To make it clear right from the start: impure skin is by no means a reason to be ashamed. Very few people are blessed with even, clear skin with small pores. If you are prone to pimples, blackheads and inflammation, it just means that you need to take good care of yourself and your skin and adapt your skincare routine to the specific needs of your skin.
We at Sanft & Schön are happy to provide you with practical tips on how you can do your dry, impure skin a favor and make your complexion shine.
First things first: Blackheads, pimples – or is it already acne?
First, let's define what constitutes impure skin - and what terms we are dealing with when we talk about it, because impure skin is not the same as impure skin. That's why we're happy to explain to you the difference between comedones, pimples and acne.
Blackheads
Blackheads, also known as comedones, are caused by blockages in your pores. They usually occur in the T-zone – i.e. on the nose, forehead or chin. You may have already noticed them in the form of black dots, so-called 'blackheads'. When pulled from the skin, their texture is compact.
Contrary to what is often assumed, the black dots are not dirt, but rather Melanin – the body’s own pigment in the skin. Basically comedones are white. They only change color when the pore opens and oxygen enters, causing the melanin in the pore to oxidize and turn dark.
The white dots on your skin, also called sebum filaments or 'whiteheads', usually come out of the skin in the form of a thread because - quite simply - they are accumulated sebum.
Good to know: Both 'blackheads' and 'whiteheads' never completely disappear because our skin does not stop producing oil naturally. So if you notice them on your face despite regular visits to the beauty salon, it's completely normal.
Pimple
So-called 'pimples' are not to be confused with harmless blackheads. The pimple is a common medical term for all kinds of inflammatory skin bumps that arise when pores become blocked - for largely unknown reasons - and sebum, sweat and dirt can no longer flow freely through these pores.
Unlike harmless blackheads, pimples are characterized by the fact that they are inflamed - and painful. In most cases, pimples appear from the moderate form onwards acne occur, but can occur more rarely even with mild acne.
Impure skin: encapsulated pimples and acne
Almost everyone is familiar with the unpleasant, 'underground' pimples that have no opening to the outside and cannot be squeezed out even with force. These are encapsulated inflammations under the skin that can be very painful.
The line between impure skin, pimples and acne is fluid. If there are not just a few encapsulated pimples that disappear on their own after a short time and do not return immediately, experts speak of a mild form of acne.
From a medical perspective, acne is characterized by increased sebum production and a keratinization disorder in the area of the sebaceous gland follicles - hence the increased scarring. If your encapsulated pimples keep bothering you, we advise you to consult a dermatologist. Only they can determine the severity of your acne and tell you what type of acne you have.
Whether blackheads, inflamed skin bumps or encapsulated pimples: you don't have to put up with your impure skin. As professional skincare experts, we summarize selected preventive measures, treatment methods and natural remedies for blemished skin for you in this article.
1. Tip against impure skin: Know your skin type
Before you start experimenting wildly with your skin, you should first check yours Determine skin type. Basically, this depends on your skin's sebum production. Not only the activity of sebum production must be taken into account, but also the nature of the sebum itself. In addition, to determine your skin type, your skin's moisture production is assessed - and whether your skin is able to bind it.
On the one hand, your skin type is genetically determined, but on the other hand, certain properties of your skin are also influenced by external factors and your lifestyle.
With the right skin care and a healthy lifestyle, you can contribute a lot to an even complexion - even if you struggle with skin type-specific problems such as blackheads, pimples and acne.
2nd tip against impure skin: Don't press!
Sometimes it's the things we do not do that ultimately make the biggest difference. This also applies to the topic of squeezing pimples etc. Even though you have probably read and heard it hundreds of times, here is the reminder: Stay away from purulent and inflamed pimples!
When you squeeze a pimple, you not only damage your skin, but also spread the fluid inside it to the surrounding area of skin. This means that dirt particles and bacteria have the chance to get directly into the open wound - unwashed fingers are enough to cause a lot of damage. Not even that hygienic! This can also result in unsightly scars.
If you want to do something good for your impure skin, you should ideally have an expert visit your problem area once a month. This cleanses your skin professionally and according to your type. For even skin without acne pimples and painful inflammation, we recommend our Sanft & Schön Acne treatment Berlin.
3rd tip against impure skin: the right diet
Did you know that a lack of nutrients quickly affects your skin? Even the occasional sweet you eat will leave a mark on your face in the long term, because excess sugar has a negative effect on your body's hormone levels. Hormones in turn influence the activity of your sebaceous glands, which leads to increased sebum production and thus the development of skin impurities.
But foods that are rich in saturated ('bad') fats also attack the cells and can lead to the development of pimples and acne. You often find saturated fatty acids in highly processed foods or ready-made products such as frozen pizzas. As a rule of thumb for beautiful skin from the inside The following applies: Unsaturated fatty acids are preferable to saturated fatty acids. You can find 'good' fats mainly in nuts and various types of fish.
High consumption of cow's milk can also have a negative effect on your skin. The reason for this is the whey proteins. These cause your blood sugar level to rise and increased insulin production, which in turn increases the production of male hormones ( Androgens) and can lead to impure skin. Soy, almond or oat milk are now your healthy alternative.
