Hormones & Skin Issues: all links so far

hormones & skin issues

• Case study: Paige’s hormone(less) breakout

• Dermatology, skin care & 2 sets of belief systems

• Do you have dry, itchy skin on your body?

• Help for Hot Flashes!—updated...twice!

• My experience with Prometrium (“natural” progesterone hormone) (new!)

• Oral Antibiotics: Good for clearing up your skin or not?

• PLEASE: Don’t take Premarin! (new!)

• Problem Skin Q & As—Monthly Breakout 

• Starting your youngster on a skin care routine

• Stress plus going off the Pill can equal breakouts—a client profile

• Teenage Skin Problems Q & As

• Teenage Skin—what you need to know

• Tetracycline—does it help with problem skin or is it just a temporary fix? (new!)

• What is causing your breakouts?

also see

• Teenage Skin: all links so far

PLEASE: Don’t take Premarin!

Warning: some of you may not want to read this article. I understand, I get it. Seeing the true of something is sometimes quite ugly. When it comes to imparting knowledge with conviction, I believe a jerk with a message is never heard. And so, here, I am going to try and not get preachy about Premarin. I will work on not being a jerk while at the same time giving you information you might not know about.

When it comes to taking drugs, perhaps it’s easy to turn a blind eye as to where they came from. I think Premarin is exactly one of those instances. For obvious reasons, how the hormones for this drug are extracted are not well publicized—at least not by the drug companies. But if you go online there are copious amounts of information and accounts of the “extraction” process. Some websites are militant, which I think may turn some people off. But even so, they are simply giving the true account of how horses are used and abused in order to give women a hormone replacement that may not even be safe for them to take.

For those of you who don’t know, the hormone replaced Premarin stands for pregnant mares’ urine (PREgnant MARes’ urINe). These 4-leggeds subject to the drug companies are called “PMU” horses, sometimes called Premarin Horses. No matter what you call these female equines, their life is dismall at best and miserable and filled with cruelty for sure.

I can recall countless clients being surprised when I told them that taking the birth control pill makes the body think it’s pregnant. And when a woman takes Premarin, she may not really understand what the horses have to go through in order to extract their urine. And this drug contains hormones—for a horse—that a human woman takes to offset some of the symptoms of menopause. This just sounds crazy to me even if it didn’t involve animal cruelty as well.

The life of a PMU horse—24/7

Horses are nomadic, herd oriented, and prey animals. This means they travel (walk) for most of the day and stay in groups, not just because they are social animals but most importantly to keep predators away. The saying “safety in numbers” is what a herd is all about. The Premarin horses are kept tied up 24/7 while they are pregnant in order to extract the hormones used in this drug. Therefore they can’t roam around, satisfying their nomadic nature; and although they are near other female horses, they are constrained; and because they have no freedom of movement, their strong drive to be in a safe place away from any predators no doubt causes considerable stress on these magnificent beings.

If anyone reading this is currently taking Premarin or considering it from a doctor’s recommendation, perhaps with this (new?) knowledge on how massively inhumane it is to take horses from their natural habitat into this catastrophic environment you might choose another option for your hormone replacement therapy.

I personally take bioidentical hormones—still prescribed from a doctor—that are not from an animal source. There are countless studies showing the benefits of bioidenticals, but I don’t need to read anything—I know from how they make me feel. And not having hot flashes and dramatic high and low hormone swings is all I need to know they are working. I have tried many different roads to quelling my hormone issues (see Help for Hot Flashes! below), but bioidentical hormone replacement has been the best way for me.

My blood gets monitored and I have regular checkups with my hormone doctor just like someone would who is using Premarin. The difference is by taking bioidentical hormones—or even other hormones whose source is not animal—I am not negatively influencing the life of a precious horse, their offspring (who are usually sold at auction) or other living thing.

