Mercury in Home Made Face Creams

Some skin lightening ingredients work extremely well in the short-term but are dangerous to our well-being and the long-term health of our skin. Mercury is one of them.

History of mercury use in skin lightening creams

The use of mercury in commercial skin bleaching creams and soaps goes back to the early 1900s. Before 1970, commercial bleaching creams would normally use ammoniated mercury to produce a lightening effect on the skin.  These bleaching creams were aggressively marketed to black people in the US.

In 1976, the use of mercury in cosmetic products was banned in the EU. The US banned the use of mercury in skin bleaching creams much later in 1990.

Mercury absorption into the body via the skin

Mercury and mercurial compounds can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of the vapors, ingestion, or skin contact. As a poison, the damaging effects of mercury are subtle and cumulative, building up over time.

When absorbed, mercury has been discovered in blood, urine, bile, sweat, saliva, milk, and in pus on the surface of ulcers. It has also been discovered in the solids after death, in the brain, the bones, the cellular tissue, in serous membranes, in the parts close to the joints, and in the lungs and liver.

Mercury’s effects on the skin and overall health (symptoms of mercury poisoning / excessive mercury)

Mercury can be extremely effective in lightening dark spots and stubborn pigmentation but has a high spontaneous remission rate (in a number of people, the original pigmentation returns once the treatment is stopped).

The symptoms of mercury poisoning include emotional disturbances, unsteadiness, inflammation of the mouth and gums, general fatigue, memory loss, forgetfulness and headaches. It may also lead to kidney damage. Excess mercury in the system has been known to cause kidney problems (membranous nephropathy)

Skin contact with mercury compounds can lead to irritation, including patches of inflammation and the appearance of tiny bumps close together. These bumps may burst and discharge matter, which later crusts over leading to soreness and discomfort.

for more beauty,Fashion and health care tips visit http://www.sumaiqa.com

Mercury is a dangerous skin lightening ingredient

Some skin lightening ingredients work extremely well in the short-term but are dangerous to our well-being and the long-term health of our skin. Mercury is one of them.

History of mercury use in skin lightening creams

The use of mercury in commercial skin bleaching creams and soaps goes back to the early 1900s. Before 1970, commercial bleaching creams would normally use ammoniated mercury to produce a lightening effect on the skin.  These bleaching creams were aggressively marketed to black people in the US.

In 1976, the use of mercury in cosmetic products was banned in the EU. The US banned the use of mercury in skin bleaching creams much later in 1990.

Mercury absorption into the body via the skin

Mercury and mercurial compounds can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of the vapors, ingestion, or skin contact. As a poison, the damaging effects of mercury are subtle and cumulative, building up over time.

When absorbed, mercury has been discovered in blood, urine, bile, sweat, saliva, milk, and in pus on the surface of ulcers. It has also been discovered in the solids after death, in the brain, the bones, the cellular tissue, in serous membranes, in the parts close to the joints, and in the lungs and liver.

Mercury’s effects on the skin and overall health (symptoms of mercury poisoning / excessive mercury)

Mercury can be extremely effective in lightening dark spots and stubborn pigmentation but has a high spontaneous remission rate (in a number of people, the original pigmentation returns once the treatment is stopped).

The symptoms of mercury poisoning include emotional disturbances, unsteadiness, inflammation of the mouth and gums, general fatigue, memory loss, forgetfulness and headaches. It may also lead to kidney damage. Excess mercury in the system has been known to cause kidney problems (membranous nephropathy)

Skin contact with mercury compounds can lead to irritation, including patches of inflammation and the appearance of tiny bumps close together. These bumps may burst and discharge matter, which later crusts over leading to soreness and discomfort.

for more beauty,Fashion and health care tips visit http://www.sumaiqa.com

Skin Lightening Cream Buying Tips

Lovely women with lovely blemishless skin - they look so wonderful on the pages of glossies, while you are perennially saddled with your tanned and freckled skin. Hence the desperate search for skin lightening creams and lotions. But you know the usual pattern, don’t you? The more attractive the woman in the commercial for the product, the more convinced you are of its effectiveness. And you are aware that the model may not have used the skin lightening product at all.

