Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Chinese herbs are an excellent source of modern drugs and treatment cosmetics, provided one knows where and how to look. To those who are not familiar with it, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is mysterious and full of “mumbo jumbo,” as its theory and practice are steeped in esoteric terminology. Terms such as qu feng (wind dispelling), qing re (heat removing or dispersing), xie (evil), and yi qi (replenishing vital energy) are certainly difficult to comprehend, though others such as jie du (removing toxins), sheng ji (growing muscles/flesh),ming mu(brightening vision), and an shen (calming the spirit) are more obvious. The terminology may seem archaic and sometimes downright superstitious, but the TCM system has evolved over many centuries in a logical way. One just hasto view it form another perspective. Then it will make sense.
Although I never had formal training in TCM, my research over the past 20 years has enabled me to figure out a few things, especially in the correlation between traditional properties and modern scientific findings, as well as in predicting an herb’s pharmacological activities by analyzing its traditional properties. Thus, an herb with qu feng properties most likely has anti-inflammatory activity, such as Job’s tear, wu jia pi (bark of several Eleutherococcus spp.), ginger, du huo (Angelica pubescens root), and many other less commonly known ones. Herbs with qing re jie du (heat dispersing and detoxifying) properties generally have antimicrobial and febrifuge effects. Examples include honeysuckle (flower and vine), forsythia fruit, purslane herb, chuan xin lian (Andrographis paniculata herb), yu xing cao(Houttuynia cordata herb), etc.
Herbs Beneficial to Skin
Many herbs are beneficial to the skin and are used both internally and externally for this purpose. They normally have one or more of the following traditional properties: benefits/improves complexion, removes heat, removes toxins, removes swelling, invigorates/nourishes blood, lightens skin, moistens the skin/removes dryness, prevents scar formation, promotes flesh growth, etc. The following are some common ones: lycium fruit, ligustrum, astragalus, licorice, Chinese hawthorn, sanqi (Panax notoginseng), reishi (ganoderma), common jujube, red and white peony root, luffa, safflower flower, Sichaun lovage (Ligusticum chuanxiong rhizome), gaoben (Ligusticum sinense root/rhizome), etc.
Astragalus, licorice, and sanqi are well known for their healing properties. Either alone, or in combination, they can be used in various forms (extracts, powder, etc.) for treating wounds, chapped skin, bruises, dry skin, skin peeling, and other minor skin irritations. You could also add to the formulation one or two of the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial herbs, such as xinyi (magnolia flower bud), purslane herb, honeysuckle flower, or forsythia fruit.
In TCM, Sichuan lovage, gaoben, ligustrum, and Chines hawthorn are used topically to treat brown patches on the skin. The former two have been demonstrated to have tyrosinase inhibitory activity, scientific evidence indicating that these herbs can block excessive pigmentation of the skin.
Studies of the Benefits of Herbs for the Skin
The following are derived from two short reports from my file describing results of using Chinese hawthorn and sanqi for treating brown patches and chapped skin, respectively.
Chinese hawthorn (sanzha) for treating facial brown patches (melasma) [Hubei Zhongyi Zazhi, 16(5): 47(1994)]. Results are described for shanzha treatment of 12 patients with melasma, afflicting mostly the forehead and cheeks, and less so the nose and upper lip. Patients’ ages ranged from 23 to 45 years. Shortest duration of illness was 5 months and longest 12 years. Method: Grind 300g of dried raw shanzha to fine powder and reserve for later use. Wash face with warm water and wipe dry with towel. Mix 5g of shanzha powder with an adequate amount of fresh egg white to form a paste and apply it to the face to form a thin film. Let it sit for 1 hour, during which time the face can be massaged to help the herb’s absorption. Do this once in the morning and once at night. Sixty (60) applications constituted one course of treatment. Results: After treatment, pigmentation disappeared in 6 patients, whose skin color had returned to normal; it turned lighter in 4 patients; and 2 did not respond. A case example was described for a 23-year-old single woman with melasma on her cheeks, which had been unsuccessfully treated for 6 months and had started to spread to her forehead and bridge of the nose. After 2 courses of shanzha treatment (120 applications; 2 months), the patient’s melasma was completely resolved.
In western medical practice, melasma is usually treated with bleaching agents such as hydroquinone, which is rather harsh. Chinese hawthorn fruit has never been known to be toxic and is a common food and medicine. If it doesn’t work, it certainly won’t hurt. You can buy shanzha from any Chinese herb shop and probably many food markets in Chinatown. But be sure to get the dried raw kind (usually in twisted slices of 1-2 cm in diameter and about 0.5 cm thick), and not the shanzha candy that comes in thin wafers stacked 3-4 cm high and wrapped in paper. If the raw shanzha is not dry enough for grinding, you can dry it in the oven at low heat until it is brittle.
Sanqi (Panax notoginseng) powder for treating severely chapped skin [Jiangxi Zhongyiyao, 23(1): 35(1992)]. In addition to other effects (immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, etc), sanqi is well known for its hemostatic and wound-healing properties. In this report, results of treating 68 patients with chapped skin are presented. Thirty-six patients were complicated with ringworm of the feet and 41 experienced different degrees of pain or bleeding. Duration of illness ranged form 6 months to 15 years. Method: Mix 30g of sanqi powder well with an adequate amount of sesame oil to form a uniform paste, place it in a sealed clean container, and reserve for later use. Soak the afflicted areas with hot but tolerable water for 10-20 minutes before applying the oily paste. Do this 3-4 times daily for 30 days. Results: After treatment, 45 patients were healed, with no recurrence after more than 1 year; and 23 showed improvements, with longer periods between recurrences, which again responded to the same treatment. The fastest response was 3 weeks and the longest 7 weeks, with an average of 3.7 weeks. It is recommended that the paste be also used as a preventive by applying it to affected areas once every 1 to 2 days.
Sanqi or tienchi ginseng is readily available in any Chinese herb shop. It comes in spindle-shaped whole roots, 2-4 cm long and 1-3 cm in diameter, and is very hard. Unless you have a Chinese bronze mortar and pestle with a lid, it is not easy to powder this herb. You may have to break it up witha hammer first and then grind it in a sturdy coffee mill.
copyright 2005
Albert Y. Leung PhD. – is an internationally renowned pharmacognosist (a scientist who specializes in botanical medicine) and author in Glen Rock, New Jersey. He is also the formulator of many popular herbal products such as PhytoChi. http://www.earthpower.com

