What you need to know about Sunscreen

With the summer months in full swing, questions about sunscreen become greater and more of a concern for almost everyone.  

Physical, chemical, mineral, zinc or broad-spectrum? 

These days there are what seems to be hundreds of different sunscreens on the market. But which one is best for you? And how will it affect your acne? 

Physical Sunscreens mean that they physically block your skin from UV rays. They will often use minerals such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. If your acne prone skin is sensitive, look for a sunscreen that uses mostly zinc oxide. Don’t be afraid of its “chalky-white” reputation. Many companies have developed “clear” zinc, which has made physical sunscreen more wearable. 

Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays. They are easily applied, with little to no appearance and a pleasing finish. You can recognize these sunscreens by their active ingredients: avobenzone, oxybenzone and octinoxate, among others. Chemical sunscreens are not usually recommended for sensitive skin. 

You may have heard the term “broad-spectrum.” This refers to the UV rays, UVA and UVB. Your skin needs protection from both. A way to remember this is:  

• UVA is responsible for Aging 
• UVB causes Burning. 

 When shopping for a sunscreen, it’s always best to look for broad-spectrum coverage. Zinc oxide blocks both UVA and UVB rays which makes it an ideal choice. Chemical sunscreen formulas vary, but the label will state if it provides broad-spectrum protection, so be sure to keep an eye out for this. 

Whether you choose a physical or a chemical sunscreen be sure to apply it rain or shine, indoors or out, as the UV rays of the sun are able to penetrate clouds and windows. 

For those of you battling blemishes, daily use of safe sunscreens not only protects your skin from the damaging rays of the sun and maintains hydration; it also keeps those post-breakout marks from becoming a permanent fixture on your face.  

We at Skintherapy Skincare and Acne Clinic offer a variety of different non-pore clogging sunscreens to suit your skin type and preferences and would be happy to help you find a safe one if your struggling with acne prone skin. Visit us at UtahAcneClinic.com

Acne Excoriee- What are the Signs and Symptoms

Acne excoriée is a type of acne that is sometimes called picker's acne because it occurs when the affected individual picks at the acne lesions. The picking exacerbates the acne and causes scars; the scarring leads to more acne and, ultimately, more picking.

The general public has a tendency to minimize the significance of the medical condition commonly called acne. It surprises many people to learn that it is, in fact, a very complicated medical condition that comes in different forms and is caused by different situations. Common acne is often diagnosed as acne vulgaris, with the word acne meaning the outbreak of pimples, of course, and the word vulgaris means common. There is another very disturbing form of acne that gets the name acne excoriee.

Acne excoriee is commonly called “picker’s acne”. The condition usually starts out like other acne outbreaks. A pimple erupts, first one, then another. For most people, this begins during the adolescent years, when the body is undergoing major hormonal changes, some of which trigger the onset of acne vulgaris. For most people, this eruption of blemishes comes at a time in life when even the little things seem big. It’s almost impossible not to poke, scratch and squeeze a bit. The problem with picking acne blemishes is that it’s unsanitary and infection can set in, causing a bigger blemish. When the acne blemishes occur on the face of someone experiencing episodes of self-doubt, and low self-esteem, however, picking the blemishes can lead to a disturbing obsession that is self-perpetuating. A vicious cycle of eruptions and picking and open sores begins that can be very difficult to stop. Excoriated acne is often accompanied by other medical maladies that are more serious, even life threatening. Major medical conditions such as depression, attention-deficit disorders, and other anxiety- and mood-related may be hiding beneath the ravaged surface.

Picking acne - why does it happen?
Acne excoriee usually begins during adolescence, when ideas of self-image are in upheaval and undergoing change, matching the changes going on with the physical body. A fragile self-image may create an atmosphere where every imperfection perceived, real or not, is distorted in significance. By picking away at the blemishes on the face, no matter how small, many people find satisfaction, as if they are picking away at their troubles or their
emotional pain. The underlying emotional trauma manifested in picking acne lesions may also be a coping mechanism. Trauma may be happening at the time the picking begins or it may be a timely outlet for previous trauma.

