Why are hormonal creams and ointments dangerous? Are depilatory creams harmful? Sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate

It was in March. Life seemed calm and ordinary, and the appearance did not present any surprises. Healthy color faces, well, except that pimples went to work and from time to time appeared where you least expect them. But is this a problem? Let them sometimes drop in and make sure that everything is fine without them.

But the state of complete satisfaction ended when the article caught my eye “ Damage to moisturizing cream”

• It also said that the skin forgets its functions, ceases to fight the surrounding factors, and the pores are clogged so much that they no longer be pores, turning into the new kind skin imperfections. The picture, I must say, is terrible. It can be told like a horror story in campfire camps. Everyone will be creepy from what they hear, as I say.

The only thing that can be used is products that come into contact with the skin for no more than 20 minutes. Any peels, masks, cloth masks- all this can and should be used. Only at night will you have to give up your moisturizer.

All these arguments led me to one thought - to try, giving up all creams for a month! And even if the skin wants to, it does. And she didn't want absolutely nothing.

First week- euphoria.

Those pores, which I thought were practically nonexistent, were reduced to such a size that a child could take the skin of an adult aunt for his own.

Second week- lack of acne.

Even the smallest of them stopped appearing and there was no one else to assess the situation on the forehead or chin, where couples of pimples loved to meet so much.

Third week-update.

Hellish peeling started all over the face! Not a single site was left unattended. Peeling eyebrows, eyelids (!), Temporal areas, about the nose, forehead and cheeks, I generally keep quiet. Peeling rolls only worsened the situation, and the cloth masks did not work. There was not enough moisture that washing plain water without cleaning agents led to unbearable tightness ...

Fourth week- wrinkles.

They began to appear everywhere! A pronounced mesh appeared under the eyes, so that there was no doubt about its appearance. On the forehead, nasolabial folds and even on the eyelids! All of this was driving me crazy! + eerie red spots all over the face, as from skin chapping at -30g, only not on the cheeks, as is usually the case, but all over the face.

• A month later I stopped this stupid experiment, which took a month of my life to experience and overcome it is not clear why and it is not clear why ?! Yes, the function of the skin has long been forgotten. Agree. But for some reason now no one drinks water from the tap? And before they drank and it was delicious. The same is with the face - the care must be thorough.

• Water strongly dries and tightens, that leaving the skin unattended is a crime. Perhaps, living somewhere in the mountains, the authors of these articles get to know their inner self, learn to appreciate birds and grass, wash themselves with spring water, but in a world where there are cars, dust, hard water, they lead to changes. You need to accept them and learn to deal with them. I'm against excessive care when it goes from caring to self-obsession. Everywhere there is a line and everyone is looking for their own.

Needless to say, I returned to creams with great joy? It took another month to return the skin from the incomprehensible flaky cover to normal human face.
The experiment turned out to be a failure, albeit for initial stage everything was amazing.

Do I advise you to do the same? No, I'm not so cruel as to push you into meaningless experiments that 20 years ago were in the usual way life of every Soviet woman.

The times were wonderful: with incredible delicious ice cream for 10 kopecks and phrases that were heard throughout the courtyard “Mom, bring me a drink!”
They came, like everything else in this world. And the one who knows how to adapt to the present day, and not live in the past and struggle with the present, remains in the black.

What do you think about the changes that have taken place? Would you dare to give up those skin care products that are supposedly harmful? Are you ready to return to the leaving past of our mothers and grandmothers? In general, let's discuss the topic "Harm from face cream: yes or no?" ...

Despite the absurdity of the question, it still exists in cosmetology. And an increasing number of women are asking them: is it necessary to use a face cream and how often, so that it is beneficial and not harmful. Where did such doubts come from, how did fears arise? fair half humanity? It's time to deal with double standards, which, as it turned out, exist not only in world politics.