When asked by my clients about a trend or fad or newfangled treatment or even about possibly harmful ingredients in skin care products, I always say I choose my battles. I don’t get up in arms about every single possible negative in the world of skin care. With that in mind, you can say that the use of Premarin and the abuse of horses to extract it is one of my battles. It is an unnecessary drug taken by means that are cruel and unusual and because of that I cannot stand behind its use at all.

I’m not perfect—I do have leather belts and shoes and occasionally I’ll eat meat from a quadruped. But when it comes to animal cruelty of the sort this article is about, I have to take a stand. As many of you know, I love horses so this is a particularly close-to-home subject for me. In the end, each person will choose what they do in life. Hopefully for any of you that didn’t have the low-down on Premarin and its source now might consider a different drug to help with your hormonal symptoms.
  
For more information, see:

• Help for Hot Flashes!—updated
• My experience with Prometrium (“natural” progesterone hormone)
• Dermatology, skin care & 2 sets of belief systems

Tetracycline—does it help with problem skin or is it just a temporary fix?

Linda is a client of mine. Her son, Michael, has had problem skin his whole teenage life and has been on tetracycline* for years. Now, at age nineteen, his skin is a mess. The antibiotics have long-since stopped working and his dermatologist is suggesting Accutane. His mother is, to say the least, disappointed and unsure of what to do.
*Tetracycline is a grade of antibiotics under the heading of tetracyclines.

    

Linda has told me Michael eats a diet rich in poor-quality foods. She insists he doesn’t drink sodas and juice at home, but I told her I bet he does at his friend’s houses. Teenagers and soda pop pretty much go hand in hand. And you can best bet if his friends drink cokes, so does he. So although she makes sure to keep her own house as sugarfree as possible, the world is a huge candy store just waiting for a teenager’s sometimes questionable judgment to come partake.

I told Linda that her son can go on and stay on drugs his whole life, but until he stops feeding the problem—literally—his skin troubles will continue. Due to his age, his hormones may still be surging and will settle down with time, but in the meantime it would be great if he could learn to change his eating habits.  

        

The challenge with teens especially is not only are their hormones kicking in, but they haven’t for the most part learned the relationship between action and consequence. They don’t have the responsibility thing down—at least not when it comes to diet. For those of you who are responsible or who have responsible kids, please don’t be offended. I’m not saying all kids are irresponsible in all ways. But even adults have a hard time with understanding that what they are eating may be affecting their bodies, their health, their skin. And in my experience (plus I was a teenager once), I find teens haven’t made that connection yet.

    

One positive thing about Michael is he is coming to Linda and expressing disgust with his skin. That’s actually a good sign because it means he will be open to some degree to changing his ways and listening to helpful advice. Here is a fact that has repeated itself to me over and over again: If someone sees improvement after making a change (like cutting back or quitting sugar), they are more prone to continuing to change. If no improvement is seen (like after buying expensive products, for instance), then they are less likely to continue doing the new change.

The point to this story is to say that taking antibiotics won’t necessarily clear up your skin. It may be a temporary fix, but unless you change your eating habits (or just grow out of the teenage hormonal years), antibiotics definitely are not a cure-all. And they can actually affect your body’s immune system by weakening it. Start at the source and see what positive changes you can make that will surely result in positive changes in your skin’s health—and of course for the health of your entire body.

As far as Michael going down the Accutane road, I have many articles on the ills (and sometimes positives) of taking Accutane. Like any and all of these skin care “remedy” medications, they are serious drugs and they can and do have consequences. If taking a drug seems an easier fix than changing your diet and being careful about what you put into your body, then I guess that is the road you’ll choose. But without taking stock of your diet and other incidentals that could also be affecting your skin’s condition, in my opinion that is a road I don’t recommend taking.

