Clear Clinic Skin Care Blog

11Jul

New Trend in Prescription Acne Remedies

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Treatment of acne can sometimes be overwhelming. There are topical medications to be applied every morning and evening, sometimes oral medications to take once or twice a day, and weekly in-office treatments. The good news is that many precription medications are now available as combination therapies, meaning that these acne remedies are now combined into a dual action topical cream.

Dr. Schweiger explains that, “Many topical medications are now available in combination formulations. This means that the benzoyl you previously used in the morning is now combined with the Differin cream you were using in the evening. This combination cream can be applied just once daily. In many instances, the combination acne remedies are more effective than the sum of their parts.”

Examples of combination acne therapies include:

Epiduo: Epiduo is a combination of benzoyl peroxide and adapalene, or Differin. Epiduo should be used in the evening, as you would have previously used Differin. This is a unique medication, because it is the only available retinoid formulation combined with benzoyl peroxide. Other retinoid formulations are not stable in the presence of benzoyl peroxide.

Acanya: Acanya is a combination of benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin. Benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin have a synergistic effect, meaning that Acanya cream is more effective than benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin seperately. Duac and Benzaclin are also topical medications that combine benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin.

Ziana/Veltin: Ziana and Veltin are both topical acne remedies combining clindamycin and tretinoin. These medications should be used in the evening, as tretinoin may cause sun sensitivity.

Click here to read more about prescription acne medications.

10Jul

Acne Skin Cleansing 2.0

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A recent New York Times article talks about the increasing popularity of electronic devices to cleanse the skin. According to the article, skin-cleansing devices made up 40% of the at-home skin tools market. Clarisonic is the big market leader, but more and more big name beauty brands–such as Neutrogena and Olay–entering the game. Many Clarisonic devotees just simply wouldn’t wash their faces without their Clarisonic. With all of the competition, it’s important to know the differences between these high-tech skin cleansing devices, especially when your skin is acne-prone.

When you suffer from inflamed acne lesions, the last thing you want to do is irritate your skin even further. Many of the less expensive skin cleansing devices do not rotate as many times as the Clarisonic does. The more rotations the brush does, the less irritating it will be to your skin. With the Clarisonic, the bristles on the head rotate 300 times a minute. That should be the gold standard for every brush you use.

We’ve explained why exfoliating the skin is a major benefit to those with acne. Exfoliation helps speed skin cell turnover and helps your acne topical medications get absorbed better into the skin. The Clarisonic brush acts as a mechanical exfoliator for the skin, so not only are you giving your skin a deep cleanse, you’re also giving your acne medications an easier surface for them to penetrate.

9Jul

Can Food Allergies Cause Acne?

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Those who suffer from allergies are well aware of the symptoms that come along with an allergy attack–everything from hives and runny eyes to headaches and skin itchiness. But can allergies contribute to acne breakouts? Acne is caused by a number of factors, including clogged pores, an overproduction of sebum and a surge in hormones. While there is no definitive data linking acne and allergies, there is evidence that inflammation, a common reaction to an allergy, does contribute to acne.

One of the more common allergies that people have is to food–especially dairy. When someone who is allergic to dairy drinks milk or eats cheese, their body reacts with fighting the food as if it were an invading organism. That’s when inflammation develops inside the body and the body’s need to get rid of the “toxin,” in this case the piece of cheese or glass of milk.

It has recently been discovered that a low glycemic diet may in fact help fight acne breakouts. Too many simple carbohydrates, which turn into sugar once inside the body, elevate your levels of the hormone insulin. This spike in insulin then also spikes the androgen hormones, which are directly responsible for overproducing sebum and causing acne breakouts. When you are allergic to high-glycemic foods, the reaction becomes even more pronounced.

A successful acne regimen should be a 360-degree treatment, meaning that diet as well as the proper prescription medications and in-office procedures should be utilized to obtain clear skin forever. We suggest following a South Beach-style diet and getting tested for any allergies to food.

9Jul

Newest Laser Technology for Acne

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Clear Clinic in New York City prides itself on keeping up with the most sophisticated laser technology for acne. The truth is that over-the-counter and prescription medications have not changed much over the past few years. Laser technology, however, has changed by leaps and bounds. Active acne can now be treated quickly with laser treatments for acne and acne scars can finally be permanently reduced with laser resurfacing treatments.

Dr. Schweiger explains that, “Laser technology continues to progress, helping us to treat acne better and faster. Many patients who have not responded to prescription acne medications in the past will see tremendous improvement after starting laser therapy for acne. We see patients who have been to numerous dermatologists have wonderful results after starting a laser acne regimen.”

