LONGECITY

Want to start a thread where people share what is the best things they've ever done to see the biggest improvement in their skin.

Whether it's from taking a particular supplement, using a certain cream, taking a certain drug, or simply getting in great cardio shape. Whatever made the best difference for you.

For myself, getting consistent quality sleep can help and Imedeen pills and eating more fatty fish helped dryness for sure. But truly great skin eludes me despite lots of exercise and a healthy diet.

Retin A during the winter can help build collagen, but the erythema (redness) it causes sucks. BTW, anybody know what's best for erythema?

And anybody know any exciting drugs or therapies emerging on the skin care front?

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My skin improved signficantly after eating healthy foods, taking omega 3 and zinc supplements.

Retin A during the winter can help build collagen, but the erythema (redness) it causes sucks.  BTW, anybody know what's best for erythema?

Erythema did only last a few days with me. Be sure you are protected from the sun using a full spectrum sunscreen. Also very important even if you are not using Retin A. Why are you using Retin A only during the winter?

How much can you use retin a? My skin is peeling right now with it cuz I just started again. How long until redness goes away? Mainly it's the redness that bothers me about my skin. Anybody have solutions to that?

How much can you use retin a?

Depends on your skin. Some people can't get over it side effects. It is very important you don't rush into using it. You might need a lower strenght or use it less frequent and step up from there. Never use it without adequate sun protection, because that only can make the side effects worse.

My skin is peeling right now with it cuz I just started again.  How long until redness goes away?  Mainly it's the redness that bothers me about my skin.  Anybody have solutions to that?

Are you using sunscreen? If so, what kind? Have you discussed this side effect with who ever prescribed you Retin A?

Yeah, i think the retin a will be fine in a few days if i slow down usage. what else have people found great for skin?

has an ibedendone cream / just taking enough orally helped anyone noticeably?

Also, does anyone know anything that will fade scars you already have?

I've been waiting like 5 years for scars to fade from acne, I still have them and very visable in certain lighting. It just takes a long time to go [mellow]

I've heard bad things about the retin A. From what I've read, "burning" the wrinkles away might be a net negative in the long term, as the loss in skin elasticity can result in even worse skin deterioration as aging takes its toll. The better bet is to get a good skin moisturizer that keeps the skin supple. I personally use a coq10 cream, not because I think it can really alter my skin's biochemistry in any way, but because it moisturizes nicely.

I've been waiting like 5 years for scars to fade from acne, I still have them and very visable in certain lighting.  It just takes a long time to go [mellow]

Are they pigmentation scars or actual indentations? If pigmentation, an ascorbic acid serum might be useful.

just little red marks that seem to be fading with time, luckily no indentations. You can hardly notice anything on my profile pic.

People say they can't really notice them much anymore... So I havent really bothered trying to remove the remaining marks, although i'd really like them to hurry up and go soon

Topical MSM and ascorbyl palmitate are helpful for fading hyperpigmentation.

Goku: you might want to try Retin-A Micro, which is encapsulated in time-release microspheres. It is supposed to be less irritating.

I've heard bad things about the retin A.  From what I've read, "burning" the wrinkles away might be a net negative in the long term, as the loss in skin elasticity can result in even worse skin deterioration as aging takes its toll.  The better bet is to get a good skin moisturizer that keeps the skin supple.  I personally use a coq10 cream, not because I think it can really alter my skin's biochemistry in any way, but because it moisturizes nicely.

Burning the wrinkles away? Yeah, right. That's not the way tretinoin works. I've noticed little irritation with tretinoin, yet my skin seems to progressively improve in texture. A moisturizer isn't going to to much indeed, but as any good dermatologist can tell you protecting your skin from the sun is the most important thing to prevent wrinkles, discolorations and sagging. Antioxidants have their role too, since they are depleted upon UV exposure and some have other important functions as well.

