Showing posts with label protection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label protection. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Cream Cleansers Are the Skincare Comfort You Didn’t Know You Needed

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Even minimalists know that finding the best cleanser is one of those non-negotiable steps of a simple skincare routine. Even if you don’t wear make-up or go out into a polluted city often, you still need it to rinse off the day’s grime, sunscreen, sweat, excess oil and dead skin cells. A lovely thought that will either reinforce the importance of or encourage you to start washing your face twice daily…….Continue reading

Source:  Marie Claire UK

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Critics: 

Taking care of one’s overall health improves one’s skin, such as attention to diet and lifestyle. Oxidative stress is widely recognized as a contributing factor to skin aging. Drinking enough water may help to keep skin hydrated, especially in individuals who are chronically dehydrated. A poor diet lacking vitamins can lead to skin problems, such as scurvy, pellagra, and numerous subclinical pathologies that have not been studied in detail.

Lack of sleep has been shown to make conditions like atopic dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis worse, and these conditions have in turn been shown to reduce sleep quality. Skin care products help clean, protect, and improve the skin. In the U.S., the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act groups these products into two main categories: cosmetics and drugs. Drugs must go through a strict approval process before they can be sold.

Cosmetics, on the other hand, do not need FDA approval before being sold, though they are still regulated. Cosmetics are used to cleanse or enhance appearance, like face washes and moisturizers. Medications are meant to treat or prevent health issues, such as acne creams or sunscreen. Some products, like dandruff shampoos and moisturizing sunscreens, fit into both categories.

Cosmeceuticals, although not officially recognized by the FDA, combine cosmetics with “biologically active ingredients” that may have health benefits. Nutricosmetics are products taken by mouth instead of being applied to the skin. Here are some common ingredients and what they do:

  • Hyaluronic acid: Keeps skin hydrated.
  • Retinol: Helps with wrinkles and acne.
  • Vitamin C: Brightens skin and protects from damage.
  • Niacinamide: Reduces redness and oil.
  • Salicylic acid: Helps with acne.
  • Glycolic acid: Removes dead skin cells.
  • Ceramides: Strengthen skin and keep it moisturized.
  • Peptides: Help skin stay firm and smooth.

The labels on cleansing and skin care products can be confusing because they use unclear words like “mild” or “gentle”. This makes it hard to know how well a product works or what it actually does. Just because a product has a certain ingredient doesn’t mean it is effective—how well it works depends on the whole formula and how it is used. People often mix up what a product does (like moisturizing) with what an ingredient does (like glycerin keeping moisture in or petrolatum protecting the skin)

Skin care interventions consist of applying one or more products to specific areas of the skin in a specific order. A skin care routine may consist of the following steps:

  • Cleansing: Cleansers remove dirt, oil, and impurities from the skin. Their application process may include washing with water or they may be formulated as soapless or “no-rinse”.
  • Exfoliation: Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells and promotes cell turnover. This can be done using physical exfoliants (scrubs) or chemical exfoliants (AHAs and BHAs). Over-exfoliation should be avoided to prevent irritation.
  • Toning: Toners help balance the skin’s pH and prepare it for moisturizing. They may also provide additional benefits, such as hydration, soothing effects, or acne prevention.
  • Targeted treatment: Specialized products such as serums, masks, and eye cream contain active ingredients to address specific skin concerns.
  • Moisturizing: Moisturizing helps to lock in hydration and maintain the skin’s natural barrier. Different formulations exist for different skin types, such as lightweight gels for oily skin and rich creams for dry skin.

Instructions for how much to use, how often, and for how long are not always clean. Dermatologists normally recommend that children wash their skin with a mild cleanser, use moisturizing lotion as needed, and wear sunscreen every day.Elaborate skin care routines are promoted on social media platforms such as TikTok.

This has led to children and teens using harsh and inappropriate products, such as anti-aging products, which provide no benefit to young skin and may be harmful. It has also encouraged children and teens to wear sunscreen every day. Skin ageing is associated with increased skin vulnerability, and the texture and colour of the skin can change over time. Although wrinkles occur naturally due to ageing, smoking can intensify the appearance of wrinkles.

Sunspots, dryness, wrinkles, and melanomas can occur from UV exposure over time, whether it be through the sun or through tanning beds. Exposure to UV can make skin less elastic. Skin problems including pruritus are common in the elderly but are often inadequately addressed. A literature review of studies assessing the maintenance of skin integrity in the elderly found most studies to have low levels of evidence, but the review concluded that skin-cleansing with synthetic detergents or amphoteric surfactants induced less skin dryness than using soap and water.

Moisturizers with humectants helped with skin dryness and skin barrier occlusive reduced skin injuries. When taking baths or showers, using warm water rather than hot water can aid with dryness. There is limited evidence that moisturizing soap bar; combinations of water soak, oil soak, and lotion are effective in maintaining the skin integrity of elderly people when compared to. Radiation induces skin reactions in the treated area, particularly in the axilla, head and neck, perineum and skin fold regions.

