| The number people over 30 needing acne | | | | conflict and tension in the body. Again, these |
| treatments has climbed to the extent that a | | | | issues most be addressed to avoid undue stress |
| report published in Journal of the American | | | | within the body.5. Are you exercising |
| Academy of Dermatology recommends raising | | | | everyday?Exercise reduces stress and gives you |
| the age for insurance coverage of the acne drug | | | | an opportunity to subconsciously contemplate |
| tretinoin to at least 40. The authors of the report, | | | | challenges that you may be facing. Physical |
| Drs. Steven Feldman and Alan Fleischer, | | | | activity also keeps your muscles and intestines |
| dermatologists at Wake Forest University Baptist | | | | toned, which keeps encourages regularity.6. Are |
| Medical Center, add that many insurance | | | | you changing your pillowcase frequently?Using a |
| companies refuse to pay for tretinoin | | | | dirty pillowcase aggravates an acne condition. |
| prescriptions for patients older than 25.Even if | | | | Your face naturally secretes oils during the night. |
| your insurance company leaves you to fend for | | | | These oils are sticky. So if you pillowcase if dirty, |
| yourself, you still have options for freeing yourself | | | | you are allowing your face to collect extra waste |
| from acne and wrinkles. At first, coping with acne | | | | during the night, which could further clog your |
| and wrinkles may seem like a cosmetic catch 22. | | | | pores.7. Have you moved recently or are you |
| Do you dry your skin with acne cleansers | | | | changing your job/career?New demands or |
| containing benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, and | | | | feelings of lose can sometimes accompany |
| worsen your wrinkles? Or, do you smear on the | | | | change. Transfer these emotions into something |
| moisturizer to smooth the wrinkles, but cope with | | | | constructive by writing in a journal or envisioning |
| the zits brought on by the extra oil?Before you | | | | how these changes are going to benefit you. Find |
| get frantic, ask yourself a series of questions. | | | | comfort in these changes and opportunities for |
| Adult acne may be the result of hormonal | | | | new beginnings.8. (Women) Do you also |
| flunctuations triggers by diet, stress or your | | | | experience excessive facial hair growth and |
| environment.1. Are you regular? About 70% of | | | | erratic periods?Conditions such as acne, excessive |
| your immune system is located in your intestines. | | | | facial hair, and erratic periods could indicate an |
| If this area is blocked with waste, your | | | | androgen disorder or other underlying hormonal |
| immuno-defenses are down. So, instead of waste | | | | imbalances. Your doctor can provide you with a |
| leaving your body via the rectum, it chooses to | | | | series of endocrine tests to ascertain your |
| leave through the skin. Waste leaving the skin can | | | | hormone levels and what corrective actions you |
| cause an infection that presents itself as acne.2. | | | | should take. Ricardo Azziz, M.D, who serves as |
| Are you tense?Tension likewise reduces the vigor | | | | Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and |
| of the immune system. Take a few deep breaths | | | | Director of the Center for Androgen-Related |
| throughout the day to calm your body. Take a | | | | Disorders at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, |
| long walk in the fresh air to wind down.3. Are you | | | | estimates that 80 percent of women with |
| eating all the nutrients you need?Cases of acne | | | | excessive androgen levels suffer from an |
| have been improved with consuming foods | | | | endocrine disorder called polycystic ovary |
| containing zinc, essential fatty acids, vitamin A and | | | | syndrome (PCOS). Dr. Azziz adds that women |
| a host of other nutrients. All of these vital | | | | with PCOS often have insulin resistance and are |
| nutrients are available in leafy green vegetables, | | | | at increased risk for developing Type II diabetes, |
| fruits and olive oil.4. Are you constantly thinking | | | | hypertension and heart disease.Health author and |
| about a personal issue that you have not | | | | Stanford University graduate Naweko San-Joyz |
| addressed?Not resolving personal issues creates | | | | lovingly writes from her home in San Diego. |