A healthy diet is essential to healthy skin.
But until you get there, here's how to fake it. With oil! I highly recommend you moisturize with oil. Apply it a few drops to wet skin or with wet fingers to easily apply a very small amount. And then, you get a dab more oil on a couple of fingers and pat at the top of your cheekbones, away from your nose. Shine on top of your cheekbones looks fresh, dewy and young. Shine near or on your nose and forehead looks greasy. You can do this on top of your makeup.Ideally, you want to use a fresh, quality, properly stored Safflower or Grapeseed Oil, but if you have a good olive oil, hemp seed, camellia, almond or other oil on had, feel free. The reason for the other oil recommendations is that they are high in linoleic acid, a major and vital component of sebum that does what it is supposed to do, protect and make your skin glow. Rather than look greasy and clog pores. A deficiency in linoleic acid in sebum leads to a variety of skin problems including acne. And the sebum in people with skin problems has been found to be deficient. When you apply it topically it spreads throughout your sebaceous glands, changing your lipid makeup. This actually applies to all mammals, so if you have a dog with itchy sensitive skin, try it on him too. I do, and it has worked wonders. Examples of skin problems affected by a deficiency in linoleic acid include acne, eczema, psoriasis, keratosis pilares, hypersensitivity to allergens, and dry itchy sensitive skin of all types--aka dermatitis.
The reason I stress high quality and proper storage is that most plant oils are high in polyunsaturated fats which are very prone to turning rancid. And the average oil in the average supermarket is likely already going rancid. (Careful with them in your diet as well!). A quality oil should come in a dark bottle or tin. If the manufacturer of the oil doesn't put it in a dark bottle, they don't care about the quality of their product. Buy it from someplace where there is a high turnover. Or where it's kept refrigerated, ideally in the dark. And once you get it, put a few ounces in a dark bottle for your regular use and keep the rest in the refrigerator.
You can find all my research on the role of linoleic acid in acne here: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/314390-acne-prone-skinsebum-deficient-in-linoleic-acid-possible-topical-solution/
Linoleic acid is a vital component in normal sebum that does what it is supposed to: Protect the skin. Skin/sebum in people (and animals) prone to acne and other skin problems have been found to be deficient in linoleic Acid. Sebum deficient in linoleic acid is hard and sticky and clogs pores. It looks greasy and has fewer protective and anti-inflammatory properties.
ReplyDeleteKey points:
Acne and other problem prone skin (in people and animals) are lacking in linoleic acid.
Linoleic acid is a component in the ceramides that make skin strong and impermeable and thus less easily ruptured and less sensitive to irritations.
This can be changed with topical application.
Grape seed and Safflower oil are over 70% linoleic acid.
Linoleic Acid inhibits the enzymes that convert Testosterone to DHT. Both types. So it can help with hirsutism, hairloss and acne.
Linoleic Acid is anti-inflammatory and protects the skin from UV damage.
Linoleic Acid inhibits melatonin and thus fades hyperpigmentation.
Linoleic acid is anti-microbial as in anti P. Acnes
linoleic acid deficiency causes an increase in interluekin -1a which is a factor inflammatory response.
tretinoin alters the lipid profile affecting the linoleic acid composition.
Linoleic Acid improves the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) and retinoid X receptor (RXR) situation that regulates sebum production and hyperkeritinization/differenciation (and is what accutane affects)
Increase formation of LLamerlar bodies that produce the enzymes involved in normal exfoliation.
Thyroid hormone affects lipid profile. One way that perhaps both hypo and hyperthyroid conditions affect acne.
We don't necessarily have a dietary or systemic deficiency in linoleic acid. Just in the sebum and thus a topical application is the best course of action. This tendency is genetic.
Examples of skin problems affected by a deficiency in linoleic acid include acne, eczema, psoriasis, keratosis pilares, hypersensitivity to allergens, and dry itchy sensitive skin of all types--aka dermatitis.