Paula’sChoice.com
I have noticed that a lot of you have been searching for information on skin discoloration.  I found this article on Paula’s Choice.  She is very well-informed, and usually unbiased.  In this article she talks about skin discoloration by way of lighter spots (for some) and darker spots (for others).  It is a very detailed article which explains how melanin affects the skin, and she goes into greater depth by explaining different types of treatments that are available like Hydroquinone, topical treatments, and sunscreen.  According to Paula:

"Regardless of your ethnic background or skin color, eventually most of us will struggle with some kind of brown or ashen pigmentation problem. Skin will either appear lighter or darker than normal in concentrated areas, or you may notice blotchy, uneven patches of brown to gray discoloration or freckling. Skin pigmentation disorders occur because the body produces either too much or too little melanin. Melanin is the pigment produced by specific cells (melanocytes). It is triggered by an enzyme called tyrosinase, which creates the color of our skin, eyes, and hair. (Melanin actually has two major forms that combine to create varying skin tones.  Eumelanin produces a range of brown skin and hair color, while pheomelanin imparts a yellow to reddish hue.)

As far as skin is concerned, depending on how much is present, melanin does provide some amount of sun protection by absorbing the sun’s ultraviolet light.  This explains why darker skin colors are less susceptible to sunburn and the overall effects of sun damage. But less susceptible doesn’t mean immune from problems."  Read More

MedicineNet.com
MONDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) — A combination of two abnormal factors cause the common inflammatory skin condition rosacea, a new U.S. study says.

Rosacea, a chronic condition that causes facial redness, affects about 14 million Americans.  Triggers — such as heat, alcohol, spicy foods and embarrassment — that can worsen the condition are well known.  But this is the first study to identify the actual cause of rosacea, the researchers said.  The researchers concluded that overproduction of two interactive inflammatory proteins leads to excessive levels of a third protein that causes rosacea symptoms.

"Too much SCTE (stratum corneum tryptic enzymes) and too much cathelicidin leads to the abnormal peptides that cause the symptoms of this disease," team leader Dr. Richard L. Gallo, professor of medicine and chief of the division of dermatology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement.

"Antibiotics tend to alleviate the symptoms of rosacea in patients, because some of them work to inhibit these enzymes.  Our findings may modify the therapeutic approach to treating rosacea, since bacteria aren’t the right target," said Gallo.  The study results were published in the Aug. 5 online edition of the journal Nature Medicine.

— Robert Preidt

DailyBeauty.com
Recently, a lot of attention has been given to the idea of green wavelengths of light for use in treating mild to severe acne.  A recent report in the Cosmetic Dermatology journal examines the use of phytodynamic therapy (PDT) using a 532 nm (nanometer) green light laser, which involves the application of a light-sensitive agent prior to treatment. (Green light has already been proven effective for treating spider veins and pigmented lesions.)  While questions remain about the optimal light source, PDT agent, number of treatments and other factors, green light is poised to present a viable acne treatment option. Initial findings show that green light has a positive effect with regulating bacterial and sebaceous gland activity, both of which lead to acne.  However, more studies are necessary to set the specific treatment guidelines.

MedicalNewsToday.com

If sagging skin is getting you down, recent advances in skin-tightening technologies can lift your spirits and your skin in a matter of a few office visits to your dermatologist.    The beauty of these non-invasive procedures is their ability to treat loose skin virtually anywhere on the body without the risks and downtime associated with surgery.

Speaking today at the American Academy of Dermatology’s Summer Academy Meeting 2007, dermatologist David J. Goldberg, MD, JD, FAAD, clinical professor of dermatology and director of laser research at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, N.Y., discussed the rapidly expanding area of skin-tightening techniques and how they can safely and effectively treat sagging skin on the jowls, neck, arms, and stomach, as well as cellulite.

