How common are blemishes?

Ever feel like you’re alone out there – the only one with a pimple erupting on the end of your chin? Nope, not at all. Just look at this information just in from Zeno headquarters:

• Just about everyone gets blemishes from time to time and an estimated 90 million people in the United States suffer from acne, a skin condition characterized by whiteheads, blackheads, and inflamed red pimples.
• Blemishes affect both men and women and can strike at any age. Available statistics suggest that 39% of adult women, 31% of adult men and 30% of adolescents suffer from acne.
• 70% of women notice blemish flare-ups prior to their menstrual cycles.
• Blemishes appear most commonly on the face, neck and shoulders but may also occur on the trunk, arms, legs and buttocks.
• Acne is the most common skin disease in the United States and accounts for 46% of all visits to a dermatologist.
• Americans purchase roughly $2.1 billion in over-the-counter and prescription acne medications each year.

So, the next time you’re feeling down about that blemish, just remember that you’re in good company. Those other 90 million Americans who also have acne feel your pain!

Skin terms defined, easy peasy

When you start reading the labels on skin care products, a bewildering array of terms and words pop up. Non-acnegenic, AHAs, salicylic acid, SPF. Confusion mounts as you try to learn about acne, with words like acne vulgaris, comedone and lesion. Lesion?! Doesn’t that sound terrible? Turns out, it just means ‘a mark in the skin’ to a dermatologist (a doctor specializing in skin). ‘Lesion’ could refer to a sore, growth, blister or pimple.

So, in the hopes of clearing up some confusion, we give you this list of some of the most common words you’ll come across if you’re trying to learn more about basic skin care and acne. This is by no means a definitive list, but this will get you started on your road to being a well-informed beauty consumer.

Acne vulgaris – A medical term that means acne.

Acne – An inflammation of the skin’s sebaceous glands and hair follicles that results in pimples and pustules.

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) – A type of acid found in plants, used in many acne and cosmetic products, such as moisturizers and sunscreens. Also used in chemical peels.

Benzoyl peroxide – Topical antibacterial agent used to treat acne. Found in more over-the-counter and prescription skin care products than any other chemical.

Collagen – A protein that gives skin strength, elasticity and durability. Your body produces less collagen as you age. Often found in beauty products to prevent or stop wrinkles.

Comedone – A pore clogged with sebum and dead skin cells. Can be a blackhead or whitehead.

Dermis – Layer of the skin just beneath the epidermis. Contains blood and lymphatic vessels, hair follicles, nerves and glands.

Laser - A single (concentrated) band of light that can penetrate into the dermis without injuring the epidermis. Often used to treat acne and scars. When used to treat acne, the beams are adjusted to penetrate below the epidermis and travel into the dermis where they zero in on the bacteria that causes acne.

Non-acnegenic – A product that doesn’t cause acne.

Non-comedogenic – A product that doesn’t cause blackheads or whiteheads.

Papule – Pimples (zits) that appear as small, firm, reddish bumps. Also known as an inflammatory lesion.

Salicylic acid – An acid that helps exfoliate outer layers of the skin. Found in many acne products.

Sebaceous glands – Small, sack-shaped glands located under the epidermis (first layer of skin) that release sebum onto the hair and skin.

Sebum – A semi-fluid secretion of the sebaceous glands, consisting of fat, keratin and cellular material.

SPF (Sun Protection Factor) – Sunscreens, moisturizers and some cosmetics are labeled with an SPF. The SPF label tells you how long you can stay in the sun before burning. Products with SPF 15 or higher are recommended.

Tetracycline – An antibiotic used to treat acne and rosacea.

Topical therapy – Something that’s applied onto the skin, such as a cream, gel or ointment.

To learn even more about acne and how your skin works in general, visit MyZeno.com. [links to http://www.myzeno.com/about-acne.asp]

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Zeno Beauty 101

What is acne and why do I get it?
The bacterium P. acnes is a normal part of the skin’s maintenance system. However, if P. acnes gets into a clogged hair follicle it can multiply, causing a pimple.

How long can breakouts last?
It depends on your individual skin. In clinical trials 96% of the blemishes treated with Zeno went away or improved within 48 hours. Two to three 2½-minute treatments over 24 hours kills most pimples. Often, only one treatment is needed.

What are my treatment options? 
P. acnes causes about 90% of all spots. You can wash your face, scrub it, use potions, creams or lights to dry it up. But too much drying can cause more inflammation. You can take oral medications. But when you still feel a pimple forming, it’s time to use Zeno. Zeno is proven to work better than Benzoyl peroxide washes and Blue Light therapies. Your pimple starts to clear in hours, not weeks.

