The desire for perfect, blemish-free skin is one everyone in our modern society strives for. You see pictures of splendidly perfect skin everywhere on Instagram, Facebook, magazines.
But what’s that, you say? More acne? Scabs? Dry skin? It sees like no matter what you do, you are stuck with pimples and bumps.
Some may resort to picking. At least that way, you have control over something. At least that way, you can see a difference, feel a difference.
Picking at your acne can be a form of self-harm. The actual name for it is Dermatillomania and it affects many people with acne and even some without the acne. There are two kinds of Dermatillomania, one of them is an addiction and the other is a compulsion.
A compulsion to pick stems from feeling a sensation in or on the skin that makes you want to pick at it to make the sensation go away. This sensation stems from factors usually inside the body like bad reactions to food, medication, stress, and lack of sleep. People with a compulsion sometimes don’t even realize they are doing it. They just go at it when they get an itchy feeling or some other trigger.
An addiction to picking comes from trying to manage stress in an unhealthy way, or simply because picking feels good. The desire to pick generally comes from wanting perfect skin, so the picker will use any means necessary to even out and flatten blemishes. They believe this will help their appearance when the opposite usually happens. People who are addicted to picking will feel a general sense of relief or a rush when they are finished picking. Think of it like a form of managing stress; they do it to escape their thoughts or problems for a little while and in process, damage their skin.
The need to have some sort of control over reality is often a big factor for people who pick at their skin. It is also a form of perfectionism, and sometimes it may be from other underlying factors like OCD, although that is not always the case.
Managing picking depends on whether you are addicted to picking or if it is a compulsion but the remedies can be very similar.
With an addiction, it’s best to focus more on reconditioning your mind and thoughts that lead up to the picking. Many of the ways to remedy this are similar to other addictions. Changing up your routine, avoiding people and places that make you want to pick, and even changing your diet can all help tremendously in managing the picking tendency.
To manage the compulsion to pick, there are usually a few environmental factors that need to be changed in order to stop. Adding consistency is a huge step. Sleeping and eating routines should be carefully looked at, as those can cause the “itch to pick.” Also considering what foods and medications may be triggering the desire is helpful so you can manage them better. Looking at what goes into your body will help you better understand any imbalances within that lead to compulsion.
Having a guide to help you work through these issues is important to not feel so alone when dealing with an addiction or a compulsion. Sometimes it can be hard to see that there is a problem and having someone else there to show you what the problem is and how to deal with it, is extremely important. But the most important factor of all is that YOU decide to quit. It’s not about anyone else until you make the decision to stop.
The only way to stop picking is to realize that you want to stop. But it doesn’t hurt to have some help along the way. Call us at 801-800-6602. We not only help with acne, but we offer support to those who want to quit picking and get clear skin in the process. We can help you manage the stress that comes from picking by making acne less of a problem. Whatever assistance we can offer for you to obtain clear skin, free of acne and picking scars, we are here to help. Making an appointment is the first step! UtahAcneClinic.com.
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.
Ever notice how sometimes your cheeks flare up bright red when you’re blushing or eating spicy food? Or maybe nothing even happened and your cheeks are still rosy as a ripe tomato. Maybe it’s really humid and your skin has decided to look hot and aggravated, even though you’ve been inside in a temperature controlled environment all day.
It can begin when you just blush or flush more easily than other people. The redness may spread from the cheeks and nose to other areas of the body such as the ears, chest, and back.
The sad truth is, these are all symptoms of Rosacea. According to the American Academy of Dermatology there are four sub types of Rosacea
Today we are going to talk about the most common type, which is simply referred to as Papulopustular Rosacea or Acne Rosacea.
On the skin, Rosacea may just look like rosy cheeks. Other times small pimple-like bumps can break out on the skin. Many times it will include broken blood vessels spread out across the cheeks and nose.
Rosacea can be exacerbated by environmental changes (moving from a hot area to a cool one and vice versa, too much exposure to sunlight, cold wind) to the foods you eat, particularly spicy food. Alcohol can also be a major trigger. Other drinks such as coffee and tea can also be triggers.
