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Question
I am an 18 years old female. I take a shower every night and wash my face in the shower. I run on a treadmill for 20 min. every other day. I don't wear much make-up just base, and powder. My zit starts out as a big red bumb, them it turns into a 'whitehead' which I can never pop what do I do? I have very pail senstive skin. The only thing I could think of is maybe I don't get enough sleep or my make-up. My base is for sensetive skin and so is my powder. I don't understand I take very good care of my skin but yet it still breaks out. I have just ordered your WonderGel so I hope that works. Why don't you sell it in U.S.A? Thank You
(submitted by alias: Malice1)
Answer
Hi Malice1, It's not good to wash your face in the shower. If you use a soap-based cleanser (or worse still your hair or body shampoo) it will dehydrate your skin externally, and causes your skin to physiologically compensate for the loss of oil and moisture by enhancing your sebum production activity. Soap contains salt as part of its ingredients, which will also harden up your oil secretions, thus causing your pores to be clogged by hardened secretions. Meanwhile, the increase activity in oil production underneath your skin will cause more oil to be accumulated (since your pores are clogged) resulting in more clogged pores and coarse skin. Also, never allow your shampoo to drain down from your hair (carrying all the dirt and bacteria along) to your face. External dehydration causes skin to rupture and avail itself to bacterial invasion. All these resulted to your breakouts, once your body feels weak due to stress or lack of rest/sleep. If you were to use a cream cleanser in shower, then it will have no cleansing effect at all, once the cream is mixed and diluted with water. Thus, your skin's dead cells and debris were left to accumulate, resulting to status quo. Drink plenty of plain water and have adequate sleep and rest will help a lot. Zits will not form into 'whiteheads', medically known as milia seeds. Zits are caused mainly by blackheads (though they may not necessarily appear black. They turn black only over a long period of time upon oxidation. The medical term for Blackheads is Comedones. Whiteheads are as hard as rice grains though much tinier, and cannot be easily squeezed. You need to prick it with a sterilized needle. Whiteheads are mainly formed in sweat pores, unlike blackheads which are found in hair pores. Whiteheads, being more stubborn and embedded deep in the tinier sweat pores is more difficult to treat, but over time they still can be rid off, with good proper skincare routine and efficacious skincare products. Your current sensitive condition is also enhanced by dehydration caused by improper cleansing. Without proper cleansing (correct method and effective cleansers) makeup should be avoided for the time being. Makeup contains colored pigments (Iron Oxides) which are hard grainy substances that will certainly clog your pores even more. However, if you do have an effective cleanser to effectively remove them daily, then it's not a problem to use them. Wondergel does help in removing your clogged pores more effectively, but it cannot be used daily as a cleanser. Three times a week is recommended, not more. By the way our products are already sold in the US online since early this year. We have also a couple of customers who have applied to become our distributors after being convinced of and having full conviction in our product quality and efficacies. You are also welcome to apply as one of our valued distributors later when you are convinced of our product quality and efficacies. We grant distributorships only to our customers, because they can then represent our products with genuine conviction, after being convinced themselves first.
Regards: Pierre
Question
Hi. I'm a 28 yo male thats currently not using a skin regimen except washing my face and putting on some lotion. I used to go to a dermatologist in my teen to early college years and I was on Retin-A and Tetracycline. These did wonders for me and after using it for 4 years I stopped since my skin was clear and I rarely broke out. Now a few years later I am starting to break out occasionally maybe twice a month. My skin is a combination of oily in the T-Zone but dry to normal on my chin and cheeks. What skin regimen do you recommend I use for my face and for the REAL PROBLEM which is the excessive breakouts on the upper back of my body which has left some discolored scarring? I'd really rather not go back to a dermatologist or is that the best course to treat my back at least? Thanks for any help or advice you can give me.
