With the many chemicals and products on the market to help with skin problems, it can be difficult to determine which ones are the best acne treatments.
Many products are promoted as exfoliating agents; however, some of the most common products contain alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs). These ingredients are types of chemical exfoliating agents which, when used correctly, can provide a variety of benefits – especially if you struggle with acne.
Despite the potential benefits, however, it is important to understand the risks that these products can pose if not used correctly.
Chemical exfoliating agents are specific types of acids that aid in the removal of dead cells from the skin. By aiding in the removal of dead cells, these products also help expedite cell turnover, refreshing and brightening the skin. These products can also help unclog and shrink the pores, even skin tone and improve smoothness.
Although there are many different types (and strengths) of chemical exfoliating agents, two of the most common are alpha-hydroxy acids and beta-hydroxy acids. These products are typically known as AHAs and BHAs, respectively. Salicylic acid is arguably the most popular type of BHA, while glycolic acid is one of the most common AHAs.
Despite the many benefits of exfoliation, some types of exfoliation can present challenges for the skin, especially if you suffer from acne. When compared to physical exfoliation agents – including scrubs and exfoliant brushes – chemical exfoliation can provide all the benefits without the risks.
By unclogging pores, AHAs and BHAs can help reduce breakouts and flareups. By encouraging healthy blood flow and collagen production, you can enjoy brighter, healthier, plumper skin. They can even help reduce the appearance of discoloration and fine lines and wrinkles.
The primary risk associated with these chemical agents is overuse, or of using a product that’s too strong for your particular skin. You can also encounter problems if you aren’t using the right complementary skincare products along with your exfoliant, such as moisturizer and sunscreen.
If suffer with breakouts, it can be difficult to determine which products are best for treating acne flareups. You may – or may not – know the importance of exfoliation in the battle against acne. However, as we discovered above, not all exfoliants are right for all skin types.
The only way to know for sure is to consult with an expert – like the acne-fighting experts at Skintherapy Skincare and Acne Clinic in Salt Lake City.
Our highly trained and experienced estheticians take the time to evaluate your skin and understand the challenges you face. This allow us to recommend the best acne treatment products – including AHAs and BHAs, when appropriate – for you.
Contact us now to learn more, or to book your appointment for acne treatment in Salt Lake City.
If you struggle with skin problems like acne, you might think that topical acne treatments are the best way to combat breakouts and flareups. The truth, however, is that many factors can combine to cause skin problems. These factors, when addressed correctly, can also help contribute to the solution.
One of those factors is diet – but maybe not like you think. Old wives’ tales advised acne sufferers to avoid chocolate or grease, suggesting that eating a candy bar or a hamburger would cause breakouts. The reality is quite a bit more complex than that, and varies from person to person.
What – and how – you eat has a direct affect on your overall health and your overall health affects every aspect of your body, including your skin.
If you develop health problems, it can often reflect in your skin. In fact, multiple studies have demonstrated a correlational relationship between diet and acne. The basis of this relationship appears to be rooted in inflammatory responses. If you consume foods that cause inflammation in the body, you might see the results on your skin.
So, to determine what the best diet is for improving your skin, let’s start by considering which foods you shouldn’t eat.
One of the food categories most closely associated with inflammation in the body include those with a high sugar content. Avoiding simple sugars is one of the best ways to avoid inflammation – and that means beverages as well as food items. Soft drinks, for example, can be highly problematic.
Other foods that are associated with inflammatory responses in the body are those that contain high levels of salt and items from the dairy category. Other common culprits include any product with high levels of glucose -- including items such as white breads and potatoes – and products that are high in omega-6. This includes oils like soybean, safflower and corn.
Unfortunately, there are no magic diet formulas that will help you get – and keep – clearer skin. Some general guidelines for an acne-safe diet include eating a variety of whole grains, vegetables, fruits and healthy proteins.
You can also focus on getting more foods that are rich in omega-3, such as salmon, egg yolks and flaxseed.
The bottom line is that, in both positive and negative ways, your diet can have a significant effect on acne.
The best way to get rid of acne is to seek help from an expert, like the team at Skintherapy in Salt Lake City.
We address skin problems in a highly personalized way, taking the time to understand you, your lifestyle and your unique challenges. This way, we can develop a truly personalized treatment plan to get you the best results.
Contact us today for help in finding the best acne treatment for you.
Among the many things that make acne breakouts frustrating for those who deal with them, the fact that they have so many potential causes is definitely on this list prominently. From simple genetics to the kinds of foods you eat and many others, there are numerous things that may impact your acne and breakout frequency -- and one area that some don't consider closely enough here is the skincare program you're utilizing.
At Skintherapy Skincare & Acne Clinic, we're proud to offer a wide range of acne treatment services to clients throughout Salt Lake City and nearby parts of Utah, helping limit breakouts to leave your skin looking great. We regularly advise clients on their skincare routine, including in situations where it's possible that your skincare habits themselves are contributing to a worsening of your acne symptoms. Here are some possible examples of situations where this may be the case, plus why these risks should be avoided and some good alternatives in some situations.
