Overs guide to skin
Yes this is taken from .com but tweaked and improved.
WHAT IS ACNE?
Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit. This occurs when hair follicles become clogged by a combination of excess sebum and dead skin cells.
ADRESSING THE ROOT OF THE ISSUE
To start fixing our skin it's crucial to understand it.
SKIN TYPES
there are five main skin types:
.oily
.dry
.normal
.combined
.sensetive
HOW TO FIND MY SKIN TYPE?
read this:
https://share.google/MzRz5WPkKmOtuEidI
Another quick and easy way is to look up the definitions and see which one describes you best, although it's always good to double check.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACNE
BLACK HEADS - small, black or yellowish bumps
WHITEHEADS - small, white bumps under skin
PAPULES - small, red and raised bumps that can be painful to touch
PUSTULES - similar to papules but with a white or yellow center that is filled with pus
NODULES - larger, solid, painful lumps that develope deeper within skin and can last longer than other kinds of acne.
CYSTS - large, pus filled lumps that are often painful and often lead to scarring
ACNE SCARRING - the marks left on the skin after acne blemishes have healed
GREATER DETAIL ON THIS TOPIC:
https://share.google/UxzCKdZbhZyxt3SHq
WHY YOU PROBABLY DONT NEED ACCUTANE
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
As many of you from .com will know I suffered with severe acne for a while. I had been recomended birth control and accutane by doctors many times without them doing much questioning about my habbits or routine.
With the combination of improved diet and the right routine I completely cleared up my skin, and all it took was a few months. If anyone wants before and afters I'm more than happy to share, or if you're on .com you can look there.
WHY I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ACCUTANE
Well as stated i cleared my skin up in only a few months, the exact same amount of time it would take for you to clear up your skin on accutane, the difference being my method is risk free. Accutane is often known to purge even often being worse than beforehand for multiple weeks to months, why would you risk this when you can clear up your acne in the same amount of time without this stage? When considering taking accutane you also need to note the large amount of side effects and risks that come along with taking accutane, this includes:
.dry skin
.photosensitivity
.muscle and joint pain
.vision changes
FOR GREATER DETAIL ON THIS READ HERE:
https://share.google/qKS3ohp2Uwuug5rvc
I'd also like to mention how how accutane can also increase oil production after stopping usage and multiple cycles may be needed. Accutane isn't some magic pill like many would like to have you believe.
DIET
RECOMENDED FOOD:
.fruits (in reasonable servings)
.natural sugar (honey etc.)
.100% dark chocolate
.meats
.vegtables
.water (not food but shhhh)
.certain dairy products (Greek yogurt etc.)
.certain herbs (turmeric, basil etc.)
FOODS TO AVOID:
.overconsumption of certain dairy (milk, cheese)
.processed sugar (milk chocolate, sugary drinks)
.refined carbs (pasta, bread etc.)
.greasy food (fried chicken, fries etc.)
.artificial sweetners
It's important to note that different people have different triggers. I can personally eat cheese and be fine, but others may react negatively to this. Over time you will become aware of what works and what doesnt
SKINCARE
MUST HAVES!!!
.cleanser
.Moisturiser
. Sunscreen (splash money and do your research on this one)
NOTES:
This is where your skin type will come into play. Make sure your products are suitable and match your skin type!
WHEN MAKING A SKINCARE ROUTINE LESS IS BETTER!!! USE ONLY BETWEEN 3 AND 6 PRODUCTS
DOUBLE MOISTURISE DRY AREAS (IF U HAVE DRY SKIN OR PATCHES)
ID RECOMEND THE ORDINARY FOR CHEAP AND RELIABLE PRODUCTS
ONLY USE SKINCARE ONCE A DAY (PREFERABLY AT NIGHT)
PRODUCTS FOR...
