The skin is the body's largest organ, and it's under attack.
With cold temperatures, high winds, and low humidity, skin can be itchy, dry, and more irritating than a bus full of caffeinated toddlers.
Cleansing, moisturizing, defending and protecting skin are the keys to healthy skin, says Dr. Shehla Ebrahim of Ambleside Dermedics in West Vancouver.
Cleansing can be a risky proposition, as some harsh cleansers defeat their intended purpose. Fatty acids aid skin cells in retaining water and nutrients, ultimately contributing to healthy, smooth skin. Certain cleansers can strip fatty acids from the skin, says Ebrahim. The key ingredient in a modern cleanser is ceramides.
"This is really the way of the future," says Ebrahim, discussing ceramides-rich topical creams and cleansers. "They tend to limit the loss of free fatty acids because they hang on very tightly to the cells of the stratum corneum."
The stratum corneum is the most superficial layer of the skin, consisting mainly of dead cells that have migrated outward.
Protecting the outer layer requires a good moisturizer, according to Ebrahim, who also recommends doing away with a conventional treatment.
"A lot of people use soap and it's a no-no because the soap is going to remove all the free fatty acids. It removes the dirt, but also removes the free fatty acids and the lipids from your skin," she says.
As a general rule, creams tend to be more oily and therefore better than lotions, says Ebrahim, adding the main function of moisturizers is to limit water loss.
"It's strong but yet it's very gentle, so you have to treat it very gently," she says of the skin.
Moisturizers containing lanolin and glycerin are usually a good bet, says Ebrahim, who cautions against picking up brands featuring parabens, which have been known to cause irritation. Good marketing can steer customers away from inexpensive, effective products, says Ebrahim.
"This whole cosmetic industry is a $3-billion industry, and everybody's going to try to sell you something," she says, noting regular stores carry pretty good moisturizers rather than going to a high-end store and spending $300.
Infrared radiation is thought to inflame skin cells, hastening the aging process.
To defend against this, Ebrahim recommends a topical cream.
"I call it my antioxidant cocktail," she says.
Consisting of vitamins C and E, as well as other antioxidants, Ebrahim says her cocktail is quite effective.
"They can actually reduce the infrared damage to the DNA of the skin cells by about 25 to 30 per cent," she says. "When you apply the antioxidants to your face you are telling the skin, 'Here, take this extra oxygen,' because if the free radicals are roaming in your skin they are acting as scavengers and they will basically just destroy everything."
The final prong in Ebrahim's four-pronged approach is protection.
"Protection, I think, probably is the most important," she says.
Applying a half-teaspoon of sunscreen regularly can protect the skin, according to Ebrahim.
"The problem is that most people don't apply the sunscreen frequently," she says.
Ebrahim recommends a small amount of sunscreen be applied to your face, neck and hands, approximately every two hours.
