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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=392 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=beautytitle colSpan=2>Zap Zits in 24 Hours</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top rowSpan=2></TD><TD class=bodytext vAlign=top>Follow this doctor's revolutionary treatment plan, and be acne-free forever
by Terry J. Dubrow, MD, FACS, and Brenda D. Adderly, MHA
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=bottom></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=600 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=600><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=600 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=bodytext>Even if you were among the lucky few who missed the curse of acneas a teenager, you can still experience breakouts well into your 40s and beyond.
Acne can be damaging to your self-image. As director of the Acne Clinic of Newport Beach, CA, I hear the heartache in my clinical practice, from the 18-year-old boy who couldn't ask girls out because "they'll think I'm a zit freak" to the 36-year-old lawyer who didn't think she'd make partner because "the acne makes me look like an overgrown kid."
But acne is not something you have to live with. I've created an inexpensive, 6-week Acne Cure plan you can follow without ever seeing a dermatologist. It will yield dramatic results in as little as 24 hours.
Your 4-Step Plan
The Acne Cure is unique because each of the steps in the plan is designed to attack acne at every stage of its development. Here are the four steps.
<LI>Clean away the old, dead skin cells. These cells combine with sebum, an oily mixture produced by the sebaceous glands attached to hair follicles near the base of your pores. Sebum normally lubricates the skin, but sometimes it can form plugs that block the pores.
<LI>Remove the clogs and the excess oil that become trapped inside your pores.
<LI>Kill the bacteria that have infected the clogged pores.
<LI>Stop and eliminate the inflammation that accompanies the infected areas and that can cause the acne to spread.
Step One
Clean Away Excess Dead Skin Cells
Every 28 to 45 days (depending on your age), your skin replaces itself by sloughing off old, dead skin cells so that new ones can replace them. Sometimes, the loose cells combine with sebum to partially plug up the opening of a pore. So the first step is to clean off the excess dead cells while also killing any bacteria that may be there.
The best way to do this is with over-the-counter salicylic acid in a 2 percent concentration. Look for Zapzyt, Propa pH, Stri-Dex, or Oxy Night Watch. Make sure the product you buy doesn't contain any other active ingredients.
How to apply: Wet the affected area with warm water. Pour a small amount of the lotion (about the size of a penny) into your palm, add a few drops of water, and mix completely. Gently massage the mixture into the skin in a circular motion. Leave on for about as long as it takes to brush your teeth, then rinse with warm water.
How often: Use first thing in the morning and before bed every night for the full 6 weeks of the program.
Step Two
Remove the Clogs
To loosen and remove the plugs of oil and skin cells that are clogging your pores, you need glycolic acid. It works by activating certain skin enzymes that dissolve the plugs beneath the skin's surface, which opens up the pores to allow the mixture to escape. Some popular brands include Gly Derm, Cellex-C, Total Skin Care, and Physician's Elite. Make sure the product you choose contains between 8 and 10 percent concentration and doesn't contain any other active ingredients.
How to apply: Apply the cream after you have finished using the salicylic acid. Follow the same application steps as above.
How often: Every morning for the entire 6 weeks of the program.
Step Three
Stop the Acne Dead in Its Tracks
The first two steps of the program removed a large number of the plugs that were clogging your pores and eliminated the surface bacteria that help perpetuate acne infections. But a particularly hardy bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes, or P. acnes, hides deep within your infected pores. The single most effective way to destroy this bacteria is with benzoyl peroxide. But many of your pores may still be so clogged with the swelling caused by inflammation that the benzoyl peroxide can't reach the bacteria hiding deep inside your skin. So you have to open up the pores by making the skin cold. Cold also reduces inflammation and swelling.
How to apply: Keep the benzoyl peroxide in the refrigerator. Run an ice cube over the affected area until it is thoroughly wet and feels cold to the touch. If the acne affects a lot of your face, treat it one section at a time. Be careful not to let your skin become uncomfortably cold. First, cool the palm of your hand with the ice cube. Place a small amount of the cream in your palm, and apply it using the same technique you used earlier.
Next, place a cold pack on the affected area for about 10 minutes while you lie down and relax. (You can find cold packs in most drugstores, or just wrap some ice cubes in a towel.) Afterward, wipe off any excess benzoyl peroxide with a soft, dry cloth, leaving the residue in place to work on the bacteria during the night.
How often: Every evening for the entire 6 weeks of the program (after you have used the salicylic acid).
