If you’re like most people, you have few battle scars. Lifelong reminders of time you wiped out on your bike at age 6, knee surgery you had in college, a bad sunburn, or a recent run-in with a paring knife. Fortunately, many scars will fade in time; for those that don’t, products like Rejuvenating Cream, distributed by IH Distribution LLC (www.ihdistribution.com) will help reduce or eliminate scarring.

Some tips for scar management and minimizing scarring:

DON’T wipe fresh wounds with hydrogen peroxide. The bubbles make is feel like something good is happening, but hydrogen peroxide actually destroys new skin cells that immediately begin to grow.

DO cover a cut. The old wives tale about allowing a “fresh” cut to breathe will actually not support rapid healing. A covered cut actually heals by as much as 50% faster. The moisture that builds up in a covered cut prevents formation of a hard scab, which acts as a barrier to growth of new skin. The covering should be changed daily and an antibiotic ointment, which also prevents infection, actually speeds up skin’s repair. After a week, replacing antibiotic cream with petroleum jelly keeps skin soft, allowing it to grow optimally.

DON’T fall for tale about treating with Vitamin E. A major study at University of Miami has shown putting liquid Vitamin E on a wound actually impairs healing.

Skin is one of first parts of body to show problems from toxins. The body essentially sees skin as not as essential as other key organs like heart and lungs. The body, unfortunately, diverts nutrients from skin to key organs to keep them as healthy as possible. This fact is problematic for look and texture of our skin because skin relies totally on nutrients for its health --- which is a mirror for how our skin appears. Toxins attack nutrient stores and when sufficient quantities are not available for entire body, skin suffers.

Major causes of toxins which should be reduced or eliminated to preserve healthy, natural reserves of nutrients are following:

1. SMOKING Probably worst toxin for healthy skin is smoking, because it severely constricts blood vessels that cause smokers to have a discolored complexion. The nutrients can only be delivered to skin with a healthy delivery system, which is compromised by smoking because it constricts circulation, cutting off an adequate supply of nutrients and oxygen needed. It’s been conclusively shown that smokers in their 40’s have same amount of wrinkles as non-smokers who are 20 years older. The Nagoya City University Medical School in Japan has demonstrated smoking increases levels in body of an enzyme that acts to break down collagen – which is fiber that keeps skin firm.

2. ALCOHOL Another toxin that causes major problems with healthy skin is alcohol in that it actually alters shape of red blood cells that reduce amount of oxygen traveling through system. It, like smoking, increases an enzyme that attacks collagen and, particularly, elasticity of our skin.

3. STRESS Unique hormones are driven by high stress levels that wipe-out B vitamins circulatory systems need to create healthy red blood cells. Stress drives dull looking skin because of lack of adequate vitamin B.