Over the years I have treated every possible type of congested skin (acne) with every possible product and modality. I have watched many people clear with protocols that are all very similar. Some people however, didn’t seem to clear no matter what we did.
The products that seemed to be most successful usually dried and irritated my client’s skin. We did what we could to resolve this as much as possible but it just seemed to be what acne clients had to deal with. My own daughters complained that expensive and inexpensive products all seemed to clear them about the same but they also all left them somewhat dry and red. They would back off the product to resolve the irritation and the acne would start back up. It seemed to be a constant balancing act that many clients could never quite master.
I went through many “natural” approaches to acne but they didn’t seem to be powerful enough to clear the skin but the clients didn’t have to deal with irritation. Ultimately, clients preferred the irritation to the breakouts.
Through trial and error I have put together the closest thing that I believe is the “solution” to the problem of congested skin and the problems that go with most acne protocols. I’ve provided some education on acne, what it is, why you have it and what steps WE are taking to rid you of the menace. I do emphasize the WE because you do have to do your part. I’m hoping by giving you a bit of an education, you will understand how important your role is in our combined goal…that is for you to finally obtain clear, beautiful skin!
So what is acne???
Acne is a combination of three things that need to be dealt with at the same time.
The first thing is that acne is a bacteria. It is the P.acne bacteria that has decided to make your skin its home. Like any bacteria it needs to be killed. This bacteria needs to be thought of like any other bacterial infection that your doctor would give you antibiotics for. If you went to your doctor and had a bacterial infection of any kind, he would give you antibiotics. Those antibiotics make it clear that they have to be taken a certain amount of times per day. This is vital because the anti bacterial action of the antibiotic is only active and killing bacteria until your next scheduled dose. If you skip a does, you give the bacteria a chance to flourish again. If you start and stop over and over again, the bacteria gets smart and becomes resistant to that antibiotic and it stops working. This is also true of the bacteria on your face. The ingredients you are applying are not antibiotics but they are designed to effectively kill the bacteria on your skin. They must be applied daily and as often daily as prescribed. It is your responsibility at home to stay on schedule and not allow the bacteria to flourish OR develop resistance!
For those of you that have dealt with the irritation and dryness cause by most acne products, I have finally found an alternative that works. The Osmosis acne line was created to clear the skin and bring it back to health. Most acne lines use harsh daily applications of Benzoyl Peroxide and Alpha Hydroxy Acids. Osmosis has proven acne-killing ingredients that are non irritating and effective.
When acne is stubborn and not responding to the home regimen I add weekly LED and Salicylic treatments. The blue LED light has tremendous bacteria killing power. When it is combined with the application of professional strength Salicylic Acid, large amounts of bacteria are obliterated all at once.
The second problem that is going on with congested/acneic skin is inflammation.
Inflamed skin is red and irritated looking as is the case with most people who are dealing with acne. This is a vicious cycle that most acne lines actually perpetuate in an attempt to kill bacteria with harsh ingredients. The P acne bacteria thrive in an inflamed environment. The more inflammation, the more bacteria and the more bacteria, the more inflammation. This is what I mean when I say “vicious cycle.”
It is vital that the inflammation be addressed so that the acne no longer has an environment that encourages it to breed at a faster rate than we can kill it. Again, the Osmosis acne line not only kills bacteria but also reduces inflammation. It calms and heals the skin, reducing the redness and the post inflammatory pigmentation left by long standing acne. (Those little flat red or brown dots where a pimple once was)
A big help in the fight to reduce inflammation is icing the face. Icing is easy and it’s free! A good rule of thumb is to ice the skin for 10 minutes at least once a day, preferable twice. The more redness and swollen the skin is, the more the skin needs to be iced. Icing provides a visible improvement in the skin from the very first application and daily icing will contribute to faster clearing. Icing is so easy and so effective. It just needs to be done and many mistakenly skip this simple step.
The LED light treatments help greatly in reducing the inflammation and the application of professional strength Salicylic helps remove the discoloration left behind from “ghosts of pimples past.” (Post Inflammatory hyper pigmentation)
The third issue that contributes to congested skin is dead skin cell build up. Actually it is the cells slowing down and not turning over as fast as they should that lead to a build up of cells that have died.
Many acne lines just use a whole lot of acids to remove the top layers of skin. Although this approach may work at first and the skin may immediately show signs of clearing and feel smoother…in the long run it can lead to dryness and irritation and maybe even a more resistant form of acne.
I often have clients that tell me that their acne products worked really well at first and then they just stopped working. This baffled me for many years. My opinion on it now is that it makes perfect sense. If the skin is constantly being irritated in an attempt to remove dead skin cells and kill bacteria, the skin will constantly be inflamed. Inflamed skin welcomes the P acne bacteria and provides the perfect breeding ground. I believe that is why most acne lines fail to work over time.
