Breakout: all links so far

breakout

• A DIY At-Home BACK FACIAL—with a friend’s help of course! (new!)

• Are you letting sweat dry on your skin? If so, this may happen to you... (new!)

• Back Breakout—What NOT to Use (new!)

• Blemish Help Quick Tip

• Breakouts, dermatologists, picking—this client has it all in her questions!

• Breakouts explained: What exactly is breakout?

• Case study: Paige’s breakout

• Covering breakout with foundation—is that OK? (upcoming)

• Dermatology, skin care & 2 sets of belief systems

• Essential oils don’t just smell good, they really help with problem skin! (coming soon!)

• Forehead breakouts Q & As

• Gaining control of problem skin—important recommendations

• Getting rid of BACK BREAKOUT: facials, nutrition, and client questions (new!)

• Help for Breakouts

• “How long does it take to clear up problem skin?”

• “I’m breaking out & need your help today!” Simple steps to take if you can’t see your aesthetician

• Is pressure breakout a problem for you (or your kid)?

• Little bumps above the chin that won’t go away (new!)

• MYTH: Food doesn’t affect skin

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

• Problem skin? ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS & become a skin care sleuth—updated

• Problem skin profile: Donna—constipated with problem skin

• Problem skin profile: Stephanie—breakouts, stress, moving to a new city & more!

• Problem Skin Q & As—Monthly Breakout

• Rashy breakout around your mouth? A client’s question

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

• Sugar & Skin Problem

• Sugar, wine, and breakout (new!)

• What is causing your breakout?

• What NOT to use on your breakouts + an unexpected breakout contributor

• Why does skin break out? More contributing factors

• Stress + the Pill can = breakouts—a client profile

Sugar, wine, and breakout

I understand your stance on sugar and it causing problems with people’s skin. What about wine and its sugar content? Can drinking wine cause breakout?

When grapes are picked, they contain about 24% sugar by weight. That is a lot of sugar! During the fermentation of wine, yeast eats up this sugar and expels alcohol. So the process of making wine does reduce the amount of sugar in this alcoholic beverage. During most of my adult life, I was rarely if ever affected by the sugar content in wine. I didn’t breakout from wine (that I know of) and I am one of the most sensitive people when it comes to sugar.

Sweeter wines will have a higher sugar content, drier varieties will have less sugar. Dessert wines, of course, will have the highest sugar content of all. Because grapes are some of the sweetest, most sugar-concentrated fruits, and wine is made from grapes, you will find a higher sugar content in wine than other alcoholic libations. If you are sensitive to sugar, you may break out from drinking wine—it’s not out of the question. I’ve talked a lot about my own sensitivities to sugar, and following is yet another, perhaps surprising example of how sugar, in all its many forms, can affect your body if you are sensitive to it.

A few members of my family are wine makers. They have a small vineyard on their property and make wine for their personal consumption. One of the benefits, aside from having access to wonderful wines that are home grown, is I can have them test the RS (residual sugar) in any bottle of wine. I have asked to have two different bottles of white wine tested in the past few months because I had developed canker sores in my mouth for no obvious reason. Obvious meaning I ate ice cream or had a cookie or two, which even now at 59 will cause these sores to form.

Since on these two occasions, months apart, I had really bad canker sores, I had these wines tested and sure enough: they both had a high RS. Amazing! And problem solved. Neither one of these wines tasted particularly sweet—I don’t like sweet wine—but still they both had high residual sugar and that means I simply won’t drink them. If you’ve ever had canker sores, you understand why. It’s nice to have the RS confirmed by a wine maker with all the testing tools, something that is probably not readily available to most people, but if you get blemishes or canker sores after drinking a new bottle of wine, your body’s reaction might be the only test you need.

Although I no longer get blemishes if I eat things that are sugary, I am still prone to canker sores—something I also had a lot of when I was a very young girl. Both then as a young person, well before my teenage years and now after menopause, my hormones weren’t surging and therefore I didn’t then and don’t now get blemishes. But due to my extreme sensitivity to sugar, with these high RS wines, I developed canker sores. I find this so interesting!

