With over 40 million Americans suffering from some form of acne every year according to the American Academy of Dermatology, it's important to understand ways to take care of your skin. Pimples are the result of pores being clogged, which prevents the skin’s oil production from escaping through the pores. The oil backs up in the pore since the production does not stop, creating a breeding ground for bacteria to populate. This can result in infection, inflammation and redness. Luckily, simple skincare tips can help eliminate pimples.
Prevention
Prevention is possible, and maintaining a good daily skin regimen will help prevent pimples from forming. Clean the skin morning and evening with a mild cleanser, avoiding harsh soaps that leave residue behind. Also avoid scrubbers and washcloths that can all irritate skin. Washing the skin more than twice per day can also irritate the skin, and irritated skin can lead to acne.
After patting the skin dry, apply an acne treatment that contains 2-percent benzoyl peroxide or 5-percent tea tree oil over all acne-prone skin. Follow with an oil-free moisturizer that has sunscreen built in.
Individual Pimples
No matter how diligent you are with your skincare, a pimple can still pop-up when you least want it to. Stress, hormone changes and other factors can unfortunately break through your defenses, resulting in pimples. To treat an individual pimple, use a spot-treatment containing sulfur. You can also use one of the hand-held devices that use heat therapy to kill the bacteria, such as the Zeno or the Thermaclear.
Acne Treatment Systems
Many companies now are creating full acne treatment systems that include your cleanser, acne treatment, moisturizer, spot treatment and more. Sometimes, mixing brands and products can cause irritation to the skin, as they were not designed or tested to be used together.
Using one overall treatment system can help avoid irritation. ProActiv is one such system, and the Acne Support Team gave their Editor’s Choice to the Exposed treatment system, as it is the only system proven to effectively treat severe acne cysts.
Don’t Pick
It can’t be repeated enough--Skincare Physicians reminds that picking can make acne worse. You can cause the infection to go deeper into the pore, resulting in a more serious infection that delays the healing of the pimple. You can also damage the skin, leaving an acne mark or scar behind.
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