For more information on Accutane specifically, see:

• Accutane: all links so far

For other helpful information, see:

• Sodas, sugar, your skin & breakouts
• Teenage Skin Problems Q & As
• Medications Oral & Topical: all links so far

My experience with Prometrium (“natural” progesterone hormone)

Such a cute little round pill, I said to myself the first time I took this progesterone replacement. I had gone to a new doctor who thought I could switch to Prometrium and get off the bioidentical progesterone I had been taking for years from a compounding pharmacy. I would be able to pick this prescription up at my local pharmacy and an additional bonus is this drug is much cheaper than the somewhat expensive compounded kind.  

I’m all up for trying new things, so I tried Prometrium even though I wasn’t having any issues with the progesterone I had been taking. At the time, I was kind of glad I decided to switch since I hadn’t veered off my bioidentials in many years and perhaps it was time for a change. Why not? What have I got to lose? How bad could it be? Well, let me tell you—it can be horrible!

I realize this drug is dispensed to millions of women every year. And for the most part everyone must be OK using it. This was not the case with me. I took it the first night without issue. The same for the 2nd night. But on the 3rd night I had some of the worst nightmares I’ve ever had in my life! And I’ve had some doozies.

At first, I didn’t make the connection so I kept taking it. It wasn’t until the 2nd night of horrible nightmares that I realized the only thing that had changed was this medication. Obviously I stopped taking Prometrium after that. I went back to my compounded progesterone and luckily, happily my dreams became the normal, visually stunning, pleasant visions I am used to. Whew!

I’ve read that Prometrium is a natural form of progesterone. It is said to be identical to the progesterone produced by the body—otherwise I wouldn’t have agreed to try it. My doctor said the same thing, in fact when I specifically asked, she said it was bioidentical. In fact she was shocked that I had such a bad experience with this very commonly prescribed hormone.

Nightmares aren’t really listed in the side effects for this drug, and I didn’t find too many accounts of people describing nightmares occurring after taking it, but I had that experience and even if I am the only one in the world, that’s good enough for me. I will never take Prometrium again.

My experience is of course not going to be (and isn’t) everyone’s experience. But I wanted to leave this information out for anyone who might be considering taking Prometrium, although I am certainly not saying don’t take it. But if you do start or if you have been taking it and are having unexplained weird dreams—perhaps it’s this form of progesterone. And for any of you who have had similar experiences, you are not alone. Can I say it again—YIKES!

For more information, see:

• Help for Hot Flashes!—updated
• PLEASE: Don’t take Premarin!
• Aging Gracefully: all links so far

Case study: Paige’s hormone(less) breakout

One of my clients, Paige, suddenly noticed her skin breaking out, and she couldn’t figure out why. Nothing had changed in her diet, and her stress levels were unchanged as well. After further investigation, asking Paige about anything that might be new or different in any area of her life, she finally came up with the answer to her skin care problems.

Earlier she found out she had an ovarian cyst. Rather than operate, her treatment consisted of a shot that would stop her periods for perhaps an entire year, which would reduce and hopefully eliminate the cyst. Her skin was breaking out because her body’s hormonal balance was out of whack. Not having a menstrual cycle is a big deal! Women menstruate for a purpose, so not having this release can wreak havoc with your skin.

Paige had to basically wait out the year and contend with her new skin problems. Like with pregnancy, there wasn’t a lot she could do because of the course of her medical treatment. She continued to get her monthly facials and did a lot of at-home extra care for her blemishes. I recommended acupuncture to help Paige’s body adjust and get her back in balance, as well as previously mentioned helpers for her actual breakouts. Eventually her skin cleared, and I am happy to report her cyst disappeared.

I keep saying the breakouts you are experiencing are there for a reason. In other words, you are not breaking out for no apparent reason; it just may not be apparent to you—yet. Ask yourself questions to help determine the cause of the “sudden” breakouts:

• What has changed in your life recently or at the time your skin problems started appearing
• Look at what you are eating to see if there is a correlation to the breakouts you are experiencing

Usually you can figure out the cause of the problems by going back in time to when the breakouts began and what was going on in your life at that time. 

