ACNE RESOURCES
Your spot to find Education, Acne Safe Swaps, Acne Client Only Products, & More to set you up for success!
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Acne Process & Clearing Expectations
What is Acne?
Acne is an inflammatory & Genetic disorder of the Pore. Acne prone skin sheds about 5-10x more the amount of dead skin cells than those without acne. We call this ‘retention hyperkeratosis’ and essentially means that acne is a dead skin cell problem. The build up of dead skin cells causes blockages in the pore where oil mixes in and bacteria thrives.
Is it curable?
While acne can be managed and treated, it is considered an incurable condition. However, with the right care, its effects can be minimized and we can better manage it!
How does Acne Form?
Think of your pores like tiny tunnels. Normally, your skin sheds dead cells up and out the tunnel to keep it clean, but due to your skin over producing skin cells the dead cells get stuck in the tunnel and mix with oil, causing a clog. This clog is like a little “traffic jam” in the pore. Once it’s blocked, bacteria thrives and cause the area to get red and inflamed, which is what leads to acne.
How long does it take to form?
Acne can be forming underneath the skin before you even see it for about 90 days, it’s a process that happens over time, not overnight!
Acne is multifactorial & is not caused by one thing, it’s a mix of factors. Genetics play a big role meaning if your family has a history of acne, you might be more likely to get it. Even if you’re doing everything right your pores are still genetically predisposed to acne because of the retention hyperkeratosis. There are also other things that can trigger or make a breakout worse, like stress, hormones, diet, or even skincare products. It’s a combination of things working together to cause acne.
We can also have Medical conditions, Medications, Food sensitivities that can potentially trigger acne and may not be something we can avoid/limit for clearing. However we can still reach some level of clarity; it just may not be 100%.
CLEARING EXPECTATIONS
Acne isn’t curable, but it can be managed!You can achieve clear skin, but that doesn’t mean breakouts won’t happen again. For some, clear skin means only a few pimples instead of hundreds. How long it takes to clear varies but most people see improvement in about 12 weeks, however it can take longer or happen sooner. Everyone’s skin is different, & it is a very personal journey.
PURGING
Think of skin purging like doing a spring cleaning, tends to get real messy before it gets clean and organized.
Purging can happen when we use active ingredients like retinoids or exfoliants. These ingredients increase your skin's natural cell turnover rate, which brings underlying acne to the surface faster. This can look like a big scary breakout & cause some panic, but don't worry — it's a normal skin response and a sign that the products are working!
Your skin was already going to have these breakouts at some point, purging just pushes them out all at once.
The good news? It's temporary and it does subside! Typically purging lasts 2-6 weeks but can last an upwards amount of around 12 weeks.
GUIDELINES
- You MUST follow your skincare regime exactly as given. Adding in unapproved items can deter from clearing or cause reactions. If your regime is causing irritation please reach out for next steps before stopping or adding something In.
- Honesty is crucial in this partnership. I can’t help you if I don’t know the full story! If you can’t follow the protocols just let me know so I can give you something you can follow, I want to set you up for success!
- Be patient! Acne is so complex and may take some trial & error before we figure out your unique situation and needs. Acne clearing is a journey & in full transparency we may not even start seeing positive changes until that 4 months mark or so in some cases.
Acne Triggers
Triggers are things that worsen or flare acne but isn’t the cause of the acne. Triggers are different for everyone but I will list the most common and in my opinion these should be limited or omitted during your clearing journey. Once you are clear we can make a plan to start slowly to re-introduce these common triggers to see you reaction!
SKINCARE
- wrong product
- misusing the product
- over exfoliating
- irritating
- pore clogging
MAKEUP/HAIR CARE
- irritating
- pore clogging
LAUNDRY/DENTAL CARE
- irritating
- pore clogging
NUTRIENTS
(deficiency’s or over abundance of these can cause issues which is why it’s important to test not guess before supplementing with vitamins & minerals)
- B vitamins: B12, B6, B5, B3, & B2
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin D
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Zinc
- Selenium
- EFA’s
- Fiber
SUPPLEMENTS
- Whey Protein
- Biotin (typically found with high amounts in hair/skin/nails supplements, energy drinks, & sports health supplements.)
