Men have thicker skin

Thanks to testosterone, a man’s skin is approximately 25% thicker than a woman’s skin. This means that biologically speaking, men are less vulnerable to sun damage than women. However, this doesn’t give men an excuse not to wear sunscreen.

Men are usually outdoors more than women. On average, men get roughly 12 hours more sun exposure per week than women. Most men may not particularly care about premature skin aging, but everybody should still be concerned about skin cancer. We think everybody, regardless of gender, should apply some Diana Stalder Skin Moisturizing Lotion, which contains an SPF 30 sunscreen, everyday.

Men have oilier skin

Thanks again to testosterone, men produce more oil than women. This makes men, despite having smaller sebaceous glands than women, more prone to acne. A good way to deal with this is to wash regularly, maybe twice a day, with a product like Diana Stalder Facial Scrub.

Men have “younger” skin

Not only do men have thicker skin than women, men also have a greater collagen density than women. These two combined make a man’s skin look younger a similarly aged woman. However, this age advantage is often negated by many environmental factors, a few of which we’ll tackle in the next point.

Men have more fragile skin

Many people will find this surprising, but men usually have more delicate skin than women. The reasons for this, however, are more environmental than biological.

One of the biggest reasons is that women tend to take better care of their skin than men do. Many men have no qualms using harsh soaps, getting burnt under the sun, and handling dirt, grime, and other skin irritants. Many men also have an aversion to using sunscreen and other skin care products.

Of course, men still take care of their skin, but even that has its own pitfalls. As we mentioned, most men will not mind using harsh soap on their skin, but another part of their skin care regimen can sometimes harm their skin too. Daily shaving can strip off the skin’s hydrolipidic film, which serves as a natural protective layer of the skin. This leaves skin more prone to drying and environmental damage. On top of this, there’s always a risk of cutting or scraping skin when shaving.

All this means that men usually have more sensitized (though not necessarily sensitive) skin than women. What does this mean for men? Put simply, most men probably have to take better care of their skin.

There is a laundry list of differences between men and women’s skin, but we’ve tackled some of the biggest here. Do you think there are other significant differences we missed here? Share them with us in the comments!

Your skin’s condition is inextricably bound to your health. What you see on your skin reflects what is going on inside your body – and skin problems like psoriasis, acne, dry or oily skin, and other conditions usually point to something wrong internally. This is why eating a healthy diet full of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients is an essential part of the skincare regimen.

The question you may be asking now is: what should I be feeding my skin to give it a healthy glow?

We have a few suggestions for you:

Water

Water makes up more than two thirds of our body weight.  Despite this, or probably because of this, our bodies need water, and lots of it. Everything we do uses up our water supply. In fact, even as you’re sitting there in front of your computer, water is evaporating off your skin.

Experts suggest drinking around 2 liters of water everyday. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables replenishes your water supply too, and helps you stay hydrated throughout the day. It can also help if you lock in some of the moisture in your skin by applying some Diana Stalder Skin Moisturizing Lotion daily.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

Another great way to keep your body, and your skin, moisturized, is ensuring that you have enough EFAs in your diet. EFAs are vital to allowing nutrients into your cells, and pushing waste out. They are also important for maintaining the moisture content in your cells. This makes EFAs an indispensable element in repairing your skin and maintaining its flexibility.

Sources of EFAs include cold water fish like salmon and mackerel, walnuts, as well as flaxseed and safflower oil.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is required for cell growth and replication. Without vitamin A, your skin can’t replace dead cells with new ones, leading to dry, scaly skin.

You can get vitamin A by including animal products like liver, milk, and eggs in your diet, but don’t limit yourself to that. Carrots, pumpkins, chili peppers, and other brightly colored produce are usually rich in vitamin A, as are spinach, kale, and other green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin A is also great when applied directly to your skin. You can get some of its benefits by using Diana Stalder Vitamin A Beauty Bar regularly.

Vitamins C & E

Vitamins C and E are powerful antioxidants that prevents damage and keeps the skin firm. Though they are both potent on their own, they become more effective when working together, protecting your skin from wrinkles and premature aging, as well as damage caused by the sun and pollution.

You can get these vitamins from apples, peaches, guava, citruses, and other fruits, as well as in bell peppers, kale, parsley, turnips, broccoli, and other vegetables.

Flavonoids

These antioxidants have similar effects as vitamins C and E, and then some. Flavonoids also help improve circulation, which helps nutrients get to where they’re needed, thereby giving your skin a rosy complexion.

