Acne Fighting Super Foods

Here are a few foods you should know about that can help your skin out a lot. I also cannot stress enough that drinking water (and plenty of it) and minimizing consumption of sodas and juices can help your skin, your health, and the way you feel tremendously! I got this article from ezinearticles.com check it out!


 "Treating acne using foods and herbs can be a great way to deal with acne. While some people might not think that it's possible to cure acne by just eating some herbs and change the course of a diet, based on my first hand experience, it is really possible doing so. This article will show you some of the best foods for acne and herbs that can really help dealing with the skin disorder.


1. Carrots are great for your acne and skin.


Carrot, which contains a lot of fibers and vitamin A as well as other vitamins and minerals, is really a must eat food. Why? Because the fibers in carrot can help detoxifying your body and the huge amount of vitamin A really is helpful to acne. The lack of vitamin A alone can cause acne, and when your body gets enough of vitamin A, it is possible to treat your acne condition really effectively.


So from now onwards, try to include more carrots in your meals and diet.


2. Ginger and garlic


Ginger and garlic are the world's best natural antibiotics. They both improve your immune system when consumed, and their anti inflammatory properties also mean that the swelling and redness caused by acne can be reduced to a great extent.

3. Papaya.

Papaya is also a very good fruit to have when you have acne. It helps with your digestion and enables your body to remove those unwanted toxins that create chaos in your body to be removed easily and effectively, and by doing so, it helps with your acne. Papaya also contains papain, an enzyme that is used to fight inflammation. By eating more papaya, you are effectively reducing the inflammation, swelling and redness caused by acne, making your zits less visible.

4. Diet Changes

Change your diet to a better one, and you stand a great chance to treat your acne completely. Avoid foods that are oily and contain a lot of food additives. Eat in more foods that are high in fiber and vitamins. Drink more water to flush the toxins out of your body. With those toxins flushed and removed, your immune system will be improved and your hormone secretion will be regulated, making your acne to disappear faster than you can imagine."

Blame Biology for Your Acne

I’ve been seeing this commercial a lot lately for this acne treatment cream called Epiduo. I don’t know too much of anything about it, or how well it works, but I did want to point out it’s standpoint on acne. The commercial is all about growing up and maturing into an adult (puberty basically). It shows how it can bring good things, like giving you boobs if you’re a girl, and if you’re a dude you’ll get muscles and so on. But one thing that comes with all of the good is acne, so the whole point of the commercial is don’t blame yourself for your acne “blame biology”! So for most people no matter what they do are just going to have some sort of acne during the puberty/growth period. Some people might get mad when they hear these because it makes them feel hopeless. Others might feel relieved as they can eat or do whatever they want and know that although acne sucks it will go away soon. Now, although your acne is caused because your growing doesn’t mean there isn’t anything you can do to minimize outbreaks and keep your skin healthy! Today we know more than ever about things and treatments that work the best to fight and try and cure acne. So if your acne bothers you to the point where it affects your daily life and how you act I strongly recommend seeing a dermatologist. Who knows maybe you’ll get put on Epiduo!

-jc

Accutane Update Day 63

Im on the third day of taking the 40mg Accutane which was upped from the original 20mg, and so far so good! My skin is looking and feeling like its starting to tighten up again, and as for the problems that I mentioned in the previous have subsided a lot. I think they’ve all gone away because I started taking some melatonin chews to help me sleep at night, and being well rested is helping me stay in a really good mood! The only thing now is that I smashed up my right ring-finger really bad to the point where I think it might even be broken! So I’m bummed out cause I can’t play games, I can’t lift weights, I can’t really do anything with my right hand because my finger is throbbing so bad! I uploaded a video of my finger to youtube, check it out!




Take it easy everyone, I'll update you on my progress in a few days!

Can Masturbating Cause Acne?

Almost everyone does it (whether or not they’ll ever admit it.), some more than others especially if you’re a teenager/young adult going through puberty or with raging hormones. This is another one of the acne topics that has mixed speculation. I hear or read from people and even professionals that masturbating in any way or form can’t cause acne, but there is also a flip-side where they say that it does. So like everything with acne it comes down to you and your personal experiences. One thing that is for known for sure is masturbation can help relieve anxiety and stress and that it can be healthy in ways!


Check out this article I found from acne.org.

“Does masturbation cause acne?

History: There is no specific scientific evidence linking masturbation and acne. However, for hundreds if not thousands of years, societies around the world, in their attempt to prevent young people from engaging in premarital sex, have latched onto the myth that sex/masturbation and acne are in some way related. Let’s take a moment now to look at modern science and see if we can help unravel this controversy.

What does research say?: As of 2009, there are no published studies attempting to link masturbation or sex with acne. Until researchers produce those studies, let’s take a step back. We do know that hormones and acne are linked, particularly when it comes to increased levels of androgens such as testosterone. So let’s look at how arousal and the sex act affect hormone levels. First, it’s worth mentioning that we know far more on this topic when it comes to animals such as rats and monkeys than we do about humans. Science is spotty in the area of human hormonal production and sex. According to a study in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, “…small differences in methodology and data interpretation may easily produce contrasting results.” A survey of the evidence bears this out.

What the evidence shows: Several studies show very small increases in testosterone after orgasm in both men and women, while others show statistically insignificant differences. Studies specific to arousal show from very small increases in hormone levels to insignificant changes. However, even when changes are apparent, levels return back to baseline within minutes. As you can see, we have little if any compelling evidence. To complicate matters even more, a study in the Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE in 2003 showed a marked increase in testosterone on the 7th day of abstinence, which the authors posit is possibly due to sperm formation and maturation.

Conclusion: We simply do not know whether masturbation or sex is related to acne, or for that matter human hormonal balance. More research is needed. Current research tends to point toward very small hormonal changes after arousal or sex, if any. Whether these changes are beneficial or detrimental for acne remains unknown.

My common sense hypothesis: We know that humans with high androgen levels tend to experience more severe acne symptoms. We also know that humans with higher androgen levels tend to have a higher sex drive. This may explain why some people who are more sexually active, with themselves or partners, may at times experience more acne symptoms. Whether abstinence would increase or decrease acne in such individuals is up for debate.”



So whether you do it 20 times a day (that’s gotta hurt!) or once a week, or even less, it all comes down to how your acne/skin reacts!



-JC

12 Ways To Ensure The Effectiveness of Your Routine

Are you convinced that your acne treatment (washes, cleansers, creams, medications, etc.) isn’t working or helping your acne at all? I for one will admit that if I didn’t start seeing results within the first few weeks of whatever it was that I was using I thought that it wasn’t working. Shortly after I would usually stop using it and move onto a different product, treatment, or whatever. Though I hear a lot now that no matter what it is that you may be using you should at the least try it for a full 6 weeks before deciding if it’s working or not. I mean for all I know maybe some of the stuff that I’ve tried in the past would’ve started working if I would’ve stayed with it for a few more weeks, but I really don’t think so. I could literally feel that it wasn’t working for my skin, and I could feel my skin’s condition worsening at times, but who knows maybe that’s what is supposed to happen. So I guess the point is don’t lose all hope if your treatment doesn’t start working right away… you have to think past all of the things you read and here and there about products that say things like that, “clears acne in just 3 days…” Things like that I just don’t think are possible, and if it does work I can almost guarantee that the acne will come back within a few weeks.


Here are some things that you can do to make your treatment the most effective that it can be! I got them from skincarephysicians.com, check them out…

“AcneNet Spotlight Article

12 Ways to Get Better Results from Acne Treatment

Effective Acne Treatment Often Requires More Than Medication

Do you wish that your acne medication left you with clearer skin? Better results may not come from trying the latest acne treatment or a stronger acne-fighting cream — but from making some simple changes.



For those seeing a dermatologist

1. Use your acne treatments exactly as prescribed. Acne only clears when the treatment targets everything that is causing the acne. Since most acne medications target only 1 or 2 causes, 2 or 3 products are often necessary. To see clearer skin, these products must be used as prescribed.



2. Stop using acne treatments not prescribed by your dermatologist. Using acne products that are not part of the treatment plan prescribed by your dermatologist can irritate your skin. Irritated skin usually leads to more breakouts. For best results, dermatologists recommend using only the acne-fighting products and medications in your treatment plan.



3. Speak up. Dermatologists do not want patients to feel confused about acne treatment. If you do not understand something, ask about it. If an acne treatment option not prescribed by your dermatologist interests you, be sure to mention it. Asking questions is often the answer to effective acne treatment.

For everyone treating acne, including those seeing a dermatologist

4. Never pop, squeeze, or pick acne. Popping and squeezing pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, and cysts tends to make acne worse. All this does is make the acne last longer. This can make it difficult to see clearer skin no matter what treatment you are using. Trying to get rid of a pimple by popping or picking also can lead to scarring, which can be permanent.



