Clear Clinic Skin Care Blog

5Nov

Treating Acne in the Winter

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It is important to tailor your acne regimen to the season and area in which you are living. During the summer months, or in tropical climates, there is plenty of moisture in the air to keep your skin from becoming dry after using new acne medications. However, during the winter months, there are unique concerns that must be addressed when treating acne in the winter. Dr. Schweiger explains that, “During the winter months, the lack of moisture in the air can result in more sensitive skin that is unable to tolerate the same drying acne medications that are used during summer months. If an acne medication, such as a retinoid, causes dryness, the barrier of the skin can break down and excess moisture escapes from the skin. It is important to discuss your acne regimen with your provider as the winter months approach and confirm that you are using the best medication for your skin type. Additionally, it is important to use gentle cleansers and moisturizers during this time, to add lost moisture back into your skin.”

Tips for treating acne in the winter:

Use only a small amount of your topical acne medications (the size a pea is sufficient for treating the entire face!)
Apply moisturizer before and after using your topical retinoid during the winter months, particularly if you find your skin to be very dry.
Apply drying acne medications only three nights a week initially – with time, you will be able to apply them more frequently without causing dryness.
Avoid harsh astringents or alcohol-based products, they will only dry out your skin further.

Click here to learn more about treating acne for people with dry skin.

2Nov

How the KTP Laser can Treat Acne Scars

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There are many different types of acne scars: there are atrophic (or pitted) scars, which can affect the texture of the skin, and there are erythematous or hyperpigmented scars, such appear as spot on the skin but do not change the skin’s texture. Thankfully, there are treatments available for both types of acne scarring. While fractional resurfacing lasers, such as the Fraxel and Fractional CO2 laser, are the best treatments for treating atrophic acne scars, the KTP laser can treat acne scars that appear as red marks on the skin.

Dr. Schweiger explains that, “After an inflammatory acne bump resolves, it often leaves something called post-inflammatory erythema behind on the skin. This phenomenon appears as a reddish mark at the same site as the original acne lesion. Time and some topical medications can help to lighten these spots, but only a vascular laser can truly remove the red marks left behind from acne.”

The KTP laser can treat acne scars by breaking up the collections of superficial tiny blood vessels in the skin that appear as red marks. Just a few treatments with the KTP laser can significantly improve the appearance of erythematous acne scars. There is no downtime after KTP treatments for post-inflammatory erythema, and some improvement can be appreciated within weeks after the first KTP laser treatment. The KTP laser is also used to treat broken capillaries on the face (often seen around the nose) and to remove brown spots from the skin.

Click here to learn more about how the KTP laser can treat acne scars.

1Nov

A Closer Look at the Tria Blue Light Device

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The Tria Blue Light Device is a unique treatment that allows you to take some of the technology available at the Clear Clinic directly into your own home. Dr. Schweiger notes that, “Blue LED light has been proven to kill the p. acnes bacteria that causes acne. We often recommend blue LED light treatments for our patients in the office; it is particularly effective when combined with other treatments, such as Photodynamic Therapy. For patients who are unable to visit the office, or for those who want to do a little extra in between visits, at-home blue LED light devices can help reduce the acne causing bacteria significantly.”

The Tria Blue Light Device is one of the leading blue LED light devices on the market. It is safe for home use and requires only a few minutes of treatment each day. Blue LED light has very few side effects and can safely be using by patients taking most acne medications and using topical acne treatments. In studies performed by Tria, a 70% reduction of acne was seen after just 2 weeks of using the Tria Blue Light Device.

Most patients using the Tria Blue Light Device apply it to the acne prone areas of their skin for a few minutes in the morning and a few minutes in the evening. However, the instructions are flexible, and treatments can be performed whenever is most convenient for you (some of our patients prefer one longer session once a day.) There is no ‘downtime’ after using the Tria Blue Light Device; it does not leave your skin red or inflamed after use.

Click here to learn more about the Tria Blue Light Device.

1Nov

Ask the Acne Expert: What Treatments Can I Have Done While On Accutane?

Posted in Adult Acne, Teenage Acne by .

Accutane is a unique medication, in that it is one of the few acne medications that is not combined with other medications. Most acne medications, such as antibiotics and topical retinoids, are used primarily as combination therapy, meaning that most patients use a variety of medications at the same time. Accutane is used as monotherapy, meaning that other medications are not to be used with Accutane, due to side effects, tolerability, and mechanism.

