3 Ways to Treat Acne Scars (and 4 Topical Products to Try Before Heading to a Physician)

If you have ever experienced severe acne, you may have acne scars. And, while acne scars do fade over time, sometimes these undesirable acne scars last and it might make you frustrated. It’s not always how you treat acne when you first have it that causes scarring, either. Some people have a genetic predisposition to how their skin responds to acne.

Types of Acne Scars

Discoloration

Acnes may cause dark spots that are pink, red, purple, brown or black. These are actually not acne scars, it is post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or PIH. This is a reaction where the skin produces more melanin in reaction to the acne inflammation. The discoloration will fade over time, but the discoloration can be minimized by encouraging new skin growth. To reduce PIH, exfoliate your skin regularly with a product that includes glycolic acid, use a product to reduce discoloration (Anew Clinical Absolute Even Multi-Tone Skin Corrector), and wear sunscreen because the sun will make discoloration darker as it reacts with the melanin.

Pits & Depressions

Some acne will leave indentations in the skin. This is a result of collagen in the skin being destroyed. These depressions, or pock marks, can have different appearances:

• Ice pick - long, deep indentations usually caused by cyst acne
• Boxcar - a rounded indentation usually caused by destruction of collagen when acne erupts
• Rolling - waves of skin, often caused when underlying layers of skin attach to skin and pull it tight

Growths

Some acne actually creates a chunk of skin growth. Keloid (Hypertrophic) scars are caused by an overproduction of scar tissues in reaction to a wound. Any wound can create a keloid growth, which typically raises above the skin.

 

Acne Scar Treatment Options

If you are in a place where you want to try to treat your acne scars, there are a few options.

Dermatologist or Esthetician Procedures

• Laser - Laser resurfacing surgery is ablative or non ablative. Ablative laser resurfacing (CO2 or erbium) is probably the number one choice for effectiveness, especially for atrophic scarring. However, this is a procedure that removes layers of the dermis through the epidermis, and therefore an open wound that needs care to avoid infection and may cause hyperpigmentation (discoloration). Ablative laser treatments target areas to stimulate collagen growth and smooth the skin. They also do not go as deep.
• Fillers - Dermal fillers are injected into the skin to help lift depression type acne scars and make the skin appear smoother. Unfortunately, this treatment is typically temporary.
• Punch excision -Typically used for ice pick type scars, this treatment cuts out the entire scar, and the remaining wound is sealed together. It can also be used to close large open pores.
• Skin needling - Collagen Induction Therapy is one of the newest professional treatments for acne scars. The procedure punctures the skin with micro needles, which creates tiny wounds that then stimulates new collagen growth.
• Subcision - Sometimes scars will seal into a pucker due to abnormal collagen growth. This type of scar can be rebuilt using subcision, where those puckering collagen fibers are released with a surgical needle, and this allows the scar to regrow evenly.
• Dermabrasion - This treatment removes layers of skin with a wire brush. This resurfacing of the skin encourages skin to repair as it grows back. Microdermabrasion uses an abrasive spray to remove skin layers.
• Chemical peels - Chemicals are used to peel off layers of the skin which stimulates collagen growth and encourage a smooth texture.

Natural

There are a variety of home remedies that have been suggested for the treatment of acne scars. Lemon juice has a natural bleaching property and contains natural AHA, and may work for areas of discoloration. Baking soda may work as a mild chemical peel. Tea tree oil may help reduce raised or hypertrophic scars. Aloe vera is great to help cells rebuild. I’ve also seen honey, which has natural antibiotics.

Topical

Topical, or over the counter acne scar treatments are non invasive. Topical treatments could be anything that stimulates collagen repair, vitamin a, or antioxidant, or treatments specifically formulated to address acne scar issues. Many people would rather try diy acne scar treatments or treatments without surgery by a dermatologist or treatments from an esthetician. The beauty of topicals is that no harm can truly be done, and if the treatment doesn’t respond with your skin concerns, you can proceed to the professional treatments.

