Acne Explained

The bane of life for many of us… a pimple!  Even if you are predominantly clear skinned there will be times just when you don’t want them that one pops up – usually right in the middle of your forehead or chin!   When its just one or two usually it’s stress and diet that are the culprits.  As a clinician seeing these I wonder if the power of positivity would make these stay away.  Rather than thinking “I better not get that pimple” we just imagine our skin as radiant and clear as we want it – would this work?

Acne, pimples, breakouts, whatever you have or want to call them are actually a quite complex problem. We generally understand that hormones are at the root of them and that there are phases of our lives when we can expect them – adolescence and menopause. However hormones are influenced by all sorts of happenings in our bodies which is why you, with your clear gorgeous skin, suddenly find yourself with a chin full right before your big prom or during exam time.

It is established now that the cause of an individual’s acne, can be explained by where the spots are on the face.

• Hormonal – oily skin with breakouts on the chin and jawline.
• Candida overgrowth – seen on forehead, and high cheek area as pimples or small bumps, but can be anywhere on the face.
• Diet and stress – occasional breakouts around the mouth and chin area.

Obviously anyone can have a combination of all of these and hormone action is always in play. Skin is usually inflamed and often is dehydrated, though it might feel oily.  It is these symptoms which need to be treated to affect your long term results.  If you just treat the surface acne, it may improve – but not for long.

Acne Explained – long term results

Before even thinking about skin care read about the importance of your pH and acid mantle here.

Acne Explained –  before thinking about which  products

• Keep not just your skin clean, but everything around it clean.  Your hair and hair brush, your clothes, yur face washer, your bed linen especially your pillow cases.
• DO NOT pick or scrub at your skin; it just makes them worse!
• Ensuring all your personal products, and for that matter even your washing powder, free from chemical nasties will help reduce the inflammation in your body and your skin. Using Certified organic shampoos, body washes etc all assist in the health of your skin.
• Choosing makeup carefully. It should be a mineral makeup which contains calming protective ingredients rather than just concealing ones so your acne is being helped not just covered. Read more about Rosie’s makeup tips for acne recommendations here.
• Diet. Reducing your sugar and processed foods intake and increasing your greens, oily fish and red meat means that your gut health improves and with it the production of the enzymes and hormones you want influencing your skin.  Adding a simple supplement for 3-6 months breaks the back of stubborn acne.
• Drinking at least 2 litres of water a day helps to keep your skin hydrated and toxins flushed away. A dehydrated skin cannot function well.
• Following sport – shower and cleanse as soon as you can, however avoid those long hot showers we all love as they dehydrate your skin.

Acne Explained – now for skin care:-

All causes-

• Cleanser which is pH balanced – all of ours are.
• Anti-inflammatory antioxidant products – Osmosis MD Rescue Serum and Osmosis MD Boost spray or Osmosis MD Clear spray.
• Spot treat with a Vitamin A  serum for 4 weeks and then once your inflammation has decreased you can use your Vitamin A all over and spot treat with your Rescue serum.
• Use UV protection every day. Zinc based ones will not clog your pores.  Our recommendations for acne prone skin are CosMedix Reflect and Aspect Envirostat Dry Touch
• Skin Perfection Harmonised Water morning and evening.

Specific care:  add to the above

Candida –

*Osmosis Wellness Digestive Health and start slowly with your Vitamin A.

Hormonal –

• Stop and start as required depending on severity of inflammation and pimples.
• If skin is quite dry and reactive choose a milder cleanser and then prior to starting on the initial regime above use a bottle of Aspect Dr Redless and CosMedix CPR. Spot treat with CosMedix Serum 16, Vitamin A serum for the first month and then introduce slowly, 2^nd nightly increasing to nightly over a few weeks.

Quite often these clients also have acne on their chest, back and neck. Gut health is more important for these and using a great body cleanser such as the Aspect Purastat 5.  It is interesting to note that these girls often have period problems and bad cramping every month . We find that the Cramp Free Harmonised Waters relieves this almost instantaneously. 

Diet and stress –

• Osmosis Wellness Digestive Health
• Stress management is imperative so find what is best for you.

Pimples around your mouth are often related to being constipated, poor diet and oral toxins from smoking and poor toothpaste ingredients.

I do hope this helps with your understanding of this complex problem.  It is important to note that while sometimes medical help is necessitated, in the clinic we see (and treat successfully using the above protocols) many clients with all types and severities of acne without resorting to high dose oral Vitamin A, The Pill or long term antibiotics; all treatments typical of medical help.

If you live in Hobart we’d love to see you in clinic whatever your age, however during the July school holidays we are holding small group and private sessions for the acne afflicted.  Contact us and read here for more info.

In you don’t live in Hobart – please complete our personalised online consultation.

Gaye and the team

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