Most of us have been there. You are worrying about an important presentation in the morning at work, only to wake up with a new blemish. No matter the specific situation, acne can be an embarrassing and even debilitating skin condition that affects many people at some point in their lives. It is the most common skin problem in the United States. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, forty to fifty million people have acne at any one time.
Myth or Truth?
“Eating chocolate causes your skin to break out.”
Myth: Chocolate and greasy foods have proved to have little to no effect on the development or course of acne.
“My skin must be dirty because I have acne.”
Myth: Acne is not a disease caused by dirt and some individuals go to extremes in scrubbing their skin. Since the oil plug starts much deeper, this is of little use and can actually irritate your skin.
“Only teenagers get acne.”
Myth: Although the majority of patients with acne are teenagers, at least 10 percent of acne patients are adults. Acne can affect anyone and is linked to hormones, not age.
“I got my acne from my parent(s).”
Truth: Heredity plays an important role in the acne process. The size and activity of the oil glands are dictated by DNA. If your parents both had problems with acne, you are also more likely to experience it throughout your life.
“Stress can have an affect on acne.”
Truth: Stress has been directly linked to acne flares. Acne may also be aggravated by lack of sleep, rubbing, friction, excessive sweating, and picking or squeezing the plugged pores.
“Certain medicines can cause acne.”
Truth: The list of drugs aggravating acne is a long one. Corticosteroids in high doses produce enlargement of the oil glands. Certain hormonal drugs, such as testosterone and progesterone in birth control pills, have a tendency to aggravate acne. Other aggravating agents are lodides and bromides, which are found in certain vitamin and mineral preparations, sedatives, asthma medications and cold remedies, phenobarbital, and others.
What products do we recommend?
A mild, soap-free cleanser like our Blue Cleanser for sensitive, dry, damaged skin so as not to cause further irritation.
Additionally a light moisturizer like our Light Textured Moisturizer or Oil Free Moisturizer can help soothe irritation as well has help control excess oil, without clogging pores.
Benzoyl Peroxide products like Benzoyl Peroxide Wash and Benzoyl Peroxide Gel help the red bumps go down and kill the germs that infect the pores.
Glycolic Acid accelerates the removal of dead skin cells that can interfere with the proper oil drainage of the skin. Salicylic Acid helps to reduce the number of acne blemishes and blackheads and allows the skin to heal. Together these products are especially effective to treat and prevent acne. Our GlySal Foaming Cleanser can be used as a face and body wash.
Especially helpful for blackheads, our Clay Mint Mask helps by pulling debris from clogged pores and drying existing lesions.
Sunscreens, like our Oil Free Moisturizing Sunscreen and Supergoop! Everday Sunscreen are also strongly recommended; unprotected exposure to light rays (sun or fluorescent bulbs) can cause increased pigment and thus dark spots where the acne pimples were.
If acne has already left its mark, Glycolic cream or pads and retinol used daily for several months may help smooth out shallow acne scarring.