For more information on breakouts, read through the many categories in this blog pertaining to problem skin issues if you haven’t already. Through reading the different sections, hopefully you will have a better understanding of what might be causing your breakouts as well as how to go about clearing up your skin.

For more information, see:

• Why you want to get Acupuncture
• What is causing your breakouts?
• Problem Skin Q & As—Monthly Breakout

Become a skin care detective for your skin.

Dermatology, skin care & 2 sets of belief systems

My dermatologist told me it didn’t matter what I used on my skin. Is that true?

My first question would be does that make sense to you? How can it be possible that what you are using on your skin isn’t affecting it? The products you are using are either helping to maintain healthy skin, or they are helping to cause problems. There really isn’t much room for anything else to be occurring. I suppose a product could just be sitting on your skin doing nothing, but this would be possible only if you had perfect, no problem skin and if the product was inert or inactive.

You may think these are old beliefs that don’t hold true today, but just the other day I was talking to a client whose dermatologist told her that facials were a waste of time. Ten years ago that statement wouldn’t have surprised me, but to hear it now was somewhat disappointing. So many dermatologists nowadays have joined the bandwagon and have aestheticians on staff at their clinics. I believe this is more fiscally motivated than based on a belief that facials are beneficial, but you can’t ignore the fact that dermatology and aesthetics are now holding hands.

Having a dermatologist you like and trust is very important, and I highly recommend that you begin to build a relationship with one in your area. Usually, skin problems need immediate attention, and if you are experiencing a reaction or have a strange-looking mole you want to get looked at, it’s better to already have someone on board to help you.

I also recommend getting a baseline mole check if you haven't done so already. You and your dermatologist can and should work together to decrease your chances of skin cancer. I believe it’s not a matter of whether you will develop some form of skin cancer, but when. Sun damage is so unpredictable, and having a qualified doctor monitoring your skin irregularities and moles is a good idea. I hope you will take my suggestion and if you don’t already have one, find a dermatologist.

How do I go about finding a dermatologist? It seems like everyone I know has one but me! What do I need to look for?

Finding a dermatologist is no different than finding any doctor. You want to find someone whom you trust and who offices in an area that is convenient for you. Not all dermatologists are alike, but there does seem to be a common thread that runs though many of them. I know this from my own experience and from hearing countless stories from my clients over the years.

Dermatologists tend not to spend a whole lot of time with you. Typically a dermatologist will come in, take a quick look at your skin, and either prescribe something or otherwise diagnose the problem and send you on your way. Because of this, I always encourage my clients to have a list of questions with them and get answers before they leave the office. I know when I’m at the doctor’s, I tend to lose my train of thought and forget the questions I may have wanted to ask.

I also recommend that you have your dermatologist check your moles even if you are seeing them for something unrelated. Skin cancer is preventable and curable if caught early, so don’t pass up an opportunity to be looked at from head to toe.

Another commonality I have found in the field of dermatology is there isn’t a lot of emphasis on nutrition as it relates to skin problems. In fact, I ask my clients to pose the question “Do you think diet affects the skin?” to their dermatologists, and nine times out of ten, the answer is no. If this is the case, know you are probably dealing with a doctor who chooses to look at the symptom alone, without considering the body as a whole.

As you probably know, I believe the body must be looked at as an entire machine, although it may be only one part that is in need of repair. If your dermatologist is progressive and understands this wholistic approach, consider yourself lucky. As with any doctor or health care practitioner, if you don’t feel comfortable or confident in someone you go to, listen to yourself and find an alternative next time. 

Touching back to the original question of what you use on your skin doesn’t matter—it does! If you have no-problem skin, you can get away with using less expensive products or products that a problem skin would have issues with. In most cases, it matters what you use. There are dozens of articles on this blog for sensitive, problem, acne and even no-problem skin types to help you navigate the sometimes overwhelming world of product sales.   