BLACKHEADS
.salicylic acid
.cleansing oil
.BHA (beta hydroxy acid)
WHITEHEADS
.azelaic acid
.exfoliaters
PAPULES
.vitamin c serum
.salicylic acid
.kojic acid
PUSTULES
.salicylic acid
.benzoyl peroxide
NODULES
.salicylic acid
.azaelic acid
.Retinol
CYSTS
.azaelic acid
.niacinamide
.Tretinoin
ACNE SCARS
.retinol
.kojic acid
.vitamin c serum
.sunscreen
.toners
.niacinamide serum
HABITS
.change pillowcase regularly (silk pillowcase recomended
.wash hands before skincare routine
.avoid touching face
.dry face with clean towel
.keep hair off of face
.make sure hair is clean
.cardio (wash face with room temp water after)
.sleep atleast 8 hours
.only wash face with water in morning or when not using skincare
.avoid makeup if possible - there's no such thing as acne safe makeup
.avoid stress
.steam face before routine
COPES TO AVOID
.Don't fall for the ice on face - it will only damage nerves and can cause futher acne due to how it is stored
.BB cream and tinted sunscreen don't do anything seriously + it will just make your skin worse
A GOOD READ:
https://share.google/4OxmIg3xJIkMUhbt9
BODY ACNE
.clean hair regularly
.aloe vera
.odourless soap/body gel
.avoid products with any fragrance
.change clothes regulary (bras included for foids)
IF YOU TRY ALL OF THIS FOR MONTHS WHILE STAYING CONSITENT STILL TO SEE NO RESULTS, GO TO SEE A DERMATOLOGIST YOU MAY NEED FUTHER TREATMENT. Always do your own research before purchasing a product, I personally like to look through reddit to see people's experiences and go through ingredient lists to check product quality.
Now onto a very underrated topic..
POST ACNE HYPERPIGMENTATION VS POST ECZEMA HYPERPIGMENTATION- WHATS THE DIFFERENCE?
POST ACNE HYPERPIGMENTATION
Post acne hyperpigmentation appears as brown or black marks (on darker skin) and red, pink, or grey marks (on lighter skin.)
As the name suggests the general cause of this is acne. If you have not had any acne in the area you can rule out your blemishes being due to post acne hyperpigmentation.
What is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation? | Boots https://www.boots.com/healthhub/ski...ZoD_0z9DY9z_t-QHV2Wy9IxjKqYUcj_3HJrjRZMFbcxEu
HOW DO I TREAT THIS?
the best solution in all honesty is tretinoin combined with hydroquinone and potentially a steroid cream for anti inflammation. Pair this up with good acne prevention (e.g good diet, appropriate use of products, etc.)
other treatments you can use:
.retinol
.vitamin c
.azealic acid
.micro needling
.acne safe sunscreen (I recomen la roche possay oil control)
make sure its 50 spf with uva+uvb protection - use daily no matter what
POST EXCEMA HYPERPIGMENTATION
Though the physical characteristics are identical (since they have the same cause mechanism), the treatments NEEDS to be different. If you haven't experienced acne in effected area and have a history of eczema, there's a decent chance you have this.
How to Manage and Treat Eczema Pigmentation https://share.google/G6KGHeUFgK8VdCkiZ
HOW DO I TREAT THIS?
. Tretinoin + hydroquinone + mometascone furoate (use for max 3 to 4 months before getting rid of mometasone furoate)
. Retinol
. Sunscreen (same use as for PAH)
. azaelic acid
. vitamin c
Where it gets more complicated is when we talk about how to use these products
if eczema prone skin is everywhere
. All of your routine should involve eczema safe products. This generally includes anything you've been prescribed as treatment.
.when using strong products (e.g tret, retinol, azaelic acid) avoid daily use. A good routine would be: tret 3-4x a week with a basic routine the other days
. Focus on anti inflammatory diet (avoid carbs, processed foods, seed oils)
Remember your goal is to heal the skin barrier and your eczema. If you have eczema your hyperpigmentation will remain. Be patient this will take months to even years.
Oily and eczema prone skin
I imagine alot of people who are genuinely reading this guide because they want help telling the difference have combined skin. The treatment is alot more complicated than using combined skin safe products however. This is because you likely have certain patches of skin that are oily, and others that are dry and acne prone.
here's what you're gonna do
for oily patches:
. Stick to oily safe products
. you can still use harsher products daily
. Stay wary of any changes in skin
for eczema and hyperpigmentation effected areas:
. Use eczema safe products (you can combine with some more oil targeted products if you still get some acne there)
. Apply tretinoin 3x a week, lighter products the other days
in general
. Use sunscreen every morning
. Only wash with water in the mornings (stick to cool water)
AFTER HYPERPIGMENTATION FADES
Do not immediately stop using your products. Instead you should wean your skin off of them. If you don't do this the hyperpigmentation will just return.
For example if you were using tretinoin you'd slowly decrease weekly usage:
1st week - 3x a week
2nd week - 2x a week
3rd week - 2x a week
4th week - 1x a week
5th week - switch to retinol 3x a week
I might do a thread debunking hormonal acne being incurable later if you guys want :catthink:
Yes this is taken from .com but tweaked and improved.
