Proactiv—Solution? Part II: Donn’s story

Donn is a beautiful young black man. He is fit, happy, and healthy. He eats a good diet and yet was still experiencing skin troubles—mostly located in his beard area.

Men—especially African-American men—have a propensity to develop a condition called pseudofolliculitis barbae. This is where the hair coming up to form the beard cannot find its way straight to the surface. For black men, this is primarily because of the curly nature of their hair. But men of all races can face this dilemma. The result is what seems like acne in their beard area. Some men have so many problems with pseudofolliculitis, they may simply let their beards grow and not deal with the daily hassle of these ingrown hairs.

Donn had to take daily medication for an unrelated condition. Although he was only on the medication for a year, it caused a lot of his skin problems. Once he got off the drug therapy, his skin problems persisted, and all he wanted was clear skin. So he turned to the advice of some people who had used Proactiv and decided to give it a try. Why not? He felt he had nothing to lose. After the first month on Proactiv Donn’s skin improved dramatically, and he has enjoyed clear skin ever since.

Donn’s is a success story. He approached me one day and asked if I could tell he used to have skin problems. His skin looked clear, without scars, and his beard didn’t seem to be housing any infected spots—all looked good. That is when he announced he had been using Proactiv for the past eight months—faithfully and successfully. He was so happy he had found something to help his problem skin.

I include Donn’s story for several reasons. First, it is not my goal to knock down every skin care regime out in the marketplace although I don’t find many products that are very effective. Proactiv has “torn up” many of my clients’ faces, but it has also helped some tough cases of problem skin.

A 20-something co-worker of Donn’s also used Proactiv. She said it seemed to work at first, but after a month or so her skin looked dull and felt dry. She didn’t get the results she was looking for and was asking me for recommendations.

This seems to be a common complaint about Proactiv. It helps, or seems to help, at first. Then it either stops working or the skin just can’t adjust to all the drying out and starts to look worse. In my opinion, this isn’t a good enough reason to use Proactiv. However, there are many people who swear by it. Try it and see. It’s pretty inexpensive, but beware if you don’t cancel your required membership after the first shipment you receive, the company will automatically send you a new batch of products on a regular basis—and charge you for them too.

The bottom line is no one product or product line works for everyone. Sometimes, especially if you have problems with your skin (whether breakout or sensitivities like rosacea, for instance), you will have to go through a trial and error period—trying out perhaps many products until you find the one(s) that work.

As you’ve read, Proactiv works for some people and not for others. If you have problem skin, I hope you will utilize the many articles on this blog that, no matter the products you’re using, can help you understand more about why the problems exist.

For more information, see:

• Proactiv—Solution? Part I
• What is Folliculitis? 
• What is causing your breakout?

Yonka’s CREME PS—DISCONTINUED

FINAL UPDATE 9/2017:

BELOVED CREME PS IS NOW OFFICIALLY DISCONTINUED

UPDATE 5/2017:
Yonka will be discontinuing Creme PS soon—probably by summertime. If you love this creme, order it now before it’s gone forever. There are many moisturizers for true-dry skin in the Yonka line, but this happens to be a favorite of a lot of clients. It is also one of the least expensive creams at $54. Oh well, can’t do anything about this change. If you know me at all, you know my very favorite Yonka moisturizer for dry skin is Masque N° 1. CLICK HERE to be taken to one of the articles I’ve written about this wonderful day/night cream. Perhaps this will be a good choice for you!

---

From Yonka headquarters:
CREME PS is a nourishing cream for true-dry (oil-dry) skin. [“PS” stands for pour sèches, which basically means “for dry” in English.] This smooth, nourishing, vitamin-enhanced cream leaves your skin feeling comfortable, supple, and velvety. Hydrated and protected, the skin takes on a beautiful satin appearance. 

Creme PS instantly increases the skin's elasticity and restores suppleness. It helps to defeat dryness with a synergetic hydration-softening action. It provides a visible nourishing boost while your complexion gains a new vitality and even tone. This deep-penetrating cream stimulates the skin's ability to repair and leaves the surface feeling supple and hydrated.