There are a few ways we like to manage Acne Rosacea here at Skintherapy. The first thing we want to do is take a look at the skin and determine the severity of the condition.
The next thing we usually do is pick a cleanser to help with oiliness. The go-to in this situation would be our BPO Wash. Not only does it help combat oily skin but it also helps with the redness that accompanies Rosacea. This will help manage the inflammation and irritation.
Another excellent product we like to use in our clinic is our Exfoliating Serum #1 which assists in sloughing off dead skin cells and disinfecting skin. This serum also aids in the therapeutic reduction of redness.
For a toner, we love to use our Calming Toner or the Oily Skin Toner. Both of these help calm and and clarify irritated skin. Make your choice dependant on how oily or sensitive your skin is. Both of these are great products, but we can always help you choose which one is the best for your skin if you’d prefer some guidance.
We always recommend visiting us for a consultation before buying or ordering products, but if you are in a bind, at the end of your rope, the products listed above will be of great use to you. Never be afraid to reach out to us with any further questions or added assistance, or simply to book your appointment today.
If you do have Acne Rosacea, remember that you are not alone! Here’s a list of famous actors and actresses who also have Rosacea:
We look forward to helping you with your Acne and Acne Rosacea.
What Most People Don’t Realize
Most over-the-counter acne medications contain pore-clogging ingredients that actually make acne worse instead of better. If you take the time like we did and read the ingredient lists on the back of common acne products, you would realize that many of them contain pore-cloggers.
In this post, we’ll be reviewing some of the most popular over-the-counter acne products and detailing exactly why they don’t work. The truth is, many big corporate acne product companies want consumers to believe that they will solve a problem for acne sufferers, when in reality, they only make them worse.
The True Causes of Acne
You may have heard that acne is caused by bacteria. Germs and microbes infect the pores and that is what causes acne. Or that acne is caused by not keeping the area clean enough.
The reality is, acne is not the simple. If acne were as simple as a bacterial infection, everyone could just take antibiotics, keep the area dry and sterile, and their skin would clear up eventually. If acne were caused by not cleansing the skin enough, then all anyone would have to do would be buy more aggressive cleansers and use then more than twice a day. The problem is that acne is far more complex than that.
Acne is hereditary and hormonal. It can’t be made to go away just by using strong disinfectants, medications, or aggressive cleansers. These solutions to acne usually just end up giving the acne sufferer painfully dry skin, or worse.
The acne-causing genes make it so pores overproduce oil, dead skin cells, and sebum. These genes are also especially susceptible to androgens and hormones, which create a high turnover rate of these cells. When cells are overproducing and there’s a high turnover rate, the pores become so clogged that breakouts are inevitable.
When you realize that the cause of acne is pores that are just too clogged, it makes perfect sense that products that contain pore-cloggers simply won’t do the job. Acne is caused by pores becoming congested and inflamed with oil and dead skin cells. Adding more oil and pore clogging ingredients in a recipe for disaster and further acne problems.
Popular Products that Cause Breakouts
Not every product line or acne treatment available believes that pore-cloggers are an issue. Many OTC or mail order products don’t buy into the theory that acne is caused by clogged pores, therefore, they contain ingredients that clog pores and cause more inflamed acne.
Over-the-counter treatments are popular because, while some of them do contain acne fighting elements such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, unfortunately, these do little to prevent pores becoming clogged deep down under the skin.
Here are some popular acne products that contain pore cloggers:
Cetaphil
Includes sodium laureth sulfate in its formula, which causes breakouts.
Clearasil
Myristic acid and lauric acid are also pore cloggers and will do more harm than good when it comes to clearing skin.
ProActiv
Contains ethylhexyl palmitate is a pore clogger.
Clean and Clear
Has algae extract, which is a pore clogging ingredient. According to reviews voted “most helpful” on their online retail store, the product did nothing for customers but break them out even more.
Best Practice
Before using any acne product, it is always a good idea to consult the ingredient list (actives and inactives) to find out if there are any pore cloggers. Don’t buy into the idea that just because a product seems popular means that it is effective. Oftentimes, it is the opposite
The best method for clearing acne is realizing that it’s a journey that takes time and patience. Having someone guide you through the struggle is what we suggest because treating acne is not easy. But clearing acne is possible, with the right products and the right system.
