by | | Curated Content
January 15th 2024
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Your face called — it wants to shed a little skin. But before you break out the apricot scrub, let’s dive into the world of exfoliation to reveal the secrets of radiant skin.
Read on for everything you need to know about exfoliating, including how often you should do it depending on your skin type.
Exfoliation 101: Physical vs. chemical
Whether you’re new to exfoliating your face or just need a refresh, here’s what you need to know about your two basic options for safely shedding dead skin off your gorgeous face.
Physical exfoliation
Also known as manual or mechanical exfoliation, physical exfoliation involves using a tool and some effort to remove dead skin. You can use an exfoliating face brush (the electric spinning ones you see everywhere) for your face or opt for a loofah or body brush for body exfoliation. Or, opt for microdermabrasion or a dermaplaning sesh.
If tools aren’t your thing, you can physically exfoliate by using a scrub designed for the face, or you can make your own!
Chemical
Exfoliating with chemicals is not as extreme as it sounds. Some of the best chemical exfoliants include all-star ingredients like alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs), or retinol. You can prob find them in any beauty store, drugstore, or major retailer.
Enzyme exfoliants are also a top-notch option. Look out for bromelain (from pineapple), papain (from papaya), and cranberry enzymes.
If you want to kick things up a notch, you can visit a licensed esthetician for a professional chemical peel. These peels speed up exfoliation to reveal even smoother, brighter skin.
Benefits of exfoliating
Wondering if exfoliating your face is worth it? Check out these benefits:
- smoother, brighter skin
- improved texture
- unclogged pores (fewer breakouts)
- better absorption of your skin care products
Now, let’s get into how often to do it based on your skin type.
Normal skin
If you’re blessed with “normal” skin (read: not oily, dry, acne-prone, combo, or sensitive), then you have some options to play with.
Test out both physical and chemical exfoliants (on different days, spaced out, OFC) and see which option gives you the glowiest results.
You can probably stick to exfoliating just twice weekly, too. No need to get heavy-handed here.
Combination skin
Dry and oily at the same time? Relateable. You can get creative to give your skin the custom exfoliation job it craves.
For example, an oily t-zone is very common and can benefit from either a physical or chemical exfoliator. You can also just skip the rest of your non-oily zones and exfoliate those spots less often with a more gentle exfoliator (like a non-intense AHA).
Go ahead and hit those oily spots up to three times weekly (as your skin tolerates) and give the more dry spots some days off.
Oily skin
Feel free to use a physical exfoliator product, oily peeps. As a bonus, oily skin is the only skin type with the green light for extra exfoliation days. Why? Exfoliating oily skin helps prevent your pores from clogging up and leading to acne.
The exact number of exfoliation days will come down to what your skin can tolerate. If you’re noticing redness, irritation, or peeling, knock it down a day or two, but you can aim for every other day if your oily skin doesn’t mind.
Psst. Acne-prone babes, check out these options for treating acne (spoiler alert: it’s a lot of chemical exfoliants like retinoids, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid).
Takeaway
Exfoliation is a delicate dance between you and your skin.
Some skin types can benefit from extra exfoliation days (we’re talking to you, oily and combo folks), but generally, a couple of times a week is enough for most skin types.
Your skin may prefer a chemical exfoliant to a physical scrub. If you notice redness, irritation, and peeling, your skin is trying to tell you it either needs a few days off or is more partial to one type of exfoliant over another.
P.S. Shop our favorite facial exfoliators by skin type here.
Read the full article here:
https://greatist.com/health/how-often-should-you-exfoliate-your-face
by | | Curated Content
January 12th 2024
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Do your guts just seem to get cranky, even though you’ve been treating your insides well? Can you tell that you’ve got to go, but your colon seems to have other ideas? You might have IBS-C. This is a subtype of IBS, with constipation as the main symptom.
In addition to the discomfort of being backed up, IBS-C can also cause gas, bloating, and abdominal pain. These symptoms can greatly affect your quality of life. When your gut doesn’t feel well, neither do you
Here’s what you need to know about these symptoms, how to manage them, and when to see a doctor.
What is abdominal bloating and distention?
As many as 18% of people globally have some form of IBS. IBS has four subcategories, based on their predominant stool pattern:
- mostly diarrhea (IBS-D)
- mostly constipation (IBS-C)
- alternating diarrhea and constipation (IBS-mixed or IBS-M)
- symptoms that can’t be defined by the above patterns (undefined or IBS-U)
Most people with IBS, up to 96%, experience bloating. But people with IBS-C tend to feel more abdominal pain and bloating than those with IBS-D.