(submitted by alias: Alden)
Answer
Hi Alden, In your teens during college years, it was common to have acne outbreaks due to sudden hormonal changes at puberty. Retine A and tetracycline caused acnes to dry up, and can be an effective in containing acnes for some people, like yourself. However, it will also cause skin dryness. With your current occasional breakouts, you will need to handle it with great care. Acnes, like open wounds, are susceptible to easy bacterial invasion. If not properly managed, it can spread like wild fire, and causes scarring like what you're having at your back. I believe you wash your face with soap. This is not recommendable. Soap breaks down the skin's acid mantle, thus causing dehydration, and dehydration ruptures your skin. It becomes conducive for Bacterial invasion. Your glands will also be forced to multiply their oil and sweat production to compensate the moisture and oil loss, as such, and your skin will be more clogged and appear coarse as a result. I'd advice that you stop using soap. I'm not sure what kind of lotion you are using. Do note, however, that milk lotions if formulated with high wax contents can also promote pore clogging. When pores are clogged, the skin will become prone to having acnes. To contain acnes you need to keep your skin clean and hygienic at all times, yet not causing it to lose its oil/moisture balance. It is a difficult task, but not impossible. What you need is the right products, correct usage/application methods, and live a healthy life style with good hygiene habits. As for the breakouts on your back, it is caused initially by clogged pores too. The glands on our back are usually quite active. For most people, because the back are usually covered and protected with clothing most times the pores did not get clogged easily. If your back is exposed to the open air often (especially in environments that are dusty, humid, or with fumes, chemicals and gas), you will have a much higher risk of getting clogged pores, thus acne infections. Likewise, if you seldom scrub your back properly during your showers/baths the condition can be as bad. Moreover, you need to get adequate rest and sleep - 7 to 8 hours nightly. Do not take afternoon naps. It will cause your body temperature to to heat up unnaturally, and upsetting your body's system. I'd recommend you avoid bare backs. Always clothed when exposed to the external environment. Use a good body scrub to scrub your back daily, and apply a good anti-acne cream/lotion until your back is clear of acnes. If you want to use our line of products we can recommend you two items from our line as follows: 1. PSN - Sage Peeling Scrub 300ML . 090 - Ginseng Anti-Acne Cream Unfortunately, we have no samples for the 2 items. However, for your face, we will send you a set of samples comprising 5 to 7 items, together with a detail usage directions guide. But you must agree not to mix with other products, and to stop using them altogether, in order to see fast amazing results. If you wish to order the above two items, and receive the trial kit for your facial routine, please email me also, and indicate so.
Regards: Pierre
Question
I have been fighting clogged pores all my life. But for the past 3 months the problem seems to be getting worse, specially my chin and nose. Therefore, for the past 6 weeks I have been getting glycolic acid peels with extractions to try and clear up my skin but no luck. I have also changed my skin care line to a clinical skin care line called Peter Thomas Roth based out of New York. Their products are specially formulated for acne prone skin and clogged pores. My esthetician does not understand how my pores can be so clogged after all the extraction she performs. She also says that my skin care routine is correct for my skin type. I go get these peels every 2 weeks- I have completed 4 of them at the moment. Also, all of my make-up is non-comedogenic and I do not touch my face. I have tried absolutely everything to try and clear up this problem and I seem to be using all the correct products - do you think Wondergel would be useful for me? If you think that it might help would be possible to try a sample first. Please respond as soon as possible. Thank you for your help. Alejandra
(submitted by alias: Alejandra)\\
Answer
Hi Alejandra, Clogged-pores is a common skin flaw. The debris that clogged the pores comprises the skin's surface dead cells, environmental dirt, bacteria, salt from dried-up sweat, staled sebum secretion, waxes dried-up from face creams, and colored pigments (i.e. iron oxides) from dried-up makeup. These are being deposited on the skin's surface daily. As such, if they are not properly removed, the accumulations will seriously clog-up the pores. Glycolic Peeling will not help in your clog-pores. In fact it will make it worse for your current situation. Glycolic Peeling will shed your skin even more, thus producing more shedded dead cells to clog your pores. From what you describe, the products you are currently using aren't effective. Firstly, you must use a cleanser that really cleans by effectively softening/ dissolving the accumulated debris now clogging your pores, as well as removing your daily debris deposits. Next, your skin's excessive secretion must be calmed/sedated by applying products that contain soothing/calming active ingredients. Trying to rid off oily secretions by excessive washing with soap or any foam/soap base cleansers will only make it worse. When you wash excessively with soap, your skin will dehydrate after each wash. During the dehydration period, the skin will physiologically react by trying to compensate the temporary loss of oil/moisture by stimulating the oil glands to produce more oil. This stimulation only causes more oil(which could not flow out due to your clogged condition) to build up beneath your pores and, thus, worsen the situation. You will find your skin getting coarser. Makeup are colored products, which contain coloring substances, colored pigment oxides (iron oxides), zinc oxides, titanium oxides, talc, etc.. As such, the manufacturer should never claim that they are non-comedogenic. To claim that a product is non-comedogenic is to say that the product contains ingredients that will not contribute to the building up of comedones. Comedones is a medical term for blackheads. The debris that clogged the pores are blackheads/comedones!!! And all the pigments, oxides and talc are powdery grains which do contribute to pore-clogs. Unless you have a good and effective cleanser and a good skincare routine, I'd advise that you stop using makeup for one to two weeks. If you are willing to accept my advice, I would prefer that you stop all others and use the sample kit we offer. One more request is that you testify for our products efficacies when you see remarkable improvements. Please let me know if you want me to send the set of samples.