5. Avoid abrasive soap, facial scrub, toner, astringent, and masks. These can irritate the skin, and irritated skin is more likely to break out. Irritated skin also makes it more difficult to tolerate acne medication. A mild cleanser used twice a day to wash the skin is actually more effective for controlling acne and preventing breakouts.



6. Do not scrub your skin clean. While scrubbing away oil and grime may seem like a good idea, scrubbing actually irritates acne-prone skin. Irritating the skin generally leads to breakouts.



When washing the skin, use lukewarm (not hot) water and gently apply a mild cleanser with your fingertips. Washcloths and puffs tend to be too abrasive. Limiting washing to twice a day can help reduce irritation and dryness.



7. Wait 5 to 15 minutes to apply acne medication. Applying acne medication right after you shower or wash your face can irritate the skin and lead to breakouts. Wet skin is most absorbent. To avoid irritation, dermatologists recommend waiting 5 to 15 minutes before applying acne medication.



8. Use only oil-free skin care and hair care products. Makeup, hair gel, and other products used by people with acne-prone skin should not contain oil. Oil tends to clog pores and lead to breakouts. Look for products that are labeled “oil free,” “nonacnegenic,” or “noncomedogenic.” This means the product does not clog pores.



9. Apply acne medication before makeup. Wearing an oil-free makeup is fine, but make sure it does not prevent the acne medication from working. Makeup should always be applied after topical acne medication.



10. Continue using the medication when skin clears. To keep skin blemish free, most people with acne need to continue using at least 1 acne medication. If you have been using an over-the-counter product, you may be able to taper your use to a few times a week.



11. Gently cleanse skin after sweating. Sweating, especially under a hat or helmet, can aggravate acne-prone skin. Gently cleansing the skin as quickly as possible afterwards can help prevent breakouts. When cleansing the skin, avoid the temptation to rub or scrub sweat from the skin. This can irritate the skin and cause breakouts.



12. Give acne-fighting products enough time to work. As a rule of thumb, it takes 6 to 8 weeks before you begin to see an improvement. Improvement does not mean blemish-free skin, but a noticeable difference. It generally takes about 6 months to see clear skin.

Effective Treatment Possible

Tremendous gains have been made in acne treatment. Today, virtually every case of acne can be resolved. If these tips do not help clear your skin, speak with a dermatologist. “



Take it easy everyone!

-Jc

Accutane Update Day 58

Went to the dermatologist yesterday and he seemed a little surprised that my skin wasn’t doing so well; he said something like, “Yeah you’re still little red here and there.” So he upped my dosage form 20mg to 40mg and said he’d see me in a month. I was not able to pick up my prescription yet, because there was a questionnaire on the Ipledge website that I have to do first (if you haven’t already heard Ipledge is a total pain in the ass!), but when I logged onto the site it said that I had no questionnaire to do and that I could pick up my prescription, arghhh! Either way I still have a couple of 20mg capsules left, so I’ll be set for the next couple of days.


Also there are other things that I have been noticing for the past few weeks that have been bothering me. I’ve been having trouble sleeping every night and I’m always exhausted because of it. I noticed that I can become very stressed and angry very quickly and easily over the slightest thing. I’ve been having mood swings where one minute I’ll be happy, the next I’ll be sad. My head/brain feels fuzzy almost; it’s hard to explain, sometimes it feels like my brain is shrinking and growing. At first, a few weeks ago I didn’t think much of it and I thought that maybe I was just having a bad day or something; basically just trying to convince myself that it had nothing to do with the Accutane. Today though when I was looking at my Ipledge card it clearly says Stop using Isotretinoin (which is Accutane) and call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following… And sure enough all of the symptoms I have been experiencing are on the card! I mean I don’t know if maybe everyone experiences these things just not as bad as others, but one thing is for sure I don’t want to stop Accutane unless I physically feel like I’m dying! I don’t want to tell my doctor or my derm about it just because I don’t want them to take me off it. So I’m kind of anxious about starting the 40mg because I know if these things get worse I’m definitely going to have to tell my doctor and dermatologist. I’ll definitely keep you guys updated every couple of days, and if there are any of you have experienced anything like this while on Accutane let me know!



-JC

Does Shaving Cause Acne?

Now it’s not entirely known if shaving causes acne, or makes it worse if you already have it, but I for one believe that it does have an effect. For some people they claim that shaving actually helps clear them up, while others have the opposite effect. Some people who don’t have acne tend to only have breakouts after they shave. Now a lot of things can come into play like how long each person waits before shaving, what kind of shaving cream/gel they use, if they use an ordinary razor or an electric one, etc. For a while I was using some fancy shaving cream that my mom had given to me, and every time after I shaved I was always breaking out. So I finally bought some regular foamy shaving cream for sensitive skin at the store and my breakouts after shaving subsided. Also depending on what skin you have you need to be careful on what you choose to put on your skin after shaving. Some people leave it dry, some people use aftershave, and some just use their ordinary moisturizer. In the end though all that matters is that you experiment and figure out what works best for your skin!


Here is a quick little article from: ezinearticles.com, check it out!



“Many men and women when they shave get acne-like outbreaks, which are commonly known as shaving bumps. The shaving bumps are the result of inflammation of the hair follicle which happens due to shaving. However, these shaving bumps, medically known as pseudofolliculitis barbae, can occur also due to waxing or plucking, wherein the hair gets trapped in the follicle leading to irritation and swelling.

Shaving bumps can occur any time but people who have curly hair have a tendency to get them more often. These bumps can be avoided by learning to shave smart so that you have fewer outbreaks.

It is important to prepare your skin for the shave. This means washing and wiping the face with warm water. The water helps to hydrate the skin and thus making it more pliable. In addition, the warm water dilates the blood vessels and the blood flow to skin increases. That is the reason why many people prefer to shave while taking a shower even though they may not know the reason behind it.

You can reduce the number of shaving bumps by using a good quality shaving cream or foam. The cream or the foam should be filmy and thin. This will help the razor to slide easily over the skin and reducing irritation to the skin. Even choosing the right razor can make a big difference. Whenever possible, try using an electric razor. Although the shave may not be as close as you want but the possibility of pseudofolliculitis barbae reduces substantially. However, if you are the type who only uses blades for shaving, then use a new single blade each time you shave. Remember, double edged blades tend to lift the hair out of the follicle and the resultant shave is actually done below the epidermis. When the epidermis starts to grow back, it does so by growing over the opening of the hair follicle. As the hair grows, it struggles to get out of the hair follicle, which is now closed, and this causes skin inflammation.

In addition, while shaving, make sure that the razor strokes are in the direction of the hair growth, that is downward strokes. This will reduce irritation and also keep the number of cuts down.

Immediately after shaving, use an alcohol-free toner or antibacterial gel. This will destroy the bacteria on the surface of the skin before they reach the hair follicles and will prevent shaving bumps from developing. Benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid is available in gel form and you can use them to stop shaving bumps and the resultant acne from developing.”



Happy shaving.

-jpc

Back To School Stress

Being this time of year things can get to be pretty stressful. If you’re like me then your probly preparing for college, trying to figure things out, seeing what you want to do for the rest of your life, wondering how to pay for it, and the list goes on and on… This stress can sometimes become overwhelming causing you to be short-tempered, have anxiety, make you breakout etc. Sometimes when I find myself becoming stressed or beginning to have anxiety I find that simply just stopping everything for a minute or two and taking a few deep breathes drastically helps calm me every time! Also I workout just about every day to every other day, and it’s incredibly noticeable how good and clear your mind and body will feel afterwards! It doesn’t matter what you do from weightlifting, yoga, running/jogging, swimming, just about anything that gets your blood going and gets you sweating will help with stress. Also when you sweat from exercise it clears your pores helping your acne, just be sure to wash/rinse your face afterwards. In my opinion you should try and get in a little exercise (30 minutes- 1 hour) at least 3 times a week, and try to eat as healthy as you can.


As for the Accutane I am still breaking out consistently every day, and I rescheduled my appointment today to be on Thursday, so I will let you know what the dermatologist says tomorrow!



Take it easy everyone!

Quick Update

Hope everyone had a good weekend, and that you are all enjoying your summer. I just wanted to update everyone on a few things like Accutane. It’s funny because I swear that after I wrote that Accutane Update Day 45 entry that I started to breakout. It is a little alarming because they’re coming in big and in pairs almost, and not only that but because Accutane makes your skin sensitive it hurts super bad to even try and pop them. So I don’t know if this is normal or if my body is getting used to the medication and I need to be brought up to a higher dose. Either way my next appointment with my dermatologist is this Wednesday, and I know he will be able to answer my questions and hopefully bring me back peace of mind. So when Wednesday comes I’ll let you know what he says, but in the meantime don’t forget to be drinking plenty of water during this time of year especially if you have acne. You need plenty of water during this time of year even if you don’t feel thirsty, because your body is using more of that water and sweating it out as well. Although you might not be drenched in sweat all the time your body actually is perspiring (sweating) a lot more.


