There is a lot of conflicting information that you get when you are seeking the answer to your acne. It is my mission to dispel the myths about how to achieve clear skin without resorting to dangerous prescription drugs.
Antibiotics
If you have acne and you’ve seen your doctor about it, chances you were put on the antibiotic merry go round: first you start with one, and then when that stops working, you move on to another and then when that stops working, you move on to still another; or maybe you stay on one antibiotic for years. And, in most cases you STILL have acne. Why? Because all antibiotics do is improve the condition temporarily because they kill most, but not all, of the bacteria. Surviving bacteria always repopulate, the acne becomes severe again, and since each antibiotic becomes less effective over time, in the end you wind up with no options left. Not only that, but if you’ve taken antibiotics for years on end to treat your acne, chances are you: suffer from more frequent colds increased digestive problems if you’re a woman, more vaginal yeast infections plus an increased risk for breast cancer. None of this is good, but the real terror lies in something that affects each and every one of us: over prescription of antibiotics – yes, including our friends Tetracycline, Erythromycin, and Doxycycline has created resistant strains of bacteria that are downright deadly. In October 2013, the award winning PBS documentary series FRONTLINE aired “Hunting the Nightmare Bacteria,” which illustrated how often deadly strains of bacteria, often known as ‘highly resistant gram -negative bacteria’ evolved from a far less dangerous organism because of antibiotics. Bacteria reproduce very rapidly, and they also mutate readily to be resistant to antibiotics which were designed to kill them. So, with the rampant use of antibiotics and the ability of bacteria to reproduce and mutate, we have the perfect storm which has enabled new strains of bacteria to evolve into new, nearly indestructible populations. Not good! Believe me, there are much better ways to treat your acne and get clear skin.
Skincare and Cosmetics Sometimes Make it Worse
Most people don’t know this, but there are tons of skin/hair care products, makeup and even acne products that contain ingredients that clog your pores. We call these pore- clogging ingredients “comedogenic ingredients.” Even prescription products like the cream form of Retin A, that doctors mistakenly give to their acne patients every day, contains a well -known pore clogging ingredient called isopropyl myristate. Organic skin care and acne lines can be some of the worst! Natural oils that sound really wonderful like cocoa butter and coconut oil are disastrous for the acne prone. Other oils such as jojoba, olive and lanolin are mildly comedogenic and can be a problem if formulated with other comedogenic ingredients. Many over -the- counter acne medications also have pore clogging ingredients and “oil- free” products can be comedogenic. Some of the more common comedogenic ingredients that you see in makeup and hair products are sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium laureth sulfate, laureth 4, lanolin and acetylated lanolin, but there are many more. Liquid foundation makeup can be a minefield of these problem ingredients. Loose powder, mineral make up tends to be the safest choice but still should be checked. For instance, Bare Minerals Original Formula loose powder foundation is a safe choice; however the newer Bare Minerals Matte is NOT a safe choice – it contains ActiveSoil Complex/Soil Minerals that is causing breakouts for most users. We do not recommend any of the pressed Bare Minerals blushes, bronzers or veils.
Misuse of Acne Products
Products that are specifically made for clearing up acne oftentimes are very irritating to the skin and can dry the skin out. People have a tendency to try them out and discontinue use of them pretty early on or just use them a couple times a week. An even bigger mistake is to take an acne product and just use it on the existing acne breakouts (spot treat), especially with benzoyl peroxide. You can’t just use products randomly or just spot treat with them. Why? Because an acne system that works will prevent the new acne from forming in the first place. It kills the microcomedone – the beginning of all acne. So the entire area of your acne- prone skin needs the right products to stop the acne in its tracks.
Even if you have products that are not irritating your skin and you are not just spot treating but using them all over, there can be another problem Have you ever noticed that a product or two worked really well at first, but then, the effectiveness wore off in about three weeks? Why is this? Quite simply, the skin has the ability to adapt to product use; in other words, your skin gets used to products. If you do not take this into account, you will have a difficult time getting clear. The right regimen also needs to be adjusted every couple of weeks in order to keep pushing the skin to clear. Even the best acne regimen in the world won’t work if this is not taken into account.
The Path to Clear Skin
The good news is that you don’t need dangerous prescription drugs to have clear skin! And, you don’t need to have irritated dry skin in order to get rid of your acne. What it does take is a trained Acne Specialist to guide you so you can avoid the mistakes and pitfalls most everyone makes. We get you on the right products for your acne and your type of skin and then coach you in the adjustments you will need to make to your regimen. We also coach you on all other lifestyle adjustments you may haveto make to have clear skin. Allow our vast experience and expertise to get you clear in a quick and safe manner.
There are a few ways to do this:
1. If you live in the Dallas Fort Worth Area, make an appointment to come into our Acne Clinic. www.sweetlemonspa.com
2. If you don’t live in the area, first check to see if there is a Face Reality Certified Acne Specialist in your area. www.facerealityacneclinic.com/frcertified
3. If there is no Face Reality Certified Acne Specialist in your area, then become one of our long distance clients. Call 214-597-1950 to set up a free consultation.