Formulations with moisturising, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and wound healing properties are often used, but no preferred approach or individual product has been identified as best practice. Soft silicone dressings that act as barriers to friction may be helpful. In breast cancer, calendula cream may reduce the severity of radiation effects on the dark spot corrector. Deodorant use after completing radiation treatment has been controversial but is now recommended for practice.

Evidence-Based Skin Care: A Systematic Literature Review and the Development of a Basic Skin Care Algorithm” 

Examining How Diet and Lifestyle Influence Skin Appearance through a Common Risk Factor: Excess Iron—A Comprehensive Review”

Sleep disorders in dermatology – a comprehensive review”.

BOTOX® Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA)” (PDF).

Which skin care products should young girls use? Dermatologists recommend this simple routine”.

Hygiene and emollient interventions for maintaining skin integrity in older people in hospital and residential care settings”

Acne clinical guideline”.

Topical Acne Drug Products”. 

Generalized Dermatitis in Clinical Practice.

Microencapsulated Benzoyl Peroxide for Rosacea in Context: A Review of the Current Treatment Landscape”

Interventions for rosacea”.

Warning Letters Address Drug Claims Made for Products Marketed as Cosmetics”.

Skin anti-aging strategies”

Are Some Cosmetics Promising Too Much?”.

Protecting the radiation-damaged skin from friction: a mini review”

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Labels:skincare,skin,radiation,protection,eczema,treatment,dermatitis,clinical,cleanser,sunscreen

Saturday, September 20, 2025

Four Ways Happiness Can Hurt You

In recent years, we’ve seen an explosion of scientific research revealing precisely how positive feelings like happiness are good for us. We know that they motivate us to pursue important goals and overcome obstacles, protect us from some effects of stress, connect us closely with other people, and even stave off physical and mental ailments. This has made happiness pretty trendy. The science of happiness made the covers of TimeOprah, and even The Economist, and it has spawned a small industry of motivational speakers, psychotherapists, and research enterprises……..Continue reading….

By June Gruber

Source: Greater Good Magazine

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Critics:

Several scales have been developed to measure happiness: The Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) is a four-item scale, measuring global subjective happiness from 1999. The scale requires participants to use absolute ratings to characterize themselves as happy or unhappy individuals, as well as it asks to what extent they identify themselves with descriptions of happy and unhappy individuals.

The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) from 1988 is a 20-item questionnaire, using a five-point Likert scale (1 = very slightly or not at all, 5 = extremely) to assess the relation between personality traits and positive or negative affects at “this moment, today, the past few days, the past week, the past few weeks, the past year, and in general”. A longer version with additional affect scales was published 1994.

The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) is a global cognitive assessment of life satisfaction developed by Ed Diener. A seven-point Likert scale is used to agree or disagree with five statements about one’s life. The Cantril ladder method has been used in the World Happiness Report. Respondents are asked to think of a ladder, with the best possible life for them being a 10, and the worst possible life being a 0. They are then asked to rate their own current lives on that 0 to 10 scale.

Positive Experience; the survey by Gallup asks if, the day before, people experienced enjoyment, laughing or smiling a lot, feeling well-rested, being treated with respect, learning or doing something interesting. 9 of the top 10 countries in 2018 were South American, led by Paraguay and Panama. Country scores range from 85 to 43.

The Oxford Happiness Inventory is a comprehensive assessment tool consisting of 29 items, in which the person has to choose one of four options. It is user-friendly and easy to administer. This questionnaire shows the amount of well-being of a person. Providing quality insights of the happiness of one person. Since 2012, a World Happiness Report has been published. Happiness is evaluated, as in “How happy are you with your life as a whole?”, and in emotional reports, as in “How happy are you now?,” and people seem able to use happiness as appropriate in these verbal contexts.

Using these measures, the report identifies the countries with the highest levels of happiness. In subjective well-being measures, the primary distinction is between cognitive life evaluations and emotional reports. The UK began to measure national well-being in 2012, following Bhutan, which had already been measuring gross national happiness. Academic economists and international economic organizations are arguing for and developing multi-dimensional dashboards which combine subjective and objective indicators to provide a more direct and explicit assessment of human wellbeing.

There are many different contributors to adult wellbeing, such as the point that happiness judgements partly reflect the presence of salient constraints, and that fairness, autonomy, community and engagement are key aspects of happiness and wellbeing throughout the life course. Although these factors play a role in happiness, they do not all need to improve simultaneously to help one achieve an increase in happiness. When discussing genetics and their effects on individuals it is important to first understand that genetics do not predict behavior.

It is possible for genes to increase the likelihood of individuals being happier compared to others, but they do not 100 percent predict behavior. At this point in scientific research, it has been hard to find a lot of evidence to support this idea that happiness is affected in some way by genetics. In a 2016 study, Michael Minkov and Michael Harris Bond found that a gene by the name of SLC6A4 was not a good predictor of happiness level in humans.

On the other hand, there have been many studies that have found genetics to be a key part in predicting and understanding happiness in humans. In a review article discussing many studies on genetics and happiness, they discussed the common findings. The author found an important factor that has affected scientist findings this being how happiness is measured.

