Pharmacymix.com, Skin Care Pharmacy and Blog Specializing in Anthelios and Mexoryl Sunscreens

How To Treat And Eliminate Blackheads

While blackheads might initially give the appearance of dirty skin, they’re actually the result of trapped sebum that has undergone an oxidation process within your pores. Under normal circumstances, your body produces sebum which exits your pores and coats your skin. Its production is controlled by your body’s hormones. Occasionally, those hormones can produce excess amounts of sebum which becomes trapped within the pores. When oxygen makes contact, the sebum can oxidize and darken. While blackheads are common, there are steps you can take to treat and get rid of them.

Exfoliate Your Skin

One of the main reasons why your pores can become clogged with sebum is due to dead skin cells. Your epidermis is comprised of several layers of cells. Skin goes through cycles, whereby dead cells on the uppermost layer are shedded, making room for new, healthier skin cells. If those dead skin cells were to drop away, they wouldn’t pose a problem. Unfortunately, they often cling to the surface of your skin, blocking your pores. By incorporating exfoliants such as Mama Lotion, Effaclar K, Effaclar AI into your routine, you can remove these problematic dead skin cells. Either an alpha or beta hydroxy acid can help by either exfoliating the top layer of skin or unclogging blocked pores. To find out which is more suitable for you, read this article.

Avoid Greasy Moisturizers And Soaps

Heavy emollients can be valuable for those who have dry skin. However, because blackheads often indicate excess sebum production, heavy moisturizers and soaps can actually exacerbate the problem. Besides, if your skin is naturally oily, there’s little need to use a greasy moisturizing or cleansing product. Instead, use a light facial cleanser like Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel that is designed for oily skin types.

Treat With Retinoids

Retinoids such as retinol (Green Cream) and prescription tretinoin are vitamin A derivatives that are effective for treating blackheads. Retinoids accelerate the turnover of dead skin cells and can help prevent clogged pores. Though effective, retinoids should be used cautiously, if at all, in combination with an alpha or beta hydroxy acid. The combination will be highly irritating for most individuals. 

Should You Squeeze?

Tempting as it is, squeezing pimples, whiteheads and blackheads is often discouraged because doing so can damage your skin. However, when it comes to blackheads, gently squeezing them can be an effective way to remove the excess material within the clogged pores. That being said, it’s important that you avoid applying too much pressure while squeezing. Also, use a tissue to block contact between your fingers and your skin. It will reduce the likelihood of scratching the area if you slip.

Blackheads look unattractive but are a common skin condition. Now that you understand how they’re caused, you can take measures to treat them by exfoliating regularly, avoiding heavy emollients and cleansers and using topical agents such as retinoids. You should begin noticing results within several weeks.

Psoriasis: Identifying And Treating The Condition

Millions of people suffer from psoriasis, a condition that often manifests as red patches across the surface of the skin. It is as prevalent in men as it is in women. While the symptoms can vary for each person, common symptoms include dry and irritated skin that can itch and even bleed. The root cause of psoriasis is unknown, though scientists suspect it’s related to excess production of skin cells, a dysfunction of the body’s immune system, or a combination of the two.

The Effects Of Psoriasis

Psoriasis is usually categorized with regards to its level of severity (mild, moderate, or severe). The categories are based upon the percentage of surface area affected, degree of redness and scaling, how receptive the condition is to various treatments and its impact upon the patient.

It can manifest as tiny bumps, thick patches of raised skin, or areas of skin with severe flaking. In nearly a third of cases, psoriasis leads to discomfort and pain within the joints (known as psoriatic arthritis). Occasionally, the pain can even be debilitating.

Different Treatments For Psoriasis

The type of treatment used by doctors and dermatologists varies based upon the severity of each case and the response that each patient has to the treatment. These can include using topical agents, phototherapy, medications and even injections. In mild cases of psoriasis, topical solutions such as emollients and medicated creams are used to moisturize and soothe areas that are irritated. Alternatively, limited exposure to UVB rays can lead to remission. In some cases, hydrocortisone is used in combination with phototherapy to encourage remission or lead to less severe symptoms.

Severe cases of psoriasis, including psoriatic arthritis, usually require medications or injections because topical treatments are ineffective. This can include vitamin A derivatives such as retinoids and immunosuppressive medications such as methotrexate that can inhibit the immune system. The downside to using drugs to treat psoriasis is the possibility of side effects.

Living With Psoriasis

Unfortunately, while psoriasis can go into remission and the symptoms can be managed with a variety of treatments, there is no known cure for the condition. Topical treatments, phototherapy and various medications can be used to provide relief from discomfort and pain, but these treatments cannot eliminate psoriasis. That being said, continuous research is being conducted to uncover treatments that are more effective and longer lasting.

If you’re applying emollients and moisturizers to reduce itching and dryness caused by psoriasis, choose skin care products that really work. Products that contain urea, as in La Roche Posay Iso Urea, can provide some relief. Further, if you’re relying upon direct sunlight for phototherapy, use an effective UVA/UVB blocking sunscreen such as Anthelios to help control the amount of exposure you have to UVA and UVB rays.

The Difference Between Beta Hydroxy Acid and Alpha Hydroxy Acid

You’ve probably heard about hydroxy acids’ benefits to skin. What you may not know is that there are two types of hydroxy acids – alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), often referred to as fruit acids – and beta hydroxy acid (BHA), of which there is only one, salicylic acid. In this article let’s look at both types of hydroxy acids to help you determine whether they will benefit your skin.

