Dark Circles
Dark circles under your eyes can be caused by fatigue but there are also other culprits. Allergies, genetics, pigmentation irregularities, rubbing your eyes and sun exposure are also among the causes. The natural aging process is also to blame. As we age, we tend to lose fat and collagen and the skin thins. This allows the reddish-blue blood vessels under our eyes to be more prominent.
How to minimize dark circles:
Adequate and consistent sleep.
ELEVATION:
Sleeping with your head slightly elevated can help gravity drain the fluid that contributes to morning puffiness.
Cold compress can help reduce the size of dilated blood vessels under the eyes.
SUN:
Reduce or eliminate sun exposure to the face. Using an appropriate medical grade anti-oxidant serum to the eye area will help reduce the oxidative damage.
MOISTURIZE:
Eye treatment creams can contain ingredients such as caffeine, vitamin K and hyaluronic acid that help reduce the dilation of the blood vessels as well as provide hydration and plumping effect.
Adding an eye treatment to your next facial as well as getting a recommendation for appropriate home care can help reduce the severity of the dark circles.
Makeup helps counteract the appearance of eye circles.
Medical spa treatments such as radio frequency skin tightening will help build up collagen and create a thicker skin so the blood vessels are not as close to the surface.
Filler can be used to fill in the hollows under the eyes helping to lift the skin up and away from the blood vessels that give your eyes the dark circle hollow look.
The Skin Cancer Foundation states that sun damage is the most common cause of dark spots. There are also the dark spots that come from acne. Sun damage is referred to as sun spots and acne damage may be referred to as post acne spots.
The most obvious advice for this is to use a sunscreen everyday to prevent further sun spots from occurring, but unfortunately most of the damage has been done in our earlier years. None the less it is important to stop further damage with a good sunscreen. Remember when outside you must reapply your sunscreen every 90 minutes!
To repair or reduce sunspots, a treatment using an Intense Pulse Light (IPL) or Broad Band Light (BBL) is effective. This treatment is best done in the fall and winter months when sun exposure is at a minimum. Medical Spa’s usually offer this service along with complimentary consultations to make sure this is the best treatment for you.
Post acne spots can benefit from an IPL or BBL treatment but a good assessment and consultation is required to make sure starting on an acne treatment regime is not the better option.
Potent medical grade antioxidant serums and pigment lightening products are an excellent way to initiate treating this uneven skin colour. This can be discussed with a skin care expert.
Dry Skin
Whether your complexion is in need of a hydration boost all year long or only during the cold winter months, investing in a season appropriate moisturizer is key to healthy vibrant skin. There are 2 different types of moisturizers: giving skin a drink of water and sealing in the moisture.
Oily or combination skin DOES required hydration. Something that provides your skin with a drink of water but minimal to no sealing in of moisture will be most beneficial for you.
Dry or dehydrated skin needs the drink of water PLUS a way to seal in that moisture to avoid trans epidermal water loss (TEWL). TEWL is caused by evaporation of water through the epidermis, or outer layers of the skin. When TEWL is high, skin becomes dry, itchy and possibly irritated. If you have eczema, dermatitis or psoriasis you have a weakened skin barrier and have a much higher TEWL and require a heavier “sealant” moisturizer.
A consultation with a skin care expert can help you find the perfect moisturizer. Remember, the creams you use in the summer will most likely not be adequate for winter. Dryer colder air and indoor heating will increase TEWL.
A facial every season change (4 times a year) is recommended as skin care maintenance. To treat skin specific issues, more frequent facials will be most beneficial. Professional exfoliation and antioxidant treatment will help care for your skin, keeping it intact and helping to keep you protected.
Facial Redness
There are many different causes of skin redness (rosacea, eczema, allergies, excessive dryness, sun damage, etc) but no matter the reason, dealing with uneven skin tone is a challenge. Makeup can help even it out though a camouflage primer may be needed. This is when talking to a makeup specialist is beneficial in helping to make the right choice.
The most ideal scenario is to treat the cause of the redness IF possible. This might mean a trip to the doctor or it may just mean you need to be aware of triggers that may cause increase redness. Sometimes it can be food (spices, caffeine, red wine are some examples).
Light based treatments like Laser and Intense Pulse Light (IPL) can help decrease the size of the extremely small blood vessels that are causing the redness. A skin care specialist can help determine if this is the right treatment for you.
Home care products like a physical sunscreen (titanium and zinc based) and an anti-oxidant serum with anti-inflammatory properties are beneficial to help reduce the effects of the sun and other environmental stressors.
Skin is the largest organ of our body. It has a very important job in protecting us from “all of the bad stuff” that can make us sick. Our skin is meant to be a barrier and we need to take care of it not just for appearances sake, but for our general health. We should not take it for granted. We should observe and listen to what our skin Is saying.
Sunspots mean that we need to do a better job at sun protection. Dry irritated skin means we need to take a look at how we can help our skin have a better protection barrier. Dark circles and puffiness may be what your genetics dictate but it also may mean you need to address your sleep patterns and address allergy issues. Facial redness may be indicating that there is an inflammatory process happening that needs to be minimized and cared for.
There are many skin care experts out there who can assess your skin and make recommendations. It is always economical and time efficient to talk to a professional for their advice instead of going to various counters with pretty labels and making a guess.
WRITTEN BY: SUE WAGNER, RN, owner of SKIN APPEAL, ORANGEVILLE
