Acne Magazine : Skin Care, Tips, Treatment Reviews

Neutrogena, which has some products that have been really great for those with acne prone skin for years now, apparently is now offering a personalized skin care system, mostly targeted for those with problem skin, to help treat and quell the symptoms.  Neutrogena has one of my favorite classics, the amber clear glycerin soap bar used for facial cleansing.  This product has been around for ions, and it goes as far back to when I was a teenager with acne and trying to get it treated by visiting dermatologists.

The dermatologists always recommended one of three different types of facial cleansing bars. This was before liquid cleansers and cream cleansers were all the rage, when bars were still popular to wash the face.  They would recommend either the Neutrogena amber bar soap, the Purpose bar soap, or the Cetaphil cleanser, which I never understood.

With Skin iD, you can go online and complete a questionnaire about your skin that takes roughly 5 minutes to complete.  Neutrogena gathers information about your skin, your lifestyle and your problem with acne, and then formulates a custom skin care regimen out of their acne skin care products, specifically targeted to your skin and your personal situation so that it can be effective for what you need.

The Skin iD products appear to range from cleansers to treatment creams, to astringents and other skin soothing products.  Perhaps they are built with the three skin types in mind as well, but I can’t really tell, but those three skin types are oily, dry, and combination. I think a good part of the people who suffer from acne have combination skin, and another good chunk probably have oily skin.

It is important to get the right combination of products for your skin type, so I think this is a great idea. Has anyone tried any of the Skin iD products yet, or had a skin evaluation with Neutrogena?

There are a ton of home remedies for acne that have been used over the years.  But do any of them have any real merit? One such remedy that has gained some attention is the use of regular aspirin, topically, on the face or where ever you have skin affected by acne.  How would rubbing aspirin on your face help to clear up acne?  Well, maybe it’s the anti inflammatory nature of the aspirin? After all, that’s what aspirin is essentially, it’s a pain reliever and anti inflammatory agent, so wouldn’t that be why it might help your skin to clear up?

Actually, my reasoning is not correct for why the popular “aspirin mask” for acne home remedy may work to help clear acne.  It’s because the aspirin itself breaks down into a beta hydroxy acid that has great exfoliation and cleansing properties, to get down into the skin and help to clear the pores.

You may have heard of alpha hydroxy acids, which are used in a lot of skincare products, both top of the line and OTC ones. Well, beta hydroxy is of the same family, and it is used in some beauty and skin care products as well, and it is known mostly for it’s exfoliating benefits, revealing fresh new skin.

The way the aspirin treatment typically works is that you grind these tablets (not the type with the anti stomach upset coating on them, just plain aspirin) in some water and you rub it allover your face, leaving it there for a few minutes like a mask.

Green tea, as you all may well know by now, is a great alternative to coffee in the morning.  Green tea supplies an excellent stream of antioxidants, which is excellent for your skin. Not only your skin, but your overall body health is affected positively by green tea because it supplies a couple of key natural chemicals that help fight free radicals.  Free radicals are responsible not only for cell damage around the body and degeneration of the tissues, but it is also responsible for skin damage.

If you’ve had acne for any length of time in your life, you know that it can damage your skin and cause scarring and trauma in it’s path of destruction.  Antioxidants are an important part of your diet because they help to mend cell damage.  Not only that, but there is even some evidence that when applied topically to the skin, green tea extract can help to calm inflammation, which means it probably helps with cell damage on the outside as well.  Inflammation after all, is when the cells get “irritated”.

Acne is basically an inflammation of the skin, so any foods or drinks that are anti inflammatory in nature, like green tea or strawberries, blueberries, and other dark fruits or veggies, give you an anti inflammatory boost along with antioxidants, which work together to address cell damage.

If you’re worried about the caffeine in green tea, there are decaffeinated green teas you can buy.  I found one that says it uses a special process to decaffeinate the tea to make sure the antioxidant value remains in place. You may want to read the label to make sure the process they use doesn’t interfere with the antioxidant content. Oh, and to squeeze every last benefit out of it, make sure you mix a little lemon or some other kind of fresh citrus juice with it. Lemon actually tastes great in tea.

