STEPS TO COMBAT BREAKOUTS

1 - EAT RIGHT. What you put in to your body eventually will become part of your skin so there's no denying that you are what you eat! What you choose to include in your diet can either aggravate acne or help to heal it so it's important to know what you should and shouldn't be including in your weekly repertoire. Removing foods and drinks that mess with blood sugar, contribute to inflammation or suppress immunity is such an important part of resolving acne naturally. Eat small, regular meals and don't forget breakfast! The top three things to quit for clear skin are gluten, sugar and dairy.

2 - STRESS LESS. Stress is a normal part of modern life and it's an essential primal response we all have for "fight or flight" situations. However, we all tend to put the stress hormone cortisol in overdrive with our busy lifestyles and the problem is that in high amounts, it's inflammatory and depletes immunity- a recipe for unhappy skin! Out-of-whack stress hormones can also lead to imbalances in other hormones such as testosterone and progesterone. When we are overly stressed we are also more likely to have poor quality sleep and be less likely to exercise and eat right. Meditation, massage, exercise, learning how to say no, taking time for yourself or taking a holiday (or even just planning a holiday!) are all good stress relievers. Do more of whatever floats your boat and chill out.

3 - USE THE RIGHT SKINCARE. Even "natural" skincare has the ability to aggravate an acne prone skin. The key to good skincare is effective active ingredients to make a physical change to the skin without all the harsh irritants. Ingredients like benzyl peroxide, parabens, sodium laurel sulphate and petrochemicals can irritate, strip the skin of natural oils and cause inflammation. Look for active ingredients such as salicylic acid, mandelic acid, niacinamide and tea tree.

4 - USE THE RIGHT MAKEUP. It can be a vicious cycle of covering up acne with pore clogging makeup and concealers. To aid in the treatment and healing of your skin, a good quality, non comedogenic makeup which gives coverage while allowing your skin to breath is so important. Look out for Bismuth oxychloride, a nasty, highly occlusive mineral byproduct found in makeups. Priori and Lycogel are recommended brands.

5 - SEE YOUR DERMAL THERAPIST. LED light therapy and peels are so effective in clearing congestion, inflammation and infection in your skin while you rebalance and reset what's happening internally. Avoid microdermabrasion and skin needling if you currently have active breakouts. Blood and salivary hormone testing gives us better understanding of what the underlying causes for your skin issues are.

If you are struggling with acne you can read more about our treatments. Let us help you take control of your skin!