In some cases, those who deal with acne will be using the proper product -- but only on visible blemishes, treating their acne with spot treatments but not using a more comprehensive skincare routine to address any underlying causes of breakouts. Unfortunately, this is not effective in many situations and can even be counterproductive -- leading to further inflammation or other problems that may actually worsen your skin's appearance rather than improving it.
Rather, it's important to use your acne medication across the entire area of skin that's breaking out, ensuring that you're applying the maximum amount of medication to all problem areas rather than just parts where pimples are visible. This will help reduce outbreaks and stop your skin from looking worse due to the presence of unaddressed breakouts underneath the surface.
While we all wish we could try a new product and immediately see a reduction or even elimination of acne, the reality is that you often need to give a new product time to work before drawing any conclusions. Trying a new skincare program too frequently while also using other products that may not be truly "the one" can actually lead to skin irritation and the exacerbation of your acne symptoms, making it much more difficult to find something that works well for you in the long-term.
To avoid this common pitfall, it's best to focus on a few products at once and give them the time they need to work. If you've followed your regimen for several weeks without seeing significant improvement, it may be worth trying another option -- otherwise, you can stick with what works well for your skin rather than potentially worsening the situation by trying a new option more frequently than is ideal.
And as you may have guessed, switching products is something you should discuss with a professional before starting, as they can help you choose something that's properly suited to your skin type and the specific underlying causes of your acne breakouts.
In other cases, your selection of products themselves will be the culprit for breakouts in your skin. Specifically, certain types of makeup and other cosmetic products may include ingredients that are irritating to your skin or aggravate acne -- both factors that can lead to the worsening of acne symptoms and make it harder to find a solution.
For example, you may be using skincare products that contain oil-based moisturizers, which will lead to a worsening of acne breakouts if left untreated. Similarly, you may be using makeup containing ingredients like lanolin, which can also be irritating and lead to the spread or worsening of your acne symptoms.
Since this is an area where many people do not realize potential risks, it's best to take the time to research each product you're considering using, including those that are outside your skincare routines. This will help avoid potential problems and ensure you're using products that promote healthy skin -- rather than leading to more breakouts down the line.
Even if you use makeup that's approved for use on your skin type, it's still possible that leaving makeup on overnight will lead to increased sensitivity and breakouts. And this is particularly the case with oily or acne-prone skin types, where those ingredients that are designed to reduce oiliness can actually make your problem worse.
While we understand it's tempting to try and combat the oily nature of acne by drying up your skin as much as possible, this is actually an approach that can make the problem worse in the long-term. By drying out too much, you risk irritating your skin and triggering inflammation or other reactions that will make your acne symptoms even more prominent. Additionally, dryness increases oil production, which means you'll have a worsening of symptoms rather than an improvement.
Instead, use moisturizers and other products that are appropriate for your skin type, as they will help keep inflammation at bay and reduce the risk of breakouts from occurring. Just be sure to choose options that won't further irritate or clog up your pores, and you'll have an easier time finding a skincare program that truly works for acne-prone skin rather than leading to more breakouts.
With the right skincare habits, you'll help limit or even eliminate acne rather than worsening it. For more on this, or to learn about any of our acne treatments or other skincare products and services, speak to our staff at Skintherapy Skincare & Acne Clinic today.
The internet is never short on advice for curing whatever might ail you. When it comes to skincare advice – particularly acne treatment – you can find literally thousands of online articles and videos offering advice.
However, before you turn to TikTok for your skin treatment advice, stop to consider that this kind of advice could be more harmful than beneficial.
Anyone who suffers from acne-prone skin needs to tread carefully in how they care for their face and what products they use for skincare, makeup, sunscreen, etc. Here, the experienced team from Skintherapy Skincare & Acne Clinic has advice on some of the “hottest” acne treatment trends that you should avoid.
Recently, many so-called internet “experts” (which are typically influencers with no qualifications or knowledge about treating acne) have been offering up their own recipes for making skincare products such as scrubs and moisturizers. Unless the “expert” has actual qualifications or can provide research to back up their claims, you could be causing yourself more trouble in the future.
Today, you can go on Amazon and purchase virtually any type of cosmetic treatment device imaginable. This ranges from blue light therapy devices to laser wands and beyond. This first challenge these devices present is that most are designed for consumer use, which means they are likely little more than gizmos that don’t provide any benefit. However, some of these devices can actually lead to skin damage that could leave you with worsening acne and even potential scarring.
You might think that masks and peels are helpful for stripping away dirt and oils from your face – and they can be, in some cases – however, they are more likely to be stripping away more than just topical debris. In fact, the ingredients contained in many masks can strip away all the natural, beneficial oils from your face. They can even strip away healthy skin cells. The result is irritated, overly dry skin, which makes the perfect breeding ground for acne flareups.
This is not to say that you can’t use natural products on your skin. However, it is important that you identify the specific ingredients contained in any skincare product. Many natural and even organic ingredients can cause skin irritation and clogged pores. Consult a list of pore-clogging ingredients and you will quickly find some of the most popular natural product ingredients, such as cocoa butter and coconut oil.