Regards: Pierre
Question
Your products look very promising; I have had acne since I was 13 and have done 3 courses of Accutane, which works at the time of use and for a few months afterward. Then the acne comes back and it is currently very flared up. I use Dove moisturizing soap, and have tried most of the drugstore acne preparations such as Clearasil, Tea Tree Oil, etc., and several prescription items such as topical antibiotic ointments. None are effective. I have dry skin on cheeks; oily t-zone; acne on forehead, around nose, and lately, around the jawline. Your advice is appreciated. This is an excellent site.
(submitted by alias: Lynne)
Answer
Hi Lynne, Hope you are aware of the side effects of Accutane. There are many different methods offered for topical acne treatment. Most topical products treat them by drying them out(thus causing skin peeling). Results with such methods will, at most, be temporial, as the real root of the problem that causes the acnes was still not addressed. The acnes were merely suppressed. Thus, when they have a chance to return, they appeared flared up. Despite how much moisturizing ingredients are incorporated in soap, they remain a surfactant (surface active agent), although some are gentler than the others. It is the surfactants in soap that emulsifies the skin's surface oil(the sebum) away. After each wash, with the drying of the skin, the underlying oil and sweat glands will have to physiologically react by increasing their production of oil and sweat to compensate the loss. This inevitably causes the outer skin to appear dry(but temporarily), while the underlying skin is oily. (The drier outer skin will rupture, thus allowing increased bacterial invasion). Eventually, the oil will surface and give a more greasy appearance than before. The increased production of oil will thereby increase the risk of more clogged pores. Salt contained in soaps will also cause hardening of the clogged debris (commonly known as comedones or, simply, blackheads). Soap should never be used as a permanent daily cleanser in your skincare routines. During winter (or during drier months) the problem can be aggravated by using soaps. Clearsil is also known to be treating acnes by drying them out. Each time when the skin dries, it cracks. The sebum (that is the natural emulsion of sebaceous secretion and sweat excretion, known as acid mantle that is needed to provide a covering layer against penetration of any foreign matter) becomes unstable and breaks up, leaving no protection, but becoming a conducive area for bacterial growth and invasion. Tea tree oil, if not adulterated with low grade oils, can yield effective treatment without any known side effects so far. Topical antibiotic ointments may be used as temporarily aids to prevent the spread of bacteria, but it should not become a part of long term routine in your skincare regimes. It will eventually reduce your body's need to defending itself, and you will become more and more dependent on them. Our herbal line of products do not treat acnes by drying them out. And we do not believe in just treating the symptoms alone. We get to the root of the cause, and advice you what you must or must not do, besides using our products. Should you decide to place your order of products with us, I will recommend a set to match your current skin-type and skin flaws. Regards: Pierre
Question
I HAVE DRY DEHIDRATED SKIN NO LOTION WORKS I USE NIVEA VISAGE FACIAL NOURISHING I HAVE CHANGED PRODUCTS SEVERAL TIMES. I ALSO GET BLACKHEADS AND I BREAK OUT WITH READ PIMPLES THAT ARE UNAPPEALING THEY USEUALLY ARE NOT BIG JUST RED. I HARDLY EVER WEAR FACE MAKEUP. I JUST CAN NOT GET RID OF IT AND IT IS A REAL ANNOYANCE. PLEASE HELP WHAT SHOULD I USE?
