Faces By Fern

Free Radicals, Spin Traps and You

Everyone has heard of the damaging effect free radicals have on our skin and in our bodies, accelerating aging and leading to damage on a cellular level.

Free radicals are unstable, unpaired electrons which attack other cells and lead to the disruption of these living cells and harm our DNA.

In some cases, our body's immune system produces its own free radicals to kill viruses and bacteria.  Most free radicals, though, are created from outside sources like pollution, radiation and cigarette smoke.

A few free radicals aren't a big deal for our bodies.  But after years of accumulation, they attack our bodies as we age, resulting in damage and destruction of our elastin and collagen.

Skin Tags

Skin Tags may be linked to sugar intake & increased insulin levels. Why? When you eat foods high in carbohydrates like pastries, white rice and white potatoes, your body creates insulin to remove the sugar from the food.

"Skin tags are small, soft, finger-like lesions most commonly found on the neck and under the arms.  They are skin-colored and benign."  Shelley Burns, Skin Deep, May/June 2010.

People with 30+ skin tags indicates increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Solution? Focus on low-glycemic foods: apples, berries, brown rice, pears, vegetables & multigrain and multi-seed breads. 

You may need to visit your dermatologist to remove existing skin tags if they are a source of discomfort, but you may be able to prevent new skin tags by decreasing your sugar intake, and thereby, decreasing your risk for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. 

Faces by Fern is a relaxing skin care studio where gentle and effective skin care is practiced using products formulated to support your skin's natural desire to heal itself, with ingredients derived from plants and fruits. 

Healing products and a soothing touch at amazing prices - call today for your skin treatment and find out what the buzz is all about!

 

Water and Our Skin

The amount of fluids in our system affects the appearance of our skin. 

Most of us have dehydrated skin, usually because of weather extremes like wind and colder temperatures outside versus the dry heat indoors.  Certain medications can also have a drying effect on our skin.

Caffeinated beverages deplete the water in our cells.  Drinking one 8 oz cup of coffee requires 4 cups - or 24 oz. - of water to counter the dehydrating effects on our skin.

When our skin is dehydrated, it sags and wrinkles.  Think of a raisin right out of the box.  Now picture it after it has soaked in liquid for a while - it plumps up!

When you drink enough water AND with proper skin care, you will see a noticeable difference. 

Professional cleansing combined with natural, mild resurfacing will result in more hydrated skin.  Your products will absorb better and work better to present a more glowing face.  Not only that, but fine lines and wrinkles are less noticeable!

If this sounds like something you want, let's set up your appointment.  If you call before March 16th, you will receive a $5 discount on your service ($55 vs. $60 for your 1 hour facial.)

Contact Fern @ facesbyfern2@gmail.com

Skin Survey - Try it!

If you struggle with breakouts or acne,  check out Neutrogena's site:  Skin Survey

You'll learn a lot about your skin and why it behaves the way it does.  I like the way the questions are presented.

I DIDN'T like the results I received. Even though I answered that I have dry skin without breakouts, the survey recommends products for someone who does have breakouts.

Still, it was fun to take, and the information is presented well.  I don't necessarily recommend these products, but if you try them and they work for you - great!

Let me know what you think.  Then, come in for a facial and we'll talk about what you learned about yourself!

Why We Bruise - How We Heal

My folks were recently in a head-on collision.  Their car was totaled, and the airbags were deployed.  Their lives were saved. But what saves your life can badly injure you.

Three and a ½ weeks later, my step mom was released home with a tight schedule of daily physical therapy to strengthen the muscles and function of her left knee (fractured) and her right ankle (hairline fracture.)  She is also healing from multiple broken ribs.

My father was the one more seriously hurt.  The entire left side of his body took the brunt of the impact.  His left ankle was crushed, he sustained a deep gouge on the left shin, suffered several broken ribs, and immediately developed deep and dark bruising across the abdomen, hips, back, arms.  For nearly one month, he was in the Intensive Care Unit, and much of that time was spent on a ventilator.  I hated to leave his bedside.

Wrinkles - What Causes Them

Although the word wrinkle is unavoidably associated with the thought of age, in reality many wrinkles have little connection with age and are caused by the behavior of the person rather than by the weight of years.

Habit lines form early in life.  Among those commonly observed are the creases caused by elevating the eyebrows constantly during conversation.  Lines of this kind are frequently deep and stubborn, often before age twenty. 

The straight lines found running from the top of the nose up into the forehead, giving the face a surly expression, is caused by scowling or squinting.  You will notice the appearance of these lines in virtually the same areas of the face in every member of a family, from one generation to another, pointing to the influence of heredity.