LOVE YOUR SKIN WITH DR EBELE UGOCHUKWU: REVISITING THE ISSUE OF SKIN LIGHTENING, TONING & BLEACHING

CULLED FROM DR EBELE UGOCHUKWU'S LOVE YOUR SKIN SERIES ON BELLA NAIJA

Hello Everyone,
Last month we spoke about the light skin versus dark skin debate; perceptions, impressions, prejudice and sometimes the genuine need for skin lightening.
I promised this month to speak about the safe and not so safe ways to go about achieving lighter skin.
Let me start by repeating (it’s so important, it should be said many times) Skin Bleaching is NOT ACCEPTABLE. Not only is it dangerous, No one should desire to drastically change their natural skin colour; we should learn to love the complexion with which we were born and only pursue glowing flawless skin. Enhance not transform.
Since bleaching is not acceptable, I won’t go into too much detail about the dangerous methods and chemicals people use to achieve bleached skin. Not only so as not to give the hard headed light skin aficionados any ideas but also to not waste my word count quota talking about something you should not attempt in the first place.
However, I will try to concisely discuss safe skin lightening options, possible side effects and harmful skin lighteners to avoid.

First of all, it is important to note that the effects of all the options out there varies from individual to individual. What may lighten one person very quickly may have no effect on another what so ever.
Typically, this is especially true of individuals with reddish undertones to their skin(I will do a full brief in the future about skin undertones and how to identify your type), these type of individuals do not lighten easily no matter the product or concentration that they use on their skin.

Broadly, skin lightening can be classified under the following;
• Chemical Peels
• Skin lightening creams
• Laser treatment

Chemical Peels
The physiology behind chemical peels and laser treatments is the same. It is a type of deep exfoliation where the aim is to burn off the upper layer of the skin to reveal lighter skin beneath. Most often lightening agents are used in conjunction so that these agents penetrate deep and inhibit the production of melanin. There are various chemical peels available today; Glycolic acid, Lactic acid, Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) peels to name a few. These are naturally occurring acids that are applied on the skin in various concentrations depending on how deep the therapist wants to go. This procedure should be performed by a doctor or a qualified aesthetician. The side effects of this process include; pain, swelling, extended period of down time i.e. the time it takes for you to heal and crusting. There is also a risk of post treatment infection, scarring and most importantly post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) which people of colour are particularly prone to. So it hardly makes sense to get a peel to lighten your skin only to have it seriously darken afterwards. These peels are generally safe and have a high incidence of success for Caucasians but not so for us.

More recently, the VI peel came into the market. It is a more successful peel for people of colour and my personal favourite. It is much less painful, less downtime but unfortunately it is quite expensive; before the current recession a treatment costs about NGN50,000 and you need a minimum of three to get good results. The peel is not as deep as you may get with the others I have mentioned (hence less side effects) but the results are almost as good. You can get more information from www.viaesthetics.com, the company is very professional and will only sell their products to registered doctors and aestheticians.

Laser therapy involves the use of a machine that delivers high intensity laser rays to the skin surface achieving the same effect as chemical peels except that it can go deeper and can actually destroy melanin producing cells. The side effects and drawbacks include blistering in addition to those I already mentioned with chemical peels. It is also very expensive and requires multiple treatments. Again people with skin of colour being prone to PIH are not good candidates for this procedure.

Lightening cream is the more common and widespread method of achieving skin lightening. It is obviously safer and more affordable in most cases. The key is to know which ingredients to look out for. I strongly advise my clients to practise label reading and I must point out that the widespread trend of buying ‘mixed creams’ should not be followed by any enlightened person. Under no circumstance should anyone apply a preparation that you do not know the ingredients, I repeat UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE!!! In my practise, I have been known to mix the creams in order to aid my clients in achieving the right proportion of (safe and approved) ingredients but I usually do so right in front of them or I give them a sheet clearly listing out the ingredients.

