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Thu Oct 05, 2006 2:15 am  |
I'm thinking, now with the exponential explosion of skin products available today, does that necessarily mean our skins look much better?
Are we disrupting our skins MORE because of the many products we use, our modern and not always better lifestyles?? Or do people find that they are preventing so many problems that would otherwise have plagued them for the rest of their lives?
For me, being 20, and my mum is verging 50 (but don't tell her I told you guys her age, she still wants people to think she's my *older* sister  ) her skin barely has any signs that say she's over 35. She has hardly used any skincare, not even sunscreen, and she has only started to use, very eratically, some Artistry skincare in the past year. Her skin tans easily but always returns to a pale colour in winter, she has no pigmentation, and only some slight sagging along the neck and medium crows feet around her eyes. She doesn't have any issues with pores, oiliness or dryness.
And just to feel even worse, my grandmother who is 83, has baby smooth skin on her body, and her face only has some major creasing and normal sagging that you would expect.. She only started using a skin cream when all the overseas relatives piled jars and jars of placenta cream into her cupboards.
And me, I feel like I deal with so many problems, like dehydration, blocked pores, redness, sensitivity, blahblahblah - did I somehow bring this on myself by using so many products? Or is it growing up in a modern world??
Should we return to the woods??
I wanna know what you guys think! |
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Thu Oct 05, 2006 5:33 am |
Should we return to the woods? Absolutely not, in my opinion! My Mom is an unbelieveably beautiful woman, and she was born with crystal white skin just like mine. However, she grew up in California, rubbing herself with baby oil and going tanning, often getting burnt, etc etc. Now, while she is still beautiful, you can't even tell what color her skin used to be because every inch of her is covered in age spots. She's had so many skin cancers and pre-cancers removed from her arms, chest, and face that I lost count. That being said, her skin has looked like this since she was about my age. On the other hand I have avoided the sun at all costs (on beach vacations I slather myself in thick zinc sunscreen AND swim in a large black t-shirt or rash guard), I wear sun gloves (when I remember  ), carry a parasol, and wear sunscreen and mineral powder on my face every day. As a result, I have three tiny freckles on the back of my hand that have appeared over the last few years, but not so much as a hint of an age spot, wrinkle, or freckle on my face. Thanks to my vigilance, my skin is still the creamy color I was born with. So for me, going back to doing things naturally is my worst nightmare. When I see people on TV on shows like Survivor, etc, all I think think about is "So much skin damage!!!"
Another thing is acne. Both of my parents suffered from terrible acne when they were younger, so of course I inherited the tendency to get it. I once asked my Mom how she dealt with her acne, and she said she didn't, she just put on a ton of make up and suffered through it. Me, I can't imagine suffering through it which is why I've been aggressively treating my acne with the help of several dermatologists. So, I really believe that living in the modern area has changed people's perspective, not people's skin. 30 or 40 years ago, things like acne, crooked teeth, age spots, etc were seen as just a part of life. Now though, thanks in part to new technologies, people don't have to suffer through things like we used to, but as a result I think perhaps we are more critical of even our smallest flaws. Just my two cents--- I'm interested to hear what other people say!  |
_________________
27, sensitive/reactive/acne prone skin, dark brown hair, blue eyes, possibly the palest woman alive... |
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Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:53 am |
I agree with Liz in that we have more knowledge and ways to prevent certian things from happening to our skin. For that Im very glad. I do think at times modern tech. can be a double edged sword, making you want to use everything under the sun hoping for a miracle while maybe your skin dosent want that many products and you end up overwhelming it. I have definitely gone back to using more natural stuff and paying attention to what my skin needs rather than falling victim to marketing ploys. I think if you understand exactly what you are using and why while being savvy about ingredients modern products can really help.
I inherited my Mom's oily, acneprone skin and while our skin is some what thick, we have the exact same sensitivities to certian products, at the same time I got my grandmothers pale, refined skin on my body. When I was younger I often hated both being pale and oily, now I realize it a blessing that comes with a certian amount of responsibilities. Its great that I will wrinkle less and slower but, I do have to combat the "greasies" and constantly fight breakouts and being pale I will always have to wear SS and avoid the sun. I think in my later years if I keep up my good habits I'll look great and yonger than I actually am. Horray!
My mother scrubbed the heck out of her skin for years with abrasive Buff Puffs before realizing that it only made acne and oil production worse, when she was about 45 and on a crusade to freshen up her looks she under went full on dremabrasion along with adult braces. I always thought she was beautiful before but both helped her look her best. Now at 54 she is still a knock out. Having said that my Mother is also Mormon, for those who dont know Mormon's dont believe in using tobacco, drugs, or drinking tea, coffee or alcohol. I think that abstaining from those things coupled with her avoiding the sun and wearing SS really play a part in keeping her young and healthy. She is not the type of woman who would(other than dermabrasion)spend alot of time or money on her skin, I think she gracefully accepts each wrinkle and imperfection. Other than light sundamage and a few tiny wrinkles she looks wonderful for her age and after 5 children has still managed to keep her fantastic figure.