Of course you need: dignity

What does the regular use of face cream give? According to cosmetologists and many years of practice show, with the skillful use of this kind of means, the skin transforms over time:

• during the day, the epidermis is protected from harmful atmospheric influences in the form of snow, rain, sun rays etc.;
• in dark time days he regulates cellular processes regeneration, that is, it contributes to the rejuvenation of the epidermis, so the question of whether it is necessary to smear the face with cream at night should not even arise, especially among ladies of Balzac's age;
• as different types skins require uneven care, which can be provided with creams different actions: - moisturizer, - drying agent, for normal - nutritious, etc .;
• over time, cells stop producing collagen and elastin, which is why the skin begins to age, become covered with wrinkles and folds: in order to prolong the synthesis of these substances in the dermis, you need to apply it to the face;
• at a young age, other problems are not uncommon: acne and acne from which there is no salvation, as well as the first mimic wrinkles, so the question of whether you need to use a face cream at the age of 25 should also be resolved positively.

All these advantages can be appreciated only if the face cream was selected correctly. You need to be able to understand the variety of funds presented on modern market... You need to know how to apply them correctly so as not to harm.

If dry skin is regularly treated with a drying cream, after a week the face will be covered fine mesh wrinkles, and the skin itself will begin to crack and peel off. If you do everything correctly, even after 40 you will amaze everyone with your perfectly smooth and radiant skin, as you will provide it with maximum care.

What about men?

It is equally interesting whether men need a face cream for daily use. Most beauticians are unanimous here. Men's skin thicker, it has high barrier functions, not as sensitive as in women. Accordingly, the representatives of the stronger sex do not need to use such funds regularly. If only they need a cream to eliminate some specific drawback: whitening or anti-inflammatory, for example. And so it is enough for men to apply the cream once a week, after a bath or a bath (only need to be done correctly).

What are the doubts: disadvantages

And yet, in the question of whether you need to use a face cream, there are some tricks. IN Lately held a large number of laboratory research, the results of which do not always please the representatives of the beautiful half of humanity.

Not all substances are able to quickly penetrate into the dermis and deliver the necessary nutrition there. Most of them stumble upon greasy plugs in the pores and even more muffled they clog them with themselves. As a result, the cellular respiration, the tissues do not receive oxygen, the complexion worsens, the foci of inflammation become more and more.

In connection with such discoveries, the question arose whether it is necessary to smear the face with cream after the mask, if the skin after it is already oversaturated with nutrients? If the mask is light and quickly absorbed, then it is imperative to maintain the effectiveness of the selected line. If it has a heavy consistency, it is better not to do this. Otherwise, the number of acne and blackheads will increase several times.

Many women notice that when applied in the morning they often form fine wrinkles- around the mouth, on the forehead and cheeks. During the day they pass, but each time the trail from them remains clearer and more fluted. Early aging frightens everyone, and therefore some, deciding whether night cream for face im for regular care, give it up. And completely in vain. This kind of problem occurs only for those who apply the remedy against massage lines... This entails a violation of the subcutaneous lymphatic drainage.

And the most important discovery concerns those very innovative technologies in the world of cosmetics. New acids, amines, peptides and other powerful substances are being discovered. They form the basis of face creams and are able to penetrate into the deepest layers of the skin. At the same time, they pull the entire train of the notorious chemistry with them - deep into the body. This can adversely affect human health.

Choose the golden mean in the decision this issue not easy: advantages and disadvantages balance each other. The latter can be minimized if done correctly. Depending on the type of skin and the existing cosmetic problem, it is advisable to independently determine whether you need to smear your face with cream every day or whether it will be enough to do it less often. In most cases, cosmetologists have nothing against regular, but not too frequent use.

Smooth and fresh skin faces without a single pimple, bitch or hitch - a real fetish for makeup artists and ordinary girls, not thinking of themselves without makeup. Foundation - the main thing actor the magical process of turning the skin into radiant and smooth, so even those who believe that the tonal base spoils the skin use it. But is the foundation really harmful, or is it an outdated myth from the last century?

Chemical composition

In the past millennia, ladies have used to give a face perfect shade the most insane drugs, including wax, lead, applied thin layer rice flour or chalk and even bird droppings. All these remedies not only provoked the appearance of inflammation, but also caused health problems. The first foundation, in our understanding, appeared in the mid-1930s and was created by the Max-Factor company. Its composition was also not very similar to the modern one. This is how the myth about harm appeared. foundation... And what is included in the composition of the tool today?

