:Clear Skin Blog

After 10 years, you would think that Nintendo’s Pokemon series would have died off by now. The games haven’t changed much over that time, and still have that “kiddy” image among the non-believers. However, with over 500,000 preorders sold before the latest Pokemon games even hit store shelves, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl are set to break sales records once again. As a series, Pokemon still outsells even Final Fantasy and Grand Theft Auto.

So why would an adult such as myself care about Pokemon? Well, as my friend Erik once said: “there’s just something awesome about collecting hundreds of cute, cuddly little animals… and forcing them to fight to the death!”

I’ve been needing a good RPG for my DS Lite, and the latest generation of Pokemon games are just so polished and addictive that they’re hard to ignore. If you’re one of those who play RPGs for the “plot”, look elsewhere (seriously people, read a book). But if you’re the diehard type who like stat crunching and customizing movesets until your characters feel invincible, you’ll be right at home with Pokemon. Obviously, collectors and completionists will also find hundreds of hours worth of gameplay here. Diamond and Pearl take the series to new heights with online play (finally), enhanced graphics, and touch screen menus and minigames, as well as the typical additions (read: more Pokemon). I’m a classic gaming junkie, so I love the “NES graphics in 3D” simple yet stylish presentation. While none of the new additions exactly reinvent the series, if you’re of the “if it ain’t broke…” mentality, you’ll have a hard time putting down these very involving games.

*title changed to reflet my actual opinion

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No matter how much people hear about how picking at or popping zits is a bad idea, it’s still going to happen - and the fact is, this isn’t always such a dangerous thing for your skin. As long as the white of an acne pustule is clearly visible and very near the surface of the skin, gently forcing it out can be done without the risk of scarring (scars usually occur when acne sufferers try to pop acne pustules prematurely). But after you pop a zit, what then? What steps should you take to protect your skin, quickly reduce swelling, and avoid the prospect of acne returning to that area?

The first mistake to avoid is immediately wiping off the area with a tissue or towel. Some bacteria is usually still present in the wound, and combined with the effects of inflammation, applying a tissue to the area immediately may push bacteria back into the pore and cause it to become clogged. Before anything else, you should rinse the area and allow any contents to be flushed out. After rinsing, gently pat the area dry.

Which cleanser or treatment you apply will typically depend upon the size of the pustule or cyst. If it is a larger cyst that leaves a large inflamed bump, the best topical treatment to follow with is Neosporin. This antibiotic ointment will kill existing bacteria, but also has powerful anti-inflammatory effects to quickly reduce redness and swelling. For smaller, less serious acne spots, a powerful antibiotic like Neosporin is overkill. With less swelling, your main concern should be to simply eliminate bacteria in the wound. There are a number of spot-treatment products that can do this, but the solution I recommend is 100% tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is a natural extract with strong antibacterial effects comparable to benzoyl peroxide, but typically less drying. Apply a small dab of tea tree oil to the wound and let dry to protect against acne returning in the same spot.

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With all the health and diet changes people try to make in order to achieve clear skin, it’s no surprise that sometimes extreme measures are taken. Fasting in order to detoxify the body and clear out acne-causing bacteria is one such phenomenon that is currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity. This has mostly been due to word-of-mouth from those who have tried it with positive results.

Acne fasting usually takes the form of either a water fast (with occasional juice or health shakes) or a more dedicated juice fast (or for the really serious, there’s always the green tea fast), and may go on for several days and even weeks with little solid food. The idea is that bacteria builds up within the body and requires a prolonged intake of cleansing liquids in order to be flushed out. During the fast, one should not engage in stressful or physically demanding activities that put a strain on the body’s resources.

This concept of fasting is quite popular among followers of holistic health, but also has a long list of opponents. Personally, I’d recommend against it in most cases, especially if one is considering doing it for any longer than 2 days. One may take in less bacteria from solid foods, but one is also missing out on numerous essential nutrients, many of which promote healthy skin. That said, drinking enough water to enable your body to easily flush out toxins is indeed important. However, this can usually be done effectively without the need to refrain from solid food.

I suspect that many who witness clearer skin and other benefits from these fasts are drinking a lot more than they normally do, and would likely see many of the same benefits if they simply drank a similar amount without quitting solid foods.

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It may not have much to do with clear skin, but lately I’ve been waking up with a horrible sore throat thanks to a sinus infection. Those of you who’ve experienced post nasal drip probably know how annoying it can be, but I wasn’t aware of just how much mucus the glands in your nose and throat actually produce. These glands typically pump out as much as 2 quarts of mucus a day. That’s a gallon of mucus every 2 days! There’s something interesting to bring up during a dinner conversation…

Anyways, there are a few vitamins and minerals that have been shown to help in combating sinus infections, with the most recognized being vitamin C and zinc. Using vitamin C as a cold remedy is probably not news to anyone, although there is debate about how much it helps once a cold has already set in (its primary strength lies in prevention). Vitamin C is a strong and versatile antioxidant, but by most reports you’ll need at least 3 grams daily to help shorten or alleviate sinus symptoms. Zinc also plays an important role in bolstering the immune system, with a recommended daily dosage of 30 mg for use against sinus infections.

A less common natural sinus treatment is L-Lysine. Lysine is an amino acid often used to treat cold sores, but seldom connected to sinus treatment. It’s mainly grown in popularity due to word-of-mouth among users, including a friend of mine who’s had success with it in the past. Lysine’s strong anti-viral properties are likely to thank for it’s aid in diminishing sinus symptoms. Recommended dosage is 500 mg per day (only while symptoms persist).

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For acne sufferers with sensitive skin, there are some extra factors to think about when washing that you might not otherwise consider. One of them is the temperature of the water you wash with. Understanding the effects of water temperature on your skin helps you get the most out of cleansers and protect your skin against damage.

So when is the best time to wash with hot, warm, or cold water?

As far as your skin is concerned, very hot water is almost never beneficial. Hot water saps most of the natural oils from the surface of your skin, depletes water from your skin cells internally (making them less supple), and causes your pores to become swollen, leaving your skin highly susceptible to damage. This is especially evident during the winter, as exposing your skin to cold air right after washing with hot water will usually cause redness and peeling. However, even during the summer this is a bad idea, as it leaves you more susceptible to sun damage and simply makes it easier for unwanted waste to clog your pores.

With regards to effective cleansing, the relationship to remember is this: Warm water causes your pores to dilate, while cold water causes them to contract.

Washing with warm (not hot) water can certainly be beneficial to your cleansing routine, as opening your pores to some degree is necessary in order to remove waste and bacteria that may be clogging them. Soaps also lather better and tend to be more effective in warm water. After you’ve applied your cleanser, the trick is to rinse off with cold water. In this way you finish by protecting your skin from damage, since the colder water will cause your pores to tighten back up and leave you less susceptible to damage. If you’re going to be exposing your skin to either cold weather or prolonged sun exposure, you should probably follow with a moisturizer or SPF 15, but under normal circumstances just rinsing with cold water is sufficient.

Even with proper washing habits, remember not to wash your face too frequently (twice per day at most). While you don’t want excess skin oil, too little skin oil is also a problem. You skin needs time to provide its own natural level of protection, and if you’re constantly washing it away you’re doing more harm than good.

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A rather large update to the testimony page at Acne-Vitamins today. One thing I often hear from vitamin B5 users is how surprised they are that a single pill can make so much of a difference, especially after many of these former acne sufferers had gotten used to constantly applying an entire drawer full of topical treatments in days past. Sometimes it’s the simplest treatments that are the most effective.

This logic often applies to the list of ingredients in a product as well. Far too many natural treatments end up being ineffective due to the fact that they try to throw every conceivable ingredient into the mix that might somehow help the condition in question. This approach more often than not results in a product packed with such small amounts of each ingredient that none of them actually get a chance to work effectively. Sometimes they even include ingredients that compete with one another, weakening the potency of nutrients that are already in scarce supply.

Acne can have many causes. But for most people, most of your acne comes down to one cause. That cause is usually excess oil production. I’ve blogged plenty of times about dietary factors, but even in these cases, the main reason diet effects acne is because it effects the production and metabolism of sebum. When you find and treat the main cause of your acne, you’ll find that you don’t need a host of other treatments and lifestyle changes to stay clear. Moreover, if you’re not treating your key factor, even if you’re eating healthy and exercising and practicing great hygiene and using dozens of external and internal treatments that do everything from exfoliating to killing bacteria….it’s still not going to eliminate your acne! Narrow down what gives results for you and stick to that. Don’t blow acne up into something more complex than it is.

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