STAYING CLEAR

A Guide to Lifestyle Issues That Affect the Skin

Updated 2009 Version by Kathryn Khadija Leverette

Reduce your stress. Do whatever it takes. Stress, the Number One acne aggravator, is caused by the wear and tear of day-to-day living and changes that take place in your life, both good and bad. Moving is comparable to the death of a child in its ability to cause extreme stress.

Sleep seven uninterrupted hours per night on a consistent basis. Night shift jobs, broken sleep, late night time management issues, insomnia, hormonal changes in mid-life, long plane trips and crossing time zones can cause severe physical stress, making it difficult to clear acne and lighten dark circles.

Non-toxic laundry products are FREE of perfumes and dyes: Cheer Free & Gentle, All Free & Clear,
Tide Free, Tide 2xUltra Free, Tide “He” Free, Arm & Hammer Free of Perfumes/Dyes, Purex Free & Clear, ShopRite Ultra Free & Clear, Rite Aid Free, Seventh Generation Free & Clear, Safeway Select Free and Costco Kirkland Free & Clear Ultra. Bleach: Clorox for Colors Free & Clear. Avoid fabric softeners, including unscented sheets, because they leave a waxy residue that can clog pores and irritate skin. Instead, try dryer balls, which are chemical-free. Use 25% less detergent, and wash 25% less clothes at a time. If possible, run an extra rinse cycle. Imported designer jeans and scarves are sprayed with toxic fungicides, pesticides and formaldehyde, and must be washed multiple times before wearing to avoid body acne, skin infections, rashes and discoloration. Victoria Secret bras, shown to contain the carcinogen formaldehyde, have been linked to toxic skin reactions, even after they’ve been washed.

Avoid dietary iodine: Dairy products, milk in coffee beverages, cheese, ice cream, sour cream, soft drinks, salty snacks, fast foods, canned and packaged soups, ramen noodles, processed foods, tomato juice, V-8, seasoned salt, iodized salt and salty condiments, Gatorade, Propel, PowerAde and other high-sodium sports drinks (Vitamin Water is OK), soy sauce (try low sodium soy sauce), seaweed, Chinese food, certain Mexican foods (cheese, sour cream, refried beans and tortilla chips), nuts, processed meats (lunch and deli meat, bacon, franks, sausage) and condiments containing kelp, MSG and/or salt.

Peanuts and peanut butter contain high levels of progesterone, the PMS hormone. You can still enjoy other nuts, as long as they’re unsalted. Try almond and cashew butter. Some cold and flu medications contain sodium and bromide (Alka-Seltzer® and Bromo-Seltzer®) and can aggravate acne. Avoid kelp, high levels of sodium, iodine, seaweed and spirulina, found in many multi-vitamin formulations, green detox programs and nutritional supplements. Try GNC iodine-free Women’s Formula Multi, zinc picolinate and vitamin C to help reduce inflammation and speed healing, and B-complex to help fight stress (take with food). Can’t sleep? Try SleepMD®. Hormonal issues? Try Estrovan PM® or Estrovan Maximum Strength®.

Skip the dairy, especially cheese, milk, ice cream, sour cream and dairy-rich coffee drinks. Dairy and especially cheese is linked to acne and cause water retention, high blood pressure and bloating. If you’re concerned about calcium intake, eat more dark green veggies and take supplements with calcium citrate, magnesium and vitamin D. For cereal, try ice-cold naturally good-tasting almond or rice milk, including Almond Breeze and Rice Dream. Soy milk is more heavily processed to taste better, contains more sugar
and fat, and can be difficult to digest.

Caution: Fish and seafood from “questionable” inexpensive sources, seem to cause some persistent skin problems, including a rash-like acne. This doesn’t happen in better restaurants. If you experience a persistent treatment-resistant acne problem, try eliminating fish and seafood from your diet for a month or two.

Avoid seasoned salt, which contains iodine and MSG. Use iodine-free sea salt, Mrs. Dash Table Blend, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper.

