Beginners skin science
September 21st, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
DaxibotulinumtoxinA for Injection (DAXI) is a “novel” botulinum toxin type A, just approved by the FDA as an alternative to Botox. It seems that its effect lasts a bit longer, approximately 6 months to Botox 3 months. Let’s not get too excited: it’s not too different from Botox. It is injected the same way, in the same area (the corrugator/procerus muscles), and acts in the same way. The difference is what you could call a “technicality”: ts shelf life is extended by pairing it with a peptide, whose only function is the stabilization of the active protein, a botulinum toxin. A botulinum toxin by any other name is still botulinum…
August 5th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
What’s the worst that could happen? Commercial products are regulated by the FDA (the USA Food and Drug Administration) and are safe because they are regulated. You can read the list of ingredients on the bottle or box. Beware of products that because the way that they are commercialized (like some imported products) can be unsafe. One example? Depending on where the product is coming from it may contain non-declared ingredients. This happens with products sold to lighten the skin. You should be safe if you buy a skincare product in the USA. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates skincare products and cosmetics. There are some considerations, though, and…
August 2nd, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
I don’t think there is a “perfect” sequence. But there is one step I know should come last: applying the sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher (50 doesn’t offer much more protection than 30, so choose a sunscreen you like). Sunscreen may require reapplication because it will go away if we touch our skin, sweat, or take a swim. More than “how many steps,” try to include the ingredients your skin needs at any time during the day. Making a routine complicated will make most people more unlikely to follow it. So, what do you want to apply under that sunscreen? What your skin needs Antioxidants will increase…
July 29th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Yes, if we are talking about a hanky. Cotton, linen, hemp, and so on are predominantly made of cellulose, a polymer that consists of thousands of glucose molecules joined together to form linear chains. Each glucose subunit is “sticky” because it can bind to neighboring cellulose molecules via hydrogen bonds. Individually, these bonds are very weak, but together they form a network that gives the fabric its strength. These hydrogen bonds break and reform, so clothes start taking on the shape that they are left, and creases form. When we apply a hot, steaming iron, the combination of heat and moisture breaks the hydrogen bonds, and with the pressure applied…
July 20th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Vegetable collagen doesn’t exist outside the labels of some skincare products. So, what on earth are they adding to this product? It’s likely a hydrolyzate (broken down) mix of proteins from corn, wheat, and soy. This is catering to the vegetarians that don’t know what collagen is, a protein that only exists in some animals. The INCI nomenclature perpetuates this anti-scientific myth, and I am very annoyed (but not surprised). After all, the INCI is made by an organism dependent on the cosmetics industry and not by the Royal Society of London. Knowing this doesn’t make it easier to accept the fact that advertising wins over science. Are people so…
July 20th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
No. Why? Probiotic implies that the product delivers “good” bacteria to dissuade other bacteria from multiplying. The FDA does not allow the sale of topical products containing bacteria. When you see an advertisement about “probiotic products” for the skin, they lie to you. For example: when a company tells you that they are adding Bacillus coagulans to their deodorant, they are either lying or breaking the law. This bacteria is used in probiotics taken orally to help after taking antibiotics leads to diarrhea. Let’s see some examples and how they actually work (when they work). Product A Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Corn Starch, Baking Soda, Candelilla Wax, Jojoba Oil, Shelf…
July 20th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
When it comes to LightStim, it means nothing.The FDA doesn’t say that LED light of any wavelength will improve your skin health. It only says that LightStim is similar to another product in the market. The red light will help lettuce seeds germinate because lettuce seeds have receptors for red light (and UV light). Your skin doesn’t. Before you spend money on an LED device for your skin, ask yourself. Am I a lettuce seed? If you are not, spend your money on a Skin Actives product. Your skin will be grateful. Hannah
July 11th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
1. You were born and your skin, just like the rest of the body, will start aging as soon as you are born. But don’t worry, a lot of it can be slowed down and even reverse. Keep reading and you’ll see! 2. Fine lines and wrinkles: 3. Loss of firmness, 4. Uneven tone, 5. Dryness 6. Uneven skin texture and dullness 7. Visible pores These signs correlate well with changes in function Decreased efficacy of the skin as a barrier —> dry skin Reduced ability to protect from UV rays —> uneven tone Reduced ability to protect from temperature changes Diminished immune response—> infections Slower healing. These signs also…
May 22nd, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
What is a solvent? A solvent is a liquid used to dissolve a powder; the solute dissolves because its molecules interact with the molecules of the solvent. For example, sugar will dissolve in water but not in oil. In skincare, solvents are ingredients used to dissolve other solid ingredients. The usual solvents include water, vegetable or animal fats, silicones, alcohols, etc. When I plan a formulation, my objective is to use actives at the optimal concentration. If the active ingredient is not soluble in water or oil, I may have to find an alternative solvent because the un-dissolved active will just “seat there”. In most Skin Actives products, there are…
May 16th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
This sounds big, but that’s because we are! Synergy is an interaction or cooperation giving rise to a whole that is greater than the simple sum of its parts. Our products contain amino acids and other nutrients that will be better used by your skin because there are growth factors and antioxidants. Your hair will be stronger because apocynin will support your stem cells while ROS* BioNet prevents damage to the cell membranes. Skin Actives has never been about the one “magic ingredient” because we understand how a living system works. We see the skin as it interacts with the rest of the body and we look at the epidermis…
