Acne Treatment Blog

When most people think of treating acne, zapping away oil and dirt with a medicated cleanser is usually the first thing that comes to mind, but unless you have something working from within, chances are those pimples will return in no time.

Spring has been well under way for a few weeks now, but even if you’ve already cleaned your house and home, there’s always time for a thorough skin cleansing ritual as well!

Many acne sufferers complain of increased breakouts during the warmer spring and summer months, when our skin gets hit hardest with a catastrophic combination of skin-damaging factors – the drying effects of the sun, extra dirt and debris buildup from the outdoors…all of this “attacks” our skin. In order to coexist with the change in weather, it’s important to keep a few key issues in mind when looking to maintain an acne-free complexion, taking care not to neglect your self-care, and skin care, when spring cleaning this year. 

Before treating acne, it’s important to understand just how this condition affects the body, and skin. Acne is attributed to a hormonal imbalance, which can affect the function of the sebaceous glands, whose job it is to create sebum, or oil. This oil travels along the pore to hydrate and protect the skin on the surface. When too much sebum becomes clogged within a pore and pairs with dead skin cells from the surface, bacteria forms, triggering an inflammatory response from the body. This process is known as the acne cascade, and usually results in red, swollen bumps known as pimples, a symptom of acne.

The formation of acne is usually attributed to either excessively oily or way-too-dry skin, but there’s another culprit that may be contributing to your symptoms - your hair or more precisely – your hair care routine.

Acne is a result of a hormonal imbalance, which can affect the function of the sebaceous glands, whose job it is to create sebum, (skin oil) which travels along the pores to hydrate and protect the skin on the surface. When too much sebum is produced, it clogs the pores.  A mixure of the skin oil, dirt and dead skin cells invites bacteria to form, triggering an inflammatory response from the body. This response usually appears as red, swollen bumps known as pimples, a symptom of acne.

Washing acne-prone skin plays a big part in maintaining its health and happiness, but if you’re using products that don’t work with your particular skin or acne type, those twice-daily reprieves may be doing more harm than good.

When many people begin a new acne treatment, the goal of obtaining clear skin is the main thing on their minds, but in addition to keeping all eyes on the prize, it’s important to understand just how to make the most out of your new skincare regimen.

For anyone with acne-prone skin, who doesn’t want to get rid of the issue overnight?  Many people have patience, but many don’t.  And unfortunately, our judgment can get cloudy and we only look for a solution without looking at the underlying cause.  So instead of focusing your search today on the next best thing that is guaranteed to help you whether it be in a day or 6 months, it’s important to understand two things:  how and why acne forms, and how important it is to develop ongoing healthy lifestyle habits.

With acne-prone skin, you wanted clear skin like yesterday.  And you certainly don’t want to worry about whether or not your skin is going to look good or not for an upcoming special day. When many people look to rid their skin of acne, a topical wash, cream or spot treatment is usually the first thing they reach for. 

When it comes to addressing acne, many will go to great lengths to treat their condition, but did you know that certain ingredients commonly found in many topical acne treatment can age your skin quicker?

If you’ve noticed acne symptoms on your skin for any amount of time you probably have a routine for dealing with the damage, but are you aware of some common factors that may be contributing to your condition?

Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States, and many people have experienced symptoms that appear on the skin as breakouts. Some types of acne are harder to treat than others, and cystic acne is among the most stubborn, but with the right approach, even cysts can be eliminated for good.

Out with the old and in with the new! This year is sure to come with a lot of new treatments, techniques, and trends in skincare.  We sure are looking forward to seeing all that 2017 has to hold.

With the New Year right around the corner, we always want to look our best for those big (or not so big) plans we’ve made. For anyone with acne, this can be a stressful time, but with the right tools you can step into the New Year with your best face forward.

The office, the family, the dinner with friends - the holiday season can certainly be a time for celebrating, and for anyone with acne-prone skin, all that partying can catch up to your complexion in no time.

A: Why is it that people often get a huge pimple before a special event? We know there are many potential causes that can exacerbate acne, and one that can do a number on you is stress. The holidays can be a great time, but also stressful…stress hormones can trigger excess sebum and before you know it, you’ve got some nasty breakouts right before a fun night out. Before your NYE party or any special event you are looking forward to, it’s so important to add in a few important things you can do to give your skin its best chance of shining!

With the holiday season here, both our time and our dietary care can slip away from us, which can lead to acne for some people. Food isn’t responsible for acne, however there are some foods that are more disruptive than others, which is why it’s important to recognize how our diet can affect us and our skin.

A:  It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but not for your skin unfortunately!  Parties with sugary treats and alcohol, late nights, cold temperatures, drying winds and dry indoor heating systems can wreak havoc on your skin and call for some emergency updates in your skincare routine.

The best way to achieve glowing skin for the holidays is simple: keep it hydrated and exfoliated whenever you can.  And don’t forget the old adage, “you are what you eat… and drink” as well!

And since many of our readers have severe acne, exfoliation needs to be done with extreme care or not at all until the major lesions and cysts heal.   So keep reading and get glowing!

Family, travel, feast with friends - the holidays are a time of celebration for many, and great way to relax and recharge for the new year ahead. For anyone with acne, however, the stress and hustle of the holiday season can prove to be tough on skin.

Now more than ever, people seem to be looking for safe, natural and effective ways to treat anything that ails them, from pain to digestive troubles to addressing their skincare needs, but how does a natural acne solution really work?