So to end my babbling and answer the question at hand, I think my skin is better than hers was at my age. Im armed with info that they just simply didnt have then and I will definitely use that to my benefit. I think that we should use what ever works while keeping in mind that less sometimes is more, me and my skin cant handle a slew of products. Like anything else in life, skin and what it requires will always change, I try to be mindful and step things up and back off when necessary. |
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Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:58 am |
Wow, Liz. That was quite eloquent and very astute for someone so young. 
I will add that both my parents were good looking people with nice skin to boot; however, in my mom's case (easier to relate to for me being female), she never and I mean never, attended to her skin care. I remember being about 8 years old and trying to teach her how to use this big case of makeup she'd bought from some in-home show. My sister and I ended up with it so that's probably how my obsession originally started! 
Today, my mom is 64 years old and looks every day of it. Her skin is sagging, she's overweight and just generally doesn't look that great. BUT! She doesn't have many wrinkles!!! She has/had all of the problems that I was lucky (ha) enough to inherit: sluggish digestion, terrible circulation, very oily skin (w/all accompanying problems) but she didn't have the interest to address any of them like I do. Who knows? Perhaps, it's due to my being the oldest and naturally inquisitive or maybe that I'm ADHD and hyperfocus on subjects that interest me. Whatever the reason, I have won the battles that my mom chose not to take on - I don't fault her for it but am certain that I will be more like Sophia Loren than my mom when I'm older. I believe that digestion, circulation and skin care (inside and out) are paramount for maintaining one's health as well as healthy appearance.
I'm just glad there are resources like EDS and wonderful people who are willing to share rather than be closed about their knowledge. It's gives us a huge advantage to being TOLD what to use/like/believe by the powers that be (doctors, pharma companies, skin care companies, etc.).
So, I feel very fortunate and no, not interested in going back to the old ways. My nostalgia is tinted with reality! |
_________________
42; medium, warm-toned; large pores prone to congestion; oily; using Karin Herzog exclusively right now!  |
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Thu Oct 05, 2006 9:35 am |
| I completely agree with the original poster. I am 34 and have taken care of my skin and have used sunscreen. My mother at 34 didn't do either one. I am so many lines on my face and my mom didn't really show many signs of aging until this past year at 60. Now she has the sagging and the lines. I think the skincare I'm using now helps, but we'll see when I'm 60. |
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Thu Oct 05, 2006 12:03 pm |
| My mom just turned 62 and she looks wonderful! She used Ponds cold cream! She uses a much better advanced line now though. We have alot more options now and the internet is amazing for info. I do think we obsess about our skin, I don't think my mom had time to obsess about her skin. Families were started earlier than (in general, not spaeaking for everyone-so please take no offense)now. I'm 34 and just now trying to get pregnant and my mom had all my sibling by the age of 31. |
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Thu Oct 05, 2006 12:39 pm |
I guess my biggest gripe is, people now are so overwhelmed with devious marketing that, before they realise they have used stuff that has been awful to their skin, they have caused long term problems.. and I agree that we definitely have much more advantage in terms of knowledge/scientific advancement.. but most of the time we tend to go for things that are popular to well marketed. HECK It took me almost 4-5 years of constantly changing products before I even found something that worked, and that was only because I was always searching for the answers and didn't want to put up with problems.
Plus, my diet is probably somewhat 200% worse than what my parents and grandparents had, though theirs lacked nutrition and variety but it wasn't laden with processed and refined carbs, sugars and fats. |
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Thu Oct 05, 2006 2:07 pm |
| manslayerliz wrote: |
When I see people on TV on shows like Survivor, etc, all I think think about is "So much skin damage!!!"
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I do exactly the same thing. 
I love Survivor but am constantly thinking they need a wide brimmed hat etc etc.
My grandmother has absolutley beautiful skin - she has the lines that you would expect but her skin is really lovely.
She has only ever used Ponds Cream all of her life.
I do think sunscreen is the real answer to many skin problems and premature ageing. |
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Thu Oct 05, 2006 5:31 pm |
| Well, I think it has a lot to do stress and food we are eating nowadays. My mom has a better skin than mine too. But I think part of it is because I inherited my dad's gene. And the other part is because I am more stressful than her and eating more greasy and sugary food. |
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maryjane
New Member
 
Joined: 05 Oct 2006
Posts: 7
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Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:14 pm |
| I would say that we are in the modern world now and we have to agree that everything changes and our mother before that that dont take any medication or anything on their skin. But to tell you the truth life then is not so stressful like now that we really have to work 8 hours a day and then drive 3 from home to work. o life changes and lifestyle cahnges too. So I would say that we really need to take good care of ourselves as well. |
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Fri Oct 06, 2006 7:23 am |
| Quote: |
manslayerliz wrote:
When I see people on TV on shows like Survivor, etc, all I think think about is "So much skin damage!!!"
I do exactly the same thing. |
Well, don't lose too much sleep over it because I read a newsletter by the doctor over on http://www.dermadoctor.com and she interviewed one of the participants and apparantly sunscreen is one of the few things that they are supplied with while they're on the island. I wonder which one they use? Though the interview led me to believe the participants only used it to stop burning and had no idea that tanning was damaging. 
I must say I breathed a sigh of relief too when I heard that they had the option to use SS at least! |
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