For more information, see:

• Products—Finding What’s Right: all links so far
• Wholistic or Holistic: However you spell it—make the healthy choice
• MYTH: Food doesn’t affect skin

Teenage Skin Problems Q & As

Sometimes it seems a cruel joke is being played on teenagers. They’re at an age when they want to fit in, they want to look good, and coincidentally, it’s the time when their hormones are first starting to activate. It’s also a time they’re getting their first glimpse of freedom. They’re learning to drive a car and hanging out with friends after school. This freedom may also lead to poor eating habits—fast food, sugary foods, sodas and the like. Raging hormones, sugary snacks, and junk food are a recipe for potential skin trouble. However, your teen may have really good eating habits, yet still battle skin problems.

Although the following questions may be about a young female or male teenager, the answers apply to either gender.

My teenager is starting to break out. Is he too young to get a facial?

I do think it’s a great idea to take your teenager in for a facial. Here you will get expertise and advice from an aesthetician who has presumably worked with skin and knows how to guide your teen into better skin care habits. As long as your teen is having problems with his or her skin, a facial can definitely help.

As I tell any client, facials are beneficial on several levels and can indeed help with problems. But what’s most important is how you are taking care of your skin on a daily basis at home. The Basics 1-2-3 (cleansing, toning, and moisturizing) done on a twice daily basis, plus The Extras (exfoliating and using a clay mask), which can be done once to several times per week, can simulate some of the effects of a professional facial. 

My teenage son is developing acne. What should I do?

This is a tough one. During puberty, a young person’s skin can go absolutely haywire. And these skin problems may not be solely due to hormones. Does your teenager have a “clean” diet, or does he tend to eat fast food, sweets, and sodas laced with sugar or sugar substitutes? In my practice, I have found sugar to be a leading cause of problem skin. You said your son is developing acne. Although he is in the most difficult place (being a teenager) for his skin to clear up, you still have a few options to choose from.

You could do nothing. Obviously, this is not what you will do. But the truth is that as long as his hormones are in this super-active phase and if he does in fact have poor eating habits, your son’s skin will more than likely continue to be problematic. If you choose to go to a dermatologist, he or she may put him on antibiotics, or possibly Accutane. That is up to the doctor and his or her assessment of your child’s skin condition.

Tetracycline is an antibiotic that is commonly used to treat acne. It does not have the same side effects as Accutane, and may get your son’s acne cleared up, but maybe not. Accutane would be the last resort as far as I’m concerned because there are so many side effects. Taking Accutane might initially help clear up your son’s acne, but if he eats a poor-quality diet, and as long as his hormones are out of whack, the medication might just be a temporary fix.  However, some people (both teenagers and adults) have gone on Accutane and had their skin problems clear up—for good.

Another option is to try topical medications like Retin-A, a prescription topical retinoid cream, which may be effective on your son’s acne. Depending on what your dermatologist recommends, I would start with topical treatments, and see if your son can find some relief from his acne.

If your son does eat junk food and things that contain a lot of sugar, I highly recommend evaluating his diet, and see if you can encourage him to stay away from these problem-producing foods. If he will drink a lot of water, along with using skin products that will help promote a more bacteria-free environment, hopefully he will see improvement in his skin. I would go this route first (the dietary one) and see how it goes. If all else fails, there are always drugs he can take or apply topically, but they do have their individual side effects along with their ability to possibly help clear his skin up.

If you haven’t read them yet, I highly recommend the following articles:  

• Teenage Skin—what you need to know
• Oral Antibiotics: Good for clearing up your skin or not?
• Accutane: all links so far 
• The Basics 1-2-3 Program for proper skin care
• The Extras—Do more to have healthy skin 

If you’ve lucked out and your teen isn’t having any skin issues yet you want to start them on a simple routine, see:

• Starting your youngster on a skin care routine

Do you have dry, itchy skin on your body?

Below is the case of a woman with dry skin due to hormone changes, but the information provided can help anyone with dry, itchy skin.

