A common misconception is that the sun will reduce the appearance of acne, however if your skin is prone to breakouts, you may experience increased inflammation at the end of the summer season. While it's true that sun exposure does dry out the skin's surface and provide temporary relief to oily skin, in reality, drying the skin's surface only represses the release of the excess sebum that is building-up in the pilo-sebaceous follicles. This often results in a pile up of sebum and bacteria under the skin that is just waiting for an opportunity to form comedons (whiteheads), and the cool fall days provide the perfect occasion. As always, the best way to prevent an acne outbreak is to control rather than repress it. If your skin is not typically be prone to acne, you may experience a few break-outs that can easily be controlled with a temporary modification of your skin care regimen.

Spa treatments for acne

Your esthetician can perform treatments that include a thorough exfoliation and deep-cleansing, along with comedon extractions, which will help to prevent further eruptions. A regular deep cleansing facial will removing any excess sebum accumulated in your pores (extraction) that can often create comedons. In more active skin types, a comedon quite often results in a pimple if the skin has difficulty eliminating the excess oils that can cause inflammation and pimples to occur. In this case, prevention will consist of ridding the skin of troublesome comedons while preventing potential inflammation and any enlargement of the pores. A facial will allow for better elimination of sebum, thus preventing clogged pores. In severe cases, an advanced facial treatment would also help to soothe inflamed skin. Finally, products and treatments applied on acne prone skin will help sooth inflammation and reduce irritation caused by P. Acnes bacteria (Propionibacterium Acnes).

Treating acne prone skin at home

Your home regimen during the fall may need to be modified to accommodate your skin's seasonal state of transition. It may be time to introduce one or two of the following treatments.

Step 1: Exfoliate and deep cleansing. When you're experiencing an acne flare-up, deep cleansing and exfoliating are your first steps to controlling it. However, preventing breakouts is the easier and more manageable approach to clear skin. If you've been neglecting your skin for too long this summer, or if the drying effects of the sun and other elements have created a thick layer of dead cells on your skin's surface, then deep cleansing and exfoliating may initially result in an increase in break-outs. This is because all of the excess oil and debris that was trapped under those dead skin cells you've removed are rushing to get out of the clogged follicles (pores). Give your skin three to four weeks to re-stabilize.

To exfoliate and deep cleanse your skin properly, use products that contain the following ingredients:

• Cleansers containing Glycolic acid or AHA.
• Polishing scrubs are very easy and convenient to use. Avoid irritating your skin further by exfoliating in a gentle circular motion.
• Enzyme masks exfoliate by "digesting" surface dead cells.
• Clay masks exfoliate and purify the skin by absorbing dead cells and impurities as they dry.

Step 2: Treatment.

• Benzoyl Peroxide, Salicylic Acid, Alpha Hydroxy Acid and other specific plant extracts will generally be your best allies in your daily skin care regimen. Benzoyl Peroxide inhibits the growth of anaerobic bacteria by releasing oxygen into the follicle. The most effective approach-depending on how severely affected your skin is-is to apply Benzoyl Peroxide locally, preferably before the lesions become large. Benzoyl Peroxide can bleach clothes and bedding and is more practically used at night. Be sure to wear white cotton nightclothes. Salicylic Acid is a mild drying agent that is also an effective treatment against break-outs. Depending on your skin's type and behavior, you may apply it once daily. If your breakout is more severe, apply twice a day.
• Vitamin A products: These are a great solution to fall skin care troubles. Tretinoin is a synthetic derivative of vitamin A and is a powerful exfoliating agent that breaks the bonds between dead cells. This action allows your skin's cells to renew themselves faster, which results in a thickening of the epidermis and a smoother looking skin surface. In addition, when used topically, vitamin A is known to reduce acne and smooth wrinkles by accelerating the turnover rate of cells-this also contributes to a younger, smoother looking complexion.
• Alpha Hydroxy Acids: These exfoliate dead cells and help to increase the sebum and impurities elimination capability of the skin. Glycolic acid is one of the most effective alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) for shedding and ungluing compacted "shingles" of dead skin cells. Glycolic acid can be used daily in cleansers, moisturizers, body scrubs, shampoos and foot creams (to remove calluses). To be effective, Glycolic acid formulations need to be of at least 10% with an acidic pH of 3.5. It can also be applied more intensely in a skin resurfacing treatment performed by your esthetician or dermatologist.
• Aromatherapy and natural ingredients: If you prefer to use formulations based on natural ingredients, look for aromatherapy products that include the following plant extracts in their active ingredient list: Cedarwood, Geranium, Juniper Berry, Petit grain, Rosemary, German Chamomile, Sweet Thyme, Tea Tree, Lemon and Lemongrass.

Step 3: Spot treatment. This should be an essential part your home skin care routine. A spot treatment will allow you to stop the inflammation from escalating as soon as you notice a burgeoning pimple. It will also help prevent you from picking at your skin and causing scarring and hyperpigmentation. In many cases, spot treatments can stop a break-out entirely. If it doesn't, it will at least help reduce the life of the visible inflammation to one to two days instead of one to two weeks. All you should do is apply the spot treatment directly on the pimple as soon as you first notice it. If you are applying Benzoyl Peroxide, use it only at night and after cleansing because it tends to dry the skin and can possibly cause irritation.

Step 4: Hydrate and protect. Proper moisturizing of your skin is essential. If you tend to break out this fall, temporarily switch to a lighter moisturizer-in some cases you may even want to use a moisturizer that is for oily skin-unless you live in a climate that is extremely dry.

>> PART III: Weather-related Dehydration (next) >>

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