A Focus on Ingredients for Acne Control

Achieving clear skin can often seem like a challenge. Finding a balance with products that work by killing acne-causing bacteria, exfoliating dead skin cells that congest skin, remove excess oil, or decrease inflammation can often result in an initial trial and error process to find what works best for the type of acne you have. It’s important to consider whole body health, not just topical treatments, since acne can be caused by hormone imbalances, diet, stress, environment and genetics but the primary focus of this entry is all about ingredients that are great for the treatment and control of acne breakouts & inflammation.

Green Tea Extract (Camellia sinensis) – this anti-inflammatory is packed with antioxidants and studies have show that green tea can reduce acne by over 50%. Furthermore, it can cut sebum production by an astonishing 70%.

According to one study, a 2% green tea extract moisturizer was effective in clearance of papules and pustules, especially in mild and moderate acne. This result was comparable to the therapeutic action of other topical agents like benzoyl peroxide and topical erythromycin (an antibiotic), which in a word is AWESOME. While I’m definitely not anti-BP (benzoyl peroxide), BP is one of those topicals that requires patience, tolerance and resilience when introducing into a regular skin care routine and it isn’t for everyone – but more about that later.

Antioxidants are agents which can counteract the effects of oxidant radicals. Free radicals, as they are commonly called — are byproducts of the body that can cause damage to cells and tissues. Antioxidants work by binding to the free radicals and “deactivating” them before they can cause harm. Look for green tea in cleansers, toners, or moisturizers.

Sacred Skin Tip: Drinking green tea on a regular basis (regular menaing 4-5 cups a day) can also go a long way in clearing up your skin. It provides anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial benefits internally as well as externally. Use steeped tea bags on your face in areas of inflammation or redness to soothe skin.

Salicylic Acid – Salicylic acid removes acne causing surface bacteria without stripping the skin. This beta-hydroxy acid is an effective and powerful exfoliating agent that helps keep skin clear by exfoliating inside the hair follicle. In fact, it is hydrating and healing for the skin. Salicylic acid is related to aspirin, which has anti-inflammatory properties and is usually better tolerated than glycolic acid. 2% salicylic acid is the best percentage. Look for it in cleansers, acne treatment moisturizers, or spot treatments.

Alpha-hydroxy Acids – AHAs work by sloughing off dead skin cells that get trapped, causing breakouts and congestion and leave you with smoother, softer and more youthful looking skin. They can be applied all over the face. Types of AHAs include glycolic, mandelic, malic, and lactic acids. My absolute favorite for blemished skin is mandelic acid, which is made from bitter almonds, though glycolic and lactic are more common. Lactic is gentlest on all skin types and works especially well on dehydrated acneic skin, where as glycolic is more easily tolerated on oily acneic and/or resilient skin. Look for AHAs in cleansers, spot treatments, topical toning pads, or moisturizers. Note: AHAs in moisturizers can cause excessive drying or flaking so I recommend short term use!

Kaolin Clay – This gentle and versatile natural clay is great in masks for acne prone skin and can be found in a variety of skin care products and cosmetics; it draws out impurities & toxins and calms skin; absorbs sebum and prevents pore clogging. I love to follow up gentle exfoliation with a kaolin based mask. It also makes a great “spot” treatment for excessively oily skin with blemishes. It’s mild and cooling, making it efficient in improving circulation of blood to your skin, as well as for the elimination of wastes and toxins. When used in a facial mask, kaolin clay can detoxify the skin without leaving it feeling stripped. Look for it in a mask treatment, natural deodorants, body powders, and mineral makeup.

Sulfur – This mildly antiseptic ingredient is commonly found in acne soaps, masks, and spot treatments, as well as some moisturizers. It effectively stimulates healing, reduces oil gland activity, and dissolves the surface layer of dry, dead skin cells. It can be irritating so use with caution if you have sensitive skin.

Spearmint Extract (Mentha Viridis) -a cooling, aromatic stimulant that as described as having cleansing and decongesting properties; it’s both an antibacterial and antioxidant and relieves itching related to acne. Look for it in spot treatments or masks.

Tea Tree Oil – This refreshing and very distinctive smelling essential oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties to help calm acne. I don’t recommend applying tea tree essential oil directly to the skin as it can cause irritation but it can benefit skin when incorporated into a moisturizer or spot treatment.

Benzoyl Peroxide: Benzoyl Peroxide is an active OTC ingredient that can work wonders on acne. It works by forcing peroxide (an oxidant ) into the opening of the follicle where it releases oxygen. Bacteria can’t live in the presence of oxygen, making BP an often recommended ingredient for reducing P.acnes in the skin. The biggest issue with BP is not knowing how to use it. It comes in different concentrations and can cause significant irritation in sensitive skin. Like topical retinoids, BP can cause peeling, itching, redness, and sun sensitivity. Many acne spot treatments, moisturizers, and cleansing gels contain BP. I like it best as a cleanser or spot treatment, starting usage with every other day, washing off after 15-20 minutes if in a moisturizer.

