Don’t use prescription drugs to cure acne – Too many side effects

May 3rd, 2012 . No Comments »

For those who have experienced acne (which is probably the vast majority of the population), getting rid of zits seems to be a top priority, especially in terms of improving self esteem. While everyone has them, most people seem to think that their case of acne is far worse than it actually is, resulting in obsessive behaviour attempting to eliminate the pimples. Such behaviour often leads to a visit to the dermatologist or to the family doctor to see if they can help.

Unfortunately the trip to the doctor will likely result in getting a prescription, without any practical or natural suggestions to eliminating the problem. While these prescription medications may seem like a great idea, they really aren’t, and they probably should be avoided at all costs. Lets have a quick look at some of the more common prescription medications that are used to treat acne, along with their side effects and an evaluation of whether or not they’re really worth it.

Roaccutane (Formally known as Accutane) – Since this brand was introduced in 1982 it has been used by more than 16 million people worldwide. With such wise use, you would expect that its a relatively safe drug… however the reality of it is far from that. Accutane is known to have serious side effects in adolescents (who are probably the most likely to use Accutane in the first place). These side effects include bone growth problems in teenagers, as well as an increased risk of birth defects for women who may soon get pregnant. Yet doctors still prescribe Accutane as if it is entirely safe for everyone to use, despite the known side effects. On top of the major side effects there is a plethora of other minor side effects which will make using it unpleasant.

Isotretinoin – Isotretinoin is another common acne medication that has just recently come under fire for substantially increasing the risk of eye problems. While you would think that a skin medication would have nothing to do with your eyes, it turns out that Isotretinoin doubles the risk of pink eye. In a recent study, nearly 4% of people who took the drug ended up experiencing pink eye, or other inflammatory eye conditions while on the drug. This is more than double than the infection rate for average non-isotretinoin users. Not only is this a nuisance, but it can also lead to long term damage to the eyes.

While the above is just a quick look at two of the most common acne medications, there are countless other prescription drugs on the marketplace that can be equally as dangerous. Before consulting your doctor, and receiving a prescription to treat your acne, experiment with as many non-prescription options as possible, and consider whether or not your acne is so bad that it actually it worth risking bone or eye problems.

Remember, almost everyone has acne, and yours probably isn’t nearly as bad as you think it is.

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Freeman Facial Clay Mask – Review

March 8th, 2012 . No Comments »

Last Christmas I received a mint and lemon flavoured facial clay mask, by Freeman. I’ve been using it quite frequently so I’ve decided to write a little review for my readers.

First off, I would like to say that it really is a great product. The price is right and its as good if not better than any other mask that I’ve tried.

Effectiveness

Like most masks, it goes on wet, and after about 10 minutes dries into a nice crusty finish, during which time it cleanses your pores. While its nearly impossible to notice a direct correlation between pimples and the use of a face mask, I can say that my face definitely feels fresh after using Freeman’s  Clay mask. It clears up all of the oil and leaves your face feeling great, without the risk of drying that comes from other products.

Smell

Despite being labelled a mint and lemon mask, I can’t say that I’ve been able to notice the smell. Its not that it smells bad, but rather that it doesn’t have the scent that you would expect from a lemon and mint clay mask.

Ingredients

Unfortunately despite stating that it is made with “natural, botanical ingredients,” it is clear that the natural ingredients only make up a part of the ingredients list. While it does contain lemon fruit extract and peppermint leaf extract, it also includes a variety of other ingredients which are found in the most generic of products, including Propylene Glycol. It also contains artificial colours: yellow 5 and blue 1. If you’re looking for an all natural mask, you haven’t found it here.

Overall I’m going to give Freeman’s Facial Clay mask a final score of 8 out of 10. Its a winner in terms of price and functionality, though it loses out for its misleading claims of being a natural product.

 

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Random Body Pimples – Acne or Allergy?

