Momma Told Me: There's no magic wand for zits!
Of all the trials and tribulations of growing up, I think few have been saturated with as much 'motherly' advice as skincare/acne. Whether your face resembled an oil slick, or you had the complexion of an angel- it's almost certain you've dealt with pimples on more than one occasion. Of course, a pimple is not a sign of acne; a much more tormenting and ongoing condition, often associated with age, diet, and/or stress- it is merely the indication of a clogged pore. Even those with the cleanest of beauty rituals can succumb to these unsuspected, and ultimately unavoidable, pests; and often at the worst times! And, while I believe, in a way, it is atually more traumatic for those unaccustomed to dealing with them (rather than those who battle most of their lives), we all find ourselves wishing we could snap our fingers and just Zap them away.
An early bloomer, I experienced the phenomena of puberty related acne well before the majority of my class. Momma has already forewarned me of the terrors she had endured as a teen (she always said, out of my Aunt and her, she got the boobs and my Aunt got the good skin). Luckily for me, the 'acne' battle was not as severe as I believe Momma's was, but it was enough to be constant and annoying for several years; pimples here and there in areas such as the T-zone and chin. Momma, I assume afraid I would relive the negative parts of her childhood, always had me on some regimen of scrubs and soaps that would dry out my face to the point of being painful. In all honesty, it was the harsh washes, scrubs, and peels, that irritated me far more than an outbreak here and there. I was far from the only teen at my school with acne, by high school. Even more frustrating for me, was the seemingly never-ending advice, that always contradicted itself. Everyone had their own experiences, an they all had their 'secret' tips. And, while drinking tomato juice for 3 days, or washing with charcoal soap, might help some, one simple truth remains constant- nobody's skin is the same, and no biological conditions are exact. The causes of pimples, and acne, are varied and often even hard for a dermatologist to pin- so what does the accountant next door know about YOUR acne?
I've bragged a little on here about the way my complexion has cleared over the past few years. I'm surprised to find myself, more often than not, astounded at the texture and uniformity of the skin around my face. Of course, it's only natural that, when a breakout does occur, I tend to panic. I've grown used to the nice clear skin, and want to get rid of all signs of trouble as fast as possible. Again, there is often no one cause, and no one solution; I am always prudent to try and lock down the specific triggers of the incident and work on altering them and their impact. But what do you do once the offenders have made their presence known? The average zit has a lifespan of 7-10 days, with 5-7 of them often showing visibly as red scars, bumps, and even black/whiteheads. Momma always told me that there was no magic wand, "Once zit, always a zit" she'd say- but, perhaps she was wrong.
It's no surprise that today's curiosity comes from TANDA, one of the leaders in consumer based beauty technology. Their clinically tested, in home, skincare devices harness some of the most cutting edge dermatological advances, currently used today. They essentially take the concepts and shrink them down to powerful consumer safe treatments that an dramatically cut costs over office visits and strict regimins. I hope to one day try their highly acclaimed Me hair removal system that uses a similar light technology as the TANDA Zap, the company's answer to pop up blackheads. Pried less than your average dermatologist co-pay, the Zap is an extremely easy to use blue light deliverance system that combines 2 equally powerful methods of treatment, vibration and heat. Together, the vibration aids in stimulation upper epidermal cells to expose more of the trapped bacteria (clogging your pore and causing the pimple), while the gentle warming results in wider pores and a deeper reach for the naturally oxygenating blue light (that specifically targets bacteria known to cause pimples). If it sounds a little 'sci-fi' I was skeptical too.
Out of the box the TANDA is underwhelming, that is, considering the expectations one would have from such a high tech device. Because it lacks frills in presentation, with a simple plastic casing/shell, it is more affordable for the modern consumer. I would, however, suggest finding a small velvet pouch to store it in before tossing it into the makeup/travel bag/purse. Included are 3 AAA batteries, which have run our unit over 4 hours, thus far. The Zap has a single button operation, on/off functionality, that is timed for 2 minute treatments. The instruction manual suggests treatments twice dialy, a process we stuck with during our testing phases. There are also warnings, regarding the potentially harmful blue light- though this is only in cases where one might stare directly into the light for any period of time. I highly suggest, for safety purposes, you keep it out of the hands of children, and turned off, when not in contact with skin.
Now, we could find no suggestion in the instructions regarding pre-treatment of the designated area; nonetheless, I suggest washing your face and removing all makeup/lotions/product, prior to treatment. Not only will this reason to keep the device more sanitary, and help avoid the spread of bacteria from one treatment to the next, but serve to help eliminate barriers between your pores and the Blue Light. My other half has been battling with oily patches, and breakouts, a lot through the summer, and was happy to put the Zap to the test. Of course I, as well, have been testing the unit. You will see the 24 hour test results most dramatically on his complexion, illustrated when used as instructed with 2 treatments in 24 hours. The 2 minute treatments are incredibly painless, as the device is quite light, though I wish there ws more of an indicator when the treatment was up. The Zap does generate enough heat to be felt on the surface of the skin, more noticeable than the gentle vibrations (and textured head). If you are looking to treat a large area you will need to split the treatments up into multiple sessions. The Zap is primarily intended to treat flare ups and stray zits, though customer reviews have claimed it equally successful for Mild to Moderate acne sufferers.
As expected the Zap did not make the pimples disappear, that is, entirely. There was still some redness and a little swelling on the large pimple, the following day. I've had more luck treating pimples when I first feel them beginning to develop (if you've had acne, you know how to tell, it's like a Spidey sense). Treating the pimples in their infancy seem to eliminate them all-together, while Zap treatments on a current breakout appear to cut the appearance time up to 50%. I, personally, feel this will be most effective if the unit is sanitized, in addition to the skin, prior to, and after, treatment. Naturally, if you are breaking out because of poor hygiene (which can men more than not washing your face regularly), or stress, just using the Zap will not be as dramtic as using the Zap with lifestyle changes. In summary, I feel the Zap is a must have gift for any teen, or even college student, bride to be, or new mom. The price point makes it a worthy curiosity for any skin-type; but be sure to educate yourself bout the cause of your breakouts as well.
Here are some of my, personal, tried and true tips for clearer skin:
*Limit the amount of time spent touching your face.
*Wash your pillowcase once a week (more if you're an adorable drooler).
*Drink 8 glasses of water a day.
*Use a separate towel to clean and dry your face (don't use your bath towel).
*Remove your makeup before bed.
*Wash your pillowcase once a week (more if you're an adorable drooler).
*Drink 8 glasses of water a day.
*Use a separate towel to clean and dry your face (don't use your bath towel).
*Remove your makeup before bed.
What Daughter Says: The TANDA Zap helps cut the lifespan of a pimple with an easy to apply, pain free, 2 minute treatment.
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