The material on this website is provided for informational purposes only and should not be used in place of medical advice. Always consult your physician before beginning any therapy program or treatment plan.

What is Acne

Acne is caused mainly by four factors:

• Excess oil production
• Hair follicles clogged by oil and dead skin cells
• Bacteria
• Excess activity of a type of hormone (androgens)

Though there are other factors that can play a role in breakouts, such as high stress levels and an unhealthy diet. However, there is not enough evidence on this yet to truly pin the cause of acne on these factors. Still, these factors hold true to many people. Despite where you stand on that, there are proven preventative actions you can take in lowering your risk of breaking out before that important day or event. 

1. Stop Touching Your Face

It’s easy to forget how many times you may have touched your face in the last hour. For many of us, it’s just an involuntary thing we do. The issue isn't necessarily touching your face, but all the other objects and surfaces you may have come in contact with. Essentially, we are transferring all foreign bacteria and dirt from our hands to our face. This is why bacteria is one of the main culprits in the growth of acne. There are a lot of chemicals and irritants that get on our hands all day long that don't belong on the face. All the oils and debris on the hands and fingers can clog pores, which can lead to breakouts.

This can also be an issue if you are one to pop your acne. Most people just use their fingers, specifically the nails, to rid the raised bumps. Throughout the course of our day, we compile much debris and dirt that gets stuck under our fingernails. When you pop a pimple with this method, you're transferring all that bacteria to what is now essentially an open wound.

2. Find The Right Cleanser For You

There are many over-the-counter acne topicals and face washes available at your nearest store/drugstore. If you have acne, choosing the right cleanser can help rid your skin of the bacteria that make their way into clogged hair follicles and lead to breakouts. A thorough cleaning also removes dead cells on the surface of your skin, which makes it easier for your acne medication to be absorbed. When searching for the right cleanser, it may take a couple tries since there are endless types. A few pointers regarding choosing the right cleanser include:

• Decide if you need a medicated or non-medicated option
• Make sure to focus on the effects rather than the price
• Do some research to find which cleanser seems to generally work best for your acne proneness

Some acne cleansers and face soaps have added ingredients to fight acne and improve the skin's appearance. Medicated cleansers contain acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid, sodium sulfacetamide, or benzoyl peroxide, which can help clear up skin while cleaning it. Salicylic acid helps clear blocked pores and reduces swelling and redness. Benzoyl peroxide exfoliates the skin and kills bacteria. Sodium sulfacetamide interferes with the growth of bacteria.

Moreover, it would also help to make sure you have a daily moisturizer and sunscreen that works for you. Not only will your skin thank you for the care down the road, but it will help lower the chances of breakouts. When choosing the right moisturizer/sunscreen, be sure to make sure it is Non-Comedogenic, which means it’s specially formulated to not cause blocked pores.

3. Use The Right Makeup

Many don’t realize it but, for those who wear makeup on the daily, your skin is very susceptible to having blocked pores. This will result in breakouts since bacteria and dirt we naturally come in contact with, mixed with sweat/oil and now makeup, accumulate on the surface of the skin and block your pores. A few tips to help with this would be to use non-comedogenic or sensitive skin products to reduce the chance of new lesions and minimize skin irritation. It is also a good idea to make sure you don’t let your makeup sit overnight. Be sure to wash your face thoroughly at the end of the day with the face cleanser that works best for you. Similar to choosing the right moisturizer and sunscreen, it’s a good idea to use a makeup that’s water-based or labeled Non-Comedogenic (not pore-clogging)

4. Shampoo Hair Regularly & Keep It Off Your Face

If you've ever noticed any small bumps across your hairline, forehead area, and across your upper back, then a potential culprit for that could be the hair products you use. When hair care products contain oil, the oil can find its way to your skin. Once this happens, the oil can clog your pores. Clogged pores can lead to acne. When hair care products are the culprit, you’ll likely get whiteheads and tiny flesh-colored bumps called “papules.” These can appear along your hairline, forehead, or the back of your neck. It’s probably best to find new hair products that are labeled with:

• Won’t Clog Pores
• Oil-Free
• Non-Comedogenic
• Non-Acnegenic

If the hair product is specifically labeled with these terms or some synonyms of them, then they should not contribute to acne.

5. Hydrafacial

Aside from our services, we at iSkin Rejuvenation Center offer Hydrafacials as well. Similar to Microdermabrasion, A HydraFacial is a treatment that uses patented technology (a medical-grade device) to cleanse, extract, and hydrate skin. It clears dead skin cells, loosens pores, and preps them for extraction using a mix of glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and botanical extracts. Then, it uses a unique vacuum-powered extraction method to remove “gunk” from the skin in a virtually painless procedure.

The device used was created with a double-helix vortex tip that allows for the multiple actions to be performed all at once. One chamber of the wand draws dead skin cells and dirt from the skin while the other pumps the skin full of soothing nutrients (hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and growth factors). Basically, your skin is freshly cleared for deeper penetration. It’s essentially a peel, microdermabrasion, and hydrating mask all in one.

If this interests you or if you’d like to learn more, feel free to contact us!