March 5th, 2012 . No Comments »

Most people tend to get zits on their face, upper back and occasionally neck. But have you ever noticed pimples popping up on random parts of your body, such as on your legs, arms or stomach. While it may appear at first that these types of zits are the common type that everyone gets, its possible that these pimples are a sign of food allergies.

When you eat something that your body doesn’t like, it has many ways of letting you know. The most common ways are pains in your stomach, gas, or other types of gastrointestinal symptoms. However, from time to time, food allergies can present themselves in other ways, such as in the form of rashes. While the most common type of food allergy related rash is hives, studies have shown that regular pimples can also be a sign of foods allergies.

I’m personally allergic to gluten, and I have noticed that whenever I eat something that contains a small amount of gluten (not enough for me to experience my usual allergy symptoms), I end up getting pimples in weird places over the next few days. These pimples show up on my arms, legs and occasionally on my stomach. They are the usual type of pimples, as they occur sporadically and alone, and often last longer than regular pimples.

So how do you know whether or not random pimples are your body are regular acne or pimples caused by food allergies? Unfortunately there is no definitive way to know, but if you notice that you are getting them often, while your complexion on your face stays good, I’d say thats a pretty good sign that something is up. If you do notice frequent body pimples, you should consider changing your diet, and eliminating certain foods that are known allergens. If you notice body pimples going away, you may have found the culprit.

I’m of the belief that food allergies are one of the worst medical situations affecting the Western world right now. While pimples may be a minor hassle, if your body is constantly being exposed to something that it does not agree with, the pimples may be an early warning for much worse symptoms to come.

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What is Sodium Laureth Sulfate?

March 3rd, 2012 . No Comments »

If you look at pretty much any shampoo or body wash (and even toothpaste!), you will likely notice that one of the first ingredients is always Sodium Laureth Sulfate. When I noticed this, it brought up two questions in my mind:

- What is Sodium Laureth Sulfate?

- If Sodium Laureth Sulfate is in everything, how are these products any different from each other

To answer the first question, what is Sodium Laureth Sulfate? It is a detergent that is used for the purpose of cleaning, and is found in all sorts of personal hygiene products. Studies have shown that it is a known irritant and can cause irritation on both human skin as well as on animals. That being said, conclusive studies have shown that Sodium Laureth Sulfate is not a carcinogen. It is used so frequently because is a very inexpensive and is a great foaming agent. Chemically it has properties very similar to soap.

Knowing that, my main question is whether or not the products that use it are any different from each other, given that the main ingredient is Sodium Laureth Sulfate. The answer is yes and no. In terms of products such as toothpaste, there are clear differences. Toothpaste contains many other ingredients which make it ideal for cleaning teeth. By contrast, body wash and shampoos that use it are pretty much all the same, unless they have some sort of additional benefit other than cleaning.

For example, Sodium Laureth Sulfate is used in Head and Shoulders, the dandruff shampoo, however Head and Shoulders contains other ingredients that make it effective at combatting dandruff. However, in most other shampoos, the only difference is the smell. So next time you’re at the body shop considering a $20 specialty shampoo purchase, have a look at the ingredients. If the first ingredient is Sodium Laureth Sulfate, its probably no different than your $2 Walmart brand.

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Should I use Birth Control to prevent acne?

December 7th, 2011 . No Comments »

Roughly a week ago we looked at whether or not it was a good idea to use the brand of birth control, Yasmin, to prevent acne. We concluded that it wasn’t a good idea, due to the fact that the FDA has required them to change their advertising regarding Yasmin’s benefits towards preventing acne, as well as due to the harsh and sometimes deadly side effects of Yasmin. Today we’re going to take a more general approach, and explore whether or not it is a good idea to use other brands of birth control pills to prevent acne.

Does Birth Control prevent acne?