Taking care of your skin doesn’t have to start with blind trial and error. If you are reading this, you are on the right path.
Click here to read more and find out why Skintherapy is the best solution for clearing acne
As a teen with acne, your dreams are made up of days where you no longer suffer from embarrassing breakouts. Adulthood is the ticket out of Zitville, at least you hope anyway. Adult acne is classified as having acne over the age of 25. At that point, your teen years are behind you and you thought you were done with this acne stuff. But think again.
Some acne sufferers start having breakouts in their young tender years while others don’t start breaking out until much later in life. Why is it that some people’s acne clears up as time goes on while others are surprised with breakouts long after their teen years?
The truth about acne is, nobody really knows why it starts young for some people and later for others. It could be hormones. It could be a change in products you are using. Or it could be how often and how aggressively you are cleansing your skin. Anything from diet to stress can trigger a breakout no matter what age you are.
So let’s examine some of the ways that acne can be helped, no matter what age you are.
By now you are probably aware that products are a huge part of helping or hindering your acne. With every new product you pick up at the store or online, there is the plea in the back of your mind, “I hope this doesn’t make me break out.”
So many people have been there and the constant game of roulette is not fun. If you’re looking for products that are guaranteed not to break you out and in fact, will only help your acne get better, try these on for size:
This toner helps calm redness as it hydrates and removes sweat, dirt, and dead skin cells from your pores.
This face wash is gentle and effective in cleansing the skin without being too drying. Perfect for any skin type.
This sunscreen is not only soothing while it prevents sunburns, but also has natural ingredients that keep your pores from becoming clogged.
With these products, you are likely to experience some improvements right away because they are not drying or over exfoliating. That is another big problem among acne sufferers: cleansing too much. With the Gentle Face Wash mentioned above, using it once or twice a day won’t make you dry out, but will effectively cleanse the skin of irritants. When looking for products to help acne, it is usually best to err on the side of gentle at first. This way, you can gauge how aggressive you need to go with products to get the results you want.
The reality is, when you are dealing with something as complicated as acne, you want to make sure you are getting the best treatment advice from the most knowledgeable source.
Dermatologists, as helpful as they might be, may not have the time or the patience to deal with your specific case of acne as you see fit.
Let our team at Skintherapy be the ones to help you get your skin back on track. Whether it be adult acne or teen acne, we are here to help.
Reach out to us here on our website or check out our social media pages (@utahacneclinic on Insta) to get more info and start your journey to clear skin.
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.
If you have acne and you’re not sure how to treat it, there are a lot of questions running through your mind constantly. There’s a lot of wondering if something you did or ate yesterday will make you break out today. Or if something you put on your skin today will make you break out tomorrow.
This post is to help set the record straight when it comes to one important factor in clearing your acne: cleansing your skin.
Many store-bought cleansers work for a person with a normal skin type. But here’s the truth, most of those cleansers will not work for someone with acne because they contain comedogenic ingredients that clog your pores and make you break out. You need something to wash your face with that is guaranteed not to cause breakouts.
Luckily, we have just the right cleanser for you. Our Gentle Wash is a one-stop face wash. It’s gentle enough to use twice a day, no matter your skin type and is even safe to use to remove eye makeup (or even a little vaseline goes a long way as well.) There aren’t a lot of cleansers out there that can accomplish such a feat. This one really takes the cake for its effectiveness in clearing out impurities without drying out your skin.
Depending on your skin type and the type of acne you have, you can find relief from acne with other cleansers we carry as well. The BPO Wash is one of our most popular cleansers. Not only is it noncomedogenic, but it is also great for those whose skin tends to be more oily and suffer with breakouts that are inflamed, red and very irritated with cysts and whiteheads.
For non-inflamed acne like blackheads and bumps from ingrown hairs, BPO Scrub is perfect for making rougher skin silky smooth. It is intended to refine bumps and acne underneath the skin but is not recommended for inflamed acne, like cysts or whiteheads. This cleanser is best for oily skin because it contains benzoyl peroxide.
