Following my previous post on diet being the culprit for your acne skin problems, and Dr. Mercola’s theory that what you eat is a big contributor to your acne eruptions; a dermatologist by the name of Dr. Steve Grekin is pointing the sole cause at hormones.

This is how he explains it:

“It is age dependent. It’s all related to hormones. It has nothing to do with not washing your face. It has nothing to do with what you eat. It’s just genetically how your hormone receptors bind to the hormones that circulate in your skin, and then the bacteria that feeds on that oil is pro-inflammatory and it breaks the kids out,” Grekin explained.

So what exactly causes acne skin problems?

Now we are all confused. One minute it is diet, another minute it is hormones and give it another minute or two, and it will be something else.

Speaking from experience, both make sense but I am leaning more towards a good diet helping to clear acne.

Here is why:

We are what we eat

We are what we eat – yes, it is a cliche but it is true.

• What we eat will determine how healthy (or unhealthy) our body will be.
• Lack of certain vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and zinc will affect the appearance of our skin.
• Too much trans fat and oily foods will just clog up our arteries, preventing normal blood flow and
• When you do not eat enough fiber, our digestive system gets clog up with too much toxins, toxins that will try and find its way out through your skin.

Sure, hormones play a part, especially when you are a teenager with every hormone seemingly going hay wire, but it certainly will not help if you are stuffing yourself with fast food and crap.

Here is what Dr. Mercola said again:

(note: IGF-1 is Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 and is elevated when we eat high carbohydrate and sugary foods)

“Higher IGF-1 levels can lead to increased male hormones, which cause your pores to secrete more sebum, a greasy substance that traps acne-promoting bacteria. IGF-1 also causes skin cells (known as keratinocytes) to multiply, a process associated with acne.”

The two are definitely interlinked but it seems to be the diet that is causing the imbalance in our hormones.

Nothing upsets the hormones inside our bodies more than an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. And when our hormones start acting up, it is our skin that pays. So this is what I am going to do:

Eat right,  get regular exercise and lessen stress with plenty of sleep for my acne skin problems.

Read the My Fox Detroit article here.

Read Dr. Mercola's article here.

It is not what you put on your face that is going to help treat acne problems.

Acne has the nasty habit of showing up when you least want it to.

Treat Acne From Within

You finally get to go on a much anticipated date and two nights before the great event, your skin erupts. Or you have been planning a party for months, deciding on what to wear (and what not to wear), only to find that the only thing that you are really wearing on the day is a big red angry looking zit on your face.

The blow is crushing and it is no wonder that this skin ailment is responsible for so much alienation, embarrassment and low self esteem. And it is not just about adolescents; 20% of American adults suffer from it too.

Over the Counter = Over Promises

But wait, isn’t help just around the corner in the local pharmacists? Row upon rows of every kind of pimple eliminators, zit killers and acne bashers?

All you have to do is fish out your wallet and buy preferably the whole range of acne control products : from the face wash to the toner to the moisturizer to the special over night acne remover. Oh, if you want, there is the concealer too so you can pretend you do not have any acne.

Or you resort to prescription antibiotics or worst yet accutane – possibly one of the most controversial oral acne treatment around due to its side effects.

The Culprit is Right in Front of You:

According to Dr. Mercola, it is your diet that is the main culprit:

“More proof is continuing to emerge that the root cause of acne is not bacteria or genetics, but environmental factors—particularly your diet. Acne is much less of a problem in non-Westernized societies, where refined carbohydrates and sugar are consumed in much lower amounts. Solid evidence exists that diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates are the primary CAUSE of acne.”

The other cause is stress, which explains all those flare ups just before a big events.

What carbohydrates to avoid?

It is the simple carbohydrates that should be avoided : sugared deserts, sweets, muffins, doughnuts and foods that contain high fructose corn syrup. So are complex carbohydrates the way to go?

Yes and no.

Complex carbohydrates found in green leafy vegetables are the way to go, but foods such as nuts, beans and whole grains will need to be reduced if you have acne problems.

