Acne Awareness Month

Did you know that June is #AcneAwarenessMonth ?! This blog post is all about acne… tips, ticks, treatments, etc. 🌟

Types

We love how helpful this chart from @facerealityskincare is🌟

Do you know the difference between non-inflamed acne vs inflamed acne?! ​​​​​​​​

Non-inflamed acne falls under the category of blemishes like white-heads and black-heads. On the other hand, inflamed acne shows up as papules, pustules, and cysts. These are often deeper, more red, sensitive, irritated, and swollen. ​​​​​​​​

Treatment

If you have dealt with acne in the past and have been left with scarring, Microchanneling is for you✨ This is one of our all time favorite treatments. Microchanneling stimulates collagen production to kickstart the skin into a state of healing, reduces inflammation, reverses hyperpigmentation, and refines texture. One thing we have noticed over and over is that after a series of Microchanneling acne is greatly reduced. The acne heals and our client's stop breaking out or will have minimal activity afterwards due to the skin being fortified with all of the good quality collagen formed with this treatment.

The results of Microchanneling are cumulative and only get better with time🤩

Gut Health & Skin

Flawless skin starts with a healthy gut microbiome. Here are some simple ways to support your gut microbiome:​​​​​​​​

• Quit sugar to calm down inflammation and prevent feeding unfriendly bacteria​​​​​​​​

• Avoid cow’s dairy to reduce inflammation and insulin growth factor (IGF-1) hormone, which increases sebum, keratin, and inflammation​​​​​​​​

• Eliminate antibiotics, hormonal birth control, and stomach acid medication ​​​​​​​​

• Eat fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut because they support friendly bacteria​​​​​​​​

• Consider taking a digestive enzyme, like a papaya enzyme, that supports digestion​​​​​​​​

• Avoid gluten to reduce inflammation​​​​​​​​

• Eat vegetables and healthy starches to feed healthy bacteria​​​​​​​​

• Reduce alcohol ​​​​​​​​

• Reduce stress​​​​​​​​

• Go crazy with garlic and onions when you cook both help combat inflammation and provide healthy minerals. Garlic is the best natural antibiotic ​​​​​​​​

• Stay hydrated with filtered water​​​​​​​​

• Limit coffee. Drink more herbal teas like turmeric, ashwagandha, and green tea​​​​​​​​

Supplements & Internal Support

Obviously diet is a huge part of having a healthy gut microbiome. However, there are supplements that you can take that are amazing for supporting acne prone skin. Our top three picks are:

Magnesium

Magnesium is a calming mineral that support your body in handling stress. However, because your body uses it quite often, most of us are depleted. Supplementing it helps to maintain a healthy level that will help to enhance sleep and improve function of your thyroid, hormones, and insulin.

It is also an anti-inflammatory that promotes the healthy metabolism of Estrogen, making it the best preventative for menstrual cramping and for regulating periods.

Foods rich in Magnesium:

Nuts, seeds leafy greens, vegetable, cocoa.

Zinc

Zinc is an anti-inflammatory and supports your body's stress response. It is essential for the functions of over 300 enzymes. It also lowers Androgens and kills bacteria.

Your body doest's store Zinc, so it is important to eat enough every day to ensure you're meeting your daily requirements and needs.

Foods rich in Zinc: Oysters, crab, lobster, pork, chicken.

Turmeric (Curcumin)

Turmeric or its primary active compound, Curcumin, is highly anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant. It is beneficial for cell health, joint pain and inflammation, liver health, supporting your metabolism, and your cardiovascular health.

Turmeric is it's own spice so you cannot find it in other foods. However it can easily be paired with and added to many dishes.

Food to pair with Turmeric:

Eggs, vegetables, smoothies, hummus.

