Care of skin prone to or affected with acne, is just not about using medication to control it. Unless it is combined with appropriate basic skin care, there won’t be a satisfactory response.
Here are some basic skincare habits to help keep your skin healthy and blemish free.
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- Hands off!
- No pimple popping.
- Be gentle.
- Use non-comedogenic products.
- Moisturize.
- Don’t use too many anti-acne products at the same time.
- Avoid physical exfoliants for active acne.
- No alcohol, please.
- Protect yourself from the sun.
- Wash off the gunk before you hit the bed.
- Take care of your scalp and hair.
- Last but not least – Patience!
1) Hands off!
Touching your face throughout the day is a way of transporting germs from your hands, that have touched all plausible surfaces, to your face.
This holds not just for your hands but also if your phone is glued to your cheek for a long part of your day.
Such habits can cause a flare-up of your acne.
2) No pimple popping.
Yes, this is easier said than done. But here is a laundry list of reasons why you should not pop pimples:
- Every time you touch your face, you are transporting bacteria from your hands to your face. This can flare up your acne.
- By squeezing, you push the bacteria deeper into the skin, causing more redness and swelling.
- You damage your skin, and this can cause permanent scarring.
3) Be gentle.
Are you aggressively rubbing your face to ‘cleanse’ it of all the dirt and oil when you wash your face? Don’t. Save that vigor for better use. Scrubbing with so much force can irritate the skin and flare your acne.
Instead, apply the cleanser lightly with your fingers in circular motions.
4) Use non-comedogenic products.
Your friend may have dewy skin with the product she used, but it may not work for you, esp if her skin type is different from yours. Read the label!
Always looks for a ‘non-comedogenic’, ‘non-acnegenic,’ or ‘non-pore-clogging’ label on your products. These ensure that the ingredients in the product will not block your pores and cause acne. However, every product may not work the same way for everyone, and if you feel a particular product does not suit you, refrain from using it.
5) Moisturize.
Moisturizers are important to hydrate your skin. It is different from the sebum that the skin produces. To compensate for the skin surface dehydration, your sebum production goes on an overdrive. Moisturizers also help you tolerate acne medications which are often drying and tend to strip your skin of its sebum.
Do not ditch the moisturizer. Instead, opt for an oil-free and non-comedogenic one.
6) Don’t use too many anti-acne products at the same time.
Unless prescribed, refrain from using multiple similar actives at the same time. Having an anti-acne ingredient in all skin products you use might just end up giving you red, itchy, irritated, skin.
Instead, add a single active ingredient to our routine at a time. Use it for a couple of days before you add another product.
7) Avoid physical exfoliants for active acne.
While physical exfoliants like face scrubs or tools may help with acne scars and prevent acne (when used with due care), they should be avoided if you have active acne, as these are abrasive and can cause irritation.
Instead, opt for chemical exfoliants like alpha or beta hydroxy acids under medical guidance.
8) No alcohol, please.
Alcohol is added to products, especially facial toners, to enhance the absorption of the active ingredients, and many like the ‘cooling’ sensation it imparts on the skin. However, alcohol can strip the skin of its natural oils, disrupt your skin barrier, and cause redness and irritation.
But, now there is a big but; alcohol is of various kinds and does play a role in your skincare product, like enhancing the penetration of the active ingredients.
Typically, a product with a high alcohol content will smell of it when you open the bottle- skin toners are a common culprit here. Also, if alcohol is on the top of the ingredients list, it is most likely in a significant concentration to be drying. A reasonable place for it to appear on the ingredient list is somewhere down. The farther down it is, the better. Read the label!
9) Protect yourself from the sun.
Some acne medications can make your skin more sensitive to sun rays. Also, sun exposure can lead to stubborn pigmentation marks once your acne heals. Use sunscreen and physical protection like full sleeves and wide-brimmed hats every time you step out in the sun.
As always, read the label and pick one that says ‘non-comedogenic’.
10) Wash off the gunk before you hit the bed.
As we go through the day, oil, sweat, dead skin cells, dirt, and debris accumulate on the skin. Add to this any makeup or cream you might have used. Not washing all the gunk at end of the day is bad hygiene and will block your pores leading to acne. A clean face also readies your skin to soak up any skin care products (like anti-acne medications).
11) Take care of your scalp and hair.
Hair fluttering across the face or bangs may look pretty on Jennifer Lawrence, but it can irritate your acne-prone skin.
Oily scalp, dandruff, and product build-up on hair due to hair pomades, sprays, and gels can get to your face, block your skin pores, and cause acne.
Instead, pull your hair away from your face, treat your dandruff, and reduce product buildup by using a clarifying shampoo at intervals.
12) Last but not least-Patience!
Any acne care regime will need a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks to start showing its effects. A satisfactory response can take anywhere from 3 to 4 months.
Changing your skincare regime frequently, especially those prescribed by your doctor, will never get you to your goal of clear, acne-free skin! It will just be a vicious cycle you never need to be in. Have patience!