Dr. Schweiger explains that, “Many of the acne treatments that we often recommend for our patients at the Clear Clinic are not appropriate while taking Accutane. While taking Accutane, your skin is very sun sensitive. Therefore, we recommend avoiding laser and light-based acne treatments, such as Photodynamic Therapy and the Isolaz laser. However, there are treatments that you may undergo while taking Accutane that can be helpful in treating your acne quickly and effectively.”

What treatments can I have done while on Accutane?

Medical facial – it is safe to have extractions performed to clean out blackheads and whiteheads while taking Accutane. You should only visit a licensed esthetician working under the care of a dermatologist, to ensure that the treatments remain safe and that the esthetician understands the potential side effects of Accutane.
Cortisone injections – cortisone injections can be helpful to flattening out inflammatory acne quickly. A small injected of a diluted corticosteroid decreases the inflammation of acne quickly.
Cosmetic treatments – just because you are on Accutane, doesn’t mean that you need to let your cosmetic upkeep fall behind. Treatments like Botox, fillers, laser hair removal and Zeltiq are considered safe while taking Accutane. However, we recommend checking with your dermatologist to confirm that they are appropriate for you while taking Accutane.

Click here to learn more about Accutane.

1Nov

The Best Spot Treating Ingredients

Posted in Acne At Home Treatments by capacitr. | Leave a Comment

For people with acne, the most important step toward clear skin is to make an appointment with your dermatologist to begin a preventative acne treatment regimen. Ideally, patients with acne prone skin will use a regimen that prevents their acne from ever popping up. However, there are always a few pimples that sneak through the cracks, even for patients on a great acne regimen. It is important to have the right tools around to spot treat those unwanted pimples.

The are also good spot treatment options available in OTC formulations from the drug store. While these ingredients don’t address acne in the multiple ways that prescription-strength spot treatments can, they will certainly do the trick in a pinch. Ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid can be applied directly the acne bumps, in order to get rid of acne quickly. Benzoyl peroxide kills the acne-causing p. acnes bacteria, while salicylic acid helps to unclog the blocked follicle that is leading to the acne bump. It is important to use these treatments sparingly, as treatments too aggressively can cause irritation to the skin.

Click here to read more about the best spot treating ingredients.

31Oct

How Can a Medical Facial Help My Acne?

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Medical facials can be quite helpful for acne, particularly non-inflammatory (or comedonal) acne. During a medical facial, a certified esthetician will first steam your skin to open up your pores. After a few minutes of steam, she will then use medical grade equipment to clean our clogged pores and comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) that have formed on the skin. This process helps to speed up the improvement of acne, often giving prescription medications a head start by clearing up existing acne and allowing the prescription medications to absorb well into the skin to prevent future acne. During some medical facials, the esthetician will apply a chemical peel to the skin, to further exfoliate dead skin cells and clear up clogged pores and comedonal acne. Chemical peels, such as salicylic acid peels, can be very beneficial when added to a medical facial. The ingredients in a chemical peel penetrate the skin more deeply than traditional medications, to help clear up acne quickly.

Dr. Schweiger explains that, “A medical facial is different than a facial that you may receive outside of the doctor’s office. Under the close watch of a dermatologist, medical estheticians receive special training to identify the unique needs of acne prone skin. Our estheticians will often call me in to visit a patient who they feel could use treatment for their acne in addition to the medical facial; we work closely as a team to provide the most optimal care for our acne patients.”

Click here to learn more about medical facials at the Clear Clinic.

31Oct

Ask the Acne Expert: What’s the Best Treatment for Post-Pimple Redness?

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Post-pimple redness is frustrating – you are likely thrilled that the pimple has resolve and are ready to move on; unfortunately, that red mark on your skin serves as a reminder of the pimple that used to be there. Acne expert, Dr. Schweiger, explains that, “Inflammation on the skin, due to the previous acne in that area, results in the formation of a condition called post-inflammatory erythema. Post-inflammatory erythema is the medical term for post-pimple redness.”

The best treatment for post-pimple redness is a combination of treatments with the KTP laser and the Laser Genesis. These lasers each work in a unique way to improve the appearance of redness on the skin. The KTP laser is a vascular laser; its energy is absorbed in the hemoglobin (a portion of the red blood cells) of the skin. The KTP laser results in the collapse of superficial blood vessels that lead to the appearance of redness on the skin. The Laser Genesis is a different type of laser, but it works in a similar fashion. It too decreases the appearance of redness on the skin by causing the collapse of superficial blood vessels that contribute to the appearance of post-pimple redness.

