By theresa
I remember it was the first day of 6th grade and I had the most giant pimples you have ever seen. I was so embarrassed at the thought of starting Jr. High with these giant rocks under my skin and couldn’t even imagine facing my peers. I cut unfashionable bangs just to shade a part of my face from the taunting I thought was inevitable in the lunch room. When I got to my first class I started to notice that practically everyone around me had skin problems. It was just that age and none of us could leave things alone. I spotted the poppers and the pickers, my fellow bang cutters and hat cover ups. People had tried everything just get their normal face back. The one they knew so well, the one that mad them feel confident. One boy even had a serious burn mark on the side of his chin. When someone asked him what happened he squirmed. The fact is after sixth grade I have seen this kid of burn mark time and time again. It is from people trying to burn off their top layer of ski in anticipation or eliminating their cystic acne.
Now I don’t really advocate this type of playing with fire. But the fact is that if done correctly this may not be such a bad idea. Coming from a culture of excess we really don’t understand this concept. The more we want things to go away the harder we do them, the more product we use, the hotter the wash cloth gets. But if you just follow the directions of a heat facial it may not be as bad as the results were for my fellow Jr. High classmate. You may actually find a way to eliminate your acne…temporarily that is. But just to warn you don’t do this before a milestone or important event. It’s best to experiment with skin treatments on a day where you have nothing important to do and don’t mind a backfiring.
People have been treating acne and other blemishes with hot wash cloth for centuries. Hot wash cloth method just open your pores and give way to bacterias to come out from skin. this way you can clean up the bacteria that is causing acne. this method can also be applied for facial cleaning and cleansing.
To benefit from washcloth steaming, cleanse your face with a mild cleanser. Now, place a clean, damp washcloth in the microwave on the high reheat setting for 45 seconds. Let the cloth cool for 10 seconds. Lay the washcloth over your whole face and allow the rising steam to remove impacted waste from your pores. You can rinse the washcloth and repeat the microwave steaming step again to give your skin another deep cleansing sensation.
put a hot wash cloth on your face and leave it on for a few minutes, or
You can get a bowl of hot water put your head into the bowl, and cover your head with a was cloth. don’t let your face touch the water though. Let the steam open up your pores. You may want to also consider closing your pores once you have done a good job at opening and cleaning them out. To close pores in a hurry is to rub a piece of ice or an ice cube wrapped in a cloth to your skin. The cold from the ice cube helps shrink the pore openings and also helps decrease the oil (sebum) production for a small amount of time. Avoid consuming foods that are high in fats and spices and drink a lot of water daily, its keeps your body healthy and sebum production levels lower.
Remember be careful when doing any sort of at home remedy the reality is that skin is very fragile and it’s also the first thing people see when they look at you. It’s the only thing that you have to wear every single day. you don’t want to take a pimple and turn it into a serious burn mark so when playing around with hot washcloths make sure that you don’t get burned. this is a very real possibility and although the scars have probably healed for my 6th grade classmate. He probably remembers the incident better than I do. So use caution and good luck.
By theresa
The fact is that we put a lot of things into our body that just aren’t healthy. We all know it, we all do it and there is nothing that can stop us. In reality these things could all in many ways contribute to the health and look of our skin. I myself just a few years ago ended up in a Los Angeles Emergency Room with no insurance and hives from head to toe. No one could tell me what was wrong aside from the obvious allergic reaction to “something.” I tore apart my home, I used a new detergent, I stopped all prior lotions and cleansers hoping to find the answer I was so desperate to know. WHAT CAUSE THIS? After a month I finally figured it out and it had to do with my diet. I had cut sugar completely from my diet and found that artificial sweeteners were the best way to do this and keep my sanity. I needed sugar in my coffee, in my desserts and of course in practically everything. I have a sweet tooth and the only thing that could put this to rest was fake sugar marketed as Splenda. After I stopped eating Splenda the hives disappeared and I felt like a person again. What a powerful sweetener it must be to destroy my life and my skin for the better part of a summer. I did a little research on the dangerousness of Splenda and it’s ability to cause acne and you may be surprised at what I found.
