Do hair sprays, conditioners, and other hair styling products clog pores, resulting in acne breakouts? The answer is a resounding YES. If tiny bumps are seen along the hairline on the upper part of the forehead, this may be an example of clogged pores. Products can cause whiteheads and other types of acne in these areas. The bumps can be so subtle that the client…

Vitamin A is the name of a group of fat-soluble molecules referred to as retinoids. Retinoids belong to the terpene family and are sourced from both flora (plants) and fauna (animal sources). Terpenes occur in aromatic substances and spice plants, cellular structuring substances, hormones, and vitamins.1 Their molecular structures include retinol, retinaldehyde, retinoic acid. Retinoic acid shows the most biological activity.2 Retinoic acid modulates gene…

Clinical research is always the best place to start when looking for a factual answer. According to various studies, the real answer is (drum roll, please) maybe. The studies that exist are conflicting and not well documented, which begs a decision be made outside of the research. SUN EXPOSURE Exposing acne-prone skin to too much sun will eventually backfire, causing more problems in the long…

Getting a pimple and not popping it right away has got to be one of the biggest tests of self-discipline for a client. Two major reasons why clients should not pop their own pimples is that it creates post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation –a forever pimple and secondly because it can create even more pimples. POST-INFLAMMATORY PIGMENTATION Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is a pigmentation type that forms discoloration on the…