About Alpha Hydroxy Acids

Alpha hydroxy acids (often referred to as AHAs) are derived from fruit and sugar. They include:

• glycolic acid, derived from sugar cane
• lactic acid, derived from milk
• mandelic acid, derived from bitter almonds
• tartaric acid, derived from grapes
• malic acid, derived from apples and pears

amongst others.

The main function of AHAs is to exfoliate or remove the top layer of skin allowing newer, healthier skin cells to show through. They are particularly useful in enhancing the appearance of sun damaged skin and may help to diminish the appearance of wrinkles. Studies have shown that AHAs may also help to stimulate collagen production. They are often an important component of any skin lightening regimen. 

AHAs are best used in gels, creams or lotions to allow the product to deliver benefits. Washes and cleansers are often removed before the AHA can exert its action. Studies have shown that AHAs work best at concentrations of at least 4% formulated at a pH of around 3 or 4.

About Beta Hydroxy Acid

There is only one beta hydroxy acid – salicylic acid – derived from acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin. Like AHAs, beta hydroxy acid (BHA) acts as an exfoliant increasing the shedding of dead skin cells to allow newer, healthier skin cells to show through.

Studies have shown BHA to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, improve skin roughness and assist in reducing skin pigmentation disorders. BHA is also extremely useful in the treatment of breakouts and helpful in the management of keratosis pilaris, conditions that involve blocked or clogged pores.

As with AHAs, when choosing a BHA product, you may benefit more by opting for a cream, lotion or gel that stays on your skin. Washes and cleansers are removed from the skin before they have a chance to deliver benefits. Look for products containing at least 1% BHA at a pH of between 3 or 4 in order to derive maximum benefits.

The Difference Between Alpha Hydroxy Acids and Beta Hydroxy Acid

AHAs are water soluble so they do not penetrate well beneath the skin’s surface.  They are ideal for use on skin that is not prone to breakouts. BHA, on the other hand, is a lipid (oil) soluble molecule. This characteristic allows BHA to penetrate pores that contain sebum (oil) and help to exfoliate the pore itself. This makes BHA particularly useful in oily, acneic skin prone to breakouts.

Side Effects of Beta Hydroxy Acid and Alpha Hydroxy Acids

Because both BHA and AHAs remove the skin’s top layer, they make skin more sensitive to sun exposure. Sensitivity can increase by up to 50%, which makes the use of broad spectrum UVA/UVB blocking sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30 a must. Both types of acids can cause irritation including redness, burning, pain or itching. Darker skinned individuals may also be at risk for scarring with the use of AHAs or BHA.

Formulations That Work

If the idea of incorporating an AHA or BHA into your skin care regimen appeals, consider the following products which have been shown to demonstrate benefits in many skin types:

• MaMa Lotion - mandelic acid and malic acid to deliver benefits to acneic skin as well as melasma
• LacHydrin - 12% lactic acid to assist in management of dry skin
• La Roche Posay Effaclar K or Effaclar AI - formulated with LHA, a derivative of salicylic acid to help minimize breakouts

How To Determine Your Skin Type

Without knowing your skin type, it’s difficult to know which skin care products will provide the most benefit. In fact, you may be using products that can aggravate your skin. For example, if you have naturally oily skin, some moisturizers may clog your pores and cause trapped sebum to oxidize, creating blackheads. On the other hand, many products can cause further dehydration to naturally dry skin. Today, I’ll explain how to accurately determine your skin type so you’ll know which products are most appropriate for your face and body.

Wait After Washing

It’s tempting to look in the mirror immediately after washing your face to note whether your skin is dry or oily. However, doing so can be misleading. Your face may look normal minutes after washing, but look differently hours later. It’s best to wait a few hours after washing your face to allow your skin to present signs of dryness or oiliness.

Checking For Oiliness

As you’re looking at your face in the mirror, try to identify areas that shine more than others. It’s possible that certain areas of your face will manifest signs of oiliness while other areas seem normal or even dry. Use a tissue to dab those areas that are shiny. At this point, it’s still difficult to know for certain whether your skin is oily. Wait a few hours and look at your face in the mirror again. If you notice those same areas are shiny, it’s likely that your skin is at least slightly oily.

Checking For Dryness

Dry skin is usually simple to identify. After washing your face, it may feel mildly tight. Also, while looking in the mirror, you may notice that your face looks dehydrated or lusterless and has a rough feel to it. Several hours after washing, you might experience minor itching, peeling or flaking.

A common cause of dry skin is excess exposure to the sun’s UV rays. The problem is that the effect can go unnoticed because visible signs can take years to fully manifest. This is the reason why it’s important to diligently use sunscreens that are formulated to provide wide spectrum protection from UVA and UVB rays.

Checking for Sensitivity

In addition to having normal, dry, oily or combination skin, your skin may also be sensitive. If this is the case, you may notice areas of redness. In addition, you may not tolerate skin care products very easily, with some being more problematic than others. If this is the case, pay close attention to ingredients. Avoid those that irritate skin and stick to those that you tolerate well. You will have to diligent in your pursuit of skin care products for your skin, but your research will pay off in the end.

Using The Right Skin Care Products

Once you have accurately identified your skin type, you can begin using the right skin care products with confidence. However, it’s important to understand that your skin type can shift from dry to oily based upon a number of factors, including exposure to the weather as well as physiological influences. As well, different parts of your face may have different skin types. The combination skin type - oily t-zone with dry cheeks - is a case in point. The key is knowing how to identify the needs of your skin so you can apply products that offer the most benefit. Your skin needs will change through the seasons and over the years so don’t be afraid to switch things up if your current skin care products aren’t working for you.