RoboSkin.org

Fix your Skin Conditions here

Archives December 2015

Acne Causes – External and Internal Causes

Acne causes are multifactorial. The exact cause of acne has never been pinpointed, and it is believed that several interrelated factors can cause acne. Perhaps it is because we often are unable to determine the root cause of acne in individuals that the statistics of this skin disease is so shocking.

The causes of adult acne and causes of cystic acne are particularly difficult to determine.

17 million people in America alone have acne.

If you are between 12 and 25, you are among the 85% of people who have acne.

25% of men and 50% of women get acne during their adult lives.

The following are some of the external and internal factors that have been linked to acne in some way.

External Contributors to Acne

Makeup and skin care products

Comedogenic skin care products can cause irritation or make you break out. These include any products that clog oil ducts. Look for non-comedogenic or non-acnegenic products, but be aware these products can still make you break out.

Occupation

Depending on where you work, it is possible that your work environment can cause acne. Such environments include manufacturing or construction facilities where you may come in contact with chemicals or polluting agents that cling to the skin.

Too much sun

Evidence shows that another that exposure to sun rays is also one of many acne causes. This can even cause acne a few months after exposure.

Climate

Humidity can cause moisture in follicle cells to swell up. On the flip side, dry air can create thick sebum inside follicle cells. Both extremes can ultimately cause acne.

Picking and squeezing pimples

Touching your face or using your fingers to pick or squeeze pimples is one of the simpler acne causes that are more from habit. Picking pushes bacteria deeper into the skin cells or spread the bacteria already beneath the surface of the skin.

Sweat

Sweat trapped in by your clothing creates an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Friction caused by leaning on or rubbing the skin or the pressure of bike helmets, backpacks, or tight collars can contribute to or worsen acne.

Internal Contributors to Acne

Bacteria

Bacteria that typically live on the skin are a contributor to acne. The bacteria known as Propionibacterium acnes are responsible for causing acne. These bacteria create enzymes that dissolve the oil in the skin, and irritate the skin causing inflammation.

Sebum production

Generally, there is a relationship between the amount of sebum produced and the severity of acne. The largest sebaceous glands are located on the face, neck, chest, upper back and upper arms.

Follicle growth

Sometimes follicle walls will grow abnormally and this can cause acne. As well, increased growth of cells can interfere with the follicles and form a plug. This plug gets bigger until it bursts and spreads bacteria on the surface of the skin.

Hormones

Many acne causes come from hormonal change or imbalance. There are hormonal changes during stress, menstruation, pregnancy, stopping/starting birth control pills, menopause, and hormonal disorders.

Androgens: Androgens are produced by the adrenal glands is one of the internal acne causes that stimulate oil glands and oil production. Increased androgen levels leads to more acne.

Stress: Although stress doesn’t directly cause acne, it will aggravate it. This is because stress leads to increased androgen levels, which then affect your sebaceous glands.

Diet

Dermatologists still aren’t 100% sure if what we eat affects acne. There exists an ongoing debate among experts about the role of food.

Prescription drugs and steroids

Certain drugs, including lithium, barbiturates, and steroids such as for muscle building (androgens) are known to cause acne.

Genetics

If your parents had acne, or one of them, there’s a chance you will inherit their complexion. It is now believed that acne can run in the family, but the specific genetic factor has not been discovered.

As you can see, there are many acne causes that can be both independent or interrelated. It is almost impossible to separate out interlinking activities that contribute to acne. Being aware of these acne causes can help you minimize breakouts.

Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred and Diet Plan

There are millions of people who have been in search for the perfect way to lose all the extra weight that they have. People always tend to fall for falsified methods of losing diet that promise them of a better figure but nobody ever gets these results. This leads to people giving up on ever losing their weight thus they choose to remain overweight. If people want to lose weight, they have to watch what they eat. This is the first step in losing weight. There are diets that have helped so many people to lose weight. There are recognized best diet foods that have worked miracles for so many people. Many people have turned to the best foods for weight loss and they have received their desired figures.

The Jillian Michaels diet plan is a simple diet plan that involves both workout and dieting. The exercise part of the diet is referred to as the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred that involves many exercises that people have to do in order to lose their extra weight. The Jillian Michaels diet plan involves people counting the amount of calorie intake so that they can be able to keep up with the amount of calories that they are ingesting each day. With this calorie count people can know their daily weight thus they can know how much weight they have gained or lost in a particular day. This comes in handy because with each day calorie count people can know how much harder they have to work the next day so that they can lose some more weight.