I had my ovaries removed 3 months ago and my skin on my entire body is so dry, it’s driving me crazy. I can literally scrape the dead skin off!

I am on estrogen medication, and when I asked my doctor what I could do, he said the dry skin is part of “the change” and that maybe in 6 months or so it will get better.

I live in Florida, so dry skin shouldn’t be such a problem in my life. Is there anything I can do to keep my skin from itching and get rid of all this dry skin?

This is a common problem for women who are going through perimenopause or really anyone living in a dry climate. To add to that, this client also had her estrogen-producing ovaries removed, so her skin just doesn’t have much of a chance to lubricate itself. Although, as the doctor said, there may not be any cures for the dry skin, I do believe there are things you can do to help the dryness from driving you crazy.

I asked this client if she had ever used body oils. Her answer was no. I asked if she had oil she used in her kitchen, she said yes. I told her to pour out about 1/4 cup of the oil into a container she could take into her shower with her. Here are the instructions I gave her:

• After she had done everything in the shower,  keep the shower water running and take some of the oil and start spreading it over her body.
• Start with the legs, but don’t put oil on the bottoms of your feet! Otherwise you might slip and fall in the tub.
• Apply the oil in a medium layer to your entire body, back, front, up and down.
• Massage the oil in to the skin, then let the water rinse any oil off that will come off.
• Once you are out of the shower, don’t rub with your towel, but pat dry. This way the oil will have a better chance of staying on your skin.
• You can apply an oil after you have gotten out of the shower or bathtub, but don’t dry your skin off first; apply any oil to wet skin, massage in and let it have it time to soak in.

You can also use this oil method in a bathtub, also being careful not to get oil on the bottoms of your feet, so when you’re exiting the tub you don’t slip and fall. Pour some oil into the bath water and while you’re there, smooth the oily water over all of your dry spots. Since oil is lighter than water, it will stay on the surface so be sure to massage any oil in where the water line was once you’re out of the tub.

An alternative to using plain oil from your kitchen is a get a manufactured product made specifically for (body) skin. Yonka has several body oils in its lineup and there are many other product lines that do as well. These will be more expensive, obviously, than a kitchen oil but look around and find one you like and one that has an aromatic that is pleasing since this scent will remain on you for a while after its application.

I wouldn’t put clothes on immediately—or at least I wouldn’t dress up. Bed or house clothes won’t matter as much if any oil residue gets on them. The more you massage the oil into your skin, the less it will affect any clothing you put on after the shower. You also get the benefit of blood circulation from the massage (as well as from the heat from the shower you just took).

Although I’m not a fan of mineral oil products for the face, when it comes to dry, itchy skin on the body these heavier, non-penetrating oils may be just the ticket to help with true-dry skin. Body lotions with mineral oil as a top ingredient are easy to obtain in most any kind of store that caries body products. You will probably find that these types of lotions will go far to helping your dry skin.

Exfoliation gloves make an excellent choice for getting rid of the dead skin on your body. You simply slip the gloves on, apply a bath gel, and go over all parts of your body. These gloves are easily rinsed out and can make exfoliating not only easy but fun as well. Be sure not to rub too hard, lest you cause skin irritation. And do be sure to thoroughly rinse the gloves before hanging them on the towel rack to dry, or throw them in the washing machine. More information on this exfoliation process can be found in the link below.

You may not be going through menopause, but perhaps you live in a cold and/or dry environment. The same oil application can help you too. During winter here in Colorado (and I know in Chicago), if the cold air doesn’t get you, the heat inside the buildings will! Using oil on your body with truly dried out skin is the most effective way to get rid of that dry feeling.

For more information, see:

• BODY: The many ways to exfoliate This, too, is an important step to get the skin on your body feeling less dried out!
• Returning to an old favorite—Exfoliation Gloves
• Dry hands? A simple solution for happy, hydrated hands

Problem Skin Q & As—Monthly Breakout

I am 32 years old, and a few years ago blemishes and acne started to bother me, especially during my monthly cycle.