(submitted by alias: )
Answer
Hi, you most likely must have been using soap as your daily/nightly cleanser to cleanse your face, and/or have used some other treatment products that dehydrate your skin. Stop using soap and any other product that is dehydrating your skin. Soap causes hardening of oil and debris and leads to more clogged pores. Clogged pores trapped bacteria, and led to breakouts. So, your problem can be resolved with a good set of daily/nightly skincare products that cleanse effectively by dissolving those clogged debris, yet not dehydrating your skin, and not hardening fresh oil secretions and debris (which comprises dead cells, dirt, salt from sweat, waste and bacteria from sweat, etc.), AND that truly moisturizes your skin without adding deposits to your clogged pores to get them more clogged. Most creams from other companies contain a high wax content. When the water content from the cream evaporates, leaving the solid wax component as deposit, the pores got more clogged. Get hold of a set of our samples now, and you'll soon regain your youthful baby-soft complexion. Best Regards: Pierre
SUN PROTECTION FACTOR (SPF) AND EFFECTS OF UV RAYS ON SKIN
Question
Dear Pierre, I read some of your replies in the Q&A sections and I must say that you are such an expert on skincare in the internet. I wish I had found your beauty box much earlier. I really need your help this time. (1) I am a devoted user of sunscreens. The other day, I read an article saying that "if you're using an SPF 15 moisturizer under an SPF 8 foundation, the protection you end up with may be about SPF 12 due to dilution". If someone uses a moisturizer (without SPF) and an SPF 20 sunscreens, does it end up to be only SPF 10??????? (2) What is the sequence of applying physical and chemical sunscreens? Should a physical sunscreen be applied under or over a regular chemical sunscreen? (3) As regards maximization of UVA protection, will the sequence of layering in (2) be different if chemical sunscreens of Parsol 1789 is used together with another physical sunscreens? Please help! The hot summer is here already. Thanks & regards, Kim (submitted by alias: KIM)
Answer
Yes, that's right if you apply both on top of one another immediately without waiting for one to dry up a little - that's quite a close approximate. That's because the amount of concentration of the anti UV ingredients in the cream is the primary determinant of the SPF value. So when you mix up one with SPF 15 and 8, you get the average of SPF 12. Example: if you have a gram of sugar mixed in 50 grams of water in one cup, and another 3 grams of sugar mixed in another 50 grams of a separate cup. Now each cup will have different degree of sweetness, the latter cup being sweeter. If you now mix the two cups of water, they will now be 4 grams of sugar in 100 grams of water, or 2 grams of sugar in 50 grams of water. And 2 grams of sugar is exactly the average of 1gm + 3 gms. So, the sweetness now is between the 1st cup and 2nd cup. If you apply one over another immediately when they are both still liquid, and mixed them up on your skin, there isn't going to be much of a difference for which one to be applied first. But if you apply the chemical sunscreen first, and wait a while for it to dry up, before applying the physical sunscreen, then this is preferred. The chemical sunscreen works by absorbing the UV rays, to prevent them from penetration, but by absorbing the UV rays, the rays are accumulated and left on the skin surface. This can be harmful over time. The physical sunscreen works by reflecting the UV rays, thus without retaining the rays on the skin surface. So, it is better to reflect off the UV rays on first contact with the skin, rather than to allow the rays first to be absorbed and retained on the skin surface, in which case the inner layer will not be able to effectively reflect the rays. The above suggestion is presumed that the person is not sensitive to chemical sunscreens. The higher SPF value in a chemical sunscreen, the higher risk of its sensitizing effect on skin, which can cause redness and swelling. Parsol 1789 has been found to be a safe chemical sunscreen agent. So the difference is that when it is applied as the first layer (that is in direct contact with the skin), it is very unlikely to cause any sensitizing effect on the skin. If applied as 2nd layer it will still absorb UV rays and retain them on the skin. Generally, sunscreens with very high SPF value, will have to primarily depend on chemical UV absorbers, and this is harmful. Physical sunscreens use only very little chemical UV absorbing agents, but more physical UV reflection agents, and thus they are much safer. It is better and safer to use a lower physical SPF cream, and wipe off and apply more often, than applying a high chemical SPF cream and left on the skin for several hours of exposure to the sun. It is reported that the UV rays absorbed and retained on the skin for a long period of time can lead to skin cancer too. Hope the above helps. Regards: Pierre
Question
I read an article several years ago regarding sun tanning. It stated that the sun would continue to burn your skin for a while after you are through tanning, and that you needed to take a shower to wash "it off". Several of my friends think I am crazy, and I cannot find the article to prove it. One wants to bet me that who ever is wrong has to bungie jump..I need help. ASAP, Is it true what I read? Thank you for your help.
