Body Basics

A New Look at Skin Care from the Neck Down

Summer is finally here. And as the mercury rises, the layers come off. Summer is the time to break loose, comb the beach and bare more skin. However, for those with body conditions like cellulite, stretch marks and body acne, it can also be a time of increased self-consciousness and discomfort.

Fortunately, modern skin care has made considerable advancements in both the diagnosis and treatment of many of the most troublesome body conditions. As we begin to demystify these often misunderstood maladies, we shed light on their potential causes as well as gain clues for better corrective and preventative means.

What Makes Body Conditions Different?

While several conditions, including cellulite and psoriasis, are more commonly thought of as body conditions than facial ones, others, like acne and discoloration, seem to affect both the face and trunk. But despite their sim-ilarities, fundamental differences exist between upper and lower conditions that make separate treatment approaches necessary. Facial skin is typically thinner than body skin, for example. And differences in follicle density also mean that sebaceous (oil-producing) activity is generally higher in the face.

According to Dana Perdue, national director of education for CosMedix, many skin care companies and product developers use these differences to rationalize making weaker, more diluted body products. “While a lot of these body products feel pleasant and smell nice, most do little, if any, real good for the skin,” she explains. “Our approach is more correction-oriented. With the Body Revolution line of products, we’ve taken the most cutting-edge, body-specific active ingredients and applied them to formulas in concentrations typically reserved for the face.”

The result is a truly revolutionary product line that offers real relief from many of the most common body conditions. Here’s a look at a few.

Cellulite

Known as “orange peel” or “cottage cheese skin,” cellulite is a condition that affects the skin’s connective tissue, creating a dimpled, quilted effect, primarily in the legs, thighs and buttocks. It is estimated to affect 85 percent of post-adolescent women and virtually no men. While a singular cause is difficult to pinpoint, it is believed that changes in metabolism, physiology and hormonal activity all contribute to this common condition. Usually forming after adolescence, cellulite occurs when collagen bands within the skin’s web of connective tissue break down, creating empty pockets. Subcutaneous fat, known as adipose, then migrates to fill the abscess. These newly created fatty deposits are responsible for distorting the skin’s shape.

“During puberty, the body begins producing collagen-dissolving enzymes known as mat-rix metalloproteinases (MMPs) to help break down the endometrial lining during mens-truation,” Perdue explains. “Unfortunately, these same enzymes can degrade other collagen structures in body as well. When this happens in the thighs and buttocks, cellulite is a result.”

According to Perdue, effective treatment of cellulite must therefore focus on recovering lost collagen, eliminating excess fat and inhibiting MMPs. “Cellulite is a unique condition that requires a unique approach,” she says. “In addition to encouraging new collagen production, we’ve got to minimize these fatty deposits and introduce MMPIs (matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors) into the skin to curb the breakdown of collagen.”

Products in the CosMedix Body Revolution line contain a unique blend of collagen enhancers, restructuring ingredients and enzyme inhibitors to help diminish the look of unsightly cellulite. Combined with a healthy lifestyle that includes diet and exercise, the collection helps combat this troublesome condition with dramatic results.

Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are a form of scarring caused by tears in the dermis, the layer of skin between the epidermis and lower layer of subcutaneous fat. Often accompanying pregnancy or rapid weight fluctuations, stretch marks occur when the skin stretches faster than fibroblast–collagen and elastin–production can accommodate. As stretched connective fibers split, they often leave reddish or purple streaks, known as striae, that usually fade to a lighter color. While by no means life-threatening, stretch marks can nevertheless carry an emotional burden.

“When it comes to correcting something like stretch marks, we first have to focus on restoring elasticity,” Perdue explains. “That means rebuilding connective tissue.” Utilizing CosMedix’s non-irritating retinol alternative, AGP Complex, Body Rev-olution products encourage healthy collagen and elastin production. With the help of natural exfoliators like lactic, tartaric and malic acids (from milk, wine and apples, respectively) and skin-tightening peptides, firming and exfoliating products within the collection help resurface the affected areas to diminish the appearance of scarring.

Body Acne

As with its facial cousin, the exact causes of body acne are unknown. Genes, hormones, stress, diet and contact irritations are all believed to contribute to its appearance. Characterized by inflammation, redness and the emergence of pustules, body acne, like facial acne, occurs when dead skin cells aren’t properly shed and clog the skin’s sebaceous glands (oil-producing glands that naturally condition the skin). Also complicating the situation is thicker skin, generally larger pores and the fact that, most of the time, the body is covered by clothing.

In conjunction with regular cleansing to decongest pores, Perdue recommends combining concentrated, natural exfoliators with AGP Complex to encourage healthy cell turnover and minimize breakouts. “Because body skin is typically thicker than the skin on your face, you need a concentrated resurfacing regimen.”

She also urges body acne sufferers not to use products containing benzoyl peroxide–a staple ingredient in store-bought and prescription creams. “In addition to causing skin irritation, benzoyl peroxide can also bleach clothes,” she warns.

Sun Damage

Caused by overexposure to the sun’s UV rays (usually during the peak hours of 11am to 3pm), sun damage–also known as photodamage–often produces skin discolorations, increased dermal thinning and scar tissue buildup. More troubling than the visible symptoms is the damage that goes unseen. “UV radiation suppresses the body’s immune system, leaving it vulnerable to harmful free radicals,” Perdue says. “Excessive and repeated exposure can permanently damage skin cell DNA and create an environment conducive for skin cancer.”

In addition to the dramatic resurfacing needed to restore smoothness and draw out discolorations, Perdue stresses the importance of antioxidants in treatment. “Because of the immunosuppression that accompanies UV damage, restoring the body’s antioxidant reserves is a critical step against free radicals.”

With an antioxidant payload containing some of the most potent free radical-fighting ingredients available, Body Revolution targets both the seen and unseen ravages of sun damage to help realize radiant skin through and through.