The following article recently appeared in 406 Woman. Here’s a link to the online magazine version (it’s on page 64), or you can read it right here if you like.
406 Woman Magazine
Acne mythology
by Erin Blair, Licensed Esthetician
Acne has got to be one of the most misunderstood conditions on the planet, and with good reason. For most of us, acne tends to ‘burn out’, or resolve itself, whether after a brief spell or years of torment. When that day finally comes, whatever the acne sufferer was doing at the time generally gets the credit. Additionally, a breakout can take an average of three months to show itself, making it difficult to accurately pinpoint the cause.
If you or a loved one is dealing with breakouts that aren’t clearing up, you have probably been on the receiving end of a lot of well meaning advice. Most of the advice, unfortunately, does little to help your condition, because it’s largely based on mythology and has nothing to do with evidence-based science. Let’s take a little journey through some of the more common beliefs, and see if we can shed some light on the subject.
You’ll grow out of it
False. While this may be true for some, for others it often leaves them wondering ‘What’s wrong with me?’ Many people suffer with acne well into their middle years. According to a survey done by dermatologists at the University of Alabama-Birmingham:
- In their 20s, 50.9% of women and 42.5% of men in their 20s reported experiencing adult acne
- In their 30s, 35.2% of women and 20.1% of men reported adult acne
- In their 40s, 26.3% of women and 12% of men reported experiencing acne
- Even in their 50s, 15.3% of women and 7.3% of men reported experiencing acne
The belief that it’s only a teenage problem often leads to delayed treatment, which could have saved years of embarrassment, lowered self esteem, and physical scars.
It’s the chocolate
False. And it’s not the fries, it’s the salt on the fries. Foods high in iodine and androgen hormone are a huge culprit. This includes iodized salt, kelp, shellfish, sports drinks and meal supplement bars. Watch for iodine in your vitamin supplements, and drastically cut down on all dairy products. Peanuts, peanut butter, corn oil and wheat germ are also out. Read the rest of this entry »
Inner beauty (you know, the kind you can’t see with your eyes) has always been the most important beauty, right? You can’t judge a book by its cover. So why do you feel like your problem skin is holding you back? How would it feel to not have to deal with that anymore?
Like it or not, we live in a world where people are trained to judge everything. Good or bad. Right or wrong. Black or white. Broken or whole. Most of us have not evolved to the point where we can simply accept what is, without slapping a label of judgement or opinion on it. I believe the day will come when something just is. Until then, this is the world we are given.
Of course, your face is the first thing most people notice. Is she happy or sad? Is he healthy or sick? It’s completely unfair to be judged for something you have no control over, like the shape of your nose, the size of your ears, or the breakouts that plague you. But human nature being what it is, we often judge what we don’t understand.
When I clear people up, they tell me the most amazing things. They say things like, “Now I can go camping.” I am shocked by what these folks have been afraid to do. Everyday things. “Now I can try out for the volley ball team.” Or “Now I can fill out my college application.” Or “Now I can look in the mirror.”
Do you find yourself thinking there are things you want to do, but you’re waiting until you have clear skin? Nearly every day, I get to share the relief and joy of someone like you. Someone who thought that nothing would ever work for them. Someone who just wanted to be seen for the person on the inside, but the acne was getting in the way. I know I don’t have super powers, but it honestly feels like I do, especially when someone says, “Now I can finally get on with my life.”
If your skin is bothering you, holding you back, making you cry, making you wait…make an appointment, and tell me about it. I want to know what your life would be like if you were clear. I want to show you that it’s not only possible, it’s a pretty sure thing.
I want to hear you say, “NOW I CAN…”
And then, you’ll be free to change the world.
Dark spots are a common complaint, especially as we get older. Ever wonder what causes them, and what can be done about it? Read the rest of this entry »
Parabens (hydroxybenzoates) are one of most wrongly maligned ingredients in the cosmetic industry. Most “natural” companies embelish a study done by Dr. Darbre and implicate that using any cosmetic with parabens will put you at a higher risk of breast cancer. The fact that only a handful of scientists felt any need to comment on this study goes unmentioned.