During the time of our ancestors, maintaining a youthful and glowing skin needs a lot of hard work and commitment. There are so many activities you need to avoid, foods that you need to eat and beauty regimen that you need to follow to ensure that your skin is free of dark spots, wrinkles, and other blemishes.

Nowadays, however, it is relatively easier for you to take care of your skin. Due to medical and technological advancements in the fields of cosmetology and dermatology, men and women can now erase wrinkles and other skin imperfections through injections, creams, and various beauty tools.

Here are some of the products and treatments that will help you to attain a truly spectacular and blemish-free skin:

Sunscreen or sun block

The major cause of skin blemishes, discolorations and other skin problems is prolonged or direct sun exposure. Since the ozone layer, which is responsible for helping screen or prevent harsh rays from the sun to enter the earth, is already thinning, frequent and unprotected sun exposure will make your skin dry and scorched.

If you don’t want your skin to have dark spots or to look like a raisin, you better find a high-quality sunscreen or sun block. You should ensure that the SPF (sun protection factor) of the product you will be using is not less than 30. Be sure to find a product that is specially designed to protect the face and another one for your arms and body.

Microdermabrasion

Another way to help make your skin clearer and fairer is through microdermabrasion. This treatment, which can only be done in a salon or clinic, is characterized by sand blasting your face and body with a tool that contains very small diamond-like particles. This works by slowly sloughing off dead skin cells.

However, in order to have a younger-looking and softer skin, you need to avail yourself of a microdermabrasion program, which usually entails 6 to 12 visits to the clinic or salon. Although the treatment is quite expensive, you are sure to have a brighter and more even complexion. If you have a severe case of sunburn or skin discoloration, this might not work for you.

Hydroquinone Treatments

If you want to stop the production of melanin, which is responsible for the dark spots on your skin, you might want to undergo special hydroquinone treatments, which can only be done in dermatological clinics. It is important to note that you should only use hydroquinone products under the supervision of competent dermatologists because this drug has many side effects. Just surf the Internet and you will see that there are a lot of people who have suffered from burns and other problems from using cheap over-the-counter products with hydroquinone as their active ingredient.

