S.O.S. Save Our Skin: Celebrating the Hated Pimple
Do you have teens or tweens? I invite you to join me in celebrating the foremost creator of teen angst, the untimely blemish, acne, pimple, zit, blackhead, whitehead, crater, etc.
Why celebrate? Because skin eruptions are a sign. That’s right, a sign.
A S.O.S. that’s shouting out, “Something is wrong with your body,” or “You ate or drank something bad for you,” or “Your toxin level is too high for your liver to process so I’m pushing it out through your skin.” All you have to do is listen.
My go-to response to the S.O.S. of the rare blemish is, “What did I eat that caused this?” If my diet hasn’t changed, then I turn to environmental factors. (Have I been exposed to chemicals recently?) If that doesn’t provide a clue, I check out the good ol’ stress factor to see if I have inadvertently added more to my plate than intended (which reduces the body’s ability to function properly).
A little analysis… a little change in my behavior… and I’m good to go. No meds. No creams. No lotions. I don’t need them because I get to the root of the problem, and solve it.
Unpredictable breakouts can be devastating for a kid, and I completely understand the appeal of the quick fix that cosmeceuticals promise. Regardless, I am not a fan. Pills provide a shotgun approach that affects the entire body; and (most people don’t realize) the same is true for creams and lotions, which are absorbed into the skin, and then carried by the lymph and blood to the rest of the body.
Here’s the thing: If you use a product to clear up your skin when your zits are trying to tell you something is wrong, that problem remains. It grows and festers inside you unchecked. When your face breaks out again, and you need to get a stronger product, the unidentified problem keeps growing inside you.
Plus, your body has to figure out how to deal with the toxins in the product.
What? Toxins in my skin products? Oh, yes. Check it out.
Grab the bottle of whatever product you use, and visit the Environmental Working Group’s website ewg.org where you can find a huge database of skin products, baby products, sunscreens and makeup. Simply plug your brand into the search box to get a list of the ingredients which are rated for safety. You’ll be shocked how many products (that you’ve been suckered into buying) have carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals) and hormone disrupters (PMS anyone? Early onset of puberty or menopause?).
Protect your loved ones by getting rid of those dangerous chemicals. If you really want to fix your skin, investigate the cause. Otherwise, you’ll just keep throwing money and toxic chemicals at your face.
Next week’s S.O.S. article will share a product that will replace your lip gloss/balm – safely.