So like I said I’ll let you guys know what my derm says on Wednesday; in the meantime though check this video out! It’s not Acne related, but it’s just so damn gnarly that I had to share!

What Is Microdermabrasion

My dermatologist says that after the Accutane I still might have some scarring, so microdermabrasion is something that I might do! Here is cool article that sums it up rather nice and quick; it’s from about.com.

“Microdermabrasion is mechanical exfoliation that removes the uppermost layer of dead skin cells from the face, chest and hands. For best results, it is recommended you get a series of treatments and use in conjunction with anti-aging skin care products.

The price for a single microdermabrasion treatment usually ranges from $100 - $150. With a series, you might get one free. Microdermabrasion takes about 20-30 minutes and there's no down-time for the skin to recover. That's why it's also sometimes called a "lunchtime peel."

Benefits of Microdermabrasion

* Microdermabrasion leaves skin with a fresher, more glowing look.

* Microdermabrasion diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, enlarged pores, and coarse textured skin.

* Microdermabrasion makes it easy for high-tech skin care products to actually penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin and help build collagen, which gives skin its youthful appearance.

Other Names for Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion is also known as particle resurfacing, power peel, derma-peel or Parisian peel.

How Microdermabrasion Works

Microdermabrasion uses a powerful device to spray microcrystals of aluminum dioxide (corundum powder) across the skin’s surface. The aluminum dioxide is a very fine, very hard, sand-like material that blasts away the uppermost layer of dead skin cells on the skin's epidermis.

Microdermabrasion can be uncomfortable around the sensitive tissue of the mouth and nose, but should not be painful. After the treatment, the technician vacuums away the traces of the corundum powder.

Cautions on Microdermabrasion

*Check on the training of the person who is going to give you the microdermabrasion treatment. Results depend in part on their expertise.

*Make sure all traces of the aluminum dioxide is removed from your skin.

*Apply sunscreen and stay out of the sun after your treatment. Along with the dead skin cells, you have removed some of your protection.

*Microdermabrasion is not recommended for sensitive skin, skin that easily reddens (called couperous), or skin with acne breakouts.

*Aging skin is already thin. Overdoing microdermabrasion treatments can make it even thinner.”

 
 
What do you think? Are then any better options?
 
-Jpc

Annoying Blackheads On My Nose!

Does anyone else ever get those stubborn blackheads on your nose that never go away? I try my best to squeeze them all out only to end up with a red, swollen clown-nose, and for what they just come back literally within a day! I have super oily skin in that area and I know that it has to be one of the major contributors to the blackheads. I know a lot of people have this problem too, but I seem to have it the worst out of anyone I know! You can literally see mine from almost across the room, and when I squeeze them out the pores on my nose look huge! Every time my pores fill up with this crap I can’t even breathe right through my nose till I get it out; it’s ridiculous. I swear If I could just get rid of these things alone my complexion would look ten-times better! The Accutane has definitely been helping them go away though, as my pores have slowly begun to shrink so that’s good. I still want to try and get rid of them now though. So I looked around a lot at what kind of things work and the best thing I found were these strips you can put on your nose, and when you peel them off they’re supposed to take out all of your blackheads. Now I know they’ll end up just coming back, but at least I won’t be giving my nose a beating anymore trying to squeeze them out. So I think I’m going to get some and give them a try, and I’ll let you know how things go! Also if you know anyhting on the matter, or any remedies let me know! In the meantime enjoy this video!




-Jpc

Can The Changing Seasons Effect Your Acne?

Does your skin tend to change along with the ever changing seasons like mine? Check out this article from: scienceline.org and see what could causing yours to change!


“Our skin makes up a big part of the outer shell we present to the world each day, and we want to keep it happy and healthy-looking. But, like most relationships, the arrangements people develop with their skin are complicated. Our skin isn’t always great at telling us what it needs: even trained professionals have trouble translating its signals of bumps and blotches. And so, we struggle with creams, gels and exfoliating scrubs, trying to achieve perfect dermatological harmony. Then, just when we think we have it figured out, a breakout or a mysterious rash crops up, reminding us that our skin does not have an exclusive relationship with us; it interacts with other factors–mainly, the environment.

Weather, for one, has a huge effect on our skin. When it’s too hot or dry outside, our skin lets us know it. The winter months bring harsh, cold winds that irritate the delicate skin on our face and hands. Winter also brings dry conditions that strip skin of its natural moisture. This dryness can lead to red patches and excess dead skin cells that clog pores, causing acne. According to some skin-care experts, winter is the worst season for acne. It’s unclear whether these breakouts are due to the weather alone, or are an indirect effect of all the lotions we apply to counteract wintry conditions.

For many, summer brings the promise of clear, easy-to-manage skin. The humidity of summer softens skin and brings back the moisture lost in winter. Some people attribute their improved complexions to increased sun exposure, but the American Dermatological Association says there is no evidence to substantiate this claim. In fact, dermatologists advise patients taking acne medication to avoid the sun’s rays when possible, as many of these drugs increase sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation, which can lead to skin cancer.

Moreover, not everyone says summer helps their skin. Acne has the potential to get worse as the weather gets hotter. There are several explanations for why this happens. For one, excess heat and humidity increase sweat production, which means more oil available to clog pores. Also, summer activities – such as hanging out in swimming pools – can have negative effects on our skin. Chlorinated chemicals can cause a particularly bad form of acne called chloracne. Additionally, sunscreens, while great for protecting users from UV rays, can aggravate the skin, which is why many dermatologists recommend oil-free varieties for patients prone to acne flare-ups.

Extreme heat and humidity can also facilitate bacterial and fungal infections. In the Vietnam War, dermatological problems accounted for 12 percent of outpatient cases, according to one report. Many of these cases involved bacterial and fungal infections, which the doctors involved blamed on Vietnam’s muggy climate. They reported a high incidence of the bacterial infection impetigo and tinea pedis, a fungal infection more commonly known as athlete’s foot. In addition, numerous soldiers contracted a condition called tropical acne that only occurs in especially hot and humid areas. Tropical acne is a lot like regular acne but much more painful: many of the soldiers who had it were physically unable to carry their backpacks.

Of course, when the temperatures reach all-time highs here in the U.S., we stay inside and crank up the air conditioning. Our skin probably doesn’t like that much either. Both air conditioning and central heating can dry skin out. The struggle to create conditions our skin will find favorable can get frustrating, but what choice do we have? Until researchers come up with a way to prevent our skin from reacting to environmental factors, there is little we can do except cleanse, moisturize and hope for the best.”



Hope you are all enjoying your summer by the way!

-Jpc

Does Flying Make You Breakout?

Hey everyone! So I fly/ travel a lot each year; around 4-5 times sometimes more. Most of the time I fly it is usually going to and from New York from Arizona, which is about 5-6 hours. I almost always notice that I break out for the next day or two after flying. Sometimes it can be a bad breakout other times just a few pimples, but something always happens after I get done flying for sure. When I get off the plane my skin is oily and feels really gross and congested almost, like I can literally feel my pores being clogged. No matter if I rinse my face on the plane or as soon as I get home the pimps inevitably will come; it’s pretty damn annoying! I have looked this up on Google but I have not found too much info on what it could be; although there are plenty of other people who experience it too! Some of my guesses for why this could happen are: The change in air pressure for extended amounts of time can cause everything to come out. Or the stress of just the whole going to the airport/security/boarding thing, because it can be very stressful. Another possibility is it could just be exhaustion, at least for me as I usually don’t sleep that much before I fly because I try to get tired so I can sleep on the plane (which never happens I might add). Another could be that I just don’t drink a lot of fluids throughout the whole day when going to the airport and flying, because lets face it who likes to use the bathroom on the plane 10 times (no one!). I will continue to look further into this subject and let you guys know if I happen to find anything. In the meantime though if you have had any of the same experiences, or know something that I don’t then please share! Anything you can say, add, or comment about on this blog is always greatly appreciated and valued!

Have a good one everyone!

-Jpc

Accutane Update Day 45!

