OK, so it’s not that dramatic. Or is it? There are many theories about how to prevent acne. So what’s the best way? It all depends on your skin.
There are many reasons that people are prone to acne: lifestyle, eating habits, skin texture, large pores, etc. Acne is the result of clogged pores. Some of the ways that pores can get clogged are obvious, like wearing pore-
clogging makeup or not removing makeup at night. But too much sun exposure is another reason. The skin toughens and doesn’t slough off fast enough. And contrary to popular belief, not using moisturizer is another reason. The skin does not have enough moisture to slough properly because of all the drying agents used on the skin, and that exacerbates the problem. Hormones also play a huge role. Believe it or not, hormones don’t actually create blemishes. They either make the body create too much oil, or keep the skin from sloughing. And then there are those people that just have unusually large pores, and oil and dirt just gets stuck in them.
But is there any single effective way to prevent acne? No, there’s no magic bullet for prevention. But here are the most effective ways to keep acne from being a problem.
- Exfoliation – this is probably the number one piece of advice I give to my clients. Exfoliation helps to get rid of current breakouts, as well as prevent new breakouts. How does it work? It cleanses the pores and removes the top layers of dead skin so the pores can breathe. Clean pores = no acne. This is really effective for bacne (back acne) too.
- The popular saying “you are what you eat” is absolutely true, so it would stand to reason that what goes in your mouth will show up on your face. If you’re prone to breakouts, reduce the amount of oily and greasy foods you take in.
- Cleanse twice a day. I understand, you don’t have the time. But treating acne later will cost you more time in the end. So just set aside 3 minutes and wash your face, and make sure you’re using a scrub at least once every other day.
- Make sure the skin care you’re using is for your skin characteristics. Pay close attention to the packaging. If the skin care is a “one size fits all” then stay away from it. Every person’s skin is a little different, and you want to use the right one for your skin. For example, if you’re in your early 20’s and have a little oil, that’s normal. You can find skin care targeted for the teens to 20’s. But if you have a lot of oil, use an oil control line. If you have a little oil and use an oil control line, you’ll start to feel very dry, and you might even break out more.
- Use moisturizer every day. Using the same guidelines above, use a moisturizer for your skin characteristics. Unless you have advanced signs of aging, you’ll want to use very little moisturizer, which leads me to the last tip…
- Use toner between cleansing and moisturizing. I’ve heard many people say that toner doesn’t do anything. If you think so, then you’ve probably used a really bad one. Some are really drying, some are oily and others sting. If you’re having this trouble, then switch to a different toner. Toners generally balance the PH of the skin, remove the last bits of dirt or makeup, close the pores, and helps the skin require less moisturizer. Very important when trying to prevent acne.
Guest Author Bio – Christine Grudecki
A mobile spa consultant, Christine has had training as a skin care professional and works with clients to help create and maintain beautiful looking skin. She is also the author of the Spa Blog, which ranges in subjects from skin care to health to relaxation, and everything in between. You can also check out her Facebook Fanpage and Tweets for tidbits of inspiration and advice.
Thanks for the advice. I’m in my 40’s and I’m breaking out. I know my mistake is I break them. I’m going through alot right now and find, that’s when I break out more, I’m even getting a few on my back and my scalp. That’s a first. Have any suggestions for the scalp.
dorcontest at gmail dot com
For your scalp, you can use Scalpicin (the one in the Yellow box, NOT the blue box). It contains Salicylic Acid, which works great for acne and different kids of dermatitis (like eczema and psoriasis).
It sounds like you’d benefit greatly from dermabrasion. For your back, a body scrub and loufah should do the trick, and you should use an at-home chemical peel and dermabrasion treatment. Let me know if you need a product recommendation, I use a fantastic one.
Good luck, and keep me posted on your progress!