So, if you can’t turn to the internet to get advice on acne treatments, how can you find the help you need to get your skin issues under control? If you need to treat acne in Salt Lake City, turn to the Skintherapy team for help.
Since 2008, we have been helping people get the clear skin they’ve dreamed of – and helped them maintain it for the future. Contact us now to learn more about our treatments or to schedule your consultation to treat acne in Salt Lake City.
If you have been battling with skin issues, you might already know that a solid acne treatment routine is one of the best ways to get problem breakouts under control. Unfortunately, when fighting the battle with acne, things might seem to be taking longer than you would like.
If you’re looking for a few easy ways to help boost your acne treatment regimen – and speed up the path to clear skin – here are some simple tips that can help.
Research has shown that diet may indeed have an impact on acne. Specifically, a high-glycemic index diet has been linked to an increase in skin problems related to acne vulgaris. Avoiding foods such containing sugar, along with refined foods such as white bread, cookies, chips, cereal, pasta, etc., can help keep your skin looking and feeling great. It’s also a good idea to avoid or minimize alcohol consumption.
Replace these troublesome foods with healthy proteins, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
If you have problems with breakouts, you might also have the urge or inclination to pick at your blemishes. Unfortunately, picking can cause all kinds of additional problems. Specifically, picking leads to an increase in scar tissue and hyperpigmentation. Even worse, picking can significantly extend the time required to clear up acne flareups.
For help with this challenge, check out our tips to stop picking at your skin.
Lurking within many of the most popular skincare products – including cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreen and even hair conditioner – are a wide variety of poor-clogging, skin-irritating ingredients. Many products marketed at organic, noncomedogenic or even formulated for acne-prone skin can clog your pores and exacerbate skin problems. Some prescription products even contain one of these pore-clogging ingredients.
In reality, the best approach is to use only those acne skin care products that have been custom formulated for acne-prone skin.
As hard as you might try to fight this battle on your own, one of the best ways to overcome acne problems is to get help from a professional expert.
The good news is that you don’t have to see a medical specialist to get the help you need. Finding an experienced esthetician who specializes in acne treatment might be the answer you’ve been looking for.
In Salt Lake City, the Skintherapy acne treatment clinic can help. Rather than prescribing harsh chemical treatments or potentially risky medications, we tackle the problem at its source. Once we have identified the issues causing your problems, we can guide you through the process of getting – and keeping – your skin clear.
Contact us now to learn more about our personalized acne treatment and our professional acne clinic in Salt Lake City.
Summer months are coming, and for many that means more time out in the sun—and more skin-baring activities outdoors. Learning how to properly care for skin can help you feel confident while you’re out and about. Here are some common myths about summer skincare that we can debunk today.
Fact: Summer might require a few small changes in skincare, but when you use high-quality products specific to your skin’s needs, you probably don’t need to change much. Depending on where you live, summer might bring more humidity. If that’s the case you might want to adjust your moisturizer to a lighter, oil-free formula to minimize oily skin and prevent buildup of dirt and oils that could increase the chance of an acne breakout. A skincare consultant can help you find the right one.
Fact: Sun protection doesn’t necessarily last all day, so depending on how long you are out in the sun, and what activities you are doing, you may need to reapply. Using a moisturizer or other face cream with SPF is a good start in the morning. But it can wear off within a few hours, so on a normal day you should reapply every two to three hours. If you’re sweating, swimming, or playing in the water, you definitely need to reapply sunscreen more often.
When you do reapply, make sure you are using a sunscreen product that is designed for face application. Look for non-comedogenic products that won’t clog your pores or cause breakouts.
Fact: Ultraviolet rays from the sun can penetrate clouds, so during summer months (and all year-round) you should still apply sunscreen whenever you are outside. Just like on sunny days, apply it every two to three hours, or more often if you’re sweating or swimming.
Fact: When you first start using retinol it could cause your skin to be more sensitive to sunlight (called photosensitivity), but over time your skin will adapt to retinol use. If you just started using retinol or retinoids, apply sunscreen before you go out or wear a hat to protect your face from UV rays. Retinols can also degrade when exposed to UV rays, so apply your products at night (not in the morning before you go outside) for maximum benefit.
Fact: Even in the summer it’s important to keep natural oil levels balanced. If you skip moisturizer, it could cause your skin to over-produce oils to avoid getting dry. Other acne treatment products with harsh ingredients can also cause skin to dry out. That can lead to irritation, redness, dry skin, and worsening acne breakouts. Talk to a skincare consultant about how to find the right moisturizer for balanced oil levels without a heavy, greasy feeling.
If you’re not sure how to care for your skin this summer, or want help with acne breakouts, schedule an appointment to talk to one of our skincare consultants online today.
Those pimples can be frustrating, especially when they pop up out of nowhere or get irritated and red. Unfortunately, most of us can’t avoid the occasional flare-up. When that happens, acne spot treatments might be the right answer.