• Microdermabrasion .. Anew Clinical Resurfacing Expert Smoothing Fluid

What it does: This product with AHA resurfaces the skin 79% as effectively as microdermabrasion

What the reviews say:

• Chemical peel .. Anew Clinical Advanced Retexturizing Peel

What it does: Using glycolic acids from plant products, these pads help retexturize and resurface the top layer of the skin to make it look smoother

What the reviews say:

• Discoloration .. Anew Clinical Absolute Even Multi Tone Skin Corrector

What it does: DSX-7 technology improves the appearance of discoloration, dark spots and red patches

What the reviews say:

 

• Replace collagen .. Anew Clinical Overnight Hydration Mask

What it does: Hyaluronic acid and shea butter work together to fill acne depressions and encourage collagen.

What the reviews say:

DISCLAIMER: The information provided here is meant for general information and is not intended to replace qualified medical expertise or treatment. I can answer general skincare questions, but for diagnosis, treatment or details about skin health, contact your physician, dermatologist or esthetician.

Reasons Why We Moisturize And Prime

Before putting on any makeup, be sure to moisturize and prime! The prep work you do will make a difference - your makeup will last longer, and everything will be smoother.

MOISTURIZE

Moisturizer should be lightweight and have SPF. Moisturizer has a few purposes - it hydrates the skin and it protects it from the additional layers of makeup. The SPF is your sunscreen protection as well. Allow the moisturizer to absorb into your skin and make sure it is dry before applying the primer.

PRIME

Primer should match your skin needs as closely as you can. Why do we even use primer? Well, primer does a few very important things: it fills in lines and creates a clean surface to begin the makeup artistry, it smooths your skin and allows foundation to blend, tinted primers and color correctors can help reduce discoloration, and primer helps to lock in moisture.

Primer should contain two key ingredients: glycerin and some variety of silicone, such as dimethicone. Why? Well, glycerin and silicone both help to seal in moisture and they work to create a stronger barrier to protect your skin all day. Check out The Dermatology Review's opinion on glycerin.

My recommend? Ideal Flawless Beauty Balm. Why? It's lightweight, conceals flaws, minimizes redness, smooths skin, is tinted in five color choices to help with coverage, has SPF 15 for additional sun protection, and contains glycerin to help makeup stick and stay all day.

Mascaras for Length, Volume and Curl

Mascara can transform your look. It is one of the easiest things to add to your makeup to create impact. Different mascaras do different things, though! So, make sure you grab a mascara that has what you are looking for: length, volume, or curl?

The wand matters. Have you ever noticed that different mascaras have different shaped wands? Well, those different wand shapes actually have different results for your lashes!

• straight for natural
• sparse for length
• thick for volume
• tapered for winged 
• spiral for precision
• big for volume
• curved for curl

 

Then, consider how the mascara is applied to really get the best look!

LENGTH

Choose a mascara designed for lengthening lashes. A sparse wand will allow lightweight mascara application in order to extend lashes. Don't wiggle, which can cause lashes to clump.

VOLUME

Choose a high volume mascara. With a volume mascara, you are likely to get clumps out of the bottle, so be sure to twist the wand inside to coat it thoroughly, and then after you pull it out of the bottle, scrape excess mascara off of the wand onto the top of the bottle.

The secret to volume is LAYERS! Just like when you apply paint, you want to use multiple, thin layers, and not one heavy, globby layer. Scrape excess mascara off the wand each time, and apply multiple thin layers to the lashes. But layer quickly... dried mascara will contribute to clumping of future layers.

CURL

Use an eyelash curler before applying mascara. Start at the root of the lashes, and gently curl, working upwards to enhance the curl, depending on the length of your lashes.

Choose a curved mascara wand, which will help you better create and reinforce lash curl.

Apply the mascara to the lashes in an upward sweep. Try not to brush out the curl that you just worked really hard to make.