There has been research that shows that when you drink it with a citrus juice, you absorb much more of the antioxidant value.

Unfortunately, acne is very common skin problem which most of us have experienced in some period of our life.  If you choose the right treatment that suits you, you can keep acne under control.  In today’s market, professionals and sufferers are quickly recognizing the amazing benefits of the light therapy, making this cure system one of the most requested skin care treatments on the market. It is the latest device for treating acne. It’s a painless treatment with quite short sessions. This system is the fastest growing natural health alternative of the new millennium.

Blue light treatment can be the best treatment for the patients who have a minimal success with some medical and natural products. This is the most comfortable treatment available! Most of us know that when you expose the skin on the sun usually helps clear up acne at least a little. That’s because the light kills bacteria. It will clear acne, reduce pimples, removes sun damage underneath your skin.

The whole process for the patients using blue light treatment lasts for about thirty minutes. Like we said it is a very quick and safe treatment. The instructions may include avoiding certain medications, like not smoking and protecting the skin from the sun for the appropriate period of time, because it can be damaging for your skin.

Patients should wash and dry their faces before exposing their skin to blue light. Blue light therapy can be dangerous for the eyes, so eye protection is always necessary.
Although blue light systems can be purchased and self-administered at home, a dermatologist should oversee its use and set-up the equipment. If you want your treatment to be successful, it is advisable to consult your physician. A number of dermatologists use this light treatment for acne because this process seems to be safe and successful.

More and more people are starting to learn about this method of blue light therapy treatment for acne. Acne light treatments have been getting more attention in recent years, because blue light therapy is proving to be successful.  Are the results positive? This will vary according to skin type and lifestyle, but following a course of treatments you can expect to see an overall improvement in the appearance of the skin.

We can certainly recommend this kind of treatment as we this is the most advanced technique available today for improving the health condition of your skin and face in general.

If you think of how your body works, the main action of the blood moving from cell to cell is of great importance to your health and longevity. Therefore, how does blood circulation affect our health? In many ways, the circulation affects the whole body and its functions, and is a basic precondition to maintain good health.

Healthy skin is energized by good circulation which is stimulated from the heart pumping, so a good walk or jog will not only keep your muscles strong but also gets your heart to work faster. Have you ever noticed how awesome your skin looks when you are physically fit and getting lots of activity into your schedule?

I’ve noticed a huge difference in my skin when I working out regularly vs. not working out. I even notice that I get breakouts less, so activity is a good part of your acne treatment regimen as a lifestyle habit as well.

Water has the ability to dissolve many problems. It has a major role in maintaining the skin health. Get the water habit, and your skin will thank you for it. This is because water helps to improve the blood circulation and all bodily tissues will get oxygen and other essential nutrients.

Hot and cold showers or hydrotherapy is a good way of improving your circulation. It is something you can do every day, concentrating on the effected area. When you get hot under a shower the blood rushes to the skin and feeds it.

Another important aspect is how one lives his life as it has greater effect in looking young with radiant skin. It is important to quit smoking and reduce the level of alcohol consumption, because both have negative impact on skin. A changed lifestyle and developing healthy habits, exercise as a daily rule, good sleep and healthy diet can leave your skin glowing.

Poor circulation may also be the result of some disorders of the arteries or veins such as an abnormal narrowing, reducing blood flow and possibly causing tissue damage or abnormal widening and thinning of the walls. While you are considering circulation, there are a number of different foods you can include in your diet to help you promote a healthy circulation system. Thankfully there are many simple things you can do to help ease this suffering.

Maybe vitamin supplements are the key. Analyze your body from deficient vitamins, which ones, how much do you need and you will notice how certain supplements can help you have healthful, beautiful, younger skin.

Watermelons and oranges contain healthy amounts of bioflavonoid and vitamin C. Nuts contain a substance called niacin, better known as vitamin B3. Vitamin B3 is an important nutrient. You should eat plenty of foods that are rich in vitamins A, C and E. Honey may also be good for your skin. It has the ability to attract water.
Everyone wants beautiful, healthy, radiant skin. Nowadays that is not a big problem. With the latest technology you can solve it in a very simple way.

