Despite what many people believe, acne doesn’t just affect teenagers. Adults can develop acne, as well. Acne is caused by several factors and learning what some of those factors are, is one step in learning how to combat it. Read on to find some invaluable advice on how to treat acne and how to minimize its occurrence.
A great alternative treatment for acne is the use of vinegar rubbed on the face with a cotton ball. This acidic compound can be used in place of a chemical toner. It will help re-balance the pH levels of your skin. Re-balancing your skin in this manner can clear up breakouts sometimes after just a single application.
In order to take care of your acne, experiment with not wearing makeup for a while if you normally wear makeup, or switch to water based makeup. Make-up can exacerbate your break-outs by clogging your pores. Keeping your face clean and fresh for a while, can help bring your acne back under control.
To help you avoid acne, make sure you don’t wear foundation. Wearing foundation only contributes to making your skin worse. The contents found in foundation will clog your pores extensively furthering your acne. If you feel that you cannot endure your day without make up, make sure that it is water based.
Benzoyl peroxide cream or gel applied directly onto the affected skin twice a day is a proven acne treatment. Benzoyl peroxide prevents dead skin cells blocking hair follicles and kills bacteria on the skin that can cause blocked follicles to become infected. Unfortunately, benzoyl peroxide makes skin more sensitive to ultra-violet light, so during treatment you should avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight.
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’re fighting acne, check your moisturizers for ingredients that can make acne worse or prolong breakouts. Many rich or heavy moisturizing creams have ingredients that can clog pores, like sodium lauryl sulfate, cetearyl alcohol, cocoa butter or wheat germ oil. Other moisturizers contain ingredients like salicylic acid or retinol that can irritate skin that’s trying to heal. Make sure to choose moisturizers that are non-comedogenic (non-clogging), non-acnegenic, and gentle on acne-prone skin.
Try to avoid touching your face throughout the day. Many times we put our hands or fingers on our face without even thinking about it. Our hands have bacteria on them that we pick up from various surfaces. That bacteria then gets in to our pores and creates the pimples that make up acne.
Drink apple cider vinegar to reduce acne breakouts, eczema, or other skin conditions. Apple cider vinegar may be hard to drink by itself, but try adding it to a blended fruit smoothie to get all the effects without the harsh taste. In addition to clearer skin, you may notice silkier hair and shinier nails.
Working out is beneficial for the body, but it can often cause more breakouts. If you are prone to getting acne on your chest and back, switch to a body wash that contains salicylic acid. This is the main ingredient in several face washes. It will help unclog your pores.
If you want to shrink the appearance of your pores, switch to a facial cleanser that contains the ingredient salicylic acid. This will wash out excess oils that can stretch out your pores. It is a bonus if the cleanser can exfoliate, as well. When you exfoliate, you wash away dead skin that could clog and stretch the 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.
An important tip to consider when concerning acne is knowing where acne can occur on your body. This is important in order to distinguish acne from other ailments. Acne will commonly occur on your face, and other times it may show up on the neck, chest, back, or your shoulders. It technically can occur in other places that may have clogged pores, but this would be more likely to occur from bad hygiene.
As acne can affect so many people at different stages in their lives, it is very important to learn ways to manage it. By successfully treating and managing acne, you will notice improved self-confidence and, of course, a cleaner and clearer complexion. This article has detailed a wealth of ideas you might consider, in order to effectively manage acne.
Ways To Keep Your Skin Clear And Acne Free was originally published on Spring