Your acne is not going to clear up until you give it the proper treatment and care according to your skin type. The following are a few tips to help tackle an acne problem.

Use hydrocortisone cream on an existing pimple to remove redness when it becomes inflamed. A dab of this cream can help not only soothe the pimple, but will shrink the blood vessels in the area, reducing the appearance of redness. Be careful not to use it too often, as your skin can get used to it and it may cause more skin problems in the future.

Maintaining an active lifestyle is beneficial in so many ways. Activity causes sweat however, and sweat that lingers on the skin can cause acne flare ups. Always use a mild cleanser after exercising to keep the skin clean and free of dried sweat. A gentle exfoliant once or twice a week can also help.

If you notice recurring breakouts or blemishes on one side of your face only, you may be exposing yourself to a dirty phone or pillowcase. Try wiping down your phone earpiece and mouthpiece with an antibacterial cleanser, and alternate ears. You may also change your pillowcase more frequently because dirt and oils pressed into the fabric may be the culprit.

Try to avoid going to bed with makeup on ever again. Sleeping in your makeup clogs pores and doesn’t allow the skin to breath, causing acne that could have been easily avoided. It also rubs off onto your sheets and pillows, leaving behind bacteria and oils that you’ll more than likely lay back in the next night.

Consider using a cleaner rather than bar soap to clean your face. The skin’s natural pH is 5.5, while bar soap typically has a pH of around 9. Bar soap can therefore alter the skin’s pH enabling the types of bacteria that cause acne to multiply. Bar soap also contains thickeners which can block pores. Finally, bar soaps strip the skin of all natural oils causing the sebaceous glands to overproduce oil leading to clogged pores.

Use acne treatments before applying moisturizer. The general rule is to always use the heaviest liquid last. Acne treatments are usually very thin and clear so they should be used first. Moisturizer is a thick cream so it needs to be applied after the lighter lotions, otherwise, the lighter lotions will not be able to penetrate through the moisturizer.

One great way to help your body fight acne is to drink a lot of water. A lot of people believe that this helps eliminate acne. By drinking water, you are helping your complexion by keeping it well moisturized. Additionally, drinking water simply makes your body run better, making you feel better.

Do not drive yourself crazy if you have a few pimples. Mild cases of acne are more likely to go away on its own than serious breakouts. Use a gentle cleanser with Salicylic acid and wash daily. Even if you are tempted, make sure not to touch your face or mouth.

Brew yourself a cup of Chamomile tea. Drinking the tea, though, is not the beneficial aspect of this treatment. Save the tea bags and after they are cool, place them on your skin for thirty seconds. It is a great natural cure for acne. This can be done several times a week, without any negative effects.

Keep your intake of probiotics and prebiotics high to help balance your gut and keep the acne at bay. Having a deficiency of either of these can cause toxins to be released through your skin, leading to acne. You can take a probiotic supplement and eat foods like artichokes, bananas, honey, and onions to increase your prebiotic colonies and clear up your skin.

Vitamin D is an essential component of not only reducing acne problems, but also having healthy skin in general. One amazing and free source of vitamin D is the sun! Make sure you spend some time outside on a daily basis. However, do not overdo it as the sun can be a double edged sword. Staying out in the sun for an excessive amount of time and getting burnt is a cause of skin cancer.

To help get rid of acne, you can try using licorice root. It’s an all natural herb whose ingredients have been known to reduce the redness of acne and get rid of it as well. Licorice root is good for people with all skin types and can be used daily.

Things like your particular type of skin will dictate the level of care that you need, in order to get rid of these blemishes, so always be sure that you’re focusing on these tips and applying them correctly if you want to beat acne. It may take a while to see results, but these tips are easy to apply and will work well.

Want To Make Acne Disappear? Read On was originally published on Spring