May 1st, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Not content with exploiting biology, now publicists are coming after mathematics. Euclid of Alexandria (mid 3th century BC) was the first to discuss a golden ratio: “a straight line is said to have been cut in extreme and mean ratio when, as the whole line is to the greater segment, so is the greater to the lesser.” Figure. Euclid of Alexandria, in “The School of Athens,” a painting by Raphael. From that dry, boring mathematical definition to the one that the cosmetic industry chose to use: “the Golden Ratio is a blueprint to the ideal harmony of proportions. Represented by the Greek number Phi, it has been used in art,…
April 20th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Are you having fun extracting blackheads with a nose strip? They can be useful, but they are just a start. But first, what’s a blackhead? From my book Pores secrete sebum. One of the effects of the not-very-useful sebum is acne, so I can see why pores’ popularity is low. Pores get larger and more visible during adolescence when hormones increase sebum secretion. Pores can get clogged with sebum, keratin, and dead cells, resulting in an environment lacking in oxygen and favorable to the growth of the acne bacterium, C. acnes. The products of bacterial metabolism cause the inflamed pimples characteristic of acne, a real problem that good skincare can…
April 16th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Those “miracle” natural substances that people have been using for centuries or even millennia are useful because of the chemicals they contain. Sometimes, the stories are not true and there is nothing beneficial in those false miracle products. But when they effectively treat a human (or animal) condition, biochemists and phytochemists will work hard to identify the chemicals that confer the natural substance its power. The process is hard and time-consuming, but eventually, we find the key chemical. Sometimes, there is more than just one active chemical, like it’s the case of tea leaves (EGCG, caffeine). It gets even more interesting when the biochemist finds the mechanism of action. Finding…
April 11th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Skin peels, i.e., removing the upper layers of the epidermis (some go far deeper), have pros and cons. Your skin may look fresher, but then the layers you removed may have helped protect it from UV, oxidants and all the stuff is there to protect you! Once you decide how deep you want to go and accept the risks of any skin alteration, you can look at options. Physical exfoliation is straightforward: don’t go too deep, and you will be OK. Wear sunscreen to partly replace the protection you removed. What are the other alternatives? Chemical and enzymatic peels. Enzymatic: proteases (of different sources and purity) will break down proteins,…
April 7th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
What is a moisturizer? When applied to your skin, a moisturizer will prevent excess water loss preventing dry skin (xerosis). If you want to treat effectively a skin problem, you need to forget about “stories” and look at the molecular biology of the skin. Nothing more, nothing less. Applying topically what your skin makes internally will not necessarily help. Why not? Because it will not be in the right place at the right time. What is dry skin? When human skin is subjected to conditions that it was not made to withstand: air conditioning, long bubble baths, repeat exfoliation, etc., you get dry skin: xerosis, dry skin in Greek (ksero,…
April 3rd, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Skin whitening by any other name…. Let’s start from the beginning. There is no scientific definition for “skin brightening” or “skin lightening”; these are terms used by the cosmetic industry and, within the industry, their advertising department. Why? Because the “honest” term, bleaching products were limited (until 2020) by the FDA to over-the-counter (OTC) medicinal products using hydroquinone; since 2020, hydroquinone can only be obtained with a prescription. Why this limitation? Because hydroquinone, especially long term, can lead to skin troubles, like the development of ochronosis, a special type of hyperpigmentation, dermatitis, milia, and more. Please note: I don’t think lighter skin is more beautiful than darker skin. We are…
March 30th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Warning! Don’t go too far, not even when dealing with your feet. Calluses have a function, and that is protection. So unless you are planning to change how you treat your skin, including socks, sandals, high heels, leave your skin alone, you need that rough skin. Now, if you decided that it’s time you let your skin heal and recover from past mistreatment, then by all means: you can use physical (abrasion) or chemical means to eliminate the rough, most superficial layers of skin. You can even treat your legs, but only if you promise (!) that after abrasion or proteases remove the top layers of skin you will start…
March 26th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
It is not only what you should do. it’s more important what you shouldn’t do. Say “no” (big ones) to the following UV: wear sunscreen! No to suntan. No to sunbeds (who invented those)? Oxidants: no to benzoyl peroxide! Don’t over-peel. Your skin barrier is precious Why not? UV, oxidants (ROS*) break your cell’s DNA and cause mutations. They also break proteins and polysaccharides, they damage cell membranes. In short, they damage and kill. “Over-peel” will denude your skin of its skin barrier, its “raison d’être”, the reason for its existence, which is to separate the body from the environment. Peel and peel and then there is a continuity between…
March 19th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
What is it? Acid layering consists in applying to your skin products with different acids, one after another. Does it make sense to layer acids? No. If you are looking to acidify your skin, say, from the usual pH of 6 to 7 to something like 2 or 3, it doesn’t matter which acid you choose. Why? Because what matters is the concentration of protons being released by the acid, not the structure of the acid that releases the proton. The pH of a weak acid solution is determined by the pK of the acid (which measures the tendency the acid has to give away its proton/s) and its concentration. …
March 17th, 2022 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
If you look now at our Alpha Beta exfoliator, you will see that we added glycolic acid. Why? Because glycolic acid is popular. Sometimes we may add an ingredient because it is very popular, as long as it is OK, i.e. safe. There is nothing special about glycolic acid. It’s a hydroxy acid like lactic acid (which I like better) but it has no specific problems. Why is glycolic acid so popular? The legend goes that it is smaller than other hydroxy acids so it “penetrates” better. There is no evidence that this is the case. Lactic acid molecular weight: 90 Glycolic acid molecular weight: 76 This small difference would…