5 Acne Myths

Now that adolescence is behind you, do you believe acne is as well? Or that skipping sunscreen and letting your skin soak up those UV rays will help conceal the appearance of your acne, or even help heal it?

The truth is that these and other myths about acne are widely believed, and anecdotal evidence only helps them thrive. The problem is that when you have acne, you know how important it is to get rid of it and to heal and fade acne scars left behind – but if you follow incorrect advice, you will only make your problem worse. Begin taking steps to improve your skin by learning the truth about these five acne myths.

1. Acne only happens to teenagers.
Teenagers certainly do deal with more than their fair share of acne, but some people get acne for the first time as adults of 20, 30, or even older.

2. You have acne because your face is dirty.
The truth is that if you take regular showers, your face is no dirtier than anyone else’s, nor is it dirtier than any other part of your body that is washed daily. Blackheads, despite being dark in color, are not caused by dirt. The fact is that acne is a complex condition and it cannot always be pinned down to a direct cause.

3. Tanning can make acne go away.
Tanning is never a good idea, but it can be especially problematic if you have acne. That’s because while you may think your skin looks better in the short term with a tan, those UV rays are actually drying out your skin and ultimately exacerbating your acne, as well as any scars your acne may cause.

4. Acne is not affected by what you eat.
Almost all of your body’s systems as well as your overall health are directly impacted by what you eat. While acne may sometimes have a genetic component, it has also been directly linked to dairy intake. Research is ongoing, of course, and other foods may eventually be implicated as well. In the meantime, it’s probably a good idea to ask your doctor about the wisdom of limiting dairy products in your diet in order to improve the health and appearance of your skin.

5. Acne will eventually go away on its own.
Most often, it won’t. There is a reason why you have acne; that reason needs to be discovered and treated in order to make a significant difference in your acne. Ignoring your acne and doing nothing may simply make it worse. Getting serious about finding an effective acne remedy and a product that will fade any scarring is your best bet for clearing up your skin – fast, and for good.

Often people try home remedies or simple, natural cures. Certainly, some of these have value and some skin protective properties. However, most of these types of treatments deliver limited results at best (i.e. lemon juice to fade acne scars), and are far more effective when combined with a proven, safe product like dimethicone silicone gel and Vitamin C.

A great way to help combat acne is with routine visits to your esthetician.  Call today to schedule your facial appointment at 831-373-2273.  Or book online at www.montereydayspa.com

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How to Treat and Prevent Acne on your Back and Bottom

11 Tips to Banish Acne on Your Back & Bottom

As if breakouts on our faces aren’t enough, so many of us are also plagued by acne
on our backs and bottoms (fondly referred to as “bacne” and “buttne”, respectively).

Acne can occur anywhere on your body where you have hair follicles and oil
secreting glands, not just on your face. Accumulation of dead skin cells or buildup
from products like lotions and body washes can clog these glands and pores.
When the pore becomes clogged, bacteria get trapped, causing acne to form. The
face, chest, back and bottom are the prime acne areas (and if you have acne on
your face, you’re also more likely to have it on your back or bottom). Hormonal
imbalances may also contribute to the formation of body acne, which is why if
you’re experiencing severe breakouts, it’s best to visit your dermatologist to rule out
other possible health problems.

If your back and bottom acne is mild to moderate, consider trying these at-home
remedies. Like with acne on your face, your approach to treating the acne on your
back and bottom should be multifaceted and should also include adopting habits
that help prevent breakouts from happening in the first place.

To help clear up and prevent acne on your back and bottom, check out these 11
expert tips below.


Shower Regularly & Use The Right Cleanser
First, make sure that you are showering regularly, and if you have oily skin, you
need to shower daily. Also, after a workout, resist the urge to hang out in your
workout clothes and instead hop straight into the shower to wash off the sweat and
bacteria on your skin.

When showering, use a body cleanser that contains an acne-fighting ingredient like
benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid that will work to treat your acne while preventing
new acne.


Exfoliate 
Exfoliating two to three times per week when you shower will help reduce the
buildup of dead skin cells that can clog pores and lead to breakouts. Gently exfoliate
using an acne-fighting body scrub like one containing salicylic acid. For extra
benefit, you can wear exfoliating gloves when doing this, just be sure your gloves,
loofahs, sponges are nice and clean so you’re not spreading bacteria as you go.