Acne spot treatments are either over-the-counter or prescription creams that you use directly on a blemish to clear it up. They usually contain a concentrated dose of some of the most common acne-fighting ingredients, such as:
The goal of an acne spot treatment is to apply a high dose of acne-fighting ingredients to a breakout. It’s not intended for use on your whole face, and usually not something you would use over long periods of time.
Apply a small dab of acne spot treatment directly to the pimple and leave it on for several hours. Many people use these treatments overnight to give skin time to absorb the acne-fighting ingredients and avoid obvious spot treatments on your skin during the day. You can wash your face when you wake up, or after a few hours, to remove any of the excess product that remains.
Common mistakes people make when using acne spot treatments include:
If you have questions about how to use spot treatments, or need to find a good treatment for your occasional acne flare-ups, contact one of our skincare consultants today.
Acne can be frustrating and embarrassing, but for people with sensitive skin the challenges of breakouts are often complicated. That’s because most acne treatment options include harsh ingredients that can cause even more irritation, redness, and pain. These dos and don’ts for treating acne with sensitive skin can help you get clearer skin without making skin sensitivity worse.
Cleansing is the first step to getting clearer skin, but many cleansers marketed for eliminating breakouts come with harsh ingredients that can make skin irritation worse. Look for cleansers that have glycerin or ceramides, two ingredients that increase hydration and provide an added barrier against outside irritants like pollution. Avoid alcohols, sulfates, and other synthetic or chemical ingredients, which can cause even more irritation. And don’t forget to use a daily moisturizer designed for sensitive skin to boost skin hydration.
Many people think that harsh scrubs and exfoliating cleansers are better for removing dirt and bacteria that can lead to acne. But for someone with sensitive skin, these irritants can damage the outer layers of skin, causing inflammation and increasing skin’s sensitivity.
Anytime you try a new skincare product you should test it out in a small area to check for a reaction. This is definitely true if you have sensitive skin, because your skin might be more prone to breakouts, rashes, or other negative side effects. When you know it won’t cause an allergic reaction, start by using it every other day (about three times a week) to make sure your skin can tolerate it without getting too dry or irritated.
More isn’t always better, and that is definitely true for treating breakouts on sensitive skin. There are dozens of different products available today, and many come with expensive-looking packaging or marketing campaigns to make you believe they can cure your acne. But using several different products at once can irritate sensitive skin, and in some cases the active ingredients could actually work against each other. Instead, talk to a skincare professional who understands what products will be effective and how to use them.
Anyone who suffers with acne or who wants to try out new products should consult a skincare professional first. That’s especially true for someone with unique skin concerns, like sensitivity. A skincare consultation can help you discover the best products and the right ingredients to clear up acne and breakouts without causing more damage or increasing inflammation or irritation. Schedule your consultation online today to learn more about what high-quality acne-fighting skincare should be in your daily routine.
There is a lot of information out there about treating acne on your face and neck, but that’s not the only place that you can have acne. Since acne is your body’s inflammatory reaction to clogged pores, you can get it anywhere on your body where there are pores (which is basically everywhere).
The most common places to find acne besides your face are:
While body acne might not always be as visible as the stuff on your face, it can still be embarrassing and even painful. Here are four ways to effectively eliminate it when it comes up.
Any effective treatment regimen first begins with an analysis of the problem. It’s not always as straightforward as just needing to shower more or cleanse your skin better. Body acne can be the result of:
Body acne occurs when pores get clogged with dirt, oils, and bacteria, and your daily routine might be making that worse. Evaluating your daily routine to try and control the things you can (lifestyle factors) can help clear up body acne.
The most common lifestyle factors that lead to body acne are workout routines and products you use for hair and skin.
If you get sweaty during your workout and wait a long time to shower, bacteria has a chance to build up on the skin. Wearing synthetic fabrics can also keep bacteria and sweat right next to the skin. Switch to cotton workout clothes, and make sure to shower right after your workout.
Another lifestyle factor is the products you use. Your hair and body care products could be clogging your pores with heavy oils. Try switching up your routine to avoid these products and see if your body acne clears up.
Most people use soap or body wash to cleanse skin. While this works for general cleansing, basic soap products are not designed to fight body acne. Instead, you need a face and body scrub that is specifically designed to fight acne with ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. An exfoliating product can also help remove dead skin cells and other things that clog pores and lead to breakouts.
Sometimes you can do everything right and still have body acne. When that happens, it’s best to talk to a skincare specialist who can help you identify the type of body acne you are experiencing and find high-quality products that effectively clear up your skin. Schedule an online consultation with a Skintherapy specialist today to get advice on how to clear up your body acne today.
Find the best skincare products and learn more about how to fight body acne by scheduling an appointment with a skincare consultant at Skintherapy today.
When you first see the signs of a pimple popping up on your face or neck you probably immediately reach for the nearest acne-fighting tools that you can get your hands on. For millions of people that means something you found on the shelf of a drugstore, a local big-box store, or online.
Unfortunately there is no guarantee that your skincare routine is actually going to work to get rid of your acne. Instead, you are paying money for products and going through the motions while still seeing that frustrating acne on your face, neck, or body. If that sounds like you, it might be time to enlist the help of a professional in treating your acne. Here are three reasons you shouldn’t be fighting this on your own.