Did you know that Splenda was “discovered” accidentally in a lab while trying to create a new insecticide? Or that Whole Foods will not sell Splenda or any product that contains it because it does not fit within their code of ethics of selling “real food”. # Chlorine, which is present in Splenda, has caused so much damage to human health that Greenpeace has launched a Chlorine-Free Campaign, calling for a worldwide ban on chlorine. The EPA also maintains a strong anti-chlorine stance.
People like sucralose - the artificial sweetener marketed as Splenda - because the human body can’t break it down and use it. That means the substance has almost no calories and makes it a popular ingredient in everything from cookies to diet sodas. Unfortunately, it turns out that modern wastewater treatment methods don’t break down Splenda either.
Sucralose was discovered in 1976 by researchers working under the auspices of Tate & Lyle Ltd., a large British sugar refiner. In 1980, Tate & Lyle arranged with Johnson & Johnson, the world’s largest health care company, to develop sucralose. Johnson & Johnson formed McNeil Speciality Products Company in 1980 to commercialize sucralose. In 1991, Canada became the first nation to approve the use of sucralose. In April, 1998 the US Food and Drug Administration granted approval for sucralose to be used in a variety of food products (CLICK HERE for complete list of products using sucralose). Diet RC cola was the first US product with sucralose, introduced in May 1998.
Many heavy Diet Coke drinkers are reporting that after a week or two of cutting back on the soda their acne improved. Aspertame may be the culprit. After visiting dozens of online forums the message was the same: “Now, after two weeks of drinking water I’ve gone almost a whole week without acne.”
This tells us that if you are having acne breakouts and it’s no hormonal or from something on the surface that artificial sweeteners may be your downfall and it’s important to figure out the root of the problem so you can eliminate this and start your journey to clear skin. A day without make up is hard to imagine I know and maybe even harder than a day without sugar or it’s substitute. But the fact is that you have the power to eliminate your acne. It’s just a matter of being smart and taking the proper steps to whole new you. Sugar free or not.
By theresa
The summer is almost here and aside from the horrors of bikini shopping the other thing all women have the horrible prospect of facing body acne. Not just body acne but summer face acne as well. The major problem with the summer is the humidity and sweating. Because you sweat more you have to remember to wash your face and stay hydrated in warm weather. The fact is there is no way to prevent dealing with the summer months unless you plan on moving to a place with no seasonal changes. You really need to have a new summer skin regime to take the weather changes into account. The fact is that nothing is going to work 100% and not every cure is going to be the one for you. But there are many precautions you can take from oil free sun screen to vegetable masks that may be the ticket to a stress free summer and a confident bikini bod minus the unwanted pimples.
According to traditional Chinese philosophy, it is during summer that the power of fire and heat is at its peak. As such, it is the Yang element, which is more dominant during these times. Yang symbolizes warmth, light, activity and interaction - elements which are most commonly predominant during the summer. One thing about summer though, which all people who have acne have figured out the hard way, is that summer usually comes with humidity in most parts of the US unless you live in an incredibly arid climate. Humidity is not only wet and sticky, and makes you feel like you need another shower after being in it for about ten minutes when it’s very intense, but it also can help prolong and initiate breakouts on the body namely, and also on the face.
Bathing in sunlight, or even keeping out of the sun almost guarantees that you’re going to sweat. Sweat and acne are related. When you sweat, it clogs pores so sebum cannot flow out of the skin. This can lead to severe acne breakouts just after one or two days of hot weather. As your wiping the face frequently to remove the sweat from the skin, dirt and other waste accumulate on the skin. To protect yourself, frequently wash your face with either a non-drying acne wash (there are very few of these), or just wash with water. I would recommend the brand from Aqua Glycolic, since this face wash doesn’t dry out the skin. Water alone does a good job of keeping the skin fresh and moist.
It’s that time again. Summer skin care routines should be implemented. The sticky, hot days of summer, with their increased humidity and sun exposure can cause some serious damage to our skin, especially those of us that have acne and sensitive skin. So, what should we do to minimize our chances of sun damage, and also minimize our chances of new breakouts?
