You may have tried all sorts of products to clear up your skin, but if you're reading this, chances are those products aren't working. Dr. Macrene is here to share her top acne tips, including key causes to watch out for, how your cleanser can help, and what ingredients to look for in your skincare products to help reduce acne and rejuvenate your skin.
What Causes Adult Acne?
Hormones: "Many adult women regularly have a premenstrual breakout. For others, if their hormone cycle is not exactly 28 days, sometimes they can have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) or hyperandrogenism," says Dr. Macrene. "Sometimes it feels like they have acne all the time because they don’t ovulate on a regular schedule. Those people will tell you that there is no pattern—they just break out continually. This is the major driving force of hormonal acne in the adult years."
Exogenous Ingredients: "Oils were all the rage about five years ago. I had a slew of patients in my office who had the worst type of deep-rooted cystic acne due to oil use," says Dr. Macrene. "In this case, it’s not hormones plugging your pores, it’s actually the oil plugging your pores and then the bacteria proliferating very deep in the follicle, so you get little painful red dots in the middle of the cheek that then form into cystic acne."
Diet: High-carb foods and dairy can exacerbate cystic acne. "The reason dairy causes acne is because cows are now milked five times more than before. Because of the stress (and because they milk cows even when they’re pregnant), the progesterone levels in milk are several folds higher, says Dr. Macrene. "Milk today, and I mean even if the milk is organic, has higher levels of these stress hormones, including cortisol. These stress hormones cause acne."
How to Treat Acne?
Topical Therapy: Dr. Macrene places all her acne patients on a customized acne regimen. She formulated her MACRENE actives line to be therapeutic and compatible with acne-prone skin. Her High Performance Cleanser contains niacinamide and biotin, which are medical grade to reduce blemishes and sebum production. To reduce the redness in blemishes, she added green tea and aloe alongside panthenol to hydrate and soothe while the plant-derived surfactants gently yet thoroughly remove excess oils to keep the skin clear and fresh.
Chemical Peels: If your pores keep getting larger and breakouts keep recurring, then you may be better off getting a chemical peel from Dr. Macrene. "When I administer a medical peel in office, I get a full thickness resurfacing of the skin and allow the skin to rejuvenate itself over a 28-day cycle. My rationale for this is that the turnover of the skin is 28 days and one would not want to repeel the new skin cells as they're coming through. I get incredible results with my peel but I do use it as an artist tool," says Dr. Macrene.
Lasers: For those with acne and acne scarring, Dr. Macrene recommends lasers. You can learn about the lasers that would best treat your types of acne and acne scarring in her textbook, Alexiades' COSMETIC DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY.
For acne-prone skin, Dr. Macrene suggests using a combination of the High Performance Cleanser and Serum. The Cleanser contains pharmaceutical Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Citric Acid, Spearmint & Peppermint Extracts that reduce acne, inflammation, and red acne scars. In addition, the High Performance Serum has a combination of anti-adult acne plant extracts that help combat breakouts. By using both of these products on a consistent basis, you will notice an immediate improvement.
With the MACRENE actives line, you do not need to use a toner. Simply wash your face with the Cleanser and lukewarm water in the morning and evening. Then apply a small amount of the Serum immediately while the skin is still damp to lock in moisture. As for your makeup, use non-comedogenic formulas. Dr. Macrene highly recommends the High Performance Tinted Moisturizer. This buildable, mica and talc-free formula does not use mineral oils, petrolatum, or any other pore-clogging ingredients. It firms and helps reduce the appearance of pores, fine lines, and wrinkles with powerful antioxidants such as Superoxide Dismutase, Green Tea Epigalleins, and Gingko Extracts so your acne and pores are diminished immediately after application.
