:Clear Skin Blog

The server that hosts our shopping cart is apparently undergoing another big update today, so the cart will be offline for a few hours. I apologize for the inconvenience to anyone trying to order right now. Unfortunately, they never let me know just when these updates are planned or how long they will take. In better news, I’ve updated all our main pages at Acne Vitamins with our new business address, as well as fixing a display problem that was appearing for FireFox users. Some other minor visual updates were made, with a few more on the way for our new B-complex supplement to be available soon.

Update: Just a quick note that the server update is over, and everything should be back up to speed again.

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Blackheads are those smaller “plugs” of hardened oil, bacteria, and dead cells that form directly on the surface of your pores - not to be confused with common acne blemishes categorized by white pustules trapped under irritated red bumps in the skin. Although less noticeable, blackheads are very common, especially around areas such as the nose.

Certain types of makeup and facial creams (such as some thick moisturizers) can greatly increase your chances of blackheads. Start by avoiding the use of such products if they are either oily or thick. Also avoid using standard bar soaps on your face, as their ingredients can cause excessive flaking-off of your dead cells, increasing the risk of clogged pores.

If you have a high number of blackheads, consider using a an exfoliate every few days to help prevent those dead skin cells from building up unevenly. While topical cleansers that use salicylic acid can have this effect, I prefer the use of a direct exfoliating scrub (such as St. Ives Apricot Scrub). Another alternative is the use of pore-cleansing strips over problem areas (such as Biore Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips). These strips can be very effective at unclogging those stubborn pores on your nose. However, you shouldn’t need to use them more than once or twice a week. Remember that forcing your skin to exfoliate too frequently can leave your pores swollen and vulnerable. It’s also not advisable to combine pore strips or masks directly with harsh topical acne creams.

Over time the use of vitamin B5 will also help reduce your number of blackheads, as when your pores are less packed with oil they naturally begin to tighten. In this state your pores are much less likely to become clogged, unlike when your glands are pumping out excessive amounts of oil that pools up in your pores rather than being metabolized.

Lastly, while the old adage of “don’t pick your zits” is generally good advice, irritation can more easily be avoided with zits directly on the surface such as blackheads. After washing, apply a warm compress to the area for about 10 minutes in order to soften the blackhead and make removal easier. If it seems you can get it out without harm, gently pinch the area pressing up from underneath the blackhead (do not repeat if the spot is stubborn!). Even after removal, these pores can often become re-clogged within another week, so try and prevent this by washing with cold water and applying an antibacterial such as tea tree oil to the problem area.

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Washing your face seems like an easy enough thing to do, but when you have acne, you may start to treat it like a science. While cleansing is not going to stop most acne from forming, it can help in mild cases where small blackheads resulting from poor hygiene develop, and also prevent acne blemishes from becoming more infected and irritated.

If you’re going to wash your face with a soap or cleanser, make sure it includes moisturizers to protect your skin. A gentle facial soap is often better than drying “anti-acne” soaps that are packed with chemicals. This is especially true if you wash more than twice per day. You don’t want to constantly be stripping your skin of essential oils and fluids that protect you from damage, such as excess UV exposure. When using any soap or cleanser, lather well and let the lather sit for a few seconds on your face. Soaps actually take time to break down dirt and bacteria, and if you rinse too soon your lose this benefit.

Be aware of the difference that water temperature can make. Generally, hot water will cause your pores to swell and open, while cold water causes the reaction of your pores tightening. While warmer water is essential for softening the bristles of your hair if you are about to shave, you generally want to end a wash with colder water. This seals your pores and protects against damage.

Im my case, I rarely use any actual soap on my face, opting to rinse instead. Once you get your acne under control with a treatment such as B5, rinsing regularly may be all you need, with the occasional wash, such a in the shower. One thing to keep in mind is exfoliating the dead skin cells on your face. This can be accomplished more efficiently by rinsing with a damp towel. Rather than just splashing water on your face, wet a face towel and gently use it to rinse your face. The added texture can help cleanse and exfoliate your skin more effectively. Just make sure to regularly use a clean towel.

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Things are settling down a bit from the move and I’ve updated the acne vitamins testimony page with more feedback from Clear5 customers. It’s always encouraging to hear stories of how long-time acne sufferers finally find something that really works, and are able to improve both their skin and self-esteem in a lasting way.

When you’re relying on nothing but topical skin care treatment systems, it always feels as though you’re on the front lines against acne. It’s a constant battle, because topical treatments only treat acne on the surface, while the imbalances underneath keep excess skin oil, and thus acne, forming anew all the time. The lack of real acne prevention by mainstream treatments such as Proactiv means that acne is always just around the corner, and you have to keep killing off zits as they form. While many claim to treat the root cause, if they don’t effect your body’s production or metabolism of skin oil (as only an internal treatment can do), this is simply a lie. When someone really experiences the difference acne vitamins can make, it’s a load of stress off your back to see and feel your acne simply stop coming - whether you wash your face or not.

