We have to remember irritation is caused by MANY external and/or internal "interferences", so if you wake up, look in the mirror and panic because you notice a "blemish" don't necessarily assume you have bad/over oily or greasy/dirty/whatever skin!
DO NOT TRY to pick or squeeze...easier said than done? I know...it's difficult to just leave it alone, but the fact is you will probably cause MORE harm and irritation, and will take even longer to heal...so just try your hardest to accept and think tomorrow is a new day and it WILL get better!
With that said, I have to move on to another topic which is a bit of a controversy. Aesthetic extractions... a.k.a. going to the beautician and them "cleaning" out your pores.
I myself have only had this done about 3 -4 times in my life and I am a licensed aesthetician, who learned this in school to be a "basic" treatment.
I DO NOT AGREE! I feel it's ONLY ok to have this done when the pore is NOT IRRITATED and the sebum is firm and dark or soft and white...( I know it sounds awful and it is disgusting, but I just have to write it! ) If you are a believer in this "procedure" I suggest telling your therapist to only extract from NON-IRRITATED areas/pores that are "ready" for extraction and have them do CALMING therapy on irritation. By doing this you know you will not have MORE irritation than what you arrived with. NEVER ATTEMPT TO DIY!!
If you have irritations (either a few or full blown acne) and you decide to pick/extract, you will risk having the puss infect other areas of the skin and further irritate the area itself.
Now let's move on to the products to EXTERNALLY treat irritation!
PRO ACTIVE:
I know it's hard to take this brand seriously because of all the "celebrity" in your face advertising they do, but I HAVE USED THIS AND IT DOES WORK, also I know a good few other people who have as well, and agree it's a great product. It comes with a daily exfoliating face wash , toner and daily moisturizer... as a bonus they send you the mask as well. Concerning scent and packaging don't expect anything amazing...it's medicated stuff, so it's not too pleasant but if you are like I was, and had such bad skin and didn't care about "luxury", but just to get rid of the problem...GO FOR IT! If you have any where from dry seborrhea with chronic break outs to full blown acne it will make a difference within the first week or two! ( I saw results within the first week of use, I had the chronic break outs. )
What they do not tell you is, when your skin becomes "normalized" or has a significant change towards healthy looking skin STOP using this product EITHER every day to a few times of the week or fully stop and store it away to use ONLY when needed!What happened to me is, I over used this product and my skin became so dry that that started making me break out again! It took a very long time to get my skin to recover from over drying it, so just be careful! If your skin becomes over dry it will be very intolerant and easily irritable, so it will be a horrific adventure to try and find products that your skin will tolerate and or absorb and NOT break out from it!
The products come with directions how to use them, but they are general so try and figure out the best way to use them to benefit your skin needs. The best products are the face wash and mask...the toner is good too but it can be a bit strong and the daily moisturizer smells terrible and feels a bit yucky... but hey, no pain, no gain! Right?!
CLEAN AND CLEAR QUICK CLEAR SPOT TREATMENT GEL:
Many companies are coming out with similar products today. They promise to minimize blemishes in rapid time. the key ingredient in all of these is usually SALICYLIC ACID. This ingredient can either help you or make your life miserable and it all depends on the concentration level in the product AND how many times and the way you apply it to the affected area. Salicylic acid promotes the skin cells to dry/peel away faster, thus encourages new skin cells to be born. This is why it helps blemishes dry/clear up faster. So what's the problem with that you may ask?! The problem is this chemical strengthens it effect each time it comes in contact with the previously treated area... this means you are "burning" away the skin each time you use it. I am sure if you have ever used these products you have noticed either all or some of the following:
- dark/purple/discolored in the treated area
- burning like sensation
- severe dryness and peeling after a few uses
I find THIS clean and clear one is the most gentle out of all these types of products. My tip is to use a small amount ONLY on the blemish right when you notice it (if possible) then DO NOT use it for a full 24h. Repeat if necessary. By doing this you are giving your skin recovery time..remember SKIN=LIVING BREATHING ORGAN!