Popping pimples seems like a good idea at the time. It’s quick, it’s satisfying, and it leaves you with a smooth surface. Problem solved, right? It might seem like it, but every day our acne specialists see the fallout from acne that’s been overzealously picked and popped. Most commonly, popping pimples will leave you with very dark or red spots, even scabs, in the area where you picked. These marks, called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, can take months and even years to go away without chemical peels and the right product for acne scars. Picking too deep can even leave you with permanent pitted, “ice pick” scars that only laser treatments or plastic surgery can improve.

But the real problem with popping your pimples is not the appearance of the surface of your skin, but its affect on your acne overall. Squeezing a pimple damages the follicle wall deep inside your skin, encouraging further inflammation and breakouts in the picked area. You could get a cluster of pimples in the area where you popped, or the popped pimple could come back to haunt you again and again in the same place because the wall of that follicle has been compromised.

To get rid of a pimple, we recommend applying ice to the lesion for a few minutes twice a day in order to reduce redness and swelling, healing your pimple from the inside out. Or, schedule an acne treatment with us. Our acne specialists at Skintherapy Skincare and Acne Clinic can remove dead skin cells and oil from the follicle without breaking the follicle wall and spreading acne bacteria. Better yet, they can recommend the best acne products for you so that you won’t break out in the first place.

If you tend to pick at your skin while watching TV, put gloves on.  If you do it in front of the mirror, put a picture of a picked scar on the mirror as a reminder.  If you use a magnifying mirror, get rid of it!  Whatever you can do to break the cycle.

Adult Acne, Teenage Acne-Why more people are suffering from breakouts than ever before.

According to a study presented at the American Academy of Dermatology’s annual meeting this past  March.  Even though over 50% of adults continue to get acne well into adulthood, if you are over 18 and have acne, it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one.  It’s mortifying enough to have acne as a teenager, but to have it as an adult is downright humiliating.  People find themselves hiding from the public or unable to compete for jobs or promotions with clear-faced peers.  

Professionals with acne are not taken seriously – a big problem for those who really need credibility not only with their peers, but with their own clients.  It is tough not to feel like a failure when you have adult acne.  And it’s not just women who suffer there are many adult men who come into our clinic looking for the answer to their skincare woes. 
 
What causes adult acne?
For most people who suffer from acne, they get to blame their family. It is an inherited tendency of the pores to clog up with dead skin cells too quickly, which causes a cascade or acne-forming events to happen. So, some people never “grow out” of their acne until much older.  Other people don’t have acne in their teenage years, but start breaking out in their twenties and/or thirties. Why their acne laid “dormant” for their teenage years is a mystery, but as adults, many things can contribute to the onset of acne problems.  Stress, medications, comedogenic (pore-clogging) makeup, skin and hair products, pregnancy, birth control pills and smoking are just some of the contributors to chronic breakouts.
 
Hormonal fluctuations caused by birth control, Plan B, pregnancy, pms, medications, and menopause can also affect your propensity for breakouts, sometimes causing severe acne flare-ups in women who never got a single pimple as teenagers. If you are acne-prone, choose a birth control method that won’t make your acne worse and learn about the relationship between hormones and acne so you can prepare yourself ahead of time for any changes in your skin that may arise.  A condition called pyoderma faciale which mimics acne is a sudden breakout that happens to women in their thirties. 

 Medical conditions like PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) or thyroid disorder can wreak havoc with the skin. 

Medications for bipolar disorder like lithium, thyroid medications, anticonvulsant medications, lo-dose birth control pills, corticosteroids, sobriety drugs, etc, can also cause acne. 

Pore-clogging makeup, skin care and hair care can be a culprit in adult acne.  Even if a product says “non pore-clogging” or “noncomedogenic” on the label you cannot trust it.  I have seen scores of products claiming this and look at the ingredient deck to see pore-cloggers. Even the prescribed acne medication, Retin A (the cream form) has a terrible pore-clogging ingredient in it called isopropyl myristate.  If a doctor is going to prescribe a retinoid for acne, it should never be the cream form of Retin A.  For a list of pore clogging ingredients, head to our website, utahacneclinic.com. 

The difference between adult acne and teenage acne
One of the challenges of adult acne is that skin generally becomes less oily and more sensitive. Acne products and treatments that worked well in your teen years may dry you out or cause severe irritation. If you had acne as a teen, you may have noticed that acne seems to travel down and across your face as you age. You used to break out on your forehead, and now you break out on your cheeks. Then it goes to the jawline and sometimes the neck.  This is because the sebaceous follicles mature in stages. For this reason, adult acne is most commonly concentrated around the cheeks, chin, and/or jawline. It is imperative to use the right strength of acne-clearing products on older skin.  Also, starting slowly with a routine allowing the skin to adapt to strong products is an important strategy.
 