They also would like you to believe that parabens are no good for sensitive and eczema prone skins as they will cause allergies.
These are the facts.
Read the rest of this entry »
Early identification is the best way to catch and treat skin cancer. The faster a cancer is diagnosed, the simpler the treatment will be in general. Any suspicious lesion should be checked by a dermatologist.
Basal cell carcinomas (the most common type of skin cancer) often appear as small pearl-like bumps. Sometimes this will appear to look like a reoccurring pimple. In early stages, it may look like a flat, white scar.
Squamous cell carcinomas tend to look like varied sized, crusty bumps and are usually raised. Early presentations of this cancer can look like a crusty patch of skin. They are more aggressive than basal cell carcinomas and usually appear in sun-exposed areas.
Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer. These unusual looking ‘moles’ can be better identified by five characteristics, known as the ABCDEs of melanoma.
- A stands for asymmetry. The two sides of the lesion are not alike.
- B is for border. The edges are uneven or jagged.
- C stands for color. Often more than one color, melanomas can be a mix of brown, black, purple, and sometimes deep red.
- D represents diameter, about the size of a pencil eraser or larger.
- E stands for evolving. The lesion can change, and you may notice differences in it even over a short time period.
The best chances of cure and recovery is early diagnosis. If you have a suspicious spot on your skin, have it checked out, even if it doesn’t exactly match the description of skin cancer.
Do you feel like your skin is really dry? Maybe flaking, irritated, peeling or cracking? You are so not alone. I see this every day, especially in the wintertime. But did you know there are two types of dry? And to make matters worse, you might actually have both! Read the rest of this entry »
I’ve come across an interesting phenomenon. Now, this happens so frequently that it got me scratching my head at first. A woman of childbearing age (roughly) will tell me about her acne. There it is. I can see exactly what she’s talking about. As I’m listening and observing, I already know of all the things she can change that would clear it up: Eliminate all products with pore clogging ingredients. Eliminate dairy. Throw away the fabric softener (yes, really, you smell pretty enough, it’s not worth it!). Get enough sleep. Start on a therapeutic topical program to prevent future breakouts. Then, to my bewilderment, before I can even offer any of these solutions, she shrugs her shoulders and declares, “It’s just hormonal.” Yeah, so what? Then I realized what was really going on here.
This happened on a regular basis until it clicked in my head one day…she thinks that because it’s hormonal that nothing can be done! She thinks her hormonal breakouts are a necessary cross she’ll have to bear every month until, well, menopause, I suspect. Well, I have good news for you. As you’re sitting there reading this (you know who you are) and thinking ‘Yeah, that’s what I have, and I know I just have to deal with it’, I’m here to tell you you’re wrong. Sometimes it’s good to be wrong. This is one of those times.
Yes, hormones absolutely play a huge role in the breakout cycle. And yes, it’s treatable. So there 
.
If you’re considering going on Accutane® to control your acne, don’t make another move until you’ve read this. Frustrated acne sufferers commonly follow the same paths looking for a solution. When drugstore products fail, they go to a dermatologist and get put on long term antibiotics (evil in their own right) and other oral and topical medication. When that fails, as it typically does, many doctors are prescribing Accutane®. This medication comes with very serious side effects, and with proper treatment methods, is quite avoidable. Read the rest of this entry »
There sure are alot of myths out there about what acne is, what causes it, and how to treat it. I set up a Google alert for acne treatment, just to see what’s out there and if I could learn anything new. And you know what? It’s been several weeks, and all I’ve learned so far is that there are alot of people out there trying to sell alot of garbage. I’ve been told to rub a banana peel on my skin, that fluoride toothpaste causes (and cures) acne, and the most popular of all is that I need to detoxify my internal organs.
So what’s real? First of all, let me say that I’m all for detoxifying. I’ve been giving people detox body treatments for years, and fully believe in the value of cleansing the system. But one of the recurring themes I’ve noticed online is an emphasis on internal cleansing as a solution for acne, and there’s more to the story…
Read the rest of this entry »
