Perioral Dermatitis is a skin condition that look like a combination of acne and rosacea. It usually starts with a bumpy rash or dryness around the mouth area and may spread to the rest of the face and neck. In some severe cases it can even spread all the way down the back.

The exact cause is not known but generally it can be linked to steroid overuse and certain ingredients like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate which exists in some toothpastes (here’s a list of best SLS-Free Toothpastes). Other triggers can be food related, stress, allergies, or hormones.

Many dermatologists recommend antibiotics to treat Perioral Dermatitis, but it can often be treated with topical products and a watchful diet. Often antibiotics take over a month to start working, so finding the right products to get started is important.

The most effective method for dealing with Perioral Dermatitis that we have found is the Exfoliating Serum Lite, which works great for sensitive skin, like that of most people who suffer from Perioral Dermatitis. It’s a mandelic acid that not only helps with this disorder, but also helps ease redness, irritation, and acne.

We also advocate certain diet changes, like eating fewer acidic foods like tomatoes and strawberries. Foods like these can trigger more breakouts in the long run. Avoiding foods high in processed sugar also helps.

Oftentimes, Perioral Dermatitis can show up out of nowhere, even sporadically overnight. It starts like a small rash and will generally develop bigger, dryer spots that are not helped  with just an over-the-counter moisturizer. For best results, stop any use of occlusive products and replace them with something like this Moisture Gel.

Topical corticosteroids (including hydrocortisone) appear to be one of the biggest risk factors when it comes to this condition and it is vital to discontinue use of them on the skin. If you have been prescribed them by a doctor, ask for a good alternative to use instead.

It’s a good idea to get an appointment with a trusted esthetician or dermatologist as soon as the rash forms to mitigate the effects. The good news is it is not contagious and can be taken care of after a period of time.

Triggers for acne come in a variety of different forms, as you have probably experienced in your lifetime. Sometimes it seems like these triggers are random and incoherent, whereas other times you generally know when you expect a breakout and about how long it will last. The most frustrating part about having acne is a lot of times, breakouts totally catch you by surprise.

In this post, we want to help you recognize triggers before they cause a breakout so that you can avoid acne and have as clear skin as possible.

1. Too much sun exposure

Summer is now here and we can’t stress enough the importance of sunscreen. Sunscreen should be applied liberally and often. Not only does it help breakouts, but it also helps acne scars become less red and inflamed. Make sure the sunscreen you use doesn’t have any comedogenic ingredients, but besides that, just make sure to use it every time you are outside, especially if it is hot and sunny, but also if it cloudy. (The sun’s UV rays can penetrate cloud cover!) Protecting yourself from the sun isn’t just important to protect your acne-prone skin, but also to protect aging skin. Nobody wants leathery looking skin caused by sun damage.

2 .Food with lots of hormones (androgens, soy, milk)

Hormonal acne (usually characterized by breakouts on the chin and jawline) is one of the most common types of acne. It can be greatly exacerbated by eating foods that also have lots of of hormones, which trigger an imbalance in the body and cause more overproduction of sebum on the skin, which equals breakouts. Foods like soy and milk are densely laden with hormones and should be avoided at all cost. Androgens, another hormone, are present in mostly meat, but especially present in organ meats.

3. Salon facials

You may be at a salon getting a mani-pedi when the cosmetologist offers a relaxing facial to complete the package. Without ever having one before, you are not sure what to expect, but you agree because it sounds nice. When she gets to the facial, you are asked to sit back and rest your head on the back of your chair. Lotions and oils are rubbed into your face. As the oily  perfumed lotions are massaged into your skin, you may to relax a bit. Finally at the conclusion of the facial, your cosmetologist comments “Oh and if you breakout later, that is just the facial bringing toxins to the surface of the skin to get them out of your pores.” Which could be true for some people, but for someone with acne, this has more to do with the fact that lots of oil and lotion on the skin clogs pores and causes acne flares. Breakouts are caused when skin overproduces dead skin cells and sebum. Add massaging oils to the mix and you might experience an unpleasant flare-up. Our best advice would be to just avoid the facials at your next nail/eyebrow/hair appointment.