The simple answer is Yes. According to the Mayo Clinic, birth control pills are effective at preventing acne, however they should be considered as a last resort, when other treatments including alternate medication is in-effective. Birth control pills reduce the occurrence of acne by reducing the amount of Sebum that is found on your skin. This, however, is the only method by which birth control pills help prevent acne, therefore birth control pills alone usually won’t be enough to create a clear complexion.

So should you use them? The answer to this question depends on the person in question, but the most simple answer is that you should only choose birth control pills as a method for acne prevention if you would already be taking birth control pills for their primary function, birth control. As far as I can tell, taking birth control pills to prevent acne is very similar to using toothpaste to clear up acne. While it can result in a reduced amount of acne, that isn’t the product’s main purpose.

Rid of Zits Advice

- If you’re already taking birth control pills to prevent unwanted pregnancy, you can be happy knowing that they may help clear up acne.
- If you are not already taking birth control pills, consider every other possible option before you choose to take birth control pills. Be careful, as many doctors like to play fast and loose with the prescription pad and may suggest birth control pills when they aren’t necessary.
- Consider the risks of birth control pills. Is the potential to clear up acne worth the risk of a blood clot or heart attack
- Use birth control pills to treat acne as a last resort.

I hope that this article has been able to shed a bit of light on this often mis-represented subject.

Dr. Z

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Does Yasmin prevent acne?

November 29th, 2011 . No Comments »

For years, girls and women have been told that birth control pills are an effective way of preventing acne.  While this was initially seen as an added benefit of taking birth control, many birth control manufacturers have begun advertising it as a primary benefit, to the point that many teenaged girls as well as older women take the pill solely for this purpose. Today we’re going to dissect this claim and get to the bottom of whether or not the popular birth control brand Yasmin can actually prevent acne. We’ll also look at some of the risks associated with this, to determine whether or not taking Yasmin to prevent acne is a good idea.

Many of us are familiar with the ads that were run as part of a multi-million dollar ad campaign by Yasmin over the past few years. One of the cornerstones of these ads was that Yasmin could prevent acne. Well as it turns out, Yasmin has been forced by the FDA to remove their initial claim that Yasmin could prevent acne, and amend the claim to state that Yasmin may be effective at treating moderate to severe acne. As it turns out, there is no clinical evidence that Yasmin prevents mild acne, the type that most teenagers and young adults suffer from.  Despite this, many doctors make uninformed decisions and prescribe their patients Yasmin in an attempt to treat acne.

The next major issue with Yasmin is the risk of side effects. Based on compelling new evidence, its believed that Yasmin, and its sister pill, Yaz, can triple the risk of developing a blood clot. Not only has this been proven in the laboratory, but also in many cases around North America. There are currently class action lawsuits in both Canada the United States, that have been filed by thousands of women who have reported a variety of side effects including blood clots, chest pains, head aches and even heart attacks. Also included in the lawsuits are the families of multiple girls who have died as a direct result of taking Yasmin. While these lawsuits have yet to be heard before a judge, the evidence is compelling that Yasmin is more dangerous than initially thought.

In conclusion, the answer to our question is relatively simple. Yasmin does have a positive effect in treating moderate to severe acne in some cases, however it is not effective against mild acne. With that in mind, the risks associated with Yasmin greatly outweigh the risks with other forms of acne treatment (including other brands of birth control pills), and therefore we do not recommend that you use Yasmin to prevent or treat acne.

 

 

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Makeup for men

November 24th, 2011 . No Comments »

If you ask men who suffer from acne, they’ll say that women have it easy. Unlike women, men usually don’t have the option of covering unsightly zits with makeup, and if they do, it must be done in a discreet manner, otherwise they’ll face the humiliation of wearing makeup. Personally I think its great that some men choose to cover up their blemishes with makeup. While I think it would be crazy for a guy to wear makeup on a regular basis, I see nothing wrong with a guy covering up a zit here and there, particularly when going on a date or fancy outing.

