It’s a disorder that affects many women. So what do we do and why does it happen? So often in my practice I hear woman say “ but I didn’t have acne when I was a teenager, why now?” . Well there are many causes; stress, fast paced jobs, abnormal thickening of skin cells, hormonal fluctuations, and the ever present environmental influences. Now, the hard part is finding out what treatments work best for you. First and foremost you must be diligent with your in office and at home care. It takes patience and trial and error, but you can conquer acne!
Sometimes acne must be addressed externally and internally. Your best bet is to have the help of a good Esthetician and/or Dermatologist. Having the help of a professional will save you a lot of headache in the long run. Unfortunately, using over the counter products for this type of acne is not very productive. Over the counter products are laden with fragrance, synthetics and preservatives. All of which can cause major skin upset and irritations. My best advice, if you cannot afford a medical based line, is to purchase “A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients”. Take it with you when you purchase products and make yourself aware of exactly what you are purchasing. This is going to take more of a commitment on your part but it will be worth it.
To treat acne internally start by taking a probiotic (found in health food stores) daily, this will help keep your pH balanced in your body and in turn, your skin. Also watch the foods you eat. There are specific anti-inflammatory foods that can treat inflammation in the body, therefore your skin. For a list of these foods check out http://www.metabolismadvice.com and type in anti-inflammatory foods list. Also, buying hormone free meat and dairy products is very beneficial. Any added hormones that come from food are bound to show negative effects on our skin. Again, I know this is a lot of work but combining all these efforts will really make a difference in your skin and how you feel everyday, which as we all know can have a huge impact on how we deal with everyday stressors.