Dr. Mercola explains:

“Your body “prefers” the complex carbs found in vegetables to the complex carbs found in grains, because your body handles their digestion differently. Vegetable-carbs are slow to break down into simple sugars, with minimal insulin impact, whereas digestion of grain-carbs raises your insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1).

Higher IGF-1 levels can lead to increased male hormones, which cause your pores to secrete more sebum, a greasy substance that traps acne-promoting bacteria. IGF-1 also causes skin cells (known as keratinocytes) to multiply, a process associated with acne.

This is why most grains should be avoided if you have acne issues.”

Beware Dairy Products

Another food product to be avoided is milk, especially pasteurized milk.

Milk has a high amount of iodine  which is what farmers add to the cows’ feed to prevent infections, and iodine seems to irritate your skin more. The best thing to do is to avoid milk and dairy products for a few weeks and see if it makes a difference to your acne skin.

Here is a plan worth trying to treat acne from within:

• Eliminate as much as possible sugar and grain from your diet. This is probably the most important step to try.
• Drink plenty of pure water to hydrate your skin and body. This will help your cells to regenerate and get rid of toxins in your body. If your urine is pale in color, you are doing it right.
• Exercise and sweat. Sweating will clear your pores of all the unwanted debris that is clogging up your pores.
• Get enough sleep so your body can recharge and mend itself. You will feel less stressed too.
• If you have been on antibiotics, take a good probiotic supplement to balance the bacteria in your gut for good immune health.
• Get plenty of sunshine on your skin. This will ensure you have the adequate amount of vitamin D which is necessary for a healthy immune system

If you have tried all the ointments, lotion and potion; not to mention the over counter oral prescriptions and have not seen any significant improvement, or it seems to work just for a little while and then you are back to square one, then you will need to try a different approach.

You need to avoid acne heartache and treat acne from within.

Read more from the original article here

Dermaroller Treatments for Acne Scars

Dermaroller treatments done by a micro-needle device has won the top tier Gold award for Facial Treatment of the year and the Consumer Choice Treatment of the year at 2011-12 Aesthetics Awards Show held in November in the UK.

This German invented micro needling device has been on the market for 12 years and in the US since 2003. It has preformed more than 1 million successful non surgical procedures eliminating unsightly acne scars, aging skin, open pores, stretch marks, sun damage and fine lines.

““As a dermatologist with more than six years experience using The Genuine Dermaroller®,” says Dr. Nelson Lee Novick, “I have been treating different and often difficult types of scars, including acne, traumatic injury, surgical, and burn scars. I have found that medical micro-needling with the Dermaroller®, versus other brands, to yield gratifying results for improving photo-damaged crinkly/crepey and blotchy pigmented skin.”

Novick, a clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, adds: “When compared to fraxel lasers, medical micro-needling (Collagen Induction Therapy) with the Dermaroller® has the advantages of being considerably less expensive, may be used anywhere on the body, and when recently tested against intense pulsed light therapy (IPL), was shown to promote a greater degree of new collagen formation.””

Watch this informative video on DermaRoller Treatments

If you want to find out more about Dermaroller treatments, click here to find a dermaroller seminar near you.

 Read original article here

How to use the right foundation application for acne skin

This is a very courageous video from a teenager who obviously suffers greatly from acne and acne scars, she has put herself forward exposing all to show how she achieves flawless looking skin with her foundation application for acne skin.

This is an extract from an article in the UK Daily Mail:

“Wearing full make-up and looking picture-perfect, the Bay Area local explains to her many YouTube fans: ‘I am the most self-conscious person about my face. The worst part about it, is its gotten a lot better. I mean it’s a good thing to say but it still looks awful.’

Stripping back the expert layers of primers, foundation, powders and setting sprays, Cassandra goes from fully-made-up to make-up free – showing the extent of her pimpled and blemished skin.

The teen, a horse-back riding and hiking fan, returns to the camera in a bathrobe at her ‘most insecure,’ with bare skin and looking a very different person.

‘I feel really disgusting,’ she says, her nerves catching in her voice as she explains that ‘this is probably the most nerve-wracking thing I could possibly do because it is my biggest insecurity… But this is my face.’”

