Page 92 -- SKIN CARE

Natural skin care products

    In developing countries women may have to resort to local and 'natural' products. 'Natural' does not necessarily mean 'better', however, or even 'safe'. Natural skin care products made from vegetable or animal extracts may be inherently toxic, and if prepared locally the concentrations of active ingredients cannot be controlled.
    The cosmetic industry uses only ingredients that have established scientific profiles, and then only in legal and known concentrations. Many ingredients of skin care products have to be prepared synthetically, since their 'natural' counterparts are far more likely to be harmful.

Mature skin
As women get older and their skin matures, and particularly after the change of life (menopause), declining estrogen may lead to dehydration of the stratum corneum, which tends to make the mature skin look thinner and older than it really is.
    For cleansing, it may be advisable to use mild superfatted soaps or soap-free cleansers for the body.
    It is essential to choose a suitable moisturizing cream for use on the facial skin. If the cream is to give sufficient protection against

dehydration, it must have sufficient covering power to slow down the loss of water from the stratum corneum.
    The use of a moisturizing cream on the body skin can be useful, especially in winter when mature skin tends to be drier. Modern shower products contain moisturizers as well as cleansers. It is however best to avoid long scalding soaks, as well as harsh soaps and bath foams if the skin is sensitive as this combination disrupts its barrier function.

Elderly skin

By the time we reach old age our mature skin may well have experienced decades of sun exposure, even if only at very low levels. This is associated with the effects of intrinsic aging. The result as we see it is almost always a balance of the two.
    Elderly skin can be very dry and almost paper-thin, with the structures in the dermis clearly visible. The TEWL is increased, and the skin becomes more fragile and prone to injuries: with the lack of protection from the dermis, the small blood vessels become vulnerable to breakage and bursting ('broken veins').
    Regular care is now especially important, including the use of mild cleansers. Good-quality day and (especially) night moisturizers will help to combat the decline in mature skin's barrier function. It is still important to continue protecting the skin against the sun, although most of the damage has been done by now.