The skincare products you find on the shelf of a local big-box store or online are usually formulated for a mass market. That means they are not specific to your needs. Everyone has different skin, which means treating acne requires a specialized regimen that has:
When you are just winging it buying things from the drugstore or online, you may not be helping your acne at all. You may even be doing things that could make acne worse. Working with a skincare professional ensures that you get exactly the right products based on your skin and your acne-fighting needs.
Anyone who has spent a few minutes online or standing in a skincare aisle knows that there are a lot of products. Thousands to choose from, in fact. Each one has marketing claims about being the best thing for to fight acne and clear up skin, but without advanced knowledge of skincare ingredients it’s hard to know which products you can trust.
When you work with a professional to get a skincare and acne treatment regimen, you get knowledge and expertise of all the ingredients and tools available to design a routine that will work.
The products you can buy at the store—and some that you can buy online—don’t always have the highest quality ingredients. Some companies cut corners or use fillers and cheap ingredients to make their products more affordable. A skincare professional can help you sort through the products that won’t work to recommend the ones with the highest quality ingredients to be most effective.
Schedule a consultation with a Skintherapy skincare professional today to discuss your acne concerns and find products for your needs.
Just like there are several different types of acne—blackheads, whiteheads, hormonal/cystic acne, comedones, papules, pustules—there are also different types of treatment. The right treatment for your acne can vary depending on what is causing your breakouts, your skin type, and many other factors.
One of the most common treatments for acne is called a “spot treatment.” We’ll discuss how these treatments work, and when it’s best to use them.
Acne spot treatments are different from your nightly skincare routine of cleansing skin, applying toner and other serums. These treatments are specifically designed to target a new blemish when it appears and try to speed up the process to eliminate pimples. Some of these treatments work overnight, while others blend into your skin so you can use them during the day.
Most spot treatments work by delivering a powerful dose of acne-fighting ingredients to the spot where you are breaking out. Some also have added benefits of reducing redness or swelling around the area so the blemish won’t be as obvious.
While they can be useful for occasional surface-level papules and pustules (the ones with a white part that pops up above your skin), they are not effective in treating all acne. Acne spot treatments don’t work as well for:
It’s also important to note that acne spot treatments are not necessarily a miracle cure that will make your blemishes go away immediately. Acne appears as inflammation, redness, and eventually pus coming up to the skin’s surface because your skin is trying to eliminate bacteria or other stuff inside your pores. Depending on where it is in the process, spot treatments may still take time to work.
Another common issue that people encounter with spot treatments is simply not knowing what to use and when to use it. There are dozens of over-the-counter medications to choose from that contain one or more ingredients to fight acne:
The key to finding a good acne spot treatment is understanding exactly what is causing your acne and which ingredients can most effectively fight it. Using the wrong one will either not work at all, or it could irritate skin and make blemishes worse. A skincare professional can help you understand your acne and figure out which products will work to clear up skin faster.
Skintherapy offers a variety of products for acne spot treatment. Some of our top products include:
The estheticians at Skintherapy Skincare & Acne Clinic offer online consultations and personalized skincare treatment plans. Contact us today to learn more and schedule your virtual visit today.
Experiencing a severe acne breakout can be embarrassing, but for some people a blemish doesn’t just go away when the pimple clears up. Acne scars can last for several weeks, months, or even years after your acne is gone. So how can you get rid of acne scars or prevent them from happening? Here are some helpful tips and effective acne scar treatment options.
Most acne scars are the result of inflammation that causes pores to swell and break through the walls of the follicle. The scarring could be short-term if it’s minor damage to the follicle that can heal. However, when the walls of the pores become significantly injured the infection can leak into nearby cells and cause further damage. Other things that can lead to acne scarring include:
When your body tries to heal the damaged tissues it produces a protein called collagen. If there isn’t enough collagen to fill in the area that was damaged it can leave an indentation. If your body produces too much collagen, it can raise the area of the skin and leave a permanent bump.
As the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and while Benjamin Franklin was not specifically talking about acne when he said that in the early 1700s to his fellow Philadelphians, it still applies in this case. Preventing damaging acne in the first place can help you avoid the need for more treatment later. It’s not always possible to prevent it entirely. But when you start to see frequent or severe acne it’s best to consult a professional to get the products that can help you address it. Over-the-counter products are not designed to help with severe and scarring acne, but a consultant at Skintherapy can discuss your individual needs.
The good news is that if you have scarring you don’t necessarily have to spend a fortune on facial treatments. At-home treatment with the right ingredients can help your skin heal naturally over time, the most common of which are:
However, it’s critical to get the right treatment in the right concentration to address your specific scarring. That’s where a consultation with a skincare professional comes in.
If at-home treatments aren’t enough to help with your acne, there are other options:
All these treatments should be done by a professional in a safe setting (they’re not DIY projects). Talk to Skintherapy to learn more about these and whether they are the best choice to treat your acne scarring.
