This has been one of the biggest issues I've dealt with personally and within my practice. Women have hormonal fluctuations which may wreck havoc on the skin. This usually shows up around the chin and jaw line. Diet also contributes to problematic skin. You won't break out by eating a french fry or piece of chocolate every once and awhile, but eating like this on a daily basis isn't good for your body and it may show up on your skin.

Do use an enzyme peel to help slough skin cells and a clay mask to unclog pores and reduce oil build up at least once a week. A gentle cleanser each and every morning, toner to rebalanced PH in the skin and a moisturizer for congested or acne prone skin. Don't scrub or pick the skin. When you cleanse, wet your face with warm water, massage cleanser into skin and rinse by splashing warm to cool water on your face. Follow with a toner that does not contain alcohol. The alcohol will take oil away for the moment, but your skin will start producing even more to make up for the stripping effect of the alcohol.

Make sure to drink lots of water to help keep skin hydrated and to flush out toxins. Consider doing a Whole Body Cleanse found at health food stores 4 times a year and put more Raw foods (uncooked fruits, vegetables, honey, nuts) into your diet for the natural enzymes our bodies need. If you have an overload of toxins in your body it makes sense as your body tries to rid them it would be seen in the skin in forms of breakouts and other irritations.

 

Here are instructions to extract a blackhead; steam face to loosen sebum (that yucky stuff in your pore), cover fingertips with tissue, gently stretch the skin (as if trying to open the pore). While keeping one finger still use the other to gently roll the skin toward the still finger. This will help to ease out the hardened sebum. You may also use 2 Q tips in the same way or a comedone extractor. It is important not to use too much pressure or you will bruise and possibly cause an infection. If it won't come out, try again on another day or make an appointment with your dermatologist or esthetician.

 

Take an anti inflammatory like Advil. Use cold compresses and aloe, you can store the aloe in the refrigerator for an extra soothing effect. Don't take hot showers, baths or use numbing spray. Numbing spray could cause an allergic reaction, that on top of a burn won't feel good. Resist popping a blister or peeling your skin.

 

A lot of people use this, but I can only give my personal opinion, I didn't like it. My eyebrows froze and my daughter couldn't tell if I was happy to see her or upset with her for 4 months. I do have a particular wrinkle between my eyes that I don't like. Serums and peels help, but didn't make it completely go away. So I asked my friend who happened to be an Acupuncturist to do a little experiment. She put a needle right into the wrinkle. I relaxed for about 20 minutes and the wrinkle disappeared. I was amazed and the more I did it the longer the results each time, eventually up to a year. Many Acupuncturists offer face lift procedures. I like this because it is a more natural approach than injectables without the risk and cost, but that's just me.

 

At least once or twice a week is good. Pick a mask for your skin type: clay for oily/acne, soothing for sensitive, moisturizing for dry. When I tell this to my clients, they immediately think they have to carve out 45 minutes of their day to make this happen, not so. I'm a busy woman, this is what I do;

Easy, it just blends into my morning routine. Or cut the cucumbers for an eye treatment, put on a mask, hop in the bubble bath and have a glass of wine, this always works too.

 

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