RAPID SKIN AND HAIR RECOVERY

A long winter period, stress, poor sleep and nutrition, inflammatory processes – all this does not pass without a trace for the hair and skin of the face. A healthy glow, tone, and firmness are replaced by dryness, redness, and wrinkles. 

Fortunately, in a duet with competent doctor’s prescriptions, modern cosmetology can restore the skin and hair to their former beauty and healthy appearance. 

The main “enemies” of beautiful skin and hair

The condition of the skin and hair deteriorates due to several factors. As a rule, the following aspects interfere with skin regeneration (natural recovery process):

• Stress.
• Scientists have long proved the relationship between skin and stress: when the body is under emotional stress, the nervous system sends alarm signals to skin cells. In response, they produce their stress mediators. This process can be traced when acne and fine wrinkles appear on the face, rosacea, and rosacea become aggravated when the skin begins to suffer from dehydration and dryness. 
• Stress is also one of the main causes of hair loss and the appearance of gray hair. Columbia University research has proven that cortisol (the stress hormone) harms the hair growth cycle and the functioning of the hair follicle. 
• Oxidative stress.
• Oxidative (oxidative) stress is a sharp activation of oxidative processes against the background of insufficient functioning of the antioxidant system, which should neutralize free radicals. They are dangerous because they can damage various molecules, including DNA. Under oxidative stress, the skin’s structure and cell regeneration are disrupted, collagen-elastin fibers are destroyed, and inflammatory processes progress. This leads to premature aging, the appearance of early wrinkles, brittle hair, and even alopecia. 
• Wrong nutrition.
• This definition refers to nutrition in which the body does not receive all the necessary elements for a normal life. For example, a lack of protein in the diet significantly reduces the synthesis of elastin, collagen, and keratin – the skeleton of the skin and hair. Using flour and sweets immediately entails inflammatory processes, such as acne.   
• Deficiency of nutrients. 
• The beauty of hair and facial skin is directly proportional to the content of useful substances in the body. For example, B vitamins activate blood circulation and the synthesis of cell structures. Vitamins A, C, and E – are antioxidants that protect the skin from premature aging and the effects of UV rays; they regenerate the skin and prevent inflammatory reactions. Vitamin F contributes to preserving moisture in all dermis layers, does not allow it to evaporate actively, and is responsible for restoring the natural lipid layer. Therefore, with a deficiency of certain elements, excessive dryness of the skin, peeling, redness, swelling, thinning, and thinning of the hair is observed. 
• Inflammatory and viral diseases.
• Many felt the symptoms of post-covid syndrome: weakness, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and complete or partial loss of taste and smell. This list is supplemented with high regularity by hair loss (3-4 months after the onset of the disease), papules on the face, dryness, and pallor of the skin, itching, and peeling. 
• Wrong care. 
• Using skin care products without skin type, squeaky washing, irregular moisturizing, lack of sun protection, and alcohol lotion abuse – thins the skin’s protective barrier, making it weak and prone to damage. 
• Passive lifestyle. 
• Lack of physical activity leads to congestion in the body. Accordingly, lymph flow and blood circulation are disturbed. And after this, puffiness, dark circles under the eyes, fine wrinkles appear, and hair begins to fall out with greater intensity. 

The most common skin and hair problems

Deterioration of the internal work of the body and aggressive external factors instantly affect the condition of the skin of the face and hair.

You may notice the following symptoms appear:

• dull and uneven tone;
• dryness;
• a feeling of tightness;
• hypersensitivity;
• enlarged pores;
• acne
• redness;
• rosacea;
• mimic wrinkles;
• dark circles under the eyes;
• Swelling.

As for hair, you may be concerned about the following: 

• split ends; 
• dandruff;
• itching of the head;
• excessive fat at the roots;
• Increased hair loss.

How to start restoring the skin of the face and hair

If you want to feel the improvement in the skin and hair condition shortly, then you can not do without the following points.

1. Consult a doctor and undergo the necessary examinations. 
2. The condition of your skin and hair directly reflects your inner state. Therefore, when their quality deteriorates, it is very important to pay attention to the course of various processes in the body. A general practitioner or anti-aging doctor can help you with this. At the appointment, the specialist will collect data about your condition and disturbing symptoms, prescribe tests and, if necessary, refer you to a narrower specialist (cosmetologist, dermatologist). 
3. Normalize your diet.
4. First, correcting the daily diet should begin with rejecting foods that cause glycation and inflammatory response. These include products, drinks, dishes, and desserts with a lot of sugar (carbonated drinks, cakes, pastries, sweets), fast food, fatty and salty foods, pastries, sushi, and rolls. Such foods are useless for the life of the body. They contain simple carbohydrates, fats, and sugar, contributing to fluid retention and weight gain. In response, the skin reacts with various rashes, swelling, decreased tone, and elasticity. 
5. When the appearance of skin and hair ceases to please, you should also be wary of dairy products. A large percentage of modern people have congenital or acquired lactose intolerance. You can recognize it by increased gas formation, bloating and pain in the abdomen, nausea, and diarrhea after drinking dairy products (including milk-based coffee, for example, cappuccino and latte). 
6. Proper nutrition does not mean that you need to adhere to strict restrictions. It is enough to hear true (not emotional) hunger and select food based on its beneficial properties. So the daily diet should include foods rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These include fresh seasonal vegetables, fruits, chicken, turkey, greens, fish, nuts, avocados, cereals, and chia seeds. 
7. Start leading a healthy lifestyle. 
8. Quality sleep, physical activity, compliance with the drinking regime – all these factors are of great importance in the body’s functioning, which means they control the health of the skin and hair. 
9. Scientific studies have proven that lack of sleep disrupts the stem cells of the epithelial hair follicles. Accordingly, the hair becomes more fragile, thin, and prone to falling.

Care and cosmetics

The rules for good home care are: it must be regular and multi-staged and meet the skin and hair requirements. 

Every day, the skin of the face and head are tested: the environment pollutes the pores, resulting in the cells not receiving enough oxygen and nutrients. 

Skincare should consist of several stages:

1. Makeup removal. Facial cleansing is best done with micellar water or hydrophilic oil. The composition should not contain aggressive substances, including alcohol. 
2. Toning. If you have oily skin, choose products that contain zinc. If your skin is prone to redness and peeling, then chamomile should be in the composition. 
3. Hydration. This stage is aimed at restoring the hydrolipidic balance of the skin. We recommend choosing a light texture cream containing softening and regenerating components (hyaluronic acid, glycerin, vitamins E and C, ceramides, aloe vera, chlorella, and rose extract). A separate fluid should be purchased for the area around the eyes – so the likelihood of swelling and dark circles will be less. 
4. Exfoliation. About 2-3 times a week it is very important to scrub the skin. Choose products with soft particles so as not to harm the skin. Exfoliation is an important step in skin care, as removing dead skin particles benefits microcirculation, giving the skin a fresh, healthy look. 
5. UV protection. Solar radiation is not selective, it is active both in summer and winter. Therefore, if you do not want to be the owner of early age spots, we recommend that you protect your face with a thin mantle of protective cream before going outside. In winter, the SPF factor should be at least 10-15, and in summer – 35-50. 
6. Serum application. Serum differs from cream in a more concentrated composition of nutrients. This product is more of an additional than basic care. Therefore, it cannot be replaced with a day or night cream. Serums are aimed at solving one specific problem, so their effect on the skin can be called narrowly targeted. 

In intensive hair restoration, it is also important to follow some cosmetic tips:

1. Shampoo, like face cream, must be suitable for the scalp type. Otherwise, the result of washing may have the opposite effect: dandruff, dryness, and increased sebum production will appear.
2. In addition to shampoo, choose not only conditioner but also a regenerating mask. For maximum effect, use it at least two times a week.
3. If your hair suffers from dryness or brittleness, you should look at leave-in care in the form of milk, mousse, oil, or spray.
4. Use thermal protection. Due to the active components in the form of silicones, vitamins, and amino acids, thermal protective agents “envelop” the hair, protecting it from damage by high temperatures. 

Cosmetic procedures for hair restoration

We highlight several effective methods for improving hair quality and accelerating its growth.

• Plasma therapy.
• Indicated for: thinning and loss, dull hair color, fungal infections of the scalp, dry and oily seborrhea, inflammation of the sebaceous glands, dryness and flaking, acne, and fine wrinkles. 
• Plasma therapy involves the injection of your blood plasma enriched with platelets. The resulting concentrate contains a high dose of stem cells that benefit skin regeneration processes. Patients loved the procedure for its hypoallergenic and minimal trauma. 
• Plasma therapy activates the mechanism of intercellular metabolism, due to which natural rejuvenation processes are launched in the skin. The hair becomes more well-groomed, dense, and thick within a few weeks.  
• Mesotherapy. 
• It is indicated for the appearance of prematurely gray hair, split hair, dullness, dandruff, deterioration of hair quality after dyeing/perm, swelling, dark circles under the eyes, reduced skin turgor, acne, rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis. 
• Mesotherapy is one of the most popular and versatile procedures in aesthetic medicine. Special meso-cocktails are introduced into the skin of the face and head, consisting of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, peptides, and hyaluronic acid. As a result, medicinal preparations are directly delivered to skin cells and hair follicles. 
• Laser therapy.
• It is indicated for spider veins, scars, stretch marks, pigmentation, and alopecia.
• The technique of laser hair and facial skin restoration can be prescribed as a single procedure or in combination with other techniques to achieve maximum results. Heating the skin with a laser improves lymph flow and blood flow, activates metabolic processes, awakens dormant bulbs, restores damaged hair, and normalizes the functioning of the sebaceous glands. 

For a successful result, it is very important to strictly follow the schedule of procedures drawn up by the cosmetologist. 

Brief conclusions

Thus, a comprehensive recovery should begin with lifestyle changes. Often, household factors and the neglect of the principles of healthy sleep, nutrition, and care have an adverse effect on the quality of skin and hair. 

List of used literature

1. A. N. Margolin “New cosmetology.”
2. F. Harhe “Pharmacology in mesotherapy.” 
3.  Trueb RM. Oxidative stress in aging of hair. Int J Trichology.
4. Nancy R Rodriguez, Introduction to Protein Summit 2.0: continued exploration of the impact of high-quality protein on optimal health, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.