Q: My skin is very sensitive what should I look for in a skincare product?

A: I’ve found that natural botanicals can be very effective skin soothers for countering everyday sources of inflammation and sensitivity. Some cause the blood vessels to constrict, counteracting the dilation that occurs with inflammation. While some interrupt the inflammatory cascade before the arachidonic acid can form the pro-inflammatory molecules.

Look for skincare products that contain:

Allantoin , which comes from the comfrey root, is often found in hand lotions and aftershaves because it is such a marvelous skin soother. It is also thought to stimulate new tissue growth.

Panthenol, a vitamin, also has a dual function: along with countering inflammation, it is also a humectant that attracts and holds water in the skin.

Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) is a botanical that contains a potent chemical called bisabolol that interrupts the inflammatory cascade.

The sap from aloe vera leaf is not only a wonderful hydrating botanical, it’s also an anti-inflammatory that seems to boost the activity of other skin soothers.

Zinc, a trace mineral, is truly a workhorse ingredient. It protects the skin from ultraviolet light and other irritants and infection from bacteria and fungi. It promotes collagen building, enhances the effects of vitamins A and E, and soothes irritation, whether it’s caused by too much sun or acne.

Curcumin , best known as a curry ingredient, has long been used as a home remedy in poultices to relieve pain and inflammation. Circumin is so effective because it inhibits production of a type of white blood cell that triggers inflammation, and it blocks formation of one of the chemicals in the inflammatory cascade. Like many anti-inflammatory agents, curicumin is also an antioxidant.

Topical antioxidants, such as pomegranate and vitamins C and E, also reduce inflammation by curtailing free radicals.

Q: What should I look for when buying a sunscreen?

A: Your first criterion for choosing a sunscreen is that it be broad spectrum, meaning it includes ingredients that absorb or block both UVA and UVB rays. The product you choose may be a physical block that uses zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to reflect or scatter UVB and UVA rays rather than let them pass through the skin. A few years ago, these mineral compounds were not often used except on the noses of lifeguards because they were white or opaque. But today, the mineral particles are usually micronized, or ground so fine that they are virtually invisible.

You can also use a product that relies on chemicals to absorb UV radiation, like avobenzone or Parsol 1789 (methoxydibenzoylmethane). Absorbers, however, tend to be more irritating than physical blocks.

Sun blockers and absorbers to protect you from the sun aren’t enough though, you also want to reduce the inflammation, dehydration, and free radical formation that results from the ultraviolet light that does manage to bombard your skin and penetrate your sunscreen. Look for sunscreens that include vitamins C and E, both of which help boost the sunscreens’ protective effects. Pomegranate extract and grape seed extract both help keep the sunscreen in the very top layer of the skin, where their defensive action is most needed.

And finally, I recommend taking pomegranate extract supplements to boost your sun-protection efforts.

Q: Why Is Exfoliation Important?

A: Cell turnover is an ongoing process. The skin cell forms at the bottom of the epidermis, rises up through that layer, dies and is shed. As we age, this process slows  and the cells that pile up on the surface of your skin are left there for longer periods of time.  For a while the natural moisture factors that surround them keep them supple. But eventually, exposure to the environment takes its toll. To keep that barrier strong, you have to remove those dead cells.

Exfoliation makes up for nature’s slowdown by chemically or mechanically removing the topmost layer of those dead cells. To replace the shed cells, the epidermis then steps up production of new ones. The body’s natural effort to keep up with this increased shedding creates healthy cells more quickly.

Exfoliating is one of the best and quickest things that you can do to improve your skin’s appearance. By removing the rough cells, your skin’s color and texture will improve almost immediately, and by temporarily improving circulation, your skin will appear brighter.

To enjoy the benefits of exfoliation, use a cleanser that contains gentle abrasive materials such as jojoba beads or cornmeal and/or hydroxy acids. You can continue the process with moisturizer that allows hydroxyl acids to remain on the skin. And you can give your skin a serious turnover boost with a treatment product that contains one or more hydroxyl acids once a day or several times a week.

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	Dr. Murad Answers Your Questions - article 2 Dr. Howard Murad, a world-renowned Dermatologist, pharmacist, researcher and Associate Clinical Professor at UCLA, holder of 17 patents in the field of skincare and has treated more that 50,000 patients in over 30 years of experience. Dr Murad answers YOUR questions. If you have a question to submit please email us   ...Read more