Summer Acne Solved with Zinc

Summer brings fun outside activities, under the hot summer sun. Heat and environmental exposure however can lead to acne break outs and clogged pores, especially for those that have oily or acne skin types. The hot summer sun causes us to sweat more creating more surface oil and a perfect breading ground for dirt and bacteria to clog pores and create acne. There are simple steps to take to keep your skin break out free during the summer.

1. Proper hygiene

Cleansing the skin more often is essential to eliminating dirt and bacteria that can cause clogged pores and acne breakouts. It is important to properly cleanse not only the face but the entire body, as acne is common on other skin surfaces such as the back, and chest as well as the face. Body and face washes that contain salicylic acid or benzyol peroxide are good options as these ingredients fight acne causing bacteria. It is also important to exfoliate regularly over the summer to shed the skin of dead skin that can clog pores. A mild exfoliate for the face and body is recommended, harsh exfoliation treatments are not recommended as this can sensitize the skin. Common areas that become clogged with dead skin cells is the t-zone of the face and the back of arms and legs. If body acne is your concern over summer wear clothing that is loose fitting, this will allow room for the skin to breath making it harder for bacteria to spread and cause break outs.

2. Oil Control

The rising temperature and humidity over summer can cause oil gland to produce more oil. More surface oil combined with bacteria, dirt and dead skin can lead to break outs. Controlling surface oil by cleansing with a foaming cleanser at least twice a day will eliminate potential break outs. Using a rice paper oil blotter or oil control lotion will help oil stay controlled during the day, proper cleansing should be practiced to control oil all summer. If your skin becomes over sensitive to cleansing or is excessively oily a mask that controls oils and replenishes nutrients to the skin can be applied once or twice a week. Try a mask that contains sulfur or clay to control oil, these ingredients treat break outs and add nutrients to the skin.

3. Moisturize

Moisturizing your skin during the summer months is necessary to protect the moisture barrier of the skin, and protect from environmental damaging. During the cooler months skin may be dryer and a heavier more emmolitant moisturizer is necessary, during the summer a light moisturizer is best. Choose a light weigh moisturizer that is non comedogenic and oil free meaning it will not clog pores. There are also formulas that have acne fighting ingredients such as salicylic acid to fight break outs while moisturizing.

4. Wear Sunscreen

Wearing a daily sunscreen is important year round for all skin types. Acne fighting protects make the skin more sensitive a daily sunscreen will protect the skin from sun damage and scarring. Choose a sunscreen safe for face and body that is oil free and non comedogenic and is labeled SPF 15 or higher. Zinc and Zinc Oxide are the best natural sun blocks you can buy without resorting to harsh chemical constituents that clog pores and cause potential allergic reactions. Zinc blocks the sun with it’s micro-crystal effects, while regular sunscreens only ABSORB harmful UV rays. Zinc also is anti-microbial, which will significantly to help reduce acne breakouts.

Follow these simple all summer to ensure great glowing skin with out break outs.

Moisturizing and Acne-prone Skin

Hate to use moisturizer or sunscreen because it feels so heavy? You don’t have to slather your face in moisturizer or sunblock  in order for it to work. If you find your moisturizer feels too thick or heavy, you may be applying too much. Just a pea-sized amount may be enough for the entire face. Try using less product. You may be pleasantly surprised to find it absorbs more fully and feels lighter.

Zinc Moisturizer

Also look for alternative combinations of moisturizers that combine two products in one - like a zinc moisturizer, that protects again sun damage and nourishes your skin at the same time.

If it still feels heavy, apply your moisturizer after cleansing to a still-damp face. Or mix your moisturizer with a small amount of water in the palm of your hand before applying to your face. But don’t ever add water directly in the bottle, or you’ll get unpleasant things growing in your moisturizer.

Question: Do I Need a Moisturizer?
I have oily skin that is prone to acne breakouts. Should I use a moisturizer?
Answer:   Even if you have oily skin, you can still benefit from the use of a daily moisturizer. And, no, moisturizers don’t have to leave your skin feeling greasy and looking shiny. The trick is in finding the right product.