Step Four
Protect and Maintain Great Skin
Steps one through three of the Acne Cure program will get rid of your acne within 6 weeks. Step four will keep your skin healthy, soft, and resistant to new acne attacks.
<LI>Apply an oil-free moisturizer after washing your face. Use one that contains a sunblock of SPF 15 or higher. Reapply your moisturizer during the day if your skin feels dry. (Moisturize during the entire program.)
<LI>Use a gentle, soap-free liquid cleanser. Look for one that contains glycolic acid. If you can't find one, apply a small amount of glycolic cream to the areas that used to suffer from acne; do this once a week, after cleansing and before applying your daytime moisturizer.
<LI>At bedtime, use a cream that contains the antioxidants vitamin C ester, tocotrienol (a new derivative of vitamin E), and alpha lipoic acid. If you can't find a product that contains all three, use the creams separately, and rotate them using one each night. Make sure the creams are not oil based.
<LI>Try Retin-A occasionally if your doctor agrees to write you the necessary prescription. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser at night, and gently massage a small amount of Retin-A on your forehead, cheeks, and chin.
Acne Myths
Any number of old wives' tales surround acne. Here are the most widely circulated ones along with the facts.
Myth: Acne is contagious.
Truth: While many skin diseases are highly contagious, acne isn't one of them. But if acne is left untreated and a nasty secondary infection develops, that could possibly be transmitted to another person who has open but not yet infected lesions.
Myth: Poor hygiene causes acne.
Truth: Acne is not caused by dirt but by dead skin cells mixing with an excess of oily, sticky sebum, which then blocks the pores. Excessive washing makes more dry skin cells available to combine with sebum and should be avoided. Don't use harsh soaps or abrasive cleansers; they can strip the surface of the skin and can damage acned skin. Wash your face with plain water, or use a mild, soap-free liquid cleanser.
Myth: Chocolate and greasy foods cause acne.
Truth: There is nothing in chocolate or in fatty or oily foods that has any direct effect on acne. Yet they have both been blamed for causing zits. If eaten in moderation and complemented with an otherwise healthy diet, they will neither cause nor worsen acne.
Myth: Alcohol dries up acne.
Truth: It will, on occasion, reduce the secondary infection from an open wound. But it will only dry out your skin, generate more dry skin cells, and create more clogged pores that lead to more acne if you apply it to your skin's surface.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
by Terry J. Dubrow, MD, FACS, and Brenda D. Adderly, MHA
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=bottom></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>
Acne can be damaging to your self-image. As director of the Acne Clinic of Newport Beach, CA, I hear the heartache in my clinical practice, from the 18-year-old boy who couldn't ask girls out because "they'll think I'm a zit freak" to the 36-year-old lawyer who didn't think she'd make partner because "the acne makes me look like an overgrown kid."
But acne is not something you have to live with. I've created an inexpensive, 6-week Acne Cure plan you can follow without ever seeing a dermatologist. It will yield dramatic results in as little as 24 hours.
Your 4-Step Plan
The Acne Cure is unique because each of the steps in the plan is designed to attack acne at every stage of its development. Here are the four steps.
<LI>Clean away the old, dead skin cells. These cells combine with sebum, an oily mixture produced by the sebaceous glands attached to hair follicles near the base of your pores. Sebum normally lubricates the skin, but sometimes it can form plugs that block the pores.
<LI>Remove the clogs and the excess oil that become trapped inside your pores.
<LI>Kill the bacteria that have infected the clogged pores.
<LI>Stop and eliminate the inflammation that accompanies the infected areas and that can cause the acne to spread.
Step One
Clean Away Excess Dead Skin Cells
Every 28 to 45 days (depending on your age), your skin replaces itself by sloughing off old, dead skin cells so that new ones can replace them. Sometimes, the loose cells combine with sebum to partially plug up the opening of a pore. So the first step is to clean off the excess dead cells while also killing any bacteria that may be there.
The best way to do this is with over-the-counter salicylic acid in a 2 percent concentration. Look for Zapzyt, Propa pH, Stri-Dex, or Oxy Night Watch. Make sure the product you buy doesn't contain any other active ingredients.
How to apply: Wet the affected area with warm water. Pour a small amount of the lotion (about the size of a penny) into your palm, add a few drops of water, and mix completely. Gently massage the mixture into the skin in a circular motion. Leave on for about as long as it takes to brush your teeth, then rinse with warm water.