In the recent past, Hydroquinone used to be the Gold standard for skin lightening. It has been in existence for many years and was used in most lightening creams that were available to buy over the counter (i.e. without a prescription). Higher concentrations (about 4% and higher) required a doctor’s prescription. However, it was eventually discovered that hydroquinone used over a long period of time led to kidney failure not to talk of the bluish dark discoloration that sometimes appeared after prolonged use; this condition is called ochronosis. Some researchers also postulate that hydroquinone has some carcinogenic (cancer causing) potential. It has since been banned from most countries especially in Asia the world leaders in skin lightening.

Naturally Occurring SAFE Lightening agents include; Arbutin, Mulberry extract, Bearberry extract, Kojic acid, Vitamin B3 and Vitamin C. Most good quality lightening creams currently in the market contain one or more of the ingredients above. It is important to remember that these ingredients can be very effective achieving up to 8 shades lighter depending on concentration and the skin type of the individual However, they will not turn a dark person into mullato. Efficacy is increased most especially with well exfoliated skin; I always illustrate with my story of a carpenter and his piece of wood. Imagine a carpenter applying bleach to a well sand papered piece of wood and again to a raw non sand papered piece of wood, which do you assume will absorb the product better and hence become lighter?

These ingredients are generally safe for lifelong use but sun protection is always key.
Sometimes, the lightening effect is not immediate (note that when using quality products it rarely is) so patience and consistency is also key.

Dangerous lightening agents in addition to Hydroquinone include Mercury and steroids. Steroid use for lightening is so widespread and rampant that it requires a separate brief on its own which I will do in the future. Steroids should not be used for this skin lightening and even when its use is indicated, it should be prescribed and monitored by a doctor. Improper use of Steroids leads to skin thinning, delayed wound healing, easily infected skin, discolouration of the skin, visible blood vessels, sores and boils, acne/eczema flare-ups, in extreme cases kidney, liver or nerve damage and hormonal dysfunction.

Mercury is highly dangerous and can cause all the side effects associated with steroids and may cause abnormalities in a new-born if used during pregnancy.
Your only protection is to read your labels, mercury will be listed as mercurous chloride, mercuric, mercurio or calomel and steroids as clobetasol propionate, betamethasone, fluocinonide and so many more, But you could always google any ingredient you are not sure of….we are living in a great age of information, no excuses for ignorance.
Finally, we need to talk about the Fads. There are many procedures and products that claim to give desired results in skin lightening such as the current trend of Gluthathione pills or injections for skin lightening. As I said earlier, with a click of a button you can access all kinds of information but sometimes it is necessary to have the guidance of a professional to help you wade through it all. Medicine is based on science; in the science world nothing is just accepted for face value, a hypothesis is put forward, then various experiments are carried out then the results are analysed and concluded. And you even still need your peers to review your results before you can publish your findings as fact. I happen to believe in homeopathy and natural remedies (many doctors don’t) so I am open minded enough to allow new ideas but scientific minded enough to evaluate and possibly experiment for myself before agreeing with the online conclusions. That said, I am investigating the Glutathione trend and will let you know my findings.

Generally speaking fads typically don’t work but in the spirit of an open mind, if there is anything you want me to look into feel free to leave a comment below.

In conclusion, if you feel the need to lighten your skin, do it safely otherwise proper exfoliation will keep your skin bright, fresh and youthful.

I am particularly proud of my skin care range which truly addresses all the needs of Ethnic skin with its Exfoliating and Lightening range however, there are many good brands out there that can also give you your desired results; read your labels and know the ingredients to look out for and the ones to avoid. Remember, damaged skin cannot be regenerated, replaced or surgically corrected.

Till next time, keep your best face forward!

LOVE YOUR SKIN WITH Dr. EBELE UGOCHUKWU: LETS TALK ABOUT SKIN LIGHTENING, TONING & BLEACHING

CULLED FROM DR EBELE UGOCHUKWU'S LOVE YOUR SKIN SERIES ON BELLA NAIJA

This is a big topic and so relevant to us in our society that I have divided into two parts.
Let’s get the terminology right first. Skin lightening as the name implies is the process of lightening your skin by a couple of shades or more.

