Beta Carotene, as an anti-oxidant, supports the cardiovascular system. And, after the body transforms Beta Carotene to Vitamin A, it helps maintain the health of the skin, immune system, and eyes.
And Vitamin A is an essential component of the epithelial cells which guard us from environmental toxins.
Beta Carotene Health Benefits
Beta carotene both lowers cholesterol and helps minimize arterial hardening. It may also benefit sufferers of cataracts, cancer, AIDS, high blood pressure, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, headaches, and asthma brought on by exercise. And it may help prevent cancer and hart disease.
Beta carotene may also, because of its ability to act as a powerful antioxidant within the human body help prevent cancer and heart disease. In addition, because anti-oxidants neutralize the cell-structure damaging chemical reactions of free radical, beta carotene may slow free radical related aging and disease.
A Harvard University study indicated that those who take 50mg of beta carotene daily have their risk of heart attacks and strokes cut in half!
Beta carotene will also improve vision and skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema.
And beta carotene acts to prevent the development of precancerous cells mouth and respiratory tract.
Vitamin A helps in maintaining good eyesight, healthy cell membranes and smooth skin. It also helps in stimulating the body’s immune system and fastening the process of wound healing. It is also required for the formation of growth hormone as well as the bones. Not only this, Vitamin A also helps in avoiding defects at the time of giving birth if you take it in adequate amounts during pregnancy. You can take Vitamin A from naturally dark orange products like Carrots as well as from dark green vegetables like broccoli.
Vitamin A is commonly known as the anti-infective vitamin, because it is required for normal functioning of the immune system. The skin and mucosal cells (cells that line the airways, digestive tract, and urinary tract) function as a barrier and form the body’s first line of defense against infection. Retinol and its metabolites are required to maintain the integrity and function of these cells. Vitamin A and retinoic acid (RA) play a central role in the development and differentiation of white blood cells, such as lymphocytes, which play critical roles in the immune response.
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects tissue against free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that usually contain oxygen and can interaction with DNA and other molecules leading to an impaired cell function. Vitamin E, one of the chemical compounds that prevents oxygen from reacting with other compounds, neutralizes free radicals, and is, therefore, one of the body’s natural defenses against cancer and cardiovascular disease.
- Vitamin E is also important in the formation of red blood cells and helps the body use vitamin K. Vitamin E improves circulation, is necessary in the repair of tissue, promotes normal blood clotting and healing, and can reduce scarring, too.
- Women find it useful in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome and fibrocystic disease of the breast.
- Older adults take it to help reduce blood pressure, relax leg cramps, help prevent cataracts, and, perhaps, to assist in reducing age spots.
- Vitamin E also helps prevent anemia, maintains healthy nerves and muscles, and promotes healthy skin and hair.
From animal food sources like eggs, liver, fatty fish and dairy products; an alcohol form of vitamin A is sourced which is commonly known as retinol. Both of these i.e. retinol and retinyl palmitate is commonly used in most over-the-counter (OTC), non prescription skin care products.
Function
Molecules wise, both the substances need to be converted to retinoic acid by the body in order to help the skin cells. While retinol can be converted in two steps, the other one needs a three step process. As the steps go up, lesser amount of retinoic acid is yielded. That is why, to make a difference in the cell, quite a large amount of retinol and even bigger amount of retinyl palmitate will be required by the body. Then only the resulting molecules, which are small in size, can go deeply inside the skin and help in stimulation of collagen, cell production and elastin production.
Significance
That is why palmitate form of retinoids is needed in a very high concentration in skin care products to be effective. But most OTC skin care preparations do not have that high concentration of this kind of retinoid to make any significant change in skin.
One the other hand, since retinol is one step metabolically closer to retinoic acid, it is available in such concentration of.15% to 1%. Available only through prescription, products with concentration of at least.3% retinol also have similar, but not that effective results to retinoic acid.