My experience, although just one, is an example of the power of sugar and how even though you might have grown out of skin breakouts, if you are sensitive to sugar it can and probably will still affect you throughout your life. I find this fascinating and it keeps me from eating or drinking anything that has even a modest sugar content. Except for the rare time when I just give in and let go of my normal abstinence and just live a little!

For more information, see:

• Alcohol: What drinking does to your skin
• I’m sensitive to sugar—are you?
• “I don’t eat much sugar”—really?

Little bumps above the chin that won’t go away

On my upper chin (below the lip area) I have these little bumps that have been there for as long as I can remember, and they won’t go away. I can’t see them (unless under a particular light, close up in scrutiny), and the area is smooth when touched. However, when the area is stretched (as when making a face) I can then feel these little bumps. What can I do?

My first recommendations to not focus too much on those little, undetectable bumps. I do know what you are talking about, however. They are probably little pockets of oil sitting just under the surface of your skin. And sometimes even the clay mask cannot get rid of them—they have too much dead skin grown over them.

One thing you can do, but you have to be gentle, is to use a scrub in that area. I emphasize being gentle because in my experience, people who focus on these sort of undetectable places tend to be a bit too gungho about getting rid of them. Also using a clay mask may or may not help to minimize the size of these little pockets, as mentioned before the small places may have too much dead skin over them, still clay may help. If you get facials, be sure your aesthetician is aware of these spots; she can probably extract them during the treatment.

I realize this client is looking for a complete removal answer to her problem, albeit hidden bumps. Other than ignoring them (that won’t happen) or using the steps I’ve suggested, sometimes problems resolve over time. It very well could be something in her diet that is causing those places. Dairy can create small whiteheads or clogged pores on certain people’s faces. It could simply be an oil buildup that isn’t getting enough attention in her routine. Whatever the reason they exist, if she—if you—examine many different avenues in your life that your problem skin may be happening from, you very well may discover the answer to your questions.

For more information, see:

• Problem skin? ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS & become a skin care sleuth
• “I don’t eat much sugar”—really?
• Hidden Sugar: Sugar in Unsuspected Places

Are you letting sweat dry on your skin? If so, this may happen to you...

In the past few years, I have had many breakouts. Mostly in weird spots like my neck and behind my ears. I always drink 8-10 glasses of water each day. I also work out on a regular basis.

Within the last year I have increased my fruits and vegetables significantly. I am also cutting back on sugar and am trying to eat more organic foods to limit the number of toxins in my body. However the changes haven’t seemed to help my blemishes.

This problem could simply be a matter of not getting the sweat off your face after working out. The location of the problems is the first clue. The neck isn’t a very likely place for breakout to occur. Maybe occasionally, but not on an ongoing basis. Then behind the ears is equally unusual. Sweat, however, is commonly found in both of these places.

I have had numerous clients come in for their facials over the years with “unexplained” breakout in strange and unusual places. Sometimes the client complains about them, sometimes I discover them myself. If you follow the line where sweat not only forms but where it might drip and run, you might also be describing the location of breakouts in “weird spots.”

If sweat from exercise is the culprit, you want to always be sure to splash-rinse your face and neck with water after you stop exercising. If you aren’t near water, be sure to splash or wash your face as soon as possible. Don’t let sweat dry on your skin. It is irritating and can cause problems, especially in these odd areas. 

Sweat may not be the problem, and your blemishes could be due to hormones. There are many factors to consider when it comes to skin breaking out.

Keep analyzing your life—in general, and specifically—on a daily basis to become aware of what you may be eating, doing, or engaging in that might be making your blemishes worse. I will say time and again, problem skin is caused by something. It is up to you to decipher all the elements and components that make up your life and be the sleuth, helping to figure out why the problems are occurring.

For more information, see:

• NO SWEAT: What happens when sweat dries on your skin?
• Is pressure breakout a problem for you (or your kid)?
• Problem skin? ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS & become a skin care sleuth

Problem skin? ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS & become a skin care sleuth

I am always telling my clients who have skin issues that something is causing their skin issues—they are not “just happening,” although the cause may not be apparent right now. I encourage them as well as you to be a sleuth into your own lives and lifestyles and to try to break down the different elements  to find possible causes for your breakouts.

