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."

Pore Clogging Products: Why you can’t use just any blush or bronzer.

photo credit fashiontribes.com

Guess what? Checking the ingredients in your blush and bronzer is just as important as checking the ingredients in your foundation. If you suffer from acne, you simply cannot get away with putting anything on your face before ensuring there are no pore-clogging ingredients involved in your product. 

Some might argue that bronzers or blushes do not go directly on your face, they are a second layer after your foundation and therefore do not need to be completely acne safe. This argument is incorrect. 

We know, NARS, MAC, Laura Mercier and Bare Minerals all make really beautiful shades of blush and bronzers. Trust us, we defiantly understand why you want to wear them, but you simply cannot. The pore-clogging ingredients will find their way into your pores and cause breakouts no matter how many layers of other products lie under them. 

Please read on to see why these products are likely to cause breakouts. 

NARS: Unfortunately all of NARS blushes and bronzers are a no-no for acne suffers. The Bronzers contain Ethyhexyl Palmitate, which is on the pore-clogging list. NARS blushes contain Laureth-4, which will make you break out. 

MAC: MAC pressed Blush is made with D&C Red #30. Don’t waste your time hunting through the pore clogging list to see if this is safe, it’s not. D&C Red #30 will aggravate your acne.

Bare Minerals: Now this is probably going to come as a shock to most of you, because Bare Minerals have long been considered pretty close to completely acne safe. In fact, before the arrival of our favorite make up line - Priia Cosmetics, we recommended all Bare Minerals products to our clients. Now, we know that the Everyday Minerals Blush and READY Blush both contains Lauroyl Lysine, which is a pore clogging ingredient. You can also find Bismuth in some Bare Mineral blushes and bronzers, this will irritate acne suffers skin. 

The most important thing to understand about your blushes and bronzers is that they need to be acne safe products before you put them on your face, this means you need to ensure that they do not contain any pore-clogging ingredients. Do this by consulting our pore clogging ingredient list every time you buy a new product. 

If you want to skip the hassle of all that, use Priia Cosmetics. These products are made specifically for acne sufferers, so you never have to worry about ingredients. Priia really is a saving grace for those of us who tend to breakout, you can trust these blushes and bronzers. Visit priia.com to learn more about all of their makeup or

If you would like to learn more about managing your acne and ultimately achieving clear skin, please call SkinTherapy Skincare and Acne Clinic of Salt Lake City. We would love to see you for a consultation.

How to Get Rid of Blackheads

You've heard the term blackheads before - your friends could use the term regularly - your co- workers may talk about them at the office and your older sister never seemed to shut up about them while you were teenagers, but do you actually know that much about what a blackhead is? Read on for a few facts about blackheads and how to get rid of them.

 According to the US Library of Medicine, “blackheads are small, dark spots on the skin, caused by a small blockage in the opening of a pore.”

Blackheads have been considered to be the beginning of acne and much like all forms of acne, blackheads develop due the over production of dead skin in the pore, oil and bacteria.

How Blackheads are Formed

Sebum lubricates the hair and skin, and usually drains from pores. If the sebum/oil becomes blocked by excessive dead skin in the pore then bacteria begins to build up with no opening to the surface of the skin, a whitehead appears. A blackhead forms if the pore opens to the surface of the skin, allowing air to enter.

Why Blackheads are Black

Blackheads are dark in color because sebum contains melanin. Melanin is the substance that gives skin its color. When melanin is exposed to air - it turns dark. The dark color of blackheads does not mean they are dirty, and although scrubbing does help with blackheads, it will not completely remove them.

 Why blackheads on the Nose seem to come right back

Blackheads can show up anywhere on the face. As a skincare professional I mainly hear complaints about blackheads on the nose and under the lower lip.  Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips seem to be popular with blackhead sufferers. However that product doesn’t remove blackheads. Instead, the Biore Pore Strips remove sebaceous filaments from the nose.  You see the body produces these filaments in both the nose and lower lip area and they can be easily lifted out of the pore manually or with a strip.  They also return quickly because they are not blackheads and should be in the pore.

