Submit your skincare questions to Dr. Agnes, CEO of Herborium and natural medicine expert
Water - it covers our planet, our bodies consist of over 80% of it, and we need it to survive. We also waste it, spill it, pollute it and even try to save it. Even though water is so pervasive in our lives, have you ever gave it a thought as to what effect water might have on your acne? If not, you're in luck! This article has been designed to provide you with everything you need to know about H2O-it covers drinking water to using water as a recreational activity and everything in between.
We often think of water as a universally beneficial substance, but under certain conditions and with certain kinds of water, you may actually be hurting yourself in the fight against acne.
Ten years ago, the average person would have never even heard of gluten; however, today it seems to be the one thing that people can't stop talking about! It also became a nutritional villain blamed for all sorts of health issues, and a marketing bonanza occurred within the food industry as a whole range of gluten-free products were born and brought to market to provide those who truly should avoid (and those who believe they should avoid) gluten rich products.
So is this anti-gluten rally a step in the right direction to healthier living or yet another food fad? And more importantly, can eliminating gluten really help with acne breakouts?
Summer is officially here, and for most people that means eating lots of chilly treats to stay cool. However, when it comes to keeping your skin healthy and acne free, not all treats are created equal-many of our summertime favorites are loaded with excess sugar, which can lead to skin inflammation or glycation (a loss of skin elasticity and sheen due to collagen deterioration-collagen serves as the building blocks of the skin).
If you're smart about it though, there are plenty of summer treat options out there that won't wreak havoc on your skin! It's all matter of finding foods which have many of the important vitamins and minerals for good skin health, and thankfully there are plenty out there.
Keep in mind that simply eating healthy foods won't treat or reverse conditions like acne, which has more of a hormonal basis than a dietary one; however, these skin-friendly foods do a good job of supplementing treatments that do address conditions like acne directly.
It's time for a reality check: You might think you know what kind of acne you have, but you might be wrong. Let's see if you'll be able to tell....
QUIZ TIME!
You've had acne for multiple years and you really only get breakouts a couple times a year. Should you treat it as mild or moderate acne?
All of us are different: different lifestyles and preferences, different personalities, different skin tones and even different skin types. You might have oily skin, dry skin, or a combination of both with or without a sensitivity factor to mix with it. Your skin type might even change with the age, specific body conditions like pregnancy, very intense exercise, menstrual cycle or even the weather!
So how do we sort through this skin-type madness in order to care of our skin the right way? For starters, let go of the misconception that only oily-skin people get acne. ANYONE can get acne, and EVERYONE and EVERY SKIN TYPE needs a proper skincare routine.
Stopping the treatment suddenly may work for some but for some it may also increase the risk for flare-ups to return. So we developed a strategy to minimize this risk. We suggest that instead of stopping AcnEase cold-turkey, you wean yourself off the treatment slowly by going down by one level of treatment over a 1-2 month period.For example, if you are on the severe acne regimen, you go down to moderate acne regimen. Stay on this level for 1-2 months, and if your skin remains clear, go down again to the mild acne regimen for 1-2 months.If you don't see any flare-ups within 1-2 months, then go down to the maintenance treatment. You can stay on the maintenance for a long time as AcnEase is safe for long-term use. Or, if you don't see any flare-ups in 1-2 months on the lowest maintenance dose (2x3 or 2x2 tablets daily), then congratulations! You may opt to stoptaking the product all together.
Numerous individuals with chronic acne opt to useAcnEase regularly on a lower regimen for a long time to make sure they maintain clear skin. All of the dosages for the treatments are located on each product page on our website--and all of the dosages also come with your order.
AcnEase® treatment may take anywherebetween one to 6 months depending on the severity of your acne and how chronic it is. If you think this is a long time...think twice. If you use antibiotics, retinoids, oral contraceptives and of course any topical products, a minimum recommended time to see any results is 6 months. And if you stop using them, your acne will return, as none of them actually addresses the causes of acne and breaks the acne cycle. Even generic forms of Accutane with its severe adverse effectsare prescribed for a minimum of 6 months...so AcnEase can really help you not only better but also faster.