The blemishes I have are mostly red and swollen spots that do not have a white head or open pore. I have tried many acne treatments, but the results have not been good. The red and swollen spots just stay there and do not go away—even with days of treatment.

If I leave them untreated, these red spots will shrink a bit and turn dark red but remain there. Then dead skin starts to build up and cover the spots like a scar. The blemishes are bothering me a lot and new ones are popping up before the old ones go away. It’s like a nonstop cycle. I am interested in knowing what would help me.

Skin care isn’t just topical (product driven), it is initially and primarily internal—reflecting how your body is handling food, hormones, stress, and environment.

• Do you eat sugar, and if so, how much? 
• Do you have a balanced diet filled with healthy foods? 
• Do you drink much water? 
• Sodas? 

All of these will affect the state of your skin. Products can be quite effective on problem skin. But what you must truly understand is unless the root cause is found and fixed, the skin care problems can and probably will continue.

The first thing I want to know about her skin is why did it change a few years ago? Did something change in her world or her body that caused her skin to suddenly become a problem? For example, did she have a baby? Did she move, change her diet, or start taking medication? There are endless possibilities as to what might have changed (been added or taken away) in her life.

It is not unusual for blemishes to present themselves or worsen during a woman’s monthly cycle. Taking evening primrose oil would be something to consider to see if it helps keep the symptoms of PMS to a minimum. This supplement will probably not keep all breakout from happening, but hopefully it will help to lessen skin problems as well as ease the other symptoms of PMS at the same time.

Making the distinction that her blemishes are red and swollen but without a head is important. Without a white or yellow pus-filled head, these types of blemishes are not extractable. If, in an attempt to get rid of them, you try to squeeze or otherwise self-extract, you will pay for your actions. Since there is no opening for the infected debris to exit the pore, when pressure is applied (through picking or squeezing), the infected mass has to go somewhere, so it breaks through surrounding follicle walls underneath the surface, which unfortunately spreads the infection. This means the blemish will look bigger and take longer to go away. In the case of blemishes like this client’s, without a clear and defined head, using clay and/or essential oils is the best and only recommended course of treatment.

I will assume she was using the traditional treatments available over the counter, which include benzoyl peroxide products and perhaps products with salicylic acid and possibly even alcohol (the bad kind). If so, this is probably why she has found little or no relief. Drying the cysts just isn’t going to get rid of them. Drying out this already irritated, infected skin can cause the blemishes to become even more red and sensitive than if you didn’t treat them at all. When it comes to clearing up breakout, benzoyl peroxide products usually come up short.

That the spots just stay there and do not go away may be helped by increasing your water intake. Water flushes toxins out of the body, and since blemishes are a sign of toxic overload, drinking more water is always a good course of action. In terms of the spots taking so long to go away, the depth of the cysts will be exemplified by the length of time it takes for them to clear. Simply put, the deeper the damage, the longer the healing time. This is not unusual, it is just the frustrating part of having problem skin.

The mention of a nonstop cycle of blemishes is the second clue that something is amiss. The first clue is the actual breakout. Something inside your body is out of balance, and your skin’s reaction is the proof. This says to me that something is constantly or consistently being introduced into her daily life that is affecting her skin; it might be through food, drink, stress, or perhaps even products.

Knowing the details of her diet including water intake and of course how much sugar she has in her diet will help me know how to guide her into better lifestyle habits. Then, after finding out what products she uses and making any adjustments there, I would explain how to treat the blemishes themselves—topically. These suggestions include geranium or lavender oil for the spots, regularly exfoliating dead cells, and using a clay mask several times a week. I would suggest also using a regular daily program with pH balanced products meant for problem skin.