You can, however, stop being swayed by promotions and advertisement campaigns if you care to switch to more objective assessments of skin lightening products - the ones that come from the customers and users themselves. These are available online and on print, and yes, it is true that some of these are the brainchildren of companies manufacturing skin lightening creams. But it is not difficult to spot the ‘genuine’ reviews from the ‘planted’ ones, and the former will give you the pros and cons of most of the skin ligteners available in the market.

Why should you think before buying a skin whitener for yourself? Of course, because it’s your skin and you should be taking good care of what you are applying on it. A number of ingredients used commonly in skin lightening creams and lotions are now known to have harmful effects on one’s skin. Hydroquinone is the most common of these. It is used as a melanin inhibitor in most skin whitening creams, but its side effects can range from a darkening of the skin to pink patches as a result of hyperpigmentation or a complete prevention of melanin production. Over sustained use, hydroquinone can even lead to skin cancers.

Skin lightening creams often cause a condition called ocronosis. In this the melanin pigment, which is supposed to be nearer the surface of the skin, goes down deeper and becomes nearly impossible to take out. Skin whiteners are also known to result in acne and other kinds of pimples and rashes. Many of these become permanent conditions unless treated immediately. Surprisingly enough, even those skin lightening products that claim to use natural ingredients are not free from such side effects.

Scientific researches have revealed that chemical substances used in the composition of skin lightening creams, such as lactic acid, glycolic acid, arbutin, azelaic acid, kojic acid, mercury and treitinoin do not cause much harm if used in low concentrations. But to make their products more effective and produce faster results, cream manufacturers often use these chemicals in concentrations above the permissible limits. This is the main reason why women often break out in rashes and pimples after beginning to use skin lightening products. There is also the question of mismatch between the product and the skin type on which it is used. Many of the creams claim to be effective on “normal” skin. Can any of us ever be sure we have “normal” skin?

This is why you should read as many reports about a skin whitening product as you can before you actually decide to buy it. Read up about the ingredients that go into its making and try to get hold of at least one report by a medical or professional organization which gives you a technical description of the cream. The consumers who post reports about such products usually begin by describing their skin and why they went for that particular product. This could be an easy way to check whether your skin type matches that of the reviewer’s. If it does, you can expect a similar set of problems with the cream, or the same kind of rewards.

But don’t ever make the mistake of taking your skin for granted by treating it with any which skin lightener. You may live to regret it.

