Dealing With Acne? Here are the Top 5 Things to Avoid.
- Posted on: Aug 21 2014
If you have acne and acne-prone skin, you may be tempted to wash your face excessively, squeeze blemishes or head out into the sun in an effort to clear your skin. In actuality, you should avoid all of the following temptations when dealing with your acne.
DON’T POP IT! It is hard to keep from squeezing an unsightly whitehead or an uncomfortable pimple, but picking, popping and squeezing can actually irritate your skin, prolong healing time and increase your risk of scarring.
MORE SCRUBBING WILL NOT HELP Astringents, masks and exfoliators that contain scrubbing particles should be avoided unless one of these products contains an ingredient used to treat acne, such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. These exfoliating products tend to irritate the skin and may make it more difficult to tolerate prescription acne medications.
CHECK THE OIL Skin care products from makeup and sunscreen to moisturizers and serums may contain oil which can clog your pores. When choosing products, choose those labeled “noncomedogenic” or “oil-free”. Even if the product you are using is for your hair, beware of the content. These products can permeate the skin at the hairline adding to your acne concerns.
TANNING IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA A common myth is that acne clears up with sun exposure. The truth is tanning can be excessively damaging to the skin. If you are using a retinoid that you apply to your skin (adapalene, tretinoin, or tazarotene) to treat acne, you must protect your skin from the sun and avoid using a tanning bed or sun lamp. These acne medications cause the top layer of your skin to thin, causing sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) light
STOP TOUCHING YOUR FACE You may not even know you are doing it, but the more you touch your skin, the more bacteria, dirt and oil you spread, encouraging flare-ups. If you use a cell phone, take a look at the screen. Does it look clean? Imagine everything on the screen transferring to your face! Talk into the speaker instead of pressing your phone to your face.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? Seek treatment with your dermatologist. At Asarch Dermatology, our providers offer many options for treating acne and acne prone skin.
Acleara, from Asarch Center, is a new breakthrough in acne treatment technology. It’s virtually painless, can take as little as 10 minutes and has immediate results. The Asarch Center is proud to be the first provider in Colorado to provide you with this technology. Acleara is an alternative for you if:
- You have acne.
- Your skin is oily and/or you have large pores
- Over-the-counter acne medications just don’t seem to work.
- You choose to avoid systemic treatments for acne such as oral antibiotics
- Your acne does not respond to antibiotics
- You want to avoid the side effects associated with prescription medication.
- Previous acne laser treatments have been too painful and not very effective.
The Acleara device is cleared by the FDA to treat a wide range of acne in all skin types. Learn more about Acleara by watching the short video below from Dr. Asarch or by clicking here.
Acleara Acne Treatment | Asarch Dermatology & Laser – Denver, Colorado from Dr. Richard Asarch on Vimeo. 
Blue Light Therapy
Blu-U photo-facial light therapy may be a good solution for you if you are dealing with acne and/or acne scarring. This treatment is non-invasive and effective at treating acne and actinic keratoses, as well as sun-damage on all skin types. Blue light photo-dynamic therapy works by killing acne causing bacteria, overactive oil glands and pre-malignant skin cells and pre-cancers.
Acne Peels
The Asarch Center’s specially trained medical aestheticians provide additional acne treatments for both teens and adults. Salt Peels or Acne Lift Peels help prevent future breakouts by gently exfoliating the top layers of the skin and removing bacteria.
Acne Products
Also suggested to promote clear and healthy skin is the DermaSpaRx Oily/Acne Line. This daily regimen created and developed by Dr. Asarch specifically for acne prone skin helps smooth the complexion while preventing breakouts.
Brand New! Clear Away Clay
Our new soothing complexion mask is formulated to help heal blemishes, prevent future breakouts and improve skin tone. Clear Away Clay contains natural Sea Buckthorn and Sunflower extracts aid in reducing redness and inflammation. The specially designed formula penetrates deeply to clean and unclog pores, while natural clay rids skin of excess oil without drying. Order Online Now!
Treatment for Acne Scarring
If you are suffering with scarring from acne, Blue Light Therapy may be a good option for you. Fractional Lasers can also reduce the appearance of scarring, while encouraging healthy, younger looking skin. Learn More about Fractional Laser by clicking HERE.
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