According to a 2016 survey, bloating was the most common symptom of IBS-C, reported by 80% of participants. This was followed by:
- excessive gas (71.3%)
- abdominal discomfort (64.3%)
- abdominal pain (29.1%)
People with IBS-C also said abdominal bloating was the most bothersome symptom, and it greatly impacted their quality of life. Bloating is a feeling of gassiness and pressure. Some people with bloating also experience distension, which involves swelling and expansion of the belly.
What causes bloating, gas, and pain?
The causes of these IBS-C symptoms may differ from person to person. But here are a few potential culprits.
Small intestine bacterial overgrowth
Small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) occurs when there’s an increase in bacteria growth in the small intestine. It can cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and diarrhea. It can also drive gas production when carbohydrates are fermented in the colon. Up to 78% of people with IBS also have SIBO.
Gut microbiome
The gut microbiome refers to the bacteria, viruses, and fungi found in your digestive tract. Changes in the gut microbiome might be causing your bloating or abdominal discomfort.
More research is needed to determine what bacteria, or lack thereof, might contribute to these symptoms. However, researchers note that people with IBS who experience bloating tend to have lower levels of certain types of bacteria.
Motility issues
Motility issues may also be leading to feeling bloated or like you’re having a food baby.
Muscles in your digestive tract contract to move foods and waste through the tract. But sometimes, this motility is slowed or impaired. People with IBS-C who also have slower motility exhibit more abdominal distention than those who have a more average rate of motility.
Pelvic floor dysfunction
Pelvic floor dysfunction involves miscoordination and miscommunication between muscles and nerves in the pelvis. This dysfunction can cause issues with emptying your bowel, and a full bowel can lead to bloating, distention, and abdominal discomfort.
Abdominophrenic dyssynergia
Abdominophrenic dyssynergia (APD) involves the simultaneous contraction of the diaphragm and the relaxation of the abdominal wall.
In people without APD, an increase in the contents of the digestive tract causes a relaxation of both the diaphragm and the abdominal wall to help accommodate the added volume. In APD, the diaphragm contracts and descends, causing distention.
Research has found that APD contributes to distension in a number of gut-related conditions, including IBS.
Visceral hypersensitivity
Visceral hypersensitivity (VH) is pain in your visceral organs when they’re performing their usual functions, such as digesting food. VH may contribute to bloating via the complex relationship between the gut and brain.
It’s been reported that anywhere from 33–90% of people with IBS have VH, though it’s more common in IBS-D. People with VH may experience more severe IBS symptoms than people without VH.
How to prevent these symptoms
Your go-to methods for preventing bloating, gas, and abdominal pain with IBS-C will be unique to your specific situation and what might be causing your symptoms. But a few methods may help.
Taking a probiotic may help if your symptoms are related to changes in the gut microbiome, for example.
If you have APD, a natural preventive option such as practicing diaphragmatic breathing after eating may help. To do this, place one hand on your belly and one on your chest. Inhale slowly and focus on expanding your belly with each breath, rather than your chest.
Laxatives may help with motility issues. You should speak with your doctor about the type of laxative that would best fit your needs and how to properly take it. Some laxatives are only for occasional or short-term use.
Certain laxatives may lead to electrolyte imbalances in certain people. And some can temporarily increase bloating, leading to worsening symptoms.
Dietary changes can also help. You may choose to eliminate artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols, which can cause bloating.
A non-celiac gluten sensitivity can also cause abdominal discomfort, so you might want to ask your doctor if you should try a gluten-elimination diet to see if your symptoms improve. Research suggests a low-FODMAP diet, one that’s low in fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides, can help.
When to see a doctor
You should see a doctor if your bloating, abdominal pain, or gas symptoms have become chronic issues that are impacting your quality of life or if you’ve tried a host of preventive options and they aren’t working for you.
Your doctor may perform an exam, such as a colonoscopy, or order lab tests or imaging tests. Based on findings, they may prescribe you a medication.
Some people may need an antibiotic to help with gut microbiome issues. Other people might need an antispasmodic to help counteract spasms in the gut that may lead to bloating, distention, and discomfort.
Your doctor may also prescribe a medication specifically for IBS:
- Secretagogues help increase intestinal secretions, which can keep waste moving and ease symptoms. They may also help ease pain, discomfort, and bloating. They include:
- lubiprostone (Amitiza)
- linaclotide (Linzess)
- plecanatide (Trulance)
- Retainagogues block the GI tract’s absorption of sodium from foods and drinks to increase water retention in the intestines. They may also help ease symptoms such as pain and bloating. Tenapanor (Ibsrela) is the first medication in this class.
Other potential causes of pain and bloating
IBS-C is a common cause of abdominal pain and bloating. But other conditions can cause these symptoms, too. These include:
Some of these conditions may coexist with IBS. If you’re experiencing abdominal discomfort, it’s important to speak with your doctor to determine the cause.
Read the full article here:
https://greatist.com/health/ibs-c-bloating-gas-pain