IN modern facilities to give the face even tone includes waxes and wax-like substances, as well as color pigments (all the same zinc, only in a much lower dosage, iron or titanium oxide), oils and fats (both natural and synthetic), emulsifiers, as well as fiber for thickening, preservatives and others. In addition to the basic components, the composition of the foundation can be added different oils(natural or almost), extracts of the most different plants, vitamins, allantoin, amino acids with antioxidants.

• Could all this be harmful to the skin? If you have an individual intolerance to any of the components of the cream, then it is.
• Do tonal remedies provoke comedones? This may be true, but only if you use the wrong foundation, for example, when oily skin you will apply foundation for skin with low sebum secretion, etc. The foundation itself does not in any way affect the formation of comedones.
• Does the cream accelerate the formation of wrinkles? If selected correctly, then no. When using modern foundations with a light texture, which are more like a thin and delicate film than a mask, the skin, on the contrary, breathes. Plus, they protect our face from harmful substances, any UV radiation, and of course, from dirt and dust.

Never destroy the skin with expired or poor quality creams: after them there can be not only inflammations or acne, but also more serious problems - such tonal means are harmful by definition!

How to use it correctly

To minimize the harm of foundation, just remember a few simple rules their applications:

1. Do not use foundations in summer: they mix with sebum and then, go rancid and can cause serious damage to the skin. At this time, it is better to limit yourself to a light powder. And even in hot weather, the pores expand (however, the same happens if you like spicy foods and alcohol) and the pigments of the cream easily clog in them, and these are comedones, acne, red pimples, etc. If powder is not your topic and is not at all to your liking, in the heat, you decide: you can replace it with a light fluid or a moisturizing cream that has a shade.
2. Before applying makeup, the face must be cleansed and moisturized. We also remember about cleansers and moisturizing creams.
3. Before applying foundation, always use a makeup base that will even out the skin.
4. Persistent creams are used no more than once every three or four days. Yes, the temptation to not worry about makeup all day is great, but such products definitely prevent the skin from breathing and can "help" the spread of fungi and bacteria.
5. Study the composition of the cream well before buying. It is best to choose the one with herbal or organic dyes. And do not forget that the thicker the tone, the more pigments in the product, and this interferes with the breathing of the skin.
6. No matter how high-quality your “foundation” is, it should be washed off before going to bed without fail.
7. Do not apply the product in a dozen layers, turning the makeup into a mask. This will make any cosmetics harmful (not just decorative ones).

How to choose the right

Today there are foundations for all skin types and needs. Your task is to carefully read the label and find "your" cream correctly.

So if:

• Oily skin

The main task is to make skin covering matte. In addition, the skin needs protection from external factors.

Oil free will be written on the product you need, it will contain an extract of quince seeds, aka Pyrus Cydonia Seed Extrac and licorice root (ammonium glycyrrhizate), which regulate the secretion of sebum. Also look for Disiloxane, which is a volatile silicone, and Dimethicone, which is an oil-like substance.

There are also foundations that control the amount of oil on the skin. They always contain starch, kaolin or talc.

What's in your tonal basis it shouldn't be, it's lanolin, because it pollutes wide pores dermis with increased sebum production.

• Dry skin

The cream should have a thinner consistency and contain a large amount of moisturizing substances. It will be good if it will be in foundation olive oil(Olea europaea), hyaluronic acid and tocopherol with retinol.

• Mature skin

The foundation should have a lifting effect and smoothing properties.

The composition contains the aforementioned retinol and tocopherol, as well as titanium dioxide or Mica, that is, pigments that reflect light. These elements are needed to make the face shine, hide dark circles, and also hide those flaws mature skin that most ladies don't like, such as dark circles. There should be a lot of antioxidants as well. These are not only vitamins, but also Arctium Lappa (Burdock) or Glycine Soja (Soy Bean) Oil.

To prevent aging of the mature dermis and refresh it, the product should also contain sun filters, all kinds of enzymes or plant extracts... All this not only lifts the face, but also removes signs of fatigue from it.

Among the novelties for mature skin, it should be noted creams, the pigments of which are coated with moisture.

Anna Margolina, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Redmond (USA).

Photo by Igor Konstantinov.

Ultraviolet, visible light and infrared rays penetrate the skin to different depths. The numbers on the arrows show what proportion of the radiation reaches the epidermis, basal cell layer and dermis.