Hey guys I know it’s been a long time since the last entry, I apologize I’ve been out of town for the past few weeks, but I return with good news! My skin is still doing really well, and getting better every week that goes by! I’m now on day 45, or about 1 month and 15 days (whichever sounds better) and I can honestly say that I have had only 3 legitimate new pimples surface since I last wrote. I have had a few more baby pimples but they don’t count because they’re gone within a day. Besides all of my scarring (which is slowly, but surely getting better) and a few pimples under the skin near my ears, I can safely say that my skin is pimple free! Don’t get me wrong I still have a long ways to go but it is such a huge improvement from what my skin looked like a month or 2 ago. Also I have still yet to experience any of the side-effects like: super-dry flakey skin, chapped or cracked lips, and lower back pain just to name a few. I mean I do notice that my skin is slightly dry sometimes but one layer of moisturizer will do the trick. As for lips it’s the same thing, I might need to put chap stick on every couple of hours, but none of these things are serious or have gotten worse since I started. At first I thought I was very lucky because I haven’t had any of these issues, but when I asked my buddy who did Accutane about his experience (which by the way made his skin flawless, and he had terrible acne!) he explained to me that he didn’t experience any of these symptoms either until the end of the third month. He said that the end of the third month his skin was so dry that he was putting lotion on every 30 minutes even at school, and I too even remember his skin was very flakey too! So I have my fingers crossed and I’m hoping that I won’t experience these symptoms as roughly as he did, after all I’d say I’m a fairly healthy dude and I drink more than enough water each day. Either way I don’t care as long as I know it’s moving my skin forward in a better, clearer direction and possibly even clear for life!




So again guys I apologize for the absence of any new entries for a while, and I will try and have some new pics of my skin up in a few days!

Take it easy!

-Jpc

Alright today I took my 20th pill out of the 30, and so far everything is going good! I haven’t broken out, not even with one pimple since the last time I updated, which is a super good feeling by itself! I must say though my skin defiantly is definitely drying up more and more each day, and my chin and the area around it is starting to peel. I have to start putting on two layers of moisturizer everyday now otherwise my skin gets too dry, and I’m putting on Chap Stick for my lips every couple of hours. Other than that the only other thing I’m noticing is that I’m getting headaches a lot; I have had a headache every afternoon since this Friday. They’re not super bad are anything, just annoying, and I’m not sure if it’s actually from the Accutane or just drinking too much water. I’ve been drinking so much water to make sure that I stay hydrated that I’m peeing about 3-4 times every hour, and I read that drinking too much water can give you headaches. So I’m going to lay off the water a little bit and see if that helps. Also I noticed my lower back gets sore whenever I bend over to pick something up, or whenever I’m doing certain exercises, so I’m thinking of getting a lifting belt to support my back some while I’m lifting. Other than that everything is going smoothly and my skin is changing significantly for the better, which I’m surprised because I heard it takes months for Accutane to work! Just the fact that I haven’t had a new pimple in 8 days is a great feeling in itself and I’m glad that I decided to finally start Accutane!


I’m actually going to have my monthly blood-test tomorrow, and then I’m having my first dermatologist appointing since starting the Tane a couple of days after that. I really think my dermatologist is going to be surprised at how well my skin is doing in such a short amount of time, but I’ll update you guys in a couple of days!



-jpc

Some Acne History For Ya!

Thought it would be cool to read up on a little bit of Acne history, read this article real quick from: articlealley.com, it’s interesting!

Acne is known to affect people even before humans could write. Some Egypt writings mention that Pharaohs used to suffer with Acne. It seems that the word ‘Acne’ was invented in ancient Greece as people from there were also affected by this disorder.

Here are some of the ways people used to treat Acne depending on the period they lived in:

In ancient Rome, Acne was treated with baths. They used hot mineral water, combined with sulfur. Celsius on of the writers of Rome mentioned of this treatment in the book called ‘De Medicina’.

Until 1800, the people did not discover any more useful treatments against Acne and have continuously used sulfur as they saw it can dry and exfoliate the skin.

In 1920, people began to use Benzoyl Peroxide which is still used nowadays. We can find it in the composition of the anti-Acne cream called ‘Brevoxyl’ in a concentration of 4%.

In 1930, Laxatives were being used for treating the affection called ‘Chastity pustules’. People thought that virgins could not eliminate toxins from their body as they did not have any sexual contact so they generally used laxatives against Acne. Still, they were not far from the truth as nowadays doctors know that constipation can be a cause of Acne as toxins accumulate in the body but sex has nothing to do with eliminating toxins.

In 1950, antibiotics were finally used in treating Acne caused by germs. Most of all, tetracycline was used with great results, but nowadays it is no longer used as it has lost her effect against some skin germs and her place was taken by more powerful antibiotics.

1960 is the year when ‘Tretionine’, also known as ‘Retin A’ was discovered to have a benefic effect against Acne. Later on the oral Isotretionine was made and the battle against Acne became easier. These products are still used nowadays with the same great effects on Acne. They are mostly used by US people.

In 1980, a famous anti-Acne product called ‘Accutane’ appeared in the American market. Its results on an Acne skin are astonishing and that is why it is still used in 2007.

In 1990, Laser Therapy made its first steps in treating Acne and now it has perfected in such a way that it does not only cure Acne but it can clear the skin from recent and even old scars left by Acne. Of course the process if quite expensive but the result of laser therapy is a perfectly normal skin which all people suffering of Acne are dreaming of. Further more, it does not hurt at all and you are not obliged to hide in the house for a few days as you have to do after chemical peeling procedures.

In 2000, the blue/red therapy has developed along with laser therapy and Acne can be treated easily.

Seeing what our ancestors did to cure Acne shows us how the humanity has evolved and also makes people suffering of Acne hope, that in a few years they will not have to deal with this infection any more.

Everything else is going alright, I’ll update you on the Accutane in a couple of days.

-Jpc

Ance and Pimples In Dogs and Other Pets

Did you know that common household pets can get pimples and acne just like humans can? Here read this article from petcare.suite101.com its interesting!

"Acne can affect pets of all species and ages, and diagnosing and treating these skin lesions in a timely manner can promote healing, while lessening the chance for the formation of serious and painful infections like abscesses.

According to Dr. Michael Levine, DVM, acne comes in two common forms. The more traditional pimple forms when dirt, bacteria or dead skin cells block a pore, leading to inflammation and infection. The sebaceous cyst forms when a skin pore or hair follicle is blocked, leading to the accumulation of sebum, an oil that keeps the skin moist and supple. The sebum cannot escape, so it builds up beneath the skin’s surface.

Pimples are often seen alongside blackheads in pets, which occur when oils accumulate inside a pore. Oxidation occurs when the oils come in contact with the air, resulting in a “black” appearance in the pore.

Common locations for pimples in pets include the face, muzzle and under on the cat or dog's chin. Oils from foods and dirt from sniffing and exploring the world can clog pores, leading to a bout of acne. Plastic food bowls are also notorious for triggering break-outs in pets, as minute scratches in the plastic’s surface harbor bacteria which is then transferred to the pet’s face during meal time.

The stomach and chest are also common areas for the formation of pimples and cysts in dogs, cats and other pets, as the thin fur in these areas, combined with the close proximity to the ground, allows for easy contamination of the skin’s surface which in turn leads to pore and follicular blockages. Pimples are often more easily noticed on the chest and stomach due to the thinner fur in these regions.

Puppies and other juvenile animals are often more prone to developing acne than adults, as hormones are also believed to play a factor.

Frequent bathing is another common cause of cysts and pimples in pets. The shampoo strips the skin of its natural oils, triggering an increase in oil production, which results in clogged pores, follicles and infection.

Cysts and pimples in pets vary in terms of their treatment. Pimples are generally small pockets of infection that will develop and begin draining relatively quickly and without much intervention, aside from daily washings and disinfecting. Redness and swelling is common at the site.

Cysts, on the other hand, can grow quite large and do not always drain on their own. Many require repeated lancing and draining, and during this process, infection is common, only compounding the situation. If infection is not present, the vicinity of the cyst – filled with a thick paste the consistency of toothpaste – will not necessarily be red or swollen.

Once a large cyst drains and heals, the site will be prone to cyst formation again in the future due to the pore/follicle damage that resulted from the initial cyst. So removal of the damaged tissue is often necessary to avoid repeated cyst formation problems in pets."

Another cool thing about the article is that is explains that puppies and other juvenile animals are often more prone to developing acne than adults, because hormones are believed to be a factor! This is cool because it is the same way with humans and puberty!

Anyways hope you guys enjoyed!

-Jpc

Accutane Update: Day 10

Hey guys just a quick Accutane update! Today took my 10th pill out of the original 30 for the first moth. I still haven’t experienced any of the side-effects yet except for maybe a few pimples on my chin and upper lip, and a couple that hurt like crazy on the side of my nose! The only other thing I can say side-effect wise is that my chin is peeling very lightly; like if you look at it close up you can see a bunch of dead skin, but it doesn’t feel dry at all. Other than that my lips get a little bit dry if I don’t put on some chap stick, and my scalp is still a little dry, but none of these things are serious or concerning at all.

I’m still washing with Cetaphil every morning, and sometimes at night, if not just splashing it with some water. In the mornings I apply some SPF 30 called BurnOut (Which I definitely recommend) to my face that does a really good job of keeping my skin moisturized without getting it greasy at all; the only thing though because I’m tan it makes my face look a little pale and weird like I’m sick or dying. At night I’ll just apply some Cetaphil moisturizer or even just more BurnOut because it makes my skin feel good.