The Difference

Sebaceous filaments will be all the same size, extract and then return very quickly.  Blackheads will not be uniform in size compared to sebaceous filaments.  The blackheads need to be extracted and do not release as easily from the pore.  Blackheads may return but not as quickly as the filaments.  However, blackheads can be controlled by using the correct skincare products at home along with professional extractions.

If you are suffering with blackheads or searching for a way to eliminate blackheads and control acne Skintherapy Skincare and Acne Clinic in Salt Lake City can help.  Our Acne Specialists are trained in managing all types of acne including blackheads.  Give us a call.

Facts about Hormonal Acne

Hormones play a rather crucial part in most of my women client’s acne. In fact, more than 60% of acne-prone women will suffer with acne breakouts while going through hormonal changes. This includes events such as monthly periods, birth control changes, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause.

The majority of a women’s life is subject to many hormonal changes. Unlike men, who go through one huge hormonal change during puberty, we experience hormonal changes during pregnancies, breastfeeding, menopause and more. Women can actually suffer from hormonal imbalances on a monthly basis due to periods. Women have about one-tenth the androgens (“male” hormones including testosterone and DHEA-S) men have, but these androgens can contribute to acne for some women. Why? Because estrogen levels drop around two weeks after menstruation, testosterone and androgens stimulate the oil glands. This causes oil production to increase, making an acne flare-up much more likely.

The good news , female hormonal acne can be controlled.  The majority of my clients who previously suffered with monthly breakouts find that by using the right products and working with an acne specialist, like myself we can control those monthly breakouts from happening.

On the other end of the spectrum if you are a women trying to conceive, are currently pregnant, or are breastfeeding, Skintherapy Acne Clinic can work with your current situation and help minimize your hormonal acne.  We utilize safe acne treatments and the right products during your journey and we will work with your doctor to get their stamp of approval.  Hormonal acne can be extremely frustrating, but it can be treated and controlled so that you can keep hormonal acne and flare-ups at bay during your child bearing years.

To learn more about how to treat hormonal acne, contact Skintherapy Acne Clinic  in Salt Lake City.  Or for more information visit UtahAcneClinic.com

Top Acne Treatment Mistakes

If you have acne or are acne prone this is a list of the most common mistakes people make when treating their acne. Take a look.  Are u one of them??

- Excessive sun or tanning bed exposure
- Scrubbing with harsh chemicals like bleach
- Picking, picking, picking
- Over exfoliation
- Over drying with products
- Washing with just water
- Washing with bar soaps
- Not washing at all
- Inconsistent product usage
- Using the wrong makeup
                                    - Using pore-clogging products
                                    - Expecting to take a pill and get a miracle!

If  you feel like your current regimen and or even your dermatologist isn't getting you clear skin keep reading. Skintherapy Acne Clinic in Utah can help!

Adult Acne Treatments

Acne doesn't just plague teenagers, it is also a concern for many adults.  Adult acne is just as prominent in society these days and can be triggered by hormonal fluctuations, stress and poor nutrition. 

Adult acne or hormonal acne usually shows up on the lower part of the face like the jawline but can also include the cheeks.  Deep, painful,  zits that stick around for weeks is a regular complaint of adult acne suffers. So if you are struggling with adult acne/ hormonal acne and wondering if there is anything you can do to help treat the acne here are some suggestions.

- Don't pick.  Leave the deep zits and bumps alone.  Picking only makes them worse and can create scar tissue and damage the follicle.

- Get your ice out.  Ice the deep zits immediately once you feel them. 2 minutes twice a day.
 By doing this you are helping take down the inflammation associated with the zit and you may even  shorten the life of that zit.

- Reduce your stress. Get involved in meditation or yoga. Stress causes hormone fluctuations.

-For women, if you are using birth control check to make sure you are on a high estrogen, low androgen type birth control.  Low estrogen, high androgen birth control methods can irritate acne.

-Cut back on ingesting fast food and protein shakes, vitamins and milk products.  All which contain large amounts of iodides. 


- Last but not least, get on a good, non- pore clogging daily skincare regimen. An Acne Specialist can help you control your adult acne once and for all!  For more information about adult acne and hormonal acne in Salt Lake City, Utah read on.....