4. Foods high Glycemic on the Index

Acne often starts on the inside out, so to truly beat it, you want to be conscious of decisions you make when choosing what to consume. You probably have heard about the evils of carbs and sugars, but did you know they are also linked to acne? Research has shown that in individuals that have acne, when they eat foods high in sugar and carbohydrates, it spikes insulin. This usually only happens  people who have diabetes, but for some reason, those with acne are also affected. The difference is, for acne-sufferers, the symptoms are not those of a diabetes, but rather a worsening of acne symptoms.

5. Heavy drugs

When we say heavy drugs, we are mostly talking about those prescribed for acne specifically, but this can also mean narcotics as well. So called “acne drugs” like Accutane only work as long as they are being taken and the tolls of their use have been documented to be unhealthy at best and dangerous at worst. Some dermatologists recommend antibiotics to “fight the bacteria on the skin” but long-term use of these drugs also causes health problems.

The best thing you can do for your skin is find a process that works on the skin (topical) and a lifestyle that helps you make healthy skin choices, including those mentioned in this article.

For more information on how to clear your acne, talk to someone who has true experience in helping people accomplish their dream of clear skin and book a consultation with the acne experts at Skintherapy today.

Think about all the new experiences that happen in your teens; driving, dating, college, friends, jobs. Teens teeter on the line of independence and discipline essentially until the day they move out on their own. It can be a tumultuous time for teenagers. And on top of that all that, there’s frequently another struggle.

Acne is primarily caused by genes and hormones. Once those teen hormones start kicking in, the skin doesn’t stand a chance. Breakouts, zits, and blackheads affect as much as 80% of people between the ages of 11 to 30 and can take even longer to clear up. What can you do to help your teen?

Food can be a big trigger for unwanted breakouts, so we’ll go over some of the most common triggers here:

1. Milk
Milk is chock full of calcium, minerals, lactose, and hormones and growth factors. It’s those last two ingredients that really mess with a person’s own hormones and that can lead to acne.

2. Peanuts and Peanut Butter
Peanuts are high in androgens, which are another type of hormone that affects acne in a bad way.

3. Soy (tofu, soy milk, edamame)
As delicious and seemingly healthy as these items are, they wreak havoc on acne-prone skin due the many of the same reasons listed above. The estrogen hormones in soy cause skin to freak out and break out.

4. Whey, protein shakes, or protein bars
These products typically contain iodides, biotin, or a combination of both. Both of these ingredients have been proven to make acne worse and it is best to avoid them as much as possible.

5. Iodides such as Iodized Salt
While some iodized salt is good for your thyroid, too much can cause skin inflammation. For this reason, don’t remove it from the diet completely, just be aware that too much may lead to a breakout.

The reason these foods made the top of the list is due to their potency in the hormone department. Teens are so susceptible to breakouts because of wildly fluctuating hormones. Adding more hormones to their system via food is just a recipe for disaster.

Also keep in mind that we’re not necessarily saying teens can never eat these foods ever, just that it is best to have them in moderate portions so as not to increase the likelihood of skin flare-ups. Patience and moderation are key when it comes to making the lifestyle changes necessary to have a positive effect on acne, so bear in mind that these changes don’t happen overnight. But as with anything good in life, with a little persistence and daily effort, change can be made for the better. Remember this if you are just starting out your journey to healing acne, or if you know someone who is. Skincare is a journey, not just a destination. And we’re here to help you along the way.
Thank you for visiting our blog! For the latest info on skin care and acne treatment, click here. For new clients, please visit our Acne Services page to learn more about who we are and what we do. And to book your appointment now, click here.

Who doesn’t love a delicious slice of pizza on a Friday night? Or an appetizing cheeseburger while out to lunch with friends? Greasy foods have become a staple called “American Food” and rightly so. There’s nothing more American than throwing some hot dogs on the grill and serving them up for the whole neighborhood. These types of foods are delicious. That’s why they’re so popular. The only problem is they’re heavy in omega 6 essential fatty acids and incredibly laden with grease and other ingredients that aren’t conducive to a healthy diet or healthy skin.

Let’s take pizza, for example. Pizza is usually made with iodized salt, which aggravates acne. Another prime ingredient (or culprit, if you will) in pizza is cheese. Cheese contains dairy, which contains IG1 or insulin-growth factor and over 60 different hormones. These hormones occur naturally whether the cow is organically raised, fed, etc. or not.  Since all cows which produce milk are pregnant all milk products are laden with extra hormones naturally.  Extra hormones competing with human hormone levels means more breakouts for the acne prone person.

