Skin-Care 101

The most frequently asked questions I get, pertaining to skin, are about acne and fine lines.  These are two completely separate topics, so for the purpose of this dialog let's discuss healthy, ACNE-FREE skin.

Remember this: "CTM"....Cleanse.  Tone.  Moisturize.  Regardless of skin type, regardless of age, healthy skin begins with CTM.  Always cleanse, MORNING and NIGHT.....ALWAYS.   The one thing you need to force yourself to do is to ALWAYS cleanse your skin before you go to sleep.  Besides the obvious dirt and make-up settling onto your skin (throughout the day), there are also bacteria and environmental elements that have set-up camp on your skin, waiting, just waiting for you to neglect those poor vulnerable little follicles and create havoc on your skin!

Healthy skin is clean skin; Healthy skin is acidic skin; Healthy skin is oxygenated skin!

• Clean Skin:   Always use a mild cleanser...always. Look for the words "mild", "gentle" or "milky" when purchasing a facial cleanser.  Foamy, soapy cleansers are drying to the skin and strip away essential oils. If you have oily skin, look for a cleanser that caters to your skin type (note: T-zone oil is not considered "oily" skin. People with excessive oily skin usually have the same issue with their hair getting oily quickly). The biggest misconception for those of you who have oily or actinic skin is to "dry" your skin with a harsh cleanser.....this is a no-no.  First of all, if you have hyper-active sebaceous glands which produce excessive oil, you may want to consult with a Dermatologist. The same theory applies if you have cystic acne....this can only be properly controlled with the assistance of a doctor.  But for purposes of this dialog, I will assume that you have "normal to oily"  "oily", "dry" skin and/or slightly to moderately actinic skin (light, mild or medium break-outs).  As far as cleansers go, I like Cetaphil.  It's mild and not too foamy, but more importantly it gently cleanses the dirt, oil and make-up from your skin.

 

IMPORTANT TIP: Never use a towel to dry your face after it has been washed!  Unless you're using a freshly laundered towel, which has been washed in bleach, each time you wash your face (twice per day), use a piece of cotton or a tissue. A hand towel can harbor millions of disease-causing microbes such as E. Coli and Salmonella. By avoiding hand towels (especially those that have been used to dry one's bacteria-clad hands), you are avoiding the re-distribution of bacteria onto your skin, which is THE MOST important step in achieving healthy skin. Acne REQUIRES bacteria in order to grow. It occurs when bacteria gets trapped within the hair follicle, preventing oxygen from penetrating.  This is why I NEVER recommend touching your face throughout the day 

unless you have an itch!   

• Healthy Skin: Acne cannot survive on acidic skin;  Bacteria cannot survive on acid.  You've heard of products which are "pH Balanced"?  The goal in using a mild cleanser is to clean your skin with the least amount of alkalinity possible.  For this reason you should only use cleansers made specifically for the face.  You would never wash your face with a dish washing liquid or laundry detergent right?  Even "body washes" are high in alkalinity.  Harsh cleansers like these are alkaline and will throw-off the balance of your skin.  To reiterate: healthy skin is acidic. There is a pH scale that begins at number 1 (very "acid", such as vinegar and lemon) and goes up to 14 (very "alkaline").  A bar of soap or baking soda, for example are a 9.5 on this scale (alkaline), but water --a neutral substance-- is a 7.  Healthy skin would be considered a 5.5 on the pH scale, therefore always use a mild facial cleanser (which are typically at around a 7).  How do you get your skin to a 5.5 then?  Well, that's where the "T" in CTM comes in to play!  You need to tone after you cleanse to get your skin on the acid side.  Another advantage of toning is that it will remove excess dirt or make-up left behind by the cleanser.  Never use harsh "astringents" especially alcohol based products.  Use a gentle, alcohol free "toner" after cleansing, this will get your skin at a pH closer to that healthy acid level. Now you're ready to moisturize.....

• Hydrate your Skin:  Regardless of skin type, you must moisturize your skin.  If you have oily skin, use an "oil free" moisturizer.  If you have dry skin, use a heavier moisturizing cream made for dryer skin types.  The point is, everyone needs to hydrate their skin.  Hydrated skin is healthy skin.  IMPORTANT NOTE:  The eye area is delicate, this is the thinnest skin on the body and the first place to show signs of aging.  Treat this skin tenderly and use eye-specific products such as "eye creams" and "eye serums" to nourish and hydrate this delicate area.  Never use a regular facial cream on the eye area, again, use only eye-specific products. Since your CTM skin care regime with be performed twice per day, it is important to note that your daily moisturizer or cream needs to differ from day to night.  Your day cream or lotion should contain a "broad spectrum" SPF (I like 30 as a minimum).  Never use an SPF cream at night before bed....why add the extra additives onto your skin while sleeping?

Once you get into the habit of a CTM ritual TWICE per day, you'll see the difference in your skin.  Little tweaks in your regime such as *using a tissue rather than a used hand towel can have a major impact towards the health of your skin.  Lastly, healthy skin also comes from within your body, therefore, aside from a healthy vitamin, fiber and nutrient-rich diet, you should drink plenty of water.  It is not uncommon to have "oily-dehydrated" skin. Therefore, water consumption should work in conjunction with your CTM ritual....for OPTIMUM skin health.     

 

* see my blog on Quick Tip: Use a Tissue to Dry Your Face

---Ciao for now :)