If you have browsed the store shelves or talked to a skin specialist who knows about the importance of using quality ingredients to fight acne, you have probably heard of benzoyl peroxide. This is one of the most common ingredients in treating acne and here's how it works.
The surface of your skin contains thousands of tiny openings called pores. These pores are essential because they allow sweat and oil to make its way from glands below the surface of the skin up to the surface. There are two types of pores: sweat and oil. Sweat pores send moisture to the surface of your skin to cool it and keep you from overheating. Oil pores allow oil from the sebaceous glands to get to the surface and moisturize your skin naturally.
Your body also has a natural process to remove things that collect inside your pores—such as dead skin cells or dirt—so they can do their job. If you can't clear out the pores properly, things like oil, dirt, and dead skin cells collect and lead to bacteria and inflammation (resulting in acne) as your body tries to get rid of them.
Benzoyl peroxide is an antimicrobial ingredient. What that means is that it works on the surface of your skin to reduce acne-causing bacteria. Rather than trying to fight acne-causing bacteria with antibiotics that you ingest (take through your mouth), benzoyl peroxide works in the specific area where you apply it so it has fewer overall side effects than a prescription you take internally. It also doesn't lead to antibiotic resistance, which is a serious concern among medical professionals.
Once it goes to work on the bacteria that is causing acne, benzoyl peroxide makes it easier for your body to clear out dead skin cells and other things that clog your pores. It's available without a prescription in strengths ranging from 2.5% to 10%. The amount you need is based on the cause of your acne, how well your skin can tolerate it, and other factors. Start with a lower dose and increase it over time if you don't see results.
There are a few potential side effects of benzoyl peroxide, but it is generally well-tolerated by most people. If you notice excessive skin dryness stop using benzoyl peroxide and talk to a skin specialist to find out what other options are available. If you have signs of an allergic reaction, stop using it immediately and contact a doctor. It's also important to note that benzoyl peroxide can bleach hair, fabric, or clothing, so wash your hands thoroughly after applying it and skip it right before a workout so your sweat doesn't transfer it to clothing.
Schedule a consultation with a skin specialist to discuss your own acne concerns in more detail, or shop our selection of benzoyl peroxide products today.
When it comes to skin no two people are alike, so why is it that most skincare products and regimens are designed for basically anyone and everyone? While there are some underlying products and ingredients that are beneficial to help most people keep their skin clean and clear, having a more personalized skincare regimen can help you avoid skin problems like dryness, acne, and sensitivity. A more personalized approach is even more important if you have bad breakouts or suffer from embarrassing and difficult acne.
There are a lot of different skin types out there, and for many people the old approach of just using any cleanser, toner, and moisturizer just won't cut it to keep your skin clean and help you fight breakouts. Skincare experts understand that it's important to find the right combination of products that uniquely addresses your needs. If you are currently shopping at a local drugstore or supermarket to get your skincare products and you are not seeing the results you want, stop guessing at what you should be doing and instead get a personalized skincare consultation. An expert can help determine the right products, the right concentration levels, and the right combination to get the skin you want.
There are a lot of different beauty and skincare products you can select, and shopping for them might raise a lot of questions for you. Do you need a serum? When should you be using face masks? Are all moisturizers the same, or are there some that you should use in the morning versus the night?
With so many different skincare products available, it can be difficult to know exactly what to use, in what combinations, and at what time of the day for maximum impact. There are also certain ingredients are aren't designed to be used together—for example, you should avoid using retinols with acids like AHAs or BHAs. A personalized skincare regimen that is designed for you will always provide the right products in the right concentrations and combinations for the best results.
As the number of facial products available continues to increase, so do the number of products with poor or unsafe ingredients. Additionally, some over-the-counter skincare products that are generally safe might not contain high enough concentrations of active ingredients to make a difference. Products that use medical-grade ingredients that are proven to fight acne are going to give you better and faster results without worrying about harmful ingredients like parabens, or suffering with skin irritations.
Teens and adults can all benefit from a personalized approach to skincare, especially if you suffer from acne and frequent breakouts. Find out more about the benefits and schedule a consultation with Skintherapy to get your own personalized regimen today.
Hormones are a part of life for both men and women, and as they fluctuate they can lead to embarrassing and even painful hormonal acne. This type of acne can occur in your teen years or later in life, especially for women who experience fluctuating hormones as a result of pregnancy and eventually menopause, and who are more likely to experience thyroid problems.
While hormonal acne is not the same as other acne, like many other breakout concerns, you need to find the right skincare routine and possibly make some lifestyle modifications. A skincare professional who treats all types of acne can help you figure out the right approach.
Most hormonal acne will appear along your jawline and chin, although it can appear in other places. In addition, a common sign that it is hormonal (and not more traditional acne vulgaris) is cystic acne. It appears as large, irritated, and painful red bumps deep under the skin. It’s also more like to leave a scar behind without proper treatment. If this is the type of acne you’re experiencing, most over-the-counter treatments won’t be as effective, and you will benefit from seeking treatment from a skincare specialist.