You have to include a lot of fruits, and a lot of vegetables. Some of my favorites are pineapple, mango (great for keeping your regular, tons of vitamin A and C which are excellent for your skin), organic Fuji apples, and melons.  I noticed during the time I was on the vegan diet regimen that my bowel habits were wonderfully regular, and I’m a person who normally experiences irregularities in that department.

That may be TMI, but it’s a fact. I’m sure that simply becoming regular helps your skin because you are regularly expelling toxins and harmful chemicals from your body, and you are continuously cleansing out old stuff that can help lend to hormonal imbalance.  Digestive problems and waste elimination problems have even been linked to complexion problems, but it’s all interconnected, and a good healthy diet is going to benefit you on multiple levels.

Let’s talk about some of the more fun foods that I liked on the vegan diet when I tried it. I loved to have some tasty, organic granola (I liked Cascadian Farms brand) with rice milk. Rice Dream makes organic rice milk that is 100% dairy free and tastes pretty good in cereal. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a 100% replacement for milk, it’s somewhat of an acquired taste, but once you get used to it, you really appreciate that flavor and the fact that it doesn’t have any added hormones or antibiotics as milk from cows often does.

Pretzels are vegan, so I like to snack on those or pita chips, or corn chips with fresh salsa is also great.  You can indulge in a vegan bean burrito with fake vegan cheese also. There is a good one out there that melts well, and tastes pretty decent too. The downfall of the vegan diet is that it may be a little more expensive to maintain than other diets, especially if you are buying a lot of the specialized vegan processed foods. However, you may like the rewards you reap with a clearer and more calm complexion.

Just a few examples I found when looking (I’ve experimented with eating vegan) do contain  milk protein.  Some examples are soy cheese (you have to make sure there is no casein or milk protein added), soy burgers, and many vegetarian meals that on their surface have no cheese or egg in them. You really have to read the ingredients because you don’t realize how often milk protein is added to improve texture, melting ability and more.

Some of the foods that I found I liked to eat most when I tried the vegan diet were quinoa, which is a protein rich grain (it’s actually a seed, but it cooks up like a grain and it’s delicious),  of course there are any veggies too but I liked avocados as a replacement for meat, tomatoes, broccoli, asparagus, cucumbers dipped in hummus and whole wheat pita bread.

There are a lot of other foods, I just found these to be the tastiest ones that were easier to find and think about than some convoluted vegan meal idea that had a million ingredients that were only found in health food stores or obscure locations.

I did see an improvement in my skin when I was on the vegan diet for a week or more. I fell off the wagon and had pepperoni pizza the weekend after, but I noticed that during the week I was on the vegan diet I made a few observations of how I was feeling and other bodily functions that had changed that I’ll share with you now.

I think the vegan diet has multiple uses, not just for clearer skin, but for overall digestive health, reducing heart disease and cancer likelihood, and more.  But you have to make sure it’s balanced. There are plenty of vegan foods that aren’t healthy. For example, fried potatoes, fried vegetables, and things like that which are fried in vegetable oils may be perfectly acceptable to the vegan diet, but if that is all your diet is comprised of, forget about reaping all the benefits of this diet and it’s potentially acne hormone balancing effects.

Have you ever tried to eat a vegan diet? It’s quite challenging if you want to eat out a lot, because there are a lot of foods that you wouldn’t even guess have dairy products in them that do, and that makes finding a truly vegan meal challenging.  You really have to have a health food market that has a lot of vegan options near you if you want to succeed at a vegan diet without feeling deprived, but if you do, then you will find there are a ton of really amazing tasting options that are filling and taste awesome.

Many people who have changed over to a healthy vegan diet, and when I say healthy, I mean one that doesn’t just include vegan soy burgers and french fries, and no veggies or fruits, but a balanced, fruit and veggie rich vegan diet, experience clearer, more resilient skin.

This is probably not just because they eliminated dairy and meat although it’s probably a contributing factor, it’s also because they have dramatically increased their intake of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in acne fighting minerals, vitamins and nutrients that add to the glow of your skin.

