Adult acne is quite different from juvenile acne, both in causes and treatment.
Juvenile acne will appear on oily skin and in many cases is treated with topical products containing benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and other agents which are too harsh and potentially irritating to adult skin.
The causes of adult acne can range from stress to medications, to hormonal inbalance. Hormonal inbalance may be triggered by pregnancy, menopause or HRT (hormone replacement therapy) use.
Unlike juvenile acne, adult acne can appear on normal skin, combination skin and even dry skin.
Medical treatments for adult acne are, unfortunately, almost identical to those for juvenile acne. They include:
– Long-term use of antibiotics. This will weaken the body’s immune response and, by destroying the intestinal flora, will open the door to yeast-type infections.(candida)
– Topical applications of benzoyl peroxide will, depending on strength and frequency, produce free radicals and cause premature aging, just like excessive sun exposure.
– Accutane is a very effective medication in severe cases, but it can cause birth defects and has other serious side effects such as liver damage.
– Glycolic acid products are very useful adult acne products, provided they are used in conjunction with a nourishing cream.
– Topical retinoic acid (vit.A) can be very irritating to adult skin.
– Birth control pill is useful in cases of hormonal inbalance with excess androgens. A visible sign of this would be excess facial hair, hair loss or thinning hair.
With the exception of the birth control pill, all the above adult acne products are sometimes irritating to the skin and will leave adult skin with lifelong sensitivity.
At the European Touch we have alternative adult acne products that offer a gentler solution to heal, nourish and regenerate without any negative side effects.
The adult acne products are made by Gernetic France and are very easy to use:
1. Glyco Milk & Fibro Lotion used am & pm
2. Synchro (or Synchro2000) + Immuno mixed in equal parts am & pm (use very small amounts)
In case of hormonal acne you will, of course, use prescription birth control pills as well as the skin care regime.
Last, but not least we suggest you take a good multivitamin, a tablespoon of milk thistle per day and drink lots of water.
Adult acne is not an insoluble problem and many of our happy clients are living proof of it.
At The European Touch we are commited to your success in treating adult acne. Follow our advice and you will solve the adult acne problem in no time.
Contact us at info@theeuropeantouch.com                                                                            Consultations are always FREE.

by Nadia Danay

In the search for effective anti-wrinkle products we are faced with dozens of products that promise the moon and deliver minimal results, if any .

Beautifully photoshopped models in magazines seem to have miraculously benefitted from anti-wrinkle products which do nothing for you once you take them home.

How do you avoid making the same mistake over again?
A little anatomy is in order here, so we understand the mechanics of skin aging.
Our skin is made of 3 major layers :
epidermis – the top layer made of dry, dead skin cells.
dermis – the live, middle layer which contains collagen and elastin fibres, hair roots,
blood vessels, water and other components.
basal layer – primarily fat cells that act as insulation and protection.

Aging happens in the dermis, the live layer. Collagen and elastin fibers break, become slack and naturally occuring cell renewal slows down, so wrinkles set in.
Our skin also contains a large amount of water that plumps up the cells and fills the spaces in between cells. Relatively small amount of water loss, or dehydration, can result in fine lines, which, if dehydration continues, become wrinkles.
Still in the dermis, we find melanocytes, cells that produce a pigment called melanin, a process otherwise known as tanning. Tanning is a self defense mechanism that protects the body from UVA and UVB damage, in itself an aging process.

To summarize: when we look for anti-wrinkle products there are several problems to deal with, therefore any antiwrinkle product worth its salt must address at least one or two, if not more of these problems.

Moisturizers and hydrators are the first line of anti-wrinkle defense. They ensure the water content of the skin is topped up so fine lines have no chance to set in.
Chemical exfoliants such as retinol and glycolic acid will, by their very sloughing action on the skin, cause to speed up the cell renewal process. Collagen and elastin fibers regenerate with anti-wrinkle effect.The skin appears smoother and brighter because layers of accumulated dead cells are removed.
Exfoliation will partially remove sun damage, such as age spots.
Sun screens are to be considered anti-wrinkle preventive products and must be used regularly.
For up to the minute anti-wrinkle products, look for ingredients such as vitamin C that lightens and regenerates, peptides and neuro-peptides that send signals to skin to activate anti-aging mechanisms that help the appearance of deep wrinkles and expression lines.
Now that you have a better overview of the issue of anti-wrinkle products, you can take a look at the jars on your shelf and make sure they are indeed good enough for you.

by Nadia Danay