The Jillian Michaels 30 day shred involves exercises that may lead to people losing many calories in a short period. For instance, by using this workout, there are people who have lost 5 pounds in about a week. The work out is very simplified in that people can work exercise either at home or in the gym. This exercises included in the workout are so compound such that anyone can do them with ease. Before you start on the diet plan or the 30 day shred, you have to so a simple quiz that assists the planners in deciding the perfect exercises or diet plan for your body type. This means that the exercises that you are given to do are perfect for your body type thus they do not stress you at all.

The Jillian Michaels diet plan also offers the best diet foods that are perfect for your body. The planners in the diet plan have samples of foods that they choose from and they come up with the best foods for weight loss for each person. This makes it easier for people since in other diet plans people are given food groups and they are told to choose whatever food that they need to lose weight. As you will conclude, the 30 day shred has brought miraculous results for so many people who have decided to adopt it.

5 Free Beauty Tips- Make-Up Brushes And Pencils

Make-up brushes and pencils need special care as they come in direct contact with that most sensitive part of your body – your skin. Use these 5 free beauty tips to keep a high standard.

Free beauty tip #1:

Clean makeup brushes with a mild liquid soap.

Cup your hand, put in a little soapy water and swish the brushes in the palm of your hand until they are clean.

Rinse, reshape, and hang over the edge of a table so the air can dry them naturally.

To avoid damaging them, do not soak them in a sink or wrap them in a towel to dry.

Free beauty tip #2:

When purchasing an eyebrow brush, be sure it has firm bristles.

A soft brush will only slide over the surface.

A firm brush will groom and control the short eyebrow hairs.

Free beauty tip #3:

Use a concealer brush to apply concealer to the innermost corner of the eye.

This small, firm brush with a tip can reach this difficult spot which often appears dark as it is so recessed. In the absence of a concealer brush, use a finger to apply the concealer.

Free beauty tip #4:

If you wish to invest in quality makeup brushes, purchase natural bristle rather than synthetic bristles.

Sable is a strong favorite. Make sure the bristles are packed tight and not loose. Brush the back of the hand to make sure it doesn’t lose too many bristles.

Free beauty tip #5:

When using an eyebrow pencil, use short, diagonal strokes in the direction of the hair growth.

Give more attention to areas where there are less hairs rather than an even coverage.

Note: Avoid the temptation to use an eyeliner pencil on the eyebrows. They are soft and malleable, ideal for the delicate eye area. An eyebrow pencil needs to be fairly hard to allow you to create tiny strokes in specific areas.

How to Use Self Discipline and Stay on a Diet

A. Make an absolute commitment and you do not have to commit again. You have made up your mind and you will not waiver. You will have plenty of times of temptation at first, but you will not waiver. Other people have had the same temptation and decided to overcome and stay with their diet goal. You can do this.

B. Pray for help. Dieting is challenging and sometimes very difficult. It is good to summons the help you need from a higher source. God knows who we are and He will certainly help if we are trying earnestly. You can do this.

C. I have heard a lot of people say, they have tried “this or that” diet and they don’t lose weight. It is elementary educated information that if food does not go in the mouth, there will be weight loss. If we cut way down on calories, we will lose weight. We have heard stories of people who are held captive and have very little food and they do lose weight. You can do this and lose weight if you do not eat as much as you have been eating. You can do this.

Recognize that the physical size of the amount of food may have little to do with the calories that may be in them, keeping you from losing weight. A small piece of pecan pie may have 800 calories, but you can eat a “truck load” of plain green beans for the same amount of calories!

D. When you are tempted to eat something that is not on your diet, think of all the times you have eaten calorie – filled desserts and whatever food you enjoy, and tell yourself you’ve enjoyed all that in the past, but now is the time for denial. You can do this.

E. Realize this strict diet doesn’t go on forever. It won’t take you forever to lose the weight you want, if you stick to it. You will have to change your main habits, but you will not have to sacrifice at the level you are sacrificing while being strictly on your diet. You can do this.

F. Notice when you use food for consoling yourself. Refuse to succumb to it. I know exactly what you are going through, but food is not the answer. Try thinking of a different approach (go for a walk). If a certain person has upset you, then all the more reason why you need to lose weight and get control of all facets of your life. You can do this.

G. Commit only to yourself you are going on a diet. This is probably different advice than you hear from other people. You don’t need to report to anybody. This approach accentuates the fact that you are in control of your body and mind and report to no one else about your diet. Additionally, this is a part of the approach that you believe in yourself and your commitment to stay on your diet. You do not need feedback from other people, you are on this diet because you are doing it for yourself and you are disciplined and can do this!