Skin bleaching is the process of attempting to strip your skin completely of melanin. This process is very dangerous, invasive and can lead to many unwanted side effects.

Skin toning is a colloquial term that implies the lightening of the tone/shade of your skin. FYI, skin toning is also the process of balancing the ph of your skin with the application of a toner which is a liquid agent usually applied to the face after washing using a cotton ball or pad. However, In Nigeria Toning is almost always referring to skin lightening.

Why do we feel that lighter skin is better, what makes us assume that a light skinned person is always more appealing than a darker skinned person?

The answer is obviously centuries old…..When our ancestors were living in Africa centuries ago there was no light skin/dark skin debate until the white man arrived on the shores of our continent and abducted a vast majority of Africans as slaves.

Everyone knows the degradation, segregation, humiliation and plight of the enslaved black man up to and especially after the abolition of slavery. The white slave masters regularly impregnated their African female slaves leading to the birth of children with light skin who got more privileges than their dark skinned neighbours and so the idea that light skin is better took hold and grew in bounds. Obviously at the time, being lighter meant an easier smoother ride in life.

This belief system has taken root deep down and has evolved to fair/light skin being the standard of beauty. As we who remained back in Africa became more westernised all in the name of growth and development; this way of thinking has completely pervaded our society.

A lot of education has gone on in recent time to disabuse ourselves of this notion but like I said it is ingrained and will take time for us to shake it off.

True Beauty is in healthy, glowing, radiant, blemish free skin irrespective of the shade. We need to love ourselves wholly and totally in whatever skin colour we have been given. We MUST teach our sons and daughters to love themselves as they are.

It is a journey but if we keep passing the message along, we will get there.
Even in Asia, lighter skin depicts wealth and status while dark skin depicts poverty and servitude especially in India. That is one of the reasons Asia is the world leader in all things skin lightening.

To be clear Skin bleaching is not acceptable in any form or way. This is when you want to change your skin colour totally and go from being a dark or medium toned individual to a light skinned person. This is dangerous and completely unsustainable.

However, there is nothing wrong in wanting to maintain the natural radiance of your complexion.
As we age, our skin naturally darkens especially on the exposed areas of our bodies; one can safely lighten these areas to maintain our complexions.

Hyperpigmentation (skin darkening which can be localised or diffuse i.e. covering a large area) is one of the major complaints of ethnic skin. I mentioned this in my article where I listed the differences between ethnic and Caucasian skin.

There are many causes of hyperpigmentation, some of these include;
• Sun exposure
• Inflammation such as acne, insect bite, injury, inflammatory skin conditions.
• Illness
• Drugs
• Pregnancy (melasma/mask of pregnancy)
• Hormone therapy
• Physiological (aging)

Everyone notices a natural darkening of the skin following hours of sun exposure. If you look at your inner arms or thighs, most times these areas are lighter than your neck, arms and face.

Examples of drugs which may cause skin darkening include; anti-seizure drugs like phenytoin, antipsychotics like chlorpromazine, antimalarial (chloroquine) NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), Amiodarone, cytotoxic drugs, Sulphonamides. These are a few examples of the more common drugs that can cause hyper pigmentation but note that it is not a given in all cases; individual response varies.

For those of you whose grandparents are still alive, I am sure you would have noticed that they are significantly darker than when they were younger; you may observe this from old pictures or comments from your parents or other relations. This is age related physiological darkening and is completely normal.

Healing occurs after any inflammatory assault (acne, insect bite, injury) on the skin, which in turn can lead to scarring and hyperpigmentation. Remember I told you ethnic skin is more prone to post inflammatory hyper pigmentation as compared to Caucasian skin.

