Take into account the three critical root of acne and you might recognize why the focus of both home treatment and prescription remedy is to (1) open pores, (2) remove bacteria, and (3) reduce oil. But before that, something about your…

Lifestyle: Control and regularity are fine things, but not every person can sleep eight hours, eat three good meals, and drink eight glasses of water a day. You can, however, still be in charge of your acne even if your routine is frenetic and impulsive. Possibly the most useful lifestyle modifications you can make are to put on warm compresses to pimples and cysts, to get facials (see below), and on no account to pick or pop pimples. Pimple popping, no matter how gentle and hygienic you are, just about always makes bumps stay redder and bumpier longer. People time and again refer to redness as “scarring,” but actually it typically isn’t in the everlasting sense. It’s merely a mark that takes months to fade away if left totally by itself. If you must, read here How to pop a Pimple and How to remove pimples.

Unblock the pores

Cleansing and skin care: Regardless of what you read in popular style and womens magazines, there is no ideal product or regimen that is ideal for every human being and situations.

  • Soft cleansers: Rinsing once or twice daily with a soft cleansing bar or liquid (for example, Dove, Neutrogena, Basis, Purpose, and Cetaphil are all inexpensive and popular) will keep the skin dirt free and reduce sensitivity and irritation.
  • Exfoliating cleansers and masques: A assortment of soft scrubs, exfoliants, and masques can be used. These products contain either tiny granules or salicylic acid in a concentration that makes it a very mild peeling agent. These products remove the surface layer of the skin and hence open the pores. Products containing glycolic or alpha hydroxy acids are also gentle skin exfoliants.
  • Retinol: Not to be confused with the prescription medication Retin-A, this derivative of vitamin A can help promote skin peeling.


Get rid of the bacteria

  • Antibacterial cleansers: The most common ingredient in over-the-counter antibacterial cleansers is benzoyl peroxide.
  • Topical (external) applications: These products come in the form of gels, creams, and lotions, which are applied to the affected area. The active ingredients that kill surface bacteria include benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, and resorcinol. Some brands promoted on the Internet and cable TV (such as ProActiv) are more costly but not really any better than ones you can buy in the drugstore.
  • Benzoyl peroxide causes red and scaly allergic skin in a small number of people, which goes away as soon as you discontinue using the product. Bear in mind that benzoyl peroxide is a bleach, so do not let products containing benzoyl peroxide leave unsightly blotching on colored clothes, shirts, towels, and carpets.


Remove the oil

You cannot hinder your oil glands from producing oil (unless you mess with your hormones or metabolism in ways you shouldn’t). What you can do is to get rid of oil on the surface of the skin and curtail the discomforting glow.

  • Use a gentle astringent/toner to wipe away oil. (There are various products available in pharmacies, as well as from manufacturers of cosmetic lines.)
  • Products containing glycolic acid or one of the other alpha hydroxy acids are also mildly helpful in clearing the skin by causing the superficial layer of the skin to peel (exfoliate).
  • Masques containing sulfur and other ingredients draw out facial oil.
  • Antibacterial pads containing benzoyl peroxide have the additional benefit of helping you wipe away oil.

 

Technorati Tags: , , , ,