Acne skin care is important to the prevention and treatment of pimples, pustules, whiteheads and blackheads. Acne can start in the teen years but plague you all the way through adulthood. Although there it isn’t a serious medical condition, it does cause significant emotional and psychological trauma.
Care and prevention of acne begins from the inside out. Taking care of the largest organ system in the body begins with nutrition. The old adage, you are what you eat, is never more true than in the care of your skin. Your skin is only as healthy as you feed it.
Keep your hair clean since hair oils and dirt can clog the tubes that lead to the oil glands to the top of the skin. Your hands are another way of transmitting dirt and oils to your skin. The skin produces enough of its own oils for protection and moisturizing but adding oils from the hands can do more damage.
Keep your hands off! Picking, popping, pushing and rubbing acne will only make the condition worse and can result in infections and scarring.
Make up often contains greasy components that will clog pores and cause more acne or worsen the ones you already have. Cosmetics that go on smoothly actually have oils to make the application process easier but also clog the pores to encourage acne breakouts.
If you must wear make up then choose cosmetics that are oil free and labeled noncomedogenic (don’t cause comedones or pimples). Cosmetics that have oils in them will spread more evenly over the skin that is being treated for acne but will also worsen the condition or make the face look like there is acne covered by make-up.
An important part of your acne skin care is to use a mild cleanser to wash your face at the beginning and end of each day. Also use a gentle technique since scrubbing will also worsen this condition. Clean from the hairline to under the jaw and down the neck. Astringents should not be used unless the skin is very oily and then only in the oily areas. Astringents will over dry the skin and cause more oil production, essentially worsening the condition.
Some skin care products designed for acne come with a skin toner, which is different from astringent. It is usually more gentle, helps to completely clean the skin and sometimes has active ingredients to help reduce the appearance of new pimples.
Shave with care! Guys who shave should do so with care. You have a choice between an electric razor and a safety razor. Only you can make the choice based on which is most comfortable and which razor you can manipulate without causing more damage.
Your skin care regimen should also include caring for your skin in the sun. Many medications that are used to treat acne make a person more susceptible to sunburns. Although sunburns and tanning make the blemishes less visible they also increase the risk of skin cancer and increase skin aging.
But the sun isn’t all bad. The sun helps the body produce Vitamin D and a bit of sun is actually good for the skin itself. Smart acne skin care means you will wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more that blocks UVA and UVB rays. The sun is strongest between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm so be sure to add sunscreen liberally and stay indoors during those hours if you can.
With diligent skin care and treatment most teens and young adults are able to reduce the amount of acne or prevent it altogether. However, without good skin care and a solid nutritional diet, most people will suffer from poor skin condition, increased aging process and the potential for acne.
Resources:
American Academy of Family Physicians: Diagnosis and Treatment of Acne http://www.aafp.org/afp/2004/0501/p2123.html
KidsHealth.org: Tips for Taking Care of Your Skin http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/take_care/skin_tips.html
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