‘Dr Pimple Popper’: Are Natalie’s dark chicken pox-like spots self-induced? Here's Dr Sandra Lee's simple solution
On the January 10 episode of ‘Dr Pimple Popper’, we met 28-year-old Natalie who has tiny black dots all over her body, kind of like what happens when you just had chicken-pox. However, her marks are much darker. Her skin condition developed over time and scratching just made it worse.
Dr Sandra Lee found out that the marks she had were more acute and dark on her arms, legs and torso and almost invisible on her back and below her bra strap where she couldn't reach. Dr Lee figured out that the spots had darkened due to compulsive scratching and it might go away on it’s own once she stops. She gave her some steroid tapes and bandages that will keep her from scratching herself and Dr Lee believed that within 3 weeks she will begin to see changes and the spots will be gone in no time.
If you want to know more about your acne and how to deal with it, Dr Lee’s skin care website has some detailed information on it.
There are three different types of acne: non-inflammatory, inflammatory and cystic. Each responds well to certain active ingredients.
Non-inflammatory Breakouts: The building blocks of acne are blackheads and whiteheads. They are essentially pores clogged with dirt, oil and debris. Dr Sandra Lee’s recommended ingredient for unclogging them is the BHA Salicylic Acid because it’s able to crystallize and dive deep into pores, clearing away any built-up impurities. SLMD’s Salicylic Acid Cleanser, Resurfacing Acne Swipes, Salicylic Acid Spot Treatment and Salicylic Acid Body Spray are all made with this MVP ingredient.
Inflammatory Breakouts: Those more red, pus-filled bumps come about when bacteria gets involved. When bacteria invades, those blackheads and whiteheads become inflamed. Dr Lee recommends Benzoyl Peroxide, an antibacterial agent that kills acne-causing bacteria. It can be drying for some people, so an alternative she recommends is sulfur, another antibacterial ingredient that limits oil production and minimizes the growth of bacteria. SLMD’s BP Lotion, BP Spot Treatment and BP Body Wash all contain Benzoyl Peroxide. Sulfur can be found in Sulfur Lotion.
Cystic Acne: These are the cysts and nodules that are lodged deeper into the skin and are unable to pop. The best way to treat this type is to see a dermatologist, in person or via telemedicine, so they can help you formulate a game plan and potentially prescribe stronger topicals or medication.
Catch new episodes of 'Dr Pimple Popper’ on Mondays at 9 pm ET/PT.