- B12 (typically over supplemented especially with multi-vitamins, Energy drinks, etc)
- Ashwaganda (can stimulate androgen activity leading to more oil production)
HORMOMES
- High blood sugar & insulin resistance
- Poor liver function
- Excess androgens or sensitivity
- Starting/Stopping/Changing birth control
- Thyroid imbalance
- PCOS
- Excess estrogen
It’s important to support our hormones, how can we do this?
- Quality sleep
- Eat cruciferous vegetables to help your liver detox excess hormones
- Glutathione
- Watch your glycemic load
- Seed cycling
- Stress reduction
- Avoiding HIIT workouts in women
STRESS
(stress reduction strategies below)
- Walking
- Grounding
- Yoga/Stretching
- Journal
- Proper sleep
- Breathe work
- Magnesium
- Vitamin C
- Cymbiotika Golden Mind
POOR DIET
AVOID: Refined Sugars, Overly processed foods, & Seed oils
INTAKE: Fiber, Probiotics, Fermented Foods, Salmon, Leafy Greens, Veggies, Healthy Fats, & Protein
FOOD SENSITIVITY
(not all sensitives show up as GI issues some can show on the skin only, common acne triggering foods below)
- Dairy: swap for non-dairy/vegan milks, cheese, yogurts. I love coconut yogurt!
- Eggs
- Gluten: It’s a big ask to commit to this so lowering it and swapping for low gluten options like sourdough is helpful!
- High iodine diet: check your salt & switch to real salt if it is iodizied.
- Soy: I know we all love soy sauce, try coconut aminos instead!
- Peanuts: I love a good PB&J but try swapping for cashew butter instead, super yummy!
GI ISSUES
watch for symptoms like…
- Less than 1 bowel movement a day
- Loose stools
- Bloating
- Gas
- GERD
- IBS
- floating stools
- Low stomach acid (you can test this at home with baking soda)
Clearing Check list
- Check your makeup & haircare for pore cloggers (click here to check)
- Swap your laundry detergent to an acne safe version my recommendation is Molly suds unscented powder.
- Swap dryer sheets for dryer balls & Fabric softener to vinegar.
- Make grocery swaps so you can easily omit & limit acne triggering groups like dairy, gluten (sourdough is low in gluten and super yummy), Eggs, Peanuts, & Soy.
- Send all of your vitamins & supplements to your esthetician for review & potential swaps
- Swap your toothpaste to an acne safe version (recommendations further down on page)
- Set up and display your new routine in order for easy and consistent use (skincare display)
- Stock up on acne tools like ice rollers, pimple patches, makeup brush cleaners & more! Full list and recommendations further down on page.
Pore clogging Checker
Check all of your makeup even lip product and eye products if you break out in those areas, Haircare like shampoo, Conditioner, Masks, & Styling.
Acne Safe Makeup
This is a list of some Acne Safe products I have found with good reviews, this is not a complete list of all acne safe options. If you find something on your own you would like to try just run it through the pore clogging ingredient checker! Please also note that liquid/cream based products can be triggering by that alone even if the ingredients are acne safe, if you would like to be extra cautious use the powder options from this list.
PRIMER
- Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Glow
FOUNDATION
- Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Tint
CONCEALER
- Nars Soft Matte
POWDER
- Laura Mercier Ultra Blur
- Kosas Cloud set baked powder
- Bare Minerals Loose Setting Powder
- LYS tripple fix LOOSE powder
BRONZER
- Benefit Hoola
BLUSH
Acne Safe Haircare
This is a list of some Acne Safe products I have found with good reviews, this is not a complete list of all acne safe options. If you find something on your own you would like to try just run it through the pore clogging ingredient checker!
SHAMPOO
- Redken Acidic Glossing Shampoo
- L’Oréal Professional Vitamino Color
DRY SHAMPOO
CONDITIONER
- L’Oréal everpure moisture rosemary oil
- SEEN
- Pantene Pro V Miracle Rescue
- Kerastase Nutritive hydrating
STYLING GELS/CREAMS
- Moroccanoil Styling Gel Strong
- OUAI Anti-Frizz Styling Creme
HAIRSPRAY
Acne Safe Laundry & Toothpaste
LAUNDRY PRODUCTS
DETERGENT
DRYER SHEET ALTERNATIVE
FABRIC SOFTENER
- Use vinegar
DENTAL HYGINE
TOOTH PASTE
- Boka Fluoride free with Hudroxyapatite
MOUTHWASH