If you are using drying acne treatments such as Retin-A, Accutane, or benzoyl peroxide. Using a daily moisturizer will help ease the uncomfortable dryness, peeling, and flaking that can be caused by many acne medications.

So, don’t be afraid to moisturize your oily skin! Take the time to choose the right moisturizer by reading ingredient labels and asking your dermatologist or esthetician for recommendations. Experiment with different products until you find the one that is perfect for you.

Natural Moisturizers

Even your oily, acne-prone skin can benefit from the daily use of good moisturizers. But choose the wrong moisturizer and it can be a skin care disaster: greasy feeling skin, blackheads and pimples. Obviously, choosing the right moisturizer is key. With a little know-how you can pick a moisturizer that will enhance your skin care routine without causing breakouts.

Cleansing and moisturizing are the key components to maintaining healthy, youthful skin. Cleansing removes dirt, grime, and dead skin cells, but cleansers also have a harmful effect on the skin by drying it out. Moisturizers not only increase the skin’s water content, but they also protect the skin and encourage an orderly desquamation (shedding) process that makes the skin appear more smooth.

The number of moisturizers on the market is astounding and most claim to have properties that no other moisturizer has. In this article, we will cover the key ingredients in moisturizers - humectants, occlusives, emollients, and miscellaneous ingredients - and discuss their effects on the skin. Imagine being able to read and understand a moisturizer ingredient label. Grab your moisturizer bottles, jars, and tubes and we’ll get started.

Zinc Skin Care, Moisturizers and Sunscreens

You may have first seen zinc on a summer day at the beach or your local swimming pool. Lifeguards traditionally use the thick, white cream to cover their nose and cheeks to prevent sunburn. You may have learned then, that it was the strongest sunblock available – it just wasn’t very attractive.

colored zinc sunscreen

In the eighties, zinc sun protection got a makeover, with bight neon colors. Applying wacky colors all over your face was fun and it blocked out the sun’s rays. Almost completely, and it stayed on - almost too well.

Today, thankfully, formulations have improved and zinc is no longer the eyesore it once was. It does, however, still protect your skin from sun damage and wrinkles and recent findings have shown zinc offers anti-microbial benefits that also reduce acne and breakouts.

So, what exactly is zinc and how does it work?

Zinc is a natural mineral, minced and refined to a fluffy white powder. Zinc becomes Zinc Oxide after the mineral is oxidized. Oxidation allows the mineral to be slightly changed giving it new properties. Zinc Oxide is used widely in cosmetics and natural skin care products and is quickly replacing the use of Titanium Oxide in sunscreens.

Because zinc is completely natural, it is an excellent ingredient to use in natural skin care products and beauty treatments. Before many of its

beneficial properties were known, Zinc Oxide was initially used in cosmetics as a whitening agent to moisturizing lotions, facial creams and most sunscreens.

Zinc Oxide has been the ingredient of choice for sunscreens, sun protection and cosmetics. Zinc Oxide is categorized as a physical sunscreen, therefore SPF labels are not given to the mineral. SPF or sun protected factor only relates to chemical sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens such as PABA and Oxybenzone absorb the suns rays; where as Zinc Oxide actually blocks the rays. While some chemically-based sun protection products include zinc, they can not claim zinc as their primary component and must be labeled as such.

How does Zinc Actually “block” the Sun’s Rays?

Zinc Oxide works much like a diamond to bend (or refract) light. It is the only known element that can block both UVA (aging rays) and UVB (burning rays). Zinc Oxide has been approved and labeled by the FDA as safe for the skin as sun protection. It is important to note that Zinc Oxide is not an organic compound as it has undergone oxidation. Zinc Oxide should be 20 to 25 percent of ingredient in cosmetic or sunscreen to properly inhibit sun damage to the skin and prevent wrinkles from forming. As we all should know by now, one of the primary causes of aging skin and wrinkles, is the sun.

