WHAT IS ACNE?

Acne is an inflammatory & Genetic disorder of the Pore. Acne prone skin sheds about 5-10x more the amount of dead skin cells than those without acne. We call this ‘retention hyperkeratosis’ this essentially means that acne is a dead skin cell problem heavily influenced by genetics and different triggers.

IS IT CURABLE?

While acne can be managed and treated, it is considered an incurable condition. However, with the right care, its effects can be minimized and we can better manage it!

HOW DOES ACNE FORM?

Think of your pores like tiny tunnels. Normally, your skin sheds dead cells up and out the tunnel to keep it clean, but due to your skin over producing skin cells they end up getting stuck in the tunnel and mix with oil, causing a clog. This clog is like a little “traffic jam” in the pore. Once it’s blocked, bacteria thrives and cause the area to get red and inflamed.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO FORM?

Acne can be forming underneath the skin before you even see it for about 90 days, it’s a process that happens over time, not overnight!

Acne is multifactorial & is not caused by one thing, it’s a mix of factors. Genetics play a big role so even if you’re doing everything right your pores are still genetically predisposed to be acne prone because of the retention hyperkeratosis. There are also other things that can influence which we will discuss further down.

We can also have Medical conditions,be on certain Medications, & have Food sensitivities that can potentially trigger acne and may not be something we can avoid/limit for clearing. However we can still reach some level of clarity; it just may not be 100%.

CLEARING EXPECTATIONS

Acne unfortunately isn’t curable, but it can be managed! You can achieve clear skin, but that doesn’t mean breakouts won’t ever happen again. For some, clear skin means only a few pimples instead of hundreds. How long it takes to clear varies but most people see improvement in about 12 weeks, however it can take longer or happen even sooner. Everyone’s skin is different, & it is a very personal journey.

PURGING

Purging is a type of breakout that can occur when starting acne and exfoliating products. Think of skin purging like doing a spring cleaning,it tends to get real messy before it gets clean and organized.

Purging can happen when we use active ingredients like retinoids or exfoliants. These ingredients increase your skin's natural cell turnover rate which is your skin’s exfoliation system, this brings underlying acne to the surface faster. Purging can look like a big scary breakout & cause some panic, but don't worry — it's a normal skin response and a sign that the products are working!

Your skin was already going to have these breakouts at some point, purging just pushes them out faster and all at once.

The good news? It's temporary and it does subside! Typically purging lasts 2-6 weeks but can last an upwards amount of around 12 weeks.

GUIDELINES

• You MUST follow your skincare regime exactly as given. Adding in unapproved items can deter from clearing or cause reactions. If your regime is causing irritation please reach out for next steps before stopping or adding something In.
• Honesty is crucial in this partnership. I can’t help you if I don’t know the full story! If you can’t follow the protocols just let me know so I can give you something you can follow, I want to set you up for success!
• Be patient! Acne is so complex and may take some trial & error before we figure out your unique situation and needs. Acne clearing is a journey & in full transparency we may not even start seeing positive changes until that 4 months mark or so in some cases.
  

Triggers are things that worsen or flare acne but aren’t the cause of the acne. Triggers are different for everyone but I will list the most common and in my opinion these should be limited or omitted during your clearing journey. Once you are clear we can make a plan to start slowly to re-introduce these common triggers to see your skins reaction!

SKINCARE

Skincare can be tricky which is why it’s best to see a professional for skincare guidance as it’s easy to end up using the wrong products,misuse products,& over exfoliate. Some products or combo of products can even be irritating & pore clogging which may end up flaring acne as well.

MAKEUP & HAIRCARE

Makeup sits on the skin all day and haircare slowly rolls into the forehead and sides of the face as it heats up so being cautious on what’s in your makeup and haircare is a must when clearing your acne! I’ve made a list of typically acne safe products you can find further down, but you can also check yourself with the pore clogging checker!

LAUNDRY AND DENTAL CARE

Laundry and dental hygiene products are another one of those sneaky potential acne triggers that we come into contact with everyday. Dental hygiene products will typically irritate around the mouth and jaw area and laundry will typically irritate all over the facial skin and body but it’s best to just make the swaps while clearing! My recommendations will be further down.

NUTRIENTS

Nutritional deficiencies and vise versa over supplementation can throw your body out of wack. These are some of the more common triggers that can be from under or over supplementation which is why it’s best to test NOT guess!

• B vitamins: B12, B6, B5, B3, & B2
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin D (very sensitive to over and under supplementation)
• Magnesium
• Iron
• Zinc
• Selenium
• EFA’s (most people are deficient and typically fine to start supplementing without testing should you choose)
• Fiber (most people are deficient and typically fine to start supplementing without testing should you choose, I prefer the Biomecult fiber as it is for acne)

SUPPLEMENTS

Not all supplements are acne provoking but there are some that are particularly bothersome to most acne clients. A lot of these are popular with gym and sports supplementation so I have made lists of acne safe protein, energy drinks, and more for you as well!

- Whey protein

- Biotin (snook into your multivitamin s, energy drinks, hair skin nail supplements & more)

- B12 (check your energy drinks!)

HORMONES

Hormones run hundreds of essential functions and can easily go out of wack and be a flare for acne. Sometimes testing can be helpful if there is a big dysfunction but often times hormones are very hard to test. Here are some of the acne triggering hormonal factors. My best advice is to make sure you are eating plenty of cruciferous vegetables, having daily bowel movements, and regulating blood sugar. Quality sleep & stress management (both mental and physical) are also important for hormone health.

• High blood sugar & insulin resistance
• Poor liver function
• Excess androgens or androgen sensitivity
• Starting/stopping/changing birth control
• Pregnancy
• Thyroid imbalance
• PCOS
• Excess estrogen

STRESS

Stress can trigger acne by spiking cortisol leading to more oil production that is often sticky, thick, and inflammatory. Try some of these stress reduction techniques!