Her Foundation : Make Up Forever HD Foundation

Can the Fraxel Dual Laser be the

Laser Acne Scar Removal Treatment for You?

A lot of times when we are looking for laser acne scar removal, the treatment would involve a one size fits all solution where good skin, as well as acne scarred skin, will receive the same laser treatment.

The results could be mixed as often acne scarred skin will require more attention and more focused laser treatment than normal skin, which does not require treatment at all.

Laser Acne Scar Removal

The Fraxel re:store Dual laser (also known as Solta Dual) is one of the latest products from Solta. Miniscule columns of light is targeted at the scar on the skin, sending fiber laser to the epidermis.

The idea is to re-wound the skin that is scarred so that it can heal itself again with new collagen growth. This procedure works particularly well for acne scars and pink skin from acne scarring as it forces the damaged area to re-heal itself naturally with smoother fresher skin.

It does not however, say whether the regrowth of new skin will be monitored to ensure new scarring does not form. So if you are thinking of using this procedure, ask your doctor about the what type of new skin will re-emerge.

However, it seems to be endorsed by some dermatologists:

“Fraxel re:store is one of the most effective treatments available for acne scarring and surgical scars,” states Austin dermatologist Dr. Gregory Nikolaidis, “Fraxel re:store Dual allows patients to achieve CO2-like results with minimal downtime. Both treatment options are state-of-the-art and set the standard for fractional resurfacing.”"

The site goes on to explain:

“FDA approved for acne and surgical scars, the Fraxel re:store Dual combines deep-penetrating Erbrium fiber laser with the more superficial Thulium fiber laser to offer patients more consistent and successful treatment of acne scars. Depending on the patient’s needs or severity of acne scarring, the physician may custom tailor treatment with the deeper penetrating, more superficial or a combination of the two lasers.”

If the acne scars are quite severe, patient may need anything from 3-6 treatments. Many patients report an improvement on their skin’s appearance often after the second treatment. The healing of the intention wounds will continue over a six months period where results will improve.

Depending on how severe the acne scarring is, a series of treatments is recommended, ranging between 3 and 6. However, many patients report seeing improvement of acne scarring after the 2nd treatment. Since the treatments are causing the body to heal the intentional wounds inflicted on the skin, results will continue to improve over the next six months as more collagen is regrown.

“According to the manufacturer, Fraxel re:store Dual is safe for patients of all color and skin types however, it is always important to extensively discuss laser treatments with your physician if you have darker skin due to post treatment complications such as hyperpigmentation.”

If you go onto this website, you will be able to enter your location and find the nearest Fraxel  re:store Dual laser treatment near you. Hopefully this will be what you are looking for in a laser acne scar removal treatment.

Don’t Make These Acne Treatment Mistakes

Acne Treatment Mistakes

If you suffer from acne (and nearly 50 million Americans do), you have probably been bombarded with all sorts of acne

treatment solutions : from face washes to creams, gels, masks, medication, laser solutions and the lists goes on.

It is no wonder that finding the right acne treatment is a baffling experience.

However, what not to do is just as important as what to do and here is a top eight list compiled by dermatologists (courtesy of Wed MD), of common mistakes when it comes to treating acne.

The Top Eight Common Acne Treatment Mistakes:

1) Not giving the treatment time to work – It takes usually from 2-6 weeks for an acne treatment to work and sometimes, your skin will get worse before it gets better. Give the product one month’s trial to give it a chance to work.

2) Trying too many products in one go – We want the acne to preferably disappear over night and when they don’t clear in a matter of days, we immediately move onto the next product. “They also add one product to another. Sometimes the products can cause irritation of the skin and add further insult to the owner,” Barbara R. Reed, MD, a dermatology professor at the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver says.

3) Thinking acne is a result of dirt – which we then try to “remedy” by over scrubbing and over cleaning. Scrubbing will only irritate the skin more as it can compromise the skin’s protective barrier. Instead wash gently with a PH balanced non irritating wash.

