Treating acne-prone skin often entails a combination of simple skin care techniques and standard acne treatments. Basically, you want to minimize the factors that contribute to the development of active lesions, including excess oil, dead skin and bacteria. If you're able to manage these aspects of skin care, you decrease your chances of clogged pores and a subsequent acne breakout.
Step 1
Wash problem skin at least once a day. Daily cleansing helps to remove the dead skin, excess oil and bacterial buildup causing the breakouts. Antibacterial soaps and gentle cleansers are recommended.
Step 2
Cover acne-prone areas with an acne cream daily. A thin layer of any cream containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide can help prevent or treat acne breakouts in most people. Either of these ingredients can dry excess oil and slough dead skin, which often contributes to clogged pores and acne lesions, explains MayoClinic.com.
Step 3
Switch to noncomedogenic cosmetics and other skin care products. If you suffer from acne-prone skin, you can minimize breakouts by using sunscreens, moisturizes, lotions, make-up and aftershaves labeled as noncomedogenic. They do not contain oil-based ingredients that obstruct the pores and lead to acne lesions.
Step 4
Discard old skin care products, suggests MayoClinic.com. Cosmetics, moisturizers and other skin care products have a shelf-life. After a year, get rid of any products that come into contact with acne-prone skin.
Step 5
Clean everything that comes into contact with acne-prone skin. Before it ever touches your face, wash off your hands, phones, glasses, helmet straps, kerchiefs, headbands and cosmetic applicators. Soil left on any of these items can help clog your pores and lead to active lesions.
Step 6
Wash your hair every day. Like other items that come into contact with your skin, your hair can trap oil and other pollutants along your skin, which can lead to clogged pores and acne lesions. Daily shampooing can reduce oil within the hair and minimize its transfer to the skin. It's also important to keep hair off problematic areas.
Tips and Warnings
- Warm, soapy water is all that's necessary to clean items that come into contact with your skin. You needn't go overboard in your cleaning routine. Although diet doesn't usually influence acne, the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology claims that dairy products and simple carbohydrates can lead to breakouts as a result of hormonal changes. Foods that fall within either of these food groups can sometimes alter hormone levels in the body, and since acne is sometimes influence by androgens, avoiding such foods could reduce the frequency of breakouts. If self care is unable to keep acne at bay, talk to your dermatologist. Prescription medications can be used to treat and heal moderate to severe active lesions.
- Don't pop or pick at active lesions, this can result in infection, skin damage and scarring, cautions the American Academy of Dermatology.
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