The good news: acne products can also be anti-aging!
People who have had acne since adolescence, may be under the impression that their pimples are unstoppable. Adult acne sufferers have usually tried various prescription medications, over-the-counter products, systems such as Proactiv and Murad, and every spa treatment and facial under the sun. The reality is that effective acne treatments and products do exist!
By virtue of their exfoliating properties, some acne products and treatments can even be beneficial for anti-aging and lightening dark spots and acne scars. At Skintherapy Skincare and Acne Clinic, we advise adult acne sufferers to work closely with our acne specialists for a period of four to six months to achieve a lifetime of clear skin. There is no need for anyone, teen or adult to be embarrassed and inconvenienced by the ravages of acne and the scars it can leave behind.  

 Life is full of enough problems… don’t let acne be one of them.

One of our clients shares her experience.  "I’m 30 years old and have struggled with Acne since I was in high school. I’ve been to a few dermatologists, which continued to prescribe antibiotics. One by one they quit working and I worried about my long-term health since I was continually on antibiotics. I’d been looking for a more natural  approach. I stumbled upon Skintherapy Skincare and Acne Clinics website and am so glad I did. They cleared my face up within 10 weeks and I’m now acne free. It’s a miracle. Jil taught me how to manage my acne. I’m a nursing mother and she has always been careful to use safe products. I have more confidence at work now and don’t wear much makeup anymore because I don’t need to."

Acne Diagnosis and Treatment Options

Dermatologists are the first choice for someone that is suffering from acne or any other skin disorder. When you have a bump or something on your skin that is abnormal it's natural to want to see your doctor for professional advice. It’s smart to get a diagnosis to be sure that what your experiencing is acne and not just an “acne imposter” that may need to be treated by a dermatologist. If you aren’t positive or you’re unsure about your condition, start with a dermatologist 

If you have already seen a dermatologist and know that you have acne and haven’t been satisfied with the results from over the counter products or the suggestions from your doctor, then an Acne Specialist should be the next step for you. Most physicians don’t have the time to spend educating their patients on the root cause of their acne and often prescribe oral antibiotics, topicals, and other medications with short and long term side effects.  

Some of the products prescribed can result in red, irritated skin and may cause joint pain or nausea. This typically leads to the patient stopping their routine prescribed due to symtoms and side effects. In addition, it’s often complicated to communicate with your care provider and often times your skin questions may not seem urgent or as important. 

What Skintherapy Skincare & Acne Clinic can do for you.. 

As skin care professionals who specialize in acne, we will analyze your skin and acne type as well as test your skin for sensitivities to our products. We will take the time to teach you the root cause of your acne, and exactly what that means for you. We will go over lifestyle, diet, and pore -clogging ingredients in makeup, hair and skincare products that can “exacerbate”, or make acne worse. 

We will take the time to determine what exactly is contributing to your acne. We will develop a routine specifically for you, one that works with your lifestyle. We will give you the knowledge you are missing to take charge of your acne and keep it under control! 

Our program includes use of specific home care products specifically designed for your skin and acne type. Treatments are done every three weeks to speed up the process. These sessions can include deep pore cleansing, extractions, chemical peels and small changes to your homecare. 

At Skintherapy Skincare and Acne Clinic we are there for you every step of the way. Once you are apart of our program, you have a direct line of communication with your Acne Specialist and get prompt responses to all your questions.

To schedule an appointment or find out more about our acne control program visit UtahAcneClinic.com 

The Rundown on Clear Skin: Lifestyle Changes to Deal with Acne / Part 2

In our last post, we introduced the first set of lifestyle changes that you will need to achieve clear skin. In this post, we will go over the last 4 changes you need to make in your everyday program to keep your pores clean and skin clear. We urge you to start practicing these habits every day, as soon as possible - but we do warn you that these lifestyle changes are not enough to clear your skin. You also need to start a guided regimen of extractions and product use right away. When you pair these lifestyle changes with our clearing program, you will achieve clear skin.