Tips

• Change your pillow case at least once a week

• Use a clean towel to dry your skin after cleansing to prevent the spread of bacteria

• Avoid hot showers to prevent trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), as it will dehydrate your skin

• Use clean laundry detergent, free of fragrance and dyes, and do not use dryer sheets

• Tilt your head back in the shower when rinsing shampoo and conditioner. You do not want those products on your face

• Keep your cleanser in the shower and wash your face at the end to remove any product build-up. While you are cleansing, massage face and neck to pump lymphatic fluid to get it moving

• Always apply your face products with clean hands

• Sleep on your back as much as you can... yes, even if you use a silk pillow case

• Use a BB Crème or tinted moisturizer on daily basis and use makeup foundation just for special occasions

• Get moving! Exercise will help to release the "happy hormone", increase circulation, and support your lymphatic system

Acne can be healed and your skin is capable of transformation. Be patient with yourself, these things take time. We are here to help you on your skincare journey. #LoveFlawless

Did Your Skin Get Too Much Spring Break Sunshine?!

Hyperpigmentation, the aftermath of vacation.

Happy April Lovelies!

We are only a few days from gorgeous weather (we hope!!). Many of you have had the opportunity to go on vacation! Yay! However, with the extra time spent in the sun we often see an increase in uneven pigmentation. The sun, heat, cocktails, and vacation food increases inflammation, dehydration, and cellular damage.

The best way to combat these changes in your skin is with a diet rich in antioxidants! These are a few of our favorite antioxidant rich foods:

• Citrus Fruits- Oranges, lemons, pineapples, and limes all have high amounts of vitamin C, which can help boost your antioxidant intake.

• Berries- Blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries help boost antioxidant levels.

• Beta-Carotene- Carrots are the best source of high beta-carotene.

• Curcuminoids- Turmeric, black seed oil, and extra virgin olive oil are great sources of antioxidants and have the ability to reduce inflammation.

• Veggies- Didn’t your mother always tell you to eat your vegetables?! She was right! Broccoli, spinach, carrots, and potatoes are all high in antioxidants. So are artichokes, cabbage, asparagus, avocados, beetroot, radish, lettuce, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, collard greens, and kale.

• Spices and Herbs- Using lots of spices in cooking is an easy way to add those healing properties to your diet. Spices like cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, curry powder, paprika, mustard seed, ginger, pepper, chili powder, garlic, coriander, onion, and cardamom. Herbs include sage, thyme, cilantro, basil, marjoram, tarragon, peppermint, oregano, basil, and dill weed. All of these contribute complexity and flavor to your meals, while aslo being high in antioxidants.

​What to use on your skin to correct pigmentation.

There are also some great steps that you can do with your skincare: Every morning topically loading up with a Vitamin C serum and a brightening serum like PRO Lite by Lira Clinical is a great way to start reversing hyperpigmentation. It is beneficial to use both serums morning and night after cleansing, except on the nights that you are using Retinol. Remember that Retinol products are more effective when used alone. If you are not currently using a Retinol treatment, this would be a great time to get started. Our personal favorite has become the PRO Retinal-Plus Treatment by Lira Clinical (of course!). It delivers all the benefits that we love from Retinol without any inflammation, dryness, or irritation.

As always, we cannot stress enough that you need to use SPF every single day. Make sure that your SPF is mineral based, as chemical SPF traps heat that aggravates the skin conditions we are trying to prevent and correct. Lira CIinical's SPF contains 21% Zinc-Oxide, making it a great daily sun protector that will not clog pores. It will also protect your skin from blue light emitted from electronic screens (prolonged exposure of blue light from electronics is harmful).

Of course, we have some amazing treatment options at Flawless for combating hyperpigmentation. At each appointment we will continue to support your skin based on it's needs. Spring is a great time to perform Microchanneling or a peel series for deeper correction.

Are you interested in learning more about the products mentioned above?! Check them out below:

Lira Clinical BIO Hydra C Serum​

Lira Clinical PRO Lite Serum​

Lira Clinical PRO Rentinal-Plus Treatment​

Lira Clinical SPF Solar Shield 30​

Let us know how we can help!