Get professional treatments including enzyme peels with steam, light chemical peels and tune-up peels formulated for acne, dark spots, scars, ingrowns and razor bumps. Professional treatments exfoliate the skin evenly and help home care products penetrate better. Power bleaching and other “boosters” will enhance the results dramatically.

Do not rub or scrub off dead skin. Do not use a washcloth or buffing pad. Do not rub your face with a towel. Mechanical over-exfoliation causes excessive irritation and causes more flaking and darkening. If peeling, use we have several products to dissolve those dead skin cells. Call or email the office for help.

Follow directions carefully. Don’t overuse your home care products. Ask for help if you need to.

Irritated? Constantly flaking? If so, you may be dehydrated from low water intake, gotten too much sun, over-scrubbed your skin, or applied your products too thick or too often.

Don’t slack up on prescribed home care. If we help you get clear, don’t think you’re so cute that you can quit using your products. You’ll stay clear for a short while, but skipping home care products will allow “microcomedones” (the microscopic beginnings of pimples) and new ingrown hairs to form deep in your pores, causing new breakouts or razor bumps, which will lead to new dark spots.

Get refills (and ask about product upgrades) before you run out, and always stock up before you go out of town. Don’t stop doing your regimen altogether, just because you run out of one or two products.

Minimize sun exposure and reapply a recommended oil-free UVA-blocking SPF 30+ sunscreen often when exposed to direct sunlight or overcast skies (and wear your sunglasses). Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide offer better protection than chemical-only products. Avoid direct sun whenever humanly possible to keep the existing dark spots, uneven skin tone, and dark circles from darkening even more.

Drink more water to maintain healthy skin, fight fatigue, plump up fine lines, reduce dark circles, brighten your skin tone, and keep your skin from getting dry and irritated from active products. Drink at least four mason jars (80 to 100 oz) or three 32 ounce jugs of water every day.

Stop picking, scratching and skin tampering! Ladies, get a full set of acrylic nails, file them blunt, and maintain them every two weeks. Leave "stop picking" notes to yourself on mirrors, day planners, briefcases, desk drawers, rear view mirrors and in lockers. Picking pushes bumps deeper into the follicle, slows down the healing process, invites secondary infection by introducing airborne bacteria, causes thickened, dark dead skin build-up and scarring, and turns small bumps into large, thick and dark black, brown, purple or red blemishes that take forever to heal and fade.

Changes in your health, medical history, medications, lifestyle, address, email or phone number? Tell us!

Rub ice cubes in a circular motion on red, inflamed pimples and hair bumps twice a day for 2 minutes to reduce inflammation and swelling. This really helps!

Do not apply scented or aromatherapy hair products, cologne or aftershaves to sun-exposed skin. Sunburn, rashes, acne, dark blemishes and/or dark “staining” of the skin can develop if you do.

Some medications cause severe “photo-sensitivity” which means darkening of the skin, unsightly brown patches, blotchiness, hyperpigmented acne lesions, darkening of existing scars, and uneven skin tone on the outer cheeks, neck, eye area and knuckles. These include all hormones (oral contraceptives, the patch, the Nuvaring®, DepoProvera®, hormone replacement, IUDs with hormones, etc), oral anti-diabetic drugs (metformin), blood pressure meds, diuretics (water pills), antihistamines, antibiotics, Accutane®, Retin-A®, Differin Gel®, Tazorac®, other retinoids and some anti-depressants.

Some medications cause acne including lithium, hormones (oral contraceptives, Provera®, Depo Provera®, PremPro®, progesterone, Lupron Depot®, Errin®, Ortho Mictronor®, Mirena®, Nuvaring ®), systemic steroids and anti-rejection meds (prednisone), testosterone and its precursors (androstendione, DHEA), human growth hormone (HGH), and anti-convulsives (Dilantin, Tegretol).

