Some specific substances stimulate healing of injury and of aging signs when applied on the skin. Some are also fine to take orally. Read about some important ones here.
To efficiently keep your skin young and healthy and even to drive back aging changes, you must attend a healthy lifestyle with the right diet and a good exercise program. You must also avoid excessive sun exposure, but some sunrays daily are actually good for the skin as well for the whole body.
But in addition there are some specific substances or nutrients with a strong anti-aging effect on the skin. They slow down the aging of the skin, and they can help drive back skin problems like wrinkles, brown spots, dry skin and inelasticity. Most of these remedies also counteract bad inflammation processes in the skin. Inflammation processes can however also be good, since inflammation is a way the body uses to tidy up in the tissues. Some of these substances may therefore give temporary inflammation of a good kind which is a sign that there is a healing process going on.
In the following a few of the most effective anti-aging substances for the skin are presented, in an order that is not meant to indicate a recommendation of what is best.
Argan oil: This is a vegetable oil extracted from the fruits of the argan three growing in the north of Africa. It has a long traditional use as a general remedy to hinder skin aging and to heal all types of aging signs. It is also used as a general protective remedy against hard impacts from the environment. People using it also report good effects against diseases in the skin that cause inflammation, like acne, psoriasis and eczema. The oil can be used upon the skin as a sole remedy, but can also be used in cooking.
Squalan: Squalan is an oil with the empirical formula C30H62. It is found naturally in all living beings, both humans, plants and animals. Traditionally it has been extracted from the fat of sharks, but most squalan is nowadays extracted from olive oil. Squalan is used in creams, cleansers and cosmetics, and can also be used on the skin in pure form. The substance stimulates healing of damaged skin tissue and rejuvenates. It is a good rinsing medium for the skin. Some people report it is especially good to counteract inflammations and damages caused by inflammation. If you use pure squalan excessively it might however cause irritation.
Squalen: This natural hydrocarbon has a structure very similar to squalan, but should not be mistaken for squlan. It has however many of the same properties as squalan. It is perhaps better for internal oral use, than for healing of skin issues.
Vitamin A: Vitamin A, retinol, is used for health improvement of the skin, both as oral supplement and in creams to apply on the skin. The vitamin stimulates proliferation of cells and the development of structures in the skin and in most other bodily areas. It has therefore a generally healing and antiaging effect. The vitamin is however toxic in high doses and then the effects can get contrary to the wanted ones. You gets good doses of vitamin A from eating fat fish. Beta-carotene, which is the orange substance in carrots, are converted to retinol by the body. Eating carrots will therefore also give a beneficial effect upon the skin.
Olive oil: Using olive oil in the cooking is generally healthy for the whole body, including the skin. Olive oil of good quality can also be used directly upon the skin. Before application the skin must be dry and clean. The amount you need is vary small. You use exactly so much that the skin gets satiated, but not so much that it is felt greasy. Olive oil used this way protects the skin against environmental impacts, makes the skin smooth and elastic and has a generally rejuvenating effect. Olive oil tends to stay in the skin, so it is not necessary to apply it every day.
Lecithin: Lecithin is a special type of fat which plays a role as a structural component in cell membranes and as shielding around cells in the brain and nerves. Components in the lecithin also serve as transmitter substances in the nervous system and as tissue hormones in the whole body. Many people report that consuming a supplement of lecithin gives a generally rejuvenating effect, and especially upon the skin. Lecithin is generally regarded as a good remedy for health improvement of the nervous system, the heart, the blood vessels and the digestion.
Aloe vera: Extracts, juices or gels from the succulent north African plant Aloe vera have a long tradition as a remedy for skin ailments and as a beauty remedy. Gel extracted from the plant is used directly on the skin or as ingredients in creams and lotions. Aloe vera counteracts inflammation, rinses the skin and alleviates aching. It helps to heal superficial burns and other superficial injuries, but does not seem to be good for the healing of deeper lesions.
Panthenol: Panthenol is closely related to panthotenic acid (vitamin B5) and can be converted to B5 by the body. Panthenol is not used alone, but in creams or ointments in up to 5% concentration. It penetrates easily into the skin. It binds water and moisturizes the skin. It stimulates repair of skin tissue, especially the outer epidermal layer and the structure inside the pores, and thus help healing of injuries like, mechanical wounds, superficial burns and sunburns. It makes the hair structure firmer. It counteracts iching and inflammation in the skin. The sum effect of these actions is a general rejuvenation of the skin.
Allantoin: Allantoin is closely related to uric acid and is used in products to apply on the skin, shampoos and toothpastes. It helps the skin hold moisture. It soothes irritation and helps to bind and deactivate external irritants. The substance dissolves an excessive horn layer and gives a rinsing effect on the skin. Allantoin stimulates proliferation of skin cells and repair of skin structures and thus helps to heal injuries. It has many of the same effects on the teeth and inside the mouth. As a combined effect of these actions allantoin rejuvenates the skin and makes it look smoother.
Peptides: Peptides are substances whose molecules are composed of two or a few amino acids. Many manufacturers have variants of peptides in their products to stimulate repair of skin damage and to counteract aging. Some of the peptides also smoothen the skin by relaxing small muscles within the skin structure. What kind of peptides used is generally held secret by the manufacturers, but they tend to blend several peptides together, which may have been extracted from natural sources or produced by chemical synthesis. They penetrate from the surface of the skin to the deeper parts and there stimulate regrowth and restoration, according to the manufacturers.
Stinging nettle: Stinging nettle is known as a bothersome weed that people generally wants to get rid of. But young sprouts of stinging nettle are very nutritious and they do not sting when cooked. You can cook tea to drink from them. You can also cook a stow from them to be used at your meals. If you do so, also use the water from the cooking as tea since much of the nutrients will go into the water. The tea from stinging nettle can also be used to wash the skin with or in compresses upon troubled areas on the skin. Stinging nettle has a very beneficial effect on the skin that best can be characterized as generally rejuvenating, and it helps to alleviate inflammations in the skin.
Your own urine: Many people will think it is highly nasty to use urine as a remedy, yet this is a traditional remedy for many types of ailments and for general rejuvenation in many cultures. Proponent claim that it has a highly rejuvenating effect upon the skin. Usually one drinks up to one glass from the midstream of the morning urine each day. Some also recommend using it in compresses directly upon troubled areas of the skin to alleviate inflammation, take away skin irritation and help to normalize sick skin.
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Knut Holt is an Internet marketer and author with a focus on health items. Please see his web-site to find more health information. There are also presentation of products to enhance sexual satisfaction and to improve health.