3 Holiday Skin Mistakes That Will Trigger Acne in 2022 (And How to Treat It)

3 Holiday Skin Mistakes That Will Trigger Acne in 2022 (And How to Treat It)

Alright, y’all, let’s level here: today, we’ll be covering three holiday skin mistakes that will trigger acne in 2022 (and how to treat it!)

“But Nyki,” I might hear you say, “the holidays are over! Sure, I fell off the wagon with my skin care, gorged on holiday foods, and aren’t following my lifestyle changes right now, but I’ll get back on the horse this month and my skin will bounce back.”

While you’re right to an extent, it can take three months for acne to develop… meaning it could take up to a whole 90 days to clear acne that started forming in December!

(Yes, we know: cue screaming like Kevin McCallister in Home Alone!)

Don’t freak out just yet. Instead, read through our guide below on how to fix those post-Christmas skin woes:

 

Firstly, How Long Does Acne Take to Form?

Defined as a “chronic, inflammatory skin condition that causes spots and pimples, especially on the face, shoulders, back, neck, chest, and upper arms”, acne is most commonly referred to as a hereditary defect of the pores.

This defect most often gets triggered during puberty, when the sebaceous glands (which are the glands in charge of your skin’s oil production and regulation) are first activated by the body. Due to the sebaceous glands overproducing sebum, acne is then formed in the shape of whiteheads, blackheads, cysts, and/or nodules.

While it may seem like acne can pop up overnight, in actuality it can sometimes take up to three months for a spot to become visible: this is because pimples start as microscopic bumps called “microcomedones”, which can’t be seen with the naked eye. So the next time you see a pimple emerge, consider that it could have been in the works for a whole month before it’s visible on your skin!

The Three Holiday Mistakes That Trigger Acne

During the holidays, our team here at Clear Skin Solutions can also sometimes grapple with acne!

For myself (Nyki, the owner of Clear Skin Solutions and our head skin therapist), the high glycemic diet I follow during Christmas can make my skin a mess. Why? Because the link between diet and acne is strong: as board-certified clinical dermatologist Dr. Saya Obayan puts it, “Sugar is an inflammatory food, so sugar causes inflammation within the body.  This is why high-glycemic foods have a negative impact on the skin, because foods such as white bread, candy, pastries, or pop contain sugars that cause your insulin to spike and, in turn, trigger inflammation.

On top of the unhealthy (but, let’s face it, delicious) diets we slip into on and around Christmastime, the two other main reasons why acne can flare during the holidays include:

  • Lifestyle mistakes like not using acne-friendly detergent (especially when washing your masks), staying over at relatives’ homes (and forgetting to bring your skin-therapist approved skin care/hair routine with you!), and hopping on the latest trends instead of following expert advice 
  • Skin care mistakes like over-exfoliating, biting the bullet and trying the new skincare that your friends or family bought you as a gift (which you knew by the fragrance alone was a mistake!), testing out new body creams or hair products and then touching your face (or forgetting that, when those products run down your skin in the shower, they’re prone to causing breakouts), and/or overbooking aggressive chemical peels, which can damage your skin’s barrier and, in turn, can further aggravate breakouts

Because the cold, dry winter air already poses a risk to your skin’s moisture barrier, it’s vital to be taking good care of your skin in order to mitigate the unavoidable seasonal environmental damage.

So How Can You Treat Acne in 2022? We’ll Tell You

Let’s start with diet.

For the majority of our clients, we tend to recommend the following anti-acne foods to prioritize:

  • Healthy fats and oils
  • Nuts and seeds (if tolerated)
  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Omega 3s (such as salmon or mackerel)
  • Grass fed/organic meats

Remember, whole foods are key! What we don’t recommend is artificial protein shakes with vegetables high in ioides, whey, and/or soy; when recovering after the holidays, real foods are a must!

For the necessary lifestyle and skin care changes needed to have your skin bounce back in 2022, however, we highly advise to either restart or join our Virtual Skin Program. Why? Because “shooting in the dark” when it comes to skincare is a recipe for disaster; namely, over-stripping your skin’s natural moisture barrier by being too gung-ho with your product usage instead of letting your skin adjust (or re-adjust) to its skincare regimen.

Instead, let professionals guide you. This virtual clear skin program includes:

  • A 12-week guided program with your dedicated Skin Therapist
  • eCourse curriculum including walkthroughs, acne-centric FAQs, and how-to’s so you can deepen your understanding of acne and identify its triggers
  • 1 x 30 min one-on-one Clarity Call with your assigned Skin Therapist where they’ll review your skin struggles, lifestyle, diet, and current skincare regimen to build your detailed skincare plan
  • Ongoing communication and support with your assigned Skin Therapist via email during your 12-week program
  • Access to join our private Facebook Support Group where you can connect with others who are also struggling with their skin, ask any questions you may have during your program and be inspired by other’s success stories
  • Your Skin Therapist will mail you your Hydration Starter Kit, which is an essential first step for repairing the skin barrier and making it so the skin is the ideal canvas for all future treatments and/or products
  • You will also be shipped a one-month supply of tester-sized professional skin care, including, but not limited to, the Clear Skin Solutions Renewal Serum Mandelic 5% and the Clear Skin Solutions RevitA Level One. Your Skin Therapist will let you know when and how to integrate these products into your daily skin care in order to test and monitor your skin’s tolerance as we move your skin towards more active and transformative products
  • Once it has been confirmed that your skin’s natural moisture barrier has been restored, you will receive bi-weekly check-ins with your Skin Therapist where she will assess your current skin conditions and update your customized skincare plan (plus exclusive access to the client-only section of our Clear Skin shop!)

Regardless of how severe your acne is or what skin goals you have in mind for 2022, you will always have your dedicated skin therapist there to guide you through to the end of your clear skin journey when you sign up for our Virtual Skin Program. We make skin care consistency convenient!

Clear Your Skin in 2022

Contact us today to learn more.

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