In order to understand how acne can be treated, it’s important to become familiar with how acne works in the first place. Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States, and affects people of all ages. It is usually the result of a hormonal imbalance, which goes on to affect the sebaceous glands. These glands produce sebum, or oil, which travels along the hair follicle, or pore, to protect and nourish the skin. Some imbalanced hormones can trigger the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum than necessary, which become clogged within the pore on its way to the surface. When combined with dead skin cells, bacteria forms, which sparks an inflammatory reaction, resulting in symptoms called pimples.

Everyone I know loves getting a facial. But most people think of facials as something to do on a special occasion, like for their birthday, or with the gift card their friend or family member got them.  Building a relationship with an esthetician that has a wealth of knowledge about skin can truly change your condition. Try to think of facials like you would going to the gym. It’s a part of your body maintenance that shouldn't be neglected. Many clients ask me how often they should get facials and my answer is different for everyone.

Self-care simply refers to any acts devoted to supporting your mental, physical, and/or emotional well being. Acne obviously affects the physical part of us, but do you know how this skin condition can affect the other areas of our lives? Acne has been linked to depression, anxiety and low self-esteem among many, especially among teens and those with severe or chronic symptoms. Because acne affects more than just our skin, it’s important that we give our whole selves some extra love and attention from time to time.

Acne is a usually the result of a hormonal imbalance, which goes on to affect the sebaceous glands. These glands produce sebum, or oil, which travels along the hair follicle, or pore, to protect and nourish the skin. Some imbalanced hormones can trigger the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum than necessary, which becomes clogged within the pore on its way to the surface. When combined with dead skin cells, bacteria forms, which sparks an inflammatory reaction, resulting in symptoms called pimples.

A: A few years ago, oil-free moisturizers were all the rage. People thought that oily skin would break out if more oil were topically applied. I remember seeing lots of skin that was dehydrated with red inflamed breakouts from this method of hydration. Certain oils can be your friends! It is just important that you use the right oil for your skin, because the wrong one can absolutely lead to more breakouts, while the right one can balance your sebum, making it less hard, sticky and pore clogging.

If you have been dealing with acne for any amount of time, you probably feel like you’ve heard of, and tried, just about every tonic, treatment and remedy under the sun, but there’s one you probably haven’t heard much about, and it’s a dietary supplement worth knowing.

Brewer’s yeast is most known for it’s role in making beer, but did you know it can also work to help keep skin healthy and acne-free?

Cooler days and longer nights can only mean one thing - Fall is in full swing!  For some, this shift in seasons is a welcome departure from the scorching summer months, but for anyone with acne, this time of year can make for a whole new set of troubles and concerns.

Acne is usually associated with being a teen “problem,” but did you know that the average age of someone with acne is 26?

If you’ve tried everything to treat your adult acne, or are just experiencing acne for the first time and want to avoid the guessing game, read on to learn what you’re working with, and how to really treat the problem.

When it comes to the benefits apple cider vinegar can have on acne-prone skin, the list is practically endless! It can naturally detoxify the body of harmful free radicals by flushing toxins from within, exfoliate dead skin cells on the surface, and contains manganese, which helps the body metabolize vitamins, and protects cells against damage caused by free radicals. Even digesting apple cider vinegar has its benefits, as the process produces malic acid, naturally rich in antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties, which are all essential steps in fighting acne!

A: One of the most frustrating parts of acne are the scars that it leaves behind. A pimple that only lasts a week can leave its impression on your skin for weeks, months or even- forever.  There is number of ways to deal with scars – some that can start even when you still have acne and others that are only suitable after your skin improves.

Acne is a disease which affects the skin, and is the most common skin condition affecting people of all ages. Caused by a hormonal imbalance which triggers an excessive amount of sebum, or skin oil, to be produced by the sebaceous glands, acne symptoms appear on the surface as red, swollen bumps often referred to as pimples.

A:

Adult acne can hit you like a train out of nowhere. Lots of people suffer from acne as adults, even if they had perfectly clear skin throughout their teenage years. Acne in younger people is, in a sense, easier to understand, because it is linked to hormonal changes and an excess of oil production from the sebaceous glands. Acne in adults is much more complicated because, yes even though it comes from a hormonal imbalance, there are more sources to contend with.

Overnight spot treatments, age-defying serums, pore-reducing tonics - In such a consumer-driven culture, it isn’t uncommon to witness claims that promise nothing short of a miracle to eliminate your acne. Designed to encourage buyers to pluck a product off the shelf in an instant, many of these topical treatments are wrapped in packaging ripe with buzzwords, to instill a sense of trust, wonder and hope that this magic bottle might possibly be the answer to their problems!  Additionally, many products are designed for teens so it’s impossible to decipher how to treat adult acne in a world full of teen acne products. 

For anyone with acne, the universal question still remains - how do I get rid of it?! We all want to get rid of our pesky pimples ASAP, but in order to understand the best way to treat the problem, it’s important to understand the cause of our concern.

The term acne is generally used to describe those red or white swollen bumps that appear on our skin, but those are actually just the symptoms of acne, which is technically a skin disease. Usually caused by a hormonal imbalance, acne can affect anyone at any age, though some people are more genetically predisposed to experience acne than others. Acne can appear in a variety of forms, from whiteheads to cysts, each requiring their own level of care, and approach to treatment.