A NOTE TO ACNE ON THE OCCASION OF NATIONAL ACNE AWARENESS MONTH

Dear Acne,

The Saying “If you have got it, flaunt it.” does not apply to you.

It is sad to see how many women/men allow acne to make them want to hide out and cover it up. Doubtlessly, having acne can be very overwhelming and discouraging 😭

If you have acne, read this:

What is Acne?

Acne is a skin condition that many of you must be aware of, with a whopping 9-in-10 young adults having experienced acne at some point in their lifetime. Acne is an inherited disorder of the pores. Someone with Acne Prone Skin has pores that shed dead skin cells much faster than normal. Normal pores shed one layer of dead skin cells per day inside the pore, whereas the Acne-Prone Skin pore sheds off to five layers of dead skin cells per day. It then turns into blackheads or congestion under the skin. If bacteria is present, it will turn into inflamed pimples. In other words, Acne is a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. Acne signs vary depending on the severity of your condition:

•  Whiteheads (closed clogged pores)
•  Blackheads (open clogged pores)
•  Small red, tender bumps (papules)
•  Pimples (pustules), which are papules with pus at their tips
•  Large, solid, painful lumps under the skin (nodules)
•  Painful, pus-filled lumps under the skin (cystic lesions)

Acne has long been a topic and skin issue that people want to hide. Well, things are changing now! This month of Acne Awareness spreads Acne Positivity by educating yourself and others around you. One of the most challenging parts of saying goodbye to acne is booking your first appointment to clear skin. Before you start your journey consider these 4 things:

1. Find a passionate Acne Specialist…. Us 😇
2. Invest in a good acne-safe skincare and acne treatments…. OZONE SIGNATURE ACNE TREATMENT HARIDRADYA TAILA, loved by many, recommended by Elle, holy grail for acne prone skin.
3. Make small lifestyle changes….(will be listed below)!
4. Understand that it will get worse before it gets better…. PURGING SKIN IS OKAY!

It is well known that treating acne is not totally straightforward, as there are multiple types of acne along with multiple causes of acne with varying treatments available, so choosing just one can be daunting and confusing! The best solution is to first understand the LOCATION OF YOUR ACNE. Discover how an acne regimen can help you to combat your acne and regain your skin confidence today. For that understanding the Face Map of Acne is mandatory!

 

ACNE FACE MAP consists of four major Locations and Causes:

• Hairline and Temple: If you are experiencing any hairline and temple acne, it may be due to the application of cosmetics, such as skincare, hair products and rubbing of hair caps, helmets and restrictive headband, the forehead, temple is often where we skip thorough cleansing. There could also be a hair product that is causing acne (hair products have heavier moisturizing ingredients, silicone as well).  When hair touches the face -- causes acne.

 As a result acne is often found here. Moreover, if you often skip hair wash days, build up on the scalp (grime, dirt) also contributes to acne in this area.

When acne on the hairline or temple is caused by hair products, it is called pomade acne or acne cosmetica. 

• Cheek Acne: U-Zone Acne or Cheek Acne is exactly what it sounds like- acne that appears on your cheeks. Cheek Acne may be due to Makeup, dirty pillowcases, touching your face or hormonal change. One of the main reasons for acne is your phone spreading bacteria. Pro tip- sanitize your devices daily. They’re often kept on the table, pockets, touched with questionable hands, this bacteria transfers to the cheeks.

• T-Zone Acne: (Forehead, Nose and Chin) Compared with the rest of your face, your T-zone has more oil glands. That is why it tends to get more oily and acne-prone. Specifically, acne often develops when excess oil and dead skin cells mix together. This blocks the face pores and creates blackheads and whiteheads.

• Jawline Acne: Dealing with an army of acne on your Jawline can be overwhelming. Unlike acne elsewhere on your face, the acne that pop along your chin or jawline tend to be solid bumps. The common causes for Jawline Acne include: Fluctuating Hormone Levels, Sports Equipment, Shaving and Medications.

Acne Face Mapping is a way to relatively know the source of your acne. It does not necessarily mean that these are the reasons for those specific breakouts but it could be one of the reasons!

In the quest for clearer, supple skin, there are a ton of acne myths and misconceptions, it is time to stop believing. It is time to debunk ACNE MYTHS once and for all!

We have all heard the same old wives’ tales about acne:

• That chocolate 🍫, fried foods 🍟 and stress 🤯 are the culprits, or that acne can be resolved by putting toothpaste on your zits or just getting a tan.

The truth is that acne is an inflammatory skin condition and you do not need stronger products to reduce the appearance of blemishes.

• That Acne-prone skin does not need moisturizer.

The Truth is Moisturizing can only help oily skin remain balanced.

• That Stronger active ingredients are more effective on acne.

The Truth is Stronger ingredients may damage the skin barrier, making acne worse.

• That only teenagers experience acne.

The Truth is Adult acne affects up to 22% of women. 

• That removing oil from the skin will result in fewer breakouts.

The Truth is While Acne-Prone Skin tends to overproduce oil, stripping the skin of all oils exacerbates the condition.

• That it is better to get the pus out of acne by popping it.

The Truth is Popping an acne can spread the pus and bacteria to the surrounding area which will take longer time to heat and can lead to scarring.  

Remember, acne is not permanent! It may be annoying but the good news is it is treatable. Your skin is the window to your body that reveals the stories of your life. There are a range of factors that can help your skin be acne-free, let’s unpack them!

• Give an Acne Treatment at least 4 weeks to work: Acne treatment needs time to work. Using some new acne product over another may lead to severe skin irritation and more breakouts with zero results. Remember, patience is a virtue! If a skincare suits you, you will experience improvements in 4-6 weeks.

• Know and Attack the Causes of Acne: Look out for the products which include natural ingredients that help fight acne. Some of them are:

Turmeric: This wonder-spice offers multiple therapeutic effects. Antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of turmeric help lighten acne scars and blemishes.

Sesame oil: sesame is loaded with vitamins, minerals and photo-nutrients that exert anti-inflammatory action that helps minimize acne inflammation.

Saffron: The strong anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory and healing properties of saffron aid in removing dead cells and clearing the scars.

• Try 1 or 2 products at a time and give them time to work. Using too many products can stress your skin and worsen acne.

• Follow the Directions Carefully: Whether you have a simple 3-Step morning regimen or a 10-Step Long one, the order in which you apply your products matters. How much you use and how often you use can make a huge difference.

• Wash your face twice a day and when sweaty: Dermatologically suggested acne-prone skin should wash face at least twice a day. It is also recommended not to miss out the moisturizer even if you have oily skin.

• Wash your pillow-cases, hats and other things that touch your acne skin.

Stay big on rituals, not miracles. Be realists. Regardless of whether you suffer from acne, breakouts or flare ups, it does NOT make you any less beautiful. Acne does not define you or your beauty. You are perfect just the way you are💗 ! Do not let acne hold you down. Your acne should not stop you. Skin can never be perfect and that is Perfectly Okay!  

Virtually Yours!

Mahima Arora