Is Proactiv the Cure for Acne?

Like most people who have acne and own a TV, I've been convinced at one point that the Proactiv Solution would solve all my acne problems. Who doesn't want to be an "after" when you see that commercial? And if Jennifer Love Hewitt uses it, it must really work.

The bottom line on Proactiv is that it's, well, okay. It's not the best acne skin care treatment out there, and it's not the worst. One of the reasons why it may work for many people is because it's an easy-to-use system that emphasizes routine. People are much more willing to clean and treat their skin consistently when they're using a "system" than when they've thrown something together from the drugstore.

The Proactiv Solution consists of the Renewing Cleanser, Revitalizing Toner, and Repairing Lotion. Both the cleanser and the lotion contain 2.5% benzoyl peroxide. The toner contains glycolic acid. Read more about what these acne product ingredients do.

If you're curious about my own experience, I've written a Proactive Review here:

I used the Proactive Solution for Acne a few years ago, when my acne was very bad, and I was not happy with the results. I felt that it irritated my skin and did not get rid of my acne as the commercial promised. I've done a lot of research and used a lot of acne skin care products, and I've finally figured out why Proactive didn't work for me -- and why it probably won't work for you.

Read the whole Proactive Review.

What is Acne Rosacea?

The connection between acne and rosacea is often very confusing. First of all, the term that's commonly thrown out is "acne rosacea." This condition does not actually exist -- it's just a way for people to say that they have acne AND rosacea.

Rosacea occurs more often in adults and shows up as redness in the middle third of the face. Scientifically, rosacea happens when the oil glands get infected and some blood vessels close to the skin surface break. All this causes the characteristic rosacea flushing and the acne-like breakouts that often come along with it.

The key difference between acne and rosacea is that people with rosacea do not get blackheads. Blackheads are the mother of all acne: they're literally the gunk that's clogging your pores and causing your pimples.

People can have acne and rosacea. Some people can also have acne and sensitive skin, and the harshness of the acne products is causing the skin to get red and irritated. There is also a certain amount of redness and inflammation that just goes along with having acne, but it doesn't mean you have rosacea. Figuring out your skin type and how to treat it can be trial and error. But if you have a lot of redness, consider that rosacea might be a part of the problem.

Acne and Your Liver

If any of you are into holistic medicine or traditional chinese medicine you might know that one of the organs that works very hard to keep your skin clear is your liver. Scientifically, the liver is your body's waste management system. Your body is exposed to all kinds of toxins every day, so it's important to have a healthy liver to keep these impurities from showing up in your skin.

I've known for a while that there is a connection between the liver and my skin. But what really drove it home to me was something that happened last year. I had a painful tooth and was taking near the maximum over-the-counter dosage of Tylenol to help with the pain. After doing this for a few days, I noticed that my forehead started breaking out. First there were a few spots, but soon, my whole forehead was covered in bumps. I started thinking hard about what might be causing these breakouts: Was I using any new skin care products? Was I touching my face a lot? Was I using a new shampoo? Then it dawned on me. The Tylenol was causing me to break out!

It makes sense because acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylonol) puts stress on the liver. (That's why it's so dangerous to overdose on Tylenol -- it can literally kill you!) I stopped taking the Tylenol and my skin got better. But I also learned a valuable lesson about the connection between my skin and my liver.

My preferred way of keeping my liver healthy and strong is to avoid eating foods or taking medication that are too hard on it. Heavy foods, especially deep fried ones, weaken the liver. Alcohol is hard on your liver, too. Your best bet is to eat a healthy, balanced diet and minimize the number of drugs and chemicals you put into your body. This doesn't mean you can't splurge sometimes, but it's good advice for life in general to make healthy choices more often than you make unhealthy ones. There are also some excellent teas available that help cleanse and strengthen the liver. Look for teas with milk thistle. My favorite is Get Clean from the Republic of Tea.

Why Your Acne Treatment May Be Backfiring

Do you follow a diligent skin care routine, morning and night, but your acne just doesn't get better? Do you use a whole drawer full of acne products, but your skin is still red and blemished? If it's a mystery why your skin isn't looking as great as the commercials promise, the solution may surprise you. The fact is, your acne treatment may be backfiring.

My routine used to look like this: Wash with a medicated face wash, scrubbing and rubbing until my face was good and clean. Follow that with a toner -- my favorite for a long time was the Clinique Acne Solutions Clarifying Solution. It stung my face and smelled strongly of alcohol, so it must really be clearing out the gunk. Then I'd use two different kinds of acne lotions. Probably something with salicylic acid twice a day, and then another layer of benzoyl peroxide in the evening. Every few days I might do a scrub or a mask or, if I was really frustrated, a mild chemical peel (there are lots available in drugstores these days). Does this routine look familiar?

I was doing this to my skin day in, day out for years until I stumbled upon the real reason why my face looked so bad. A few years ago, I was going on vacation and needed to pack super light. I ended up leaving a lot of my acne arsenal at home, taking just the face wash, one kind of cream, and an SPF moisturizer for the day. Well, imagine my surprise when my skin actually started looking better! I was convinced that using fewer product would unleash a huge breakout, but I was completely wrong.

In my case, my acne treatment was totally backfiring. Over the years, I learned how acne products really work and why most of us are using way too many.

First of all, fighting acne is a delicate balance between keeping your pores clean and not irritating your skin. A lot of what I thought was acne was really just irritated skin: redness and small bumps.

Second of all, medicated acne products make your skin really sensitive. If you check the packaging, there will almost always be a warning about being careful with sun exposure after applying the product. Translation? They make your skin a lot of vulnerable to environmental irritation which leads, once again, to redness and sensitivity.

There's a third reason, which makes my case a little bit special. I have a particular kind of acne called acne rosacea. This means that I do get breakouts, but I also have a lot of redness and sensitivity in general. Acne rosacea is actually quite common, but a lot of people don't recognize it. All those mediated cleansers, scrubs, masks, and creams were actually making my skin worse. With my current regimen, I only use one medicated cream (a 2% salicylic acid cream) every other night. I also moisturize a lot more and treat my skin more gently. And it's never looked better.

So if your skin is red, irritated, and bumpy even though your acne skin care routine is the model of diligence, consider backing off and giving your skin a chance to heal.