WHAT IS ACNE?
Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit. This occurs when hair follicles become clogged by a combination of excess sebum and dead skin cells.
ADRESSING THE ROOT OF THE ISSUE
To start fixing our skin it's crucial to understand it.
SKIN TYPES
there are five main skin types:
.oily
.dry
.normal
.combined
.sensetive
HOW TO FIND MY SKIN TYPE?
read this:
https://share.google/MzRz5WPkKmOtuEidI
Another quick and easy way is to look up the definitions and see which one describes you best, although it's always good to double check.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACNE
BLACK HEADS - small, black or yellowish bumps
WHITEHEADS - small, white bumps under skin
PAPULES - small, red and raised bumps that can be painful to touch
PUSTULES - similar to papules but with a white or yellow center that is filled with pus
NODULES - larger, solid, painful lumps that develope deeper within skin and can last longer than other kinds of acne.
CYSTS - large, pus filled lumps that are often painful and often lead to scarring
ACNE SCARRING - the marks left on the skin after acne blemishes have healed
GREATER DETAIL ON THIS TOPIC:
https://share.google/UxzCKdZbhZyxt3SHq
WHY YOU PROBABLY DONT NEED ACCUTANE
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
As many of you from .com will know I suffered with severe acne for a while. I had been recomended birth control and accutane by doctors many times without them doing much questioning about my habbits or routine.
With the combination of improved diet and the right routine I completely cleared up my skin, and all it took was a few months. If anyone wants before and afters I'm more than happy to share, or if you're on .com you can look there.
WHY I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ACCUTANE
Well as stated i cleared my skin up in only a few months, the exact same amount of time it would take for you to clear up your skin on accutane, the difference being my method is risk free. Accutane is often known to purge even often being worse than beforehand for multiple weeks to months, why would you risk this when you can clear up your acne in the same amount of time without this stage? When considering taking accutane you also need to note the large amount of side effects and risks that come along with taking accutane, this includes:
.dry skin
.photosensitivity
.muscle and joint pain
.vision changes
FOR GREATER DETAIL ON THIS READ HERE:
https://share.google/qKS3ohp2Uwuug5rvc
I'd also like to mention how how accutane can also increase oil production after stopping usage and multiple cycles may be needed. Accutane isn't some magic pill like many would like to have you believe.
DIET
RECOMENDED FOOD:
.fruits (in reasonable servings)
.natural sugar (honey etc.)
.100% dark chocolate
.meats
.vegtables
.water (not food but shhhh)
.certain dairy products (Greek yogurt etc.)
.certain herbs (turmeric, basil etc.)
FOODS TO AVOID:
.overconsumption of certain dairy (milk, cheese)
.processed sugar (milk chocolate, sugary drinks)
.refined carbs (pasta, bread etc.)
.greasy food (fried chicken, fries etc.)
.artificial sweetners
It's important to note that different people have different triggers. I can personally eat cheese and be fine, but others may react negatively to this. Over time you will become aware of what works and what doesnt
SKINCARE
MUST HAVES!!!
.cleanser
.Moisturiser
. Sunscreen (splash money and do your research on this one)
NOTES:
This is where your skin type will come into play. Make sure your products are suitable and match your skin type!
WHEN MAKING A SKINCARE ROUTINE LESS IS BETTER!!! USE ONLY BETWEEN 3 AND 6 PRODUCTS
DOUBLE MOISTURISE DRY AREAS (IF U HAVE DRY SKIN OR PATCHES)
ID RECOMEND THE ORDINARY FOR CHEAP AND RELIABLE PRODUCTS
ONLY USE SKINCARE ONCE A DAY (PREFERABLY AT NIGHT)
PRODUCTS FOR...
