10 Tips for Clear Skin

There are things that you do on a daily basis which will either promote acne or discourage it, and that doesn’t just involve using the right products. Every action contributes to your health and your skins health! Here is a list to help you deter breakouts.

1)  Get enough rest and reduce your stress. Stress stimulates the adrenal gland, and in the acne-prone individual, the adrenal gland promotes excess oil production which leads to clogged pores.

2)  Stay away from foods, vitamin supplements and sports drinks/bars that contain iodides, iodines and high levels of B12. Iodized salt, shrimp, cod, fast food (salt), dairy products (cows lick iodized salt blocks) and seaweed/kelp/spirulina/chlorella are on this list. 

3)  Stay away from “high androgen” foods. Androgens are found in peanuts, peanut oil, peanut butter, corn oil, wheat germ, shellfish, and organ meats (liver, heart). These foods contain hormones that exacerbate acne.

4)  Most swimming pool disinfectants contain Iodides and Chlorine, causing skin problems for frequent swimmers. Many swimmers find that the combination of hot and humid weather, the physical exercise of swimming and the chlorinated pools, can cause major acne flare-ups. LJAS can give a simple recommendation to help with this if asked. 

5)  Stop picking. Picking causes scarring and bacteria to spread, as well as further injuring your skin. Instead of picking, hold ice on larger breakouts for 3 minutes each, twice a day after cleansing. Try to catch blemishes when they are first forming and they will most likely go away.

6)  If you have very sensitive skin, use a fragrance-free detergent such as Cheer Free, All Free & Clear, Tide Free or Arm & Hammer Free.

7)  Do not use fabric softeners or fabric sheets in the dryer, especially on pillowcases, sheets and towels as they leave a waxy residue that can clog pores on acne-prone individuals. If you are worried about static cling, then you may purchase anti-static cling balls.

8)  Avoid low-estrogen birth control pills, IUDs, Norplant, Provera, and Depo-Provera. Also progesterone hormone replacement Premarin can be problematic. If you have polycystic ovaries, they will cause hormonal changes and breakouts. See our link about birth control for more information. Also, taking birth control pills may delay the onset of acne and once off them, you may experience the acne you would’ve had without taking them.

9)  Do not use cosmetics or hair products that contain pore-clogging ingredients. At your first appointment and consultation you will be given a handout on Pore Clogging Ingredients to avoid.

10)  Don’t lay out in the sun to help get rid of your acne. You can give yourself skin cancer – there’s a much safer way to peel the skin than a sunburn.

These tips alone will not get your skin clear however. They just support your acne-clearing program which is truly the key to clear skin. Let La Jolla Acne Specialists help you to get the clear skin you’ve been dreaming of.