Want to know where to get your flavonoid fix? Try some dark chocolate, which is rich in polyphenols, as well as some green tea. Red wine, red grapes, and cranberries are also full of flavonoids called proantocyanidins.

Selenium

Another antioxidant you want in your diet is selenium, which promotes tissue elasticity and helps prevent inflammation. This means less wrinkles and fine lines. On top of this, it plays an important role in protecting the skin from sun damage, another cause of skin aging.

Whole wheat, seafood like tuna and salmon, turkey, Brazil nuts, garlic, and eggs are all rich in this antioxidant mineral.

 Zinc

This mineral is a must for healthy skin, especially if you suffer from acne. Some research has shown that acne may be a symptom of a zinc deficiency. Even if you don’t suffer from acne, zinc is important because it regulates the production of oil in the skin.

To load up on zinc, grab some fresh oysters, oats, and eggs, as well as certain kinds of nuts.

Do you know of other nutrients you need for healthy skin? Leave a comment and share them with the rest of us!

Fortunately, this doesn’t mean most men are doomed to have unhealthy skin. With a few simple, easy to follow tips, men can also have healthy skin.

Learn how to shave right

Biologically speaking, men should age later and more slowly than women. Inspite of this, men tend to age earlier than women. There are many reasons for this, one of which is frequent shaving.

Shaving frequently leaves skin prone to dryness and premature aging, but that doesn’t mean men should stop shaving. Instead, we suggest, first, washing with warm water before shaving. This prepares the skin by opening pores and preventing irritation.

Next, we recommend using shaving cream infused with moisturizers, which helps skin from getting too dry. Applying aftershave also helps by preventing infections, especially from any cuts incurred during shaving.

Our most important tip, however, is to shave with the grain, or in the direction of the hair growth. While this doesn’t provide as close a shave as going against the grain, it is less likely to irritate the skin.

Wear protection

We can’t stress enough the importance of sun protection, and this is why we very often recommend Diana Stalder Skin Moisturizing Lotion, which contains an SPF 30 sunscreen. We believe everybody, men included, can benefit from its moisturizing and sun protection.

For men who may still have issues with using moisturizers, we suggest wearing caps, scarves, long sleeves, and other clothing items that provide cover or protection from the sun. We also suggest staying out of the afternoon sun, and limiting sun exposure to early mornings. Sun protection doesn’t always have to come in a bottle. It could simply mean being smart about one’s exposure to the sun’s harmful ways.

Snooze some more

Sleep well. Male or female, most people need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. Taking a nap in the afternoon can also do wonders. One good thing about sleep is that its benefits show up, not only on one’s skin, but also in one’s energy levels, mental faculties, and several other ways. If the idea of “beauty sleep” doesn’t appeal to your man, maybe the concept of a mid-day “recharge” might be more palatable.

Sweat a little

Exercising regularly is great for the heart, the body, and the skin too. Regular exercise will not only help your man feel years younger, it will help him look younger too. Keeping fit and trim shaves off a few years, but the benefits don’t stop there. Exercise reduces stress, flushes out toxins, and pumps oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. This leads to healthy skin, which also helps make your man look much younger than his age.

Do you have tips to help the men in your life fight the effects of aging? Leave a comment below and let us know!

Don’t worry, this is normal

We’ve said it before, you can’t stop the effects of aging. Some of the symptoms of skin aging are entirely normal, albeit unwelcome.

Pigmentary Changes

Melasma is a brown discoloration that starts showing up in your 30s, though it is more common among dark-skinned women. One way to treat melasma is by using skin lightening creams and soaps. Our pick suggestion, use Diana Stalder Black Soap regularly.

Wrinkles and fine lines

Like it or not, lines may start to form around your eyes in your 30s. The timing for this may be due in part to genetics, but another key factor is exposure to the sun. The best way to delay the appearance of these fine lines involves wearing protective eyewear and regular application of suncreen.  We can’t help you with eyewear recommendations, but we suggest you use  Diana Stalder Sunblock Cream everyday.

Wrinkles might start showing up at the corners of your mouth in your 40s, with deeper wrinkles around the face and on the neck becoming more prominent in your 50s. Regular moisturizing with a product like Diana Stalder Skin Moisturizing Lotion helps, as does washing with Diana Stalder Collagen Beauty Bar to help maintain or restore your skin’s elasticity.