5 Healthy Foods for Healthy Skin

You are what you eat, right? We have all heard that if you have a steady diet of candy and potato chips, your health (and your skin) will suffer. So what are *the* best food choices for magnificent skin? I have found three articles that guide us to the top foods for healthy skin: one from a doctor, one from a nutritionist and the third from a scientific dermatology journal.


The first article, What are the best foods for healthy skin? is written by Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D. This article lists specific foods that are rich in antioxidants that will contribute to healthy skin. http://mayocl.in/1Tvm2ES

The next article, by a well known nutritionist, Joy Bauer, details 8 specific foods that directly affect your skin's appearance. In 8 Foods for Healthy, Gorgeous Skin, Joy gives a little bit of the science behind why each type of food helps our skin. http://bit.ly/22Dy1Xg

The last article is a scientific article published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthethic Dermatology. The article, The Role of Dietary Intervention in Skin Disease, provides key scientific evidence for the connection between diet and skin, with references coming from some pivotal skin-diet studies. http://1.usa.gov/1mvl5lb

Using the valuable information from these three articles, I'm giving you a list of super foods that will contribute to having healthy, glowing, problem free skin. Add these foods to your diet, or use them as snacks in place of those potato chips!

• Carrots - Carrots have the antioxidant beta-carotene which does two things for skin: 1. it works to protect the skin against sun damage, and 2. it works to help the skin rebuild cells. Carrots also have Vitamin A, and a deficiency in Vitamin A often presents as dry skin.
• Nuts - Nuts, specifically almonds, are a great choice for healthy skin, primarily because of the Vitamin E which nourishes the skin. 
• Tomatoes – Tomatoes and tomato products (like juice and tomato paste, especially) have lycopene, which works to protect against UV skin damage. And get this - "Human studies have also supported the role of dietary factors in reducing aspects of photocarcinogenesis. In one RCT, ingestion of tomato paste, which is rich in lycopene, was found to protect skin against UVR-induced effects, including erythema and DNA damage." Erthema is sunburn. Lycopene works to actually prevent sunburn!
• Fish - Fish that contains Omega-3 (like salmon, sardines, herring, anchovies) work to generate stronger skin cells due to the fatty acids. Omega-3 can also help reduce symptoms of psoriasis.
• Tropical Fruit - Fruits such as pineapple and papaya are high in Vitamin C which primarily works to defend against free radicals and contributes to collagen production and directly helps with anti-aging efforts.

What are your favorites? Share using hashtag #skinfood and tell us what you like to eat every day!

Makeup Lovers: Go Pro with 12 Painterly Makeup Brushes

Applying makeup is an art, and pros that have the skills are called makeup artists. For a reason. Seriously, even makeup colors are called palettes! And, like artists, we need to invest in the right tools, including brushes! Fingers are great for some applications, but you just can't get the precision and perfection unless you use professional makeup brushes. But, argh! What do all of these brushes DO? What goes where, how?
I live with a professional artist. Art is creativity, it's skill, and it's mastery of tools, materials and techniques. When we apply makeup, our face is the canvas. Using the right brushes can make all the difference. With all the colors we buy, making an investment in the brushes is key to a great makeup experience. (At the end of this blog, you will find bonus tips: how to properly care for your makeup brushes).

Let's go to it, artists! What brushes do you need to complete your professional makeup look?

---

FOUNDATION

Flat foundation brushes allow you to apply liquid foundation with good, even coverage for a smooth finish. To use a flat foundation brush: place a dollop of liquid foundation on your hand. Load foundation onto the brush by dipping one side into the foundation "paint". Begin applying foundation to your face, working in sections: the forehead, each cheek, the nose, and the chin.

Once you have foundation on all areas of the face, use the foundation brush to blend it in, using a back and forth motion. This brush is really meant to lay down the foundation, then you can finish up the blend with a beauty blender.