Here is what you need to know about the laser treatments available for acne and acne scars:

Photodynamic Therapy: this light-based treatment uses blue LED light to activate a medication called Levulan. Levulan reduces sebum production, therefore preventing the p. acnes bacteria from causing inflammation in the follicles.

Isolaz Acne Treatment: this treatment uses a gentle vacuum to clean out the pores; while the pores are open, a laser is used to kill the p. acnes bacteria inside of the pores.

Red & Blue LED Light Therapy: light therapy is antibacterial and antiinflammatory, without any downtime. Light therapy is often combined for other laser or light treatments for maximum efficacy.

Fractional CO2 Laser: this laser requires only one treatment for improvement of acne scars. It pokes microscopic holes in the skin’s surface, which stimulates the production of healthy collagen to fill in pitted scars.

Fraxel Laser: this laser uses an erbium laser energy to poke microscopic holes in the skin’s surface, to stimulate production of healthy collagen to fill in acne scars. It requires four treatments to get the results of one fractional CO2 laser treatment, but has only minimal downtime after each treatment.

Click here to read more about laser technology available for treatment of acne and acne scars at Clear Clinic in NYC.

6Jul

Inflammation and Acne

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The sudden presence of an acne lesion can feel like a mystery. Acne breakouts, which can seem to pop up out of nowhere, are actually caused by many different factors. But in truth, inflammation plays a big part in the formation of acne breakouts. Sebum, which is produced by the sebaceous glands on the skin, gets trapped inside the hair follicle and leads to an acne lesion.

So how does inflammation within the body aid in this process? Inflammation is a natural response within the body to injury or infection. Think about when you bump your head or get an allergic reaction to something, there is usually inflammation and swelling involved. Inflammation is our body’s way of trying to protect the body from becoming infected. When the body is introduced to an invading organism, it reacts by enlarging the blood vessels and leaking them onto the infected area. This is meant to fight the infection by unloading white blood cells onto the area and trying to rid of the bacteria or other agent.

When the bacteria from acne gets trapped inside our skin cells, the body recognizes the bacteria as a possible infectious agent and the inflammation process begins. This is one of the reasons why acne becomes red and inflamed, especially cystic acne. So how best to treat inflammatory acne? Here, our tips:

Regular blue light therapy treatments will kill the p. acnes bacteria and therefore will not lead to inflammation. For best results, use an at-home blue light device in between in-office treatments.
Use an acne treatment product containing benzoyl peroxide, which is an ingredient that helps kill the p. acnes bacteria.
Isolaz acne therapy will suction out the bacteria from deep within the pores and uses light therapy to prevent future bacteria from forming,

5Jul

Acne Miracle Treatment: Isolaz

Posted in Adult Acne, Laser Acne Treatments, Teenage Acne by . | Leave a Comment

If you’re looking for an acne treatment that actually works, amazing results almost instantly, look no further than Isolaz Acne Therapy. What is Isolaz therapy? Isolaz is a painless in-office procedure that deep cleans the pores like nothing else out there. How the Isolaz machine works is by suctioning out the dirt and debris from deep within the pores and then killing the p. acnes bacteria with a broadband light. Any redness in the complexion is also reduced from the light.

Do you have more questions about Isolaz? Here, our guide to the top five questions about Isolaz:

Q: What type of skin will benefit from Isolaz?

A: Skin with mild to moderate to severe acne will benefit from Isolaz treatments. It will help clear the skin from cystic acne to more mild cases of acne.

Q: How many Isolaz treatment do you need?

A: Most patients agree that five treatments are ideal to see the best results from Isolaz treatments

Q: Do I need to allot for downtime after an Isolaz treatment?

A: No, Isolaz is what we refer to as a lunchtime procedure. You can go back to work immediately following the treatment. Your skin might be a little rosy, but in a good way!

Q: Will I need to be careful about exposing my skin to the sun and light after Isolaz?

A: You should always wear sunscreen, but Isolaz does not make your skin more sensitive to the light and sun like some other treatments do.

Q: Does Isolaz therapy hurt?

No, Isolaz does not hurt. According to Isolaz’s website, in a published clinical study, an impressive 100% of patients noted Isolaz acne treatments were painless.

5Jul

F.A.S.T. Acne Scar Treatment

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Even mild acne can cause pitted acne scars, so many patients have scarring over only a localized area of the face. These patients do not need aggressive full face fractional CO2 resurfacing treatments, they need only to treat the focal areas of pitted acne scars. Dr. Schweiger has pioneered a new acne scar treatment, designed specifically for these patients with focal acne scars.

Dr. Schweiger notes that, “We introduced the Focal Acne Scar Treatment, under the acronym F.A.S.T., to address deep scarring for our patients with only localized areas of acne scarring. This treatment utilizes that fractional CO2 laser to treat only the acne scars, leaving the healthy skin intact between the scars. This approach allows us to treat the individual acne scars very aggressively, while still providing a safe treatment with minimal downtime.”

