October 10, 2006
Well, so far my skin looks pretty much the same but the most important thing is that I care a little bit less. Since I have started to meditate and do Tai Chi, I find that a new pimple is much less distressing to me then before. However, I no longer think that I can tackle this problem on my own and I have made an appointment for a consultation at my local skin care clinic for next Monday. They have various exotic treatments like Photodynamic, Blue U Light and various facial treatments. I’m so excited to see if what they offer me helps more then what my prior doctors have offered (mainly antibiotics that absolutely didn’t work).
Laughter is the best medicine, as many wise philosophers have astutely noted, and I have come to realize it is true. Try to laugh at least 30 times a day! Actually, it is sort of sad that we have to remind ourselves to laugh. But, it is definitely worth it - start taking time out to read the daily comics, watch your favorite funny sitcom or movie and after awhile you won’t have to remind yourself!
Can't laugh? Then just scream - let out your emotions!
October 9, 2006
Well, another Monday has showed it's ugly face and I'm feeling exhausted! A bad night's sleep is to blame and it has inspired me to write a little bit about how much of it we should be getting. As you know, how much sleep we should be getting is a popular topic among health professionals and most people just aren’t getting enough.
I completely agree with this, but I even 8 hours just isn't enough for some people. For some time I decreased my sleep to 7-8 hours a night, from 9-10, thinking I was sleeping too much. I have to say, I felt terrible - tired, cranky, achy. At first I had no idea why, but now that I have recently been forcing my self to stay in bed that extra hour and the changes have been amazing. I have some much more energy all day and my muscles ache so much less after a tough workout. I hope these positive changes will be reflected on my complexion too!
October 9, 2006
Upon waking in the morning, my ritual is usually to head for the bathroom to wash my face, brush my teeth and get ready for the day ahead. I often find myself wishing my sink wasn’t directly in front of the mirror - because as soon as soon as I get there I stare and obsess about any new blemishes that may have appeared overnight. Thankfully, this morning, there weren’t any new ones to report (saving me time and my sanity)!
Another thing that I have been doing differently since I started this blog is to wash my face earlier in the evening. My old practice was to wash it directly before bed, at around 11pm to 12am and then get up at around 8am and wash again. I realized that I was then going for 8 hours between washings in the evening and then 16 hours without washing in the day!
Now, my practice is to wash my face at around 8-9pm, then I wake up at 8-9am and wash again. This cycle just makes much more sense to me. I know your schedule can’t possibly be the same as mine, since most people have to awake much earlier. However, I suggest trying to get yourself about 12 hours between washes.
October 9, 2006
I have found that having acne has actually permeated more aspects of my life then one might suspect. Of course, one might imagine that years of being ashamed of how I look would indeed have a huge impact on me. Avoiding social situations, an inability to look others in the eye and a fear of being afraid or stressed are just a few of the consequences of having acne. Right now I’d like to talk a little about the latter problem.
Everyone knows that stress has a negative impact on your skin, something that I have mentioned several times as well. However, lately, I have realized that I have been doing everything possible to avoid stress, for fear that it may aggravate my skin. Hence, fear of being afraid! But, some stress is necessary and essential in life. Not only that, but if you are trying so desperately not be stressed then you are probably bottling in your emotions, which is much worse then just letting it all out.
So, I have decided to embrace fear. To welcome it and even try to do something that scares me every single day! I will try to show my emotions instead of hiding them, as I usually do. I will let you daily what what I have embraced each day.
Also, it is time for a weekly mask again, don’t forget yours. I will be using my Proactiv Refining Mask this week.
October 9, 2006
I awoke today to a few more pimples on my chin and one in the absolute worse place, on my lip. Well, not directly on my lip, but so close it that it is impossible to see where it starts and the lip begins. These are the most painful ones imaginable but I’m not discouraged. Why, you ask? Because I have faith that my skin will get better. And, once it does, I will move on to scar removal... I can't wait.
For now though, let me tell you why I have so much faith. Number one, I have to believe or my acne will never go away. Number two, I’m sticking to my meditation routine. Each day I do a short 20 minute morning Tai Chi, and each night I relax with 15 minutes of focusing on my breathing. Now this is not to say that I have yet felt that I’ve drifted into full, relaxed meditation but I fell that some day soon I will. I am beginning to have more success in focusing on my breath rather then the multitude of different thoughts that occupy my mind at any given moment.
October 9, 2006
Now that I have been off of the Proactiv program for 10 days - moisturizing daily and using Boscia cleanser, facial tonic and only a small amount of Proactiv’s 2.5% benzoyl peroxide Repairing Lotion- I have only one thing to say, [i]my skin is getting worse[i]!
In light of this, I’m going to make small changes to my regime to see if that makes a difference. I have also been under a lot of stress lately and that may be contributing. I know that you are supposed to wait three months to see if something is working, but who has that kind of time?
So I will now use a combination of Proactiv and Boscia-
Morning: Wash with Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel, tone with Proactiv Facial Toner and finish with a small amount of Proactiv Repairing Lotion and Boscia Oil-Free Daily Hydration, SPF 15.
Bare Escentuals Foundation
Evening: Wash with Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gell, follow with Proactiv Renewing Cleanser, 60 sec, and follow with Proactiv Toner and finish with Proactiv Repairing Lotion.
Hopefully the Boscia Oil-Free Daily Hydration will keep my skin moisturized just enough. I feel that the Boscia Nightly Moisturizer was just too oily for me.
Don’t forget a facial mask once a week as well.
Now, a little rant about exercise and acne.