---

CONCEALER

Concealer brushes are flat with a tapered point to accurately apply concealer underneath the eye or to cover specific areas. Concealer can primarily be used to blend out dark under eye circles, discoloration, or to hide blemishes. Consider your concealer color. To neutralize specific issues, use a complementary color: use green concealer to cover red areas or an angry blemish, use yellow on purple hued under eye circles, use pink for ruddy skin tone. For under the eyes, use a concealer that is lighter than your natural skin tone, load the concealer brush and start applying from the inside corner of the eye, and work out. For blemishes, use a darker concealer as a lighter color with highlight your pimple, and use the brush to fade out.

Did you know? Using your fingers to apply concealer can cause unwanted creasing. Also, talking about that crease... blend out the concealer with a damp blender. If you set with powder and there are creases, you'll be stuck with those creases. Make sure you are crease free when you powder set!

---

POWDER

Powder brushes are great for applying setting powder all over the face. Pick up loose or pressed powder with the flat surface of the powder brush and softly brush all over the face to set liquid foundation and concealers.

---

BRONZER

A bronzer brush can be used for contouring, applying bronzer and highlighting. Every beauty guru I know contours and highlights for their perfected looks, and this brush will get you there!

To contour and help slim your face, apply a shade of foundation slightly darker than your natural skin tone. Using the bronzer brush, sweep back and forth under the cheekbone from ear to cheeks, draw blended circles around the temples, and brush along the hairline.

To bronze for a glowy sunkissed look, use a powder bronzer with the bronzer brush along the cheek bones and the forehead.

To highlight and get the shimmery look, sweep illuminator with the bronzer brush just above the cheekbones and down your nose, cupid's bow and chin.

---

BLUSH

The blush brush is for coloring your apples. If that doesn't sound like fun, I'm not sure what does! Pick up your favorite blush color with the blush brush (Oh, I love that this rhymes), smile big enough to show your teethies, then sweep blush across your cheek from ear to apples. Apply just enough to start to see color on your skin but not so much that you start to see visible application lines. If you do apply too much, use your bronzer brush to soften it down. I like to use the blush brush for highlighting above the blush line, as the angle of the brush is great for sweeping across the cheek.

---

KABUKI

This adorable, short, soft kabuki brush is for blending. After applying your layers of foundation, powder, contouring, blush and highlights, swirl the kabuki brush in circles all over the face to blend and help all of that makeup application look natural and softened.

---

EYESHADOW

This brush is best used to apply soft, all over powder eyeshadow to the eye, including the light base color for under the brow.


It's softness also is great for blending eyeshadows after application in order to soften and spread.

---

CREAM EYESHADOW

The cream eyeshadow brush can be used to apply cream eyeshadow, yes, but it can also be used for powder eyeshadow colors. I love cream eyeshadows because I feel like the pigment is strong and it lasts.

This brush can be used to pack on powder eyeshadow colors, too. Load up both sides of the flat brush with color, tap off excess powder, and press the color onto the eyelid.

---

CREASE

The crease. So, the little part of your eye lid above your eyeball, before your brow begins to raise up... that indentation is the crease. And applying color to that bit is a pain. Push eyeshadow into the brow crease and blend back and forth along that line.

---

EYELINER

Eyeliners can usually be applied using the pencil or the brush tip that comes with the product. However, you can use an eyeliner brush if you mix your own eyeliner for a precise line, or use eyeshadow for a smudgy look. Angled eyeliner brushes can be used with gel eyeliner to draw sharp lines.

If you are looking for super precise lines like those required for the popular winged look, you will need a very precise eyeliner brush!

 

---

BROW

Brow brushes usually only have the comb part and the brush part. This delightful brow brush has a spoolie on the end so you can tame your eyelashes before working your mascara in!

To expertly style your brows, comb the outer portion down, define the brow arch with a brow pencil, then brush all of your brow up and out toward your ear.

---

LIP

The lip brush can be used to apply lipliner, lipstick, lip gloss, or any lip color. Try using line - fill - line. Define the edges of your lips with the lip brush dipped in the lip gloss or loaded from the lipstick bullet.  Use the precision edge of the lip brush to line the lips. Then, use the flat surface to fill in color on the plump parts of your lips. Finish up the lip color application by refining the lip edges one last time.

