Question
Hello.  I would like to know what treatments/products you would suggest
 using for my skin problems.  I have a pigmentation problem on the right 
side of my face that has worsened progressively over the past five years. 
 It started as a small spot on my cheek and has increased to most of the 
right side and has moved to my forehead.  I have had numerous glycolic
 peels, used Renova, RetinA and other bleaching cream.  I think all of
 these things have just worsened my skin condition and made it extremely 
sensitive to any sunlight and resulted in more acne type problems.  
I do take birth control pills, but the pigmentation problem started and
progressed long before I started taking them.  Your recommendations would 
be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.  Laura

(submitted by alias: laura)

Answer
Hi Laura,

with your current condition, the first thing you must avoid is exposure to 
the sun. Use a good sunscreen with SPF 8 to 15 is sufficient. Do not use 
one that's higher. Sunscreens with higher SPF can cause lots of other 
complications to the skin. To know more about SPF please visit 
http://www.pierrechenxu.com/spf_us.html

Artificial peels often caused more harm than good. After a fresh peel, 
the skin temporarily appears soft and fair, but actually, it is due to 
the dissappearance of some of the epidermal sub-layers which have been 
peeled off. With the loss of some sub-layers, naturally the skin has a 
much thinner epidermal skin, thus less protective capability against the 
sun's harmful UV rays.
I advice that you stop receiving such treatment altogether. 

Birth control pills can also cause a hormonal imbalance in your body over 
time, and leading to some melanin cells to over-multiply themselves. 
Although your pigmentation problem started and progressed long before you 
started taking them, it does not necessarily mean that it is not one of 
the current additional causes to your pigmentation problem. If, after 
having avoided the sun and having used a good sunscreen for some time, 
there's still no improvement, then the primary cause of your pigmentation 
now is due to the pills. Of course your skin peels and past exposure to 
the sun are most likely the early causes to your pigmentation problem, 
but your pills could have become a later problem contribution source. 

Bleaching creams can only work, provided the source of the problem can be 
controlled.

Nevertheless, all other daily/nightly skincare products used also play a
role to some extent in your resulting skin condition.

I urge you to try our samples.

For your convenience I have pasted a copy of our text version Sampleset 
Request Form below here for your completion.

(Note: Actual form contents are removed from here to save space)

Best Regards: Pierre


Question
Thank you very much for the very prescise advise.
I have been tring so many things, dermetlogies, cosmetics,
chinese medison..etc, but you seemed to be the best adviser.

I have one more question.  I might ask you on the letter with
the photo last time...
Do you think I can go for the peeling? ( Chemical peeling or
whatever they call.)
Have you heard "Obagi"?  That is famous salon/ dermetology/
laser center where my Singaporean friend also knows.  Do you
think it will harm my facial skin since I have very sensitive
skin?  I am afraid that the redness won't go away after the
peeling( It shoud be normal to keep redness for a couple of
hours, though) 
Well, I am looking forward to try your products first.  ( I
will postpone the appointment with them.)  What do you think
how long I should keep tring the products to see if it is
working for me

(submitted by alias: Sachiko)

Answer
Hi,

it's not advisable for you to have any form of peeling(chemical
or abrasive) at this moment.
Your skin can't take it now. These treatments are too harsh
for your current condition. 
It needs time to recuperate and physiologically replacing its
own cells.

For our products, you should know if its suitable after one to
two applications, and if it is, you should see improvement
after each application. Initially more obvious and eventually
improvement becomes gradual. This phenomina is normal. Let me
explain with the follwoing example:

When you have been seeing an object in black all the time, the
moment it turns grey you will notice the change very obviously.
However, as the object turns to lighter grey, you will still
notice the change but less obvious. As it continues to change
to yet a lighter grey, and lighter grey and so on, it becomes
less and less obvious to your eyes. This explanation clarifies
that it is not the product getting less and less effective as
time goes on, but simply your eyes can't differentiate the
change as it continues to improve. However, those who have seen
your previous condition will notice the change when they
next see you again after a certain time interval.