If blocking sun rays, preventing wrinkles and aging skin weren’t enough, pure zinc has also been found to be very effective in the treatment and care of acne prone skin. Zinc regulates production of oil glands and hormone levels, two main triggers of acne. Zinc also helps absorb Vitamin A which promotes healing and fights bacteria. As with any acne treatment results may vary depending on diet and other environmental factors. It is always important to consult a dermatologist prior to any acne treatment. Zinc is commonly used in ointments for diaper rash, minor scrapes and burns, dry scalp and irritated skin.

In addition to the benefits on the skin zinc helps maintain many healthy body functions. Zinc plays a role in strengthening the immune system by assisting white blood cell development, protecting the body form infection. Lack of zinc to the body can result in a week immune system. As zinc plays a vital role in the immune system it is imperative to acquire the proper amount of zinc while pregnant. Zinc helps reduce inflammation and infection. Proper amounts of zinc in a diet have shown to contribute to proper growth, strength, and endurance. Zinc is also involved in stimulating many enzymes which play an essential role in metabolism. Zinc has been found to benefit the inside and outside health of our bodies and can be found in many topical creams, like Vivoderm’s zinc repairing cream, as well as in many nutrient rich foods.

zinc moisturizers

According to the American Zinc Association, zinc seals and protects the skin. “Zinc is essential for healthy skin. As a drying agent and astringent, zinc oxide has been used for generations to soothe diaper rash and relieve itching. And zinc is a natural sun screen, protecting chapped lips and skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Zinc sulfate is effective in treating some cases of acne. And in a water-based solution, zinc sulfate helps remedy cold sores. Zinc also improves healing of wounds, like surgical incisions, burns and other skin irritations. Used as an anti-inflammatory, zinc soothes skin and skin tissue. Poison ivy, sunburn, blisters and gum disease are all improved when treated with zinc. It is even a natural insect repellent. And zinc stimulates the transport of Vitamin A from the liver to the skin, helping to protect body tissue from damage.”

So, remember, if you are interested in protecting your skin from the sun, preventing wrinkles and aging skin and reducing your acne breakouts – zinc might just be the all in one treatment for you. Look on the back of cosmetic and food labels to see if you are getting the benefits of zinc in your diet and beauty routine

Anti-Acne Treatments

Anti-acne drugs are medicines that help clear up pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, and more severe forms of acne.

Benzoyl peroxide is found in many over-the-counter acne products that are applied to the skin, such as Benoxyl, Clear By Design, Neutrogena Acne, PanOxyl, and some formulations of Clean & Clear, Clearasil, and Oxy. Some benzoyl peroxide products are available without a physician’s prescription; others require a prescription. Tretinoin (Retin-A) is available only with a physician’s prescription and comes in liquid, cream, and gel forms, which are applied to the skin. Isotretinoin (Accutane), which is taken by mouth in capsule form, is available only with a physician’s prescription. Only physicians who have experience in diagnosing and treating severe acne, such as dermatologists, should prescribe isotretinoin.

Acne is a skin disorder that leads to an outbreak of lesions called pimples or “zits.” The most common form of the disease in adolescents is called acne vulgaris. Antiacne drugs are the medicines that help clear up the pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, and more severe forms of lesions that occur when a teen has acne.
Different types of antiacne drugs are used for different treatment purposes, depending on the severity of the condition. For example, lotions, soaps, gels, and creams containing substances called benzoyl peroxide or tretinoin may be used to clear up mild to moderately severe acne. Isotretinoin (Accutane) is an oral drug that is prescribed only for very severe, disfiguring acne.

Acne is caused by the overproduction of sebum during puberty when high levels of the male hormone androgen cause excess sebum to form. Sebum is an oily substance that forms in glands just under the surface of the skin called sebaceous glands. Sebum normally flows out hair follicles onto the skin to act as a natural skin moisturizer. The glands are connected to hair follicles that allow the sebum, or oil, to empty onto the skin through a pore.

