Acne typically begins during puberty and can be very difficult to manage but there are certain steps you can take to help prevent future breakouts. If you have acne prone skin it is best that you wash your face at least twice a day with a gentle cleanser. Make sure to use a cleanser that is fragrant free so that it doesn’t irritate your skin. When you are cleansing your skin, massage in the cleanser gently as opposed to scrubbing. Scrubbing your skin will irritate it and will not help improve its appearance. Once your face is clean, you can apply any acne prevention product that you may have. If you don’t have one and are looking to buy a product for your skin, make sure that the product contains benzoyl peroxide.
A very important rule that you probably already know by now is to leave your pimples alone, don’t try and pop them. Popping your pimples can potentially make it easier for bacteria to penetrate the skin even further. This can cause your skin to become infected and swollen. Also, it is best that you don’t apply any make-up to avoid any chances of activating a hospitable environment for acne to flare up. A general rule for any skin type is to avoid touching your face because there is plenty of bacteria that gets transferred with a simple touch. If touching your face is a habit that is hard to break, washing your hands multiple times throughout the day is also effective. You also want to avoid pressing your cellphone against your skin tightly since it carries bacteria all over it.
If you wear makeup, it is essential that you remove it before bed. You may feel too lazy or tired to wash your face, but your skin will thank you the next morning! Leaving your make-up on can clog your pores causing breakouts to occur. When you are purchasing make-up, products make sure that somewhere on the label it says “noncomedogenic” or “nonacnegenic”. This just means that the product is less likely to cause acne or make your existing acne worse. Additionally, any makeup that goes on your eyes, that is older than six months should be thrown out and replaced.
Your hair can also play a role in acne breakouts. If you go to sleep with unwashed hair throughout the night, your face is going to absorb dirt and bacteria. Therefore, it is recommended that you wash your hair before bed or put your hair up so that it doesn’t come into contact with your face. On a similar note, it’s a good idea to wash your pillow covers weekly so they’re always fresh, clean and bacteria free.