Metrosexual Guide to Life

Tend-Skin is very good for chronic ingrown hairs. I’d post a link, but I’m typing on Tic-Tacs. I’m sure Google or some other search engine will find it. Tend-Skin is very strong stuff.

For those who need less strong, any scrub or facial cleanser with 2% salicylic acid in it will probably soften the skin up and reduce the occurence of those bumps. Most of the acne washes have this.

Salicylic acid is the active ingredient in aspirin. It’s an anti-inflamatory agent. It is now in many skin care products, but its usefulness is not just anti-acne. It helps exfoliate and will work on ingrown hairs, making the folicle softer and thinner - thereby making them easier to shave and less likely to become ingrown.

Neutrgena’s Oil Free Acne (for example) wash is a very good all around cleanser and will fulfill these functions well.

Ok, I have a question I’d like the Metrosexual Guide to Life to answer:
I have an endless supply of blackheads, and the occasional white head, on my head torso and biceps. I scrub regularily with a combination salicylic acid exfoliator bead body soap (i use this for my face too). I have an inkling of an idea that maybe if I were to use tanning beds on a regular basis, I’d actually have real clear skin for the first time since I was 5.

Am I on the right track? What can you suggest? I’ve been to one dermatologist, who has had me doing his “blue-light” therapy, I can’t really say it’s worked or not, but if so it’s damned slow about it, I want my acne GONE DAMNIT… sorry, but really I entered into this teenager contract with the clear understanding that acne was a TEMPORARAY condition, and I expect this stipulation to be honored now that I’ve fullfilled my part of the contract.

Don’t know about the tanning bed solution, that might cause other problems. The thought occurred to me that some of your problem could be dietary. For example refined sugars are thought to be linked to skin problems. For example: High Fructose Corn Syrup is in EVERYTHING and it’s not known for its nutritional value.

Dr. Perricone (whom androNYC mentioned earlier, in passing) has a few books on the subject. In your case you might try looking into The Clear Skin Prescription . Dr. Perricone has his own line of skin care products - and they are priced accordingly. However, if you get into reading labels you can often find alternatives that are of equal value, but more cost-effective.

Here’s the Tend-Skin link for the razor burn question. A girlfriend of mine turned me on to this. It is very good for bikini bumps as well.

Ingrown Hair Solution | Helps Reduce Razor Bumps

They appear to have expanded their product line since I discovered them in 2000. I don’t know how good the other stuff is, but the original product works really well.

Thank you sir Mr. Happy. I’ll definately look into that. My dermatologist said under specific questioning that "there is no evidence that diet influences acne" but then again, the jury is still out on the charge of Quakery in the first degree.

Well, I don’t know. I know one girl who has skin problems on her face and adopted a no sugar policy and it seems to have made a huge difference.

I don’t tend to have acne, but since I’ve been lifting again, and drinking weight gaining shakes (full of Malto Dextrin) I’ve noticed little breakouts (not on my face, but my arms, chest and back). Nothing severe, but definitely noticeable. Granted it’s anecdotal evidence… Read his books and see what you think.

I look at it this way: it’s worth a shot.

Oh I agree, please understand I’m not arguing with you, I’m just expressing my dissapointment in my current doctor. I truly take it bad when someone dissapoints me, as I usually don’t give my trust very easily, and consider myself a reasonable judge of character… Perhaps I’ll rationalize it that I never really trusted him anyways, but felt it was worth a shot to let someone who’s supposed to know what they’re doing treat my problem… I keep on telling myself to LISTEN to that feeling in my gut, it keeps on pointing out to me later that it was right and I was wrong… Some day hopefully I’ll learn.

Shaggy dog,

Back in the day, I used to work for an indoor suntanning manufacturer (aka tanning bed) and I will tell you lots of people commented on how their skin cleared up while absorbing the UV rays. My dermotologist once told me that blackheads are dirt and whiteheads are bacteria but that doesnt sound like your problem at all.

Also, testoterone can produce body acne, since I have been on testosterone therapy, my shoulders, arms and back can sometimes break out. Look at the guys at the gym who are cycling as well.
Good luck.

And I’ve heard a lot about tanning helping to clear skin, now I don’t know what to think.

Mr. Happy… What specific problems were you thinking of when you mentioned tanning beds?

Oh, well in the context of this Metrosexual thread, I was thinking about the stress of UV rays which help to cause age lines and deplete the skin of its youthfulness.

Some of us have to worry about that more than others.

I’m never sure how old anyone is.

I’m 24, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be kicking myself in 20 years for mortgaging the youthfullness of my skin in order to make it clearer skin… But you never know. I’d probably rather have clear old skin, than young acne-fied skin.

I have the same goddamn problem too. I’m 27 and I really wonder, why I suffer this kind of acne problem wheres like % 95 of people have only a few of these for their entire lives..

Whatever. I didn’t know about the sugar thing but tanning clearly makes sense. Since I’ve observed it’s effects. Here are some things that I know which helps:

- The thermal springs. May change from place to place (since there are chemical variations in the water everywhere), but I believe they are good in general. I’ve observed the results, my acne was like halved in just one day.

- Certain soaps (which contain sulfur- brown ones)
- Not playing with the acne & keeping face clean

- Not so sure if this is valid for everyone, but here is something I’ve observed at myself: I must add, before, the explanation will definitely be, “subjective”:

Certain situations, create “heat” in my face. I can feel it when it happens. Situations which cause some sort of anger or especially boredom- or may be regretting.. This heat, I believe , is something that causes the acne to grow .

I hope this made some sense. Avoiding such situations may be a solution.

kaan, I believe what you termed “heat” is when your face flushes with blood. Which usually happens in stressful or angry situations. And I agree with you, stressing out is a good way to get an acne flair up.

As for whether or not sugar should be avoided. We already know it’s bad for you anyways, so there can’t be any harm in cutting it out, or at least reducing it. If nothing else you’ll lose some weight, which is a plus for me at least.

And I’ve heard this repeated several times, and I can validate it from my own experience at least. People with acne problems are probably the cleanest people on Earth (obviously because they’re trying to clean the acne away) so I seriously doubt that being dirty is a problem for most people with this issue.

Refined food products of any kind are of less use as a rule.

Sugar. White floor. White rice.

Sugar (high fructose corn syrup, etc.) is definitely not so good for the skin.

Check out this book: The Acne Prescription : The Perricone Program for Clear and Healthy Skin at Every Age

I second Happ’s recommendation- Perricone’s plan has served me well for quite a while, and there is a definite difference when I slack off and then pick it back up.

He’s a believer in treating the skin from the inside out, with judicious dietary and supplementation choices in addition to hydration and anti-oxidant topical stuff formulated specifically for skin nutrition- nothing mystical from mysterious lands hawked by pinched looking women of indeterminate age with odd thick accents, just good science.

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