Science has convincingly proven that excess ultraviolet radiation (UV) causes premature aging and skin cancer (including its most dangerous form, melanoma). Therefore, both in Europe and in the United States, people now rarely dare to go to the beach without smearing sunscreen from head to toe. Gradually, this custom is being instilled in Russia, which has recently been willingly picking up Western trends in the region. healthy way life.

Meanwhile, now there is more and more reason to assert that sunbathing with sunscreens is sometimes no less, and sometimes more dangerous, than frying in the sun without any protection. Indeed, it is in the United States and Europe, where sunscreens have been used for a long time, that an increase in the incidence of all forms of skin cancer has been observed over the past three decades. If in the early 1970s the incidence of melanoma among the white population of the United States was six cases for every 10 thousand people, then by the early 2000s it had tripled. In Europe, the incidence of melanoma increased almost fivefold over the same time period. Three hypotheses have been proposed to explain this sad fact. According to the first, the currently observed increase in the incidence of skin cancer is a payback for the craze for the sun in the 1960s and 1970s, since more than one decade can pass between the primary DNA damage and the development of the tumor. Supporters of the second hypothesis blame sunscreens and those chemical substances that they contain. Finally, a third hypothesis is that it is not sunscreens by themselves, but the way we use them, that transforms them from skin protectors into a risk factor.

Tanning and Vanity

It all began in the 1960s, when white-skinned Caucasians suddenly began to do their best to change the color of their skin, which until recently they were so proud of. The driving force behind this desire was the usual human vanity. Before the industrial revolution, a significant percentage of the population was employed in agriculture, therefore, labor and poverty were associated with sunburned skin, which speaks of long hours spent in the fields under the open sky. However, in the post-war period (1950s), more and more people began to work in factories and factories where the sun's rays did not penetrate. Now, pale, pigmentless skin was a testament to the need to earn a living through hard work, while tanning was associated with indolence, sun-drenched tennis courts and tropical beaches.

However, it turned out that changing skin color, even temporarily, is not so easy. Someone did it pretty quickly, but someone had to subject the skin to painful tests - it was worth spending a little more time in the sun, and you could get a sunburn, which negated all efforts to acquire the desired tan, since the skin after a burn peeled off.

To these sufferers, the cosmetic industry offered a novelty - cosmetics that protected from burns, but did not prevent tanning. Thanks to new tools, even people who nature had endowed with pale, poorly tanned skin could spend long hours on the beach, eventually achieving the desired tan. As it turned out, this was precisely what could not be done.

THE ABC OF THE ULTRAVIOLET

Ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth with the sun's rays can be divided into two types - UV-A and UV-B. The fundamental difference between them consists in the radiation energy and the depth of penetration into the dermis. UV-B carries a lot of energy, therefore it quickly causes burns. It is this type of radiation that was blocked by the first sunscreens, and it is this for a long time was considered the most dangerous. However, it is now known that UV-B does not penetrate deeply and all the damage it causes to the skin usually does not have far-reaching consequences. The burnt skin is first covered with blisters, then it comes off with patches, and with it those cells that have dangerous breakdowns in DNA are removed.

The situation is completely different with type A ultraviolet light, which was initially considered beneficial because it causes tanning, but does not have enough energy to burn the skin. But it turned out that it is UV-A that can penetrate into the deep layers of the epidermis and dermis and damage biological molecules. If earlier people could not sunbathe for too long, since their skin was burned, and usually received only temporary, superficial damage, then with the advent of the era of sunscreens that protected the skin from UV-B radiation, many began to lie on the beach for hours, being exposed to prolonged exposure UV-A.

WHAT IS THE ULTRAVIOLET DANGEROUS

Both UV-B and UV-A rays can be absorbed by biological molecules and cause photochemical reactions that result in free radicals - unstable, highly reactive molecules that lack one electron and are very willing to enter into chemical reactions.

