Saturday, June 28, 2014

FDA CAUTIONS AGAINST BRAND OTC PRODUCTS FOR ACNE




FDA has warned against use of many over the counter (OTC) products which claim to treat acne and similar skin disorders.  It has expressed concern that such OTC products can cause “rare but serious and potentially life threatening” allergic reactions, or severe irritation. These products are being marketed by big companies under various brand names such as “ProActive”, “Neutrogena”, “Max Clarity”, “Oxy”, Ambi”, “Aveeno” and “Clean and Clear”.  FDA has warned that these products are sold as gels, lotions, face wash, solutions, cleansing pads, face scrubs and by other names.

FDA says it is continuing to monitor and evaluate this safety issue and will be working with the manufacturers for possible changes in the labels of such products so that consumers are protected from potential risks.  Healthcare professionals have also been advised to stop using these products and seek quick medical attention if consumers experience any hyper sensitivity reactions like swelling of the face, eyes, lips and other parts.

In order to capture of the growing acne products market, big companies have begun to focus their marketing efforts on such products. The global market for acne products is estimated to reach $ 3.02 billion by 2016. Dr. Paul Mouser, of Ashland, has observed “consumers are forever seeking to perfect the look of their skin, but so many have to struggle with acne on a daily basis. Over 90% of the population will at some time during their lives be affected by it.”


The R&D team at HERBALLY RADIANT has also witnessed growing number of customers with acne problems.  In order to seek a safe and effective formula, it experimented with new organic ingredients for quicker and effective relief in acne cases. Now it has launched its own brand of CLEAN range: Cleanser, Toner, Serum and Scrub specially geared to address acne and similar skin disorders. It has been noticed that such problems are mostly faced by women having sensitive skin, or even due to any hormonal imbalance.  In all such cases, certain natural ingredients, especially tea tree essential oil, azadirachta indica, rosemarinus officinalis, aloe barbadrnsis, jojoba oil, combined with vitamin E, have produced amazing results.  The CLEAN range products have received excellent reviews, and can be ordered (free shipping) through online : www.herballyradiant.com.

The CLEAN serum, especially formulated for acne relief, contains high level of antioxidants with rooibos tea, organic aloe vera, DMAE and MSM, and  has been found to be an excellent remedy.  CLEAN products are very skin-friendly, making the skin texture soft and smooth, revitalizing the skin and  creating a youthful glow.
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Thursday, June 19, 2014

"EXAGGERATED" CLAIMS BY ANTIAGING SKIN CARE PRODUCTS


 As vigilant regulator of marketing of skin care products in, FDA has been issuing warnings and alerts about the unverifiable claims made by large number of manufacturers of skin care products, particularly the anti-aging and anti-wrinkle creams, serums, moisturizers, masks or such lotions.

FDA issued another Import Alert last month citing its concern that “there are numerous skin care products on the market with exaggerated “anti aging” claims which cause the products to be unapproved new drugs.

Giving examples of such exaggerated claims, FDA refers to the marketing claims: “the products counteract, retard or control the aging process. Claims that the product will “rejuvenate”, “repair”, or “restructure” the skin may also be drug claims.

The market is getting flooded with such products, many of which are imported into US.  Most of the chemical or petro-based face creams and similar products, in effect, just spread a coating, creating an impression of nourishing the skin. Such creams or lotions affect the natural function of the skin itself which is to repair any damage to it due to factors like sun damage or external pollutants. 

We at Herbally Radiant have therefore been advising consumers to look into the labels and satisfy themselves with the kind of ingredients that they would like to use on their body and face.  Just going by the unverifiable claims by the manufacturers of such products could be potentially harmful to the skin. It is, therefore, safer and beneficial to apply natural organic skin care products. Skin being the largest organ of body needs right nutrients, more for its natural health than for the cosmetic reasons alone. 

Unlike petroleum or chemical-based products, the organic ingredients, in the form of fine molecules of natural nutrients get absorbed into the skin – two per cent of what we apply on our skin finds its way to our blood stream. Thus the important ingredients in such formulations which are rich nutrients for improving firmness, elasticity and resilience of the skin, making the skin texture soft and smooth, can be safely and more usefully applied by consumers.


Friday, June 6, 2014

FDA MEASURES TO REGULATE TANNING DEVICES ARE WELCOME



FDA has now put in place precautionary measures to address heightened concerns on use of sunlamps used in tanning salons. FDA rightly feels that additional warnings are needed to educate consumers about the potential risks involved like skin cancer.

