When looking for skin health, we are often faced with choosing between a variety of different dietary systems.  One such system is the vegan diet.  By eliminating all animal products — meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and even honey —a vegan diet relies solely on plant-based food sources. As a result, a very specific composition of nutrients is delivered to the body, which can significantly affect the skin's condition — both healthy and pathologic. In this context, the relationship between nutrition and dermatologic pathologies is particularly relevant. In this post, we will examine the relationship between vegan diet and psoriasis, one of the most common dermatologic diseases.

The discovery of niacinamide's potential in 1938, when researchers found its ability to cure pellagra in dogs, was a milestone in medical science. Since then, niacinamide, administered in doses far more than its vitamin requirement, has been used to treat many diseases and conditions, from protecting neurons and vascular cells from ischemic damage to preventing neurological disorders such as depression, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. In recent years, niacinamide has taken a leading position in modern dermatology. Known for its anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties, this vitamin B3 derivative has become a popular ingredient in cosmetic products to improve skin health. However, as with many bioactive substances, niacinamide has its complexities and potential risks, especially when used in high dosages. The surprising and unexpected unwanted effects of niacinamide are discussed in our new post.

When we wish our loved ones a Happy New Year, we always wish them good health. One of the available measures to maintain or improve health is taking vitamins. The impact of vitamin deficiency on the body can sometimes be catastrophic and even life-threatening. One of the most "deficient" vitamins today is vitamin A. In 20% of the population of the developed world, the concentration of vitamin A in blood plasma and liver is below the norm. The consequences of vitamin A deficiency for the skin are the epidermal barrier weakening, decreased regenerative capacity of the skin, accelerated aging, decreased skin immunity, aggravation of chronic inflammatory diseases, hyperkeratosis, scaling, and itching. Since foods contain many nutrients and other health benefits, vitamin A needs should be met primarily through them. In our post, you will find recommendations on how to find the best food sources of vitamin A.

Vitamin A and its derivatives are among the top substances in modern skincare products. They are credited with many effects: wrinkle smoothing and improved healing, pigmentation reduction and sebum reduction, skin lifting, and even hair growth stimulation. Are these substances effective at solving such different problems? Let's put it this way: vitamin A has many different clinical effects, but they are all predominantly related to its ability to regulate the cell cycle, primarily cell division. In this regard, the most sensitive to retinol are the rapidly dividing cells, including keratinocytes and sebocytes in the skin. As for other members of the skin cell community, such as immunocytes and melanocytes, it is not so obvious since these cells are present in the skin in a mature state. The latest research on the effects of vitamin A on melanocytes is described in our editorial article.

Rosacea is a common inflammatory skin condition. The severity of symptoms can depend on many external and internal factors, including nutrition. Certain foods are known to worsen rosacea symptoms, but publications on this topic are often contradictory. To clarify this issue, scientists from the UK have analyzed the available publications on the influence of drinks and foods on the rosacea manifestation. More about this — in the News and Reviews on our website.

Physical plasma-based methods have occupied a unique niche in medicine. They are used for tissue removal (plasma sublimator or plasma scalpel), for wound non-contact sterilization (including purulent wounds), and more recently for skincare due to their stimulating effect. Cosmetic plasma biostimulators use air as a gas source. The air is ionized by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in the air gap between the dielectric layer insulating the electrode and the skin (ground). This produces numerous thin, luminous "jets" like water jets in a shower. This external similarity was the basis for the name of such devices — plasma shower. The essence of the plasma shower is described in our editorial note.

Recently, vitamin D has been constantly in the rumor. There are more and more scientific publications on the relationship of low levels of active vitamin D metabolites with the development of infectious, cardiovascular, chronic inflammatory, allergic, autoimmune, and cancer diseases. It may seem that vitamin D is relegated to the role of a panacea for all diseases. We have tried to address the narrower issue of vitamin D's impact on melanoma incidence and the course of this dangerous disease.

Lack of or poor sleep quality has become a characteristic of modern man. Often, late bedtimes, insufficient sleep duration, and smartphone use before bedtime become bad habits that start in childhood. The negative impact of lack of sleep on the functioning of the nervous system is a well-known fact that does not require discussion. However, it is worth remembering that complex signaling pathways connect the nervous system with all organs. One of the most active participants of such bidirectional communication is the skin. Our new article is devoted to the effect of lack of sleep on skin condition.

Neurogenic inflammation is a pathological process based on bidirectional interactions between cells of the nervous and immune systems involving a wide range of biologically active substances. It is a common link between chronic inflammatory diseases and pathologic skin conditions such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, rosacea, and sensitive skin. Our post reviews research findings on the role of neurogenic inflammation in rosacea pathogenesis.