Laser and other light treatments

Skin pigmentation or discoloration can also be improved through laser or intense pulsed light treatments (IPT). The laser or IPT works by activating the skin’s healing process in areas where pigmentation and discoloration are visible.

Over-the-counter products

Many products that are sold on the Internet and even in department stores or beauty shops are effective in helping protect your skin from photo damage and other skin problems. However, there are also some creams and ointments sold over the counter that cause more damage and problems. Thus, you need to be careful in choosing what is best for your skin type.

To be on the safe side, be sure to look for all-natural and hypoallergenic products. You should also stay away from very cheap products because they either lack the necessary ingredients to help you achieve a healthier looking skin or they contain elements that are not good for your skin.

Vitiligo is a skin disease characterized by white patches of various shapes and sizes. It is caused by the failure of certain areas of the skin to produce melanin, a pigment responsible for natural skin color.

“An estimated 1 to 2 million Americans have vitiligo. It affects both sexes and all races, but is often more noticeable and more disfiguring in people with darker skin. Vitiligo usually starts as small areas of pigment loss that spread and become larger with time. These changes in your skin can result in stress and worries about your appearance,” said the Mayo Clinic.

Why this happens is still a mystery although the condi?tion appears to be inherited. The milky white patches that accompany the disease may be limited to certain areas of the body, affect only one side of the body or be widespread. Other less common signs include premature graying or whitening of the hair on the scalp, eyebrows or eyelashes, and loss of color in the tissues inside your mouth.

“Although any part of your body may be affected by vitiligo, depigmentation usually develops first on sun-exposed areas of your skin, such as your hands, feet, arms, face and lips. Although it can start at any age, vitiligo often first appears between the ages of 20 and 30,” explained the Mayo Clinic.

The disease has been associated with thyroid disorders, pernicious anemia (which follows lack of hydrochloric acid in stomach juices and nervous conditions), Addison’s disease (a disorder of the adrenal glands), diabetes, hearing defects, alopecia areata (hair loss) and photophobia (sensitivity to light).

The condition may also follow physical or psychological stress, severe sunburn, surgery, pregnancy or a chemical reaction.

“Doctors and scientists have theories as to what causes vitiligo. It may be due to an immune system disorder. Heredity may be a factor because there’s an increased incidence of vitiligo in some families. Some people have reported a single event, such as sunburn or emotional distress that triggered the condition. However, none of these theories has been proved as a definite cause of vitiligo,” the Mayo Clinic said.

Despite its appearance, vitiligo is harmless. If the disease is limited to certain parts of the body, it can be covered with the help of cosmetics. To protect your skin from the sun, use a good sunscreen.

“Depending on the number, size and location of the white patches, you may decide to seek medical treatment. Medical treatments for vitiligo aim to even out skin tone, either by restoring color (pigment) or destroying the remaining color. Depending on the type of therapy, treatment for vitiligo may take from six to 18 months. Medical treatment choices are based on the number of white patches you have and how widespread they are. Each person responds differently to treatment, and a particular therapy may not work for you,” the Mayo Clinic revealed.

See a good dermatologist to discuss treatment options.

To understand tanning bed burns you must first understand how tanning beds work. When we expose ourselves to natural sunlight, we expose ourselves to a combination of ultraviolet rays that affect the pigmentation of our skin and cause it to tan – or burn. UVA rays – the longer of the two ultraviolet rays – reach into the deep layers of our skin. UVB rays – the more dangerous of the two – are shorter and therefore reach only to the top layer of our skin. Tanning beds act as an alternative to the sun, exposing the skin to a combination of UVA and UVB rays. However, in the case of tanning beds, UVB rays are actually increased to speed the tanning process. The result can be tanning bed burns.

Overexposure to these UV rays can result in the advanced aging of skin as shown by wrinkles and age spots. Such overexposure can also result in eventual skin cancers such as melanoma. Additionally, exposure to the sun – and similarly, to tanning beds, can result in burned skin. When your skin is severely sunburned, it is forever damaged, increasing the likelihood of skin cancer and early aging. Tanning bed burns – just like the burns you receive via natural sunlight – are dangerous and the effects can be long reaching.

In order to avoid tanning bed burns, use your head. If you are fair skinned or have a tendency to burn in the sun, then, without question, avoid tanning beds. Even if you have a darker pigmentation and do not have a tendency to burn, you should still take precautions against tanning bed burns. Be sure to use plenty of protective lotion designed for your skin type and minimize both your frequency of use and amount of exposure time.