for more beauty,Fashion and health care tips visit http://www.sumaiqa.com

Dark Spots Home Remedies

Dark spots are a common problem for women, and men too, of any age and ethnicity. There are several reasons why our skin darkens, not evenly but in patches, resulting in dark patches and freckles. When they appear on the face, arms and other exposed areas of the body, as they commonly do, they make us feel uncomfortable and eager to get rid of them. Acne and pimples are also generally classified under the category of dark spots, though there are specialized treatments for these. First, it is important to ask a doctor to examine the possible reasons for the appearance of these spots. The reasons could be genetic, or related to your lifestyle or eating patterns. But whatever the reason, there are a few home remedies always at hand. Let us now look at a few home remedies for dark spot treatment: For dark spots on the face: One of the commonest vegetables, almost always found in our kitchens, the potato, is quite effective in removing dark spots. Take a medium potato and grate it up and apply on your face, so that the juice evenly reaches the dark spots. Leave it on for 10 minutes or so and wash off. The results should be apparent in a couple of weeks For acne dark spots: Oily skins are prone to acne. Use oatmeal or coarsely grated masur dal, mixed with a little milk or water as an exfoliating face pack, to prevent acne from troubling your skin. If acne has left red spots, treat them with sandalwood paste, and see the difference in seven to ten days. Dark spots under the eye: The skin under the eyes is thin like muslin and sensitive. No wonder this is the area that wrinkles at the earliest. So you have to be extra careful while treating this area. Lemon juice, turmeric, extra virgin coconut oil are good things to use for under-eye dark spot removal. Dark spots on hands and legs: You could use sugar crystals to exfoliate the skin on the hands and legs. Rub the sugar with a piece of lemon till the sugar melts. This is very effective. Tomatoes also help lighten dark spots in these areas. Make a pack mixing cucumber juice, orange and lemon juice and Fuller’s earth and apply to your hands and legs for smooth even-toned skin. Dark spots on lips: Lips develop dark spots often because of smoking. Cucumber juice or tomatoes used for a sustained period helps in fading these spots. Another good remedy is a mixture of sandalwood and rosewater. You should leave this on for about five minutes and then wash it off. Here are some things easily available in the kitchen that may be used to good effect to remove facial dark spots: Honey Lemon juice Milk Mint and parsley Oatmeal Masur dal Watermelon Sesame seeds Vinegar Of course, the market is flush with ointments, creams and lotions promising permanent freedom from dark spots. It is easy to taken in by the campaigns that use models with glowing skins. But one must remember that many of these products use chemicals and steroids, including mercury, that could harm your skin. Agreed, it is easier to put on some cream from a tube or jar than look for natural ingredients and spend time crushing, mixing, boiling, or juicing them to prepare the home remedy for your skin troubles. But think about it, the latter will give you results without causing any damage to your precious skin. Is the work you have to put in to get together the ingredients such a big deal when you think of it this way?

for more beauty,Fashion and health care tips visit http://www.sumaiqa.com

Men's skin care

‘Man skin care’ would seem like an alien topic to some men. It would have been even more alien a few years back. However, more and more men are now realising the importance of man skin care (and hence you see markets flush with man skin care products too). Even though the male skin is very different from that of a female, ‘man skin care’ is very similar to the skin care for women.

‘Man skin care’ too starts with cleansing. Water soluble cleansers are preferred. Cleansing helps remove the dirt, grease and pollutants from the skin and helps in preventing pore clogging. The inherent oily nature of male skin makes cleansing an important part of man skin care procedure. Cleansing should be done at least once every day, even better if it is done twice a day. Using soap on the face is discouraged.

‘Man skin care’ revolves a lot around shaving. Shaving foam/gel/cream and after shave lotion are one of the most important man skin care products. Serious ‘man skin care’ requires a proper selection of shaving related equipment and products. One of the main considerations in choosing shaving products should be the skin type (since the degree of oiliness differs from person to person). Alcohol-based aftershaves should be avoided. Proper ‘man skin care’ also mandates the use of good quality razors. Here, swivel-head razors are preferred since they are known to reduce cuts. Besides these products and equipment, it is also necessary that you use them properly. Be gentle when using your razor. Do not scratch it against your skin; use a soft and smooth action (after all it’s a matter of removing hair, not the skin itself).

Male skin is generally thicker and oilier, owing to larger pores and more active sebaceous glands. However, due to regular shaving, the skin can get dehydrated quite easily. Hence moisturisers too form an integral part of man skin care. Moisturising gel or cream should be applied after shaving. In fact, some shaving foams/ gel have an in-built moisturising effect too. Moisturisers should be patted gently over the face and massaged gently using upward strokes.

Though a man’s skin is less susceptible to skin cancer caused by UV radiation, using a sunscreen is also an important man skin care measure. You can use a moisturiser that combines sunscreen with the moisturising effect.

Another good option for ‘man skin care’ is to use man skin care products which have natural ingredients like aloe vera, sea salt and coconut etc. Naturally antiseptic oils e.g. lavender, tea tree etc also provide good means for man skin care.

Man skin care is not as difficult as a lot of men think. It just asks for a few minutes every day, in order to give you a healthy skin for present and for future.