Vitamin C and Skin Health
Posted by Nancy Ray on
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for skin as well as the rest of the body. It’s absolutely necessary for normal skin and bodily functions, cannot be naturally synthesized in humans and must be provided externally. Skin itself has various critical roles in overall health including...
Protecting Skin from Stress
Posted by Nancy Ray on
Most people realize that stress affects critical organs like the heart and the brain, but what’s not as well known is how stress affects other important organs including skin. In fact, scientists are now learning more and more about the affects of stress on the skin and how skin stress can affect the body in general (systemic affects). There are many different types of stress that can affect the skin including...
Decreasing Obesity-Related Skin Issues
Posted by Nancy Ray on
Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30kg/m or greater. There are multiple causes for obesity including, diet, genetics, inactivity or weight gain related to drugs such as oral corticosteroids, oral contraceptives, or serotonin reuptake inhibitors (antidepressants). Obesity increases the risk involved with more than 30 medical problems including skin issues. Obesity is associated with oxidative stress and inflammation that can have deleterious affects on the skin resulting in...
Taking Care of Sunburns
Posted by Nancy Ray on
Sunburn results in skin redness (erythema) that develops during exposure to the sun and increases one hour following exposure peaking 24 to 48 hours after exposure. The degree of sunburn is affected by many environmental factors including heat, wind, and humidity, and sunburned individuals can experience symptoms that range from mild redness to painful erythema with swelling (edema) and blistering. Individuals who are severely sunburned can also experience systemic reactions including...
Increasing the Immune Defense of Skin
Posted by Nancy Ray on
The skin barrier, composed of lipids and essentially dead cells (corneocytes) in the upper layer of the epidermis (stratum corneum), plays a major role in protecting the body from numerous insults including microbial invasion. However, when compromised, the skin’s immune system is activated to defend the body from further damage and infection. Skin immunity involves...
Decreasing Eczema to Help Reduce Pollen Allergies and Asthma
Posted by Nancy Ray on
Eczema or atopic dermatitis is a common inflammatory skin condition that can result in serious itching (pruritus), lack of sleep, embarrassment and psychological stress. The lifetime prevalence of eczema has increased worldwide for the past 30 years...
Decreasing Sun Sensitivity Inflammation
Posted by Nancy Ray on
Viniferamine® skincare products contain ingredients that are photoprotective including EGCG, resveratrol and oleuropein. EGCG has been shown to counteract the detrimental effects of UV radiation on immunity. Resveratrol has been shown to protect human skin from damage induced by repeated exposure to UV radiation. In addition, photoprotection has been found with...
The Importance of Hand Hygiene
Posted by Nancy Ray on
Poor hand hygiene including a lack of hand washing and hand sanitizing, contributes to a substantial amount of the gastrointestinal, skin and respiratory tract infections that comprise a majority of infectious diseases. In contrast, good hand hygiene has been linked to...
Avoiding Hand Dermatitis
Posted by Nancy Ray on
Dermatitis (or eczema) is inflammation of the skin, characterized by itchy (pruritic), red, weeping skin with vesicles and/or crusty patches. The risk factors for hand dermatitis include frequent hand washing...
Protecting Hyaluronic Acid to Promote Wound Healing and Skin Health
Posted by Nancy Ray on
The presence of HA in tissues stabilizes other extracellular matrix (ECM) components. HA is found in all tissues of the human body, but is most abundant in skin, where 50% of the total HA is found. HA is important for skin homeostasis and structural stability. Moreover, HA like other ECM components is critical in the regulation of all stages of wound repair including...