H. Tell yourself, even 24 hours after you begin if you are tempted, you have come too far and you will not turn back. You are moving ahead and you are strong and you will not accept failure. It is your mindset. You know you can do this.

I. Know that there are so many foods out there with high fructose corn syrup and refined sugar that make you hungrier. Snack foods have additives that make you want to eat more and more. Don’t succumb and be the “sucker” that these companies are hoping you will be, so they can make more money. You can do this.

J. Think of all the health problems you may be avoiding if you maintain a healthy weight. You may avoid diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hip and knee replacements. It just goes on and on. The medical field loves overweight people because they make lots of money off of them. It is amazing how many doctors just keep writing the prescriptions and arranging for procedures when there is no mention for one to change their diet and level of exercise. They just keep writing prescriptions for a lot of health issues that could be avoided by watching your diet and losing weight. A lot of people would be way ahead by just cutting sodas out of their diet. One small adjustment at a time makes a big difference.

Our renewed health should be our number one motivator. When I went to the doctor before I started on my diet, the numbers from the blood work were not favorable. I knew I had really “let myself go.” The doctor said nothing about weight gain causing this or any suggestion to get more exercise or change my diet. The only thing she wanted to do was write prescriptions. Because I realized these numbers were just over borderline (others may need medication at that time), I told her I would stay in touch because I knew when I left her office, I was going to change things and try not to lean on prescriptions if I didn’t need to.

For me, it totally worked. My blood pressure came down to the level it was when I was 20 and my other blood numbers adjusted themselves to within bounds. It was a great feeling to know I had done my part to help myself. I realize others may have health problems they need medical help with, but it gives one great peace to know you are helping yourself in all ways, as much as possible. You can do this too.

K. Realize that a little bit of the wrong food can add many calories to your diet. A lot of people don’t realize that tablespoon of catsup may add 50 calories, or that delicious, nutritious salad can be undermined with a high calorie salad dressing. Write down what you eat and the number of calories. It will be easier to skip the condiments. You can do this.

L. Don’t make this a time where you are cooking and baking all the foods that are a temptation to you. Although after a week, I started to see results and was motivated to turn down even a slice of birthday cake I baked, there is no reason to needlessly “torture” yourself. Save the cooking and baking for later. You can do this.

M. Know you can do it without expensive diet plans. Again, if the food is not going in the mouth, weight will be lost. There are many prepared, expensive foods that are called “diet plan” foods and have more calories than just staying with un-embellished, basic foods and cutting down on your serving size. A vegetable serving size is usually 1/3 of one cup and a serving of meat is usually 3 – 4 ounces, at the most! Americans have lost track of what a normal serving should be causing most to gain unnecessary weight. You can do this.

N. Realize with eating the right foods, your body can do with so much less than what Americans are used to eating each day. Some hours you may feel like you are going to starve to death, but think about the good food you have already eaten today and assure yourself you have enough food for your health and appetite. You can do this.

O. Educate yourself. I went home and read about the causes of high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and triglycerides, etc. Spend time reading labels in the grocery store on a day it is not busy and you won’t be hurried. There are so many foods that people think are “diet” food that add tons of calories and fat to their diet and sell at a high price. The numbers on the labels will tell most of the truth. You can do this.

P. Do not engage in a physical exercise program while you are staying strictly on your diet. I walked consistently, but not strenuous, far distances. Your body is trying to adjust at this time and you do not need to add one more thing in the equation for it to adjust to. I recommend you start exercising after you have lost the weight you desire. You can do this.

Q. Hang an outfit in view in your closet that you want to be able to wear or listen to music that brings favorable thoughts of when you were young and thinner. When you are tempted to eat something that is not on your diet, go to these sources for motivation. You can do this.

R. Rejoice in your accomplishment. As you see the results, there will be no turning back. You will never want to look like you did before. You will love your new self, the way you feel, and your new image. It is so much fun to go clothes shopping after you have obtained your goal! You can do this.

If I can do this, most anyone can go on a diet and stay on a diet until their goal is met. Look at yourself in a new light and continue with a philosophy of eating only what you need to eat and what will sustain your good health. Most of the high calorie foods offer virtually no nutrition and only add problems. Remember your health benefits, your self esteem benefits, the probable years you are adding to your life, and the quality you are adding to your life. There is an old saying that says, “your enemies tell you what you want to hear and your friends tell you what you need to know. ” Remember these philosophies and stay with it. Good Luck with your important decision to go on a diet and stay on a diet!

Natural Skin Lightening Solutions You Can Find at Home

We all probably want light skin that is free from dark spots and blemishes. Dark-toned women are also looking for some natural skin lightening solutions that will help lighten their skin and making it fair as well.