Using quality products to treat hormonal acne can help significantly in your ability to control it. Ingredients like alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), high concentration of benzoyl peroxide, and retinoids have been shown to be effective at addressing this painful condition. Your best option is to schedule a consultation with a skincare specialist to identify exactly what you need and find the right products rather than just trial-and-error that could even make hormonal acne worse.
There are also some medications that a dermatologist can prescribe to help treat hormonal acne. While these can be effective at eliminating or significantly reducing breakouts, they won’t always be the best option. Medications often come with side effects that can be difficult to deal with, and in some cases the medication ingredients may not be safe to take during pregnancy, which is a time when hormonal acne commonly flares up for women.
In most cases, it’s easier (and sometimes safer) to develop an effective skincare routine to address hormonal acne so you won’t have to deal with the side effects of prescription medication.
There are a lot of advertisements for “natural” remedies, especially for hormonal acne. While plant-based or natural remedies won’t have the side effects of some prescription medications, there is often very little (or no) research behind the effectiveness of these therapies. In addition, natural remedies that promise to “balance” your hormones often use plant-derived ingredients, which have different hormonal structures than your body’s natural hormones. Natural remedies may also interfere with other prescription medications, so you should never take supplements without first talking to your primary care doctor.
To learn more about products and therapies for your hormonal acne, contact our skincare specialists today.
You may have heard of adding peptides to your skincare routine, and while they may not get as much attention as retinols and hyaluronic acid, they are growing in popularity because they offer some great benefits for your skin.
Peptides are, scientifically speaking, short amino acid chains that your body uses to build proteins like collagen, keratin, and elastin. Your body uses these ingredients as the foundation for repairing skin and giving it more strength and resilience. Topical peptides—the ones you find in skincare products—are like triggers that signal your skin to produce more collagen and giving it more elasticity and bounce. As we age our skin produces less collagen, losing some of that elasticity and increasing the appearance of wrinkles.
You may be wondering why you couldn’t just use a product with collagen in it to increase collagen levels in your skin. A number of oral collagen supplements have popped up on store shelves recently, however if taken orally it only ends up in your stomach and is digested through the gut---never showing up as a benefit to your skin. Also, topical collagen molecules in skincare are too large to be absorbed into your skin so they don’t work either.
Peptides also provide other skin benefits that collagen supplements alone can’t offer:
One of the most important things to know about peptides is that they are not the only thing you need for healthy, beautiful skin. They are one tool to use in fighting the signs of aging, inflammation, and sun damage, but they should be used in combination with other key ingredients for maximum benefit. Additionally, there are some ingredients that can reduce the effectiveness of peptides, so it’s important to know what not to use in combination with your peptide skincare products.
At Skintherapy we have an amazing product containing two of the most popular peptides on the market today. To learn more about the Deluxe Plus Serum, visit our website or schedule a virtual or in-office consultation with one of our skincare professionals. We can help you find the right peptides and other products to reverse the signs of aging, fight acne, and improve overall skin tone and appearance.
Have you noticed redness and small pimple-like bumps on your skin that flare up from time to time and could take weeks or months to go away? Many people mistake these for traditional acne and treat them with the usual products—cleanser, toner—while covering them up with makeup to hide the redness and irritation. But it could actually be a condition called acne rosacea, which requires a different type of treatment. Here are three things you should know about acne rosacea to avoid the embarrassing and sometimes painful condition.
While traditional acne tends to peak around your teenage years when your body is experiencing a change in hormones that increases oil production, acne rosacea usually affects people over the age of 30 and is not a result of poor hygiene. The specific cause is unknown but it’s more likely to occur in:
When you experience acne rosacea you usually have “flare-ups” that could last a few days, or even a few weeks or several months at a time. You will notice facial redness that is usually concentrated around the center of your face (nose and cheeks), caused by swollen blood vessels. Most people also develop swollen bumps that look like pimple and are either red or contain pus, and can make your skin feel tender and warm.
The specific cause of a flare-up is not always easy to determine and it can be different for everyone. It may be caused or exacerbated by:
Understanding when you have acne rosacea is important to get the right treatment. Unlike other acne or breakouts, this condition is not just caused by excess oil production and wearing certain makeup or using certain face cleansers could actually cause the breakouts and flare-ups to get worse. A skin consultant can help you figure out if you have acne rosacea and identify the appropriate products to treat the condition, including ones with salicylic acid like our Exfoliating Serum #1 and our Oily Skin Toner.
You can also get advice to help identify the triggers and actively avoid things that might cause a flare-up in the future, along with finding makeup and gentle cleansing products to minimize irritation.
Schedule a virtual skin consultation today to learn more about acne rosacea and how to properly treat it.
A growing trend among skincare enthusiasts and celebrities alike is the use of LED light therapy to improve skin. If you’ve been wondering about whether it’s something that would benefit your skin, here’s a quick overview of the treatment and the benefits.