Using common sense and tanning responsibly – or not at all – will protect you from tanning bed burns and ensure a lifetime of healthy skin.br
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This article will be making its readers acquainted with some of the common and harmful skin disorders along with the manner in which they are caused and can be effectively cured.

1. Eczema- a very general skin disease that leads to skin irritation, dryness, itching and even cracking of skin with bleeding. Eczema is known to be of four types. These are – Atopic Eczema (can result in scratching of skin and skin infection), Allergic Contact Dermatitis (leads to skin irritation), Irritant Contact Dermatitis (dry and irritant skin esp. hands) and Infantile Seborrhoeic Eczema.

Cause- an individual can be affected by Eczema due to different reasons like heredity, environment, age etc.

? The Atopic Eczema is more of heredity transfer.

? Allergic Contact Dermatitis is due to things like cologne, jewelry and other ornaments.

? Irritant Contact Dermatitis is caused by contact with chemicals that harm the skin like poor quality detergents etc.

? Infantile Seborrhoeic Eczema- appears on the scalp of infants.

Cures-

? Infantile Seborrhoeic Eczema is fully curable within a few months with creams and oils.

? Irritant Contact Dermatitis should be treated with moisturizers to avert dryness of skin.

? Allergic Contact Dermatitis can be treated by keeping away from the elements that cause it.

? Atopic Eczema needs steroids and emollients for its cure.

2. Vitiligo- a disease of skin pigmentation leading to appearance of white spots on body.

? Causes- Accurate causes of the disease that inflicts most of the Americans are not known yet. However, the studies hold heredity and weak immune system to be the causes behind it. High concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide in the environment and the deficiency of essential vitamins and minerals are even estimated to be the reasons for the disease.

? Effects of Vitiligo- the disease does not lead to any discomforts like headache, pain etc. but it hits different areas of body of different individuals. It starts from less and expands gradually. Vitiligo like skin Eczema is mot contagious.

? The disease can be treated in several ways like pseudocatalase cream, pigment transplantation and skin grafting.

3. Psoriasis- is again a very usual skin disease particularly in United States of America. The symptoms of Psoriasis are appearance of lesions with white scales on them on the skin, weakening of skin and joints.

? Causes – heredity or genetic reasons are attributed as reasons of the disease. Due to it the defective immune system the skin cells mature within a relatively much lesser span of time than usual. The skin cells in this case grow within three to four days contrary to their normal duration of 39 days. These cells form lesions on the skin and do not fall off.

? Treatment- Topical treatments are preferred in case of Psoriasis though the disease is more or less incurable.

Besides these three derm disorders there are few others which are not mentioned here. However, the only precautionary measure to skin diseases is to maintain healthy eating habits and hygiene and also be a little more careful towards your skin.br
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Freckles are flat, circular small spots of melanin on human skin in people of fair complexion. The spots develop randomly on the skin, especially after repeated exposure to sunlight. They may vary in color – they may be red, yellow, tan, light-brown, brown, or black. They are usually more often seen in the summer, especially among lighter-skinned people and people with light or red hair. Both men and women get freckles at an equal rate.

There are two basic types of freckles – ephelides and lentigines. Ephelides, are flat red or light-brown spots that typically appear during the sunny months and fade in the winter. Lentigines, are small tan, brown, or black spots which tend to be darker than an ephelis-type freckle and which do not fade in the winter.

Freckles are most commonly found on the face , although they may appear on any skin exposed to the sun . Freckles are rare on infants , and are very common among children aged 5 to 15 years. They are usually less common on adults.

Causes of Freckle: Some Common Causes of Freckle are as:-

Exposure of skin to sun is one of the main cause of developing freckles. Freckles will fade when sun exposure is reduced or eliminated.

The basic cause of freckles are some special cells in the skin that produce a pigment called melanin. If you have melanin in your body, going on accumulating at one place, then it may result in freckles age spots.

Freckles are influenced by genetic factor also.

Hormone Abnormalities can cause freckles since estrogen over-stimulates pigment-producing cells, causing them to generate excess color when exposed to sunlight.

Fair skin is another main cause for freckle. There is less overall melanin in fair skin to absorb UV light, therefore pigment cells produce melanin at an increased rate.

Symptoms of Freckles:

Some of the Possible Symptoms of Freckles are as:-

There may be change in the skin color and shape.