How often: Use first thing in the morning and before bed every night for the full 6 weeks of the program.
Step Two
Remove the Clogs
To loosen and remove the plugs of oil and skin cells that are clogging your pores, you need glycolic acid. It works by activating certain skin enzymes that dissolve the plugs beneath the skin's surface, which opens up the pores to allow the mixture to escape. Some popular brands include Gly Derm, Cellex-C, Total Skin Care, and Physician's Elite. Make sure the product you choose contains between 8 and 10 percent concentration and doesn't contain any other active ingredients.
How to apply: Apply the cream after you have finished using the salicylic acid. Follow the same application steps as above.
How often: Every morning for the entire 6 weeks of the program.
Step Three
Stop the Acne Dead in Its Tracks
The first two steps of the program removed a large number of the plugs that were clogging your pores and eliminated the surface bacteria that help perpetuate acne infections. But a particularly hardy bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes, or P. acnes, hides deep within your infected pores. The single most effective way to destroy this bacteria is with benzoyl peroxide. But many of your pores may still be so clogged with the swelling caused by inflammation that the benzoyl peroxide can't reach the bacteria hiding deep inside your skin. So you have to open up the pores by making the skin cold. Cold also reduces inflammation and swelling.
How to apply: Keep the benzoyl peroxide in the refrigerator. Run an ice cube over the affected area until it is thoroughly wet and feels cold to the touch. If the acne affects a lot of your face, treat it one section at a time. Be careful not to let your skin become uncomfortably cold. First, cool the palm of your hand with the ice cube. Place a small amount of the cream in your palm, and apply it using the same technique you used earlier.
Next, place a cold pack on the affected area for about 10 minutes while you lie down and relax. (You can find cold packs in most drugstores, or just wrap some ice cubes in a towel.) Afterward, wipe off any excess benzoyl peroxide with a soft, dry cloth, leaving the residue in place to work on the bacteria during the night.
How often: Every evening for the entire 6 weeks of the program (after you have used the salicylic acid).
Step Four
Protect and Maintain Great Skin
Steps one through three of the Acne Cure program will get rid of your acne within 6 weeks. Step four will keep your skin healthy, soft, and resistant to new acne attacks.
<LI>Apply an oil-free moisturizer after washing your face. Use one that contains a sunblock of SPF 15 or higher. Reapply your moisturizer during the day if your skin feels dry. (Moisturize during the entire program.)
<LI>Use a gentle, soap-free liquid cleanser. Look for one that contains glycolic acid. If you can't find one, apply a small amount of glycolic cream to the areas that used to suffer from acne; do this once a week, after cleansing and before applying your daytime moisturizer.
<LI>At bedtime, use a cream that contains the antioxidants vitamin C ester, tocotrienol (a new derivative of vitamin E), and alpha lipoic acid. If you can't find a product that contains all three, use the creams separately, and rotate them using one each night. Make sure the creams are not oil based.
<LI>Try Retin-A occasionally if your doctor agrees to write you the necessary prescription. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser at night, and gently massage a small amount of Retin-A on your forehead, cheeks, and chin.
Acne Myths
Any number of old wives' tales surround acne. Here are the most widely circulated ones along with the facts.
Myth: Acne is contagious.
Truth: While many skin diseases are highly contagious, acne isn't one of them. But if acne is left untreated and a nasty secondary infection develops, that could possibly be transmitted to another person who has open but not yet infected lesions.
Myth: Poor hygiene causes acne.
Truth: Acne is not caused by dirt but by dead skin cells mixing with an excess of oily, sticky sebum, which then blocks the pores. Excessive washing makes more dry skin cells available to combine with sebum and should be avoided. Don't use harsh soaps or abrasive cleansers; they can strip the surface of the skin and can damage acned skin. Wash your face with plain water, or use a mild, soap-free liquid cleanser.
Myth: Chocolate and greasy foods cause acne.
Truth: There is nothing in chocolate or in fatty or oily foods that has any direct effect on acne. Yet they have both been blamed for causing zits. If eaten in moderation and complemented with an otherwise healthy diet, they will neither cause nor worsen acne.
Myth: Alcohol dries up acne.
Truth: It will, on occasion, reduce the secondary infection from an open wound. But it will only dry out your skin, generate more dry skin cells, and create more clogged pores that lead to more acne if you apply it to your skin's surface.
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