TheSkinSite

Establishing cause of the pigmented skin condition plays a big role in the known effectiveness of any skin lightner, this is the therapists first priority before embarking on a treatment plan. If the established cause of the pigmentation is induced by medication, either topically applied or orally taken i.e. corticosteroids or the contraceptive pill, no guarantee of improvement can be made, until the medication has been discontinued.

There are a number of well known chemicals that aggravate or cause hyper-pigmentation, but research has brought to light products commonly used by skin treatment therapists and clients that also are now known to be photo-sensitisers.

Photoreactions

Chemicals that produce a photoreaction (reaction with exposure to UV light) are called photoreactive agents or, more commonly, photosensitizers. After exposure to UV radiation either from natural sunlight or an artificial source such as tanning booths or even those "purple-lighted" mosquito zappers, these photosensitizers cause chemical changes that increase a person's sensitivity to light, causing the person to become photosensitized. Medications, food additives, and other products that contain photoreactive agents are called photosensitizing products.

FDA has also reported that photoreactive agents have been found in deodorants, antibacterial soaps, artificial sweeteners, fluorescent brightening agents for cellulose, nylon and wool fibers, naphthalene (mothballs), petroleum products, and in cadmium sulfide, a chemical injected into the skin during tattooing.

Photoallergies

In photoallergic reactions, which generally occur due to medications applied to the skin, UV light may structurally change the drug, causing the skin to produce antibodies. The result is an allergic reaction. Symptoms can appear within 20 seconds after sun exposure, producing eczema-like skin conditions that can spread to nonexposed parts of the body. But sometimes, photoallergic reactions can be delayed. For example, Yuko Kurumaji reported in the October 1991 issue of Contact Dermatitis that photoallergic sensitivity disorders to the topically applied NSAID Suprofen (not approved for use in the United States) took up to three months to develop.

Other regularly used products that can cause photoallergic reactions are cosmetics that contain musk ambrette, sandalwood oil, and bergamot oil;some quinolone antibacterials; and the over-the-counter (OTC) NSAID pain relievers Advil, Nuprin and Motrin (ibuprofen), and Aleve (naproxen sodium).

Phototoxicity

Phototoxic reactions, which do not affect the body's immune system, are more common than photoallergic reactions. These reactions can occur in response to injected, oral or topically applied medications.

In phototoxic reactions, the drug absorbs energy from UV light and releases the energy into the skin, causing skin cell damage or death. The reaction occurs from within a few minutes to up to several hours after UV light exposure. Though sunburn-like symptoms appear only on the parts of the body exposed to UV radiation, resulting skin damage can persist.

Frequently prescribed medications that cause phototoxic reactions include tetracycline antibiotics, NSAIDS, and Cordarone (amiodarone), used to control irregular heartbeats.

Because drug-induced photosensitivity disorder symptoms mimic sunburns, rashes and allergic reactions, many cases go unreported. Also, although research has shown that the numbers of photosensitized individuals may be high, most people do not associate the sun's light with the development of their skin eruptions.

Who Gets a Reaction?

The degree of photosensitivity varies among individuals. Not everyone who uses medications containing photoreactive agents will have a photoreaction. In fact, a person who has a photoreaction after a single exposure to an agent may not react to the same agent after repeated exposures.

On the other hand, people who are allergic to one chemical may develop photosensitivity to another related chemical to which they would normally not be photosensitive. In such cross-reaction, photosensitivity to one chemical increases a person's tendency for photosensitivity to a second. 

Although those with fair skin are more susceptible to photosensitizing, it is not uncommon for dark-skinned individuals to have chronic photodermatitis.

Photoreactive products can also aggravate existing skin problems like eczema, herpes, psoriasis and acne, and can inflame scar tissue. They can also precipitate or worsen autoimmune diseases, such as lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis, in which the body's immune system mistakenly destroys itself.

Commonly found and known photo-sensitisers.

Fragrances or Fragrance fixative or ingredients: Peru balsam, benzoyl alcohol, benzoyl salicylate, canga oil, cinnamic alcohol, geraniol, hydroxycitronellal, mithoxycitronellal, oak moss, musk, xylol, 6-methyl coumarin, cinnamic aldehyde.

Essential Oils: Jasmine absolute, lavender oil, red zig, sandalwood oil, ylang ylang oil, bergamot, lemon, lime, orange, mandarin, juniper.

Antiseptics/Disinfectants: Hexachlorophene, bithionol, 5-bromo-4-chlorsalicyanilide, chlorhexidine, chloro-2phenyphenol, triclocaran.

Sunscreen chemicals: Glyceryl-paminobenzoate, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-benophenone, isoamyl-p-N, Ndimethylaminobenzoate, p-methoxy-isoamyl-cinnamate,

Systemic drugs: Tiaprofenic acid, carprofen, promethazine, chloropromazine.

Acne medication: Benzoyl peroxide, retinoic acid, unbuffered and very low or high pH glycolic acid, tretinoin, resorcinol.

Prescription drugs known to temporarily reduce burn time when taken:  Antibiotics, anti-fungal, ani-inflammatory agents some blood pressure medication.

''Suppose that I told you there was a pill that would keep your heart strong, your mind sharp and your body youthful well into your seventies, eighties, nineties and even beyond?

Suppose that I told you there was a pill that could extend your life and improve your sex life? Suppose I told you there was a pill that could prevent cancer? How about a pill that could keep your skin supple and wrinkle-free? Would you think that I was a victim of wishful thinking? A weird futurist dreaming about a drug yet to be discovered? I’m not. I am a serious health and skincare therapist, and the pills I am talking about not only really exist but are readily available.

Chances are you will find them on the shelves of your local pharmacy. You can purchase

them by phone, by mail, and by e-mail on the Internet. (You may have a few on your kitchen counter already—but you’re probably not taking them correctly.) But their availability doesn’t make their effects any less miraculous.I am talking about antioxidants, a family of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Antioxidants are the reason I get up every morning and antioxidants are the reason I travel all over the world to attend scientific conferences.

Antioxidants are the reason I have written hundreds of scientific articles and, now, this book. And antioxidants are the reason why, at my age, I have no plans whatsoever to slow down. My name has become so closely linked to the study of anti-oxidants that I have been dubbed "Dr Anti-oxidant.'' by Dr Lester Packer - the father of anti-oxidants.''

The human skin is an organ, which is constantly being attacked by the environment we live in. Chemicals and environmental influences attack its health and appearance. Over the course of time, healthy skin often surrenders to the cumulative effects of external factors such as ultraviolet radiation and environmental pollutants.

Free radical damage caused by normal cell functioning ultimately takes its toll as well, destroying the skin's integrity from the inside. A well-known phenomenon is skin aging due to sun exposure also known as photo aging: where we now know that ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) radiation accelerates the aging process. Any exposure to ultraviolet rays leads to the formation of free radicals.

Free radicals are highly reactive molecules. With increasing UV exposure the anti-oxidative defence is compromised. These free radicals may then cause various types of cell damage, including lipid peroxidation as well as a modification of protein and DNA. Such damage may lead to premature aging and more serious consequences, s

Their damaging potential may be counteracted by anti-oxidative substances in the skin such as the lipid-soluble vitamin E and the water-soluble vitamin C.

Normally, when an antioxidant molecule accepts a free electron from an oxygen radical, it too becomes inactive. But vitamin E enjoys a special relationship with two other antioxidants, vitamin C and alpha lipoic acid, that allow it to continue protecting the skin.

Both vitamin C and alpha lipoic acid have the ability to take away the extra electron from a used vitamin E molecule, effectively reactivating it. This capacity to recycle and restore its power makes vitamin E an important factor in the skin's first line of defense against free radicals.

The process of skin aging has been linked to the destruction caused by free radicals over time. Although there are many different factors at work, wrinkled skin is largely the result of cumulative UV exposure. UV rays from the sun make the oxygen molecules in the dermis "spin," causing them to split into two free radicals. The destructive power of these toxic molecules gradually breaks down healthy collagen and compromises the skin's integrity. Fortunately, scientists have found that the gamma tocotrienol form of vitamin E may regulate certain gene signals in the skin that help prevent the damage typically seen after UVB exposure.

Vitamin E is not a single entity, but a family unit consisting of two main branches: tocopherols and tocotrienols. Each of these major subgroups contains four different kinds of molecules (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta), making a grand total of 8 distinct forms of vitamin E.  Tocotrienols are 40-60 times more effective against free radicals than tocopherols.

  Anti-Inflammatory

In its esterified form, Vitamin E may have anti-inflammatory effects and may provide protection from UVR damage. The unesterfied form is present in oil and other vegetable oils. Unesterified a-tocopherol has antioxidant properties, and is a physiological antioxidant.

  In Formulations Although the main claim for Vitamin E in cosmetics has been as a "natural moisturiser," extensive studies conducted in the last decade point to benefits beyond moisturisation.

Vitamin E is soluble in alcohol, fats and oils. Like vitamin A palmitate, it can be emulsified in aqueous solutions with polysorbate 80. Vitamin E can be added to the oil phases of topical formulations without special precautions. Vitamin E is now considered to be essential for the stabilisation of biological membranes, particularly those containing large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The oxidation of polyunsaturated fat produce lipid peroxides unsaturated fats production, which interfere with the structure and function of biological membranes.

  Absorption through the skin occurs with both the alcohol and acetate. A relatively high proportion of topically applied material has been found in the stratum corneum and in the lower viable skin layers. It has also been shown that the vitamin is absorbed directly into the hair cortex.

  Antioxidant

It is now known that Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, and can inhibit the formation of lipid peroxides. It might thus play a role against ageing- particularly of the skin -since lipid peroxidation in tissues is one of the causes of skin ageing. Vitamin E appears to improve decreased function of the sebaceous gland; it is also expected to improve excessive pigmentation in the skin - a possible cause of decreased elasticity and poor water-retention, which are characteristics of aged skin. For these reasons, it is now recommended that vitamin E be added to cosmetics.

  UV light is the most important cause of premature ageing of the skin. For many years, it has been recognised that UVR induces production of free radicals in the skin. a-Tocopherol is an excellent lipid radical scavenger; thus, it is especially useful in terminating lipid radical chain reactions.

  Protecting the cell membranes, active enzyme sites, and DNA from free radical damage is one of vitamin E's main functions. The lipids in the skin cell membranes are particularly susceptible to free radical attack from both internal and external factors including UV exposure, ozone, and chemical pollutants.

In order to protect itself, the skin already contains 1% alpha-tocotrienol, 3% gamma-tocotrienol, 87% alpha-tocopherol, and 9% gamma-tocopherol as part of its antioxidant defense system. Vitamin E, because it's a lipid-soluble antioxidant, easily penetrates into the vital membranes of the skin cells and accumulates there to protect against the damaging effects of lipid peroxidation.

Both tocotrienols and tocopherols can freely donate a hydrogen atom (a proton plus electron) from the hydroxyl group on their ring. This action completes the molecular structure of the unbalanced free radical, effectively inactivating or quenching it.

Unlike most antioxidants, however, vitamin E doesn't stop there.

  Antioxidant activity and photoprotection are not the only benefits that vitamin E offers. Scientists have found that delta tocotrienols are quite effective at slowing the production of melanin, the skin pigment responsible for unsightly age spots.

  One recent study found that these two forms of vitamin E work very well at supressing the activity of an enzyme called tyrosinase, a key player in melanin formation. Furthermore, this ability to block the biosynthesis of melanin was found to be effective even at very low doses. Compared to other popular water soluble skin lightening agents such as kojic acid, arbutin, and sodium lactate, vitamin E penetrates more deeply and delivers its active ingredients in a more controlled and constant manner, making it a very safe and effective alternative.

Keeping Your Skin Soft and Smooth

The skin has a waterproof seal that keeps moisture in and prevents evaporation and moisture loss. However, the natural aging process and environmental influences can cause this protective barrier to break down, allowing the skin to lose moisture and become dry. The good news is that vitamin E plays an important role in maintaining the   barrier function. Vitamin E appears to enhance the penetration and resorption of skin lipids. Topically applied vitamin E is an excellent moisturizer that helps keep the skin healthy and soft. This valuable nutrient locks moisture into the skin and prevents dehydration.

Good sources of vit. E:wheat germ, wheat germ oil, whole grain, unrefined vegetable oil, nuts, seeds, eggs, whole grains, green leafy vegetables; supplements: "dry" E acetate or succinate, d-alpha tocopherol, gamma/alpha tocopherols, multi-vitamin, multi-mineral-vitamin formulations