So, the point of all the above is that darkening of the skin occurs so the desire to lighten is not only understandable but sometimes necessary.

The question then becomes how we achieve skin lightening naturally and safely.

In part 2 of this topic, I will exhaustively go through the different types of lightning agents, safety and efficacy, how to use for best results. I will highlight the dangerous lightening agents and why you should avoid them.

In closing, I strongly advise anyone who wants to completely change their skin colour to desist; you may enjoy the results initially but rest assured it is not sustainable; your skin will eventually redarken and worst of all become damaged. There is no solution for irreversibly damaged skin; there is no procedure, expensive or otherwise that can reverse damaged skin. Learn to love yourself as God has made you…..Always enhance not transform…

Till next time, keep putting your best face forward!

LOVE YOUR SKIN WITH DR EBELE UGOCHUKWU - LETS TALK MICRO DERMABRASION

CULLED FROM DR EBELE UGOCHUKWU'S LOVE YOUR SKIN SERIES ON BELLA NAIJA

Microdermabrasion was developed in Italy in 1985 and is simply a much deeper form of exfoliation which ideally should be performed by a medical doctor or licensed aesthetician.

It involves the application of tiny rough grains to buff away the surface layer of the skin. This treatment as already mentioned is best performed by a medical personnel however, there are some home microdermabrasion systems in the market today.

Recalling our previous topic, I described the skin and its layers, topmost layer being the stratum corneum. All of the action of microdermabrasion takes place at the level of the stratum corneum. It is painful and potentially dangerous for the procedure to be applied down to the layer of the dermis.

The top layer of the skin, the stratum corner is home to many minor skin imperfections such as fine wrinkles and blemishes and most beauty procedures target the removal of these imperfections by scraping/ scrubbing/ melting away the top layer of the stratum corneum.

Since all of the action of microdermabrasion takes place on the top layer of the epidermis it would have been more accurate to call it micro-epidermabrasion. As mentioned, affecting the deep layers would risk permanently embedding the tiny grains into the skin and this will be extremely harmful.
Microdermabrasion is applied with a special tool and the principle behind it is, if you remove or break up the stratum corner, the body interprets this as a mild injury and rushes to replace the lost skin cells with new healthy ones.

This tool shoots a stream of tiny crystals like Aluminium oxide, Sodium Chloride or Sodium bicarbonate, and then collects the leftover dead skin cells and used crystal by vacuum action. There are newer tools in the market that use a diamond-tipped wand on the skin instead of a stream of particles.
The vacuum action of the machine has four main functions which include; pulling and raising a small section of the skin to work on, creating a mild swelling and bringing some of the impurities to the surface, shooting a steam of crystals across target skin patch and finally, collecting the used crystals and dead skin for disposal.
The technician preps the client by performing a cleansing facial on the skin first, then maps the facial skin into regions and systematically treats the areas section by section. It may be necessary to go over a section several times before moving on to the next area for treatment. A good technician maintains a steady even pressure throughout the process.

In the first hour after treatment, there is mild edema (swelling) and erythema (redness), and may last for an hour or as much as two days depending on the individual.
This is an example of a basic microdermabrasion unit, the wands mentioned earlier are the tools you can see hooked on the side. Most Units come with different sized wands for treating smaller areas like the crease of the nose and under the lips.

The vacuum tubes are attached to the wand and the tube to a pump which then applies the suction pressure as the wand is passed over the skin.

The beneficial effects of this procedure can be quite dramatic or subtle depending on the client. With the stratum corneum gone, the skin’s surface is improved. The healing process brings with it newer skin cells that look and feel smoother. Some of the skin’s visible imperfections like sun damage, blemishes, discolouration and fine lines are removed.

Also, without the Stratum Corneum acting as a barrier, medicinal creams and lotions are more effective because more of their active ingredients and moisture can find their way down to the lower layers of the skin.
As Microdermabrasion temporarily removes some moisture from the skin, it is always followed by the application of rich moisturising creams.

