Today we tackle the a-word. It’s practically taboo in beauty discussions. Through talk of blemish-hiding techniques or oil-fighting products, it only gets a passing mention. No one wants to say it. Most don’t even want to hear about it. But at BodyLase® it’s a topic with tackle nearly everyday. So we’ll just come right out and say it. Acne! Oily skin, hyper-pigmentation, scarring, blackheads, whiteheads, and dare we say it, cysts! Look, we know taming this terror is no cakewalk. So here are some industry tips on reigning in this unmentionable beauty industry beast.
Primed & Polished
To begin any acne-fighting routine, you must prep your skin by cleansing and exfoliating.
Common anti-acne cleansers include chemical acne-fighters like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Both these active ingredients are keratolytics, which means they prompt skin cells to shed, thus unblocking pores.
As for exfoliating acne-prone skin, the key here is moderation. Over-zealous exfoliation of acne-riddled skin could lead to adverse results. Squeaky clean might sound great, but in practice it’s not so nice. Harshly scrubbing acne results in skin breakage and the spread of bacteria, which in turn leads to longer healing times and deeper scars. Not to mention, abrading tender acne-infected skin is just plain painful! Since the active ingredients in most acne cleansers target excess skin chemically, a physical prompting of skin cell turnover isn’t a must for all acne-prone skin. But if you want in on the action, use a soft-bristled Clarisonic brush or a soft, clean terry cloth.
Get the basics of acne-prevention right and you just might find that you can end your battle with acne here and now.
Oil-Free Hydration
When choosing a moisturizer, select products that are oil-free. These moisturizers are breathable, non-occlusive, and non-comedogenic. In short: these won’t clog your skin. But don’t be fooled: passing up moisturizer altogether is a big no-no for acne-prone skin.
After rigorous cleansing, your skin needs a moisturizer to put it back on track. While avoiding pore-cloggers is essential, it’s equally important to attend to the needs of your skin type. Dry skin needs protection and hydration after cleansing, just as oily skin needs ongoing oil-reducing, antibacterial support throughout the moisturizing process.
Obagi Clenziderm system offers moisturizers catered to different kind of acne-prone skin types. The dry skin system contains a moisturizer with glycerin for rehydration, and the oily skin system includes a toner and moisturizer with salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. Want to hear more about the Obagi Clenziderm system? Leave a note below, or give us a shout!
Gentle Acne Treatments
So you’ve already primed, polished and moisturized, but you still got acne woes? Don’t despair. Sometimes acne-prone skin just needs a little more attention. Enter: two innovative spa treatments that can help whip spotty skin into flawless radiance.
- Blue Light Therapy
Treat active acne with a new treatment: blue light therapy. That’s right, exposure to light, as revealed by clinical studies, is an effective way to manage acne. But how does it work? Glad you asked! Intensive light exposure causes acne-causing bacteria to die.
FDA-approved blue light products are specifically designed to kill off pesky, acne-causing agents. A narrow-band of blue light delivers the full intensity of bacteria-killing light straight to your skin. Blue light machines don’t contain UV rays, so you can rest assured knowing you won’t damage your skin.
Clinical trials in Japan, Taiwan, Israel and the US demonstrate the success of blue light therapy in treating individuals with all acne types—but not nodulocystic acne. For more about blue light therapy, check out the American Academy of Dermatologists. Interested in finding out if blue light therapy can turn your acne around? Schedule a consultation with one of our BodyLase® experts!
- Gentle Peel Treatments
‘Scarred for life’ takes on a whole new meaning with chemical peel treatments. Over a course of chemical peel treatments, permanent acne-scarring can be turned into a thing of the past.
VIPeel is a new, gentle facial that prompts your skin to peel. As your skin sheds in light, fluffy layers, new skin cell production is initiated. With the sloughing of old skin and the creation of new young cells, scarring diminishes over multiple peels. But the VIPeel is not just damage control. By keeping skin free of excess cells and pore-plugging oil—the two main causes of acne—VIPeel essentially helps fight future acne breakouts. With little downtime and a practically painless application sessions, this new peel is gentle on your skin, but not your acne. For more information on VIPeel check out the VIPeel skincare system, or drop us a line!
Whew! After sharing all those tips, all we have left to say is: Sorry, acne. It looks like you’ve meet your match.
