MANILA, Philippines—Some women are just born with beautiful skin. But for those of us who get the occasional blemish or even a full-blown breakout, certain steps must be taken in order to keep skin looking its best.

As superficial as it sounds, blemishes do affect our lives. We get moody, self-conscious or just sad whenever we have to look at the eye (or head) of the problem.

Pimples, blackheads, redness and dark spots are some of the skin problems we complain about.

Before going through extreme measures to clear your skin, read through these beauty don’t’s.

Don’t touch your pimples. “Popping your zits can lead to infection. Instead of pushing out the millia or the blackhead, you may be pushing it in deeper. And since your skin and nails are not sterile, it will be a good entry point for bacteria, which can make the problem worse and can lead to scarring,” says Dr. Ellaine Eusebio-Galvez, member of the Philippine Dermatological Society.

When you get a pimple, place an ice cube wrapped in a washcloth against it for 10 minutes to reduce inflammation. Or keep it practically out of sight with a yellow-based concealer that’s made for covering up pimples (usually it would contain salicylic acid).

But if you want it gone within a matter of hours, consult a dermatologist and ask what can be done.

“Nowadays there are many options for making pimples disappear. If it’s a cystic type (or otherwise known as underground pimples), we can inject a triamcinolone acetonide steroid into it. If it’s an inflammatory type, we can remove it through pricking and apply an antibiotic solution after so it won’t get infected. Another option is to take the pimple out through laser,” says Galvez.

Don’t over-cleanse your face. When it comes to our skin, cleaner isn’t necessarily better. Constantly washing our faces, especially using scrubs and exfoliants, can strip the oil that protects the skin from bacteria and helps maintain its elasticity.

“Exfoliating or deep scrubbing should only be done once every two weeks, and only once a week if you have oily skin. Over-cleansing your skin can actually abrade it and leave it irritated. And there is a risk that your skin will thicken over time,” says Galvez.

Changing your standards of clean—from a tight, squeaky-clean feeling to soft and elastic—can prevent you from over-cleaning your face. And if you really feel the need to wash more than twice a day, find a gentle cleanser that won’t dry your skin.

Don’t pile on the products. It may be fun to try out many new products at a time, but mixing different formulas can be damaging to your skin.

“Maintaining a simple, regular regimen is key. Trying on many products can cause your skin to break out or develop an allergy, which means the ingredients may be too harsh together or incompatible,” says Galvez.

If you’re the type who frequents the beauty counters weekly, it may be better to introduce one new product at a time to your regimen. This helps you see the individual effects of the products on your skin, so it is easier to pinpoint what you should cut out in case of adverse effects.

Don’t leave the house unprotected. It is easy to forget to put on sunscreen, especially when we don’t see the effects of sun damage right away.

“UV damage is cumulative, and in time it can cause more pigmentation, premature wrinkles and photo aging,” says Galvez.

A light, non-greasy sunscreen should work best for everyday use. Wearing moisturizer or makeup with a built-in SPF (minimum of 15) can also help.

Call Galvez Clinics Skin & Cosmetic Surgery Center at 8439310 and 8454697 (Pasay Road) or 6335058 (Metrowalk).
MANILA, Philippines—Some women are just born with beautiful skin. But for those of us who get the occasional blemish or even a full-blown breakout, certain steps must be taken in order to keep skin looking its best.

As superficial as it sounds, blemishes do affect our lives. We get moody, self-conscious or just sad whenever we have to look at the eye (or head) of the problem.

Pimples, blackheads, redness and dark spots are some of the skin problems we complain about.

Before going through extreme measures to clear your skin, read through these beauty don’t’s.

Don’t touch your pimples. “Popping your zits can lead to infection. Instead of pushing out the millia or the blackhead, you may be pushing it in deeper. And since your skin and nails are not sterile, it will be a good entry point for bacteria, which can make the problem worse and can lead to scarring,” says Dr. Ellaine Eusebio-Galvez, member of the Philippine Dermatological Society.

When you get a pimple, place an ice cube wrapped in a washcloth against it for 10 minutes to reduce inflammation. Or keep it practically out of sight with a yellow-based concealer that’s made for covering up pimples (usually it would contain salicylic acid).

But if you want it gone within a matter of hours, consult a dermatologist and ask what can be done.

“Nowadays there are many options for making pimples disappear. If it’s a cystic type (or otherwise known as underground pimples), we can inject a triamcinolone acetonide steroid into it. If it’s an inflammatory type, we can remove it through pricking and apply an antibiotic solution after so it won’t get infected. Another option is to take the pimple out through laser,” says Galvez.

Don’t over-cleanse your face. When it comes to our skin, cleaner isn’t necessarily better. Constantly washing our faces, especially using scrubs and exfoliants, can strip the oil that protects the skin from bacteria and helps maintain its elasticity.

“Exfoliating or deep scrubbing should only be done once every two weeks, and only once a week if you have oily skin. Over-cleansing your skin can actually abrade it and leave it irritated. And there is a risk that your skin will thicken over time,” says Galvez.

Changing your standards of clean—from a tight, squeaky-clean feeling to soft and elastic—can prevent you from over-cleaning your face. And if you really feel the need to wash more than twice a day, find a gentle cleanser that won’t dry your skin.

Don’t pile on the products. It may be fun to try out many new products at a time, but mixing different formulas can be damaging to your skin.

“Maintaining a simple, regular regimen is key. Trying on many products can cause your skin to break out or develop an allergy, which means the ingredients may be too harsh together or incompatible,” says Galvez.

If you’re the type who frequents the beauty counters weekly, it may be better to introduce one new product at a time to your regimen. This helps you see the individual effects of the products on your skin, so it is easier to pinpoint what you should cut out in case of adverse effects.

Don’t leave the house unprotected. It is easy to forget to put on sunscreen, especially when we don’t see the effects of sun damage right away.

“UV damage is cumulative, and in time it can cause more pigmentation, premature wrinkles and photo aging,” says Galvez.

A light, non-greasy sunscreen should work best for everyday use. Wearing moisturizer or makeup with a built-in SPF (minimum of 15) can also help.

Call Galvez Clinics Skin & Cosmetic Surgery Center at 8439310 and 8454697 (Pasay Road) or 6335058 (Metrowalk).