In situations where red marks and acne are present, but your skin is not that oily the Exfoliating Face and Body Scrub is an amazing option because of its ability to clear away rought texture, dead skin cells and lighten red marks and pigmentation. Perfect for both body and face acne plus those pesky bumps on the back of arms.
The truth is, you need 3 things to properly cleanse your skin.
-Good product. Something you know for sure has good ingredients that don’t include pore-cloggers.
-Consistency. You will be most successful if you commit to consistently washing your face twice a day, morning and night, and using toner if you sweat in between the washing.
-Professional guidance. The number one best thing you can do for your skin is to talk to someone who knows best how to clear it. Skintherapy provides you with an action plan to complete all three of these steps, efficiently and effectively. You’ll no longer have to worry if some part of your daily life or routine is what’s causing your breakouts. You will be in good hands, as we know exactly how to clear your skin and keep it that way.
For more information and to set up your appointment, visit the link here at UtahAcneClinic.com. Our office is located at 1817 south main street, #18 Salt Lake City, UT 84115. Reach out to us at 801-800-6602 or [email protected].
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.
The definition of oxidative stress is “an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract or detoxify their harmful effects through neutralization by antioxidants.”
But what does that mean in correlation to your acne?
Studies have shown that oxidative stress is caused by foods and other consumed substances (like cigarettes, for example) that promote inflammation and adversely affect acne.
Some of the oxidative stress-inducing fare includes things like hydrogenated fats, alcohol, high amounts of sugar, preservatives, drugs, chlorinated water, pesticides, and pollutants (of water, air, or food.)
Oxidation reduces your body’s ability to cope with toxins and pollutants, forcing your body into a state of stress. Stress can happen under physical or emotional circumstances as well and can damage cells, proteins, and even DNA. As you can imagine, this can cause many health problems, including; fatigue, acne, headaches, susceptibility to infections, and even cancer.
So what can be done to combat the impact of oxidative stress on your health and your skin?
Nutritional medicine is becoming an apparent method of dealing with and healing many of the negative processes in the body that cause many ailments. It is believed by researchers and scientists studying acne, that diet is strongly correlated to the appearance of acne and breakouts.
Studies show that higher antioxidant intake combats the derisive effects of the Westernized diet, which includes mostly omega 6 and hardly any omega 3 (which are the dietary antioxidants) and improves health and skin problems caused by oxidative stress.
The word ‘antioxidant’ has become a medical buzzword. And for good reason! It is something sorely missed in our modernized diet, as antioxidants mainly exist in nutrients like vitamin A and vitamin E. Studies at a university in India found that oral vitamins E and A taken daily led to significant improvements among young adults with long-term acne.
While the supplements are great to take, they should be taken under controlled supervision to ensure safety. However, there are many foods that can be implemented into your diet that provide a similar benefit.
These foods include:
It is common for oxidative stress to cause many serious health problems, including acne. It is important to note that the less fast food you eat and more foods rich in antioxidants you consume, the better off your skin and body will be.
These foods and supplements mentioned in this article, will not only help your skin but will tackle problems that go much deeper, resulting in a healthier anatomy on top of clearer skin.
For even better results in clearing your acne, reach out to us for a consultation with a professional esthetician who can guide you with the correct vitamin dosages, lifestyle changes, and treatment plan for your acne. Here is the link to try out a way to clearer skin and a healthier way of dealing with acne today.
If you have acne and have ever smoked or had a habit of smoking, there are some interesting facts that you should know. By this point, you’ve probably heard everything there is to know about the ill-effects that smoking tobacco has on your body, but what about the effects it has on your acne?
On top of that, what about the effects of smoking other substances, like marijuana? Today, we’ll be sharing some insight on what those effects are and how they relate to your breakouts.
Tobacco
In 2001, the first official study of the correlation between smoking and acne was done by Dr. Torsten Schafer at the University of Munich. Before that, the theory that smoking could affect acne wasn’t really paid all that much attention.
What Dr. Schafer found was that 1) acne is most prevalent in smokers and 2) there is an unmistakable relationship between the number of cigarettes smoked and the severity of the acne.
One of the chemical reactions in a person’s body is that of stress. Some may even smoke to alleviate said stress. But smoking increases oxidative stress and does one other interesting thing to the human body: increases testosterone.
Smokers have as much as 15% higher testosterone in their bodies. Testosterone increases the production of sebum in the skin, which creates an overproduction of dead skin cells, clogging up pores and causing breakouts.
Marijuana
According to an article by the Huffington Post in 2013, marijuana has some of the same chemical reactions in the body as tobacco. The most notable being that it causes a significant increase in testosterone, and therefore sebum production in the skin. For marijuana smokers, the percentage of testosterone was in the range of 3-5%, which is a significantly smaller percentage than that of the average tobacco user but still may cause breakouts.
Another factor relating to acne when it comes to smoking marijuana is that it may cause you to reach for sugary snacks. There is definitely a link between acne and high glycemic index foods, so that is something to keep in mind.
Also, be aware of the laws in your country/state when using this substance.
Vaping
There hasn’t been a lot of long-term research done on vaping in general, but as it stands now, for people who were heavy smokers before vaping, there seems to be a significant decrease in breakouts. Whereas for people who never smoked before, vaping sometimes aggravates acne.
Vaping does cause chemical reactions in the body, of course, and any change in lifestyle might cause some disturbances in your skin, but all in all, the jury is still out on how vaping affects acne.
While smoking tobacco is one of the worst things you can do for your acne, switching to a vape can help decrease breakouts. When it comes to marijuana, be wise of local laws and bear in mind that for most, it still causes acne to flare up.
Most use smoking as a means to alleviate stress, and while it may have some short-term upsides, the downsides outweigh them by a landslide. Consider quitting smoking for all of the health benefits--including healing your acne.
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.
Marketing geniuses would love to have you believe that their most famous acne clearing products are safe and do exactly what they advertise--clear your skin. But sadly, this is simply not the case for the products we are about to review in this article.
Many doctors and dermatologists are prescribing products for your acne that either aren’t going to work as well as they should, or aren’t going to work at all.
Today we’ll get into the reasons why these products don’t work and what you can use for your acne that actually works.
The first one we’ll start with is Cetaphil. According to Cetaphil’s website, it is a “Gentle Skin Care Product” that is “clinically tested and proven to cleanse, hydrate, and protect acne-prone skin.”
That’s all fine and dandy until you look at the list of ingredients in their product.
According to the experts, here is a list of ingredients that will clog your pores.You’ll notice that the ingredient sodium laureth sulfate is on there. Guess what Cetaphil has in it? Sodium laureth sulfate.
Although sodium laureth sulfate only scores a 3 out of 5 on the pore clogging scale (0 being non clogging and 5 being extremely clogging), it still makes you wonder, how have they gotten away with marketing this product to be good for acne for so long when it clearly isn’t?
It’s unfortunate that such products are being branded to help acne, when in fact, it will just make it worse.
The next surprisingly pore clogging product is Clearasil. Yes, you read that right. Clearasil has been branded the expert and leading acne control product for teenagers. But what's really going on in their formula?
They do have some good stuff going on, although it's in such low doses, it's hard to say if it will actually help clear your skin.
For example, salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide do help in treating acne. But Clearasil also contains myristic acid and lauric acid, which scored 3 and 4 respectively on the pore clogging scale.
Clearasil is the first product that many people turn to when they first get acne and for some, it might actually help. But for many, it only exacerbates the problem and makes a bad situation worse.
Next off, we have Retinol A. Although this product is available under many different names, including Retin-A and Tretinoin, don't let them fool you. It is branded as a medication used to treat acne and usually has to be prescribed by a doctor in order to obtain it, although it can also be purchased online.
On Web MD, Retinol A is said to work by affecting the growth of growth of skin cells and admits that it may make your acne worse at first but will get better after 8-12 weeks.
The reality is that it makes your acne worse because it contains isopropyl myristate (which scores a staggering 5 on the pore clogging scale) and stearic acid (which scores a 3 on the pore clogging scale.)