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I’ve been thinking about an inside and outside natural clear skin regimen that would satisfy even those who need an acne solution in the near term, and don’t want to wait weeks for results. The core of any natural system should be B5, but a topical spot treatment can also come in handy when starting out, especially if you’re on of the few who experience an initial breakout.

The 3 natural treatments I find the most effective, and indeed more effective than other name-brand acne treatments that use over-the-counter drugs, are:

For your topical spot treatment, go with 100% Tea Tree Oil. From my own experience and everyone I’ve recommended it to, this stuff works amazingly well. Most find it to be just as effective as benzoyl peroxide while being less harsh on your skin. It soaks in quickly, and can make a big difference even just overnight (as many use it due to its strong, but not unpleasant [imo] smell). Just put a dab on your finger tip or a cotton swab and apply it directly to acne spots. As with BP, keep it away from your eyes.

Vitamin B5 provides the essential factor that can really put an end to your acne by preventing it from occurring in the first place. If your body is producing too much skin oil, it naturally hardens into acne pustules underneath your pores. You need the Coenzyme-A provided by vitamin B5 to metabolize that sebum before it gets a chance to build up. Mere antioxidants are not usually going to prevent acne, as they don’t make any difference with regards to skin oil production or metabolism. A B5 treatment like Clear5 is a must, and should be the core foundation of any effective natural clear skin regimen.

The last essential element is one that tends to go along naturally with vitamin B5, but is often overlooked. The third part of your regimen should in fact be water. Water flushes those unwanted toxins out of your cells, keeps your skin supple and healthy, as is required for virtually every function of your body. Unfortunately, it’s a simple fact that most people do not drink enough water. In many cases just drinking more water alone can help with clear skin, as well as dry skin and other topical problems. Make sure you’re getting those 8 glasses of water every day, and your skin will thank you for it.

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Next to acne, dandruff is one of the most common skin ailments around, with about 70% of people experiencing it during their lifetime. Dandruff has been found to occur across a wide range of age groups, but is most prominent in adults. Fortunately, the problem of dandruff tends to be easier solved than with acne.

The primary cause of dandruff is an increased presence of the fungus pityrosporum in the skin of your scalp. All people have some presence of pityrosporum naturally, but the problem arrises when this fungus grows out of proportion. Pityrosporum feeds off the oil secreted from your hair follicles and, as it grows, leads to the rapid death and replacement of skin cells on your scalp. These cells can typically live for up to a month, but under dandruff conditions they may be replaced as often as every other day. The resulting rapid build-up of dead cells leads to an abnormal degree of exfoliation in which your body sheds the dead cells in large flakes and clumps. Your scalp may also feel itchy and irritated as this goes on.

Many mistakenly attribute dandruff to dry skin. This is actually not the case at all. Dandruff is much more likely for individuals with oily skin who therefore provide more food for the fungus to grow.

Mild dandruff can be combated simply by enhanced personal hygiene. Washing your hair more frequently will remove dead skin cells before they build up to the point of flaking. In more serious cases, a medicated shampoo (containing ingredients such as ketaconazole) can help eliminate the fungus at the root of the problem. It unlikely that you will require the use of harsh or drying chemicals, but if a medicated shampoo leaves your hair and skin feeling dried out, follow with a moisturizing conditioner. In these cases, even side products such as Clear5 that help control oil levels may aid in dandruff prevention by inhibiting the growth of pityrosporum.

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Next week our business address will be changing. I’ve been rather busy with the move, and that’s why I haven’t gotten a chance to update the Clear Skin Blog over the last 4 days or so. There will be a slew of site updates once the move is accomplished, as there are some other changes in store besides the change of address, such as a formula upgrade, some new graphics, and even a new product (we often get questions about multivitamins and b-complex supplements, so I’ve got something on the way to make this search easier). As I try to do every month, I’ll be updating our acne testimony page with some of the positive feedback we’ve received over the last month as well. In the meantime, don’t worry about any letters or packages not reaching us, as all mail will be forwarded.

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It’s summer again, and besides clear skin a lot of people are working on their tan. For those with acne, there is that extra temptation to try and conceal acne blemishes by means of a tanning. The dangers of too much sun exposure are well known, such as premature fine lines and wrinkles, as well as and a higher risk of skin cancer. However, less well known are the benefits of sun exposure. Just as getting too much sun can be harmful, more and more evidence is pointing out the dangers of getting too little. So how much sun should your skin be getting, and why?

Not too long ago, the scientific community was warning against the risks of sun exposure, recommending SPF15 for anyone who was planning to leave the house. Nowadays, many scientists have actually taken an about face, stating that the benefits of sun exposure far outweigh the risks, granted that this exposure is not too extreme. One of the key reasons is vitamin D. Your body naturally produces vitamin D from the sun’s UV rays. Although available from sources such as fortified milk and supplements, vitamin D is most effectively gained from direct sun exposure, and many people are simply not getting enough of it.