Early studies suggest that repeated microdermabrasion treatments at regular intervals may influence the way the lower layers of skin grow, also acting to remove deeper blemishes over time. Some evidence seems to indicate that the rapid loss of skin moisture may be what triggers the lower skin layers to work overtime in speeding healthy cells up to the surface.

Regular treatments over a period of time is the best way to get the maximum benefit of the process. Your therapist will recommend some exfoliating/moisturizing creams and preparations to be used in between treatments to get the best results.

Microdermabrasion also works especially well as a way to clean out clogged pores. It is a useful alternative for patients too sensitive for preparations like Retin-A.

There are a few contra indications for the procedure and these include clients suffering from Fragile capillaries, vascular lesions, Widespread Acne, Herpetic lesions, Warts, Open sores, Skin lesions, Eczema, Dermatitis, Psoriasis, Lupus, anticoagulant therapy, Erythematosus and Diabetes Mellitus.

This procedure has gained popularity as an alternative to surgical face lifts and other more invasive procedures.
However, it must be noted that as with anything involving removal of top layers of the skin. Skin of colour is prone to post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) so it is important to go to a doctor or trained aesthetician; do not be shy to ask about their qualifications.

The cost of these treatments vary depending on who you go to but generally about $100 to $200 per session in America. I charge N15,000 in my practise and can go as low as N10,000 per session when booking for multiple sessions.

Microdermabrasion as with any other treatment to obtain flawless skin; patience and consistency is paramount. Permanent results takes time to achieve so I would not recommend just one microdermabrasion treatment, a minimum of five sessions or more depending on the severity of your blemishes.

As the skin is more vulnerable during these treatments, more meticulous use of sunscreen is required.
Till next time, keep putting your best face forward.

LOVE YOUR SKIN WITH DR EBELE UGOCHUKWU - EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EXFOLIATION

Dr Ebele Ugochukwu obtained her medical degree from the University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. She later obtained a diploma in practical dermatology from University of Cardiff Wales. She is the MD of Sleek Studio Ltd, a company that specializes in the sales and marketing of Sleek Makeup from the UK and the company owned skin care line.
She has experimented extensively with different skin care formulations and brands.
Her qualifications and years of experience has led to her interest and devotion to cosmetic dermatology.
Dissemination of Healthy skin care practises is the goal of Dr Ebele and she intends to achieve this by providing training, workshops and seminars to educate the Nigerian public.

CULLED FROM DR EBELE UGOCHUKWU'S COLUMN ON BELLA NAIJA
Exfoliation is the process of removing the top layer of your skin either mechanically or chemically.
Our cells are in a constant state of renewal; from new cells to old then they die are eventually shed. Without proper exfoliation, these dead cells can accumulate on the skin surface not only creating a dull lack lustre quality to the skin, it can also trap dirt and debris in between. It is essential to remove this dead cell layer regularly to allow new healthy cells to rise to the surface thereby giving the skin a health glow and natural radiance.

Human skin is made up of an upper layer called the Epidermis and a lower deeper layer called the Dermis.

The new younger cells are below and the older dying cells are above. So the idea is to ensure that the new cells rise to the top regularly with no impediment.
Mechanical exfoliation is achieved by applying a mildly abrasive agent to the skin in a regular, rhythmic pattern for about 90seconds or more. This type of preparation is commonly referred to as a scrub; abrasive agents used include sugar, salt, crushed almond or walnut shells, coffee grounds and jojoba beads to name just a few. Mechanical exfoliation can also be achieved to some extent with brushes, special sponges and other electronic devices.
Chemical exfoliation is using a mildly corrosive agent to melt off the top layer of the skin by breaking down the bonds between the cells. Alpha hydroxyl acids (AHA) (these include glycolic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, mandelic acid) are most commonly used for exfoliating creams. Other exfoliating chemicals include Beta hydroxyl acids (BHA), enzymes and Retinol.


The life cycle of our skin cells.

