Do your acne breakouts make you feel self-conscious? You’re not alone and there is hope! As dermatologists, acne is the most common skin condition we treat. Dr. Mikhail has spent over a decade clearing the skin of acne patients in NYC, and is happy to bring her passion to South Florida!
“Getting rid of acne starts with identifying the root cause – once you know why someone is breaking out, you can take steps to correct it for good,” Dr. Mikhail says. Her treatments are thoughtful and individualized. They include recommendations on diet and skin care along with prescription medications. Dr. Mikhail is there with her patients throughout their journey from breakouts to clear skin. Nothing makes her happier than witnessing this transformation.
Types of Acne
There are 4 basic different types of acne you need to know about and there is a lot of overlap — comedonal, inflammatory, cystic, and hormonal.
- Comedonal acne: clogged pores, blackheads and white heads.
- Inflammatory acne: red pimples and pustules along with clogged pores.
- Cystic acne: pimples are larger, deeper, and painful. Often, they leave scars.
- Hormonal acne: called adult acne, can be inflammatory or cystic. Breakouts cluster in the “beard area,” on the chin, neck, and jawline. Flares tend to be cyclical. They worsen during a woman’s menstrual cycle.
Diet and Skin Care
“Healthy skin is a reflection of overall wellness.”
Different internal and external lifestyle factors can trigger your acne. There are thousands of tips online these days, and no one person will benefit from the same treatment plan, but here are some of the most effective ways you can start caring for your skin and be on your way to smooth, clear skin!
- Moisturize. Depending on the type of skin you have, it’s important to get a moisturizer that meets the needs of your skin. When choosing a moisturizer, consider your skin type and make sure it matches with the label of the product. Your dermatologist can tell you what skin type you have if you are unsure.
- Normal
- Dry Skin
- Oily skin
- Sensitive Skin
- Mature Skin
- Apply sunscreen. Wearing sunscreen is not only for beach days. Sunscreen is a preventive and protective measure against damage from ultraviolet rays. Wearing it year-round could help reduce the risk of skin cancer and prevent premature aging. Sometimes you can find a moisturizer with SPF.
- Take off your makeup. Just as you brush your teeth, you also should remove your makeup and wash your face every day. Refusing to remove makeup before you go to sleep can cause extensive damage to your skin. It will clog your pores, and can cause more breakouts of acne and blackheads. Wipe away excess makeup with a makeup wipe, and follow with a deep cleanser to remove all dirt.
- Drink water. Simple as can be, drinking water can improve your complexion. Dehydrated skin will result in dry, tight, flaky skin. Drinking large amounts of water can prevent wrinkles and tighten pores.
- Drink green tea. This can help reduce inflammation, improve elasticity and protect you from sun damage. Green tea also promotes DNA repair to help fight skin cancer.
- Eat well.
- Fruits and vegetables are key to internally infusing vitamins into your skin. Foods such as cantaloupes, carrots and sweet potatoes are packed with vitamin A, which keeps your complexion clear. Other skin superfoods include berries, tomatoes, apricots, beets, squash, spinach, tangerines and peppers.
- Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring supply omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation and helps keep skin supple.
- Walnuts are another good source of fatty acids. It supplies balanced nutrients that help the skin function properly and aid in healing wounds and fighting bacteria.
- Cut back on dairy. There could be hormones found in milk that can trigger acne. If you have acne and drink milk often or eat a whole pizza pie, try going dairy-free for at least one month and see if you notice any changes in your complexion. If you are worried about not getting enough calcium or vitamin D, you can also find the same nutrients in fortified orange juice, or even a multivitamin with vitamin D and calcium.
- Don’t touch your face. Picking at your face may be tempting when there’s acne present, but keep your hands off. Do you rest your chin or cheeks on your hands? Notice a breakout? Bacteria can easily transfer from your fingertips to your face with just one touch.
- Sanitize your phone. When was the last time you wiped and sanitized the screen of your cell phone? Pressing your phone up against your face after touching it with unwashed hands could spread bacteria and clog pores on your face, as well as cause painful pimples or acne cysts. Find cleaning wipes with hydrogen peroxide and wipe down all surfaces of the phone to kill the bacteria off of your phone.
Implementing a few of these steps may improve the health of your skin. Make a habit out of it now because preventive measures are always easier than corrective measures. Remember, healthy skin starts within.
For appointments with Dr. Maryann Mikhail to start your customized acne treatment plan, please call our office at 954-666-3736!