The Internet is full of "advice" and tips on every subject, and acne is no exception. Just one Google search can provide limitless DIY acne treatment tips and remedies. This is when it becomes most vital to do your research and rely on information from trustful and responsible sources because there are many DIY remedies that not only DO NOT WORK but may even make your skin condition worse--regardless of what anyone claims.
Allow us to provide you with the TRUTH about some of these DIY miracle acne tips and treatments.
We deliver the facts, and people are noticing.
AcnEase has received so many great reviews from AcnEase users, and sites like Acne.org and Amazon.com and also investigative sites like DoesItReallyWork.org, who recommend giving AcnEase a try because we are "legitimately trying to provide a quality product and not just after the quick buck.
In part I of a discussion on safety of acne treatments, we discussed how when we find ourselves suddenly experiencing acne breakouts, or when we suffer a long battle with acne and nothing seems to help, we may be willing to take any prescription acne treatment our doctor prescribes.
We may also reach for the first over-the-counter treatment we lay our eyes on or just look for what seems "the strongest." Again, what we often forget about is to consider both short-term and long-term health consequences. Whatever the choice is, it will affect not only our skin but our entire system. So become an educated consumer!
Read on to learn more about your over-the-counter acne treatment and whether or not it's safe for you to keep using. And if you're using prescription acne treatments, don't forget to check out part 1 of this discussion.
When we find ourselves suddenly experiencing acne breakouts, or when we suffer a long battle with acne and nothing seems to help, we may try anything that our doctor will prescribe.
What we often forget about is to consider both short-term and long-term health consequences of treatments. Many products used for acne treatment are systemic (taken orally), and obviously they will affect not only our skin but our entire system. So, to be on the safe side, you really need to educate yourself before putting anything in to your body. Learn more about your prescription acne treatment and whether or not it's safe for you to keep using, and keep your eye out for part 2 of this hot topic, which will help you decide whether your over-the-counter acne treatment is safe.
The fact is that more than 1 in 2 women will develop acne during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. The problem is how to manage acne during the pregnancy while ensuring the safety of baby and mother, and to help the woman to feel the best she can during this very important period of her life. After all, a happy mommy is the best mommy.
Below is some important information on what to avoid, and what you can actually do to safely manage your acne during pregnancy.
We do everything we can to keep our skin healthy. We change our skincare routines to suit the season, we try to eliminate any ingredients that may be harming our skin. We eat seasonal, organic, acne-friendly foods and remain dedicated to our acne treatment regimen. But sometimes, mother nature throws us a loop. Sometimes, the mild winter weather our skin was doing just fine in is suddenly arctic and unrelenting--and that takes its toll on our skin. Traveling from a cold destination to a warm destination can take the same toll.
So how do we keep our skin healthy during these crazy temperatures?
Not everyone wants overpriced roses and fancy dinner dates for Valentine's Day. So if you find yourself looking for a different way to celebrate YOU on Valentine's Day this year, consider throwing a mini spa party for yourself and even your friends! Also be sure to check out our other Valentine's Day articles for some healthy treat ideas and skin-friendly cocktail recipes!
Having acne-prone skin doesn't mean having to miss out on all the fun of either celebrating or not celebrating Valentine's Day! You can still enjoy yourself and enjoy a cocktail right alongside your friends without exacerbating your acne.
You might be wondering what sort of cocktail you could sample (of course, if you are 21 years old or older and... in moderation) that won't give you sugar overload and negatively affect your skin. Try these 2 amazing cocktail recipes - your friends won't believe how healthy and skin-friendly they are!
When we think of Valentine's Day, we usually think of candy hearts and boxes of chocolate from friends and loved ones. And for those of us with acne, we think about how eating all of this extra sugar may wreak havoc on our skin.
Need some V-Day ideas your skin will love? We've got you covered!
1. Handmade Valentines: Feeling loved and loving others is a surefire way to boost your mood. A happy person is one less likely to fall prey to stress, which can exacerbate acne. So spread the love this Valentine's Day with handmade valentines. Taking the time to craft a heartfelt message to your loved ones will remind you how happy you make each other, and your skin will glow with knowledge that powerful.
You want to throw a rocking Super Bowl party--what you don't want to do is ruin the fun by chowing down on foods that may sabotage all your progress to get acne-free. Luckily, there are easy ways to turn your Super Bowl Sunday skin-friendly without ruining the fun.