With all the Yonka descriptions above, I can say as an aesthetician recommending this cream for years, Creme PS is a wonderful, all-around good moisturizer for true-dry (oil-dry) skin. In other words—it works!

Essential ingredients:

• Wheatgerm oil, olive oil, lecithin, beeswax—nourishing, protecting
• Vitamin F—anti-dehydrating
  PCA—hydrating
  Vitamins A and E—antioxidants, regenerating 
• Allantoin—toning, soothing  
• Climbing ivy—strengthens capillaries, clarifying  
• Yonka “Quintessence” (essential oils of thyme, lavender, cypress, geranium, and rosemary)—vitalizing, balancing

Directions for use:

In the morning and/or evening:

• After cleansing and spraying on Yonka Lotion toner
• Apply a pea-sized dollop of CREME PS over face and neck
• Then use eye cream

For more information, see:

• Yonka—Discontinued: All links so far
• Dry vs. Dehydrated Skin
• Moisturizing—Face: all links so far

Hair Removal Options: Waxing

Please first read Thoughts about Hair Removal Options for some important preliminary information.

Waxing is a popular hair removal technique. Your success rate with waxing will depend on the wax used (there are hot waxes, cold waxes, and some with special ingredients), the aesthetician providing the service (some people have more skill at waxing than others), and how your skin is attended to after the procedure (after waxing, a cream or salve that helps to soothe the skin should be applied). Hair regrowth is individual, but waxing should keep the hair away anywhere from three to six weeks.

Waxing is one of the least expensive ways to remove hair, but it is not a permanent removal, nor is it without side effects for some people. It is possible to have a reaction to certain ingredients in the wax itself, or the skin may become overly irritated due to the process. Welts can form, sometimes blisters, and although these are rare occurrences, they can happen.

Wax is applied to the area and a cheesecloth or cellophane strip is laid on top of the wax. Pressure is applied, and then in one quick movement, the cloth is ripped off the skin, taking with it a lot of hair pulled out from the root. As you may have guessed, or perhaps you have experienced this yourself, waxing is a painful procedure.

The hair needs to be long enough for the wax to grab hold of it. If you are waxing on an ongoing basis, this is not much of a concern; the hair grows in at different rates instead of all at once, making it less noticeable as you are growing it out. But if you’re waxing for the first time, letting your hair grow out can be tedious.

I am not a fan of waxing. When I was an employee at a spa, I had to wax—or at least so my employer thought. I was so against waxing that I would try to talk a waxing client out of getting the procedure, especially facial waxing, and instead opt for an actual facial that had a host of benefits for their skin. Although facials and hair removal are mutually exclusive, I made the spa more money giving a more expensive service, so if I was ever found out, how could they complain? And I was providing the client with solid information about how to take care of his or her skin, which in my eyes was a much more beneficial thing to do.

Because waxing can be lucrative for an aesthetician (employed or self-employed), this may lead her to encourage waxing even when it is clearly not needed. If you have been a victim of this practice and have only had one or two lip waxes, you’re probably OK. But if you continue to wax, your hair may start to grow in darker—different than it was before. So please, take caution. Don’t just go with the flow and agree to a service you are not sure about getting. And don’t wax your lip simply because you think you should.

What do you think about waxing my entire face? I have a lot of hair and it’s dark—especially on the side of my face to my hairline. I hate it and don’t know what else to do but wax. Is that OK?

Please do not start waxing your entire face! Admittedly, there may be some women who can find no other relief for excessive, dark hair growth on their faces. But for most people, this is not why they wax the face. I have met many clients who are obsessed with every little hair they may see growing out of their skin. I know women who wax their lower arms to get rid of all the hair there—even light-colored hair. This is due to some belief that all hair, other than on the head, is bad. And I don’t want you to get caught up in this and subscribe to the ultimate “solution”—waxing.