Using enzymes can help to heal scars, even old scars. You take digestive enzymes on an empty stomach and this gets the enzymes into your bloodstream so they can go to work throughout your body.

This site explains the concept of how enzymes eat or breakdown scar tissue or fibrosis.

http://www.totalityo...emicEnzymes.htm

I noticed my skin seems like it is naturally exfoliating itself somehow since I started using papain. Digestive enzymes can breakdown or digest dead white blood cells in your bloodsread. Digestive enzymes can breakdown more than just food in your GI tract.

yeah, i se retin a micro -- i never heard of retin a being anything but great for skin, however I do know that if you get sunlight while using it, yeah, you're probably shooting yourself in the foot.

Also, eating lots of fatty fish can be helpful. I'm not sure I'm much of a believer in topical stuff, but rather systemic things you can do to help your skin out. I know melanin is one the best antioxidants the skin has, so if you're lucky enough to have dark skin, you probably have good skin and are certainly less prone to wrinkling, etc.

Melanin increasing drugs are going through clinical trials, so they offer hope. But other than retin a and glycolic peels and maybe Kinerase cream, I dunno.

Any systemic or foods that people have had great results with? How about cortisone injections? I know of a doctor in NY who does things like that for a lot of money to very rich patients who apparently have great results. He also does tiny, multiple vit c injections in their faces which supposedly have profound results.

I also know that for hyperpigmentation or simply lightening skin tone many in asia inject vitamin c with supposedly (at least anecdotally) extremely rapid results. Glutathione is also used in this regard in reduced form.

Has anyone ever tried an epsom salt bath or a infrared sauna over time to see if the increased sweating and mild heat therapy to the skin produced significant results?

I know certain toxins can ONLY be excreted via sweat ducts -- or so I've read.

Has RALA supplementation in sufficient doses helped anyone's skin noticeably?

I've had definite and fairly fast success with undereye bags by using hot tea bags for 10 minutes or so -- the only thing I've found to really help.

I'm also noticing a more regular sleep pattern to normalize my circadian rhythm is helping and my energy levels are definitely improving and stabilising as a result. I used to be a night owl but I kinda doubt that's healthy actually from the little I've read on that issue. So now I wake up early-ish and at the same time more or less every day.

Silica is supposed to also be helpful and i think it's high in beer and bananas. Also, borage oil, emu oil, DHA and EPA are good. Lecithin I believe is helpful. I had much much better results moisturizing my skin with internal treatment than applying any cream that mainly just made my greasy and gave erythema.

Not sure about the enzyme idea presented above. Is this backed by any actual studies or is it more theory?

what about caffeine? I drink lots of green tea, matcha, cocoa, and yerba mate, and i have to honestly wonder if it's better or worse for my skin due to the caffeine. White tea would seem the better option as it is lower in caffeine and higher in catechins. But still...

[quote]Has RALA supplementation in sufficient doses helped anyone's skin noticeably?QUOTE] I supplement with selenium and N'acetyl L-cysteine and they have improved my skin a lot.

[quote][quote]Has RALA supplementation in sufficient doses helped anyone's skin noticeably?QUOTE] I supplement with selenium and N'acetyl L-cysteine and they have improved my skin a lot.[/quote]

I take R-ALA but I haven't noticed any huge improvement since introducing it to my regimen. How did Selenium and N-acetyl L-cysteine imrpove your skin? Wrinkles? Blemishes? Elasticity? Scars?

Anyone knows or can recommend skin care products that contain active plant enzymes? I've googled but found only one face cream that advertises it has plant enzymes in it.

I'm more and more positive that enzyme supplemenation is of high importance, including system, digestive and skin care enzymes.

Just got an idea, would taking some of the proteolytic enzymes from capsule and puting it into some cream work, or these enzymes would be deactivated?

I've seen several face creams with papaya in them, if that's what you're looking for.

I've had definite and fairly fast success with undereye bags by using hot tea bags for 10 minutes or so -- the only thing I've found to really help. 