Features
Elastin and collagen production in your body is stimulated when retinoids are applied topically. Both these components of skin decrease with aging and prolonged sun exposure. The result of this increased production due to retinoid is a much visibly smoother and firmer skin. By increasing cell turnover and production, retinoids also help in treatment of acne. As the dead skin cells fall off, new cells develop in their place before any acne pimple can rear its head! Your skin’s flaky and dry look is also due to these dead cells; so as cell production increases, these dead cells are removed giving you a fresher and healthier look.
Effects
Retinol and retinyl palmitate as well as other retinoids helps in reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, hydration and stimulation of skin cells which encourage repairing of damaged skin and also in increasing the thickness of skin. Thus skin tone is improved, skin discoloration is reduces and pore size is decreased with application of retinoids.
Considerations
Though retinol based skin care products offer more important results, but they are also more prone to causing irritation and are also highly priced than those containing retinyl palmitate.
But products based on the latter, will irritate the skin less and hence great for those with sensitive skin. The skin improvement may not be that dramatic like retinol but is produced none the less. Also it is less costly and available in wider capacity in the market.
For individuals who have to suffer with the skin condition called acne, they know how frustrating it is. Many people will turn to a wide range of products, all with the hope that it is able to clear up this problem. There are many different treatments available for acne, however some work, while others do not. This article will take a look and give a review of one product that is very effective. Find out about Tretinoin and why it is considered to be so good.
Tretinoin is a very effective acne treatment. Many doctors prescribe it as it has been shown to be effective treatment of comedonal acne, blackheads and whiteheads. Despite it being so effective there are many different pros and cons associated with its use.
Pros
There really is one pro associated with using tretinoin for the treatment of acne. This pro is the fact that it works. It may take awhile, but a lot of people who use it have stated that they have seen their acne clear up after a couple of months. They did not have to worry about dealing with the frustrating acne anymore.
Cons
There are definitely cons associated with using this product. The three most common that occur is dry skin, skin peeling and bleaching. When tretinoin is used, generally the skin will begin to become dry. People will have to constantly moisturize to ensure that their skin does not dry out. This can be quite annoying, especially if you are out in public. Skin peeling also occurs and some people really do not like to go out looking like this. Bleaching of the skin and objects that the skin comes in contact with will occur. Many people state that their pillow cases and shirts get bleached out due to using this product.
Tretinoin has shown itself to be very effective in getting rid of acne. There are many different pros and cons and in the end individuals need to weigh them if they are interested in clear skin.
Nobody wants to endure any form of scars. They destroy your once beautiful skin and a lot more often than not, the end result is permanent. If you so happen to suffer from acne scars, you will see the scars every time you look in a mirror. Its enough to turn anyone into an emotional basket case.
Its good to note though, all is not lost when it comes to the topic of acne scars. Advances in technology as well as new knowledge about acne are making it possible where you may have the chance to drastically treat the scars so that they are hardly noticeable, or in some cases, prevent you from getting any form of scars at all.
It is already id like to believe, common knowledge that popping pimples between your fingertips leads to scarring. This is a behavior that you should try to cut out immediately if you find yourself practicing it. it does more harm in the long term than it does short term good. In addition to avoiding zit zapping, you should try to keep your skin as clean as you possibly can. Will these behaviors absolutely guarantee you wont get any scars? No, I cannot say they will. But what I will say is they will drastically cut down your chances.
There are different types of acne scars. There are ice pick scars, hypertrophic scars, and boxcar scars.
Ice pick scars are small and usually very easy to treat. They are usually classified as such when you see them having a jagged edge to them.
You then have hypertrophic scars which have the appearance of thickened flesh. These usually come along with severe bouts of acne.
Severe acne can also lead to boxcar scars, which usually are found on the face. These resemble the remnants of a just finished case of chickenpox. They can go deep into the flesh.
Getting rid of your acne scars if you get them will not be the easiest task i’ll admit. Follow the advice ive given you so far though on how to deal with them. If you find things not improving or getting worse before they get better, then its in your best interest to contact your dermatologist as soon as possible so that they can recommend or give you the best possible treatment for your acne scars.
