I have read so many blogs recently about skin care – what to cleanse with, moisturize with, spot treat with, exfoliate with, etc, etc, etc. For those of you who know me personally (which I assume is all of you at this point), you know that I have struggled with my skin for years. I suffer from cystic acne, which produces large cysts on my face that take weeks - and sometimes months - to subside. I am fortunate in that I have medical insurance that helps cover the costs of the treatments, topicals, and pills that I take to keep my acne under control. I also have a very generous and understanding mother who helps cover the costs of those treatments that are not covered by insurance. With that being said, I am going to review the products and treatments that have worked for me – both the insured and uninsured ones. Please understand that I am not a skin care professional and that you should consult with a skin care professional before beginning any kind of skin care regimen. These are simply my thoughts.
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First and foremost, I see a dermatologist in Nashville. Dr. Michael Gold of Gold Skin Care is fantastic. He and his staff are extremely up-to-date and knowledgeable on skin care and treating problem areas. Dr. Gold prescribes me three things: two topical gels and an antibiotic. All three of these are available by prescription only.
Acanya Gel is used to treat mild to severe acne. I apply it once daily all over my face – in the mornings, before I put on makeup – and have seen remarkable results. It now comes in a cute, easy-to-use pump that makes it even better! This product is affordable because of an offer that prevents patients from paying over $25 for the prescription. If you see a dermatologist and Acanya Gel is prescribed, make sure to ask about the offer.
Although I use the Acanya Gel more often (daily) to treat my acne, Retin-A Micro is another topical ointment prescribed to me that is used to treat acne. I have found that Retin-A Mirco has also helped with my overall complexion, reducing pore size and eliminating blackheads. I don’t use this product every day because it makes my skin peel. I get a little lazy in my use of this product, so I only use it about once a week, but I would recommend using it every other day. It’s a great product and provides great results.
Bactrim is an antibiotic often used in conjunction with topical ointments to treat acne. This antibiotic is used to treat a variety of other ailments, from ear infections to pneumonia, so it is not acne-specific like the topicals are. However, Bactrim provides quick results in the treatment and, in some cases, elimination of acne. I am just now starting back on Bactrim, having taken a break from it for a while because I simply didn’t want to take an antibiotic daily. Unfortunately, I need this antibiotic to keep my skin clear. It treats acne from inside the body, while Acanya and Retin-A treat from the outside.
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People spend a lot of money on cleansers and moisturizers that guarantee results. I’ve used most of them and have definitely seen these results, but I’ve also seen my pocketbook diminish significantly because of it. I use a simple, over-the-counter cleanser and moisturizer: Cetaphil.
I use the Cetaphil cleanser at least twice a day in conjunction with the Clarisonic Cleansing System, which I will discuss shortly. This cleanser is highly recommended by dermatologists who actually sell those expensive products themselves. Cetaphil can be found at any drugstore and even Walmart and is usually priced around $10. The Cetaphil brand also offers a moisturizer that I use very infrequently. I have seen great results with the moisturizer, but my skin is naturally very oily, so I simply don’t need it. When I am using Retin-A, however, this moisturizer is a great addition to my skin care regimen.
I cannot express enough how much I love the Clarisonic Cleansing System. I use the Clarisonic Mia, which is a cleansing brush that helps to eliminate dead skin cells to improve skin tone and helps other acne treatments (such as the topicals) to work more effectively. The Clarisonic Mia also comes in a variety of cute colors – I, of course, have the pink one! The Clarisonic Mia is a little pricey at about $150, but I argue that it is worth every penny. It has helped improved my skin tone significantly and makes my skin feel baby-soft after each use. I recommend using it once a day, as it is possible to overdo it if used too often. The Clarisonic brand has a moisturizer to go along with the cleansing brush, but I simply use it with the Cetaphil cleanser previously mentioned. If you purchase the Clarisonic Mia, there are two very important things to remember: you must clean the brush head at least once a week with either antibacterial soap or by boiling it in water and you must replace the brush head about every 90 days or so, as they wear down and aren’t as effective. The brush heads are about $25. I highly recommend this product. I got it as a Christmas gift and have fallen in love with it. It has helped my face beyond belief.