LED (which stands for light-emitting diode) light therapy was first invented by NASA as a way to help plants grow on shuttle missions in space. Today it’s widely used by esthetician to reverse the signs of aging. They use a variety of different red and blue light wavelengths—red for anti-aging, blue for acne treatment—to address skincare concerns. LED light boost collagen and tissue production so it’s also been shown to help with:
While it wasn’t intended as a skincare treatment, this type of therapy has been shown to have many benefits.
Safety: LEDs do not contain any ultraviolet light, which makes it a safe option to use regularly, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. They also don’t cause burns or other skin damage. Therapies like chemical peels, dermabrasion, and anti-aging laser treatments can all lead to painful and unsightly burns.
Little to no side effects: while there is a risk of some side effects, they are minor and only include a chance for inflammation, redness, or rashes after the treatment. No long-term side effects have been reported.
Quick: LED light therapy is a simple procedure and takes only about 20 to 30 minutes. Initially your esthetician may recommend treatment about once a week, but after about 10 treatments you can space that out to just come once every few months for maintenance.
Affordable: LED light therapy treatments are extremely affordable in the long run, making them one of the best options for anti-aging and acne treatments. However, since you will need frequent (probably weekly) treatments initially, the up-front cost to start LED light therapy can be higher than some other options.
It’s important to know that LED light therapy isn’t going to be the best option for everyone. Some people may not be able to get this treatment because of severe acne, the potential for interaction with medications, or other active skin disorders. Before you start an LED light therapy protocol, talk to your doctor and your esthetician about your medical and skin history. The results also are not guaranteed, and while it has shown promise for many people, it’s not going to be a magic bullet to solve all your skin ailments.
Call us today to schedule your consultation and discuss whether LED light therapy should be part of your skincare routine.
Acne is a really broad term that is used to describe a wide variety of skin ailments, and it’s something that millions of people deal with every year. You’re most likely to experience acne in your teen years, but it can linger into your adult life as well. There are actually several different types of acne, though, and understanding each one can help you identify the right treatment and options to get rid of it.
All types of acne are the result of pores or follicles that get clogged with excess bacteria, sebum, or dead skin cells. The pores get clogged and acne is your body’s way of trying to clear it out. The most common types of acne are:
No matter what type of acne you have, in most cases it forms the same way. Inside your pores right under the surface of your skin are sebaceous glands, which have an oily substance that helps keep skin and pores moisturized. If dirt, oils, dead skin cells, or other things clog the area they can attach to the sebum that comes from your glands and block the pore, resulting in an accumulation of bacteria and dead skin cells under the surface that appears as a pimple.
There are a lot of things you can do to try and keep your skin healthy, but sometimes it’s more than just washing it every night. Stress, genetics, excess oil, hormonal changes, and more can have an impact on your skin and the production of sebum. Some things you can’t control, but for the things you can it’s important to have a good skincare routine that includes:
If you struggle with acne, call Skintherapy to learn more about the treatments we offer to help clear your skin and help you feel confident and happy.
Hundreds of myths circulate about what factors cause acne. How do you know which ones to believe?
One of the most common perceptions is that wearing makeup causes acne – but, does it?
The answer, as with most questions concerning pimples and breakouts, is that makeup can cause acne, but it doesn’t necessarily have to. In fact, there are many high-quality, acne-safe makeup products available today.
When you’re fighting unsightly breakouts, your first inclination might be to cover them up with makeup. But, if you’re not careful, you could be causing more problems than you realize.
Literally dozens of factors can combine to create the perfect environment for increasing oil production, clogging pores and triggering the inflammation that inevitably leads to acne.
Poor-quality cosmetics can become a trigger for anyone who experiences breakouts. But, for most acne sufferers, their makeup is only one small part of a much more complex problem.
Not removing your makeup – or removing it with the wrong cleansers – might make you think your cosmetics are to blame for your breakouts. Thoroughly cleaning your face before bed is one of the most important steps for getting acne under control and keeping your skin clear.
If your cosmetics are old or contaminated with bacteria, you could be breaking out as a result. Skincare experts advise throwing away any cosmetics that are more than six months old, as bacterial contamination can happen with even the highest quality products.
Finally, if you aren’t washing your hands thoroughly before applying makeup (or any skincare product), you could be transferring acne-causing bacteria to your skin as well as into your makeup.
For most acne sufferers, finding a high-quality makeup that doesn’t contain any pore-clogging ingredients is the first step. But many cosmetics contain fragrances, dyes and other products that can cause inflammation.
Some of the ingredients it’s best to avoid generally include parabens, silicone, alcohols and acrylics. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. You can check out our extensive list of pore-clogging, acne-causing cosmetic ingredients here.
The best way to find the right cosmetics and skincare products for you is to consult with an esthetician that specializes in acne treatment. Because no one-size-fits all solution exists today, an acne treatment clinic can determine the underlying causes of your breakouts and help you address those – rather than prescribing harsh medications that do nothing but treat symptoms.
In northern Utah, call on the experts at Skintherapy. Our Salt Lake City acne treatment clinic provides a highly personalized level of treatment. We can help you find the right products to help get your skin clear and keep it clear. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule your personal consultation to discuss acne-safe makeup.
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