Hold on, that’s not right

Sometimes, the changes you see in your skin aren’t normal signs of skin aging. Instead, environmental damage and other factors are the root cause. Here are some changes that maybe you should be concerned about.

Yellowish skin

Dry, sallow skin indicates trouble that is more than skin deep. There are many factors that can cause this, including illness, but one of the most common causes is smoking. Don’t smoke, or if you do, quit today – your complexion should get better soon.

 Deep wrinkles

Wrinkles are unavoidable, but you shouldn’t have to worry about anything more significant than fine lines until you hit your 40s, and probably even later. One effect of sun damage is the early onset of wrinkles, so you want to protect yourself from the sun early on. Another cause of wrinkles, especially around the mouth, is smoking. Avoiding this vice, as well as other bad habits, should help you delay the appearance of deep wrinkles.

Pigmentary changes, but in your 20s

Overexposure to the sun can cause skin to age quickly, and one of the early signs of this is pigmentary changes in your youth. We can’t stress enough how important it is to wear sunscreen everyday.

Unusual moles and lesions

If you notice sudden changes in the size, color, or shape of any moles on your body, we suggest you visit your doctor. If you find lesions that crust or bleed, be worried too. These changes could point to skin cancer.

Of course, there is only so much we can tell you about this over the Internet. We suggest that you simply take a good look at your body regularly (we recommend doing this once a month), and meeting your dermatologist annually.

This is far from a comprehensive list of what’s normal and what’s not, but it’s a start. Can you think other skin changes we should worry about? How about changes that are perfectly normal and expected? Please tell us by leaving a comment.

Hyperpigmentation — melanin deposits such as brown spots, lesions and excessive freckling caused by too much sun — is a significant sign of aging, along with wrinkles and greys, but remains largely hidden from view. Considering that modern UVA/UVB sunscreen was not around until the 1980s, anyone in their 30s and beyond (especially those “beyond”) have soaked up a lot of harmful rays.

In effect, today the look of uneven, spotty and sun-damaged skin has become the new grey hair. And don’t think the cosmetics industry hasn’t noticed. Selling out as fast as wrinkle remedies, products and specialized procedures abound to promise even skin tones, lightened areas and radiant skin.

You probably know already that overexposure to the sun’s rays can damage your skin and cause it to age prematurely. You also probably already know the value of wearing sunscreen daily.

Chances are, however, you didn’t worry about sun protection in your younger years, and you’ve already sustained several years worth of sun damage on your skin. You can’t change the past, but by taking steps to care for your skin, you can reverse some of the effects of sun damage. Interested? Here are a few simple tips:

Smooth it out

The buildup of dead skin cells can make your skin look blotchy and uneven. One of the simplest ways to make your skin appear smoother is by exfoliating. Regular use of an exfoliant like Diana Stalder Facial Scrub removes dead skin cells, leaving skin looking smoother.

An added benefit of exfoliating is that the treatments you apply afterwards work better. When you exfoliate, you apply lotions, creams, and other topical treatments on a fresh layer of skin, and not the layer of dead skin cells that normally stay on top.

One disadvantage of exfoliating, however, is that it can make your skin more susceptible to the elements. This is why our next tip is so important.

Protect your skin

We can’t stress this enough: the best thing you can do for your skin is protect it from the sun. Even (or especially) if you’ve already sustained skin damage from the sun, putting on sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 like Diana Stalder Sunblock Cream is important. Wearing sunscreen helps prevent further sun damage, and this is especially important after you exfoliate, when your skin is most prone to damage from the elements. This also gives your skin and immune system time to repair some of the damage that has already been done.

Bleach a little

If you’re worried about blotchy skin, dark spots, and other discoloration caused by sun damage, we recommend the Diana Stalder Surely White Body Bleaching Kit. The kit not only includes soap and lotion to treat the blemishes on your skin, but also a two-in-one moisturizer and sunscreen.

Nourish your skin

Vitamin A is great for rejuvenating sun-damaged skin. We recommend using Diana Stalder Vitamin A Beauty Bar regularly to help nurse your skin back to health. As a side benefit, Vitamin A also helps treat acne.

Nourishment, however, shouldn’t just be (pardon the pun) skin deep. What you eat affects your skin’s health, so it’s important to watch your diet too. You want food rich in Vitamins A, C, and E to fight skin damage. Recent research has also shown that lycopene, which is found in tomatoes and other food, does wonders for your skin’s natural UV protection.

Of course, hydration is also important. Your skin needs water to look healthy, and dehydrating yourself doesn’t help with your skin’s repair process. Make sure you drink enough water during the day, and keep a bottle (or a glass) of water by your bedside too.

Do you have any tips or tricks to repair the effects of sun damage? Please share them with us too!

In this post, we discuss some common complaints about baby’s skin and share some possible solutions (and even preventions). After all, it’s never too early to start caring for your skin, right?

Diaper rash

This is the most common skin care complaint among babies, especially in the first few months. This isn’t too surprising, since babies’ bottoms spend most of their time wrapped tight, sometimes in close contact with wee and poo.

Dealing with diaper rash is simple – just wash baby’s bottom in warm water. If you want, you can put some oatmeal in warm water, then bathe baby like normal. You can also use Diana Stalder Oatmeal Beauty Bar, which works great for various skin irritations, including diaper rash.

If you want to keep diaper rash at bay, you need to change diapers pretty often. The moist environment in a diaper and the ammonia released by baby’s pee have a tendency to irritate baby’s bottom. The downside of this, of course, is that you spend quite a bit more money (and time) changing diapers.

Cradle Cap

If you notice greasy or scaly patches on your baby’s scalp, and possibly behind baby’s ears, it’s probably cradle cap. While it looks alarming, it is quite common, and is a harmless condition. Cradle cap usually starts in the first three months, but usually doesn’t last much longer than a few months.

Many believe that cradle cap is caused by overactive sebaceous glands, likely caused by their mother’s hormones lingering in their system after birth. The extra sebum, or oil, produced causes dead skin cells to stick to baby’s scalp instead of simply falling off.

We suggest applying some olive on baby’s scalp to soften the scaly skin, then gently removing the softened scales with a fine comb or a soft cloth. While this doesn’t treat the condition, it does get rid of the unsightly scales. Simply do this regularly until the condition resolves itself.

Eczema

If you notice scaly patches in other areas of your baby, like maybe the nose, armpits, or others, you might be dealing with eczema. There many possible causes for this, but one thing they have in common is irritation. Whatever the cause, eczema usually goes away on its own, but you can reduce the symptoms of eczema by minimize possible causes of irritation.

Regular bathing with lukewarm water will definitely help. Some people recommend applying moisturizers rich in lanolin or aloe vera, but we believe that’s a personal choice. Consult with your pediatrician if you want, but the most important thing is that you’re comfortable with what you put (or don’t put) on baby’s skin.

You should also make sure to dress baby in soft, natural fabrics like cotton and wool – these are less likely than other fabrics to irritate baby’s skin. It’s also a good idea to keep baby’s hands wrapped in mittens to keep them from scratching themselves. Just make sure you take them off every so often to give baby’s hands time to breath too. Sometimes, mittens can keep sweat from drying off baby’s hands.

The most important thing to remember is that baby’s skin is thinner than your skin and very sensitive. This means that you have to be very gentle to keep baby’s skin soft and smooth. Avoid harsh soaps and cleansing products – they might do more harm than good. Relax too, most of baby’s skin conditions, no matter how alarming initially, will simply go away naturally. Of course, if you have any doubts, you can always consult with your doctor.

The skin on a baby’s bottom is soft, smooth and very sensitive. It’s also thinner than adults’ and has a higher pH level. It has to put up with difficult conditions, spending most of the day and night wrapped tightly in

Infant skin care is a very gentle procedure. Avoid harsh soaps or artificial cleansing products and most of the time the condition will simply go away naturally. However, like anything related to your baby, if you have any doubts make sure that you consult a medical specialist as soon as possible.

Of course, you should consult with your doctor if you have any concerns about these conditions, but generally they are simple to care for and can be easily addressed with some natural home care remedies. Here are the three most common skin care complaints for babies and some simple remedies for them.

“Laugh a lot, and when you’re older, all your wrinkles will be in the right places”

-        Anonymous

There are few things as soft and smooth as a baby’s bottom, at least if you believe the expression. With few exceptions, a baby’s skin is soft, clear, and wrinkle-free – and it usually stays that way until early adolescence. After that, however, it usually goes downhill.

You can, however, do something about it. You can’t stop the effects of aging entirely, but there are  ways to help keep your skin looking fresh, clear, and young. All it takes is a little care, and a bit of help from us.

The Teen Years and Hormones

Puberty brings a lot of hormonal changes, and along with this rush of hormones comes a lot of skin changes. Among the most common changes are increased oil production, along with its more annoying cousin: acne.

The best thing you can do for your skin at this age is protect it from the sun. This means staying in the shade as much as possible, and wearing sun protection when you have to get under the sun. Our suggestion, dab on some Diana Stalder Sunblock Cream everyday.

Of course, there’s still the problem plaguing teenagers the world over: acne. Washing your face regularly is a great way to keep your skin clean and free from oil, and a mild scrub like Diana Stalder Oatmeal Beauty Bar does wonders. If you need something a bit more potent to combat pimples, Diana Stalder Tea Tree Beauty Bar has antimicrobial properties that are very effective against acne and fungi.

The 20′s: First Signs of Aging

The first signs of aging usually begin in your 20′s, when the collagen and elastin that have kept your skin soft and supple start to break down. Once again, UV protection is your best bet to control any skin damage. Diana Stalder Skin Moisturizing Lotion contains an SPF 30 sunscreen that protects skin against harmful sun rays, and gently moisturizes your skin, helping prevent premature aging.

The 30′s: Early Environmental Damage

Damage from sun exposure usually begins to show up in your 30′s, but the good news is that sun-induced wrinkles are still barely visible at this age. Your skin’s collagen and elastin continue to lose their spring too, making skin care more important.

On top of protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, moisturizing skin becomes even more important. A soap like Diana Stalder Collagen Beauty Bar helps restore your skin’s elasticity, as does Diana Stalder Skin Revitalizer.

The 40′s & 50′s: Revealing the Damage

Moisturizing comes to the forefront in your 40′s & 50′s. Dead skin cells start to stick around longer, but a mild scrub like Diana Stalder Oatmeal Beauty Bar can help solve that. Diana Stalder Nourishing Crème  exfoliates your skin as well, and also maintain your skin’s elasticity.

If you haven’t done your diligence protecting your skin from sun damage, this is the time it starts showing up. This is also the when wrinkles, age spots, and spider veins become evident. As always, moisturizers and sunscreen should be a part of your daily skin care regimen, and a product like Diana Stalder SBF-Collagen Cream gives you both.

The 60′s and Beyond: Protection & Pampering Paying Off

When you hit your 60′s, a lifetime of skin care starts paying off. You can’t stop the clock completely, so  your skin probably shows some signs of aging already. Fortunately, if you’ve taken good care of your skin, your wrinkles, spots, and other blemishes won’t be too obvious.

This doesn’t mean you should stop caring for your skin though. A daily dose of moisturizer, a dab of SPF, and continued care should help keep your skin young and fresh. Of course, smiling a lot helps too – if you’re going to have wrinkles anyway, you can at least have your wrinkles in the right places.

The problem is that you might not really have sensitive skin. Instead, there might be another reason your skin gets irritated so easily. Maybe, just maybe, you have sensitized, not sensitive skin.

What’s the difference?

Sensitive skin is a skin type and a genetic condition. This means that sensitive skin is something you were born with. If your skin has been easily irritable since you were a kid, chances are you have sensitive skin. Unfortunately, this also means you will have sensitive skin for the rest of your life.

Take a look at your family too. If you have sensitive skin, chances are somebody else in your immediate family, your parents, siblings, or children, have sensitive skin too.

Your eyes and hair might hold other clues telling you whether you have sensitive skin. If you have light eyes or red hair, you’re more likely than others to have sensitive skin. The same holds true if you have fair skin, or if you suffer from asthma or allergies.

Sensitized skin, on the other hand, is a skin condition. Skin conditions are temporary, and can vary from day to day, or even hour to hour. Sensitized skin can be treated, but unfortunately, may recur anytime.

Many factors can trigger sensitized skin. Your age, diet, health, and hormones play large roles in your skin’s sensitivity, as do stress, pollution, and the weather. Of course, the products you apply on your skin play a large part too.

The big question, however, is how to keep skin from becoming too sensitized. We have a few tips to help you out:

Stay hydrated

One of the best ways to treat sensitized skin is to keep it hydrated. We tackled this in our previous post Skin Care 101: Dry Skin No More, but we’ll sum it up in three points:

• Clean your skin gently to avoid stripping your skin of essential oils,
• Use the right moisturizing products for your skin, and
• Drink enough water to moisturize your skin from the inside.