Diarrhea is another common symptom which is accompanied with freckles.

There may be crampy abdominal pain and/or weight loss.

The skin cancer may be a possible symptom of freckles.

Moles are often produced at the affected area of skin.

There may be blood or mucus in the stool.

Treatments of Freckles:

The effective treatments for freckles are as:-

Bleaching Creams – The use of hydroquinone and kojic acid are one of the beneficial treatment for freckles. They may help in lightning freckles if they are applied consistently over a period of months.

Cryosurgery: A light freeze with liquid nitrogen can be used to treat freckles.

Chemical Peels: Chemical peels are used to remove age spots, freckles, discoloration, wrinkles and fine lines. They generally help to make the skin smooth and firm and also help in curing freckles gradually.

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL): IPL is one of the newer forms of facial rejuvenation. IPL delivers energy to both the superficial (epidermis) and deep (dermis) layers of the skin, the epidermis is spared from damage. Thus, there is virtually no recovery time.

Tretinoin: Tretinoin (vitamin A acid, Retin-A) also helps to make freckles lighter when applied over a period of time.

Laser Treatment: Freckle removal is easily achieved with lasers. The laser light is very effective and helps in eliminating freckles safely.br
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Do you know that Asian skin is more prone to dark spots? Skin color is determined by the amount of pigment (or melanin) present. Asian skin contains a heterogeneous mix of 2 types of melanin ?- phaeomelanin and eumelanin ?- that results in pigmentation irregularities such as dark spots and increased sensitivity to sunlight.

Over the past years, aesthetics companies and medical professionals have been introducing numerous skin whitening innovations into the consumer market, ranging from high-end niche treatments to budget skin whitening solutions, all of which promise to deliver that desirable lightening result on your skin, to give you that lovely fair skin that you have always wanted.

When it comes to fashion, you choose what fits you. With such an overwhelming range of skin whitening options available, how do you decide which is the real effective skin whitening solution that is going to work for you? Savvy consumers will know that it is not sufficient to just choose the best skin whitening product / treatment, you have to choose the skin whitening product / treatment that works best for you.

Consumers can consider the following guidelines when they are looking for a skin whitening remedy or are already in the midst of a skin whitening course:

1. Identify your problem

- There are many types of facial pigmentation. The most common types are freckles, solar lentigines (or age spots), melasma and Hori?s naevus. Many have a genetic basis, although factors like sunlight, ageing and hormones also play an important role. By identifying the source of your problem, you will know how to pick out the product / treatment that is going to help you rectify it.

2. Have some basic knowledge about skin whitening ingredients

- Every company has its own specialty skin whitening ingredients that are responsible for delivering that miracle on your skin. But how do you know that some of these virtually unknown ingredients are going to do the trick? A savvy consumer should not be going to a counter and take at face value in what the salesperson says during that 10 ?- 20 minutes of sales talk. Instead, listen to the salesperson, take a step back, do some simple research on the ingredients or talk to your dermatologist to see if this particular skin whitening product is going to be useful in solving your problem. There is no point buying a product whose only effects are to moisturize and provide your skin with UV protection when what you actually need is a product that can lighten melasma.

3. Be a responsible consumer

- Broadly speaking, it is possible to prevent / reduce skin pigmentation because many types of pigmentation are induced and aggravated by sunlight, therefore a suitable product and sufficient sun protection can delay the onset of skin pigmentation or improve the appearance. Using a skin lightening product may help improve the pigmentation, but regular use of sunscreen and active sun avoidance is also compulsory and should be undertaken responsibly.

4. Understand that not every product / treatment works for everyone

- Topical skin lightening products are effective for melasma. However, laser therapy does not work very well for melasma. In fact, laser may sometime cause temporary darkening (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation), which can last several months. On the other hand, laser therapy is effective for pigmentation such as freckles, solar lentigines and Hori?s naevus.

5. Talk to a medical professional when necessary

- Besides sunlight, certain types of pigmentation ?- specifically melasma and Hori?s naevus ?- can be stimulated and worsened by hormonal factors, for example during pregnancy, taking oral contraceptives or hormone replacement. In such cases, topical skin whitening products will not be able to rectify the problems effectively. Instead of hopping from one product to another and exposing your skin to further damages, talk to a medical professional who will advise the appropriate treatment options for you. Solve the problem when it is at the early stage, not when it gets out of hand.br
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The following are the the cures for each skin problem:

Oily Skin

When volunteers have been kept on diets mildly lacking in vitamin B, the first symptoms were whiteheads and oily hair and skin.This condition cleared up soon after 5 to 25 milligrams of vitamin B were given daily.