Masks based on vegetables have an anti- inflammatory action making them excellent for sore, red and sensitive skin. They contain large amounts of vitamin A and valuable minerals and trace elements. Vegetable masks are appropriate to use in an outburst of acne, after sunburn, or with an allergic skin reaction to foods or chemicals. The cooling properties of vegetables help to soothe and nourish the skin tissues. Again always use organically grown vegetables. The following vegetables are suitable for facemasks, carrot, cucumber, lettuce, potato, cabbage and watercress. Masks are best made and used on the same day, they do not have a good shelf life so make small quantities.
Get ready for the beach and don’t fret about body acne the fact is the more time you spend in salt water the more you skin will feel clean and fresh. There isn’t much you can do to change your body chemistry but you can certainly give your best shot at keeping acne at bay while you are in the ocean.
By theresa
When I heard about the new acne fighting vitamin gummy candy on the market I felt the need to look into it as soon as possible. The fact is that I’m not a huge believer in what you eat having an impac on your skin. I think it’s all about water, hormones and the right subtle products. While millions of gimmicks exist to lure the vulnerable acne sufferers to their credit cards it seems that very few of them will ever make any kind of difference at all. Frutels are an expensive gummy form of the B vitamin that you can buy synthetically by itself or in a multivitamin.
Frutels were created in the kitchen of Ellie Sawits, a scientist by training, developed acne as an adult while working on Wall Street. Taking a page from the long-standing tradition of research into the function of vitamins and minerals in the human body. First treating herself and then her own children, Ellie realized the broad applicability of her formula for acne-sufferers. She found a vehicle for her fomula in gummy candy, as it is one of the most popular and familiar candies for teens. The Frutels formula activates your body’s natural defenses against the causes of acne, which scientific evidence indicates are dietary deficiencies, hormonal fluctuations and stress.
The fact is most people are deficient in vitamins, minerals and herbs that are important for your body to function properly. Only 9 to 32 percent of Americans eat the recommended three to five servings of vegetables every day. Remember, your skin is the largest organ of your body. It requires proper nutrition to function properly. Just like every other part of your body.Vitamin B5 is a water-soluble vitamin and is very safe to take in high quantities. In rare cases, side effects do occur. The only occasional side effects of vitamin b 5 we have seen is mild diarrhea. Besides the minor diarrhea, no adverse reactions have ever been reported to us. Numerous studies have confirmed its safety.
At $27.95 for a one-month supply, Frutels is more expensive than Proactiv, which is certainly a downside for the average consumer… and this is assuming that you’re taking the lowest dose of two candies a day, recommended for those with “mild acne.” If you’re looking that desparately for a solution, your acne is probably not mild, and you could end up taking up to 5 candies a day, which would make your monthly bill more like $70 a month, which is not exactly pocket change. The company sells on Amazon and EBay, as well as their own site, but the prices remain steadily fixed across the board.
Taking high doses of vitamin b 5 creates high amounts of something called coenzyme-A. It is also believed that people with acne have a decreased ability to metabolize fats due to the low levels of coenzyme-A in the body. As a result, the fats do not break down and they get deposited in oil glands when secreted as sebum. Bacteria like P. acne feed off the sebum and cause the oil gland to become inflamed. This is known as acne.
While Frutels seem to, via product reviews, work for quite a few people it may be because they are just a jazzy version of vitamin B wrapped up in a colorful gummy treat. Will they serve the purpose of getting teenagers to take their vitamins even thought they never remember or want to? Maybe but the fact is they still sort of have that vitamin smell and they don’t taste like a handful of gummy bears. When comparing their effectiveness to other acne treatments I found that they are not even on the map. The bet is just to buy a regular run of the mill vitamin B.
By Angela
The Happy Robot @ Flickr
Facial scrubs and exfoliates can be an excellent tool in the battle against acne. They work to remove dead skin cells and debris that can clog your pores, but is your facial scrub doing damage to your skin?
Typically, exfoliates are made from crushed nuts or seeds that are ground into a thin paste. The compound can be rough on the skin, especially if you have a sensitive face. If the face scrub is not carefully applied, it can cause tiny cuts and tears in your skin. The scrub can also irritate current acne, causing it to rupture and spread, which can potentially create new acne.
However, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of damage done by an exfoliate, especially if you have sensitive skin. For starters, be as gentle as possible when applying the facial scrub to your skin. Often, people will use more force then necessary when rubbing the scrub on to their face. To reduce the risk of damage, use light circular motions and limit the time the scrub is on your face to less then one minute.
If you have very sensitive skin you may want to consider switching to an exfoliate made from synthetic fibers, such as micro-beads. Face scrubs made from produced materials rather then nuts or seeds are gentler on the skin and reduce the risk of damaging both the facial tissue as well as any current acne break out. You can purchase a facial scrub made from micro-beads at any drugstore. Several brands also contain ingredients proven to fight acne such as Saylic Acid.
While there is a possibility of damage to your skin using an exfoliate, facial scrubs are still a great option for even the most sensitive skin as they do work to remove the dirt and debris that could be causing your acne. As long as you take proper steps to ensure you are not creating the damage yourself while using the exfoliate it can safely be applied one to three times a week.
By theresa
The fact is that when you are at your wits end with acne the only thing you can do is try a whole bunch of products, tactics and old wives tales to try and fix the problem yourself. While your local drug store is adorned with hundreds of different scrubs and exfoliation tools could they actually be making your acne worse? Are you over scrubbing or not scrubbing enough?
Never scrub your face too hard. This will make acne worse. Do not use skin products such as facial scrubs, masks or astringents. These products will irritate your skin, which will aggravate acne. Excessive washing and scrubbing also can irritate skin. You should regularly shampoo your hair if you develop acne around your hairline. Wash problem areas with a gentle cleanser. Products such as facial scrubs, astringents and masks generally aren’t recommended because they tend to irritate skin, which can aggravate acne. Excessive washing and scrubbing also can irritate skin. If you tend to develop acne around your hairline, shampoo your hair frequently.
Scrubs aren’t intended to be use on a daily basis. You should only use a facial scrub two or three times per week, at most. If you only have blackheads, scrubs can be a good choice. Scrubs aren’t a good option if you have a lot of whiteheads or suffer from severe acne. You aren’t limited to using facial scrubs specifically intended for acne sufferers, although such scrubs will contain acne-fighting ingredients that can lessen your acne.
Scrubs may be one of the most common types of exfoliants. Scrubs manually remove dead skin cells by means of an abrasive ingredient. Many people love the soft and smooth feeling you get after a good scrubbing. But scrubs can be very harsh, especially on skin that is already inflamed due to acne breakouts. Acne sufferers often want to scrub at the face, thinking the scrubbing really helps to cleanse out pores and reduce breakouts. In actuality, vigorous scrubbing can increase irritation and redness, aggravate already inflamed skin, and exacerbate breakout activity. Those with acne, especially breakouts that are inflamed, crusting, oozing, or open sores, should avoid scrubs altogether. There are other ways to exfoliate the skin without resorting to an abrasive, and potentially irritating, product.
Some former acne sufferers swear by the Asprin scrub. Aspirin is a form of salicylic acid which is used in many skin clearing and exfoliating products. What it does really well is clear pores. Salicylic acid which is a BHA, beta hydroxy acid has the ability to penetrate deeply to unclog pores and effectively exfoliate dead skin cells which reduces the incidences of acne outbreaks and stimulates cell renewal. Aging skin benefits significantly from an increase in skin cell turnover. All in all, aspirin recipes for natural facial treatments are particularly effective in maintaining healthy, smooth, and vibrant looking skin.
