Posts Tagged ‘eczema’
April 17th, 2023 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Las ceramidas son una familia de lípidos cerosos (de cera en latín) cuya estructura química es variada, pero básicamente formada por N-acetil esfingosina y un ácido graso. ¿Para qué fabrica ceramidas la piel? Tres funciones principales: la que nos resulta más familiar es como parte del “pegamento” que adhiere entre sí a las células epidérmicas muertas constituyendo la barrera cutánea, la cual evita la pérdida de agua transepidérmica.La segunda, las ceramidas son parte de las membranas celulares, en forma de otros lípidos llamados esfingomielina, un componente importante de la bicapa lipídica, crucial para las propiedades de permeabilidad de las membranas celulares.¿Y la tercera? Las ceramidas, en la piel y otros…
July 5th, 2020 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
La filagrina (proteína de agregación de filamentos) desempeña un papel esencial en la organización de los filamentos de queratina y en el desarrollo de la capa cornificada (estrato cornueum) de la piel. Esta capa es una parte esencial de la barrera cutánea contra la pérdida de agua epidérmica y la entrada de microbios o sustancias nocivas. (Hay algunos aspectos curiosos de la filagrina, que tienden a influir más allá de la piel. Por ejemplo, las mutaciones de filagrina están asociadas con el asma). Figura: Capas de la piel La dermatitis, también conocida como eccema, es el estado casi normal de la piel en el que se la siente tensa, con…
July 5th, 2020 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Filaggrin (filament aggregating protein) plays an essential role in the organization of keratin filaments and the development of the cornified layer (stratum cornueum) of the skin, which is an essential part of the skin barrier to epidermal water loss and to the entry of microbes and noxious substances. (There are some strange aspects to filaggrin, which point to influence beyond the skin. For example, filaggrin mutations are associated with asthma.) Figure: skin layers Dermatitis, a.k.a. eczema is the almost normal state of the skin in which the skin feels tight, itchy, even painful at times. You will see swelling, and the lesions may eventually lead to scarring. Is filaggrin involved…
November 25th, 2019 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Why combat dry skin? Dry skin is uncomfortable It is a bad barrier against the elements and microbes, and will not do a good job of keeping your body from losing water to the environment. Dry skin is an “entry” point to wrinkles, and will make the existing ones more noticeable. How NOT to combat dry skin. 1) Don’t remove most of the epidermis with strong acid peels or dermabrasion or whatever methods is suggested to give you “glow”. The glow will be from an inflamed epidermis that has lost its capacity to do its job as skin barrier. Do you really think that a cream sold in a store…
October 28th, 2019 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Porque contiene ácidos grasos esenciales. Pero, podrías preguntarme, ¿qué es un ácido graso esencial? Los ácidos grasos esenciales son, como los aminoácidos esenciales y las vitaminas, sustancias químicas que necesitamos para la vida pero que no tenemos la capacidad de fabricar por nosotros mismos. Por esta razón, deben estar en nuestra dieta y, en lo que respecta a la piel, deben aplicarse tópicamente. ¿Por qué no podemos producir esos ácidos grasos tan importantes nosotros mismos? Durante la evolución perdimos las enzimas requeridas para generarlos. Por eso no podemos producir vitamina C (ácido L-ascórbico). A menos que ingieras ácido ascórbico (en una píldora de vitaminas o en jugo de naranja), te…
October 7th, 2019 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
You can buy an ounce (30mL) of the following for $245. Ingredients: Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil , Dimethicone , Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride , Water\Aqua\Eau , Trisiloxane , Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil , Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil , Polydecene , Hydrogenated Polydecene , Butylene Glycol , Propanediol , Glycerin , Algae (Seaweed) Extract , Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Seed Oil , Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil , Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil , Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Leaf Oil , Camelina Sativa Seed Oil , Oxycoccus Palustris (Cranberry) Seed Oil , Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil , Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil , Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Seed Powder , Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower)…
June 27th, 2019 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
It is hard to find a precise definition of sensitive skin, but sensitive skin does exist: more and more people are defining themselves as having sensitive skin, reaching numbers as high as 50%. We may have to re-define normal, because once more than half of us have sensitive skin, this becomes the new normal. Clearly, there must be something that we are doing wrong. In “we” I include people and manufacturers of skin care products. What is “exaggerated” reaction? It can be pain, stinging, dryness, inflammation, redness, reactions to products or environmental conditions that usually are not described as irritating or allergenic. In my opinion, this huge increase of people…
June 14th, 2019 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Argan oil is extracted from the seeds of the fruit of the argan tree (Argania spinosa). The fruit takes a long time to mature and is not really edible, it is used as animal feed. Everything in the fruit is used: the peel and pulp of the fruit for animal feed, and the same for the paste that remains of the kernel after the oil is extracted by pressing. The nut inside the fruit contains one (occasionally two or three) small, oil-rich seeds; the oil is pressed from these seeds. The method used to extract the oil depends on what is available. Using stones is the most basic method. The…
July 7th, 2017 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
The image that springs to mind when we read “skin barrier” may be cartoonish, with an impermeable layer of skin resisting entry of anything and everything. This is a false image projected by skin care companies trying to convince us that useful actives will not penetrate the skin unless we use sophisticated delivery systems, a gimmick to sell more products at higher prices. The truth of it is, whatever you apply to the skin will be absorbed, for better and for worse. What is the skin barrier? The term “skin barrier” refers to the main function of the skin: limiting water loss through the skin. How does the skin limit…