• If it’s a new breakout, what is new in your life? 
• Are you using new skin care products, shampoo, even laundry detergent? 
• Have you eaten new or unusual foods you don’t normally eat? 
• Have you eaten more sugar than you ordinarily eat? 
• Is it Halloween or your birthday? 
• Have the Girl Scouts been coming around? 
• Has your monthly cycle changed? 
• Are you going through puberty? 
• What about the amount of stress in your life? 

Try to break down your lifestyle habits to see if there is a correlation between something you’re doing, eating, or not doing, and how this may be affecting your skin. Breakout usually has multiple causes, but eliminating the ones you think might be contributing to your skin problems is a good start to clearer skin.

My skin has been a daily task to keep clear for the last ten years. I have a very mild acne problem, and it bothers me. I have tried everything in creation to keep my skin clear, but there always seems to be a spot or two at any given time. I have very sensitive skin that does not respond well to AHAs or other acid products, and most oils found in many products bother my skin.

I use Cetaphil to cleanse with and it works wonders (I love that product). I need an exfoliator to use before I wash with my cleanser. I have also used your gommage and was happy with the results and how it didn’t bother my skin. I appreciate any advice or comments you may have for me.

Since her breakouts are ongoing, she is definitely doing something on an ongoing basis to encourage her problem skin. Her use of the term acne may be an overstatement, but that is my own opinion. The acne I call acne is the full-blown cystic type.

AHAs and other strong acid products don’t work for many people. And if you have any sensitivities and especially if you have redness in your skin, I don’t recommend them.

Cetaphil cleanser works well for many people. It is inexpensive and easy to find. I need an exfoliator to use before I wash with my cleanser. You actually want to cleanse before you exfoliate. Cleansing first gets the debris off the surface of the skin, giving your exfoliator a better chance to do its job. The gommage is a great way to get rid of a lot of dead skin while not irritating or otherwise causing problems for sensitive skin. She could use this product several times per week.

I would advise her to really take a long, hard look at her diet and see if she has hidden or even obvious sugar that she may not be counting as contributing to her ongoing problem skin. Many people just haven’t yet come to this realization about diet (especially sugar) and how it affects skin, which is why I talk so much about it.

For more information, see:

• Gaining control of problem skin—important recommendations
• What is causing your breakouts?
• “I don’t eat much sugar”—really?

Getting rid of BACK BREAKOUT: facials, nutrition, and client questions

I get a lot of breakout on my back. It is practically impossible for me to reach this area. What can I do to help the problem, and why does my back break out in the first place?

First off, because we are dealing with skin, its location is less relevant than you may think. As long as you are producing infected blemishes, you want to essentially treat them the same no matter where they appear on your body.

When it comes to treating the skin on your back, it can be challenging. But there are ways you can get to that skin, even if you have to employ another person in the process. The answer to why you are breaking out there is the same as if you were having breakouts on your face. Internally something is out of balance, and in my opinion, diet is most likely at the root of the problem.

Watch your sugar intake. As I have written about in many articles, this (sugar) is a common ingredient that can and does cause a lot of problems with skin—namely breakouts. Water is one of the best things for your body. If you aren’t currently drinking enough (or any) water each day, start now to drink more water, which helps to rid toxins from your body. If you sweat a lot, are you able to rinse it off your back? Or does the sweat just sit there on your skin for long periods of time? This can be a source of irritation and potential breakout, especially if you are sweating during workouts. Rinse the sweat off your entire body before it has a chance to dry on the skin. 

If you can afford it, get a back facial at a salon or spa. Call first to be sure they offer this service and if you have the time, go by the establishment and see where you will be receiving the treatment before you even make an appointment. Why? Some facial chairs just don’t translate into good tables for back facials. You want a versatile chair that will ensure your comfort during the process. The salon may have you lie on a massage table, which is fine. Ask them to prop up your feet if that makes you feel more comfortable. They probably have a bolster to put under the tops of your ankles for this very purpose.

If a professional facial is out of the question, I have written a comprehensive article on how to tend to back breakout at home, which also relates to any problem skin you may have on your chest as well (listed below). You can give yourself a back facial, but for obvious reasons much of the surface area of your back will simply be left untreated. You really need another person’s help in order to get to the entire back area. 

