TresSugar

You Asked: My Boyfriend Has Bad Skin

DearSugar — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:00:00 -0800

Dear Sugar,

My boyfriend of almost a year has really bad skin. When I offered him some of my shower gels and face washes during a recent vacation, he took the shower gel insisting that was all he needed. I was shocked to hear this was what he used to clean his face. I left him with a blemish-fighting cleanser, but he didn't bother using it. How can I get him to use acne-fighting products without hurting his feelings or demeaning his masculinity?

- Dropping Hints Danni

To see Dear Sugar's answer read more.

Dear Dropping Hints Danni,

Giving criticism, specifically about someone's appearance, can be nearly impossible to do without hurting feelings. I'm sure you're only trying to help your boyfriend, but it sounds like he's not quite as concerned about his skin as you are, which makes matters more difficult, so make sure to tread lightly.

If I'm incorrect, and this is something that your boyfriend does worry about, then the next time it comes up, mention that using shower gel as a facial cleanser is not a good option for someone with troubled skin. I don't think there's anything wrong with just coming out and giving your opinion as long as you're not being judgmental.

However, if this topic isn't going to come up any time soon and you don't feel comfortable being direct about the issue, go out and get him some nice products - buy new shampoo, shaving cream, a good razor, moisturizer, and face wash. When you give it to him, tell him that you felt like he was depriving himself of a wonderful thing: great beauty products. Now whether or not he decides to change his ways and give the new items a go is completely up to him, but once you've done your part, try to let it go. It is his face after all.

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The How-To Lounge: Getting Rid of Unexpected Zits

DearSugar — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:00:00 -0700

It's Friday, and you have a whopping zit that you need to get rid of ASAP before your hot date on Saturday night. I am here to offer some quick and easy fixes to get your skin pimple free!

Click here to read more

Toothpaste (not gel) is a great home remedy that will dry out your zit and speed up the healing process, so before you go to bed, douse your pimple with toothpaste and hope for the best come morning!
Use a chilled Chamomile tea bag as a compress on your pimple to reduce swelling and redness.
Dab Benzoyl peroxide on your problem area to get rid of the bacteria living inside your pimple.
A mixture of crushed up aspirin and water has been known to de-clog pores and heal pimples faster.
You might think that dirty skin causes zits, but that is incorrect so don't abrasively scrub your face clean, instead wash with a gentle soap or cleanser.
Even though you have a date you've been looking forward to all week, don't over compensate with make up to cover up your pimple, it will only look worse. Even if you want to touch your face, avoid primping and fussing with it at the dinner table.

The most important thing to remember is to exude confidence even if your skin is flawed and have fun!

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What's the Deal With: Yaz Birth Control

DearSugar — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:11:48 -0700

I'm sure you all can relate to the annoying and uncomfortable symptoms of PMS - it's just part of being a woman. For most women, PMS is manageable, but if you're having symptoms that are so severe that they affect your daily activities, your work, or your relationships, then your PMS may actually be PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder).

Symptoms of PMDD include sadness and crying, feeling nervous or anxious, strong cravings for certain foods, breast tenderness, headaches, joint or muscle pain, bloating, and trouble sleeping. That's where YAZ comes in. It's the only birth control proven to treat these emotional and physical premenstrual symptoms.

Although this video is a bit cheesy, here's what Yaz is all about. Want to hear more? Then read more

Like all birth control pills, Yaz is also 99% effective at preventing pregnancy and it can give you shorter, lighter periods. It can also help keep your skin clear - 9 out of 10 women who took Yaz saw improvement in their moderate acne.

If you have unbearable symptoms about a week or two before your period, you very well might be suffering from PMDD so if you are into taking hormonal birth control pills, Yaz could be the answer.

Dear's Advice: Remember that birth control pills don't protect against STIs, so if you are on the pill, make sure you and your partner get tested before you get it on.

Dude Hits On MILF

GiggleSugar — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 07:00:00 -0700

This dude thinks his BFF's mom has got it going on and he's not afraid to let her know it. Clearasil thinks his flawless complexion has something to do with his (over)confidence and that may be true, but even without the mark of puberty on his face, he still looks like he's pushing 14-- so this is just disturbing. (Thanks, Miss Chris!)

The How-To Lounge: Getting Rid of Body Acne

DearSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:00:00 -0700

If you have suffered from face acne, I am sure you understand how frustrating it can be, especially if it moves down to your body, so here are some helpful tips to remedy body acne.

Click here to read more

Just like face acne, stress is a major culprit so as hard as it might be with everyday stresses, try to stay as mellow as you can to prevent breakouts
Sweating and wearing tight fitting clothes are two of the most common causes of body acne. When perspiration gets caught between the skin and tight fitting clothes such as Lycra or spandex, the moisture, mixed with your body's oils causes a film that clogs pores causing body acne
As a rule of thumb, if you exercise regularly, shower as soon as you can after your workout and try to wear breathable workout clothing
Treating body acne is very similar to treating face acne, but body acne tends to be a little more stubborn. The skin on your body is thicker and more resilient, and most body acne is in the hard to reach places, so it may take longer to clear up
Shower with a salicylic-acid-based cleanser or a mild hypoallergenic soap like Dove and stay away from Sodium Laurel Sulfate, a harsh preservative that can make your skin dry and itchy
Exfoliation is key, but make sure to use products that won't dry your skin out. Try using alpha hydroxy acid-based body moisturizers and stay away from heavy creams that will clog your pores
If you have a few pimples here or there, use a spot treatment containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide which helps dry up your trouble areas and calm redness
If you have exhausted all your preventative options, consult a doctor to discuss prescription topical medication or oral antibiotics. One thing to keep in mind about medication is that your acne usually gets worse before it gets better -- but worth it in the long run

I hope these tips were helpful and good luck!

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Say It, Don't Spray It, Diddy.

GiggleSugar — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 01:02:00 -0800

Diddy emerges as the newest and most unlikely spokesperson for the Proactiv skincare line. He claims to have been a user for a while now- and yes, I'm using the word "user" loosely because a topical acne treatment is not the only thing he seems to have in his system.

Skin Woes

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 07:41:05 -0800

Ever since i hit puberty I've had to deal with acne. I am now 23 and it still seems i always have at least one blemish festering on my face at all times. Ever since i went thru the Accutane treatment my face has considerably cleared up (6-7 yrs ago) but I still get blemishes and pimples, especially around period time.
My question is for anyone out there who has used Proactiv. Does the product work? Everyone who gives a testimony on those commercials sings praises of the product... duh! they probably get paid to do so. I'd love to know if this product is worth it and what kind of results it has brought to "regular" people
Thanx...
Concerned Product Shopper

Arrivederci Acne Scars!

DearSugar — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 11:30:00 -0800

Dear Sugar
I am trying to overcome acne so I wash my face everyday with a cocoa butter bar and I use cocoa butter lotion. I've also cut out all sodas from my diet because I've heard they contribute to oily skin. Since I've started this regimen, my skin has cleared some, but I still have random scattered pimples.

However, since I do have less pimples than before, I've been noticing that now I these scar type dark spots on my face where my old blemishes once were. They make it look like my skin is marked and infected. My mother has recently purchased a bleach cream that is supposed to get rid of these kinds of dark spots, but I am reluctant to use it on my face because I have worked so hard to get my skin to the place it is now.

Since my skin is still not 100% pimple free, I'm wondering what you think my next steps should be to try and attain clear skin. Do you think that I should try this bleach cream? Also, should I be continuing my use of cocoa butter bars and lotions? Imperfect Illy

To see DEARSUGAR's answer read more

Dear Imperfect Illy
I can completely understand your reluctance to try a bleaching cream. Sensitive skin can have bad reactions to new products, especially strong products which can cause swelling, redness and even itching.

Most bleaching creams contain an ingredient called hydraquinone and should only be used on a short term basis. Another less toxic bleaching agent is called kojac. You can look to see if the cream that your mother bought has either of these ingredients in them.

Also, I suggest that you consult a specialist about your skin. Make an appointment with a dermatologist or facialist so that you can have a hands-on personal assessment of your skin. A doctor will be able to identify the correct products for your condition.

Something to consider is that if you are planning to get pregnant in the near future, it is important to avoid bleaching creams. Although there is no bad press about bleaching agents and fertility, there is suggested evidence that links birth problems with these agents. You never know, so I would not chance it. I hope this helps. Good luck.

Yaz and Yasmine: Are These Birth Control Pills Safe?

TresSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Anne Marie Eakins, a 34-year-old history teacher in Grafton, OH, developed blood clots in both lungs in 2007 and even lost partial use of her right lung. The cause, as she sees it? The newish oral contraceptive Yaz, the top-selling birth control pill in the US, which she switched to after a decade of using different kinds of birth control pills without incurring health problems. She is now suing the makers, Bayer HealthCare pharmaceuticals.

Like 74 other plaintiffs against the makers of Yaz and its sister pill, Yasmine, which was introduced a few years before, Eakins decided to make the switch in part because of the added benefits touted in multimillion dollar ads that ran on television. Yaz, which contains even less estrogen than low-estrogen Yasmine, is advertised as a product that could reduce acne and severe PMS, in addition to preventing pregnancy. How do Yaz and Yasmine differ from other birth control pills? To find out, read more.

Although both Yaz and Yasmine come with the standard warning that the hormones in birth control pills (estrogen plus progestin) can increase the risk of stroke and blood clots in a woman's legs or lungs, lawyers representing the plaintiffs and regulatory agencies claim that Bayer's ads overstate the products' effectiveness and don't adequately warn of possibly higher risks of clots unique to Yaz and Yasmine.

They say Bayer doesn't take into account research that indicated that a hormone unique to the products (drospirenone) increases the likelihood of clots compared to birth control that has the standard levonorgestrel hormone. (Lawyers claim Bayer relied on its research findings in Germany that concluded there is the same risk, over Dutch and Danish research that had the opposite conclusion.) Other criticisms are equally troubling: that the manufacturing plants in Germany responsible for the hormones in Yaz and Yasmine differ in quality control from what is required for US products; that studies conducted were performed with an ethnically homogeneous group, not taking into account blood-clot risk factors in a more ethnically variable US market; and finally, that Yaz and Yasmine are marketed for conditions like PMS, for which the drug is not approved.

I considered switching to these kinds of birth control pills because of the claim that they prevented severe PMS. Do you believe the marketing for products like Yaz and Yasmine or do you do your research before you buy?

You Asked: My Skin Won't Clear Up!

DearSugar — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 06:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar--
I am 23 years old and have suffered from moderate acne since the age of about 20. I have tried everything from Proactiv to homeopathic remedies, been on and off the pill, nothing seems to work. I feel like every day I wake up and there are more blemishes. It's really starting to lower my self-esteem. Next year I'll be done with school and will start my career as a teacher -- I'll be mortified if I have more acne than my students!!

I'm slowly cutting unhealthy foods out of my diet and I'm also attempting to quit
smoking for the umpteenth time, basically trying to detoxify my body and my skin.
What can I do about this acne? Is is hormonal or what? --Zitty Zara

To see DEARSUGAR's answer read more

Dear Zitty Zara--

Having adult onset acne can be very frustrating so I understand how you must be feeling right now. Have you given the remedies you have tried adequate time to work? Clearing up your skin won't happen overnight, so be patient. Have you spoken to a dermatologist about possible medications or face washes to help minimize your blemishes? Retin A and Tetracycline are often prescribed to help kill the bacteria that causes acne. They also have been known to help regulate sebaceous glands so that might be a great option for you.

Since you are about to graduate from college, are you under a lot of stress? Stress, poor eating habits and smoking will wreak havoc on your skin. Be sure to drink a lot of water and never sleep in your make up. Air quality can also play a big role in your skin's condition, so I would suggest getting a humidifier for your room.

You should aim to use products with salicylic or glycolic acids in them. These acids gets rid of dead cells on your face and are known to combat mild acne and oily skin. Exfoliation is key as well, as it is imperative to get the bacteria off your skin, but don't over-exfoliate, aim for once every other day.

Getting rid of acne takes time, up to 8 weeks depending on your skin, so once you feel comfortable with a cleaning routine, stick to it. If you choose to take the medication route, be prepared for your face to get worse before it gets better; annoying I know, but hopefully worth it in the long run.

I hope these tips help. Although you may feel like there is no end in sight to clear up your acne, rest assured that there are methods out there that do work; it just might take some time to find the right method for you. Good luck.

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