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302 Doc
New Member
 
Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 1
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Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:17 pm  |
Varying your routine and choice of products will help to avoid 'receptor fatigue' - however, I need to fully explain this coined term of mine: 'receptor fatigue' first.
Almost everything you put on your skin breaks down into metabolites (smaller chemical structures) from enzymes in the skin OR if the substance does not go that far into the skin to be acted upon, will hydrolyze (break apart) or oxidize in the air and be sloughed off.
Some of the substances are easier to break up into metabolites than others. When the skin goes to work on a substance that has managed to get down below (and it is much like trying to get something to soak in through a shingled roof) a lot of alarms go off.
Applying anything topically will trigger an immediate jump in both desirable and undesirable cells and cell constituents. This includes warm water.
The resulting metabolites often modulate, that is, alter the rate of protein synthesis as well as the quantity and quality of constituents in the cells which affect all aspects of its vitality.
Certain substances, say vitamins for example, key on specific functions in the cell. The many hows and whys of that and the pluses and minuses are the subject of zillions of research papers.
For purposes of understanding very complex biochemistry, I have done a bit of violence with the terminology to summarize the many cascades of events that take place when topical substances arrive at the cell door. Ultimately these substances, whatever their chemical construction, will alter protein synthesis - the rate of it and the quality of it.
Protein synthesis occurs as receptors, or connecting points, take up the materials needed for metabolism.
If there is a line forming around the block to get into the cell and energize it, say, and increase the rate of metabolism and form new protein cells, the cells will after a short time, say a few weeks, become quite inhospitable and reduce the number of cell factories to process the good stuff lined up outside AND will notify other areas in the cell to reduce production of protein and everything else until the characters outside go away.
The receptors that were working overtime to turn all that metabolic activity into new protein are given a vacation, laid off, told to find other work. The overwhelming amount of material to process and move up to the receptors has worn the whole system out - because the excess of metabolites has to be removed if it isn't used.
Ergo, receptor fatigue. Maybe we can think of a better term, but you get the idea.
But there's more, in that the epidermis has NO blood vessels and hence no lymphatic garbage collection system, the excess of goodies for the cell (vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants, 302, ANYTHING) becomes like a sullen, over-fed, spoiled teenager with nothing to do - and so, fires start - oxidation reactions, free radicals form, skin weakens, and the rapid improvements are just as rapidly lost as the skin spends most of its energy trying to throw the bums out, or at least put out the fires.
What is doubly unfortunate in all this is that if the substance that has flooded in from the top continues to flood in, day after day, sometimes twice a day, a whole new metabolic community pops up - one dedicated to handling the flood - it supplies a whole new protein fighting force and all the support that goes with that - so that if the flooding stops, that community collapses.
It is as if FEMA came into town, set up shop, everyone becomes dependent and then one day, it leaves. The whole place goes bananas. Itching, redness and so forth until the flood comes back.
This is topical * spam alert *.
The main thing to remember is that some substances set this up faster and to a more severe degree than others. What they are specifically depends on YOU. Some of you may tolerate a lot more flooding than others of certain substances. This is because the available enzymes, among other things, varies from person to person in quality and quantity to do the work of handling the 'stuff.'
Just as some people respond better to one thing than the other person does, the converse is true, some will respond worse. Natural biochemical differences are why you can be confused to find that Jane had a great result and you had a so-so result, and vice versa.
As a general rule, if you respond quite well to something, that is, your skin really blooms - back off, don't form a line around the block at the cell door. Punctuate your dosing of this desirable substance. Go to every other day, for example.
Moisturizers with different chemistry will help somewhat. Ditto, cleansers. Don't let the skin get too familiar with any one thing. Easy for me to say.
And recall too, the exceptions prove the rule. There are some people who can find a substance, say a retinoid, or a 302 and just bathe in it and it is like a hand in glove relationship that goes on for decades. They are not common.
One last note, and then I must get back to the vats - charged particles tend to cause more problems than non-charged particles. Acids are charged particles - they have a direct hot line to the skin FEMA department and will set up * spam alert * faster than anything I know of.
Now, if you don't believe it my acid head friends - then try stopping your regime for a few days - go naked - if your skin goes in the tank - well, you're addicted.
I double dog dare all of you, acids heads or not (and especially you retinoid addicts). Take the * spam alert * test. Let's see how it sorts out.
See ya, |
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