Waxing your whole face can bring on a host of problems. Ingrown hair, irritation, small bumps that don’t go away, stubble, obsession with your looks, and financial expenditures.

As with anything I may talk about, there are always exceptions. And with any of my recommendations or suggestions, they are only my opinions and may not fit into your lifestyle or needs. You will be the ultimate decision maker about what you do with your face, your skin, your looks. But waxing—especially your entire face—is something I strongly recommend not doing.

For more information, see:

• Shari’s (chin hair) waxing story
• Eyebrows: Should you wax or tweeze?
• Just Say NO to a Lip Wax!

Please do not start waxing your entire face!

A confused client needs help: “Dry? Acne? Rosacea? What is going on with my skin?”

I have dry, scaly patches on my cheeks, but my dermatologist said I have acne. He gave me a topical ointment plus oral antibiotics. Is my skin dry or is it acne? It’s all so confusing! Help! Plus an aesthetician said I have a little rosacea on my cheeks. I’m so sensitive and have spent so much money at the dermatologist and having different treatments—what should I do? What is my skin type?

I love this person’s remarks. She exemplifies the confusion so many people face when it comes to their skin. “A doctor said this, and I am taking a prescription medication, but with little or no results. I don’t understand my skin.” Sometimes clients even say “My skin is confused.” Your skin isn’t confused; it is simply reacting to its environment (internally and externally). Your skin, in fact, knows exactly what to do—and is doing exactly what it needs to do. It is the consumer who gets confused, and for good reason. I will break down her comments to see if I can make better sense of what is going on with her skin.

I have dry, scaly patches on my cheeks, but my dermatologist said I have acne. Dry and scaly skin does not equal acne. If your skin feels dry and looks scaly, you probably need to exfoliate. True scaliness could mean your skin is having an allergic reaction or perhaps an intolerance to a product, especially a new product. Dry and scaly skin could be eczema, a common dermatitis. Dry and scaly could also be your skin’s reaction to harsh and drying products you may be using to decrease oiliness or problem skin. Remember: your skin is reacting to something when it becomes dry and scaly. Look to your skin care habits and the products you are using, even extreme weather conditions, to find out what may be causing these reactions.

He gave me a topical ointment plus oral antibiotics. A topical product for acne may help with breakouts, but it also may be causing the dry and scaly condition of your skin to continue or even get worse. Many times dermatologists prescribe creams and ointments that are meant to dry things out. This, as you know (or will find out), is not how I would go about treating an acne or problem skin condition. If your skin seems drier and more scaly or red and irritated after the prescribed treatment products, don’t use them! Monitor your skin and let it be your guide, but do contact your doctor about any reactions.

Regarding antibiotics, taking anything orally affects your entire body. Constant or repeated use of oral antibiotics can cause several problems. First, it can create a healthy environment for unhealthy bacteria to flourish in your large intestines. Your colon is set up with a particular balance of both good and bad bacteria; antibiotics kill both the bad and the good bacteria. Second, your immune system can weaken from constant use of antibiotics. If and when you really do need to produce antibodies to fight off bacteria, your system is less able to do so, which makes you vulnerable to getting sick. Antibiotics—long term—set up imbalance.

Is my skin dry or is it acne? It’s all so confusing! Plus an aesthetician said I have a little rosacea on my cheeks. I have found acne and rosacea to be the most misdiagnosed conditions or at least the two most overused words to describe skin problems. You may very well have rosacea, although the description of your skin didn’t necessarily indicate that. I would suggest reading about rosacea so you can see if the symptoms match your skin’s condition. The treatment for rosacea is miles apart from acne treatment. Perhaps you truly do have acne or even rosacea, but you may just have problem skin that has been adversely affected by the actual treatment of your problems. Now that is confusing. You may simply have problem/dehydrated skin.

I’m so sensitive and have spent so much money at the dermatologist and having different treatments—what should I do? What is my skin type? If you take away all the treatments and medications that could be causing problems, it might be easier to determine your true skin type. Your skin’s condition is what you need to treat first and foremost. It is the immediate need, secondary to skin type. Once your skin has normalized, you can better determine what products would be effective for your actual type of skin or skin type.