What is Zeno’s history?
Zeno has helped thousands of people fight blemishes since 2002.

How does Zeno work?
Acne is a medical problem and requires a medical solution. When you catch a cold your body’s natural response is to fight it off with a fever. Zeno applies a measured, calculated “fever” directly to the bacteria. The bacteria produce heat-shock proteins which cause the pimple to self-destruct from the inside.

Foods for great looking skin

Studies show that foods don’t cause acne. But that doesn’t mean you should eat just anything! You need nutrition to build skin from the ground (or cell) up.

Which foods help can contribute to great looking skin? Sorry, you won’t find burgers, fries, candy and pizza on this list. These yummies help build healthy skin one cell at a time. By eating these foods, you literally can create that glow-from-within skin we all desire.

1. Water – You’ve heard it before, and it’s true. Skin cells love water. It keeps your skin looking healthy (and younger) because the individual cells are plump with hydration. Recommended: eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.
2. Berries – Blackberries, blueberries and strawberries are antioxidant heavyweights. Antioxidants are the nutrients that help protect skin cells from damage by things like sun exposure. This in turn helps prevent premature aging of the skin.
3. Nuts and seeds – Nuts and seeds are generally good for your health because these foods are high in healthy fats, the kind of fats your body needs to build healthy skin cells. In particular, pecans (high in antioxidants), walnuts and flaxseed (packed with essential fatty acids) and brazil nuts (an excellent source of selenium) are the skin’s heavy-hitters here.
4. Black, red and pinto beans – Another plentiful source of antioxidants.
5. Plums and prunes – Contain large amounts of skin-friendly antioxidants.
6. Green tea – While it doesn’t act as a substitute for water, green tea should be included on any health-skin list for its anti-inflammatory qualities. Green tea contains polyphenols which help protect cell membranes from sun damage.
7. Low-fat dairy products – Healthy skin depends on vitamin A, and low-fat dairy products are an excellent source of that nutrient.
8. Fish – Consider salmon and tuna the next time you eat. Salmon is an excellent source of the fatty acids that build healthy skin. Tuna contains high levels of selenium.

Finally, don’t forget that nothing will help your skin (and you’re whole body!) more than a well-balanced diet built from all the food groups.

Source: WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/skin-food. January 26, 2009.

Acne: Causes and treatments

Causes

Adult acne is caused by sebum, an oily substance made by your skin’s sebaceous glands. Sebum clogs pores, which in turn attracts bacteria and the pores become inflamed.

For most adults, breakouts are a result of hypersensitivity to androgens (male hormones). But an imbalance in both male and female hormones (estrogen) can also cause pimples. For women, these imbalances can happen throughout life, but especially during pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause. Plus, some common medications such as corticosteroids and cosmetics can trigger acne breakouts.

Fixes

Believe it or not, there’s a right way to wash your face and it may take some experimentation to find exactly what works for your skin. The basics are:

• Touch your face as little as possible throughout the day, and keep your skin clean.
• Don’t scrub! Treating your skin too harshly can inflame the skin and worsen acne.
• Do use your hands to wash your face rather than a washcloth.
• Use a gentle cleanser that doesn’t dry your skin.
• Clean doesn’t mean squeaky or tight. So, use cool or room-temperature water to rinse and clean your skin, never hot water.

If your best efforts don’t stop those pimples from popping up, there’s a great device to try – Zeno. Zeno stops acne by sending a little wave of heat below the skin to kill the bacteria inside a pimple. It’s very friendly to sensitive skin since it requires no harsh chemicals and no big waves of heat that leave your skin marked.

Skin news you can use

If you’re like me, trying to understand why you’re an adult woman and still have acne, here’s an excellent New York Times article to read. http://tinyurl.com/cawptc

It’s an oldie but goodie (from 1997!), but it clearly explains why adult acne happens, dispels common myths, and makes several realistic suggestions for stopping it before it happens. The writer also says that the number of women with acne is increasing, which means I’m in good company!

Since it was written more than 10 years ago, it seriously predates the invention of products like Zeno, but it’s a good overall primer on the roots causes of acne and how to treat it.

One of the things I liked best is that the article acknowledges that everyone’s skin is different, and therefore the causes and cures for acne are different. Though I love my Zeno, it gave me hope that I can reduce the number of pimples that need its zap.

If you want another good resource, I also like WebMD’s skin problems special section at: http://tinyurl.com/bvqtnw. It’s much more in-depth, so set aside some time to look at all the information.

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