Medical conditions: Thyroid, liver and kidney disease, lupus, scleroderma, sarcoidosis, RA and other auto-immune diseases, diabetes, hemochromatosis (storing too much iron), obesity and rapid weight gain, menopause, peri-menopause, pregnancy, hormonal imbalances and changes, anemia and smoking can cause delayed healing and sun-sensitivity resulting in darkening of the entire face or outer cheeks, forehead, upper lip, neck and orbital eye area, and slow-to-heal skin lesions, including acne and dark blemishes.

Acne mechanica is caused by (a) friction, (rubbing), (b) pressure and (c) occlusion (restricted air flow), and can cause deep acne and ingrowns, scalp bumps and severe darkening. Avoid friction like leaning on your hand or phone, sleeping on your hand or arm, tight doo rags, wave caps and sleeping scarves, hats and caps (and moving them up and down on the forehead), visors, headbands, poor-fitting glasses, football helmets, tight bra straps and bands, leaning and putting more pressure on one side of your butt as you sit, heavy shoulder bags and backpacks, clothing with chemical additives, over-scrubbing and rubbing with a towel. These actions can cause deep acne, bumping, blemishes and severe darkening darkening. Get a Bluetooth® device, headset or ear bud and use it all the time.

Pore-clogging chemicals: Avoid products with the fatty acid IPM (isopropyl myristate) and its chemical cousins (isopropyl palmitate, myristal myristate, isopropyl isothermal, isostearyl neopentonate, decyl oleate, octyl stearate, octyl palmitate and isocetyl stearate and PPG myristyl propionate), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), laureth-4, lanolin and acetylated lanolin, natural butters (cocoa and shea butter) and natural oils, except safflower, sunflower and mineral oil. Baby oil is mineral oil, except its heavily scented.

Evaluate all hair products if breakouts are concentrated on the hairline, temples, sides of the face, sideburns, scalp, neck or back. Whatever you put in your hair will migrate onto the skin when you toss and turn in your sleep, get stressed out, rush through your day, and exercise because you perspire during these times. The chemicals in synthetic hair (wigs and braids) can cause itching, rashes and acne. Hairspray should be unscented; cover your face with a cheap paper plate before you spray. This trick won’t work with oil sheen, braid spray, scented hairspray or products from companies listed below.

Avoid (1) pressing creams and oils,
(2) oil-sheen and braid spray,
(3) butters (cocoa and shea butter),
(4) locking waxes (except pure hard bees wax),
(5) curl activators,
(6) scalp grease,
(7) brown gel,
(8) oils (coconut oil, almond oil, carrot oil, baby oil, vitamin E oil, avocado oil, oil blends) and the following product lines: Abba, African Pride, Aussie, Aveda, Bed Head, Blue Magic, Bone Straight, Botanicals, Bumble & Bumble, Care Free products (except Care Free Lite), Carol’s Daughter, Carrot Oil, CitreShine, Crème of Nature, Dark & Lovely, Davines, Design Essentials, Doo Gro, Dr. Miracles, Dudley, Duke, Garnier Fructis, Glover’s, IC products, Isoplus, Joico, Kemi Oyl, Keracare, Kerapro, Let’s Jam, Mane and Tail, Matrix, Mixed Chicks, Murray’s, Motions, Nioxin Protectives, Optimum, Organic Root Stimulator, Pantene Pro V Relaxed & Natural, Paul Mitchell and its generics, Pink Oil, Proline, ProStyle (except Clear Ice), S Curl, Sensitive by Nature, Sportin’ Waves, Suave, Sulfur 8, TCB Hair Food. Warm Spirit, and products containing oils, butters, fatty acids, heavy perfumes, bergamot, aromatherapy and essential oils.

Safe hair products: Pantene Pro V “Smooth”, “Color Revival”, “Classic Care” and “Curls” shampoos and conditioners (not Relaxed & Natural), Afro Sheen, American Crew Firm Hold Gel, Care Free Lite Gel Activator, Clinical Formula Self-Emulsifying Oil, Correctives Laminate, Free & Clear products, Original Infusium 23 spray leave-in, L’Anza Leave In Conditioner, Nioxin Actives, ProStyl Clear Ice, Vaseline, sunflower oil and safflower oil.

