Looking in the mirror is not easy when you have blemished skin; it can really do a number on your self-esteem. While there is no magic cure for blemished skin, there are some things you can do to help reduce blemishes from acne.
Some basic skin care tips can help you reduce the blemishes you have and improve the overall quality of your skin. Let's take a look at some simple ways you can see better skin when you look in the mirror.
Gentle Cleansing
Oily skin and acne go hand-in-hand and many people use harsh cleansers to remove and/or dry up the oil. However, this does exactly the opposite of what you are trying to do. The harsh cleansers can over dry your skin which then stimulates it to produce more oil. Then as you develop dry skin, it begins to flake and the dead cells can actually become debris that clogs your pores even further causing your acen to become worse.
This doesn't mean you shouldn't cleanse your skin - just make sure to use the proper type of cleanser. Look for cleansers that are free from sulfates and labeled alcohol-free. Cleansers labeled for sensitive skin are also a good choice because they usually don't contain harsh fragrances.
It's very important to wash away dirt and oil accumulation from the day (including makeup). Make sure to cleanse your skin twice a day, when you wake up and before you go to bed. Use a clean washcloth and be sure all traces of makeup are removed.
Keep Skin Moist
Often people with oily skin and/or acne think that moisturing their skin is going to make it worse. However, with proper cleansing and the right moisturizer, you skin will actually benefit from adding it to your skin.
With moisturizers, the key is to use one that is oil-free. You need to keep your skin from drying out, but you don't want to add products that will clog your pores. When you don't add moisture, your skin will produce even more oil to compensate and keep it from drying out. However, this type of moisure will cause your acne to worsen.
When choosing a moisturizer, in addition to it being oil-free, look for one formulated for sensitive skin and skin that's blemish-prone.
You may find ingredients such as tea tree oil and salicylic acid in moisturizers made for people with acne. These products help to fight the bacteria that causes clogged pores to develop inflammation.
Resist the Urge to Pick
Picking at your skin can cause even more problems so don't do it. Popping pimples can lead to infection and scarring. Continuing to pick at skin can cause scabs that are not easy to cover. Scabs that are continually picked will lead to permanent scars and marks. It's best to treat acne with specific products and then leave it alone.
Patience will save you from having long-term problems that come from having blemishes that become scars. Continue to treat spots that are troublesome, but don't try to speed things along by squeezing and picking.
Choose Makeup Carefully
Makeup can help you have skin that looks clearer, but it can also lead to acne if you use the wrong kind. Avoid foundations with oil. Look for cosmetics labeled oil-free and non-comedogenic so it won't clog pores. Some makup is even formulated specifically for acne-prone skin. Choose powders over cake makeup as these are less likely to cause blemishes. Mineral makup is particularly good at not clogging pores.
Stay Hydrated
Keeping your skin healthy begins on the inside. Drinking plenty of water will help you stay hydrated and cause your skin to become healthier. Eight to ten glasses of water is appropriate for most people. If you exercise a lot, you'll need more water to make up for loss through sweating.
You may be asking yourself how does drinking water help your skin to stay clear? There are a few ways it does this.
Water helps your body get rid of toxins and reduce inflammation. It also helps to keep the skin hydrated so it doesn't overprodce oil that can lead to more acne.
Water helps your body to absorb vitamins and minerals better. Water is the most important substance you can put into your body; make sure you drink plenty of it.
Add Nutrition to Your Diet
Great nutrition leads to healthy skin. Make sure to eat lots of fruit and vegetables as these provide you with the building blocks for healthy skin. In particular, you need to make sure you're getting plenty of vitamin A from your diet. Vitamin A is found in carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe and apricots.
You'll also want to eat foods high in vitamin E such as almonds, spinach, mango, olives and blueberries.
It is better to get your vitamins from food, but taking a multivitamin supplement can also support healthy skin.
On an individual basis, you may notice that some foods do cause you to break out and you just need to avoid them.
Keep Oil off of Your Face
There are several sources of oil that can come in contact with your face and lead to problems with acne. One example is greasy hair products. Pay close attention to the hair products you're using and try to keep them away from your hairline.
Your scalp naturally produces oil for your hair, and this is normal. However, when your hair touches your face that oil can be transferred to your skin. Make sure to keep hair away from your face.
You might not realize you even do this, but touching your face regularly can transfer dirt and oils from your hands to your face. The more you touch your face, the more likely you'll be to develop acne in the areas you touch.
Investigate Underlying Causes
We often look at the skin in isolation and focus acne treatment on it. However, the skin is connected to all other systems of the body and can be affected by things going on inside it. Acne can be cause by:
- Hormonal Changes
- Stress
- Allergies
- Medications
- Genetics - a family history
It may also be critical for you to learn new ways to manage stress so that your body will stay balanced and inflammation of your skin will stay at bay. You may even want to keep a diary of your acne to see if there are specific times when it gets worse. This can give you some insight into the underlying cause.
Seek Treatment from a Professional
If you've looked at lifestyle factors and taken care of simple things you can do on your own but still have acne, you should consider seeking professional help. There are many treatments for acne that can help to get rid of it. In this day and age, there's no reason to just live with acne. A healthcare provider can help you develop a program that will keep your skin healthy.
For women, birth control pills are often prescribed to treat acne. They work by regulating your hormones. If hormones are the cause of your problems, this is a possible solution.
Antibiotics are also prescribed to help treat acne. You can take oral antibiotics that will start to clear acne from the inside out. There are also topical medications that are antibiotic and penetrate the skin.
There are several topical products designed to treat acne that can only be purchased with a prescription. Your dermatologist can discuss options with you for topical treatments.
Some dermatologists recommend laser therapy or light therapy. Laser therapy is actually used to slow down the production of oil glands in the deep layers of the skin. Light therapy works to kill bacteria in the skin.
There are also procedures such as chemical peels and microdermabrasion that will help you get rid of acne scars.
You may also want to visit with a homeopathic doctor and discuss herbal treatments for acne. There are several supplements such as brewer's yeast and zinc that have been show to help acne.
When you have acne, you may feel alone and frustrated. But you should know that acne has been well researched and there are many treatments for it. One such well-researched treatment is Mike Walden's natural and holistic Acne No More program which you can purchase by clicking here.
You don't need to be embarassed about this common problem, but you shouldn't ignore it. What's going on with your skin is a signal that something is off balance in your skin or somewhere else in your body. Make sure to improve your lifestyle and seek treatment if you need it.
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