While exfoliation is necessary to eliminate the dead skin that’s dulling your complexion, too much of a good thing will cause it to become red and flaky full-time. For most women, exfoliating twice a week is enough to ensure silky skin. To some degree, though, the frequency of your scrub-down depends on your age (older skin may be too dry and delicate for lots of scouring) and the climate you live in. Warm weather increases perspiration and oil production, leading to speedier accumulation of dead cells. As a general rule, the softer an exfoliant is, the more often you can use it. Some exfoliating scrubs are so gentle that you can use them on a daily basis; many exfoliants designed for the face, for example, are soft enough for daily use. Coarse scrubs which are extremely grainy should be used no more than once a week, while scrubs which fall somewhere in between can be used two to three days a week. Salt scrubs tend to be the most coarse, while sugar and plant fiber scrubs are much gentler. If you have oily skin, you can generally exfoliate two to three days a week without any ill effects. Obviously, you should skip the exfoliation if your skin feels dry or irritated, or if it looks red and flaky. People with more dry, delicate skin should exfoliate one to two times a week, ideally with a gentle exfoliating scrub which will not irritate their skin.
By Angela
If you suffer from hyperpigmentation you know how frustrating it can be. When you’ve finally gotten that pimple to clear up, you’re left with a red mark that can last months. Fortunately, most people only suffer from mild hyperpigmentation that can be easily covered by makeup or ignored. However, if you’re one of the few with moderate to severe hyperpigmentation you may want to look in to a seeking the help of a qualified dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon.
Dermatologists have several methods of treating your hyperpigmentation and speeding healing time. Check out the list below for a quick review, and when you are ready you can reach a dermatologist for free using the online form provided to answer any further questions you may have.
How A Dermatologist Treats Hyperpigmentation.
Bleaching Creams. If your hyperpigmentation is mild, or you are looking for a non abrasive treatment, a dermatologist can prescribe a bleaching cream. These creams work to lighten the spot over time until it is no longer visible to the naked eye.
Hydroxy Acid Peels. Performed by a dermatologist, peels are a solution of exfoliating ingredients applied to your face that work to buff away the outermost layer of you skin where the hyperpigmentation lies. These treatments do have some healing time but are very effective in treating moderate to severe hyperpigmentation.
Dermabrasion Dermabrasion is comparable to peels as they both work to remove the hyperpigmentation through exfoliates. However, with dermabrasion, a dermatologist will use a tool as well as fine buffing ingredients to sloth off the outermost layer of skin. Dermabrasion does require some recovery time, but works very quickly on hyperpigmentation.
Laser Resurfacing. Like Dermabrasion and facial peels, Laser Resurfacing works to remove the layer of skin effected by the hyperpigmentation. During laser resurfacing a laser is applied to the effected area of the skin, essentially dissolving the mark. Laser Resurfacing is relatively pain free and extremely effective in battling hyperpigmentation.
If you’d like to talk to a dermatologist about your hyperpigmentation you can receive a free consultation online using this form. http://www.jrapaport.com/askquestion.php
By Angela
I am the first to admit, skincare routines get a little, well, routine. Taking care of your skin, especially acne prone skin, can get a little tiring, and often the last thing you want to do is add another step to your daily regimen. Which leads to the question, are toners really necessary?
If you are not already using a toner, you may want to consider the following points. First of all, toners can be extremely beneficial to your skin, especially skin that is prone to acne. Toners serve two purposes. One, utilizing a toner after you have cleansed your face will help remove the last bit of dirt and debris left behind. Often, no matter how well we cleanse, some cleansings products just don’t remove all the dirt and grime of the day. Swiping on a toner at the end of the day can help get rid of that last trace.
Two, toners are great balancers for your skin. This is especially true if you have combination skin that is dry in some parts and oily in others. Toners work to create a balance in your skin’s varied types. By adding in essential vitamins they nourish the dry areas of your face. While the acne fighting ingredients help keep oil down to a minimum.
Toners are relatively easy to apply. Just dab some on a cotton swab and brush lightly on your face. They are probably one of the simplest steps in any skincare regimen. Toners are also readily available and provide several options for different skin types. You can purchase a decent toner at any drugstore, and an excellent toner at any dermatologist office. Just like cleansers, you can find one specifically tailored for you.
The benefits of toners far outweigh the chore of adding another piece to your daily regimen. After all, they will only take a few seconds to apply and the benefits will shine on your face for the rest of the day.
By Angela
Blackheads are simply clogged pores that take on a look of a plug. They’re very dark in color and most often appear on the nose and forehead region of your face. They’re fairly common and easy to diagnose. Unfortunately, they are often difficult to remove. If you’re struggling with blackheads try some of the tips below.