What is the most effective way to get rid of acne on the chest and upper back? Do you have any practical tips on how to take care of that area? It seems that it’s easier to take care of acne on the face, but on the chest it’s a lot harder. The only time I can really cleanse in these places is when I take a shower in the AM.

In one way, breakout is breakout. How you’d treat problem skin on your face is just about the same as how you’d handle chest and/or back acne. The biggest difference, of course, is location and simply put—your face is much easier to reach than your back.

As I’ve said over and over again—problem skin, be it acne, simple breakout, or the occasional pimple, is a multifaceted process when it comes to clearing things up. Without evaluating your diet (what you put into your body, both eating and drinking) as well as looking at your age (hormonally, where are you at?) then of course how you are taking care (or not taking care) of your skin—both face and body— on a daily basis, it is doubtful you will be able to tackle the problem skin you are experiencing with much success.

There are many medications to be taken and I have written about that here on this blog. In the case of chest and back acne (true acne, not just occasional breakout), sometimes taking an oral and/or a topical medication is the only way to treat the problem in these locations. I’m definitely an advocate of proper everything else before leaning on mediations, but sometimes doing something short-term (taking a pill) can help jumpstart a new lifestyle program that, if you have acne, will no doubt need to happen.

I understand the frustration with not being able to reach these areas and treat them as easily as you can your face, but give the suggestions in this and other articles on breakout a try, look for that trusted helper, and continue reading on how to treat breakout that will give you more guidelines and helpful hints and will hopefully make it easier for you to have clear skin all over.

For more information, see:

• A DIY At-Home BACK FACIAL—with a friend’s help of course!
• Dermatology, skin care & 2 sets of belief systems
• NO SWEAT: What happens when sweat dries on your skin?
• Geranium (or lavender) essential oil—spot remover for breakouts: How to use it and how NOT to use it

A DIY At-Home BACK FACIAL—with a friend’s help of course!

I have seen articles and videos on giving yourself a back facial. If this is the avenue you want to take, go for it! However, I think you will have a better, more thorough experience if you simply ask a friend for help, perhaps a family member or even your roommate. If there is someone in your life you trust to do a good job, ask them to give you a back facial. You could get a back facial as often as you can find someone to give one to you. Just like any treatment for blemishes on your face, the more kind attention you give problem skin, the better it is for helping the healing process.

Here are some instructions for your back facial treatment:

• After taking a shower to get yourself cleaned off, lay a towel or two down on the floor and lie face down.
• Have your helper use a mild scrub mixed with water on your back. If you have large red and pus-filled blemishes, a scrub is not a good idea. It is important to exfoliate back there, but you certainly don’t want to break open the spots and possibly spread the bacteria to other places on your skin.
• Other than scrubs, a gel-peel (like a gommage) or another type of non-abrasive peel, like a papaya enzyme peel, would be preferable. If you don’t have access to an exfoliant or if it would be inappropriate to use one, just skip to the next step.
• After the scrub (or other exfoliator) is removed, apply a clay mask.
• Usually back breakouts are in the upper region, near the shoulders. If your entire back is broken out, you will probably go through a lot of mask, but it is very helpful to get it on the spots. If you don’t have enough mask to go over the entire area, be sure to dot clay liberally on all the blemishes individually—even if they cover your whole back. If possible, spread the clay over the entire area as mentioned above.

• Ideally you want to keep the mask moist. This way you won’t dry out the outer skin. You can either spray the mask with toner or filtered water. Or, if you are so inclined, your assistant can take tissues and soak them in either toner or water and place them on your skin as a compress where the clay has been applied.
• Leave the mask for 15 minutes or so.
• Then you can either shower to remove the clay or your helper can remove it with a warm (not hot) washcloth. Just be sure not to rub hard or scrub with the washcloth.
• After the mask is cleaned off, I suggest spraying one last application of toner on the area and massaging it in.
• If you have any medications or special products you are using for the blemishes, apply those last. Geranium or lavender essential oil would be a good choice to help treat the individual spots. (Both of these and essential oils in general are written about extensively on this blog. See categories.)

I have one last recommendation: Don’t let your helper pick at your blemishes unless he or she knows how to extract properly. I have heard countless stories of partners who actually relish popping their mate’s spots. I suppose it is just a natural maternal instinct that we have. But if done incorrectly, this process can cause more harm than good. However, some places may need to be extracted.

