JESSICA BIBER
Staff Writer
One dilemma connects prom, class presentations and job interviews. They are all prime opportunities for those pesky pimples to appear. But these days, with celebrities more concerned about showing a zit on the runway than much else, dermatologists are on the move to find new, fast-acting acne solutions. People plagued by zits can find refuge in drugstore items like Neutrogena, prescription skin care, celebrity remedies or cutting-edge products like Zeno.
Drugstore skin care
Neutrogena is a line of skin care that offers more than 30 gels, creams, face masks and lotions aimed at fighting acne. Consumers can choose cleansers, moisturizers and treatments that target different problems.
For example, products such as the “Blackhead Eliminating Astringent” focus on zapping blackheads, whereas items such as “Oil-free Acne Wash” aim at drying pimples.
For a full-body cleanse, Neutrogena’s “Body Clear Body Wash” provides an exfoliating gel to remove dead skin cells.
The amount of time it takes to see results depends on the product.
Many products require two to three weeks before skin clears. But Neutrogena claims its new “Microclear Technology” banishes acne in just 15 seconds.
These products are relatively cheap and retail at drugstores for anywhere between $4 and $15 dollars.
But some professionals are cautious about the lower-end items. “The FDA does not regulate where [drugstore brands] get their raw materials from, so they can put in any chemicals they want,” said Lori Milligan, manager of Malibu skin care boutique L’Occitane.
“When you look at the products, it’s just a bunch of chemicals without anything substantial in there, which is why there is a lower cost-point.”
But according to sophomore Stephanie Chin, the quality of the items speaks for itself, regardless of the lower prices.
“I have used the expensive [brands] and I have used the drugstore ones and the drugstore ones work better,” Chin said. “But then I follow with really nice lotions.”
Prescription skin care
Many people use prescription skin care to treat more severe cases of acne. Prescriptions vary in price, but are usually dependable forms of treating acne.
“One of my friends had a really bad zit problem,” said junior Christopher Ng. “He used medications and they worked.”
Prescription skin care comes in two forms: oral and topical.
Oral skin care products include antibiotics, which lower the amount of bacteria around follicles and minimize inflammation.
The most popular form of antibiotics is Tetracycline. Users start at about 500mg per day and reduce their consumption as acne starts to clear. Results usually appear within anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple months.
But according to Milligan, prescription skin care may do more harm than good. “Some of them do work, but you only want to use them for a small amount of time. They are stronger and they tend to do more damage than help to the skin.”
Side-effects of Tetracycline include upset stomach, dizziness and sensitivity to sun.
For less chance of side-effects, those battling acne should consider topical prescriptions.
Antibacterial ointments, creams and lotions work by fighting bacteria and drying the skin to unclog pores. One of the most popular forms of topical medication is benzoyl peroxide, which is especially effective for whiteheads and blackheads. Topical creams often cause dryness or redness of skin, so users should consider other options if they are already prone to dry skin.
Red carpet remedies
Of course, many people bypass doctors and dermatologists and look to celebrities for the secret to glowing faces.
Right now the rage among celebrities is the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, which blends Salicylic Acid with Calamine to banish pesky whiteheads within a period of hours. Celebrities such as Jessica Simpson, Kelly Clarkson and Vanessa Williams advocate ProActiv, a three-step skin care system that cleanses, tones and hydrates skin. Because ProActiv retails for around $40, the product line has had enormous success, even with people who lack a celebrity-size bank account.
Natural treatments
For those exhausted from all of the products claiming the path to immediately clear skin, rest assured that there are age-old remedies that do not require any treatments or face masks.
“Definitely keep your skin hydrated and exercise,” advised Milligan.
Chin recommends a good diet: “I think you have to eat healthy because it doesn’t matter what you put on top of your skin. If you eat fried stuff and French fries, it’s obvious you are going to get pimples.”
For those with a dose of luck and patience, sometimes doing nothing is the best solution.
Sophomore Nicole Montgomery says leaving her skin alone works best. “I don’t use anything
— just a moisturizer,” said Montgomery. “I have never really had a problem with my skin, and if I did, I would rather let my pimple heal naturally.”
Zeno
And then there is Zeno, which is a new treatment that transcends ointments, creams, lotions, gels and all of the other products people use to prevent pimples. Zeno is a hand-held tool that transfers heat directly into the pimple, shocking the bacteria that cause inflammation and redness.
The manufacturers of Zeno claim the product self-regulates how much heat it delivers based on the temperature of the user’s skin and environment. That way, the skin is not harmed by the high temperature Zeno sends into the skin.
Zeno retails for about $150 and comes with 60 tips that the user replaces with each use.
For severe help, medications or high-end products might provide the most reliable defense system, but drugstore brands may do the trick for milder forms of acne. And, for those among the few who are blessed with skin that requires hardly any maintenance, feel free to bypass the colorful, fast-acting, promise-happy skin care aisle on the next drugstore outing.
03-22-2007