|
Acne!
I have really bad/moderate/occassional acne and I want clearer/smoother skin/fewer zits. Help!
[ ]
Want to answer more questions in the Health & Fitness category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Health?
Adopt a daily regimen for caring for your skin. Yes, caring. Not attacking/exfoliating to death/burning off/peeling/annihilating with rubbing alcohol, et cetera. Treat your skin well & it will thank you.
First off, you're going to want a good face wash. Get one with salicylic acid that's good for your skin type. Don't automatically assume your skin is oily just because you have acne. If parts of your face are dry [especially your jawline and sides of your face] you have COMBINATION. Using intense products will irritate your skin. Irritated skin = red skin. Red skin = what you don't want. A great product is Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash. It comes in a pump bottle & it's orange. Use it twice daily. Anything more will over-stimulate your pores & cause your skin to produce too much oil- just what you don't want.
EDIT: The new grapefruit version smells absolutely amazing! If you aren't allergic to grapefruits I definitely recommend getting this one instead - its worth the extra dollar or two.
Acne is caused by blocked pores. Unblock them faster by using a gentle scrub, like St. Ives Apricot Scrub. Use it at night every day, or every other day if your skin is sensitive.
Spot treatments help clear up acne faster by staying on your skin longer than a face wash will. A product with benzoyl peroxide and/or salicylic acid is best. Clean&Clear Advantage is great & works quickly to reduce redness. If your skin is on the oily side, consider an astringent. Clean & Clear has one for sensitive skin, it's blue & comes in a regular bottle. Apply it with a cotton ball to oily areas once daily.
All of these products can be purchased for $4-8 at WalMart, Target, CVS, Hannafords, RiteAid, whatever's in your town. If your acne is still really bad [or if you have stubborn, frequent cystic acne] consider seeing a dermatologist. They can analyze your skin and prescribe antibiotics and/or topical creams such as Retin-A Micro & clindamycin.
Also, remember that picking at zits all the time only makes them redder & they'll stick around a lot longer than they would have if you left them alone. Plus, you'll end up with scarring- and no one wants that! No food CAUSES zits, so don't deprive yourself of an occassional Snickers bar because of your skin. However, eating healthy, getting plently of sleep, and drinking lots of water will make your skin more vibrant & healthy-looking, and who doesn't want that?
Moisturization is very important too. It's important to wash away excess oil, but sometimes ALL the oil will get washed away. And that will increase oil production, and then your zits. Ew! So, moisturize after washing your face [if you're a guy, you don't have to tell anyone ;)] and your skin will thank you. Make sure it's oil free [or something like Eucerin if your skin is uber sensitive]
Lastly, I won't take any credit for it, but Jack's FAQ on the same subject works really well & is all-natural. I feel as though this FAQ is incomplete without it.
[[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)]
-LM
[17/f]
]
More Questions: |