Today, I purchased another product used to treat breakouts. It is called the tanda ZAP. From what I understand, it uses blue light, warmth, and vibration to eliminate pimples before they become large and unsightly. You simply place the instrument on the area where you feel a breakout coming up and let it work its magic. Since I just purchased it today, I haven’t used it yet, so I can neither recommend nor argue against the use of this product. I plan on using it over the next few weeks and reviewing it in a later post. The tanda ZAP is priced at $50. I’ll soon see if it was worth it!
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I have had a variety of procedures done on my face as well. From chemical peels to dermaplaning to laser skin resurfacing, I have done almost all of it – with one exception: microdermabrasion. According to my dermatologist, my skin is very sensitive and microdermabrasion could potentially burst capillaries in my face, so I have never had it done and am thus unable to comment on it. Anyone who has had microdermabrasion done is welcome to comment and provide a review of it. Note that these procedures are not covered by insurance.
Chemical peels are a great way to quickly improve skin tone, acne, fine lines and wrinkles, sun damage, etc. Chemical peels vary in strength, intensity, and process. Some are very strong, some are very painful, some require you to keep a yellow-colored acid on your face for 24 hours, some have no down-time whatsoever, and some cause your face to peel excessively for a week. I highly recommend chemical peels for those who want to improve skin tone without resorting to more invasive procedures. I would start with a light chemical peel and move forward from there in consultation with a skin care professional.
Dermaplaning is a process where an aesthetician takes a razor and scrapes off a layer of your skin. It is not painful at all and produces a radiant look and baby-smooth feel for your face. Some chemical peels include dermaplaning, but the process can be done alone as well and I know many people who have seen great results from dermaplaning alone. I have always had this done in conjunction with a chemical peel, but I have found it to be a great way to improve the texture of your skin.
I have also had laser procedures done on my face to reduce the scarring caused by my acne. I highly recommend the MicroLaser peel, which is a laser peel (hence the name) that resulted in a great reduction of acne scarring on my own face. Your face is numbed with topical anesthetic before the procedure, but there is some pain associated with it. It is not, however, unbearable by any means. Your face will be red and inflamed for 3 to 6 days, depending on the depth of the peel, so you will experience some downtime and discomfort, but it is worth it. Aqua Colour Lounge in Clarksville, Tennessee offers the MicroLaser peel. This is where I have had it done and I have found Aqua’s aestheticians to be exceptional. I have absolutely loved the results of the peel. It improves skin tone, texture, fine lines/wrinkles, acne, scarring, etc. The price of this peel varies from place to place, but is worth the cost if you want fabulous skin! By the way, Aqua offers chemical peels, too, if you’re not ready for the laser.
I have had the Fractional Laser done six times at a medical spa in Nashville. For this procedure, the face is also numbed, but I found it to be extremely (almost unbearably) painful and did not see the same level of results as I did from the MicroLaser peel. From what I understand – and remember that I am not a professional – the Fractional Laser is supposed to be more invasive and produce more significant results than the MicroLaser, but I found the MicroLaser peel to produce far superior results on my own skin. However, this may not be true for other skin types – and I am not a skin care professional. These are just my own observations.
When I experience cystic acne – which is quite frequently – I have the cysts injected with a steroid. This sounds awfully painful. Imagine: injecting a solution into an already-inflamed and tender area. Depending on the area of the face, it can, in fact, be extremely uncomfortable, but it also knocks out cysts very quickly. If cystic acne troubles you, I recommend it despite the pain.
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As far as skin care goes, that’s about all I can tell you. Again, please remember that I am not a skin care professional and am only offering my suggestions based merely on my own experience and my own regimen. If you have any questions about these products/procedures, feel free to ask me - or more assuredly, Google them to learn more. Please feel free to critique and/or offer other skin care suggestions. The more, the merrier!
Take care,
--Nan
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