So to put it simply mechanical exfoliators scrub/scrape off while mechanical exfoliators melt off.
It has always been widely advised to exfoliate 2-3times per week however, it is more than likely that the main target of that message is the Caucasians; indeed, majority of the skin care resources available are referring to Caucasian skin.
To better understand why the needs of Caucasian skin and skin of colour differ, it is important to highlight a few differences between these two skin types.


Skin

Scientists have discovered structural differences in Black, White and Asian skin in terms of thickness, water content and lipids.

In order not to get to too technical, I will mention the major differences;

• The Stratum corner of Black skin has more layers and stronger cells than in white skin.

• The epidermis of black skin contains less glutathione (a co-enzyme involved in intracellular oxidation reduction reactions). Inhibition of epidermal glutathione system leads to darker skin and the presence of glutathione leads to inhibition of melanogenesis (production of the pigment melanin which gives skin its colour.

• Black skin has larger melanosomes (melanin producing cells) than white skin.

• Black skin has a higher electrical resistance than white skin which suggest greater thickness and cohesion.

• Black skin has larger and multinucleate fibroblasts (a cell in found in connective tissue which produces collagen and other fibres) which is the reason we are more prone to scarring and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

• Black skin and Asian skin have thicker and more compact Dermis which is the reason we have fewer wrinkles as we age.

• Black skin has larger mast cell granules (cells that gather at the site of inflammation to begin the healing process) than white skin. This is also why we are more prone to keloid formation.

• Black skin sheds its outer layers more frequently than white skin.

Please note that anywhere you see the term ‘black skin’ it is not referring to dark complexioned people but instead referring to every human being of African Descent originally irrespective of whether you are fair, medium or even mulatto.

It is quite obvious that the care of black skin versus white needs to be a bit different to cater for each specific skin care requirement.

For black skin the most important routine is EXFOLIATION. From the above you can see that not only is black skin thicker, it also desquamates (cell turnover) more frequently. Black skin can be scrubbed daily without any adverse effects due to the reasons already mentioned. However, you must be careful about the scrub you use.

Second to drinking water, exfoliation is the most important thing for maintaining good skin for people of colour.
Daily Exfoliation will make your skin smoother, fairer, brighter, softer.

Imagine a carpenter with a piece of wood, the more he sand papers it, the smoother and lighter it becomes.
It is best to combine both chemical and mechanical exfoliation to get the best results. And alpha hydroxyl acids are also excellent for maintaining the youthfulness of your skin.

Please note that it is not every scrub that can be used daily. For example, the crushed almond or walnut shells used in Apricot facial scrub is not for daily use. The shells can cause micro cuts on the skin surface, Note also that it is inadvisable to use body scrubs on your face. Facial scrubs are specially formulated because the face has special needs when compared to the rest of your body.

Good examples of daily facial scrub in no particular order include;
• Dermalogica daily exfoliant
• Aveeno Radiant skin brightening daily scrub
• Olay skin smoothing cream scrub
• S.Studio ‘Scrub Away My Troubles’ daily scrub (the range also includes excellent chemical exfoliating lotion)
• Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating cleanser
• Neutrogena Pore Refining exfoliating cleanser
• The Body Shop Aloe Gentle Exfoliator
• Biore free your pores pore unclogging scrub.

You can augment the effect by using any exfoliating cream of your choice; just look out in the ingredients for Alpha hydroxyl acid AHA or beta hydroxyl acid BHA or retinol.

Please note the following when using any kind of chemical exfoliating lotion/cream;
• Product is best applied only at night.
• you have to avoid the sun as much as possible
• be disciplined with your use of sun screen daily
• Always let your facial therapist know especially with the use of retinol; she has to be extra cautious during treatments.

If you’re not a skinaholic, the least you can do is exfoliate daily, drink a lot of water and use your sunscreen.
For my fellow skinaholics, I know I don’t need to tell you twice, adjust your game if you need to.