You could say that a free radical is like a young reveler who has no moral obligation and never misses an opportunity to strike up an affair. And if such an "immoral" radical enters into a bond with a "respectable" molecule, then the latter will turn into a free radical and begin to confuse the strict harmony of chemical reactions. In particular, UV-A radiation penetrating deep into the skin can turn into free radicals collagen molecules - a protein that provides smoothness and elasticity of the skin. As a result, collagen fibers bond with each other, forming accumulations of defective inelastic collagen, which gradually leads to the appearance of characteristic skin irregularities and wrinkles. They, formed under the influence of UV radiation, appear with a noticeable ahead of the "schedule", long before the skin begins to age according to natural reasons... The consequences of free radical transformation of DNA are even more serious: two parts of the DNA molecule, which have become radicals, can bind to one another, thereby introducing confusion into the genetic code of the cell. Cells that have received DNA damage can develop malignant tumors over time.

SPF - UNRELIABLE INDICATOR

In the 1990s, broad-spectrum sunscreens finally appeared, that is, those that protected not only from UV-B, but also from UV-A radiation. This is where the problem arose. People wanted to sunbathe because tanned skin was still considered beautiful. But if you apply a sunscreen that is not UV-A or UV-B permeable to your skin, you will not get any tanning. Beach-goers who dreamed of a "safe" tan began to particularly appreciate sunscreens on which they stood soothingly. high values sun protection factor- SPF (sun protection factor). The fact that even with sunscreens with high SPF values, tanning appeared (albeit slower than without protection), for some reason, did not alarm anyone. But in vain, because in fact the SPF value is a very unreliable indicator of protection efficiency.

SPF allows you to estimate how much this remedy slows down the appearance of the first reddening of the skin under the influence of UV radiation. For example, if redness appears after 20 minutes without sunscreen, then redness appears after 200 minutes with sunscreen having a protection factor of 10. Since redness of the skin occurs only under the influence of UV-B radiation, the factor solar protection indicates only the effectiveness of UV-B protection.

Now many manufacturers of sunscreens indicate on their packages the degree of protection against UV-A radiation according to a five-star system: the more stars, the better protection... But while SPF remains the most well-known and popular indicator of efficiency, that's why consumers pay attention to it. At the same time, few people realize that a sunscreen that has high SPF, and therefore, reliably protects the skin from sunburn is not necessarily equally effective in blocking the path of UV-A radiation. As a result, people can lull themselves with a sense of security and get a long-awaited tan ... with all the ensuing consequences.

UNSAFE COCKTAIL

Decades of obsessive advertising for sunscreens have led people, especially in the West, to view them as a must-have for their beach pastime. However, let's think about what, in fact, we are being offered? And they suggest that we smear ourselves with preparations containing various chemicals and substitute this cocktail on our skin under the sun's rays. At the same time, it somehow by itself implies that neither with the skin nor with solar radiation these substances do not react, do not penetrate into the blood under any conditions and, in general, demonstrate complete inertness and reliability. But this is not the case.

Sunscreens contain UV filters (also called UV absorbers) - substances that reduce the amount of UV radiation that reaches the skin. Those UV filters that contain particles that reflect and scatter UV radiation are called physical or inorganic UV filters. These include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Physical UV filters are non-allergenic or non-irritating to the skin and are broad-spectrum - they block both UV-A and UV-B radiation. Previously, physical UV filters contained large insoluble particles, so they stained the skin in White color... Now the particles of physical UV filters have begun to be made very small - in the micro- and even nano-range, so that they no longer stain the skin.

Another group of UV filters combines substances that can absorb UV radiation due to the peculiarities of their chemical structure. They are called organic or chemical UV filters. Organic UV filters allow you to create products with a protection factor of up to 100 or even higher, it is convenient to include them in a variety of cosmetic forms- creams, gels, sprays, lotions, etc., soak clothes with them, and also add to decorative cosmetics, shampoos and hair sprays. But not all of these substances are safe for the skin.

First of all, organic UV filters are quite common in causing skin allergies and irritation. In addition, some organic UV filters can be photoreactive. This means that if ultraviolet light is shone on such UV filters for a long time, they begin to deteriorate, sometimes releasing free radicals. This means that after a certain time of irradiation in the skin "protected" by such UV filters, more free radicals will be formed than in unprotected skin.

It has now become known that a number of organic UV filters also have hormonal effects. It has been found that they can cause sex reversal and disorders in the development of genital organs in fish, mollusks and other aquatic life. It is not yet clear to what extent the hormonal effects of UV filters are manifested in the human body, but it is already obvious that these substances cannot be called safe and inert.