Regards: Pierre

Question
I am 27 years old, Japanese and living in the States for
6 years.  My acne has started since when I was 14 or so.
(After I started my period.)  Although my acne on the
cheek is gone, the openpores and redness remained and the
skin got rougher.  And the worse thing is the part is
expanding year by year. As I mentioned before, before the
menstoration, I get tiny acne inc. whitehead on the area
where I don't have acne before.  So now clear skin is
almost gone from my face.
I am sure I usually have whitehead as well as the blackhead.
(I cannot squeese unless I use needle.)  I have whitehead
near chin and neck now.  I know it is something to do with
my hormone.  So I have started to take birth control pill
called Oarth Tricyclen.  It is less than a month so that I
cannot figure it has been good for me.  Before I took
different kinds of antibiotics, Minocyn or monodox, but
didn't work.  I also tryed topical products such as Metrogel,
Azlex(New brand), Neostrata, and all kinds of stuff I can
get from drug store.  Only tings I haven't try are Retain-A
and Accutane....  I am not sure if you are familiar with
those products...
I am single, not pregnant.
I usually use facewash from salon, which is Dermelogica
"anti-back face wash" or Japanese CAC (Brand) powder type,
this one is very mild.  For the toner I use Pola
(Japanese) Sekkisei, or Chanel for Oily skin.  Lotion and
sun protection I am using Total Diffence from Chanel (Spf 15,
non-fre, oil control).  I try not to use fregrance-in, and
avoiding oil contained.  I don't usually put makeups.  Night
time I am not using anything right now except Vitamin E oil
for aroud eyes and neck.  I used to have very oily skin but
it is changing. So I have kind of oily skin but it is also
on the cheek.  People usually tell me I got very sensitive,
or combi, or oily skin.  Aroun my nose and cheek, I have
openpores and I can see oily-white stuff ( Are they comedos?)
coming out from pores.  Sometimes I use twizler to take or
they can be squeezed out. I don't have Stress that much and
I can sleep soon after I am in bed.  I think since I started
to take birthcontroll pills, I sleep well.  (But I have very
hard time waking up, maybe because my body has been changed
as well as the bloodpressure.)
I also take vitamins, eat a lot of fruit, vegis, and don't
eat greasy that much.
I wash my face twice a day.
I went to see many dermetrogists and, some told me my problem
is genetic, but non of my family has this proble that I know.  
I even went for lazer because of the spider vains.  The
doctor said, most of the redness is caused by acne.  So I
have combi of things going on my facial skin.  But my acne is
almost unseen (They are looked more like rough skin because
they are small and not really poped out most cases)) with the
redness.
Well, when I take picture closeup of my face I will send it
to you. Meanwhile I just want to try your products.
I forgot to tell you that I use mask, Purifying Mask from
Shiseido and Chinaclay mask from Clentel (U.S. product).  I
hardly use scrub since I know it might cause more broken
vassels.
Please give me suggestion, I will do anything for my skin.

Thank you very much for taking your time.

(submitted by alias: Sachiko)


Answer
Hi Sachiko,

I received your letter and 8 photographs.

Observing from your photos(although not very sharp), your
skin is now very  sensitive and inflamed. You also mentioned
that you flushed easily even since childhood days. This means
you have got very fine(and fair/light) epidermis. As such, your
skin is quite easily reddened also by sunlight(photosensitive),
because your skin contains little amount of melanin pigment
cells(melanocytes), and thus cannot effectively protect it
from the harmful effects of the UV rays, which worsens your
current condition. Although you need protection from the sun
(especially during summer time, or whenever you are out in the
open), unfortunately it's not advisable for you to use
sunscreen of high SPF value. You should use only below SPF15
(try a small amount on your neck area first to test if your
skin can take it or not).

You also should not use any soap-base cleansers(like the fash
wash you mentioned) to wash your face, and you should not wash
more than twice a day for the time being. Soap-based cleansers
will cause superficial dehydration(though temporarily). When
this happens two events happened:

1. The skin cracks and ruptured(and became coarse), and allows
bacteria to penetrate freely. This worsens your acneic
condition.

2. Your skin will physiologically react on its own to try to
compensate the loss of moisture(due to the temporary dehydration
caused by the soap-based cleanser). When this happens there will
be excessive production of sebum underneath your skin, causing
your pores to clog. Soap-based cleansers also contain salt(part
of the ingredients to help increase the viscosity of the cleanser)
which contributes to the hardening of the sebum.