Many of my clients are also concerned with the leftover redness or “scarring” that is left behind after a blemish has seemingly healed. This redness is called Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation or PIH, for short.

First things first! PIH is not scarring. It’s a discoloration of the skin that follows an inflammatory wound and is the skin’s natural response to inflammation. In contrast to scarring, PIH is a flat area of discoloration on the skin ranging from pink, red, purple, brown or black, depending on your skin tone and the depth of the discoloration.PIH develops when a wound, rash, pimple, or other stimuli causes skin inflammation, which triggers the skin to produce too much melanin. (Melanin is the protein in the skin that gives the skin its color.) The excess melanin darkens and discolors the wounded area and this discoloration remains even after the wound or rash has healed.

There are several ingredients that focus on lightening PIH in the skin. Most importantly when dealing with post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, you have to have patience. It takes about two weeks for a blemish to heal, but PH can linger for months.

Using the following ingredients will help target your treatment and restore even skin tone:

SUNSCREEN – If you’re skipping out on applying SPF then think again. When acne becomes inflamed and angry, protecting skin with a zinc based broad spectrum sunscreen aids in healing your skin and a broad spectrum sunscreen (I recommend an SPF 30-35) is your #1friend when treating PIH, otherwise skin is being exposed to UV rays that trigger melanocytes.

Licorice Extract, Kojic Acid, and Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) – these three ingredients help with depigmentation and are listed in order of effectiveness in treating PIH. An ant-irritant, licorice extract has an ability to absorb UVA & UVB rays and helps suppress melanin, it’s the most effective natural skin lightening agent, followed by kojic acid. Vitamin C also works well to combat PIH. Look for these ingredients in serums, moisturizers, and/or sunscreens.

Hydroquinone – an OTC or prescription based topical skin lightening agent, depending on the concentration percentage. OTC products will range from 0.5%-2%, while prescription concentrations are generally around 4% and up. I don’t personally recommend hydroquinone because in my experience, there are too many side effects and possible issues. Misuse or overuse often leads to increased sensitivity, irritation or contact dermatitis. I used a 2% HQ product for a few months but it seriously made me itchy.

Retinol/Retinoids – As I mentioned in my last blog entry, retinol is a wonder agent. It enhances/stimulates cellular turnover, increases collagen for smoother, younger-looking skin. It also helps reduce existing signs of aging and acne, exfoliates skin, strengthens aging skin, and helps reverse sun damage. Vitamin A also works to as a mealoncyte suppressor to lighten PIH by working as a catalyst with other skin lightening ingredients. It usually takes a few months to see results so it’s worth sticking with the initial expected peeling and irritation that often comes with introducing retinol into your routine. Look for it in serums or moisturizers that are in tubes or sealed containers for effectiveness.

As a skin care professional I believe in the importance of treating the body, mind and spirit as a whole. Consulting with your skin care professional when establishing a routine is extremely beneficial and recommended because your professional will be able to give you a great understanding of your skin type as well as discuss any other factors (diet, stress, hormones, or genetics) that contribute to your areas of concern.

The Connection Between Dairy and Hormonal Breakouts

Now more than ever we’re realizing the impact on our health by the foods we use to fuel and fill our bodies. We’re learning the importance of foregoing prepackaged, preservative-dense foods and choosing low-glycemic, vitamin, mineral & protein rich options that make us feel great from the inside out.

When it pertains to acne, it’s a no-brainer that the foods we eat are often part of the equation that results in blemishes in the skin. Think about it. The foods we eat affect so many of our body systems and organs; the skin is the largest organ of the body — what we put in, must come out and when are bodies are breaking down foods through digestion (70% of your body’s immune system is in your intestinal tract), occasional (or frequent) disagreements reveal themselves in our skin.

Got Milk?

Cystic breakouts (those hard, painful, underground blemishes that linger for weeks) on the chin, jaw line and neck area are often a sign that your dairy intake is more than your body can handle.

The reason this often painful skin purging happens is a result of the pregnancy hormones in dairy cows.

Dairy cows are usually doing two things for the span of their lives: birthing calves and milking.

Pregnant dairy cows are naturally producing hormones. Just like humans, these hormones produce at higher levels during ovulation and pregnancy. Most women are familiar with PMS and the causes (hormones) so now imagine for a minute if you were in a constant state of pregnancy and giving birth. Yikes, right?

With this higher state of hormones, it makes sense that dairy consumption can disrupt our own hormones.

All About Androgens

Androgens are male hormones that are made by the testes in males and by the adrenal gland in females. Androgens are endocrine hormones. Major endocrine glands include the pituitary gland, pancreas, ovaries, testes, thyroid, hypothalymus, gastrointestinal tract and adrenal glands. These hormones flow directly into the bloodstream.

Androgens act as a stimulant for sebaceous glands (oil glands in the skin) causing them to produce oil. So it makes sense that too many androgens cause overstimulation of the oil glands, leading to acne breakouts.

