ProduCt.ReViEw. -La.Roche.Posay.EffAcLar.Duo.

The product: La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo Double Action Acne Treatment

Claim to fame: "EFFACLAR DUO is a complete skincare solution that combines 4 active ingredients to act on the 2 major signs of skin with imperfections : 

Severe local imperfections : Niacinamide and Piroctone Olamine helps to purify the skin and protect against breakouts developing. 

Sebum-blocked pores : The LHA/Linoleic Acid combination to help unclog pores by eliminating dead cells, responsible for their obstruction. 

These active ingredients are combined with soothing and anti-irritating La Roche-Posay thermal spring water.

Mattifying and moisturizing cream-gel. Refreshing and non-greasy." La Roche Posay

Ingredients: AQUA / WATER ≤0%,GLYCERIN ≤0% ,CYCLOHEXASILOXANE ≤0%, HYDROGENATED POLYISOBUTENE ≤0%, NIACINAMIDE ≤8%, ISOPROPYL LAUROYL SARCOSINATE ≤0%, AMMONIUM POLYACRYLDIMETHYLTAURAMIDE / AMMONIUM POLYACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE ≤0%, SILICA ≤0%, METHYL METHACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER ≤3%, SODIUM HYDROXIDE ≤0.3%, SALICYLIC ACID ≤0.6%, NYLON-12 ≤0%, ZINC PCA ≤0.1%, LINOLEIC ACID ≤0%, PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE ≤0%, CAPRYLOYL GLYCINE ≤0%, CAPRYLOYL SALICYLIC ACID ≤2%, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL ≤1%, PIROCTONE OLAMINE ≤0.6%, MYRISTYL MYRISTATE ≤0%, POTASSIUM CETYL PHOSPHATE ≤0%, GLYCERYL STEARATE SE ≤0%, PARFUM / FRAGRANCE 

Pros: Contains a 0.5% of salicylic acid to help shed dead skin cells and help unclog pores and clearing breakouts, 

Vitamin B3 which helps decrease hyper pigmentation that causes scarring, inflammation from the pimples and anti aging as well, Piroctone olamine which helps by being antibacterial to cleanse pores, soothes irritated skin, and is a great anti oxidant, and also contains Linoleic acid which is a gentle exfoliator to help cell regeneration. It's a light weight gel texture. Not drying on the skin.

Cons: Wish it came in a larger size. A pump would be great for fool proofing the amount needed while dispensing.  

The bottom line: I've tried many acne lotions and creams and I find this one to be one of my favourites. It's like a face cream and spot treatment in one.

Price and size: $25 CAD/40ml

Rating: 4/5

I.Hate.It.WheN.I.WakE.uP.WitH.A.PimpLE! - breAkoUT.SoLutioNS.

It can seem like a nightmare, waking up to a BIG RED PIMPLE! Especially when we have special event that very day. 
Acne breakouts are never welcomed by anyone. Most times it seems that these annoying pimples appear overnight, however the development of an acne breakout is quite an extensive process that starts days before the pimple appears on the surface. Acne is a skin disorder that affects the sebaceous(oil) glands. Pimples begin as a blocked hair follicle or pore. To clearly figure out why or how the pimple appears, we need to understand how this blockage happens. 

Within the skin we have the top layer (epidermis) which is composed of five layers. In the deepest layer of the epidermis(stratum germinativum), new cells begin their journey to the skin's surface. As the cells reach the top layer(stratum corneum), they are dead and the surface has a granular appearance. The dead cells are constantly falling off and being replaced by other dead skin cells(desquamation), which takes about 28 days. 

Next you have the dermis which contains blood vessels, nerves, arrector pili muscles, sweat glands, oil glands and hair follicles. And it is here within the hair follicle and the oil glands that acne starts.

The hair follicle is a tube like opening on the skin where hair and oil can reach the surface. In a normal working follicle, oil secreted by the sebaceous glands goes into the pore. Usually oil and dead cells shed off the surface. In an acne prone skin however things are a little different. Oil and dead skin cells get trapped in the follicle. This builds up and creates a hard plug that blocks the pore opening. This is called a comedo. It then becomes a non-inflamed bump or a blackhead. 

For a breakout to fully form, there needs to be a Propionibacterium acnes(P.acnes). P.acnes bacteria are on everyones skin, but on an acne prone skin, the population grows out of control. With the comedo blocking the pore opening, this stops the flow of oxygen to the follicle. With this anaerobic environment, plus the over production of oil, makes the perfect environment for P.acnes to grow. With the follicle filled with oil, dead cells and bacteria, it swells and the walls of the follicle break and spills into the dermis. The skin then sends white blood cells to fight the bacteria and redness and swelling form and puss is made. Equalling a pimple! 
But now that we know how it got there....HOW DO WE GET RID OF THE PIMPLE(S)!?
Here are some tips on how to get rid of a breakout/pimple quickly and safely, because we don't want a scar!
1. NEVER ever pick, squeeze or pinch your pimple. This will yes make it look smaller, however it can make the pimple more red and inflamed. Another thing is that it can cause more pimples, as bacteria can spread. This can also cause scarring.
2. Have a facial regularly, as an aesthetician can remove blackheads safely without causing scarring.
3. If you have a special event and a pimple decided to ruin the day, try applying ice to the pimple for 2 minutes, every half hour. This will help to minimize swelling and redness.