Cream cleansers are generally better for conditions like yours,
but some cream cleansers unfortunately contain large amount of
high viscosity wax. Such cleansers usually leaves stains of
hardened waxes on skin after rinsing, and thus also contribute
to pore-clogs. Cream cleansers with low viscosity wax and
oil are known as non or low-comedogenic and are safer and more
effective. The same applies to day cream and night cream which
are to be left on the face for long hours. Those containing
high viscosity wax and oil should be avoided. You can do a
simple test to find out if a cream(cleansers, day and night
creams, etc.) is non-comedogenic or hyper-comedogenic
(Non-comedogenic means not prone to contributing to comedo).
Just decant one to two ml of the cream and place it on a piece
of normal writing paper for one to two days, and observe again
(do not spread the cream. Just leave it as a lump like a small
moldhill). If after two days, most of the cream had disappeared
and are absorbed into the paper(you can see the oil patch
surrounding the cream), leaving very little or no traces of
any visible cream on the paper, then the cream is low or
non-comedogenic. If, on the other hand, you find the small
moldhill of cream is still there or has shrunked only slightly,
leaving a lump of hardened wax substance still there, then the
cream contains a high content of wax substance and should be avoided.

Too much of Vit E and Retin A will cause your skin to peel
often(not good for sensitive skin like yours currently). Clay
mask will also absorb(suck) moisture from your skin and cause
dehydration. I recommend you stop applying for now.

Now I'm going to recommend you a simple regime, usimg only four
of our products first. You should stop all others in order to
see fast results.

The 4 products are:

1. Pierre Chenxu No.17/F DeepCleanse Refreshening Fluid.
   (This is a liquid cleanser/makeup remover).
2. Pierre Chenxu No.69   Licorice Toner.
3. Pierre Chenxu No.87   Azulene Active Cream.
4. Pierre Chenxu No.090  Wondergel Ginseng AC Cream
   (Anti-Acne CReam).

Please follow and adhere to the following instructions closely:

A) Every morning: 

Step 1 : Pour No.17/F on a cotton pad, and wipe face and
neck gently to remove staled grease, dirt, dead-cells and any
debris.

Step 2 : Rinse thoroughly with running water(Use a facial
sponge if desired, but wipe gently and lightly).

Step 3 : Tap dry with a tissue(avoid using towel for time being).

Step 4 : Apply No.69 with a cotton pad, by tapping lightly on
face and neck, and wait a while for it to dry and absorbed,
before going to next step.

Step 5 : Apply No.090 sparingly on acne spots(or acneic
areas). Apply No.87 on all other unaffected areas.

For the time being, please avoid applying any makeup(except
eyebrow and lip areas).

B) Every Evening/Night:

Step 1: Pour No.17/F on a cotton pad, and wipe off makeup
first(in your case eyebrow and lip areas only, if you do
apply), then wipe face and neck gently to remove staled
grease, dirt, dead-cells and any debris.

Step 2 : Rinse thoroughly with running water(Use a facial
sponge if desired, but wipe gently and lightly).

Step 3 : Tap dry with a tissue(avoid using towel for time being).

Step 4 : Apply No.69 with a cotton pad, by tapping lightly on
face and neck, and wait a while for it to dry and absorbed,
before going to next step.

Step 5 : Apply No.090 sparingly on acne spots(or acneic areas).
Apply No.87 on all other unaffected areas.

Other Hygiene/Health Aspects to observe:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Tie your hair up when sleeping to avoid bacteria from hair
from spreading to your ruptured skin.

2. Change your pillow case as often as possible - preferably
cover it with a clean towel and change it daily.

3. Wash your hair daily if possible(avoiding the shampoo from
flowing down on your face!!!).

4. Avoid squeezing, fiddling and pricking your acnes(or face)
with bare hands/fingers.

5. Avoid the sun.

6. Avoid fried food.

7. Drink plenty of plain water.

8. Go to bed on time and sleep at least 7 to 8 hours nightly.
Do not stay up late at night.

9. Avoid dusty places or places near chemicals, where chemical
gas/fumes are likely to be present.

Above steps are also applicable for your hands and other parts
of the body as well.

Samples will be sent to you this week, and should receive them
next week. Keep in touch with us, and let us know of your
improvement, or if you have any further clarification to make,
please don't hesitate to email me.

Best Regards: Pierre