(submitted by alias: CJ)
Answer
i CJ, when you suntan under natural sunlight (i.e. not salon tanning beds which emits only artificial UV-A rays) you are receiving both UV-A and B rays. UV-A rays radiate deep into the dermis layer, but has lower energy than the B rays. Both the epidermal and the dermal layers contain melanin (black) cells which give us our skin tone, depending on their concentration level. UV rays cause a chemical reaction to the melanin cells, which then lead to rapid melanin cell multiplication. Because A rays penetrate both layers of melanin cells the multiplication of melanin cells in two layers produces a dark tone (i.e. the tan look) very quickly. The B rays, on the other hand, do not penetrate as deep as the A rays. B rays penetrate only up to the epidermal layer, and therefore will cause only the epidermal layer's melanin cells to multiply. So, the skin won't tan as fast as if exposed to the A rays. However, the B rays have much higher energy than the A rays, and because of this, it burns. The B rays energy will not deplete as fast as the A rays, and will accumulate on the skin. Over time, the accumulated energy causes the melanin cells to multiply gradually. This slow process of multiplying the melanin cells is termed delayed pigmentation, appearing on the skin as uneven brown patches usually. For people who love tanning, usually they do not want to get burned. So they apply a cream that contains anti-UVB agents to block off the B rays, and to allow only the A rays to pass through in order to get a quick tan. If such a cream is applied, then it is less likely to get any burn during or after a tan, provided of course the person doesn't over-expose to the sun by exceeding the limit the cream can protect. However, if no cream is applied, then the person is receiving both the A+B rays. In such a case, the high B rays energy will not deplete immediately but will retain and accumulate. So, it is true that it will burn the skin for some time (even up to a few days after say, a 3 to 5 hours exposure under the hot afternoon sun). Taking a shower, however, will not wash away the burn, but it does help a little by cooling off the temperature left by the B rays. Soaking in a cold bath tub of water will cool off the body temperature better, but it will not deplete all the accumulated B rays energy. Regards: Pierre
Question
I have used a tanning bed 3 times for 10 minutes each time; I am beginning to see white spots on my legs; Is this being caused by the tanning bed and is there anything I can do to get rid of them. Thanks (submitted by alias: waterbaby)
Answer
Hi Waterbaby, the answer is yes and no. The white spots are melanin cells that have been depigmented, and cannot multiply themselves when stimulated by UV rays. This is of course not natural, but it happens to most people. All other normal melanin cells when exposed to the UV rays will automatically multiply themselves, thus becoming more in numbers and more concentrated, and appearing darker in shade (i.e. Tan) so as to shield and protect the skin better against UV penetration. This is a natural physiological phenomena (a great creation of our good God) to protect our skin from further damage by the harmful effects of UV rays. So when cells that are normal and when exposed to UV rays became darker, the remaining abnormal cells that do not multiply and remain the same obviously appear as if they are white spots in the darker cells surrounding area. So these white spots were not caused by the UV rays to become white, but were caused by the surrounding cells which became darker through UV exposure, and highlighting them as if they are white spots. I don't encourage this kind of treatment. Tanning beds emit artificial UV-A rays which possess deep penetration ability, up to the dermis layer, causing both layers of melanin cells to multiply. Although UV-A rays energy is lower than that of UV-Bs, we are all already exposed daily to the sun's natural UV-A and B rays as well. So everyone of us have enough absorption of UV-B rays every day. UV-B rays that accumulated on our skin can be highly activated by additional UV-A rays to cause serious harmful effects on skin, leading to skin cancer in the long run. Stop this treatment for a while and let the tanned cells get back to their normal concentration level, and the white spots will disappear gradually. Regards: Pierre
Question
