Acne is the curse of life, striking at any time and any one in the world. It is not merely related to the teen years, although that is the derma-graphic that this horror gets the most attention from. Acne includes any bump on the body that is filled (yucky blackheads, whiteheads, etc.), or hard red bumps. It appears mostly on the face, but also on the back, arms, legs, chest and shoulders.
There is no certain cause of acne. Mostly, it is from the pores in the skin being plugged with dirt and gunk. Sometimes it’s from having a dirty face. Sometimes it’s from allergies. Sometimes it pops up during special times(menstruation, pregnancy, stress). But whatever the cause, the main goal is to rid yourself of these things and develop a healthy, clean, clear complexion.
There are different types of complexions and each needs to be taken care of differently as to avoid acne as best as possible. There is a dry complexion, where the skin is dry and needs extra moisturizing. Acne usually occurs on the cheeks with a dry complexion. There is an oily complexion, where the skin is oily and needs to be cleaned extensively for it to be removed. Acne will occur all over the face with an oily complexion. Then there is a mixed complexion, where the skin is oily and dry. Acne will usually occur in the T-zone. The T-zone starts above the eyes, across the forehead, and heads down between the eyes, cross the nose, right down to the chin.
Dry Complexion Acne
Because the skin is overly dry with this type of complexion, you need to add extra moisture without clogging pores. First, use a gentle exfoliant(specifically made for the face) and slough off the dry and dead skin. Then gently cleanse with a cleanser free of alcohol. Alcohol will cause your skin to dry even further. Skip the toner because of that reason, unless it is moisturizing toner. Lastly, apply a moisturizer specifically sold for the face.
Oily Complexion Acne
Oily complexion is perhaps the easiest skin type to deal with as far as acne prevention goes. There are many products on the market to combat oil and acne. Choose a cleanser made for oily skin. I like Noxema. Although it has a smell guaranteed to make your eyes water, it banishes the oil from your skin and leaves it feeling smooth, not greasy. Use an alcohol based toner to wipe your face afterwards. Do not use moisturizer on your face, as it kind of defeats the purpose of cleaning it.
Mixed Complexion Acne
Mixed complexion acne occurs on only a certain part of your face, the T-zone, and therefore is the most complex to clean. You need to wash the dry part with a moisturizing cleanser, and the oily part with an alcohol-based cleanser. My solution(as I have this complexion) is to wash the entire face with Noxema(for the same reasons as above). Use an alcohol-based toner on the T-zone and moisturizer on the cheeks.
Some Tips To Prevent Acne
*Wash bed linens(especially pillow cases) and towels regularly. Dirty linens can clog pores and cause pimples.
Wash your face in the morning and at night. Make sure to use really warm water(so you don’t burn that precious skin of yours). Do **NOT rub the face dry with a towel. Gently pat it, or let it air dry.
If the pimple is at a head(is visible at the surface of the skin), pop it. My reasoning is that if you don’t, you can end up with pimples on top of pimples, and maybe even very bad infections. Clean your hands first, take a tissue, and squeeze the pimple between your first fingers. Make sure you get everything out. If there is something left in there, the pimple will reappear, or become infected. Immediately cleanse the area and apply rubbing alcohol over the spot. If it does not pop, leave it. Forcing it to pop will scar your face and it will be very painful. *This is not a popular opinion, and is not recommended by most dermatologists, but I have done this since I was 13 and have perfect(not scarred) skin.
*If you are going to touch your face, wash your hands first. Watch a person who has a lot of acne. Watch how many times they touch their face. A person’s hands have natural oil on them, as well as dirt and other gross stuff from everything they have touched, and that is transferred to their skin.
*If it is an allergy, see the dermatologist to receive instructions on how to combat it. You might have to change soaps-body, clothes and otherwise.
If you have the money and like to be pampered, go to the salon and receive a facial. A steaming towel on your face will open the pores. Then they should remove the blackheads from your nose. It doesn’t really hurt, and **BONUS you look darn good after the fact. You can do the steaming towel trick at home, but I would let a professional handle removing the blackheads.
There are many more ways to combat acne, but I am citing from my personal experience as one who experiences horrible bouts of acne at times. Use them and thou shalt receive clean skin!