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Articles by Dan Kern

Baking Soda and Acne

It Is Most Likely Best to Avoid Using Baking Soda on Acne-Prone Skin The Essential Info Reasons to Use Baking Soda for Acne Reasons Not to Use Baking Soda for Acne The Bottom Line: When we take the evidence as a whole, it is most likely best to avoid using baking soda on acne-prone skin. …

Back and Body Acne

Information and Treatment Options The Essential Info It’s Common: More than half of people with facial acne also have some body acne. Fewer, but More Severe Lesions: Body acne develops in a similar way as facial acne and has similar causes, but because the skin on the body contains fewer pores, we often see fewer …

Are Drugs for Auto-immune Diseases Effective Against Acne?

Preliminary Studies Say Yes, but Using These Drugs Is Risky, so They Are Reserved for Very Severe Cases of Acne The Essential Info Drugs that treat auto-immune diseases (i.e. rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis) work by reducing inflammation in the body. Since acne is at its core an inflammatory disease, they may also help reduce acne, and initial …

Are Antibiotics a Good Idea for the Treatment of Acne?

Because They Provide Limited Effectiveness and Come with Many Side Effects, They Should Be Met with Caution The Essential Info Antibiotics can sometimes be somewhat effective in treating acne. However, there are several problems with using antibiotics to treat acne: Antibiotics are powerful medicines that can save lives when used appropriately for bacterial infections. They …

Women, Stress, and Acne

Stress Is Associated with Acne, and Women Experience More Stress The Essential Info Everyone gets stressed from time to time, but if stress becomes chronic it may lead to inflammation in the skin. Since acne is at its core an inflammatory disease, more inflammation in the skin may lead to more acne. Females as a …

Why You Shouldn’t Use a Washcloth to Wash Your Face

Using a Washcloth Can Physically Irritate the Skin. Anything that Physically Irritates the Skin can Lead to More Acne. Use Only Your Bare Hands. The Essential Info It is well known that physically irritating the skin can lead to more acne. In fact, dermatologists have a name for acne that is created by irritation: acne …

Why Spinning Face Brushes Are Not a Good Idea for Acne-Prone Skin

Spinning Brushes Irritate the Skin and Can Make Acne Worse The Essential Info Spinning face brushes are made from a variety of materials. What they have in common is the advertised promise to “thoroughly cleanse the skin, helping to reduce acne.” However, the only evidence behind this claim comes from studies supported or sponsored by …

Urine Therapy for Acne

There Is No Good Evidence to Date to Support the Use of Urine as an Acne Treatment The Essential Info Yes, believe it or not, people try treating their acne with their own urine. However, there is no evidence to date to support the topical application of urine on acne lesions, and the risks outweigh …

Can Applying Toothpaste to the Skin Treat Acne?

Probably Not, and Fluoride-Containing Toothpaste in Particular May Be Irritating The Essential Info Toothpaste applied to the skin is a commonly attempted spot treatment for acne, but its use is mainly due to folklore and is not based on science. In fact, the vast majority of toothpastes contain a potentially irritating ingredient, fluoride, and thus …

Why It’s Important to Remove Makeup at the End of the Day

At Night, the Skin Is More Vulnerable to Substances Left on the Skin Surface The Essential Info At night, the skin becomes more porous. This makes it more likely that ingredients in makeup, or pollutants trapped in makeup, might penetrate the skin. This is especially true for acne-prone skin, which is already more porous than healthy …