Cosmetic Clinic in Cambridge

The Sun and your Skin… Everything you need to know

drtakhar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:40:03 +0000

So, you’ve been told a million times to stay away from the sun, to wear sunscreen and to avoid tanning beds. But do you really understand the full story? Skin cancer is one of the fastest growing cancers in North America. Anti-aging medicine is one of the fastest growing areas of medicine today. In both cases the culprit is the same. The sun.

The sun produces UVA and UVB rays. UVB Rays

These give you the sun “tan” by stimulating melanocytes.
UVB rays cause skin burns.
The more melanocytes you have the quicker you tan. (hence darker skin tans quicker than lighter skin )
UVB rays also give you the dark sun spots (sometimes called liver spots)
UVB rays darken already pigmented/damaged skin eg melasma
SPF factors indicate how much protection you get from UVB rays
SPF 30 protects you from 97% of rays if applied properly.
A white t-shirt gives you an SPF of 7, a black t-shirt 20.

UVA Rays

These penetrate deeper into the dermis.
They can go through glass windows.
UVA rays destroy Collagen giving you wrinkles (crosshatched wrinkles on cheeks)
UVA rays destroy Elastin causing loss of elasticity and sagging. (jowls)
UVA rays destroy Elastin causing pores to get bigger
UVA rays alter DNA causing uneven exfoliation hence patches of dry skin.
UVA rays alter DNA causing skin cancers.
SPF is NO indication of UVA protection
Zinc Oxide and Titanium dioxide give UVB protection
The best sunscreens are chemical free, contain Zinc oxide , Titanium dioxide and an SPF of 30. And remember to wear a hat and sunglasses.

Five Products to Perfect Skin

drtakhar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:37:02 +0000

Sunscreen: SPF 30, containing Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide.
Glycolic Acid: 8% to start, then 15%. Use once or twice a day. On dry skin. Leave it on.
Vitamin C: 10%. In capsulated daily dose satchets. Use on skin after glycolic once a day.
Matryxl: 4%. Use around eyes once or twice a day.
Retinol: 0.15% to start, then 0.30%. Use once a day at night.

Sunscreen: SPF 30 protects against 97% of UVB rays. Needs to be applied only once a day. Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide protects against UVA. UVA causes skin cancer, wrinkles, sagging and enlarges pores. UVB causes tanning, uneven pigmentation, sun spots and dry patches as well as burns.
Glycolic Acid: It is an Alpha hydroxyacid. It causes exfoliation of the dead ells naturally without harming healthy skin. It is designed to stay on your skin all day. Within 5 days of use, the skin begins to show a shiny radiant glow. Over time it is proven to stimulate collagen renewal.It usually tingles a little. Can be used twice a day.
Vitamin C Proven anti oxidant. It destroys free radicals which are responsible for aging and skin cancer. It ib turn protects the elastin and collagen , Within about 10 days of use, the skin feels firmer. Must not be in open container as it oxidises within a few hours.
Matryxl A polypeptide with a unique delivery system which enables the “large” molecules to get to deeper layers by being tightly encapsulated and are then released to make collagen and hence increase skin thickness.
Retinol Only present in 0.04 to 0.07% in expensive store brands. Proven to stimulate collagen production. Initially will cause redness and irritation, but within 2 weeks, a noticable improvement in fine lines and texture.

Five enemies of the skin

Sun
Smoking
Sleep deprivation
Starving oneself of essential nutrients
Stress

Questions & Answers

drtakhar — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 05:55:04 +0000

Welcome to our Questions & Answers rubric. Please ask your questions regarding skin care and our cosmetic clinic services and you will get responce as soon as possible.

Welcome to Dr. Takhar’s Cosmetic Clinic Cambridge

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:30:37 +0000

Here you can read the latest news of our clinic.