Skin -- General

The skin is our largest, and most visible, organ. It's that visibility that gets the skins so much of our attention. Why else would we spend hundreds of dollars on important cosmetics, pore-cleansing facials, even surgical procedures to improve something that, really, has nothing wrong with it?

The nice thing about most natural approaches to skin health is, they're more than just cosmetic; they're good for you too.

When it comes to everyday, run-of-the-mill dry skin, consider using a humidifier, avoid super-hot showers, drink plenty of water, and use a good moisturizer. Topically, GLA-rich oils such as borage appear especially useful. You can look for a lotion containing borage, or add a little borage yourself to your favorite lotion.

Internally, borage and other sources of essential fatty acids are often highly touted. (Author's note: they never worked for me, but they seem to work for almost everyone else I speak with -- no fair!)

The key to maintaining firm, youthful-looking skin appears to be a compound called hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a component of connective tissue, in joint cartilage and tendons, in the eyes, heart valves, and skin, where it holds moisture below the surface. There's no doubt that hyaluronic acid plays a major role, but the question still remains: does taking it in pill form help? Nevertheless, hyaluronic acid remains popular.

Something called DMAE may also help. And here, there is actual research to support it. DMAE increases the production of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, which is involved in memory and attention. For this reason, DMAE pills have long been popular with people trying to offset Alzheimer's and other forms of memory impairment. But acetylcholine is also the neurotransmitter at the neuro-muscular junction (in other words, it tells muscles to flex). Topical DMAE on the face appears to firm face muscles and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

For general skin health, antioxidants, topically and internally, are also worth looking at, especially alpha-lipoic acid for topical use.

Finally, a recent German study found that a supplement equivalent to a bar of dark chocolate a day every day for 12 weeks improved skin hydration by 28% in normal women and reduced reddening. Their skin just looked better! While we do not sell dark chocolate, we imagine you'll have no trouble finding any on your own.

.....more about Skin -- General.

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