Hey..

I have been using clinique's three step skin care system but I still get white heads and pimples on my chin and between my eyebrows. Can anyone tell me how I can prevent this?

Hello, Brittany. As you know, your skin is the outward reflection of your inner health. It sounds cliche, but it's true. Most people have skin break-outs when they are adolescents because this is the time of life when their bodies are going through a lot of stress. During stress the "fight or flight" hormones take over and this results in a variety of ailments including pimples (acne).

It makes sense to care for your inner health by following good common sense health practices e.g. drinking at least a glass of water or nutritious fresh fruit juice every hour or two during the daytime, eating a balanced diet of fresh vegetables and fruits and making sure your diet includes a balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Get at least 8 to 10 hours of refreshing natural sleep every night and if necessary take a noon nap so that you will have energy to cope with the inevitable stressors in your life. Make sure that your bowels move daily by eating sufficient fiber or take Metamucil or Citrucel daily. Mild aerobic exercises help to oxygenate the muscles and keeps your circulation moving so that the capillary blood that nourishes your skin is refreshed and so that any toxins are excreted through the venous circulation instead of through the pores in your skin. The organs of elimination of the human body include the kidneys, liver, lungs, bowels, and the skin.

Pimples are caused by toxins that are circulated in the capillaries near hair follicles and pores in the skin. Pimples are not caused by external dirt or grime. If you want to reduce the number of pimples in an area on your skin then you need to cleanse yourself from the inside out as I stated earlier.

Use cool water (not warm water) when you wash and rinse your face. Use a hypoallergenic face soap and always wash gently. Always use cool water on your face. Cool water constricts the pores and the capillaries so that white blood cells (pus) and red blood cells don't come to the surface as pustules and pimples (comedones). On the other hand, warm water dilates the pores and capillaries so that warm water will bring toxins to the surface of your skin to form pustules. You can splash cool water on your forehead and chin or gently rub an ice cube over the area where you have pimples. This will suppress the formation of these pustules so that the pus will be eliminated through the tiny veins that return blood through your circulation and eventually will be excreted through your kidneys, liver, and finally out of your body through feces and urine instead of excreted through the pores of your skin.

If you have a pimple that looks like it's about to explode then use 3% Hydrogen Peroxide to eliminate the pimple. Then rinse the area with cool water and pat it dry. If you wear make-up, use mineral oil to gently remove the make-up. Always treat your facial skin gently.

Acne is a disorder resulting from the action of hormones on the skin's oil glands (sebaceous glands), which leads to plugged pores and outbreaks of lesions commonly called pimples or zits. Acne lesions usually occur on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. There's another factor that causes acne also, which is heredity. If your parents or siblings had acne, it is more likely that you have inherited oily skin and a sensitivity to the effect of hormones.


To treat acne, wash your face with a gentle fragrance-free cleanser. Then use a topical acne treatment containing sulfur, resorcinol, benzoyl peroxide, or salicylic acid on the problem area. These treatments helps break up the plug of dead skin cells, bacteria, and oil that clogs the pore and forms an acne blemish. Start with the lowest concentration, and work your way up.

How long have you been using this product? Sometimes when the product is new, your skin needs time to adjust to some of the harsher ingredients. (does it contain salicylic acid, etc?) With Salicylic acid, it is not only exfoliating, but bringing the dirt and bacteria to the surface. While it deep cleans your pores, it may cause breakouts where dirt and oil was trapped in the pores. Depending upon your age, the cell turnover cycle can range from 28-30 days for teens up to your 20's and 30-54 days up to your 50-60's. That means that the ingredients that are deep cleaning your pores can "work" (causing slight breakouts) for as long as your cell cycle.
If the ingredients are not irritating or harsh, it could be a matter of many other factors. (such as the ones listed above in the previous comments)
Hope that helps!