Keeping Teen Skin Beautiful

At a time when fitting in becomes really important to tweens and teens, puberty rears its unpredictable head and causes all kinds of skin care challenge.  Pimples, blackheads, pustules and cysts can cause insecurity, low self-esteem and a tendency for teens to isolate themselves. The emotional scars--we know how cruel children can be--as well as the physical scars and disfigurement resulting from untreated acne or blemishes- can last a lifetime.

 Teaching skin care at an early age to both girls and boys can save lots of stress for them and save lots of money for you. Selecting the right product for your teen is crucial. Products that are too harsh can overly irritate skin and do just as much damage as the acne. Products that are too heavy can plug pores and cause blockages that lead to more breakout.


Diet plays an important part in skin care too. You really are what you eat and rising teen obesity is a big reminder of “Junk in-Junk out.” Constantly eating double fries, soda and brownies will probably show up the face as well as on hips and waistline. Did you know that the skin is an organ of elimination and it’s sometimes called the third kidney. It breathes oxygen and excretes sweat, oils and wastes from the body. During adolescence with increased hormone activity, there’s an overload of wastes, especially if a teen’s diet includes lots of sweets, pastries, fast foods, fried food, sodas , etc.
Teens are living breathing ‘transformers’ and as their body goes through physical changes their emotions are going through ups and downs. To help their transformation be fun instead of traumatic, I suggest preparing a small arsenal of products to help them navigate through these transitional years.

Teen Skin Care Must Haves:

• A gentle, water based, non-oily cleanser (use when skin is dry, irritated or normally clear)- like dermHA’s Gentle Face and Body Wash.

• An exfoliating cleanser with alpha hydroxyl acids (for oily thick skin or with frequent breakouts) like dermHA’s Rejuvenating Cleanser.

• An acne cleanser with alpha hydroxyl acids and salicylic acid /or benzyl peroxide (for consistant acne breakouts with pustules and blackheads) like dermHA’s Acne Skin Cleanser.

• A non-alcoholic tonic with witch hazel an zinc (to use when needed with the gentle cleanser) like dermHA’s Rejuvenating Tonic.

• A water based moisturizer, like dermHA’s Therapeutic Crème or Therapy Plus, to use daily after cleansing.

• An enzyme and/or creme mask, like dermHA’s Enzyme Mask or dermHA’s Crème Mask with tamanu, to help refuine pores and calm acne irritations.

• A small bottle of pure tea tree oil from (after cleansing face, apply with a Q-tip directly onto blemishes, blackheads and pustules). Tea tree oils, like dermHA Tea Tree Oil, kills bacteria. (You can also purchase pure tea tree oil that’s pesticide free at a reputable health food store.)

Acne can also be a result of abnormal hormone production and you may need to see a dermatologist if cysts or pustules increase and become painful. In our next blog entry, we’ll talk about habits that can increase acne flare-ups. For more information or to find out the best dermHA products for you or your teen, call one of our licensed aestheticians at 1-877-933-7642. We can talk to you about how to better care for your skin on a daily basis.

Stay Beautiful,
Millie

Teen Facials & Skin Education

Because of the great response to the teen skin facials offered, dermHA is extending the offer through May 15th. Don't miss this chance to help your teen find the beauty of healthy, hydrated skin, call now to schedule your appointment!

610-269-7009

Staying Beautiful: Behind the Scenes with Angie

Conquering Common Skin Challenges

Taking care of my mind, body and spirit is important to me, I know that they are all connected and I make a daily effort to nurture all three. Having a mother who is a skin care expert has made it easier to take care of my body and skin because she shares her wealth of expertise and knowledge with me. I have been using hyaluronic acid (HA) products since I was 17 years old, knowing how incredibly beneficial HA is to beautiful skin. However, she also taught me that skin care is an ongoing commitment and knowledge, without effort, could not give me my desired results.

My skin care challenges are sensitive skin, adult acne and hyperpigmentation that results from breakouts, leaving dark marks on my face. But I do not let problem skin keep me from being beautiful! As Director of Production for dermHA, I have amassed a lot of knowledge about key ingredients that help a variety of skin challenges and I utilize that knowledge and our companies products to take care of my skin. Read below to learn how I manage my skin care challenges, my routine, combined with healthy diet and exercise, keep me feeling and looking beautiful...

