Submit your skincare questions to Dr. Agnes, CEO of Herborium and natural medicine expert
By: Dr. Agnes P. Olszewski
Who doesn't want to go a bit overboard with makeup on Halloween? Though this is the time to get away with it, you still may want to do it in a way that does not exasperate your acne.
Here are some Halloween tips to look crazy-good but let your acne-prone skin survive the night.
If you missed the first webinar (which was overbooked so we had to schedule it again!) on how to create your own ACTION® plan on how to treat your acne, you won't want to miss it this time! For anyone with acne, no matter how long you've had it for, you will be able to walk away from this webinar not only with an ACTION® plan, but Dr. Agnes Olszewski, CEO of Herborium and natural medicine specialist, will also share with you her secrets that have helped hundreds of thousands on not only breaking the cycle of acne, but how to overcome the emotional effects of having this skincare issue.
Skin oils (also called sebum) produced by your skin’s sebaceous glands are necessary to keep our skin healthy and supple. When not enough oil is produced, our skin begins to age and becomes dry, scaly and itchy! On the other hand, over-production of sebum may eventually lead to acne.
Under normal conditions, the sebaceous glands are a “well-oiled machine” (no pun intended) and they make just the right amount of sebum, which flows up through the pores of the skin to the surface to maintain healthy skin. When excess sebum is produced, it can lead to clogged pores, which accumulate this excess oil, dead skin cells and bacteria and create a perfect recipe for forming whiteheads, blackheads (comedones) and pimples. Therefore, the first step in pimple formation (AKA acne) is the over-production of sebum, and your first visible sign of a potential acne problem is... oily skin. Since an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, it makes sense to start preventing acne at the first sign of a problem: OILY SKIN.
While acne in men may not be considered dangerous, it certainly can be very distressing —and is surprisingly common as well. Over 25% of acne sufferers are men and this includes not just adolescents but grown men. In fact, during the last decade the median age of people with acne (including men) has risen by almost 23%, from 20.5 to about 26.5 years of age. In addition, guys have obviously less chance to camouflage acne with make up while at the same time their acne is usually more difficult to treat. The newer generation of men in general tend to be more concerned with their appearance, and more focused (and spending) on their looks including wellness, grooming and attire.
By: Dr. Agnes Olszewski
It’s hard enough to fight acne, but fighting acne scars is truly an uphill battle. There are many options available to help make scars less visible, but unless you work on treating, and most of all PREVENTING acne from coming, NONE of them will work and be worth your effort and money.
Acne marks and scars result from repeated (and extensive) damage to the skin due to acne pustules and papules, pimples, zits, cysts, etc. Each is associated with an inflammatory reaction which causes some local damage when combating bacteria trapped in the clogged pores of the skin.
If you think of a cut on your skin, you get a scab that helps it to heal. Pimples that become inflamed are like little cuts that need to heal; with repeated breakouts there is no time for the skin to regenerate. When you stop acne from coming you will allow your skin to at least partially renew itself using collagen (building blocks for the skin) producing new healthy tissue. As a result, your acne scars will become less visible, and those marks that are more superficial (small and less deep) may even vanish.
Myth 1: The sun is bad for me
FACT: No, the sun is NOT BAD for you. The sun is healthy if you take the proper precautions. Ultraviolet light from the sun comes in two main wavelengths: UVA and UVB. They are quite different in respect of the risk they create for your health. UVA rays are those that are considered “bad”, which can cause you to burn and eventually, excess exposure may lead to skin cancer. UVB helps you produce vitamin D, which is very important for your overall wellbeing, supports your bones, skin, muscles, heart, eyesight and immune system- but don’t be fooled, excess exposure can be harmful to your skin cells. Moderation in sun exposure and using proper sun protection are keys to your skin and body health since long-term, excessive exposure to sunlight can increase the risk of certain types of skin cancer. Appropriate use of sun protection also plays a major role in helping to combat acne breakouts and heal acne scars and marks.
By: Patricia Conte
You can combat acne at home with ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard. These DIY at-home acne remedies are gentle and effective.
You don’t have to be a teenager to experience the angst-inducing effects of acne. Thankfully there are several at-home remedies you can easily put together to help soothe your skin and combat a dreaded breakout.
Dr. Agnes is the founder of AcnEase, a unique provider of alternative and complementary health care solutions in the U.S and global marketplace. According to Dr. Agnes, scientists have found that cocoa can contain more antioxidants per cup than red wine or green tea.
There is also data suggesting that regular eating (or drinking) of dark chocolate without sugar (or strong dark chocolate-based cocoa [without sugar]) can calm skin that’s been irritated by sun exposure, and in general, improve skin texture, hydration and appearance. Cocoa butter is actually a familiar additive to many cosmetic products such as body butters, creams or scrubs.
She notes that, in general, chocolate and chocolate-based products are good natural choices to improve your skin. It will act as a moisturizer (makes skin smoother and more supple); calm irritated, dry skin; promote rejuvenation from inside out and help detoxification.
So you have a hot date planned, including a romantic chocolate wrap for two perhaps? You’re excited, ready to go and then, you look in the mirror and a pimple rudely popped up on your face in a most noticeable place. A normal reaction is to pop it —but don’t do it! It will only invite more bacteria in, make it look worse and worse yet, create an acne scar. Here is what you can do!
Dr. Agnes P. Olszewski, Founder of AcnEase®, an all-botanical acne treatment, shares with us her top 5 at home remedies to get rid of pimples quickly.
Dr. Agnes shared some thoughts on her entrepreneurial journey with us in our latest Q&A. Read on for more!