So far in these very early stages I can say that I am very pleased with how things are going! My skin definitely looks a lot tighter, firm, and even but in a very good healthy way. Believe me though it still has a long way to go, but my skin definitely looks like it has a lot less texture than it did 10 days ago so I am very happy with that! Also one more thing that I noticed since I started taking the Tane, was that I feel a lot colder in places where I used to feel normal or even warm. Whether it’s the Tane or not it’s nothing serious just a little weird I guess. So I hope you all are having a good one, and I’ll update you in a week or so!

-Jpc

Boozing and Acne

Here’s a good subject for just about anyone who suffers from very light, to mild, to severe acne. Let’s face it people of all ages like to drink! Especially if you’re in your teens growing up and experiencing new things and such dranking is fun! As a matter of fact it’s about what 95% of all teens and college kids I know do it every weekend if not during week as well (Even though it is illegal if under the age 21). Some people booze to relax after a stressful day, or it can open someone up if they’re shy (hence the name liquid confidence) and so on and so forth, but for younger people I think we simply booze because we think it’s fun, and exciting, and so on.

Though whenever I have more than a few drinks one night I wake up in the morning with my face dripping oil, and I’ll breakout throughout the next couple of days. I don’t know why, but I know that staying up to the break of dawn mixed with drinking cannot be good for you skin or any other part of your body for that matter. Do any of you have this happen to you? I have personally been told a couple of time that beer is actually good for your acne because it flushes out your system. Well if this is true is that why I breakout after a night of drinking because my body is detoxifying? Maybe it does indeed detoxify your body somewhat and that is why I break out after drinking, but then again too much beer or any other alcohol can’t be good you know.

I posted a pretty cool article from: http://jrapaport.com/blog/?p=505 check it out if you like the subject!

“Ok ok, we all like to have a drink every now and then. When I found out that frozen margaritas contained close to 1,000 calories I almost hit the treadmill for 6 hours to counteract my Cancun getaway turned cellulite building marathon. Learning that really curbed any future hankering I may have for frozen margaritas and taught me to think before you drink. When I read that beer my one frozen margarita alternative may cause acne I was ready to book a facial and go on a juice detox considering I had three of the evil little bottles last night with friends. Now I did a little bit of research and though I did find that beer can in fact cause acne there is also an ingredient in beer used to treat it as well. Talk about mixed information.

More often than not, many people have complained of breaking out after a night out of heavy drinking and the biggest question that’s been asked is. Does beer cause Acne ?. While studies have shown no direct link between beer and acne it certain Indivisuals have developed pimples a day o two after drinking beer. One line of thought is that certain people may have an allergy to all the yeast in beer. This allergy could lead to a number of things, including your skin drying out and therefore developing acne or some other sort of blemish. The yeast isn’t going to directly cause acne, but the toxicity of it relative to your body will since you are allergic to it and therefore your body views it as a toxin.

Yeast is used in beer to cause fermentation, which produces alcohol as it consumes the sugars from the other ingredients. So how exactly does this make you break out? Well, if your body is allergic to yeast, consuming beer will introduce yeast into your body and it will be viewed as a toxin. This toxicity can cause a number of things to happen depending on the severity of your allergy and acne developing is one of them. The only way to know if beer will cause you to develop acne is by actually drinking beer, but even then it can vary greatly from person to person depending on your body’s sensitivity to yeast.

Oddly enough even though many people claim that beer causes breakouts there is a cure for acne found within Brewer’s yeast. Brewer’s yeast is an inactive yeast, meaning the yeasts have been killed and have no leavening power. It is the yeast grown on foods such as sugar beets, or the yeast that remains after beer making. It is used as a nutrient supplement to increase the intake of amino acids, minerals, B vitamins, and other chemicals beneficial to skin repair. Brewer’s yeast comes powdered (the most potent form), in flakes (best for health shakes), and in tablets. Brewers Yeast is a nonleavening agent that provides the body with vitamin B, proteins, and minerals. Taking it as a food supplement is beneficial to the body as it brings many benefits as it helps people who have sleeping problems, those with chronic fatigue syndrome, and many others. Recent research reveals an added benefit of brewer’s yeast. A leading skin care range in Germany, Dayenne promises to effectively cure acne because of the product’s special ingredient…brewers yeast. Dayenne is available as a day cream, night cream, cover stick, toner, cleanser, soap and sun cream. The new acne product is considered a a cosmeceutical as it contain essential vitamins like B1, B2, B6, nucleic acid, amino acids and biotin and in away serves a skin food and medicine. Dayenne, which was a hit in Germany is now also available in the United Kingdom (UK).After only days of applying Dayenne, one will notice positive improvements on skin. Dayene should be applied everyday for 15 minutes during the first week and before menstruation.”

Also note this every one: Always drink responsibly, Never drink and drive, Never get in a car with someone who has been drinking, and Don’t drink if your under 21 in the States, because it’s illegal and getting busted sucks!

Take it easy guys!

-JPC

The Best Drink for Clearing Your Acne... WATER!

If you have acne one of the biggest things you can do for yourself is to cut out all of the sody-pop, sugary juices, energy drinks, etc. and replace them with water! I can’t believe how many people I’ve seen have their skin get quite better from just cutting most if not all other beverages and just drinking water! These days all I drink is water, sometimes I’ll have a cup of green tea, and very rarely will I have any soda or anything similar; one because they’re actually pretty bad for you, and two because I just simply like water a lot. I started drinking plenty of water as my main beverage of choice a couple of years back and never stopped short of about 8 glasses or more of it. Although not a whole lot changed with my skin, I knew it was an easy step forward in a healthy direction and all I had to give up was soda pop and what not. You never know though if you’re one of the people who rarely or even occasionally drinks water maybe that’s what is causing your acne, because buddies of mine who cut out all the crap and replaced it with water cleared up a lot! Also exercising regularly to the point where you sweat pretty good combined with all of the water you are drinking is a killer way to get a clearer complexion! So check out this article from: ezinearticles.com it’s pretty cool…

“You probably don't know this yet but product wastes and toxic build up in your system is one of the main reasons why you have acne or why your skin breaks out.
You see, your body has 4 channels of elimination...your bowels, kidneys, lungs, and your skin. Your bowels and kidneys are the primary channels that your body expels product wastes and toxics through.
The only time that your body expels product wastes through your lungs and skin is when your bowels and kidneys are overloaded with product wastes and toxics.
This can happen when you're not drinking enough water.
You see, water is the main carrier of nutrients throughout your body and is quite possibly the single most important contributor to healing and preventing acne flare-ups.
Drinking enough water will dissolve waste products in your system so it can be easily remove and flush out. Without enough water, there won't be much to dissolve these product wastes and toxics...causing it to build up in your system and causing your body to expel these product wastes and toxics through your lungs and skin.
And this can and will result in acne breakout.
How much water should you be drinking each day to dissolve product waste and flush out toxins from your body?
Although some would say you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day and some would say 3 liters a day or half of your bodyweight in ounces a day.
I say, you should drink only enough to see that your urine is mostly clear, which is probably much more than what you're drinking now.
But I wouldn't recommend you going overboard because drinking too much water will also flush out electrolyte minerals out of your system (which is not good).
So how do you know how much water you should be drinking each day?
Test!
Start by drinking 7 glasses of water a day for the next 2 to 3 days. If you see that your urine is clear then 7 glasses of water a day is what you should be drinking.
But remember, you don't want to go overboard so you may want to try drinking 6 glasses of water a day. If you see that your urine is kind of yellow drinking 6 glasses of water a day then you should stick to 7 glasses of water a day. If not then you should stick with 6 glasses of water a day.
But if you find that 7 glasses of water a day is not enough. Then you should try drinking more glasses of water a day and see the results.
What you're trying to do here is make sure you're drinking enough water each day. Not too much or too little.
Another important thing you should know...
You can't just drink any type of water. There are certain types of water that's full of toxins (such as tap water). The 2 types of water I recommend you drink is distilled water and purified water. Distilled water has no minerals, which means if you drink it, it will leach out any unwanted non-organic minerals from your system.
But since distilled water has no minerals (it's just dead water), you will need to drink some purified water to oxygenate your system. However, you do need to drink them separately and drink it on an empty stomach for it to be effective.
While water alone will not eliminate your acne it will greatly assist your skin in remaining healthy and that will be one portion of the pie in fighting acne.”

