I'll confess that we all have bad skin days especially those of us that are just finally escaping the grasp of lord puberty. Ah, the days of waking up to find hair somewhere new and my voice a full octave lower are almost a distant memory. Evidently lord puberty's friend the earl of acne has planned on living the next few years on the face of many unwashed Americans though. I'm 21 and still have occasional break outs but far less frequently and not as bad as when I was in my teens because I switched to an organic soap, eat better, try and sleep more, bathe regularly, and in general my hormones have leveld out, well for the most part. As Xander Harris said in episode 14 of season 2 of Buffy: "I'm 17. Looking at linoleum makes me wanna have sex."Pretty much doesn't change for a long time.
Anyway back to zits. I understand most of us can't help them, they just happen. One day we are like, wow I have skin, and next day wow, I have zits. That would be when 16 year old girls beg their mothers to get them Proactive. I never used proactive, I used Dial bar soap. It did the trick for a long time but finally at around 18 my skin got behind just needing anti-bacterial soap. So I did the next logical thing of buying Oxy pads. If you don't know what these are, they are an acne treatment that comes on this little moist cotton like pads and are very inexpensive at Walmart and Fred Meyers (Kroger) and other places that sell skin treatments. The main active ingredient in Oxy pads is Salicylic acid (about .5% per pad). I used this one (which has 2% salicylic acid per pad) once and it really messed up my face because I have sensitive skin (don't we all) and always had light acne: something with this much salicylic acid really burned my skin. These products do work, for a while. How they work is quite simple: every time you use one it acts as a small chemical peel (same main ingredient, it is just a much smaller dose) and takes longer to see the affects. Now, they didn't get rid of my acne permanently but I a saw an almost immediate decrease in pimples and black heads. Long term results were that my face was always super shiny because the skin was being peeled off revealing newer, younger, fresher skin, and if I stopped treatment because it was drying out my skin (also contains trace amounts of benzoyl peroxide and some rubbing alcohol) leaving flaking and slight chemical burns, I would have another break out that was often worse than the original one I was treating. I ended up using it on the black heads on my nose and when I had a few zits pop up I would hit them with a pad and call it good. I eventually gave up using the pads all together and switched to using Dial on my face and an exfoliating shower scrub by Axe. Eventually I found that the dial soap was increasing my break outs because it was a communal bar of soap. So I was scrubbing my face with everyone else's hair and body oil. Duh, my skin was breaking out! I was putting more dirt on than I was taking off. Finally, about a year ago my sister gave me part of a bar of soap that she had bought from a seller on Etsy.com (click on the link to be taken to the soap). This is the seller's description of the product:
"This is a gentle and conditioning bar of soap made with skin-loving ingredients. Activated charcoal helps to unclog pores, remove impurities and excess oils, and detoxify the skin. Evening primrose oil is rich in vitamins and minerals, and works to repair damaged skin while softening and smoothing. Jojoba oil is a penetrating moisturizer that is similar to our skin’s own natural oils, and is rich in proteins and minerals. A combination of olive oil, grapeseed oil, and castor oil attracts moisture and nourishes the skin. Shea butter and cocoa butter work to soften, soothe, and improve skin flexibility. Coconut oil is easily absorbed by the skin, and creates an incredible lather, while palm kernel oil ensures a long-lasting bar of soap. This soap is scented with an herbaceous combination of eucalyptus and rosemary essential oils which also help to repair and renew the skin."
It really works. I have seen a decrease in acne and black heads. The pads made my pours larger to get the dirt oil and impurities out. My skin has been permanently damaged by using Oxy products. Luckily I used them infrequently enough that the damage is minor and it did not result in cystic acne: some companies and dermatologist, as well as skin obsessed older sisters claim that using products like Oxy frequently for extended periods of time can lead to cystic acne because the pours never close causing more junk to get caught in them. The best part of this soap is that it is all natural. All of the ingredients are used constantly in homeopathic acne treatments as well as morsturizers and other skin treatments to achieve "healthier and more youthful skin." It works marvels and can be used on more than just the face. My most troubled area forever was my back: I hate backne! You can't pop 'em so one day you move and they pop and ruin your favorite pale blue t-shirt. Since using this soap I only have occasional brake outs and that is usually when I go for an extended time without showering or I get very dirty. Also, using an organic shampoo and conditioner on my hair keeps my hair cleaner causing less dirt and oil from my hair to get on my skin. Another way to keep acne off your face is too keep your hair out of your face. Which means, either shorter hair or keeping your bangs out of your face. Good luck scene kids.
Men are very bad about taking care of their skin. Especially celebrity men. Y'all make ass loads of money and evidently don't know how to tell your personal assistant to buy a bottle of Clean and Clear or to call a dermatologist that does house calls. Admittedly most guys are like whatever it will go away on it's own. Evidently not. Acne is not just a teen thing, it often plagues people well into their 30s sometimes even their 40s or 50s. So it is something that has to be taken care and it is often as simple as changing your diet and washing your face every morning and night. I know that is so much work but it's your skin, your bodies largest organ, and it's with you for life so take care of it.
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