You know that pizza you were planning to pick up from the local takeout? Oh, and that store-bought guacamole? Forget about them and make your own. We know you're busy, but think of how much better you'll feel knowing you're munching on the healthiest, most nutrient-dense pizza and guacamole possible.
Toss your own whole wheat pizza dough into a thin crust. To keep the sugar to a minimum, skip the tomato sauce and top with a variety of fresh, organic, veggies--tomatoes, peppers, spinach, squash, you name it--and a sprinkle of organic cheese. Bake and slice into small, finger-food-sized squares and share with your friends.
Some of the fruits and vegetables that you'll find at your local markets can actually help to heal, cleanse and nourish your skin from within. However, you don't want to get too excited and start throwing any fruit or vegetable you can find into your juicer. Some fruits may be better for your acne-prone skin than others. For example, if you have found in the past that you don't handle apples well, then you probably shouldn't throw them into the mix: juicing fruits or vegetables that aren't right for YOUR BODY won't magically make them good for you.
Okay, let's be honest: we may have succumbed to temptation (some more, some less) over the holidays, and now we need a decisive action to repair potential damage we did to our regimen for acne-free skin.
Follow these 3 essential steps to get back on track. The best scenario involves combining all 3 steps in a 3-day super detox. If you cannot do it all together however, do it in 2 or 3 consecutive mini-detox periods.
We love myths. Our love of myths is the reason we populated Mount Olympus and the surrounding rivers and forests and even the seas of Greece, with a wonderful plethora of gods which survived thousands of years in literature, poetry and even common language. Actually, every culture has a similar collection of great, creative, educational myths.
But when we start transferring our weakness for myths from love and war stories to such important areas as health and make them into a pseudoscience, we have a problem.
I want to address one of those myths, a myth about testosterone-creating or testosterone-mimicking foods and plants that make women break-out in acne.
Both women and men should look for non-comedogenic (non-pore-clogging) foundations and concealers if they want to cover up their acne or any marks and scars. Make sure your makeup does not contain any of the following comedogenic oils
Broiled Seafood Choose one of the following meats that are great for acne-prone skin. Always look for wild-caught when it comes to fish.
The holiday season is a time for beauty but also for stress and cutting corners on proper skincare, eating habits, and a healthy lifestyle (including getting regular sleep and exercise). It's no surprise that this is the time for acne to flare up.
So to make it up to your skin for slacking in these areas, here's a 12-day guide to keeping breakouts away:
Before exfoliating naturally with a papaya mask, try holding your face over a sink full of steaming hot water for a few minutes. This will open your pores and prep the skin for effective but gentle exfoliation.
Everything we put into and on our bodies affects our health and the health of our skin. And everything that goes into our bodies can be classified as either natural or artificial. These days, believe it or not, when a product is labeled "natural," some or many of the listed ingredients may actually be artificial or, contain an insignificant amount of a natural ingredient which may do not provide any real benefits. Just because something says it's natural, doesn't mean it is. It also does not mean that it is good for you. Using the word "natural" has become a marketing gimmick, and as a result, you may often be lead down the wrong path.
A product labelled "natural" might not mean what you think it means. And you might be paying extra for a product that isn't much better than the one that's not labelled "natural."
The common definition of "natural": means derived from or made by nature. The FDA defines natural ingredients as those derived from natural sources, such as lecithin derived from soybeans and corn. But did you know the majority of soybeans and corn are genetically modified here in the US?
If you have acne, you've likely been told to stay away from sugar, and you've likely been confused. Does that mean you can't even have fruit? That you should consume sugar substitutes? That you can't make any of your favorite recipes this holiday season?
Allow us to help you clear the confusion in time for your next holiday party.
First, check out your refrigerator. Any mayo or Canadian bacon or soda in there? Now check your pantry. Is it full of cookies and other packaged goodies? Yes? Then it's full of sugar, too-and probably not the good kind. The sad truth is that sugar can be found in almost every food these days. When you combine all this sugar with foods that easily and rapidly convert into sugar like potatoes, pasta, crackers and potato chips, your skin may suffer the consequences.