4) Choosing the wrong product – Go for non-comedogenic face cleansers and watch out for oil based products that could clog pores. Other ingredients to look out for are : isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl myristate, butyl stearate, isopropyl isostearate, decyl oleate, isostearyl neopentanoate, isocetyl stearate, myristle myristate, cocoa butter, acetylated lanolin, and D & C red dyes. They could be found in moisturizers, sun screens and cosmetics so look out for them.

5) Picking at the acne yourself – Looking at the pimples ten times a day will not make them heal faster. Nor will picking at them with your fingers which could make the lesions more infected. Either have them extracted professionally or give time for your acne products to work.

6) Not seeing a dermatologist – Dermatologists can diagnose, treat and give prescribed medication to treat acne. It is important to understand and treat your acne with the right medication at an early stage to prevent them from getting worse, or from scarring your face. Seek help before it gets out of hand.

7) Over using or under using the prescribed acne medication – Piling it on will not necessarily make it better faster, whilst not using the medication when you should will also undermine the cure. The key is consistency and to target all acne prone areas.

8. Stopping the acne medication too soon – Just as it takes 2-6 weeks for the acne to clear up, it will take that long for it to come back. Don’t stop cold turkey. Instead, decrease use gradually for example from twice a day to once a day, then once every other day to two, three times a week and keep an eye out for any re-occurrences.

Remember to give your acne treatment time to do its work and be patient!

Have you wondered about or looked into an acne scar removal treatment and thought “Yes, that would be great”?

Depending on how badly you want it, you start looking at prices, the procedures, before and after pictures – but have you got a checklist to find the best and most professional person for the job?

Acne Scar Removal Treatment - Make Sure It Is Safe

Reading recently about a fake doctor injecting cement, paraffin and tire sealant, to create “better curves” into a woman who wants a more shapely bottom “at a cheap price” just send shivers down my spine.

Worse yet, this ‘patient’ was so embarrassed about what has happened to her that she only told the truth to a medical doctor after her mother took her to a hospital and with much prompting.

In a day and age where every part of our body seems fixable and there are all kinds of places and facilities available to cater to our whims; this story has just reminded us all that finding a reputable and qualified doctor or practitioner is all important.

Especially for our faces.

So in view of this, here is a checklist of eight questions to ask (courtesy of Medicinenet.com)  if you are thinking of doing acne scar removal treatment:

1) What are the doctor’s qualifications and training?

Let’s face it, anyone can claim to be qualified for certain cosmetic procedures but are they certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (or any recognized board in your own country)?  There are special training and exams to be passed before one can perform plastic surgery, has your doctor got the proper qualifications?

2) What are the doctor’s experiences and what are their specialized fields?

Plastic surgery could be anything from laser acne scar removal treatment to breast implant to liposuction which are all very specialized and different. Just because the doctor is qualified does not mean he or she is qualified for the particular procedure you want. So make sure you see the right specialist.

3) Where will the procedure be done?

If a hospital, are you happy with that hospital and are they accredited? If it is done at their own premises, do they have qualified staff and the proper equipment to do the procedure? Is there a plan B if things go wrong?

4) Is the doctor asking you questions?

Questions such as why you want it done and how it will impact your life after the procedure. In some cases, doctors will ask the patient to get a psychological evaluation just to make sure they are not asking for cosmetic surgery for the wrong reasons. They will also give you time to make a decision and will not pressure you into making a hasty one.

5) Have all the details of the procedure been adequately and honestly covered?

Things such as the actual procedure in detail, what is to be expected, the recovery time, potential for something going wrong, what can be expected, any side effects, after care and so on. If you are presented with before and after photos, make sure these results are typical and not just one in a thousand.

6) Is this particular procedure you are looking at good for you?

In other words, are you a good candidate? If you cannot follow certain after care routines for example, then you would not be a good candidate. Make sure you are honest when you discuss your expectations with your doctor.

7) Can you speak with former patients who have had this procedure done?

Better yet, do you know someone who has had it done and recommends it? If not, can you speak with some former patients? All the convincing photos in the world will not convince you more than if a friend or an acquaintance has had a satisfactory experience.

8. Can you afford it?

What are the payment plans (if any) or cost of the procedure plus any after care expenses. Will you need additional funds aside from the actual surgery for things not covered? Remember, insurance does not cover cosmetic surgeries in many incidences so check your financial situation before jumping in.