Washing my face morning and night is a must and is always followed by dermHA Eye & Neck Creme. I use to think eye and neck creme was unnecessary until I attended esthetics school and learned that the skin under our eyes, neck and chest is thinner, dryer, and does not have as many oil glands as the rest of our skin. It gets dehydrated and starts to wrinkle, darken and age faster than other areas of our skin. Just imagine a grape that dehydrates and turns into a raisin! Eye creme has more lipids (fatty oils) to compensate for the lack of oil glands in the eye and neck area and helps hold the moisture in those dryer areas. Using eye creme can help lighten the appearance of darkness and minimize any wrinkles that have already appeared, but its best to start using an eye creme as a preventative tool before wrinkles occur!

In the morning:

I cleanse with our dermHA Rejuvenating Cleanser because it leaves my skin feeling clean and fresh. I love the green tea in it because it helps fight the free radicals that cause skin to age, and at age 36...well...

Then I apply a layer of dermHA Hyaluronic Moisture Serum to my freshly cleansed skin because it is like giving my skin a green tea cocktail to nourish and moisturize my skin. I have an oily t-zone and because the Hyaluronic Moisture Serum has the highest amount of hyaluronic acid of our products, I am hydrating my skin with the water it thirst for, instead of a lot of oils and waxes that would add to my oiliness and clog my pores.

Next I mix my foundation and sunscreen with a dab of dermHA HA Therapy Plus to help protect my skin from the damaging rays of the sun while giving it a natural glow. The HA Therapy Plus is beneficial to my acne prone skin because it contains Tamanu Oil, an ingredient that helps relieve irritations, inflammation and has the ability to help heal cuts and wounds and prevent infection.

In the evening:

I use the dermHA Cleansing Lotion to remove my make-up, then follow with the dermHA Acne Cleanser. the Acne Cleanser has salicylic acid which neutralizes bacteria and helps unclog pores. It has the ability to penetrate pores to exfoliate the dead skin cells, keep the pores from clogging, and prevents the breakout of acne.

Next I apply a thin layer of dermHA Lactic Acid Exfoliating Serum to accelerate cell turnover. By exfoliating the top layers of skin I help to lighten dark marks on my face until they eventually disappear. I follow with the dermHA Eye & Neck Creme and my dermHA Hyaluronic Moisture Serum.

My favorite skin care tips are: drink water and use an eye creme! Dehydration is the lack of water and expedites the aging process. In order for our skin to be healthy, we must keep it hydrated inside and out. We can do this by drinking enough water and applying moisturizers that contain and can deliver water to skin cells.

It may seem like a lot, but once you get into the habit and see the results you desire, it will become second nature. I haven't let labels like 'sensitive skin' and 'adult acne' keep me from having healthy, hydrated skin and feeling beautiful!


Wishing you happiness, peace and beauty in the New Year,
Angie


Angie is a co-owner and Director of Productions for dermHA. She is also the mother of a beautiful son and very involved in community activities and with her church family. To order any of the dermHA products that Angie highlighted above, just click on the product name. For more information about dermHA skin care products go to http://www.dermha.com For a free phone skin consultation, call 610-269-7009 to speak to one of our skin care specialists.

Countdown to School: TEEN SKIN

At the start of a new school year teens want to look their absolute best, but hair and clothes are not the only factors in helping your teen get ready to face a new year of learning and adventures, how their skin looks greatly impacts their self-esteem.

After a summer full of fun, sun and water sports, a teen's skin may need special care. Although most teens see an improvement in their skin during the beginning of the summer season, repeated sun exposure, sweat, accumulated oils and dirt can create a thin, hard shell over the surface of their skin. By summer's end, increased breakouts, peeling skin and irritation can occur. Adolescent hormones complicate the process by speeding up oil production and overloading already congested pores.

Daily cleansing, morning and night, plus a light, water based moisturizer helps to keep a teen's skin healthy. Although morning cleansings are important, washing your face at night-much like brushing and flossing your teeth-is crucial. However, washing your face more than twice a day can also cause problems, especially with acne skin. Don't be afraid of moisturizers because of oily or problem skin. A light, water based moisturizer actually helps suppress oil production and keeps skin soft and healthy looking.

Finding a regimen that is right for your teen during this transitional season and often nerve wracking start of school, is one of the best things you can do to keep you teen looking and feeling their best.

Go to http://www.dermha.com/ now to order our gentle face and body wash that can be used on people of all ages, and a soothing dermHA moisturizer to help your teen get ready to put their best face forward this school year!