• Walking
• Grounding
• Stretching/yoga
• Journaling
• Meditation or prayer
• Proper quality sleep
• Breathe work
• Magnesium
• Vitamin C

FOOD SENSITIVITY’S

Not all sensitivities show through stomach issues! Sometimes they can show up on the skin as well. I wish I could say it’s as easy as taking a test but unfortunately the most reliable form of food sensitivity testing we have is the elimination diet. When dealing with acne should you choose to try elimination it’s best to start this at the beginning of your clearing process then once clear you can start to add things in one at a time and slowly to see your body’s reaction. Here’s the most common food sensitivity’s that can flare acne!

• Eggs
• Dairy
• Soy
• Peanuts

GI HEALTH

More and more research is being done to discover the link between our gut health and GI to everything else in our bodies including our skin. Watch out for the following symptoms…

Less than 1 bowel movement a day

Loose stool

Straining

Gas

GERD

IBS

Floating stool

Low stomach acid

• Check your makeup & haircare for pore cloggers (click here to check)

• Send all of your vitamins & supplements to your esthetician for review & potential swaps

• Swap your toothpaste to an acne safe version (recommendations further down on page)

• Set up and display your new routine in order for easy and consistent use (skincare display)

• Stock up on acne tools like ice rollers, pimple patches, makeup brush cleaners & more! Full list and recommendations further down on page.

Check all of your makeup even lip product and eye products if you break out in those areas, Haircare like shampoo, Conditioner, Masks, & Styling.

Ingredient Checker

This is a list of some Acne Safe products I have found with good reviews, this is not a complete list of all acne safe options. If you find something on your own you would like to try just run it through the pore clogging ingredient checker! Please also note that liquid/cream based products can be triggering by that alone even if the ingredients are acne safe, if you would like to be extra cautious use the powder options from this list.

PRIMER

- Elf Power Grip

- Elf power grip matte

- Huda Easy Blur

- Hourglass Vanish Airbrush

- Ilia Radiant Primer

- Ciele Prime & Protect

- Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Glow

FOUNDATION

- Colorescience Flex

- Oxygenetics

- Lancôme Idole Ultra Wear

- IT Cosmetics CC +

- Nars radiant longwear

- Dior Forever Skin Glow

- Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Tint

- Prada Reveal Skin

- Armani Luminous Silk

CONCEALER
- Nars Soft Matte

- Maybelline Age Rewind

- Dior Forever skin correct

- Lancôme Teint Idole

- Natasha Denonna Hy-Glam

POWDER
- Laura Mercier Ultra Blur

- Kosas Cloud set baked powder

- Bare Minerals Loose Setting Powder

- LYS tripple fix LOOSE powder

BRONZER
- Benefit Hoola

- Bare Minerals Blonzer

- Rare Beauty Pinch Cream

BLUSH

- Kosas Baked Blush

- LYS Triple fix loose

- Lawless Pinch My Cheeks

- Bare minerals Gen Nude Blush

This is a list of some Acne Safe products I have found with good reviews, this is not a complete list of all acne safe options. If you find something on your own you would like to try just run it through the pore clogging ingredient checker!

SHAMPOO

- Pureology Hydrate

- SEEN Shampoo

- L’Oréal Everpure Moisture

- Redken bonding Concentrate

- Redken Acidic Glossing Shampoo

- L’Oréal Professional Vitamino Color

- Cereve Gentle Scalp Shampoo

- Kevin Murphy Killer Curls

- Neutragena T/Sal

DRY SHAMPOO

- Amika Perk Up

- Batiste Original

- Living Proof

- Moroccan oil light tones

- Moroccanoil Dark Tones

CONDITIONER

- Cereve Gentle scalp

- L’Oréal everpure moisture rosemary oil

- SEEN

- Pantene Pro V Miracle Rescue

- Aussie Miracle Moist

- Kerastase Nutritive hydrating

- Redken All Soft

STYLING GELS/CREAMS

- Crown Affair Flexible Hold

- Moroccanoil Styling Gel Strong

- Pattern Strong Hold Gel

- SEEN blowout cream

- OUAI Anti-Frizz Styling Creme

HAIRSPRAY

- Dae Sunsetter Strong Hold

- Redken Brushable

- moroccanoil Luminous

- Amika Fluxus

Free of Whey, Soy, Egg, Casein, & High Sugars!

PROTEIN SHAKES

- OWYN

- Koia

PROTEIN POWDER

- Be Well

- Nuzest

- Sprout Living Epic Protein

- Aloha

- Ora

ENERGY DRINKS

Free of or low in High Sugars, B12, B6, Biotin, & Sucralose.

- RYSE Fuel Energy

- BUM Energy

- Amino Energy

- OCA

- Lost & Found

LAUNDRY PRODUCTS

DETERGENT

- Molly Suds Liquid

- Molly Suds Powder

DRYER SHEET ALTERNATIVE

- Dryer Balls

FABRIC SOFTENER

- Use vinegar

DENTAL HYGINE

TOOTH PASTE

- Boka Fluoride free with Hudroxyapatite

- Hello Mighty

MOUTHWASH

- Hello Peace Out Plaque

- Just ingredients

- Therabreathe

- Stainless Steel Ice Roller

- Silicone Icecube Facial Tool

- Hypochlorous acid wipes (Wipe Sweat off & Kill acne causing bacteria) 🦠 💧💪🏼

- Makeup brush cleaner

- Pillow Cases

- Skincare organizer/display

- Invisible Pimple Patches

- White cotton T-shirt for sleep & gym (Body acne)

- White cotton sports bra (body acne)