Journey to Clear Skin: Part II

In November, I invited you to join me on my sister Hilary’s journey to clear skin, and I’m thrilled to report with good news… (drum-roll please)

Just after ONE treatment session there has been overall improvement with her acne!!!!!!!

Now, performing miracles is one of JD’s specialties, Hilary’s skin does have a ways to go before it is wedding ready.

When starting this process, Hilary went in knowing “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

Or in other words, achieving the ultimate goal of clear skin takes time, dedication, and most importantly patience.

While, that is much easier said than done, managing stress plays a key role when it comes to acne. Scientists don’t know exactly how stress worsens acne, but they do know that cells that produce sebum have receptors for stress hormones. Sebum, is the oily substance that mixes with dead skin cells and bacteria to clog the hair follicles. Leading to a very much unwanted pimple, or acne cyst.

So, keep calm & read on how Hilary’s first visit to Cascade’s Baxter spa went.

The first portion of the appointment Hilary sat down with JD. Together they reviewed and made modifications to her skincare regimen. Most of the products remained the same however, JD recommended a switch to a different sunscreen.

EltaMD® UV Clear SPF 46 is facial sunscreen specifically formulated to calm and protect sensitive skin. Ideal for skin types prone to acne, rosacea and hyperpigmentation. The formula comes either tinted or non-tinted. Hilary decided to go with the tinted version to help even out her skin tone, this product can also be a great makeup substitute.

Initially the plan was to treat Hilary with the Acne Laser. However, upon a thorough evaluation of her skin, JD determined that Hilary’s acne was too “active” and instead the treatment consisted of a light chemical peel & extractions.

JD cleansed Hilary’s skin with, iS Clinical® Cleansing Complex. Once her face was dry JD applied the SkinMedica® Illuminize Peel.

The Illuminize peel is the gentlest peel offered at Cascade MedSpa. It is appropriate for someone who is having a chemical peel for the first-time, has mild skin imperfections, or is a great option if looking for brighter, more radiant skin with no downtime. Hilary did experience some redness along with a mild tingling sensation upon application. Both are short lived side effects that typically last no more than a few hours.

Shortly after the peel was applied it was time to start extractions. When performing extractions JD applies gentle pressure around the pore to extract the contents with either gloved fingers, or a special metal tool designed for this purpose. This procedure can be considered painful, depending on a person’s pain tolerance and how severe their acne is. The short- & long-term benefits outweigh the temporary discomfort you might feel during the procedure.

(Remember: Although it is tempting to pop a pimple or blackhead on your own, a skilled esthetician can remove them more safely than you can. Taking extractions into your own hands can lead to making existing acne worse, an infection, or the risk of causing permanent scarring.)

Extractions can quickly clear up unsightly acne, remove whiteheads and blackheads, and give your skin a newer, fresher foundation for your skincare products to penetrate.

Hilary’s skin post-procedure was a little rosy with some small spots inflamed where extractions had been done. To help conceal the redness, JD applied a light layer of powder foundation from Jane Iredale®.

Jane Iredale’s Pure Pressed Base is a weightless mineral foundation rich in antioxidants and oil free. The foundation contains either an SPF 20 or SPF 15 (depending on the shade) and is recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation as an effective broad-spectrum sunscreen. Pure Pressed is available in 26 shades, to match almost any skin tone.

My sister’s follow up appointment is in a of couple weeks, and I cannot wait to report her progress in next month’s blog post. Stay Tuned & Happy New Year!