Use a Body Brush
Sometimes we fail to properly cleanse our back in particular because it has lots of
hard to reach areas. So when cleansing or exfoliating your back, use a soft body
brush with a long handle or use another device designed to help you cleanse hard
to reach areas. Be mindful to scrub gently; scrubbing too hard can cause further
irritation and breakouts.


Topical Treatment
After showering, gently towel off and then apply a gel or cream containing benzoyl
peroxide or sulfur to help treat the acne. Keep in mind that benzoyl peroxide and
other acne treatments can permanently bleach or stain fabrics so it’s best to let the
treatment dry completely for 10 minutes or so and then to sleep in loose-fitting
light-colored clothing.

If your breakouts are on areas of your skin where you cannot reach, opt for a spray
skin treatment—Neutrogena and a few other acne brands have products on the
market.


Avoid Picking 
It goes without saying, but avoid any and all scratching, picking or prodding of
breakouts on your back and bottom (and your face, too). Picking at acne can easily
cause scarring and can introduce new bacteria to the area, making the whole
situation even worse.


Avoid Textured Fabric
Having lace or textured fabrics directly pressed up against the skin on your back and
bottom can cause friction against the skin, and lead to irritation and acne breakouts.
So think twice before you wear a thong, go commando, or wear rough fabrics up
against your skin. Opt for soft, smooth cotton fabrics to provide a protective barrier
between your skin and clothing.


Avoid Certain Body Lotions 
If you’re prone to body acne, be mindful of the lotion you’re applying when you get
out of the shower. For most people, you don’t even need to be applying lotion to
your back or bottom. If you have dry or rough skin and do want to apply lotion to
these areas, look for a non-comedogenic or water-based body lotion.


Avoid Fabric Softener & Choose the Right Laundry Detergent
For many, fragrances and other chemicals can react with sensitive skin and cause
breakouts. If you’ve recently started breaking out after trying a new detergent, it
might be to blame. Opt for fragrance-free, unscented detergents and use dryer balls
in lieu of fabric softener. This will help prevent a layer of chemicals from sticking to
and irritating your skin throughout the day.


Wash Your Sheets
Once you’ve got the right type of laundry detergent, wash your sheets with it at
least once a week. Even when they look spotless, your sheets are actually harboring
bacteria, skin cells and other germy microorganisms that are just waiting to stake
claim on your skin while you’re sleeping.


Eat Healthy
Don’t overlook the effect a healthy diet can have on your skin’s health. Eating certain
foods can help clear up your skin and give it a healthier, prettier tone.









Reducing Acne Scars 
After getting a breakout under control, you’re often left with the unsightly telltale
scars acne can leave behind. And back and bottom acne tend to scar worse than
acne on other parts of your body.

Acne can cause different types of scarring, which require different types of treatment.

In addition to the treatment and prevention tips above, if your back or bottom
acne is more severe, your dermatologist may recommend prescription oral and/
or topical medications or laser and cosmetic procedures that target the skin’s oil
glands to reduce the acne.

Schedule your appointment with us today by calling 831-373-2273 You can also book online at www.montereydayspa.com
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Article source: ChickRX

How To Make a Pimple Disappear Quickly

Expert Tips to Get Rid of a Zit Fast

It’s the day before a big event and suddenly there it is—a big, honking zit starring right back at you in the mirror. Because wearing a bag over your head is rarely an option, we’ve compiled the best expert recommended tips to quickly reduce the size and appearance of your new little enemy.    


Step-by-Step Treatment
Whether you feel it coming on, or it’s already staked its claim, licensed esthetician and acne specialist Danielle Ferri has a tried and true method for reducing and eliminating a breakout quickly:  

1.     Hold an ice cube to the area for about two minutes. Move the ice in gentle circles around the pimple.
2.     Dry the area gently with a clean towel or swab and apply an acne treatment of benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid until absorbed. If the area is red, Ferri recommends reaching for the salicylic acid.
3.     Apply a thick layer of any clay face mask directly to the pimple area. If you’re looking for a new go-to clay mask, ask us about our Jan Marini and Aqua Cures products.  We would love to make a recommendation.  
4.     You’ll see a significant reduction by morning, but you can continue this routine every morning and night until the blemish goes away, stopping the clay mask once the breakout begins to dry up, but continuing the ice.    


Essential Oil Treatment For a natural approach, certified holistic health coach Heather Vargas recommends dabbing the blemish and the surrounding area with tea tree oil or lavender essential oil. Tea tree oil can be a great alternative to harsher topical acne treatments if you have sensitive skin or prefer to use natural products. While research has shown that it does not work as fast to reduce acne as benzoyl peroxide does, it also has fewer side effects than its chemical counterpart.    


