Clear Skin Blog » 2008

Cleansers Optional

Posted by Don on June 25th 2008 to perspective

It seems like every topical acne treatment these days comes in the form of a 3-step system. There’s usually a cleanser, a cream and a toner, and you’re supposed to use them all together. However, the fact is that most of the time only one of these treatments actually makes any difference. And it’s usually the one packed with the strongest active ingredients (which almost always take the form of benzoyl peroxide and/or salicylic acid in mainstream products).

If you’re the spendthrift type who like to buy your products individually (as is the case for most customers who use stores, rather than subscribing to monthly shipments), you may like to mix and match brands or simply leave out unnecessary treatment steps altogether. So which popular step in the trio is usually the least important for clear skin? Simple, it’s the cleanser.

If there’s one thing you should understand about acne, it’s this: that acne’s causes are not skin-deep. Surface dirt and bacteria on your skin is virtually never at the root of a real acne problem. The purpose of cleansers is simply to wash this gunk away, but the fact is, most ANY facial soap or cleansing product will do just as good a job (sometimes a better job, as acne cleansers are often packed with over-powerful drugs that dry out your skin). In fact, even just rinsing your face with water is often just as good or preferable to using an acne cleanser.

The middle (cream) step is usually the most important one, but there are a few products where this is not the case and more is actually packed into the toner. However, the cleanser is almost always the most useless step. So if you want to save a few bucks or go with a different brand you find gentler on your skin, this is the one to switch out.

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Initial Breakouts - the good and the bad

Posted by Don on June 18th 2008 to perspective

Acne treatments are supposed to stop acne. So why is it that sometimes they end up making things worse before they get better? Initial breakouts - sudden breakouts that generally coincide with the starting of a new acne treatment - are a well-known concept among those who have made the rounds, trying to find a clear skin solution that really works. They can occur with virtually any treatment, from topical regimens such as Proactiv to acne vitamins and even prescriptions. So why do they happen?

Acne treatments can take many forms, and as such, there is no single reason that explains all initial breakouts. However, it should be understood that your body likes to keep things predictable. It’s generally most healthy to take all your meals at the same time every day, sleep during the same hours each day, etc. And the same goes for your skin. When it comes to what you’re washing with, your skin prefers to keep things about the same from day to day. Just as you may get rashes from using a new brand of razor, using a new brand of cleanser can mean that your skin needs some time to adjust, and you may suffer some irritation until then.

The time it takes the body to adjust to a new treatment can vary, but in general, if what you’re experiencing is an initial breakout, it shouldn’t last longer than 1-2 weeks. Despite its initial reluctance to change, the body is actually remarkably adaptable. Your skin will generally adjust to the introduction of new chemicals in fairly short time, and afterwards all that irritation will be a thing of the past. An initial breakout can in fact be proof that a new treatment is genuinely doing something.

For internal and acne vitamin treatments, things can be a bit different. Initial breakouts can still occur, but they often happen at the pore level, rather than simply irritating your skin’s surface cells. With vitamin B5 acne treatments for example, the initial action of your pores tightening may actually push existing acne bacteria and dead cells to the surface, causing an initial breakout in this “cleansing” process. Although this can be an unpleasant ordeal, it’s important not to give up at this point, as lasting improvement usually follows.

People who are easily discouraged often give up at the first signs of an initial breakout, but these are often the people who end up suffering with acne for years longer than they need to. Initial breakouts are a sign of change in the body, and if your body is pumping out acne, change is a good thing. Make up your mind not to give in to stress. Take a deep breath, tell yourself that you’ll get through it, and stick with whatever your new regimen is for at least 30 days. If you have especially sensitive skin and your initial breakout doesn’t end within 2 weeks, then you may simply need a gentler treatment, but don’t give up before you’ve given new alternatives a chance to work. It won’t do you any good sticking to treatments that your skin is perfectly comfortable with, but which do absolutely nothing to stop your acne.

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Ester-C for Acne?

Posted by Don on June 09th 2008 to perspective

I’ve covered before the benefits of vitamin C, particularly when combined with vitamin B5 in speeding minor wound healing, such as those from acne blemishes. Obviously, vitamin C is an incredibly useful vitamin for countless chemical reactions within the body, but should you be taking standard vitamin C, or the new Ester-C that you’ve likely heard about from radio and television ads?

Ester-C is basically vitamin C combined with metabolites. Metabolites are compounds generally created within the body, which are used in the metabolism of food (or in this case, vitamins). Basically, they transform the nutrients you ingest in a form useable by your body. As such, Ester-C is vitamin C with half the work of metabolism already done. It’s also fortified with additional ingredients such as calcium. The benefit here is that Ester-C is more efficiently absorbed by the body, and is also pH neutral, so those who have negative reactions to the acidity in standard vitamin C will find Ester-C easier to take.

A faster, higher absorbance rate is almost always a good thing when it comes to vitamins. However, if you’re not among the small percent who are bothered by ingesting standard vitamin C, do you really need Ester-C? Probably not. Chances are, if you’re taking regular vitamin C supplements of 200 mg or more (I’d recommend 400 mg), you’re probably absorbing plenty of vitamin C for your immune system already. If you’re really worried about getting maximum absorbance, you could always take liquid vitamins or simply increase your dosage of tablets, which would likely still be cheaper. Even if they take a little longer to be absorbed, it’s not nearly as large a difference as some would have you believe.

In the end, vitamin C is vitamin C. However you get it, it will still help with things such as detoxification and tissue repair. However, the added benefits of Ester-C are unlikely to actually make any noticeable difference to acne sufferers who are desperate to improve their skin.

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Magnesium and Acne

Posted by Don on June 02nd 2008 to perspective

Magnesium is a mineral essential to many metabolic reactions and the production of energy in your body. It’s also an increasingly popular ingredient in acne vitamin treatments.

Like vitamin B5 (although to a lesser degree), magnesium is credited with aiding in stress relief, relaxing your muscles. This relaxation process helps overt the excess product of adrenal hormones that stress can bring on. Thus, magnesium is often cited as an important mineral for stabilizing your hormonal balance. Since excessive hormone production is a major contributing cause to acne, magnesium supplements can actually aid in acne relief.

Magnesium plays another role that promotes healthy skin as well. Its a key ingredient needed for the synthesis of lipids and fatty acids, which are essential in maintaining smooth, healthy skin cells.

Common sources of magnesium include whole grains and leafy green vegetables. Wheat and bran cereals, oatmeal and bananas are other good sources. If you think you are deficient, you can always take supplements, but take note of dosage precautions, as, like any mineral, you can experience some nasty reactions if you overdose.

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:Clear Skin Blog

Cleansers Optional

Initial Breakouts - the good and the bad

Ester-C for Acne?

Magnesium and Acne

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