Remember, it pays to spend a little more time to research, ask around and make inquiries for the best acne scar removal treatment so that you can get the best results for you.

Atrophic Scars Can Arise From Clinically Normal Skin

During a session at the annual Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, Dr. Sewon Kang, professor and chair of the department of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore gave the following findings at a sponsored talk by Galderma.

The bottom line is that any form of acne, whether mild or moderate should be taken care soonest as even non-inflammatory lesions can cause acne scarring.

I have put in the original article from Skin and Allergy News below:

“LISBON – Contrary to conventional wisdom, atrophic acne scars may arise from what was clinically normal skin 3 months earlier.

Inflammatory acne lesions clearly play a major role in atrophic scarring, but scars can arise from erythematous macules and closed comedones as well.

“And it’s also important to emphasize that we’re able to identify atrophic scars arising from clinically normal skin,” Dr. Sewon Kang said at the annual Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, during a session sponsored by Galderma.

His study of the natural history of acne over a 12-week time frame used computer-assisted spatial alignment and serial high-definition digital photographs to track new lesions and atrophic scarring in 25 subjects with untreated mild to moderate facial acne. Participants were formally assessed every 2 weeks.

Closed comedones accounted for 37% of all lesions, followed by erythematous macules at 26%, inflammatory papules at 15%, open comedones at 12%, with pustules and nodules accounting for the rest.

“Both non- inflammatory as well as inflammatory acne lesions need to be addressed in order to prevent the most terrible sequelae of acne: the formation of scars.”

At 12 weeks, a total of 219 inflammatory lesions were present: 176 papules, 35 pustules, and 8 nodules. Working backward via the serial tracking system, Dr. Kang and coworkers determined that 41% of the inflammatory lesions were preceded by closed comedones, 13% by open comedones, 12% from erythematous macules, and 6% from ice pick scars. Importantly, 28% of inflammatory lesions arose from clinically normal-appearing skin, said Dr. Kang, professor and chair of the department of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.

Also present at 12 weeks were a total of 104 atrophic scars as agreed upon by at least two of the three independent examining dermatologists. Nearly 70% were ice pick scars, 30% were boxcar acne scars, and 2% were rolling scars.

Of note, 23 of the 25 study participants had one or more acne scars at 3 months of follow-up.

In all, 30% of the scars were already present at baseline. Another 20% arose from inflamed papules or pustules or from closed comedones. But fully half of the scars arose from noninflammatory lesions.

The clinical implication of these findings is that aggressive treatment should be prescribed from the outset in acne patients – even in those with mild disease – to prevent acne scarring.

“Both noninflammatory as well as inflammatory acne lesions need to be addressed in order to prevent the most terrible sequelae of acne: the formation of scars,” said Dr. Kang.

Based upon these findings, he said he favors multimodal acne therapy with a retinoid, an antimicrobial agent, and benzoyl peroxide.

Dr. Kang is a paid speaker for Galderma.”

Related articles for Noninflammatory Lesions Can Cause Atrophic Scars:

• Guide to Treating Acne Scars and Skin Damage (webmd.com)
• Moderate to Severe Acne: A Treatment Guide (webmd.com)

It is hard to concentrate when you are distracted and recent research done by Mikki Hebl at Rice University and Juan Madera at the University of Houston has shown that if you have a birth mark, severe acne or acne scars; your chances of landing that much wanted job could be hindered.

That is because the interviewer’s concentration is on the actual blemish or birth mark, which means less of what the applicant is saying is taken in.

“When evaluating applicants in an interview setting, it’s important to remember what they are saying,” Mikki Hebl, a psychology professor at Rice University, said in a university news release. “Our research shows if you recall less information about competent candidates because you are distracted by characteristics on their face, it decreases your overall evaluations of them.”

An experiment was conducted whereby volunteers posing as job seekers had special effects make up to create a blemished or scarred face.

Eye tracking was then used on 170 undergraduate students doing a mock interview on a computer. It showed that the more severe the blemish, the less they heard about what was said; but more importantly, when they were questioned later about the applicant, they recalled less and gave the person a lower rating.