1. Make sure you are using the correct birth control.

While many people assume that birth control will automatically clear your skin, the reality is that many birth controls can actually cause your skin to break out. Overall, it is best to avoid low-estrogen birth control pills. Please see our post on Acne and Birth Control to learn more about the safest birth control methods for acne sufferers. In general, we suggest staying away from IUD’s, implants and birth control shots. Please consult our list of safe birth control methods before choosing your pill. 

2. Always, always, always check the ingredients of your cosmetics.

If you suffer from acne, you cannot use cosmetics OR hair products that contain pore-clogging ingredients. Products that contain pore clogging ingredients will absolutely make you break out. Please see our list of pore clogging ingredients and make sure to check the products you are buying every time you purchase them. 

3. Wear your sunscreen!

While the best way to keep your skin safe from the sun is to limit your exposure, we do understand that sun exposure is just a part of life. Really though, the sun is great and the best things happen outdoors, so if you can’t limit your time in the sun - make sure to wear sunscreen every day. We ask you to do this because sun exposure damages the follicle, causes hyper pigmentation, skin cancer and premature aging. Too much sun exposure can also cause “solar acne” later in life. Acne sufferers also see more breakouts in warm climates with heat and humidity.

4. Protect your skin when you swim!

When swimming in pools make sure to protect your skin with Aquaphor. Most pools will contain Iodides and Chlorine because of their disinfectants. The Iodides and Chlorine can remain in the water and cause breakouts for swimmers. If you protect your skin with a layer of Aquaphor, you are less likely to breakout and irritate your acne prone skin.

 Remember that you should be making these changes while working with a Skincare and Acne Specialist who can guide your journey to a clear complexion by implementing deep cleansing treatments and finding the right product for your acne type. Skintherapy Skincare and Acne Clinic in Salt Lake City can help.  Give us a call

Some Simple Tips That Your Dermatologist Never Told You For Clearing Your Zits Quickly

There are many ideas on the best remedies to clear our skin quickly. From minor blemishes to full on acne, we've all tried absurd, fast track ideas that would be sure to clear our skin at the speed of light. Growing up, my friends would tell me to use toothpaste to clear a pimple overnight - it was something about drying the blemish out. I’m not sure if this ever really worked, but after successfully clearing acne prone skin for years, I can confidentially say that there are more efficient ways to clear a blemish or zit quickly than with old school remedies.

 

Here are the answers to our most frequently asked questions on fighting zits fast! Get ready because these aren't your’ friends home remedies or simple suggestions from a dermatologist - these are tried and true methods that I, as a professional acne specialist, suggest to clients in my Acne Clinic.  Remember though, these are quick tips for clearing zits or minor blemishes only.  However, to control acne successfully on the face or body you should plan on putting in a good 3-6 months of work with a therapist who has a history of successfully clearing acne.  

 Three Rules

 •           For red bump- (painful under the skin): try icing the area immediately. Take out an  ice cube and use circular motions on the spot couple times a day for two minutes.  Ice will take down redness and inflammation. If you catch this red bump when it begins to hurt by using ice many times the pimple will not progress into a pustule with a whitehead.  Then at night spot treat with a safe benzoyl peroxide spot treatment to kill acne-causing bacteria and shrink the pimple quickly.

  
    •       For pustules (pimples with pus): Do not pop them! Simply, keep the area clean and
            don’t use any abrasive scrubs or wash clothes that could open the pimple. Instead,      apply a warm compress to see if the pimple will release on its own. Follow this up by  applying a dab of benzoyl peroxide to pimple and allow spot to dry before going to bed. The benzoyl peroxide spot treatment can be done two to three nights in a row and then discontinued.  This rule will at least contain the pimple until you can get to a professional for a safe extraction.

     •       For blackheads, forgo the pore strips they pull filaments from the nose, not blackheads.  Instead use a non- pore-clogging cleanser with benzoyl peroxide to loosen oil and debris and then rotate using a mild scrub like cleanser two times a week between regular cleansing on entire face. If you need extractions hire a  licensed skincare professional to do the job. Don’t extract on your own.

What if I already broke the second rule and popped my pimple?

We suggest cleansing the area and patting it dry with a clean towel. Icing the area will help with inflammation both before and after you've popped the pimple. Believe it or not, icing is one of the best remedies for taming redness in acne - its so simple, yet so effective - I bet you never heard that from your dermatologist or girlfriends.