As you may have heard, exercise improves acne by decreasing stress levels. However, sweat can also aggravate your acne - especially if you have any makeup on. Apparently, the heat and sweat combine with your makeup (even if it is oil-free) and clogs your pores. So, it is important to clean your face before and after you exercise. Whew, what a double-edged sword. You are exercising to improve your acne but at the same time it might be making it worse. Also, you don’t want to wash your face too much because that is also bad for your skin as well!
I wash with a gentle cleanser before exercising and then afterwards I take a shower and then use my Proactiv Toner - this is still a pain, especially if my skin feels dry afterwards, I wonder if I should reapply moisturizer. Well, looks like I will remain a tiny bit confused on the subject. Until tomorrow, good luck!
October 9, 2006
After taking the weekend off for some much needed R&R, I must say I’m really not ready to start the work week off again. Especially since the morning greeted me with a whole new set of pimples, speckled all over my chin and jaw-line.
I know what you may be thinking, this girl probably rests her chin on her hands a lot, but I don’t. At least not consciously! Although now I’m beginning to wonder what I’m doing without noticing I’m doing it. Try to catch yourself too, make sure your aren’t unconsciously rubbing your nose, placing a fingertip on your temple, resting your chin on your hand, etc.
Now another look at the connection between stress and acne. I picked up a few more helpful tips for stress relief this weekend I’d like to share. First of all, try to set aside 15 minutes per day in which you do “nothing.” During this time you should try to relax in a quite place and concentrate on your breathing, perhaps even repeating a mantra like “I am more then my thoughts” or “Let go and let God” or “I am relaxed” in your head. Try to simply let your thoughts roll through your head without focusing on them. If sitting still is too difficult, go for a walk and focus on the steps instead of on your thoughts.
Secondly, try to incorporate a relaxing exercise like Yoga or Tai Chi into your daily routing. Nothing too vigorous, simply something that allows you to focus, and breath.
Yesterday I successfully accomplished 15 minutes of nothing and a short Tai Chi practice (I recommend Tai Chi for Beginners by David-Dorian Ross, it contains a great 20 minute morning practice). The 15 minutes of nothing is always very difficult for me. I find thoughts run through my mind so quickly I can’t possibly focus on my breath. So, I turned on the fireplace and tried to focus on the flickering of the flames while breathing deeply. I felt more relaxed afterwards and I hope that in time I will be able to move on to real meditation.
October 9, 2006
Last night I put on my facial mask for the week. I usually use one of two masks that I have, Juice Beauty’s Green Apple Peel or Proactiv’s Refining Mask, which serve two separate purposes. The Green Apple Peel is high in alpha hydroxy acids as well as vitamins A, C, and E - it claims to improve skin tone, texture and color. I use it to remove dead skin cells from my face. On the other hand, the Refining Mask contains 6% sulfur to remove oil and impurities from the skin.
This week I used the Juice Green Apple Peel - it is quite harsh on your skin, especially the first few times you use it. Afterwards, your skin is left red and sensitive so be sure only to only use it before bed and don’t follow the treatment with any harsh products like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid treatments. I recommend a light moisturizer and then hit the sack.
Another fact I wanted to bring up today is the possibility that your boyfriend may be contributing to your acne! Let me clarify - what I mean is, if your boyfriend has a rough beard or goatee (like mine does) and you are noticing pimples around your chin and mouth, his facial hair my be to blaim! Remember, any rubbing or friction on your face will irritate your skin and contribute to blemishes. Consider asking him to shave it for you. If he loves his goatee, try to limit it’s contact with your skin (I know, easier said then done).
October 9, 2006
A woke up to the sudden realization that I have gathered all these facts on acne, I have worked so hard to get a healthy complexion and yet I have fallen short. Why? I think that it is the mind-body connection I mentioned earlier.
So, in leu of this realization, I have decided to try harder to work on my meditation. But, more importantly, we must all really believe that the treatment will work and that my skin will get better. Ever heard of the placebo effect? Believing something will work is half of the treatment!
October 9, 2006
I think that you all may want to know a little bit more about makeup foundations and acne, an extremely important subject for women acne sufferes. Of course, if you are a woman with acne, you would love a great cover-up for those hideous acne scars and blemishes. Well, as I mentioned before, there are almost no liquid foundations without any oil whatsoever. Let me just tell you a few of the many many foundations that I have used and given up on due to excessive oil content that seemed to be making my skin worse -
Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation
Lancome Magique Matte Mousse Makeup
Clinique Superfit Makeup
Dermatologica Treatment Foundation
Maybelline Pure. Foundation
If you ask me, foundations just have too many ingredients! You can’t possibly check every single one to be sure they aren’t comedogenic. In the end, I have decided to try Bare Escentuals for this very reason. The powder obviously does not contain oil and the list of ingredients - titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, mica- is very short. However, I have some trepidation due to the fact that the product contains mica. I have read that this is irritating to the skin but I have also read that it depends on the quality used and the type (flaked versus micronized). Right now I’m keeping my fingers crossed and using it daily.
Even if Bare Escentuals does not aggravate my acne, it does not provide great coverage. If I did not have any blemishes or scars the product would be probably be great. However, I have been finding it quite difficult to conceal my acne with the product. Nevertheless, I believe that using it is much better then making my skin worse with another foundation. Also, I am going to purchase there special Multi-Tasking Minerals that promise to cover dark circles and imperfections and I will let you all know how well it works.
Today, I did notice one more zit has appeared on my cheek, but I have not given up hope! I will continue to follow my new regime and hope for the best. I am still doing well with my exercise, diet, drinking plenty of water (6-8 glasses/day) and sleeping on my back. However, I still drink a cup of coffee a day and I do have a few sweets (mmmm, ice cream). The bliss of meditation has so far alluded me but I will continue to try.
Also, for all you heavy exercisers out there, I would like to recommend these 10 tips for recovering from a workout.
