beauty

Four ways to make the Damn Pimple Fairy never visit again.

Seriously. Nobody appreciates your presence every month, chin pimples!

 

 

I’m just going to say what you’re probably thinking: hormonal pimples are a b*tch.

As if the mood swings, cramps and bloating wasn’t enough; our bodies throw in a cluster of chin pimples to really set us off at that time of the month.

Hormonal breakouts are the worst, because just like your emotions at this time, they are mostly out of our control. And no matter how many glasses of water we guzzle or how much chocolate we avoid eating, the Pimple Fairy will still pay us a visit seven to 10 days before our period is due. Damn Pimple Fairy.

Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by Dermalogica. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100 per cent authentic and written in their own words.

In Chinese face reading, not surprisingly, the chin relates to the ovaries. We experience breakouts on either side of our mouth corresponding to the ovulating ovary (thanks ovaries!). But you don’t need to be skilled in Face Mapping®, to spot a hormonal breakout. It’s often along the chin and jawline, usually cystic with big, painful, sometimes red, bumps. I have a huge, blind whopper on my chin as I am writing this / spending time touching it. Its rounded, bumped out appearance is also bringing out the best in my blackheads. Fun times!

As tempting as it is to take all your hormonal rage out on these pimples, do not pick or squeeze them. DO NOT. Ok, I know you’ll give it a go (we all crack eventually) but stop if it doesn’t immediately oblige – these ones will leave scars or worse, spread bacteria leading to more pimples. Yeah, the last thing you want.

If you’re anything like me during a PMS-fuelled rage, you’re looking for something – anything – to blame. It’s the mid-cycle rise in progesterone and higher testosterone levels, which stimulate sebaceous glands and in turn make more sebum.

Since there’s not a lot we can do about the hormonal spin cycle our body is dealing with (apart from going on the pill) there are a few things we can do to contain the breakout and make it less severe.

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One of those is switching to a low GI diet. A recent study showed that when the subjects remained on a diet of vegetables, fruits, proteins, and unprocessed carbohydrates their acne improved by 50%.

Switch to a low GI diet

A low GI diet consists of foods like lean pork, organic chicken, lean beef, fruits, vegetables, white fish, wild salmon, nuts, avocado and nuts. And ditching processed foods like biscuits, lollies, breakfast cereals, chips, white bread, pizza and potatoes. I know, all the fun stuff.

More tips:

1. Switch your cleanser to a (non-drying!) Salicylic or glycolic acid based cleanser.  These ingredients, while they don’t have any effect on sebum production or kill bacteria do help clear clogged follicles and stimulate natural exfoliation.

2. Use a concealing spot treatment product that contains active ingredients like sulfur, zinc oxide or if you prefer, benzoyl peroxide. Since you’re going to cover it, you may as well use a cover up product that heals while it conceals.

3. Avoid toners and clearing gels with alcohol; they dry out the skin, have little or no effect on acne.

4. You probably haven’t given much thought to clay masks since your high school sleepover days, but oil-absorbing clay masks help clear pore congestion, breakouts and eliminate excess oil.

If you can relate to any of this, Dermalogica’s Corporate Training Manager, Dennille Ludenau will be here to answer your breakout and skin health questions for the next 24 hours.

Leave your questions for her in the comments below  before 4pm Friday 12th June and she will answer them asap. This is your chance to clear up (see what I did there?) your skincare concerns. NB: You can also upload photos in the comments box if you wish.

 

The lovely people at Dermalogica came in and treated the Mamamia office to a face mapping session, where more than a few of our found the answers to our skin health questions. Take a look.

Dermalogica

 is the number one choice of skin care professionals and consumers worldwide. Why? Because for over 25 years, they’ve been dedicated to delivering skin health results through education, innovation, and professional recommendation, not through fancy packaging, promises of miracle cures, or overblown hype.             

Find your nearest Dermalogica Expert for a complimentary Face Mapping® Skin Analysis at dermalogica.com.au.