I usually break out one week before and one week after my period, mostly on my chin along with some blackheads there and on my nose. I use a topical acne medication (Benzamycin®*), which I would love to eliminate completely. I cannot use products designed specifically for acne. They are too drying and irritating and actually cause major breakouts. I tried Proactiv—what a horror show my face was!

*Benzamycin is a gel that combines benzoyl peroxide with erythromycin, an antibiotic.

I think these comments represent a lot of people’s experiences. She gets some breakout and has a slight blackhead problem, but her skin is not in a constant problem state. She’s used prescription and over the counter products and has even tried products seen on TV infomercials. From what she said, she hasn’t found anything that is really helping.

Taking evening primrose oil may help to even out her pre- and post-menstrual breakouts. If the medication is doing more harm than good, or if it is simply ineffective, using other spot treatments might be the answer. For the blemishes themselves, I recommend geranium oil with or without dotting with clay mask. I would also caution her to be very conscious of her sugar consumption leading up to and following her period. Sugar is just going to create more problems with her skin. Generally, sugar cravings increase near a woman’s period. It’s a cruel joke of nature, really. We reach for the very thing that will cause problems with our skin.

For more information, see:

• YONKA Problem Skin Helpers + more
• Geranium (or lavender) essential oil—spot remover for breakouts: How to use it and how NOT to use it
• Evening Primrose Oil for PMS and more

Starting your youngster on a skin care routine

My daughters are still young—8 years old and 10 years old. When should I start them on a simple skin program?

The best time to begin teaching your kids about taking care of their skin is when puberty starts. It is during puberty that changes begin to take place, although not always in the form of breakouts and other skin issues. Usually before puberty the skin is functioning perfectly and there are few if any problems with a child’s skin.

Clean skin is important regardless of age, so if you wanted to teach them how to properly clean their skin, that would be a wonderful first step to their eventual skin care routine. I’d recommend having them cleanse in the evening before bedtime. After a day of school and outdoor activities, learning the importance of going to bed with clean skin will benefit them in the future—especially when they start wearing makeup. One of the biggest skin care no-nos is to go to bed with makeup on!

Later on, when they get a bit older, and especially if one or both of them starts having problems with their skin, you can add products and procedures that will benefit whatever is going on. Eventually they will want to do The Basics 1-2-3 (see link below) throughout their lives along with exfoliating and clay masks (The Extras). For now, simple cleansing is a great start for your young girls.

My teenage daughter is just getting interested in taking care of her skin. Do you have any suggestions as to what a young lady should do?

If your daughter has clean, blemish-free skin, she probably doesn’t need much in the way of a program other than a good cleanser. If she is wanting to start a skin care regime or is already wearing makeup, then here is what I would recommend for a teenager with clear skin. 

• Have her use a gentle cleanser, like Cetaphil, which you can find at any grocery or drug store. 
• Follow this with a toner that does not contain alcohol. I recommend putting the toner in a spray bottle. 
• As far as moisturizer, she may not need one yet, but if so, you may have to experiment before you find one that works for her. It shouldn’t contain much oil, and certainly not mineral oil. 
• At her age, she really doesn’t need eye cream. She can start using it after she has turned the corner on 20 or so. 

Remember, as a young person, your daughter’s skin is probably functioning perfectly, more so than at any other time in her life. Once she passes into the childbearing years, her skin will be subject to changing due to hormone fluctuations. If she’s already well into her teen years, she may not experience breakouts due to hormone fluctuations since she, no doubt, is already having hormone surges.

For more details on what to do and what not to do for your teenager’s skin (whether problems are present or not), see:

• Teenage Skin—what you need to know  
• The Basics 1-2-3 Program  
• Product Recommendations—a teenager Q & A

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comment:

1. 
   Marine March 24, 2015 at 8:11 PM

   My daughter is 14 and very involved with taking care of her skin. She always gets compliments on how clear and glowing it is. I introduced her to cleansing, masks and facials last year and how she has good habits for life.