Please understand, facials, whether for your back or your face, will not eliminate your skin problems completely. Your breakout originates from a systemic imbalance, and treating the symptom (breakout) topically will only go so far. Treating the problem from the outside can and will help it on many levels, but I want to be sure you are also taking steps to figure out the real cause of the problems. Without figuring out the cause of the imbalance along with action taken toward healthier lifestyle habits, no amount of facials, back or otherwise, will fix the problem at hand.

For more information, see:

• Back Breakout—What NOT to Use
• A Note to All Pickers—you know who you are!!! (Please read up on how to do this—if you must—for the best results!)
• Sugar & Skin Problems
• Geranium (or lavender) essential oil—spot remover for breakouts: How to use it and how NOT to use it

Easier said than done

Back Breakout—What NOT to Use

In a popular beauty book, the author recommends using dishwashing detergent followed by benzoyl peroxide for back breakouts. Now, I am only one person, but I have a fair amount of common sense. I can see how the author thinks if detergent gets the grease off her dishes surely it would be an acceptable product to use on human skin. Because as we all know, skin and porcelain and/or glass are virtually the same thing, right?  

OK, I’ll stop being sarcastic and just tell it like it is. Using dishwashing detergent on your skin is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of! I did a TV show where I had degreasing detergent on the table of what not to use on problem skin. I once knew a client who put dishwashing detergent on her blemishes in an attempt to dry them out. She thought, perhaps as the above mentioned author does, that a degreasing agent would degrease her skin. But the results for my client were irritation coupled with severe peeling on and around the blemishes. I can’t imagine what would happen to the skin on your back if you applied dishwashing detergent even just one time, and then followed it with another known skin irritant: benzoyl peroxide.

This author goes on to recommend applying the dishwashing detergent not with your hands but with a bath brush. You have not only set up the potential for irritation using a product never intended for human skin, but to add insult to injury you are going to ensure severe irritation by using a brush to massage in the product! Is she crazy? No, just very ill-informed. She is not an aesthetician or even a person who has had any experience (from what her bio reads) with skin on a real, up close and personal level. As with anything, look at the source.

The kind of advice in that book is the kind of advice I recommend avoiding at all costs. Those suggestions might look good in a magazine or flash advertising, but to actually be recommending this for readers who have problem skin on their backs (or faces, or wherever) is preposterous. I can only hope that if you choose to read books like that one, you will also use your common sense. How much sense does it make to use dishwashing detergent (meant for dishes and glassware) on your delicate skin? If your answer is, “It kind of makes sense,” then I will just tell you straight up: don’t do it! Dishes are dishes, but human skin is a living organ that needs special care.

For more information, see:

• A DIY At-Home BACK FACIAL
• Getting rid of back breakout: facials, nutrition, and client questions
• Teens, Accutane, and Diet

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.

Acne Q & A—“How long does it take to clear up problem skin?”

Can you provide any referrals for products that treat severe acne?

Severe acne will not be totally eradicated by using products, even with an exceptional treatment product. True acne is a sign of an internal imbalance that needs to be attended to more than just topically. However, treatment products that employ essential oils, which are antiseptic and antibacterial, are perfect for helping to calm down infected skin. Again, nothing used topically is going to fix a problem that stems from the inside, but these types of products can definitely help. 

How long does it take to clear up problem skin?

There is no definitive answer to that question. It is totally individual and depends on numerous factors. “Why is my skin not clear?” would be a good first question to ask yourself. If you continue to do things that contribute to poor-quality skin, then your skin may never clear up. Improper cleansing, sleeping with makeup on, using products that are drying, eating sugar or junk food, disregarding constipation, and not drinking enough water are just some of the factors that help to create unhealthy-looking, unclear skin.

Then there is the genetic component that cannot be overlooked. You can have all the unhealthy habits in the world and still (perhaps) get away with it due to inheriting miraculous genes for good skin. On the other hand, the opposite can also be true. You can do all the “right” things to support internal and external health, and having clear skin still may be a struggle if you have a genetic makeup that predisposes you to having problem skin.

So my answer to the question “How long does it take to clear up problem skin?” is: Good question!