BLACKHEADS
.salicylic acid
.cleansing oil
.BHA (beta hydroxy acid)
WHITEHEADS
.azelaic acid
.exfoliaters
PAPULES
.vitamin c serum
.salicylic acid
.kojic acid
PUSTULES
.salicylic acid
.benzoyl peroxide
NODULES
.salicylic acid
.azaelic acid
.Retinol
CYSTS
.azaelic acid
.niacinamide
.Tretinoin
ACNE SCARS
.retinol
.kojic acid
.vitamin c serum
.sunscreen
.toners
.niacinamide serum
HABITS
.change pillowcase regularly (silk pillowcase recomended
.wash hands before skincare routine
.avoid touching face
.dry face with clean towel
.keep hair off of face
.make sure hair is clean
.cardio (wash face with room temp water after)
.sleep atleast 8 hours
.only wash face with water in morning or when not using skincare
.avoid makeup if possible - there's no such thing as acne safe makeup
.avoid stress
.steam face before routine
COPES TO AVOID
.Don't fall for the ice on face - it will only damage nerves and can cause futher acne due to how it is stored
.BB cream and tinted sunscreen don't do anything seriously + it will just make your skin worse
A GOOD READ:
https://share.google/4OxmIg3xJIkMUhbt9
BODY ACNE
.clean hair regularly
.aloe vera
.odourless soap/body gel
.avoid products with any fragrance
.change clothes regulary (bras included for foids)
IF YOU TRY ALL OF THIS FOR MONTHS WHILE STAYING CONSITENT STILL TO SEE NO RESULTS, GO TO SEE A DERMATOLOGIST YOU MAY NEED FUTHER TREATMENT. Always do your own research before purchasing a product, I personally like to look through reddit to see people's experiences and go through ingredient lists to check product quality.
Now onto a very underrated topic..
POST ACNE HYPERPIGMENTATION VS POST ECZEMA HYPERPIGMENTATION- WHATS THE DIFFERENCE?
POST ACNE HYPERPIGMENTATION
Post acne hyperpigmentation appears as brown or black marks (on darker skin) and red, pink, or grey marks (on lighter skin.)
As the name suggests the general cause of this is acne. If you have not had any acne in the area you can rule out your blemishes being due to post acne hyperpigmentation.
What is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation? | Boots https://www.boots.com/healthhub/ski...ZoD_0z9DY9z_t-QHV2Wy9IxjKqYUcj_3HJrjRZMFbcxEu
HOW DO I TREAT THIS?
the best solution in all honesty is tretinoin combined with hydroquinone and potentially a steroid cream for anti inflammation. Pair this up with good acne prevention (e.g good diet, appropriate use of products, etc.)
other treatments you can use:
.retinol
.vitamin c
.azealic acid
.micro needling
.acne safe sunscreen (I recomen la roche possay oil control)
make sure its 50 spf with uva+uvb protection - use daily no matter what
POST EXCEMA HYPERPIGMENTATION
Though the physical characteristics are identical (since they have the same cause mechanism), the treatments NEEDS to be different. If you haven't experienced acne in effected area and have a history of eczema, there's a decent chance you have this.
How to Manage and Treat Eczema Pigmentation https://share.google/G6KGHeUFgK8VdCkiZ
HOW DO I TREAT THIS?
. Tretinoin + hydroquinone + mometascone furoate (use for max 3 to 4 months before getting rid of mometasone furoate)
. Retinol
. Sunscreen (same use as for PAH)
. azaelic acid
. vitamin c
Where it gets more complicated is when we talk about how to use these products
if eczema prone skin is everywhere
. All of your routine should involve eczema safe products. This generally includes anything you've been prescribed as treatment.
.when using strong products (e.g tret, retinol, azaelic acid) avoid daily use. A good routine would be: tret 3-4x a week with a basic routine the other days
. Focus on anti inflammatory diet (avoid carbs, processed foods, seed oils)
Remember your goal is to heal the skin barrier and your eczema. If you have eczema your hyperpigmentation will remain. Be patient this will take months to even years.
Oily and eczema prone skin
I imagine alot of people who are genuinely reading this guide because they want help telling the difference have combined skin. The treatment is alot more complicated than using combined skin safe products however. This is because you likely have certain patches of skin that are oily, and others that are dry and acne prone.
here's what you're gonna do
for oily patches:
. Stick to oily safe products
. you can still use harsher products daily
. Stay wary of any changes in skin
for eczema and hyperpigmentation effected areas:
. Use eczema safe products (you can combine with some more oil targeted products if you still get some acne there)
. Apply tretinoin 3x a week, lighter products the other days
in general
. Use sunscreen every morning
. Only wash with water in the mornings (stick to cool water)
AFTER HYPERPIGMENTATION FADES
Do not immediately stop using your products. Instead you should wean your skin off of them. If you don't do this the hyperpigmentation will just return.
For example if you were using tretinoin you'd slowly decrease weekly usage:
1st week - 3x a week
2nd week - 2x a week
3rd week - 2x a week
4th week - 1x a week
5th week - switch to retinol 3x a week
I might do a thread debunking hormonal acne being incurable later if you guys want :catthink: