Sugar and Your Skin

Noticing more wrinkles, fine lines or sagging skin? It may be time to put down that ritual morning latte. While aging is a natural bodily process, sugar intake can make the signs of aging more visible. Once consumed, sugar undergoes a process in the body known as glycation, or the binding of sugar with other substances in the skin. Glycation causes inflammation that brings damage to the skin's building blocks: collagen and elastin. Accumulation of damage to these building blocks can give the skin a sallow and even discolored look. This process also generates free radicals that make the skin more susceptible to other types of damage, such as sun exposure and cigarette smoke.

If your skin is prone to acne or rosacea, flare-ups of these conditions can increase in frequency and severity with the consumption of sugar due to the inflammatory response that occurs in the skin. High levels of sugar also trigger the release of hormones that increase the production of oil that can feed the bacteria responsible for acne.

Keeping track of sugar intake is hard when you consider that sugar exists in most of the food and drinks that we consume. When we hear things like 'the amount of sugar in an Arizona Green Tea is equal to about 20 Hershey's Kisses,' we begin to question our perception of just how much sugar we intake on a  daily basis. While the idea of completely cutting out sugar is a task much easier said than done, there are ways to get started. Seeking out alternatives to the white stuff, such as date sugar or coconut sugar, provides the sweetness with more nutritional benefits. A variety of beauty products in the form of serums, make up, and sunscreens contain ingredients that work to fight glycation and encourage the production of collagen and elastin.

Dr. Lily can go over your diet with you in our new skin detox program!

Stop Treating Your Adult Acne Like a Teenager!

 Growing up isn’t just about getting a job, getting married, paying bills etc. It’s also about knowing how to take care of yourself. The breakouts you experienced when you were younger are much different than the breakouts you’re experiencing now. The products you use and how you treat your breakouts have to be suitable for your age.

No more Drying Products!

When you were younger you probably reached for products formulated to dry out those blemishes with antibacterial ingredients, and they probably worked. However, as we age acne tends to go away on it’s own, but in our minds we believe those drying products deserve all the credit, we are very wrong. As our skin ages those same acne products we were using in our teens will do more harm than good for us. They will dry out your skin leaving it in an unhealthy state and could accelerate the arrival of wrinkles!  What you want to be using is a cleanser with glycolic acid, which will act an exfoliator to destroy acne-causing bacteria from your skin without over drying. The IS Clinical Cleansing Complex is perfect for this.  It is effective, but not drying so even those with sensitive skin would love this product.

Forget about past skin concerns

Make sure you are treating your current skin concerns based on what’s going on in the present vs. what occurred in the past. Your acne now opposed to your acne when you were a teen is probably not as severe or wide spread, so instead of applying acne treatments to your entire face try applying it as a spot treatment instead. The Glytone Acne 3P Gel is great for this! Its non-irritating formula helps clear acne, blackheads, and white heads. It also helps keep your skin clear of new acne blemishes while allowing the skin to heal from past breakouts.

Exfoliate and Hydrate

One of the hardest parts of dealing with adult acne is that you are also dealing with aging skin. You don’t only want to keep the skin clear you want it to appear youthful and radiant as well. The key to this is exfoliating and moisturizing! The reason you need to exfoliate is to get rid of that dead layer of skin in order to unclog your pores and prevent breakouts. Exfoliating also encourages the production f new, healthy, fresher skin cells! The SkinKure microdermabrasion scrub is our go to product for this; it will leave your skin feeling fresh and smooth after every use, which will allow your skin to properly absorb your other products including your moisturizer. Staying moisturized is vital to keep your skin youthful. One of our favorite moisturizers is Epionce Renewal Facial Lotion; it’s perfect for normal to combination skin types. It is lightweight and moisturizes without leaving you feeling greasy, and makes your skin appear smoother and softer.

If you still aren’t sure what you should be using call and setup an appointment for a skincare consult with our Master Esthetician. She can help you get on a regimen based on your skin type and concerns.

Guide to bringing Sexy Back

Acne is never any fun, but when it’s on your face you at least have the option of covering it up. When it comes to acne in other areas, such as your back it’s not that easy. These are a few of our favorite products and services that can help you achieve that sexy back you’ve always wanted! Bacne and back fat are the worst, so let us help you get rid of both!

 The Product:

Glytone Back Spray is a saving grace when it comes to keeping the back acne-free. The 2% salicylic acid sloughs away dead skin cells and deeply cleanses the pores for healing and prevention of current and future breakouts. It can even be sprayed upside down so you can get all the hard-to-reach spots!

The Tool:

We absolutely love the Clairsonic Pro already, but with the Clairsonic Body Brush Extension Handle we love it even more! The Clairsonic pro leaves your face feeling clean and silky-smooth, and now your back can feel the same with the addition of the extension handle. The handle helps you access all of those hard-to-reach areas and thoroughly clears out pores.

The Back Facial:

The ultimate back deep pore treatment will honestly do wonders for you. Let our master esthetician, Murrissa, clean out all of those clogged pores that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to reach. Having a treatment like this done once a month can really improve any bacne issues you’ve been struggling with. 

Reshape your back:
No one likes to have extra bulges where they shouldn’t be. Back fat or what we like to call “bra fat” is a big concern. It is one of those areas that are extremely stubborn and hard to get rid of, but with CoolSculpting you can kiss that extra-unwanted fat goodbye for good!  CoolSculpting can permanently rid you of unwanted fat without surgery or downtime.Come in for a consult and see our amazing back transformations.

Follow these steps and you’re on your way to bringing sexy BACK!

Have you heard of the Think Dirty® app?

Beauty product labels are often misleading, especially when most claim to be “natural” “hypoallergenic” or “non-comedogenic.” Couple these buzzwords with a lengthy list of ingredients and you may be left scratching your head. Are you wondering just how “clean” your cosmetic and personal care products are? There’s an app for that! The Think Dirty app for smart phones/iPads is an easy way to identify and learn about the potentially toxic ingredients in your make up, sunscreen, shampoo, moisturizer, and much more. These ingredients could be the culprits to recurring acne, rashes and other skin conditions. This app gives you quick and easy-to-understand information, ingredients, and will even provide you with “cleaner” options.

Just input the product’s name or scan the barcode and let Think Dirty do the work!

Check out thinkdirtyapp.com to learn more.

Whey & Acne: Could your supplements be making your acne worse?

Whey is a digestible protein that is found in milk.  It has grown in popularity as a dietary supplement to improve muscle strength.  However, it has also been shown to create or exacerbate acne.  Often, whey-induced acne has poor or no response to regular treatments.  Another issue with whey is that it can have detrimental affects on your liver, including liver failure and even death.

            If you have acne and you’re using whey protein… STOP!  Call Dr. Lily Talakoub and set up an appointment for treatment!

Prevent Scarring Before It Starts

Before a dark spot can become your worst enemy, here are 3 stages to preventing acne scars:

1. When you feel a blemish coming on...
- Apply medication to the area. Almost all acne patients require medication of some degree, be it antibiotics, tretinoinor something that helps regulate hormones, to get the skin under control.
Don’t overload your skin with products that are too harsh or too drying. Stick to one zit-zapping ingredient with a proven track record. Steer clear of overcleansing and overexfoliating the skin. This can strip away too much of the skin’s natural oils, making the skin dehydrated and instigate additional breakouts.

2. When you are faced with a full-on breakout...

- Don’t squeeze it, pop it or pick at it. The pressure incurred from picking or squeezing can push the infection deeperinto the skin and spread it to the surrounding tissue, in turn causing more inflammation and the potential for further damage. Wear an oil-free noncomedogenic sunscreen. Another beneficial option is to have a dermatologist inject the blemish.

3. When the pimple starts to dwindle in size and intensity...

- If a scab forms, let it fall off on its own. Forcing or picking a scab off the skin will most likely leave behind a discolored spot. Apply a brightening lotion or cream. Topical products that work to lighten and brighten, such as Hyrdoquinoine, may reduce how dark a spot may be, especially if you are prone to post-acne discoloration.

Article source: New Beauty

#mcleanderm #askdrlily #acnescars #darkspots #hydroquinoine #healingskin

The NOTICEABLE difference between corrective makeup and camouflage makeup

Acne scars, pigmentation, melasma - if you have these, you struggle to cover them up. But instead of hiding them, why not treat them?

Be careful when purchasing makeup, however, because there is a big difference between over-the-counter corrective makeup and skin camouflage products. For example, skin camouflage products are designed to last 8-16 hours and are significantly water resistant making them harder to wash off at the end of the day. A great way to avoid that "caked on"  look is to apply an oil-free tinted moisturizer like our Avene Tinted Compact with SPF or Revision's Intellishade Matte. 

Now if you are looking to really cover up a stubborn dark spot or scar try Dermablend Cover Cream or Foundation. It's great for both moderate to major imperfections. Warning: markup should enhance your beauty, not make you look fake. We are here to not only make you look beautiful, but feel beautiful as well.

#mcleanderm #askdrlily #dermablend #makeupdoneright #beauty #healthyskin #loveyourskin

What's in your makeup? There's an app for that!

Are you worried about possible harmful ingredients in your cosmetics? Download this app on your phone!

#mcleanderm #cosmetics #makeup #thinkdirty #askdrlily

" I Have Sensitive Skin! " But Do You Really?

Q: What exactly does “sensitive skin” mean?

A: The term “sensitive skin” is a marketing expression that really has no medical definition.

With over 60% of the population claiming they fall victim to so-called “sensitive skin,” it is easy to see why so many cosmetic companies market their products to this group.

There are three types of skin that tend to make up the population of sensitive skin sufferers: subjects with rosacea, subjects with atopic dermatitis, and subjects with cosmetic intolerance syndrome.

Tips:

1. Avoid over washing of the face.

2. Avoid products with fragrance, formulated with propylene glycol, lanolin, and paragons.

3. Moisturize 2 x a day to preserve the normal layer of the skin.

4. Avoid treatments with retinol, glycol acid or peels.

5. Test it...before you buy it.

Is Your Birth Control Breaking You Out?

Are you breaking out and have no clue as to why? It could be your birth control...

Come in for an acne consult and find out if your monthly oral contraception is causing your acne.

The Epidemic of Over-Washing

“My skin is dry AND oily!”

 Do you find yourself constantly frustrated with the condition of your skin? You are not alone! There is an epidemic sweeping the nation - Over-washing.  As a dermatologist I have several patients come to me with skin issues that could easily be alleviated by actually decreasing the amount they wash their skin! Many believe washing their skin again and again is the only way to get rid of the oil and bacteria that covers their skin. Believe it or not, constantly washing is not the answer - it actually makes your skin more oily!

The oil your skin naturally produces acts as a barrier to protect your skin from the environment. When you wash your skin, especially with harsh soaps, cleansers, and hot water, it strips away all oil and leaves your skin with out any protection. Your skin then dries and cracks. Because your skin is too dry, it then overcompensates by producing MORE oil and the unfortunate cycle repeats itself.

So how do you break the cycle?

• Cleanse gently.
• Start by only washing your skin with gentle, non-foaming cleansers. If you have acne prone skin, try Glytone Mild Gel Cleanser. Dry skin? Try Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser or Avene Trixera Gel Cleanser.
• Limit time under the water.
• Water, especially when it is hot, whisks away the protective oil barrier that protects and moisturizes your skin. Limit your time under the showerhead to only 5-10 minutes.
• Rebalance your skin.
• Use an exfoliating scrub to remove the dead skin cells. This is a great way to diminish the rough appearance of your complexion. SkinKure microdermabrasion is the best product I have found and is sold in our office! Simply use once or twice a week for fantastically smooth skin.

As a rule, if your skin feels tight after you wash or if it feels “squeeky clean”, the wash you are using is too harsh. It is a hard transition to make, but one week of limiting the over-washing cycle will make a world of difference in rebalancing your skin.

Don’t fall prey to the endless cycle of over-washing! End it today!