Toothpaste can cause small breakouts and darkening around and below the corners of the mouth and chin, especially if it contains sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), tarter control ingredients, fluoride and aromatic flavors. Keep toothpaste in your mouth, where it belongs. If it gets on your skin, use cleanser to remove it. Try health store brands, and make sure they are SLS-free.

Wear cotton workout wear laundered in unscented detergent with no fabric softener. Shower immediately after perspiring with sulfur, AHA, BHA or BPO wash or soap.

Notify us if you have scaling, inflammation and/or itching in the scalp, hairline, ears, brows, or side of the nose, which can mean you have seborrhea or seborrheic dermatitis, an annoying genetic condition that is easy to treat once it’s identified. It is often part of the oily, acne prone, sensitive skin profile, which is worsened dramatically by cold weather and stress. Letting it go untreated can lead to unsightly scaling, reddening of the inner cheeks and hairline, a light-pigmented patchy rash, a severe dandruff-like scalp condition, sensitive skin (especially on the inner cheeks) and hair thinning and loss. Warning: Don’t use a brush, scratch (or let a hairdresser do so), pat or rub your scalp, especially if you experience thinning, itching, dead skin build-up, inflamed sores or bumps of any kind. These conditions will only get worse. Low thread count pillowcases can thin your hair on the side you sleep, so try satin, silk or high count cotton.

Avoid recreational drugs, especially marijuana, cocaine, X and speed, which can aggravate acne, especially if you’re a picker. Alcohol consumption doesn't cause your acne to worsen unless you are too drunk to apply your home care products.

Avoid oily cosmetics and skin care products:
Red dyes in foundations, blushes, lipstick and powders, Mac foundations, mineral make-up, and powders, especially Studio Fix, Shiseido, Lancôme, Estee Lauder, L’Oreal, Chanel, Flori Roberts, Fashion Fair, Posner, Iman and other oily cosmetics. Re-evaluate your cosmetics and moisturizers if breakouts continue. Oil-free products may be free of natural oils, but contain “synthetic oils” (the FDA calls them fatty acids), so avoid products containing the fatty acid IPM and its chemical cousins. Avoid any make-up that sticks to the sink when you wash it off. Safe D&C red dye alternatives: Iron oxides and carmine. Safe make-up: Dermacolor Cover Cream by Kryolan, Bare Minerals, Jan Iredale and Glo Minerals, which provides better coverage than many other lines. Bare Escentuals stores have a wider variety of make-up shades for People of Color than what’s available on TV. Mineral make-up products differ widely, so check those ingredients.

Examine the link between hormones and breakouts and/or pigmentation problems. Problems include low estrogen birth control pills, Norplant®, IUDs with hormones, Provera, Depo Provera®, Lupron Depot® (testosterone), progesterone-only pills (Errin®, Ortho Mictronor®), hormone replacement (Premarin®, PremPro®), polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), temporary or permanent hormonal changes and imbalances, irregular periods, PMS/PMDD and obesity (fat cells can boost the body’s estrogen production). OrthoTricyclan®, Yaz® and Yasmin®, advertised to help clear acne, don’t necessarily live up to the claims, and can actually cause breakouts. HMOs routinely make contraceptive substitutions that are cheaper, but not true generics.

Pregnancy, post-partum and the menstrual cycle can all cause flare-ups due to hormonal changes. Chart these days on a calendar. Practice diligent skin care, suncare and sun avoidance to counteract problems during these times. Protect your neck (which can get 100% darker) and face (watch for dark patches called melasma). Pregnant and lactating women should discuss all supplements with their physician, should discontinue products containing vitamin A and hydroquinone, but should continue using cleanser, tonic, mask, benzoyl peroxide (BPO), HQ-free brighteners and especially sunblock. If you are currently taking, or have recently taken Accutane® and become pregnant, you are at risk for serious birth defects, so contact your physician without delay.