What is the most important thing to do when trying to clear your skin quickly?

DO NOT POP OR PICK AT YOUR FACE! This will only cause scarring and actually spread bacteria throughout your skin. You think that picking will help eliminate the problem, but it actually aggravates your skin and makes things worse.

 

For more information on achieving clear skin, checkout  Skintherapy Skincare and Acne Clinic of Salt Lake City today.

 

The Truth about Protein Supplements and Acne.

More than 90% of my new clients don’t realize that protein powders, as well as protein bars can bedetrimental in achieving acne free skin. Protein is a tricky subject because the supplement is considered to be highly beneficial for most people, but a lot of protein supplements will actually cause breakouts. 

As someone who suffers from acne it is important to stay away from both, whey protein and soy protein. Whey protein is one of two main ingredients in milk and essentially considered to be dairy. Dairy is a huge no no for acne sufferers, therefore - whey is also a no. Whey also contains IGF-1, which causes your skin to produce excess oil, shed skin cells at a quicker rate &glue dead skin cells together inside your pores before they can escape normally. Soy protein can increase estrogen levels in males and females and should be avoided as more estrogen is never good while trying to keep your skin clear.

While protein supplements are popular, and in fact beneficial to most athletes or anyone that desires more daily protein intake - it is crucial for acne sufferers to stay away from soy and whey protein all together.

 

Luckily, for those of you who are still interested in the benefits of protein, there are a few new options.

 

Sunwarrior Classic Protein - is a vegan plant based protein powder that contains all essential and non-essential amino acids. Unlike most whey and soy based protein powders, this one is dairy-free as well as soy-free.It will not trigger acne.

 

 

 

Trader Joe’s Hemp Protein - Another handy protein powder that is fine for acne sufferers to use.

 

Jay Robb Egg White Protein – This product was safe for acne prone skin until the recipe recently changed. Now, it contains biotin and iodides and shouldn't be used by those of us that suffer with acne.

 

Unfortunately recipes and ingredients change quite often in acne safe products. See Why you should check ingredients in your cosmetics to learn more about the lack of restrictions on product ingredients.

 

One of the biggest benefits of working with an acne specialists is knowledge on products like this. As an acne specialist, I have the knowledge to steer by clients away from potential products, foods and makeup that may contain ingredients that will potentially make their acne worse or halt the acne clearing process.   

Skintherapy Skincare and Acne Clinic in Salt Lake City will personally guide you through your acne clearing journey,  visit us at www.UtahAcneClinic.com

 

 

How to Treat Acne on Black Skin

Ethnic Acne & Dark Spots

Acne affects people of all races & while acne can be treated on all skin types, acne treatments for darker skin tones need to be carefully monitored and managed.  

 Why?

Darker skin tones have more “active” melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells in the dermis that create pigment. Since these cells are more active, they are more likely to form pigment from any action at all, even during their treatments for acne.

 Deeper Skin Tones:

People of Middle Eastern, Hispanic, African and Asian decent have skin that can differ significantly when discussing dark spots and red spots left over from acne breakouts. 

These marks tend to be more stubborn and last longer in darker skin toned people. 

Along with stubborn marks and hyperpigmentation, people of African and Asian decent can produce hyperactive healing, which leads to Keloid Scars ( raised scars.) So when treating acne it is important to take into consideration the healing patterns of these clients to avoid anything that could prompt long lasting scars.

What to do if I have dark skin and acne?

The best advice is to work with a professional, or acne specialist who understands the character difference between skin types and ethnic skin tones.  This will ensure the safest approach and a successful clearing process. 

Remember clearing acne is not a one size fits all process.  That is why at Skintherapy Acne Clinic in Salt Lake City, Utah, we use products formulated to provide safe, effective results while working with you on a personalized basis until your skin is clear!

There is no need to worry about the fact that you have ethnic skin and acne. We have treated all skin tones and have the perfect process waiting for you to take advantage of and finally get rid of your acne.

Before and After Acne Treatments on Ethnic Client.



Before Skintherapy Acne Clinic



After Skintherapy Acne Clinic

 

Before Skintherapy Acne Clinic

After Skintherapy Acne Clinic

To learn more about how to treat acne on all skin types, please visit Skintherapy Acne Clinic in Utah.