HEALTHY SKIN AND INFLAMMATION

Inflammation describes the process by which our body heals itself.  Today, I’m going to discuss two different types of inflammation: Acute and Chronic.  And I’m going to define the role that inflammation plays in influencing the health of our body’s largest organ, the skin.

 

When your body is injured, an entire network of inner response “teams” is immediately triggered to help fix the injury, which is why you will notice swelling, tenderness and redness around the injury site.  This is the process known as Acute inflammation.  Acute inflammation is necessary to help the body heal its injury and protect against infection.  The pain response of acute inflammation is your body’s signal to stop what you are doing, to avoid further damage.

 

Then there is the process known as Chronic inflammation.  When constant injury or insult to our body is allowed to occur on a regular basis, our bodies are in an ongoing battle to combat the acute inflammatory process, which then becomes a chronic condition.  Chronic inflammation can be triggered by stress, being overweight, sun exposure, diet, exposure to pollution, smoking, hormones and disease, among other things.  Over time, excessive chronic inflammation also significantly increases your risk of several life-threatening or degenerative diseases such as arthritis, allergies, asthma, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s (source: Reinagel, Monica. The Inflammation-Free Diet Plan, 2006. McGraw-Hill).

 

So what effect does inflammation have on the health of your skin?

 

We learned the importance of a healthy skin barrier (those outer protective layers of your skin) in my last blog.  Having a healthy skin barrier helps protect you from environmental elements that trigger the inflammatory response in the skin.  However, if left untreated an ongoing inflammatory response will break down a healthy skin barrier. Chronic inflammation in the skin manifests itself with visible skin aging and skin diseases.

 

Acute inflammation happens in the form of sunburn when your skin is exposed to excessive sun without any protection (your skin turns red, feels tender and swells slightly).  But chronic inflammation actually occurs on a daily basis from sun exposure – even if you are not in the sun long enough to sunburn.

 

Applying some topical products, like harsh prescriptions or facial scrubs, can trigger inflammation in the skin as well.  Microdermabrasion and chemical peels will also trigger an acute response in the skin.

 

Keep in mind that not all inflammation in the skin is a bad thing.  Microdermabrasion or chemical peel treatments help remove the superficial outer layers of stratum corneum (the skin barrier), and help move fresh cells to the skin surface.  At the same time, collagen and elastin are stimulated in the dermis, to help plump and support the skin.  But you couldn’t microderm or peel your skin every day, or you could be left with one very damaged skin barrier!  It’s also important to protect your skin after one of these types of treatments, since leaving your skin unprotected invites harmful exposure to environmental elements (sun, microbes and bacteria).

 

People who choose to exfoliate on a daily basis (men exfoliate every time they shave their faces) should consider taking steps to repair and fortify their skin barrier after exfoliation, when freshly exposed skin is most vulnerable to damage or bacteria. 

 

Choose skin care products that are fortified with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients that strengthen and protect your skin barrier, to help slow the chronic inflammatory process in the skin.  Make it a habit to wear sunscreen every day; preferably a sunscreen that provides at least SPF 30, and is fortified with antioxidants to help fight free radical damage (remember sun exposure is the number ONE element that causes inflammation and visible aging in our skin).

 

To sum up, some acute inflammation may be helpful to trigger cell turnover and stimulate collagen and elastin, which can help keep our skin looking good – but too much extended and prolonged inflammation creates a damaging chronic process, which contributes to visible skin aging and skin disease.

 

Special Skin Care Concerns – Treating Asian Skin

Our Japanese partners from Osaka were visiting our corporate office last week and I got to perform a facial on one of the women on the team, which was a very special privilege for me.  Here in Boise, I don’t get many chances to work on Asian skin very often.

 

Asian skin is very delicate skin, and Asian women are very concerned about keeping their skin as light as possible.  Products that help with hyperpigmentation are highly regarded and coveted especially in the Japanese-Asian skin care market – but those pigmentation treatment products must also be formulated for very sensitive skin as well. 

 

Years ago, renowned dermatologist Dr. Thomas Fitzpatrick created a way to classify skin type by the tendency to burn or tan when exposed to the sun.  This Fitzpatrick skin typing helped the skin care professional determine which types of treatments would be safe for certain skin colors, such as aggressive chemical peels or laser procedures.  The Fitzpatrick scale ranges from Type I, the fairest skin most susceptible to sunburn and sun damage, to Type VI, the darkest skin most resistant to sunburn and sun damage.  As well, darker skin types tend to be the most susceptible to pigmentation disorders, such as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (after a blemish or scab has cleared), or melasma.  Although Japanese skin is very fair, it must be treated as Fitzpatrick V, due to the tendency for sensitive Japanese skin to pigment easily.  Aggressive peels and laser protocols must be used cautiously as well.

 

Visible pigment is triggered by an inflammatory response in the skin, so it is important for Asian skin to use gentle products that help calm inflammation in the skin.  Remember that living life every day exposes your skin to factors that contribute to inflammation – from sun exposure and pollution to lifestyle and diet.  Skin care products that use a combination of anti-inflammatory ingredients along with antioxidants (to help protect against free radical damage) help to calm the inflammatory process, which in turn helps improve the appearance of visible pigmentation.

 

My lovely Asian “client” had beautiful skin to begin with, so I concentrated on giving her a gentle but thorough cleansing with Epionce® Milky Lotion Cleanser followed by Epionce® Gentle Foaming Cleanser, using my ultrasonic spatula for very light removal of dead surface cells.  I infused Epionce® Lite Lytic with ultrasound to further deep clean her pores, reduce any redness, and smooth her skin texture.  I followed with an application of Epionce® Enriched Firming Mask to add hydration and further soothe her skin.  While she masked and relaxed, I performed a hand treatment using Epionce® Rebalancing Clarifier and Epionce® Renewal Body Lotion, slipping her hands inside warm mitts.  We finished the facial with a light application of Epionce® Rebalancing Clarifier, Epionce® Renewal Eye Cream, Epionce® Renewal Facial Lotion and Epionce® Active Shield Lotion SPF30+.  She looked absolutely radiant when we were done!

 

The Japanese skin care market has the most stringent regulations in the world regarding ingredient formulations, and products imported from the US must undergo very extensive testing before they are brought into the Japanese market.  This process could take years before a US skin care manufacturer is allowed to retail its products in Japan. 

 

Epionce® products, formulated to nourish the skin with a blend of botanicals and antioxidants, and help calm inflammation in the skin, will be introduced to the Japanese market in the fall of 2008.