4. Tip against impure skin: Declare war on dead skin cells
At Sanft & Schön we use a special, minimally invasive treatment for impure skin – Aquafacial Berlin Mitte. The Aquafacial specifically removes dead skin cells so that the underlying skin can regenerate completely. With the help of our HYDROcare H2Odevice, we carry out an intensive, deep cleansing of your skin in four phases in our studio.
In the first phase, we remove the dead skin cells with a swirl of water until your fresh skin appears. In phase two, we give your skin an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid, e.g. glycolic acid or lactic acid) solution, which softens the deposits in your pores and prepares your skin optimally for cleansing.
The third phase consists of deep cleansing your skin. The vacuum effect of the Aquafacial device removes sebum deposits, blackheads and dirt from the pores. Finally, phase four is used to moisturize your skin.
Good to know: The Aquafacial is particularly suitable for deep cleansing of oily and impure skin shrink large pores.
5. Tip against impure skin: clear-up strips
So-called 'clear-up strips' offer you a simple method for quickly removing annoying blackheads. Unlike other care products, you can use the patches to free your chin, nose or forehead from annoying sebum plugs in just a few minutes.
Unfortunately, the effect is usually only short-lived, because the persistent sebum production mentioned above causes new blackheads to form. Before important occasions such as weddings or birthdays, clear-up strips are still a good alternative if you can no longer make it to the beautician of your choice.
6. Tip against impure skin: the right care
This tip is self-explanatory: If you tend to have impure skin, you should use oil-free care products, make-up and water-based sunscreen. Because products with fat and oil clog your pores. Products with fruit acid, salicylic acid or lactic acid, on the other hand, can beautify your skin as they open the pores and allow excess sebum to drain away more easily.
Attention: Although the myth persists, toothpaste does not help against impure skin - on the contrary. Toothpaste strips oil from the skin, while the ingredient fluoride increases inflammation, which worsens rather than relieves symptoms.
This Skincare highlights You should incorporate this into your care routine.
7. Tip against impure skin: Cleanse your face morning and evening
Instead of taking immediate medical measures, try gentle remedies and preventive measures to help your skin regenerate. This includes thoroughly cleansing the skin – morning and evening.
Here's how to do it: Wash your face morning and evening with a mild facial cleanser or a natural-based soap and then dry it with a fresh towel. Since towels encourage bacterial growth, you should change your towel every two to three days.
Do you tend to forget to wash your face before going to bed? Unwashed facial skin is one of the most common causes of acne - and fortunately it can be avoided with a regular skincare routine. If you don't clean your face, dirt can build up. These in turn cause clogged pores, which lead to all kinds of breakouts.
8. Tip against impure skin: Stay hydrated!
We can only repeat what numerous doctors and nutritionists have already said before us: drinking two to three liters of water a day is perhaps the most natural (and cost-effective) of all skin care measures. Because: Water is absolutely essential for the maintenance of our largest organ.
It stimulates your metabolism, increases your ability to concentrate, smooths your skin, prevents headaches and increases your physical fitness. If you don't like plain water, you can spice it up with cucumber, mint, or lemon, or switch to unsweetened teas.
9. Tip against impure skin: Stay away from cigarettes and alcohol
Cigarettes are not only damn uncool, in addition to their bad image, every cigarette also contains a lot of inflammatory substances that create a breeding ground for impure skin.
As if that wasn't enough, smoking constricts blood vessels, preventing oxygen and nutrients from being properly distributed throughout the body. Testosterone levels also tend to increase due to cigarette consumption, which in turn stimulates sebum production. So if you suffer from impure skin, you should decide against using glow sticks in the future.
Would you like a glass of wine instead? Better not, because alcohol is in no way inferior to cigarettes when it comes to health risks. Alcohol also leads to impure skin by simultaneously removing water from the body and increasing sebum production. White wine also causes irritation and redness due to sulfites, tequila with salt causes the skin to swell and beer - thanks to sugar and salt - causes a puffy face.
10. Tip against impure skin: Gently sand the skin with microdermabrasion
The Microdermabrasion Berlin Mitte is one of our most popular and most frequently booked cosmetic treatments. At the Microdermabrasion The top layer of skin is sanded off using special crystal, glass or sandblasting devices and sucked off again using a vacuum.
The application improves your skin's appearance in two stages: On the one hand, your skin is freed from dead skin cells, and on the other hand, microdermabrasion tightens, regenerates and rejuvenates the cell structure of your skin.
The gentle, painless peeling not only removes calluses but also dead skin particles. It can also be used to remove and smooth out imperfections on your skin. In this way, we ensure that the pores of your skin open - and nourishing active ingredients are better absorbed.
Dry, impure skin: conclusion
Impure skin is half as bad – if you pay attention to a few things. Ideally, you know your skin type, hold back on squeezing pimples and regularly book professional treatments at a cosmetic studio you trust.
If you want to prevent impure skin, you should pay attention to your diet (lots of water, little sugar, good fats), use the right care and cleansing and avoid alcohol and cigarettes as much as possible. It's also never a bad idea to change towels and bed linen more often if you have problem-prone skin and to stay away from all sorts of greasy and oily skin care products.
Would you like to arrange an individual consultation appointment with us in our studio? Feel free to send us a message or contact us by phone
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