8 replies to this topic

[sexyliltrish]

hi all i have quite bad bacne, ive been doing the sea salt baths and it hascleard up alot but i still have all red scars where the spots were, im going to the bahams (sp?) for 10 days in june so hopefully i will b spending alot of time in the sea and some time in the sun to help my spots and scars.

anything i shuld look out 4 that culd make it worse?

[Porceline]

hi all i have quite bad bacne, ive been doing the sea salt baths and it hascleard up alot but i still have all red scars where the spots were, im going to the bahams (sp?) for 10 days in june so hopefully i will b spending alot of time in the sea and some time in the sun to help my spots and scars.

anything i shuld look out 4 that culd make it worse?

I don't believe that any of these medicines will clear my skin on my back except for going to the islands. I use to go every other year. My scars and acne would disappear. I would be good for a pretty long time until I started breaking out again. It sucks. I don't have enough money or time to spend on the beach to clear it up and it's getting out of hand. The sea water really made a difference. A young boy I knew had really bad skin. His dad moved him to the islands with him and now he is so gorgeous. He lived in the water and it changed his life.....

[clubkid]

NO wonder the kids from "Laguna Beach" all glow with this godly radiance!

[The_Snow_Queen]

Yeah, watch out for the sun.

The following are some of my posts from another thread "Tanning: Not Working Out Like I Hoped!"

"UV rays from sun exposure kill off acne-causing bacteria, which is one reason why people may notice an improvement in acne after tanning, but not all the bacteria are killed. While the UV rays are killing the bacteria, they are also prematurely killing skin cells and permanently damaging the skin. As a defensive mechanism, the skin thickens. The increase in dead skin cells combined with thicker skin increases clogged pores by hindering the skin's natural sloughing off process. Meanwhile, the surviving bacteria are given a chance to recooperate and soon are thriving inside all the clogged pores; due to UV damage, the skin is less able to defend itself against these bacteria. Next thing you know, you have a major breakout.

As a side note, because UV rays damage the deeper layers of the skin they also damage pore function. This may be why some people seem to notice an excess in sebum.


There are safer ways to achieve a darker skintone such as self-tanning sprays and lotions. If you want to make sure the job's done right, go to a salon or spa; many offer this service. Also, some of these salons and spas offer a kind of "abdomen contouring," which involves the strategic application of spray-on-tanner to shadow and outline the abdominal area, thus creating the look of toned abs. Abdomen contouring is recommended for those that are not overweight."

"...Tanning most definately leads to premature aging, cataracts, cellulite, the surfacing of capillaries, and skin cancer. Many of the sun's negative effects can be seen before the age of thirty and sometimes even before the age of twenty. (LabGirl, who does not burn, had a skin cancer lesion removed in her early twenties, which left a scar.) Tanning is definately a bad idea.

To protect yourself, get a sunscreen with AT LEAST an SPF 15 and even higher for long-term sun exposure. Make sure your sunscreen is applied liberally; most people don't apply enough. Also, if you go swimming or are sweating a lot, it is typically recommended to reapply your sunscreen every two hours even if your sunscreen is water-resistant.

In case you didn't know, not all sunscreens adequately block against UVA rays, which are most likely to lead to the harmful side effects mentioned above. In the US, avobenzone (Parsol 1789), titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide are the only sunscreen ingredients that offer enough UVA protection. Outside the US, mexoryl sx is recognized to adequately protect against UVA rays. Avobenzone (and possibly mexoryl sx, but I'm not sure) is not likely to clog pores, unlike zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. I have heard rave reviews over Neutrogena's Dry Touch line.

FYI: I asked my parents what dermatologists did to help their patients with acne, and they told me that sunlamps were used to tan the skin. Then I asked them whether or not tanning worked, and they said yes, but they always broke out worse shortly after.

Even if tanning worked temporarily, why do you suppose dermatologists no longer recommend tanning or unprotected sun-exposure to treat acne?"

Sun damage is cumulative and permanent, whether or not you get a tan or sunburn.

[sexyliltrish]

but im worried if i put suncream on it will make me breakout worse?

[The_Snow_Queen]

but im worried if i put suncream on it will make me breakout worse?

The Neutrogena Dry Touch Sunscreens have gotten a lot of great reviews from others on this board. I would say that speaks for itself.

[sunkist08]

yeah watchout for sunburn because if you get a bad enough burn, the marks could scar or take a lot longer to heal... if you do get burnt though, put some aloe vera on it to soothe the pain and help it heal faster. the sun and the sea do wonders for acne though so the combination of those two should clear you up pretty nicely

but have fun! the bahamas are gorgeous, i've been to a couple of the islands! which one are you staying on? or just grand bahama..

[The_Snow_Queen]

whenever i go to the beach i just apply lots of eucerin and i dont burn.

Sun damage happens whether or not you burn or tan, and that damage is cumulative. Labgirl doesn't burn and she got skin cancer.