"The monopolar radiofrequency (RF) technology, which was introduced five years ago and which is credited as the first non-surgical skin-tightening device, has been the catalyst for what is now an explosion in non-invasive skin tightening with different technologies and areas of the body that we can treat," said Dr. Goldberg.  "Originally used to lift the eyebrows, monopolar RF was found to be effective in tightening the jowls and neck area with its unique approach of cooling the outer layer of skin while heating the deeper layers to cause tightening. This basic principle is what shaped many of the latest skin-tightening technologies."  Read More 

SkinCareTalks.com
Rosacea vitamins and supplements can be very helpful in controlling your symptoms. Long term use of supplements and vitamins can control symptoms over the long term and help prevent future attacks.  Rosacea is characterized as a chronic skin disease that causes small blood vessels to become visible on the face, resulting in redness and swelling of the cheeks, chin, and forehead, bumps or pimples on the face, and itchy or watery eyes.  Since Rosacea is a chronic condition, Rosacea vitamins and supplements should be continued for an indefinite period of time. Vitamins A and B are effective in controlling Rosacea symptoms, but may need to be taken over a period of a month or more before results are noticeable.

Vitamin C, minerals, and fatty acids may be added to your vitamin regimen if necessary. All Rosacea vitamins and supplements can be taken along with any prescription treatments you may use.  Rosacea begins subtly, and you may not realize you have the disease until the symptoms become painful or severe. Taking control of your Rosacea is imperative if you want to control your outbreaks and symptoms over the long term.

MedicineNet.com
Vitiligo (vit-ill-EYE-go) is a pigmentation disorder in which melanocytes (the cells that make pigment) in the skin are destroyed. As a result, white patches appear on the skin in different parts of the body. Similar patches also appear on both the mucous membranes (tissues that line the inside of the mouth and nose), and the retina (inner layer of the eyeball). The hair that grows on areas affected by vitiligo sometimes turns white.

The cause of vitiligo is not known, but doctors and researchers have several different theories. There is strong evidence that people with vitiligo inherit a group of three genes that make them susceptible to depigmentation. The most widely accepted view is that the depigmentation occurs because vitiligo is an autoimmune disease—a disease in which a person’s immune system reacts against the body’s own organs or tissues. As such, people’s bodies produce proteins called cytokines that alter their pigment-producing cells and cause these cells to die. Another theory is that melanocytes destroy themselves. Finally, some people have reported that a single event such as sunburn or emotional distress triggered vitiligo; however, these events have not been scientifically proven as causes of vitiligo.  Read More

Also visit AntiVitiligo.com 

TreeHugger.com

Though we may not like the idea, there’s a good chance that we’ve all been the beneficiaries of animal testing at some point in our lives.  Nowhere is this more true than in the world of cosmetics, chemicals and drugs where it is common for tens of thousands of various animals to undergo lab trials each and every year.

Yet help is on the way: a team of researchers at L’Orèal have just invented an artificial skin, dubbed "Episkin," that may soon take the place of all those beleaguered creatures in future trials.  Grown from cells obtained from the top layer of pieces of skin, Episkin can be manipulated and adapted based on the tester’s needs: it can be made to resemble older skin, can be made to tan and, by using donor cells from women of different ethnicities, can assess the efficiency of sunscreen for various skin tones.  Read More

Medicinenet.com
Ringworm is a common skin disorder otherwise known as tinea that can affect the skin on the body (tinea corporis), the scalp (tinea captitis), the feet (tinea pedis, or athlete’s foot), or the groin (tinea cruris, or "jock itch").  Ringworm is not, as its name suggests, caused by a worm.  It is caused by a fungal infection of the skin, and the fungi responsible for the infection are known as dermatophytes.  The fungi that cause ringworm tend to grow in warm, moist areas of the body, such as areas of frequent sweating.  Most commonly, ringworm results in itchy, scaly, and reddened skin and bald patches if the scalp or beard areas are involved.  The infection is highly contagious and is passed from person to person through direct skin contact or via contact with contaminated items such as toilet articles, clothing, and even by contaminated shower or pool surfaces.  Read More