Blemishes are not only a problem for teenagers, they can hang around into adulthood. Adults can have skin problems too. Whatever your age, it’s wise to be careful what you put on your skin since it will be absorbed into your body.
Easy Does It On The Scrubbing.
Scrubbing your face isn’t going to get rid of blemishes if you’re prone to acne. If you rub your skin too roughly, it’s more likely to stir up more blemishes and aggravate ones you already have. A gentle cleaning of your face is much better.
Washing your face gently will help avoid irritation that will make acne worse. It’s best to not even use a washcloth. Instead, just splash some water on your face, then lather up your hands with the mild cleansing wash or mild soap.
Once you’ve washed your face, use a clean washcloth to gently pat the water off the skin until it’s dry.
Best Medicine Is Benzoyl Peroxide.
Make sure your skin is completely dry, then use an over-the-counter medication with benzoyl peroxide. This is know to be the best non-prescription medication you can use to control blemishes. Peroxide has been used to cleanse skin a long time, and benzoyl peroxide is also a mild drying agent.
Use 2.5% benzoyl peroxide as it has been shown to be just as effective as 5% or 10%, but doesn’t irritate your skin so badly. It’s counter productive to irritate your skin and make acne worse instead of better.
It’s very important to start with a SMALL amount of medication. Since this medication is a drying agent and can cause redness and itchiness, so don’t slather on a bunch right from the beginning. In the beginning, use just enough medication to very lightly cover your skin the first time, then gradually increase the amount you’re using. Within a couple of weeks you should be giving your skin a good coating of medication.
Make certain you stay away from the tender skin under your eyes. For one thing, the skin there isn’t prone to break-outs anyway. Also, It is thinner and more easier irritated that the rest of the skin on your face.
The Importance of Moisturizer.
Considering benzoyl peroxide dries out your skin, it’s important to apply moisturizer. Allow the medicine to soak in and wait for your skin to completely dry, then lightly apply moisturizer to your face. Once the moisturizer has time to dry, if you skin still appears dry or flaky, add some more.
Right from the start, be sure to apply the moisturizer after using the benzoyl peroxide. This is to help your skin keep from drying out too much.
Should You WAtch What You Eat?
It’s an on again, off again thing with the scientific community as to whether diet has any effect on acne. Too much iodine will aggravate blemishes, so don’t go overboard with the salt shaker if you’re using iodized salt, or eat too many iodine rich foods like clams, crabs or other shellfish.
Don’t pay attention to scientific theories, however, if you notice that your skin tends to break out more after eating certain foods, stop eating them. There are so many factors since body chemistry and the effects of foods and other substances on our skin is so complex, that scientists don’t always know the answer. (How many drugs have been okayed as safe, only to discover later they have bad side effects?)
More Quick Tips.
When you have a blemish and need help quick, try one of the following:
- If you run out of benzoyl peroxide and have a blemish, try using a little calamine lotion. This will absorb the excess oil, and get rid of the blemish.
- Immediately after washing your face, use an ice cube for 60 seconds on any blemishes. The chill helps reduce the inflammation and make them less noticeable.
- No squeezing! Though it might actually help the original blemish to heal more quickly, it will irritate the surrounding skin and may cause more blemishes.
- Be careful of make-up. Especially bad for acne prone skin is any kind of oil based make-up. If you want to wear make-up, make sure to use types meant for people with sensitive or acne prone skin.
Better Skin Is The Result.
Acne is a problem nobody wants, but a good skin care regimen can usually help or totally eradicate it.
Clear skin is the clear goal.