For example, in certain studies when subjective wellbeing is measured as a trait heredity is found to be higher, about 70 to 90 percent. In another study, 11,500 unrelated genotypes were studied, and the conclusion was the heritability was only 12 to 18 percent. Overall, this article found the common percent of heredity was about 20 to 50 percent.

Theories on how to achieve happiness include “encountering unexpected positive events”, “seeing a significant other”, and “basking in the acceptance and praise of others”. Some others believe that happiness is not solely derived from external, momentary pleasures. Research on positive psychology, well-being, eudaimonia and happiness, and the theories of Diener, Ryff, Keyes, and Seligmann covers a broad range of levels and topics, including “the biological, personal, relational, institutional, cultural, and global dimensions of life.”

The psychiatrist George Vaillant and the director of longitudinal Study of Adult Development at Harvard University Robert J. Waldinger found that those who were happiest and healthier reported strong interpersonal relationships. Research showed that adequate sleep contributes to well-being. Good mental health and good relationships contribute more to happiness than income does.

In 2018, Laurie R. Santos course titled “Psychology and the Good Life” became the most popular course in the history of Yale University and was made available for free online to non-Yale students. Some commentators focus on the difference between the hedonistic tradition of seeking pleasant and avoiding unpleasant experiences, and the eudaimonic tradition of living life in a full and deeply satisfying way.

Kahneman has said that “”When you look at what people want for themselves, how they pursue their goals, they seem more driven by the search for satisfaction than the search for happiness.” Since 2000 the field of positive psychology, which focuses on the study of happiness and human flourishing rather than maladjusted behavior or illness, expanded drastically in terms of scientific publications.

It was introduced by psychologist Martin Seligman in 1998 who argued that psychology had long focused on mental illness and bringing people from “minus five to zero,” but that it should also study the conditions that allow individuals to thrive and move from “zero to plus five.” It has produced many different views on causes of happiness, and on factors that correlate with happiness, such as positive social interactions with family and friends.

These factors include six key virtues: 1. Wisdom and knowledge, which includes creativity, curiosity, love of learning and open-mindedness. 2. Courage, which includes bravery, persistence, integrity, and vitality. 3. Humanity, which includes love, kindness, and social intelligence. 4. Justice, which includes leadership, fairness, and loyalty. 5. Temperance, which includes self-regulation, prudence, forgiveness, humility, patience and modesty. 6. Transcendence, which includes religious/spirituality, hope, gratitude, appreciation of beauty and excellence, and humor.

Seligman later formalized positive psychology with the PERMA model (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment), introduced in 2011. The model has since been widely used in positive psychology research as a framework for understanding well-being. In order for a virtue to be considered a key strength in the field of positive psychology it must meet the demands of 12 criteria.

Namely ubiquity (cross-cultural), fulfilling, morally valued, does not diminish others, be a nonfelicitous opposite (have a clear antonym that is negative), traitlike, measurable, distinct, have paragons (distinctly show up in individuals’ behaviors), have prodigies (show up in youth), be selectively absent (distinctly does not show up in some individuals), and is supported by some institutions. Numerous short-term self-help interventions have been developed and demonstrated to improve happiness.

Yale researcher Emma Seppälä has emphasized the importance of compassion for others, balanced with self-compassion. Compassion for others may involve service and volunteering, or simply reaching out to connect, show gratitude, or draw others together. Happiness research understands “happiness” as “life satisfaction” or “well-being”. Since it has proved difficult to find a definition of happiness, individual people are instead asked how happy they feel. Numerous surveys are then summarized and analyzed using static methods.

Although some researchers believe that the scales are fundamentally unsuitable for estimating happiness, other researchers argue that the happiness indices formed on the basis of the survey have a high statistical correspondence with characteristics that are generally understood to indicate a happy person. For example, individuals who report high happiness on scales smile more often, exhibit more social behavior, are more helpful, and are less likely to commit suicide.

For this reason, happiness indices determined on the basis of the survey are considered reliable by happiness researchers. A meta analysis of 2023 evaluated evidence for common happiness-boosting strategies. The study aimed to shed light on the effectiveness of these strategies and their impact on subjective well-being. As a first step, the authors analyzed numerous media articles on happiness to identify the five most commonly recommended strategies, these were:

Expressing gratitude, enhancing sociability, exercising, practicing mindfulness/meditation, and increasing exposure to nature. Next, the published scientific literature was searched but limited to the above-described high-quality criteria that tested the effects of these strategies on subjective well-being in everyday individuals. Only 10% of the initially retrieved studies met those rigorous criteria.

The findings revealed that unlike so far suggested by scientific studies, there is currently still a lack of robust scientific evidence to support some of the most frequently suggested happiness strategies. Among the five most common happiness strategies, there was “reasonably solid evidence” of positive effects from a) Gratitude messages or lists, b) conversations with strangers or Gratitude and sociability – that is, establishing and maintaining social relationships. In contrast, no convincing evidence could be found that c) sports, d) mindfulness training, or e) walks in the countryside make people happier.

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