I was just reading over some great facial treatment advice and came across a great article that really got me thinking "do we really treat acne skin that well?'
People who suffer from acne not only have to live with the pain that it causes physically but also the pain it causes mentally. I really make a conscious effort to always read up on the latest treatments and educate myself in order to give my clients the best possible help I can.
The article I was reading by Paul Fister & Sue Dann - The Acne Myth stated that there are four factors that are 'at cause' for acne skin.
1. High levels of sebum production - hormonal levels play a major role in the increasing output of sebum.
2. A disturbance in the desquamation process of corneocytes (shedding of the outer layer of skin). Where clumps of skin can combine with sebum to cause blockages in the pores or hair follicles.
3. An increase in acne causing bacteria
4. Acne bacteria that leads to inflammation of the sebaceous gland, due to the wall of the follicle being breached.
This all being said most of my clients seem to feel that cleansing the skin and getting that 'really squeaky clean' feeling is the right thing to do.... This might be where we are going wrong!
Our skins natural Ph level is around 5.5 being more alkaline. While it is good to clean the skin, making it free from dirt and excess oil, its not so great to give it that super dooper clean feel. This could ultimately be doing more damage than you think.
A good routine is to gently cleanse the skin, removing excess oil without affecting the skins acid mantle. Then if extractions are performed it should be with clean sterile equipment and the skin should be cleared of unwanted bacteria before a drawing mask is applied. The mask helps to draw out any impurities from the skin and assist with unblocking of the follicle. It is important to note here that while a mask may be great, if it leaves the skin dehydrated then it is causing another set of problems - the skin needs to be hydrated in order to perform its natural shedding cycle (remembering that if the skin does not shed, it can cause blockages in the follicle).
The skin should always be finished with some form of suitable hydration. If we aide in the skins natural processes then the skin itself will be able to fight the acne with our assistance. Although beauty treatments can be expensive to some, the benefits of talking to an educated skin professional far outweigh the cost. Being educated about your own skin is the first step to understanding and then treating the concerns you have :)
For more information please feel free to email kcdkbeautycouture@hotmail.com
