Olive Oil : Skin and Hair Care

The health properties of Olive oil is widely accepted and has made it a by word with health nuts. Originally it came from the Mediterranean Region, but its immense popularity made it much sought after and as a result, it can now be obtained any where in the world. You will find it as an active ingredient in your hair oil. You can also find it in your salad dressing. The multi functionality of Olive oil has made it very popular and it has been tagged as one of the top nutrient giver because of its popularity with health conscious people. Olive oil is essentially cholesterol free and is used to make food tastier and healthier. But, many of the skin care properties of Olive oil has come to light only recently and has made it an essential ingredient in soaps and skin care products. The soaps that are produced by using Olive oil are very gentle on the skin and will help in moisturizing and nourishing the skin. There are various homemade recipes that make use of olive oil for skin care. Some of them are listed below for your ready reference.

• Submerge your hands in Olive oil for half an hour to get extra fine nails.
• Olive oil can do wonders for chapped and dry lips.
• Olive oil is a great moisturizer. You can apply it liberally on your hands to get smoother and softer skin. You can also apply it on your feet for softer skin on your feet.
• A few tablespoons of Olive oil mixed with a few drops of an essential oil can give you a good bathing solution.
• A night cream that lightens the skin and kills bacteria can be obtained by mixing half a cup of Olive oil with quarter cups each of vinegar and water. This night cream will leave you with clearer and smoother skin in the morning.
• Olive oil can give you lustrous and dandruff free hair. Smear a good dollop of Olive oil on your hair and gently massage it into your scalp. You can cover your hair with a shower cap for 30 min and then shampoo your hair.
• You can do a simple facial by first applying Olive oil on your face and then scrubbing suger on your face. You can wipe off the oil and sugar with a wet towel afterwards.
• Olive oil can be used as an excellent cleaning cream for people with dry skin. They can also use mask made by mixing one egg, one teaspoon honey, half a teaspoon of Olive oil and a few drops of rose water.

Chemical Peeling for Ageing Skin

Chemical peeling is used by the doctors to exfoliate the layers of dead or old skin using chemical solutions of varying strengths. The idea here is to remove the old skin or peel it away to pave the way for fresher skin to form. This process can certainly rejuvenate your skin but this is only an external effect and has nothing to do with the internal process of aging. As the new skin gets exposed to sunlight and gets weather beaten, it will loose its luster, until you come in for the next procedure.

This procedure is ideal for removing surface aberrations like sun damage and pigmentation which can be easily treated. You can even use chemical peels for skin conditions like wrinkles or acne. A deeper peel is called for if you are looking to combat facial scars.

The strength and type of the chemical solution depends on the skin condition that is being treated and on the benefits that are expected from the procedure. If you are talking about small external problems a mild peel would suffice. But for deeper scars and wrinkles, a deeper peel is called for. The decision will rest with your doctor. He will decide, after considering the extent of the skin condition and the benefits expected, on the type of peel that is required.

Alpha hydroxyl acids are used for mild peels while Trichloroacetic acids are used for the medium peels but for deeper peels you may have go up in strength and use phenol. These are some of the common reagents that are used. This list is not exhaustive by any means.

Usually when you peel away the layer of skin, the patient will suffer from redness and scaling until the new skin forms. The degree and duration of these conditions or side effects will depend on the strength of the peel that was used. Doctors will warn you that deeper peels can cause increased discomfort while producing better results. The choice is yours to make.

This article does not provide or substitute for professional medical advice. If you plan to follow the tips given in this article, you should consult your doctor and ask him his opinion. No claim of liability will be entertained by the author in the event of damage being caused due to the misinterpretation of facts contained in this article.

Chemical Peels using Alpha Hydroxy Acids

Chemical peels using Alpha Hydroxy Acids are used in treating people who have fine wrinkles and areas of pigmentation in their skin. Alpha Hydroxy Acids like glycolic, lactic etc, usually in a 12% solution, are used to give the mildest peels. They are also recommended for people who have areas of dryness in their skin and sometimes even for acne. Doctors usually decide on weekly intervals between peels but can vary the intervals between the peels if the results require it.

Some people experience various types of reactions to the AHA peels. Some of the common symptoms observed with such people are redness and irritation of the treated portion. In some extreme cases, severe stinging has also been reported. But these effects disappear in a few days when the skin adjusts to the chemicals in the AHA peel.

The doctor will apply the peeling solution on your face and since no protective covering is used, you are free to go about your activities afterwards. The whole process will take only a few minutes and after the procedure is complete, the doctor will give you a maintenance cream which has to be applied everyday at home. This maintenance cream is usually a milder form of the Alpha Hydroxy Acid that was used.

With the weekly treatments at the clinic and the daily maintenance regime at home, you will start to see improvements within days. The AHA peel has been proven very effective for most people and they are now being mixed with bleach to treat uneven pigmentation.

The doctor will warn you not to get too much direct exposure to sunlight during the treatment. This is a very serious warning and has to be strictly abided by. So, if you plan to go out during the day, get adequate protection from the sun.

This article does not provide or substitute for professional medical advice. If you plan to follow the tips given in this article, you should consult your doctor and ask him his opinion. No claim of liability will be entertained by the author in the event of damage being caused due to the misinterpretation of facts contained in this article.