Aspirin Treatment Another alternative option to try in place of the suggestions above is applying aspirin to your skin, which may help reduce the appearance of your pimple.  

Take an uncoated aspirin and place it onto a clean cotton ball soaked with water, which will work to dissolve the aspirin into a paste. Apply the aspirin paste on the cotton ball to the affected area and leave on for no more than five minutes. Rinse and gently pat dry.  

The reason why aspirin works to reduce the appearance of breakouts is because aspirin contains salicylic acid—the same ingredient in many of your acne treatments. Its properties clean your pores, exfoliate the area and remove the dead skin cells the breakout may be clogged with.    


Don’t Pop It
You know you shouldn’t, but do you know why? “Popping zits is one of the most common causes of facial scarring,” explains Dr. Charles Bollman, M.D., ob/gyn and cosmetic skin care expert. Not only are you causing trauma to the skin by pressing and pinching the area, but you’re also introducing more bacteria and germs to your pores which will likely result in future breakouts, hyperpigmentation (aka scarring) of your skin, and may even cause infection.  


But If You Do, Pop With Caution
Again, avoid popping your pimples. We want to stress that. But, if you refuse to let it go unpopped and manage the pimple as suggested above, then at least pop it using as much caution as possible so as to minimize damage to your skin and prevent making an even bigger mess. Here’s Ferri’s go to method:  
1.     Shower or wash your face and hands thoroughly (Remember it’s the 20 second rule to clean away germs).
2.     First test it. If you put a small amount of pressure on the blemish and nothing happens, it’s not ready and you absolutely must leave it alone.
3.     Take toilet tissue around two fingers and press gently starting a little away from the sides of the pimple. Press down, then up a little to expel the material.
4.     Repeat until all material is expressed, but stop the second you see any blood.
5.     Rinse your face with clean water and apply a benzyl peroxide or salicylic acid treatment to the area. Once absorbed, apply a clay mask.
6.     Get your beauty rest and rinse the mask off in the morning.  

Word of caution:  If your breakout is an “undergrounder” as Ferri calls it—it’s red and painful without a whitehead—you must not attempt to pop it. “This is only inflammation, there’s nothing inside except oil,” explains Ferri. “If you try to extract it, it will grow and get much worse.” Instead, apply ice to it, and follow Ferri’s step-by-step treatment instructions listed above to make it go away quickly.     


Moderation is Key Sure, you may be tempted to force feed your skin with acne treatments to remedy a breakout, but you must resist. Stick to twice a day applications, or at absolute most four times, spaced throughout your day, but no more. Overdoing it will result in irritated, dry blistery skin that often looks worse—and lasts longer—than the original pimple.  

Be gentle in your face washing too—no need to heavily scrub or exfoliate the area as this will likely just cause more irritation and spawn even more breakouts.      


Dermatological Injections If you have the time and opportunity, and the pimple has cropped up before a massively important event, you may want to consider visiting your dermatologist for a cortisone injection. These injections can erase pimples in 24 hours or less.  

Cortisone is a steroid that quickly reduces inflammation. Although cortisone injections are successful at quickly flattening a pesky breakout, they may result in changes in skin color and appearance of blood vessels on the skin surface. Because of this, it’s best to have your dermatologist evaluate you and trust their ultimate recommendations on how to proceed.    



Monthly Facials
Getting facials each month will help your skin stay healthy.  While that of course doesn't mean that you will never get a break out, if you are regularly using products and treatments that are cultured to your skin type, your skin will respond approrpriately.  Also, it is best to leave the acne and blackhead removals to the professionals.  

Makeup Disguise
If all else fails and your breakout refuses to leave in time for you to publicly show your pretty face, fake a clear complexion with makeup.  

After applying foundation as usual, choose two concealers; one should match your skin tone exactly, the other should be a shade or two lighter. Using the lighter concealer, trace under the pimple. The goal of this is to give the illusion that the pimple is more flat than it actually is.  

Next, use a clean finger to dab the skin colored concealer to the area you did not lighten. Finish with a layer of powder to seal in the concealer. Remember not to apply too much makeup or you’ll actually attract attention to the area rather than camouflaging it.    



Schedule your appointment with us today by calling 831-373-2273 You can also book online at www.montereydayspa.com

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Article source: ChickRX