What are you willing to do to improve the balance of health inside and out? Perhaps adopting a life philosophy where you see you are either contributing to your healthy mind and body or contributing to the destruction of health, incluidng your skin. This, by the way, can apply to any and every area of your life—not just your diet and how you are taking care of your skin.

Ask yourself these questions: How are you contributing to or contaminating your skin? Your body? Your health? I bet the answers you come up with will not only be interesting, but will help you understand how you could be causing your skin problems. And also (here’s the good news), how you can be the creator of healthy skin.

For more information, see:

• What is acne? Acne explained
• A confused client needs help: “Dry? Acne? Rosacea? What is going on with my skin?”
• Problem skin? ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS & become a skin care sleuth

Breakouts, dermatologists, picking—this client has it all in her questions!

I am 27 years old and have fair to medium skin tone. I have combination skin; oily in the t-zone with frequent breakouts on the chin, around my nose, and between the cheek and mouth area, especially around my cycle or when I’m under stress. I have mild breakouts, but they never seem to cease.

I have tried numerous products along with making visits to dermatologists and even switching to a birth control pill that claims to help with acne breakouts. I am guilty of picking at those annoying little bumps and using alcohol. I have also used topical products such as benzoyl peroxide and products that contain salicylic acid.

My skin seems to have become less oily this year, but it still keeps breaking out! Since reading your book I have stopped wearing foundation, except to cover blemishes. I have stopped going to the tanning salon, started to drink lots more water, have been trying to limit the amount of sugar I consume in my diet, and have become better regimented about cleaning my face twice a day.
 

In addition, I am concerned about all of the various products and medications that I have used, and cost is important to me at this time. I would like to continue to make skin care a top priority.

I am including this email because I want to break it down and see if I can clear up some important points as well as give you some solutions to your problem skin.

I am 27 years old and have fair to medium skin tone. I have combination skin; oily in the t-zone with frequent breakouts on the chin, around my nose, and between the cheek and mouth area, especially around my cycle or when I’m under stress. This is a pretty standard description that I hear. She has light to medium skin color, normal to oily skin, with occasional breakouts during or around her period and usually under stress as well.

I have mild breakouts, but they never seem to cease. That the breakouts are never-ceasing says to me that there is something she is doing (ingesting or using) that is continually feeding the breakouts, as mild as they might be.

I have tried numerous products along with making visits to dermatologists and even switching to a birth control pill that claims to help with acne breakouts. Ortho Tri-Cyclen® is the birth control pill that is advertised to help with acne. For some women this pill (or any birth control pill) may help with breakouts, and for others it can cause problem skin.

I am guilty of picking at those annoying little bumps and using alcohol. I have also used topical products such as benzoyl peroxide and products that contain salicylic acid. Picking, especially if done incorrectly, is not a good thing. Alcohol will not help the problem in the long run—or really even in the short term. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid aren’t the best things to use on blemishes and can be too harsh—depending on what kind of products they are in.

My skin seems to have become less oily this year, but it still keeps breaking out! Since reading your book I have stopped wearing foundation, except to cover blemishes. I have stopped going to the tanning salon, started to drink lots more water, have been trying to limit the amount of sugar I consume in my diet, and have become better regimented about cleaning my face twice a day. It sounds like she didn’t have a very good or consistent routine, both in her skin care program and also in her diet and lifestyle habits. She made a few common mistakes. She used “acne control” products that are so prevalent out in the marketplace, along with not drinking very much water, eating a lot of sugary foods, and not being consistent with washing her face on a daily basis.

In a word: NO!

And then there was the tanning salon. If you listen to the owners or people who work at these establishments, you will think this form of UV exposure is the safest thing in the world. Because of her acceptance of the safety of tanning beds, I am going to question what else she may be doing that is contributing to her skin problems that she also may think is OK. All in all, if she just does the “right” things and cuts out all the other stuff she has been doing, my guess is her skin will reflect this better care, which up until now it had not been receiving.

In addition, I am concerned about all of the various products and medications that I have used and cost is important to me at this time. I would like to continue to make skin care a top priority. I agree on all counts. There are so many products to choose from out on the market, along with prescriptions available from doctors. I encourage you to become a responsible consumer; know what you are taking and its effects on your skin and body.