I have a question. Isn't a suntan just a precursor to a sunburn? In other words, wasn't every sunburn a suntan a few hours earlier. What does suntan lotion do? My theory is that it does nothing more than lengthen the amount of time before everything happens. If you would get a tan in 40 minutes and a burn in 60 w/o lotion, then wouldn't putting on #2 just make it take 80 minutes to tan and 120 to burn? Please help me. If you have a web page i could reference it would be great thanks cameron (submitted by alias: Cameron)
Answer
Hi Cameron, A suntan may usually appear as a precursor to a sunburn, but not always, and not under all circumstances. The sun's rays comprise a portion of spectrum classified by scientists as Ultra-Violet (UV) rays. These are further divided into UV-A, UV-B and UV-C. UV-C is mostly shielded by the earth's ozone layer, leaving UV-A and UV-B to penetrate our atmosphere. UV-A penetrates both our epidermis and dermis skin layers. Since the basal layer (the last layer) of the epidermis and the prickle-cell layer (the first layer) of the dermis both contain melanin cells (melanocytes), these two layers of cells are stimulated simultaneously by the UV-A rays to produce more melanocytes - a natural chemical reaction generously created by our God Almighty - to prevent the harmful effects of the UV rays against the underlying cells. In other words, the hyper-production of more melanin (melanin means black) cells is to provide a more opaque skin layer (which otherwise would be more translucent) in order to obstruct penetration of the UV rays. It is for this reason (that is, two layers of skin containing melanin cells being stimulated to multiply melanocytes simultaneously), that UV-A causes sun-tanning. Tanning-beds in beauty salons also emit UV-A rays to produce quick tans. However, the energy in UV-A is weaker than in UV-B. That is why the tan doesn't last long (usually disappeared after one to three weeks), and that is also why UV-A doesn't cause sun-burn on its own. On the other hand, UV-B's energy is much greater than UV-A's, and thus, it causes the burning sensation very quickly. However, the penetration level of UV-B is only up to the epidermis. Thus, UV-B causes only the epidermal layer (that is, only one layer) to multiply the production of its melanin cells. That is why a tan is not produced as instantly as exposure to UV-A rays. Due to its high energy, UV-B rays once absorbed into the skin do not deplete quickly, but retained for a long time. UV-B accumulates to cause a slow 'tan' which results in delayed pigmentation of the skin (that is, those unsightly brown blocky patches). Since both UV-A and UV-B are found in the sun's rays, exposure to the sun will cause the skin both to tan and to burn - the tan manifesting faster than the burn as explained above - appearing as if a tan always precedes a burn. But one can obtain a tan without a burn (or less degree of burn) by the following methods: 1. By exposure to a salon's sun-tanning bed (which emits only UV-A rays). 2. By applying a sunscreen that blocks out only the UV-B rays (that is preventing a burn caused by the UV-B rays but allowing the UV-A rays to penetrate the skin to cause the tan). Some screens even contain active ingredients to speedify the tanning effect, by amplifying the UV-A rays penetration. There are also suntan products which can amplify tanning - and within 10 to 15 minutes - under room lighting, without exposure to the sun. Such products are often named as suntan lotions (milk, or the like). Note that if one doesn't want to have a tan as well, then he/she should not apply a suntan lotion, but a broad spectrum sunscreen lotion instead (meaning a sunscreen with total block action - blocking UV-A and UV-B). So do not get mixed up between suntan and sunscreen products. Sunscreens are available in various strengths, measured in SPF terms. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. The SPF of a sunscreen is determined by sampling a group of people by the following steps (usually not less than 25 people of various skin color tone): 1. The human samples are made to expose their back to the sun. Most parts of the body are covered, except the parts which are to be tested and measured. Let's say there are 5 sunscreen products (named A, B, C, D, and E) of varying anti-UV strengths which need to be measured. Then the person's back will have 6 holes, cut out from the shirt (or any covering) exposed to the sun. One hole will have nothing applied on it. The other five holes will each have one of the five sunscreens applied, and marked. 