There’s nothing quite as disappointing as having a prom to attend, or a date on the horizon, and then having to deal with a huge pimple. Is there really any way that you can effectively treat acne? The short answer is yes! Read this article and find out about a few ways you can lessen the appearance of acne, or even get rid of it altogether.

Makeup can be an important factor in controlling acne. All makeup products should be washed off at the end of the day before bedtime. This will definitely, prevent the pores from being clogged due to impurities in the makeup. You might also want to try water based makeup instead of oil based. If you are experiencing a breakout and wish to wear makeup, use only a limited amount or abstain from wearing it all together.

If you are suffering from acne, try to be aware of things that may transfer bacteria to your problem areas. For example, be sure to clean your cell phone regularly if you tend to hold it against your face. This will help prevent those unnecessary breakouts, and lead you one step closer to problem-free skin!

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.

Tretinoin, a topical retinoid, is a popular medication used to treat comedonal acne, blackheads and whiteheads. It is the acid form of vitamin A and works by increasing skin cell turnover and clearing blocked pores. The medication is available in cream or gel from under the following brand names: Stieva-A, Aberela, Atralin, Airol, Retin-A, Avita, Refissa and Renova.

Don’t wait to see a dermatologist or other professional skin care provider. If you can seek treatment at the first signs of acne, you may be able to avoid having a mild condition turn in to something more serious later. Early intervention, much like that for medical conditions, can really pay off.

A great vitamin to take to prevent acne is zinc. Zinc helps to diminish the amount of free radicals that form under your skin. To treat your cystic acne and reduce the appearance of bumps on your skin, look for a daily supplement that contains zinc.

If your acne wash isn’t working for you, check out the active ingredient and try a different kind the next time you go to the store. It is possible to build a tolerance to benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, the two most common anti-acne ingredients. If you switch your weapon, your zits might run for the hills!

Fighting acne should be a whole body approach, instead of just applying medicated creams at night. Look into cutting down on, or cutting out entirely, foods that cause inflammation. The two foods that you’ll most want to watch out for are milk and refined sugar. Reducing your consumption of these should help your body strengthen its internal approach to fighting acne.

Doctors have done studies that have proven that diets that include high carbohydrates can increase the severity of acne. Reducing the intake of sugar, white bread and pastas can reduce the severity of your breakouts or even help to eliminate them altogether. It is a hard thing to do but you will love the results.

Do not squeeze or try to pop your acne. If you squeeze your zits, the bacteria from the blemish will get all over your face and increase the amount of pimples that you have. Either leave them alone or apply an acne product to your skin. Your skin will clear up much quicker than if you try to pop the pimple.

If you’re a battling an acne breakout and need a quick fix, use toothpaste. You want to stay away from gels, but otherwise, this product can be a very effective home remedy for ridding you of your blemishes. Put it on the pimple in the evening and then wash it away when you wake up in the morning.

Make sure that you remember to moisturize after applying your acne treatment. Most acne treatments will dry out your skin. This is what most of them are designed to do. This is a good thing, but if you allow your skin to remain dry it can cause redness and irritation.

As you will find as you begin to implement these tips, you can work toward clearing your skin permanently. The most important factor to remember here is that you must exercise proper maintenance; you must be diligent and consistent. Knowing how to solve acne is worthless unless you take the steps to do it.

Control Your Acne With These Easy Tips was originally published on Spring