"That's it!" you exclaim "These products don't work!" You proceed to throw those lovely products into the trash and move onto the next skin care product that promises clear, beautiful skin.
STOP!!!
Did you ever think that maybe it is not the products' fault?
Think about it. Topical products do just that, work on the outside of the skin. These products are fantastic for working on superficial problems, like blackheads, pimples, fine lines, and some pigmentation, but are not going to be nearly that effective on problems that arise on the skin from internal imbalance and inflammation. Most commonly, things like cystic acne, inflammation and some rosacea, have some sort of internal cause and therefore, topical treatments will have very little effect. It's like trying to cure a headache by rubbing an aspirin on your temples instead of swallowing it. It's not going to cut it!
Internal Cause
1. Hormones and Stress
Most women have experienced what a change in hormones can do to your skin when your monthly visitor come to town, but the story does not end there. Starting or stopping birth control, pregnancy, menopause and hormone replacement therapy can all leave your skin looking less than perfect.
During times of stress, both men and women produce more norepinephrine, epinephrine and testosterone which can exacerbate skin conditions like acne. Stress can also lead to the overproduction of cortisol, a steroid, which, like testosterone, can increase the production of oil in the skin. All this stress can also lead to an increase in the inflammatory response of the skin which can trigger flare-ups of rosacea and acne.
Yet another reason to see your local skin care therapist for a relaxing facial!
My recommendation: get on a consistent skin care routine with regular facials and see your doctor if it is more that the occasional breakout. He or she can do a hormone check and see if something is out of balance. Plus, take some time to relax and relieve some stress. Read a book, exercise, get a facial or a massage, or anything that makes you feel more Zen!
2. Diet - You are what you eat
Do you think that just because you put high quality product on your skin that it cancels out the steady stream of cheeseburgers, fries and candy that you put into your body? Guess again! Yes, there are those freaks of nature out there that can eat whatever they want and their skin never breaks out, but chances are, if you have tried every topical treatment available and your skin still looks like crap, you aren't one of them.
A clean diet will help you on your way to clearer skin. Our bodies were not designed to process ingredients like High Fructose Corn syrup, enriched flour, trans-fats, and artificial colors. These foods were artificially engineered or altered, not recognized by our bodies and hard to process. This internal turmoil leads to more stress, which leads to more inflammation, which leads to those pesky breakout mentioned before.
Don't put it in your mouth if:
- You can't grow it in your backyard
- You can't read the ingredient deck without a chemistry degree
- You couldn't make it yourself without the help of a nuclear reactor
- You can't tell what ingredients are in the product unless you read the label ("There's apples in this?")
- The ingredient deck is longer than your arm
Eating a clean diet will help your body to function better, therefore leading to healthier skin.
If you have cleaned up your diet and your skin still hasn't cleared than you may want to see if you have a food allergy, intolerance or a deficiency that may be causing an imbalance.
3. Disease and infection
Obviously, if you have some sort of illness you are probably not going to look your best. See your doctor!
Hopefully, this post gives you a little insight into the other reasons why your skin is not looking it's best.
Remember: Don't blame your fabulous products and shun them for something that isn't their fault!
Till next time!
Andrea
