Let the Skin Dork provide this next advice diplomatically, with a measure of understanding of all sides.

If you want better skin, take every single thing you now apply to your flared up and blemished face and throw it away: that includes moisturizers, sunscreens, liquid makeup, cleansers, especially exfoliating cleansers, acid serums, acid sprays, essential oils, scrubs, powder makeup, ointments, anti-fungals, steroid creams and especially benzoyl peroxide. (See BENZOYL PEROXIDE for more info on how to discontinue that very toxic chemical). If I left anything out, throw it away, too.

What remains? Your smile.

And an occasional clay mask, and a mild cleanser. That’s it. See CLEANSERS for a discussion. Cleansers are almost always poorly formulated for unstable skin. Even cleansers made for unstable skin are usually undesirable.

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Ok, now let’s get down to cases.

The term “acne” now includes rashes, comedones, slight blemishes, irritation, itching, blackheads, bumps along the hairline and anything unsightly. Because of that it is now almost a meaningless clinical term. There is no definable pathology of acne. The rashy breakout of zits arises usually from inflammation. Inflammation itself is a term that covers everything from razor burn to poison ivy. The words are not helping us, especially when you know that 95% of all “acne” is clinically described as “inflammatory.”

The other 5% has big, blotchy, suppurating lesions requiring systemic antibiotics.

Clinicians like to score acne on a scale of 1 to 5, but the differences are slight – because the treatment approaches for 95% are similar. It is only until you get into the highest number where what is going on has very little to do with “acne.”

The most interesting part of all of this is that “inflammatory acne” is almost always aggravated by the current choices in therapeutic topical products: exfoliating acids, retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, and a hand basket of others approved by the FDA that are invariably poorly prescribed and applied.

The long term administration of these drugs for a condition that remains poorly defined has proven to be in practical reality, a nightmare of widespread inflammation.

Topical drugs for esthetics have become a vicious circle of topical addiction with temporary clearing and then more acne, sensitivity and stronger drug doses leading to more serious inflammation and dermatitis.

Acne products may temporarily clear the breakout, but rest assured the problem comes right back. Increasing the strength or frequency of use of the products is next on the agenda.

Consumers are now convinced after years of marketing that they have some undefined disease called acne arising out of thin air. Or, more often, somehow from the depths of the intestines, perhaps from eating too much sugar, or cheese or eating bacon (or, ______, just fill in the blank).

The theories of acne causation are as many as the stars. It is in fact quite difficult to describe a theory of cause when the pathology itself is an arm waving description.

But you know it when you see it. A zit is a zit. Several zits and redness that wax and wane, well that’s acne. Okay, I’ll take that definition.

Mothers whisk young Suzy or Sam from one medical esthetics practitioner to another and all that results is more rash and hefty invoices, armfuls of products and unending episodes of breakouts interrupted now and then by days of clear sailing.

We are at the point in consumer skincare that the most effective treatment for 95% of acne is elimination of ALL acne treatment products.

Now what?

An occasional clay mask, and a mild cleanser. And maybe a dose of topical VITAMIN A once or twice a week, at most, might be in the cards. That’s it.

Suggestion: Get REVIVE for an outstanding appearance choice in cleansing, moisturizing and smooth, smooth skin results. 302 Skincare has an array of very useful products like REVIVE that can visibly improve your skin without charged particle chemistry.

See also the CLEANSERS topic. There is a lot of inflammation to avoid on that shelf.

If you have scarring and maybe zits, too (comedones is the clinical term for zits) then see ACNE SCARRING.

The appearance of 95% of acne is an esthetic problem. The 5% of truly disfiguring, systemically caused acne, with lesions and all manner of complex biology in play is the difference between a pizza and a soda cracker in looks and the need for therapeutic intervention. A good doctor will sort it out to get stability. Once there, REVIVE is excellent to support skin stability.

Be certain to pay close attention to the consequences of orally dosed drugs. Many cause inflammatory skin side reactions. Birth control, anti-depression, mental clarity/focus – these drugs can easily cause breakouts. The brain, the skin and the gut are tightly connected. See DIET AND SKINCARE for a discussion.