1. Use a gentle exfoliate on the blackhead and surrounding areas. Sometimes what may appear to be a tricky blackhead may only be a small clog in your pores. Exfoliating may help to remove the clog and give you a clean pore.
2. Apply a warm compress to the area containing the blackhead. Since blackheads are pretty tightly clogged pores, it may help to soften them up. Apply a warm, moist towel to your face and leave it for ten to fifteen minutes. After, try exfoliating again.
3. Try a specific blackhead removal cream or lotion. A few companies make over the counter removal creams for blackheads. If you haven’t been able to remove them on your own, these may help.
4. Try pore strips. Pore strips are much like tape for your skin. You apply the strip on the effected area and gently remove. As the strip comes loose it will take debris and oil with it. Use pore strips with caution, some people have experienced minor aggravation to their skin after using these.
5. Do not squeeze, poke, or pick at the blackhead. Performing “surgery” on the effected area may only make matters worse. Resist the urge to pick and prod at the blackheads.
Blackheads are a fairly common skin condition. As with most skin woes prevention is better then a cure. Typically, blackheads form from oily skin. Try to beat them before they form by using a cleanser and lotion designed for oily or combination skin.
By theresa
Can keeping your hair in your face lead to acne breakouts due to the hair brushing up against the face repeatedly. The answer to this is, just make sure you keep your hair out of your face, and as long as it’s not constantly sitting on your face, especially your chin and other areas that are prone to breaking out, you should be fine.
Grease found in greasy hair is natural body oil called sebum. Sebum is produced by the sebaceous gland. Each hair has a sebaceous gland immediately under the skin. Greasy hair is healthy hair as the oil (sebum) is produced to stop each hair strand from drying and to stop the ends splitting. Sebum is produced by the body to lubricate hair and skin and prevents drying by providing a protective barrier. Sebum is your own built-in moisturizer for the body.
Greasy hair is of two types. Hair greasiness from roots to end of the strand with greasy scalp or dry hair from roots to the strand ends with greasy scalp.Greasy hair is usually hard to manage, easily get clumps, and holds no proper style. When you leave the greasy hair without controlling, it can lead to the development of chronic hair problems such as scalp breakouts, potential hair loss, or greasy dandruff. It also leads to the development of skin and scalp acne.
Just like any problem you might have with your skin and hair, there are always various reasons for an issue to come about. Hormones have always been linked to excess sebum production, such as in the case of acne. If you are taking birth control pills that may be one reason you now find yourself with oily hair. Birth control pills toy with your hormones a little, which may be throwing your sebum production out of wack. The trick to stopping or at least slowing down oily hair is to know what the reason is and adjust accordingly. Obviously you cannot just stop taking your birth control pills, but there are other options you can take a look at.
Frequent grooming can help attribute to the look of oily hair. When you comb or brush your hair, you are essentially dragging sebum from close to your scalp and around the roots of your hair down through the rest of your hair. Avoid being too brush happy, as it will only result in your hair looking and feeling limp and greasy.
Oily hair is always healthier than dry hair though, and keeping hair oily to an extent will make your hair a lot healthier than if it was too dry. Hair Grease does hair real good and will keep your hair looking real healthy. Oily hair is a problem when it sticks to your head and fails to conform to whatever style you’re trying to achieve. There are millions of people who have problems with oily hair. Oily hair is also more prone to dandruff, so it is crucial to wash your hair daily to prevent dandruff. Apart from that avoid using harsh chemical products on your hair since they increase the chances of dandruff. It is also important to maintain a healthy diet, rich with zinc, carotene and Vitamin B to promote general healthy hair.
Use witch hazel on a cotton pad and apply it to the scalp area to remove excess oil. You can also use the witch hazel as a “final rinse” in the shower after shampooing. This will cut through any residual oil from the scalp, and also adds body to the hair when styling. Be sure to use the witch hazel on your wet hair before towel-drying. Your spray-on conditioner can be applied to the ends of the hair where it is most needed after toweling the hair.