Keep your skin calm

Stressing your skin makes it more prone to irritation, so keeping it calm is key to keeping your skin from getting too sensitized. Before you go out and search for products to calm your skin, however, stop. Trying out new products is one of the easiest ways to stress your skin.

When you start using a new product, don’t expect great results immediately. More likely than not, your skin will need some time, most likely at least two weeks, to get used to the ingredients in your new products.

While your skin is still getting used to your new products, your skin may break out or get mildly irritated, but this shouldn’t be cause for concern. Start worrying if and when you experience burning, swelling, or pain. If this happens, discontinue your new products, and maybe contact a health professional.

At times, you can easily tell if a product will irritate your skin, without even trying it. Try to learn more about the ingredients in your products, and their purpose. If you suffer from acne, for example, we have a little guide on some ingredients commonly found in acne treatments.  You should also watch out for commonly known irritants, like alcohol, strong fragrances, and colorants, among others.

Take care of yourself

As we mentioned already, your diet, hormones, and health affect how sensitized your skin gets. If you take good care of yourself, there’s a good chance your skin will look better too. Fill up on fruits, watch your diet, get some exercise, cut out your vices, and try to live a healthy lifestyle.  You just might find that your skin isn’t as irritable as it used to be.

So, do you still think you have sensitive skin? Do you have any of your own tips to keep skin from breaking out? Please share them with us in the comments.

How, exactly, do hormones affect your skin? The answer is that it depends on the hormone, and how much of it you produce. Need a more specific answer? Here’s a brief guide.

Testosterone

One of the effects of increased testosterone levels is increased oil production. Another is the rapid growth of corneal cells, which can accumulate in sebaceous or oil glands. Combine the two – plugged ducts and increased oil production – and you have a recipe for acne.

While we can’t help you bring down your testosterone levels, we can help you deal with the symptoms. Regular application of Diana Stalder Night Gel combats the inflammation and bacterial growth that leads to bad acne breakouts. If you’d like, you can also try the Diana Stalder Surely White Acne Treatment Kit, which includes the Night Gel as well as other acne-fighting products.

Thyroxin

Thyroxin is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland. If you produce too much of it, your skin gets easily flushed and sweaty, and also starts looking warm and smooth. Unfortunately, your skin also becomes thinner and more fragile.

If you produce too little thyroxin, on the other hand, your skin can become coarse, thick, dry, and scaly. Your sweat glands also begin to shut down, making it more difficult to sweat.

Either way, you’re likely to suffer rapid hair loss. Because both of these conditions stress your body, it can redirect energy and nutrients from hair cells and follicles to other areas.

Estrogen

Estrogens, both natural and synthetic, decrease the effects of testosterone and other male sex hormones. This leads to decreased oil production, which in turn, helps prevent acne. For this reason, birth control pills are sometimes prescribed off-label to treat acne.

Reduced estrogen levels, on the other hand, lead to significant changes in the skin. It causes a decrease in collagen and a reduction in the number of blood vessels. This leads to dry, fragile, pale, inelastic skin that is more prone to wrinkles. One way to combat this is by regular washing with Diana Stalder Collagen Beauty Bar.

However, not everything is rosy when it comes to estrogen. High estrogen levels can trigger an increase in melanin production. This can cause patchy discolorations on the face which are known as melasma. If you are prone to melasma, we recommend protecting your skin from the sun with a sunscreen like Diana Stalder Sunblock Cream, as well as loading your diet with antioxidant-rich food. To deal with the melasma, we also recommend regular washing with Diana Stalder Black Soap.

Like it or not, your hormone levels will keep changing, whether due to health conditions, illnesses, or aging. One of the keys to healthy skin is knowing how to deal with these changes. We hope this post helps you do that, or at least gives you a starting point.

Do you have any of your own tips to share? Leave a comment below and let us know!

How do you figure out what’s good for you and what’s not? Sampling every product available isn’t an option. Instead, you can do a little reading, and arm yourself with a bit of knowledge. A quick look through the product ingredients can give you an idea of how effective (or not) it can be.

We can’t list down ingredients of all the products out there, but we can tell you a little about some of the most common ones. Read on to learn more.

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid is one of several beta hydroxy acids found in many products used to treat several skin ailments, including acne, calluses, dandruff, and warts, among others. A key ingredient in aspirin, salicylic acid helps reduce inflammation and pain. When used on skin, salicylic acid helps exfoliate it, neutralizes bacteria within, and helps keep pores open and unclogged. All these properties make salicylic acid a great acne buster.

