Friday 8 April 2011

Venom for your face


Snakes tend to have a negative reputation in most cultures. The image of the tempting serpent is often used to evoke the tragedy of the original sin in Judaism and Christianity. Most English-speaking people would give the phrase “a brood of vipers” a very negative connotation, often using it to metaphorically refer to a group of individuals engaged in unsavory activities. A snake bite is often fear not for the fangs but because of the venom of the serpent. Even though the typical venomous snake does not always have potent enough venom to kill an adult person, the danger levels are still very high.

However, recent studies have shown that snake venom is not all that bad. Some snakes have venom that has potential medical uses, with one of them being linked to skin care. Yes, snake venom can be used for skin care.

To be specific, the venom of the Temple viper has been found to contain a compound that could be of great use to skin care and cosmetics. A tripeptide protein found in the venom of the Temple viper, which has been successfully synthesized by Canadian cosmetics company Euoko, has properties that make it very similar to the popular Botox. The component in the venom that has this ability, a protein known as Walgerlin-1, has potent uses as a muscle relaxant and anesthetic. The protein in the venom can be dangerous to humans, even when introduced topically, but experts claim that this is only due to the sheer concentration in Temple Viper Venom. The synthetic protein used has a lower concentration and is being advertised as a safe product to use; one which is more effective than Botox in removing wrinkles and making skin appear younger.

The protein is believed to relax muscles and inhibits muscle contraction. In large enough amounts, it can result in temporary loss of movement, but in controlled amounts, it can smooth skin tissue and remove wrinkles. The formula used by Euoko is also said to contain a mix of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and proteins that strengthen the skin, support the effect of the tripeptide main ingredient, and ease the transition of the chemical into the skin. This not only gives it a more nourishing effect than Botox, but it also makes it easier to use on people. The current formula developed by Euoko does not require an injection and can be applied topically, which many customers have been known to view as an advantage over most other products of this sort.
According to Euoko, they have done extensive internal testing to ensure that the formula is safe for use and does not have any of the highly toxic effects of Temple viper venom. They also claim that various third-party, independent laboratories were contracted to conduct tests to make sure that the synthetic venom does not have any toxic effects. While it is possible that very sensitive individuals might develop some nasty side effects, Euoko claims that there is absolutely no danger of dying because of using their snake venom-based skin care treatment.

Check out my other Articles



Saturday 2 April 2011

Natural Life, Natural Skin Care


What is Natural Skin Care?

Put simply, ‘natural skin care’ is caring for your skin in a natural and chemical free way. ‘Natural skin care’ enables the skin to take care of itself (without any assistance from synthetic materials/ chemicals). ‘Natural skin care’ is about persistence of good habits in the way you lead your day to day life. A lot of natural skin care measures are actually the same as those for body care in general. 

So let’s see what these natural skin care measures are. 

Well the first and the foremost natural skin care measure is – ‘Drink a lot of water’.  Around 8 glasses of water is a must everyday. Water helps in flushing out the toxins from the body, in a natural way. It helps in the overall upkeep of the body and promotes good health for all organs (not just skin). 

General cleanliness is another inexpensive way of natural skin care.  Daily shower, wearing clean clothes and sleeping on a clean mattress/pillow are all part of general cleanliness. After all, clean skin is the key to keeping the skin disorders at bay. 

Regular exercise is the next thing on the cards. Exercise increases the flow of blood that helps in getting rid of body toxins and keeping you healthy.  Exercise also helps in beating stress which is the worst enemy of good health. 

Healthy food and eating habits are also recommended for natural skin care.  Some type of food (e.g. oily food) is suggested to cause acne and should be avoided as much as possible. Your diet should be a healthy mix of various nutrient providing foods. Raw fruits and vegetables are known to provide freshness to your body and help in getting rid of body toxins.



A good sleep is also instrumental in maintaining good health and in beating stress. As a natural skin care measure, a good sleep delays slacking of skin. 

Beating stress is another natural skin care therapy. Stress causes overall damage to body and health. Drinking a lot of water, getting a sound sleep and exercise has already been mentioned as stress busters. Indulging in a warm bubble bath, listening to music and playing your favourite sport are also good ways of beating stress. Yoga is yet another way of beating stress; it is fast gaining popularity amongst the masses.

Avoiding excessive exposure to sun (by wearing long sleeved clothes, hat and umbrella etc), is another natural skin care strategy. Sunscreen lotions are also recommended as necessary.  

A lot of traditional and home made natural skin care products/ measures are also known to be very effective. Such measures are not only natural and easy-to-follow, but also relatively inexpensive.

Besides that, a lot of natural skin care products are available in the commercial market. These include things like lavender oil, aloe vera etc., which don’t have any side effects. 

If you found this useful have a look at our other Articles


Friday 1 April 2011

Easy steps to get rid of Acne


Acne is a broad term, which includes blemishes, blackheads, and whiteheads. Acne can strike at any age. Effective acne treatments are sometimes difficult to find, and understanding acne and prevention can be frustrating. Here are some acne treatment tips that have worked for many.


Although acne is not life threatening it can be uncomfortable and hard on your ego. There has always been a debate about the actual cause of acne. The actual cause is not as important as finding a cure.