Upon meeting with an acne and acne scar specialist at the Clear Clinic, we can recommend the best course of treatment for your post-pimple redness. Some topical creams, including retinoids and azeleic acid, can help to improve the appearance of redness on the skin. While these topical medications do not produce a dramatic improvement on their own for most patients, they can be used in combination with laser treatments to achieve the best treatment possible for post-pimple redness.

Click here to learn more about treatments for post-pimple redness.

30Oct

5 Tips to Fight Adult Acne

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NYC acne expert, Dr. Eric Schweiger, shares his 5 tips to fight adult acne:

Visit your dermatologist ASAP – do not waste time trying to determine the best OTC acne regimen for your skin. While you are playing around with different creams and spending loads of money at the drugstore, your acne may be causing permanent scarring. Visit the dermatologist as soon as your acne starts, in order to receive the proper treatment from the start, to clear your acne quickly.
Don’t be afraid of oral medications – treatment of adult acne sometimes requires oral antibiotics or oral anti-androgen medications. If these medications are recommended, it is because they are necessary and will likely be effective in the treatment of your adult acne. There are very few side effects associated with either type of medication, and your dermatologist will review the potential side effects with you prior to beginning the medication.
Consider laser therapy – laser and light-based treatments are very helpful in the treatment of adult acne, because they address acne more quickly than prescription medications. Treatments like the Isolaz and Photodynamic Therapy can produce improvement quickly and prevent the development of scarring.
At-home treatments are helpful – devices like the Clarisonic brush and the Tria at-home blue LED light can provide a significant boost to any acne regimen. Additionally, they help to restore the skin’s natural healthy glow and prevent future breakouts.
Don’t use your child’s medication – teenage acne is often approached differently than adult acne. It is important to receive the best treatment for your skin and your particular type of acne. Not all acne medications are the same and it is important to use the best medication for your skin type.

Click here to learn more about adult acne treatments at the Clear Clinic.

30Oct

How to Treat Skin That’s Become Irritated From Acne Medications

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Acne medications can be irritating, particularly when they are used too aggressively. It seems like less should be more, but in the case of acne medications, this is actually the opposite. It is important to use only a small amount (a pea-size amount will cover the face!) and use irritating acne medications only three times a week initially. Many dermatologists recommend applying moisturizer after medications are applied, which helps to prevent excessive dryness. Dr. Schweiger notes that, “Even if you follow all of the correct instructions, you may still end up with mild dryness from your acne medications. I recommend applying moisturizer before and after new acne medications, such as topical retinoids. This helps to prevent excessive dryness and enables you to use the medication more regularly, which helps the medication to treat your acne more effectively.”

Once your skin is irritated from acne medications, it is important to know a few steps for reducing the irritation.

Stop using topical acne medications for 3-5 days, until the irritation subsides
Apply OTC cortisone cream in the morning and evening for 3 days. Cortisone cream is anti-inflammatory and will reduce inflammation on the skin that is caused by irritating acne medications
Apply a gentle moisturizer (such as Celeteque, Cerave, or Cetaphil) twice daily until irritation subsides; continue using this moisturizer in combination with the acne medication once you restart it
Avoid other topical acne medications while waiting for irritation to subside
If peeling, do not pick at the skin, allow it to exfoliate naturally to avoid scarring.

Click here for more tips on treating skin that’s become irritated from acne medications.

29Oct

What is the Best Way to Treat and Prevent Chin Pimples?

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Chin pimples are most commonly seen in adult females who are experiencing hormonal acne Due to a change in androgen hormone levels, females in their 20’s-40’s experience an increase in sebum production, which leads to the aggravating phenomenon of adult acne in women. Dr. Schweiger explains that, “There are numerous options to treat and prevent chin pimples in women. One of the best long-term solutions is a medication called spironolactone. Spironolactone is used in very low doses to block the androgen hormone from binding at its receptor, and therefore causing increased sebum production. By blocking the androgen hormone from binding, and therefore blocking the increased sebum production that would otherwise occur, we can block the formation of chin pimples for many women. Spironolactone is safe to take for many years, but must be stopped prior to trying to conceive. It is very important that women not take spironolactone while trying to conceive, while pregnant, or while breast-feeding.”

While spironolactone works very well to control chin pimples in the long term, it can take a few months to begin working at its full capacity. In the meantime, we often recommend that women undergo simple in-office laser and light-based treatments, which can produce faster improvement of chin pimples. In-office treatments, such as Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), LED Light, and the Isolaz acne treatment address the causes of acne, and work more quickly than prescription medications. They can prevent permanent scarring that occurs when acne goes untreated, as well as diminish the appearance of red marks left behind after acne improves.

Click here to learn more about treatment of chin pimples.

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