Moisturise to keep skin healthy
By SANDRA LOW
startwo@thestar.com.my
It’s important to keep our skin moisturised but not all moisturisers are created equal.
IN THE dark ages when people were exposed to extreme weather, it would be normal and even necessary to smear animal fats or oils on to the face and body, to nurse injuries or keep the skin from drying out, or in other words, keep it moisturised.
Fortunately, we don’t have to go through all that hassle anymore as women today can comfortably unscrew a tube or a jar of skincare product, and enjoy its effects in the comfort of her own home or a spa.
There are so many types of products in the market today, ranging from those which tout to provide “instant” or “overnight” hydration, to time-release moisturisation creams. One wonders whether there is any real difference between such products or are they all just a marketing ploy to sell the product.
‘It’s importan t to use a facial moisturiser as it helps alleviate dryness and keeps your skin healthy,’ says Dr Agnes Heng, senior consultant dermatologist. “Hydration and moisturisation basically mean the same thing. However, a moisturiser is actually the proper term that is usually used for the skin,” says Dr Agnes Heng, senior consultant dermatologist and former head of the dermatology department of Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun in Ipoh.
The skin on your face is the part of your body that is always exposed and where ageing effects from the environment easily show. “As such, it’s important to use a facial moisturiser as it helps alleviate dryness and keeps your skin healthy,” she says.
According to Dr Heng, the main function of a moisturiser is to prevent your skin from drying or chapping. “Skin can appear a little dull so when you apply a moisturiser, it generally helps improve skin tone and texture, mask the appearance of wrinkles and protect sensitive skin.”
Beauty brands often sell the idea of applying a moisturiser at least twice a day. How long does a moisturiser stay on the skin after it is applied? It all depends on the type of moisturiser used; based on medical research, it has been found that only about 50% of applied creams remain on the skin after eight hours.
“In general, an oil-based moisturiser stays on longer compared with a water-based one. You may want to re-apply when you feel your skin is dry again,” she adds.
Are moisturisers immediately absorbed into the skin? “It depends on the type of ingredients used. Generally, upon applying, you should immediately feel good, that is, you should feel that your skin has been hydrated and is no longer dry.”
Normally, a basic moisturiser would have humectants, occlusives, emollients, a fragrance and preservatives. Different types of moisturisers contain different proportions of these ingredients.
An example of a humectant is glycerin, which is the gold stand for moisturisation. It absorbs water from the air and holds the moisture in the skin like a sponge.
“Most dermatologists prescribe glycerin-containing moisturisers for dry skin. The fact that it acts on so many parameters with a nearly no side-effect makes it a good candidate for facial moisturiser formulation,” she adds.
An occlusive is like petrolatum (petroleum jelly) which acts to fill the space between the skin cells. This layer of protection helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Another type of occlusive is a silicone derivative (which is not as oily as petroleum jelly) which imparts a “dry-touch” feeling on the skin.
Emollients are usually lipids or oils designed to soften and smoothen skin, and Dr Heng explained that their purpose is to replace the natural lipids on the skin that are absent.
When it comes to fragrances – which is considered a baddie in beauty products because of its potential health risks – beauty products usually add a small amount of fragrance to mask the smell of some of the components that may emit an unpleasant smell.
Dr Heng says that the reason fragrance is included is that “it improves the aesthetic quality of a moisturiser, and its use is kept to a minimum so as not to cause allergies.”
Lastly, she points out that all moisturisers have some type of preservative as, realistically speaking, there is no such thing as a preservative-free formulation.
“Preservatives are included to prevent the lipids in the formulation from getting rancid. It is a tricky balance as a preservative needs to be strong enough to inhibit bacteria growth, but shouldn’t sensitise or irritate the skin,” says Dr Heng.
A popular example of a preservative is parabens. The problem with parabens is that it may cause contact dermatitis in susceptible persons; Dr Heng advises individuals who have sensitive skin to look for a product which is “paraben-free”.
“Sunscreens could be considered the most globally effective ingredient added to a moisturiser because of its long-term photo-protection resulting in the reduction of photo-damage to the skin.”
Other popular ingredients include glycolic acids or fruit acids (that help exfoliate dead skin on the surface as excessive pile-up of dead cells makes the skin look dull), vitamin A derivative such as retinol for its anti-ageing properties, and other vitamins (B3, pro vitamin B5, vitamin E and C) for their anti-oxidant properties.
However, Dr Heng points out that the inclusion of vitamins in a moisturiser is a challenge as some of them are unstable. There is some oxidative stability concerns in vitamins C and E, for example, which may render the formulation to be less effective.
The different textures of a moisturiser – gel, lotion, cream and oil – accommodate the different types of skin and user preferences.
Dr Heng says that someone with normal skin can use any texture but a water-based moisturiser that is light and non-greasy would work well while a more mature skin would benefit from the heavier creams or oils that have more staying power, compared to lotions that dry up easily.
“If someone has oily skin, it is usually prone to acne breakouts and the cleansers used can be quite strong that end up drying the skin and removing excessive moisture. So, after cleansing, you still need a layer of protection. Someone with oily skin should use a gel-based moisturiser that is non-comedogenic (and won’t clog pores),” she advises.
For people with sensitive skin, the skin is susceptible to irritation, and gets red and itchy, or breaks out in a rash easily.
“For sensitive skin, choose a moisturiser that doesn’t contain fragrance and dyes, and is specifically designed for sensitive skin,” she adds.
When it comes to the many claims made by beauty brands, which tout to be anti-ageing or time-releasing moisturisers, Dr Heng says that a brand can claim a lot of things in their products but dermatologists always caution patients to learn more about the claims made.
“If a moisturiser does not improve the condition of your skin or if you notice skin problems after using a moisturiser, see a dermatologist who will be able to evaluate your skin condition, make an assessment and recommend something else.
“Also, it doesn’t mean that a more expensive moisturiser is more effective. There is no guarantee that any moisturiser will live up to its claims or even contains the ingredients it has advertised. Or, it may contain a particular ingredient but not in significant amounts,” she concluded.
StarOnline
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