START DRINKING!
-Jpc

Accutane Review: Update Week 1

Thought I’d give a little update on the Tane so far. Today I took my 6th pill and of course no drastic changes yet, but besides several new pimples coming up around my chin my skin is looking a little better. Maybe it’s just the placebo effect, but to me it seems that a lot of the redness and oiliness on my face is decreasing slowly but surely day by day. As for dryness goes I do see a significant difference of dryness in my scalp now, like my hair would be pretty oily in the morning just before taking a shower, but now it’s not at all! As for the face and lips like I said my face is slowly drying up and my pores are getting smaller with each day. My lips do get dry if I don’t put a little chap stick on them in the morning, but all in all nothing serious yet and no major peeling or cracking yet, which is probably because of 2 reasons: 1) I’m on a low dose of 20mg, or 2) It’s only been 5-6 days. I’ve also worked out hard 3 times since starting and I haven’t experienced any joint or back pain. Last but not least is the initial breakout which many people can experience. As for this I have had a couple of new pimples come up just about every other day, but they dry up and go away fast within a day. Now whether this is the start of the initial breakout or not I think it is too early to say, but if it is the initial breakout then I’ll be glad because it’s not anything bad at all!

OH my! I hope that this DOES NOT happen to me! This is just absoulutly nuts!

Accutane Reviw: Accutane Day 1

So I went to see my derm today and all went well and he put me on 20mg Accutane. He said that we'd start out with small doses like 20mg and see how that works, and if it doesn't in a month or two he'll up the dose. I was very surprised at here serious this stuff is though, it is no joke. My derm had to personally tell me about all of dangers of not taking care of my skin and all of the possible side effects. Not only that though, but there is a booklet that he gave me called the iPledge booklet, and there is all of the important info about what and what not to do while on Isotretinoin (Accutane). One of the big things I keep seeing everywhere from the booklet to the actually pills is how important it is to not get pregnant if you’re a girl. I mean just about on every side of the Accutane box and on every page of the booklet it says “Female patients cannot get pregnant.” Also in the booklet there are a few cards, one of which you have to bring to the pharmacy every time you pick up your new prescription, and before that you have to go online and answer some questions before you can do anything.

So I’m to go to the doctor every month and have my blood tested to see if my bodies reacting to the Accutane alright, and then after that I am to see my derm every month as well. So I picked up my prescription, and I was surprised to see that it was called Claravis, which I now know is just a generic brand of Accutane. Still though even if it is exactly the same I still just like to have the actual name brand medicine, but whatever there is nothing I can do about that now. So I have a 30 day supply, and I am to take one pill each day, and after that I have another appointment with my doctor for blood and then my derm.

I took my first pill today at around 5:30pmm and obviously nothing has changed, but I don’t know if I’m tired but I feel a little dazed and confused I guess (I must just be really tired). Anyways I’ll keep you guys updated on anything that changes whether it’s the way I feel or skin wise!

Thanks!

-JPC

Thoughts of Accutane

Well I’ve been thinking for some time about Accutane, but I always wrote it off because of all the bad things I’ve heard about it. One of the biggest reasons why I didn’t want to take it was because I heard it weakens your joints, and that’s not good for someone who does hard weightlifting like me. Although after I researched it enough I was able to find some people in the same boat as me (Like to work out) that took or were taking Accutane and they didn’t notice anything wrong with their joints while they were weightlifting. So after holding it off for so long and realizing that I could’ve even been well on my way to clear skin from the time a started this blog (2 months ago) till now, I’ve decided to give Accutane a try and pray that it works.

I have had a couple of friends who had taken Accutane, and let me tell you it was a brutal process for them. I remember they had to put moisturizer on their faces every 10 minutes because their skin was so dry. Their faces were always super and unbelievably flakey to, it was disgusting, but I’ve thought about it and I’m ready! I had a physical and my blood work done and everything is fine my Doc says! So I have an appointment with my Derm tomorrow, and I’m anxious to see what he’ll say and what strength of The Tane (Accutane) he’ll give me!

Well I know I said this day would never come, but I am just finally fed up with my acne; it hurts physically, it hurts mentally, it sucks waking up in the morning to a face full of acne, and I’m ready for it to be gone once and for all!

So I’ll be sure to keep you updated on everything, and if there is any advice or recommendations for good moisturizers from your experience with Accutane I’d be happy to hear them!

-Jpc

The End of The Caveman Regimen

Well I know I said I was gonna hold out a little longer with it, but my face has just completely lost itself to acne. Just of recently it started to breakout uncontrollably and my face literally looks like a piece of salami. While I was doing this regimen my skin never really got better at least in terms of the way it looked, but the way it felt on this regimen was good. It never felt overly dry and irritated, it never itched and it never got too oily, so these were the reasons I really liked it up until now. I don’t really know what caused my skin to change course so drastically, but my only guess is maybe because I started using some new supplements for weightlifting like creatine and whey protein rather than casein protein (which is what I usually would drink). Other than those two things I have no idea what caused my skin to change like this.


So a few days ago I decided to start washing it with Cetaphil every morning and night, and put on a very light moisturizer on during the day. If any have used Cetaphil then you know just how gentle it is, so I don’t feel so bad about ditching the regimen for it because it is very gentle. I also started shaving twice a week just because my skin was always feeling really gross up until I shaved it when I was only doing it once a week. Also when I when I was doing the caveman regimen I wasn’t washing my face after workouts, but now that I am my skin feels a lot better!

So I just wanted to update you guys on that, I know I hadn’t in a while. I’ll let you know if I find something new to try as soon as I get it. Also if you have any recommendations for things I can try or any feedback it would be greatly appreciated!

-jpc

Does Sleep Affect Acne?

I realized the other day that I am always tired, like super tired! Every morning alone is a battle just to get out of bed, and when I get in the shower I sway around because I’m still half asleep. I know why though, because I go to bed usually around 11-12 sometimes later and I’m always tossing in turning during the night, and then I have to wake up early every morning as well. I never thought much of how it could be affecting me until after reading an article about sleep that I realized my sleep routine have been like this for years. The article talks about something called sleep defecit which is when you keep depriving your body of sleep continuously after a while you will begin to lose your strength and concentration, and all the other things that help you get through a day will become weak or dull too. It can effect your health, well being, and things like your skin!


So I thought that this could definitely be a viable reason for acne, and I’m going to try it! I’m going to try my hardest to be in bed by 10pm every night and sleep for a full 8-9 hours and see if any significant changes happen to my skin.

I really suggest that you read this article and ask yourself if you’re getting enough sleep?

“Most teens need about 8½ to more than 9 hours of sleep each night. The right amount of sleep is essential for anyone who wants to do well on a test or play sports without tripping over their feet. Unfortunately, though, many teens don't get enough sleep.

Why Aren't Teens Getting Enough Sleep?

Until recently, teens were often given a bad rap for staying up late, oversleeping for school, and falling asleep in class. But recent studies show that adolescent sleep patterns actually differ from those of adults or kids.

These studies show that during the teen years, the body's circadian rhythm (sort of like an internal biological clock) is temporarily reset, telling a person to fall asleep later and wake up later. This change in the circadian rhythm seems to be due to the fact that the brain hormone melatonin is produced later at night for teens than it is for kids and adults. This can make it harder for teens to fall asleep early.

These changes in the body's circadian rhythm coincide with a time when we're busier than ever. For most teens, the pressure to do well in school is more intense than when they were kids, and it's harder to get by without studying hard. And teens also have other time demands — everything from sports and other extracurricular activities to fitting in a part-time job to save money for college.

Early start times in some schools may also play a role in this sleep deficit. Teens who fall asleep after midnight may still have to get up early for school, meaning that they may only squeeze in 6 or 7 hours of sleep a night. A couple hours of missed sleep a night may not seem like a big deal, but can create a noticeable sleep deficit over time.”

The rest of the article can be found here: http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/wellbeing/how_much_sleep.html#

Happy sleeping!

-jpc

Red Dead Redemption Update 2

On the previous Red Dead blog I said that I’d see how my skin got after I played for a little just to see if it would get worse or anything. I played for about 2-1/2 hours yesterday, and it was nothing tough, or aggravating, or stressful, just mellow roaming around and trying to get the basics of the game down. I was amazed though when I finally turned it off and looked in the mirror; my face was literally almost dripping with oil! I splashed some water on my face because I was about to go to bed anyways, but not even that got all the oil off because it was so thick!

Today I have some bad pimples flaring up on my right cheek and a huge swollen one that hurts like crazy on my chin, but whether it was from playing the game or just natural, I can’t be sure. I don’t think that it just caused these pimples though, they could’ve been there and all the oil caused them to flare up, or maybe all the oil did clog my pores causing these mammoth pimples. If you have not read the Video Games and Acne blog here is the link to it; check it out especially if you play games on the regular: http://blog.pimpleplanet.com/2010/04/video-games-and-acne.html

I’ll keep you updated in the next couple of days to come. By the way the game is awesome, and I would recommend it to anyone!