The Osmosis skin care line approaches acne and the build up of dead skin cells at its core. When the skin cells are turning over every 28 days (approx) they shed off and don’t build up on the skins surface. We are once again teaching the skin to behave like healthy skin. This approach is for every skin type and targeted for all ages. It is anti-aging, where most acne treatments are actually aging to the skin. Healthy skin is clear skin and it is also young looking skin. That is why the approach to skin health in clearing acne is paramount.
The addition of the professional strength Salicylic treatments do provide an extra boost to removing the dead cells that have already built up. These treatments are always followed with application anti-inflammatory ingredients. Once the skin is working healthy, the Salicylic treatments are no longer necessary or only used for maintenance in the more severe cases of acne.
The acne Solution consists of the diligent application of the Osmosis acne treatments products on a consistent basis at home. This alone is often enough to clear moderate acne. The addition of the LED Salicylic treatments expedite the process in all cases of congested skin and is sometimes required to clear stubborn, severe acne.
Acne Solution tips
Carry the clear spray (Osmosis anti-bacterial frequency water) in your purse or backpack. The P acne bacteria loves sweat and although sweating is actually good because it drives the bacteria and toxins out of your pores, if left there to dry surface bacteria is greatly increased. Spraying with Clear will kill a lot of this bacteria. It can also be sprayed right over make up and actually gives it a fresh, just applied look.
Change your pillowcase often and don’t use scented detergents or dryer sheets.
“Shine products” for the hair can run from the hairline on to the skin. The silicones clog pores and contribute to acne. Often the little bumps on the forehead are a result of “shine” products used in the hair. Try avoiding Silicone based hair products. If the hair product says it creates shine, chances are that its Silicone based.
Some people have gotten very good results with high doses of Panothenic Acid and Zinc taken orally. I am not recommending this, as I am not a Doctor. I do think it is worth looking into. There are many acne supplements that have these combined ingredients if you are interested in to going about the P.acne assault from the inside out as well.
Ice your face! An easy way to do this is to put several Styrofoam cups full of water in the freezer. When you are ready to ice, pull one out and just tear off the upper “lip” of the cup. You can then hold the bottom portion of the cup (so your hands don’t get cold) while you rub the exposed ice all over your face. Remember, 10 minutes at least once a day.
Don’t ever force pimples out of your pores (Extreme popping) if they are heated and become a white head, you CAN gently squeeze. Before doing this, wrap your fingers in a tissue and press GENTLY. If you leave any kind of a mark behind, you are forcing and actually pushing most of it deeper into the pore, only to resurface and sometimes to resurface in the surrounding pores as well. This is where the saying “kill one and four come to its funeral” comes from in reference to pimple squeezing/killing.
Bentonite clay makes a great “spot treatment.” Bentonite clay is an inexpensive powder that can be mixed with liquid to form a clay. It can be purchased at most health food stores. It is very drying and draws a pimple that is ready to surface to a head much faster. Some times icing a massive pimple and applying a dot of Bentonite mixed with water or “Clarifying Serum” will just make it flatten, dry up and peacefully go away.
Are you sure you are washing your face and applying the treatment products twice a day? Remember that missing on application gives the bacteria a chance to rebuild forces. Putting a calendar near your bathroom mirror, and marking off morning and night that you have washed and applied prescribed treatment products will show you if you are REALLY doing your part at home!
Here is to your new, clear skin!
I have been an Esthetian for over 17 years. In the quest for skin perfection I have challenged my beliefs and philosophies on more than one occasion. In clinical settings I saw the instant benefits that burning, peeling and scraping brought to the skin but I soon learned that there were far too many undesired drawbacks. I also saw how prescription aided product lines could almost magically provide clients with obvious, positive skin changes but questioned the fact that some of the key ingredients compromised the skins integrity. On the other side of the vast world of skincare, I worked with products that were so pure they could literally be consumed.
After all of these years I have researched and been educated about every product line, ingredient, and procedure available. My specialty in the last few years has become anti-aging because I would personally like to hold back the hands of time for as long as possible. “Anti-aging” encompasses many things in the world of skin care. It deals with wrinkles, lack of firmness and tone, enlarged pores, Rosacea, visible capillaries, wrinkles, sun spots, Melasma and rough textured skin. Anti-aging skin care is about creating skin wellness. It is about bringing the skin back into balance so it can function like young healthy skin. My methods use proven non-invasive procedures and key ingredients that get RESULTS. I also am fascinated by the latest techniques that go beyond my license and pride myself in directing my clients to whatever I believe will help them achieve their goals. It amazes me what some slight “adjustments” can do in the arsenal of growing old gracefully.