2. After every 5 or 10 minutes, the back of the human samples are examined to determine if a burn has occurred. To elaborate, let's say after examining one of the human samples, the unprotected part was found to blister in 10 minutes, while the other 5 parts (on the back of the same person) each took 100, 150, 180, 200 and 220 minutes respectively to form the first sign of blisters. The SPF is then computed by dividing each of these 5 values by 10 minutes( when it was unprotected). Thus, the SPF value for the 5 sunscreens will be: Sunscreen A = 100/10 = SPF 10 " B = 150/10 = SPF 15 " C = 180/10 = SPF 18 " D = 200/10 = SPF 20 " E = 220/10 = SPF 22 It can be comprehended clearly that SPF is therefore a measure of the number of times a sunscreen will be able to protect a person before blister occurs as compared to his/her exposure to the sun if unprotected. 3. The readings of all the human samples are noted, averaged and compiled, to provide the SPF values for the respective sunscreens measured. Since SPF is a measure of the number of times (and not absolute hours or minutes), and since such measurement is conducted on sampling of a small group of people, and taking their mean value (averages), note that a darker complexioned person may apply, say, an SPF 10 sunscreen and yet is better and more effectively protected than one who is fairer-skinned and wearing an SPF18 sunscreen. Why so? Well, if the darker complexioned person were to take 30 minutes to blister under unprotected exposure, then applying an SPF 10 sunscreen will enable him/her to expose for 300 minutes before blistering occurs. On the other hand, the fair-skinned person may get blisters after only 10 minutes of unprotected exposure. So, an SPF 18 sunscreen will only protect him/her for 180 minutes. Moreover, every person is different constitutionally. A person's skin, although applying the same sunscreen, may not react exactly in the same manner as that which was determined from the small group of human samples. Yet another factor. The sampling that was conducted in a cold 4-seasonal climate (even if done during summer time with lots of sunlight) may not apply well to people living in the tropical and sub-tropical climates. Therefore, one may find an SPF sunscreen good for protecting him/her up to, say, 200 minutes of exposure in a colder country, but realized that the same sunscreen could not last longer than 100 minutes at one of the beaches in Singapore, Malaysia, or Australia. Different times of the year within one country will also have different amount of UV-A and UV-B rays, and as such, a sunscreen's protection time will vary according to the time of the year. UV-rays are also absorbed and retained in swimming pools and in sea-water for some time even after the sun has set. Therefore, swimming immediately after sunset may not be all that safe as most people presumed. I would recommend morning swim instead. Staying at home or carrying an umbrella does not mean that one is not exposed to any UV rays absolutely. The ground, the walls, the glass, the surroundings, all reflect light and UV-rays. So long we are able to see any object (that is objects are visible to our eyes), there are UV rays present, though in different degree depending on the time of the day and year. This is so because we can see only when there's visible ray, and visible ray is just next to the UV-ray spectrum. Therefore, whenever there is visible ray, there are UV-rays. Moreover, higher SPF sunscreen doesn't necessarily mean better and more effective (especially those containing inorganic substances). Higher SPF requires higher concentration of UV absorbers in the sunscreen, and thus a higher risk of developing skin reaction and allergy. Sunscreens using organic substances such as TiO2 (Titanium Dioxide) is safer, not only in that it is organic and less susceptible to allergy, but it also works by deflecting the UV-rays, rather than absorbing them and retaining on the skin's surface as in cases of inorganic UV absorbing agents. I believe such retention of UV-rays on the skin's surface (especially those with higher SPF) will in the long run promote skin complications too. However, unfortunately, organic substances alone do not seem to work more effectively than the synergistic effect of skillfully combining both organic and inorganic substances. I hope the above explanation will help you and others in buying suncare products and in the choice of their relative SPF values more intelligently and more rationally. Best Regards: Pierre
Skin Cancer, Sunscreen and SPF
Up to the early 1980's, sunscreens and sunblocks were religiously believed to be only for beach applications. The Australians have been the largest and most faithful users of sunscreens and sunblocks, and yet they have the world's highest skin cancer patients.