As you can see, it’s not as cut and dry as “Do greasy foods make me break out?” as much as “What ingredients in food could make me break out?”

Internally, greasy foods don’t do much for you health-wise, as I’m sure we’re all aware. Externally, greasy foods can give you a nice little breakout around your lips, cheeks, and chin if you’re not careful, as grease is great at clogging pores. This is not to say you should avoid these foods altogether. Just be aware of how often and how much you consume them. Plus take an interest in what other ingredients these foods might contain. Iodized salt, Canola Oil, Soy Bean Oil, Milk products etc., are all known aggravators of acne.

While we suggest reducing the amounts of greasy foods you enjoy you might consider adding supplements to your daily routine also. Even if you already have a good handle on what foods you consume and just want to add something to help with your acne, you might want to consider taking the following vitamins and supplements.

Healthy Skin Formula
Healthy Skin Formula is a vitamin supplement cocktail that has been recommended by skin care professionals for over 15 years. It’s got zinc, vitamin A, selenium, and more to boost your skin’s health and beauty.

Fish Oil
Earlier in this article, I mentioned how American foods are high in omega 6. Omega 6s are highly inflammatory, and therefore cause a lot of acne in adults and young adults. Fish Oil contains omega 3, which balances out all the inflammation in your diet. It helps calm acne and gets your skin clear faster.

Culturelle Probiotic
Want to help your digestion in the best way possible? Include Culturelle Probiotic in your diet. It aids in digestion and adds good bacteria and probiotics to your system. Probiotics are good for reducing breakouts and can help those who have been on long-term antibiotics.

For more help in creating the best lifestyle for clear skin, visit our office 1817 S Main Street, #18 Salt Lake City, UT 84115. Or click here to book your appointment today.

Many people who suffer from face acne may also, unfortunately, suffer from acne on their body. Although they are not mutually exclusive, often if you find yourself with one, you might also find yourself dealing with another.

Similar to face acne, body acne cannot be “cured” but can only be treated. And best of all, the effects can be lessened with a few careful precautions and some means of dedicated treatment.

So before you reach for the prescriptions or miracle cures, take a look at the list below at potential irritants and best-known treatments for body acne.

1. Friction

When it comes to acne on your back, chest, and shoulders, friction could be the culprit. Particularly in places where a strap for a backpack or purse rubs against your skin. Another thing you want to avoid is tight clothing. Not only is there a lot of friction when clothes are too tight, but they also don’t allow your skin to breathe. Sweat and dirt can easily become trapped in the pores and cause nasty breakouts.

2. Laundry Detergent

One big thing you can do to lessen breakouts
has to do with how well rinsed your laundry is. Detergent can be a pretty big factor in acne flare-ups. A way to avoid this irritant is to rinse your clothes twice in the washer before placing them in the dryer, or just simply use less detergent. Fragrance-free detergents are the best at helping your skin stay clear, and another good thing to do is change bedsheets and pillowcases at least once a week.

3. Clean shirts

If you’re anything like most people, you might not think twice about throwing a shirt you’ve worn once back onto a hanger in the closet to be worn again. But this exact thing might just be the reason you’ve been having such a hard time calming all the bacne (and various other forms of body acne.)

Try wearing a new shirt every day and even changing into a clean shirt at night before you go to bed, especially if you use treatments and products on your skin that you don’t want to spread all over your bed sheets. While we’re on the topic of changing shirts, do you workout? Because if so, driving home in sweaty clothes probably isn’t doing your skin any favors. Try wiping your body off with some pads soaked in toner at the gym and then changing into a clean shirt after your workout to avoid all that sweat staying on your skin any longer than necessary. And ladies, if you haven’t in awhile, don’t forget to wash your bras.

4. Hair Products

It’s a fact that some hair products have ingredients that can be great for hair but can be comedogenic for the rest of your body (especially your back) once they start running down.To avoid this, buy hair products that don’t have pore cloggers in them and pin your hair up in the shower so conditioned hair is not rubbing on your skin, basically just adding more oil to your pores. Make sure your body wash is acne safe and noncomedogenic and save washing your body for the end of your shower.

5. Exercise

The basic rule of thumb is that if you have body acne, you want to avoid excessive amounts of sweat sitting on your skin too long. This tip is definitely not meant to deter you from working out as long and as hard as you please, just bear in mind that the longer sweat stays on your skin, the more likely you are to break out. It’s important to get the sweat off immediately. A shower isn’t always an option, but having toner pads to wipe off excess perspiration helps a ton.

