Is acne getting you down? Acne can depress most people, and for teenagers it can be terrible. But there are things that you can do to lessen the appearance of acne. There are no overnight cures, but following our tips will bring about an improvement.

Sometimes natural skin care remedies can be used in the place of strong ointments for skin care. Lemons are a great natural acne treatment. Lemons act as an astringent that can shrink acne due to its high acid level. It can also reduce oil levels in the skin. Just apply lemon juice to the skin and let it work for 15 minutes, then wash off, and you’ll see effective results.

To get rid of your acne, avoid popping your zits all the time. You can improve the way your skin looks by removing them, but you are actually causing the oil to spread even more under the surface of your skin. Wait a few days before you pop anything and clean up your skin right after.

Here is a way of treating acne that is a little bit off the wall. You want to mix cut up strawberries with sour cream and make sure it is blended well. Then apply the mixture to your face like a beauty mask. This mixture will cool your face and clear up problem areas.

Commercially available over-the-counter medication can help in the battle against acne. The best types of medication are those with anti-bacterial ingredients. Bacteria are one of the most significant contributors to acne problems, so creams and treatments designed to fight them can have a great effect. Following manufacturer’s directions will increase the effectiveness of such medications.

If you are dealing with breakouts, look at your alcohol consumption. Alcohol causes your body to produce more oil and it enlarges the pores on your skin. Try cutting out alcohol for a week or more and see if it has an effect on your skin. If it does, you don’t have to abstain completely, but try to limit your intake to just a drink or two a week.

Benzoyl Peroxide can be used to treat acne safely. It is particularly good for spot treating your problem areas. Many people believe that this acid has damaging effects on your skin. However, it is safe for using on your face, and can help you out when you are in a rut.

Spot treatments are very effective for treating small breakouts. This can help prevent dry skin on the rest of your face. Look for treatments containing ingredients like sulfur, salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. There are a wide variety of homeopathic remedies available online.

For people with excessive acne or acne scars, it is wise to visit a dermatologist. They can have methods of helping to clear and prevent acne that cannot be bought in a store. Also, they can prescribe special creams and lotions that a person can use daily at home.

Even though cosmetics are not a valid form of treatment for acne, many people use them when they have an important event and they wish to camouflage an acne outbreak. When you feel you must use cosmetics to help conceal your acne, avoid any oil-based compounds because they will aggravate your acne. The best cosmetics to use are water-based ones. Even though they camouflage for a shorter time than oil-based, they inflict less harm to your acne.

Consider switching to a low-carb diet to improve your body’s resistance to acne. While myths about chocolate causing acne are indeed untrue, do not assume that diet has no impact on your acne problems. Carbohydrates are relatively tough to digest. While your digestive system is working overtime on carbs, it can neglect other waste products. When these wastes build up in the skin, they contribute to the onset of acne.

If you are a smoker suffering from acne, your skin problems are just one more reason to give up the nicotine habit. Smoking not only devastates your body’s overall health, it has direct effects that aggravate acne problems. Smoking contributes a host of extra contaminants to your skin – from the inside as well as the outside – all of which can cause or exacerbate acne outbreaks.

Salicylic acid is a great way to treat your acne problems. This medication can help the top layers of skin fall off in a way that will not cause more pimples, and it also has antibacterial properties to kill any infection that might occur. It is a one-two knock-out punch for zits!

Granted, some of this advice is easier to apply than others. However, there is no doubt that if you get tough on yourself, and consistently apply this advice, that you will see a difference in your skin. So, what are you waiting for? There’s no time better than now to get started.

Acne Does Not Have To Be A Lifetime Curse was originally published on Spring