If you are one of the many women looking for natural skin lightening solutions, you don’t have to confuse yourself with the many products in the market that promises almost instant results of skin lightening. You can actually have some natural ways to lighten your skin, which of course are safer.

Here are some things that can help you achieve that natural skin lightening.

Lemon juice is indeed one of the best natural skin lightening solution you can find in your kitchen. Application of freshly squeezed lemon juice on the areas with dark spots can help lighten the skin and eliminate dark sports. Some varieties of citrus fruits are also very good options in lightening the skin and one of these is the Calamondin fruit which resembles a small orange. It has effective bleaching properties that can lighten the skin and dark spots in no time with daily application of its fresh juice. Keep in mind to moisturize your skin after your regular application of lemon juice to make it smoother and avoid dry skin.

Cucumber is also another home remedy you can use to lighten your skin. Cucumber juice can be used overnight for its lightening effect. Aside from that, cucumber helps soothe tired skin and eyes and can be placed directly around your eyes and cheeks.

The juice in potatoes also has bleaching properties that can help lighten the skin. It is even used in lightening tanned skin. It is used by directly applying the juice on the tanned areas of the skin. Others may also mix potato juice with lemon juice to make it more effective.

Take enough dosage of your Vitamin C everyday. You can get this fresh from fruits and vegetables such as grapefruit, lemon and citrus fruits. A good dosage of Vitamin C helps a lot in giving you a lighter and blemish-free complexion.

It is also important to take note that a healthy diet rich in high-fiber vegetables and fruits is a big factor in making your skin free from hyperpigmentation. Of course, lightening your skin from the inside is one thing that can give you permanent results. Also drink plenty of water. This will help wash away the toxins in your body that may cause to more skin problems like acne. Indeed, good nutrition plays a vital role in making your complexion fair blemish free.

Aside from these natural skin lightening solutions, you can also help lighten your skin by protecting it from harsh UV rays of the sun. Make sure you protect yourself by applying sunscreen when you go out outdoors especially during midday. 

It is also important to exfoliate to help you get rid of dead skin cells especially on your face and helps you prevent skin problems like acne.

Is There an Easier Alternative to Skin Laser Treatment?

Did you know that there are alternatives to skin laser treatment? Yes, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars and endure pain just to have beautiful, youthful skin. Read on to find out more.

This surgery entails a laser beam used to vaporize the upper layers of the skin. This removes aging signs like wrinkles and fine lines. Once the upper layers are removed new skin which is youthful and without blemishes, will form again. Wrinkles in the lip, chin and eye areas can be removed with skin laser treatment.

However, this treatment is expensive and also painful. The process has to be done in an operating room in which you will be anesthetized. After the treatment you have to carefully use antibiotic creams to heal your skin. It will also take a couple of months to see the full results of taking this treatment. And of course, the results are temporary.

Is there an easier alternative to skin laser surgery? Yes there is!

The alternative is using highly effective skin care products that are packed with a good concentration of powerful natural ingredients. Using such a product regularly will give definite relief from skin conditions and can show a complete reversal of aging signs. You will find them to be definitely a whole lot better to use than undergoing laser surgery.

Here is a look at the many benefits of using a top-notch product:

* They keep your skin complexion fresh and clean.

* They provide a rich supply of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to your skin. This protects and enriches your skin. Even the best skin laser treatment does not offer this.

* They reverse aging skin signs like wrinkles, fine lines and age spots, by stimulating the production of youthful skin cells in a natural way.

* They have ingredients that tighten sagging skin. This is a far better solution for reducing sagging skin problems than skin laser surgery as it shows long-lasting effects.

* They moisturize your skin. This prevents your skin from becoming dry. Dry skin is more susceptible to wrinkles. You cannot find such benefits in skin laser treatment.

* They reduce skin problems like acne skin, skin inflammation, and oily skin. Laser surgery really does not look into such issues.

* The effect of using such products is long-lasting. This cannot be said about the results of skin laser surgery.

Now, that you are aware of the benefits of using high quality skin care products what you also need to know is how to find them. In order to do this, you need to check the products ingredients. Look out for products with a high concentration of ingredients such as Vitamin E, Shea, minerals oils, herbal extracts and other powerful natural components.

These ingredients have shown proven results in treating aging signs the right way. They do not cause any side effects and they are able to treat different kinds of skin conditions such dry skin, acne skin or sensitive skin very effectively.

Using a product with a combination of such ingredients will give you clear skin that really radiates with health. The process of skin treatment is this manner is definitely better than costly skin laser treatment. The effects last long and you get your skin healthy back.