Dry Skin

Bad dryness is usually corrected in a few weeks.Dryness of the skin has resulted in volunteers lacking vitamins A, C, linoleic acid, or any one of several B vitamins.The oils of the skin are unsaturated and appear to be made almost wholly of the essential fatty acids; therefore unless vegetable oils are consumed, the skin is invariably dry.

Sunburned Easily?

Persons especially prone to sunburn have tolerated 50 to 100 times more exposure that previously when taking 1,000 milligrams daily of the B vitamin PABA (para aminobenzoic acid); and applying a salve containing this vitamin had been equally effective.Other individuals normally sun burned but using PABA ointment have remained 8 or more hours in Florida sun without burning.

Stretch Marks

Although healthy skin is amazingly elastic, previously overweight persons and most women who have had children retain stretch marks.This abnormality appears to result from the stress of inadequate reducing and pregnancy diets, which have allowed body proteins to be destroyed to the extent that scars have taken the place of weakened tissues.

A high protein diet supplemented with 600 units of vitamin E and 300 milligrams of panthothenic acid daily throughout a pregnancy has made stretch marks completely disappear.

Wrinkles

In Dr. Selyes experiments in premature aging, wrinkles could be prevented by giving large amounts of vitamin E.It may be that the multiple stresses that induce again cause cells in the lower layers of skin to be destroyed and bits of scar tissue to take their place; and that wrinkles form when such scar tissue contracts.

Scars remain, however, unless the diet is completely adequate to the point that healthy tissue can be built to replace them.

Skin too Dark?

When adrenals are exhausted, as in Addisons disease, the skin may become so deeply pigmented that formerly fair individuals are assumed to be of Mexican or black races.Such people sometimes literally change beyond recognition after a few weeks of adhering to an adequate diet.Minor pigmentation, which appears first across the forehead and occurs so frequently during stress of pregnancy that it is spoken of as pregnancy cap, is also common among undernourished persons and probably always indicates a deficiency of pantothenic acid.This pigmentation quickly disappears when an anti stress program is adhered to.

People deficient in either of the B vitamins folic acid or niacin amide develop pigmentation of the skin, particularly in exposed areas.Such pigmentation has cleared up when 5 milligrams of folic acid or 100 milligrams of niacin amide have been taken with each meal.

Skin too Light?

In a condition know as vitiligo, areas of skin lose their pigmentation while other areas become darker.This increasingly common abnormality is another symptom of malnutrition, and has been corrected by giving 150 to 300 milligrams of pantothenic acid daily or 1,000 milligrams or more of PABA.Applying PABA ointment to the depigmented areas sometimes brings marked improvement.This condition generally clears up after the diet is unusually high in all the natural sources of B vitamins.

Adolescent Acne

Generous amounts of vitamin A have been reported to help adolescent acne.This has not worked in all cases, however. More than likely the cause is the amounts of new stresses brought on and a lack of nutrients to fight off all of the new stress.

Many cases have been cleared up after taking yeast, oil, vitamins A and D, and 300 milligrams of pantothenic acid daily.Taking vitamin B has also helped to clear up acne, and increasing the intake of nuts, unhydrogenated peanut butter, mayonnaise, and safflower oil has caused the skin to improve markedly.

Vitamin E is vitally important to prevent scarring from acne and in removing old scars, especially if x-ray treatments have been given.Because nine out of every ten cases of acne treated with x-ray have been found to develop skin cancers later, these scars should be removed as quickly as possible.

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pTo learn more about the natural treatment or see reviews of the most effective natural prescriptions check out a target=_new href=http://NaturalHealthDocs.com rel=nofollowhttp://NaturalHealthDocs.com/a by clicking here: a target=_new href=http://NaturalHealthDocs.com/wordpress/8-common-skin-problems-1-true-cause rel=nofollowcommon skin problems/a. Its All Free./pbr
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A tattoo, or otherwise known as dermal pigmentation, is a permanent mark, pattern, or design created by inserting pigments into the second layer of the skin. It is done by pricking the skin with specially designed needles dipped into indelible ink. Tattoos on human are some form of artistic body modification, while tattoos found on animals are used for branding or identification.