It’s difficult to treat skin conditions yourself if you don’t know what is going on. That is the purpose of my writing—to help you determine for yourself what the problems are and how to go about solving them. I want to give you the knowledge and the tools to help you help yourself. If you have acne and cannot get rid of it by changing your lifestyle habits (or because you refuse to), then absolutely, go see your doctor. Medications may indeed help you, but in this person’s case, it didn’t help her and seemed to cause her skin more problems.

For more information, see:

• What is acne? Acne explained
• Sensitive Skin: Q & A
• Dermatitises (skin inflammations) explained

Yonka’s FRUITELIA PNG & PS: DISCONTINUED

DISCONTINUED 5/2017:
Yonka is on a roll—morphing and discontinuing products at a rapid pace. It’s almost too much to keep up with and it is almost changing this product line so much it will no longer resemble the line I fell in love with over 30 years ago. Regardless, here are the changes for this particular product:

FRUITELIA PNG (for normal to oily skin types) is discontinued. FRUITELIA PS (for true-dry skin) has a name change; at this point I’m not sure about a formulation change, too. It is now called ALPHA FLUID.

I have kept most of the original 12/2016 article below in case anyone is interested in reading about these now gone products. ALPHA FLUID has its own post under that name in Yonka moisturizers as well as Serums & Concentrates.

---

From Yonka headquarters: FRUITELIA creams are moisturizers that employee the exfoliating ability of AHAs. Thanks to fruit extracts naturally rich in alpha hydroxy acids, these creamy emulsions are quickly absorbed and gently renew, hydrate and revitalize the skin. These creams stimulate the renewal of the epidermis, smooth wrinkles and fine lines, soften the complexion, and restore the skin’s natural glow and freshness. Fruitelia leaves your complexion clear, reduces roughness, and smooths out wrinkles and fine lines.

As many of you know who know me, I’m not a fan of AHAs—for the most part. In certain circumstances they can definitely help skin. Where AHAs along with other acid products fall short for me is their action on the delicate capillaries of the face. Acids irritate; that is a normal response to an acidic compound. With the irritation comes a dilation of the capillaries. On paper, that isn’t such an issue, but in practice it can cause or further redness in even those without much redness in their skin.

I have used Yonka products for over 30 years. When the Fruitelia products came out, about 15 years ago, I wasn’t a huge fan. And now, all these years later, I am still not a fan. I have seen a progression of redness in the skin of my clients who love to use this product or a new client who has been instructed to use this AHA cream. I have just a handful of clients on this cream—and have since these 2 creams were announced. It just isn’t a product I reach for when I have a client with specific skin care needs.

I’m a big believer in trying things to see if you like them and if they work for your skin. If you are sold on the benefits of AHAs, then by all means, try Yonka’s Fruitelia. However if you notice more redness in your skin after using this cream, please discontinue use and choose a Yonka product that won’t threaten the sensitivity of your capillaries. 

Essential ingredients:

• Lemon, orange, sugar cane, maple, blueberry, rich in AHA (fruit acids)—anti-wrinkles, renovating, hydrating 
• Mimosa tenuiflora, marine peptides—regenerating, smoothing 
• Cereal germ oil—nourishing, protecting 
• Rice oil, vitamin E—antioxidants 
• Wild pansies—astringent, purifying
• Calendula—soothing, softening[PS version]
• Titanium dioxide—physically blocks harmful UV rays 
• Essential oils of grapefruit and geranium—regenerating 

Directions for use:

In the morning and/or evening:

• After cleansing and spraying on Yonka Lotion toner
• Apply a pea-sized dollop of FRUITELIA over face and neck 
• Then use eye cream

For more information, see:

• Yonka—Discontinued: All links so far
• What are AHAs? Miracle ingredients or not?
• Sensitive Skin explained
• All About Exfoliation