Zit-zapping tips!

Posted on Jun 28 in Featured, Featured Article, Latest News, QV Face, Skin Conditions, Skincareby QV SkincarePrint

Acne can happen at any age (unfortunately). Our skin changes throughout our lives as we navigate through upheavals, stress, lifestyle changes & hormonal imbalances! You don’t have to head to the hills and become a hermit just yet – take a read of this article for some practical tips & tricks to zap (kapow*schazam – yes channel your inner superhero moves here!) those zits.

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ACNE is an inflammatory skin disorder that includes pimples, blackheads and whiteheads and affects around 85 percent of Australians at some point in their life, the Australasian College of Dermatologists says. Often due to oily skin or hormone imbalances, stress is also a major factor.

And it’s not only happening in our teens and twenties. Dermatologist Associate Professor Stephen Lee says cases of acne in adults are rising. Dubbed by some experts as “career acne”, Professor Lee says
our modern lifestyle is resulting in more outbreaks as we hit our thirties.

“There are lifestyle changes which could be contributing to the rise in adult acne. Some contraceptive pills and other medication, like cortisone tablets or asthma control drugs, worsen acne,” Professor Lee says. “Exercising while wearing tight synthetic clothing causes sweat pimples and heavy foundation or sunscreen have the same effect.”

He adds that pimples might crop up later in life – so don’t be too surprised if your skin goes through a sudden change. “The condition of your skin changes as you get older,” Professor Lee says. “You’ve got
to remember that’s it natural that your skin will change over the years.”

Here are four tips to keep pimples at bay:

1. Adapt your diet
Spots can be dietary related, with nutritionists advising eating foods containing zinc, or take a zinc supplement, to reduce pimple outbreaks. During the cold winter months, try eating three serves of deep-sea fish a week and take a teaspoon of flaxseed or linseed oil every morning to keep your skin
soft and help repair the tissue. If you’ve got oily skin, it’s also best not to use soap or perfume.

2. Have cool showers
While spicy and hot foods and coffee won’t exacerbate acne, there are other factors that do. “Alcohol, hot showers, too much sun and excess heat can make it worse,” Professor Lee says. “Drinking too much alcohol causes real problems especially red wine, whisky and port.”

3. Watch your back when pregnant
Pimples on the back are common when you’re pregnant and can be aggravated by the production of hormones. The area of the back beneath your neck and across your shoulders is most vulnerable to spots, so use a mud mask on your back to deep cleanse and leave your skin looking fresh and fabulous.

4. Skin serum SOS
In the salon, Jeannie Bourke, from Venustus Beauty and Body Lab in Sydney, recommends starting with
a peel, then using a scrub once a week, followed by a skin serum to keep spots at bay.

“A serum penetrates into the deep layers of your skin, whereas a cream just can’t,” Jeannie says.

Article source: http://yourbeautyspot.ninemsn.com.au

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