So is there a cure for acne. Well yes and no. There are many products available and for some they are a cure, for others they do not help. A cure is only a cure when you find a product that works for you.

Most acne treatments will take time to work. It usually takes around 8 weeks before you see any significant improvement so you are going to have to be patient. Once you have got your acne cleared up it is important to continue with the treatment that is working so it does not return.

If you have serious acne, it is best to consult a dermatologist. However, in milder cases you will often be able to get it under control by yourself just by persevering. Try these tips to conquer your acne.

Exercise
Regular exercise helps keep your whole body in shape. It builds your immune system and helps eliminate toxins from the body. It is a great start to fighting acne.

Diet
You need to eat at least 5 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables each day. Fresh fruit and vegetables are full of nutrients that your body needs. They boost the immune system and are good antioxidants. They can work towards helping you get rid of the acne. Try to avoid refined sugars and fatty foods which have are not good for you or your skin. You also need to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to flush your system of toxins.

Cosmetics
Choose cosmetics that are water based and hypo-allergenic. Avoid oil free products, coal tar derivatives, and heavy creams. Make sure you wash your skin thoroughly every night to remove makeup residue.

Hormones
Hormones can play a role in acne flare ups and they can be used to reduce outbreaks. Your doctor may decide to use HRT to eliminate or reduce your acne outbreaks.

Clean Skin
You need to avoid harsh scrubbing of your face but you also need to thoroughly clean your skin nightly. Use a mild cleaning regime every night. Once or twice a week you should also, use an exfoliator to gently remove damaged skin and unplug pores.

Shaving
Is actually a great exfoliating treatment the removes dead skin. However, you should never shave an area that is infected or inflamed. Always use a shaving cream if your skin is sensitive.

Stress
Can be a contributing factor to acne so try to relax and unwind. Emotions trigger chemical reactions in the body, which can cause an outbreak.

You can help control your acne outbreaks by following these simple steps. What are you waiting for?

Did you find this article useful?  For more useful tips, hints, points to ponder and keep in mind,

Keep an eye on the rest of the Articles


Thursday 31 March 2011

what to use and where to get it?


If you scour the shelves of a pharmacy or drug store, you'll most likely find numerous brands of over-the-counter treatment for acne more than you can count with your fingers. among other skin infections,There are likely to be ingredients common to said treatments for skin infections, though none are exactly the same. If the problem is something that your typical medication can handle, it is probably best you consult a skin care professional.

In most cases, these readily available measures achieve the simple goal of alleviating your acne problem without causing any discomfort. Of course, given individual reactions to the chemicals in the skin treatments, that may not always be the case. Prescription medication, which is typically more potent, may also cause the same unwanted side-effects as those that come from over-the-counter products.

Various factors influence the effectiveness of an over-the-counter or prescription acne treatment product. You might be inclined to wonder which of the two would be the best acne medication, with minimal possible side effects. Well, the answer to this is that all medications can potentially cause side effects. Every person's skin will react differently to different drugs or medications.

Let's take a look at this whole thing objectively, shall we? Or at least, with as much objectivity a single person can have. Hopefully, if we do that we can find the best acne medication, or at least something close to it.  In theory, there may be no such thing as a “best” medication, as individual skin chemistry can easily get in the way.

First off, over-the-counter medication for your average range of skin infections, let alone acne, is nowhere near as potent as your typical prescription treatment. This may stem from either the differences in the basic chemical composition or how concentrated the key ingredients of the treatments are. A prescription acne treatment may clear up the problem faster, but the potency of the chemicals can cause side effects more readily than the over-the-counter variants. That means that your life can get back to normal a lot faster, seeing as how you've got one less thing to worry about.

However, despite being “less effective” (and that's something that's just this side of being arguable), over-the-counter stuff is significantly cheaper. Unless you've somehow gotten a case of monumentally bad acne, you should go and try an over-the-counter treatment first. They may not be as potent, but they very often can do the job on their own. If they're not helping, you shouldn't hesitate to seek professional help. Medical insurance may or many not entirely cover your costs, as this sort of thing is something that varies depending on the details of your coverage.

The lower potency of the drugs can also be a boon rather than a bane, for some people. You see, every once in a while, the combination of skin, acne, and other factors is going to produce a person with very sensitive skin. The kind of skin that turns red and swells to the size of a grapefruit at the slightest touch of benzoyl peroxide, or something similar. However, lower chemical potency means that you're also less likely to run into a nasty side effect.

There's also the matter of convenience to be considered here. An over-the-counter product is obviously easier to get your hands on. Go to a drug store, find medication for acne that you like or think would work, and pay for it at the counter. Simple, clean, and there's not a whole lot of time involved. In contrast, if you need to get one that's prescription-required, that involves the time to set up the appointment, the consultation, and all that other good stuff.

There's also the matter of an individual's skin. Your skin is unique and how it might react to something is different from how someone else's skin might react. Your skin may be tougher than most, or it can be easier to scar than most. Medications are set to a specific formula when they're made.

Finally, you may want to keep in mind not to mix and match your treatments. Drug interaction is a leading cause of side effects, aside from poor interaction with the patient's skin. Skin infections like acne can be made worse if you mix two treatments together, such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. The warning about drug interaction holds true even when you mix together over-the-counter medication and prescription ones, even if the two have ingredients in common.

Remember check out My other Articles