What is a vegan diet, first of all? Well, you are not only forsaking meat, like a traditional vegetarian does, but you are also forsaking all dairy products. This means no egg, milk, cheese, nothing.  This may not seem to hard at first glances, but even when you start to look at a lot of products that look like they don’t have any dairy, you find that they contain milk derived proteins.

The hardest thing I found eating vegan was that you are really restricted to eating out at a few select restaurants, as most do not offer vegan fare. They offer vegetarian options because vegetarians aren’t restricted from dairy, but there are few true vegan options because even a lot of breads have eggs and dairy in them.  Even many pastas are made with eggs!

More to come, this is a three parter, because I have a lot to share with you on my experiences with the vegan diet. Let me disclaim, I am not a vegan, but I have experimented with this diet. I’m just not disciplined enough to be on this diet 100% of the time.

Ok, so I’ve had two weeks to enjoy the Clarisonic skin cleansing device I bought, and I have some more observations to report about my experiences with this product.  I have to say, it’s quite a nice relaxing feeling when you cleanse your face with this product. It’s a very gentle process, but it almost feels like it’s massaging your facial muscles a bit, but with barely detectable pressure due to it’s technology that uses sonic speed movement of the bristles on the brush.

I wonder, is the reason this thing works to cleanse your skin better because it literally “shakes” all the dirt and debris out of your pores? Hmm, something to ponder.  What I have to report is that I still think the Clarisonic facial cleanser is a good product and a good buy.  It seems to really clean my face much better than when I just rub the cleanser in with my hands.

My skin feels squeaky clean when I’m done, and my skin care products just seem to get eaten up by my skin much faster, which makes me think they are penetrating better.  One of the drawbacks though, is if you wear mascara.  I try to get the mascara off my lashes before I put the Clarisonic on my face, because I notice that the mascara instantly colors the white bristles on the Clarisonic black. I now have a grey brush instead of a white one, so that makes me feel like I’m rubbing dirt into my face, although I’m sure I’m not.

I’ve even been cleaning my husband’s face with the Clarisonic, on it’s two minute cleansing setting (I got the model with the speed and cleansing setting options, which I’d recommend so you can customize it to your skin and likings).  He likes it too.  I haven’t notice any real pore shrinkage yet around my nose or his, since we both have larger pores around our nose, but I’m thinking that with continued use, this product may help with that. More to come after I’ve been using this thing for a little while longer!

There are several natural ways to help balance your hormones, whether you are a sixteen year old girl, a woman in her forties, or a man in his teens or later in life. Diet is crucial to hormone control. Eating a ton of refined carbs is a no no. They cause huge spikes in blood sugar, which interferes with hormone control. Thought that the image of a teen who eats nothing but pizza and ice cream having a horrid complexion is a falsehood?

Think again. Diet has a lot to do with hormonal balance and keeping acne free skin. A number of so-called natural acne treatments promise to “equalize” hormonal imbalances to reduce adult acne breakouts. But you should be very cautious when using those drugs, because they can produce side effects and worsen the condition of the skin.

But the good news is effective alternative treatments for controlling hormones and helping treat acne are available. If you’re concerned about adult acne, consult a dermatologist to learn more about safe, proven treatments. Also, check with your doctor for a good advice. Once the doctor successfully identified the relation of hormone to acne, he may normally prescribe certain medications for treatment.

Dermatologists generally prefer to try other treatments for acne first before prescribing birth control pills. Successful treatment of severe adult acne may take months or even years. Therefore, natural methods are the most preferred means to avoid such complexities. An adequate consumption of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients is the foremost step in treating the acne problem. Herbal added to the diet bring out better and quicker results without any adverse effects.

Natural remedies for hormonal imbalance may include herbal extracts from naturopathic sources, but food is also a natural remedy for many ailments. Another good idea is to take your healthy oils with fruits that naturally contain high amounts of enzymes such as papaya, kiwi fruit, figs and pineapple. So, once you notice that something is going wrong, you should immediately solve that problem! That is not just a wish, not just a hope, not just if it works out…but an absolute reason why you must make this change happen now in your life.