How UV-rays damage the skin
The epidermis, the outer-most layer of our skin, is no thicker than the normal writing paper. About 90% of the skin mass is collagen - a large protein that contributes to the skin form, function and strength. Collagen is the principal recipient of UV-induced skin damage. The UV-rays suppress collagen production by turning off the collagen-producing genes. Simultaneously, UV-rays activate collagen digestion by stimulating production of the destructive enzymes. Each occurrence will damage the skin with a micro rupture. Over the years, the micro-rupture will become macro, leading to prematurely wrinkled skin and hyper-pigmentation.
Is walking under the shade and staying indoor safe?
In his early years in the beauty industry, Dr. Pierre witnessed countless cases of premature-aging (UV-induced photo-aging) and hyper-pigmentation among his large customer base of helpless men and women. No Skin Care products in the market could address the problem of the day then. Day creams were made only to moisturize the skin. From his years of painstaking observation, Dr. Pierre discovered that the cumulative effect of the daily micro skin damage caused by indirect exposure to UV rays is as harmful. A few minutes walk under the shade outside, or staying indoors (with lots of natural lighting) is still unsafe. In our tropical climate, the UV-rays are intense. So long your eyes can see an object there are visible rays present, so as UV-rays, since UV-rays are directly beside the visible-rays in the light spectrum. So, there's no need to lie under the hot sun at the beach to get UV-induced skin damage. A small daily dose is enough to do harm over the years.
The Revolutionary Dr. Pierre Herbal Cosmeceuticals 3-in-1 Sunscreen Day Cream
Pierre saw the urgent need to do something to turn the tide. So, in 1983 he researched and developed the first revolutionary sunscreen day cream with an SPF 8 (that is, ability to protect the skin 8 times longer than an unprotected skin). He incorporated 3 application functions in the cream - as Sunscreen, Makeup Foundation and as Moisturizing Day Cream! Today, Dr. Pierre has 4 unique anti-UV formulations in his line of Herbal Cosmeceuticals products.
DR. PIERRE Herbal Cosmeceuticals products vs. the Competition
Making Skin Care product is no big deal, because most Skin Care manufacturers made them with Free Standard Formulations obtained from their Chemical/Raw Material suppliers. However, every DR. PIERRE product is uniquely researched and developed by Dr. Pierre himself to yield that unique efficacy and effectiveness that Free Standard Formulations could not deliver. DR. PIERRE products render fast positive results and yield a much silkier, radiant, youthful and baby-soft skin within days!
Countless people globally have benefited from Dr. Pierre's unique and revolutionary concoctions.
Is Higher SPF better?
Over the years, several competitors followed Dr. Pierre's footsteps, with several companies trying to outdo one another by offering SPF indices of up to as high as 100, in the expense and risk of the end-users! These companies irresponsibly (or ignorantly) educate end-users into believing that the higher the SPF the better. Dr. Pierre instantly saw the immense risk and warned the general consumer public (in the U.S. in particular) against using sunscreens with SPF that's higher than 15.
Reasons:
1. To yield higher SPF, higher concentrations of UV-absorbers need to be used. These are chemical block ingredients and will cause serious skin sensitizing.
2. UV-absorbers, while blocking UV-ray penetration into skin, absorb UV-rays and allow them to accumulate on the skin surface. Over time, via radiation delayed pigmentation and photo-aging results.
3. The extremely high SPF gives end-users a false sense of safety, and will prompt them to expose more and longer to direct sun. This will lead to amplified accumulation of much larger doses of UV-rays, thus larger doses of UV radiation through the skin, and a much higher chance of contracting skin cancer.
4. An unprotected skin of an average Caucasian will take about 15 to 20 minutes to show the first sign of Erythema under the direct hot sun. So, an SPF 100 sunscreen is supposed to protect the skin 25 to 33 hours longer (100 X 15 / 60; 100 X 20 / 60 ). However, the Sun never appears that long! And for the Chinese, with an average time of 25 to 30 minutes of exposure before the first sign of Erythema appears, SPF 100 translates into 42 to 50 hours of protection!
5. For lower SPF product, it requires only a little of or no UV-absorbers. Dr. Pierre use physical block ingredients, which work by reflecting and deflecting the UV-rays, thus rendering the UV-rays little chance to accumulate on the skin surface.
Today, several papers have been published by researchers on the risk of high SPF products. The FDA has issued a cap to limit labels of SPF to 30 max.
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