February 11, 2020
At BCP we are open to new scientific thoughts and never dismiss anything offhand. We take any new skincare ideas very seriously and consider them closely. However, after reading a number of articles promoting electrolyte based skincare, at this stage we just have to dismiss these products as a gimmick.
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January 09, 2020
With all the smoke in the air make sure you eat your Greens!
Did you know there are chemical compounds in cruciferous vegetables that appears to protect the lungs from carcinogens found in smoke? Indole-3-Carbinol and sulphoraphane are fascinating molecules that seems to have many other benefits too. Talk to a BCP pharmacist if you would like to know more.
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November 04, 2019
Rosacea is a chronic skin complaint affecting the face. It is characterised by small dilated blood vessels and often includes small pustules and papules.
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June 26, 2019
The compounding pharmacists at Border Compounding Pharmacy use what is known as a Transdermal Cream for arthritic pain. These creams are a specially designed emulsion, designed to push the pain medicine through the skin rapidly.
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June 08, 2019
Everybody’s heard the growing hype around cannabidiol and medicinal marijuana. Whilst the hype often and untruthfully makes them out to be some form of medical panacea, there is strong evidence to demonstrate their effectiveness in pain and inflammation.
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May 29, 2019
The human skin microbiome has been established as being one of the master controls of dermal health. Most people are aware of the presence of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria, but there are other types of organisms present on healthy skin. The biome consists of bacteria, viruses, yeasts and mites.
The main form of mites on the skin are Demodex mites. They reside in the pores of the skin devouring sebum and other dead skin material. There are numerous strains of Demodex mites which vary according to the location they are found. In healthy skin at normal levels, demodex mites appear to release various substances known as immune reactive lipases, which may protect against S.Aureus and S.Pyogenes. Generally, demodex mites are innocuous and inconspicuous - even when their population is excessive. However, in the presence of increased lipid or sebum production or in instances of dermal immunosuppression, demodex mites flourish and start to release inflammatory chemicals. This is believed to be the basis for the inflammation and secondary bacterial infections associated with rosacea and perioral dermatitis.
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May 15, 2019
When a moisturiser stings your skin there’s possibly a number of things at play, but generally it’s caused by one ingredient that’s common to all moisturisers: water. It is true that alcohols, fragrances and other ingredients can irritate your skin, but generally they are in a very low concentration and shouldn’t cause any stinging.
Most people will have experienced the slight burning when pool water or tap water gets up their nose. This is caused by a difference in salt concentrations between the pool or tap water and the water or fluid that exists in the cells of the nose. The cells of the nose rapidly swell causing the nerves to send signals to the brain that something is not right!
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April 18, 2019
Everyone’s heard of the term Pro-Biotic. It’s a buzz word that surrounds everything from yoghurt, to fermented foods to baby formula and more recently to skin care. The term pro-biotic is generally accepted to mean a live culture of bacteria that is used to exert a therapeutic effect.
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March 26, 2019
When a pharmacist designs a cream, it is created with a true understanding of human physiology, biochemistry and histology. Every ingredient is analyzed and used only if it is of benefit to enhancing the health of the skin.
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February 20, 2019
Once upon a time a short while ago, I wasn’t a fan of peptides in skincare products. The pharmacist
in me was sceptical that the evidence for the effectiveness was slightly lacking. More importantly,
the lack of evidence surrounding possible side effects had me downright worried.
A chemical that can alter intracellular messaging and hormones sounds a bit daunting. What would
happen if a chemical that stimulates the growth of cells was applied to a cancerous lesion on the
skin?
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January 22, 2019
Keeping bacteria happy and in natural harmony is critical for the health of the skin and treating acne. If any of these 500 strains of bacteria are disrupted, then the skin becomes more alkaline and an overgrowth of one of the previously good strains of bacteria becomes a problem. Other bacteria and fungi that don’t normally live on the skin are also given an opportunity to colonise – these are the Bad Bacteria!
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January 15, 2019
Melatonin - a regulator of day/night rhythms. Melatonin is an endogenously produced hormone that is present in animals, plants and microbes. In mammals, melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland in the brain. Initially melatonin was discovered as the regulator of circadian rhythm and sleep, however its uses and roles within the body have been shown to go far beyond this.
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