-Jpc

Why Do Some People Get Acne and Others Don't

I was thinking the other day about other possible causes of acne to write about, and as I was writing puberty/ hormones on my list of things that I had already wrote about it made me think. “How come everyone that goes through puberty not experience acne?” I know that a lot of people say it’s genetics, but no one in my family really had any acne and if they did it wasn’t bad, so I crossed that out on my checklist. Anyways I found this article that has viable reason for what may cause acne in teens, and I noticed one of the possible causes could be certain medications. I have not looked into this possible cause for acne but I do take asthma medication regularly, so this might be a cause for my acne. I will look into this for the next couple of days and see what I find, but in the meantime read this article:

“The following is a list of possible links to acne:
* Hereditary: Acne tends to run in families where other members also have developed acne. Family history of acne is associated with earlier occurrence of acne.
* Use of anabolic steroids: Steroids affect the process of pubertal growth and sebaceous glands. Sebaceous glands are connected to hair follicles which secrete an oily substance called sebum. When this process is altered (by steroids) these glands and pores get clogged up, resulting in acne.
* Medication: Any medication containing...lithium (treatment for migraine and cluster headaches, bipolar disorder, depression)...barbiturates (sedative/hypnotic drugs)...androgens (steroid drugs) contribute to acne.
* Hormones: Acne may be hastened by androgens, male hormones that are present in both women and men. These androgen hormones have long been faulted for acne. They stimulate the sebaceous glands, producing more oil, which leads to clogged pores and provides a breeding ground for the acne bacteria.
* Bacteria in the pores: Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is the anaerobic bacterium that causes acne. When the sebaceous glands start to over produce oil, the p.acne invades the hair follicles and starts to multiply by feeding themselves of the oil using enzymes. Acne bacteria then produces fatty acids that inflame the skin. Red and white blood cells start to defend the body of this inflammation often causing an inflammatory response, that results in pimples, whiteheads, zits, swelling and pus.
* Chemicals: Exposure to dioxins not only causes acne-like pimples, but are among the most dangerous poisons known.
* Accumulation of dead skin cells: Acne begins when the oil (sebum) mixes with dead skin cells. This combination plugs up the skin's pores and becomes infected with bacteria that oozes into nearby tissues, resulting in swelling, nodules, pimples or whiteheads.
* Stress: Stress doesn't cause acne, but stress often makes it worse.”

The rest of article can be found here:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Acne,-Why-Do-Some-People-Get-it-and-Some-People-Dont?&id=1187467


-jpc

RED DEAD REDEMPTION

I have been waiting for this moment for so long and now that it’s finally here and I finally have the game its safe to say that it is going to be hard to find the time to do anything else. If you play videogames at all then I would definitely recommend this game to you! I know it’s completely off subject from acne, but I guess I could make something out of it and keep track of my skin to see if it changes from the long nights of playing this game. Like in the previous blog “Videogames and Acne”( which you can find here: http://blog.pimpleplanet.com/2010/04/video-games-and-acne.html) I explained that my face always gets oily and greasy when I play games for too long and too late at night, and I usually breakout soon after. So I guess I can test this theory out over the next couple of nights, and especially on the weekends when I stay up super late! I have the game now, but I have not even had a chance to open it and play it yet because I wanted to get everything done and out of the way before I did so that I could savor the enjoyment! The game already was rated a 9.7 out of 10 on IGN.com and its popularity keeps on growing! I changed my Gamertag to: PIMPLEPLANETcom add me if you want to get down! In the meantime check out these videos, and I’ll be sure to tell you if any significant changes happen to my skin in the future:












-Jpc

Milk and Dairy, Do They Affect Acne?

I’ve have been hearing a lot lately that milk and other dairy products are a main culprit when it comes to acne. Though I myself used to drink milk regularly every morning, and then I stopped for2 months to test out this theory, and I didn’t notice any significant changes at all. I can see how they get this theory though and I’m sure that is does have a big effect on some peoples’ acne. They say that milk cause acne because it has hormones in it, and well we all know that hormones are the main cause for acne when one is a teenager. So before you do anything else read this article, it is really interesting and should only take a minute of your time and you’ll learn a little bit more about milk and dairy and their effects on acne!


Here it is…

“We've heard it over and over again: your diet does not cause acne. However, there are a handful of doctors who believe that what we eat may indeed affect our skin. And they're not pointing fingers at chocolate and potato chips, but instead at milk. That's right -- the wholesome drink that we've always considered healthy is at the center of an acne controversy.

Researchers claim to have found a correlation between milk intake and the incidence of acne. It seems milk drinkers develop more severe acne than non-milk drinkers. One study, published in the May 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, looked at the diets of teenage boys. The young men who drank the most milk also tended to have the worst acne.

This supports the results of previous studies, during which teenage girls were asked to keep food diaries and monitor breakout activity. Again, girls whose diets were rich in dairy products had more severe acne than the rest.

Of all dairy products, milk was the worst offender. Chocolate milk, cottage cheese, and sherbet also had a negative effect on the skin. But other dairy products didn't seem to cause breakouts.

Interestingly, skim milk induced breakouts more often than whole milk, so it seems fat content in milk isn't the culprit. And those who took vitamin D supplements didn't have more breakouts, so vitamin D isn't thought to be the cause either.

Fatty foods also didn't trigger breakouts. And the foods that many people associate with causing acne -- chocolate, pizza, soda, and French fries -- didn't seem to increase breakout activity at all.

Why would certain dairy products contribute to acne? Some think it's the hormones found in milk. Milk contains androgen hormones, which have long been associated with the formation of acne breakouts.

Testosterone is an androgen hormone, and it is strongly linked to acne development. Its most often thought of as a male hormone, but women produce testosterone too, although in lesser amounts.

Testosterone, through a complicated chain reaction, creates di-hydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT stimulates the sebaceous glands, creating an oilier skin that is more prone to pore blockages and, ultimately, pimples. Milk naturally is filled with hormones, including DHT. It's possible that milk contains enough hormones to have an effect on the body, including the skin. People who are genetically predisposed to acne breakouts may have a stronger reaction to the hormones in milk, according to some researchers.

Many dairy farmers also give their cows additional hormones to stimulate milk production and enable the cow to produce more milk. As a result, most milk is very high in IGF-1. IGF-1 is a growth factor that peaks in the human body during adolescence, when acne is usually at it's worst. It is believed that IGF-1, along with testosterone and DHT, trigger acne breakouts.

In two previous studies, high milk consumption was linked to high IGF-1 levels. Again, skim milk was associated with higher IGF-1 levels than whole milk.

The processing of skim milk may explain why it is linked to acne severity more often than whole milk. Whey proteins are added to give skim milk a creamier consistency. Some speculate that these proteins impact acne development.

Of course, not everyone who drinks a lot of milk breaks out in pimples, and many disagree with these findings. The Dairy Council counters that the results are skewed, citing the fact that in one study, adult women were asked about their dairy intake during the years after they left high school.

And many medical professionals are wary of the conclusions being drawn, because they don't take into account other factors that may influence acne severity. They're also quick to point out that the studies don't link milk to acne development -- they only establish a correlation between milk consumption and acne severity.

The biggest problem for researchers is proving their controversial theory. There is no way to do a double-blind, randomized controlled trial (considered the gold standard in research), because there is nothing that can be used as an adequate placebo for milk.

But some doctors are taking a new view of how diet affects the skin, and this no-dairy philosophy has its believers. Some dermatologists say they have had some success in having their patients cut milk and dairy from their diets.

There is still no hard evidence proving milk consumption causes, or worsens, acne. Much more research is needed before this theory can be proven. However, decreasing milk intake may be helpful, especially for those whose acne isn't responding well to more conventional treatments.

In the meantime, you can stick to the advice that doctors have given for years: avoid any foods that seem to worsen your breakouts whether that be pizza, chocolate, oranges, or dairy products.”
Here is the link to the site! - http://acne.about.com/od/acnetriggers/a/milkandacne.htm

So my suggestion is experiment a little and see if milk is one of the causes for your acne, you never know!

Take it easy!

-Jpc

Sunlight, is it Good or Bad?

