Tag: Natural Oils

Reversible Sun Damage Treatment Advice

Who doesn’t love to spend the day outside under the beautiful summer sun? Not too many people I know, but, if you do you should know that the sun can damage your hair as well as your skin. You will need reversible sun damage treatment to your hair if you spend a lot of time outside

You use sun screen on your skin but what can you do when the sun damages your hair?

Mostly, hair products that contain sun protection factors do not contain enough to really do any good protecting your hair so the reversible sun damage treatment has to come after sun exposure in the form of deep conditioning.

The sun alone can cause your hair to become dry and brittle, add in some salt water from the beach and a little sand, not to mention the wind and your hair gets bombarded.

The UV rays from the sun break down the protein of the hair shaft and decrease production of the scalp’s natural oils that usually nourish your hair.

If it could cry it would after a long day at the beach. Treat it right when you get home and use a deep conditioner after a good washing. You can overcome the sun damaging effects this way almost overnight.

The key is to continue to deep condition after every outing, even if it just into your backyard. You don’t have to be at the beach to damage your hair just being out doing yard work can do the same thing.

Protect your hair when you are outside by wearing a nice wide brimmed hat that can also help protect your neck and shoulders from sunburn.

Of course, you should always be using sunscreen protection on your skin as well. Just remember to continue to reapply the sunscreen per package directions. If you plan on spending the entire day outside it is recommended that you find some shade to give your body a break from the sun, if possible.

Stay away from drinking a lot of alcohol when out in the sun and stick to drinking water. Staying hydrated is important in keeping skin and hair healthy at all times but especially in the summer when the heat can rob you of essential electrolytes lost by perspiration.

But, stay away from those overly sugared energy drinks, they will only aid in your body becoming even more dehydrated.

It wouldn’t hurt to stock up on those replenishing sports drinks that the athletes use and drink one after a day in the sun. You will feel better the next day if you do and make sure to eat a good portion of protein to keep your body in good running order.

Summertime is a wonderful time of the year and a great time to spend outside with family and friends having fun. Just keep in mind that you should take care of your hair as well as your skin when it comes to being out in the sun. Reversible sun damage treatment to hair begins with protection first and then deep conditioning afterward.

Treating Back Acne

Although acne is more frequently found on the face, there are instances when acne skips that part of the skin and goes to other parts of thee body such as the back, the chest and the buttocks. There are still no clear explanation why this happens except that maybe oil glands in affected parts of the body are more active than those in the face.

The cause of acne is actually the same as the causes of acne on the face. Often, eruptions are caused by the over activity of the oil glands that produce excess sebum on the skin. Experts believe that this is mainly due to changes in the body brought about by the male hormones testosterone and androgen. When there is overproduction of oil on the skin, hair follicles on the face, dead skin cells on the lining of the pores and dirt from the surrounding areas all combine to trap the sebum into the pores causing the swelling.

When this happens, resident bacteria that are normally found in the pores are activated, thus causing the skin eruptions. There are also times when bacteria outside come into the picture and settle on the pores of the skin. To fight off the attack, the body send white blood cells on the area. This then results in further swelling.

Still, many believe that body acne, particularly back acne is more of a hereditary problem than a hygienic one. People who have family history of acne are more prone to develop this kind of acne problem. There are also evidences that perspiration and tight fitting clothes may also help develop the problem. This is perhaps the reason why a lot of really active people, especially those that deal with a variety of sports have back acne.
Spandex for instance traps perspiration and dirt on the skin. When these two mixes with the natural oils produced by the body, acne can come about. Blemishes in the form of whiteheads, blackheads, papules and postules may appear.

Compared to facial acne, back acne and other types of body acne is harder to treat. They also do not respond well to scarring treatment. This is why it is important that one nip the problem in the bud before it spreads to other areas of the body. Aggressive treatment is often called for as this problem can be really stubborn.

Often, dermatologists will prescribe oral medicines, antibiotics, to help fight the problem. Medicines such as tetracycline or minocycline can often be found on the prescription paper. Retin A and benzoyl peroxide are also other options. If the problem still persists, accutane is often prescribed as a last resort because of its side effects.

Milder cases of back acne is treated with salicylic-acid cleanser. Patients are advised to wash the area every day for optimum results. They are also asked to take a shower after perspiring so as to minimize the development of the acne problem. Benzoyl peroxide is also applied on the problem area. Benzoyl has been proven to be quite effective in fighting off the problem. This is followed by a moisturizer made from alpha hydroxy acid. This will help exfoliate the skin while making sure that it does not dry out. Salicylic acid and Benzoyl peroxide are also used to treat the pimples individually.

As pieces of advice, people dealing with back acne or other forms of body acne should avoid wearing spandex clothes. As much as possible, they should wear cotton and should keep dry all the time. Apply powder or antiperspirant to prevent excessive sweating. Being hygienic and clean all the time will also help minimize the problem.