Anyone with persistent acne knows how difficult it is to heal your skin and make all of them go away. This problem is faced by almost everyone at least once in their lifetime.
We may think, to reduce the visibility of acne, popping or picking on them is the best solution but, sorry to pop your thoughts, this may worsen the case.
Although acne or pimples cannot be cured in a day, there are some steps that you can take to reduce them –
Avoid Picking Or Popping Them
Do not pick or pop the existing acne. By doing so, you are increasing the risk of spreading bacteria all over your face which may lead to the spread of acne and pimples all over your face.
Wash Your Face
Pimples can prove their existence anywhere on your body but they occur mostly on the face. There is a bacterium called Propionibacterium, which is responsible for acne breakouts. It turns sebum, an oil found naturally on your skin, into fatty acids which then cause inflammation. Removing excess oil, dirt, and sweat daily can help in preventing acne or pimples. Although too much cleansing is also not good as it may lead to stripping the skin of natural sebum. This will force the skin to produce more oil to rebalance the skin texture, causing acne.Washing the face too much is also not good for the skin. Use cleansers that are sulfate-free, fragrance-free, and gentle for your skin. Avoid scrubbing your skin harshly or using drying foaming cleansers.
Wet your face with warm water..
Apply a cleanser that has mild and gentle ingredients in a circular motion using your fingers.
Rinse your face.
Pat it dry.
Identify Your Skin Type
If you know your skin type, then you can have a better knowledge of which products are best suited for you and which ones you should avoid. Skin types can be identified as the following –
Dry – This type of skin feels flaky and tight.
Oily – This type of skin looks shiny due to the presence of excess oil on the face.
Combination – This skin, as the name suggests, is a combination of qualities of both oily and dry skin. This skin type is oily in the T-zone that is forehead, nose, and chin whereas the cheeks and the sides of the face are dry compared to the rest of the face.
Sensitive – This skin type reacts easily to products and is prone to acne or breakouts or irritation from products. Your skin can be sensitive along with any other skin type.
In general, anyone can acne but people who have oily skin are more prone. Knowing the skin type will help in developing a skincare regime that can work more effectively and clear your skin.
Sensitive skin cannot handle the use of too many products with active ingredients like salicylic acid wash, a salicylic acid exfoliating toner, and retinol cream.
Moisturize
Moisturizers help in keeping the skin hydrated which is very important if you want to reduce breakouts. If your skin remains dry, then your skin will produce sebum which, as discussed above, is not very healthy for acne-prone skin.
However, before buying any moisturizer, keep in mind to check the ingredients of the moisturizer as many moisturizers contain oil, synthetic fragrance, or other ingredients that may irritate your skin and cause pimples.
Be sure to buy a moisturizer that has the word non comedogenic written on its label.
If you use anti-aging products, then fear not, there is a variety available for every skin type like oily skin anti aging cream and these creams can even help you in whitening your skin that gets darker due to the aging process. This will include whitening anti aging cream.
Makeup
We all feel tempted to cover our blemishes and the redness caused by the pimples with makeup but doing this can clog your pores and trigger even more breakouts.
If you do wear makeup, make sure to wash it at the end of the day. Choose oil-free cosmetics that do not have any added dyes or chemicals.
Read the ingredients before buying any product.
Hair products
Avoid using fragrances, oils, gels, etc in your hair as they have a possibility of going to your face which may irritate your skin by blocking the pores.
Use a gentle shampoo and conditioner. Wash your head often as oily hair can add oil to your face which is not good especially if you have frequent breakouts.
Avoid Touching Your Face
Avoid touching your face frequently as this has a high chance of spreading bacteria which will then clog your pores with impurities. Avoid resting your chin on your hands. It will not only spread bacteria but will irritate the already inflamed skin.
Keep your hands clean so that if you even touch your face, at least your hands are clean.
Restrict Sun Exposure
Catching some sun rays may dry out your skin for some time but it can have consequences in the future. The sun’s UV rays can increase inflammation and redness on your face. Limit your sun exposure and try wearing protective clothing like a full-sleeved shirt and pants etc.
Never take wearing sunscreen for granted, even if the weather outside is rainy or you cannot see the sun from those clouds.
Hydrate Your Skin
If your skin feels short on water, it will signal the glands to produce more oil. Dehydration makes your skin dry and promotes inflammation and discoloration.
Keep your body hydrated throughout the day. Drink more water after you exercise or are spending time in a hot and humid environment.
Consult Your Dermatologist
If you feel your skin is causing more problems like you cannot sleep at night due to the constant irritation, then you must consult your dermatologist.
Wrapping Up
Acne can be caused due to many factors. While the above-mentioned suggestions will not magically make your acne disappear, they will help in reducing them.
