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 Q. |  Why does my skin go all dry when I wash my face with soap? |
The pH of normal skin is 5.4 so when products are balanced or neutral it means they have the same pH as normal skin. Soaps have a pH of 9-10 which is called alkaline. This has the effect of disrupting the skin’s surface barrier which results in that taut dry feeling.
Q. | Why is my skin greasy? What is the best way to look after it and prevent spots and blackheads? |
Grease is produced by sebaceous glands. These enlarge as a normal response to the increase of hormones at puberty and produce more grease. The greatest concentration of sebaceous glands on the face is on the forehead, nose and chin (the T-Zone) which is why this is usually the first place you notice becoming greasy and why it is greasier than the skin on the cheeks.
Cleansing the skin removes surface grease so try and clean your skin twice a day, morning and evening to remove the day’s grime and any makeup.
Cleansing the skin removes surface grease so try and clean your skin twice a day, morning and evening to remove the day’s grime and any makeup.
Amie Tip: Amie has two cleansers that can help you control oiliness: Morning Clear Purifying Facial Wash and Petal Perfect Refreshing Cleansing Lotion. Both contain natural sebum-regulators and anti-bacterials to help control oil and reduce the appearance of blemishes.
Q. My skin is sensitive. What can I use on it? |
Clean with a soap-free cleanser and avoid alcohol containing toners. Use products which are pH-balanced. Always try a new product on a small test area first rather than on the entire face.
Amie Tip: None of our cleansers contains soap and none of our products contains alcohol. All our products are pH-balanced.
Q. | What is a blackhead and how do I get rid of them? |
A blackhead or comedone is a blocked pore. It forms because the cells lining the sebaceous duct become thick and sticky under the influence of hormones at puberty. The black colour is due to the skin pigment, melanin, not dirt! You can try and express a blackhead by squeezing gently with clean fingers having held a hot wet flannel on the skin first. If they don’t come out easily then stop!
Amie Tip: A good way to reduce the appearance of blackheads is by daily washing or cleansing. Using a good exfoliator, such as New Leaf, to unclog pores and deep cleanse skin once or twice a week also helps.
Q. | Why do I get spots and how do I get rid of them? |
Spots form because the normal bacteria on the skin (called proprionibacterium acnes) which normally gets in and out of the follicle is now trapped in the sebaceous gland by a blackhead or whitehead. The trapped bacteria act on the grease breaking it down into a form which causes inflammation. This causes a red papule or a yellow pustule. The inflammation gradually settles over about 10 days leaving a flat red mark which resolves with time.
Amie Tip: all our cleansers contain natural anti-bacterials such as Mayblossom and French rose petal which help reduce the incidence of spots.
Q. | Is it ok to squeeze spots? |
If a spot has ‘come to a head’ it is fine to squeeze the pus out gently with clean fingernails after holding a warm wet flannel on the face first.
| Q. | What does pH mean? |
pH refers to the acidity of the skin. This is normally pH5.4. Products which are pH balanced mean they have a pH5.4. Products with a lower or higher pH can disrupt the skin’s barrier and lead to irritation.
Amie Tip: all our products are pH-balanced.
Q. | What does ‘dermatologically tested’ mean? |
Dermatologically tested means that the product has been tested on the skin of human volunteers under laboratory conditions.
Amie Tip: all our products have been dermatologically tested.
Q. | Are expensive products better for me? |
You don’t need to use expensive products to cleanse and moisturize your skin. Expensive products have expensive ingredients, more additives and expensive packaging without necessarily doing any more for your skin.
Amie Tip: all our products have been designed to be as high quality as possible as well as effective and affordable.
Oleh :Dr. Sue Mayou
Dr Sue Mayou, Consultant Dermatologist, consults from her Chelsea private practice seeing patients of all ages – children with eczema and birthmarks, teenagers with problem skin and acne, and adults with suspicious moles, skin cancer and for cosmetic procedures. She is Secretary and Co-Founder of the British Cosmetic Dermatology Group, a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, a Trustee of the British Skin Foundation, Honorary Clinical Lecturer at Imperial College and Member of the British Association of Dermatologists and British Society of Paediatric Dermatology.