On average, the F.A.S.T. acne scar treatment produces a 50-70% improvement in the depth of the pitted acne scar. Patients see improvement as soon as one week after the treatment, but their collagen continues to improve for up to six months following the treatment. The fractional CO2 laser stimulates the patients own collagen to smooth out the pitted scar, so the scars do not return after they have improved.

When patients arrive at the Clear Clinic for their treatment, they have numbing cream applied for one hour prior to the laser treatment. The treatment itself takes approximately twenty minutes; patients do not feel pain during the laser treatment. Prior to leaving the office, we will review exactly how to care for your treated skin. Most patients have four days of “downtime” after their laser treatment, during which they feel fine, but have crusting over the acne scars. Patient satisfaction has been high with the F.A.S.T. acne scar treatment; patients are seeing dramatic improvement of their acne scars, with little downtime. The F.A.S.T. acne scar treatment is only available at the Clear Clinic in NYC.

Click here to read more about the F.A.S.T. acne scar treatment.

4Jul

Treating Acne Early

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Acne is such a common skin disorder that many people–especially teens–feel they must just deal with the hand their dealt. The statistics on how many people suffer from acne in the United States vs how many people seek treatment for their acne is shocking. Check out the stats:

20% of all adults have active acne breakouts
60 million Americans suffer from active acne
20 million Americans have the kind of acne that can cause scars
Only 11% of acne sufferers seek treatment or help from a doctor
Acne is considered a taboo subject to talk about

Not seeking help for your acne is far more damaging than just sitting around and doing nothing about it. Just like with other ailments, acne is best treated when done with the help of a dermatologist. With early intervention for acne, many detrimental things can be prevented. Most people do not know just how crucial it is to seek in-office treatment for acne. Here, the main reasons why you want to book an appointment with a dermatologist as soon as your acne begins to become a problem:

If left untreated, your acne will not clear up on its own. In fact, you may end up with scars that can last forever if you do not seek help for your acne.
A board certified dermatologist can help find the treatment plan exactly right for your skin type and lifestyle.
When on an acne treatment plan, people with acne feel more optimistic about their skin and can trust a professional for guidance.

3Jul

How to Talk to the Dermatologist About Your Acne

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Acne is a battle that is often fought alone. It takes a lot of courage to make the effort and see a dermatologist about your skin, but the results far outweigh any embarrassment you might have. But once you finally do muster up the courage to make an appointment, you should go into the doctor’s office prepared and armed with a list of questions and talking points. To help yourself better prepare, here are our tips on how to talk to the dermatologist about your acne:

Don’t downplay your acne breakouts and skin issues.
Be honest with your dermatologist. Tell him or her exactly the methods you have been using to try and treat your acne.
Talk to your dermatologist about your budget and devise an acne treatment plan that makes most economical sense.
Tell the dermatologist about any allergies you may have.
Be upfront and truthful when answering your doctor’s questions.

The only way your skin will be acne-free and clear forever is if you are straightforward about your skin. Based on your skin type and general habits, the doctor will be able to best prescribe a treatment plan for you. Once you have worked out the details of your acne treatment plan, it’s time to stay focused and serious about treating your acne.

3Jul

Is Accutane Safe?

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For patients with severe acne, who have not responded to other treatments in the past, Accutane is a miracle medication. Nearly all patients respond very well to Accutane and their acne is cleared for years (or forever!) So why does Accutane have a bad rap? Is Accutane safe?

Dr. Schweiger explains that, “Accutane is a safe and effective medication, when used properly. There are many potential side effects to keep in mind when taking Accutane, but your dermatologist will monitor you regularly to identify any issues as they come up. Most people only have one side effect, which is excessive dryness of the skin. Nearly all patients experience this, though we can give you suggestions for how to best care for your dry skin during your Accutane treatment.”

The iPledge system monitors patients taking Accutane to ensure that no female patient becomes pregnant while taking the medication. Accutane is teratogenic, meaning that it can cause birth defects when taken by pregnant women. All female patients taking Accutane must use two forms of contraception to prevent pregnancy and have monthly pregnancy tests.

It is important to contact your dermatologist if you have any side effects come up while taking Accutane. Very rare, but serious, potential side effects include GI distress and depression. Patients must contact their prescribing dermatologist immediately if these side effects present.

Nearly all patients do very well after taking Accutane and have only minimal side effects during their course of treatment. It is important to recognize the rare side effects that may occur, but we feel confident prescribing Accutane for our patients with severe acne. It can be a life-changing medication for patients who have tried and failed other acne treatments.

Click here to read more about Accutane.

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