Pretty Skin On Your Wedding Day

Wedding planning is difficult enough without having to fret that your big day will be marred by acne. I’ve compiled a list of six things you can do before your wedding date to get your acne under control so that you can face your big day with a huge smile and clear skin.

1. Seek professional help from your dermatologist or family doctor. They can prescribe strong acne fighting medication such as Accutane for severe cases of acne and topicals such as Retin-A for mild to moderate acne. Don’t be dissuaded if one doctor doesn’t take your case of acne seriously – find another who does and get the treatment your skin needs. Your OB/GYN can also help you get your acne under control by prescribing birth control pills such as Yasmin or Ortho Tri Cyclen which are known for their ability to mimimize hormonally related acne.
2. Find a qualified aesthetician and schedule monthly professional strength facials – my experience has shown that the most effective facials for acne are glycolic based and then once the acne is under control the use of micro-dermabrasion helps refine minor scars. Once your acne is under control and if you have scarring that doesn’t respond to a series of micro-dermabrasions or are deeper and more severe in form then by all means schedule an appointment with a qualified cosmetic surgeon- the sooner the better. There are surgical options that can erase or minimize the appearance of scars. Your cosmetic surgeon can offer you the best solutions based on your specific needs.
3. Purge your diet of simple carbs found in soda, donuts and other packaged “junk food”. Replace the sugar in your diet with artificial sweetners like Splenda or Equal. Say good-bye to white bread products and hello to non-bleached whole wheat products. Eat more vegetables and add Omega 3 to your diet in the form of fish, nuts and seeds. Omega 3 is a known anti-inflammatory agent and can be helpful addressing skin diseases such as acne and rosacea. Of course you also want to drink plenty of water daily, minimize your caffeine intake and add vitamins that are specifically formulated for skin health. My favorites are Olay Total Effects Beautiful Skin and Wellness Pack with the following supplements C and Omega 3 – also from Olay.
4. Stress is a know acne aggravator and learning to manage your stress is critical in your quest to get your acne under control. Exercise is a good stress fighter -by adding some form of exercise to your schedule you wil improve your overall health, reduce your stress and your skin will benefit. I like Yoga in that it provides you with a rigorous workout and also provides you with techniques that can help you relax and reduce stress.
5. Contingency planning for the possible skin emergencies you may face before your big day is important. Talk to your dermatologist about the possibility of using steriod injections to reduce the size of a cyst(s) that has made it’s untimely appearance days before you say “I do”. There are options available so that you don’t have to suffer with a huge pimple on your wedding day – just make sure that you’ve planned ahead to handle such a situation.
6. Treat your acne problems at home with an effective skin care regimen. Each person is different and what may work for me may not work for you – having said that I have outlined my personal at home acne skin care and anti-aging treatment below – I hope that it also works for you. After a lot and I do mean a lot of trial and error testing with different skin care products I found the following products and system works best because it addresses three of the five acne causes that are controllable:

1. 1. AM cleanse with Neutrogena Pore Refining Cleanser (Alpha/Beta Hydroxy formula) – PM Use MD Formulations Non-Glycolic cleanser to remove make-up and then use Neutrogena Pore Refining Cleanser on make-up free skin. (Addresses: Retention Hyperkeratosis)
   2. AM – Apply MD Formulations Vit-A Plus Clearing Complex to problem areas. (Addresses: Propionibacterium Acnes and Retention Hyperkeratosis)
   3. AM- Apply Dr. Wexler MMPi Regenerating Serum to wrinkle problem areas near hairline and faint lines above lips.
   4. AM and PM (I alternate every other PM with Neova Anti-Oxidant Therapy Serum)- Apply MD Formulations Continuous Renewal Complex all over face avoiding eye and lip area. (Addresses: Retention Hyperkeratosis)
   5. AM and PM – Apply Neova Eye Therapy on the delicate eye skin , followed by Dr. Wexler MMPi Regenerating Serum.
   6. AM and PM – Dr. Wexler No-Injection Lip Plumper on lips to keep them moist and full.
   7. AM – Dr. Wexler Universal Anti-Aging Moisturizer SPF 30 with MMPi. (CRITICAL to use sunscreen when using glycolic acids on your skin).
   8. AM - After moisturizer is set and dry, gently pat dermaDoctor Tease Zone over your face avoiding eye and lip area. The Tease Zone product will control the oil for eight hours. I also keep an emergency supply of Mary Kay Oil Blot Tissues in my purse for those days when my skin is exceeding oily around the time of my period. (Addresses:Over-Productive Sebum Glands)
   9. 3X a week – perform an at home glycolic peel facial using MD Formulations My Personal Peel System. Followed by an application of Neova Anti-Oxidant Therapy Serum over entire face. (Addresses: Retention Hyperkeratosis,Over-Productive Sebum Glands and Propionibacterium Acnes)
   10. PM – dermaDoctor Calm,Cool and Corrected applied after step four – it really helps with the redness from the acne and works well as a light night time moisturizer.
   11. As Needed – I use the Zeno MD Acne Clearing Device to address pimples and cysts before they show their ugly little heads.

Retention Hyperkeratosis: in laymen’s terms it refers to the rapid build up of cells in the follicles and the subsequent inability of the body to slough off those skin cells thereby creating a tough, glue-like substance leading to follicular blockage. Studies have found that individuals suffering from acne lack the necessary enzymes to break down the cellular glue that leads to the blockage. Since the follicle is blocked it provides the perfect “non-oxygenated” environment for P Acnes bateria (P Acnes is anaerobic bacteria that can not survive when exposed to oxygen). Add the hormonally induced overproduction of sebum (oil) trapped in the follicle and you have all the ingrediants needed for acne to develop.

Propionibacterium Acnes, also known as P acnes bacteria, which produce toxic sub­stances that attack the follicle and eventually incite the follicle to rupture – causing acne. Bacteria was once thought to be the main culprit in acne production hence the common practice of prescribing antibiotics to acne sufferers. However recent scientific break-throughs in the study of the acne disease has led many medical professionals to believe that the bacteria alone isn’t to blame for acne. In fact, studies where conducted in which P Acnes bacteria were injected directly into the dermis – surprisingly acne did not form. Therefore, it is believed that the P Acnes bacteria probably exists in individuals without acne and individuals with acne. However as mentioned earlier, the P Acnes coupled with increased sebum production in addition to other factors such as genetic predisposition to follicular characteristics, follicular retention and hormonal changes can lead to the development of acne.

Over-Productive Sebum Glands (oil) due to an increase in the levels of androgens, progesterone and other hormones typically associated with males such as testosterone. Oily skin in and of itself typically wouldn’t be such a problem except for the fact that the bacteria Propionibacterium Acnes loves to feast on the sebum and in the feeding process it creates highly inflammatory by-products which do lead to inflammation and more.

My skin care routine may seem like an awful lot of work but it really isn’t. I am able to do my AM and PM routine in less than 10 minutes and having clearer, healthier skin is worth the time.

I hope that these tips help you face your big day with a beautiful smile and with glowing healthy skin.

Need more info? Comprehensive coverage of Ms. Distressed Derma’s skin care regimen.