The skin is like a large layer of spandex covering the body. If you pull on your skin and let go, it will snap back into place. When the skin is forced to stretch beyond the capacity of its natural elasticity, as is the case with rapid growth during pregnancy, stretch marks may form. The presence of increased cortisone levels in the body during pregnancy exacerbates the problem. Typically during pregnancy stretch marks occur over the abdomen, hips, buttocks and breasts.

Seen under a microscope, a stretch mark will reveal only a few elastic fibers in the centre and an abundance of curled and clustered elastic fibers at the edges. The collagen fibers, which are protein building blocks of the skin, are separated rather than grouped into bundles. These changes take place in the second layer of the skin, the dermis.

Initially stretch marks appear as red and purple lines of varying lengths and widths. Sometimes they are wrinkled and shiny. Gradually they fade to a color or shade lighter than the surrounding skin and remain that way.

So, for Kate the million dollar question is whether or not she can prevent stretch marks during pregnancy and the answer is no.

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I recently heard a young woman enthusiastically describe a new cleansing routine involving the application of cooking oil followed by hot water to clean her skin. She informed me that her skin was softer and pimple free because of this new ‘natural’ regimen.

In an effort to forestall a possible skin disaster I explained that it is quite likely that this new routine might result in a condition call ‘cosmetically induced seborrhea.’ The purpose of cleansing the skin is to remove cosmetics, dirt and grime, and dead skin cells. The oil routine might successfully remove make up, however is unlikely to get at all the dirt and grime and will probably not remove the dead skin cells. If these cells are not removed they become matted to the skin. The build up causes flakiness and inflamed oil glands leaving a scaly, red rash that is sometimes itchy (seborrhea). People often interpret the flakiness as dry skin and apply more occlusive moisturizing creams or lotions to the skin. A vicious cycle begins which often results in a visit to the dermatologist.

The best cleansing routine is:

• Remove make up with a makeup remover.
• Wash the skin with warm water and a cleanser – mild soaps are better than cream cleansers.

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Solutions for Winter Itch

In the winter months moisture is sucked from the air and the surface of the skin may become dry and itchy. At its worst the skin may become chapped and may even crack.

Cleansing the Skin

• Avoid bathing or showering more than once a day.
• Use lukewarm rather than hot water.
• Add unscented oils to the bath such as Aveeno or Aveeno Bath Powder.
• Use mild soaps such as Aveeno Dry Skin, Pears, and Cetaphil – minimize lather. Thoroughly rinse all soap residues from the skin.
• Use gentle shampoos and conditioners, such as Cliniderm or Johnson & Johnson Baby No Tears.

Moisturizing the Skin

• After bathing, pat the skin dry – do not rub. Apply a moisturizer while the skin is still damp. Suggested non-scented moisturizers may include: Aveeno, Moisturel, DML Fragrance Free, Glaxal base Complex 15.
• Apply moisturizers such as Aveeno to areas of dry skin such as the hands and elbows throughout the day.

Laundry

• Use unscented laundry detergents such as Tide Free, Cheer Free,

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Healthy skin, like a healthy body begins with prevention. Exposure to the sun not only ages the skin but it also causes skin cancer.

The sun emits three forms of radiation: infrared, visible and ultraviolet. Infrared and visible light are valuable because they provide warmth and the ability to see. But ultraviolet light can be harmful. It consists of three basic wavelengths: Ultraviolet A, Ultraviolet B and Ultraviolet C. Each penetrates the atmosphere and affects our health in different ways.

So the first step towards protecting our skin would be to protect the Ozone layer. Work with the scientists around the world to do your part to keep and maintain clean air.

The next steps require daily vigilance:

• Apply a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 50 to sun exposed areas of the skin. This will protect you through a normal day of getting in and out of the car, going to the office etc.
• If you plan to be in the sun all day then use an SPF of 60 or more.
• Wear waterproof or water-resistant sunscreens if you plan to be in the water.

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Makeup is the palette of the cosmetic artist. Features of beauty can be accentuated and less desirable features can be subdued. Artful application of makeup can greatly enhance ones natural beauty, yet when poorly applied makeup can be distracting.

Cosmetics are a multi-billion dollar industry. As the ‘baby boom’ generation ages, the industry has shifted its emphasis away from products for the younger generation to ‘anti-aging’ products. Magazines are full of advertisements for products suggesting that they alone have the answer to aging. They would have your believe that the daily use of their product will assure you an everlastingly youthful appearance. Their claims, though seductive are questionable.

Let’s review the components of the skin. The skin has three layers: the epidermis (top layer), the dermis (middle layer) and the layer of cushioning fat (bottom layer). Aging largely affects the dermis and at this level a product must reverse the signs of aging to be as effective as it claims. At this time most products are incapable of penetrating the epidermis and are therefore rendered relatively impotent in their impact on aging.

However, liposomes have appeared on the scene. These micro-balloons can carry active ingredients to deeper levels of the skin’s surface and beyond.

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