So with this subject like any other acne related thing; has two sides to it. There are people who swear that sunlight is an essential part in healing acne, and that it is good for the skin. While others are totally anti-sun, and say that it can make your acne worse and cause acne. I personally believe like many others that there is a happy medium between the two, and that sunlight which is essential for all life on earth is good for the skin, but too much of it can be a bad thing. After all I used to spend 5-6 hours a day in the Arizona sun skateboarding, and it was when I broke my arm and had to stop for a few months that my acne slowly began to start. I never wore any sunscreen, I didn’t eat healthy, and I would often drink Coke or juice instead of water. After a long day of sweating like crazy and being pounded by nonstop sunlight I would go home and instead of taking a shower or washing my face I would just do my homework and go to bed, and around this time my skin was absolutely flawless like the surface of a peach almost. It was when I broke my left arm twice pretty much back-to-back (After the first time I broke it and got the cast off the doctor gave me the “okay” to skate again, I then sadly broke it again a week later haha!) that I was out from skateboarding for a good 4-4-1/2 months with all the rehab included. During this time was when I started hanging out with different people from school and started going to parties and drinking and such. It was all good fun and I was almost glad that I had broken my arm because I got to experience new things, but this was also the time when my skin started to go down the drain…


Whether it was because I wasn’t getting any sunlight and exercising anymore, all the drinking, staying up late and other things that come with partying, or maybe it was both of these things combined, or maybe it was neither. I believe that it had a lot to do with both of the things, but I can’t be sure! My theory was that all of the toxins and things from living like a crazed party animal were just staying in my system because I didn’t exercise or sweat anymore to get them out. So from this my skin was beginning to lose its strength and on top of I had no source of Vitamin D (Sunlight) because I wasn’t skating anymore or going out much during the day. Back then though I had no idea what was going on or causing it so I just bought the harshest treatments I could find and continued on while the condition worsened; again though this is just my theory for what started it, I have no physical proof that these things are what cause my acne.

Either way you look at it sunlight, which is Vitamin D is good for the body and skin let alone all life on earth! If you do have acne though I do hear that being in the sun too long can cause your acne to scar pretty bad. There are sunscreens out there, but I personally don’t like them because they make my face as greasy and shiny looking like a mirror, and I’m not so sure that they work all too well. Now days it’s hard for me to find the time to get proper amount of sunlight but when I do it sure does feel really good on my face. I also notice that whenever I’m on vacation at the beach all day that my skin will look pretty good by the time I get back home.

The bottom line from what I’ve read is that the UV rays from the sun can aid in killing the acne causing bacteria on the skin. On the other hand though it causes your sebaceous glands to produce more oil, and it narrows your hair follicle which can clog your pore and vuela a pimple is born! Though as you already know there are two sides to every story, and while some things might work for others it may not help at all for different people. So let me know what you think, your feedback is always appreciated!

                          Have a good one!

                                -Jpc

How A Pimple Forms

Hey all! I was reading around and I came across this article that explains really well the process of a pimple forming! Now it makes me a little confused because I hear that no one knows exactly what causes acne, and then on the other side I hear people saying they know exactly what causes acne. So either way this article will help you out if you don’t know too much about pimples and how they form. I got the article from: http://www.acnetalks.com/pimple/Acne-Basics/Define-Acne/How-Acne-Happens.htm


Check it out!

Did you always think that acne appears in just one day or one night? Many people think that. This is not true. An acne or pimple, emerges from a blemish, which requires 2-3 weeks to take a defined form of acne. You cannot see this process because it happens deep under your skin. There are several factors that function differently in different people to form acne. That is acne is a highly individualized problem and you should therefore explore acne forming roots in you.



Your acne is caused when holes present in your skin in the form of pores and hair follicles get clogged by dead skin cells and excessive sebum content. Pores are little holes present on your skin. These pores are actually hair follicles containing very fine hair. Each hair follicle is connected to a sebaceous gland.

The sebaceous gland produces an oily substance called sebum. Sebum helps in keeping the skin soft. This sebum reaches the surface of the skin through the hair follicle. The hair follicle is lined with cells called Keratinocytes.

Now, during puberty, testosterone, a hormone present both in males and females, increases. This increase in testosterone encourages the sebaceous gland to produce more sebum. This sebum, hair, and keratinocytes fill and plug the hair follicle. Plugging of the follicle is the earliest sign of acne. Because the follicle is plugged, sebum cannot reach the surface of the skin. This means that the follicle is filled with oil (sebum) and cells (keratinocytes). A mixture of both these causes Propionibacterium acnes or P. acnes, which is present on the skin, to grow in the plugged follicle.

This bacteria in the plugged follicle, induces the white blood cells to attack it. When the white blood cells attack, they cause the skin to inflame. This inflammation is characterized by heat, swelling, redness and pain.



In due course of time, the wall of the hair follicle breaks down, spilling everything, that is, sebum, dead cells, and bacteria, on the nearby skin. This leads to lesions or pimples, which we commonly refer to as Acne. Acne can be either mild, moderate or severe.

Now that you know how acne develops, it is necessary to check out the factors that contribute to your acne. Following factors contribute to acne:



1. Hormones: At puberty, the body begins producing hormones called androgens (male hormones, but present in both males and females). These stimulate the sebaceous glands, which in turn, produce extra sebum. Androgen is also responsible for acne flare-ups during the menstrual cycle and at times, pregnancy.



2. Excess sebum: Excess sebum is responsible for plugging the hair follicle. It mixes with P. acnes and causes acne.

3. Dead cells: Generally, dead cells are thrown out gradually by the skin. But, when these dead cells mix with the excess sebum, they contribute to the plugging of the hair follicle, thereby pausing the skin's natural process of throwing out dead cells.

4. Propionibacterium acnes or P. acnes: Though P. acnes is present on all skin types at all times, it starts multiplying rapidly once a follicle is plugged.



5. Inflammatory Response: In order to control unwanted bacteria, the body sends out white blood cells to fight against it. The skin reacts to these white blood cells by inflaming. This inflammation causes the pimples to become swollen, red and painful.



Remember that the functioning of these five factors is different for different people. That is, acne is a highly individualized problem. So, do not compare yourself with your friend.

Weightlifting and Acne

So I’ve been researching some and so far I can’t really find any solid evidence that there is a link between the two. I’ve been reading that weightlifting will deplete vitamin B in body causing acne. I also read that weightlifting raises the amount of hormones and testosterone being produced in the body causing more oil to be produced and causing acne especially if you already have acne prone skin.  This is what I think it could be because when I’m weightlifting my skin feels gross like it’s almost slimy in a way from the dead skin, oil, and sweat all on my face. I also researched if supplements like protein powder, creatine, etc. could cause acne, and again there was no direct link that could connect them to acne. There are people who say that the ingredients in some of these supplements could make you breakout, while others say that they don’t notice any changes to their skin when they take these supps.

I think that it all relates back to the blog about food and acne, and that everyone has their limit of what kinds of foods and how much of them they can eat before breaking out (here is the link to that blog if you’ve not read it: http://blog.pimpleplanet.com/2010/05/healthy-diet-and-acne.html). I for one notice that when I was taking a creatine mixture for the first time I was breaking out like crazy, and not only were they just pimples; they were big, inflamed, and embedded pimples that hurt like crazy! I then looked at the ingredients of the powder and it was full of huge amounts of sugar, caffeine, and tons of other things that I’m sure are horrible for your skin if you have acne! So I moved to just plain creatine monohydrate, which is just straight creatine powder and nothing else, and the breakouts subsided a little, but I was still getting some big under-the-skin pimples often.

I found this article from:

http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Bodybuilders-Guide-To-Preventing-Acne&id=809403
 It made me feel a little better and let me know that I'm not alone...
"Many bodybuilders suffer from acne. Whether it's due to age, high testosterone levels, the hours of sweating at the gym, or cycling, it's a reality of the sport. The body reacts to androgens and acne is the result. (HCG and Clomid are big offenders.)

Since the purpose of bodybuilding is to make the body look bigger, leaner, and BETTER, a case of bad acne can detract tremendously from a physique. Here are a few techniques that can be used to help stop the pimples from raining on your parade.

- Take frequent showers

- Tan one to two times per week

- Change your shirt frequently - even during long workouts or before engaging in cardio

- Hot shower and Clearasil Soap Scrub immediately after training

- Wash bed sheets once per week

- Locate a DHT (Dihydrotestoreone) blocker or more scientifically called a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor; a natural and well affordable one would be Saw Palmetto, which would also protect your prostate as well...and the more pharmaceutical ones such as Dutasteride- more potent with attendant side effects

- Accutane - a popular mainstream product to look into

- Drink 8 to 16 cups of water per day

- Use lava soap on broken out skin

- Avoid picking at any pimples - the oil on your finger leads to more breakouts.

- Sometimes acne is actually ingrown hairs. An unpleasant but necessary step might be popping them and removing the hair with tweezers.

While it is never a fun or "sexy" discussion, acne affects everyone from teenage newbies to the iron game, all the way up to top professional bodybuilders. Since our skin is effectively the "wrapping paper" for the muscles which make up a great physique, it's imperative that we work as hard on making the skin look good, as we do on the muscles beneath."

So even though I’m positive that weightlifting and the protein powder that I take are one of the causes of my acne I still do it because I love weightlifting that much! It’s like a trade-off that I’m happy to make, and I won’t give it up for anything.

Have you had any of the same problems or experiences? If so let me know because we could just be able to pin-point exactly what it is!

Have a good one!

-Jpc