Last on our list is Coconut Oil and its derivatives. Acne is caused by a buildup of oil in the skin. Therefore, it seems strange to claim that coconut oil does something to help with acne.
The popular website, Healthline.com, claims "Coconut oil is high in lauric acid, which helps kill the bacteria that cause acne."
Lauric acid rates at a 4 on the pore clogging scale. Whether or not it possesses the qualities to kill bacteria on your skin (which is not what causes acne in the first place anyway) the mere fact that it contains such a pore clogging ingredient makes it less than convincing when it comes to clearing up your acne.
The upside about coconut oil about it is that it smells really good! But it's just not so great for your skin, unfortunately.
These are just a few of the expertly branded products that claim to help acne but really don't. We suggest you do your own research and don't fall for the hype when it comes to selecting products to help with your acne.
Now if you really want to get your skin clear, schedule an appointment with us. We have individualized products and treatment plans that you can't get anywhere else and have been tried and proven to help get skin clear and maintain clear skin for life.
What are you waiting for? The next step is finding out what will work to get your skin where you want it to be.
Click here to set up your appointment today.
International research has shown that lack of sleep is one of the biggest aggravators when it comes to acne (The Clear Skin Diet, Alan C. Logan and Valori Treloar.) When you are sleep deprived, your adrenal glands, levels of cortisol, and insulin levels are disrupted. This makes you more stressed, less likely to get a good night’s sleep, and creates more skin and acne problems.
The trick to getting better quality sleep (and more of it) is to create a relaxing environment in your bedroom. You want to feel like your bedroom is a space of quiet tranquility, away from the world. This space should be free of clutter and distractions. Let your bedroom be your oasis.
Now that you’ve done that, here are 4 tips to helping you get into better, more healthy sleep patterns.
Ditch the Daytime Naps
When you nap, especially in the afternoon, this can disturb your regular sleep cycle and make it harder to fall asleep at night. It may cause you to toss and turn for a lengthy period of time, or even make it impossible to fall asleep at all. As tempting as it is to take a quick nap in the afternoon, it will help keep your skin get clearer if you don’t.
Go to Sleep at the Same Time Every Night
Sleep schedules are paramount when it comes to getting adequate sleep. You want to make sure you’re getting a good 7-8 hours each night. To do this, try going to sleep when you start feeling tired and letting yourself wake up naturally. This will give you a good indication of how many hours of sleep you need to feel good. Allow yourself to get that much sleep every night.
Cut Back on Drinks and Food at Night
Heavy meals definitely don’t help you feel comfortable at night when you’re trying to get your relaxing on, so try to avoid them. It is intuitive to avoid caffeine in the evening but you also want to avoid using alcohol to help you fall asleep. Best to put the bottle away 4-6 hours before bedtime.
Read a Book Before Bedtime Instead of Your Phone
An excellent way that I have found to prime me get to sleep at night is to put my phone away 30-45 minutes before bed. Instead, reading a book is a better way to calm the mind into relaxation and forget about the worries of the day. It will also help to loosen up your muscles and prime your body for a good night’s rest.
While sleep is one of the most important, yet most often overlooked ways to help get your skin clear, the number one most important thing you can do for your skin is to get customized products and regimen to get your skin acne-free. We know how important it is in decreasing stress when you don’t have to worry about how your skin looks. That’s why we are here to help! Click here to set up an appointment with our world class estheticians and see how we can help you get your skin clear today.
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.
Understandably, one of the most common misconceptions when it comes to acne is that it can be easily treated by taking the pill. I mean, acne is caused by hormone imbalances and birth control has some of those same hormones in it, so that should help, right?
Not exactly. When it comes to your acne, you’re looking at a long list of potential causes. Not all of them are hormone related.
The number one cause of acne has nothing to do with hormones and has everything to do with your genetics. Most people are simply born with acne. And unfortunately, that can’t be fixed by taking a pill.
It is a dangerous game when it comes to trying to treat acne with birth control. Because of the varying amounts of hormones in each brand of pill, there are some that are more likely to trigger breakouts than others. But, as a general rule, it can be a little tricky to get the right one that won’t make your acne worse instead of better.