Another experiment was done with 38 experienced managers used to hiring workers. Face to face interviews were arranged whereby the applicants were interviewed one on one. Despite having interviewed many candidates before, the managers were still distracted by facial scars and birthmarks. In fact, they were more distracted and gave an even lower rating than the undergraduates from seeing the facial blemishes first hand.

“The bottom line is that how your face looks can significantly influence the success of an interview,” Hebl said. “There have been many studies showing that specific groups of people are discriminated against in the workplace, but this study takes it a step further, showing why it happens. The allocation of attention away from memory for the interview content explains this.”

Both Hedl and Madera hope that by bringing this research to light, they will be able to raise awareness against this type of discrimination.

Read original article 1 and article 2 here.

DermaSweep Epi-Infusion

Your Vacuum Cleaner for Acne Free Skin

Before I go into the DermaSweep Epi-Infusion procedure for acne and acne scars, I need to have a little rant about spot squeezing.

To Squeeze or Not to Squeeze – That is The Question

You know how everyone goes on about not squeezing your spots? How it will increase scarring, inflame the blemishes further and does nothing for improving acne skin?

Well, I don’t entirely agree.

I think black and white heads should be removed before they get even bigger and more inflamed. A blackhead not removed just enlarges the pore further and it looks terrible. Not only that, I just don’t think any cream or lotion will “melt” the spots away. Maybe with time, but why not just get rid of the spot and start the healing process as soon as you can?

So should you go running to the mirror and start squeezing?

Yes and No. There is a way to do this properly and more importantly, cleanly so that more bacterial does not enter your open pores.

In fact, get it done professionally by someone who understands and has experience working on acne skin. For the longest time as a teenager I went to a beautician that specialized in cleaning my face through steaming the pores open, extracting the blackheads and impurities, putting on a special mask and applying antiseptic lotion on various blemished areas.

Sure I was red and raw for a few days and some of the acne did flare up again, but by and large, my skin got better with time. The action of steaming, extracting impurities and closing the pores under sanitized and professional settings finally (after about 4-6 months) got my skin looking normal again.

Following up with a good and consistently daily cleansing routine as well as eating properly also helped.

Now there is a procedure called DermaSweep Epi-infusion that is going to take this one step further.

DermaSweep is a medical procedure whereby the skin is gently lifted through a vacuum pump action and the skin is gently brushed with their special bristle brushes.

The procedure uses particle free technology and  is more gentle and kinder to the skin. It does not use the normal procedure of micro blasting with crystals or sand, which can be painful and harsher on the skin.

Epi-Infusion is where topical solutions are added specifically to your skin’s requirements whilst the exfoliating action is underway.

Here is an explanation from their website’s FAQ

“DermaSweep Epi-Infusion treatments combine exfoliation with the delivery of skin specific topical solutions, leaving patients with fresher feeling and better looking skin.

DermaSweep’s topical solutions are formulated to treat specific dermatological conditions. The solution is applied under vacuum pressure at the same time the system exfoliates the epidermis.

Physicians render an effective treatment tailored to each patient’s unique skincare needs.

The following is a short list of topical solutions and skin conditions that can be addressed with the Epi-Infusion wand:

• Acne- Salicylic Acid, a medicated solution for the treatment of Acne and clogged pores
• Dehydration- Hyaluronic Acid containing Aloe Vera and Chamomile. This solution is especially formulated for normal to dry, combination and sensitive skin.
• Hyperpigmentation- This skin brightening solution with hydroquinone, azelaic acid and kojic acid works to lighten pigmentation.”

What it is Good for:

Acne skin, acne scars, blackheads, oily skin, uneven textured skin, sun damaged skin, pigmentation, fine wrinkles and dry skin.

Side Effects:

The procedure does not have any side effects although your skin will look a little pink for about half and hour after the procedure. Some people have reported redness and bruising but it depends on your skin type.

After Care:

Sun protection of at least 15 and do not use any type of products with acid on your face such as salicylic acid. Wash your face gently too and follow instructions from your medical adviser.

Cost

Price upon application.

 
Read original article 1 and article 2 here