Category: MUST READ

Things To Know Before Your Acne Scars Treatment

Acne breakouts may go, but they like to linger on as skin discolourations or deeper scars long after the cysts are gone. Apart from cosmetic reasons, acne scars can also be a reminder of a not-so-pleasant part of people’s lives. So there are so many treatments available for lightening acne scars, here are the top 5 things to know before you pick the best one for your skin.   KNOW WHEN TO DELAY YOUR RESURFACING TREATMENT Have you tried cleaning up after a party before your guests are gone? There is probably little point trying to remove acne scars if you are still breaking out, since you are removing scars while new ones are still being formed. I know it’s hard waiting, you wanted smooth skin yesterday. But trust me, acne scars treatments can cost and you want to make every treatment count. Instead, have your breakouts controlled first by seeing a doctor who can help prescribe skincare, topical acne creams or oral acne medication to get you started on Continue Reading

Mistakes To Avoid If You Have Acne

When we have acne, the instinct is always to do something to get rid of them quickly. Read on the find out the biggest mistakes we make with these nasty blemishes.   1. Drying Your Pimples And Face Out Pimples are caused by clogged pores, and drying them out gets rid of them right? Overdoing it and dehydrating the skin excessively can cause the reverse, triggering the skin to produce even more oil than usual. Try Skin Laundry III, a salicylic mild foaming wash that won’t dry your skin out, and Blue Orchid, an oil-free moisturizer that gently hydrates irritated skin.   2. Too Much Makeup No prizes for guessing this one. When you have acne, wear as little makeup as possible, even though the reflex is to cover the bumps up with thick foundation. This can lead to more clogged pores. Always cleanse your face thoroughly to remove any traces of makeup. Try Anti-acne BB cream instead.   3. Not Changing Your Pillowcase Have acne that wouldn’t go away Continue Reading

The Real Reason For Your Facial Redness

Do you have redness on your face, neck or chest? Persistant redness that waxes and wanes? You might have a skin condition known as rosacea. The redness is caused by sensitivity to certain factors, and overactive small blood vessels. A blush for a normal person might look cute, for someone with rosacea, the redness can last for hours or days. The annoying thing is, the redness can be triggered by virtually anything. For example, the sun, and stress. Persistent flare-ups can result in changes in the physiology of the skin, which can be seen as a permanent flush on the nose and cheeks. Without treatment, broken capillaries appear and acne begins.   TREATMENT FOR ROSACEA If you suspect you have rosacea, especially when you can see broken capillaries through the redness, it might be time have a laser done. Pulsed dye lasers such as the VBeam Perfecta are gold standard treatments for redness – using a special dye to generate different colours of laser beams, which are delivered in gentle Continue Reading

Are Chemical Sunscreens Safe For You?

Doctors advise applying sunscreen daily, and not only that, you usually need to apply a lot of it to achieve the amount of sun protection stated on the sunscreen label. There are so many sunscreens available – sunscreens for the face, the body, for children, and there are sunscreens found in moisturizers and makeup. Just to add to the conundrum, there are also physical, as well as chemical sunscreens. Physical sunscreens are the sunscreens which sit superficially on top of skin and physically block out harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Because these sunscreens usually contain zinc oxide, they tend to give skin a white cast that can be unflattering. They also tend to be thicker in texture, or oily. Chemical sunscreens fare better cosmetically. They are usually lightweight and many have an almost invisible finish, and are far more compatible in this respect with makeup.   ARE CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS SAFE? Chemical ingredients such as oxybenzone and avobenzone in chemical sunscreens protect the skin from UV rays, but there have been concerns Continue Reading

Now You Can Have Your SPF, And Eat It

We grew up thinking that soaking up loads of sunshine was actually good for health. While it is still true that ultraviolet B (UVB) rays help with vitamin D synthesis, the “sunshine vitamin” that is essential from bones, risking sun damage (which translates to increased risk of skin cancer) is not the way to do it. Most people make enough Vitamin D from being out in the sun daily, without having to “fry” their skin, and for those concerned, just know that Vitamin D can also be sourced from food such as salmon, sardines, red meat and eggs.   We have also now learnt, women especially, that sun exposure is the cause of certain types of pigmentation. Melasma, a type of pigmentation driven by hormones, is also triggered and worsened by sun exposure. For people with UV- or heat-sensitive hyperpigmentation problems, or those who want to prevent these, sun avoidance is recommended. But no one can stay indoors all the time! Thankfully, sun protection is now a real thing and Continue Reading