- Reduce Your Stress! Having too much stress in your life is the biggest acne aggravator. You are worth a lifestyle modification to do this! Do whatever it takes, you are worth it, and you always have choices.
- Remove Iodine From Your Diet. Foods that are high in Iodides are Dairy (All Dairy, EVEN ORGANIC). Dairy is in coffee beverages, cheese, ice cream, sour cream, cottage cheese, whey, and Yogurt. Other Salty foods also contain iodine and those are: packaged and canned soups, fast foods, salty snacks, Ramen noodles, processed foods, tomato juice, V-8, seasoned salt, iodized salt and salty condiments. Sports Drinks like Gatorade, PowerAde, high sodium sports drinks, Soy Sauce, Seaweed, Chinese food, certain Mexican foods, salty nuts, processed deli meats, bacon, beef franks, hot dogs and condiments that contain kelp, MSG and/or salt. Try Almond Milk, Cashew Milk or Rice Milk, (preferably unsweetened and without Carageenan, which is another type of algae).
- Peanuts and Peanut Butter Are One Of Acne Prone Skin’s Worst Enemy! Peanuts are high in progesterone, (the PMS hormone). Enjoy other types of nuts, just choose unsalted. Almond Butter and Cashew Butter are fabulous alternatives to peanut butter, but there are more.
- Vitamins! In your supplements and multi-vitamins you must avoid Kelp, Seaweed, Spirulina, Blue green Algae, or any “Greens” in supplements or protein powders. Even Hair, Skin and Nails vitamins should be avoided. They are too high in Biotin (Biotin speeds up growth) and any vitamin high in B-12 should also be avoided, unless prescribed by your physician.
- Protein Powders and Bars! In the grocery store they mostly contain Whey Protein. Choose protein alternatives like Egg White, Hemp, Sunflower, etc.
- Drink more water! Hydrated skin is healthy skin!
- Excessive Touching, Rubbing or Picking the skin! Are you bored? Do you set your hands on your face? Are you a fiddler? Nervous energy can exacerbate habits such as touching, scratching and picking the skin. The more you scratch, the more your skin is irritated which can “close” the pore opening and cause an inflamed lesion. Excessive touching can move lip products on the face, “rich” lotions on the hands, even hand sanitizers (isopropyl myristrate), and hand soaps (SLS) contain traces of comedogenic acne causing ingredients that can be ground into the skin. Also, over scrubbing the skin can lead to more break outs. Do you use a Clairsonic or some sort of brush device on your skin? This can cause over-exfoliation which can make you super sensitive to your skin care products or it can cause more break outs by constantly irritating (closing) pores. Skip this type of exfoliation on the face with acne prone skin!
- Are Your Laundry Products Causing Acne? Make sure you use Free and Clear Laundry products with NO perfume, fabric softener or dyes. No dryer sheets or added fragrance products in the laundry. Dryer sheets leave a waxy residue on clothing, towels, pillow cases, etc. These all have contact with your skin. Be aware that imported clothes are sprayed with toxic chemicals, pesticides, and formaldehyde. You need to wash clothing multiple times before wearing to reduce exposure to residues. I have had clients break out, get rashes and other irritations, from not washing “new” clothes especially hats, scarves and bras. Victoria’s secret Bras have formaldehyde in them that are very known to create body irritations, rashes or acne.
- Get Professional Acne Treatments And Follow Skin Care Recommendations. The professional skin care recommendations with your acne routine keep lesions from forming, reduce the length of an pimple that popped up (if you are super stressed or you indulge in above said acne aggravating foods) and maintain clear skin. Changing your routine will alter your clarity, even one day without treating your skin (your skincare is acne prevention), and your skin may produce microcomedones that can pop out in 3 months when you are least expecting it (True acne takes 3 months to form.) Professional treatments do so many different benefits for the skin of acne prone individuals, they heal any existing lesions, lighten dark spots, kill bacteria under the skin (Blue LED Light) boost exfoliation, reduce lines (who knew?) and help move any lesions buried in the skin to move up and out, then hydrate, and heal.
- Don’t Run Out Of Skin Care Products If You Are Acne Prone. Before you run out of skin care think ahead, prepare for vacation, and keep your home stocked. Even your moisturizer is important to prevent dryness! Each product has a purpose!
- Reduce Your Sun Exposure. Wind, dry weather, and sun exposure without proper SPF protection can make your skin dry and irritated. Even winter sun is damaging sun! Don’t deceive yourself! Use SPF DAILY. I tell my young adult clients, that if you wear it now, you will be beautiful at 50! Don’t you wish someone would have told you that at a young age?
Do You Want Other Acne Safe Tips, Information, and Products? Check out my Pinterest!
Rachel, Skin and Acne Specialist
Works Cited:
Leverette, Kathryn. “A Guide to Lifestyle Issues That Affect the Skin“. January 30th, 2010. https://katleverette.com/acne-staying-clear/