Salicylic acid, however, is also an allergen that can irritate your skin. If you are allergic to aspirin, or if you’re pregnant or nursing, it’s best to stay away from products that contain salicylic acid.

Glycolic Acid & Other AHAs

Alpha hydroxy acids, including glycolic, actic, citric, and tartaric acids, help remove dead skin cells, leaving skin smoother and softer. They can also reduce fine lines, irregular pigmentation, and other skin blemishes.

AHAs, however may dry and irritate skin, especially in higher concentrations. They can also make your skin more sensitive to sun damage. When using products with AHAs, it’s a good idea to apply some moisturizer, and some sunscreen too.

Benzoyl Peroxide

Many of the most effective acne treatments have benzoyl peroxide listed as an active ingredient. Benzoyl peroxide cleans pores, dries up excess oil, and most importantly, kills bacteria and keeps it from multiplying. Among the common side effect of products with benzoyl peroxide, however, are dry, red, itchy, and peeling skin.

Clay

While clay isn’t an active acne fighter, clay does help acne symptoms in two ways. First, clay soothes and calms the skin, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. This, in turn, helps clay reduce your skin’s oil production. These two effects of clay, in conjunction with tea tree oil, help prevent acne.

Tea Tree Oil

Working in quite the same way as benzoyl peroxide, tea tree oil fights bacteria and reduces inflammation, resulting in reduced acne symptoms. Tea tree oil, in fact, is the key ingredient in Diana Stalder Night Gel.

While most people do well with tea tree oil, those who suffer from eczema or sensitive skin may find it too harsh for their skin, and should use it in moderation.

These are just five of the most common ingredients in acne fighting products. Are there other ingredients you’d like to learn more about? Leave a comment to ask, and we’ll try to get your some answers.

Sunburn

Sunburn is the most commonly known sign of skin damage. The main symptom of sunburn is redness, and sometimes pain, on sun-exposed skin. Usually, you can also see clear tan-lines, making it easy to distinguish sunburned from healthy skin.

Some more severe cases of sunburn are accompanied by painful blisters. Others may also suffer from nausea, dizziness, and other symptoms of heatstroke.

Dry skin

Sometimes, sun exposure does not result to redness, but this does not mean that no damage has been done. Without the obvious redness of sunburn, it’s quite easy to overlook dry skin caused by sun damage. When exposed to the sun, watch out for dry, flaky, and slightly wrinkled skin. If you’re lucky (or unlucky, depending on how you look at it) some itching can clue you in.

Sun spots

Also called hepatic stains, sun spots are small, flat, brownish spots on the skin caused by a boost in melanin production. They are usually found on the face, arms, and other areas that are exposed to the sun.

Though they can look scary, sun spots don’t usually lead to skin cancer. They are simply caused by an increase in melanin producing cells, and as such are more heavily pigmented than other areas of the skin.

If sun spots bother you, they can be treated by bleaching or chemical peels, or removed using liquid nitrogen.

Solar keratoses

You don’t really need to worry about sun spots, but you definitely need to take a good look at solar keratoses. Unlike sun spots, keratoses can come in different colors, including pink, red, yellow, or brown tints. They are also raised above the skin, often looking scaly or crusty. For this reason, they are sometimes easier to find by touch rather than by eye.

Solar keratoses indicate an increased risk of skin cancer, so it is important to contact your doctor if you find keratoses on your skin. Fortunately, less than 1% of keratoses degenerate into cancer cells.

Senile purpura

Prolonged exposure to UV radiation can sometimes lead to the thinning of blood vessels. This leads to burst blood vessels, causing blushing or even bruising in sun-damaged areas of the skin. This usually appears on the face, forearms, and the backs of the hands.

Bowen disease

While Bowen disease is technically a form of cancer, it is confined only to the skin, making it fairly easy to treat. It shows up as a red stain on an area of skin exposed to the sun, and can be removed by freezing with liquid nitrogen, surgical excision, or other ways.

While Bowen disease is a superficial cancer, timely treatment is still important to prevent it from degenerating into squamous cell carcinoma.

If you’re lucky, or if you’ve been diligent about putting on sunscreen (Diana Stalder Sunblock Cream is our choice), you won’t find any of these signs of sun damage on your skin. Also, you know better now  – this means you probably won’t ignore important signs of sun damage, or worry needlessly about that spot or blemish you just found.

Are there any other signs of sun damage that you think we should know about? Please share them with us in the comments.