Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Dear Betsy, I am always getting acne pimples and feel so ugly and worthless. I have been to just about every doctor and although some of the creams and pills work a bit for a while, the acne just keeps coming back. I am 16 and need to wear thick concealer over nearly all of my face before I can go to school. What can I do to cure this? Should I stop eating chocolate? Is it true that sunbathing helps? Please help me Betsy as I am so unhappy and sad and my biggest dream is to wake up one morning and be able to smile at my face in the mirror instead of crying.
Desperate Sheila
Dear Sheila,
I wish I could wave a magic wand but acne is not that easy to treat. There are around 50 different forms of acne but acne vulgaris is probably the most commonly seen.
I know that doctors are able to prescribe antibiotics and hormonal balancing pills and medicated ointments to treat the physical "pimples" but the emotional 'pimples' are just as important, if not more so, to acne sufferers.
There are many myths about acne. Eating chocolate or lots of greasy French fries will not cause acne, but a healthier diet is better for your general health.
If eating a bit of chocolate helps you feel better then just do it, but don't binge. Eating dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70 per cent or more is actually very healthy. When we eat good quality chocolate it can release a wave of a feel-good chemical called phenylethylamine, which is also released when you are in love, giving you a bit of a natural mood elevating lift.
There is also a scientific study that supports the theory that eating excessive calories on a daily basis triggers a hormonal release that has been shown to contribute to an increase in acne pustules in acne sufferers, so eating a nutritionally sound, healthy diet is important.
Sunbathing can appear to help as it will dry out some of the excessive sebum or oil that contributes to pimples, however, some experts believe that it causes a backlash breakout some two to three weeks after sun exposure.
If you are in the sun you should wear a total sunblock and limit your exposure time to 30 minutes or so. When choosing a sunblock look out for the words "non-comodegenic" on the label which means it won't contribute to the formation of comedones or blackheads as they are more commonly known. Indeed any skin care or make-up you use should have this on the label.
Taking antibiotics can usually help with the inflammation caused by pustular acne but antibiotics can't kill the bacteria that is generally believed to cause acne. This is called Propionibacterium Acnes or P.acnes for short, and lives on skin quite happily until it gets trapped in your blocked pores with all that excessive sebum and causes inflammation resulting in acne pustules.
A few years ago scientists who were searching for a non-invasive treatment for skin cancer were experimenting with Heliotherapy or Light Therapy and they found that when the P.acnes bacteria is exposed to a certain specific wavelength of harmless blue light, it released porphyrines which effectively kill the P.acnes bacteria.
I introduced this therapy to Bahrain some six years ago and know it can produce some astounding results. I have found that when I combine it with a specific harmless wavelength of red light this reduces the inflammation and helps to heal scar tissue and re-hydrate and energise the skin (it also reduces wrinkles and regenerates collagen and hyaluronic acid making it a wonderful anti-aging treatment).
Nowadays, you will find a few dermatologists in Bahrain using this type of treatment. A word of caution, not all of these lamps are created equal ... for the most effective results the lamp used must be an LED lamp with a specific wavelength of 415nm. They must be large enough to irradiate the whole face and neck, be placed to within six inches of your skin and you need to wear protective eye shades.
The correct preparation of the skin is important as is the after care.
If you want to try this therapy then email me again and I will personally recommend a specific clinic to you.
Daily skin care is important. Some doctors are still prescribing products containing sulphur which has been shown to cause comedones - so avoid anything with sulphur in it.
Avoid harsh scrubs and peels as this will upset your skin and make it worse.
Gentle facial washes that do not contain SLS or Sodium Laurel Sulphates, should be used twice a day. A simple antibacterial, water-based moisturiser is important.
Lots of acne products contain benzoyl peroxide but I don't agree with this as I feel it too harsh and drying which can cause the skin to have a sensitivity breakout. Instead, buy a bottle of pure essential oil of Tea Tree which is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacteriacidal, anti-viral and when used correctly, cooling and soothing. Add a drop to your facial wash and for active pimples and pustules paint them with a drop of neat Tea Tree before you sleep to help them heal overnight.
Don't underestimate the importance of sleep. This is when your skin does a lot of its most powerful healing and nourishing work and sleep deprivation can also dramatically increase your stress levels, exacerbating acne and making you feel anxious and depressed which plays havoc with your hormones which makes acne worse.
A vicious cycle as you can see, so drink lots of mineral water, eat a healthy balanced diet, get eight to 10 hours of sleep, avoid harsh or chemical skin products and SMILE a lot! Yes, smiling will help elevate your mood and release happy hormones which can help neutralise negativity and before you know it you will look and feel better.
I also recommend you use visualisation which can be a very powerful tool. Close your eyes and really 'see' yourself with a beautiful flawless complexion and keep telling yourself you have a beautiful clear skin. Do this several times a day and really 'believe' in it and you will be surprised at the results. Positive attracts positive.
Acne doesn't only affect teenagers, there is a growing percentage of adults who escaped it in their teens only to find it develops in their 30s or 40s. Hormones, stress, environmental changes, lifestyle choices, have all been cited as possible causes for this growing curse of the middle aged.
Be careful with your concealer or make up. Try to find a mineral-based make up range, such as Jane Iredale, that will not clog up your pores or react with the sun. Pure mineral make up contains built in sun filters and botanical ingredients such as willow bark, that treat your skin as you wear it.
Finally Sheila, remember that at 16 all of your friends and schoolmates stress about their appearance when they look in the mirror and that includes even those considered to be physically beautiful!
BETSY SAYS RELAX ...
As the weather is changing it is time to sort out your wardrobe. Banish those winter warmers and spruce up your summer togs. This sort of "space clearing" is good for your stress levels and energises the "Chi" or energy in your living space. If you find items in good condition that you have not worn or used for more than a year, then donate them to one of the thrift shops. Bet you'll feel good after that.
Dear Betsy,
I am an Indian working in Bahrain and would like to ask you for a remedy to remove the black marks on my face and neck, due to pimples and maybe an allergy to shaving. As an average paid employee I am not able to go for expensive professional treatment. I am very worried about this. I am 28 years old. Can you suggest a solution?
Joji Thomas
Dear Joji,
These pigmentation marks can come after pimples, shaving and exposure to the sun. The first thing you need to do is always wear a total sun block on your face and neck before going outside in the daylight hours. You can find inexpensive ones in the supermarkets from around BD2.
Take special care with your technique when you are shaving to avoid the problem of ingrown hairs. If you have them then do NOT pick and squeeze at them as pigmentation can easily result. The next thing to do is to make sure you do not have any perfumed products on your skin such as aftershave or cologne as the chemical perfumes can cause dark pigmentation marks.
Home remedies to help bleach the darker areas include using a handful of oatmeal and some witchazel (from pharmacies, inexpensive too) to make a face-scrub to gently rub over your face and neck two-to-three times a week to remove the dead skin cells and encourage cellular renewal.
Another method of doing this is to use the enzyme, papain, found in raw papaya fruit. Rub the inside of the papaya skin all over your face and neck and leave for 15 to 20 minutes. This enzyme will help to magically dissolve dead cells. Repeat two-or-three times a week but only once weekly if you have sensitive skin.
Applying neat lemon juice to the pigmented areas is an easy way to lighten them but they will only come back darker again if you are not using a total sun block when you go outside in the daytime.
This is important for long-term skin protection against skin cancer as well as pigmentation. Hope this helps you Joji and it proves that you don't always have to spend a lot of money on skin care.
