Hello Everyone,
Ive been suffering for a few years now relating to damage from a TCA peel. My epidermis seems to have never grown back causing thin, crepey, dehydrated, clogged pores, over production of oil even though very dry with sunken eyes too boot too. Nothing seems to work. Ive tried the lot! Im at the end of my tether.
Recently Ive read about beta glutens and using this to cleanse my face. It helps a little but after a few months of use the skin just hasnt returned back to its juicy thick look that it used to have.
After which I use Argan oil to moisterise and to top it off MSM cream to hopefully restore the skins barrier.
Ive been reading about ceramides and wishing for further information if anyone has any.
Definition on ceramindes:
"Ceramide is one of the main components of the epidermis layer of human skin. Together with cholesterol and saturated fatty acids, ceramide creates a water-impermeable, protective organ to prevent excessive water loss due to evaporation."
Ive read that animal ceramides should be avoided and to use plant ceramides instead. I found this list of plant ceramides. Has anyone tried these/recommend these?
Safflower oil 78%
Grape seed oil 73%
Poppyseed oil 70%
Sunflower oil 68%
Hemp oil 60%
Corn oil 59%
Wheat germ oil 55%
Cottonseed oil 54%
Soybean oil 51%
Walnut oil 51%
Sesame oil 45%
Rice bran oil 39%
Pistachio oil 32.7%
Peanut oil 32% [17]
Canola oil 21%
Egg yolk 16%
Linseed oil 15%
Lard 10%
Olive oil 10%
Palm oil 10%
Cocoa butter 3%
Macadamia oil 2%
Butter 2%
Coconut oil 2% "
Well, one, quit impairing your skins ability to function by using any cleansers. And yes, I highly recommend safflower oil. I have a thread filled with research practically devoted to it, but that's mainly about the linoleic acid which is a major component of sebum that function and let's your skin produce all the ceramides & retinoids people try to get from a chemical filled bottle. . I never looked into plant ceramides. I'll have to do that. Topical live cultured yogurt stimulates ceramides production.
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It's curious that your list says safflower contains 78% ceramides. If I remember right, it's 78% linoleic acid, which is of course, important for ceramides production.
A couple of interesting sites/articles I just found when searching on ceramides & linoleic acid.
http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2009/10/linoleic-acid.html
Also, I recommend you buy the best, freshest, most properly stored food grade safflower oil possible, pour a small amount for daily use into a small dark bottle, and keep the rest in the refrigerator. I use Napa Valley Organics from California which I buy at Whole Foods.
Oh, quit eating low fat, if you've been doing so. Just avoid bad fats like hydrogenated fats I.e. Margarine & crisco and vegetable oil or shortening. and avoid consuming seed/vegetable oils as they are likely rancid and if not, such as in the case of the oil you are buying to use topically, is easily damaged in cooking.
Also, I recommend you buy the best, freshest, most properly stored food grade safflower oil possible, pour a small amount for daily use into a small dark bottle, and keep the rest in the refrigerator. I use Napa Valley Organics from California which I buy at Whole Foods.
Thank you very much for your very interesting insight, links and personal recommendation. I have looked into the links you have sent me and also the product you linked me too.
I no longer use any chemical cleansers, scrubs, toners or moisturisers for a very long time now. My skin has healed from this slightly but still has a long way to go. The current dehydrated condition of my skin is scarring every pore on my face and its extremely distressing.
The only thing I do now is use the creamed water from a bowl of oatmeal to cleanse my face, then the argan oil (which Im going to switch to emu oil or safflower when I order some) and top off with an MSM Cream that apparently helps to restore the skin barrier.
My diet is very healthy, lots of veg that contain the vitamins and minerals needed for healthy skin. I do still use olive oil and unsalted organic butter/coconut oil in my cooking uses and avoid non organic milk and breads/pasta etc.
Im just at my wits end, Im hoping that the damage of fine lines, open pores and sunken eyes will eventually dissipate with the correct skin regime. Sometimes I dont see the point of getting out of bed in the morning - but Im a trooper and push myself out of fear and the door.
Do you recommend anything else that I can incorporate or remove from/into my regime to help the process of my healing along? Do you believe that its possible to reverse this current condition?
Oh, I just noticed you are in Scotland. California oil recommendations won't help you much. You might get some vegetable glycerine.
I make a concoction of aloe Vera, some glycerine, oil, and a niacinimide capsule. But since learning about linoleic acid and safflower oil, I don't do it al the time. I mix only a small amount at a time and when I run out, it might be a while before I make more. But I have very thin skin under my eyes and it gets crepey and old looking when I just use the safflower oil.
Vitamin c boosts collagen production. Also, you could make broth by slow cooking bone & scraps. Use parts with a lot of connective tissue like chicken feet. That has all the nutrients for elastin & collagen production.
From Paula's choice ingredient dictionary
Also known as vitamin B3 and nicotinic acid, niacinamide is a potent cell-communicating ingredient that offers multiple benefits for aging skin. Assuming skin is being protected from sun exposure, niacinamide can improve skin's elasticity, dramatically enhance its barrier function, help erase discolorations, and revive skin's healthy tone and texture.
What are the benefits of niacinamide?
Topically applied niacinamide has been shown to increase ceramide and free fatty acid levels in skin, prevent skin from losing water content, and stimulate microcirculation in the dermis. It also has a growing reputation for being able to treat an uneven skin tone and to mitigate acne and the red marks it leaves behind (known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation). It is an excellent ingredient for those struggling with wrinkles and breakouts. Niacinamide is stable in the presence of heat and light.
Sources: American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, April 2011, pages 8799; Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology, January-February 2010, pages 2026; British Journal of Dermatology, December 2009, pages 1,3571,364; October 2003, page 681; and September 2000, pages 524-531; Dermatologic Surgery, July 2005, pages 860-865; Experimental Dermatology, July 2005, pages 498-508; Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, April 2004, page 88; Journal of Radiation Research, December 2004, pages 491-495; and Journal of Dermatological Science, volume 31, 2003, pages 193-201. See cell-communicating ingredients
Also called glycerol or glycerine; it is present in all natural lipids (fats), whether animal or vegetable. It can be derived from natural substances by hydrolysis of fats and by fermentation of sugars. It can also be synthetically manufactured. Whether natural or synthetic, glycerin is a humectant and extremely hygroscopic, meaning it readily absorbs water from other sources. So, in part, glycerin works because of its ability to attract water from the environment and from the lower layers of skin (dermis) increasing the amount of water in the surface layers of skin. Another aspect of glycerins benefit is that it is a skin-identical ingredient, meaning it is a substance found naturally in skin. In that respect it is one of the many substances in skin that help maintain the outer barrier and prevent dryness or scaling.
Is glycerin safe for skin?
Humectants such as glycerin have always raised the question as to whether or not they take too much water from skin. Pure glycerin (100% concentration) on skin is not helpful and can actually be drying, causing blisters if left on too long. So a major drawback of any humectant (including glycerin) when used in pure form is that they can increase water loss by attracting water from the lower layers of skin (dermis) into the surface layers of skin (epidermis) where the water can easily be lost into the environment. That doesnt help dry skin or any skin type for that matter. For this reason, glycerin and humectants in general are always combined with other ingredients to soften skin. Glycerin combined with other emollients and/or oils is a fundamental cornerstone of most moisturizers. (Source: Skin Therapy Letter, February 2005, pages 1-8) What about products touting their high levels of glycerin? There is no research showing higher amounts of glycerin have any increased benefit for skin. The research shows a combination of ingredients including glycerin, dimethicone, petrolatum, antixoxidants, fatty acids, lecithin, among many others, are excellent for helping skin heal, reduce associated dermatitis, and restore normal barrier function if used on an ongoing basis (Sources Clinical Experiments in Dermatology, January 2007, pages 88-90; American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, April 2003, pages 771-788; Journal of Molecular Medicine, February 2008, pages 221-231; British Journal of Dermatology, July 2008, pages 23-34; Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, January 2008, pages 39-45). When properly formulated, glycerin shores up the skins natural protection by filling in the area known as the intercellular matrix and by attracting just the right amount of water to maintain the skins homeostasis. There is also research indicating that the presence of glycerin in the intercellular layer helps other skin lipids do their jobs better (Sources: American Journal of Contact Dermatitis, September 2000, pages 165169; and Acta Dermato-Venereologica, November 1999, pages 418421). See intercellular matrix
Note, in a humid climate like Scotland, the possible drying effects of glycerin shouldn't be a problem.
Hello,
along with what she has suggested, can I suggest that you look into niacinamide, n acetyl glucosamine, or oat beta glucans?
These help heal the skin. Also, like she suggested, try using a thin layer of yogurt with s. thermophilus as the first ingredient (chobani ?greek? plain!)
i also highly highly recommend sun protection especially against short length uva rays. try the anthelios spf 15 by la roche posay. i don't recommend other roche posay because the higher spf's have acohol denat...which i think dries out our skin. (these contain the best uva protectors...mexoryl) you can find this on amazon or any other online beauty store. try to find the cheaper kinds.
or u could also try l'oreal uv perfect sunscreen (asian kind for women). i know it's for women but it doesn't matter. (this contains mexoryl and tinosorb) you can find this product on amazon.
your skin is already compromised and the sun will just erase ur progress and further damage ur skin.
so please, most important, invest in a good active topical....perhaps eat healthy, eat flax seed (i read oral flax seed reduces trans epidermal water loss aka TEWL), and avoid the sun as much as possible.
let us know how you progress and God bless.
Thanks for more information to you both!
Ive gotten ahold of niacinimide ( now known as nicatinimide sp? ) to which Im going to apply to vegetable glycerin and water mix in a spritz bottle.
Im afraid of most sunscreens, I only at this point wish to use natural products on my skin. Ive read that coconut or emu oil may be a natural sun protectors so Ive adapted emu oil as a final barrier to hold the glycerin and nicatinimide in place. Saying that theres not much sunshine on this side of the world. Scotland is mostly cast over with clouds and raining.
Im passionate about finding a cure for this 100% - Im starting to get hollow sunken eyes and I look like Im a drug addict. I hate looking in the mirror now and loathe having to pull myself out the door for work.
This is all part and parcel though - Which makes me stronger in the end.
Lets hope this works!
Thanks for the info on linoliec acid. Im adding more to my diet.
Ive recently found an interesting article ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16766489 ) on niacinimide (aka nicotinimide) It talks about how it repairs the skin barrier (which weve already discussed) but also that it reduces the creation of sebum.
Now considering were talking about dehydrated skin (loss of water content) would using this product make matters worse by causing dry skin (loss of oil content)
This would be devastating for dehydrated skin.
Thoughts?
On other news Ive been using a vegetable glycerin and water mix in a sprits bottle ( 1:5 / VG:H2o ) and the improvement in my skin in a fortnight is incredible. It doesnt feel like its cracking anymore and the fine lines when I furrow my brow are far less visable. When I wash my face with cold water I actually feel my skin rubbing against an oiled barrier. Must be a sign for skin barrier healing.
Its early days but the feeling of supple skin is coming back, although the clogged pores from the dehydrated skin are still there. I imagine giving a couple more weeks and see the results then. I will keep everyone posted.