with a single hydrotherapy skin treatment.

Another common myth is that drinking water moisturizes the skin, experts said.

"The problem is water goes into your major organs, not just the skin," Whaley said.

The behind closed-doors activity of pimple-popping is another common mistake women commit, Whaley said as she pierced the tip of a white spot on Prozes' cheek with a specialized needle. Though not quite a whitehead, milia spots occur when dead skin is trapped in small pockets at the surface of the skin. These can also result from excess product the skin can't absorb.

With gloved fingers, Whaley gently squeezes the area to retrieve the embedded white goop. Professional extraction primes the skin, she explained, by softening the sebum and disinfecting the area. At-home popping can break capillaries and cause infection.

Keep the beauty routine simple, experts agree. While glycolic acid has long been accepted as an important exfoliator and anti-aging treatment, Vitamin A, also known as retinol, is another clinically-proven, anti-wrinkle weapon of choice.

"I advise women in their 30s to use retinol," Cohen said. "A pea-size amount of cream at night will help prevent fine lines, makes skin smoother and gives you a polished look."

That's because vitamin A is one of the few substances with a molecular structure small enough to penetrate both the outer and lower layers of skin, where collagen and elastin reside and generate the renewal of skin growth.

Botox can also help prevent the formation of deeper wrinkles later in life, added dermatologist Dr. Fred Weksberg.

"You don't have to get much, just enough to control muscle contraction and prevent the wrinkles from getting worse," he said.

While Weksberg is seeing more women in their 30s seek professional treatment, generally this age group still "looks pretty good" – perhaps one reason why skin care companies don't target this demographic, he said.

Unlike teens and older women, it's difficult to identify a problem and advertise their solution for the 30s crowd, Weksberg surmised.

"They'd rather their advertising dollars go elsewhere where they can be sure to sell their products."

From the Toronto Star, October 24, 2009 - Written by Vivian Song - Special to the Star

Understanding Water - WATER PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE in good skin care.

We asked our resident dermatologist Dr. Lisa Kellett to explain how water works within the skin.

Cosmetics: To start, what role does the water play in the skin health? What functions does it perform?
Dr. Kellett: Water is a vital to our physiological functions including those of the skin.

Cosmetics: At what levels of the skin is water’s role most crucial?
Dr. Kellett: Water is crucial for all skin levels.

Cosmetics: Many people confuse the level of oil on the skin with the amount of water in the skin. Can you explain both for us?
Dr. Kellett: Sebaceous (oil gland) function acts to coat the skin to prevent the skin from drying out. It is unrelated to the amount of water on the skin.

Cosmetics: What role does a good moisturizer perform?
Dr. Kellett: A good moisturizer will prevent transepidermal water loss in the sin. Moisturizers have evolved to be less mineral oil-based so that acne breakouts are less frequent.

Cosmetics: What is the latest scientific research you’ve seen regarding skin hydration?
Dr. Kellett: The most interesting studies we’re seeing now is looking at how to repair damaged skin cells and how to reduce the amount of moisture lost through the skin.

Cosmetics: Why is it that drinking lots of water doesn’t necessarily boost moisture levels in the skin?
Dr. Kellett: There is no scientific evidence-based medicine that supports the notion that intravascular (blood) volume boots moisture levels in the skin. Drinking enough water is good for overall health as is proper diet and exercise.

Cosmetics: Is dry skin more susceptible to sun damager?
Dr. Kellett: Yes, dry skin can lose some of the intrinsic barrier function that normal skin possesses and therefore be more susceptible to sun damage. That’s true.

Cosmetics: Should the skin always be damp when applying a moisturizer?
Dr. Kellett: Yes, absorption of topical agents is increased if the skin is wet.

Cosmetics: What is the most important point readers should know about the skin’s relationship to water?
Dr. Kellett: That water intake and skin dryness can be unrelated and that you can get a sun burn in a swimming pool. Believe it or not, many people think that as long as you are under water you can't burn.

From Cosmetics Magazine - November/December 2009