Till next time, keep putting your best face forward!

LOVE YOUR SKIN WITH DR EBELE UGOCHUKWU - THIS IS WHY WATER IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR SKIN

Excerpt from Dr Ebele Ugochukwu's Column on www.bellanaija.com If you haven't been following the "Love your skin with Dr Ebele Ugochukwu on Bella naija, here is an opportunity to.

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It performs many functions the most obvious being Aesthetics.
Can you imagine if we were all walking around with our muscles, tendons, veins, arteries and nerves in plain view? Aaargh…….My sentiments exactly!!
God in his infinite wisdom gave us our skin to beautifully enclose His wondrous creation. The skin like all our other organs needs water to perform all its functions optimally.
In the course of my business, I have had many clients who admit they do not drink water. I even had a fellow doctor saying to me that all the fluids we drink vis a vis; juice, soft drinks etc. contain the water we need. I was astonished this was coming from a medical person. Nothing can replace drinking plain water (preferably at room temperature) for the optimal functioning of the body at the cellular level.

Is it possible to have good skin in the presence of dehydrated cells? Absolutely not!

Dehydrated cells are fragile, disfigured and will obviously not function optimally.

YOU CANNOT HAVE GREAT SKIN IF YOU DON’T DRINK ENOUGH WATER!! I put this in capital letters because I cannot overemphasize this enough. A minimum of 8 glasses a day or two large swan water bottles (1.5L each). I know two bottles may be difficult for those who are just starting to drink water daily but the key is to start small and slowly build up to two or more bottles daily.

Water is essential for toxin removal in the body.
Lack of water Intake is akin to a house with backed up plumping. We all know what happens when you cannot flush away waste in your toilet…just imagine the same in your body, the more you water the better the body flushes out toxins and waste thus allowing your true radiant skin to shine forth.
As you become effective in hydrating yourself internally, it is also great to hydrate your face externally in the form of steam.
Steaming is very good for your face, you can achieve this by getting regular facials or buying a personal face steamer. You could even just boil hot water but in a bowl and bend over with a towel covering your head and upper back.

The water in the steam hydrates your face while the hotness of the steam will cause your pores to open and release trapped dirt and detritus.

There is a network of small blood vessels under the skin called capillaries, the flow in these capillaries is not always optimal due to many physiological reasons so activities (exercise, steaming/sauna, massage) that cause them to flow better is advantageous to the end organ supplied by the capillary network.

When the steam hits your face, the body tries to regulate the increased temperature by opening up the blood vessels and increasing flow to the capillaries so the body is kept cool by the process of evaporation. As this increased blood flow under skin occurs, it brings more oxygen and nutrients to the skin surface while removing toxins and waste chemicals as it flows back to the heart through the venous system.

All the above causes your face to become smoother, clearer and more radiant. If you steam at least twice a week you will also notice a lightening of your complexion.

The value of water in a proper skin regimen is impossible to quantify. If it is not already a habit with you please get drinking and get steaming!

Till next month, continue to put your best face forward.

About Ebele Ugochukwu

Dr Ebele Ugochukwu obtained her medical degree from the University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. She later obtained a diploma in practical dermatology from University of Cardiff Wales. She is the MD of Sleek Studio Ltd, a company that specializes in the sales and marketing of Sleek Makeup from the UK and the company owned skin care line.
She has experimented extensively with different skin care formulations and brands.
Her qualifications and years of experience has led to her interest and devotion to cosmetic dermatology.
Dissemination of Healthy skin care practises is the goal of Dr Ebele and she intends to achieve this by providing training, workshops and seminars to educate the Nigerian public.

PRIME360TV: BEAUTY TIPS AT SLEEK STUDIO (EXFOLIATION

Dr Ebele Ugochukwu's Interview on Prime Tv. Here are Healthy Skincare Practices and Tips for Flawless and Healthier Skin.
Watch and be informed.

LOVE YOUR SLEEK SKIN CONTEST

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