All of these are great things to keep in mind when considering how best to deal with embarrassing body acne, but nothing is going to help more than some good noncomedogenic products and a set treatment plan.

Right now, during the first week of December 2017, we will be launching our Body Acne Starter Kit! We’re excited to have this opportunity to help our readers and followers gain more control over their stubborn body acne with nonpore clogging products. Included in the body acne kit will be the following:

1-8 oz bottle of our BPO wash
2-1 oz bottles of 10% acne cream
2-1 oz bottles of our Exfoliating Serum #3
1-1.7 oz bottle of our Moisture Cream
1-2.5 oz bottle of our Sun Guard SPF
The first 50 kits sold will also get FREE toner!

The Body Acne Kit also includes step by step directions on how to use the products and lifestyle guidelines to help you get on the path to clear skin. To find more info on this promotion and other acnegrams, follow us on Instagram at @utahacneclinic. If you are looking for a way to speed up the process of clearing your unwanted acne, schedule an appointment at our clinic located in Northern Utah. We will set you up with a deep cleaning and extractions to get your skin more clear and beautiful than you ever thought possible.

Many people worry that drinking coffee will trigger a breakout. You’ll find all sorts of information out there about what coffee does to the body and skin, but here is some information to think about when it comes to that nice, steamy cup of coffee some of us love and can’t live without.

Coffee contains one of the highest sources of antioxidants for North Americans, along with strawberries, blackberries, and cranberries. Antioxidants are good at protecting lipids against oxidative stress, which is correlated to acne. For those who drink coffee regularly, it can even dampen the responsiveness of the enzyme that is responsible for activating cortisol (the “stress hormone”) in the bloodstream.

Not only does coffee relieve stress, it also promotes a longer life. In a study done by Iowa Women’s Health, they found that 1 to 3 cups of black coffee per day corresponded to a 24% reduction in heart-related death or illness and a 33% reduction in death related to any condition based on inflammation.

Coffee has been reviled by some, and others may not even like it, but that doesn’t change the scientific proof. Despite suggestions made by some internet sources, acne isn’t aggravated by coffee. If anything, black coffee promotes better insulin levels in the blood, which is good news for acne sufferers, and bolsters longer life spans.

(Note: Keep in mind that these studies are based on cups of home-brewed coffee (black with no creamer) and they do not include major chain coffee sizes, which contain 5x the caffeine content per cup.)

So keep enjoying that hot cup of goodness if you like, my friends. Coffee is here to benefit you!

If you’ve ever wondered how to get your hair as long and shiny as a model’s, then you may have heard about the magical phenomenon of biotin. Same if you’ve ever wanted stronger nails and better skin--biotin is the recommended supplement, right? It says it right there on the bottle.

What’s all the hype about anyway?

In this post, we’ll be covering 6 interesting facts about biotin, and then go over the potential harm it can do to your skin if you are even the slightest bit acne prone and sometimes, even if you have never had acne before.

Starting with...

Fact #1: Most people get enough biotin in their diet, as it exists in many everyday foods.

Fact #2: Biotin deficiency is extremely rare.

Fact #3: There are no known cases of overdosing on Biotin, as it is water soluble and flushes out of the system easily.

Fact #4: Biotin, B7, and Vitamin H are all the same thing.

Fact #5: Raw egg white contains avidin which naturally inhibits the effects of biotin.

Fact #6: Long term use of antibiotics may hinder the integration of biotin in the body by killing off healthy gut bacteria.

So what does all this have to do with your acne?

If you are not biotin deficient (as in, losing your hair and having brittle nails), eating raw egg whites every day, using antibiotics for a long period of time, or pregnant, there is really no reason to consider taking a biotin supplement. Foods like bread, chocolate, egg yolks, fish, nuts, oatmeal, meat, poultry, and whole wheat all contain more than enough biotin to keep your body healthy.

So why are biotin supplements so popular?

Biotin is essential in keeping your skin, hair, nails, and body organs healthy there’s no doubt about that. But most people are misinformed as to how much of it their body actually needs. The recommended dosage of biotin supplements is 30 mcg per day. But your body already produces that much on its own.

There is little scientific research that supports the claim that biotin actually makes your hair grow longer and shinier (unless you take it in mass quantities), but it does do something interesting to your skin: it makes it overproduce skin cells.

