Rejuvenating Damaged Skin
by Roberta Lee, MD (topic expert: health)

Your skin, the largest organ in your body, takes a huge amount of wear and tear from a summer of sun, wind and water. Did you know that every minute we lose 30,000 skin cells?(1) This amounts to a total of nine pounds of cells lost every year. What are the implications of this, and more importantly, how can you help this vital organ stay healthy and rejuvenate it once it is damaged?

Any skin rejuvenation plan needs to include good nutrition, vitamins and hydration. To that end, our diets should have a healthy dose of fruits, vegetables and low fat protein foods. Most people know that our skin protects us from harmful radiation but many forget that our skin serves as a vital barrier from bacteria and fungi. It also provides the medium by which we can naturally make vitamin D (see July 2007 WalkStyles Health column).

To protect ourselves from infections and boost our immunity we must begin with good skin health. A number of topical aids, such as aloe vera gel, shea butter, green tea extracts, all help to protect and maintain your skin, especially if you suffer from sunburn. Vitamins C, E and A are also known for skin rejuvenation.

The best thing you can do after you get sunburn is to apply soothing lotions that add moisture and provide additional protection. Newly burned skin has more cracks than normal skin and is drier from the UV damage. Creams and lotions with aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) or freshly crushed aloe vera juice are one natural aid. Aloe vera juice comes from a succulent plant which usually lives in arid climates. The aloe vera juice itself is sticky and coats whatever it covers with a light mucus film. This provides a thick liquid barrier which is a great natural salve.

Aloe gel also seems to have other benefits such as antibacterial and antifungal properties(2), an antioxidant effect that can be a useful antidote to the damaging effects of UV exposure, and may help heal burns. In addition, several compounds found in aloe have inflammation and pain reducing properties(3).

Shea butter, another natural salve, also works effectively on sunburns. Shea butter is a nutrient, rich oil that comes from the fruits of the kerite or shea tree, Vitellaria paradoxa, which is native to West Africa. Shea butter has been documented to have moisturizing, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, shea butter provides natural UV sun protection as high as SPF-6. Research has shown that shea butter can be effective in treating scars, dry skin, wrinkles, dark spots, stretch marks and even can lessen irritation of psoriasis. Shea butter is also edible. It is used as a cooking oil in West Africa.

Green tea extracts are another promising plant source for rejuvenation from UV damage. Green tea has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-cancer effects. The favorable properties of green tea are useful even if green tea is only applied to the surface of the skin.

Vitamins C and E are also noted for their protection against photo-aging, or damage to the skin due to intense and chronic sun exposure. For a substantial period of time researchers doubted that topical applications of these vitamins made much difference, but recent research indicates that even topical applications of vitamin C and E can be helpful in reducing damage from UV exposure(4).

Vitamin A is another vitamin that stands out for skin rejuvenation. This vitamin and its retinoid analogs stimulate skin cell renewal by increasing cell division. In photo-aging, collagen synthesis is reduced, and enzymes that slow down collagen formation are elevated. Vitamin A pharmaceuticals such as Retin-A � are often used as a pretreatment to chemical peels in many skin rejuvenation protocols.

The best strategy for skin aging is prevention which means that everyone, no matter what the weather conditions, exist should consider wearing a light cream with UV protection. Good nutrition and adequate hydration come in second for good skin health. Finally, there are varieties of topical natural creams which are promising for acute UV damage and these are easy to find in health food and drug stores.

1. Dowshen S. www.kidshealth.org/kid/body/skin_noSW.html , "The Whole Story on Skin" updated March 2007 accessed 9/20/07
2. Klein AD, Penneys NS. Aloe vera. J Am Acad Dermatol 1988;18:714-20
3. Hutter JA, Salman M, Stavinoha WB, et al. Anti-inflammatory C-glucosyl chromone from Aloe barbadensis. J Nat Prod 1996;59:541-3.
4. Nola I, Kotrulja L. Skin photodamage and lifetime photoprotection. Acta Dermatolvenerol Croat. 2003;11(1):32-40.