Sandi’s Skin Talk – The Immune System and Your Skin The immune system has a huge impact on your skin.  Research and statistics have demonstrated that there is a direct link between autoimmune diseases and skin symptoms such as rashes, lesions, plaques, and even general inflammation.  The body’s immune system turns against itself as though it is a foreign pathogen. Some Autoimmune Diseases that Affect Your Skin

• Hemolytic anemia – disease of the red blood cells
• Ankylosing Spondylitis – a form of arthritis
• Cardiomyopathy – a condition of the heart muscle
• Celiac disease – a digestive and autoimmune disease
• Chronic Lyme disease – hard to treat Lyme symptoms
• Crohn’s disease – inflammation of the digestive tract
• Dermatitis herpetiformis – chronic, severe rash with itching
• Endometriosis – Disease of the lining of the uterus
• Graves’ disease – an autoimmune disease affecting the thyroid and eyes
• Gullian-Barre` Syndrome – the body attacks part of the peripheral nervous system
• Hashimoto’s thyroiditis – a disease where the body attacks the thyroid
• Addison’s disease – a disease of the adrenal glands
• Narcolepsy – a neurological disorder of the brain effecting sleep and wake cycles
• Peripheral neuropathy – damage to nerves affecting hands and feet
• Myasthenia gravis – a disease that weakens muscles in eyes and can be systemic
• Alopecia – hair loss from the head and body
• Diabetes – a metabolic disease where the body cannot produce adequate insulin
• Psoriasis – scaly, plaques from faulty skin cell production

It is important that you choose a skin care specialist who can provide you with the proper care for an at-home skin care regiment to follow along with your medical treatments. Psoriasis Psoriasis is a common disease of the immune system that affects about 2% of the world population. Some people can present in different ways. You’re predisposed to psoriasis from birth, similar to how you have genes for breast cancer, or genes for diabetes, you also have genes for psoriasis. I know, not much we can do about heredity.  This disease is not gender or age specific; even babies can have it. Symptoms may appear on the surface of the skin, yet it actually starts below the surface. With normal skin, your body takes about 28 to 30 days to produce new skin cells and shed the old ones.  What is so different about psoriasis is that it has new cells being rapidly pushed to the surface in 3 to 4 days!  During this rapid production of new cells, old cells begin to pile on top of each other. These genes then have a specific impact on the immune system causing it to trigger inflammation into the blood vessels which then get into the skin, causing the skin to become inflamed. The result is the formation of thick, red, itchy, flaky patches known as plaques.  They look like red patches with a silvery scale. Common areas affected are on elbows, knees, scalp, and lower back. There are some suggested triggers that have been identified as possible culprits of flare-ups:

• emotional stress
• injury to the skin
• some types of infections
• reactions to certain drugs

These plaques can appear sporadically on the body or all over it. The exact triggers of psoriasis are still unknown and of course it is advisable to consult with a medical provider. There are prescriptions for treating the disease and there are also home remedies that may help with the symptoms like itching, pain, dry and flaky patches, and skin roughness.

• To calm the rash try Epsom Salts in your bath. It helps to reduce swelling and promote healing.
• Plastic wrap can be used to cover plaques to lock the moisture in.
• To help with the itching, baking soda may offer some much needed relief.  Mix one part baking soda with 2 parts water.
• To soften and smooth the skin add mineral, olive or vegetable oil to your bath or apply the oil directly to your affected areas. This can also help with itching.
• Aloe Vera helps to soothe the plaques.
• Apple cider vinegar can be used as a soak or as a compress.  Mix one gallon of water to one cup of apple cider vinegar. Add to a spray bottle, store in the refrigerator.  This helps with itching.

Don’t Let Your Neck Age You Your neck begins to change as you age much like your face does. The difference is that the skin on your neck is very thin and more sensitive because there are fewer oil glands. This makes the area more prone to sagging and lines. You not only have genetics, diet, sun exposure and lack of exercise to blame; you also have the effects of texting and using electronic devices referred to as “tech neck” to deal with.  The older term for a sagging neck was ‘turkey neck.’ While it’s true you can’t regain the neck of a 20-year old, unless you are going to have cosmetic surgery,  the best thing you can do, rather than donning a turtle neck shirt, is to be proactive – keep your neck well moisturized, practice daily neck exercises, and eat a healthy diet. Bobbi Brown, a makeup guru, suggests choosing a moisturizer that has humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid to help plump the skin and soften wrinkles.  Use anti-aging products on your face and neck. Peptides and retinol help to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin. Your doctor may even prescribe Retin-A, an acne medication, at strength of .25 to help with collagen production. There are so many neck creams to choose from, it can really be confusing and expensive! Here is a list of highly rated creams you might consider buying:

1. Clarins Extra-Firming neck Anti-Wrinkle Cream $87
2. StriVectin TL Advanced Tightening Neck Cream $95
3. Dr. Brandt Do Not Age Firming Neck Cream $65
4. Algenist Firming & Lifting Neck Cream $98
5. Nuance Salma Hayek Age Affirm Firming Neck & Chest Balm $22

However, if you’re like me, you might like to have a few recipes you can whip up at home that may surprise you in their effectiveness and they cost much less. Here is an essential oil serum recipe and a few recipes for making masks that you can apply to your face and neck that work very well for adding moisture and firming. Caution – a little goes a long way when using the serum. Skin Tightening, Moisturizing Serum 2 tablespoons Sweet Almond Oil 10 drops Cypress Oil 10 drops Geranium Oil 7 drops Frankincense Oil Put all of the ingredients in a small, dark bottle with a dropper cap and store it out of light. Honey and Blueberry Face/Neck Lift Mask Blend ¼ cup of blueberries in a food processor or blender for a smooth paste consistency.  Apply a thin layer of organic unprocessed honey to your face and neck, then apply a layer of the blueberry paste on top.  Leave this on for 30 minutes then rinse with warm water.  This will help to lift and tighten loose skin and work to fight off free radicals. Egg White Natural Face/Neck Lift Mask – a non-surgical face lift Mix one egg white with a teaspoon of vitamin E oil, add a few drops of lemon juice and make a paste.  Apply the paste to your face and neck massaging in small circles.  Rinse with warm water after it dries.  This mask is also helpful for fading age spots, pigmentation, and other blemishes. Honey and Avocado Face/Neck Lift Mask Mash the peeled avocado with a fork.  Mix in 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 egg white to make a paste.  Rinse with warm water after 15-20 minutes. Banana and Cream Natural Face Lift Mask Mix ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream, 1 mashed ripe banana, and 1 Vitamin E capsule.  Stir well.  Apply with your fingers and leave on for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Don’t forget to exercise those muscles! Marie-Veronique Nadeau, author of The Yoga Facelift promotes the cow face as an effective exercise in reducing jowls. I know, cow? It not only adds definition to a sagging jawline, but also supports blood circulation for a rosy glow. Allow your jaw to go slack so that your lips slightly open. Protrude your jaw and place your bottom front teeth over your top front teeth. Raise your left arm, turn your head to the right and look up toward the ceiling. Hold for 10 seconds and then relax your jaw. Repeat the movements again, but now hold the position for 15 seconds. Complete the exercise three times, lower your arms and perform three repetitions with your right arm. Sandi’s Question & Answer Q:  My nails are always chipping what can I do to help them? A:  The most important thing you can do is keep them moisturized, avoid harsh chemicals, and limit time in water. A great moisturizer is coconut oil massaged often. Q:  My skin looks blotchy lately, what would cause that? A:  Often blotchy, dull skin can be a result of using old makeup or the wrong type.  Diet and stress are also contributors, as is washing with abrasives too frequently. Q:  Why do you get blotches on your hands as you age? A:  Those blotches you refer to are signs of hyperpigmentation, sun exposure.  They are harmless but they can be unsightly. They can be treated to fade them. Try using lemon. Q:  Do you have a good recipe to help with large pores? A:  Yes. Try this facial mask: ½ teaspoon grated cucumber ¼ cup plain yogurt Mix and apply to clean skin.  Relax and leave it on for about 30 minutes then wash off with warm water. The yogurt will moisturize while the cucumber cools and helps to tighten facial pores. Q:  My lips don’t seem to hold lipstick for very long, yet my friend has hers on all day and it still looks good. Is there something I can do for this? A:  Yes there are some steps you can take to have beautiful lips for much longer through the day:

1. Exfoliate your lips
2. Use a primer or liner on your lips to keep the lipstick from bleeding.
3. Apply your lipstick then blot the excess with a tissue.
4. Apply another layer to darken the shade again by stamping it on all over your lips. This method helps to push the color into cracks.
5. Finish with a little powder to set the color just like when you apply foundation. Use your index finger to pat a little on the lips and then smack them together.  A nice translucent powder works really well for this.

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