Acne is generally caused by bacteria and dead skin cells clogging the pores. So what happens when an acne prone person starts taking biotin? Typically, more acne. Or even cystic acne, even if you have never had it before.

The safest way to avoid the potential dangers of biotin supplements is to simply avoid taking them altogether. Unless you’re in a small group of specific people who need more than the average amount of biotin for daily life, there is no scientific research saying that it will help your skin and hair on its own. But trust me, your skin can definitely do without it.

To learn more about supplementation and how to clear your acne without prescriptions click here.

If you have acne, it is largely due to your genetic makeup. Many things can impact the chemical compounds in your body; diet, what you're drinking, vitamins, supplements, etc. So it's no surprise that these components can and do affect your acne as well.

Let's take a look at some of the different aspects of food and nutrition and how it affects clearing up your skin.

1. The American Diet

You've probably heard about omega-6s and omega-3s but what does it all mean when it comes to your acne?

Omega-6 oils are fatty acids that, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, "help stimulate skin and hair growth, maintain bone health, regulate metabolism, and maintain the reproductive system."

Sounds all well and good, right?

The only problem is, American diet has incredibly high amounts of omega-6 (corn oil, safflower oil, soybean oil) and not enough omega-3 (flaxseed, egg yolks, fish oil) to balance it out.

When you have a diet high in omega-6, your skin overproduces the bacteria and skin cells that inflame acne and make breakouts worse.

As stated by Alan C. Logan, a naturopathic physician and Valori Treloar, a certified dermatologist, "The North American omega-6 intake is now outnumbering omega-3 intake by a ratio as high as 20:1. This current ratio is quite a distance from the ideal ratio of 2:1 (omega-6 to omega-3) recommended by an international panel of lipid experts."

2. Iodides and Your Skin

Foods high in iodides include iodized salt, fast food, shellfish, seaweed, kelp, vitamin supplements, and recovery drinks.

But do they make your acne worse?

Abnormally high amounts of iodine-iodides in an acne-prone individual can trigger breakouts and inflammation in acne-prone skin. Some research suggests that iodides do not affect the severity of skin conditions, while others prove that keeping a low-iodide diet can help keep your acne under control.

But all in all, it doesn't hurt to be cautious. Especially if the solution to keeping your skin clear is as simple as exposing yourself to fewer iodides.

3. Milk and Your Hormones

Researchers have been keen to understand the underlying causes of acne for many years. Through a study done from 1996 to 1999, there was a definite correlation found between acne and milk.

In this study, Harvard researchers examined more than 6 thousand girls ages nine to fifteen and found "the relationship between greater milk consumption and the occurrence of acne. The researchers theorize that milk promotes acne through a hormonal effect."

Milk contains growth hormones, reproductive hormones, and many other factors. It's no wonder that it throws off hormones in many cases, causes breakouts!

4. Sugar and Your Body

The Canadian Medical Association Journal has described acne as "diabetes of the skin." The reason being that the vast majority of participants in their studies have shown similar spikes in insulin as diabetics without the symptoms of diabetes--just worsening of their acne.

According to their study, "after a glucose tolerance test the skin levels should drop back to baseline in approximately 60 minutes--in patients with acne, the time to recover to baseline levels was 226 minutes."

It's no secret that sugar intake and acne are closely linked. Be aware of all the simple sugars you consume and find out how badly they affect your skin and clearing up your acne.

5. Androgen Foods

As we discussed in number 3 of this article, hormones can do a lot of damage when it comes to your acne. Androgen foods are hormone foods such as peanut butter, soy milk, peanut oil, and organ meats such as liver.

These foods increase inflammation and make clearing up your skin a longer, more difficult process than it would be without.

Conclusion

The typical Western diet is high in sugary, fatty foods; the exact foods that make acne worse in many studies around the world. Help yourself and your acne by avoiding many of the foods (especially milk and fast food) that we talked about in this article and try eating more omega-3 foods.

However, just changing your diet alone may not be enough to clear your acne. What helps most in clearing acne is a consistent daily regimen of what goes on your skin. Our clinic reviews your skin and recommends a customized treatment plan for you. Not only is this the best way we've found to get skin clear, but our clinic works diligently to make sure you're educated with all the tools you need to help keep it clear.

Book your appointment here.