Another guest post from my favourite, Balkan, beauty expert Anxhela Panxhi. This time she is tackling adult acne, something that can strike at any age and causes a lot of distress to those that suffer with it.
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An acne covered face is the most unwanted thing when it comes to skin imperfections. But what is acne and what does it mean?
Acne is your body trying hard to tell you something, and by reading your body and what it tells you, you can identify its root cause. There are different types of acne that show up along with other skin typologies that can crop up at any time in your life. More and more in my experience, I see women at any age coming to me complaining of breakouts. Acne is no longer just for teenagers- due to our lifestyles, high-stress levels, and lazy eating habits- acne doesn’t have an age any more.
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This is how I suggest dealing with acne.
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Treat the cause and not only the symptom as the approach you take determines whether or not the acne will last. Do you want fast results? Usually fast results are just a camouflage of symptoms and not the identification and addressing of the root cause.
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The antibiotics and birth control pills will actually make it worse in the longer run. The antibiotics can make the acne disappear for awhile and the moment you stop it they come back more aggressively, especially if what’s causing you acne is streptococcus. The antibiotics will mess with your gut flora which is what you need to boost in order for your body to fight acne itself.
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Probiotics go a long way to helping clear up your skin- start with a natural, live yoghurt and go from there.
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Stop using harsh cleansers that will let your skin dry and give the oil glands the message to produce more oil. This excess oil then gets trapped in the skin and results in blackheads and acne.
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Hydrate. For most people suffering from acne, it is out of their thinking to use oil-based products but hydration through a moisturizer is what keeps your top layer nourished, hydrated, and lets other layers breathe. This leads to less congestion, less clogged pores, and better, clearer skin.
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Makeup. This is one of the main reasons why a woman in her thirties suddenly has a breakout. Each time you put on foundation, you need many different types of skin cleansing methods to fully take it off your face. Being that most people only use one method of cleaning and don’t have time for daily exfoliation, the skin ends up clogged with leftover makeup and dead skin cells. Whiteheads are the most common damage you do to your skin by using foundation systematically.
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Sleep patterns. In people that have an acne prone skin type, having irregular sleep makes things worse. It increases cortisol levels and slows down immunity, which you need to keep strong in order to fight acne.
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Stress is not just a word. It has a direct impact on oil glands that in a stressful situation produce more oil and create a toxic environment which leads to acne.
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Facial peels. Acne is a deeper issue and those that want fast results seem convinced a peel will make acne disappear very quickly. The truth is, it hs a very damaging effect on the skin. I know people want fast results and the peelings will make acne disappear in a very short time but they also cause a lot of damage and the acne will return quickly. Peels also make the skin thinner and more delicate which leaves it open to damage from the sun and for capillaries to come to the surface.
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Adjust your food regimen according to your dosha. When you suffer from acne, your body needs a more conscious decision to detox. A dosha is a mind/body constitution and there are 3- Pitta, Kapha, Vata. Find out yours and tailor your detox plan to suit it.
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Incorporate zinc and magnesium-rich foods such as dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds etc into your diet.
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Lymphatic drainage. This is what will get what is beneath your skin flowing- no flow no glow. This works well for pretty much for any skin type and it is never too late to start. I suggest gua sha.
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Limit sugar intake and identify food sensitivities like gluten, nuts, dairy and refined carbs.
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Our homes might look clinical sterile but actually are loaded with hormonal disruptors, like detergents. Use mild soaps and liquid cleansers without fragrance to clean your fabrics. Make apple cider vinegar, baking soda and lemon your best friends to the indoors. It will make your air of better quality. Especially if you add few clean air plants.
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Patience. Give time to your skin to adapt to a healthy lifestyle regimen. Put the weapons down and be gentle to your skin and from that moment it will start healing. Any type of stress acne causes you, it will only make acne itself worse. Be in peace with it.
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