---

BONUS: Brush Care

Always store your brushes with the handle down/bristles up. Or store them flat. Putting the weight of the brush on the bristles will ruin them.

Makeup brushes can pretty gunked up with product, and not only does it affect the way your product is applied, but brushes that haven't been cleaned can hold and transfer bacteria. This technique is exactly how I clean my art brushes, too!

What you will need to clean your brushes: dirty brushes, baby shampoo, warm tap water, two washcloths or hand towels.

1. Squeeze a dollop of baby shampoo into the palm of your hand. Run the brush bristles under warm running water to get it wet, and then start swirling the brush bristles around in your hand. Make sure the baby shampoo totally coats the brush. You should see bubbles. (Yay, bubbles!)
2. Run the brush bristles under warm running water while continuing to swirl the brush around in your palm. Continue to swirl until there is no more product or soap in the brush.
3. Using one of the towels, squeeze the excess water out of the brush. Don't ruffle the brush, just wrap the towel around it and gently squeeze the brush to absorb excess water. (I also like to fling excess water off the brush by holding it and whipping it toward the sink... it's a skill... a messy skill.)
4. Depending on the type of brush, you can gently straighten the bristles. Start at the ferrule (that's the part where the bristles meet the handle - it's usually metal.) and gently pull the bristles from the ferrule to the ends of the bristles to smooth them and reshape the brush.
5. Lay the other towel down flat on the edge of a surface, and lay your brush down on it with the brush bristles hanging over the edge. Allow the brush to dry completely before using it, or your brush will get all gunked up because it is still wet. Do not dry your brushes the same way you store them because the water will drip down into the ferrule and create bacteria issues. You can dry them "hanging up" with the bristles DOWN if you have a purchased or McGyvered brush drying device available.

Bring out your inner artist, and make your makeup a masterpiece.

Check out my Instagram @cheriefrid for clips of these brushes in action!

Facial DIYers: 3 Facial Target Zones for Multimasking

I’ve seen you talking about the multimasking trend, and I know you want to do this great spa facial technique at home. I look for trends, beauty expertise and tools to help you feel beautiful, and I found two articles about multimasking.

The first article is Multimasking Beauty Trend - Face Masks for Glowing Skin by Lauren Valenti, found at Marie Claire.

This article suggests that sometimes trends actually have real value. While some beauty trends can be a bit ridiculous, the multimasking trend actually gives us significant benefits in our skincare routine. The reason lies in the facial zones – the t-zone, the cheeks, the under eye area. Each of these zones is pretty different when it comes to the skincare treatment needed, and multimasking solves that problem in one perfect facial moment. Best of all? Dermatologists use this technique all the time, because it’s effective and efficient.



The second article is Try #Multimasking, An Internet-Spawned Beauty Trend That Isn't Completely Insane, written by  Cheryl Wischhover on Fashionista.

This article links this trend to both clown contouring (it’s a thing) and Asian beauty routines. However, the idea that this is a totally legit beauty treatment was reinforced. It suggests that multimasking works for everyone because making a cocktail of masks allows you to customize your specific needs for every zone of your face.

Pick three mask products that are designed to target three different areas to get the maximum benefits from an at home multimasking facial.

• T-zone - Use charcoal, clay or salicylic acid masking on the t-zone, that area from your forehead down your nose to your chin. These oily areas need the extra oomph to remove pore clogging materials.
• Cheeks - Extra moisture is usually what’s called for in this area of the face. Hyaluronic acid and moisture is the best way to treat exposed cheek area. 
• Eyes – Eyes need a special product because they are such a sensitive area of our face. Retinol will help with the appearance of aging, or you can target your dark circles.

Remember to selfie and tag with #multimasking to share your DIY facial on Insta and Twitter!

A Perfect Body Spa Gift Set

Still looking for the perfect body spa gift set? With so many options, it's hard to find just the right one. The Frosted Winterberry set has bubble bath for a soothing, relaxing soak, shower gel for everyday, a shower pouf, and body lotion to stay moisturized in the cold winter air.