Perhaps the most shocking fact is that UV filters can enter the bloodstream and build up in the body. For example, according to a recent study in the United States, the common UV filter benzophenone-3 (oxybenzone), which is found in many sunscreens, was found in 96% of more than 2,000 examined urine samples taken from Americans of different ethnic origins, ages. and gender. Moreover, in the body of women, especially young age oxybenzone, on average, was three times higher than in men, and in the blood of white Americans seven times higher than that of African Americans.

NATURAL PROTECTION

If not sunscreen, then what? Start with the fact that human skin Not nearly as defenseless against UV radiation as sunscreen manufacturers are trying to imagine. You just need to treat this protection reasonably and not make exorbitant demands on it. For example, if a construction helmet has withstood the impact of a falling brick, this does not mean that it is impenetrable. Therefore, if you have the whim of putting on a helmet and pounding yourself on the head with a crowbar, you have only yourself to blame for the consequences. Likewise with protective systems skin. Do not overextend them.

The main protector of the skin is the dark pigment melanin. Moreover, the darker the original (genetically determined) skin pigmentation, the more effective protection... People with dark skin tend to tan well and rarely get sunburn. When insufficient production melanin, a person easily burns and hardly achieves at least some kind of tan. Therefore, if you have light, easily burned skin, then you need to be careful with the sun's rays, regardless of whether you are smeared with sunscreen or not. If you have dark skin, then you can rely on protective action the skin's own pigment. However, too long and intense UV radiation can damage and wrinkle and age spots even the skin of negroids. And even negroids have melanoma. True, much less often than among white people.

The thinner the skin is, the more damaged it is. Therefore, as a rule, women's and children's skin is more affected by UV radiation. It is especially dangerous to expose the skin of babies under one year of age to excessive UV radiation. True, short sunbathing in the morning hours will not harm and, on the contrary, will help the production of the necessary vitamin D.

Another line of defense is antioxidants - substances that neutralize free radicals. They are contained in stratum corneum skin, and also stand out on its surface with sebum. It should be remembered that many antioxidants are vitamins that are not produced in the body and must be ingested with food. An excellent source of antioxidants - vegetables, fruits and berries, green tea.

If the protection did not work and the skin cells were damaged by the sun, then not all is lost, since the skin is able to correct a significant part of the damage. One of these salutary reactions is the well-known "peeling" of the skin after a sunburn. This "skin change" helps the body get rid of cells with damaged DNA that could otherwise give rise to malignant tumors.

WHO IS TO BLAME AND WHAT TO DO?

As you can see, there are many reasons why the era of sunscreens has simultaneously become an era of an unprecedented increase in the incidence of skin cancer. A role was played by the fact that in the period from the 1970s to the 1990s, most sun lovers either did not use sunscreen at all, or used UV-B protection, which only contributed to a longer stay on the beach, without in any way reducing the risk of skin damage. ... In addition, the presence of substances in sunscreens that have the potential to increase skin damage also plays a role. But most importantly, this is still the paradoxical behavior of people who continue to strive for the desired tan, despite all the warnings of scientists and doctors.

Of course, a person needs sunlight. Ultraviolet light provides the synthesis of vitamin D, which is not only important for the proper formation of bones and muscles, but also plays a significant role in preventing malignant tumors, maintaining the health of the heart, liver and kidneys, as well as endocrine balance. Sunlight striking the retina of the eye causes the formation of the natural antidepressant melatonin. Moderate UV irradiation stimulates skin immunity (excess UV suppresses it), facilitates the course of many skin diseases.

But excess sun exposure can prematurely age the skin and cause other adverse changes. Our great-grandmothers knew about this without any research, they just saw dark wrinkled faces peasant women working in the open air. Shady trees, hats with wide margins and gloves that cover the arms to the elbows. Nowadays, it is quite possible to use sunscreens with low SPF values ​​for the same purpose. However, if you really want to get at least a little tan, use reasonable caution - avoid the sun at noon hours, increase your time on the beach gradually, starting from 5-10 minutes a day, and from sunscreen or without it, do not irradiate the skin for too long.

Science and Life on sun protection