Tattooing is practiced worldwide. Japans indigenous people called the Ainu have been wearing facial tattoos. Polynesians, and particular tribal groups in Borneo, North America, Philippines, Africa, Mesoamerica, South America, Cambodia, Europe, China, and Japan are into tattoos. Albeit some taboos surrounding the creative world of tattooing, the art still manage to be popular and in demand all throughout the world.

The human skin is constituted of three layers namely: the epidermis, the dermis, and the subcutaneous tissues. The epidermis is the topmost layer with no blood vessels and serves as a protective barrier. Second to the epidermis is the dermis. This is a thick layer and this is where the tattoos are formed. Since the epidermis is constantly replenished, with the top skin continually shedding off in a lifetime, the tattoo is pushed deeper into the dermis where it is expected to stay undeterred the whole time.

Tattoo needles penetrate into the skin for about 1.5 millimeters or 1/16 of an inch deeper. The tattoo artist must ensure that the ink goes just enough to be permanent and not deeper than necessary. The depth differs in certain areas of the body, like it is thinner on places like the genitals and deeper on the feets soles.

If a tattoo is too deeply made reaching the subcutaneous tissues, it causes bleeding and pain. It will also appear blurry even after it has healed. And if just a few millimeters beneath the epidermis, it leaves scratches and just wear off.

Learning about tattooing may take several years to master if you really intend of becoming a tattoo artist. Therefore, it is vital that you carefully choose a tattoo artist with more experience and already with a great portfolio of his or her works that clearly show excellent quality. There are aspiring wannabes in this field, so be very cautious. Take note that no matter how attractive the design is, but the tattoo artists skill is not as appealing, the outcome may possibly be devastation. A tattoo is as pretty and captivating as the artist who did it./pbr
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But if you are among those who really do not like a single speck of discoloration on your skin, you can definitely remove or hide your freckles. It is true that for most girls, having a smooth and supple skin is not enough; this is why when it comes to a really healthy skin, many go for an even and spotless dermis.

Before you go scraping your freckles or covering them up with half-inch layer of concealer, you need to know that freckles?just like pregnancy masks and age spots?are totally innocuous. The only thing that they can do is make you look like Lindsay Lohan. Freckles are common in women, and men, who have blond or red hair, blue or grey eyes, and, of course, lighter skin.

Typically, freckles start to appear during your childhood or early teenage years and they continue to multiply and spread throughout your face or body, but they fade away and disappear when you reach the age of around forty. Girls with freckles also observe that these spots can be more visible during the summer months and they lose some color during the cold of winter.

The good thing about freckles is that you can cover them up or reduce their character. It may not be easy, but at the very least, when you know what measures to apply, you can get rid of freckles and other benign spots on your skin no matter what. Always remember, you need to understand why and how freckles develop on your skin. Doing so, you become more prepared as to how to make them disappear.

As for freckles and age spots, they are basically brought about by too much exposure to the sun. This is partly the reason why freckles are commonly found in abundance in areas that are directly laid open for the suns rays like your face, hands, and back. The brown discoloration that distinguishes freckles is caused by over-production and build-up of melanin, the skin pigment that is normally produced by your skin.

Under usual circumstances, melanin is the key determinant of how fair or dark your complexion should be. However, extra amounts of this skin pigment are created by your skin to protect you from the ultraviolet rays coming from the sun. In effect, melanin is your skins very own sun block system that prevents harmful UV rays from entering deep into other skin tissues. But somehow, for some women and men, the over-production of melanin causes not just sunburns, but freckles as well.

If you really want to put an end to your freckles and any other skin spots, for that matter, your first and most crucial step is to avoid exposure to the sun. This is not to say that you should live like a hermit inside your home for several months; rather, it means taking necessary protection against the harmful effects of the sun. For starters, you can make a habit out of applying high-SPF sun blocks whenever you plan to go outdoors.

Next, you must also integrate into your lifestyle some alternative but proven ways to reduce freckles. This way, you do not need to spend time and money visiting beauty or spa clinics and still get the same results. For instance, regularly washing the affected areas with sour milk can cause old skin layers to peel off without irritating reactions. Lemon juice directly applied on your skin is also a dependable way to fight freckles away. Evening facial masks made from natural fruits like strawberries and cucumbers can also reduce melanin in your skin.br
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