Keeping Acne in Check
Acne most commonly rears its head around the age of adolescence Some people manage to remain mostly acne free, for others it sets in quite badly. What causes acne, and how can it be controlled? In this guide, we have a close look at acne, what the causes are and how to treat it.
The main causes of acne
Acne occurs when pores becomes blocked by a oil known as Sebum. With regular washing and hygiene maintenance, Sebum keeps the skin and hair smooth, only becoming oily when washing becomes irregular. However, during puberty, hormones surge and can cause the skin to produce more Sebum than it needs, which can cause acne. The most frequent place acne occurs is in the ‘T zone’ which is the forehead, nose and chin. This is where acne usually strikes first and the hardest.
As soon as the pores become blocked, the Sebum begins to collect behind the blockage. Most commonly called “whiteheads”, these are deposits of white liquid just behind the blocked pore. At times, the top of the whitehead will turn darker and become whats known as a “bleackhead.” Much to people’s surprise, whiteheads only become pimples once bacteria enters and infects the whitehead.
Taking care of acne
Taking care of acne is not as simple as giving yourself a “good scrub” a couple of times a day. Scrubbing is actually counter productive to reducing acne, as the action of scrubbing cleanses the pores but at the same time, stimulates more oil production in the scrubbed area. As the skin is already suffering from Sebum over-production, increasing this will only make things worse.
Steps you can take to control acne
Do wash your face twice a day with warm water and soap specifically designed for acne. DO NOT SCRUB. Instead of scrubbing, massage the soap in circles over the affected areas taking care not to further inflame the irritated area.
Lowering oil production and killing bacteria after this is essential, so make sure you apply a lotion that contains benzoyl peroxide, which will do just that. The moisturizer in these lotions will also help with keeping your skin fresh and holding back the acne.
Things acne sufferers should avoid
Don’t use an off the shelf moisturizer unless it has been made specifically for acne treatment or recommended by your dermatologist.
Other creams will only server to make your acne worse. DO take advantage of moisturizers that are specifically designed with ance sufferes in mind.
Resist the urge to pop pimples.
I know its difficult sometimes, but when you realize it causes infection to spread and even scarring, you may find it a lot easier to resist the urge.
Do not touch your face, if you have to, ensure that you have washed your hands first.
While it can be tempting, you must not touch your face with dirty hands however, you will have to touch your face to undertake washing. Transferring more bacteria to your face isn’t cool when you already have an acne outbreak on your hands.
Avoid wearing tight clothing if possible and be sure that you keep your glasses or sunglasses clean.
Clothing that is tight or constricting (even headbands and scarves) pushes oil back into the pores and causes oil buildup. The bridge of your nose is in constant contact with glasses or sunglasses, which is why its important to keep them clean. If you don’t do this, you could risk reinfecting yourself with bacteria from previous wearings.
People wearing make up should remove it before going to sleep.
Make sure your makeup is labeled as being water-based. Keep your eyes peeled to ensure that it is labeled “noncomedogenic” or “nonacnegenic”.
Ensure that your hair is kept away from your face.
If you hair is in constant contact with your face, it will carry around and spread bacteria to other susceptible parts of your face.
Finally, if you can’t seem to get your acne breakouts under control with these methods, you may want to visit a dermatologist for particularly severe cases. They will be able to advise the best means and other options if the normal solutions are not working. For most, though, acne can be controlled with a few simple steps such as those described above.
To find out more, visit a page on acne soluitions.