Not sure about the enzyme idea presented above.  Is this backed by any actual studies or is it more theory? 

I don't know about studes directly linking systemic enzyme usage with improvement in skin problems or wrinkles; but, if you believe that inflammation is the cause behind wrinkles then bromelain has been show to have excellent anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation might be one way to explain under eye bags, though.

Pumpkin is used in creams and I believe it is used for the enzymes it contains, but not absolutely sure about that. I have seen a proteolytic enzyme cream which is used on the heels to remove that buildup of dead and cracked dry skin there. If they can do that with proteolytic enzymes then I would think they can put other enzymes into creams effectively. Bromelain and papain are both protelytic enzymes.

I happen to think that taking enzymes as supplements might be as effective or more so than applying them topically.

Anyone knows or can recommend skin care products that contain active plant enzymes? I've googled but found only one face cream that advertises it has plant enzymes in it.

I'm more and more positive that enzyme supplemenation is of high importance, including system, digestive and skin care enzymes.

Enzymes in skin care are usually for peeling/exfoliation, even in a cream base. Is that what you want out of it? There are plenty of products that offer plant enzymes, I'm surprised you didn't find many when you searched Google. Neutrogena has a face peel with mushroom enzyme: http://www.drugstore...Y-PLST-0-SEARCH and also some other products with enzymes. I don't know if there's any real long term benefit to exfoliation, like there is with retinoids, vitamin c or peptides, but it makes skin look nice temporarily.

I refined my google search and found lots of skin care products with enzymes, but they're pretty expensive.

Reason I wanted to try something with enzymes is that i sometimes get comedones at my temples. I've found that it actually happens due to different skin care products. My skin is best on holiday or when i'm on trip, then it's completely clear because i usually don't use any skin care there. But the problem is that except in summer it becomes dry after washing so i have to use something. I've tried all types of creams for sensitive skin, for problematic skin etc but it seems there is something in most of them that gives me these comedone inflamation. So the idea was that enzymes could prevent this inflamation.

I've recently ordered lots of different proteolytic enzymes as i also believe they're much better systematically. Hopefully i'll fix my problems (which are pretty small but still bother me) with this...

Although there are probably quite a few products out there with scentific basis for their claims, I find that most cosmetics products are just too damned expensive for my taste.

With that in mind my skincare "regimen" takes care of the basics.Good nutrition and exercise, cleanliness, moisture and UV protection.

You can't beat clean, supple and unburnt in terms of bang for your buck

da_sense

I've tried all types of creams for sensitive skin, for problematic skin etc but it seems there is something in most of them that gives me these comedone inflamation.

i´m with you, i try a lot of creams but i find one that is helping my sking a lot (acne,hydrayting and redness marks of old acne) is Geronova´s Rejuv. I have been using it about two weeks and my skin is improving a lot.

The only thing this cream doesn´t help about is in my undereye-dark circles and little bags (when i wake up). Anyone have tried a cream or something for this??

Try a gel filled eye mask in the morning. Chuck it in the freezer overnight. Works a treat for me

centurion

Try a gel filled eye mask in the morning. Chuck it in the freezer overnight. Works a treat for me

And for under eye dark-circles?? i read something about vitamin k....really helps?

I've read the same. Though longer hours of sleep would probably be the better option if it were possible.

Inflicting yourself extra UVs is probably not an option for a majority of Life Extensionists...
Nevertheless, you may consider this for skin face:



Not sure what is it called ("solarium visage"), it's basically an array of bulbs radiating [airquote] safe UVs [/airquote] aimed at you head.
From reviews seen on forums, it does wonder for the face skin and provides a nice complexion too, I've placed an order for one (about 90 EUR / USD) and I'll report first results here if interested...

Safe UVR? Dream on! It probably emits UVA that won't let you burn as quick as UVB, but does age your skin faster and does increases your risk for melanoma.