Consumer advocates and medical groups like American Academy of Dermatology and others were quick to praise the FDA for the latest move. It referred to statistics that 2.3 million teens tan indoors annually, and that the risk of developing melanoma increases by 59 percent for people exposed to UV radiation through indoor tanning. Director of FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological health (Jeffrey Shure) remarked: Repeated UV exposure from sunlamp products poses a risk of skin cancer for all users – but the highest risk for skin cancer is among young, under the age of 18, and people with family history of skin cancer.

“Restricting teens’ access to indoor tanning is critical to preventing skin cancer,” the group’s president, dermatologist Brett M. Coldiron, said in a statement. “Therefore, we will continue to communicate to the FDA the need for stricter regulations on the use and sale of indoor tanning devices for minors under the age of 18.”

FDA had announced its intention to move forward with stricter regulations on sunlamps after it received a multitude of comments from patient groups, health professionals and the tanning industry, which has said it take safety seriously but worries about unnecessary and burdensome new regulations.
The agency is reclassifying the tanning devices  from “low risk” to “moderate risk,” a designation that will require manufacturers to demonstrate to regulators that their products meet certain standards before they are allowed to market them.

In addition, sunlamps used in tanning salons now must include a black-box warning stating that anyone under the age of 18 should steer clear of the products. Marketing materials for the devices also will have to include details about their potential cancer risks, as well as a recommendation that frequent users of tanning beds should get regular checks for skin cancer, given their repeated exposure to UV radiation.
Tans are caused by harmful ultra violet (UV) radiation from sun or tanning lamps. Both can cause DNA damage to skin.  Many studies have linked Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, to use of indoor tanning. 

As a promoter of healthy skin, HERBALLY RADIANT has been highlighting the fact that there is no such thing as healthy tanning. Indoor tanning provides a sun protection factor of about 3, against the recommended level of at least 15 SPF.  Indoor tanning is designed to give you high levels of UV radiation in a short time.  We have been advising customers to protect skin from possible damage from sun or indoor tanning which could lead to premature skin aging, like wrinkles and spots, changes in skin texture.  One should apply sunscreen for protection with 30 SPF level which is much safer.
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Tuesday, June 3, 2014

LIVING LONG AND LIVING WELL ALSO IMPLY GOOD HEALTHY APPEARANCE



A review in NY Times of the book by Prof. Jonathan Silvertown at Britain’s Open University, Dr.               makes interesting observations, on the biological question of longevity. Basically, Prof. Silvertown points out: The puzzle of longevity is not why we die so soon but rather why we live so long. 

According to Prof. Silvertown, for most of history, living creatures were single cells that reproduced by dividing. But once evolution produced multicellularity, reproduction and survival were separated, and hemmed in by new risk-benefit calculations. Cell division had to persist for purposes of reproduction and repair, but it also had to be controlled, for uncontrolled division means cancer – a brutal reminder that long life is a precarious achievement. Therefore, human beings, though probably limited to less than a century, are still a particularly lucky conglomeration of organic matter in life’s long mortal parade.

Life span is inextricably linked to nutrition, environment and genetics, all operating under an evolutionary mandate to optimize the species. Over the last century, human life span has increased by nearly a quarter. However, further studies and efforts continue to engage the scientific community for everybody demands more from life. 

We feel that more than the span of life, it is the quality of living which should matter first. Exercise, good diet, emotional balance and pollution-free environment would go a long way in living well. At the same time, from the point of view of the need to maintain good appearance and looks, we would add that it is also essential to abstain from in-organic or chemical-based products for taking care of skin. We have been pointing out the potential harm caused by toxins contained in those products which contain synthetically created ingredients. Under the glare of aggressive publicity, most of the consumers tend to use these products.

Just like good nourishing food to body, the natural organic ingredients in skin care products provide the best nutrients to any skin. In the case of elderly, whose aging skin becomes vulnerable to all kinds of pollution or other damage, adhering to skin-friendly natural products is most essential. HERBALLY RADIANT products, which have high organic content, are specially designed to infuse the skin with much needed nourishment. The concentrated organic ingredients provide most unique level of natural energy, creating an enriched oxygen layer on the skin, thus purifying and deep cleansing it, while stimulating blood flow, rehydrating and nourishing skin in long lasting effective manner. 

So, living long, and living well, are both important aspects.  Living well implies good healthy appearance which is through the skin, the largest organ of the body.
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