Here is a list of birth controls and their side effects when it comes to potentially helping or hurting your acne.
The truth is, if there were a little pill that you could take to completely rid your skin of acne, I would wholeheartedly recommend it to you. I’ve worked with people suffering from acne so long and tried so many different methods of treating it that a single pill would be a life changer for many of my clients.
In reality, acne doesn’t usually work that way. Your skin needs a lot of one on one attention to become completely clear. There isn’t a magical pill you can take that will vanquish your acne once and for all. The tried and true methods take time and patience.
My clinic cares about getting your skin clear. We want our clients to feel confident and successful when it comes to controlling their acne. We have created not only a line of products to ensure the clarity of your skin, but we have also devised a treatment plan that works on a variety of skin types. Even better is the fact that if you need to be on birth control, for birth control reasons---then we help you find an acne safe pill.
If you are tired of searching for a miracle pill to correct your acne, try seeing us today. We will treat you like the individual you are, instead of giving you a blanket method to see if it helps. We know how to treat acne in a way and it’s not a gamble like taking the pill.
Now that summer is finally here, we all get to relax and spend our days stretched out beside a pool or beach, drink in hand. Or at least, that’s what we wish we could be doing all summer. It’s hard to resist outdoor adventures when the weather is beautiful and the days are long and seemingly endless.
Here’s the thing though: not to be a damper on your summer, but you’ve got your skin think about. There is a lot that goes on in the summer sun that you need to be aware of to protect your skin and prevent skin damage or potentially making your acne worse.
But we’ve got you covered. Here is a list of tips to help you get through the summer with happy, healthy skin.
1. Sunscreen
I started with this one because, while it is obvious that you should wear sunscreen while hanging out by the pool or being outside all day, what isn’t so obvious is that you should be wearing sunscreen all day, every day. Rain or shine. Inside or outside. The sun can be tricky, as UV rays can still damage your skin even if it’s cloudy or raining outside and UVA rays can come through your windows when you are inside.
The importance of sunscreen is tremendous, especially if you have acne. Long-term sun exposure can cause extreme dryness and can also cause breakouts.
To protect your skin, find a sunscreen that has a high SPF formula. It is also vital to avoid products that contain ingredients such as shea butter, as they can clog your pores and invite breakouts.
A prime example of a good sunscreen to use would be one like our Sun Guard SPF 30, as it has all the elements mentioned above without the pore-clogging effects of most supermarket products.
2. Occlude Your Skin When You Go Swimming
To occlude means to “block” or “stop up.” When I say you should occlude your skin, naturally that sounds counterintuitive to the first tip in this post, which is to avoid products that clog your pores, but let me explain.
When you go swimming, iodides in pools and salt in the ocean can dry your skin out excessively. Not to mention bacteria and germs floating around just waiting to sink into your poor, unsuspecting pores.
Therefore, you must protect your skin by using products like Aquaphor before entering a swimming pool, ocean, or any body of water containing iodides or salt. This will help your skin stay safe from drying, bacteria, and iodides, which are harmful and can cause acne to flare up.
3. No Sweat
Of course sweating is a natural byproduct of summer. Being outside is one of the best parts about this time of year. But did you know that letting your sweat sit on your skin can cause breakouts? Because it definitely can.
Acne is caused by an overproduction of sebum and dead skin cells. Sexy, right? Especially when you want to look good in a new outfit when you’re on your way to a summer pool party. But when you let sweat sit on your skin, it invites more dirt, bacteria and other unwanted particles to stick and get stuck in your pores.
Do yourself a favor and grab a good acne safe toner. You can take a couple cotton pads soaked in toner with you anywhere and wipe away that sweat and dirt as you go. This is perfect for hikes, working out, or just a day out and about in the sun.
4. Suntanned or Sunburned?
When you’re at the pool or the beach this summer and your friend inevitably hands you a bottle of SPF 14 with coconut oil, you’re going to have a choice to make. You can either take that bottle and throw it into the nearby ocean, or you can slather it on your skin and hope for the best.