The numbers are rather enlightening (pun intended ^_^). In the US, it’s estimated that 50,000-63,000 cancer deaths could be prevented if Americans had sufficient vitamin D. That’s 10% of all cancer deaths, and a much higher figure than the combined deaths from melanoma and skin cancer (about 10,000). Vitamin D has been shown in numerous studies to protect against lymphoma and cancers of the prostate, lung and even the skin. Therefore, while too much exposure bears the possibility of skin cancer (which is rarely fatal), too little sun poses a much greater risk.

How much sun does your body need? It’s actually recommended to get 15-20 minutes of direct sun exposure each day. If you know you’re going to be spending a lot of time under the sun, then it will certainly benefit your skin to bring along the SPF15. However, remember that sunscreens and sunblocks will also block the benefits of sun exposure, so be sure to give yourself those 15 minutes without unneeded protection. On the other hand, keep in mind that acne treatments containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid (read: almost all topical acne treatments) will make your skin more prone to sun damage, so space your acne creams and sun time apart. I suppose this would also be a good time to plug Clear5 since vitamin B5 acne treatments will not endanger your skin with a higher risk of sun damage, making them much safer for those who like to spend time outdoors.

So go ahead and get some sun, just don’t overdo it! Under normal circumstances, the health benefits of sun exposure are actually greater than the risks. You should still avoid the longer exposure that generally goes with tanning, but if you know you can’t resist it, just make sure to pack some sunscreen with at least SPF15 (and try to make it noncomogenic).

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Aloe vera is a clear gel that originates from the leaves of the aloe plant, and is one of the oldest known natural skin care treatments. Applied topically, aloe vera provides a protective barrier on the skin that preserves moisture and stimulates faster healing. Aloe is usually used as a treatment to sooth burns, sunburns, and frostbite, as well as to help small cuts and scrapes heal faster. Besides being a potent moisturizer, aloe also has antibacterial properties, enhances circulation, and provides essential polysaccharides ideal for the repair of skin cells.

For those seeking clear skin, aloe vera provides a number of benefits. Aloe alone will not cure acne, but it is effective at treating many of acne’s unsightly symptoms. For instance, the application of aloe vera can help reduce the redness and swelling caused by inflamed acne lesions. A popular combination for many acne sufferers is to use aloe in conjunction with typical clear skin products in order to fight off the side effects, such as dry skin, that often go along with them. A number of acne products have now incorporated aloe vera into their formulas for just that reason.

Aloe vera is typically applied either in a gel form or diluted into a liquid. For best results, I would recommend sticking to 100% aloe vera gel. Applied lightly, it will absorb into the skin fairly quickly and provide protection for hours. If you use strong acne creams over your face, following these with an aloe vera gel can help minimize dry skin. It’s also effective as a spot treatment to reduce redness when applied before bed.

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Opponents of high-dose B5 acne treatment cite the possibility of deficiencies in other B vitamins due to the disproportionably higher amount of B5 that is present in your system. These concerns are typically voiced in relation to mega-dose B5 acne treatments, which use an average of over 3 times the dosage of Clear5. However, if B5 includes this risk at any dosage at all, it’s worth looking into why it might occur and what you can do about it.

It helps to have a basic understanding of the way vitamins work. Vitamins are similar to enzymes: catalysts for chemical reactions within the body. In order to be absorbed, vitamins must join to receptor molecules. The problem lies in the fact that there are a limited number of available receptor molecules, and usually many more vitamin molecules. Different vitamins may compete for absorbance, and receptor molecules can also have a higher affinity for one particular vitamin over another. Thus, a higher concentration of a particular vitamin which receptor molecules have a preference for can lead to low absorbance for competing vitamins.

Although there has never been a medically documented case of vitamin deficiencies or any harmful side effects resulting from high-dosages of B5, it’s understandable that some might be concerned. The good news is that the possibility of this problem is easily remedied. For Clear5 users, there is almost no possibility of it occurring in the first place, largely due to the mechanism of our time-release formula. Vitamins are typically broken down and absorbed for the most part within the stomach, joining with the receptors present there. However, Clear5 uses a coating that resists the action of stomach acids, so that the B5 from Clear5 tablets is mainly absorbed within the small intestines. Therefore, there is almost no competition with other vitamins absorbed from food or normal supplements, since these are absorbed by the receptors in your stomach, while Clear5 is absorbed by different receptors. The chance of deficiencies is almost nonexistent. Of course, a multivitamin and/or B-complex is still a good idea for your overall health.

For those who use traditional mega-doses of B5, the important thing is to take a B-complex in order to make sure you get enough of those other B-vitamins that B5 can compete for absorbance with. This is most effective if you take your B-complex at a separate time from your B5. In this way, you avoid the chance that the higher presence of B5 will out-compete other B vitamins and cause a deficiency in any of them.

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