With that said, for the guys who do decide to try makeup to cover up those unwanted zits, they’re probably wondering which makeup is best for men. Should they purchase makeup thats specifically designed for men? Or should they use regular makeup, borrowed from their mother or girlfriend. While theres no hard and fast rules, I certainly have some suggestions that will make it easier to choose.

Rule #1 – Avoid make-up specifically designed for men

There are a few makeup companies that design makeup specifically for men, and claim more discreet coverage, better blending, and overall a better product. I would have to disagree 100%. First of all, due to the small market size, these companies usually only offer a handful of shade options, often as few as three (light, tanned, and brown). By using this type of makeup, you’re only going to draw attention to yourself as the colour will be off. Furthermore, the costs are usually ridiculous. I’ve seen some makeup products for men selling for $50-100, while a comparable solution in your local drug store would cost $5 to $10.

Rule #2 – Buy your own

I know it can be intimidating going into the cosmetics section of a store and looking for a makeup that matches your skin tone, but this is the best way to ensure that it matches. Its better to endure 5 minutes of embarrassment here than endure endless embarrassment if your makeup doesn’t match. Rather than borrowing a friend’s, buy your own!

Rule #3 – Use sparingly

We’ve all seen women who glob on heaps of makeup, and end up making their faces substantially worse than they would have been had they not used makeup at all. Now imagine a guy doing that! Enough said – its better to let the pimple show through, than to have globs of makeup on your face.

Remember, in today’s world its not strange to find men who occasionally use makeup, and you’d probably find more than you would imagine.

 

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Acne from your pillow case – Wash it at least once every 2 weeks

November 23rd, 2011 . No Comments »

For those who suffer from acne, finding a cure is often the top priority, and it often trumps trying to figure out what is causing the acne in the first place. As mentioned in a previous post, when I was younger I was trying all sorts of anti-acne creams before I realized that I could greatly decrease the severity of my acne simply by washing my face with soap and warm water. By preventing acne in the first place, you can reduce your dependance on creams and treatments that tend to dry your skin while clearing it up.

Recently I learned of another major cause of acne, and its one I never thought of. It actually goes hand in hand with washing your face, as its related to cleanliness. The cause: dirty pillow cases. Sounds strange, but if you think about it, every night when we go to bed, we lie on a pillow, often in one place, for the entire night. During this time, oils from our skin secrete into the pillow case, causing it to become increasingly dirty and making it a prime aggravator for those prone to acne. As the oil builds up in the pillow case, it begins spreading back to your face each and every night. So while you may go to bed with an entirely clean face after a good washing, the moment you lay down, your face will once again be covered in acne causing oils.

The solution: Its pretty easy – wash your blankets and pillow case on a regular basis (ideally at least once every 1 to 2 weeks). I was going for months without washing my pillow case, and when I learned that I should wash it, I was actually surprised at the results. Now, each morning when I wake up, my face is far less greasy than it was in the past.

While we’re on the topic of things that should be washed on a regular basis to prevent acne, I thought I’d through in a couple extra:

Towels – While the environmentally friendly choice is to conserve water and reuse towels, its important to ensure that the towel is still clean before rubbing it all over your face, particularly if its a face towel or face cloth. I would always recommend changing your towels every 2-3 days to be safe.

Scarfs – Do you wear a scarf in the winter months? Does it rub up against your face and mouth? If so, it should probably be washed on a regular basis to ensure that it doesn’t cause acne.

Basically, the moral of today’s post is that cleanliness isn’t limited to your body. While its important to wash your face, its equally important to wash the items that frequently touch you face, to ensure that your face washing is effective.

 

 

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Does the Zeno Work?

November 17th, 2011 . No Comments »

A few years ago, one of the hottest products available to combat acne was the Zeno. It was and is still marketed as one of the best and safest methods to cure acne without drugs, creams or other medications. The manufacturer claims that Zeno will help cure acne, while clearing up or reducing redness in 90% of patients within 24 hours.

How does it work?