My recommendation is that you do neither and bring your own sunscreen. To ensure the health of your skin, you must avoid sunburns at all costs.
It’s imperative for many reasons, but the most important being that sunburns break down the pore, cause extreme dryness, and of course, cause skin cancer.
Don’t make the same mistakes that other people do with their skin; when it comes to sunbathing, you can still get a tan by using a high SPF sunscreen. It will protect your skin and potentially save your life.
But most of all, enjoy the weather and we hope these tips help you stay safe and keep your skin healthy this summer.
For more information and skincare tips make sure to read the rest of our blog under the education section at UtahAcneClinic.com
Do you struggle with acne? Every year, thousands of people invest in a variety of acne treatments including over-the-counter products, prescription creams, antibiotics, and even Accutane. According to this study done in 2016 by the Society for Investigative Dermatology and the American Academy of Dermatology Association, Statistic Brain Research Institute, the total annual spending on acne treatments in the U.S. was $3,020,000,000!
This is what the top acne prescription treatments by annual sales looked like…
| 1 | Isotretinoin (Accutane) | $1,200,000,000 | |
| 2 | Oral Contraceptives (Birth Control Pills like Ortho Tri-Cyclen) | $421,000,000 | |
| 3 | Oral Antibiotics (Vibramycin) | $150,000,000 | |
| 4 | Dapsone (Aczone) | $140,000,000 | |
| 5 | Spironolactone | $118,000,000 | |
| 6 | Adapalene (Differin) | $91,000,000 | |
| 7 | Tazarotene (Tazorac) | $90,000,000 | |
| 8 | Tretinoin (Retin-A) | $88,000,000 | |
| 9 | Azelaic Acid (Azelex) | $85,000,000 | |
| 10 | Benzoyl Peroxide (Benzac AC) | $45,000,000 | |
| 11 | Clindamycin (Cleocin T) | $70,000,000 | |
| 12 | Erythromycin (Benzamycin) | $70,000,000 | |
| 13 | Sodium Sulfacetamide (Klaron) | $19,000,000 | |
If people are spending this much money on acne treatments every year, why are they not seeing better success rates with clearing their acne?
I can personally attest that 90% of the people who come into my acne clinic have already tried clearing their acne with oral antibiotics or some form of Clindamycin and Tretinoin.
Beyond that, around 50% have tried Accutane more than once. We know that acne can be challenging to treat and that's why so many acne sufferers are still frustrated and discouraged when it comes to finding an acne treatment that really delivers results and helps them feel better about their skin.
As a Master Esthetician, I have a good idea why these patients are not getting their acne cleared. I know what works for people and what doesn’t, based on years of treating acne in a completely different manner than your average Dermatologist does. What I have to say is by no means me throwing your medical doctor under the bus---this is just what I have discovered through years of research and development.
Your dermatologist is incredibly busy. Most dermatologists are scheduled out three to six months in advance, with only enough time to see an individual a few times a year. They don't just treat acne--they diagnose and treat more than 3,000 different diseases. These diseases include skin cancer, eczema, psoriasis, and nail infections. If we look at the 3,000 different diseases these doctors treat, some are even life threatening. But acne is different. Yes, acne is a hassle and embarrassing to most, but it is not life threatening. Doctors tend to think of it as mere cosmetic misfortune.
Many people are under the impression that acne needs to be treated by making a visit to their doctor or dermatologist, where they will get on some antibiotics and get their acne under control.
The truth is, acne treatments have made significant progress and almost any type of acne can be treated with some patience and an individualized treatment plan.
What I’m here to tell you is, you don’t need to turn to antibiotics or Accutane to clear your painful and discouraging acne. With a simple appointment, we can help you turn your acne into clear, beautiful skin you can be proud of.
At my office, we take the time to really understand your skin so we can recommend a home care plan that works best for you. Unlike the typical dermatologist visit, we make time to see you frequently and provide the fastest skin clearing regimen possible. With carefully designed products that are hand selected for your acne, we’re confident your skin will get clear and stay clear.
So come see us today and let’s get started!
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