4. Cleansing the skin with the appropriate cleanser for your skin twice daily will help reduce bacteria growth and excess oil build up. Remember to remove everything, including makeup before going to bed.
5. Using an exfoliator/scrub twice weekly will help the natural exfoliation process, therefore reducing dead skin buildup. 
6. For an instant fix: Try a concealer! While in a hurry, using a little bit of concealer on the spot will conceal the pimple.
7. Try a spot treatment for pimples. Find one containing benzyl peroxide or salicylic acid. These ingredients will help cleanse the pore and reduce inflammation.
8. Try wearing an oil free foundation, as this can help to reduce pore buildup. 
9. My favourite solution to a break out is the Tanda Clear light therapy treatment. I always do this when I have a breakout.
10. Check out my posts about Acne scarring, review on a good face cream for acne prone skin, Enlarged pores, Ways to reduce oily skin , or  Tanda Clear light therapy treatments!

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CraTeR.FacE..PiZzA.FaCe..oR.thE.LuNaR.SuRfaCe..

It can be embarrassing walking around with acne, as it affects up to 80% of us. Many sufferers of acne walk away with no permanent effect, but for those unlucky ones, like myself, are left with disfiguring acne scars. Usually topical skin care and medications can help with mild scarring, but serious cases need to be addressed with surgical procedures and skin resurfacing.
Scarring can be traumatizing to have, but do you know what it is and how it got there?
After the pimple has healed you may notice a red or darkened spot. Many mistake this as scarring but it however is not; it is a mark from inflammation caused by the pimple. After the pimple is healed, the skin must go through a healing process, which unfortunately can take between six to twelve months. If the area stays acne free, it can then heal properly. If after about a year you still notice a mark, colour change or skin defect, it is then considered a permanent defect or scar.
Honestly the best way to not get scars is to prevent them in the first place. To do this you must first understand what causes acne and use the right treatments according to which type of acne you have. See this article to learn what causes acne.

Once you unfortunately get a scar after acne you need to treat it if you want it to go away or fade at least. One thing to remember though is that scarring is damage to the skin, so it will be a lengthy process and there is no promise that the scarring will or can go away completely. During the healing process you can however help aid the lesion from getting worse. An important thing to remember is to wear a good broad spectrum sunscreen on the mark as any exposure to the sun will make more damage as well as delay healing. You can get tretinoin to help speed up the skin's remodelling process. Also using Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or Beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) can also help exfoliate the area, removing pigmentation and smoothing the texture of the skin. One thing you should never do, in any stage, be it pimple, healing process or scarring, is to NEVER pick at the area as this can cause further damage and scarring.
There are many types of acne scarring; in July of 2001, the classification system was developed. This classification system is based on how the scar looks and can help determine an effective scar treatment procedure.

"Icepick" - This scar gets its name because it appears that the skin has been punctured with an icepick. It is usually narrower than 2mm and can go as deep as the dermis or subcutaneous layer. These scars unfortunately are too deep to fix with resurfacing treatments(dermabrasion/laser resurfacing). They are usually caused by an infection from a cyst or a deep inflamed blemish. The skin tissue is destroyed, leaving a long column like scar.

"Boxcar" - This scar is a round or oval depression that has sharp vertical edges. Shallow boxcar scars are 0.1-0.5mm in depth and can be treated with skin resurfacing techniques. Deeper boxcar scars are more than 0.5mm deep and require more serious treatments. These are caused when an inflammation breakout destroys collagen, therefore tissue is lost. The skin is left without support therefore a depression is made. 

"Rolling" - These scars look like a wavy texture on the skin, usually caused by severe acne. It is due to bumps and depressions in the skin that is a type of scarring left from the outbreaks and infection of acne. These cannot be helped with conventional skin resurfacing techniques and must be fixed by breaking up the subcutaneous fibrous bands.

"Hypertrophic or Keloid" - These scars are firm and raised. They are larger than the original wound. They are unlike icepick or boxcar scars, instead they are caused by an overproduction of collagen. To treat them you usually have to use steroid(cortisone) creams, tapes, injections.  (This is the kind I have on my right cheek caused by bismuth oxychloride in BareMinerals :( )


Removal of acne scars can be very difficult. I recommend going to see a dermatologist if you are concerned about your skin. They can recommend the best solution for your specific case. As I am not a dermatologist I will not recommend what to do but I can tell you what I did and am doing to treat my specific case.
I have suffered with acne for 10 years and counting. Recently I have been blessed to find a great skin care regime. However I do have pitted scarring and pigmented scarring on my face. I do regular peels and microdermabrasion treatments on myself at home. I use the Neostrata products. I also use my Tanda Clear light therapy treatment pretty much every day. My skin care regime includes the Vichy Normaderm gel cleanser, Clarins toner for oily/combination skin and the Biotherm Biopur SOS normalizer moisturizer.

Thanks for reading! Please FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE and COMMENT!