Acne
Acne
Clearer Skin Can Be Yours
Some women get an occasional pimple or blackhead. Others experience frequent or ongoing bouts of pimples, blackheads and whiteheads beginning in puberty. Some women notice that acne tends to flare up at the time of ovulation and fade after the menstrual period begins.
The woman who is most likely to get acne will generally have both overproducing oil glands and a tendency for cells lining the pores to clog. These two problems work together to trap and incubate bacteria on the skin. The result is a chronic formation of the whiteheads (called closed comedones), blackheads (open comedones), pimples and even cysts.
A DAY-AND-NIGHT REGIMEN
Women doctors recommend the following steps to control mild to moderate acne and keep zits from returning.
Wash with benzoyl peroxide liquid. To reduce the numbers of bacteria that can cause acne, gently wash your face with a benzoyl peroxide cleanser or a mild salicylic acid liquid every morning, says Susan C. Taylor, M.D., assistant clinical professor of medicine in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia.
If you also break out on your back and chest, use the liquid to wash these areas as well, says D'Anne Kleinsmith, M.D., a staff dermatologist at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan.
Employ glycolic acid. Pat your face completely dry, then smooth on a gel, cream or lotion containing 8 percent glycolic acid over your entire face, says Dr. Taylor. Available at drugstores under a variety of brand names, glycolic acid gels, creams and lotions prevent the clogged pores characteristic of acne by preventing older cells from piling up on the skin and blocking pores. In addition, these products leave skin soft and smooth and may decrease discolorations and fine wrinkles.
Use a gel or a noncomedogenic (non-acne-forming) cream or lotion, says Dr. Kleinsmith.
When To See A Doctor
If you take birth control pills and develop acne before your menstrual periods, consult your doctor. She may be able to adjust the combination of estrogen and progesterone (two hormones in birth control pills) in your pills to prevent monthly outbreaks of acne, says D'Anne Kleinsmith, M.D., a staff dermatologist at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. You may also want to consider seeing a doctor if your acne is severe--say, if your entire face has broken out, says Susan C. Taylor, M.D., assistant clinical professor of medicine in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia. A dermatologist may prescribe medications such as antibiotics or tretinoin (Retin-A). If acne is accompanied by the appearance of dark facial hairs, your doctor will examine you to rule out a hormonal abnormality, a rare cause of acne.
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Add OTC medication. After a week use medication containing benzoyl peroxide to kill acne-causing bacteria, says Dr. Kleinsmith.
If your skin is either sensitive or dry, start with a 5 percent solution of benzoyl peroxide medication and dab it on problem areas after you've washed your face. If your skin is oily, start with a 10 percent solution and spread it over your entire face, except for the eyelids and area within an eyelash length of your eyes.
Use an oil-free moisturizer. Although many women who have acne will never need a moisturizer, says Dr. Kleinsmith, there is a small group of women who have oily skin only on their foreheads and noses, while their cheeks and jaws are actually dry. These women should apply an oil-free, noncomedogenic moisturizer to the dry areas of the face.
Look for oil-free makeup. If you wear makeup, use only oil-free products that are labeled "noncomedogenic" or "non-acne-forming," so that they won't clog your pores, says Dr. Kleinsmith.
Bleach leftover marks. If you have dark marks left on your skin from zits that have finally healed, try a bleaching cream, such as Porcelana, that contains hydroquinone, says Dr. Taylor. Follow package directions. (For practical ways to camouflage scars left by acne, see page 478.)
Do not squeeze, pop, prick or pick. In other words, keep your mitts off any pimple, blackhead or whitehead that appears on your face, says Dr. Taylor. You'll only make the area more inflamed and the bump larger.