Sometimes the sebum combines with dead, sticky skin cells and bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) that normally live on the skin. The mixture of oil and cells allows the bacteria to grow in the follicles. When this happens, a hard plug called a comedo can form. A comedo is an enlarged hair follicle. It can appear on the skin as a blackhead, which is a comedo that reaches the skin’s surface and looks black, or as a whitehead, which is a comedo that is sealed by keratin, the fibrous protein produced by the skin cells and looks like a white bump.

In addition, pimples can form on the skin. Types of pimples include:
•    papules, which are small, red bumps that may be tender to touch
•    pustules, which are pus-filled lesions that are often red at the base
•    nodules, which are large, painful lesions deep in the skin
•    cysts, which are painful pus-filled lesions deep in the skin that can cause scarring

Pimples form when the follicle is invaded by the P. acnes bacteria. The damaged follicle weakens and bursts open, releasing sebum, bacteria, skin cells, and white blood cells into surrounding tissues. Scarring happens when new skin cells are created to replace the damaged cells. The most severe type of acne includes both nodules and cysts.

Acne cannot be cured, but antiacne drugs can help clear the skin and reduce the chance of scarring. The goal of treating moderate acne is to decrease inflammation and prevent new comedones from forming. Benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin work by mildly irritating the skin. This encourages skin cells to slough off, which helps open blocked pores. Benzoyl peroxide also kills bacteria, which helps prevent whiteheads and blackheads from turning into pimples. Isotretinoin shrinks the glands that produce sebum. It is used for severe acne lesions and must be carefully monitored because of its side effects. Antibiotics also may be prescribed to kill bacteria and reduce inflammation.

Natural fix for Acne Scars

The unfair fact is that adult acne will affect 25 percent of men and 50 percent of women in their adult lives. We know that identifying hormonal changes as the main cause of adult acne aren’t entirely proven. There isn’t just one cause. Acne in adult women can be linked to cosmetic use, some hair products and can frequently be brought on by the hormonal fluctuations associated with pregnancy. Certain types of prescription medications can also cause adult acne. Some strains of acne, such as Acne vulgaris, don’t typically show up in adults until midlife. Adult acne also forms differently, whereas adolescent acne begins on the forehead and cheek area, adult acne tends to show more on the chin, jaw line and neck.

With all this new adult acne erupting (pardon the pun) more than before, natural acne and scar treatments are gaining more acceptance as consumers want to make healthier more sustainable choices for their skincare.

Your skin has an amazing natural ability to regenerate itself and a new layer of skin growth will generally cover any scarring, but in the rare cases where this does not occur then a more advanced scar treatment is in order. Always consult with your doctor or dermatologist before beginning any facial treatments to be sure you are not causing further damage.

A healthy, well-balanced diet plays a large role in helping your body and skin to regenerate itself to its optimal condition. Many dermatologists recommend a diet high in natural minerals. These minerals are to maintain the health of the skin cells, which in turn should prevent a further outbreak of acne and repair damaged tissue. Diets, which include plenty of green vegetables, un-cooked vegetables such as carrots, spinach and cucumbers, have also helped many to maintain smooth, blemish-free skin. The idea is to try to create a new fresh layer of skin so that the scars reduced or eradicated.

Are you drinking enough water?

By consuming a regular amount of water daily, you can improve the look of your skin. The average human body is comprised of 60 percent water. Drinking more water, instead of sugar-laden sodas or energy drinks will keep the skin moist and smooth; it will also clear away the dead skin cells, flush toxins and aid in the regeneration of new skin cells. Mixing water with natural ingredients like citrus, fruit or vegetable juices, can also be helpful to exfoliate the skin.

With a proper nutritious diet, vitamins and plenty of water, most see results within a few months. It can take up to a year for acne scars to heal completely. Acne scars do not show up overnight and removing them can take the same amount of time if not more. It takes patience, but with the proper motivation for beautiful, glowing skin, it will be well worth the wait.