On their website, Zeno claims that their FDA approved, patented and proprietary clearpoint technology is used to treat and eliminate zits by killing 99.9% of acne bacteria within 1 hour of use. It also claims that their device is painless.  In reality, its simply a device with a small applicator that heats up. You then push the hot applicator against the pimple that you wish to destroy, hold it there for two and a half minutes, until the unit shuts off signalling that the treatment is complete.

The Truth about Zeno

Now for the truth about Zeno. A few years ago, when my acne was at its worst, I broke down and sent away about $100 to purchase my own Zeno. I was convinced by the advertisements and testimonials online that this was the miracle acne treatment that I had been hoping for. At first I had hope, but in the end it faded as I realized that Zeno is nothing special, doesn’t really have many benefits over traditional acne treatments and is all together designed to continue draining money from the buyer after its in their hands.

First of all, as stated above, all the zeno does it heat ups. Basically the tip heats up enough to “kill” the bacteria within the pimple. Whether or not this speeds up healing has yet to be confirmed. Personally I found that the zit did end up smaller after usage, but the same effect could be achieved with a hot tea bag or wash cloth. Paying $100 for a device that simply heats up definitely isn’t worth it.

Now if that was all I had to say about the Zeno, I would say that it was an alright, though overpriced purchase. The problem comes with the applicator. Each applicator is only good for 100 uses. After 100 uses, the applicator stops functioning. The manufacturer claims that the applicator can only be used 100 times, and after that point it needs to be replaced, but in reality, this is just a cash grab by the company. The applicator is a small piece of plastic with some sort of heating coil inside. It doesn’t wear it, this is just a ploy by the company to get you to purchase expensive replacements. After 100 uses, the applicator stops working (a small computer chip inside keeps track of how many times you use it).

Overall, I think it is safe to say that Zeno is a rip off (if not a total scam). While the concept is good, as heat can be used to reduce and help heal pimples, this device takes advantage of the desperation of those suffering from acne.

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Can sugar and chocolate cause pimples?

October 26th, 2011 . No Comments »

Over the years I’ve heard doctors say that the foods we eat have absolutely no impact on our acne, while others seem to believe that the foods we eat are the number one factor in determining whether or not we have pimples.  Personally I find myself in the middle of the spectrum. Obviously food isn’t the only factor that leads to zits, as I knew people with perfect complexion who regularly eat 5 chocolate bars per day. Likewise,  I know some individuals who eat incredibly healthy meals yet found themselves covered in zits.

With that said, I also don’t believe the doctors who will try to tell you that foods have nothing to do with acne, as I can personally confirm that they do. When I eat heaps of sugar, the number of zits on my face increases dramatically. Many doctors seem convinced that what we put into our bodies has no impact on our health and that rather than trying to change our lifestyles, we should just pop pills to sort out the problem. If you ever visit a doctor who has this attitude (many do) I would highly suggest trying to find a new doctor who realizes that there are many things that impact our health as well as our complexion.

Anyway, when I was a kid, I loved sugar. I would eat tons of gummy bears, sour patch kids, swedish berries, and all of the other gummies. When the store “Sugar Mountain” opened in my city, I was ecstatic.  No longer did I have to limit myself to the small selection of penny candy at the corner store.

The opening of the Sugar Mountain also confirmed what my mother had been telling me since I started getting pimples, that they were partially caused by eating so much sugar. When the store opened, I estimate that my sugar consumption doubled. I would go to the store and buy $10 worth of gummies and eat them all in a matter of days. About 5 days later my face would be a disaster. While this wasn’t proof that sugar was causing my pimples, it certainly suggested that this was the case.

After a few months of consuming ridiculous amounts of sugar, I decided to listen to my mother and do an experiment to see if the sugar was causing my zits. I stopped going to sugar mountain for an entire month, and much to my mom’s delight, my face cleared up substantially. It turns out that doctor mom was right this time!

 

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