For many, it can be hard to outgrow pimples. While some only have breakouts in their teens, others are born with acne-prone skin. This makes pimples something people struggle with as they transition to adulthood. As such, dermatologists exist so they can prescribe acne-fighting products or medical treatment for affected skin. While this can be a solution, not everyone has the means to do this yet. In the meantime, you can take care of acne-prone skin by following skincare practices that can be doable at home. Doing so is crucial, especially for people with occupations involving face-to-face interaction. To maintain your confidence and self-esteem, you can start with a healthy diet, observe simple hygiene, or get gentle yet effective skincare products. Here are skincare tips to follow.
Use Products That Target Specific Acne Sources
The American Academy of Dermatology explains that you need to use products that can target specific acne sources, as breakouts can be caused by various conditions. The products have active ingredients like Benzoyl peroxide, which is made to fight the P. acnes bacteria. There is also salicylic acid which alleviates inflammation and unclogs pores. Another ingredient would be retinoids, which reduces oiliness and also unclogs pores. These ingredients are dermatologically recognized for their effectiveness, which explains why many skincare brands use them in manufacturing products.
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Use Products Designed For Your Skin Type
People have different skin types, ranging from oily, dry, to a combination of both. Skincare products on the market are made with this in mind, with many having labels that guarantee their effectiveness with a specific skin type. If you have oily skin, you should use products that have oil-free ingredients. If you have dry skin, use products that are made to moisturize your skin. This might be an unnecessary bother for people who think you can use any skincare product to fight acne, but the opposite is true.
By using products that fit your skin type, you can see effective results and not waste your time and money investing in the wrong type.
Wash Things That Touch Your Skin
Yes, this includes your fingers. Since pimples can be caused by dirt and bacteria, it’s important to wash or clean everything that comes into contact with your face. Besides your fingers, you should sanitize your pillowcases, bed sheets, blankets, towels, handkerchiefs, makeup tools, and such. These objects could accumulate outside dirt, bacteria, and dead skin cells which can clog pores or cause skin irritations if you keep using them without prior cleaning. Do not sleep with your face on a dusty pillow, wipe your nose with a dirty handkerchief, or put makeup on with unwashed sponges and brushes.
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Refrain From Popping Pimples
A skincare tip for the impulsive would be refraining from popping acne or pimples. Not only is this painful, but it also leaves scars due to the tear that this causes on the skin. Having scars, especially on the face, could affect your appearance and even self-esteem if you’re already struggling with acne breakout. Forcefully breaking your pimples also puts you at risk of getting more acne because you might eject infected pus from the pimple onto the surface of the skin. This could then enter other pores and lead to more acne.
Check The Products You Use On Your Hair
An often-overlooked factor is the kind of hair products you use. Whenever you apply some gel, wax, shampoo, or setting spray on your hair, the product could trickle to your face when you sweat. Once this happens, ingredients in the hair product could cause your face to get irritated or your pores to get clogged. This isn’t to say that you should stop using hair products entirely. You just need to find ones that are skin-friendly and you just have to prevent your hair from touching your face too much. For women, this could be more challenging due to the length of your hair. You can always use hair bands and similar accessories that can keep your hair in place while you’re moving around.
Avoid Stressful Yourself Too Much
In one Time article explaining the link between stress and acne, Dr. Adam Friedman explains how the stress-related corticotropin-releasing hormone or CRH serves as a cause for breakouts. CRH can interact with the skin’s oil glands and cause heightened oil production. This, in turn, causes pimples which could be worsened if the person experiences stress a lot. Friedman also adds that stress signals nerves which can cause someone to itch. Once a person gets compelled to itch, pick, or scratch at their skin, this can further irritate the skin, not to mention the potentially unwashed condition of the hands when this happens.
Exercise More Often
According to WebMD, exercising helps improve your skin condition. Every time you undergo a vigorous workout, your body perspires and unclogs the pores in your skin. This should happen often because clogged pores promote pimples, but make sure to wash with soap right after working out. Doing so will cleanse lingering sweat off your skin, which could otherwise worsen your acne.
Just be mindful of what you’re holding while you’re using the exercise equipment. Make sure to wash your hands before touching your face after working out, as the gym equipment would likely be dirty.
Go For A Healthier Diet
As should be common sense by now, what you eat gets absorbed by your system and this includes your skin. This is the reason skincare experts discourage people from eating greasy food, which could increase your skin’s oil production. A healthier option would be eating lots of greens, fish, fruits, and food that aren’t too oily, spicy, or processed.
Besides this, make sure to follow a healthy eating pattern. Eat just enough servings for each meal, unless you’re in a bodybuilding program. Don’t eat too much right before sleeping, but don’t starve yourself. In short, try to keep your hands off fast food and go for healthy meat and greens instead.
Skincare Summarized
Just because you have acne-prone skin doesn’t mean you’re gonna have a hard time with skincare maintenance. By following the steps above, you can find it easier to keep pimples at bay while you go about your daily routine.
Resources – American Academy of Dermatology, WebMD, Time
