The best methods to fight acne involve a combination of prevention and proper care for the skin.
Here are some suggestions you can use to prevent and treat acne:
1. Practice Regular Exercise
Regular exercise can help fight acne by combating negative stress levels that each of has has. However, make sure to aviod wearing tight lycra and nylon exercise outfits. These synthetic fabrics tend to cause more body moisture and heat, creating an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. Stick to loose clothing made of cotton or natural fibers, and keep your clothing and equipment sanitized.
2. Use The Proper Cosmetics
To avoid pore-clogging and skin irritations that can give way to acne, use products labeled "noncomedogenic" or "oil-free." Opt for "hypo-allergenic" perfumes and make-up to adverse reactions and skin irritation. Coal tar derivatives, carmine and heavy cream in blushes can cause reactions.
Sparkling facial colors may contain a flaky material called mica that can irritate skin and clog pores. Use a lip gloss with a matte finish to also reduce clogging of pores. The more the shine, the higher then comedogenic content and the higher the likelihood your pores can clog.
3. Eat a Healthy Diet
Studies have shown that diet does not play as big a role as once thought in either the cause or the treatment of acne. With that in mind, though, what is good for the body is good for the skin. So, ensure that you get proper levels of vitamins, minerals and supplements that are recommended to prevent and help treat acne breakouts. These include:
* Vitamin A or Retinol (High doses are toxic)
* Vitamin B Complex
* Vitamin C
* Vitamin E
* L-Carnitine
* Zinc
A good quality brand name multivitamin should have the recommended vitamins and minerals to help you with acne prevention.
4. Hormonal Treatment May Provide Relief
Hormones (or a lack of them) during later years - especially for women - frequently have a part in acne flare-ups. One recent study showed that about 50 percent of women have acne problems, referred to as hormonal acne, during the week prior to their menstural cycle.
Options for treatment include topical retinoids, oral antibiotics and Benzoyl Peroxide for adolescents. For adult women, oral contraceptives or hormonal birth control pills and hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) have been beneficial at times. Other options include systemic ointments, and prescription or over-the-counter products.
5. Follow a Healthy Skin Regimen
Harsh scrubbing or over-washing should be avoided, since this can cause skin irritation or lead to over-production of oil to replace what's washed off. Use products with gentle exfoliation ingredients and skip products that contain alcohol.
6. Acne Products May Be Needed
Some of the more popular products available that have been shown to help are:
* Benzoyl Peroxide
* Proactiv® Solution
* Salicylic Acid
* Retinoids
* Antibiotics
* Oral Contraceptives
* Anti-Androgens
* Isotretinoin (Accutane)
7. Advice for Shaving
Shaving can be an excellent way of exfoliating or removing dead skin. This can help with the prevention and spreading of acne by removing it so it does not clog pores. And, for some minor acne cases that have already started, shaving can help get rid of small whiteheads and blackheads that are there. Do not shave areas that have worse cases and use shaving cream designed for sensitive skin.
Always shave with a razor with a sharp blade. Use gentle swipes instead of heavy pressure and go with the flow or "grain." Electric razors may not shave as close to the skin, but they help with the prevention of acne.
8. Avoid or Reduce Stress
Stress includes external and internal stressors. External stressors are those that compromise your skin's ability to heal, like oily make-up and over exposure to the sun. Internal stressors like anxiety, fear, low self-esteem, depression and a variety of other internalized emotions, can produce chemical imbalances inside your body that can produce acne flare-ups and other skin irritations.
There is more information on How To Get Rid of Pimples and Acne here.
Related Reading:
