When you’re fighting acne, it can feel like you’re cursed. There’s no way to get rid of the spots on your face, and all you may want to do is layer on the makeup and hide in your room with a bag of chips. But acne is not impossible to get rid of; in fact, there are some great steps you can take to improve your skin.
The key to clearing up acne is proper acne prevention; once a breakout starts, there’s nothing to do but leave it alone and wait for it to heal. But things like eating more fruits and veggies and using the right moisturizer could make a big difference in heading off breakouts. Read on to learn more about acne prevention and how you can get healthier skin today.
Keep Your Face Clean
One of the best things you can do to prevent acne is to keep your face clean. During the day, oil, dirt, pollutants, and dead skin cells can build up in your pores. This can lead to the irritation that will later become a pimple. So be sure to wash your face twice a day, once in the morning and once at night.
You may be tempted to use harsh scrubs to get rid of your acne, but this can dry out your skin and inflame it worse than ever. Instead, look for a gentle over-the-counter acne cleanser that will nourish your skin while it cleans it. Use warm water, not hot, and use a very soft washcloth or your hands to wash your face.
Moisturize
While keeping your face clear of unwanted oils is important for healthy skin, you do want to make sure your skin doesn’t get too dry. A lot of acne prevention products focus on pulling excess oil out of the skin. But this can leave your skin dry and flaky and less protected against dirt and irritants.
Get a gentle moisturizer that is labeled noncomedogenic. This means it will provide your skin with the nourishment it needs without causing more acne. You can find moisturizers that are suited for any skin type, including dry, oily, or combination.
Use Less Makeup
It may be tempting to try to cover your acne or scars with makeup, but this can make the problem worse. Even if you wash your face morning and evening, those products are still sitting on your face all day. They clog your pores and have plenty of time to start the irritation that leads to pimples.
Try to dial back the makeup you wear, especially during breakouts. If you do feel like you need to wear makeup, look for brands that are oil-, dye-, and fragrance-free and that are labeled noncomedogenic. If you’re fighting acne scars, there are some fantastic options for acne scar removal.
Change Hair Products
It may sound strange, but swapping shampoos could help you decrease your acne. The wrong kind of shampoo, conditioner, or styling product could deposit oil and gunk onto your skin. If you notice your breakouts are worse on your neck and cheeks or around your hairline, this could be the problem.
Avoid putting fragrances, gels, pomades, or oils in your hair if possible. Swap to a gentle shampoo and conditioner that’s sulfate-free. And be sure you’re washing your hair on a regular basis, especially around breakouts; oily hair can make breakouts worse too.
Stay Inside
Staying out of the sun and protecting your skin from the sun is a good idea for your skin’s health anyhow. Doctors recommend you wear a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every day. This will help prevent you from developing dangerous skin cancers as well as wrinkles later down the road.
But staying out of the sun can also help prevent and reduce breakouts. The sun can dry out and irritate your skin, leaving it vulnerable to breakouts. Some acne prevention medications can also make you extremely sensitive to sunlight, so wear long-sleeved clothing, stay out of the sun between 10 and 4, and always wear sunscreen.
Eat More Fruits and Veggies
It’s a myth that eating chocolate causes acne, but it may be true that eating dairy can cause more breakouts. Foods high in processed sugar may also trigger flare-ups, as well as foods that are greasy or unhealthy. You want to aim to eat as much fresh, unprocessed food as possible.
Focus on adding more fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains to your diet. And make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. This will keep your skin healthier, and the nutrients from the fresh food will give it the nourishment it needs to heal and prevent new breakouts.
Don’t Touch Your Face
When you have a pimple, all you want to do sometimes is just pop the stupid thing. Especially if it hurts, it can be tempting to start picking at it. But doing this will only do more harm than good and increase future breakouts.
As much as possible, avoid touching your face; the oil from your hands can increase breakouts. And never, ever pop a pimple. You’ll damage the skin cells and create an open wound on your face that a) looks worse than the pimple did in the first place, and b) create an opportunity for infection.
Learn More About Acne Prevention
Dealing with acne prevention can be frustrating, embarrassing, and downright miserable. But focus on keeping your face clean and eating right. Make sure you’re using products labeled noncomedogenic, and if things get really bad, go see a dermatologist; they can give you a medication to help.
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