Melbourne's Acne Specialists

Although acne is an inherited dysfunction of the follicle, not everyone develops acne.

It can be triggered by a lot of different factors, from;

• foods
• medications
• hormones
• medications.

When the “right” triggers are present, here’s the 3 imbalances that make acne form in the follicle:

• Thickness of Oil: The oil from your glands should be as thin as water to avoid blockages. ​ Thicker oil, like cottage cheese, can cause blockages and breakouts. ​
• Other Blockages: Blockages can also be caused by extra skin cells, poor cleansing, or certain skincare and makeup ingredients. ​
• pH Imbalance: A balanced pH keeps bacteria in check, while an imbalanced pH promotes bacterial overgrowth. ​Interestingly, the most common cause of PH imbalance is over exfoliating the skin… A healthy PH means your skin’s barrier is intact.

Here’s what our common at home solutions might look like:

1. Follicle clearing cleanser. Since blocked follicles is the root of how acne is formed, it’s vital to use a cleanser that penetrates into the pore and doesn’t leave a film. Must haves: Deep Pore Ultra, Embioment or Acu Klenz.
2. Barrier repair + hydration. As we’ve already talked about, a healthy barrier that isn’t constantly fighting inflammation is an absolute must in order to keep acne formation at bay. Our must haves here are: Beta Gel (Hero ingredients: Beta Gluten. Why: hydrating, immune strengthening, repairing), Acu Klear (Hero ingredient: Niacinamine. Why: balances the PH)
3. Vitamin A. Vitamin A normalises cell proliferation. Since all acne has one thing in common – an abnormally fast shedding of dead cells – vitamin A is crucial as it makes the cells slough off before they can clog the pore. Must have: Revitosin! Why: DMK Revitosin is the holy grail Vitamin A in our opinion. It contains 4 different active forms that doesn’t irritate but are highly effective and has a direct uptake into the cell.
4. EFA’s. Thinning out the abnormal thickened oil so it can flow freely (instead of clogging up the follicle) to create part of your barrier is absolutely crucial in managing acne. The DMK or Nordic Naturals EFA’s do exactly that. This is a non negotiable in any a\t home acne routine.
5. Weekly Home Treatment. Finding a balance between over exfoliating and under exfoliating is key to keeping the pores clear but also keeping the barrier nice and healthy. The DMK at home Enzyme Mask is the PERFECT solution. Do this mask once a week and your Revitosin nightly, and you’ll be well on your way…

So, which foods may aggravate acne-prone skin?

• Iodised salt
• Milk (including organic and nonfat)
• Cheese
• Whey or soy protein shakes and protein bars, creatine
• Soy products (tofu, soy milk, tempeh, edamame, soy sauce)
• Seafood, shellfish (cod, scallops)
• Spirulina, chlorella, blue-green algae
• Kelp, miso soup, seaweed, seaweed supplements
• Vitamins with iodides, iodine, kelp, potassium iodide (also avoid biotin and B12)
• Peanuts, peanut butter
• Peanut oil, corn oil, canola oil
• Shellfish, organ meats (including pate)