The DHT in milk is an androgen hormone that wrecks havoc on skin oil glands by causing an overproduction of oil.

Your skin acts as an excretory system to flush what your body doesn’t agree with. In general, dairy products can be extremely difficult to digest (that wine & cheese night? Sounds awesome until constipation sets in) and the “flushing” can result in skin purging in the form of cystic blemishes in the lower area of the face.

Sacred Skin Tip: The best way to determine if your acne cysts are directly related to dairy intake is to completely cut dairy out of your diet for 30 days.

Cutting out dairy is a great way to help pinpoint a cause of acne. If you don’t develop any new cystic blemishes in the first few weeks then you’ve likely discovered the culprit. I always recommend 30-40 days to help your skin cycle through possible new breakouts and heal from existing breakouts.

But before you bid frozen yogurt adieu and toss the penne with cream sauce in the trash, this doesn’t mean that you can’t eat any dairy anymore – ever.

The best gauge is to slowly introduce dairy back into your diet and keep a daily food journal as you do so. If you start breaking out again you’ll have an idea of your body’s tolerance level.

For some, giving up dairy completely and abruptly can seem challenging. We don’t even think about the many foods that contain dairy. Along with the obvious milk, cheese and yogurt, there’s also cream, butter, sour cream, cream cheese, many sweets like cookies and cake that contain milk, milk chocolate, pastas, pizza, cereals, as well as protein powders & supplements that contain whey and casein.

Luckily, we live in a time where dairy substitutions are a lot easier to find in local and national chain-typel markets. Almond, rice, and hemp milk are all alternatives for milk. There are lots of soy options available, though I caution against too much soy consumption as soy can sometimes cause hormonal disturbances, also, due to isoflavones (plant estrogens). Too much estrogen tips the balance towards what again? Yep, androgens. 

Keep in mind there are several factors to take into consideration when you’re experiencing acne and diet is just one.  Genetics, stress, certain medications, and products are also factors.

Have you eliminated dairy and noticed a change in your skin? Post in the comments below.

Your Pillowcases Could Be Giving You ACNE

Throughout the day our skin produces oil, we are exposed to environmental factors like pollution, dust, wind, dirt that end up on our skin. These factors, especially in conjunction with cosmetics, can result in clogged, congested skin and breakouts.

It’s important to wash your face at night. I recommend a double cleanse, always. The first to remove surface impurities & any makeup and the second to provide that deep cleanse that will leave skin smooth & fresh.

Changing pillowcases & washing linens often can improve your skin. Many of us sleep on our sides or stomachs, not realizing we are face down in our pillows. Even night time products intended to benefit the skin can get left behind on our sheets, causing a less than sterile environment for bacteria to breed.

Keep your skin clear! Double cleanse & wash those sheets and pillowcases often.

omegas for healthy skin

It was first recommended to me by my eye doctor to take this essential  fatty acid supplement due to the often harsh smog experienced here in Los Angeles. I almost laughed when he said I had an “urban allergy” to to our air quality but continual dry eye and itchiness affecting my ability to wear contacts and overall ability to see, I decided to listen up (as well as do some research of my own).

Learning that this supplement is not only great for hydrating my eyes, but offers a variety of other major benefits, as well. As an esthetician with a client base largely interested in corrective treatments, I feel it’s my responsibilty to share with my clients and anyone that wants to listen 😉 everything I learn about promoting health and wellness from the inside out.

So what’s this I say about Omega 3?

Omega 3s are such an important part of the skin’s lipid (fat) content. They help support the skin’s barrier function as well as natural inflammatory responses, which when functioning optimally, act like a seal that keeps moisture in & irritants out. Our body doesn’t make its own omega 3 so it’s important we obtain it in diet & supplement.

When we don’t have enough omega 3s our skin is compromised. When our skin isn’t hanging on to moisture it results in dry and dehydrated skin that not only feels rough, but is also more prone to irritation and inflammation. This often leads to acne, can contribute to rosacea, as well as heightens the appearance of aging.

Foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids reduce the body’s production of inflammatory compounds; the natural chemicals involved in the aging process, that affect how healthy the skin looks and feels. Omega 3s also helps support your skin’s structure, reducing the appearance of fine lines. The best sources of omega 3s are in these fish: salmon, tuna, mackerel, halibut, lake trout, herring & sardines. Fish oils, like cod liver oil, as well as some nut & seeds and nut and seed oils are also good sources.

Fatty acids act as natural moisturizers that can revitalize dry skin from the inside out and are also proven in reducing acne, which is an inflammatory skin condition.

When our skin is properly hydrated there is a less likely occurrence of breakouts because the natural desquamation process in our skin is able to work optimally.

Researchers did a study in women that began taking Omega 3 and the study showed an increase in skin hydration by 39% after 12 weeks! Participants also noticed more supple texture and much less skin sensitivity.

There are so many reasons to add an Omega 3 supplement to your diet!

I recommend Nordic Naturals Arctic-D, a GREAT source of omega 3s and vitamin D3.