I’ve been wanting to start a dialogue about acne for a long time now so let’s get started.

First, there are a lot of myths about acne. We’ve all heard that eating greasy fried foods or chocolate causes acne. We’ve heard that we have to “dry out” acne to cure it or that we shouldn’t use moisturizers. Some of us avoid using all moisturizers and sunscreens because we’re afraid it’s going to cause a break out. All the above are false, but do have some merit and I’ll address them soon.

Fact number one:  Acne is a hereditary condition. That’s right. Even if your mom or dad didn’t have acne, someone in your family had it and you can send them a special thank you for passing it down to you.

Fact number two:  Acne is classified as a disease. Not only is it a disease, but it can’t be cured, only controlled, until your body finally clears it and in most cases it will.

Fact number three:  Acne is caused by many different types of bacteria that irritate the pore (aka follicle). Once this follicle is irritated, dead skin cells build up, sticky oil mixes in with those cells and even more bacteria grows. The result can be blackheads, whiteheads (milia) pimples, cysts or nodules.

Fact number four:  Whether you’re a teen, or an adult struggling with breakouts, I can help you get your acne under control. But it takes commitment. You didn’t get your acne overnight and no matter what anyone tells you, it’s not going to go away overnight. You’ll have to use certain products, eat a certain way, come in more often at the beginning for treatments and acne-specific facials, but you WILL clear up.

Let’s talk about a couple of those myths. Greasy foods don’t cause acne, but salt can aggravate acne and make it worse.  To get technical, it’s actually the iodide in salt. Try using small amounts of sea salt instead if you salt your food.  Avoid most fast foods because they contain a ton of iodized salt. The good news is that you don’t have to give up chocolate.  A little bit of dark chocolate is actually good for you. Dark chocolate is much lower in sugar and actually has antioxidants which take down inflammation. Wait a sec, did she actually say chocolate is GOOD for us? Yep! Just don’t abuse it and the higher percentage of cacao the better. It’s the sugar in chocolate that’s bad for us. I’ve found lots of yummy ways to satisfy my chocolate cravings without the sugar. Maybe I’ll even share some of my recipes down the road.

Today I’ll give you one tip if you are one of the people struggling with acne or even the occasional breakout. Don’t pick! I know you want to, but it actually creates more problems. Instead, grab an ice cube and ice your breakouts. In fact, give your entire face a little ice massage. It can not only help lessen current breakouts but also prevent future episodes by taking down inflammation in the skin. You can use a plain ol’ ice cube, a bag of frozen veggies or fill a Dixie cup with water and keep it in the freezer and peel it down a little each time you use it. Icing at least a couple times a day will make a huge difference – I promise.

Please share this with any of your friends and family that may benefit and post any comments or questions below. As always, thanks for reading!!!

Wendei