If you find products that work for you, money may become secondary. If you can stick with something that makes a difference, you will save money by not needing to experiment anymore. I think making skin care a top priority is a great choice. It sounds like change from the past is what she needs in order to have clearer skin in the future.

For more information, see:

• Help for Breakouts
• “I don’t eat much sugar”—really?
• Tanning Beds—Just Don’t!

Gaining control of problem skin: Your Ultimate Guide

In order to gain control of problem skin, there are a few important items that should not be overlooked. Although I have already mentioned some of the following problem solvers in other articles (some listed below), I am repeating them here as a consolidated body of information you can easily refer to.

If you can incorporate all of these into your day, although there are no guarantees, I would be surprised if you did not see some marked improvement in your skin. These are not in any particular order of importance, but they are all important for keeping your body—and therefore your skin—healthy, inside and out.

Water. Drinking enough water throughout the day will really help your body get rid of toxins. Water is in no way a cure-all, but without it all of your eliminating organs (including your skin) have to work harder. The goal is to make it easier for your body to eliminate toxins. Eight 8-ounce glasses a day is the minimum to maintain healthy cells and overall hydration. I don’t recommend tap water because it contains chemicals, such as chlorine. Purchase clean, filtered water or get a water filter for your tap.

No sugar (of any kind). If you follow this one piece of advice, it will go a long way to helping your skin clear up. I have seen this to be true in my own skin as well as dozens of my clients throughout the years. Sugar is a major contributor to problem skin.

Chlorophyll. For anyone experiencing breakout, I recommend supplementing with liquid chlorophyll. In short, chlorophyll acts as an internal cleanser, helping to eliminate toxins from the body. It’s a health aid in numerous ways, but I have had a lot of clients find good results by taking “nature’s green drink” to help with their problem skin. As an added benefit (and another reason why I recommend it to my clients), chlorophyll helps to relieve constipation. Constipation can be a contributing factor to problem skin.

Evening primrose oil can help to reduce the amount of oil produced by the sebaceous glands. In some cases it can help to reduce breakouts.

No sun exposure if you can help it. I’m not saying don’t go outside; I mean no direct sunlight on your face. Sometimes you can’t help getting exposure, but certainly don’t purposefully bask in the sun thinking it will clear up your problem skin. It won’t. Heat activates all glandular activity, including your oil glands. In fact, with the worst case scenario, it will increase the amount of breakout you are experiencing. If you have to be in the sun, wear protection such as a wide-brimmed hat, and as always, wear sunscreen.

Don’t wash too much. This has the potential to stimulate the sebaceous glands and create more oil. Twice a day and anytime after you have been sweating is all you need. Don’t think cleaning the surface will eliminate the problem. Try to look at the problems with your skin as stemming from an imbalance on the inside, not just breakout on the outside. And remember, no soaps; only use non-alkaline cleansers.

Don’t let sweat dry on your skin. Immediately rinse your face with water after exercising. You don’t ever want sweat to dry on the surface of your skin. Otherwise you’re just asking for trouble.

There are no guarantees that any of the suggestions here will completely or even partially clear up your problem skin. I offer them because in my experience with my clients, they have had good results incorporating some or all of these recommendations. There are many routes to healthy, clear skin. The road I prefer is getting to the cause of the problem and trying to fix it from the inside out.

If your skin gets beyond your control, and you don’t feel comfortable altering your diet and lifestyle habits, perhaps you would be a good candidate for seeking out a dermatologist’s care. He or she will be able to prescribe oral and/or topical medications that have been proven to help people with problem skin. My feeling, however, is that whichever route you choose, if you don’t alter your diet and eliminate poor-quality foods such as sugar, you are doing your skin a huge disservice.

Problem skin begs for attention. And although it takes commitment, perseverance, and patience, I know you can experience trouble-free skin if you are willing to be open to change. In life, I believe anything is possible.

For corresponding articles to some of the above problem solvers, see:

• Water—It’s Important!: all links so far
• Sugar & Skin: all links so far
• How chlorophyll can help your skin (and ease constipation)
• Evening Primrose Oil for PMS and more
• NO SWEAT: What happens when sweat dries on your skin?
• Problem skin? ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS & become a skin care sleuth 

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