PLEASE READ MORE about this chemical here so you know what the safe amounts are and make sure you check ingredient lists on product to make sure they are safe!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salicylic_acid
LA ROCHE POSAY EFFACLAR A.I.:
This is a great ALTERNATIVE product if the SALICYLIC ACID products are to strong for you.It does contain a bit of salicylic acid but significantly less than the others, as this brand it self is developed for easily irritable/ sensitive skin. The other ingredient which is key in this is KAOLIN. It's a powder like substance which absorbs oil which helps "dry" blemishes without being to harmful to the tissue and cells. Niacinamide helps to prevent more irritation and piractone/glycacil is anti-bacterial.
I would use it the same way as the previously mentioned product, though since it is white and quite dense, it's best for overnight treatment. For prices check online. This is probably more expensive but it is twice as much product compared to Clean and Clear.
TEA TREE OIL:
The brand doesn't matter just make sure you get it in oil form preferably pure and from a a pharmacy. DO NOT USE IF YOU ARE PREGNANT OR SOMEONE AROUND YOU IS! It's VERY strong and can be dangerous...read more here : http://www.livestrong.com/article/355888-risks-of-using-tea-tree-oil-during-pregnancy/ .
Tea tree oil is a very potent and strong and has antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal effects.
It is a basic product every household should have as it has many uses. Used on blemishes it helps clean the area and encourages healthy healing.
What you want to remember though are the following:
- EXTERNAL USE ONLY!
- Apply on DRY, non wet areas or else it causes strong burning sensation (SENSATION!)
- Use carefully near to the eyes as it's aroma can cause irritation
For further information : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_tree_oil
ALOE VERA AND ALOE VERA GELS:
It's best if you can just buy the leaf, cut it and use it in it's pure form, but not all of us are able to obtain the leaves. I am using this exact product right now and I can tell you it's effects are amazing!
Aloe vera soothes and calms irritation amazingly, without taking a toll on your skin and doesn't have a drying effect. The only issue I have with this and other aloe vera products is they tend to be a bit potent...I sometimes (once every 10 days maybe) will do a "mask" with this gel and my eyes water VERY badly until the gel dries away. Again though, no pain, no gain! It's worth it though...just take a 10-15 minute nap with it on your face. Wash off and you'll be left with smoother, calmer skin.I use it on smaller blemishes too which totally helps them to calm down and decrease in size.
Just put a little drop on the area and let it settle/dry away. It's also great for sunburns and other irritations.
ECZEMA OINTMENTS AND CREAMS:
I am not putting an image for this as there are many different types available, but the one most popular and easily obtained is SUDOCREM. When to use these types of products : When you have dry-very dry, eczema type rashes and irritation that spreads. Mostly you will have bumpy skin that feels dry and peels and looks similar to acne. The reason why these work well on this type of irritation because the texture is very rich and nourishing so it will help relieve dryness, thus already helping irritation, and the ingredients will further calm, sooth and treat the effected area.
I had contact eczema all over my face at one point a few years ago and it was awful! My nose was probably the only clear area on my face and I had no idea what the heck to try...then, when I understood WHY and WHAT I was dealing with I tried an ointment for eczema and over night 60% of the irritation was GONE!
Remember though, this method should only, ONLY be used to treat THIS type of irritation and only as long as it is needed!
ANTI REDNESS EYE DROPS:
Again, no photo needed, as there are many types available. The main thing is , purchase one to relieve redness.
This method will NOT heal anything, but it will relieve and lessen redness. Drop a good 4-5 drops on to a cotton pad then hold it on the red area for a good 30-60 seconds. This should reduce the color and will help you to conceal the blemish better.
So here you go, these are ( according to me ) the BEST ways to battle blemishes and irritation.
Obviously, if you have severe ACNE you will need to probably do more, and should start at the dermatologist's office. You need to evaluate your external routine and internal intake or products combined with what your doctor tells you. These methods above though may still help you out though!
NEXT POST: PRIMERS AND FOUNDATIONS! :)
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