Establishing an effective daily skincare routine is very important to develop healthy, acne free skin.
Cleansing: “Wash your face thoroughly with a gentle, non-abrasive cleanser at least twice a day, especially after excessive perspiring or working out. Stop using any deodorant soaps to clean your face and never scrub it vigorously!” – are the first recommendations you will get from a dermatologist.
Most skin specialists also recommend when cleansing to use gentle fingertip movements while washing the face to prevent irritation. The use of a washcloth or sponge should be avoided. Also, skin cleansers that contain scrubbing particles should be avoided, as they can cause skin irritation and even make acne worse.
To prevent inflammation or dryness, rinse the face thoroughly with warm (never hot) water.
Over Treating Your Skin – The Rebound Effect
As most acne treatments contain harsh ingredients, it is easy to over treat your skin.
Female teens especially gravitate toward over treating their skin, thinking that the more they use harsh acne treatment products and heavy make up, the faster their acne will be relieved. But the opposite is true, using harsh acne treatment products overdry the skin, which causes a rebound effect. Your skin actually compensates by over producing oil, creating more oil, more acne.
Adult Acne As we age, our skin gets thinner and more sensitive, which makes traditional acne treatments containing benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid extremely irritating to the adult skin. Instead, opt for less harsh, more natural acne treatments.
To Prevent Acne Scarring, Never pick, pop or squeeze acne pimples,as squeezing can lead to an infection and acne scarring. Acne Scars never go away unless you choose an expensive treatment in your dermatologist’s office.
Tanning/Skin Cancer
There is a popular myth, particularly among teens, that sun exposure can dry up acne lesions. In the real world, sun exposure causes skin inflammation, which can actually trigger acne. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, tanning increases the risk of developing skin cancer or other serious skin diseases. For people under the age of 35, excessive sunbathing increases the risk of skin cancer by 75 %. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in people 30 years old & younger. It is the second most common cancer in people over 15 years of age.
Shaving is also a factor that can irritate acne. If shaving cannot be avoided, it should be done with a sharp blade to prevent nicking acne and eliminate the possibility of skin irritation.